My god! Almost cashed her in today!
04-25-02, 12:48 AM
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My god! Almost cashed her in today!
I just got back from the shop after having some stuff done to my 7. I was feeling good, car was running strong (too strong) and like a dumb *** I almost wrecked the damn thing good.
I was turning right on to a freeway on-ramp, you know the ones, sharp up hill right hand turn the sign says 20 MPH? well, I think I was doing about 45, it didn't feel that fast, I took my eyes off the road to look at my temp gauge, and I felt the back end slipping out of the turn.
It didn't feel too bad, I got off the gas, slightly steered into the slide and the car seemed to come back. I feathered the gas and BAM! the *** came all the way around to the left! I had no choice but to lock up the wheels. Damn Goodyear GT+4 tires grip like hockey pucks. The car slides up the ramp backwards for about 10 feet before the engine stalls and I come to a rest facing the wrong way off to the side of the road.
I sat there for about 5 seconds as an old man in a mini van passes me with that disapproving look on his face like my dad used to give me. So I restarted, had to do a mini doughnut to get back facing the right way and drove back home with a new respect for my driving limitations and those of the car.
My question is has anyone else here nearly FUBAR-ed their RX-7? If so I'd like to hear about it. I could use some company about now.
I was turning right on to a freeway on-ramp, you know the ones, sharp up hill right hand turn the sign says 20 MPH? well, I think I was doing about 45, it didn't feel that fast, I took my eyes off the road to look at my temp gauge, and I felt the back end slipping out of the turn.
It didn't feel too bad, I got off the gas, slightly steered into the slide and the car seemed to come back. I feathered the gas and BAM! the *** came all the way around to the left! I had no choice but to lock up the wheels. Damn Goodyear GT+4 tires grip like hockey pucks. The car slides up the ramp backwards for about 10 feet before the engine stalls and I come to a rest facing the wrong way off to the side of the road.
I sat there for about 5 seconds as an old man in a mini van passes me with that disapproving look on his face like my dad used to give me. So I restarted, had to do a mini doughnut to get back facing the right way and drove back home with a new respect for my driving limitations and those of the car.
My question is has anyone else here nearly FUBAR-ed their RX-7? If so I'd like to hear about it. I could use some company about now.
04-25-02, 12:59 AM
#3
Lives on the Forum
Goodyear GT+4's SUCK! 
I've only crashed my FC twice...
Once doing mountain roads and ran into an S-turn that was blind; I know this road VERY well.  I saw FLOWERS all over the turn - oh oh.  It was going relatively slow (under 30mph), turned - no response...tapped the brake - response...aw hell, nosed it into the bushes a few feet.  The only way I would've gotten out of it was to yank the handbrake and power oversteer like crazy!
The second time was me being stupid.  Trying to complete an S-drift (boy do you see a theme building?) and I cleared the first turn no problem.  This was, again, relatively slow at around 35mph...pulled handbrake to get the back end to swing the other way, and boy did it come back around - it snap spun on me so fast I panicked and ended up going into a shallow ditch on the side.  Knocked my PIAA's to hell and bent some crush structure under the passenger side headlamp...
-Ted
I've only crashed my FC twice...
Once doing mountain roads and ran into an S-turn that was blind; I know this road VERY well.  I saw FLOWERS all over the turn - oh oh.  It was going relatively slow (under 30mph), turned - no response...tapped the brake - response...aw hell, nosed it into the bushes a few feet.  The only way I would've gotten out of it was to yank the handbrake and power oversteer like crazy!
The second time was me being stupid.  Trying to complete an S-drift (boy do you see a theme building?) and I cleared the first turn no problem.  This was, again, relatively slow at around 35mph...pulled handbrake to get the back end to swing the other way, and boy did it come back around - it snap spun on me so fast I panicked and ended up going into a shallow ditch on the side.  Knocked my PIAA's to hell and bent some crush structure under the passenger side headlamp...
-Ted
04-25-02, 01:05 AM
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Mulholland highway....tried to take a corner that LOOKED slow @ a high speed (45 mph)...the corner started turning tighter and tighter...let off gas (big mistake) and spun to all hell.
I hit a lamp post with my pass. side...door completely totalled. Fortunately nothing else was damaged.
Why must we all learn it the hard way?
I hit a lamp post with my pass. side...door completely totalled. Fortunately nothing else was damaged.
Why must we all learn it the hard way?
04-25-02, 01:38 AM
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Mulholland! I love that road! I grew up in Topanga. It's a great drive through old Topanga road down to Mulholland and up through Chatsworth. Gotta watch the twisty turns though, there always a guy on a bicycle around a blind turn, or a CHP cruiser lurking about.
