--------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 246 AUTOMOTIVE Ref: EGX00015 Date: 12/25/97 From: KEVIN RELKOFF Time: 11:08pm \/To: SEAN DUNBAR (Read 0 times) Subj: Re: Whoa. SD> Well.. I wound up going with a different company. It's a bit higher SD> ($1600 yr vs the $1300 yr I would have been paying), but it's a better SD> company too. Got a 6 month policy with them yesterday. Ahh.. I wish i truely could shop aroudn NEwaz, like you can, Here ONly one place you can buy car insurance.. so.. Of coarse they can basiclly ask what they want.. what else can you do? SD> You know what though.. I didn't know I'd had a nail in my right front SD> tire (a BIG one). It came out while I was on my way home... truck SD> started pulling to the right really bad. I pulled over, and the yuk.. Been there.. Except it never got flat SD> couldn't get the jack under the truck (wound up jacking the frame up, SD> putting the spare tire under, and bracing it on that until I could get SD> the jack under the suspension). Got it fixed today.. Is your truck that low or is the jack that high? SD> I hate that. I actually do drive with two feet when the engine is SD> cold; it's the only way I can keep it running until it's been going a SD> few minutes. I seem to driving with 2 feet alot these days.. don't know why but i have been.. Also The brakes in my car are acting up.. Sometimes they are hard, and other times they are soft.. which isn't all safe.. but they still stop the car when you want it too stop.. mind you when it's soft it's scary.. since your pressing and the car isn't slowing down all that fast, and then all of a suddenlly they kick in.. Breed the brakes already, had a abit of air in two of the calipers.. and the brake shoes COULD be glazed.. since i had to stop from 100MPH in a very short distance once.. > On a different note.. Played with the TV cable on my car and now My car shifts ALOT nicer.. Shifts are higher like under light It wont' even THINK of shifting into 3rd till 40MPH <60km/h.. > and Overdrive is at 50Mph and all the shifts are FIRM and quick.. Before my car used to shift at around 3500 when pinned, now it's like over 4000.. Also I SWEAR it's ALOT faster then it was before.. I may try another 0-60Time with it sometime with it like this.. I mean.. I don't even have to past 1/2 thottle, Even in 2nd and nor above 3,000Rpm, start around 2400 or so now.. to get get sucked back into my seat.. or it could just be the 3 C <37 F>Temperature that is outside these day Intercoolers? BAH! Who needs them.. Just drive in winter =] --- Blue Wave/386 v2.30 [NR] * Origin: Value Link BBS 930-0715 (1:153/959) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 246 AUTOMOTIVE Ref: EGX00016 Date: 12/25/97 From: KEVIN RELKOFF Time: 11:08pm \/To: KENNY HENDERSON (Read 0 times) Subj: American Sports Car KH> Vipers don't have ABS. The Vette is also atleast 200 lbs lighter. I KH> nominate Jaspers to stand 122 feet in front of the Viper, and you can KH> stand 122 feet in front of the C5:) Since when has ABS starting stopping cars faster then none ABS cars? When I first heard of them.. THey all said, and did test with them, that ABS cars didn't stop any quicker then a car with out.. It only helped in keeping the car undercontrol. and still be able to steer the Vehicle.. 122Feet, that's from 60Mph? heh My car can stop from 60km/h in like 1 3/4 car length in the wet =] --- Blue Wave/386 v2.30 [NR] * Origin: Value Link BBS 930-0715 (1:153/959) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 246 AUTOMOTIVE Ref: EGX00017 Date: 12/25/97 From: KEVIN RELKOFF Time: 11:08pm \/To: KENNY HENDERSON (Read 0 times) Subj: Re: cool cop cars KH> We get plentyof the yucky stuff here in Central New Jersey. The KH> Formula will stay in the garage when its real bad, but my snow tires KH> (Bridgestone Blizzacks) will help a bit. Still, its a bad winter car. Heh My car isnt' all that bad in the snow.. Don't knwo what you thought of it, Just today.. went Up to this on Ski mountain went into this one parkign lot.. that was snowy and packed snow/ice.. and not a problem.. never got stuck, or anything.. Mind you i also wasn't driving like a idiot either.. so.. Okay I did Spin the wheels a FEW times.. HECK everyone else was doing it But not becuase i was stuck.. And I have Nothing but Hi-pro all seasons on.. and had it in soft snow before two and it went perfectly.. On a different Note.. I