Spider oil pan incident

[Pottree@domain.elided]

I guess everyone has a story like this sooner or later, unfortunately.

Once upon a time I had a business meeting in an office building with an 
underground parking garage.  I rolled down the ramp to the garage level in 
the 71 Spider, coming from a brilliant sunny day into the very dark garage so 
of course it was almost impossible to see until the eyes adjusted.  Very 
stupidly placed inside the garage, immediately at the bottom of the ramp, was 
a speed bump which was painted black.  This was so close to the bottom of the 
ramp that when the front of the car (on the Spider, the oil pan) reached it, 
the rear wheels where still on the incline, so the angle of connection was 
anything but cute.  

Since the garage was so dark I was not going fast, but still, fast enough to 
take out the oil pan with an echoing, stomach-turning noise.  I limped into a 
nearby parking place.  I had no choice but to hop on the elevator and take 
the meeting.

When it was over I descended to find the poor Spider reflected in a small sea 
of oil.  Doesn't a Spider use about 7.5 US quarts of oil? It is amazing how 
much this seems like when it is spread out 1/4" deep!

I was able to get the car (forget how) out of the garage and into a gas 
station across the street, so that it could be hooked to a tow truck and 
brought to the emergency ward.  I don't recall having to replace the motor 
mounts and I know there was no damage to the hood, but this was the stimulus 
for having the bottom end rebuild at the time.

All things considered, I got away pretty easy because I was all but sure I 
had destroyed the engine and possibly the transmission as well.  A few days 
of work and rest and the car was back on the road running great for years to 
come.  

The whole sorry incident left me with increased respect for the great 
strength and quality of the IMPORTANT parts of an Alfa.  And also a 
trepidation about underground parking garages I still haven't gotten over, 
even though I have never again seen a speed bump in such a stupid place, nor 
one painted in camo black, the better to lurk in the dark.

Charlie
LA, CA, USA
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