Springs & humour

[graham.hilder@domain.elided (Graham Hilder)]

Thankyou David and John for John's wonderful Springs & Humour letter in =
Digest no 753. Since it quoted my post here and there,  I'd like to reply =
(hopefully in similarly humourous vein).=20

John referred to his "shaken, but unbruised, ego", and mentioned that he'd =
"see if I can avoid anyone running me down on my blind side in the =
future".

On this, John, I do hope that my post about your springs-letter was not =
really taken as an ego-shake or a running-down,  as it certainly wasn't =
meant that way...... was meant just as a non-personal all-technical =
debate, such as we engineers love to indulge in.=20

John also wrote "It never dawned on me that (my letter) would be read by =
individuals with one eye looking for a basis in scientific fact, and the =
other eye on reference material contained in real, honest to god, books, =
for crisake.  A formula for calculating spring rates?   It never entered =
my mind".

Ah well, I guess the world would be a lesser place if we were all cut out =
identically.  While for one person the idea of pre-calculating it via a =
formula might never enter the mind, for another person the idea of just =
cutting his beloved Alfa's springs willy-nilly to see what might happen =
would be equally unthinkable. I guess we engineers just can't help =
ourselves...... it's just the way we are.  Naturally, we think it's a much =
better way to be of course!  =20

And later on in regard to the rate formula John said "Hmmmmm. It is going =
to be really hard to argue with cold, unemotional science".

On this, John's exactly right, so what more can be said in response?  =
Except, perhaps, to ask, why would one even want to argue?  I find it =
really satisfying that if I want to amend something in the Alfa, such as =
cutting the springs, I can work it out simply on paper first , and =
consequently have some sort of  hope that when I actually take the plunge =
and irrevocably cut, the results will be more or less what I was wanting.  =
Now this doesn't make me (and others like me) cold and unemotional...... =
lowering your Alfa to make it look sexier and corner faster, and using =
quick-and-dirty methods such as spring-cutting, is about as opposite as =
you can get!  Heck, even OWNING something as quirky as an oldish Alfa =
speaks for itself..... engineers and scientists do have soul after =
all...!!!!  =20

Regarding John's "hard-as-a-rock" description of the result of minor =
spring cutting, John mentioned that it was a figure of speech, a bit of =
exaggeration, and seemed a little surprised to see it opposed.  Well I =
guess it comes back to me having an engineer's outlook...... truly, it =
seemed to be offering advice which really was wrong, and could lead a =
fellow Alfista right up the garden path (if he didn't know it wasn't meant =
seriously),  and how can an engineer and an emotional Alfista let that =
happen?  (And equally importantly,  I just like stirring the pot...!!!)=20

I was interested to read John's points about David's car perhaps being of =
concourse material, which influenced his advice against spring-cutting. =
This helps to explain things...... however, the engineer in me still says, =
we can reliably calculate the effect of spring cutting, and the emotion in =
me still says, it's quick, it's proven, it's economical, it'll give the =
desired result first time, and it'll make my Alfa look sexier and feel =
much better..... so let's do it...!!!     =20

Thanks for the air-time,
Regards to all,
Graham Hilder,
N.Z.
(Various Alfas..... the best combination of engineering & emotion you =
could wish for).

------------------------------