V8Wagon

None of this is meant as sucking eggs but just my experiences: Got to say I've done a touch of drifting where the welded diff is extremely popular (and of course, cheap) and, the basic way it's done is through clutch drops - you power on, cock the wheel, clutch drop and the back comes round in the opposite direction the front wheels are pointing (think that's right - might point the other way, doesn't matter, they're turned...). To change direction, you dip the clutch, point them the other way and the back swings round the other way... Bit like a hand brake turn only powered. Right, that works with power on. Now, imagine this scenario, you're belting along the road too fast, you think shit, I need to scrub off some speed - two options, slam on the brakes or drop it down a gear. With me so far? If you do the latter, what have you got? Think about it... Power on and the clutch brought up quick - what does that sound like? Yep, a clutch drop!!! You'd better be prepared for it because if you're not, the back will come round and you'll be going backwards - very much like an un-expected hand brake turn... As Si says, an LSD can catch you out in exactly the same way - the one that will do this is a motorsport LSD with fast ramp angles - it's designed to come in quick and with a snap and effectively will turn the diff into a locked one. There are road LSDs and track LSDs for a reason - the Capri Atlas LSD for example, is extremely different to a track LSD - for a start, the ramp angles are very steep so the locking action is reluctant to start and thus, it's good for the road because it's not too aggressive. Motorsport diffs are meant amongst other things, for rallying in the forrest/loose because it'll snap in quick, kick the back end out and Bob's ya firkin. Not that ideal on the road IMO... It comes down to the following - if you want to arse up fit a plate LSD and learn how to use it. If you want to be quick on the track, ATB. One last thing, an ATB will behave more like an open diff and handle better but, the car needs setting up for it - get it right, you'll love it. But, if you swap out a plate LSD for an ATB, the car will be shite because the car's set up for an LSD - it's like ya dinner and ya pudding, they're both the same thing but different... I know all this because I have driven a welded diff car on the road and yes it caught me out - now I've had time to think about it and analyse what happened, it wouldn't happen again. Learn by YOUR experiences not what other people tell you is best... Waste land, testing, you can't beat it! The above is probably all the round ones so ignore it if you like, Jon

Cut and pasted from Rodsnsods site: Hi, I am a resident at the Chelsea Bridge Wharf on Queenstown Road, just beside Chelsea Bridge. I've been living there for around 2 years now and I've never had a problem with the monthly car meet that goes on outside my block of flats. This past month was a different story... and so I went on the internet and found the Chelsea Cruise website. I'm assuming you're the organiser of this so I just wanted to bring this to your attention. I have contacted the wandsworth police about the car meet that happened last weekend and raised a number of issues: Traffic. Time and again you and your cruise park on both sides of the bridge and also overflow onto the pavements. Not even taking into account the fact that all the cars are parked on double yellow lines, the cruise caused alot of traffic problems on Queenstown Road that night. Noise. Bearing in mind you're all parked outside a residential building. The noise some of the cars make is very disruptive, especially when you people see it fit to floor it when you're on Queenstown Road. Burnouts and other generally childish behaviour. I didn't have to see this one to know about it. The number of tyre marks left on the bridge the morning after is evidence enough of what the cruise people did. As a member of a Jap tuner car club I understand meets and how much fun the meets can be. However, this past month has illustrated all the bad points about car meets. As I noted earlier in my email I have contacted the Wandsworth police about this as this type of behaviour on a public road right next to a huge block of residental flats is simply not acceptable. It is your responsibility when organising these things to give due consideration to those who live in the immediate surroundings, hence why I'm emailing you now. I would suggest you find a more suitable location for the meet as it's obvious that it's getting more and more popular and the bridge is not longer big enough to accomodate those who want to attend. In addition, it brings alot of disruption to the residents nearby. Kind regards -Ken Must have been a good night then...

