mario laguna
Day 8
On our way to Cape Canaveral we encountered numerous groups of motorcyclists, 90% Harley-Davidson crew members. An exception was a fan who was traveling with his wife in a Ural with a sidecar, a Russian brand inspired by BMW.
Cape Canaveral has, in addition to the well-known space launch platforms, an important merchant and tourist port, from where many cruise ships depart to the Florida Keys and the Bahamas.
Nearby we visit the JFK Space Center and the Astronaut Memorial, a museum that pays tribute to astronauts, with personal belongings of the crews and other curiosities of the conquest of space.
The most spectacular object on display at the Space Center and the one most admired by tourists is the Atlantis space shuttle, which was in service from 1985 to 2010.
Having skirted the coastline on the road closest to the beach, the A1A, we reached the end of the stage in Stuart.
Day 9
From Stuart to Fort Lauderdale, north of Miami, we would have one of the easiest and most rewarding stages of the entire journey, with time to visit the vast metropolitan area and enjoy a break in the hotel pool, taking stock of the route and commenting incidents with the other participants.
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Incidences
On the one hand, an Aston Martin MKIII had a gearbox failure, while a Morgan 4/4 with a Ford engine broke the timing belt barely twenty kilometers. On the other hand, a Porsche 356 cabriolet registered in Monaco also abandoned in the first stage, as soon as we left New York. Other teams had minor breakdowns resolved on the fly.
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On the behavior of the Borgward Isabella ...
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A) Engine
With a displacement of 1.500 cc and a power of 75CV, the car is suitable enough for long trips on all types of roads, without expecting, of course, sports performance. It is capable of maintaining speeds of 90 km / h without fatigue and during long journeys.
On mountain road climbs there is a fair bit of power.
Gasoline consumption is reasonable, with an average of between 8 and 9 liters per 100 kilometers, horizontally.
Moderate oil consumption, It is advisable to monitor the dipstick every 500 km.
B) Gearbox
Acceptable four-speed box, which facilitates a cruising speed without raising excessively in direct revolutions.
Lever on the steering column, cumbersome to operate, with difficulties when engaging first and reverse gears.
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objects recovered in connection with the automobile, or automobilia
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C) Chassis
A frame with a relatively long wheelbase, comfortable in a straight line, with a comfortable suspension for traveling on firm roads.
No joy to expect on roads with tight chained curves, in particular due to the sharp positive drop of the rear wheels.
Steering without assistance is hard when stopped, but without particular difficulties in parking maneuvers.
D) Comfort, passenger compartment, accessories
This is a luxurious coupe, with easy access to the comfortable leather upholstered seats.
The trunk is spacious for luggage, spare wheel and tools.
The dashboard is well designed, with the clocks in front of the driver's view and a sumptuous keyboard switch box. It is equipped with a car radio, a glove box with a lid and two ashtrays.
Behind the two main seats there is space to accommodate two children or luggage bags.
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