Agreed.
That's what I'd like to disprove. You can purchase electronic clutches, but at £1400, it's a bit silly! Using myself hurts, using a torque converter would drive me to suicide ;-)
Cheers, Andy
Err no... A good correctly set up one LEAVES
A crap family sallon one is cuddly and smooth and slow.
If your motor makes best torque at say 4560rpm you need a 4560rpm stall speed. They are torque multipliers, you WIN in every way. Clutches just waste energy as heat...
So do torque covertors. Why do you think autos have fluid coolers - and better ones lock out the TC at higher revs?
Yer they dump "some" as heat. But they are actually torque "multipliers" so they take your "slip" and add it back in! No wasted power just free acceleration...
I had a brass button clutch in my GTR which was pretty much on/off. Made it a prick to drive in traffic.
Fraser
Not possible. If they generate heat, that's wasted power.
All torque convertors multiply torque. That's what they do.
In theory, yes. In practice, the automatics are slower, less economical, and less fun to drive. Hence, they'd drive me to suicide. Ever tried a reverse flick, or a handbrake turn in an automatic.
Cheers, Andy
snipped-for-privacy@ntlworld.com
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Yep reverse flick is actually easier in a proper rear drive auto car, and so is a handbrake turn should you be sad enough.... You just dont need to mess with a clutch as well. But handbrake turns are the sort of thing boy racers do in front drive grocery getters because they neither have the power or the drive at the right end to do anything else like boot it and slide it neatly round!
SLOW autos ARE crap. So get one with some power? Some of the fastest cars on the planet are autos...
Economy.. Debatable. I have a manual 2.0 grandad, and an auto one here. Both have fuel computers. Both seem almost identical, but theoretically the auto should be slightly worse in town where the lock up does not get used.
And 4 million gear changes in the town centre while developing huge leg muscles in one leg on the way to work is not my idea of fun. The yanks saw the light years ago. Big powerful engines and GOOD autoboxes are far superior to a daft gearstick and clutch. Unless you like to suffer.
In article , snipped-for-privacy@ntlworld.com spouted forth into uk.rec.cars.modifications...
He planned to autotest.
Reverse flcks and handbrake turns are a very necessary part of autotesting. No room for power slides and drifting.
Oh...
Well really a seperate light car with shit hot handbrake etc would be a better bet maybe???
In article , snipped-for-privacy@ntlworld.com spouted forth into uk.rec.cars.modifications...
A lot of the really shit hot autotest cars are either seriously lightened 7 styles or Imps and ini in the special classes.
Imagine a mini, then cut every panel off except the floot pan and the bonnet and the wheel arches (like a seriously hacked up moke), then weld in some roll bars, lower it so it skims the ground then use it for manouvreing and parking tests (slalom and reverse slalom, reversing through gates and coned garages etc) all against the clock. With the ttop guys, if you see the wheels stop sliding, they've done something seriously wrong.
Nope, and I've not tried in a manual either.
You can drive your car into a tree if you like, but it's not socially accepted as a valid manoeuvre !
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economical,
OK, not tried it, so I'll take your word for it.
...or what autotest competitors do. More importantly, automatics are inefficient at laying down the power and extracting the most mileage from the fuel you put in.
Exactly.
No can do I'm afraid - a few too many restraints on the company car policy.
True, but some of the fastest cars on the planet are not Mondeo TDCis!
Nor mine - tendonitis is the result :-/
LOL! I'll save that comment!
Cheers, Andy
Yes it would. That's why I have a Ford Ka, and a Mini. Both are equally good at autotesting. In fact, I took a class win in the Ka last year.
Cheers, Andy
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True. Impressive (and cheap) vehicles. Big bore engines developed for low down grunt, overinflated tyres to make spinning the car easier.
It's not just the top guys who are on it constantly. Even the local club events have competitors who can make a car dance. Sadly, I can't. Yet.
Cheers, Andy
It's a perfectly valid manouvre ... for writing your car off! Needless to say, I don't do reverse flicks, handbrake turns, or any of that kind of driving on the Queen's highways. In fact, I even stick to the speed limit on motorways, unlike 99% of the population! Autotesting is the best way to relieve tension behind the wheel, and teach you how a car handles for beer money. Change from £30 from a day's competition (that's for 2 people). Tyres for a fiver, entry for a tenner, and a fiver for fuel.
Cheers, Andy
I'm not knocking it !
Your original "automatics are s**te cos they can't be used for autotesting" just amused me :)
autotesting"
It amused me when I typed it too :-)
I took a trip to the Ford garage today, and the guy there told me the new durashift was shit. Good sales tactics!
Cheers, Andy
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