Bonehead moves
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 526
Likes: 1
From: Millington TN
Bonehead moves
Had to make a beer run last week so I ran the 72 out to the supermarket. As I was leaving I went through a couple of puddles where they had been watering some flowers by the exit. I didn't think about the tires being wet and as I was pulling out I got the car WAY sideways. Nearly a full 180. I almost went up and over a curb. I'm just lucky there was no traffic coming. I've never driven it in the rain so I didn't think about the effects of wet tires. Also I've never had RWD. I definately felt like a bonehead after doing a near 180 in traffic.
Then I went golfing this morning and it was a beautiful day so I took the 72. The parking lot was kind of a dirt and grass mixture. I parked at the back all by myself with the exit behind me. So when I left I started my U-turn to leave and broke loose without meaning to. I know it doesn't happen so easy on pavement but I can see how it wouldn't take a whole lot to get way sideways by giving it a bit too much gas going through a turn. I was wondering if anyone here has had similar experiences in their Vette?
-CR
Then I went golfing this morning and it was a beautiful day so I took the 72. The parking lot was kind of a dirt and grass mixture. I parked at the back all by myself with the exit behind me. So when I left I started my U-turn to leave and broke loose without meaning to. I know it doesn't happen so easy on pavement but I can see how it wouldn't take a whole lot to get way sideways by giving it a bit too much gas going through a turn. I was wondering if anyone here has had similar experiences in their Vette?
-CR
Racer
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 417
Likes: 0
From: Tacoma Washington
spun it around in the rain one night. I don't normally drive it in rain, but got surprised. (why? it's Seattle for *(%F@ sake) Anyway, 180degrees at midnight in pouring rain...taught me to be gentle on the gas from now on. I'm sure it won't be the last time for either of us. 
Pro
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 576
Likes: 1
From: Baytown Texas
On dry pavement, start a little swerve to the left. Nail it as you hit second and yank the wheel to the right slightly. See how long you can walk the car at about a 45 deg angle while just smokin the hides off. I know this sounds dumb. But man is it fun! 
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 876
Likes: 1
From: Same as our leaders Out of my mind
Typical of an older chevy in the rain.
Light car
Motor up front
Driving tires in rear
Wet road surface
Formula for disaster
I cant even let the clutch out on a rainy day without slipping sideways an inch or two.
Light car
Motor up front
Driving tires in rear
Wet road surface
Formula for disaster
I cant even let the clutch out on a rainy day without slipping sideways an inch or two.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 526
Likes: 1
From: Millington TN
rihwoods, I have a 4 speed and I was still in first when I was leaving the supermarket. And shrike I'm not sure how much gas I gave it. I was turning right, no traffic to my left and a green light on my right. It was by no means floored but I didn't really idle out of the lot either. Chalk it up to a learning experience I guess. The guy at my local vette shop told me to wait until after a rain then go find an empty parking lot and have at it. He said he did the same thing with his first vette and learned more in an hour than he did from any game or book. Now if I could just find that empty lot and get some rain. 
-CR
-CR
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Racer
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 487
Likes: 0
From: Jacksonville FL
Originally Posted by BLUSHRK
spun it around in the rain one night. I don't normally drive it in rain, but got surprised. (why? it's Seattle for *(%F@ sake) Anyway, 180degrees at midnight in pouring rain...taught me to be gentle on the gas from now on. I'm sure it won't be the last time for either of us.
comming up an on ramp to I-75 in a lite drizzel just a bit too fast. back end started comming around and i couldn't seem to stop it. i ended up going compleatly around 360 comming to a stop facing forward in the left hand lane acrost three lanes. after about two seconds of sitting there thinking "i can't believe i didn't hit something", i remembered that i was sitting there parked on the interstate. pulled into the median for about 5 minuits to let my heart slow down a bit. fourtinatly, it was about 10pm and there wasn't anybody else on the interstate near me at that perticular moment.
i have much more respect for the car after that.
one piece of advice that a mechanic friend of mine told me is that if the back end starts to get away from you, push in the clutch. i think this is what kept me from sliding any further than i did.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 8,319
Likes: 7
From: Wilmington DE, Drive it like you stole it, 68 327 4 speed coupe
Originally Posted by rihwoods
Just once..no biggie...wet street...wiggled the tail a little...after shifting to second...
Do you have an automatic?
Do you have an automatic?
gotten a little sideways on purpose from time to time, never lost it though.....well except this one time whe i took the 68 out in the snow, roster tails from all four wheels, doghnuts, you get the idea
whooooopeeeee that was fun
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 8,319
Likes: 7
From: Wilmington DE, Drive it like you stole it, 68 327 4 speed coupe
Originally Posted by bashcraft
I guess you guys have never driven a vette in the snow. Now that's an experience.
belive it or not, the vette actually handled pretty good with a full tank of gas and a decent set of tires but I just count resist that big empty parking lot of snow all virgin and unmolested....
That is till i got to it
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 30,958
Likes: 0
From: Middletown Connecticut
Cruise-In IV Veteran
oh believe me.. I've done FAR worse..
first month I had the car, not used to the torque of a 350 (was used to a revving 283 and the brute force of a 2.2L four banging S10)
turning right, out of my friends apartment complex, gave it too much gas, the car started drifting, I let off like a wuss, car caught traction and shot me over the curb into a field..
first month I had the car, not used to the torque of a 350 (was used to a revving 283 and the brute force of a 2.2L four banging S10)
turning right, out of my friends apartment complex, gave it too much gas, the car started drifting, I let off like a wuss, car caught traction and shot me over the curb into a field..
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 8,319
Likes: 7
From: Wilmington DE, Drive it like you stole it, 68 327 4 speed coupe
Originally Posted by Corz
oh believe me.. I've done FAR worse..
first month I had the car, not used to the torque of a 350 (was used to a revving 283 and the brute force of a 2.2L four banging S10)
turning right, out of my friends apartment complex, gave it too much gas, the car started drifting, I let off like a wuss, car caught traction and shot me over the curb into a field..
first month I had the car, not used to the torque of a 350 (was used to a revving 283 and the brute force of a 2.2L four banging S10)
turning right, out of my friends apartment complex, gave it too much gas, the car started drifting, I let off like a wuss, car caught traction and shot me over the curb into a field..
you got to power through those and steer opposite
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 1,532
Likes: 4
From: Fairview Heights Illinois, near Saint Louis MO, STL C3 Shark
Couple of weeks ago I was leaving autozone, had to turn left out of the parking lot. The road was one of those 2 east bound lanes, 1 center turn lane, and 2 west bound lanes. I crossed the east bound lanes, and started turning. This was spring, early summer, so there was still dirt/sand etc in the center lane. I was at half throttle, not lollygagging around, but needed to get in with traffic. I was almost perpindicular to the lane I wanted to be in, drifted it for a second or two and then got her straightened out. I've done it before on purpose, but not on accident like that.
Good thing I used to do it all the time in my daily driver in parking lots so I kept the car from crossing the center lane and into oncomming traffic. I drove nice and slow the rest of the way home:o
Good thing I used to do it all the time in my daily driver in parking lots so I kept the car from crossing the center lane and into oncomming traffic. I drove nice and slow the rest of the way home:o
