ford vs. chevy
ford vs. chevy
Quote:Whats the problem? They make too much power?Using old technology because Americans are generally afraid of new things. I'm amazed there weren't riots in the streets of the south when Toyota was allowed in and the first black man outright won a race (but notice that never made significant news).
[/quote]
It might be more of a catch 22 than anything that keeps the old technology in play.
I once toured a Sunfish or Sailfish production factory where they were making the little sailboats, and the guy running it was really candid about how much he hated that the international boat racing leagues that those little boats are used for has tremendous control over the application of new technology.
He was showing us that he is forced to build all new sailboats using practices and materials come up with in the 50s and 60s, because if he were to upgrade, his new, lighter boat would invalidate all the hundreds of thousands of boats still out there. His new boats have to be identical weight and design to boats built in the Eisenhower era so they can all participate in the same leagues.
Basically, he could not change the way to build them, because if he did, he could not sell them to people who wanted to race them in regattas, which was his entire market. He was telling us that he could shave a couple hundred lbs off one of those boats, and make one that was nearly twice as fast if he had his way, but to do that he would have to basically started another racing league.
It was interesting to hear. I would imagine that the stock car racing circuit has all kinds of restrictions like that, and it can prevent some new innovation. I agree with you, I find stock car racing to be pretty boring. Its not really "stock" cars anymore. It would be one thing if it were still like the old days and I could drive my car from the showroom floor out onto the track, but those days are gone. Thats why I am so excited by the "24 hours of lemons" racing phenomena thats taking place. WAY more fun to watch.
1974 240D 617 turbo swap, W201 5-speed, in the works project
1983 240D 616 stock, DD
1989 Chevy Astro, 617 turbo swap, T5 5-speed, 4.56 diff, work van
Quote:Whats the problem? They make too much power?
Using old technology because Americans are generally afraid of new things. I'm amazed there weren't riots in the streets of the south when Toyota was allowed in and the first black man outright won a race (but notice that never made significant news).
[/quote]
It might be more of a catch 22 than anything that keeps the old technology in play.
I once toured a Sunfish or Sailfish production factory where they were making the little sailboats, and the guy running it was really candid about how much he hated that the international boat racing leagues that those little boats are used for has tremendous control over the application of new technology.
He was showing us that he is forced to build all new sailboats using practices and materials come up with in the 50s and 60s, because if he were to upgrade, his new, lighter boat would invalidate all the hundreds of thousands of boats still out there. His new boats have to be identical weight and design to boats built in the Eisenhower era so they can all participate in the same leagues.
Basically, he could not change the way to build them, because if he did, he could not sell them to people who wanted to race them in regattas, which was his entire market. He was telling us that he could shave a couple hundred lbs off one of those boats, and make one that was nearly twice as fast if he had his way, but to do that he would have to basically started another racing league.
It was interesting to hear. I would imagine that the stock car racing circuit has all kinds of restrictions like that, and it can prevent some new innovation. I agree with you, I find stock car racing to be pretty boring. Its not really "stock" cars anymore. It would be one thing if it were still like the old days and I could drive my car from the showroom floor out onto the track, but those days are gone. Thats why I am so excited by the "24 hours of lemons" racing phenomena thats taking place. WAY more fun to watch.
1974 240D 617 turbo swap, W201 5-speed, in the works project
1983 240D 616 stock, DD
1989 Chevy Astro, 617 turbo swap, T5 5-speed, 4.56 diff, work van
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