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View Full Version : Favorite Stratos Experiences


JohnB_SPY8808053
March 30th, 2003, 07:55 AM
I was just wondering, what are some of your favorite Stratos experiences? Here are a few of mine:

The second or third day I had mine, my dad and I went out for a drive. There's a fun dirt road not far from where he lives. It's a dead end so you make sure nobody's there before you start. The first run was fairly tame, the second one less so, and the third one saw us airborne on a small hill mid way through. As the car landed, my father exclaimed 'Woo-Hoo!!! I haven't had this much fun since high-school!'. After another run or two, we decided to return home and tinker a bit. We were about 4 blocks from the house when the car suddenly filled with smoke. 'We're on fire!' I exclamed and quickly stopped the car. To this day I am still amazed at the speed with which we escaped the vehicle. Literally seconds later we had the engine cover up and extinguishers ready - but there was no fire. After a short examination, we discovered that one of the bolts for the exhaust had come loose, allowing oil to drip onto the hot manifold. We still laugh about that one.

I once took the car to work. At lunch one of my friends asked if we could go for a quick spin. Our office was surrounded by a huge parking lot that was all private property. We drove over to an un-used corner and I began zipping around the light poles and such. This was were I went for my weekly driving practice so I felt very confident. One of my favorite things to do was to slalom the light poles, powerslide around the last one as fast and tight as possible then sprint back in a straight line and repeat on the other side of the car. When we returned to the front door, a number of people had gathered to watch and I spent the next 30 minutes or so giving most of them rides. I know my car's not the quickest one out there but I was particularly amused when I heard that after watching me take the next person, my friend asked 'Were we going that fast when I went?'.

Ciao,

John B.

guy mayers
March 30th, 2003, 02:24 PM
Hi all, some of you will have heard this story but it's still my claim to fame! It's the first of 2 favourite Stratos experiences, I claim two as my car has been a Stradale before growing up into the Group 4 car it is today.
It happened at Aintree Race Circuit in Liverpool, about 2 miles from home when the car was in it's first life, stradale with the Volumex engine. It was a track day organised by the local Alfa Romeo dealer and club, not unnaturally the Stratos was sent out with the race cars. One was a Ferrari, actually there were a few but this particular was being driven like he stole it! Properly. Anyway, second time out I was infront of this guy but he was gaining on me and having watched him earlier I decided to let him past and follow to improve my lines. After a couple of laps he'd pulled 150 yards away when the Stratos suddenly filled with smoke. Needless to say I pulled over as quickly as possible and was out with the extinguisher. Fortunately it was an oil leak onto the exhaust, spectacular but not car threatening. So, I trundled back to the pits (off the line) and parked up. The diagnosis was a blown crankshaft oil seal (overfilled) and the remedy involved another two cylinders! So, ten minutes later the Ferrari comes back into the pits and parks next to me, the driver got out and apologised for "making me push my car beyond it's engine" I said it wasn't a major problem but if he was sorry enough for me could i be his passenger next time out please? He said yes and I sat next to the passenger door for the next 40 minutes!
Anyway, the allotted time came round and I found myself strapped into his car and we were out onto the circuit. After the first cautios lap, warming up the tyres and the gearbox he asks me if he can drive faster. Next couple of laps were just getting all the engine temps right before he asks if it's ok to go quicker still. Still no problems from me and after 10 - 15 laps of flat out, complete opposite lock, tyre ripping, full four wheel, drifting cone destroying hooliganism we came back into the pits. At the end I had tears running down my face. Really. There can't be many people on this planet lucky enough to have experienced the sheer joy of a Ferrari V12 bieng thrashed like that and loving every minute of it. Oh, did I mention it was a 1963 250 GTO................ It's still the only Ferrari I've ever been in!
Guy

guy mayers
March 30th, 2003, 02:38 PM
Well, actually it was holiday. Organised by Chris and Jane Smith it was a trip to Italy with like minded people, four Stratos and a Fisher Fury. 10 people with their luggage in four cars.... for 2 weeks! By this time the car had changed into the square arch gp4 version it is today. A long run down through France into Switzerland, staying in Dijon and Evian on Lake Geneva before arriving in Italy's Lake District. Days out to Venice, down to Modena for a few days before heading back to the lakes. A day out at the Italian Grand Prix at Monza for Paul & myself, leaving the Stratos in a public car park! Mika Hakkinen crying in the woods after he threw the car off the tarmac infront of us. No Schumy, he'd broken his leg at Silverstone. A visit to a Stratos restoration specialist in Biella to see four genuine Stratos including the ongoing restoration of the 75 Monte Carlo car. Highlight of the trip was the Stelvio Pass. Flat out 6000ft hillclimb with 49 tight hairpin bends which need a passenger to check uphill for a clear road before you cut the corner. Everything just getting out of the way as we screamed up! I guess the noise from three V6 and two Thema Turbos plus the blinding light from the spotlamp pods on Phil Bishops and my cars let eveyone know we were coming - and gone! What a blast! And we followed that with the Gavvia and Tonale Passes in one day before heading back to the hotel to cool off! Brilliant.
Thanks Chris & Jane, time we did it again!
Guy