Your Top Speed

[OnyxRider]

Originally Posted by mtrain2000

Didn't Shelby say that at 160mph the Cobra hit the wall aerodynamically, which was the reason for them building the Daytona?

Also, I've read where some of the Cobra's had the fastback hardtop which was supposed to make them more aerodynamic. I wonder how much that helped?

Yeah but I always thought he was speaking on the 289 race cars.

Originally Posted by GRUF78

About 1107 knots ground speed in my F/A-18 A+; about 1273 MPH .

147 in my then, brand new, 1994 Corvette on 103rd St in Jacksonville, FL.

About 155+ in my Cobra on FM 4 here in North TX.

GRUFF

Are you USN?

Ok I wasn't intending to write about supersonic but will below.

Originally Posted by Skuzzy

The fastest I have driven was 198.16 MPH, at a track. It was not in a Cobra though. I soooo wanted to break 200 MPH. Sooo close.

I have been in a Cobra that was traveling over 145 MPH though. Does that count?

Just figure a small degree of error and you were over 200mph!



Well all very great experiences guys. Too many to mention but will go with what are memorable to me.

Late 1970's a "real'' 427SC on Merritt Parkway in Connecticut going through that no mans land straight between Fairfield and Westport. 170+ mph

At LeMans Porsche 917 over 230mp in the straight before the track was altered.

My first visit to the salt flats(Bonneville & dry lake El Mirage) kicked my ass!! I was wondering why my friend told me to take umbrellas(for the sun). The heat and sun will scorch your very soul! The salt will suck your tires down and there use to be loose salt and some unevenness. After two years and a little experience wanted to break the 300mph barrier. This was in early 80's and was just testing the vehicle and hit 253+ in one test run(did not do the return trip). In a timed run never broke 300 but hit close to 260. On return run something started to rattle and slight strange vibration and felt like body was lifting. Took foot off the pedal and coasted down and brought car to trailer area. That **** was crazy.

In my Navy days if you could get access like me Groom Lake has a 30,000 foot runway.

Edwards Air Force Base has a long hard runway and over 7 mile dry lake runway. I had a 512 BB Ferrari which had a twin turbo on it. I have no idea what the top speed was but I ran it hard at Edwards on the long lake runway and can say it was over 200 for a long bit.

Just recently at Cape Kennedy the SLF- Shuttle Launch Facility-was rented for the day and is 15,000 feet of smooth runway with 1000ft. overrun on each end in addition it's over 300 feet wide.

Had a Ford GT, McClaren F1, mystery racer, and a Bugatti test model of the Super Veyron. Not a Super Sport but not a Super Veyron yet. It is about 500 pounds lighter and has 1600bhp compared to 1200bhp. I let my co-pilot go first and it was her first time to break 200mph and she reached it very easy.

On my run with the Bugatti reached 240 and I shut it down. This one has a top speed key that needs to be engaged and gives you a checklist to see if the driver and auto is ready while stationary. The hydraulics lowers the vehicle and at a certain speed the wing and spoiler deploys.

Kept the auto in semi-automatic mode and went through the seven gears. The rear spoiler works as an air brake of sorts and changes its angle when braking. The wing does add a lot of downforce helping to keep it on the road.

Bugatti was solid and reaches high speeds very fast. Have driven many at 170-to 200 with some shaking and all that good stuff that puts hair on your chest.

I joked later on that I needed about 12 seconds and almost third of a mile to stop.

Would love to drive this at Edwards!!!

Hey Gruff I mentioned vehicle and thought someone would post about a speed boat or something and you post your fighter ride.

Rode as an observer on a SR-71 and was told when reached Mach 3. I know we cruised at a good speed for awhile. Not sure what the record is/was.

The original pilots of the (U2)/A-12/SR-71 were called "Roadrunners" and use to get together once a year in Vegas. Some of those stories were wild.



Ok the one with the biggest goes to a friend who rode Suzuki Hayabusa at 238 mph!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!