Impromtu road trip and nostalga

Reply Subscribe

Thread Tools

Search this Thread

04-05-2011, 11:07 PM

uncljohn

Senior Member

Thread Starter

Join Date: Mar 2010

Location: Peoria AZ

Posts: 1,912

Impromtu road trip and nostalga

This afternoon I had to run a title up to Cottonwood. 150 miles up the road and 4000 feet higher. A number of 7% grades and the temperature beginning to look at 85 degrees. At 1:30 I ran over to Surprise to pick up the title and then back to I-17.
I grabbed the Saturn. It has achieved occasional car status. It’s earned it. 17 years old and a100,000 + miles on it.
It is sound and looks good but has not been out of town since I put it back together two years ago and sat for 4 years prior to that.
But it gets over 30mpg and money is tight. I checked the radiator for water level, as I am concerned about a leak but no indication. As soon as I got to I 17 and headed north, I turned on the A/C, opened the sunroof and inch or two, set the cruise control on 80, tuned in the local country music station and got comfortable.
As it has for the last 14 years (purchased used) it settled down and started to growl as it hit the hills.
I have always wanted another 15 hp on the thing. An SC2 with auto. But if you fill the tank with 91 octane, it limits pinging and won’t detune to run the 87 Octane week killer stuff and keeps the tune on edge and will pull harder on steep grades. When it does kick down to maintain speed it is not a big jerky thing as the engine picks up another 1500 rpm while trying not to ping.
In fact it will pull longer before it down shifts. Also it runs cooler too as retarded timing (required to run 87 octane) also generates more heat. I got back about a quarter after 5 thinking again as I have before. I really like this car. I did when it was purchased, I do now and I fail to see a need to make it go away. It is comfortable to drive and sit in ‘specially with my bad back, will cruise nicely at 80 and 85 (75 mph speed limit most places.) Corners flat and precise and still looks good although I am going to have to repaint the clear again. Still cheaper than buying a new something although that Caddy still looks good.
I do miss the Satellite radio my Chrysler has but if I want one bad enough I can buy one.
I guess I will put one in my Mercruiser powered Hornet though when it is finished.
It is a shame the marketing types in GM had no clue how to sell the things. I hope they lost their jobs when the factories closed to make more money!