Emotion Before Perfection

The Slow Blog

Weekly English and German
Wöchentlich deutsch und englisch

December 2017

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72 TREASURY 201712 29.12.2017 17:03

Some basics have been presented inter alia in blogpost 20 TREASURY 201612 one year ago. Today, we leave the paddock and the pit lane – car and driver well prepared.

Actually quite simple: have you checked your brake pressure by pressing the brake pedal before the start? On one hand, when you have problems with the engine power, you note it immediately and the car decelerates. On the other hand, when your brakes do not work properly, you propably experience an unpleasent surprise in the first bend.

This is also applicable after a pit stop. In this case, your car’s brakes are quite hot and the heat increases, while the vehicle stands still. Check your brake the same way before you leave the pit lane to continue – it helps to avoid possible annoying incidents.

Finally the cool down lap: that speaks for itself. Moderate speed, engine in the part-load range, downshifting instead of breaking are the main elements to do something good to your car.

After the ride is before the next ride. Again, fasten your seat belt firmly, start the engine - you are ready to go. Have a safe drive!

See you next Friday. - God bless you, all the best! The Castiron

Recommendation: www.cbmcint.com/signup-now

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71 CHRISTMAS 201712 22.12.2017 16:20

The Castiron shares some of the content of the song Silent Night with you. Here, two verses of this song, performed for the first time in Oberndorf / Salzburg by Franz Xaver Gruber (melody) and Joseph Mohr (text) in 1818.

Silent night, holy night. Son of God, love’ pure light. Radiant beams from Thy holy face. With the dawn of redeeming grace. Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth. Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth.

Silent night, holy night. Shepherds quake at the sight. Glories stream from heaven afar. Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia. Christ, the Saviour is born. Christ, the Saviour is born.

For those, who want to know more: The Castiron invites you to read in the Holy Bible, Luke 2 (see recommendation).

Christ, the Saviour is born. Merry Christmas!

See you next Friday. - God bless you, all the best! The Castiron

Many thanks to all who made the video possible!

Recommendation: http://www.bibleserver.com/text/NIV/Luke2

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70 WHEN THE DRIFT POUNCES UPON YOU 15.12.2017 16:14

Some time ago, another trackday, then with the sporty German four-door limousine, mentioned in blogpost 58 THE DAYS BEFORE ELEANOR V 201709 - beautiful weather and rather good conditions. A day at Hockenheim making one to believe that everything will go well.

After several laps, accelerating out of the slow corner „Spitzkehre“, passing through the following right-hand bend: all of a sudden it turned out differently. Around 100 miles per hour at the exit of the corner, a huge oversteering pounces upon The Castiron’s car.

The Castiron countersteered as fast as possible and as much as necessary and pressed the brake pedal smoothly: he knew, deceleration is a must, because the next left-hand bend is a slow one. He needed the whole distance of considerably more than 400 feet to keep the drifting car under control. Reaching the next corner, the drift angle was almost still the same, but at a lower speed; so he was able to force the car in a drift to the other side to round this bend. After that, everything was back to normal.

Have a look at the video to see many similar situations, this time in wintry conditions. To that some conclusions: it seems to be a driver training at lower speeds, drivers are prepared for these situations, yet car control is often far from perfect. And: the walls are generally not of flexible snow!

See you next Friday. - God bless you, all the best! The Castiron

Recommendation: http://thecastiron.ch/en/comments.html

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69 SPEED AND FUN IN WINTER 08.12.2017 16:02

When we are looking back to the ongoing story of The Castiron, some key items are in the blogposts 8 THE STORY OF THE CASTIRON AND ELEANOR V PART II and 18 MORE ON THE WHY. On one hand, the first rendez-vous of The Castiron and Eleanor V was accompanied by the starting of snowfall; on the other hand The Castiron’s friend who said the words: it is inside of you - one of the major encouragements for the final decision to start with the blog.

Bringing the things together leads to today’s theme; the friend, the snow and the winter, the speed and the fun: speed and fun in winter. This time not on four wheels but on skis, downhill.

Years ago, this friend and The Castiron agreed to spend together a winter vacation. Since then, they share the passion for skiing year after year. Just a few facts: mountains, snow, often beautiful weather, sometimes quite cold temperatures and a speeding up to 50 miles per hour on skis - very, very precious and re-creative days!

A picture is worth a thousand words. The pictures, from Switzerland, give you a broader insight - enjoy it!

See you next Friday. - God bless you, all the best! The Castiron

Recommendation: http://oversizeparts.com/English/

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68 LEGENDS CARS 01.12.2017 15:46

The past motorsport season, a circuit in France and a Legends Car - the owner and promoter of SWISS LEGENDS RACING gave The Castiron the opportunity to test this racing car, based on a tubular frame and a Ford Coupe Silhouette.

The Car. With its body style from the 1930s and 1940s, the Legends Cars look like a 5/8 scale model of the stock cars that dominated NASCAR racing in the 1950s. Some specials: single-seater, no ABS, a sequential 5-speed manual gearbox, solid rear axle without differential.

The circumstances. The owner instructs The Castiron: how to fix and remove the steering wheel, how to go into reverse gear if necessary and so forth. The weather: light rain, track surface accordingly. Looking forward to an exciting and entertaining journey: ready, steady, go!

The driving experience. Enhancing the pace lap by lap, gaining experience, effectively: braking point not optimal, blocked front wheels, looking for an escape route, releasing the brake pedal, crossing the gravel bed, making an U turn on the wet meadow and getting cautiously back on the track. A few laps later: to much oversteering, to make the best of it braking as hard as possible until standstill - but the car is counter to the right direction; what was that again with the reverse gear? To move the separate small lever in the right direction enables reversing and turning, to continue in the correct direction.

So far, so good. Not so easy, quite a demanding task, enormous fun pure within reasonable costs - this is the fundamental idea and also The Castiron’s conclusion. With this in mind: a good forthcoming season to all drivers of a Legends Car and to all others!

See you next Friday. - God bless you, all the best! The Castiron

Recommendation: https://www.uslegendcars.com/