Re: ur-Q strut brace

[PDQSHIP@aol.com]

In a message dated 95-09-07 09:23:41 EDT, you write:

>
>  Pro-Rally cars and pavement......actually many
>  Pro-Rallies incorporate some paved stages.
>  Even the Mt. Washington Hillclimb is like 30%
>  paved. In fact, SCCA is running a Special
>  Pro-Rally in October on the (paved) 1.6 mile
>  road course at NHIS! You can be sure that
>  if there were really a benefit to adding a strut
>  brace to the ur-Q that these guys would have
>  done it.....these cars are pretty stiff, no at all
>  like some WC VWs and some Japanese cars that
>  are made from aluminum foil and cardboard.
>
>  :)

Hmmmm.......  Not so sure about that one Glen......  I competed in SCCA
PRO-Rally from 1981-1985, Open class A1 Scirocco, I can confidently say that
a strut brace would be an addition I would make to a campaigning Ur-q.....  A
car that's stiff may or may not be the best for ProRally, in fact, Doug
Shepard (was one of the "crazy" driving instructors when I went to ProRally
School) is a big advocate that the whole car needs to be able to flex to get
the most out of the car......  Now I doubt that is the reason the boys in the
urq don't have a brace, my guess is that they figgr the cage (SCCA ProRally
allows the cage to be structural, can be welded to the body, not necessarily
"free" standing as in most other circuits.....) gives them the stiffnes they
need.....  I would think it's also a bitch putting one in that fits under the
hood......    IMHO, i would (and did) design the lower part of the cage to
weld to the strut tower, then top it off with a strut to strut brace and
triangulate to the firewall.......  

If you pop your hood, and look at the size of that square, to not link it's
innerds is missing the chassis construction theory.....  Eric F can share the
nerdy theory of why a properly triagulated front bay, not only adds
stiffness, but when you control the axis and locations of suspension travel,
the game of suspension design just got easier.....   Strut towers bend in
under load, changing your camber, caster, toe and by definition, suspension
design......  

NJTH

Scott