hi Phil,
Wear racing shoes <BG> and your clutch clearance problem will be over <VBG>.
Seriously, you don;t know what you have in that "dead pedal". Just ask
anyone in a post 72 car where the dimmer is on a turn stalk (stock?). These
cars have nothing for your foot to rest on and are even more uncomfortable.
Driven hard in the corners, a deadpedal is a wonderful thing. On my GT6,
as on all "small" TR's there is a box section at the crux of the floor and
bulkhead. It is such that you can brace your heel on it and operate the
pedals or use it as a dead pedal for the left foot. the big Tr's have no
such provision, but you could easily make up a foot rest out of 16 ga steel
and screw it to the floor - not like it would be structural or anything.
While we're on driving, I'm gonna add a few cents worth that might make
driving more fun. The dead pedal has already been discussed. When
cornering, it gives you something on which to apply pressure, "balancing"
your body against the G (Gee?) forces at work. You "push" yourself into the
seat, giving yourself more "seat of the pants" feel as to what your car is
doing.
#2. Steering technique. the basis "9 and 3 or 10 and 2" is fine for
"normal driving". Approaching a corner, bias this position against the
direction of the wheel, allowing for the radius of the corner. that is, a
fast left sweeper might have you start at 11 and 5 - so that mid corner -
when you need the control - you are back at 9 and 3, sawing away as your
TRwhatever wallows its way around the corner. Try it, you'll like it.
#3. On corner entry, (see #2 above) always "Push UP" on the wheel (ie:
control with Right hand at 5:00 in a LT). Much like the dead pedal issue,
pushing up forces your upper body into the seat back, adding to the "feel"
and stability of your actions. Apparently (as well, as if that is not
enough) you have much more muscular control and force in this motion (uses a
bunch more big muscles than the alternative) making you more accurate and
less fatigue prone.
FYI, all the above can be referenced in most any hi po driving text and are
techniques I teach at the GMP race school. It's another one of those
"common sense is not so common" things - even I did this wrong before I
invested my time and money learning how to get the most out of my beat up
TR4a... 12 years ago!
Dave T
Definitely not Winterpeg, about 60 deg and sunny today. If I only had a
running LBC I could;t give a @#$@#%#N about the gas costs
-----Original Message-----
From: Philip E. Barnes <peb3@cornell.edu>
To: triumphs@autox.team.net <triumphs@autox.team.net>
Date: April 8, 1999 3:21 PM
Subject: Re: driver leg room TR4/TR6
>
>I'm 6' even and have no particular problem, but I'm used to the car, too.
>The thing that always puzzles me is this: What are you supposed to do with
>your left foot when it's not on the clutch? My feet are big and can barely
>fit beside the clutch pedal to operate the dimmer button.
>
>
>Phil Barnes (peb3@cornell.edu)
>Cortland, NY (nowhere near New York City)
>'71 TR6 CC61193L (22 year owner)
>
>I suffer from kleptomania. Sometimes I have to take something for it.
>
>
>
>
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