[QUOTE]Originally posted by FMC: The fact you have to stiffen up a chassis (read ADD WEIGHT) to make it a convertible, flies in the face of reason for a race car.
QUOTE]

This is true, but I never let that get in the way of turning a convertible into a racecar. Open top adds to the sensation of speed with the wind noise, etc. But you do pay a weight penalty as you pointed out.

Would not hurt if it has a nice exhaust note to accompany a +7000 RPM redline.

quote:

Originally posted by eezridr:
Would not hurt if it has a nice exhaust note to accompany a +7000 RPM redline.

I shifted mine at 8,000!

Ahhhh the exhaust note. The Spider has Tubis and shifts at 7500.

I had the Vanquish's exhaust bypass bypassed to get that V12 growl throughout the revs.

I went to trade in my SL 55 for the DB9 and drove the Vanquish. Pressed the button and.........................the exhaust note alone is worth the $100K difference.

The Vanquish is one FINE looking car. IMO, the Astons are the best looking cars ever made.
Trying to talk my wife into selling her SL 550 and buying a SL63 AMG (for the exhaust note & 7200 redline!)

quote:

Originally posted by FMC:
Ahhhh the exhaust note. The Spider has Tubis and shifts at 7500.

I had the Vanquish's exhaust bypass bypassed to get that V12 growl throughout the revs.

I went to trade in my SL 55 for the DB9 and drove the Vanquish. Pressed the button and.........................the exhaust note alone is worth the $100K difference.

The ONLY car I've ever regretted trading was my S 55. Fantastic car. Handled great, fasternshit and 4 doors. You'd be driving, doin 70, stomp it and the next thing you know you're doin 140 in the blink of an eye. Ain't nuttin like a little forced induction......I was disappointed MB got rid of superchargers in the AMG line.

So....the forum should be called “Classic and Sporty Cars” perhaps? Or “Classic and Cool Cars”, or “Fun Cars”, or “Cars”.

Here's an article of 7 current, desirable cars with the focus on handling: The Best-Handling Car in America for Less Than $100,000

The top two would by Dave’s definition be “sports cars”…but numbers 3 thru 7 are not bad either and having owned a few over the years can attest to the fact that considerable fun can be had in all. Of course…there can only be one #1.

Sports cars, sport sedans, supercars, muscle cars, sleepers, hot rods, pocket rockets, rice burners, classics...who cares...they are all cool in my book and worthy of discussion. And pictures!

Gotta run…Top Gear is starting in a few minutes!

quote:

Originally posted by Bill C:Sports cars, sport sedans, supercars, muscle cars, sleepers, hot rods, pocket rockets, rice burners, classics...who cares...they are all cool in my book and worthy of discussion. And pictures!

Amen to that sentiment, Bill!

Bill C,

my wife is going to be sooooooo happy. We just got her a Jetta TDI in late August. It is Salsa Red. The IR Suspension did it.

thanks,

Rich

Some of us poor types never get to play with the likes of Ferrari. So I got a nice 86 Fiero GT and put in a 3800. Lots of usable punch, and no back seat. It's a match for my son's Corvette. Of course it's red, which adds 50 mph.

You could always put on a fiberglass Ferrari re-pop body and just lie...

Rich

Some do, especially the 308. Most will do a Lambo because Ferrari is not aware that flattery is a good thing. It's not like a guy doing Fieros would have ever gotten a Ferrari.

I thought I had a sports car, but my Miata has the power retractable hardtop.

factory, or did you have it installed?

I just rolled 110,000 miles on my XK-8

Happy New Years...

Rich

Sports car - Something you drive to a round of golf or tennis.

The only books I have more of thsn shooting and hunting books in my
library are books on classic and "sports" cars. I have owned over 50 of what would be termed "Sports Cars", all from the 1950 to 1980 period, and have a pretty good idea of what one is. I don't think there is a list of specific requirements which would ever define one. In general, you know one when you see it, as they say. People do get too excited about their own cars sometimes, but in general, most people would agree whether any particular car is or isn't.

In thinking back, I find it surprising that I don't really know when the term came into general use. I suspect it was in the late thirties or forties. A lot of mention is made in the British press and writing from between the wars that refers to "sporting use" and I suspect it is an off shoot of that. During that period, it was refering to a car modified or manufactured to be competitive in any number of types of automobile competitions which were popular. By the time the SCCA was formed, it was obviously a common term. At some point in the late 50's or early 60's, widespread motorsports started to fade out due to insurance and liability, and the average car started to be built with enough performance and handling to blur the line.

I think any designation has to be judged by it's contemporaries. The Alfa's, the Type 35 Bugatti, and the Auto Unions and Mercedes of the 30's were so dominant that they hurt the sport, but could all be outrun by a Cadillac sedan now. That certainly doesn't mean they are no longer sports cars. On the other hand, just because a Ferrari has 600-700 HP and costs a quarter million dollars doesn't mean other cars aren't or that they define sports cars. A lot of that boring commentary sounds like the "my bore is bigger than yours and my custom maker charged more than yours" that appears in the gun threads. The same holds true for rifles, cars and other things: it's not how big it is, it's what you can do with it that counts.

I suppose my first sportscar wasn't as it had 2 tiny seats behind the front seats,it was a 60 Austin Healy 3000 and did have a 4 speed (with laycock de normanville overdrive) and a convertible top and certainly my Lotus Elite coupe wasn't because it was a coupe and had a tiny Coventry Climax engine attached to the 4 speed and neither of my Jaguar XK150 Coupes were and on and on. I can't imagine how dumb I was to think I was driving a sportscar.