Twisty Roads are FUN!

[carmike692000]

A friend kept telling me he discovered a nice patch of twisty roads not far from his house. So I headed over a few days ago to check it out. We rode through the section first to get a feel for it, then recorded the way back. We went through first in his '88 TBird (5.0 with HO conversion, 5spd computer on tranny, 3.23 gears), and then we went through it in my Jeep.

The TBird:


The Cherokee:



I know it's NOT a sports car, but that Jeep handles a lot better than I ever would have expected if I'd never driven it. It does have a LOT of understeer, but it's almost always very predictable and easy to compensate for with more steering input and tons of tire squeal, since I don't have enough power to evoke some oversteer.

On the way through the first time (not recorded) I went through a turn too hot. You saw that spot with the short bridge and the turn? Well, I realized I was going too fast, hit the brakes, then had to turn, AND the pavement was quite uneven there. All that combined, and my front suspension bottomed out pretty hard three LOUD crunches in a row. Turns out the universal joint on my front driveshaft gouged a little hole in my exhaust pipe. Oh well. Here's to hoping I can have it patched up.

BTW, why is my universal joint able to do that? Shouldn't there be a bumpstop or some such that would prevent that from happening?

 

[FlexdXJ]

man i miss the VDub

 

[bjoehandley]

How fast were you going compared to him?

 

[UNCC_99XJ]

Good ole HWY 66....

 

[RichP]

You ought to see what the XJ will do in the twistys with a set of Pirelli scorpion AT's on there, even on wet roads.

 

[Ray H]

Is that you Nick Hogan?????

 

[carmike692000]

How fast were you going compared to him?

Hard to say for sure. He certainly got up to faster speeds in the straights...about 60 a few times. However, I was pushing it through the turns a lot more so I was carrying more speed through.

You ought to see what the XJ will do in the twistys with a set of Pirelli scorpion AT's on there, even on wet roads.

Sounds like it'd be fun!

Sometimes I'm kinda torn. Should I lift the Jeep, put on some 33's, and go offroading? Or stroke/turbocharge it, put some wide sticky tires on it, and own at the stoplights?

Oh well...she'll be stock for a while longer anyways.

 

[98XJSport]

It will take far more $$$ to make an XJ a competitive street machine than it will to make it capable offroad...

 

[poorboy_616]

That road is BS....

Try old Highway 30 just coming into Astoria, Oregon. THAT will get your blood pumping....

Hair pin turns, reverse banks and nice narrow lanes....

 

[carmike692000]

Oh yeah, that's definitely not the best stretch of road for the twisties. It's just the best I've found that close to home. I went to visit a friend in the mountains (Cullowhee for those of you who know where it is), and we played on some mountain roads. THOSE are nice. One 180* turn after another, steep drop offs on one side most of the way, rock wall on the other side most of the way, randomly scattered debris, hardly any traffic.

That was a lot of fun. In his BMW and in my Jeep.

 

[bjoehandley]

Any video of that too?

 

[UNCC_99XJ]

Oh yeah, that's definitely not the best stretch of road for the twisties. It's just the best I've found that close to home. I went to visit a friend in the mountains (Cullowhee for those of you who know where it is), and we played on some mountain roads. THOSE are nice. One 180* turn after another, steep drop offs on one side most of the way, rock wall on the other side most of the way, randomly scattered debris, hardly any traffic.

That was a lot of fun. In his BMW and in my Jeep.

Ever driven up to Grandfather mountain? That's a fun road to climb up in a Jeep...and even more fun to get back down with out burning up the brakes.

 

[carmike692000]

Any video of that too?

Unfortunately, no. Didn't even cross my mind to take my camera and get a video. Would have been awesome, though.

Probably won't get a chance again. It was a ton of fun, but I don't really like pushing my Jeep THAT hard. Besides it being unsafe, I don't wanna hurt it too much.

ver driven up to Grandfather mountain? That's a fun road to climb up in a Jeep...and even more fun to get back down with out burning up the brakes.

Nope, never done that. Sounds like it'd be fun, though.

 

[Weasel]

Yeah I thought my Jeep was fun in the twisty's until I got this. Now it's just slow still fun with all the body roll though.

 

[carmike692000]

I would definitely like to get a '97 or so 3 series, gut it, and do some autocrossing. Then again, I'd really enjoy that in a '87 - '93 Stang, too!

 

[Weasel]

the stang would be so much easier... I've seen gutted 3's and it's aton of work not to mention what you have to pay to get one, not super $$ but enough I wouldn't wnat to strip it down. Mine's fun enough stock, I'm sticking some 17's and 245's on it and calling it good.

 

[carmike692000]

I know the higher prices are definitely associated with BMW's. However, my friend has a '97 318, his dad has two or three BMW's, his mom has one, as well as two of his sisters. I'll guarantee you they don't have $10k in all of them (at least 7) including purchase price and any maintenance involved. I don't know how they do it, but they've bought two (that are in good shape and running!) for less than a grand, I believe.

But you're definitely right, the price and aftermarket is definitely better with the 'Stang.

 

[Kittrell]

If you are going to be a jackass on public roads, fine it's your own life, and hopefully no one elses. But don't post about it here.