Had some fun with a C5 convertible

[street_racer_00]

There is this guy that lives near where I do that has a purple C5 vette convertible, and since I live out in the middle of nowhere, that's saying something. Well anyway on my way back from class, he happens to be in front of me headed out of town towards my house. The road from town out to my house is about 5 miles long, with mostly turns and a couple of short straightaways. Well there was a car right ahead of us and as soon as the car turns off, he punches it, I punch it too, but of course being later on the throttle than him and the fact that he has a C5, he ditches me. Well he slows back down and waits for me to catch up, and then tries to lose me through some S-turns. I stay pretty much within 2 carlengths so I'm like "whoa sweet!". We get to a short straightaway and this time I'm better prepared as I downshift into second and punch it......of course he gains on me, but only by a little bit, about 4 carlengths over the course of a 1/4 mile, which isn't bad considering I'm 90-100 hp down on him. I catch up to him as he backs off for a slow corner that heads into some more S turns. I'm about 3 cars behind as we enter the S turns and by the end of the turns, I'm only about 1 length behind. We come to the last straight before my turn off and I hit the gas pretty hard coming out of the corner this time so I have a little edge in exit speed, and again he only pulls away by about 4 carlengths by the end of the straight. For all you guys who think he wasn't trying, I could tell he was because A. his back end was wiggling coming out of the turns B. He was kicking up road gravel onto the front of my car every time he got on the gas and C. I could smell his exhaust, which means he at least sometimes was at wide open throttle. Wow this turned out to be longer than I meant for it to be...anyways it was a lot of fun, and I'm done.

[1viadrft]

Your car would be more nimble in the curves... cool race! Very 'Initial D'-like! It's always nice to see a fellow Nissan-ese running a good race!

[-The Stig-]

Originally Posted by 1viadrft

Your car would be more nimble in the curves... cool race! Very 'Initial D'-like! It's always nice to see a fellow Nissan-ese running a good race!

Explain why he'd be more nimble in the curves in a 2000 Nissan Maxima auto... I know they're pretty nice cars. But, handling wise compared to a C5?...

They weigh basically the same... and the Vette has a balanced chassis. I'm not seeing the handling advantage of the Maxima.

The Maxipad has a .82g capacity. The Convertible Vette has a .90g capacity.

[1viadrft]

The 'Vette was a 'vert, no-? I'm thinking maybe it would be less rigid in the curves? I thought the 'Vette would be heavier? Maybe I'm wrong about the curb weight... how much does a Max and a 'Vette compare? Maybe I'm just plain wrong, guys... but how did our friend keep up with him?

[Self]

Originally Posted by 1viadrft

but how did our friend keep up with him?

Excellent question, Watson...

[street_racer_00]

well lets look at the possibilities.........being a convertible, it would not only add weight, it would take away from structural rigidity.....plus it could have been an auto as well, corvettes do have those as well....it could be a fair assumption because the guy was middle-aged and it was a convertible, and convertibles you would associate with "cruising", not "racing". And I have lived where I live for the last 15 years of my life, so it is a good assumption that I know the road very well. Also, who knows, maybe he wasn't the best driver?

[street_racer_00]

whoops, P.S......I have aftermarket springs, which lower the car and firm up the ride....so my car handles a bit better than stock.

[Zwrangler]

sorry to burst your bubble but a maxima keeping up with a corvette??? all things being equal sorry but it ain't happening. the driver musta sucked ass and maybe you knew the area better or maybe also he had bad tires. ah well, as long as you had fun and it was safe its all good.

[1viadrft]

Originally Posted by Zwrangler

sorry to burst your bubble but a maxima keeping up with a corvette??? all things being equal sorry but it ain't happening. the driver musta sucked ass and maybe you knew the area better or maybe also he had bad tires. ah well, as long as you had fun and it was safe its all good.

If you actually read the ORIGINAL post... you would know he only kept up in the corners/curves!

Originally Posted by Self

Excellent question, Watson...

So, however did he keep up, Holmes...?

Maybe my first statment is right?

[EmeraldPrelude]

There are a couple reasonable answers to this. The guy could have been toying with him. The guy may not have been used to his car yet, or just was scared to push the Vette to its limits altogether. The fact is, a C5 Vette is a machine that is more than ready to handle through curves with any other car. Id put it on the driver, not the car.

[97Tsi]

Originally Posted by EmeraldPrelude

There are a couple reasonable answers to this. The guy could have been toying with him. The guy may not have been used to his car yet, or just was scared to push the Vette to its limits altogether. The fact is, a C5 Vette is a machine that is more than ready to handle through curves with any other car. Id put it on the driver, not the car.

I agree, I'm not doubting that you kept up with the Vette, especially given all the variables. But the C5 is just a better car. Good run though, your car would mobb the shit out of my car in the curves, that's for sure.

[street_racer_00]

Originally Posted by EmeraldPrelude

There are a couple reasonable answers to this. The guy could have been toying with him. The guy may not have been used to his car yet, or just was scared to push the Vette to its limits altogether. The fact is, a C5 Vette is a machine that is more than ready to handle through curves with any other car. Id put it on the driver, not the car.

I know it wasn't the first one(read my original post), I don't THINK it was the second one (I've seen the guy around before with the car) so the best bet is probably the third one, as he was an older guy. I was never saying my car was better, that's ludicrious lol, I was just saying that it was cool that I was able to keep up for the most part.

[EmeraldPrelude]

Alrighty.. Personally I have always liked the Maximas and Altimas. I always thought Nissan blew away most competitors with similar V6's in their class. Your car looks good, keep up the good work on it.

[1viadrft]

Where do you live Street Racer 00? I would love to do a canyon run with you...

[street_racer_00]

Originally Posted by 1viadrft

Where do you live Street Racer 00? I would love to do a canyon run with you...

I live in the central coast part of california, near a city called San Luis Obispo....what about you?