...maybe the NSRA were moaning - haven't read that since they chucked out all the guests and made it members only - smart move!! RodsnSods site they certainly weren't moaning - I quote: I have to say, I thought those Brit Ford's looked awesome - the quality and condition was fantastic! It was great to see them there and a really good effort from the Old Skool boys for getting down there! Without question, they have their rightful place in British Cruising/Rodding history! On a proper site, we're all the same....

Get a 'ukin' grip, they weren't moaning; they love it, they just want to preserve it so we can all keep on nailing it!

Just to let you know, Chelsea's being discussed on the new hot rod forum Rodsnsods: Valid point was made - the cruise always has had problems staying alive and the latest PITFA are the residents of those hyper posh flats over looking the tea stall. You can bet they'll be winding the friggin' council up tomorrow morning, re: burnouts etc... Was suggested leaving the 'action' to the Trinity Road - less likely to get busted there or give the Feds an excuse to close it down. They've come down 'kin hard in the past - Chelsea's just starting to get good again - don't let it happen again

Top night - got some fab pics for Classic Ford too... Good to see you Nick; been a while! BTW - Chelsea's EVERY month, not just organised ones! Make it happen, don't let it die do it! You know it makes sense.... Jon

Kev, PM sent! Please call me... Cheers!

Had a look at lunchtime - looks like a 351 Windsor to me, looks like it has the two butresses around the distributor housing base but it's hard to tell from the angle of photo. Plus there appears to be more land between the water pump inlet/outlet and deck face. I'd say it is especially as he says it's a "genuine XW GT Falcon 351 Windsor block..." Be a bit of twat if he was lying eh? Doesn't explain the 5000 badge but then he could have had a 302 in it at some time and not updated - after all the bus that says Heinz beans on the back doesn't necessarily mean it sells them!! Mine's probably going to have a 289 badge on it - but then I've got a rather trick one with two flags off a well known car in the States and it has sentimental value, despite having a 302. Personal thing but there you go, err....

...by the way, hope my 302 Capri runs 12's when it's finished too!

Left the mag at home today but it's very hard to tell the difference between a 351W and 302 since it's only the deck height that's different - it's an inch taller (I think) the heads are the same and the block looks absolutely identical. If it were a 351 Cleveland then they are completely different - the main way to tell is the amount of land in front of the water pump - the 351C looks like it's got a big tea tray cast into the front - sadly no cakes though...

A Rover doesn't sound hard eh? You haven't heard Ian's! One of the hardest sounding cars ever. I reckon there's plus' and minus' for both - A tuned Rover in a light car would go like stink - I had a V8 Cortina Mk1 about 18-months ago that flew. Best of all you wouldn't really need to move the bulkhead back to make it handle that badly. The Capri's slighty different because it already has a massive engine bay so handling wouldn't be any worse than an essex - that's with a 302 and ally heads or a 351 windsor, which is the same block just has a taller deck height - 302 heads bolt straight on 'cos they're the same. 351 Cleveland is whole different kettle of ball games - sort of mid way between a small and big block, they are much heavier and look different too- as Ian says, they have a different firing order too. You can tell one from the other genearlly around the water pump area, where there's loads more 'land' in the block - they're much deaper than a Windsor. You also have to ensure it is a Cleveland and not a 351M - this is a truck engine that looks identical but it ain't the same engine - much harder to tune by far because less parts are available. Although Hot Rod this month has a feature on tuning M engines. Like Windsors, though, there are ally heads available for Clevelands. It's also easier to fit an SBF into a Capri because a sump is readily avaialable - 5.0 Fox body Mustang sump has the majority of the bowl at the back - Team Blitz in the States do engine mounts and loads more too. Windsors are more cost effective to wring power from - a lot cheaper to tune than a Rover and you'lll get far more power for less money. However, Rovers can respond well especially 3.9's and real Steel are currently finalising their all new castings for Rovers too - loads of power! I wouldn't dismiss a Rover so easily - they are proper american engines - they're Buick/Oldsmobile after all. if it were me though in your Capri I'd go for SBF and if I had the choice a 351 windsor with ally heads stroked out to 408. Hope that helps!