2psyop, *G* Meant to amuse while informing... ;)
Yeah, that Lotus IS major over caffeinated. But that IS kind of the point; I've always preferred 'uphill charges' to downhills since one can control speed & acceleration with throttle. Too easy to 'overcook' on a downhill...
geoffkait, yeah, well... It was the price one paid in that era for something other that was nimble and quick. I know a guy back in SF that owned a Norton that didn't leak oil. 'Course, he was German by extraction and one fastidious mechanic. If it could get Permatex'd shut, he did.
I owned a Spitfire for awhile, it's worse habit was bending a pushrod from time to time. But it was actually nice to work on; tip the hood assembly forward, sit on the front tire, and fiddle with the whatever.
One thing I wish every and anyone to do with a vehicle that's new to them is to go find an empty parking lot, without the wheel stops and a minimum of posts. Idle into a turn, crank the wheel full lock to L or R, and slowly accelerate until it breaks traction or you've lost your nerve. Base limit of adhesion for the tires.
Another: Accelerate to 40 and stand on the brakes. Find out where the anti-lock kicks in. Now repeat, and learn where that limit is.
True story: Artesia freeway, westbound into LA, 5 lanes of 'go 'n slow' traffic all 5. I'm in 34' motor home. A SUV zips up on the left, hoping to get in front of me in a closing gap.
He isn't going to make it.
I put both feet on the brake and try to shove it through the floor.
His tires start 'chirping' as his A/L engages, and at the last moment, he dives for my lane. I make contact, and push him sideways for a second or two.
We make our way to the side.
"My bad, I was trying to outbreak the anti-lock"...
His wife looks very grim.
The 2 young teens in the back seat are as white as a sheet of fresh copier paper.
We got within 6 feet of me 'pinching' his door into the car that was in his lane, the one he was trying to leave.
1/2 second out, and we may have maimed or killed them all.
As it was, he got an 8' groove across all the passenger side doors.
Any exit from the SUV was to the left.
I had a small scrape on the corner of my front bumper.
Oh, and a broken coffee pot and a siamese fighting fish that was onboard in his tank. His tank got broken; he managed to survive, but never was quite the same. Died a month or so later....
I got a hint from an interview with a NASCAR driver. Drive with your left foot over the brake pedal; esp. in traffic. Your reaction time improves dramatically. Works with manual shift, better with automatics. The Focus has a dual-clutch auto which will downshift if you poke it hard in the 'S' mode. I like that.
Anyway....back to the frivolity, y'all....;)
Yeah, that Lotus IS major over caffeinated. But that IS kind of the point; I've always preferred 'uphill charges' to downhills since one can control speed & acceleration with throttle. Too easy to 'overcook' on a downhill...
geoffkait, yeah, well... It was the price one paid in that era for something other that was nimble and quick. I know a guy back in SF that owned a Norton that didn't leak oil. 'Course, he was German by extraction and one fastidious mechanic. If it could get Permatex'd shut, he did.
I owned a Spitfire for awhile, it's worse habit was bending a pushrod from time to time. But it was actually nice to work on; tip the hood assembly forward, sit on the front tire, and fiddle with the whatever.
One thing I wish every and anyone to do with a vehicle that's new to them is to go find an empty parking lot, without the wheel stops and a minimum of posts. Idle into a turn, crank the wheel full lock to L or R, and slowly accelerate until it breaks traction or you've lost your nerve. Base limit of adhesion for the tires.
Another: Accelerate to 40 and stand on the brakes. Find out where the anti-lock kicks in. Now repeat, and learn where that limit is.
True story: Artesia freeway, westbound into LA, 5 lanes of 'go 'n slow' traffic all 5. I'm in 34' motor home. A SUV zips up on the left, hoping to get in front of me in a closing gap.
He isn't going to make it.
I put both feet on the brake and try to shove it through the floor.
His tires start 'chirping' as his A/L engages, and at the last moment, he dives for my lane. I make contact, and push him sideways for a second or two.
We make our way to the side.
"My bad, I was trying to outbreak the anti-lock"...
His wife looks very grim.
The 2 young teens in the back seat are as white as a sheet of fresh copier paper.
We got within 6 feet of me 'pinching' his door into the car that was in his lane, the one he was trying to leave.
1/2 second out, and we may have maimed or killed them all.
As it was, he got an 8' groove across all the passenger side doors.
Any exit from the SUV was to the left.
I had a small scrape on the corner of my front bumper.
Oh, and a broken coffee pot and a siamese fighting fish that was onboard in his tank. His tank got broken; he managed to survive, but never was quite the same. Died a month or so later....
I got a hint from an interview with a NASCAR driver. Drive with your left foot over the brake pedal; esp. in traffic. Your reaction time improves dramatically. Works with manual shift, better with automatics. The Focus has a dual-clutch auto which will downshift if you poke it hard in the 'S' mode. I like that.
Anyway....back to the frivolity, y'all....;)