General Driving
Coopz - 2/1/12 at 03:00 PM
So now I'm on the road I have done plenty of miles, and I love it I do building it driving it is by far the best thing I have ever done! But I
almost get the feeling these cars (club bec 
) are almost too quick for daily driving, And I'm worried sick by speed limits, never been a
particularly quick driver unless i know the road is safe too etc...So as far as I can make out its pootling along at 30-40 quick blasts of lines and
when you do hit a B road your at the speed limit before you can blink. What do other people think, do you go like a bat out of hell on your sunday
blasts or just take it all in i'm intrigued.
I should also say Im yet too find a country road with lots of corners braking zones and Haven't yet tracked the kit car although I plan too in
the summer!
David Jenkins - 2/1/12 at 03:16 PM
I get most of my fun out of driving on twisty country roads - mostly at or below the speed limit, just going round corners much faster than the
average tin-top can manage! 
RK - 2/1/12 at 03:19 PM
I feel exactly the same way in mine. I have been not exceeding the speed limit at all if possible, but it is all too easy to do! Just don't focus
on the cute girls turning their heads when you drive by.
I have autoslalomed the car quite a bit, though (on bad road tyres), and know it understeers like mad. This is better for the road (understeer is
built into all new cars), but a bit of a change in setup should cure that! I accelerated once (and I have traction control in my ECU, so the rear does
not spin easily) and thought the car was going to take off into the sunset; zero traction at the front. Set it up for better handling; you can improve
a lot of things with tyre pressures and damper settings.
You no doubt have noticed, that many of these find the ditch in autumn and winter. I hope I remember this when I get mine out in the spring.
[Edited on 2/1/12 by RK]
owelly - 2/1/12 at 03:21 PM
I have a few roads where my car has been known to stretch its legs. The consequences of speeding are many-fold so for me, I try to stick to the signed
speed limits. But once out of them....jungle rules apply. I know my limits and those of my car, but not the limits of the other road (and pavement!)
users so I drive accordingly. There are a few roads up here that are in good condition, have some excellent features and give you plenty of warning of
other users and the BiB. If I get caught speeding, I can live with the consequences. Not so easy if you hurt someone.
Take care and get there. Be safe!
monck - 2/1/12 at 03:36 PM
I tend to take mine up roads like the cat and fiddle in Buxton its not a fast road in terms of top speed as its twisty ect but thats the beauty of it
you don't have to go very fast to make it feel fast ...
Its got cameras now that time you over distance, But with the sheer amount of twisty bits in places your have a job to get near the average speed
limit anyway ..... Bike or car its a mint road .... 
Toprivetguns - 2/1/12 at 03:57 PM
A track is an excellent way to release your inner speed demon !
fullpint - 2/1/12 at 04:13 PM
quote:
Originally posted by Toprivetguns
A track is an excellent way to release your inner speed demon !
I agree.. I love getting to 70 quick but it takes just a few seconds and then you have to ease off on that right foot.. I did have mine up to 90 (on a
private airfield!!) and the thing felt like it was going to take off.. BEC are great fun, just respect them and other's who are on the road
Ivan - 2/1/12 at 04:42 PM
Since rebuilding my Cobra with an extra 200 or so HP, lowering the suspension 2", fitting new shocks, fitting a shift kit in the gearbox to give
harder and more positive shifts and cutting out about 100kg in weight from the front half, I have a lot to learn about it's handling and
traction so understand where you are coming from.
I plan to go through a learning process with it - firstly to find the limits of traction when accelerating from a standstill so I can accelerate as
hard as possible from standstill at the robots without attracting the attention of the law through wheel spin (one of my favourite things) - secondly,
once it is run in I will attend a few track days to find the cornering limits and then thirdly to have some real fun in it on our many super driving
roads in the Cape.
To do the first there is a 1 km stretch of road near my house that is not at all busy during the week and is ideal for acceleration runs, I reckon 10
or so should give me a good feel for traction.
Roll on the next 1000 km by which time it should be run in sufficiently to cane it a bit.
Coopz - 2/1/12 at 07:34 PM
Some interesting points, it seems I may not be alone...Must find a local long stretch of b road I think
beaver34 - 2/1/12 at 07:44 PM
i drive or drove fast, but using your head, not in town not when there are others cars around can still have fun but just be careful
untill a bike overtook me then red mist, haha
no much point in having a fun car and not having fun!
Stuart_B - 2/1/12 at 07:44 PM
i am on edge when driving the mk, in a 30, i will do 30, in a 40 i will do 40, but when i hit a 60, my eyes come of the speedo, and i just look at the
road ahead, it can go over the limt so quickly, and if i am out with a friend, on his bike, we get carried away at times, but only if it safe to do
so
stu
JoelP - 2/1/12 at 07:59 PM
its a fine line we tread, between fun and danger. So easy to get carried away.
eddie99 - 2/1/12 at 08:52 PM
Im lucky enough to be able to travel out of my house for a fair few miles on country b roads so dont tend to look at my speedo, but then again, alot
of them are tight and twisty and wont be breaking the speed limit much....
Its all about the tight and twisty roads in the seven....
bassett - 3/1/12 at 11:00 PM
Hi Toby, Great to hear that you are now on the road. As for driving i tend to try and find the out of the way twisty roads that have sensible limits
which are not very busy, usually down to sevenoaks then towards lewis. Timing is everything to having a good safe blast and that usually means silly o
clock on at the weekend. I had thought of trying to up the power but instead I'am making it a bit more usable and safer with better brake
compounds and softer springs as it is far too hard for bumpy roads.
Adam
bobinspain - 6/1/12 at 07:25 PM
quote:
Originally posted by Coopz
So now I'm on the road I have done plenty of miles, and I love it I do building it driving it is by far the best thing I have ever done! But I
almost get the feeling these cars (club bec ) are almost too quick for daily driving, And I'm worried sick by speed limits, never been a
particularly quick driver unless i know the road is safe too etc...So as far as I can make out its pootling along at 30-40 quick blasts of lines and
when you do hit a B road your at the speed limit before you can blink. What do other people think, do you go like a bat out of hell on your sunday
blasts or just take it all in i'm intrigued.
I should also say Im yet too find a country road with lots of corners braking zones and Haven't yet tracked the kit car although I plan too in
the summer!
Coopz,
A late input from someone who doesn't normally check this thread.
I had a Lotus 340-R in Essex (hinterland, not Romford etc)
and it was the only one anybody would normally see. That, allied to the car's performance and presence made me keep it shiny, new and my pride
and joy.
I'm not a builder (though on my budget, I should be now), but there was a 'special feeling' to driving the car. Quirky, out of the
ordinary and a blast is what ran through my veins every time I drove it. I took it down the roads I got to know and got progressively quicker, but I
99.% knew there was no chance of a horse/idiot creating a problem. Solution: Track days. Yahoo!!
The enjoyment of driving the car and the element of competition, (not to mention nobody coming towards you) means you get a totally different
perspective. Real magic.
My car arrives in 10 days or so and I'll be re-creating the magic of the 340 days at a half the price and twice the exclusivity. (Almost an OAP
is no bar. Keep truckin'
Bob
[Edited on 6/1/12 by bobinspain]