Re: repairs and obsolescence ish

On 5/9/2025 8:03 PM, Frank Krygowski wrote:

On 5/9/2025 12:56 PM, AMuzi wrote:

On 5/9/2025 11:51 AM, Catrike Ryder wrote:

On Fri, 9 May 2025 08:58:15 -0500, AMuzi <am@yellowjersey.org> wrote:
>

Small clarification on the dates regarding Mr Nader.
>
His strongest criticisms were for Volkswagen and Corvair
rear swing axles. Both manufacturers had already planned
their improved IRS models; Corvairs were on the road in USA
from September 1964, before Mr Nader published in January 1965. (Volkswagen didn't change over until autumn 1967 for
the 1968 model year)

>
Not that the swing axles were inherently dangerous, except to
loudmouth, self serving jackasses like Nader who didn't even have a
driver's licence when he wrote about Corvairs. Porsche 356 Speedsters
had swing axles and many of them were raced successfully.

>
Well, yes. Except Ernie Kovacs.

 James Dean died in a swing axle Porsche, but I don't know that things would have been different if it had different suspension.
 I think swing axles were more stable with cars with lower centers of mass.
 

Right. Mr Dean was killed when two fast moving cars collided at an uncontrolled rural intersection, so equipment is irrelevant (except maybe driver's software).
Mr Kovacs discovered a noted failure mode of the system; too high a speed on a highway off ramp. His car flipped with him in it. Fatally.
--
Andrew Muzi
am@yellowjersey.org
Open every day since 1 April, 1971