Off the ground?
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2000
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From: Amateur driver on open course.
Off the ground?
The new Jaguar commercial shows it leaving the ground on a high speed hill. We've seen this a million times in commercials and it prompted me to ask if anyone here has ever had their vette off the ground in a high speed situation? Can they even handle it without damage?
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2004
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From: Kansas City MO
Re: Off the ground? (95AquaC4)
I did once. It was through an intersection where the streets were not level and I got completely airborn at 55 mph for about 1 1/2 seconds. No damage to the car but it did scrape the bottom of it when I landed. It was pretty scarry for a moment but it handled very well upon return to the ground. The back end landed a bit to the right and I had to turn the wheel hard to correct myself and get back strait. I didn't really slow down much either.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 6,294
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From: Amateur driver on open course.
Re: Off the ground? (scofolo)
I did once. It was through an intersection where the streets were not level and I got completely airborn at 55 mph for about 1 1/2 seconds. No damage to the car but it did scrape the bottom of it when I landed. It was pretty scarry for a moment but it handled very well upon return to the ground. The back end landed a bit to the right and I had to turn the wheel hard to correct myself and get back strait. I didn't really slow down much either.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2001
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From: Modesto CA
Re: Off the ground? (95AquaC4)
I've tried pretty damn hard to get my C4 to leave the ground, and everytime I try, I get denied. I think there's just too much downforce to leave in normal conditions...but on a track or something, THEN you could probably get to do it.
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2003
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From: Kingman AZ
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Re: Off the ground? (95AquaC4)
Gordon Killebrew tells a story about developing the antilock brakes for the C4. Seems like he said that none of the engineers ever programmed the system for this situation (applying the brakes when airborne). When it did happen during testing it really acted wierd. So the engineers went back in and reprogrammed this situation into the software. Now you can apply the brakes when flying and have them work correctly when you come back to earth! :lol:
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2003
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From: Texas
Re: Off the ground? (corvetteronw)
Gordon Killebrew tells a story about developing the antilock brakes for the C4. Seems like he said that none of the engineers ever programmed the system for this situation (applying the brakes when airborne). When it did happen during testing it really acted wierd. So the engineers went back in and reprogrammed this situation into the software. Now you can apply the brakes when flying and have them work correctly when you come back to earth! :lol:
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2000
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From: El Paso Texas
Re: Off the ground? (scofolo)
I did once. It was through an intersection where the streets were not level and I got completely airborn at 55 mph for about 1 1/2 seconds. No damage to the car but it did scrape the bottom of it when I landed. It was pretty scarry for a moment but it handled very well upon return to the ground. The back end landed a bit to the right and I had to turn the wheel hard to correct myself and get back strait. I didn't really slow down much either.
Team Owner
Joined: May 2002
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From: San Diego , CA Double Yellow DirtBags 1985..Z51..6-speed
Re: Off the ground? (corvetteronw)
I've had mine airborne twice... over a railroad crossing, which turned out to be much smoother than driving over the ruts. :lol: ... and another time cresting the ramp at the school parking structure, which has a sharp angle.
Just think of it in more static terms. Landing a 6 inch launch after going airborne is no different than dropping it from 6 inches off a jack. The springs are stiff, but that might just be enough to bottom it out. More suspension travel is always better.
Just think of it in more static terms. Landing a 6 inch launch after going airborne is no different than dropping it from 6 inches off a jack. The springs are stiff, but that might just be enough to bottom it out. More suspension travel is always better.
Team Owner
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From: San Diego , CA Double Yellow DirtBags 1985..Z51..6-speed
Re: Off the ground? (CentralCoaster)
Actually, there was a third time on Santa Rosa road out here, going downhill, and then I hit an even steeper dropoff. I had to get hard on the brakes to make the turn, and that really screwed up the trajectory of the launch.
The car bottomed out bigtime, pulled the steering wheel out of my hands, and the rear end hit so hard, the power antenna nut snapped and the antenna unit was dangling under there by the ground strap. :(
The car bottomed out bigtime, pulled the steering wheel out of my hands, and the rear end hit so hard, the power antenna nut snapped and the antenna unit was dangling under there by the ground strap. :(
Team Owner
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Re: Off the ground? (CentralCoaster)
and the rear end hit so hard, the power antenna nut snapped and the antenna unit was dangling under there by the ground strap.
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Re: Off the ground? (95AquaC4)
I got the front end off the ground in my six speed in this video. A year later I did it in the automatic and I got the rear off the ground.
https://www.corvetteforum.com/events...um70/jump1.wmv
https://www.corvetteforum.com/events...um70/jump1.wmv