Path: news.eternal-september.org!eternal-september.org!.POSTED!not-for-mail
From: AMuzi <am@yellowjersey.org>
Newsgroups: rec.bicycles.tech
Subject: Re: repairs and obsolescence ish
Date: Fri, 9 May 2025 21:00:07 -0500
Organization: Yellow Jersey, Ltd.
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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.
> 

Right. Mr Dean was killed when two fast moving cars collided 
at an uncontrolled rural intersection, so equipment is 
irrelevant (except maybe driver's software).

Mr Kovacs discovered a noted failure mode of the system; too 
high a speed on a highway off ramp. His car flipped with him 
in it. Fatally.

-- 
Andrew Muzi
am@yellowjersey.org
Open every day since 1 April, 1971