04-25-02, 02:11 AM
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I was up near Lick Observatory in San Jose. Drifting with a friend, going about 45mph. Left turn comes up and I took it, not to drift, just to turn. The tires turn but the car keeps going straight. It was a hot day and the road was recently re-paved. No guardrail and lots of slick tar. My FC slid of the cliff and went down 180 ft (according to the police report). I think it went down more. Rip off my pre-cat and main cat and cost about $900 to get out.
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04-25-02, 02:36 AM
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200 feet from the street light to the 2 storey building...im at the stop. 2am monday morning...just after partying all weekend with barely any sleep. according to the police report, no less than 65mph straight into the building and total damage the building structure. had to pay that crap for a long time...i was driving a 87TII with convertible bbs wheels and the year was 92 in the summer.
04-25-02, 02:39 AM
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Lol, considering the car didn't get hurt, you didn't get hurt, and nobody else got hurt, I'd say you learned a very expensive lesson for free! I'm glad to hear you're ok though. I was running my Celica on the Old Santa Cruz Hwy once, and just completed a really sweet line through an S-turn(I hear you on that one Ted), and whilst marveling at my own driving genious, I failed to notice the sharp 90 degree left up ahead and started turning 20 feet too late, and 20 miles too fast. I got lucky, no body damage, but I did manage to mess up my alignment pretty bad and destroy a front strut in the process. That was my first run on that road too. Lol, needless to say, I drive a little more conservatively on new territory. And especially since I'm driving RWD now, I drive like I'm scared shitless. No one should ever feel comfortable on the road until they've made EVERY mistake a few times on the track or in a parking lot. Drive safe guys
Steve
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04-25-02, 07:02 PM
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LOL, I'm glad nobody's been hurt too bad. I hope this will be the last time that I come close to wrecking my car. Parts are too expensive and too hard to come by.
And don't forget we share the road with ah, other drivers. So I think the only curves I take fast will be on a woman.
And don't forget we share the road with ah, other drivers. So I think the only curves I take fast will be on a woman.
04-25-02, 07:35 PM
#12
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Originally posted by Hephaestus
LOL, I'm glad nobody's been hurt too bad. I hope this will be the last time that I come close to wrecking my car. Parts are too expensive and too hard to come by.
And don't forget we share the road with ah, other drivers. So I think the only curves I take fast will be on a woman.
LOL, I'm glad nobody's been hurt too bad. I hope this will be the last time that I come close to wrecking my car. Parts are too expensive and too hard to come by.
And don't forget we share the road with ah, other drivers. So I think the only curves I take fast will be on a woman.
04-25-02, 09:38 PM
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Driving in the snow! Very fun! My TII goes good in the snow until the turbo spools up in third gear and the car spins out, the rear end missing on coming traffic by about an inch. Some people say I am stupid for driving it in the winter, It went up hills better then most front wheel drives. And never got suck. I mean steep hills and plowing snow with the front bumper. I live in Nelson BC we get alot of snow. But I am never driving it in the winter now. I want to keep it nice, no rust. Safe driving guys, remeber, keep the shinny side up.
04-26-02, 05:44 PM
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Three times
Sadly, but luckily I have had two near-crashes.
The first time was when I was driving on a narrow, curvy, hilly road. I went around a hair-pin turn, and the Rex decides shes not gonna turn at all. There was sand on he road that messed up my traction. I missed a tree with the passenger door by about 4 inches (thank god for BIG brakes).
The second time was the other day. I was driving over a blind hill at about 45 (Speed Limit was 30). Well I crest the hill, unhappily to see this ******* in and old POS Subaru pull out in front of me. Now, if I was in his position, I would have floored it to get out of the way as much as possible. However, he decided to stop halfway in my lane. Somehow, due to my excellent driving skills, I managed to put the REX between his front fender and a telephone pool. When I stopped (there was no room to continue foward) my door was about 3-6 inches from his front bumper, and the right front bumper was about a foot from the pole! THANK GOD I didn't hit him, because four days earlier, I had just paid for $1600 in cosmetice repairs ($900 due to my mothers POOR backing skills in a Durango).
There have been other events such as ******** pulling in front of me, and random by-yourself-no-one-saw-you spins, but none where as scary as those.
Mike
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no mods (yet!)
The first time was when I was driving on a narrow, curvy, hilly road. I went around a hair-pin turn, and the Rex decides shes not gonna turn at all. There was sand on he road that messed up my traction. I missed a tree with the passenger door by about 4 inches (thank god for BIG brakes).
