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My latest Scirocco acquisition and trip...



I just got back from a trip to New Orleans (from Ontario, Canada) to
pick up Mike Abatzis' wrecked 87 16v.  While a tornado touched down a
couple miles from us during a pretty impressive storm, on the way back
I managed to mostly avoid the nasty weather that hit most of the north
eastern U.S.

Here's a pic of the car just after loading it on the dolly:
<http://home.cogeco.ca/~mardak/50mph_hit.jpg>

Closeup of the damage from a 50 mph hit,  and my quickly fabricated
universal/traditional-wheel-strap adapters for my dolly (since I
doubted the tweaked front end would bolt up to my rigid mount setup):
<http://home.cogeco.ca/~mardak/damage.jpg>

Unfortunately the (formerly mint) interior was subjected to the
elements since Katrina took out a rear window, and the result is a
pretty moldy interior:
<http://home.cogeco.ca/~mardak/moldy_seats.jpg>
Anyone have any advice on cleaning these nice Corrado leather seats up?

Since the front end damage is far too severe to repair I'll be
stripping the car *completely* next week and junking what's left of
the shell.  It's already buried in a three foot snowdrift
(overnight!), so I haven't had a chance to check it out more
thoroughly, but I'm hoping the engine didn't move enough to tweak the
TT race header or any of the other nice bits under the hood.  Luckily
the oil cooler appears to be untouched, as is the aluminum oil pan.
Mike also happened to have the front euro bumper off the car when it
got hit.  Many of the parts from the car will find their way onto my
75 over the winter, and the other Mk2 bits saved for a future Mk2
restoration.  I could tell it was difficult for him to see his only
Scirocco go, but rest assured that not a single useful part will be
thrown out Mike!  I'm sure it won't be long before you're ripping
around in another Scirocco - maybe even a superior Mk1 (:D)...  Let's
bombard him with emails until he gives in to his Scirocco addiction
(no matter what gf Denise says!) and gets himself another beautiful
example! (btw, his email addy is <mabatzis@gmail.com>)  :D

As for the trip itself, as usual I didn't have much time to sightsee,
but I managed to check out a Mardi Gras parade, and also drove through
the Katrina stricken ninth district.  Seeing it in person really put
the scope of the devastation in perspective for me.  While much of the
worst areas have been bulldozed there are still remnants of what
happened here.  Here's a house that's sitting on a fence:
<http://home.cogeco.ca/~mardak/house_on_fence.jpg>

A stoop without a house:
<http://home.cogeco.ca/~mardak/houseless_stoop.jpg>

But I also saw a side of New Orleans that I wasn't expecting.  The
(uptown) area where Mike lives reminded me very much of Montreal,
where I lived for a few years.  The vibe/feel is very similar, and
totally unlike any large U.S. city that I've visited.  If it wasn't
for the oppressive heat and humidity in the summer I'd love to live
there...

I just missed a very bizarre accident, and snapped a pic of it the
next day.  I can't figure out how the hell that car ended up where it
did:
<http://home.cogeco.ca/~mardak/bizarre_accident.jpg>

On the way back we stopped in Coleman Alabama for some supper, asked
to see the beer menu and was surprised to learn that it was a dry
county!?!?  You still have these???  How fucked up is that?!?  I asked
the gas station attendant about it, and she said it was the "wettest
dry county around", but I guess religious zealots (who form a majority
of the population there) continue to keep booze illegal election after
election...  At this same gas station I couldn't resist buying this
great addition to my "Wall of Blasphemy":
<http://home.cogeco.ca/~mardak/Jesus_plate.jpg>  :)  Fitting place to
find it too!

Further up the red-state-corridor I hooked up with Daun in Ohio, who
was kind enough to hold on to some parts for me for pick-up.  (thanks
again Daun!)  Then it was off to Toledo to pick-up a NOS fender for my
75 that was on <www.thesamda.com>, and an uneventful last leg of the
trip...

Can't wait to start bolting the parts up to my 75!!!

Later,

Mark.
75
82
82 Caddy