DeTomaso Mailing List: January 98, Message #78
     



From: 	William King <wpk@fc.net>

Subject: oversteer/understeer

Date: 	Sat, 3 Jan 1998 12:08:14 +0000



Jack,



You're note on oversteer/understeer reminded me of something that

happened to me many years ago :-) All non-pantera prejudiced readers

arm your delete button now ...





Disclaimer: all characters and events in this story are fictitious

and artistically embellished to protect the obviously innocent.





I'd been working in a certain computer systems research lab in New

Jersey on a big financial systems project for a New York bank. We were

real busy and usually didn't finish work till about 10-11pm. I had a

trick euro 930 with SC cams and an adjustable waste gate (call it a 934)

that I'd bought used in Munich and shipped over to the states a few

months earlier and was in the process of learning the car.



My drive home from work was mostly down an interstate but the last few

miles were on a quiet, straight country road and I was accustomed to

'waking myself up' on this road occassionally. This particular nite

was wet ... we'd had some light rain. I was in an 'exploratory'

mood and was eager to learn more about how the 930 handled,

particularly after an experience a couple of months earlier on an

surprise decreasing radius corner on a narrow, busy country road :-]



Being tired, on a wet country road at midnite, with trees lining

both sides of the road, I got a bright idea ! What happens if I

nail it ??? I was already running about 110 in the bottom of 3rd when

this 'bright idea' got the best of me. Yup ... lets see . Ok ... right

on boost ... instantly sideways ... lock to lock ... tail left ... tail

right ... left ... right ... left ... nothing I could do could grab this

thing. Problem was, if I let up I'd loose traction on the rear wheels.

If I nail it I'm going to break it loose again ... as you said, with an

oversteering car you're 'committed when you slide'.



I sat there for at least a minute or two with the trees slowly getting

closer going lock to lock waiting to slow back down so I could get

control. Never felt better at 80 than when the car finally grabbed up

again a few feet from the trees !



I'm older and (hopefully) wiser now and always try to think thrice.

One of the things I like best about the Pantera (particularly the

way John had this one set up) is it's tossability. World class !





W