Like a Dream Machine

[GerryLP]

Yesterday, I drove to Texas and back to New Mexico today, and I got to tell you that "Gail" drove like a dream.

18 MPG, covering 18 miles in about 12 minutes! It was a great feeling to cruise at 80 MPH (+ ), with a range of 270 miles per tank (I must confess that I did not want to risk running out of gas). She did not hesitate, nor burped, nor rattled, nor flinched, nor bogged-down, nor stalled. What a ride.

I had the bug to drive, and "Gail" delivered. When our L81's are properly tuned, they do drive awesomely. So please keep focused even when your L81 challenges you with problems. They do drive beautifully!

Oh yeah! By the way, I drove through some snow. But no problem; Upon return, took "Gail" to the automatic car-wash (for some under-carriage rinsing), and she is tucked away for the cold night nuzzled in the garage. Good night and happy Vette dreams...

 

[22229stingray81]

Great story Gerry!! I too took my '81 out today for some scenic driving. I haven't driven her in a few months, and boy did I miss her!!! She runs absoultely superbly in this cooler weather. I was breaking the rear tires loose from a dead stop all evening long!!

-Tatortot

 

[bill81vette]

suweeet sounding ride Gerry.......
my vette is put up for the winter :cry

 

[jrose7004]

Hey Gerry I thought that maybe you were doing some dealing for Rare! Glad you had a good trip!

 

[spikebot 81]

Gerry sounds like fun. Just purchased a 81. Have only driven it 40 miles and carb malfunctioned. Sitting in garage now. My time is coming soon

 

[GerryLP]

Hey Gerry I thought that maybe you were doing some dealing for Rare! Glad you had a good trip!

I wish I was at liberty to purchase Rare; Rare is quite a specimen of an L81 and looking stunning. Whomever purchases "him" will be surely pleased.

Bud has provided Rare exceptional care, and he has the documentation to show the extent of that care.

I am sure there are other members here who have owned 10 Corvettes, but Bud is the first person I ever met with 9 Corvettes, and we all have heard about his new 2003 Vert Corvette. That makes it 10!So, I do not give Bud any grief for having the need to sell Rare for his new Corvette. We all have to do what we must do to achieve our goals.

 

[GerryLP]

Gerry sounds like fun. Just purchased a 81. Have only driven it 40 miles and carb malfunctioned. Sitting in garage now. My time is coming soon

Spikebot,

Congratulations on your purchase. I can vouch for the L81's. I have had mine since 1985, and it drove me to College, help me move from apartments, drove my family (while waiting the 89 Jeep we had ordered), and it NEVER let me down. It never left me stranded anywhere (except one time I had a flat tire in my drive way ).

Now is running perfectly once again, for I was able to go over the engine with time to take care of the details the right way the first time (I still thank Rare81, Stingray 6974, Lanny, Tom Bryant, DDLS1, Sensei and many others for coming to my rescue with tech know-how or parts...Thanks guys!).

Look in here and read about the carb issues. It is not that hard to get the hang of things.

 

[GerryLP]

Great story Gerry!! I too took my '81 out today for some scenic driving. I haven't driven her in a few months, and boy did I miss her!!! She runs absoultely superbly in this cooler weather. I was breaking the rear tires loose from a dead stop all evening long!!

-Tatortot

:L...and you know that you could not do that if she was not tuned just right...

 

[Yoda]

Gerry,

It was good spending a little time with you this Turkey Day. Ma says

After our visit and "turn over" of some of my "Stuff" I figured it was time to move on, thus the name change...

I can't even begin to express how much I've enjoyed being involved with the L81VetteRegistry. I'll alway be around somewhere, and I am confident that the Registry will be in good hands.

Tim (the Registry Website guru) is helping in the turnover. I'm positive that Tim will provide technical support when or if needed, He is GREAT young man that has the passion too.

I better get off here before I get too sentimental. Thank ALL of you out there that own a 1981 and THANK you all for your PM's Emails and phone calls.

Y'all enjoy ya hear... we'll be seeing ya down the road

Bud Dougherty
(Old Rare81)

 

[Peer81]

Great to hear Gerry!

With a perfectly running engine and 18MPG you really know everything is perfect again!
Do you know what the problem was with the carb, or did you reset and fine tune it completely and now its running great? Keep us updated

Groeten Peter

 

[evariste]

Yesterday, I drove to Texas and back to New Mexico today, and I got to tell you that "Gail" drove like a dream.
18 MPG, covering 18 miles in about 12 minutes! It was a great feeling to cruise at 80 MPH (+ ), with a range of 270 miles per tank (I must confess that I did not want to risk running out of gas). She did not hesitate, nor burped, nor rattled, nor flinched, nor bogged-down, nor stalled. What a ride.
I had the bug to drive, and "Gail" delivered. When our L81's are properly tuned, they do drive awesomely. So please keep focused even when your L81 challenges you with problems. They do drive beautifully!

Same feeling here from the other side of the pond.

Mid-september, I drove from Paris to the Atlantic coast and back in a 3 days week-end. My Vette was behaved perfectly on this near 1,000 miles trip.

