[JSHarvey]

Good news, I got the brakes adjusted (today) after swapping in a 68 MC and they work fantastic. Better than I thought possible. Now the bad news I found out that my brain didn't register the fact that the brakes can now lock up the wheels much faster than ever before. While driving home today (on a fast freeway) a truck infront of me slams on the brakes and my brain slams my pedal down (just it would have needed to last week) and the car goes into a skid. Not a bad result except that it drifted left just a bit and I got clipped by a car much faster (they were in the car pool lane) this swings my front to the right at a great rate of speed, I over reacted and coorected back left again (I did miss all the cars to the right!) but ended up losing control and sliding across the car pool lane (missing all the cars this time) and slamming into the median. OUCH. The front corners, grille, valence, etc. got mushed quite badly. Somehow a small divet got put in the quarter panel right on the top of the crease as well. I'm looking at a pretty steep repair bill.

Now part of this was due to my not being used to the new brakes, but also to the fact that i very recently added a 1 inch front and a 3/4 inch rear sway bars. They changed the handling also, making the car much more responsive. This made it harder to correct once I got into trouble (I think).

Moral:
1. Be careful!
2. When you change something find a desert parking lot to try out a few stops and lane changes to get a feel for new system.

John Harvey

 

[JSHarvey]

Thanks for the sympathy and for the ideas/advice. I will chat with the issurance agent and adjuster today. I do have full comprehensive and collision coverage (just like my "regular" cars) so hopefully there won't be any big problems. My agent and I had talked previously about the best way to insure the Mustang, so I think things will work out.

Interestingly the policeman apparently concluded that the accident was the fault of the person who did not get hit (who hit the brakes in front of me unexpectedly but did not stop), because the policeman did not issue a ticket to me or the other person who was involved . (I was surprised), also the guy that did get hit was going well over the speed limit I think that may have had something to do with the policeman's decision.

I'll let the forum know the final outcome.

John Harvey

 

[JSHarvey]

I am going to do the same thing (practice in parking lots). I do love the way the car handles though. It craves through turns so much nicer, the oversteer makes it seem as if it almost anticipated the request. Also it stays fairly flat in the corners. I just need to get used to it in panic situations. Also getting fatter tires probably wouldn't hurt either!

John