924Board.org

[caswah]

First of all:

§1 Im a careful driver.

§2 Im young. I know I overestimate my driving skills, thus Im even more careful.

§3 I respect law&order and speed limits

§4 I never drive my car if it does not fulfill all safety regulations


Today, on my way to the MOT inspection actually, I entered a roundabout doing about 30 km/h (~18 mph). Halfway through I noticed a car on its way in into the roundabout.

The other driver was thinking of going in the roundabout, ahead of me, or letting me by. I accelerated A BIT maybe to 35km/h, not to compete with him but to show him my intentions - and it was quite tight so if he would have driven ahead of me Id have to brake.

Thats when it happened. Feels like Im driving on whipped cream. Front going one way, the rear another. Im in the middle of a roundabout with four connecting roads, cars entering from all four ways. Two cars behind me. I hit the clutch pedal and struggle with the steering wheel, I feel the circulating movement accelerating. Im going into spin.

I see before me my 300 hour project becoming scrap. Because of my low speed I dont think the impact will be harmful, even if I (god forbid) head into another car.

Trying to steer gently but firmly (if thats correct english..) and braking carefully not to make the wheels lock. The spin stops but my direction of movement is about 45 degrees (as if turning 45 degrees despite being on a straight going road). Suddenly I regain steering. I somehow manage to get out of the roundabout. Aiming for the ditch, I gain enough brake power to stop the car on the side of the road.

Took a couple of breaths. Nothing happened, no impact, no other car needing to make maneouvres, nothing.

A brand new silver Audi stops behind me and a young guy walks out of it. "I dont need this. I ve learned my lesson. Dont want someone to play police, yelling, I think." But when he reaches my car he asks "Are you alright?". Im confused and shaking of adrenaline so it takes some time before I answer. "Yes but Im a bit shaky."

"That was the coolest maneouvre Ive ever seen", he said. I was not convinced. I felt nothing cool about it. It had been a moment of fear. Took me a couple of hours to calm down and see the humor in his comment.

I cant understand what went wrong. Maybe I was doing 35km/h. The road was slightly wet but I have new tyres (rear tyres are even M/S all-year-ones). I didnt floor the accelerator, the turn wasnt very sharp. Nothing. And Im quite used to swedish roads, sometimes slippy and cold.




** Take it easy out there, guys. **
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Euro ´81 924 - Interior being restored

[924RACR]

So your tires don't match front/rear? Not a great idea on these cars IMO. I have trouble discounting this as bad driving - since you're in Sweden, even if a young driver! Surely you've experienced loss of traction on snow? Or is this your first rear-wheel drive car?

It's also very possible you hit a patch of slippery pavement; there are in fact so many external factors that could cause this sudden snap, you cannot discount them.

Finally I'll ask if your alignment has been set properly, including rear?

These cars are very forgiving at the limit, even if you snap the rear end loose they won't immediately swap ends - give you plenty of time to recover, with the proper technique.
_________________
Vaughan Scott
Webmeister
'79 924 #77 SCCA H Prod racecar
'82 931 Plat. Silver
#25 Hidari Firefly P2 sports prototype

[tomcooper]

This used to happen frequently with Casper until I got him a set, emphasis on set, of new tires. I always had plenty of time to correct, but it did occur almost with out warning. Like Vaughn indicated mixing tires front to rear is not a good idea on these cars. Higher speeds did make the action more violent, but it could happen at low speeds when the pavement was a little slick.

I have been told that new rear shocks will help, but tires are the most important component. Big Red has never done this on me, but he did do a 360 on ice for my son one day on the way to school.

Tom
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Casper and Big Red, both 1980 NA
Black Bart, 1990 944 S2 Cab

[Nobbi]

Hello to Sweden!
Like the country very much. A similar thing i had a while ago, on a wet road with a really little bend. Im driving him (i dont know why everybody is talking about HER ? ) since a long time, never had a problem,but then it happens ,his back turned to the side before i couldt even say fu..!
I didnt hit anything (Gott sei Dank) and after a little bit of thinking i found out what it was........ I used a tire spray to give them a good black look !
That stuff is so smeary no wonder i ended off the road.
So lesson learned.

greetings nobby

[Eturbo924]

I am not sure if you noted this or not but was it lightly raining? Had it just recently started?

The reason I ask is because this is the most dangerous time. As cars pass on dry days they leave traces of rubber compounts and also some leak oils and fluids onto the roadways. This mixes with the first few minutes of rain to cause a very slick surface. Many have been caught off guard in these times.

I had a friend in a brand new Mustang 4.6GT loose his rear end on a slow speed turn and hit a guard rail with his tail. He insists that he was not pushing it at all ... just as you describe. Some times there is just a slick spot and you are the unlucky one to have found it.

