Knowing how to handle that hot car of yours (Page 2/2)
pHoOl DEC 18, 12:08 AM
The horsepower has definitely gotten crazy lately. As much of my buddies lust after the latest and greatest, I often say I don’t have much love for a car that has a ton of horsepower and requires 20 computers to keep it going straight down the road. Hell last few winters my beater had no ABS. Talk to anybody who got their license after about 2000, they would have no idea what threshold braking is. And the fast cars ditching the manuals drives me nuts too. Don’t care if it shifts faster than I can, I want to drive a car not just steer it.
cvxjet DEC 18, 12:22 AM
I know some do not agree with my opinions but; F1 and Indy have gone way to Technology-driven and Moon-Shot cost-wise......I think they should eliminate ANY aero- basically an oval cross-section to the body, 8" wide wheels, and 2 liter NA Mass-produced engines, MANUAL transmissions and brakes- NO electronics.....This way they would actually have to slow down for turns and THEN accelerate on the straights. (This would be like the first MR cars back in the 60s) (And EVERYONE makes 2 liter engines)

Then the drivers would actually be competing with each other!

[This message has been edited by cvxjet (edited 12-18-2018).]

fierofrenzy DEC 18, 07:57 AM
CVX.....yes, the glory years of auto racing were the best ! Actual stock cars from the factory somewhat modified , pro-stock included, that kind of thing. if you take a real close look, Ford even had a backwards running Indy engine. Check it out, the headers came out the top ! How cool is that !
fierosound DEC 19, 09:46 AM
The Mustang is notorious for sh1tty handling...
Maybe it has something to do with weight distribution.



------------------
My World of Wheels Winners (Click on links below)

3.4L Supercharged 87 GT and Super Duty 4 Indy #163

[This message has been edited by fierosound (edited 12-19-2018).]

cvxjet DEC 19, 11:52 AM
Most- Maybe all- of those crashes can be directly traced to lack of intelligence, lack of talent, lack of skill, and...... a full load of arrogant stupidity. I think a substantial number of those happened while leaving "Cars & Coffee" type events........"Hold my beer and watch this!"

My "Stabilizer bar" mounting system was first used on my 1973 mach 1 w/5.0 FI.......Extremely neutral, but would not bite you.......unless you begged for it to bite you!

I just realized.....I bet you 90% of those morons learned to drive in a Tonda........90 hp FWD crap-wagons......with 8" tail pipes......
pmbrunelle DEC 19, 12:30 PM

quote
Originally posted by cvxjet:
I just realized.....I bet you 90% of those morons learned to drive in a Tonda........90 hp FWD crap-wagons......with 8" tail pipes......



I spun my new-to-me RWD pickup truck last winter at age 28... Escaped with a very minor dent.

Between ages 16 to 28, all I have driven in the winter were FWD econoboxes (Fiero is summer-only), mostly because that's what was available for not too much money.

When I got into the pickup at age 28, I basically had the driving experience of a 16-year-old, with the reflexes of a 28-year-old.

The younger generation just doesn't have the same opportunities to learn driving skills at a low price.

Basically now I'm trying to figure out RWD in the winter, but I have a lot of catching up to do, compared to say my dad, who drove exclusively RWD from age 16 to 28.

I kind of resent what was handed to my generation.

[This message has been edited by pmbrunelle (edited 12-19-2018).]

cvxjet DEC 19, 05:50 PM
One of the hardest lessons in human experience is......Humility! Being able to admit you don't have the knowledge/skill is actually the first step to LEARNING a new skill...Sadly, most people (Especially YOUNG people) never learn that first step.....So they are constantly....tripping........

FWD is very safe and does not have those sharp teeth that can (And will) bite you. Take your time and you will do ok.....Best way to learn RWD dynamics is a wet parking lot (Without Trees or light poles!)

I started out with a 1972 Mercury Comet GT......Plowed all day long....Thank God! I would have died with my lack of knowledge/talent.....Slowly I learned...and then improved the suspension......Most of my friends in HS only improved the engine (And then the chassis couldn't deal with the power)
hyperv6 DEC 23, 11:48 PM
People crash because of the lack of experience with power and handling caricaturists.

Also You can make about anything handle but few can make a car handle great.

It used to be that cars handle and have grip but you had to work to get it all. Today many cars can easily reach crazy limits and you really do not have to work for it.

I love my Fiero and the Herb Adams Suspension gives it a very neutral feel but you still have to drive it hard on uneven surfaces. On the other hand I had a 300 hp HHR SS that even saddled with FWD would go stupid fast down the back roads and I did not have to work for it. GM and !ark Stielow did many changes to bring this handling package to life.

Now you take the new suspension and add power that in the past was only in cars you built and put it in the hands of people who do not respect it. Well it is harder to let things go wrong but now when they do they go very wrong at very high levels of speed.

To be honest many of today’s performance cars are better than some full race cars not too many years ago. Some people today really should never be behind the wheel of some of them.
jim94 DEC 25, 11:01 PM
too many people with new cars are driving too fast today. i do enjoy driving the fiero on new smyrna speedway in florida. the perfect race track for me. i have raced carts when i was younger. yes go to driving school if you have a high hp car. rear engine cars get loose , come around and keep going around too. been there done that and it is not fun crashing.