View Single Post
  #2  
Old 11-24-2003, 08:42 PM
Duke2.6 Duke2.6 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Southern California
Posts: 2,272
190Es handle exceptionally well, and the 2.3 has an edge on a real tight course because they are very neutral with little understeer due to less front end weight distribution. My erstwhile '84 2.3 probably had the best combination of ride and handling I've ever experienced once I replaced the OE 175/70SR-14 Michelins with 195/60HR-15 Phoenix Stahlflex 3011s. - dead neutral with very little understeer and a well behaved rear end. The dynamic response was identical to my Cosworth Vega, but without the wooden wheel ride.

My 2.6 still understeers more than I would like even after I put as much negative camber in the front as the adjustment would allow - about negative 3/4 degree. Both my old 2.3 and 2.6 are five-speeds.

The one autocross I ever ran with the 2.6 was at Starfest, and I beat all but one or two of the 16Vs. The biggest problem was lack of a limited slip differential that allowed inside wheel spin acclerating out of the turns, which probably cost me up to one second on a thirty second course.

Ran it at the Willow Springs big track once, and it busted two 205/60VR-15 Michelin XGTVs (mounted on 6.5" 300E wheels) on the left front in Turn 2, which is a long 80 MPH sweeper that takes you through about 200 degrees of azimuth change. The load on the left front was just too much for the tires.

The OE shocks are too soft to control wallow on a high speed trac, but I did it for fun just to see how it would do compared to my Cosworth Vega and second generation MR2.

Overall the 201 (and 124) are pretty tough to beat as touring cars that are also excellent back road athletes.

Duke
Reply With Quote