chad@en.ecn.purdue.edu (Chad R Mccubbins) (02/22/90)
>Phil Ethier writes, in reference to my Far East BritClone: >>Don't tell me, let me guess: Datsun roadster? >No, guess again. Not Datsun 2000, eh possibly A Miata ? Chad McCubbins chad@en.ecn.purdue.edu 'The shape of things to come........ and go.'
ejd@iris.brown.edu (02/22/90)
Chad McCubbins wins the 1990 edition of 'Guess which car I drive', and will be awarded the traditional prize of a Laurel, and Hardy handshake. Congratulations, and thanks for playing! Next up ... what's the average life of a Triumph Stag purchased off a used-car lot? Hint - it's less than you think! ed d.
phile@pwcs.stpaul.gov (Philip J Ethier) (02/22/90)
> > > >Phil Ethier writes, in reference to my Far East BritClone: > >>Don't tell me, let me guess: Datsun roadster? > > >No, guess again. > > > Not Datsun 2000, eh possibly A Miata ? > > > Chad McCubbins > chad@en.ecn.purdue.edu > 'The shape of things to come........ and go.' > Congratulations, Chad. Was that an Oliver Hardy handshake? Maybe a Stan Laurel handshake would be more fitting. After all, Stan was British. I don't see the Miata as a real clone, though. There are several real inovations there, like the subframe running back to the diff. The Datsuns, now, they were clones, right down to the SUs and the teeth-rattling ride. phile@pwcs.stpaul.gov > > -- Login name: phile In real life: Philip J Ethier Phone: 298-5324
sfisher@abingdon.wpd.sgi.com (Scott Fisher) (02/23/90)
> >Phil Ethier writes, in reference to my Far East BritClone: > >>Don't tell me, let me guess: Datsun roadster? > > >No, guess again. > > > Not Datsun 2000, eh possibly A Miata ? > > Congratulations, Chad. Was that an Oliver Hardy handshake? Maybe a Stan Laurel handshake would be more fitting. After all, Stan was British. I don't see the Miata as a real clone, though. There are several real inovations there, like the subframe running back to the diff. Ever see an Elan with its clothes off? I didn't think so. The Elan (and the Europa) used exactly the same principle, except that they hung fiberglass panels instead of steel (and they used MacPherson/Chapman struts instead of dual A-arms). The Datsuns, now, they were clones, right down to the SUs and the teeth-rattling ride. phile@pwcs.stpaul.gov My dad and I were talking cars about a year ago. I mentioned the Miata, which I had only seen in photos at that time. "Miata? Isn't that the car that looks like a little Lotus?" he asked. "No," I said, "it looks like a big Lotus."
phile@pwcs.stpaul.gov (Philip J Ethier) (02/23/90)
Actually, Scott, I have seen an Elan with its clothes off. The backbone frame is just that, the primary structural part of the car. It supports the largly unstressed body, the engine, transmission, suspension components and differential. The Miata is not built like this. The main structural member is the monocoque (damn, unibody is easier to spell) itself. The subframe to which I was referring is vibrationally isolated from the unibody and supports only the engine, transmission and differential. It does not support the body, but is supported BY the body which in turn is supported by the suspension. This arrangement, along with the absence of the rubber doughnuts in the driveline, helps to eliminate the "rubber band" loping that Elan owners know so well. Put another way, this subrame unites engine, tranmission and differential into one unit, not unlike the single-unit effect in a mid-engine car. Not to stray too far from British cars, but maybe our Miata-driving folks can pass on the factory claims for this design. Miata was suposed to be a light-weight, inexpensive sport car. It is neither. The Spridget is. (Yes I know Loti are lighter, but inexpensive?) phile@pwcs.stpaul.gov -- Login name: phile In real life: Philip J Ethier Phone: 298-5324
waynea@ursa-major.spdcc.com (Wayne Angevine) (02/23/90)
>Chad McCubbins wins the 1990 edition of 'Guess which car I drive', and will >be awarded the traditional prize of a Laurel, and Hardy handshake. >Congratulations, and thanks for playing! Now that we've cleared that up, I'll admit to being the Roadster driver (or more accurately, the Roadster mechanic supporter.) Wayne
gsds@uunet.uu.net (K.C.Babb) (02/23/90)
Re: Elans and Miatas-- >Ever see an Elan with its clothes off? I didn't think so. >The Elan (and the Europa) used exactly the same principle, >except that they hung fiberglass panels instead of steel >(and they used MacPherson/Chapman struts instead of dual >A-arms). Yeah, but I think Mazda had the brains to use decent materials for the metal frame (they had to get that extra 800 lbs. some- where, right?)--the Elan frame is made of fairly flimsy sheet metal. I think the body panels on our Rx-7 are stiffer. Something tells me there won't be many Miatas pulling out their lower-arm attachment points in the rear (a fairly com- mon failure in raced Elans). >"Miata? Isn't that the car that looks like a little Lotus?" >he asked. >"No," I said, "it looks like a big Lotus." Interesting point--you really don't think of the Miata as "large" until it sits next to an Elan. We parked next to a blue Miata (the colors are almost a match) at an auto- cross last year, and from a distance it looked like a pair of scale models; one 3/4 scale, one 1/2 scale. The Mazda is longer, wider, and taller. I don't think the size difference justifies the weight difference, though. If the Miata had come in under 2000 lbs. I'd probably sell my mother to get one. Since it didn't, I think we can wait until the dealer gouging subsides a bit. Anybody have any strong reactions to the "new Elan"? Looks too much like a Fiero for my taste, and I can't see paying that kind of money for FWD (gag), even if we won the lottery and could afford to. But the published power figures are reasonably impressive for that size of car. Too bad the GM influence shows so much. KCB