>From: T.J. Higgins
>I don't recommend this practice either. My father-in-law, a former
>SOL'er from the early '60s to the early 70's (Sprite, Alpine, Tiger),
>told me when I bought my car that driving with the top down in cold
>weather can contribute to a condition known as Bell's palsy. Apparently
>this is a condition in which the facial muscles become partially
>paralyzed, similar to Sylvester Stallone.
You mentioned this once before. I wonder if this is true. I've spent more
than a few hours x-country skiing, with my face stuck in a silly grin, exposed
to single-digit (or occasionally sub-zero) temperatures and high winds. I
don't *think* I suffer from Bell's palsy. (I'd draw a smiley face but they
always come out looking like :-| .) Is there any real support for this idea?
>From: David Ambrose
>...Unplugging the recalcitrant headlight(s)
>should cause the hibeam indicator to go out.
Be careful, though. Turning on the hot water will make the horn sound.
:-|
>From: mjb.
>One fellow I respect says the solid axle actually is a better
>handling car. I'd like to take two equally prepared cars, one solid, and
>one IRS, and try them side by side.
This isn't surprising, depending on the road surface and how you define
handling. On a rougher surface, the IRS *should* handle bumps better (except
for the limited travel on the TR). However the solid axle should have better
wheel-angle control. Camber is nearly always 0 (well, minor changes occur as
the other wheel responds to bumps, but there is none with body roll). Toe-in
is also more stable. On a semi-trailing arm IRS, the both camber and toe-in
are subject to change with wheel travel, usually in a way that aggravates
trailing-throttle oversteer. I used to feel this dramatically on my Datsun
510, which had a similar geometry to TR's and had Mulholland springs, Koni
shocks, and stiffer sway-bars, so it *should* have been quite stable. But the
bumps do make a difference. Back when I was flagging SCCA, I had a friend who
normally drove a solid alxe TR (I think a 3), but one race he got to drive
another friend's TR-4/IRS. He spent the next heat on our corner watching,
and pold us about a particular bump on the uphill essses (turns 6-8 at VIR,
for those of you who remember the "old days"). He said that his own car would
bounce sideways the entire width of the track if he didn't let up, but the
IRS car just ignored it. Of course, the cars could have been set up that
much different.
>From: Jeff M. Shoemaker
>...an explosion that burnt 70% of his anatomy
I hate to bring up a potentially sad subject, but this fellow may have
trouble even living. I don't remember what figures "they" used to
quote, and perhaps burn treatment has improved. But that much burn
is a serious life-threat. *Don't* mess with the gastank.
(I hope the fellow comes out okay.)
Jim Muller
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