Didn't faxing start with the TV show Dragnet. "Just the fax mam."

Have not sent or received a fax since I shut off my land line. Just have stuff emailed. Can print, sign, scan, and email back. Most signature happy organizations have docusign accounts where you can log in and create a signature, then sign off on the document.

Not faxes, but taxes. As in “I’m done with them this year.”

Faxes started in 1843. Not 1943, really 1843.

Thought it was SGT Joe Friday, "Just the fax mam."

Nope, even before Friday!
Likely a Saturday like every day for some.

I took my El Camino in to get an alignment. I think it has been 10 years or so since my last alignment. Most of the big tire shops have an alignment rack, and some guy that just does what the computer tells him, assuming they have the set up for a 1980s car. I don't want a box stock alignment.

So I started asking my car geek friends where is someone that is a true alignment guy. I used to go to a guy on the edge of town, that was an old grey haired man that truly knew alignment. He decided he was just got too old to keep doing it and the bum retired on me.

I ended up with a recommendation of going to a body shop up in Guthrie. I chatted with the mechanic first and explained I do most of my own work, but alignment is obviously something that needs a pro. I knew I did not want a stock alignment, as that wears out the outside edges of the front tires really fast with the way I take corners. I want 1/2 a degree of negative camber not the 1/2 degree of positive camber the book calls for. I like a bit more caster as well.

One reason I knew it was time for some front end work is the lower ball joints were getting worn. He suggested we replace them and agreed they were not shot, but worn. Since he has all the equipment, and it is a Chevy the parts were $80 and installation was $90 and I don't have the press to do it so I did not have to do anything but spend a bit more. The parts were delivered just as he got the old ones off.

No major oh wow difference, but I know my steering is much safer. Now it is time for some new front tires. The old ones are down to the wear bar, pretty evenly worn. I wanted him to see the wear to see what alignment needed to be done.

In chatting with the guy about the last alignment, James to old grey that retired was the man that taught him alignment and mentored him. So that was cool.

If I don't take the 928 to the dealer, my alignments only last about 6 months. Dealer won't alignment outside the stock specs. It's a good thing specs range from conservative to aggressive. This also includes setting ride heights.

For my 911 alignment and corner balance I had Scott at the dealership do it, at the dealership, and he let me watch and help set up the corner balance scales. We did the Euro ride height, and setting he likes best. I think it is perfect. It was back in June of 2010 so pretty much 10 years. I have driven a lot of miles since then tons of autocrosses and a few track days and likely 20 states or more. It is still just fine.

And I learned my 911 weighs 2,741 pounds with a 1/2 tank of fuel, all the floor mats and lots of extra AC stuff and set up my way. A long way from the guys that are trying to get to 2,100 pounds and have gutted hot box cars, but I can drive mine in the summer or winter in comfort.

Made a weight disovery in my 944 Turbo.

After the car was setup I set FTD. I then took a 300lb person for a fun run lap. The timing equipment was accidentally left on and I matched my fastest time with the extra 300 lbs. One thing I did notice is that with passenger my top speed was lower on the straight. That told me the extra weight negatively effected the acceleration and braking, BUT was made up for in higher cornering speeds.

That was when I stopped taking things out of my car to lighten it up for faster lap times autocrossing. Just took loose thing out to keep them from shifting around to being thrown free.

Had similar results with my BoxsterS and giving fun run rides after the timed laps.

There is no doubt whatsoever I am not a professional racer. I know from watching F1 that those guys can go faster at the end of a race only because the car is lighter from fuel burn.

100% or all racers want to "add lightness" and reduce weight for a reason. In the thread I started about 50 years difference Jack talks about how his old 911 is only a little slower that the 918 or new GT2s and GT3s. It is only because in the corners at that track he can maintain a higher speed and not have to slow down so much. He was cornering faster than a 918 with every modern gizmo possible and nearly three times the HP.

So yea, if there was a magic potion I could put on my car to lose several hundred pounds and not change the comfort level, I would do it. I might rub some of that potion on me first.

Adding lightness to the driver is a good strategy. You guys are making me anxious to work on my Z’s suspension. I’m still slowly trying to get the 5-speed & 3.90 diff ready to swap into the Z as my current project. Key word is “slowly.” :)

Yea, once again there is no doubt I need to add some lightness to me.

There are big differences in speeds between autocross and F1. Down force on F1 is a function of airspeed not so much vehicle weight. So yes, the weight of the fuel has more effect on lap times.

Jim, are you putting a posi or torsen type diff in? Thinking of putting a geared torsen style in the Cobra. The simple posi it has now spins one wheel too easily.

The posi in the El Camino will make it lurch a little on a wet pavement parking lot when I am parking and in a tight turn. In the dry it does not do it.

It’s just an open diff right now. I want to wait on the LSD upgrade until after I finish the suspension upgrade. As it is right now, the car drives like it has a 45 year old suspension.

The locking diff on the 928 is way cool. The locking is pneumatically activated. Porsche calls it PSD. It uses speed, speed of each wheel, acceleration, direction of travel, accelerator, brakes, and steering wheel input, all to determine how much to lock the rear diff and or which tire to apply what percentage of the power to.

Our truck and my old 1969 Coronet had the "Sure Grip" which is locked all the time but can release on tight corners.

The limited slip diff just gives power to the wheel with traction and it isn't much better than an open sometimes. A Torsen style locks based on the torque differential between the wheels.

One thing for certain, the limited slip or positraction rear end makes driving in the rain in corners tricky with the Elky. If the ground is wet or icy, throttle has to be applied very carefully and slowly when going through an intersection and turning. There is no computer or traction control or any help. Just the driver's ability.

Curves with limited traction is why PSD has all the sensors to determine direction of travel, steering input, wheel speeds, and vehicle speed and provide power that best keeps the vehicle going in the direction the steering wheel is pointed.

Some 928 racers disable the PSD and lock the rear end. They say it is more predictable. Others find the PSD faster once they learn to use it.