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Thread: Best handling Classic car

  1. #46
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    Quote Originally Posted by clutch-monkey View Post
    excellent handling, superior cornering..compared to the average sedan of the day, yes.
    Not according to Matra...
    '76 Cadillac Fleetwood Seventy-Five Limousine, '95 Lincoln Town Car.

  2. #47
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    Quote Originally Posted by Matra et Alpine View Post
    No they weren't.
    They were known for having excellent cornering characteristics until you were at the limit and then it all went Pete Tong It's taken Porsche 25 years to get it "sorted" to the level of relatively neutral handling the 911 has now.
    Similar to an earlier post citing the A110 as a great handling car.
    It's a nightmare
    BUT being light and with excellent traction on the rear it was a car that coudl be driven quickly. But not by all drivers Once it got swinging it was a HIGE pendulum to try to control
    BUT overal, the lightness and nimbleness made them very fast, just totally unforgiving
    Okay, I'll have to remember that... '70s Porsche's handle poorly!

    Knowing your excellent library of older magazines, I'd appreciate seeing comapritive articles from back then.

    Chevrolet Corvette Crash Pictures
    What do photos of crashed 'Vettes have to do with handling?
    '76 Cadillac Fleetwood Seventy-Five Limousine, '95 Lincoln Town Car.

  3. #48
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    Quote Originally Posted by Fleet 500 View Post
    Not according to Matra...
    matra's point was that you could likely take the corvette to 9/10ths much easier than the equivalent 911. whilst the 911 might be superior in handling.. can you blithely push it as far as a corvette?
    Andreas Preuninger, Manager of Porsche High Performance Cars: "Grandmas can use paddles. They aren't challenging."

  4. #49
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    Quote Originally Posted by willysjeep View Post
    But Henk, this is whats it's all about. I put the same topic on another classic car forum and had 1 response. The guy post Hillman imp.
    Here you get a RESPONSE, no matter how many time has it been said or what. I love the reaction and the posts. I am here to broaden my knowledge and where other can i do that but here and from you guys
    The point is that as soon as Fleet has posed a proposition, nothing needs to be further discussed, because it is true. And when proven to be "untrue" he changes the subject, rather than admitting.....there is really no fun in that any more once you have gone through this process for a number of times. But if you want to treat yourself to the "Fleet experience", be my guest.

    It already started with the comparison between the 911 and the Corvette, nobody sofar had come with the 911 as the "best handling classic" and it is simply introduced for the discussion to prove that "US cars" handle better than "European cars". It simply is not going to result in a productive discussion.
    "I find the whole business of religion profoundly interesting, but it does mystify me that otherwise intelligent people take it seriously." Douglas Adams

  5. #50
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    The original 917 was an evil handling car and only really changed with the advent of the Langheck. An E type can be made to handle but if you look at it the proportions are wrong - the track isn't wide enough. I'd go with the Elan for rear wheel drive and the Cooper S (mine was bored to 1293 and a stage 2 Alexander conversion) in FWD. As regards the Europa, it wasn't a great success and was unreliable but I did see one racing last year at Silverstone though



    And two of my favourite photos from that meeting




  6. #51
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    Quote Originally Posted by henk4 View Post
    The point is that as soon as Fleet has posed a proposition, nothing needs to be further discussed, because it is true. And when proven to be "untrue" he changes the subject, rather than admitting.....there is really no fun in that any more once you have gone through this process for a number of times. But if you want to treat yourself to the "Fleet experience", be my guest.

    It already started with the comparison between the 911 and the Corvette, nobody sofar had come with the 911 as the "best handling classic" and it is simply introduced for the discussion to prove that "US cars" handle better than "European cars". It simply is not going to result in a productive discussion.
    I wonder what was proven "untrue?" Motor Trend did not say that the Porsche was the "best handling" car, they just said that the Corvette handled just as well, if not even better, than a car with a reputation of excellent handling.

    As I replied to Kitdy, I never made the claim that U.S. cars handle better than European cars, so I have nothing to "admit." But I will just assume you are joking around.
    '76 Cadillac Fleetwood Seventy-Five Limousine, '95 Lincoln Town Car.

  7. #52
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    Quote Originally Posted by clutch-monkey View Post
    matra's point was that you could likely take the corvette to 9/10ths much easier than the equivalent 911. whilst the 911 might be superior in handling.. can you blithely push it as far as a corvette?
    I get what you're talking about. According to that one particular road test, the 911 actually would slide out more easily.
    '76 Cadillac Fleetwood Seventy-Five Limousine, '95 Lincoln Town Car.

