Old Top Gear

[DGoose]

I'm sure most owners will have seen this TV footage from 1995 but if not skip the first 3 minutes 35 seconds and enjoy.
   
   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EL4ltFnKJ_o

[hawk289]

David, just phoned the number to do the customer survey, did not work. What a shame, still nice footage. Interesting the cobra at the end was just £10K more back then, now look at the difference in prices. I believe at the Sprint yesterday we had the most variant of AC's ever!

[DGoose]

Hi John,
   
   It was great to follow you round Goodwood in your SP250, fortunately the Ace wags it's tail a little less than the Daimler !
   
   I'm thinking for next year I might like an extra 100hp and some stickier tyers, now that really would be fun.

[shep]

Hi David,
   
   You were listening then! It's all in the tyres! Going faster is all about low hanging fruit. Once your engine is tuned up as well as it can be for its spec, and your wheels are generally pointing in the right direction, the next cheapest mod which will give the best advantage is tyre choice. On the Mk IV Cobras the Avon CR6 ZZ in the softer compound is almost as good as cheating! They give grip for braking and cornering which makes a normal road tyre feel like driving on marbles. I am sure there are others, but I know the Avons. On my little Ace I run Dunlop L sections which are the control tyres for most historic racing. The grip is OK, but they are beautifully predictable, and flatter the driver by drifting without drama. Unfortunately tyres do not retain their grip indefinitely and are best when fresh. They will last a season no problem, but after 2 years they will harden and start to lose grip. After 5 or 6 years the difference is huge, so try to fit new tyres shortly before you need them, and budget to change them after 2 or 3 seasons even if you haven't used them much. (That should encourage you to do a couple more track days to wear them out!) Well done to everyone who competed last Saturday at Goodwood, and thanks to all the organisers and helpers who made it such great fun. All the best, Andy

[hawk289]

Are you saying my 5 year old P6000 (crap tyres) are really crap, I believe we proved the point on Saturday. I have never driven in a car which felt like it was on ice all the time. David, get some good tyres. The handling on an Ace is brilliant. The engine has good power, I'm going to take time before next set of tyres is ordered. But I do like the look of the Avon tyres.