RE: Rollerskate car handling

[sixteen.volt@gte.net]

I think that the point of the posts was specifically in regard to asthetics. The majority of the cars which purposely look this way do so with no regard to performance. The key to remember is that the car was designed with a certain track width in mind. Increasing the track width by itself doesn't really do much of anything to the road-holding ability of the car, except to widen the roll center of the car, which can actually decrease handling ability. The cars (such as the Trans-Am car you mention) utilize the wider fender flares so that they can fit a wider tire, which has a larger contact patch with the road and therefore much more grip. It isn't about the width of the car...it's about the ability to use wider tires. Most of the "skateboard crowd" uses the same, if not narrower, tire size! The suspension on these race cars has also been re-tuned to take this slightly wider track width into account.

This is, of course all in addition to the argument that the skateboard look is DANGEROUS! Not only do you have problems with rocks being thrown at high velocities, but fenders are designed specifically to keep bare tires from touching each other. Ever see what happens when two F1 or Indy cars touch tires? One of them will be launched 5ft into the air, guaranteed, and probably come down on something other than its wheels!

Neal
88 16v

> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-scirocco-l@scirocco.org
> [mailto:owner-scirocco-l@scirocco.org]On Behalf Of Ben Channard
> Sent: Monday, March 20, 2000 7:30 PM
> To: scirocco-l@scirocco.org
> Subject: Rollerskate car handling
> 
> 
> 	I've seen a lot of posts disparaging cars with their tires 
> sticking out way 
> past the fenders.  Aesthetics aside, can't this help the car 
> handle better?  
> Isn't a wider track generally more stable, just like in those 
> Pontiac ads?  
> The only drawback I recall about having the tires sticking out is 
> that wheel 
> bearing life goes down, but if that's it then I'm sure that would 
> be worth 
> it for some of the performance crowd.
> 	The infamous Trans-Am(?) mk.1 Scirocco appears to have this 
> set up.  
> Visually remove the fender flares and you get yer basic 
> "pimped-out-rocco."  
> I don't know if the racer had a non-stock suspension or not but if anyone 
> knows or can comment, please share.  Thx, benton-----




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