Good solid mature thinking Qwik.
Hi everybody, my name is Jeff and I have been sober for 9 years, 4 months and eleven days. I was a GenuineSaab (Taliaferro), SpeedParts, Group 9, Nordic, MP Performance, Abbott Racing, Jak Stoll and Forge user for eighteen years. You name it, I stuck it in my car. I had a hundred dollar a day habit, and I literally could not get enough. I hit rock bottom when my 5 speed 1995 turbo convertible was making 340 hp at the crank and I discovered that there were no viable, affordable and streetable options for transmitting the truckloads of torque accompanying that power to the driven wheels. I had spent years sweating and hemorrhaging cash to get to that 340 hp figure and I was all dressed up with places to go and no way to get to them. Clutch issues clutched at my heart, as well as my wallet.
In group, they took me back to my days of youthful enthusiasm, when I had a 250 cubic inch Nova that became a 350 cubic inch Malibu that then turned into a 239 cubic inch Buick Regal Limited. These were all big lumps of cast iron carbureted monstrosities that had numerous things in common - they were as slow as a 5 year old eating spinach, they were as thirsty as sailors on shore leave, they handled like pigs on ice skates, and they were satisfying to drive, in the sense that getting socks for Christmas is satisfying. Transitioning into little European cars with tiny naturally aspirated inline fours and manual transmissions was easy, affordable and brought a little fun back into driving.
My little 5 speed 1980 Rabbit convertible with its under 2 liter displacement motor was under-powered and had no torque, as in it struggled to go up any appreciable grade in fifth gear even with a long running start. But rowing the 5 speed handled that and it was ok fun. My 1982 Lancia Zagato with its fuel injected DOHC fuel injected engine only made 118 hp, but it was a blast to drive. It was probably the best handling FWD car I was ever in. Coming from the factory as it did, with ground clearance that put caterpillars crossing the road in peril likely helped with that.
When the Lancia was sufficiently rotted from rust belt daily driving, and with parts availability having been a major issue from the day I bought it, seeing as how Fiat/Lancia had already withdrawn from the North American market, I discovered Saab, in 1990.
I went through a number of satisfying iterations of naturally aspirated C900s before finally permitting myself to luxuriate in the best of all possible worlds of automobilia - the little forced induction wonders that get decent mileage and deliver spirited performance. Group therapy brought me the realization that all things are relative. And that brought to me the small satori that just because we can turn our vehicles into road warriors, doesn't always mean we should.
So, say it with me, folks.
God grant me the serenity
To accept the horsepower that I have;
Courage to tune when it is prudent;
And wisdom to know when enough is enough.
Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting a little less hp as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful automobile world
As it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right
If I surrender to His Will;
So that I may be reasonably happy in this life
And supremely happy with Him
Forever and ever in the next.
Amen.
It works if you work it, so work it.
