Tuesday 2 January 2007

Running In


The Christmas break (“Winterval”? A pox on you, ignorant heathen!) was a good one for the SS7 household. We entertained family (in the right sort of quantity), and enjoyed time with friends old and new.

Christmas day bought transport solutions aplenty; SS7 minor received a pedal powered kart, and SS7 major a skateboard - unfortunately for his elbows without protective gear. SS7 minor needs a reality check; following the family car to your grandparents in a pedal-powered kart isn’t really viable when you’re 3 years old.

We have had a house full for the last 3 days, good fun but wearing & it was good to get away for a few hours yesterday to clear the garage, give the Cayman a quick wash (in the dark…) and put it away for the week.

Last week’s 120 mile trip up to work and back was enough for me to acclimatise to the car’s controls and feel. The muttering rotters who commented on the lack of torque are right, its not viable just to squeeze the throttle and breeze past bumblers on a fat mid-range; the 968’s 4-pot 3litre is better in this respect.

Its clearly an engine that produces it’s best higher up in the rev-range, so with this in mind I’ve revised my running-in strategy. I’ve been giving short rides to various family members, and on New Year’s day, I popped over to the other side of town to pick up a ‘new’ Roksan amp.

I came home the long way; on quiet holiday roads, ‘running-in’ could easily have been mistaken for ‘giving the car a good thrashing’. Once everything was good and hot I was using more like 6000rpm than 4000rpm as a limit (in 5th on a quiet A27…), and pretty much all of the throttle travel. As a result, the tyres have come in, the brakes are getting better and the gear linkage is freeing up nicely.

I also found I’m already leaning on the PSM; full bore in 2nd out of roundabouts and letting the electrics sort out the wiggly rear end.

On sober reflection I may need to re-think the wisdom of this latter approach.

Mrs SS7 also had a go. After 20 minutes her summary was “It’s very nice”. I guess that’s female priorities for you. She also ran full bore in 2nd down our private estate road leading to the house (the one with a 20mph limit) on the basis that “If anyone see’s me they’ll blame you”.

More on Mrs SS7 to follow…..

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