Re: An end to the shock and spring debacle? (LONG)
[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]
Re: An end to the shock and spring debacle? (LONG)
- From: "Dan RC30" <Danrc30@xxxx>
- Date: Wed, 10 Jan 2001 13:40:58 -1000
James Espey said:
snip--->"The resulting product is a superior, four-corner performance
suspension/lowering spring set that does far more than just lower the
car - it improves the handling, makes for easier and more accurate
alignments (therefore possibly improving tire wear), and when used in
conjunction with the new shocks (described in more detail below) and
proper tires makes for a DeLorean than we contend outhandles any car
in it's class, and as well as many modern cars, including the Audi TT."
Ok... well, I have a big problem with that claim. I can almost promise you
that there is no way anyone in the world could ever make a DeLorean handle
against modern cars in the sports class, especially the Audi TT, without
spending hunders of thousands of dollars on not only suspension upgrades,
but chassis upgrades as well. It's a 20 year old car! Do you really think
that Audi would spend millions of R&D on a car that would only be outhandled
by a 20 year old design with a $1,300 suspension upgrade? (You decide that
one for yourself.) Yes, the DeLorean handles ok, and maybe with a suspension
upgrade it will handle better, but I had a stock 1984 Porsche 944 that would
run circles around the DeLorean in handling. Sorry to say it, but it's true!
Let's not get in over our heads here thinking our cars are something they're
not. If you wanted to put a DeLorean against modern day cars in it's class,
it would go against the Corvette, the Porsche 911, the Lotus Esprit Turbo,
and probably even a Ferrari. (I say this because that is what the car
magazines tested it against back in 1981 when the car came out.)I'm sorry,
but I don't care what kind of suspension package you have on your car, it's
not gonna out-handle any of those cars, or anything even like a Trans-Am or
a Z-28. Put a late 90's 300ZX against any DeLorean you want, and I guarantee
it'll make the DeLorean look like Honda Civic on a roadcourse. If you
disagree with me, why not give the "test" DeLorean to Road and Track or Car
and Driver for a real roadtest to see what it can do? Don't get me wrong...
I love my DeLorean. I love what it is, and what I can get out of it by the
modifications I choose to perform on it. I'm just not gonna exaggerate as to
what it is. I think that's what James was doing... exaggerating. And if
that's the case James, are you exaggerating the horsepower you're getting
out of DMC Houston's upgraded motor? I'd like to see some "objective"
specifications on it. Maybe the car magazine of your choice could do that
test as well...
James also said:
snip--->"We were also fortunate to have access to the original
engineers. I told the story earlier on the DML about how after Colin
Chapman drove one of the DeLorean prototypes with a proposed spring
setup, the engineers were instructed to re-do their work as the
DeLorean outhandled the then-current Esprit."
I would like to see this in writing. Not only is the Esprit lighter, it's
also a mid-engine car. I sincerely doubt that the DeLorean could outhandle
an Esprit, even an Esprit from back then. The DeLorean was never designed to
be an "all out" sports car. We all know this. It was a "GT" car, which
stands for "Grand Touring". It was never meant to be a high-performance car.
Just a nice, and exotic, "GT" sports car. So, lets just love our cars for
what they are, and what we could modify them to be... ok? Nothing more, and
nothing less.
---Dan
_________________________________________________________________
Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com
Back to the Home of PROJECT VIXEN