Chompin' at the bit

[Hal Copple]

I don't know anything about real horses, the four-legged kind; when i was a kid, and tried riding, i got bounced around so much i would get off and promptly throw up in the bushes. So i don't really know if a horse anxious to get out on the trail actually chomps on its bit, as they are steel, and would probably hurt the horse's teeth. But this old American saying kept coming to my mind yesterday.

Son Chris came home to get the rear bumper put back on his Boxster; he put a tear in it a few weeks ago, when he spun off the road when he hit ice, and he got a new one. It was painted and ready to put on. Somehow, it is an "European" bumper, so we have to make some modifications to the rear aluminum bumper behind it, but we will finish it up today. Chris and I wanted to pay a social call to the Olthoff's, about an hour north. Wife Lynne had gone to the Beach with some of her girlfriends, so we were free to do father and son stuff.

Well, after a few phone calls yest AM, we agreed to meet at the Charlotte Jaguar dealer; he coming up from south SC, me from Rock Hill. I had time, so i pushed the Great Stroker out under the warming SC sun, gave my trusty Abby a good scruffing up, and turned on the hose. If i don't take the time to completetly clean the Trigos, it doesn't take long, and after chamoising it (come to think of it, dragging the skin of a dead small goat over my car does seem kind of sad), it was time to head on out. The Accusump was primed with 60 psi of 10-40 Redline, and after a few seconds, the big Stroker lit off with two pumps of the accelerater, and bringing all the pressures up, i eased on down the driveway, and swung my car's intimidating snout north.

By the time i reached I-77, the car was warmed up and all the gages read right, so i aimed down the long on-ramp, and with a look over my left shoulder, put the secondary blades straight up. The snarling exhaust by my ear put the rear Bilsteins to full squat, and in seconds i throttled back and pushed the shortened shifter hard right to fifth gear.

Parked at the Jag dealer, admired the XJR's and R models, then Chris arrived, and we belted up, (after showing the Jag guys my motor), him driving, and lit out for the Olthoff's. We cruised a few restops, as is our custom, and as we blasted back into traffic, i just kept thinking that with all the recent rain, my SPF seemed to be chompin' at the bit, anxious to vaporize some 93 octane, anxious to kill some bugs on the windscreen, just rarin' to make up for lost time.

The back roads thru the forests and trees, under the warming sun, was just a great trip; i prefer to ride, so i can admire the beautiful scenery passing by. Chris misses my engine's power in his Boxster, so he drives my car every chance we get. We stopped along the way at the Simpson place, i upgraded to a new helmet, and Chris sprung for a new top-line Nomex suit; they had several of their newest fabrics on sale, he too got a blue one like mine. We are about done setting up his Boxster for club events, (slicks, higher rollbar, belts, etc), and he got a suit so he could better blend in at the track with the other Porsche drivers.

Since Wife does not about any of our Boxster plans, the slicks, and now the suit, will have to be hidden. We will confess all in due time.

Arrived at the Olthoff's; a customer was just writing his check for his own SPF, and after discussing my upcoming full race Wilwood brake set that Dennis has on order (NASCAR race "hatted"-rotors, SS heat shields), he took Chris out in their SPF demo Coupe. They were out a long time, and Chris came back full of praise for that car's back road prowess and stunning Roush-motored acceleration. Dennis mentioned that at VIR recently, a Lambo Miurcelago couldn't keep up with the Coupe.

Came home, had lunch at a local cafe, where we feasted on wings, onion rings, Freedom Fries, and Coke, and commented on how Southern our late lunch was, about a zillion fat grams.

So now, we are out to the garage to get his Porsche back together. All and all, it shows how a common interest, in our case nurtured by our sports cars, gives a father and son the very best possible time to talk and laugh, and share another life experience.

all the best, and God Bless our Troops......

[RallySnake]

Hal,

Nice story. Great phrase: "and swung my car's intimidating snout North".

Thanks,
Paul

[RedBarchetta]

Originally posted by Hal Copple


....dragging the skin of a dead small goat over my car does seem kind of sad)....

Hal, allow me to lead you into the 21st century in style.....the new hot ticket is MICRO FIBER towels. Makes dead animal skins seem like sand paper.

P.S. Another great tale....thanks!

-Deano

[MilwDoug]

I must say Hal, you are truly the Faulkner of the Cobra world.