Keith,
Thanks for reminding everyone that I am OLD! Seriously, this discussion
about suspension or lack of it is of a current nature. Just talk with a
few that were on the course this last week. For instance Rick.
For history's sake, I ran a roadster with a solid rear (no suspension)
for five years. We were not going terribly fast, but it was not a
comfortable ride. In 1964 I built a new '29 roadster, employing a VW
front end and a Ford cross spring rear. It rode like a baby buggy and
handled extremely well. There will not be another car without suspension
for me!
At the World Finals, after the driver's meeting, as is customary all
drivers were invited to drive the course to see what we had to run on as
well as see where the turnouts were. I was not impressed with the
course. It was a rough ride in the GMC.
Our car has a four-bar, coil over suspension on both ends. I was
pleasantly surprised when I made my first pass. The ride was smooth as
silk, the car need almost no steering input and I ran 237 & change which
qualified the car. I didn't go to impound because the run was barely
over the record and I was sure we could do better. The next run I
qualified at 241.002 and returned with a 241.044 for an average of
241.022 MPH.
Jeff made a couple of runs getting a best mile of 240+. Barry then ran
242+ and returned at 239.960 for an average of 241.019, just .003 MPH of
the record. After eight great runs down the salt for the car, I put my
grandson Tim in the car for licensing. on his third pass he ran 207 MPH
in the quarter and 204 MPH in the mile. He was suppose to run just under
200 MPH, but he said he just couldn't hold it back. He was one thrilled
20 year old.
We made a change in the steering between meets. I use a Mustang steering
box and it had the original rag joint at the box. I replaced it with a
ujoint which seemed to make a world of difference. Everyone that drove
the car at this meet said that it ran straight and needed very little
steering input.
As you have probably guessed, we had another GREAT week, but enough
rambling for now.
Tom, Redding CA - #216 D/CC
|