[Spridgets] My 2009 road trip

[Ron Soave]

Out of the "something I want to do before I die" part of my brain, it turns out I'm going to be driving a 1953 Studebaker in the 2009 La Carrera Panamericana 2200 mile race across the mountains and streets of Mexico. For those not familiar, www.panamrace.com. At first I was told by my co-pilot it was a 1951 Stude. I talked to the builder today and it's a 1953 Starlight Coupe, a beautiful Raymond Loewy design (he of the Coca Cola bottle and many other of the most famous and important industrial designs of the 20th century). Hey, by the way - Zoom, is that what "Coca Cola in a Motorola Kitchen" meant? Anyway, this is a very, very cool rally, with police escorts, townspeople cheering at the checkpoints, massive amounts of free Corona beer...etc. Due to some amazing generosity, we have at least one sponsor from Colorado who owns a Mexico City parts distributor who will provide crew at planned pit stops with fuel, spares, brakes, tires, mechanics, etc. They
 are also providing accommodations in their vacation house at the rally origin for preparation.  We have some work to do on the car, but it's already well on its way. It'll be festooned with period correct signage and lettering, and the base color is, naturally, white. (How do you say "White Trash" in espanol?). The 70 year old builder once held a Bonneville land speed record in a Studebaker back in the 90s, and pieces of it are going in this car, like some of the cage. He didn't want to drive the car because "Have you seen the pictures of those mountains??? I'm too close to the end to take chances like that." Anyway, any and all are invited, October 2009.

Woo hoo,
Ron