Biography of a sports car

[Walter F.]

I just finished watching and old clip of Zora and two test drivers on the race track at GM proving grounds testing the new C2 Corvettes. The cars were filmed on steep turns and appeared to be driving at a high rate of speed. When the drivers were questioned they both responded as to how well the cars handled. I always read that the C2 had front end lift issues. That did not seem to be the case here. Is this front end lift thing a myth ? If not how fast must one be going before such a suppose problem occurs?

[John H.]

Re: Biography of a sports car

I just finished watching and old clip of Zora and two test drivers on the race track at GM proving grounds testing the new C2 Corvettes. The cars were filmed on steep turns and appeared to be driving at a high rate of speed. When the drivers were questioned they both responded as to how well the cars handled. I always read that the C2 had front end lift issues. That did not seem to be the case here. Is this front end lift thing a myth ? If not how fast must one be going before such a suppose problem occurs?

Walter -

Do you think either driver (Dick Thompson or Dave MacDonald) was going to complain about anything in a GM-produced P.R. film they were paid to appear in?

Yes, lift was always an issue on midyears, over 100mph. Very little was known about automotive aerodynamics in 1960 when the midyears were designed, and there were no in-house full-size wind tunnels in the automobile industry.

[Paul J.]

Re: Biography of a sports car

Thompson and MacDonald may also have either been coached or at least felt obligated to plug the differences between solid axles and the new IRS.