I haven't made too much yet of the tire issue, but plenty people with
Triumphs have had the broken axle/rollover experience on Dunlops.
There are extremely limited choices in 70 series (or narrower) tires in bias
ply. As these manufacturers look at the "economy of scale", they may decide
to quit making tires that fit and are legal soon anyway. It can't be a real
big money making proposition. (Maybe that's why Dunlops are so expensive,
hmmm?) I firmly believe that the Hoosier TDs are easier on components than
almost all but the narrowest radials.
Also, on the Sprite side of things...my perception about notorious Sprite
front stub axle failures...(I said until 2 weeks ago, I hadn't seen one fail
in 15 years around vintage racing, and 26 years of Healey ownership) was
confirmed in a conversation with Tom Colby of Speedwell. He's seen one
failure in all of his years... and it was on an autocross tire with 8"
slicks.
Back to the Triumph rear end situation...most tech inspections wouldn't even
turn up an 8" Ford rear end. I'd like to think that the Triumph guys needn't
hide this modification, but rather it become a widely accepted safety mod.
(By the way... most Volvo 1800s are running the much later diffs & axles for
the same reason. I'm sure if there was an option the Triumph guys wouldn't
go Ford...)
WST
(my usual 3 cents...)
----- Original Message -----
From: Brian Evans <brian@uunet.ca>
To: Sadek Charles H DLVA <SadekCH@nswc.navy.mil>;
<franks@mail.teleport.com>; Irv Korey <emanteno@attglobal.net>; vintage race
list <vintage-race@autox.team.net>
Cc: <dave.franks@state.or.us>
Sent: Wednesday, July 26, 2000 12:23 PM
Subject: RE: Triumphs and roll overs
> You've got to think about safety issues, tho. For example we have one
> member who is morally certain that he should have big vented disc rotors
> and calipers on his E-type, for safety reasons. I'll admit that a 300 Hp
> E-type is safer with brakes that can't fade, but this is really a
> performance issue.
>
> Me? Any time someone comes to me and asks for full floating rear hubs,
I'm
> on board. But we should be limiting the tires, I've finally come to
agree,
> to sizes and tread types more in line with what was available in the
> day. Dunlop makes tires to suit virtually every car, but they often don't
> perform as well as other options, and they often wear quickly if you buy
> the soft compound. but they do stress the suspension less than a lot of
> more modern choices.
>
> Brian
>
>
> At 12:51 PM 07/26/2000 -0400, Sadek Charles H DLVA wrote:
> >Safety improvements are generally allowed. Even hub swapping. 5 speeds
and
> >aluminum cases vice 4 spd and cast iron....well, thas a 'nother kettle uh
> >fish......................
> >
> >Chuck Sadek
> >
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: franks@mail.teleport.com [SMTP:franks@mail.teleport.com]
> > > Sent: Wednesday, July 26, 2000 3:10 AM
> > > To: Irv Korey; vintage race list
> > > Cc: dave.franks@state.or.us
> > > Subject: Re: Triumphs and roll overs
> > >
> > > If you are in Portland this weekend stop by Portland International
> > > Raceway. We
> > > are running
> > > an SCCA double regional Saturday and Sunday. The vintage grid has been
> > > seeing
> > > about 40
> > > cars per event. I beleive the Oregon Region Race Director would allow
a
> > > swapped axle. His
> > > bugeye runs a 1275 and a Datsun five speed tranny. I do know that our
> > > friends to
> > > the north, SOVERN
> > > would not allow such a change. They won't let me play with them
because my
> > > 67
> > > Sprite has
> > > a Weber. For more information on Vintage Racing as part of the Oregon
> > > Region
> > > SCCA connect
> > > to:
> > >
> > > http://www.oregon-region.com/vintage
> > >
> > >
> > > BTW, what is the scheduled and venue for the Triumph event?
> > >
> > > Dave Franks
> > > 67 AH Sprite
> > > http://www.teleport.com/~franks/sprite.html
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > from Irv Korey
> > > >
> > > > Apparently, there is an alternative using (gasp) MGB hubs and axles,
> > > which
> > > > appantly are not as prone to the same failure. I am in Oregon now,
and
> > > will
> > > > be at the Vintage Triumph Register National Convention next week in
> > > > Portland, with the intention of visiting with Ted Schumacher there
and
> > > > getting the details of this conversion that he once mentioned to me.
I
> > > > agree, something has to be done. SCCA does NOT allow substitute rear
> > > axles
> > > > from what I am told, but if vintage racing is about the cars, it
can't
> > > be
> > > > about the cars getting destroyed, and we have to do something,
perhaps
> > > > something drastic.
> > > >
> > > > Irv Korey
> > > > TR4 VSDCA Group 2 #58 (Look for me near the back of the pack)
> > > > Proud to be a TRiumph driving Thicko
> > > > Highland Park, IL
> > > >
> > >
>
> Brian Evans
> Director, Strategic Accounts
> UUNET, A WorldCom Company
>
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