My 914 Porsche
I have talked about this car before. All winter long, I have debated getting rid of this car and getting something safer. I thought about trading in this 33 year old car for a shiny new Mustang or Mini Cooper or even an A4. I had it all planned out how I was gonna sell this for a fat down payment.
I also contemplated the condition of my back. The pain is still there in my left arm and leg. The pain in the shoulder. The tingling sensation in my hip when I depress the clutch. Getting out of the thing. Uggh...
A few weeks ago, I went down into the garage to clean the leaves out of my sump in my basement. Our garage is actually part of the basement and without the sump we'd take in a lot of water during the rains. Just annual maintenance of a 98 year old house.
But there it sat. My Porsche all dusty and dirty... well protected though from the outside world. It was nice that day I was cleaning the sump. So I decided to hop and turn over the engine. Nothing. I jumped out of the car, a la Dukes of Hazzard, and grabbed the power charger to see if I could give it a jump. Nothing. Christ, wasn't it August when I bought the new battery? So I switched the charger to trickle and just left it.
A day or so later, I remember that I left the thing on trickle charge and quickly ran down to the basement, hoping I didn't destroy the battery. I guess it was okay to leave this on for this long. No problems in the engine compartment from what I could gather. I decided to unplug it and roll it all up. No time drive it really that day anyway.
About a week later I went down into the garage to get something. It was midweek and the sun was out but it was cold. I was getting a screwdriver for something upstairs and I was basically getting ready to head out and pick up some dry cleaning. I had my keys on me and as I walked by the car, I decided to lean in and see if would start. It had been about six months since I drove the car and last time I tried I had no charge in the battery. From outside the car, I stuck the key in the ignition and gave it a crank. Right on the first try, without giving the car gas, my little, 125hp dynamo started with a growl.
For some reason, something told me not to sell this thing. Maybe it was the sound of the engine or the little bark the tires made when I toke off in first gear or the sound of the Magnaflow setting off a Civic's alarm or the nimble feel of throwing the car into a hard right turn a few blocks later or the easy stop it made at the signal light. I don't know. I guess my love for the car is back!
Next up: A movie. Maybe next weekend.
I also contemplated the condition of my back. The pain is still there in my left arm and leg. The pain in the shoulder. The tingling sensation in my hip when I depress the clutch. Getting out of the thing. Uggh...
A few weeks ago, I went down into the garage to clean the leaves out of my sump in my basement. Our garage is actually part of the basement and without the sump we'd take in a lot of water during the rains. Just annual maintenance of a 98 year old house.
But there it sat. My Porsche all dusty and dirty... well protected though from the outside world. It was nice that day I was cleaning the sump. So I decided to hop and turn over the engine. Nothing. I jumped out of the car, a la Dukes of Hazzard, and grabbed the power charger to see if I could give it a jump. Nothing. Christ, wasn't it August when I bought the new battery? So I switched the charger to trickle and just left it.
A day or so later, I remember that I left the thing on trickle charge and quickly ran down to the basement, hoping I didn't destroy the battery. I guess it was okay to leave this on for this long. No problems in the engine compartment from what I could gather. I decided to unplug it and roll it all up. No time drive it really that day anyway.
About a week later I went down into the garage to get something. It was midweek and the sun was out but it was cold. I was getting a screwdriver for something upstairs and I was basically getting ready to head out and pick up some dry cleaning. I had my keys on me and as I walked by the car, I decided to lean in and see if would start. It had been about six months since I drove the car and last time I tried I had no charge in the battery. From outside the car, I stuck the key in the ignition and gave it a crank. Right on the first try, without giving the car gas, my little, 125hp dynamo started with a growl.
For some reason, something told me not to sell this thing. Maybe it was the sound of the engine or the little bark the tires made when I toke off in first gear or the sound of the Magnaflow setting off a Civic's alarm or the nimble feel of throwing the car into a hard right turn a few blocks later or the easy stop it made at the signal light. I don't know. I guess my love for the car is back!
Next up: A movie. Maybe next weekend.
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