IntenseDebate - Eric Rood

9 years ago @ Hooniverse - Chicago Auto Show: Hoo... · 0 replies · +3 points

Driver's eye view is pretty amazing. Check back tomorrow (as though I need to suggest such a thing to you).

/tease

9 years ago @ Hooniverse - Craigslist Crapshoot · 3 replies · +1 points

MARE-KOO-ER

9 years ago @ Hooniverse - Craigslist Crapshoot · 0 replies · +5 points

Except it's a six-cylinder because I'm a moron.

9 years ago @ Hooniverse - Craigslist Crapshoot · 1 reply · +12 points

A very clean 1980 Celica Supra with code-red interior and window louvers.

<a href="http://cincinnati.craigslist.org/cto/4878352094.html" target="_blank">http://cincinnati.craigslist.org/cto/4878352094.html

9 years ago @ Hooniverse - CraigsList: The nicest... · 0 replies · +3 points

A fair assessment. I'd still buy this car if I had the money because, unlike Alan Cesar's Justy, the parts aren't made from unobtainium.

9 years ago @ Hooniverse - CraigsList: The nicest... · 0 replies · +4 points

The one I saw in LeMons—and to date the only one of these to ever run in LeMons—was a five-door hatch with an automatic run by Byte Marks Racing. I don't remember exactly what broke on it, but they scrapped after only one race.

They replaced it, naturally, with an Escort GT that they still race. In fact, it just finished 10th at Barber at the last LeMons race.

9 years ago @ Hooniverse - 24 Hours of LeMons: 'S... · 0 replies · +5 points

For an overall winner, two hours in the car is more or less the norm. In the California races where it's more competitive, cars with a big fuel cell (24 gallons is the maximum allowed) and a disciplined driver can easily run 3+ hours. To do that requires the driver to go at probably 7-8/10ths most of the time to give a bit of cushion and not break the car. If they're around a class or overall win toward the end of the race, it becomes time to push a little harder.

The beauty of this, to me as also a fan of professional endurance racing, is that's exactly how Le Mans, Sebring, Daytona, et. al. used to be. Twenty-four-hour reliability is generally a development over the last, oh, 15-25 years. Before then, it was all about managing how much fuel, tire, and brakes you were using while also paying mind to the engine, transmission, and clutch AND THEN still trying not to stuff the car into a wall or another car.

The LeMons teams that don't understand this lead races. The teams that do, they win races.

9 years ago @ Hooniverse - 2015 Chicago Auto Show... · 0 replies · +1 points

Makes perfect sense in some part of the multiverse, one of me supposes.

9 years ago @ Hooniverse - 2015 Chicago Auto Show... · 2 replies · +1 points

I've always been confused by the Infiniti branding on the RBR cars.

9 years ago @ Hooniverse - 2015 Chicago Auto Show... · 1 reply · +1 points

Well stated. It seems that if they're going to the trouble to put a flat bottom under the cabin, though, that they'd want clean airflow everywhere underneath the car and having flow through to where it does would induce unwanted turbulence underneath the car.

But as you said, I didn't built the thing so what do I know? I guess turbulence under the car is preferable to turbulence (and resulting drag) at the rear wheel well and/or back of the car where there's already a low-pressure area (and more drag). Supposedly, the i8's drag coefficient is 0.26, so it's at least as efficient as a Prius in that regard.

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