Re: limits found?

[Tessie McMillan <tessmc@domain.elided>]

Dear Nervous Newbie:

Ohmygosh, you're not proud of this event? But true Spider lovers really 
*live* for the opportunity to swing the rear end of their cars. And they 
don't care overly much who's looking (as long as it's not the local 
gendarmerie.) This is no joke! What I'd recommend is to revisit 
the corner in question and analyse why you were able to hang the rear 
end out. Was it an off-camber curve? Was there gravel in the road? Have 
you checked your tire pressures? Did you goose or come off the gas 
quickly during the turn? The fact that you immediately re-gained control 
shows that you are destined to become an F1 driver. Admit it, you're a 
natural, and  you've got the bug. &:-). Go drive that corner a few 
more times when nobody else is around and see if you can hang the rear 
end out on purpose... no, did I say that? ? ? &:-o

Another thing you can do is head for the nearest go-kart track and drive 
a few sessions. Yes, you can drive your Spider like that. Just steer 
clear of the tire wall -- which seems to be one of my problem areas.

As Gordy (on the edge of Seattle, usually under some kind of wet rock) 
would say, here's your chance to learn something. Take the Spider to your 
local Alfa club driving school and spin that puppy some more. You'll have 
the opportunity to learn about car dynamics in a safe environment, to see 
what induces what. You'll have fun in your car safely. There are car 
engineering characteristics that cause certain behaviors (FWD vs RWD, 
understeer vs oversteer, for example), there are characteristics of 
driving that can cause certain car behaviors (braking will press the 
weight forward onto the steering end of the car, for example), there are 
environmental characteristics that can influence car behavior (rain or 
snow, for example), and there are many other factors that can influence 
how a car behaves: tire pressures, tire compound, live axle, limited 
slip, high torque, suspension characteristics, location of the engine, 
angle of the road, composition of the road, radius of the turn, and so 
forth (this is just a very short list). If you own a car with a live rear 
axle and such nimble capabilities, in my opinion you owe it to yourself 
to understand how to control that car and to understand what makes it 
tick. Trust me, you'll find this VERY fun. And well, if you don't, you 
can give me your Spider and I won't complain! &:-)

Auntie Tess
who had her own fun at our NWARC-sponsored track event this past weekend

> getting me into the digest. Just recently found the limits of my spider
> today after fish-tailing into a turn at 40mph on dry asphalt...scared the
> s**t out of me. Fortunately no one was in the immediate vicinity and I was
> able to steer into the direction of the 20 degree spin - the vehicle
> recovered quickly. I'm not proud of this event and now understand the
> turning limits. (the car has been teasing me to turn harder into turns the
> last two months I've owned it). Is this part of the learning curve? Can
> others relate to this experience?
> 
> Nervous newbie
> Brad
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