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Racing Wires

To: mgs@autox.team.net
Subject: Racing Wires
From: Eric Erickson <eric@erickson.on.net>
Date: Tue, 27 Jul 1999 02:46:33 +0000
To open up a little 'private' conversation that Mr Cotty and I have just
been having I would like to gather some informed comment or even wild
speculation.

I am planning on getting into some club racing or more specifically
Super Sprints.  Just four laps around a little mile or so long track
with a few curves - it has a reputation for being hard on brakes that I
can attest to as my 'street' brake pads turned to cardboard after a few
sets of practice laps at lower than 'really-trying' speed.

Now the question isn't about brakes but rather WIRE WHEELS (the braking
description just lets you know that the twisting and turning is
marginally hard on the car).

One school of thought says that I will kill myself if I leave the wire
wheels on.  The wires will collapse.

Another school of thought says that for the little distance and
effort... just four laps... I should not worry about the wires
collapsing unless there are some pre-existing weaknesses or damage to
the spokes.

The rest of the arguments fall in between those two extremes.

Has anyone any thoughts or experience, good or bad, with racing on wire
wheels?

Basically I am trying to apportion my meagre funds and to prioritise my
spending on my little car.  My primary aim is to be able to get around
the track without killing myself or anyone else.  Then I need to make
sure the car doesn't fall to pieces along the way.  Next is making it go
and stop safely and as quickly as possible for a vanilla engine.

THEN comes the go-fast stuff on the engine (in the meantime I will have
got myself some decent track time under my belt).

Can I leave the wheels until later?
Do I need to ever change the wheels?


Eric
'68MGB MkII

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