Cheapest and most ineffective

["John Hertzman" <johnhertzman@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Scott Swanberg, writing about the evolution of Triumph (?) chassis, wrote "the
Mk 1's had the cheapest and most ineffective IRS possible, the swing axle.
Unless power was kept on through a corner the inside rear wheel would tuck
under the car and the rear end break away.  This was due to the effects of the
transverse spring and a fixed length axle."

Won't argue, but the ghosts of some respected Alfas could say "I resemble that
remark" - - the swing axle and transverse leaf spring were used on all of the
8C 2900 cars, and on the 158 Alfetta (which did go to a De Dion for the 159),
as well as on all of the other developed (as opposed to prototype) Alfa GP
cars after the P3 - the 8C 1935, 12C 1936, 12C 1937, 308, 312, and 316, as
well as the 412 sports car, which was essentially an 8C 2900 with the 4.5
liter V12 in unblown form.

Perhaps it is just that the top Alfa drivers of the era had mastered the art
of keeping the power on?

Cordially

John H.
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