You just blew my mind. I think I drew an Altered, short for altered wheelbase, the precursors to dragsters at every single open art time in the 6th grade IIRC.
One man dead and you have a lifetime limp. Sounds like a good outcome to me.
Ed, I am glad you can recognize some positive in a tragic situation.
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That may be it. All I can remember at the time is that people who could actually drive high performance cars said it messed up a fine handling sports coupe and made it just like a golf (which OK is what is was). Leads to an interesting philisophical question on whether manufacturers are right to make modern RWD and FWD cars understeery so that eejits with more money than skills don't kill themselves at the first round about.
I know, aged 23, had the reflexes to manage it
Actually one more for the fantasy garage is the 80s whale tail turbo. Mainly to see if I could master it before it killed me!
For modern cars that are actually fun to drive the GT86 is up there. I approve of cars where you can use all the power most of the time and that will spit you off the road if you do stupid things. That or a tweaked Miata is a tricky decision as want both. Also an Elan M100..and....and....and
A feller I worked for in the early 90’s had a ‘89 930 (911 turbo) one day he tossed me the keys and said go hammer on it if you’d like......like!? I was headed out the door while the keys were still in the air!
I don’t know what people are saying about the understeer, if you loaded the front wheel going into the corner and steered with the throttle it handled exceptionally well......just had to commit and manhandle it.
That was one of the most fun things I’ve ever done!
Definately get yourself one at least to test drive b4 your too old, the power (as long as you kept the revs up) was so linear and predictable but at the same time crazy fast, the gearbox was really cool too.....awesome vehicle.
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Frogeye Sprite with a 1275cc and disc brake conversion.
All the fun at (almost) legal speeds plus you will make everybody else on the road smile because everybody smiles when they see a Frogeye. How could they not, it is the friendliest car ever made.
Yes it's the lack of commitment that usually sends clockwork 911s into the hedge.
It's up there with some healy's original mini coopers and MGs. But of all those I'd take the original Elan.How could they not, it is the friendliest car ever made.
'98 Toyota 4runner, 205k here. Goes like it always did, but I'm not trying to impress anyone.
I can work on it too. Just ball joints, tie-rod ends, pads, filters, fluids so far. Possible PS pump upcoming, it groans at little when idling with the ac on. My horror stories!
That being said, i'd love to have a Lambo. No shame there. I wouldn't want that convertible though, it's kinda goofy.... added onto, or designed into the original. I like original things. The loss could be worse, IMO.
I can work on it too. Just ball joints, tie-rod ends, pads, filters, fluids so far. Possible PS pump upcoming, it groans at little when idling with the ac on. My horror stories!
That being said, i'd love to have a Lambo. No shame there. I wouldn't want that convertible though, it's kinda goofy.... added onto, or designed into the original. I like original things. The loss could be worse, IMO.
My brother's new ride he got a couple weeks ago...sitting next to my '14 Corolla.
Nissan GT-R Nismo
Has he let you drive it?
Has he let you drive it?
Not yet, it's been very rainy here lately so it's been mostly parked in a garage. Might have to consult his insurance agent first. Haha
. It was quite expensive for a new car, at least in my mind, but to each his own I guess. It's nice to have fancy toys.
Personally I would rather have the 6 or 7 Corollas you could buy instead.It does have a good bit of get up and go......and those 20's are pretty phat.
I bet in the end though, like the old '99 Saturn I had before which only had about 300K when the transmission gear box finally gave out, I'm sure the Corolla will see more pavement.
I do like the nifty auto clutch paddle shifters, all of my vehicles have had the left foot pedal and the right hand stick job.I always thought that Saturn's were great because parts used to be very available and it could be worked on at home. Everything was either a 10mm, 13, or 15. It's too bad GM blew the whole Saturn project in typical GM fashion.
Which is also what I meant. You have to drive it. A lot of estate agents bought the turbos in the 80s and didn't keep them long as they found them too hard work. On the flip side I know someone from my days in the lotus 7 club who got a 4wd 997 and had all the performance mods recommended on the enthusiasts club to improve handling. He was then underwhelmed by the fact you could point it at almost any corner at any speed and round it went with no fuss or drama.
Since I live on an island with double insularity, powerful cars are a waste of resources for me. The island's area is a humble 67km^2 with a maximum length of 14km and a maximum width of 7km. My logical option for a car was an economical and medium sized car but siding on smaller cars. It is a humble Citroen Saxo from 1999. Its few failures have been ignition coils, high tension distributors, and now, the engine radiator. Since this little island does not have a very strong economy, the condition of roads and streets is not very good. Unoptimal roads damaged some suspension parts like ball joints. Shocks and vibrations caused by pot holes caused the silencer tubing to crack at the joint with the catalyser.
These are the few ailments from this humble inexpensive car. What counts is when I turn the key, the engine starts, and when I release the clutch, it moves.
These are the few ailments from this humble inexpensive car. What counts is when I turn the key, the engine starts, and when I release the clutch, it moves.
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Oh, ok......I’m so used to your disagreement with anything I say!
We’re on the he same page with the 4x4 Porsche also, I don’t even recall exactly what it was I also got to drive (mid 90’s 996 I think) but point is as nice as it was it was not memorable as that 930 was!
I’ve never gotten to drive any other high end cars except a late 80’s or early 90’s corniche which was surprisingly quick for the tub of lard it was!
But that 930 would be hard to beat for thrill factor, it was like a direct connection or being ‘one with the car/road’ as the expression goes.
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This is a direct connection. No power steering, no power brakes, no traction control and no windscreen! The 500 in the car name refers to BHP/ton (at least until a fat git like me gets in). I had a lesser version and will have another one day...
But the shape does mean it gets hard to push through the air once you get over 100
But the shape does mean it gets hard to push through the air once you get over 100
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That’s more into the go-kart territory but yes surely looks like fun, my dad put me in his old early 70’s midget car for a season when I was 17 but never really fit well enough (6’4” about 250 then) to drive it correctly, it was a built VW motor that supposedly put out close to 300hp (I always questioned that spec, I’m thinking closer to 200) but I imagine the caterham would be a similar (although much more refined!) ride.
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