plonky

In response to your Q Mack.... One of my colleagues has just received a MK2 XR8 down at the Driver Training School and he believes that the suspension modifications are the best thing that has happened for the V8. The ability of the XR8 to go head to head with the SS is now in favour of the XR8. However, the XR6T has required a special 'familiarisation day' for those that have been bought up on a diet of SS Commodores (due to the lack of a viable Ford alternative and Holden's willingness to have the money to/respond to feedback from HWP Police). The XR6T is now a very familiar sight in metro Sydney due to its acceleration, brakes, good handling and cheaper to run on fuel. The XR8 though is (and will always be) my preferred car due to the huge amount of torque, linear throttle response and weight.....The weight is good for stability at high speed and is a big engine block makes a good bullet shield.

Please lets. This is a great topic. Something I have always said in the past that everyone is hung up too much on dyno's, and straightline speed. So who here has actually done real suspension work to their cars. I think BCL said something about he has... When I say real, I mean not a set of super lows from King Springs. I mean playing with sway bars, coil overs, etc etc. Please list what you've done. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> This is why I posted the topic. I know from extensive experience that that handling and stopping are sooo much more important than just straight line squirt. Back in the '80's I had a Cooper S that had more money spent on the engine than the rest of the car (1340CC, steel crank, offset bore, cross flow head with a 48mm Weber on long ram manifold matched to a 5 speed straight cut Jack Knight gearbox) It was good for flat 13's but topped out at 102mph. The problem was I spent more money on the engine than anything else and as a result wrote the thing off at Oran Park with a power induced understeer into a wall before coming onto the flip-flop. Since then (apart from the Dodge which was an unashamed straight line monster) I have spent more money and time on brakes and suspension with a much greater effect. There is nothing wrong with a slight or more useable (read linear) power delivery but being smooth and consistent with good stability is so much more sensible. Anything else just smacks of weeing contests in a Macca's carpark, just like all the other Performance Sticker and Bodykit brigade at Panthers McDonalds each weekend.

I know that some people think the Chrysler 300 has a 'confronting' grille design but the original 300 had a unique grille design as well. At least they won't look confusing at all (remember the front on the Coronet/SuperBee from '71...that polarised opinion as well but instantly you knew what the car was) The Dodge theme has been carried over onto the sedan...the grille is very similar to that on the truck. I don't mind it at all. The thing that sticks with me the most is the Chrysler and Dodge emblems...I don't really like them and would much prefer to see the Pentastar return. PS. The blackouts on the Daytona look very very good

I would have to say that it should not be called a Charger because it is a 4 door. However, as the Charger name is quite famous outside of the USA I can see why it is called a Charger. I think 'Super Bee' would be a bit old fashioned for now, Coronet R/T is too old, Polara sounds boring and Plymouth names such as 'Road Runner (imagine how much that would cost now), Barracuda/'Cuda, Belvedere and Fury/Sport Fury wouldn't sit right against a Dodge prefix. Challenger would be good but again you strike the problem that the Challenger was only available as a two door. Dodge Magnum was used in the '80's but it may be reserved for a Hi-Po version.....who knows. I still love the car though, especially that it has a 'face' somthing you don;t really see in cars anymore (excpet for the 2005 concept Mustang)

MMmmmmmmm drool drool drool I only want one though if it has neons underneath, a huge wing, foglights permanently wired on and some stickers on the side... Oh sorry....I just realised it's a Dodge not a little Jap car and that is forbidden Good to see that Dodge are still landing very heav punches. I see that the HEMI has been stroked from 5.7 litres to 6.1 litres....very nice. Now if it can be sold in HEMI Orange with hood blackouts and a bumble bee stripe I will ahve to buy one (when I win first prize in Lotto)..

Considering we continue to live in Nanny States dues to the electorate continuing to return social engineers (the ALP), I thought I would pose the following question. What is more important to you in your car: The ability to outhandle and outbrake other similar cars or The ability to run like a dog shot in the ass in a straight line. I prefer great handling and braking over anything else. This sorts the men from the boys when it comes to a true test of skill. The XR6T already has a fantastically linear power delivery as does the Boss engines. Well thought out handling options alongside brakes that induce nose bleeds are far more important to me than a car that rips your arms out of your sockets when you hit the accelerator. Sure it's great to be able to lay down regular 12's (I know my 440 Magnum powered Dodge could do it regularly with no fine tuning) but the real adrenalin rush is tipping a car into a 35kmh corner at 85K, holding a good line and maintaining the balance of the car and being able to get back on the throttle just as you leave the apex of the corner. So this begs the question, who spends more money on spring/damper alignment upgrades as well as rotor/pad combo's as opposed to the upside down approach....reprogrammed ECM's, exhausts etc etc without doing all susp/brake upgrades first. Which is more important: handling/brakes or straight line squirt PS Leave an self promotion at the door as well as any 'Performance Sticker and Bodykit' mentality as it is covered by numerous magazines to cater for the intellectually challenged.