have a AOD and I've played with the TV cable.. so that it'll shift more harder/later.. and you can sense it between 1st and 2nd.. Also now.. it wont' go into 3rd till 25mph and like 40<60km/h> with around 1/4 thottle.. and Over drive is now at 50MPH instead of 39Mph and between 40-50MPH and in 4th.. You give it like 1/4 thottle more It Downshifts into 3rd But My main concern is.. What would the harder shifting truely do to my tranny/drivetrain? I like it.. since it is alot quick and i don't even have it pinned =] least that's what it truely feels like atleast =] --- Blue Wave/386 v2.30 [NR] * Origin: Value Link BBS 930-0715 (1:153/959) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 246 AUTOMOTIVE Ref: EGX00018 Date: 12/27/97 From: DAVID WEI Time: 08:39am \/To: KENNY HENDERSON (Read 0 times) Subj: Re: cool cop cars -=> Quoting Kenny Henderson to David Wei <=- DW> KH> The whole Ford lineup should be upgraded. I work with a guy who so DW> Yup... 350HP Cobra, 300HP GT, and 200HP V-6... Man, would the Jap sports DW> car maker be scared or what... KH> The Japanese wouldn't be half as scared as GM:) Oh yeah, agreed... :) Man, they'd dig out the design blue prints for the LT5 if Ford did what I said... :) And put a reworked 427 SOHC into the Cobra R... that'd be excellent... :) ... Don't hit a man when he's down--Kick him; It's easier! ___ Blue Wave/OS2 v2.30 --- Telegard/QWK v3.09.g1/mL * Origin: The Rusty MailBox - Vancouver, B.C. Canada (1:153/757) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 246 AUTOMOTIVE Ref: EGX00019 Date: 12/27/97 From: DAVID WEI Time: 09:02am \/To: KENNY HENDERSON (Read 0 times) Subj: Re: FORD 302 VS SBC 305 -=> Quoting Kenny Henderson to David Wei <=- DW> KH> One reason why I have an FBody:) DW> Any mods? :) but isn't it hard to mod the engine like swapping the eads, DW> sparkplugs, intake and exhaust mainafolds, and stuff like that??? KH> Its a '94 Formula, automatic 4 speed, 3.23 gears. My only mods are KH> Edelbrock cat-back exhaust and a K&N air fliter. On Oct 11th at KH> Englishtown I went 13.66 on BFG Drag radials at 26 psi w/ 1.96 60 ft KH> time. I hope to get to Atco on Sunday, January 4th. Hopefully it KH> will be in the 30s or 40s and I can go 13.5. I ordered Eibach springs, KH> and they will arrive Jan 5th or 6th. Yes, the LT1 is a bit hard to KH> work on. But with some other small mods, a Y Pipe, airfoil, pulleys, KH> and shift kit I hope to go 13.2-13.4. Also, I could always go with KH> 3.73 gears, that would help a bit too. I'm not interested in much more KH> then that at this point and time, though that could change:) Man, have you heard about MEND II? It stands for "Meet, Eat aNd Drag!" Gonna be hosted by one of the Mustang guy in the Mustang news group, and *any* car is welcomed... :) ... Religious error: (A)tone (R)epent (B)lame Other Religion. ___ Blue Wave/OS2 v2.30 --- Telegard/QWK v3.09.g1/mL * Origin: The Rusty MailBox - Vancouver, B.C. Canada (1:153/757) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 246 AUTOMOTIVE Ref: EGX00020 Date: 12/27/97 From: DAVID WEI Time: 09:04am \/To: KENNY HENDERSON (Read 0 times) Subj: Re: FORD 302 VS SBC 305 -=> Quoting Kenny Henderson to David Wei <=- DW> Agreed... I wonder what will happen if Ford upped the displacement to 5.4L DW> , My guess is that the 5.0 fanatics will stop bitching about it a DW> little... KH> I'd really love to see that, but with the possibility of both the KH> FBodies and Mustang dieing in the near future, we may never see it. I personally don't think they'd be dying... as they have few competeion from other makers... Honda isn't about to design a cheap V-8 and put it in an affordable car... In fact, I don't think Honda is putting ANY V-8 in their North American cars... And nor are any other car makers... Which keeps them in good safety... As well as the "request" letters that Mustang Fans had send them the last time they tried to kill it with a FWD model... ... New computer? But I like my vacuum tubes... They keep me warm. ___ Blue Wave/OS2 v2.30 --- Telegard/QWK v3.09.g1/mL * Origin: The Rusty MailBox - Vancouver, B.C. Canada (1:153/757) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 246 AUTOMOTIVE Ref: EGX00021 Date: 12/27/97 From: MARC GERGES Time: 01:57am \/To: RONNIE THOMPSON (Read 0 times) Subj: REVERSE QUESTION Salut Ronnie! DW> My parent's Camry's Parking brake will let the car go forward AND DW> backward, so long as you give it enough gas... RT> Then it needs to be adjusted. If the brake works correctly, it RT> should be AT LEAST as strong as the engine, else it is not doing RT> its job. The parking brake ist there to keep the car standing, it is not built to brake it or to work against the engine. Most cars have parking brakes only on two wheels and cable operated. That may keep a beetle standing, but not a modern car. The 'real' brakes of course are stronger than the engine... cu .