The same goes in aviation: The venerable T-34B for instance. With only 225hp, you really had to know how to fly to get it to do all of the aerobatic maneuvers. With the T34C, they strapped on a 450hp turboprop, and all you had to do was point the nose….no finesse required.
On Nov 20, 2013, at 10:43 PM, OK Don <okd...@gmail.com> wrote: > I think there are two ways to have fun driving - with lots of power to play > with, and with very little power, requiring you to get the max all the > time. I enjoyed driving the low powered (cheap) '60s sports cars, my VW bug > (1951), and I also enjoyed driving the V8 powered MGA. Most of the rest in > between are boring, which is fine most of the time. > > > On Wed, Nov 20, 2013 at 2:35 PM, Randy Bennell <rbenn...@bennell.ca> wrote: > >> I have commented on the spot that I was thinking about before in other >> posts. When I have driven the old 300D to the lake in the summer I have >> encountered a spot that causes me to wish the car had more ability to >> accelerate. On the outskirts of Kenora, Ontario, the road comes to a T >> intersection with a stop sign. It requires that I stop and then make a 90 >> degree left turn onto the highway to go west to Winnipeg. It is an uphill >> grade for maybe a half mile and I find it hard to get the 76 300D up to >> highway speed until I crest the hill and head down the other side. It is 2 >> lane highway and fairly heavily travelled by transport trucks. I prefer not >> to have to get over onto the shoulder to let them pass me and I really >> don't want to hold them up so I try to pull out when it is an opportune >> time. However, those waiting behind me may not be pleased to wait until I >> let all the big trucks go by either. Most modern cars have pretty good >> acceleration so my old car is not a welcome addition to the mix. Around >> town here it is fine and on the 4 lane at 70+ mph it is fine but merging >> from a slow speed is not one of its strong points. >> >> And, if you read my post, I don't think you will find that I claimed to >> need the horsepower in the truck. I said the new one has more advertised >> power than the old one did and it is noticable and I like it. Modern >> engines with all the fancy controls may be a problem waiting to happen but >> when they work well, they are a joy to drive. >> >> I am not sure but I think the hotrod Mustang version is either turocharged >> or supercharged. I said I don't need that sort of thing but I am willing to >> bet that the new 5 liter in a Mustang would be fun to drive. It would weigh >> a whole lot less than a Supercrew. >> >> I also wonder if one could take one of the late model Lincoln Town Cars >> (2011 was the last I think?) and use components from the Ford Crown >> Victoria police inteceptor suspension and a new 5 liter engine and have a >> hotrod Lincoln. That sounds like fun to me. >> >> A friend is trying to sell a 2009 Town Car right now and if I had a few >> spare $$ and a place to park it, I would cheerfully take it home. It is >> Burgundy and has about 65K miles on it. It may be a bit of a boat, but I >> think I would prefer it to a Miata. >> >> Randy >> >> >> >> On 20/11/2013 2:01 PM, Curt Raymond wrote: >> >>> So what happens if they "run you down"? They step on the brake and honk >>> the horn and blast past you. Who cares? >>> >>> You've fallen for the line that you "need" more power. In reality you >>> "like" more power or maybe even "want" more power but you don't "need" it. >>> In fact most of the time as we've discussed you don't "need" a car at all >>> since your commute is so short. That said there are plenty of reasons for >>> you to have a vehicle and since you are able to support yourself its >>> nobody's place to tell you you can't have one but please don't confuse >>> "need" and "want". >>> >>> I'm not impressed with the 300+HP engines, they make it all at super high >>> RPM. My v8 Dakota was "only" 205ish HP but it made it around 2,000rpm (your >>> 360hp is probably at 4500 or more) and was much more useful. Low RPM hp >>> also equates to more torque. Torque gets things done, HP makes noise and >>> burns gas. >>> >>> -Curt >>> >>> >>> Date: Wed, 20 Nov 2013 12:09:06 -0600 >>> From: Randy Bennell <rbenn...@bennell.ca> >>> To: Mercedes Discussion List <mercedes@okiebenz.com> >>> Subject: Re: [MBZ] horsepower >>> Message-ID: <528cfac2.70...@bennell.ca> >>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed >>> >>> I am not so sure that I agree with you all. >>> >>> I can drive my old 300D and it does reasonably well, but there are times >>> when it could use a bit more. For example, pulling onto the highway from >>> a dead stop with a 90 degree turn and uphill for the next half mile or >>> so. I have to be careful not to be run down. >>> >>> My current F150 has the new 5 liter and I can say without a doubt that I >>> like it more than the 5.4 that was in my 2002 version. >>> If I keep my foot out of it, it appears to be making better mileage than >>> the earlier one did and if I step on it, I get a nice growl. >>> I have not yet needed to hit it hard so I don't know what it will do if >>> pushed, but so far I like it fine and I am willing to bet it could be a >>> whole lot of fun in a Mustang. >>> I don't need the 400+ HP version but this one is rated at 360HP and that >>> suits me fine so far. >>> >>> Randy >>> _______________________________________ >>> http://www.okiebenz.com >>> >>> To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ >>> >>> To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: >>> http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com >>> >> >> >> _______________________________________ >> http://www.okiebenz.com >> >> To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ >> >> To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: >> http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com >> > > > > -- > OK Don > "They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary > safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety." - Benjamin Franklin 1775 > "in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes." > - Benjamin Franklin 1789 > 2013 F150, 18 mpg > 2012 Passat TDI DSG, 44 mpg > 1957 C182A, 12 mpg - but at 150 mph! > _______________________________________ > http://www.okiebenz.com > > To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ > > To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: > http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com _______________________________________ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
