Drive It Like You Stole It...

SHIMBIMMER

SHIMBIMMER

Well-Known Member
Messages
118
Reaction score
0
Location
New York, New York
My dear friend and college roommate is Alex Gurney - son of racing legend Dan Gurney. Alex and I shared many things in common over the years of living together in college. Unusual bonds over Domino's Pizza, Dr. Dre, mixtures of vodka alongside reading his weekly fax from Michael Schumacher (not kidding) and love for driving the canyons of western Boulder, Colorado where we went to college filled our banter. Like his dad, Alex is a gentleman in the parking lot and a villain behind the wheel. I've sat many days and nights as his passenger. Scary fast. I don't recommend it unless you're properly sedated or looking for the ultimate shot of adrenaline.

I bought my coupe to drive as much as I wanted it to be in my collection of art. I love the attention to detail in this forum about everything from drivetrain to the little gaps that settle in with hand built cars like these. Each and every one of you love these cars and I grow more in love with mine every day. That's why I drive it...like I stole it.

Tonight I piloted mine into the Marin Headlands and on into the depths of Northern California for a couple of hours. I was reminded of the spirit of my old college roommate (trust me - he knows how to drive) making me squirm like a little girl in the passenger seat of his TRD Celica back in Boulder. You have no idea what that car embodied after TRD/Gurney had a hand or ten on it. :) Our cars are built to drive. Scratches, cracks, rust, crust and more all go away when you're knee deep into a twisty along the ocean and feel that "piece of wood" as Murray has been quoted - thrust you into the seat with security and you look for the next.

I got home tonight after driving the living daylights out of mine to see this on my instrument panel. Cool as a cucumber, idle in heaven and gas burning like a wildfire - she was ready for ten hours more. Well, maybe an hour with that gas gauge. :)

Happy driving. Enjoy every dollar you spend on them.

Cheers,
Shimbo
 

Attachments

  • photo.jpg
    photo.jpg
    86.6 KB · Views: 204
Coincidences of life

In late Summer of1968 my family and I moved from Westfield, NJ and settled in Corona del Mar, CA. Shortly thereafter my children were entered in the local school system. My daughter Melissa was enrolled in 6th grade and among the other parents who were enrolling their daughter was Dan Gurney and his wife entering Lindy Gurney who became a close friend of our daughter--a friendship that lasted all through school and a frequent visitor at our home. Also, the Gurney sons of Dan's first marriage were all at one time or the other classmates and or friends of my sons Dave and Jeff. The older one John--was a housemate with my Jeff and friend Randy Nelson whom I introduced to becoming a BMW mechanic 32 years ago and now owner of Black Forest Independent BMW Service in Costa Mesa--whom I will be seeing in the next 1/2 hour or so to pick up a coupe--not the BLUMAX--that was undergoing a mechanical fix to correct a vibrating driveshaft. As an aside--when South Orange County still had many standing orange groves, barley fields and coyotes running around--it was much less developed and uncongested--we raced my two coupes along the two lane roads with Alex's much older half brothers. No doubt that experience pales in comparison with your "Gurney race car experiences" but speed and gasoline was in the veins and genes of the older ones as well.

Is our world small or what?

It seems I still share two things in common with Dan G. other than having daughters the same age--we are also the same age--at least within a couple of months--and both of us are still "kicking". I haven't seen Dan in a couple of years--he had frequently showed up at our former Saturday car gathering called Crystal Cove and more recently less often at its successor gathering known as Cars 'n Coffee in Irvine.
 
Last edited:
Small world...

WOW! What a small world. I only had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Gurney a few times when he visited Alex and I in Boulder. It's crazy how much Alex looks like his dad, acts like his dad and hopefully drives like his dad.

I've heard countless stories from him about driving + riding the roads of Southern California. One particular stretch was always top of mind for Alex and now that name escapes me. Maybe Ortega?

Here's a great profile on Alex. Always impressing me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUrFOmNZjrs
 
Ortega Hwy. is correct--Lake Elsinore to SJ Capistarano

It is one of the most challenging 30 mile roadways in SoCal. A favorite of motorcyclists it is acknowledged as a very dangerous road--with many horrendous accidents and deaths over the years due many blind curves and a narrow two lane road carved along the local mountains flanks many years ago when built.

I'm not a professional race driver--however--in 1983 I managed to cover that distance from the edge of Lake Elsinore to Interstate 5--where the fun ends--as one enters the outskirts of San Juan Capistrano. Arrived at I-5 in 25 minutes in my M-1 on a beautiful early Fall weekday afternoon. Traffic was light and was so arranged that I was able to quickly pass the few travelers very quickly with little or no delay from oncoming traffic. Fortunately no CHP saw me in that stretch and doubt that he could have kept pace if so observed.

Sad to have parted with that jewel of a machine after 5 years and 52,000 miles--my financial world went upside down back then as the IRS didn't think we should help new companies develop new or next generation products and be able to expense R & D--but that's a story for another time.
 
Yep

It all came back to me. The Gurney's were developing a motorcycle called the Alligator. The test rides were up Ortega. Lots of horror stories about very, very bad accidents. Of course - I now want to drive it.

As a side - here's a question for you coupe owners. I know this is very much dependent on the engine - but where do you find safe yet exciting revs per gear? I began feeling the higher end power of my stock M30. I've never had it over 5000 RPM's in any gear and feel like maybe I'm missing out! The engine definitely sounds incredible when the gas pedal is pushed to the floor and revs to 4000 RPM's. The sound is a deep ballsy thrust. (this sounds pornographic...hahah!).

In any event - am I missing out on bringing the engine past 5000 RPM's? Sorry for the junior varsity question.
 
Redline

Shift at Peak HP for max performance given you have a set number of variables, rear gear, trans, losses. It never gets better until you change something.:twisted:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top