The two mechanics that orchestrated the winter rebuild of my Tiger engine finally
started the car today (please right-click save-as), and to celebrate, I took them out for lunch and beer.
These guys are TOTAL blue-collar, big-block motorheads...and very pleasant, brilliantly skilled, auto enthusiasts.
Dave, the particularly unkempt character who's briefly behind the wheel in the video, has a 1967 Corvette Coupe with a 1999 Chevy 502 cubic-inch crate motor (610 horse and unfathomable torque).
Anyhow, I drove everyone to the restaurant in the Beast. Before climbing in, they gently chided me for driving "this snotty Kraut wagon." All winks and nudges of course.
I've never really talked to them about the Beast because I assumed that 400 horsepower would only be "cute" or "neat" to them. So, this was my chance to pipe up.
I mentioned that the car weighs 4,000 pounds, and I had turned 13's over 100 on the strip; in fact, I had heard of someone (Ramses!) getting into the 12's.
They were VERY surprised and impressed. I booted it up a hill and they were even more suprised. Big-block Dave looked back matter-of-factly at Dana and said "this is a 12-second car all day long. I can tell by the seat of my pants."
Nice to show fellow auto-freaks something new.
We ate wings. We drank beer. And this weekend (weather permitting), the Beast is playing second fiddle...
Alps
