Active Suspension ZR-1 Prototype

[Rob]

http://corvetteactioncenter.com/gallery/showgallery.php/cat/6021/

 

[Hib Halverson]

I drove that car once. At Milford. Riding with me was a development engineer who worked on the project. He had a special piece of equipment in the back set-up to alter the programming of the Active's cal while we were driving. One thing he made the car do was roll the opposite way in a turn. That was probably the strangest sensation I ever had in a car...imagine turning left and having the car "bank" into the turn.

There's one section on the RH loop at the Grounds that's a series of large, low frequency inputs, like dips and swales. At 80 with the system on, it just about "leveled out" that section. With the system off our couldn't run that section at that speed.

Interestingly, today's Magnetic Selective Ride Control ("MR") uses much of the software algorithms developed for the active ride program.

 

[bans25]

One thing he made the car do was roll the opposite way in a turn. That was probably the strangest sensation I ever had in a car...imagine turning left and having the car "bank" into the turn.

How did that handle? Big benefits?

 

[Hib Halverson]

Big?
Well....I think the benefit was that the car handled as good or maybe a little better than a stock ZR-1 but it rode much better, especially at the limit.

But...on a flat, smooth track, the advantages were modest at best. Where the system really worked well was in at-limit handling situations on rough roads.

 

[vettepilot]

Big?
Well....I think the benefit was that the car handled as good or maybe a little better than a stock ZR-1 but it rode much better, especially at the limit.

But...on a flat, smooth track, the advantages were modest at best. Where the system really worked well was in at-limit handling situations on rough roads.

That must have been a nice ride!!!!! Especially for a C4, even with their toned down spring rates after 84.


vettepilot