Slipped past a Mitsubishi Eclipse GSX
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Senior Member
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 169
Likes: 2
From: Taunton, Massachusetts USA
Slipped past a Mitsubishi Eclipse GSX
Hello to all:
Returning home from work today, dodging the puddles created by three to five inches of rain received from within the past twenty-four hours, I'm stopped first in line at the light. In my sideview mirror I see a hot looking little car coming up beside me in the left hand lane. The car stops with it's front bumper even with the front bumper of the Lightning. The driver of the hot car revs his engine.
What? It is too wet and too slippery for this! I look over and see GSX AWD markings on the side of the car; the other driver doesn't look back at me but guns the motor again.
There is no one ahead of us as we're waiting for the light. Ahead the road narrows from two lanes to one lane in about 600 feet. The opportunity is there, presenting itself, but the environmental conditions are not the best.
I believe that the GSX, because of the AWD, will make milk toast of me if I have any wheel spin. I know I have to launch carefully to stand any chance of beating him to the merge.
The light turns green. I go as hard as I can, reserving a little to assure no traction loss. The GSX starts quickly, but not flat out, waiting I believe, to see if I'm game.
We're even, about fifty to seventy-five feet past the light, going about 20 MPH, when I hear and see that he is standing on it. I respond in kind. In a second, I'm past his front bumper. In the next moment, I hear him shift (manual tranny). One second later he's in the rear view mirror and growing smaller. I reach the end of the merge and the GSX is about 100 feet behind me. I back off the gas and decelerate down to normal speed.
It was a great feeling blowing that GSX away, knowing that under the slippery conditions he should have beat me, despite the L's performance advantage.
Another interesting part of this race was the mental images I took away from it. Typically, when driving on the highway or the streets, making fast passes or quick maneuvers (safely, of course) the actions and responses occur so rapidly that the mind does not take all but the most important in; it's almost like unconscious driving. This little race today seemed to happen in slow motion, from beginning to end, with all of the images stuck in my mind.
Man, these trucks are a blast to drive.
Wilk
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'97 F-150 4x4 Super Cab; XLT 139" Wheelbase Flairside; Silver Frost Clearcoat; 4.6L. (Romeo); 4-spd Automatic Transmission; Preferred Equipment Package 507A; 3.55 Limited Slip Axle; Electronic Shift 4x4; California Emissions; Sliding Rear Window; Trailer Towing Package; Off-Road Package; 6-Way Power Driver's Seat; Remote Keyless Entry/Anti Theft; 6-Disc CD Changer; Ford Bedliner; Ford Running Boards; Ford 600 Plus Vehicle Security System; Ford Nose Mask; Roll n Lock Tonneau Cover; Ford PremiumCare Extended Service Plan (5 year/100,000 miles).
2000 SVT F-150 LIGHTNING XLT; 120" Wheelbase; Flareside; 5.4L EFI SOHC V8 SC Engine; 4-SPD Automatic; Silver Clearcoat Metallic; SVT Online Store Lightning Front End Mask; Roll n Lock Tonneau Cover.
Returning home from work today, dodging the puddles created by three to five inches of rain received from within the past twenty-four hours, I'm stopped first in line at the light. In my sideview mirror I see a hot looking little car coming up beside me in the left hand lane. The car stops with it's front bumper even with the front bumper of the Lightning. The driver of the hot car revs his engine.
What? It is too wet and too slippery for this! I look over and see GSX AWD markings on the side of the car; the other driver doesn't look back at me but guns the motor again.
There is no one ahead of us as we're waiting for the light. Ahead the road narrows from two lanes to one lane in about 600 feet. The opportunity is there, presenting itself, but the environmental conditions are not the best.
I believe that the GSX, because of the AWD, will make milk toast of me if I have any wheel spin. I know I have to launch carefully to stand any chance of beating him to the merge.
The light turns green. I go as hard as I can, reserving a little to assure no traction loss. The GSX starts quickly, but not flat out, waiting I believe, to see if I'm game.
We're even, about fifty to seventy-five feet past the light, going about 20 MPH, when I hear and see that he is standing on it. I respond in kind. In a second, I'm past his front bumper. In the next moment, I hear him shift (manual tranny). One second later he's in the rear view mirror and growing smaller. I reach the end of the merge and the GSX is about 100 feet behind me. I back off the gas and decelerate down to normal speed.
It was a great feeling blowing that GSX away, knowing that under the slippery conditions he should have beat me, despite the L's performance advantage.
Another interesting part of this race was the mental images I took away from it. Typically, when driving on the highway or the streets, making fast passes or quick maneuvers (safely, of course) the actions and responses occur so rapidly that the mind does not take all but the most important in; it's almost like unconscious driving. This little race today seemed to happen in slow motion, from beginning to end, with all of the images stuck in my mind.
Man, these trucks are a blast to drive.
