Posted By: dante giacosa
happiness is... a warm VIS, North of Inverness... - 03/05/2017 08:45
Yesterday,
I had the somewhat unique opportunity to drive my car on an unadulterated long-distance run.
Or long-distance for me. Kirkwall to Edinburgh; 265 miles on the mainland, not withstanding the 15 miles before getting the ferry from Stromness to Scrabster.
Set off was 05:15 to get across for the ferry at 06:30, and it was 7 degrees but dry. The Coupe fired up enthusiastically, and settled into its high revs initial warm up stage as usual, before settling to an even idle.
I rolled out of a sleepy Kirkwall and saw only two other cars on my way across the island. A huge pink disc hung against the horizon in the East- enough light already to need only sidelights.
Whilst in the ferry queue, I did my final checks on tyre pressures and oil level. Somewhat against initial maintenance whilst in my care, the car has all but stopped using vast amounts of oil on high speed runs- Which is fine.
On the other side, I rolled off of the ferry, eager as usual to see what vehicles I had shared the car deck with, which would 'get in the way' on the first stages of the route South. Oddly enough, the roads cleared, with everyone stopping or deferring to petrol stations, and I was soon alone, travelling East from Thurso to Wick.
The car at this point, as always, reveals its fairly high gearing through engine note. I have noticed a popular mistake from less experienced 'guest' drivers of the VIS, that they attempt to change up into 5th, when the car is already in 5th. The engine note and torque denotes that there must be a higher gear to reach- but there isn't.
The route down to Latheron, cutting off Wick and the top North East of the country, before the A9 (East Coast) starts, was a bit misty, but still dry. the road offers significant high speed sweepers and a good surface to allow optimistic progress- its a section of road I always forget about, but in fact, although the moorland and wind farms are 'atmospheric' rather than 'scenic'- it's certainly quite relaxing.
25 miles later, upon reaching the Coast again, the road becomes less forgiving and you are confined to cambers and the visible distances between bends.
Overtaking is possible, with a drop to 4th, and the car picks up with no trouble. As I continue- this gets easier; and I realise; I'm not imagining it. Something else is happening.
I'm a big fan of a long-term maintenance plan called; mechanical-sympathy. Which is to say, that until I feel the car is ready, I won't take it over four thousand revs. The term 'ready' is usually derived by ear, as even at speed and warm, the oil-pressure doesn't really tell me anything. Longer term, if I can work out a subtle place to site it, I'm considering an oil-temperature gauge to assist with this judgement.
By the time I reach the Berriedale Braes, which involve a significant decent through a couple of hairpins (2nd gear behind a slower commercial traffic) and a momentary stop at roadworks- I can hear that the car is idling quieter- it's got less thrum, and has become more fluid in note.
On the next 25 miles to Golspie (note to self; TWO gas stations in Brora) things have turned a corner. The VIS suddenly seems to have developed an extra litre of capacity.
From as low as two and a half thousand revs, the car picks up in an awe inspiring exponential surge- the engine note doesn't even reach the kind of high revs idling pitch, as earlier- everything has gone deeper- the car has a new charisma. It builds momentum so fast, that on a couple of occasions, coming 'off the gas' isn't quick enough to lose the speed, and I actually have to brake when I pull back in from an overtaking manoeuvre.
As I pass slower traffic, I am almost embarrassed by the gurgling-thrum emanating from under the bonnet and the standard exhaust.
"what must people think!?" I think to myself!
The car starts to sing. Every corner becomes a balance between gearing and torque; everything becomes about grip and weight distribution- position in-lane, for the apex of the bend. I find myself accelerating through bends for no reason at all.
It is deeply-deeply satisfying, and my world becomes a relationship with the car, made up of gear changes, juxtaposed against camber and a beautiful scenery.
I realise that, by engine note, the car is running much faster than it had earlier- to my ear of mechanic sympathy; I am now at 80+ before I really 'hear' the revs- way too fast for most of this tarmac.
And ALL of this. all of it:- before I even hit the magic variable valve timing revs speed of five thousand- where the VIS does its trick for extra top end. I don't think I got further than four and a half thousand round the clock. Maybe four and three quarters, a couple of times...
At Birnam, I catch my first ever sighting of an Alfa Giulia, going North. I give the guy the 'Alfa-wave', which sometimes works from a Coupe- it did last year, when passing a GTA-Sportwagon in Inverness, moments before our initial meetup on the West Coast Tour...
I have done this route in a variety of machinery. Recently a few times in a German large capacity turbo diesel with four wheel drive- which must have cost (at initial purchase) twice the cost of a FIAT Coupe.
Every time I have driven it- I stop in Aviemore for a break.
Not yesterday- I couldn't come down from gears four and five, not for anything. (roundabouts at Perth notwithstanding!). Before I knew it- I was through Fife, and approaching the Forth Bridge- the new Forth Replacement Crossing towering through the mist.
Scrabster to Edinburgh; 5 hours. 20 minutes dead.
Just as I went over the Forth Bridge- 15 miles from home; the fuel light came on!
The longest straight non-stop journey I've ever done in one go in the car. It was disappointing to have to turn it off- indeed I was mildly excited to have to go back and repark it after I had arrived at my destination!
If I could gather data to work out how the car reaches this point, I would be very interested. Maybe it's the catalyst? But that is after the lambda, isn't it? Maybe it's back pressure from a warm catalyst...
Who knows- but it was sheer FIAT-Coupe-magic!