Good tires with matching compounds, treat wear and proper alignment are important but will not nessesarily be the thing to save you. Your driving skills will. Just as a note... my friends GT... was brand new on factory all season performance tires, no changes to factor settings and he hit the rail going slideways in a slow slide. Just engough to skuff up the bumper real nice.

Eric
_________________
1982 924
1992 968
2003 C4S
Parts Parts Parts and More parts.
E-mail me for parts you need!
Drive Fast!

[Slam]

Managed to get my 944 to swap ends on me under similar road conditions. Fresh, light moisture on the pavement and a corner. The car swapped ends so fast I didn't have time to think about it. Luckily, I was alone. It can happen to anyone - I drive the car all year round - rain, snow, ice, sun. It's actually a good car on dodgy roads because it talks to the driver so well, plus, it's well balanced.

Another time I just plain took a corner too fast, went from dry pavement to gravel and drove straight into the ditch. Caught my breath, hit the key and drove out. Tough car.

I've also been run off the road in a snowstorm by some redneck idiot in a welding truck. The road was so bad all I could do was let go the wheel and pray. Managed to go off the road backwards and slid right between an approach and a guardrail. Went back a few days later and saw that either one would have messed me up really badly. Lucky? Blessed.
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'88 944 Auto - may or may not resurrect

[stevencrichton]

I have had a few in my time as well, it's when you least expect them they scare the living daylights out of you. Old tyres are always a problem, along with bad tracking etc...

This is bad, but my worst was a heavily tuned Baja Beetle, no weight at the front and a heavy turn and I span about 3 times. However best was power-sliding a roundabout like a true nordic driver at a rediculous speed in an old tuned 70's tailhappy GM (opel kadett C) car.

First though always check the tyres
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I had a diesel now own a porsche and my little pocket is crying in pain

[morghen]

i had my share of scary shit with the 924...mostly when i first got it..once i spun 2 times into a corner at ~80Km/h(~50mph) and stoped 5-10cm near a 2-3 meters drop...i would have surely turned over...fell into the ditch and trashed the car...and i would have got hurt too.
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Supercharger and EFI kits
https://www.the924.com

[Joes924Racer]

Ive never even come close to spinning. Glad to hear your OK n received no damage .
_________________
1979 porsche 924 Na
1980 porsche Turbo 931GT Replica
Have u ever driven a turbo.

[JB 924]

Joe!!! That's almost a grammatically correct sentence!

[Slam]

Must be the tattoo...
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'88 944 Auto - may or may not resurrect

[StienbargerR]

I've never had anything bad happen to me, but one of the first time I drove my car hard, I went over a little hill, and there was a slight corner after that, the front tires lost a little grip, and didnt turn so well. Scared the crap out of me.

Ryan
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1978 924 NA
-250lb lowering springs, Euro Pistons

[Eturbo924]

Heck I spun mine many times. Once on ice. I faught the car and the ice for about 1/4 mile. I was spinning the wheel so fast back and fourth that I actually got friction burns on my wrists from my jacket. I did not even note them until later at a friends house when he pointed them out.

Also shifted into too low a gear going way to fast and did nearly the same thing.

Neither time was the car or myself hurt but man I thought the end was near! The downshift one was at night and tire smoke and rock walls were spinning all around. The tail was wagging back and fourth and I could not figure out why each time I caught it the car would just do it again! Hahaha That is what inexperience and to much speed will do to you. I learned my lesson that day!

That was yikes... over 14 years ago! Oh boy just dated myself. oops
_________________
1982 924
1992 968
2003 C4S
Parts Parts Parts and More parts.
E-mail me for parts you need!
Drive Fast!

[968rz]

I put my 924 sideways on a 90deg turn early this summer with wife in the passenger seat (she was white as a sheet ). Following my friends 964, I saw the curve warning sign {25mph} looked at the speedo and saw 90; said to wife "guess I should slow down" (too late) hit the curve at least 50mph, right when I thought "hello ditch" I got the rear to slide and scrubbed of LOTS of speed stopping sideways in the road looking the other way. Later my friend said "all I heard was screeching tires and saw the side of the 24"
Scary but fun
_________________
Rick
79 924 coupe Petrol Blue 3spd auto (wife's DD)
93 968 coupe Amazon Green 4spd Tip (my DD)

[Paul]

I did a four wheel drift into the concrete foundation of a barn in my 77 in April of 78. Bent the drivers rear arm so badly that the toe out was about 3 inches. Drove it home (slowly), put it on a trailer and towed it to the dealer. Got it back in late June.
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White 87 924S "Ghost"
Silver 98 986 3.6l 320 HP "Frank N Stein"
White 01 986 "Christine"
Polar Silver 02 996TT. "Turbo"
Owned and repaired 924s since 1977
Porsche: It's not driving, it's therapy.