speedwagon

A "7" is a center balanced car with very little "polar inertia". Where you set on the pendulum is what gives you the driver "the feel". The two extremes would be a short WB pickup and a corvair/ early vw where the tail wags the dog. Any configuration will work with the weight and center of gravity just slightly to the rear and the lower the better. From there on it can get complicated. I have gone fast with a rear engine "sand rail" but much faster with a 55%/45% rear to front "mid engine" both because of the balance and lack of polar inertia. Ps- the "7" is easy to adapt to because you the driver are just to the rear of the center of gravity. just imagine what it would be like to "road race" a top fuel dragster even with less power. john

Think it was back in the 50s that we used a lot of semi-clear zipper tube. Haven't seen it in a long time, but it and color coded wire made modifications and trouble-shooting easier, and provided good chaff protection. lacing is more permanent but does give a lot of rigidity to the loom. (but is difficult with 83 year old fingers). so now it is-- bundle with black tape and either spiral wrap or split loom. or both.

A VW or dune buggy with an SU carb. ultra simple, parts are available and the SU does nearly everything that FI would. I have a crappy Manx clone with top, doors and heat. One of the engines is vnt-turbo-draw thru SU. (no controls except the foot-feed) AND fun to drive, will go places a jeep can't, plus handles well enough to be competitive at Pikes peak back when it was dirt. (will amaze one on asphalt too). BUT WAIT no anti-loc brakes, no GPS, and no AC. I hate modern because it IS NOT "reliable" But would really love a new auto to finish out my remaining years-- that could be trusted to get me "there". My research has shown me that-- "if" I bought a new truck and got a 99k mile warranty it would stand a 25% chance of not leaving me stranded. dare anyone to show the exception. Perhaps my 2007 yota highlander will be the exception. (but it could be in the beloved 25%) Perhaps I will pull "butt-ugly" into the shop for a fresh engine, disk rear brakes and an added AC. BTW it does have electronic "points" but there is always a couple sets of points and condensers in the tool kit. I "like" but do not "like" a "please take me to a dealer". john

I have looked at my ford 5.8 throttle bodies and glanced at my 48 weber side draft and it is easy to decide which to use. (bigger, cheaper, and readily available TPS. My experience with webbers isn't all that good That the "look" is valuable. john

I live in golden valley az (about 300 miles from LA) have 30 acres and room in my shop for emergencies. It is a long miserable trip from LA but is on the way for those escaping. john

I am following this topic as I have an old haltech (e6ex i think) that uses ms dos, and I haven't established the windows 10 will get the job done. Thanks to all here as for me every day is a learning experience.

The major advantage of the SUs is that they tend to mix air and fuel by weight allowing a sea level tune to function well at 14000 feet. This makes the simpler alternative to FI. They can also be sealed and used on "blow thru" applications harder to synchronise but that is not that hard to learn. my carbs of choice john PS the bowl and float make them ideal for hard cornering and off road use.

john b A little high for a beater but if you can justify a possible 50% loss in two years it could well be worth it for the experience, if not run. " I ain't never lost money on something I didn't buy".

my daily go to for the last 3 years is a 2007 Toyota highlander hybrid. Not simple and came with a climate control module that didn't control (an independent electronics shop in misery fixed it for less than $200. since then just oil, filters and tires. Complex is OK if it don't break . And the expectations of 300k are realistic. Front wheel, so not a lot of fun to drive, but it does get out and scoot quite well when asked. My daughter and I call it "perfectly adequate" mpg in the mid 20s. At 83 it could easily be my last. But I do have a 94 f150 that is in process of getting the 500hp ? "lightning Clone" ( and no ford is what I consider reliable especially post jaguar ownership. Current policy is for dealers to make their profit by repairing what the accountants masquerading as engineers give you "the service" (farmers definition). Bottom line is that I would buy another toyota/lexus hybrid, but of an older year where they still used the v6 engines rather than the overworked 4s with the more complex turbos. OR if it is absolute economy you want a Prius. john PS the Miata was hard on my back but the most fun for very small bucks.

I live in the desert AND have a heater and to be honest consider AC some days. Going fast is fun, doing it in comfort is living a dream.

As a person with size 13 feet that actually need a ee width, I don't do heel/toe even in my f150. But a bubble in the foot well is not that hard to construct. Fortunately my Superformance S1 accommodates my feet adequately. But if it didn't there would be a "dogleg" in my side bars. The customer is always right. And most of us are not "jockeys". john

All this from somewhere near Humbolt county.

ditto what he said

a total should sell for 30% of retail value (at best).

My 86 rx-7 was the most pleasant car to work on. Sold my Miata NA (cause it was hurting my back) and bought a Jag xj8, what an owners delight! sic. Like the Superformance and the Rotus based car. john