how fast are the Daytona Coupes?

[Hal Copple]

when Bob Olthoff showed me some pics of one of the prototypes he was running in SA this spring, before things were pretty well finalized for production, he had one of a shot of the Coupe's speedo, reading between 185 and 190 mph, Bob said he was running up on some traffic, and had to brake, but the car was still accelerating.

The suggested engine is a 402 Roush, if you get a Coupe from the Olthoffs, presently they are carburated. A big block will not fit between the frame rails. The Coupe is more spectactular under the body, with all the race grade stuff they have under the body, which at present is not available in Kevlar, as they have not been satisfied with the finish they can do to SPF standards on the Kevlar. Hard to get the "print thru" to be completely invisible.

Some very careful computer analylsis suggest a top speed of 219, but very few cars out there can do this, i have my own hunch that it will do 205-207 mph. Bob has told me his race Wilmet coupe, a little different than the Shelby Daytonas, would go about 198 mph, (for the unaware, he raced it and Cobra roadsters a lot back in the '60's), so with a hundred-plus more hp, this one should do a bit more than that.

One of these days, we will find out.

It is a truly stunning car. I have ridden in it, and it combines refinement with staggering performance.