Wilk
------------------
'97 F-150 4x4 Super Cab; XLT 139" Wheelbase Flairside; Silver Frost Clearcoat; 4.6L. (Romeo); 4-spd Automatic Transmission; Preferred Equipment Package 507A; 3.55 Limited Slip Axle; Electronic Shift 4x4; California Emissions; Sliding Rear Window; Trailer Towing Package; Off-Road Package; 6-Way Power Driver's Seat; Remote Keyless Entry/Anti Theft; 6-Disc CD Changer; Ford Bedliner; Ford Running Boards; Ford 600 Plus Vehicle Security System; Ford Nose Mask; Roll n Lock Tonneau Cover; Ford PremiumCare Extended Service Plan (5 year/100,000 miles).
2000 SVT F-150 LIGHTNING XLT; 120" Wheelbase; Flareside; 5.4L EFI SOHC V8 SC Engine; 4-SPD Automatic; Silver Clearcoat Metallic; SVT Online Store Lightning Front End Mask; Roll n Lock Tonneau Cover.
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 919
Likes: 0
From: At the Gas Pump!
Yeah, when it's wet all bets are off. I almost got beat by a Malibu the other day. Their lane was semi-dry, but mine was nice and slick. I had to feather it until about 50 mph before I could pull ahead. They had me by a foot or two at first, but couldn't clear me enough to change lanes. You're right about it seeming like slow motion...well, I guess it was. 
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 2,142
Likes: 0
From: Scarborough,Me. USA
[QUOTE]Originally posted by F-150 STX:
[B]The Eclipse GSX will only run a 15sec 1/4 when stock. ??? I had a '93 GSX and I use to run 14.0's with it with just a test pipe and a K&N cone. I would think that the newer ones would run better.
Wilk, great story I love reading these..Bill
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Bill
'00 white lightning-#2030 of 4966-4/6/00 thursday
muth mirrors,door key pad mod,fog light mod,
clear corners, super white; headlights,corners,fogs,
trenz billet upper and lower grills, billet 3rd brake light cover,
Bedrug, harley davidson tonneau cover,
JDM flip chip, JDM lower pulley, 90mm mass air, JDM tranny mod,
JDM 5"aluminum driveshaft,
J.L. stage 2 ram air kit
BellTech 3/4 lowering kit
2001 tails installed
20" chrome lightning wheels on order
more to come....
my zing albums-_-click here-_
'00 harley davidson FLSTC tons of custom parts..
'99.5 nissan pathfinder le-STILLEN EQUIPPED
'88 toyota show truck(TONKA)
'91 toyota mr2 turbo (to many mods to list)
'00 yamaha banshee(toomy race kit/chrome pipes)
[B]The Eclipse GSX will only run a 15sec 1/4 when stock. ??? I had a '93 GSX and I use to run 14.0's with it with just a test pipe and a K&N cone. I would think that the newer ones would run better.
Wilk, great story I love reading these..Bill
------------------
Bill
'00 white lightning-#2030 of 4966-4/6/00 thursday
muth mirrors,door key pad mod,fog light mod,
clear corners, super white; headlights,corners,fogs,
trenz billet upper and lower grills, billet 3rd brake light cover,
Bedrug, harley davidson tonneau cover,
JDM flip chip, JDM lower pulley, 90mm mass air, JDM tranny mod,
JDM 5"aluminum driveshaft,
J.L. stage 2 ram air kit
BellTech 3/4 lowering kit
2001 tails installed
20" chrome lightning wheels on order
more to come....
my zing albums-_-click here-_
'00 harley davidson FLSTC tons of custom parts..
'99.5 nissan pathfinder le-STILLEN EQUIPPED
'88 toyota show truck(TONKA)
'91 toyota mr2 turbo (to many mods to list)
'00 yamaha banshee(toomy race kit/chrome pipes)
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 486
Likes: 0
From: Navarre, FL
You have to watch those AWD Turbos. It doesn't take much in the way of mods to amke those cars seriously fast!
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GalaxyEng
2000 RED #2926
13.5@101
BedRug
Haig custom mats
PSP Filter
------------------
GalaxyEng
2000 RED #2926
13.5@101
BedRug
Haig custom mats
PSP Filter
Member
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 19
Likes: 0
From: Detroit,MI,U.S.A
Yes The 99 GSX will only run 15 sec stock, I have one thats how I know, mine now runs 12.8's consistantly with out any turbo upgrade, but it ran 15.0's bone stock!
The 1st generation's were a little faster because it had a metal blowoff valve/wastegate, the newer ones come with a platic one that gives away after only 6psi compared to 8psi on the earlier models.
[This message has been edited by F-150 STX (edited 04-03-2001).]
The 1st generation's were a little faster because it had a metal blowoff valve/wastegate, the newer ones come with a platic one that gives away after only 6psi compared to 8psi on the earlier models.
[This message has been edited by F-150 STX (edited 04-03-2001).]