Same thing with mine. I have a late 1500 with the "swing spring"
and wider track, but I understand all stock spitfires oversteer
to some degree. There are all sorts of competition upgrades to
improve the handling if you want to go that route.
I prefer to think of the handling as "entertaining" rather than
unpredictable. Generally there isn't enough power to kick out the
back in the dry, although wet roads are another story. Snow is a
chapter unto itself. Lifting or braking while cornering hard
is to be avoided unless you have a lot of road, a lot of skill
or a lot of luck!
You had the presence of mind and the skill to deal with the
tail wagging when surprised by it - why not SAFELY explore the
limits until your confidence in the car returns? It really
is tremendous fun to drive and has excellent handling - the
key is to be aware of and respect the limitations.
-Greg
78 Spit - daily driver
72 Spit - RIP (resting in pieces)
jc_carpenter@softhome.net (James Carpenter) writes
>Hi there,
>I have a question, how slide is the rear end on your Spitfires. I was
>turning right at some traffic lights yesterday, first 2000 rpm second and
>the end went "all to cock" and I had to ease off and get the car pointing
>straight ahead again. I was using maybe 3/4 power but low down in the rev
>range. I am trying to think what would cause it to go like that, it was
>slightly damp.
>I know the tires were at the correct pressure maybe 1-2 PSI over but even.
>One tire is a brand new Perrelle and the other a remould which is being
>replaced as soon as I find exactly the same Perrelle. The car has had a new
>rear spring, new shocks, the rubbers have been checked (one was replaced by
>the garage), the bodywork is sound. The UJ's are fine, no loose bolts and
>the bolt holes are not oval. The front was completely redone, new
>everything, except steering rack mounts and UJ because they looked
>practically brand new.
>Trouble is I had no warning of this happening, and it makes me loose
>confidence in the car. The car it's self is grate round a corner as long
>as you don't accelerate. When I accelerate round a corner the steering
>seems to change and it starts to overseer, but not nicely. I would describe
>nicely the same as flicking it round in a loose thing gravel car park. It's
>quite hard for me to explain because I haven't driven any other rear wheel
>drive cars.
>Is this a case for a new steering UJ and aluminium rack mounts?
>Should I get the rear tow-in tow-out checked?
>Can the diff ever develop a fault where it try to give more power to one
>side than the other, causing that side to spin?
>I know that cursing at 20-30 mph I can quite happily flick it round tight
I think you meant "Cruising", but "cursing" fits too!
>corners that most cars would start to screech at without problems, even
>braking at the same time. At 'A' road speeds round long corners it seems to
>lack confidence and be vague.
>It also seems to get more wind buffeting than eurobox cars of equivalent
>weight that I have driven, especially at speed. Crossing the old Severn
>bridge in a force 6 still gives me nightmares.
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