why I love these cars

[HughH]

i have just driven my car (1973 E ) home tonight about 100 kms from in the country through a series of massive storms and rain so heavy that at times it was hard to see the road in front of the car, or even anything in front of the headlights.

The weather bureau says this is the tail end of both cyclones Andrew and Yasi combined and that some parts that i drove through have had 122mm of rain in less than 12 hours and wind gusts are up to 130kph.

I had to stop once in a particularly heavy squall but apart from that my almost 40 year old car performed extremely well - even coping well with significant streams of water flowing across the freeway

I have to say I felt at least as safe and comfortable with the car as i did in the BMW X3 in a storm that was not quite as bad some weeks ago, and much safer and more comfortable than when i was in similar weather to tonight 12 months ago in Queensland in a newish BMW 3 series wagon. The fact that I have better tyres on the 911 than the BMW wagon probably helps but it just goes to show what fantastic cars these are - even almost 40 years after they left the factory

[Chuck Miller]

I totally agree Hugh...

Although I don't like driving my '73 in the rain (especially now only on DOT's) , in the last 22 years, when it came to it, I have found it a very good 'foul weather' car.

Then I remember it was born and bred somewhere OTHER then sunny Southern CA. and it all make sense........

Cheers mate

[tcave]

You are right,great bad weather car.In the 14 years mine was a daily driver,it always got me thru.Especially remember driving from Texas to Va in an ice/snow storm the whole way(probably explains the shape it is in now.

[Reza]

i always look forward to the first heavy spring rains for a baptismal ablution of winter cobwebs and salt

[CurtEgerer]

I feel the same way when I drive my car. What other 40-year old car can travel 3000 miles x-country, thru rain, thru snow in the Rockies, thru 110F degrees in the Mojave desert to arrive at a race track where the only preparation is to unload the trunk before absolutely flogging the car all day, then pack it back up and do 3 days of hard canyon carving, then go drive in LA traffic. And when it's all done the car looks at you and says, "So What?"

[John Fusco]

Also:
I promise I won't do it again, but two years ago I ended up in a 200 mile three hour downpour in my car.
The first half hour I was expecting the car to dissolve around me.
One hour in and I realized the car could take it.
One and a half hours it was steady as she goes.
The last hour and a half it was a blast.
When I parked her I had to bail her out and I felt terrible - but I couldn't stop smiling.
...and I think she was too.

[lisa_spyder]

It was quite a night wasn't it . Was VERY relieved when you rang from home.

It was raining 'inside' the house last night...

Mike went back to the workshop later when we had a short break in the weather to assess the 'water situation' (all good ) One of the neighbours was there dealing with his 'water worries' in his factory and was gobsmacked when Mike told him you were home! He asked how good these little cars are in such conditions...couldn't believe you drove home. He walked away shaking his head in wonder.

[Fishcop]

Yep, I drove my car for 3 years throughout tropical north Queensland (where cyclone Yasi has just hit). It never missed a beat even in the heaviest of down pours!

[Macroni]

I am always much more alert and alive in my 911......

[markymark_1968]

Good thing you didn't have to drive through Ormond or North Road, Mckinnon, Hugh. The water would have been up to the door handle in some of the parts I saw on Friday night... we live in strange times indeed!