This Week in Wheeler's Workshop

[Kevin Wood]

Front wheel drive was once unthinkable with anything more than 250bhp, but there are quite a few cars which seem to go in a straight line with it nowadays.

Yep, mostly when you're trying to negotiate a bend.

[Doctor Gollum]

Front wheel drive was once unthinkable with anything more than 250bhp, but there are quite a few cars which seem to go in a straight line with it nowadays.

Only by using different length suspension components and  individual wheel braking to counter yaw

[STEMO]

Front wheel drive was once unthinkable with anything more than 250bhp, but there are quite a few cars which seem to go in a straight line with it nowadays.

Only by using different length suspension components and  individual wheel braking to counter yaw

To counter my what? 

[aaronjb]

Front wheel drive was once unthinkable with anything more than 250bhp, but there are quite a few cars which seem to go in a straight line with it nowadays.

Only by using different length suspension components and  individual wheel braking to counter yaw

Technically I'd say that any decent car suspension should have different length components - specifically the upper & lower wishbones; anything else is a packaging or financial compromise that results in sub-par handling

[Field Marshal Dr. Opti]

Front wheel drive was once unthinkable with anything more than 250bhp, but there are quite a few cars which seem to go in a straight line with it nowadays.

Yep, mostly when you're trying to negotiate a bend.

As a kid I had a Corgi model of the Oldsmobile Toronado from the mid sixties. A nice big 7 litre V8 driven through the front wheels.

Great looking car.

[Nick W]

Front wheel drive was once unthinkable with anything more than 250bhp, but there are quite a few cars which seem to go in a straight line with it nowadays.

Yep, mostly when you're trying to negotiate a bend.

As a kid I had a Corgi model of the Oldsmobile Toronado from the mid sixties. A nice big 7 litre V8 driven through the front wheels.

Great looking car.

Cadillac used the same gearbox with an 8.2l engine bolted to it. 400 lb/ft of torque from about 1000rpm.

[Doctor Gollum]

Front wheel drive was once unthinkable with anything more than 250bhp, but there are quite a few cars which seem to go in a straight line with it nowadays.

Only by using different length suspension components and  individual wheel braking to counter yaw

To counter my what? 

The effect of torque steer on the rear axle

[Field Marshal Dr. Opti]

Front wheel drive was once unthinkable with anything more than 250bhp, but there are quite a few cars which seem to go in a straight line with it nowadays.

Yep, mostly when you're trying to negotiate a bend.

As a kid I had a Corgi model of the Oldsmobile Toronado from the mid sixties. A nice big 7 litre V8 driven through the front wheels.

Great looking car.

Cadillac used the same gearbox with an 8.2l engine bolted to it. 400 lb/ft of torque from about 1000rpm.

All it needed was Frank Cannon.....or was that a Lincoln Continental?

[Nick W]

More like Boss Hogg

[Nick W]

Power isn't a problem, as it has the 1.8VVC engine. And all of the GTI suspension parts that are necessary for such conversions.

It must bloody tramp on with that motor in it

You might think that; I couldn't possibly comment

[Nick W]

I can't see your pictures, Nick, who are you using to host them?

I'll help you out.

Nick has posted a picture of a beautiful blue Lamborghini.

Well... They weigh about the same

Metros are just over 800kg(not much more than a 'lightweight' Elise)
What Lamborghini gets even close to that?

[aaronjb]

Metros are just over 800kg(not much more than a 'lightweight' Elise)
What Lamborghini gets even close to that?

Most will be within about 1000kg of that. Just.

[Doctor Gollum]

Metros are just over 800kg(not much more than a 'lightweight' Elise)
What Lamborghini gets even close to that?

Most will be within about 1000kg of that. Just.

Especially the full fat Vorsprung durch essen versions 

The Urraco P250 tips the scale at a mere 1,100 kgs which isn't bad considering that it's twice the size of the Metro

[aaronjb]

Yup, sure I remember my friend with the Gallardo saying it's ~1800kg.

Doesn't feel it, mind, when you're driving it!

[Nick W]

Made a start on the Metro.


This is NOT how to repair a rusty sill:





Especially as there's another rusty part near the front.


This is what is actually required after cutting out and repairing the grot in the floor:





A bit of tidying up, £45 and some clamps:





And run out of gas just when it's tacked on at the top, and plug welded along most of the bottom:





So I ground down the welds that I did manage to do, put the car back on its wheels(it's in the street) and went to the pub. I bought it with the arch repair panel fitted like that; I would have fitted considerably less of it so as not to need so much filler to cover the distortion.


I'll get some more gas in the week so I can finish this repair and make a start on the other side which hopefully doesn't need any work to the floor.