Hi Chris,
Yes, the fly-off handbrake can be used for some pretty fancy driving.
I recall on one our first dates, giving my ex-wife a bit of a thrill with a
180 degree "parking maneuver". She married me anyway and stuck with me for 14
years. On the other hand, the car has stuck with me for about twice as long and
is still here. (p.s. I never let her drive the TR4. She had at least one
accident in every other car we ever owned, including running two of our cars
into
each other right in our own driveway.)
Back on subject, I seem to recall reading in the Langworth/Robson "Triumph
Cars - The Complete 75 Year History" that management insisted on the fly-off
brake as a necessary TR feature for the standing starts of the Le Mans-style
races to which they aspired. I'm sure it was used quite a bit in all those
rally
wins in the late fifties and sixties, too.
Granted, the now more standard style of parking brake found on the 250/5/6
and later is probably a lot safer. Just not as much fun!
Alan Myers
San Jose, Calif.
AMfoto1@aol.com
http://hometown.aol.com/amfoto1/amfoto1.htm
Date: Mon, 6 Dec 2004 12:08:11 -0800 (PST)
From: Chris Kantarjiev <cak@dimebank.com>
Subject: Re: Fly-off Handbrake
A well-timed grab of the brake to lock up the rears is a time-tested
technique, still used today at the highest levels of rallye competition.
Those fancy WRC cars with all wheel drive have their brake handles
rigged in fly-off (or no lock at all), and typically have a mechanism
built in to disable the center differential when the lever is lifted.
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