Tyler Bend, Buffalo River Highway 65, Arkansas
Eureka Springs, ArkansasFrom Car and Driver Magazine:
Arkansas 7
Highway 7 is one of the best-kept secrets in the country. Once anointed one of America's ten most beautiful roads by National Geographic, it is tucked into the folds of the Ozark National Forest and the Ouachita Mountains. Its best stretches link Harrison up north, which calls itself the "Crossroads of the Ozarks," and Arkadelphia, south of the newlywed and spa haven of Hot Springs. Along the way the road twists through miles of hardwood forests, across pristine streams such as the Buffalo National River, near state parks and wildflower meadows, by dramatic rock formations and high bluffs, over mountain tops and down into valleys still unspoiled. An especially splendid tract is the Ozark Highlands to Rotary Ann Overlook, with an awesome view of forests and mountains. Around every bend lies adventure-everything from hiking, camping, trout fishing, canoeing and caving to simply dawdling over fresh-baked pie and hot coffee at the Booger Hollow (population 7, counting the coon dog) Trading Post & Chuck Wagon Cafe. You might even get to observe a cutthroat game of checkers. The bonus beauties of 7 are its shortages of both traffic (particularly in spring and fall) and interruption (30-mile legs without settlements) and a length of 200 miles. This is a road mixing elemental and advanced challenges in well-balanced proportions. Avoid it like the plague in icy weather, but make a beeline for it any other time. Guaranteed to knock your socks off and turn you into a seriously addicted repeat offender.
8 comments:
The thing I loved about Porsches is that they were so simple, they were genius. Modeled right after an airplane engine, truly genius. My big complaint was that a lot of their interior and doorhandle components were made of pot metal.
Just like volkswagens. At one time I owned 15 bugs and buses, the newest one was a 1971 Convertible. I sold it for big bucks and bought the Porsche. Sold the Porsche when son Jim turned 16. He got his permit in the Porsche. Ebery 16 year old boy needs a red Porsche. My heart said keep it, my mind said sell it.
Do you remember the smell? You know, the smell off the engine? Wish I could go back one more time.
I still wonder what my 914 would have done with a dual Weber kit instead of the single setup I had. The last upgrade I bought that was a Borla exhaust, my buddy was pushin' the Monza.
914- the Volks Porsche.
but with a 6, it flew. a friend had one, bought it new- you didn't eat or drink or smoke in it.
My 911 had 6 carbs and took dang near a can of starting fluid to start in the winter. Finally, Randy at Show Me Buggy on deep south Campbell got it running good.
Mine was a 1974 914-4 2.0 Yup, a 4 banger. The flat six came out for only 2 years, I believe 70-71. The 4 bangers started with the 1.7 in '69 then moved to the 1.8 and then the 2.0 in '73. They mostly fuel injected but when I bought mine, I popped the lid and found that single Weber, tripped me out. I was hoping for a dual Weber with a 44IDF setup. The regular 914's I think had a 40IDA setup. Jesus, I haven't had to tap that info in over a decade!
Here's one on Ebay right now. It's got suspension problems that I guarantee is more than a $150 fix.
My brothers and I have always been car nuts. My dad had a Citroen DS-19 here in Springfield - back in the 1970she sponsored a boat person who was a Citroen mechanic - until then it was KC or StL for people to work on the car.
There's another problem there, rust! Yet another complaint I have on those things. Floorpans and firewalls are usually first to go, I see here it's starting to get bad in a few spots. You'll need a good body guy who knows what he's doing for that one. That thing ain't worth 4 grand, especially not a 1.8 model, you might be able to hit 100-105 but that's it. It looks like he has never changed the coil in that thing either, interesting.
Another thing, that car was never driven in Winter? I don't think so, not with that rust. Hmmm, unless it was near the ocean for the majority of it's life, I know salt damage when I see it.
Here is a guy that'll make you drool. He's a Ligenfelter or Doug Rippie (Corvettes) of Porsches.
Added bonus, The Coyote X from Hardcastle & McCormick was based on the 904(I thought it was more of a 917 thing myself). The motor did come from a 914 donation, but it was blue printed to follow the 904 specs.
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