Ben,
What's the real surprise? Look at the cars being sold today versus what was
available 20 years ago.
The British (and most of the small European makes) have dissappeared and the
Japanese have caught on to the fact that not all American buyers are looking
purely at mpg figures when looking at the rice burners. Hence the third gen
RX-7s, Supras, Subaru Imprezas and Z-cars.
The American car companies have figured out that 0-100-0 is not the only
criteria for pony car buyers tired of being dusted in the twisty sections by
Z-cars or Supras or Honda Civics. Suspension technology has improved a tad
over the past decade or so :-)
And despite the latest hiccup in gas prices, the $1.41 regular I pumped into
the Suburban tonight (tow-vehicle for my DM Spitfire and Mini Cooper Vintage
racer) is cheaper for me than the $1 gas my parents had to buy in 1978.
The ultimate autocrosser is good HP in a small good handling package (ala
Lotus 7, or Elan). Factor in the basic reliability and relative abundance
of parts for the F-bodies and Mustangs, is it any surprise that so many wind
up autocrossing? The appeal of right foot steering has many of us
adolescents drooling... even us "grown up" ones! :-)
Gee, I'd like to be able to get "new" shortblocks from any Pep Boys or local
parts yard for my Mini Cooper S... it took 5 years to find the last block.
Cheers,
Jim
Dallas TX
'76 DM Spitfire
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-autox@autox.team.net [mailto:owner-autox@autox.team.net]On
> Behalf Of Ben Thatcher
> Sent: Tuesday, September 05, 2000 10:10 PM
> To: solo2atlanta@topica.com; autox@autox.team.net; bspvette@topica.com
> Subject: The HP nationals trend
>
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