Your Best Feel?

Pleae don't laugh...the BEST all around commuter everyday car I have owned (actually 3 of them) was a 1988 Thunderbird Turbo Coupe. Active suspension, would handle like a slot car - yet ride like a Caddy. Turbo 4 cyl. with a five speed would scream and had selective boost settings for varied performance. Just a tick slower than the Mustang GT. Great rear wheel drive with posi, although useless in the snow. On trips it would get 30+ mpg highway! Interior comfort was excellent, even with 5 adults. Made C&D (or was it MT? or both?) car of the year that year. Last year for that body. Then some genius at Ford came up with that wedge shaped supercharged POS for 1989. Today all the "performance" sedans look like the 1988 T-bird. IMHO the styling was way ahead of its time.

I just love the way my 83 308qv transmits the road and car conditions to my hands. I have never felt anything like that before (except maybe in a kart). Much better than a Miata, M3, and Audi TT that I have driven recently.
Jim

 

A Formula Ford, more specifically a ‘79 Royal RP 26. With a good power to weight ratio it would just dance around a tight circuit, it was perfect. Compared to it a F3 around Monaco felt underpowered, a Group C1 a bit clumsily, and every road car since, while at times great, just can’t duplicate that fabulous effortless balance. I’ve been spoiled for life.
Mind you the Royal was another story on the road. I put in a new engine the evening before a race meeting and, with the body work removed- a cheap disguise - I took off on a country road outside of Clane, in Ireland, to do a systems check. I was doing well over 100 mph when I blew by a muddy Ford Escort laden to the gunnels with heavyset farmers on their way to a serious drinking session. The Royal was about as high as the Ford’s door handle, and while I don’t think they saw me coming they certainly saw me going. At that point driving it wasn’t easy. The camber of the road fought with the neutral steering of the car and the bumps rattled right through to the seat making it a white-eye screams-in-the-helmet experience. A later race in the Phoenix Park confirmed the horses-for-courses concept and I never drove it on a real road again.
The best road car? Something new. They just get better and better.

 

My best daily "just do it" car: an original '80s Alfa GTV-6. Front engine, rear transbox (like the Daytona and 550), diDion suspension -- sweet.

Perfect 50/50 weight distro -- it would handle New England winters even without snow tires. And in summer, it was the most "tossable" machine that wouldn't take ten minutes to strap into.

The Bosch L-jet didn't make it the most reliable mill ever, but "when she was good, she was very very good ..."

 

i have driven lotsa porsches, bimmers, a few alfas and fiats, a vette or two, but my 308, w/inverted gas struts and poly bushings flat smokes every street car i have ever driven(even other 308's). i just never cease to be amazed by the fact that this car is 25 years old and handles like it does!

 

I haven't driven many sports cars, but I once had a black/tan '81-83 280ZX Turbo manual. I really liked the rear-wheel drive, inline six-cylinder, 52/48 balance, as well as it being my first manual. It handled and accelerated unlike anything I've had before. Before and even since then, it's all front-wheel drive, four cylinder automatics with terrible balance; I can only imagine what a 308/328 would be like. Hopefully the mirrors won't shake at speed, nor cold air coming in through a gap in the door during winter.

 

Easy
Alfa 1300 GT Jr - so alive and tossable with perfect balance of steering, engine and gearbox. Sheer joy.

 

My 74 X1/9!! That and my other 2 "X"s communicated so well every nuance. Lightweight with no power steering... ahhh it was so good, and my first sports car.

Either this are a girl named Pam i think way, way back in middle school would be my best feel!

 

I always thought the Porsche 944 had a great feel to it.

 

I compare every car I have ever owned (post 1990) to my 750iL. Love the car to death and want to keep it as long as I can afford to do so.

I compare every 80s era car to my 633CSi.

 

I certainly understand using your RX7 as a reference (I had an '80 & it provided some of the most fun for the least $$ ever). My first car (1980 Saab 900 turbo) wasn't the quickest, or best handling of vehicles, but EVERY control felt perfect & natural (somebody should bring back a manual sunroof that was as smoothe as that!!!). On the other side: I don't think I'll ever own another front wheel drive vehicle.

Have had more powerful cars than either of the above mentioned, but each of these 2 just did something right.

 

Karen....

I understand what you mean. Certain cars impart a "feel" upon you like nothing else. With todays prevalent active and electronic assisted suspensions doing most of the work now......it's hard to find a car that really does what you are saying.

A 1987+ 928S4.....or early 90's Porsche 928GT/GTS with 17" cup style wheels are my favorite.

The thing drives like it is on magnetic rails or something like that. Incredible.....solid.....fast.....unflappable.....what a sports/GT car should "feel" like.

I just took one on trade this week (1987 928 S4) and am getting it detailed......I am going to keep it for myself as it is a perfect example in every respect. Most 928's out there are beat to "sheete" as they have been owned by, shall we say, less than financially capable people in their third or fourth lives, but this one is exceptional and it's going in my garage until I get find someone willing to sell me their GTS.

 

I had an 85 635CSi. It was a complete pleasure to drive -- truly a driving machine, as BMW refers to their cars. It had the turning radius of a 60's VW bug--incredible handling for a big car. Too bad it was such a money pit, with no resale value. I did put 30K miles+ on it over several years as a daily driver; that's a comforting thought.

My 64 330 2+2 is definitely a retro experience. It's very austere, tactile, and interactive. It won't let you forget what you are driving, and if you do forget momentarily on a stretch of interstate the horsey on the horn button will snap you back.

I recently had the original Silentblok rear suspension bushings and all the front swaybar bushings replaced. Any sense of ride harshness present before the job is gone--it's just firm and solid now. Well worth the $$$. Even though the old bushings were not near failure, the rubber was hard, cracked, and deformed.

 

Scott, where did you buy the bushings? Mine need re-doing.

To answer Karen's question, for street my old 1971 Porsche 911S. Anyone who has driven a 200hp 2000 pound 911 would probably agree. On the track, Cooper Climax F1 car, the little Cooper in my Avatar, Lotus 25, and a Lister Chevy.

 

Erik330......

I was going to mention a 1971 911E that I had.........but the notorious 911 "bump steer" at highway speeds ruled it out. You are right too.....I had carbs on mine and some mods....it was a great, fast, little car.

 

was in the back seat of my '70 Mustang....30 years ago. She was blonde and....Uh oh, I misunderstood the title of this thread. Nevermind.

 

Erik:

I got them through Dennis McCann--http://www.allferrariparts.com/

The rear swaybar bushings--eight of them--were not in-stock items and had to be ordered from Europe. However, they received them very quickly and the price--$95.00 each--though stiff, was definitely better than the $150.00 each I'd been quoted elsewhere. The front swaybar stuff was all in-stock and lots less $.

I've made several purchases from Dennis and can definitely recommend him. A lady named Norma usually handles the phone and she is very friendly and helpful.

 

I used to love my '95 540i sport. Even though was a sedan, had a great feel and balance on the street. At the time was also the most powerful car I had driven so felt like a race car to me.

 

Just wait...I KNOW you're having trouble sleeping lately while your car is on the way....but mere words can not describe the sensation you'll get when you drive it.

 

My best feel was in a PT Cruiser GT... It has substantial get up and go for what it is, thanks to a Turbocharger, the boost rolls in around 3K rpm, then it's a mild kick in the pants... It also handles somewhat decent.