The second time was the other day. I was driving over a blind hill at about 45 (Speed Limit was 30). Well I crest the hill, unhappily to see this ******* in and old POS Subaru pull out in front of me. Now, if I was in his position, I would have floored it to get out of the way as much as possible. However, he decided to stop halfway in my lane. Somehow, due to my excellent driving skills, I managed to put the REX between his front fender and a telephone pool. When I stopped (there was no room to continue foward) my door was about 3-6 inches from his front bumper, and the right front bumper was about a foot from the pole! THANK GOD I didn't hit him, because four days earlier, I had just paid for $1600 in cosmetice repairs ($900 due to my mothers POOR backing skills in a Durango).
There have been other events such as ******** pulling in front of me, and random by-yourself-no-one-saw-you spins, but none where as scary as those.
Mike
---------
86 NA
no mods (yet!)
04-26-02, 06:10 PM
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Damn, good save man!
I had a near miss last weekend on one of my frequent trips to Angeles Crest Forest. I was driving my G20t up Mt. Wilson pretty fast. For those who have taken the road to Mt. Wilson, you know how challenging that small road is. There was a long blind right hand curve that I was gong the perfect speed on with some drift...until I noticed a huge rock on the inside of the curve in my way. I let go of the accelerator and moved to the outside, but then rear end drifted out too much and I was sliding sidways to a wall.
I slid into the dirt and luckily I wasn't going too fast since I stopped before I hit the wall. It's a good thing too, because the driver's rear quater panel would've been hit first and that's a pain to have fixed.
Who says FF can't drift?
I've had lots of near misses in the AE. The dumbest one was when I has some used, sun-dried tires in the rear. I mad a sharp curve in the parking lot, but I ended up doing a 180 since these things had so little traction. Almost ran into two other cars. I know not to buy used tires anymore...
I had a near miss last weekend on one of my frequent trips to Angeles Crest Forest. I was driving my G20t up Mt. Wilson pretty fast. For those who have taken the road to Mt. Wilson, you know how challenging that small road is. There was a long blind right hand curve that I was gong the perfect speed on with some drift...until I noticed a huge rock on the inside of the curve in my way. I let go of the accelerator and moved to the outside, but then rear end drifted out too much and I was sliding sidways to a wall.
I slid into the dirt and luckily I wasn't going too fast since I stopped before I hit the wall. It's a good thing too, because the driver's rear quater panel would've been hit first and that's a pain to have fixed. Who says FF can't drift?
I've had lots of near misses in the AE. The dumbest one was when I has some used, sun-dried tires in the rear. I mad a sharp curve in the parking lot, but I ended up doing a 180 since these things had so little traction. Almost ran into two other cars. I know not to buy used tires anymore...
Last edited by AE Turbo; 04-26-02 at 06:14 PM.
04-26-02, 06:12 PM
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No near misses for me, unfourtunetly. Just 1 incident, with my fairly new (but not completely functional) FD. Going around an S-turn that, in the dry, can be taken at 60+. Bloody stupid mistake to try taking it quickly in the rain. Lost the back end, corrected. It snapped around in the opposite direction, jumped the curb (with the drop on this thing, I found the fact it made it over the curb quite surprising), nailed a lampost, continued spinning, and ran backwards into a tree. Insurance totaled the car when the damage estimate was at 10k and climbing. It was a heavily modded car too. Haltech, single turbo, some suspension stuff, street ported, with 2mm/2 piece seals (only reason it could get from one place to another, thanks to the last owner, who cracked a seal) To summarize: Yes, I'm an idiot. Yes, I learned my lesson. No, I will not do anything quite that stupid again (at least not in the rain)...
04-26-02, 07:50 PM
#18
Ho's and Cadillac Doors
I have a couple near totaled experiences. One was at the drag strip, They were running a bunch of different classes and it just so happens they were running the pro street series right before my class was up. This one Nova takes off and his hood flew off, not sure what happened right after that cause I couldnt see too well but something got smashed all to hell cause it left **** all over the track. So they go out and clean it up, and I am running next. I was in the right lane and I was running against an Eclipse GS-T. Light turns green and we get about 1/8 mile down the track, and he must have hit something left over on the track from the last guy because it blew out one of his tires. So his car yanks over towards my lane and he tries to get it under control and totally spins out, almost sliding right into the side of me. The funny thing is, if that hadn't have have happened, he would have wiped my ***, that was a really fast car.
