Drive the Nordschleife - 70's style

[TFJ100]

I would hate to get a reputation for only posting crash videos, but I somehow stumbled across this on Youtube recently and it has to be seen to be believed. I'm hoping my own future debut at an Alfa Club event won't bear any resemblance to any of these videos:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xwc54G2Ur8

Comments welcome from anyone who remembers the 70's...was it really like this?

Torben

[Frank Musco]

I wasn't driving around during the seventies, but If I was it wouldn't be in a Fiat 850 or VW Beetle!

[colcol]

I hate seeing this sort of thing!, it is someones pride and joy being written off, and the way the cars seem to roll slowly, its like seeing an animal roll over and die after being hit by a car, how about the slack safety standards, none of them seem to be wearing helmets, they were in short sleeves,one guy seemed to fall out of the car after a half roll, the drivers had passengers with them and the doors seem to burst open after the first roll, the spectators / safety officials run out on the track and nearly get cleaned up by the following car, and the evil handling cars that rolled, look at them, Volkswagon Beetles, type3's, 911's, [i was expecting to see a type 2 at any minute!], rear engined Fiats and Renaults, BUT did you notice one thing, unless i am mistaken, NONE of the cars that come to grief were FRONT WHEEL DRIVE!, sure a few were racing, but none seem to be involved in any incidents, the world would have to wait another 2 years for the fantastic handling of the ALFASUD, but in 1970 the world had to be content with the Mini, who else but Colin.

[Anthony Sharp]

What makes you feel that it is any diffrent today, you can drive on the Nordschleife any time you want except when its closed for a race, you just turn up and pay your money, I don't know if there is any safety officals around the track today, but in 89 when I was there the only offical there on the day was the toll officer collecting the money (5 Marks) as you entered, then the track was listed as a oneway toll autobarn where no road rules applied! All european car insurance listed this road as excluded.

[TFJ100]

The number of rear-engined cars coming to grief is quite extraordinary. Note to self for when I eventually drive a 911 in anger...

[aggie57]

Modern 911's are nothing like the cars in that video. Just like a modern FWD car is nothing like a light 15......

You can drive a 996/997 on the track pretty much like you would a GTV6.

[aggie57]

G'day aggie57,

Can you imagine a GTV6 or even a 2lt. GTV with 30 years of constant development and their own racing class, called "GTV Cup" - twin turbo 3lt, a 6 speed gearbox that works perfectly, onboard computers for ABS and traction control, light weight components, six pot calipers and large brake rotors, all this with a beautifully balanced chassis, Not cheep to build today, but l think no road going car would even get near it on a track and maybe even on the road.
 

Yep - sounds like a GTR!

[TFJ100]

Thanks Aggie,

I don't know if I will ever get to try a modern 911, but that is probably because out of modern cars, it is a bit lower down the priority scale than a few Italian jobs. I'm more likely to drive an older one. I have driven an early 911, but it was a friend's, it was the middle of Auckland and we'd had a few over dinner so I didn't want to create any undue interest with my driving. The most memorable thing was that the brake had so much travel I thought it was the clutch and incurred quite a few graunches trying to put it in first before I figured it out.

In terms of cars with engines behind the driver, I used to own a mid-engined Lancia Montecarlo in NZ, which was generally pretty well behaved although I once dived into a corner under braking and did a pretty good impression of one of those Nordschleife videos. It was a good physics lesson for when I get my first Lamborghini.