Chris,
Thank you for the detailed info on "what could happen and why". Although I
certainly like to "have fun" driving the midget, I am not a maniac or a race
car driver; I feel I need to know the limitations of the midget, and what to
be aware of, before I learn them the hard way.
Also, thanks to the person who gave the warning about insurance co's and
rollbars. I have "collector car" insurance on my midget which is mighty
cheap; I don't want to (and can't afford to) lose that rate! I will check
with them first if I decide a rollbar is the thing to do.
Steve
78 midget
----- Original Message -----
From <GreenBugeye at aol.com>
To: <spridgets@autox.team.net>
Sent: Friday, May 24, 2002 2:06 AM
Subject: Re: roll bars and rollovers (long)
> In a message dated 5/23/02 8:05:50 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
> jleclainche@cox.net writes:
>
>
> > - What does it take to get one to roll over? I mean, how sharp CAN I
take
> > that turn? On dry pavement, will it tend to fishtail first?
> >
>
> Steve:
>
> Cars (not trucks or Jeeps) don't usually flip unless they leave the road
or
> slide sideways into something hard. If you're worried about flipping
because
> you took a corner too fast, well, the car should be sending signals long
> before that happens.
>
> Although I have seen autocrossers who transitioned violently from left to
> right get up on two wheels, tires don't usually "dig" into pavement on the
> street. They stick until their traction is used up and then they start to
> slide. Wider, softer tires usually stick a little longer. Some cars
> (usually not stock Midgets) have enough power to break the rear end loose
on
> accelleration, and others will get light in the back due to weight
shifting
> forward when the throttle is lifted (911s, which are rear-engined, are
> notorious for that).
>
> In a Midget, you're most likely to first hear some tire squeal or feel
some
> slippage. That means you're starting to lose traction -- the car is
sliding
> out from under you. When that happens, you need to smoothly lose some
speed
> or widen the turn a little (or get on it a little harder and grow a
pair!).
> Don't slam on the brakes, or the weight shifting to the front will lighten
> the rear to the point that it could swing. Not likely to happen at lower
> speeds (say below 40 mph) but will happen big-time at higher speeds.
>
> If you're seriously concerned about taking corners at maximum speed, you
> should do a drivers school (probably offered at your local race track from
> time to time, or contact the SCCA). They'll teach you about smoothness
and
> the proper line through corners (and also how to respond when you overcook
it
> a little).
>
> Another thing to consider: cars can be set up to oversteer or understeer
> (plow) through corners. For average street cars, understeer is usually
> preferable because even my 64-year-old mother can instinctively correct it
> (by lifting the throttle in her Taurus) when it happens. Most Spridgets,
> having been on the road at least 23 years by now, have had varying degrees
of
> suspension work done, so they certainly don't all handle the same. I've
> found that a good rule of thumb is that a car will behave on glare ice at
low
> speeds much the same way it does on dry pavement at much higher speeds
> (although it's much more sensitive to throttle inputs on ice).
>
> One good thing about learning all this in a stock Midget is that it's
> forgiving, underpowered and fun, and you can even slide it around a little
on
> the road without causing too much trouble. OTOH, exploring the edge in
your
> Porsche 911 Turbo is best done on a track.
>
> Chris Eck
> 59 Bugeye
> 93 S4 TQ
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