Rick Morrison wrote:
> It's very hard to hone driving skills, when your ability out paces the
> vehicle. And given the skinny little tires on the cars originally, that
> isn't hard to do.
Not a flame per se, but a comment. From my experience, the joy
of driving these cars is that they can be driven at "the limit" at
reasonable road speeds. The ability to let the "tail hang out" during
spirited road driving allows the learning driver to experience
sensations normally only found at race speeds in modern performance
cars. If the "limit" is exceeded the vehicles inherent stability and
forgiving handling allow a graceful lesson, rather than a snapping
transition to uncontrolled land. As the drivers ability improves,
driving at the limits of handling becomes comfortable and experience of
higher speeds desirable. At that time careful modifications of the
suspension will increase the limits of handling at the expense of over
limit controllability.
In short, I have learn't far more about driving by slinging
skinny tired cars around on dirt roads than I have ever learn't with
fat tires on a race track.
The most joy, I have ever had driving has been with a stock
suspended MGB with wire wheels. Driving on twisty mountain roads
feeling the flex of the chassis and wheels as the camber of the road
changes. Being one with the car as a living thing.
Of course if I just wanted to get from point A to B as fast as I
could, I would be driving an automatic with the latest ABS brakes,
handling and safety options.
Safety (not so) Fast
Kelvin. Who has built MGB s from stock to silly. They are all fun,
none better than the other, only different. Half the fun is getting
there.
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