Datsun 240z vs Alfa Romeo... grrr!

[-The Stig-]

Ok, So it's friday morning. I'm still half asleep and I gotta go to work. Shit!


So I'm putting along in the Z in morning traffic, I've got the airbox that covers the carbs off. So there is no restriction at all. There's a good 15-20hp differance when I take the box off. Down side is I don't have the money to buy the Airhorns and the K&N's for my dual Carbs so I can do away with the airbox completely. Poo.


So here I am cruising along, and I see a 1989 Honda Civic CRX Si. It's "i'm going to vomit" green, with a odd body kit that just looks horrid. I notice a i-Vtec sticker on the back. At first I don't question it, seeing as swaps these days are common place among Honda owners. But then I look over the car, it's got green paint over spray on the muffler, body kit isn't fitting right... and I remember that I'm in a slightly ghetto area. So I'm like BS!

I get stuck next to him due to traffic, I casually look over and see it's a guy who looks to be about 17-18 years of age. My car is idling kinda rough for some reason and I was like "NO bitch, you run right!" so I stab the gas briefly to get it back to idling normal. He hears the dual carbs suck in the air and he goes into a Ego protection mode and starts to stare at me and rev his motor. I give him a big ear to ear grin. I bring the rev's up to about 2800-3000rpm... light goes green. I slip the centerforce stage 1 clutch quickly... car leaps from the line... he completely bogged off the line... he quickly regains his composure and hangs with me through first gear at my rear bumper.My car isn't quick in the lower RPM's... Soon as I hit 4500rpm in 1st gear I pull on him by maybbe 10ft... 2nd gear, I widen the gap by another 40ft. By 3rd gear he's about 3 bus lengths behind...

At this point I'm turning about 5000rpm in 3rd gear and I let off the gas to slow down my motor winds down with some backfiring and spattering which to me is pure music to my ears. The Honda guy turned down a street and I never saw him again...

The End...

Oh wait, I said I raced a Alfa.

And I did, that came about 5 minutes later. The Honda got me into race mode...

As I'm continuing on my way to work, this older gentleman in a '70s Vintage Alfa Romeo. Such as this...



With the top down, white beard, english driving cap, red and white checkered scarf and aviator sunglasses. This guy was the epitomy of COOl! Honestly, he even had a pipe that he was smoking. Only thing that would of made it even better is if his pipe was producing bubbles rather than smoke.

Anywho, I get next to him at a really long light... No reason for it to be as long as it is. So I down shift and pull next to him. He casually looks over puffing on his pipe... He looks at me like we're in the early 70's again. That it is us who are driving purists... that we alone are a dieing breed amung men...

Or maybe he was just a cooky old guy? Doesn't matter, when I looked over to him he grinned his gritty teeth and rev'd his raspy four cylinder just slightly. I answer back his call. This old man is going down!!!

I wait for the light... slide the shifter into first... stage up again. Light goes green... for some reason my launch wasn't that great. I think it might of been the painted cross walk lines that made my tires slip. Whatever the cause was the old man got the jump on me. Damn! I have been dishonored... I must crash into a telephone pole now. No, just kidding. I follow in close persuit... catching ground quick as we travel up the bridge... he merges right and heads for the freeway onramp. Oh no! Work is no where near that direction... Screw work its friday!

This onramp is fun... it's a down hill twisty road that starts with a slow 10mph right hand turn, then into a 30mph left turn and another 30 mph right turn. Those are posted speeds of course... we entered the tight right hander at about 30mph (we had to slow down of course)... he took the turn with a bit of ass wiggle coming out of it. The Z took it better than I expected, I exited about 5ft off his bumper... we accelerated through the next turns and exited onto the freeway at about 60-65mph... He never gained on me... infact I had to hold back from over taking him on the single lane ramp.

Once we got onto the freeway he wound out his gear as did I. As I reached my upper RPM range I started to slip past him. At about 80mph I was about two car lengths ahead. I slowed to about 75mph. His scarf flapping in the wind, his pipe puffing away... he motored next to me and gave me a big salute british style.

He then took off into traffic... I slowed down for the next exit to get back to work.

Ahh, the day started off great. I worked real hard today too, got to read my Maxim magazine. Friday's can be great sometimes.

Oh yea, Fin.

[Layla's Keeper]

Do the attitudes come with the cars, or do the cars reflect the owner's attitudes?

Good point to ponder after reading this CRX massacre/Alfa Romeo close call.

[-The Stig-]

Not sure Oh-wise one.

But the old dude wasn't no beginner in driving skill. Soon as I lost my forward momentum from the slipping tires... he got the edge.

Oh well... fun times.

[ColeIketani]

I can just visualise your huge grin coming into work, sounds like you had a great day

[CrzyMR2T]

RedNeck> nice z, i love those cars.

[carrrnuttt]

Hehe, I can just imagine Octagon's huge grin as he reads your account of your vintage race.

[Neutrino]

Originally Posted by RedNeck383

With the top down, white beard, english driving cap, red and white checkered scarf and aviator sunglasses. This guy was the epitomy of COOl! Honestly, he even had a pipe that he was smoking. Only thing that would of made it even better is if his pipe was producing bubbles rather than smoke.

[89Turbo944]

Love 240z's. I know where i can get one for $500 CDN. But its auto. Other than that its PERFECT.

Its a nice blue colour. No rust. Great looking car. Should i get it?

[-The Stig-]

Yeah, but I almost lost to a car that only has 110hp/105tq.

I think what happened was, that I went wide open just as the rear tires started to roll over the painted crosswalk lines.. which then they started spinning and if I remember correctly my tach shot up to about 5000rpm for a split second. I had to back off the gas for a brief moment and by that time the old man had already gotten a good head start.. maybe 2 cars worth.. and he wasn't slowin down!

Haha, but I actually reeled him in quicker than I expected... ahh the randomness of racing. You never know what's gonna happen.

[Neutrino]

Originally Posted by RedNeck383

I think what happened was, that I went wide open just as the rear tires started to roll over the painted crosswalk lines.. which then they started spinning and if I remember correctly my tach shot up to about 5000rpm for a split second.

you sure your tires didn't lost traction on the backs of the people you ran over

[TatII]

that was very interesting indeed. esp who the guy in the alfa is very cliche like. lolz

[fatninja19]

Damn Red, you always have good racing adventures!! I've raced like 2 or 3 other people since I ran TV in his Thunderbird. Geeez.. No fun man. Oh well. Nice kills!

[Chavez408]

good kills! but bout that pipe and the bubbles...i own one and proud