kb58
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| posted on 15/9/11 at 01:03 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Alan B
Hats off to Kurt for voicing what many (including myself) were thinking...
Well, I currently work in Field Support and have been told more than once that "you're holding a gun to the customer's head."
I often come across as harsh because instead of beating around the bush and/or candy-coating things, I just say what I'm thinking. Also got
called "suspension Nazi" by someone who got offended that I wasn't heaping positive comments on his bad rear suspension design. Even
AFTER I said it would cause him to someday spin off the road backwards, and even after he DID spin off the road backwards, he still was so pissed at
me he wouldn't admit he did anything wrong.
Okay, where was I... oh yeah. Their wheel geometry might be great, and they may have excellent camber control. I was just wonderring out loud why they
did what they did, and that it seems like it could have been made simpler, cheaper, and stronger...
Mid-engine Locost - http://www.midlana.com
And the book - http://www.lulu.com/shop/kurt-bilinski/midlana/paperback/product-21330662.html
Kimini - a tube-frame, carbon shell, Honda Prelude VTEC mid-engine Mini: http://www.kimini.com
And its book -
http://www.lulu.com/shop/kurt-bilinski/kimini-how-to-design-and-build-a-mid-engine-sports-car-from-scratch/paperback/product-4858803.html
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kb58
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| posted on 15/9/11 at 01:07 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Neville Jones
... The workmanship is very nice...
As part of earning the title "Suspension Nazi", I've said, "Good workmanship has nothing to do with good engineering."
Mid-engine Locost - http://www.midlana.com
And the book - http://www.lulu.com/shop/kurt-bilinski/midlana/paperback/product-21330662.html
Kimini - a tube-frame, carbon shell, Honda Prelude VTEC mid-engine Mini: http://www.kimini.com
And its book -
http://www.lulu.com/shop/kurt-bilinski/kimini-how-to-design-and-build-a-mid-engine-sports-car-from-scratch/paperback/product-4858803.html
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Neville Jones
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| posted on 15/9/11 at 10:37 AM |
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You can have the prettiest piece of gear on earth, but still be useless. 
Same goes for 60's suspension thinking. Oh, and those who follow Staniforth religiously. 
Cheers,
Nev.
No comments from the Fla backrow either!
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Ivan
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| posted on 15/9/11 at 11:18 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Neville Jones
You can have the prettiest piece of gear on earth, but still be useless.
Same goes for 60's suspension thinking. Oh, and those who follow Staniforth religiously.
Cheers,
Nev.
No comments from the Fla backrow either!
Neville - just a question from the uninformed novice - who does such a novice follow who provides understandable explanations if not Staniforth - and
if you follow him will the result be midfield in non professional classes (which is good for a novice design) or last in the field?
Maybe it's time you wrote a Staniforth type book that would keep us on the right track, given your level of expertise and experience - I know I
would buy it, if only to increase my general knowledge about things automotive.
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Neville Jones
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| posted on 15/9/11 at 01:57 PM |
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Staniforth was a journalist. Wrote and repeated much. Nuff said.
A book???? Nah, I don't know enough to write a book, you'd have to talk to the people I work alongside past and present to get enough to
write a book.
If you want a book, buy one of van Valkenberg's. And even he admits that it would not be in his best interest to publish all of what he utilises
in his work. A nice fella, I've met him, he knows his stuff.
Cheers,
Nev.
[Edited on 15/9/11 by Neville Jones]
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Alan B
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| posted on 15/9/11 at 02:18 PM |
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+ 1 on Van Volkenburgh
I used to get his newsletters (I must find out why they stopped....) as you say very knowledgeable and in-depth...I think he writes for Racecar
engineering magazine or similar, if I'm not mistaken.
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Ivan
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| posted on 16/9/11 at 03:30 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Neville Jones
Staniforth was a journalist. Wrote and repeated much. Nuff said.
A book???? Nah, I don't know enough to write a book, you'd have to talk to the people I work alongside past and present to get enough to
write a book.
If you want a book, buy one of van Valkenberg's. And even he admits that it would not be in his best interest to publish all of what he utilises
in his work. A nice fella, I've met him, he knows his stuff.
Cheers,
Nev.
[Edited on 15/9/11 by Neville Jones]
Thanks for the reference - will definitely get one of his books.
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phelpsa
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| posted on 16/9/11 at 06:51 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Alan B
+ 1 on Van Volkenburgh
I used to get his newsletters (I must find out why they stopped....) as you say very knowledgeable and in-depth...I think he writes for Racecar
engineering magazine or similar, if I'm not mistaken.
+2 although I still maintain for understanding the basics of the effect of basic suspension geometry, you can't go far wrong with Staniforth.
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Benonymous
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| posted on 20/9/11 at 04:04 AM |
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I think it's unfair to tip a bucket on Alan Staniforth. His books were very much aimed at the hobby/privateer constructor on a small budget.
He could not have forseen how computers and other exotic design tools would one day be available at a cost that can be borne by the hobbyist. I have
owned the "Race and Rally Car Source Book" for many yaears and I often refer to it. I no longer consider it holy writ and as I've
also never built a car, it's just one reference I might use if I were to do so.
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