Author Topic: The Italian connection 3522r  (Read 17910 times)

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Offline Bainford

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Re: The Italian connection 3522r
« Reply #15 on: Sunday,February 26, 2017, 09:29:38 AM »
That's a great story, Lou. You must be very proud of your father. Thanks for sharing. Cheers to your Dad  :beerchug:
The Twin Cam plays the symphony whilst my right foot conducts the orchestra. At 3800 rpm the Mad Pipe Organ joins in.

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Offline Certified Lotus

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Re: The Italian connection 3522r
« Reply #16 on: Sunday,March 05, 2017, 04:17:31 AM »
Great story Lou about your brothers car and your father. My father was also a POW and he would never talk about it. All he would say to me was he never wanted me to go to war.

Offline andy harwood

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Re: The Italian connection 3522r
« Reply #17 on: Sunday,March 05, 2017, 02:37:43 PM »
A very impressive restoration. And a very impressive and distinctive history your Father had. I imagine it was very satisfying to uncover it!

Offline Lou Drozdowski

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Re: The Italian connection 3522r
« Reply #18 on: Friday,August 04, 2017, 04:42:02 AM »
Well, another holiday overseas has come and gone. My annual pilgrimage to visit family in Italy was interesting to say the least. As I mentioned in my previous posts, the issue with a post ignition backfire... on shut down was corrected. Vic had removed the head to find # 4 valve seat to be the culprit. What caused this is still unclear, however a call to QED  for replacement steel seats did the trick.

3522R ran flawlessly, our morning road trips were the order of the day, as the temperature soared in the afternoon to over 100+ on several occasions. We decided to forgo the busy Autostrada, and keep to the local back roads and highways during our adventures. Vic was gracious enough to let me drive each day, with the trips getting longer as we toured the countryside. All told, I figure we amassed close to 800 kilometers during my stay.

 During one trip, to see some antique motorcycles at a club event, we were curiously followed for many miles by this one car... we could not shake off. I wondered why this fellow kept on my tail...finally he flashed his lights and I decided to stop, to see what was up. An older gentleman walked over and introduced himself, and invited us for coffee in the next town. Seems he had owned an S2 in his younger years and wanted a closer look at the Europa. We obliged, and after chatting Lotus for about an hour, I was again reminded how distinct and eye-catching these little cars are. Everywhere we went, heads turned as we passed, every stop was like bees to honey, as strangers gathered to admire and ask questions.

 The Italians truly love their cars, and seem to know they don't all have to be blood red, to be appreciated.

 
           

Offline BDA

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Re: The Italian connection 3522r
« Reply #19 on: Friday,August 04, 2017, 06:36:52 AM »
100+ in a black car with black vinyl interior and no A/C! That's real motivation! It sounds like you and your brother had a great time! I imagine those country roads are perfect for that Lotus!


His car is a real beauty! Europas always attract a lot of attention but one as pretty as that one surely attract even more!


Thanks for the report. I really enjoy your travelogues!

Offline Lou Drozdowski

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Re: The Italian connection 3522r
« Reply #20 on: Friday,August 04, 2017, 07:43:55 AM »
100+ in a black car with black vinyl interior and no A/C! That's real motivation! It sounds like you and your brother had a great time! I imagine those country roads are perfect for that Lotus!


His car is a real beauty! Europas always attract a lot of attention but one as pretty as that one surely attract even more!


Thanks for the report. I really enjoy your travelogues!


Thanks, Oh!....As far as the antique bikes...Here's a small taste!

1937 Bennelli with 39 Triumph
1936 Moto Guzzi, 38 Norton...They closed the local main road, and ran a 10 minute demo race!

A typical local town street scene.
   
« Last Edit: Friday,August 04, 2017, 07:57:32 AM by Lou Drozdowski »

Offline BDA

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Re: The Italian connection 3522r
« Reply #21 on: Friday,August 04, 2017, 11:15:06 AM »
You really should have made it to the LOG in Birmingham! You could have had antique bike overload (along with a nice desert of Loti)!

Offline Lou Drozdowski

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Re: The Italian connection 3522r
« Reply #22 on: Saturday,September 09, 2017, 04:29:56 AM »
There are seven diffrent branches of police forces in Italy. Besides your local town and regional forces you have the state  enforcement to govern the motorways. To supplement special traffic situations and vehicle incidents including all fatalities, the 'Arma dei Carabinieri' or Military Police are utilized...you don't want to mess with these gents. They are soldiers pure and simple, who carry automatic weapons at the ready and are intimidating to say the least.

A roadblock checkpoint, for valid documents was the chance meeting...a chat of all things Lotus and viewing of the Europa was the order of the day!     

