"Don Pearce" wrote in message
...

Worst car for this was probably the old Corvette with its transverse
leaf spring. You were taking your life in your hands at any speed over
30.

I'm not sure which Corvette you are talking about.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corvette_leaf_spring

a.. C1 (1953-1962):
Front: Independent unequal-length double wishbones with coil springs.
Rear: Rigid axle supported by leaf springs and longitudinal control
links.[1]

a.. C2 (1963-1967), C3 (1968-1982):
Front: Independent unequal-length double wishbones with coil springs.
Rear: Independent suspension with trailing and lateral links supported by
a centrally mounted leaf spring.[2]

a.. C4 (1984-1996):
Front: Independent unequal-length double wishbones with transverse
fiberglass mono-leaf spring mounted to allow for anti-roll effect.
Rear: Independent suspension with trailing and lateral links supported by
a centrally mounted fiberglass mono-leaf spring.

a.. C5 (1997-2004), C6 (2005-):
Front: Independent unequal-length double wishbones with transverse
fiberglass mono-leaf spring mounted to allow for anti-roll effect.
Rear: Independent unequal length double wishbones with transverse
fiberglass mono-leaf spring mounted to allow for anti-roll effect


Are you thinking of the Corvettes with the transverse leaf spring? If so
there were also upper and lower control arms.

Add the all-round drum brakes and it was pretty much a car
designed for suicides.

My daily drivers had 4 wheel drum brakes from 1962 to 1971, with occasional
drives since then in legacy vehicles with 4 wheel drums since then. If dry,
in good adjustment, adequately sized and with good linings and drums, not
all that bad. Of course I'd prefer discs.