Here, highways are limited to 130 Km/h and I had no problem sustaining this speed for hours. Even on our small roads, it was a pleasure to drive it.
And moreover, the Corvette gods helped : It was the only sunny week-end of the whole summer... :cool

 

[GerryLP]

Same feeling here from the other side of the pond.

Mid-september, I drove from Paris to the Atlantic coast and back in a 3 days week-end. My Vette was behaved perfectly on this near 1,000 miles trip.

Here, highways are limited to 130 Km/h and I had no problem sustaining this speed for hours. Even on our small roads, it was a pleasure to drive it.
And moreover, the Corvette gods helped : It was the only sunny week-end of the whole summer... :cool

Wow! Miracles do happen! We have not heard from you in ages! How are you Evariste? Long time no hear.

It definitely is a great feeling when one has Karma on one's side. With all the news about floodings, strikes, and labor unrest in France, I am surely glad that you were able to drive your Vette in such fine conditions.

Good to hear from ya...

Great to hear Gerry!

With a perfectly running engine and 18MPG you really know everything is perfect again!
Do you know what the problem was with the carb, or did you reset and fine tune it completely and now its running great? Keep us updated

Groeten Peter

Peter,

If you mean when it was running rich on the dyno, it was the Thermac sensor. The sensor would close and allow the duct gates to close (by vacuum signal overcoming the spring tension on the motor) on WOT.

I replaced the sensor and spliced in a vacuum gage, and took it for a drive, and the gage read zero. This meant that there was NO vacuum signal, and the spring-loaded diaphragm motor forced the snorkel gate open during WOT.

During cold weather, though, it should apply heat if the temperature around the sensor drops below 79 Deg F ( 26 Deg C), and that will be my next test during our next cold snap. I have one of those Multimeter sensors that I will "Gerry" rig to see how the temperatures are changing in cruise conditions and when the temperature is cold (neighborhood of freezing temperature for water).

Has anyone heard of carburetor ice build-up in a car [carburetor]? I know it is a common obstacle on normally-aspirated airplane engines, but in cars? :confused

 

[GerryLP]

Gerry,

It was good spending a little time with you this Turkey Day. Ma says
... Y'all enjoy ya hear... we'll be seeing ya down the road

Bud Dougherty
(Old Rare81)

Yoda master! Thanks for having me over. It was great to spend a little time with you both. Tell Nancy I say back.

If I would have left any later on Friday, I would have been caught in the storm mess IAW our local news, the stretch east of Cline's Corner had several accidents, and near Tucumcari it was getting pretty bad too.

Maybe I'll jaunt back down (to 3,500 feet MSL) in the spring. Thanks my friend!

 

[Peer81]

Has anyone heard of carburetor ice build-up in a car [carburetor]? I know it is a common obstacle on normally-aspirated airplane engines, but in cars?

I've heard it's a problem for some bikes but never on a car. My other car runs very bad/ rich during warming up in cold weather but that is another problem
Good luck!

Groeten Peter

 

[evariste]

Wow! Miracles do happen! We have not heard from you in ages! How are you Evariste? Long time no hear.
It definitely is a great feeling when one has Karma on one's side. With all the news about floodings, strikes, and labor unrest in France, I am surely glad that you were able to drive your Vette in such fine conditions.
Good to hear from ya...

Strikes began about one month after our journey. And strikes here are like hurricanes for some people : Just stay at home untill it ends (if you can)...

When we went back home, the T-tops stayed in the cargo area untill we arrived. Peopled stared at us : C3s are not very common in France, and driving at night without roof... :Silly

And yes, I have good karma : The radiator ducts waited just after our first large trip before pouring all the coolant on the road. And this time, I had never a "check engine light" during all the week-end. It just started again on the following week-end. otfl

Last thing : I forgot to mention that my Vette's pic in the registry features le château de Vaux le Vicomte where Tony Parker had his wedding party.

 

[pbcanney]

Quote:
Has anyone heard of carburetor ice build-up in a car [carburetor]? I know it is a common obstacle on normally-aspirated airplane engines, but in cars?

I've heard it's a problem for some bikes but never on a car. My other car runs very bad/ rich during warming up in cold weather but that is another problem
Good luck!

Groeten Peter

I actually experienced this back in the mid 70's on one of my Volkswagen Beetles that was running a Holley Bug Spray carb on an aftermarket intake. It was the middle of the winter, and because of the size of the carb, I didn't have an air cleaner and the preheat tube for the intake was plugged off.

pretty much a mini glacier of carburetor.

after it thawed I put the stock carb back on for the rest of the winter.

 

[evariste]

Last thing : I forgot to mention that my Vette's pic in the registry features le château de Vaux le Vicomte where Tony Parker had his wedding party.

Thank you for inserting the image, Yoda. It's about 10 miles away from my home...

If you wish to know more about it : http://www.vaux-le-vicomte.com/

 

[hdkeno]

Glad that you enjoyed the ride Gerry,

And i agree,our 81's DO run great when everything is in sync.

Mine probably won t see blacktop until Spring,and the roads are clean,and I have more time off again.

She is semi-hibernating for the winter.

Ken