Shopping between BRZ and MX-5. Can't get over torque dip.

[weederr33]

Originally Posted by Atmo

Finally embraced by fellow travellers!

Just fulfilling your request

[humfrz]

Originally Posted by Atmo

What was your time? Years ago I drove a rental 4-banger Camry on the clock and rang in with a 30-minute "sprint" to the top. I claim my excuse for such a pathetic time to having a passenger, Mrs. Atmo, having the annoying habit of grabbing my arm when she thought we were about to plunge off a cliff to the hereafter, about every hundred yards, and that the temp gauge was pegged.

I later learned that the sad rental car showed zero oil on the dipstick.

Mrs. Atmo cured her anxiety on future drives by looking at her feet while praying.

Yep, fun times!

Actually, it wasn't a timed race, it wasn't even a race as such. I had never met the fellow in front of me on the way up, till we stopped at the top. Then we discovered we "knew" each other from the Miata forum.

He was from Canada and was on an around the US trip and we were on a Western trip. We just "ran into each other" on the top of Pikes Peak.

He did have some better tires and a "lighter" co-pilot , other than that, our cars were the same. While his co-pilot was sitting on the back of the seat with her arms barely holding onto the windshield header and screaming with glee, mrs humfrz was hunkered down, clutching on anything she could get ahold of and pounding her right foot on the imaginary brake pedal on her side.

As you know, and the other folks can see, on many of the curves, even on the graveled sections, there weren't many guard rails - one misjudged curve and it's a looooong way down, off of a 14,000 foot high mountain -


humfrz

[Adam_L]

A minor detail ... but a detail none the less, the new Miata has the gas tank on the drivers side .... like the S2K !!! What is the reasoning behind this position ( besides being able to get out and pump gas a bit faster, versus on passenger side) ?

[86MLR]

Originally Posted by Atmo

Gorgeous car.

Sorry about Ricciardo today, he can't catch a break there.

Shit happens, he knew where he was going to be at the start, he should have paid more attention when walking the track, he had enough room without going over that far.

Oh well

[EAGLE5]

Originally Posted by Adam_L

A minor detail ... but a detail none the less, the new Miata has the gas tank on the drivers side .... like the S2K !!! What is the reasoning behind this position ( besides being able to get out and pump gas a bit faster, versus on passenger side) ?

German cars almost always have the gas tank on the passenger side. Then if you run out of gas by the side of the road, you can fill without your ass hanging out in traffic. Or at least that's the reasoning I heard. I far prefer passenger side gas, because most American cars are driver's side, which leads to waiting longer if there is a line.

[Adam_L]

Good point. I mainly heard / reasoned that gas tank on the passenger side means better weight distribution of the car in general ( 10 gallons of gas is about 80 lbs) . The driver has got to weigh at least 100 lbs ... or more. It's counter balancing weight.

[EAGLE5]

Originally Posted by Adam_L

Good point. I mainly heard / reasoned that gas tank on the passenger side means better weight distribution of the car in general ( 10 gallons of gas is about 80 lbs) . The driver has got to weigh at least 100 lbs ... or more. It's counter balancing weight.

Gas tanks are usually located in the center of the car, not off to the side, probably both for optimal weight distribution and safety. The filler neck is not the same as the tank. The FRS tank straddles the drive shaft. Think of a 2.5 gallon water tank from the grocery store. Now put 5 of them together. That's an FRS fuel tank size, approximately, that's pretty damned big, that's not going to fit behind one seat in a Miata or any other reasonably designed car, and that's a relatively small tank. Most cars hold more like 15-16 gallons, and my truck does 32.

Also gas is about 6.3 lbs/gallon, not 8.3 lbs/gallon like water. Water is denser. Remember, oil floats on water.

[Adam_L]

Gotcha, I thought fuel tanks tended to be on the same side of the vehicle as where the filler is ( or even half , and the other half closer to center of vehicle). Maybe I'm stuck in pre- 2000 vehicle mental mode , when cars were designed a bit differently ......must go back to the drawing board!

Gas 6.3 lbs per gallon, got it , so about 70-75 lbs would be a full tank

[EAGLE5]

Originally Posted by Adam_L

Gotcha, I thought fuel tanks tended to be on the same side of the vehicle as where the filler is ( or even half , and the other half closer to center of vehicle). Maybe I'm stuck in pre- 2000 vehicle mental mode , when cars were designed a bit differently ......must go back to the drawing board!

I'm sure there are older cars with gas tanks to the side of the centerline. I just can't think of one. Oh, wait! Here's one. The fuel cell is right behind the driver's seat. Why not centered? Well, the engine is right next to the driver.

https://dpcars.net/dp1v8/20161206_202923.jpg

[Adam_L]

OK, so besides the battery being on the passenger side , what other weight distribution tactics are employed ?

[86MLR]

Originally Posted by jsimon7777

I'm sure there are older cars with gas tanks to the side of the centerline. I just can't think of one. Oh, wait! Here's one. The fuel cell is right behind the driver's seat. Why not centered? Well, the engine is right next to the driver.

https://dpcars.net/dp1v8/20161206_202923.jpg

Morris/Leyland did

I had a old Leyland Mini 1275 GT in the early 80's which had twin tanks, now that was a fun FWD car.

Time to reminisce

[Tokay444]

Originally Posted by humfrz

Yep, my old NC Miata might not have been "fast", but it carried me to the top of Pikes Peak, although I came in 2nd. My buddy from Canada came in first - why? - because his co-pilot was younger and had "no fear".


humfrz

And he was Canadian...

[Sasquachulator]

Originally Posted by Tokay444

And he was Canadian...

I bet he apologized for coming in first

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by Sasquachulator

I bet he apologized for coming in first

Just in case they didn't.


I'm sorry.