Will -am going to put this on my board.
Harris
On Wed, 19 Aug 1998 08:19:34 -0400 William Zehring <zehrinwa@UMDNJ.EDU>
writes:
>Armando writes:
>
>>I guess I really shouldn't be doing this, but the temptation is too
>>great. I have a feeling that the list will be very busy shortly.
>>
>>I attended the Monterey Historic Races this past weekend and, in the
>>fourth race on Saturday, there were two Morgans racing against a slew
>of
>>Porsches (about 20 of them). One of the Morgans was a +4 and the
>other
>>one was a 4/4. One of the Morgans came in sixth, leaving
>approximately
>>15 Porsches in the dust. The other Morgan ended quite far back in
>the
>>pack, although the driver's gallant effort and performance was
>applauded
>>by all. Anyone care to guess as to which Morgan placed 6th?
>
>
>What I am about to say will not likely shock many of the veterans of
>this
>list. ;-)
>
>While I smile at Armando's subtly worded message (and just a tinge of
>sadism, too!), I am quite confident in suggesting that the 4/4 placed
>6th
>in the race. My reasons for this hinge on the glorious racing
>herritage
>that the ford pushrod four has, and the probable superior handling of
>a
>lighter engined car. After 25+ years of racing in formula ford, and
>in
>marques and venues (Morgan, Lotus, just to name two) its important to
>keep
>in mind that there are oodles of 'go fast' bits for the ford engine
>and
>that there are oodles of ford engines (so if you go really fast, and
>throw
>a rod or something you don't really have to worry). The kent engine,
>in
>race trim, can belt out an astonishing number of horses, for its
>diminutive
>displacement. All of this is what a racer wants in his/her engine;
>the
>ability to pump it up and the confidence that he/she will race again
>in the
>event of a major failure.
>
>Permit me to quote from Peter Egan's column, in the September, 1998
>issue
>of Road and Track:
> "I don't have a racing car this year. I'm taking the summer
>off to do
>"other things." Which is a code phrase that lazy or unemployed
>musicians
>and race drivers use when they mean "absolutely nothing worth
>mentioning."
> But when I get another car--and I will--it will probably have
>a 4-cylinder
>Ford engine in the back, open wheels, a Hewland gearbox and a
>reclining
>seat, without enough room in the footwell.
> If its an older one whose paint scheme and shape make me think
>of Jim
>Clark, or Jack Brabham, that might be okay too."
>
>
>Okay, so the engine isn't in the back in a 4/4, and the wheels are not
>open, and in point of fact there seems, at least for me, to be plenty
>of
>room in the footwell of me mog, Egan's list begins with the mill; the
>glorious Ford Kent engine. That's why I always say... the 4/4 is the
>THINKING man's Morgan!
>
>Now I guess I have to wait and hear from OMB, etc, and then, finally,
>from
>Armando.
>
>Cheers,
>Will Zehring
>
>p.s. if the 4/4 was the slower car, well... it had to be driver error!
>
>
>
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