Second moron experience was like so many I read above. Well, mine was probably a little dumber. It's raning out and im at a stop sign about to turn right. I decide to be a dick and give a little juice in first gear when im going around the turn just to slide the tail out a little. Well, I gave it a little too much juice and I ended up totally sideways, just as a minivan was coming towards me in the opposite lane (2 way stop sign)> He slams on his brakes just before I get the car back around, and I give him the friendly "I know Im an *******" wave. That mistake was 5 years ago though when I was 16 and got my liscense. Thank god i learned to drive after that.
Second moron experience was like so many I read above. Well, mine was probably a little dumber. It's raning out and im at a stop sign about to turn right. I decide to be a dick and give a little juice in first gear when im going around the turn just to slide the tail out a little. Well, I gave it a little too much juice and I ended up totally sideways, just as a minivan was coming towards me in the opposite lane (2 way stop sign)> He slams on his brakes just before I get the car back around, and I give him the friendly "I know Im an *******" wave. That mistake was 5 years ago though when I was 16 and got my liscense. Thank god i learned to drive after that.
04-26-02, 08:09 PM
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2ndGen.rocket
I drive like grandma in the rain now.
04-26-02, 08:22 PM
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i was on this really damn *** curvy road, speed limit is 25 and im doing over 3 times that, i sling the back end around one corner and prepare to wrap it around the oposite corner coming up and BOOM!!!!! my **** did a 180 and landed in the other lane facing the right direction... weirdest **** ever, Scared the hell out of my passenger and myself, its all good though, like one guy said on here, "a very expensive lesson learned for free".. i couldn't have said it better.
04-26-02, 08:58 PM
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Well I used to get my old 280Z to drift quite nicely in the rain. ONe time I was out late (approx 3am) cruising to my house with a vanload of friends following behind me. I came to an intersection thats got a really good shape for light drift (BTW I checked, this intersection was empty in ALL directions). Lemme see if I can try and draw the lines for you...
Basically its shaped like an X and to make a left turn you have to either drive straight a ways and then make a slow and sharp left turn. OR drive cornerways towards your lane and then floor it to get the back end to slid outward, which will line you up perfectly for your lane if done correctly. Plus its loads of fun when theres no one around. Well on this adventure (since the town was SOOO utterly dead) I decided to make a little wider drift curve. Well as I was finishing off the drift and coming back to center the back end got really squirly and I found myself trying to make REALLY quick corrections with no power steering and a high steering box ratio (isnt that what its called? Something like that. You know when you have to turn the wheel a million times to get it to do anything. Plus the steering on it is REALLY stiff and hard to work with under normal driving, let alone quick corrections.) So anyway I ended up pulling a 180 and rolling backwards facing my friends van (who was barely coming into the turn) I could see me all wide and nervously laughing. I'm laughing my head off since I knew there was practically ZERO danger involved. The road I was on was an EXTREMELY wide 4 lane industrial road. I'd read previously that if you get in a 180 situation you NEED to hit the clutch in, otherwise you could seriously damage your tranny. So luckily it had gone from "Something I read" to "Instinct." Needless to say I better learned the point at which I'm going to lose all control with that car. Now I just need to learn it with the T2 I'm supposed to be getting in the mail....
Edit: The drawing didn't format properly in the final message...
Basically its shaped like an X and to make a left turn you have to either drive straight a ways and then make a slow and sharp left turn. OR drive cornerways towards your lane and then floor it to get the back end to slid outward, which will line you up perfectly for your lane if done correctly. Plus its loads of fun when theres no one around. Well on this adventure (since the town was SOOO utterly dead) I decided to make a little wider drift curve. Well as I was finishing off the drift and coming back to center the back end got really squirly and I found myself trying to make REALLY quick corrections with no power steering and a high steering box ratio (isnt that what its called? Something like that. You know when you have to turn the wheel a million times to get it to do anything. Plus the steering on it is REALLY stiff and hard to work with under normal driving, let alone quick corrections.) So anyway I ended up pulling a 180 and rolling backwards facing my friends van (who was barely coming into the turn) I could see me all wide and nervously laughing. I'm laughing my head off since I knew there was practically ZERO danger involved. The road I was on was an EXTREMELY wide 4 lane industrial road. I'd read previously that if you get in a 180 situation you NEED to hit the clutch in, otherwise you could seriously damage your tranny. So luckily it had gone from "Something I read" to "Instinct." Needless to say I better learned the point at which I'm going to lose all control with that car. Now I just need to learn it with the T2 I'm supposed to be getting in the mail....
Edit: The drawing didn't format properly in the final message...
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