I almost hit the center guard rail, then I almost drove off the shoulder on the other side and off of a steep hill. I managed to get the car under control and stopped safely.
It didnt make any sense to me, but it felt like the front of the dedion had been moving. I crawled under the car, and sure enough, the main rear suspension bolt was gone!
I had nothing to shore up the situation and ended up driving almost 60 miles to the nearest town without the dedion secured. I even pushed speeds up above 50 mph on some straight sections. Then I spent the night in El Dorado, Kansas.
When the sun came up, I set out with the hazzard lights on to look for an auto part store. On my way, I was noticed by the local police. I was pulled over in short order. The cop, who was younger than I, asked me, ¨Why you drivin so slow boi?¨ He was not impressed with my answer that I was stuck in his town needing help with a repair. I know, being from a small town myself, that if I had been driving an 87 Ford f150 with Kansas plates in the same situation, I would not have been pulled over.
I didnt have my insurance info in the car, so he gave me a court date. The officer stated specifically that it was a manditory appearance and I could not pay the fine and get on with my life.
I ended up spending the day at a local copy center trying to get my insurance company to fax along my insurance info. I then went to the Clerk of Courts´ office and waited for the clerk to get back from lunch. At 3pm, she finally showed up.
She then started hastling me because the officer had written on the ticket that my car was a 1997 Alfa Milano. The insurance info I had was for an 87 Milano. She also seemed suspicious of the whole thing because she had ¨Never heard of that kind of car.¨ I told her that that the officer was wrong and that Alfa wasnt even in the USA in 97 (I think this is correct).
After some more mucking about with more official types and having my car inspected to make sure it was the same car as the officer had pulled over AND the car listed on the insurance info. What a mess.
I felt lucky to pay the $55 and get out of the court date (which had been scheduled for one week later).
I then was faced with the task of getting the car back in the wind. I could not get the necessary 14mm fine thread bolt with 22mm head (obviously). So I had to make due with a 7/16 grade 8 with some washers and a nylock nut. I knew the nut would most likely wreck the threads on the dedion cross member
but what could I do?The Jerry rig got me the next 900 miles to south Texas, where my car now sits. Other than that freak problem, the car ran quite well. Especially considering that the vehicle has not been on a trip in more than four years!
Perhaps this is karma for the Police incident that occured on the Alfa´s previous time out of the garage
Lessons:
Loctite on main dedion bolt from now on. I know that there is that little piece of sheet metal, but it wasnt enough in this case.
Always bring tools on such a trip in an Alfa. (I had tools, luckly).
Insurance info in the car, especially when driving through Kansas.
Never stop in El Dorado (pronounced El Door-aid-oh) Kansas.