Offline Lou Drozdowski

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Re: The Italian connection 3522r
« Reply #23 on: Friday,July 27, 2018, 03:21:05 AM »
Another visit overseas has come and gone...

My anticipation was justified, as I welcomed the chance to get behind the wheel of 3522R once again. My first stop however was to Maranello. After our flight into Florence, I could not pass up a visit to the Ferrari museum and linger with the red's machines once more.

Off to San Giorgio, as I coaxed the rented Fiat 500 L diesel on the Autostrada through the winding Apennines towards the Adriatic coast. I must admit that driving in Italy is a lesson in itself, as everyone around you seems to think it's their road and the timid better keep to the right.

The Europa ran like clockwork...Cool mornings and little traffic delighted us during our country side blasts, with a few extended trips along the Via Flaminia into the mountains... A visit to Mount Katria, one of the highest surrounding peaks and the Roman ruins of Acqualagna, then back through the Furlo gorge was one trip for the books. I asked Vic if he had ever turned on the radio while we were driving?...
"Never" he mused...What for?

The sound of a perfectly tuned Twin cam was music enough, there's something special about those blips on downshifts and letting the throttle sing as you pass along a wary bystander with mouth open as you fly by.

On my last day I was treated with another two hour jaunt...mind you, I had been very keen all along to keep within the speed limits and tidy with my shifting when Vic gave me the go ahead and open her up...

We topped out at 222 kph...there was more there, but next year will come soon enough!   
 
« Last Edit: Sunday,July 29, 2018, 02:37:17 AM by Lou Drozdowski »

Offline BDA

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Re: The Italian connection 3522r
« Reply #24 on: Friday,July 27, 2018, 07:15:40 AM »
That sounds like another great Italy trip, Lou! Almost 140 mph! How much more was there?!

Offline Bainford

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Re: The Italian connection 3522r
« Reply #25 on: Friday,July 27, 2018, 09:27:32 AM »
Sounds like another great trip, Lou. Those twisty roads through ancient countryside must be glorious in the Europa. I enjoyed the comments about driving the Europa with the radio on. I also have a radio, but in eight years/22,000 miles it has only been on for about 20 minutes, and that was when an ex-girlfriend decided to have a listen. Twin Cam 1558 is all the music I need on the drive (and I am indeed a music enthusiast).
The Twin Cam plays the symphony whilst my right foot conducts the orchestra. At 3800 rpm the Mad Pipe Organ joins in.

Trevor

Offline Lou Drozdowski

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Re: The Italian connection 3522r
« Reply #26 on: Friday,July 27, 2018, 11:30:56 AM »
That sounds like another great Italy trip, Lou! Almost 140 mph! How much more was there?!


To be honest the, the 222 kph was vacuum & gravity aided...as the run was started when we were running through a long tunnel cutting down through a mountain pass. It was similar to being shot out of a cannon, it felt as if there was zero drag inside as we burst into the day light. We played the scant traffic for a large gap and a spot along the road where there were no electronic camera's..

I can't assume the speedo was dead on accurate, but in 5Th gear pulling 6200 revs...we were around the 120+ mph range. The steering (I mean pointing) was super light, so we decided to stop and adjusted the AVO damper settings a couple of clicks stiffer.

Dare to say Vic's eyeballs seemed larger than usual!

 
 

Offline BDA

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Re: The Italian connection 3522r
« Reply #27 on: Friday,July 27, 2018, 11:56:54 AM »
I can believe your brother was a little... alarmed.  ;) There was a guy on the lotuseuropa yahoo group who said tightening his Protech shocks two clicks greatly helped high speed handling on the track but threatened to loosen his fillings on the highway. How was the ride after you stiffened up the shocks?

Offline Lou Drozdowski

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Re: The Italian connection 3522r
« Reply #28 on: Friday,July 27, 2018, 04:01:08 PM »
I can believe your brother was a little... alarmed.  ;) There was a guy on the lotuseuropa yahoo group who said tightening his Protech shocks two clicks greatly helped high speed handling on the track but threatened to loosen his fillings on the highway. How was the ride after you stiffened up the shocks?

Jim...The state highway we were on (Bis #73) splits the country in half, coast to coast from Pesaro to Rome. Although it travels through many villages and towns there are plenty of double lane sections as flat and smooth as a billiard table. Once off the smooth sections, and near home, the shocks were reset to mid-point. Otherwise she did exhibit some wallowing and porpoising from the rear and yes, any gradient change was felt harshly in front.  The car is running stock size F175/R185 rubber.

Offline Lou Drozdowski

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Re: The Italian connection 3522r
« Reply #29 on: Sunday,March 10, 2019, 09:05:32 AM »
Booked my flight...won't be long now!