The Fiat 124 spider uses a similar panhard rod for lateral location and it's
undoubtedly a better-handling car--stock-- than the Healey.
If the part could have been left off the car and still reap the same
benefit, the engineers would have left it off--non-existant parts don't add
to the cost of the car and cause no service problems.
Musings:
BTW--I don't see how you could cross the panhard rods without trussing the
axle so it would barely move.
Wonder if anyone's build a Watt linkage for the Healey. With a Watt linkage
(an arm from each side with a bellcrank in the middle) or center-bearing and
upper and lower traction arms you'd have a car that might handle as well as
an Alfa or a '50's Ferrari.
I bet a the Cape setup of upper traction arms and an uprated panhard rod
provides 95% of what you'd get with the setup above at a fraction of the
cost.
I wonder if the lever shocks and their links prevent any lateral movement...
--
Steve Gerow
Pasadena CA
59 BN6
|