Postby Hasbeen » 27 Dec 2007 03:08
Yes Beans, but that is my point. When you reach the limit in a mini,
& most other front drive things, you have the choice of leaving the
road, in a forwards, or backwards direction, but, only on the
outside of the corner where you lost it.
At least, with a rear drive thing, you have the choice of leaving
the road on the inside, or the outside of the corner, as
well as the direction, forward, or backward, of the car as you do.
In fact I found, with experience, & practice, [best gained on the
track] you can often slide the RWD car, around the corner, under
moderate directional control, after exceeding the cornering ability
of the car.
You will probably end up stopped, with a stalled engine, but
undamaged, with a little luck.
In my racing days, I had a business specialising in exchange
steering, & brake components. I also did some competition suspension
work.
One of the things which I found amusing was listening to the Mini
Cooper brigade, tellin me how brilliantly their cars handled, while
picking up an exchange steering rack, to replace the one damaged,
when the slid off the road, into a gutter, for the fourth time.
When I acquired one, in payment for a debt, I found the front tyre
life, of about 3500 miles a bit cxpensive, & got rid of it. I did
not say they weren't fun, hense my tyre wear, just not real driving.
I also noticed that the top Mini drivers, racing them, when they
eclipsed the Mk11 Jags, & worried the Mustangs, disappeared when
they became uncompetitive. That may have only been in Oz, & had
nothing to do with the cars, but it did happen.
Hasbeen