24 Hours of LeMons

alfa soon · #1 (**permalink**) 10-09-2006, 08:01 AM

While I sadly missed the Alameda all Italian car day, I DID spent the weekend driving and trying to keep a 1981 Toyota Corona LE Wagon on the road in the first 24 hours of LeMons at Altamont. http://www.24hoursoflemons.com/ After about 500 laps and 9 hours our headgasket blew in response to the alternator pulley sawing through the lower radiator hose in response to hitting a huge tractor tire in response to a not so gentle tap from a big 70's American car... There was a lot of MacGyvering that kept it on the road for several hundered laps past its expiration date, but when you pull a plug and water shoots out when you're checking for spark. it's all over. Alfa related: APE ran a Milano which finished the race 8th, about 10 of the 34 entrants managed to finish. Already looking for a car for next year. Noteworthy was how tough the Saab 900, BMW 5 series and Toyota Corolla were. Highest pit crew labor to lap ratio probably went to the white Camaro. Winning Toyota Corolla managed over 1100 laps (also with a best lap time at about 27 seconds) before it's differential gave out in the final laps, it was pushed, tires dragging, across the finish line by a very sportsman like early 90's Olds. Truly heroic!

A related thread: Alfa Milano comes in 8th in the 24hrs of LeMons

some pics
http://www.thecreeper.net/24hoursoflemons/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/atlasph...7594319406195/
Thanks to Elizabeth and Craig for the photos!

larry · #2 (**permalink**) 10-09-2006, 06:33 PM

Yes, with only attempting to have fun, lackadasical pits, lots of junk food and poor work ethics we came in 8th in the Milano with 992 laps. We grandly overheated due to the radiator thermal switch failing. Jim came in and we bypassed the switch so the fan ran all the time. The damage was done, boiling in the bock and heads created the dreaded air bubble. Glenn Olivera went and after awhile, 10 laps Glenn came in, it was so hot it was trying to seize. We ran 12 hours and 25 minutes out of 13 hours, so close to the checkered. Our 1986 Lincoln MkVII was side lined due to fuel leaking, at about 12 pm Sunday, but drove out of the raceway at the end of the day just as it had arrived, no trailer queen.

verdegrrl · #3 (**permalink**) 10-09-2006, 10:36 PM

Huge kudos to Jay Lamm (organizer of the race), Larry (jr), and Larry (sr) of APE! They picked a great car for us to run, and kept it running virtually to the end. As Larry mentions, we didn't go crazy with prep, which shows just how solid a Milano can be if you don't abuse it and stay out of the way of the monster stock cars who came expecting a smash-up derby.

Nizam and I put up some pictures and captions in this link

http://www.cdglobal.net/nizam/lemons.html

**pathung** · #4 (**permalink**) 11-04-2006, 10:01 PM

Not too widely publicized, this event, was it? Anybody need a co-driver and/or crew for next year?