At 04:09 PM 1/20/99 , TDL said:
>Hey all,
>
>Let's suppose that I've decided to get a '94 DSM Turbo and intend to
>race it in G Stock. How much benefit can I expect from also getting
>an AWD (which I don't intend to do).
>
Having raced both a 95 GST and a 98 GSX, I can definitely say that the AWD
is superior.
This big thing is no wheel spin. This is a real problem coming out of
sharp turns. As the turbo spools up, the car goes from ~100 ft-lbs to ~220
ft-lbs between 2000 and 3000 rpms. It is very difficult to keep the inside
front tire from breaking loose and once it does, there is no way to
recover. If the FWD had a limited slip differential, then maybe it
wouldn't be so bad.
The car also feels better balanced. There is no torque steer when
accelerating hard. Slaloms and other transitions are more stable.
And high rpm launches are fun - even if they do waste the clutch really fast.
The advantage of the FWD is that it is lighter and feels noticeably faster
because of it. At highway speeds, I would prefer the FWD. But on an autox
course, I think the AWD is better, no ifs, ands, or buts.
Brad
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Bradley Lamont
email: lamont@xnet.com
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