I’ve always had a stupid pipe dream of building an “analog” car if you will, where there are absolutely zero electronics in the car and it’s just pure road feel. Sounds really stupid and impractical in a modern context but was wondering when was the last time we had truly mechanical cars before electronic assistance became the norm?

  • sohcgt96@alien.topB
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    10 months ago

    Just take an honest assessment of the stuff that impacts driving fuel. A lot of electronics don’t until you get into the driver aid stuff. My 90s Mustang (note the username) was still run by a computer but had no traction control and the power steering had no connection to the ECM, it was purely mechanical. It did have ABS but people made delete blocks for that since it was expensive to replace and people re-routed the brake lines when they did turbos. TBH though most everyone thinks they can beat ABS and they’re wrong. Having cruise control does not detract from the driving experience, just don’t use it if you don’t want to at that time.

    I never felt electronics were interfering with my driving experience in that car, and once I did the racing seats and coilovers there was a ton of feedback from the chassis. It also made my back sore, I’m glad the shocks were adjustable. TBH if I were to do it again I’d not do the coilovers and just do good lowering springs with matching shocks, the caster/camber plates and the bumpsteer kit. Really, if you go back to the early 00s thats about as far as you’d most likely need to go to ensure hydraulic steering that doesn’t talk to the computer, cable throttle, and no traction control.

    But there is also a good chance you idealize the “analog” and “computerless” experience based on what you’re reading on here, people seem to really put some of that stuff on a pedestal around here and its not that simple. Analog is not automatically good or bad, its the execution. My GTI has an amazing driving feel and it has plenty of electronic stuff. My '38 has nothing electronic but lights and a starter, its even points and condenser ignition and let me tell you, there is a point of diminishing returns.