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.
 

at 2 minutes twenty seconds here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6sMXCEgAJg
Also 6:55
Also 15:10
Tire deformation from 16:40
More flip 20:40
and 24.35 with slo-mo repeats
Slightly different at 26:50, 31:10
Volkswagen starts 33:40, first flip at 35:35
Another early Corvair test flip series from 45:15
GM engineers spent a lot of time expense and effort to understand the limits. And document the tests for further analysis.
Note matched tests with other models, varied shocks, tire pressures etc. Also, although these much-bashed test drivers are purposefully seeking the limits, the speeds are all quite moderate.
--
Andrew Muzi
am@yellowjersey.org
Open every day since 1 April, 1971