Chevy Rumble C5 article????

[Salt Racer]

At first, I just chimed in just to let everyone know you really can't judge a book by its cover. Then I got ticked off by posts accusing guys at 21st copying WD's design, by the very same person who started this thread and a couple of others.

As a suspension engineer myself, I could tell how much trouble and numerous design iterations that guys at 21st went through to come up with good handling suspension. It is obvious to trained eyes that two suspensions are not identical. Then someone accuses of them copying somebody else's design w/o any pickup points measurement. I certainly would get frustrated if someone accuses of me copying someone else's design just b/c there is some external resemblance.

Yes, this is indeed a free country and everyone is entitled to one's own opinion. My statment "keep your mouth shut" came from more of a political issue among people working in this industry, and may not have been appropriate to say that to general public. I apologize for that, but let's keep things civil. Accusations w/o any proof is hardly civil.



I too have desire for good aesthetics to a certain degree, but function is more important to me. I'm a little more hardcore than most guys here. I'm a kind of guy who would trade in 18s on my car for a set of 195/80R15 wide white wall tires in a heartbeat if those tires had better turn-in response and more grip. I don't think majority of people here would do the same.

It is possible to build a show quality PT car, and I would get along with the owner just fine if he uses the car like it is intended. But I've seen few too many cases of the opposite.

As an engineer, I get seriously offended when I see good stuff on a trailer queen show car b/c I take my job seriously. I work my azz off trying to come up with good design, only to see my suspension being used only on fairgrounds at less than 5mph. This has happened to me many more times than I can remember, and is very disappointing. It really doesn't matter if those cars win big trophies at car shows - I want them to be used like they are intended. Imagine you being one of Porsche chassis engineer and run into a guy who owns a GT3 - how would you feel if he told you he'll never take it to the track b/c he's afraid of scratching lower control arms or something?

If you want to make your car show quality, please do so. It's your car and you have all the right to build it the way you want it. But don't make it so nice that you'll be afraid of using it. And don't get blinded by shiney parts and misjudge the engineering behind them. Form doesn't necessarily follow function.

That's all I gotta say.