OK, how about if I steer with both the front and rear wheels, and propel the
car with neither (middle wheel drive, see the attachment) !
The rationale is:
Directional stability is maintained by the front and rear wheels if the
middle driving wheels are spun or locked up
The wheelbase is lengthened without the usual compromise in chassis
stiffness associated with the extreme span from front to rear wheels in the
conventional arrangement
The engine (most of the mass) is far forward, and the center of aerodynamic
pressure is rearward so it is self correcting and inherently stable at speed
The drivers tank is at "zero energy state", with the engine, fuel, battery
and other sources of potential energy in the other tank
The loading of the steering wheels (relative to the driving wheels) is to a
considerable extent adjustable by jacking them without moving the center of
gravity
I call the steering "telemark" style, in that the curve is carved by front
and rear wheels turning in opposite directions, just like you do when
downhill skiing on cross country skis (the telemark (sp?) technique)
Of course we will never know if it works, if it remains illegal.
Greg
PS John, I was planning on doing this with the tanks I bought from you last
year, which turned out to be from the F-84F (the USAF museum is just down
the road from me, the ultimate resource for such info)
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