\\arc ...If you wish work poorly done, pay in advance. --- * Origin: sympathy for the debil (2:270/47) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 246 AUTOMOTIVE Ref: EGX00022 Date: 12/27/97 From: MARC GERGES Time: 10:14am \/To: ALAN MORRISON (Read 0 times) Subj: Active Handling Salut Alan! AM> November, 1997-- Buyers of the Chevrolet Corvette will soon be able to AM> take delivery of a car equipped with an Active Handling system, but AM> forget about equipping it with magnesium wheels. Standard on export- AM> market Corvettes, the $3,000 wheels were more popular with U.S. buyers AM> than Chevrolet expected. Demand far outstripped supply, so they've been AM> deleted from the 1998 Corvette option list. MG> Very intelligent decision - we don't have enough of them to sell them MG> to everybody, so we won't sell them at all :) AM> I think they are just reserved for the export models (standard AM> equipment), at least until production increases over demand. So I'll possibly see them when the first Corvettes arrive here - we have the export models standard :) AM> The good news, however, is the availability of Active Handling, which AM> goes into production in mid-December. Active Handling is designed AM> to keep AM> the overzealous Corvette pilot from spinning into a ditch. Aggressive AM> drivers, fear not. Engineers have kept you in mind while designing the AM> system. Unlike other stability enhancement systems, this one keeps the AM> driver who knows what he's doing in control. MG> Sounds to me like the EPS system, now standard on the A-Class Mercedes MG> after it failed that test. In fact here in europe all major companies MG> are checking if they should put it as option or standard feature on MG> their cars, now that a relatively cheap car has it as standard feature. AM> Mercedes ESP (Electronic Slip Protection) sounds more like GM's ASR AM> (Acceleration Slip Regulation) which when activated reduces AM> throttle opening on the 'drive-by-wire' Corvette, and also may AM> retard ignition timing to reduce wheelspin. No, that's - at least here in europe in Mercedes-slang - called ASR. AM> The Active Handling System is a different and new system entirely, AM> and which I'm not completely familiar with the details of how it AM> works. It most likely alters steering input or geometry to help AM> reduce oversteer for overzealous drivers who enter a turn too hot. Yes, that's ESP. When a car oversteers, a momentum is build by braking one wheel to stop the oversteer. AM> GM acquired Lotus partly for its active suspension R&D, which has AM> seen some use in the more upscale models such as Cadillac and now AM> Corvette. I had seen some reference to Mercedes also doing some AM> development in this area but admit I tend to read more about AM> affordable sporty cars than the upscale luxury makes. Mercedes has it as a supplement on the S and E sedans and now offers it standard on the A - I guess in a couple of months all Mercedes cars will have it standard. AM> Is it true that Mercedes has many affordably priced models in AM> Europe? They tend to be in the $40k to over $130k here. The cheapest Mercedes is the A, it starts at prices about 10 to 15 % higher than a comparable Volkswagen Golf here. There is a range of relatively small engines in the C and E sedans that make the car not really cheap, but affordable... the 1.8, 2.0 and various small diesel engines. MG> ! Origin: sympathy for the debil (2:270/47.1) AM> Are you posting from Luxembourg? Yes, I am. cu .