[DeTomaso] NPC: 850 Fiat Spider driving impressions

[John Taphorn]

Wow Jack. That is a tragically sad tale.

Now on to happier thoughts

JT
On 6/9/2013 12:59 AM, JDeRyke at aol.com wrote:
> Sean, I once drove a FIAT 850 about 6 miles. A cute little Italian girl
> where I worked bought a bright red one new in '70, and asked me to take her to
> lunch driving her car, and tell her what I thought, as I was known as a car
> nut. It was amazing- we took off on a 6 lane city street & I ran 1st gear to
> the redline, then 2nd-to-redline, then 3rd.... and we were doing maybe 45
> mph. 4th & 5th seemed to have near-zero acceleration. Loaded inner-city
> delivery vans were passing us on both sides. It handled well and I told her so,
> but I also said it really needed more power to commute or handle an
> expressway safely.
>
> A week later, a woman in a Pontiac station wagon ran completely over Debbie
> and her FIAT at a boulevard stoplight. DOA at the hospital. Woman said she
> didn't see my friend in her shiny little red roadster. Or the red light.
>
> A FIAT 810 or the 'big' 850 is badly outclassed in today's traffic, as are
> small motorcycles and most scooters. If your plans for the thing include
> commuter or other heavy traffic use, be really, really defensive in your
> driving. Or maybe add a large mirror and a 100 horse nitrous shot so you can at
> least avoid the suicidal & the inattentive. The average motorist (I refuse to
> call them "drivers") simply pays no attention to anything beyond their
> dashboard anymore. FWIW- J DeRyke
> _______________________________________________
>
> Detomaso Forum Managed by POCA
>
> DeTomaso mailing list
> DeTomaso at poca.com
> http://poca.com/mailman/listinfo/detomaso
>