Re: re: re: baaad porsches

["Derek Ealy" <dealy663@domain.elided>]

Bernd Rosemeyer was killed while going for top speed records in a
somewhat streamlined car. The mid engined placement and swing axle likely
had nothing to do with his death as he was going in a straight line. As I
recall the general consensus was that it was windy that day
and crosswinds likely generated lift causing a loss of control.

Not once in my rant did I say that the 356/911 design was perfect or
better than anything else. I was just poking some fun at all the
"brainiacs" around here spouting off about how bad the 911 is. I just
wish I had invented something so "bad" and profited from it for the past
30 years.

The argument that Porsche built the 356 based on the economics of reusing
the VW design as much as possible is absolutely correct. But it is
awfully hard to argue that there weren't a lot of people who went really
fast in those cars with a great degree of success. Finally, the argument
that Porsche had so many victories because they were popular is
backwards. Porsches were generally more expensive than their competitors
(at the amateur levels), and in many races (Mille Miglia and Le Mans -
pre 907/917 - for example) were significantly down on horsepower, but up
on handling and aerodynamics. Porsche became popular because of their
success, I'd like someone to give me a list of all the marques that have
won more on the race track than Porsche. If that list has any names on
it, I guarantee that it is a small list.

In my opinion the 911 is and was a great sports car, but could be a
handful if not cared for or driven properly.

Many people wonder in amazement why I bought a 14 year old Milano when
there are so many nice modern sports sedans available. But there aren't
many choices available to  a guy with a limited budget, a need for a
nicely cared for car and my type of sporting needs: rwd, manual tranny, 4
wheel disks, 4 doors and a decent 6 cylinder power plant (I sacrificed on
the independent rear-end here). But this type of car is my style, and a
Jetta or an Integra simply isn't. Do you think there aren't those that
question the wisdom of the transaxle or the de dion rear end? Saying that
the 911 is bad is just as unreasonable as saying that all Alfas are
unreliable and at some point will leave you stranded by the side of the
road where you'll promptly be hit be a 911 or a 356 traveling through a
turn going backwards!

To make all those aggreived feel better try the following:

1. Get into your car and go to the nice twisty section you like.

2. Accelerate briskly toward the upcoming corner.

3. Smoothly apply the brakes as you approach the entry.

  3a. For those experienced drivers you may trail brake through the entry
toward the apex.

4. Declutch - heel and toe to blip the throttle - reclutch as you ease
off the brake.

5. Smoothly accelerate past the apex toward the outside of the corner.

6. Feel the rear end come down and think about pushing outwards, and
smile as the tach climbs towards redline.

A. For those with front wheel drive or auto-trannies - I can't help you
:-)

Date: Tue, 19 Mar 2002 18:07:16 -0700
From: C M Smith <cmsmith@domain.elided>
Subject: Unsane at any speed?

Now someone has raised the infamous Auto Union as a paragon of rear
engined
racing prowess. Well, ask Bernd Rosemeyer about that sometime. If you put
a
big enough engine in a race car you can beat anything ( for the street
may
I suggest the eminently civilized Dodge Viper for those wishing to savour
the Auto Union advantage). However, in 1935 these mighty misguided
missiles
were blown away by an Alfa Romeo P3, predecessor to the famed Alfetta
158.
Alfa tinkered with the idea of a similar layout to Auto Union in the form
of a boxer 12 in a mid engine layout but it wasn't ready until 1940
thanks
be to God, so never raced in anger. I believe the Auto Union was also mid
engined. It was the swing axle combined with the tremendous torque of the
Auto Union that killed Rosemeyer.

So, yes, Ferdinand Porsche was a silver tongued devil and not much of an
automobile engineer. Porsche racing cars never won the premier motor
racing
event of the twentieth century: Formula One Constructors Championship.
The
Beetle was a stupid idea that was the best war ruined Germany could come
up
with after the Allies bombed the bejeezus out of everything. As final
proof
of Dr Porsche's devious salesmanship I remind you that Porsche very
nearly
convinced that propaganda mastermind Adolf...what am i saying i nearly
killed this thread!
Michael Smith
Calgary, Alberta,Canada
91 Alfa 164L

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