Best dead on the road saves, Getting home stories Options

[r_towle]

What are some of your best “getting it home” repairs?
Those side of the road breakdowns you will never forget?

I have a few…
One of the best was when a buddy and I were heading up north to ski country and the throttle cable broke on my vw beetle. I got out, sat sideways on the rear bumper and I was the accelerator while he drove us up off the highway to a gas station….then bike cable and some clamps, fixed.

914 broke the cable at the local autox , about 10-15 miles away.
I tied that sucker off at 3500 rpm’s with my shoelace and drove home
I was given some wide eyes at a few lights and stop signs….but it worked.

[Mike Bellis]

New Year's Day, Pelican Hangover Run. Livermore CA.

An eclectic group of vehicles left the Livermore Porsche dealer for a run to the top of Mt. Hamilton through the backroads. It's at least an hour's drive to the top with zero cell service most of the way. It's a narrow twisty road that is an amazing drive. The view from the top is awesome!

Leading the pack is a Cayman S, followed by yours truly in my turbo 914. Behind me is a full-race Viper. We are flying up the mountain. Making it almost to the top in under 45 minutes. The three of us are a mile or more ahead of the pack driving -full out-... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Just before I reach the top of the mountain and at speed, I hit a hairpin left. At that very moment, my radiator hose splits lengthwise and dumps all my coolant onto the road under my rear wheels.
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/chair.gif)
The car spins out but stays on the pavement. I'm facing the opposite direction now. The Viper behind me has enough gap to stop in time. No injuries occur, no wreck. I'm 10+ miles from civilization on New Year's Day, with no cell service.

I quickly assess the damage, realizing I can make it to the Observatory parking lot 1/4 mile up the road. Here is where I found an 8" long tear in my radiator hose along its length. No road fix is available for this damage. I need a new hose under the car and a tow.

I look down the mountain at San Jose CA and think I can coast down to the bottom. For the most part, this worked. I did have to start the engine 4-5 times to get me over a rise in elevation but I did make it to the bottom eventually and pull into a Wendy's parking lot. I tried my road service and after 3-4 calls they could not find any tow truck available. I finally made my own calls locally. It seems I am 3 counties away from home on New Year's Day and none of the drivers want to drive that far.

I finally find a service that will come get me. I told them it could only be towed on a flatbed. So after being in the Wendy's parking lot for 4 hours, a standard wrecker shows up and tells me he can't tow it and it needs a flatbed truck. Luckily he had the private number of the driver that took the flatbed home and 45 minutes later he was there to take me home.

35 miles and $350 cash later and my car was dropped off in my driveway. A long and expensive New Year's for me.

I did buy 60 feet of Gates hose and split the cost with @Andyrew since we each needed 30 feet.

Fast Forward a couple of years... I'm on the same run with the PCA, going the opposite route. A huge caravan of modern Porsches and me in the 914. Up over the mountain and past the Observatory. I pass the same hairpin turn and... my engine dies. I pull over and it will not restart. One of the PCA members agrees to call my wife when he reaches cell service. Everyone takes off and leaves me alone on the mountain.

While I'm there I diagnose my fuel pump died. I also discovered that if I walked 100 feet away and held my hand in the air, my phone would get enough service to send a text. Was able to make contact with my wife. The dude did call her as well.

Due to the past history on this mountain, I had her SUV set up with my towbar and anything I might need for a road repair. Just in case I needed rescue. After about 3 hours, she made it to my location and I towed myself home with her vehicle.

I will never drive this route again... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/chair.gif)

[r_towle]

New Year's Day, Pelican Hangover Run. Livermore CA.

An eclectic group of vehicles left the Livermore Porsche dealer for a run to the top of Mt. Hamilton through the backroads. It's at least an hour's drive to the top with zero cell service most of the way. It's a narrow twisty road that is an amazing drive. The view from the top is awesome!

Leading the pack is a Cayman S, followed by yours truly in my turbo 914. Behind me is a full-race Viper. We are flying up the mountain. Making it almost to the top in under 45 minutes. The three of us are a mile or more ahead of the pack driving -full out-... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Just before I reach the top of the mountain and at speed, I hit a hairpin left. At that very moment, my radiator hose splits lengthwise and dumps all my coolant onto the road under my rear wheels.
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/chair.gif)
The car spins out but stays on the pavement. I'm facing the opposite direction now. The Viper behind me has enough gap to stop in time. No injuries occur, no wreck. I'm 10+ miles from civilization on New Year's Day, with no cell service.

I quickly assess the damage, realizing I can make it to the Observatory parking lot 1/4 mile up the road. Here is where I found an 8" long tear in my radiator hose along its length. No road fix is available for this damage. I need a new hose under the car and a tow.

I look down the mountain at San Jose CA and think I can coast down to the bottom. For the most part, this worked. I did have to start the engine 4-5 times to get me over a rise in elevation but I did make it to the bottom eventually and pull into a Wendy's parking lot. I tried my road service and after 3-4 calls they could not find any tow truck available. I finally made my own calls locally. It seems I am 3 counties away from home on New Year's Day and none of the drivers want to drive that far.

I finally find a service that will come get me. I told them it could only be towed on a flatbed. So after being in the Wendy's parking lot for 4 hours, a standard wrecker shows up and tells me he can't tow it and it needs a flatbed truck. Luckily he had the private number of the driver that took the flatbed home and 45 minutes later he was there to take me home.

35 miles and $350 cash later and my car was dropped off in my driveway. A long and expensive New Year's for me.

I did buy 60 feet of Gates hose and split the cost with @Andyrew since we each needed 30 feet.

Fast Forward a couple of years... I'm on the same run with the PCA, going the opposite route. A huge caravan of modern Porsches and me in the 914. Up over the mountain and past the Observatory. I pass the same hairpin turn and... my engine dies. I pull over and it will not restart. One of the PCA members agrees to call my wife when he reaches cell service. Everyone takes off and leaves me alone on the mountain.

While I'm there I diagnose my fuel pump died. I also discovered that if I walked 100 feet away and held my hand in the air, my phone would get enough service to send a text. Was able to make contact with my wife. The dude did call her as well.

Due to the past history on this mountain, I had her SUV set up with my towbar and anything I might need for a road repair. Just in case I needed rescue. After about 3 hours, she made it to my location and I towed myself home with her vehicle.

I will never drive this route again... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/chair.gif)

Yet more proof that you cannot turbo a 914.
You have angered the mountain.

[Mike Bellis]

Yet more proof that you cannot turbo a 914.
You have angered the mountain.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/av-943.gif)

Very true