Hi Kitty I can feel the lurve!!! Good to see you Grant

The 'Good ole days' is when people had respect for each others opinion, gentle sledging was an art mastered by Ken, weeing contests were frowned upon, there was a genuine interest and excitement about the discovery of what the T can and can't do wyhich included MUCH more focus on the handling and braking performance of the car as opposed to the straight line squirt of the car. Basically it was friendly, happy and informative. Posters weren't driven away by personal attacks or business competitiveness. I liked it...I still like it, but I can definitely see the change. As I said, the greater availability of the T at lower (used) prices is always going to open up the access to those with the Performance Sticker and Bodykits mentality, just as it did with the WRX (I sold mine after the WRX club got swamped with tossers). The Forum is just being exposed to a much wider community that's all, and not everyone has the same ideals about the T as when the Forum first started.

Well done Brendan I think you need more Hammer and Sickles and pics of BrownBob SquarePants to complement your page. Seriously good onya mate!!

See? When everyone starts to realise how silly and foolish they are when everything is taken so seriously, everyone starts to relax and enjoy the 'bonding' that comes with being in the wider Ford family. Weeing contests are for the Performance Sticker and Bodykit brigade or for hanging around in the Macca's carpark with the dolly birds and the FHM inspired clothing. Remember how the Forum was fun and informative and we can all start to enjoy it again....like the 'Good ole days'

Sorry Plonky I beleive you are wrong on the price issue my understanding is the price has gone up. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Sorry what I meant was that with the XR6T now on the used car market they are much cheaper and therefore more affordable. I should have explained it better.

Crouching Tiger..Hidden Finger Don't all rugby league players behave like him? (I'm a Rugby Union fan and I'm only taking the P1SS)

Funny...I thought I was the only one that thought the Forum has been going down hill.... However I guess that is what happens when the price goes down and the availability of the XR6T goes up.... more imbeciles into T's = more imbeciles posting on the Forum. I remember the 'good ole days' when the Forum was young, the posters were excited and 'Performance Sticker and Bodykits' were for crankers that had 'little Jap/Korean cars' Some may agree with me, some may disagree vehemently, however we have to accept that the more popular something is, the greater variety of people will be attracted to it thus incurring more personality clashes. As Andy from Little Britain would say " I don't like that one"

Brilliant!!! I wet myself laughing over that!

I hope you enjoy your political experience Best wishes Plonky

Did Beazley fall over whilst touring Darwin...

Speaking of fast purple cars.... What about a Plum Crazy HEMI 'Cuda..... high 12's on crappy Goodyear Polyglass tyres over a real 1/4 mile (slightly longer than 400m) back in 1970. It's on the list of the Top 100 Fastest cars as number 3 or 4 (Behind the AC428 Cobra, 427 'Vette and 440 Six Barrel Plymouth Road Runner)

I'm not up to speed on who is up who this year but I've always admired Montoya... I don't like Frog cars so I think the Ferrari will be hard to beat as will the Toyota.

Sorry boys I thought I put the link in.

Check it out....

The BOGANUS DUMFUCCUS has recessive genes. To make it extinct you need to gradually dilute the genetic strains with each reproduction. So you would breed one with either a smarter one of the same species or allow them to continue to use illicit drugs and die from overdoses or obesity due to a permanent fastfood diet. Alternately you could accelerate their demise by removing the one thing that allows idle hands to do the devils work......welfare. To overcome any opposition to this, the proponents of continued welfare (such as the Australian Council of Social Services ACOSS) to open their homes and give them charity instead of taxpayer funded welfare. I can see it now, at conception there would be all of these sperms swimming around bumping into each other saying 'Doh' 'Doh' and looking for an egg in lycra bike pants and a big T shirt.

It's amazing that some employers have been allowed to get temporary work visas for migrants to do the work that Australians won't. Cut the welfare from these peasants...they don;t work but they can all afford to drink, smoke, take drugs and eat fast food. Welfare is a safety net...not a way of life!

Performance Stickers and Bodykits Says it all doesn't it

Another reason this riot went on for so long is the whole philosophy used that is endemic within Police Management. As a Risk management tool, instead of arresting lawbreakers AS they commit the crime, it has been decided there is less risk of physical injury to offenders (they are called customers in Police Mgt speak) and Police if they can be identified and summonsed AFTER the event. This is why a Field Court Attendance Notice was introduced and a policy of ARREST as the LAST RESORT. This is also designed to reduce the number of people in custody (limit the Duty of Care), allow for less Station/Charge Room staff, so Police can walk around the streets in propoganda pose (the Scarecrow effect - displaces crime from one place to another) and more multi skilling/less specialisation (jack of all trades, masters of none) so specialist squads (Full time Operational Support Group) are not formed to keep Police out doing General Duties. The training that recruits receive is based upon social studies/social engineering and the philosphy that there is no need for physical strength/size and that 'understanding' why a pub brawl is occuring is more important in how to stop it and protect people from getting hurt. As a matter of fact, in Sydney they have introduced these stupid flouro yellow caps that are worn by foot patrol Police so they can be seen by the public because a lot of Police are short and fat (especially the women)

As there is only ONE game...... Go the Waratah's and the Parramatta Two Blues !