  8. #53
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    Quote Originally Posted by henk4 View Post
    The point is that as soon as Fleet has posed a proposition, nothing needs to be further discussed, because it is true. And when proven to be "untrue" he changes the subject, rather than admitting.....there is really no fun in that any more once you have gone through this process for a number of times. But if you want to treat yourself to the "Fleet experience", be my guest.

    It already started with the comparison between the 911 and the Corvette, nobody sofar had come with the 911 as the "best handling classic" and it is simply introduced for the discussion to prove that "US cars" handle better than "European cars". It simply is not going to result in a productive discussion.
    Ok,ok i see. You already got what i still need and that's previous experience
    I'm just an oldhustler trapped in a hotrodders world
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  9. #54
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    Quote Originally Posted by Matra et Alpine View Post
    No they weren't.
    They were known for having excellent cornering characteristics until you were at the limit and then it all went Pete Tong It's taken Porsche 25 years to get it "sorted" to the level of relatively neutral handling the 911 has now.
    Similar to an earlier post citing the A110 as a great handling car.
    It's a nightmare
    BUT being light and with excellent traction on the rear it was a car that coudl be driven quickly. But not by all drivers Once it got swinging it was a HIGE pendulum to try to control
    BUT overal, the lightness and nimbleness made them very fast, just totally unforgiving

    Knowing your excellent library of older magazines, I'd appreciate seeing comapritive articles from back then.

    Chevrolet Corvette Crash Pictures
    I still remember when my uncle told me that when he had a Dauphine he put sand bags in the bonnet to try and neuter the handling. And that had about 3 bhp...
    Lack of charisma can be fatal.
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  10. #55
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    Yep. Had a full works-replica Hillman Imp rally car for a season back in 74.
    Often had to add sandbags in the front to make it more controllable ( and that was with the full works "Monte" front suspension )
    They were all the same.
    The works A110s improved things by putting the radiators up the front and putting MASSIVE rubbers and huge camber on the rears Same as the 911 did through the 80s
    THe problem with the standard Europa in competition was a classic Chapman "make somethign do two jobs" so the soughnuts would wear VERY quickly because the drive shaft was contributing the the suspension !! The works Type 47 was competitive in the late 60s lowdrag. We have one competing in classic series at KNockhill and it still shows up the "big boys" when the tracks a little damp and power is less of the issue
    Last edited by Matra et Alpine; 04-12-2009 at 04:16 AM.

  11. #56
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    Quote Originally Posted by Matra et Alpine View Post
    Yep. Had a full works-replica Hillman Imp rally car for a season back in 74.
    Often had to add sandbags in the front to make it more contrololable ( and that was with the full works "Monte" front suspension )
    They were all the same.
    The works A110s improved things by putting the radiators up the front and putting MASSIC rubbers and huge camber on the rears Same as the 911 did through the 80s
    of course a Corvair did not need them.....
    anyway, the sandbags were a standard feature in any Beetle, just to ensure that it kept on course while coping with lateral winds. Handling was no issue in the first place.
    "I find the whole business of religion profoundly interesting, but it does mystify me that otherwise intelligent people take it seriously." Douglas Adams

  12. #57
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    Quote Originally Posted by Matra et Alpine View Post
    Yep. Had a full works-replica Hillman Imp rally car for a season back in 74.
    Often had to add sandbags in the front to make it more controllable ( and that was with the full works "Monte" front suspension )
    They were all the same.
    This guy could have used some more...
    Attached Images Attached Images

  13. #58
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    Have to say I also owned a modified IMP GT in the late 1970s and thought it possessed brilliant handling and controllability for typical suburban conditions and speeds

    In my memory it still remains one of the most engaging & enjoyable-to-drive cars I've driven, just so much fun in the city

  14. #59
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    Brilliant pic and a typical Imp stance
    They were superb wee cars and with a really well prepped engine were quick.
    Hence why so many "imp specials" were created which cleand up in club racing !
    Mate competes in historic rally with Clan Crusader
    VERY practical car that was built just 20 miles form my home ... BUT was never really able to knock the Mini off it's perch ! Best looking was the Singer Chamois version with the sports coupe roofline

  15. #60
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    a stand often repeated these days by Rod Jolley's Cooper T45/51, which, in spite of its central engine layout, is a very regular three wheeler....
    "I find the whole business of religion profoundly interesting, but it does mystify me that otherwise intelligent people take it seriously." Douglas Adams

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