drifting error, almost wrecked!
04-12-2009, 11:09 PM
#1
2nd Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Billings, MT
Posts: 462
drifting error, almost wrecked!
So today I had my first real idiot moment with this car, and it almost cost me a wheel, or worse.
I was out taking advantage of the incredicle weather and the fact that there was almost no traffic anywhere due to the Easter holiday. Thankfully, there were no cars on the road...
The car was at a good 15 or 20 degrees from the direction I was travelling, and at WOT in first.. When I do this, I am bouncing off the 6800rpm rev limiter (brenspeed tune), so rather than risk damage to the engine, this time I decided to shift early to 2nd.. I was only travelling around 20-25 mph at the time, and I usually run it up til my tire speed and actual speed are almost identical, then drop 2nd and continue on for another twenty or so feet as it straightens out. (no power adders, just intake and gears). Shifting early revealed my lack of torque for a situation like this, and the tires caught.. unfortunately I was pointed in the wrong direction and had to make a quick adjustment. This would not have been an issue, except I was down to just under 3k rpm now due to the early shift, and without enough power to ease the traction on the rear tires, I started to fishtail. Thankfully, the road was wide and there were no cars, but I came within a few feet of the curb on either side seven times in a row before regaining control..
Needless to say, I was a lot easier on the throttle the rest of the day..
It's scary to think of the dozens of times I have done this (sometimes in heavy traffic).. After drifting around a truck last night, I was marvelling to myself at how well these cars handle in that situation.. Now I am marvelling at how easy it was to to start fishtailing, and how difficult it was to pull out of it..
It even made me think twice about the supercharger.. I mean, what can you LEGALLY do with 450 rwhp that's any fun? (short of taking it to the track, but with a vert, I would be able to do that once before they made me add a lot of safety stuff to race) I guess at just shy of 40, I still have a lot of stupid kid left in me, and I will probably just get myself in trouble if I go FI..
Of course, that's not to say I'm not gonna do it, it just made me think twice..
I was out taking advantage of the incredicle weather and the fact that there was almost no traffic anywhere due to the Easter holiday. Thankfully, there were no cars on the road...
The car was at a good 15 or 20 degrees from the direction I was travelling, and at WOT in first.. When I do this, I am bouncing off the 6800rpm rev limiter (brenspeed tune), so rather than risk damage to the engine, this time I decided to shift early to 2nd.. I was only travelling around 20-25 mph at the time, and I usually run it up til my tire speed and actual speed are almost identical, then drop 2nd and continue on for another twenty or so feet as it straightens out. (no power adders, just intake and gears). Shifting early revealed my lack of torque for a situation like this, and the tires caught.. unfortunately I was pointed in the wrong direction and had to make a quick adjustment. This would not have been an issue, except I was down to just under 3k rpm now due to the early shift, and without enough power to ease the traction on the rear tires, I started to fishtail. Thankfully, the road was wide and there were no cars, but I came within a few feet of the curb on either side seven times in a row before regaining control..
Needless to say, I was a lot easier on the throttle the rest of the day..
It's scary to think of the dozens of times I have done this (sometimes in heavy traffic).. After drifting around a truck last night, I was marvelling to myself at how well these cars handle in that situation.. Now I am marvelling at how easy it was to to start fishtailing, and how difficult it was to pull out of it..
It even made me think twice about the supercharger.. I mean, what can you LEGALLY do with 450 rwhp that's any fun? (short of taking it to the track, but with a vert, I would be able to do that once before they made me add a lot of safety stuff to race) I guess at just shy of 40, I still have a lot of stupid kid left in me, and I will probably just get myself in trouble if I go FI..
Of course, that's not to say I'm not gonna do it, it just made me think twice..
04-12-2009, 11:15 PM
#2
4th Gear Member
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location:
Posts: 1,538
Wow, glad you and the car are safe!!
I think about that question all the time - why do I need all that power in a street car? Simple answer to myself - cause I want it! LOL :P
I think about that question all the time - why do I need all that power in a street car? Simple answer to myself - cause I want it! LOL :P
04-12-2009, 11:18 PM
#3
6th Gear Member
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Montaner
Posts: 6,193
The sooner you get the blower the sooner you get the rest of the stupid kid out of you. That's my plan anyway.