\\arc ...Life is a lot easier if you read the Documentation. --- * Origin: sympathy for the debil (2:270/47) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 246 AUTOMOTIVE Ref: EGX00023 Date: 12/27/97 From: MARC GERGES Time: 11:23am \/To: ALAN MORRISON (Read 0 times) Subj: Vector Auto Salut Alan! MG> The McLaren F1 was tested at Nardi high speed circuit in Italy, MG> to find its top speed. They stopped testing at 231mph. Not MG> because that's the car's limit, but it is the circuit's limit. AM> Is Nardi a banked oval or a road coarse? And do you know the AM> distance? It is an oval, but I don't know the distance. AM> If the FIA comes to Daytona next year, it may be a good place to AM> test for top speed, as it is a large, high-banked oval. The FIA GT will race in america? Didn't know about that... AM> However there may be even larger tracks available, I think AM> Daytona is about 2.5 miles. I have heard of test times somewhere AM> near 250 mph there, so look for some numbers in February, which is AM> a month filled with racing there since it is one of the AM> southernmost (warmest) tracks in the US. I'll keep that in mind... february is quite a boring month here, formula 1 starts in march. MG> BTW: many of the numbers stated here are like '14.5 at 102' MG> or so... could anybody tell me what that's about? I found in MG> the context of the mails that it is about acceleration, but MG> over what distance and up to what speed? AM> Professional Drag Racing here is 1/4 mile and the numbers are AM> listed as ET (elapsed time in seconds) and the speed obtained. The AM> speed is measured across the finish line with lights several meters AM> on each side of the line, so the numbers can vary a bit depending AM> on whether you let off just at the line or at the last measuring AM> light. A ha. Drag racing isn't popular here at all - I don't know of a single drag strip here in europe. Some events are at race courses, but it's really nothing... I guess a single touring car race attracts more spectators than a whole drag racing season here. AM> The largest professional organizations here are the NHRA (National AM> Hot Rodding Association) and IHRA (International Hot Rodding AM> Association). AM> Some current records in the Pro classes: AM> --- AM> Quarter-Mile Record Holders - May 3, 1997 AM> TOP FUEL ELIMINATOR AM> Best ET 4.564 seconds Feb-97 Joe Amato Pomona, California AM> Top Speed 317.57 Mar-97 Joe Amato Houston, Texas AM> designed for ultimate acceleration with supercharged V8's derived AM> (almost exclusively) from Chrysler Hemi engines and burning a mix AM> of alcohol and nitromethane.> That's what here in europe is normally associated with the term 'dragster'. Long, skinny tires at the front, huge ones at the rear, an engine and a driver inbetween... :) AM> FUNNY CAR ELIMINATOR AM> Best ET 4.889 seconds Jul-96 John Force Topeka, Kansas AM> Top Speed 313.04 Mar-97 Whit Bazemore Houston, Texas AM> wheelbase and carbon-fiber bodies resembling production cars such AM> as Chevrolet Camaro Z28's, Pontiac Firebirds, and others. Both of AM> the above classes have a 500 cubic inch limit.> Mmmmh... I think I have already seen on of those on a picture. AM> PRO STOCK ELIMINATOR AM> Best ET 6.883 seconds @ 200.53 mph AM> Apr-97 Warren Johnson Dinwiddie, Virginia. (Pontiac Firebird) AM> are still purpose built race cars. They use carburetors and run on AM> gasoline.> --- A-ha. AM> In addition to these, there are many other, slower, classes that AM> utilize various modified and stock cars, and also some motorcycles. AM> Hope that answers your question and more. If you ever get a chance AM> to see a Top Fuel drag race in person, GO. The power of these AM> behemoths shake the ground and quicken your pulse. The power is AM> currently estimated (calculated) to be in the neighborhood of 6,000 AM> horsepower. That's about 733 horsepower per liter... (take ear AM> plugs :) Sounds interesting to check it out when I have the possibility to... but I have to admit I prefer it when cars not only have the power to go as fast as possible straight ahead, but are also able to drive round curves. Still, I have to see it to make an opinion. cu .\\arc ...Energizer Bunny arrested. Charged with battery. --- * Origin: sympathy for the debil (2:270/47) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 246 AUTOMOTIVE Ref: EGX00024 Date: 12/27/97 From: SEAN DUNBAR Time: 08:34pm \/To: ALL (Read 0 times) Subj: Battery Well.. roommate suspects I may have a bad cell in my battery. Anyone agree? When it sits overnight, it barely has enough power to turn the engine over in the morning, even on a warm day (today it was almost 60 when I went out to start it). Lights are also very dim. Haven't taken a voltage reading yet, but plan to.. --- Telegard v3.09.g1/mL * Origin: tos * 972-818-0339 - dallas texas (1:124/6630)