DeTomaso Mailing List: July 97, Message #89
     



From: MikeLDrew@aol.com

Subject: Jack Speaks The Truth...

Date: Sat, 5 Jul 1997 01:32:08 -0400 (EDT)



Hello all,



Jack wrote:



>This thread is too serious; time for a Mike-Drewism. I'm reminded of the

time

in Oklahoma during his flight training when ( as he tells it) Mike couldn't

get the P-car to fire. He was standing there swearing at it, when a couple of

Italian exchange pilots walked by. Offering to help, they told Mike that

Italian cars just don't understand English and proceeded to blister the car's

paint in "colloquial" Italian. Then one of them reached in, twisted the key

and it started right up. They walked on down the street leaving Our Boy

speechless- a thing that happens only rarely! 

J DeRyke



>>>Other than the minor detail that *I* was the one that actually turned the

ignition key, the above story is otherwise absolutely, 100% true.  I'd been

cranking it for about 15 minutes when these two guys came along, literally

hollered in Italian for a full 60 seconds, then looked at me and nodded.  I

turned the key, it fired on the second crank.  They shot me a knowing and

satisfied look, and walked away, leaving me shaking my head in wonder.



Later, incautious repair of a minor electrical problem caused the Pantera to

become completely infested with ants!  It also caught fire on me (electrical)

two or three times, and all sorts of other things.  I only drove the car six

or seven times in the year or so I had it out there, but I never failed to

come back in once piece.  I also never failed to come back with an incredible

story to tell, and the occasional passengers came back white as sheets, eyes

big as saucers!  Not from my driving, mind you, just from the car doing weird

things like catching fire, etc...



Mike



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