I had the somewhat unique opportunity to drive my car on an unadulterated long-distance run.
Or long-distance for me. Kirkwall to Edinburgh; 265 miles on the mainland, not withstanding the 15 miles before getting the ferry from Stromness to Scrabster.
Set off was 05:15 to get across for the ferry at 06:30, and it was 7 degrees but dry. The Coupe fired up enthusiastically, and settled into its high revs initial warm up stage as usual, before settling to an even idle.
I rolled out of a sleepy Kirkwall and saw only two other cars on my way across the island. A huge pink disc hung against the horizon in the East- enough light already to need only sidelights.
Whilst in the ferry queue, I did my final checks on tyre pressures and oil level. Somewhat against initial maintenance whilst in my care, the car has all but stopped using vast amounts of oil on high speed runs- Which is fine.
On the other side, I rolled off of the ferry, eager as usual to see what vehicles I had shared the car deck with, which would 'get in the way' on the first stages of the route South. Oddly enough, the roads cleared, with everyone stopping or deferring to petrol stations, and I was soon alone, travelling East from Thurso to Wick.
The car at this point, as always, reveals its fairly high gearing through engine note. I have noticed a popular mistake from less experienced 'guest' drivers of the VIS, that they attempt to change up into 5th, when the car is already in 5th. The engine note and torque denotes that there must be a higher gear to reach- but there isn't.
The route down to Latheron, cutting off Wick and the top North East of the country, before the A9 (East Coast) starts, was a bit misty, but still dry. the road offers significant high speed sweepers and a good surface to allow optimistic progress- its a section of road I always forget about, but in fact, although the moorland and wind farms are 'atmospheric' rather than 'scenic'- it's certainly quite relaxing.
25 miles later, upon reaching the Coast again, the road becomes less forgiving and you are confined to cambers and the visible distances between bends.
Overtaking is possible, with a drop to 4th, and the car picks up with no trouble. As I continue- this gets easier; and I realise; I'm not imagining it. Something else is happening.
I'm a big fan of a long-term maintenance plan called; mechanical-sympathy. Which is to say, that until I feel the car is ready, I won't take it over four thousand revs. The term 'ready' is usually derived by ear, as even at speed and warm, the oil-pressure doesn't really tell me anything. Longer term, if I can work out a subtle place to site it, I'm considering an oil-temperature gauge to assist with this judgement.
By the time I reach the Berriedale Braes, which involve a significant decent through a couple of hairpins (2nd gear behind a slower commercial traffic) and a momentary stop at roadworks- I can hear that the car is idling quieter- it's got less thrum, and has become more fluid in note.
On the next 25 miles to Golspie (note to self; TWO gas stations in Brora) things have turned a corner. The VIS suddenly seems to have developed an extra litre of capacity.
From as low as two and a half thousand revs, the car picks up in an awe inspiring exponential surge- the engine note doesn't even reach the kind of high revs idling pitch, as earlier- everything has gone deeper- the car has a new charisma. It builds momentum so fast, that on a couple of occasions, coming 'off the gas' isn't quick enough to lose the speed, and I actually have to brake when I pull back in from an overtaking manoeuvre.
As I pass slower traffic, I am almost embarrassed by the gurgling-thrum emanating from under the bonnet and the standard exhaust.
"what must people think!?" I think to myself!
The car starts to sing. Every corner becomes a balance between gearing and torque; everything becomes about grip and weight distribution- position in-lane, for the apex of the bend. I find myself accelerating through bends for no reason at all.
It is deeply-deeply satisfying, and my world becomes a relationship with the car, made up of gear changes, juxtaposed against camber and a beautiful scenery.
I realise that, by engine note, the car is running much faster than it had earlier- to my ear of mechanic sympathy; I am now at 80+ before I really 'hear' the revs- way too fast for most of this tarmac.
And ALL of this. all of it:- before I even hit the magic variable valve timing revs speed of five thousand- where the VIS does its trick for extra top end. I don't think I got further than four and a half thousand round the clock. Maybe four and three quarters, a couple of times...
At Birnam, I catch my first ever sighting of an Alfa Giulia, going North. I give the guy the 'Alfa-wave', which sometimes works from a Coupe- it did last year, when passing a GTA-Sportwagon in Inverness, moments before our initial meetup on the West Coast Tour...
I have done this route in a variety of machinery. Recently a few times in a German large capacity turbo diesel with four wheel drive- which must have cost (at initial purchase) twice the cost of a FIAT Coupe.
Every time I have driven it- I stop in Aviemore for a break.
Not yesterday- I couldn't come down from gears four and five, not for anything. (roundabouts at Perth notwithstanding!). Before I knew it- I was through Fife, and approaching the Forth Bridge- the new Forth Replacement Crossing towering through the mist.
Scrabster to Edinburgh; 5 hours. 20 minutes dead.
Just as I went over the Forth Bridge- 15 miles from home; the fuel light came on!
The longest straight non-stop journey I've ever done in one go in the car. It was disappointing to have to turn it off- indeed I was mildly excited to have to go back and repark it after I had arrived at my destination!
If I could gather data to work out how the car reaches this point, I would be very interested. Maybe it's the catalyst? But that is after the lambda, isn't it? Maybe it's back pressure from a warm catalyst...
Who knows- but it was sheer FIAT-Coupe-magic!
The coop is one of the few cars I would just take out for a drive just for the sake of it 