04-12-2009, 11:32 PM
#4
Glad u came out of it ok. Im 38 myself and I act like Im 12 sometimes. Just get the blower or u will never be satisfied.
04-13-2009, 12:02 AM
#5
6th Gear Member
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: North Pole
Posts: 6,716
ah, we all make stupid mistakes. I did the same thing a few years ago, speeding into a corner at near 60mph, spinning out and smacking the rear bumper on a curb... in front of the place I worked, all of staff watching while pointing and laughing, right after I got a promotion to asst.mgr. of a production plant lol.
It was a 93 RX-7 twin turbo.. wrecked it 5 months later.
...
Get the blower!
It was a 93 RX-7 twin turbo.. wrecked it 5 months later.
...
Get the blower!
04-13-2009, 12:34 AM
#6
3rd Gear Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: California
Posts: 944
Your lucky a pole didn't jump out in front of you..... yeah...
04-13-2009, 12:41 AM
#7
4th Gear Member
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: CA
Posts: 1,136
Take some driving lessons from a pro? As much as we all think that we can drive so well. The truth is most people can't drive for ****. I'd like to take some performance lessons just to get a few tips and tricks or something to prevent things like that or learn the best way out of it.
04-13-2009, 01:38 AM
#8
2nd Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Billings, MT
Posts: 462
I'll be the first to admit that I am no pro driver.. haha
I always felt you can't learn how a car is going to react in a bad situation unless you push the envelope occasionally to see what would happen.. And of course that's half the fun, until you wreck.. thankfully, I have never wrecked from doing something stupid like this..
Bah, in another week i will be pushing this car to it's peak every chance I get, I can't kid myself.. it's too damn much fun!
It was just one of those situations where after it happens, you think, "Damn, that could have ended in a bad way."
As far as the supercharger, well, I think I will still get it.. if anything just to show the car off.. I get as much enjoyment, if not more, from the looks I get and the compliments at stoplights as I do from driving like a teenager.. I don't NEED the power, I just want to back up the "show" with the "go".
Funny thing, I just finished writing a book, and even though it is nearly impossible for an unknown author to sell a book to a publisher these days, I keep thinking, all I need is $7k out of this book so i can order the supercharger.. haha. (The truth is, I would just be happy to get $7 out of the book, if it means seeing it on the shelves at Barnes&Noble)
I always felt you can't learn how a car is going to react in a bad situation unless you push the envelope occasionally to see what would happen.. And of course that's half the fun, until you wreck.. thankfully, I have never wrecked from doing something stupid like this..
Bah, in another week i will be pushing this car to it's peak every chance I get, I can't kid myself.. it's too damn much fun!
It was just one of those situations where after it happens, you think, "Damn, that could have ended in a bad way."
As far as the supercharger, well, I think I will still get it.. if anything just to show the car off.. I get as much enjoyment, if not more, from the looks I get and the compliments at stoplights as I do from driving like a teenager.. I don't NEED the power, I just want to back up the "show" with the "go".
Funny thing, I just finished writing a book, and even though it is nearly impossible for an unknown author to sell a book to a publisher these days, I keep thinking, all I need is $7k out of this book so i can order the supercharger.. haha. (The truth is, I would just be happy to get $7 out of the book, if it means seeing it on the shelves at Barnes&Noble)
04-13-2009, 02:11 AM
#9
3rd Gear Member
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Tampa, FL
Posts: 963
i dont want to hijack your thread but i did the dumbest thing ive ever done in my mustang on saturday. I wont go into the details but i got 3 traffic tickets, thrown in the back of a police car and thought i was going to jail.
Since then im afraid to go back in the stang cause what i did was sooooo stupid
Since then im afraid to go back in the stang cause what i did was sooooo stupid
04-13-2009, 07:50 AM
#10
1st Gear Member
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Texas
Posts: 140
i dont want to hijack your thread but i did the dumbest thing ive ever done in my mustang on saturday. I wont go into the details but i got 3 traffic tickets, thrown in the back of a police car and thought i was going to jail.
Since then im afraid to go back in the stang cause what i did was sooooo stupid
Since then im afraid to go back in the stang cause what i did was sooooo stupid