Downchanging sounds fantastic in a Healey. But brake system rebuilds
cost so much less....
And that doesn't really matter whether you have a side change/ centre
shift/ whatever SCCR or STD ratio gearbox.
Rule 1. Brake first.
Rule 2. Change down
Rule 3. Always drive into a corner in this order, irrespective of road
or track.
Everywhere.
The late, great, Peter Hopwood wrote an article about racing a Healey,
and his experiences on the road and track.
It was called (something very much like) "how I learnt to drive faster
by driving slower", when he owned a Healey 3000.
Peter (many years later) became the Australian Sportscar Champion, and
in a Healey 3000, at the very end of his career, was the only man to
pass Denis Welch at Bathurst in 1998. And despite Denis winning every
race in 1998, Peter set the fastest lap time back in 1998.
Peters message back in about 1972? In a paragraph? Brake as hard as
you can, look after your gearbox, then - only then - change down, then
accelerate as hard as you can under power - as hard as you can -
through a corner - to maximize straight line speed.
Obviously there was more than that. But changing down like an F1
driver in a Healey is a recipe for disaster. That's what brakes are
for - to slow you down!
Brake. Then change down.
Not the other way round
Chris
www.myaustinhealey.com
Sent from my iPhone
On 09/09/2010, at 8:19 PM, "Mark LaPierre" <lapierrem@sbcglobal.net>
wrote:
> Since I have been driving my car (600mi) I used first gear for
> about a week until I realized how much
> more pleasurable it is to not use it at all. As far as down
> shifting into 2nd, I only do that when coming
> to a stop sign, if at all cause my breaks seem to do that just
> fine. Sounds like a good source for whip lash if your going any
> faster.
>
> Not the answer
> your looking for but another way of looking at your driving
> style. Maybe the convertibles are geared
> a little differently than the roadsters. I am using the Moss
> syncros from about 4years ago and so far no
> problems
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