In a message dated 02/10/2000 10:07:05 PM !!!First Boot!!!,
amace@unix2.nysed.gov writes:
<< Actually I believe that .87 G quote came from Road and Track or Car and
> Driver. When showroom stock was introduced they tested all the cars in
> racing trim, so this would have included showrrom stock legal tires at
> the time.
Chris,
Since you asked...
The Spitfire ad says that the test was performed in the April '73 issue of
Car & Driver. I don't have that, but, I do have the April '73 issue of Road &
Track which compares the Spitfire to the MGB, Fiat 124, Porsche 914, Opel GT,
MG Midget, MGB GT, GT6, and the (gasp) Karmann Ghia. All were running
Semperit STT M 401 165SR's, a good performance tire of the time (SS permitted
any 165 radial DOT-approved brand tire), all with an eye to Showroom Stock
racing. In lateral acceleration, tested on a 100' radius round skidpad:
Top-rated was the MGB @ .795g (79hp)
Second was the Fiat 124 @ .783g (94hp)
Tied for third The Spitfire (57hp), the Porsche 914 (76hp), the Opel GT
(75hp), and the Midget (55hp) @ .758g
The GT6 tied for fourth with the MGB GT @ .745g
The Karmann Ghia went .713g and that's just one of the reasons you didn't see
too many KG SS racers.
Moral of the story: Power not only corrupts, it gets you around in circles
faster.
If it's any consolation, the Spit did more with less. It's front/rear weight
distribution was 53/47. The Midget was 50/50 and had the shortest wheelbase,
which points to the handiness of the Spit suspension. The tester's mentioned
the excellent throttle response and that it was more fun to drive than the
others, To paraphrase, "They didn't set records, but, they enjoyed trying."
Skidpads aren't everything though, (see the Mid-Ohio thread)
Since I am not old enough to know what this would have been,
> I'm assuming it would have been like a DOT legal race tire of today. So
> this tire may have been similar to todays performance street tires that
> come on the cars you mentioned. Or maybe I'm all wrong.
As I recall, in those days, the tires used in SS were not race tires, just
performance tires of the time and skinny ones at that.
Real moral of the story: Spitfire's are fun!
Tom Burke
80 Spitfire
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