Your fastest high speed pass

[Jaydee]

Many years ago, I test drove a customers Ferrari 308. Got it to 140mph on a long sweeping corner through a valley, it hit a bump at the bottom, as the car rose, the air got underneath, and the steering got really light. I backed of, it changed 2 lanes before regaining enough grip. Scary.
JD

[itstock]

Originally Posted by Jaydee

Many years ago, I test drove a customers Ferrari 308. Got it to 140mph on a long sweeping corner through a valley, it hit a bump at the bottom, as the car rose, the air got underneath, and the steering got really light. I backed of, it changed 2 lanes before regaining enough grip. Scary.
JD

That kind of reminds me of my poor choice in racing on the street not so long ago...

I was racing some old Nova with my 03 cobra (both 140mph trap cars), beat him the first time. We went back the second time for a rematch, I hit a dip in the road on the very top end, went sideways a bunch of different directions, finally straightened it out and by then i had lost the race. The crazy bastard wanted me to run a 3rd time for the tie breaker. That's the last time I raced on the street, no sense in chancing that any more.

[AL427SBF]

You guys up there at ~150 when your balls bailed on you, did you try bending a little forward to get yourself out of some turbulence and maybe give those balls a 2nd wind?

[scottj]

I've never been to a track that had a long enough straight to find top speed... and running without a windshield, I can't read the gauges anyway. Above 150 the buffeting is so bad I can't see the road let alone the speedo. I have to push my helmet as hard as I can against the seat to stabilize my head enough to see my braking point.

[Dennis O'Shea]

I was out early on a sunday morning I have michelin pilot sx's all the way around 335x35x17's on the back when on the highway they hum I took the little car up to 140mph on HWY 101 and started laughing the tires didn't hum any more and with the 460 there was still plenty left

[fordracing65]

I talked with Randal from performance unlimited, he told me at 180mph his windshild did bend back and was on the verge of coming completly off.

[Jamo]

I know I had the 06 Vette up around 165-170 mph or a bit higher cuz the damn little rubber air dam up front gets pushed down and scrapes on the high crowned aggregate desert roads between 29 Palms and the River...noise scared the high holy he!! out of me first time I experienced it (thought I blew the motor).

The Cobra...140s at Fernley (we're all pretty much the same there) and maybe 160 or so at Fontana on the banking...testicle shrinkage gets a bit extreme about then as the front end starts getting a bit light.

[Hammer65]

100 MPH on I-90 and backed off. Best low pass was in A4 weapons training near Yuma, AZ. 500 MPH and tracked at 15 feet AGL when I should have been at 50 feet.

[AL427SBF]

That's one fast Audi yuk yuk. 500mph on the deck must have been a thrill, too bad it doesn't count. 100mph on I-90? ... you need to work on that lol.

[twin turbo]

144.91 in the 1/4 mile in the Cobra. Would love to try a standing mile for fun.

[WardL]

So when going 150 MPH... can you take your foot off the gas all the way and stay in control? Or do you ease off the throttle? I would hope you could take your foot off the gas all the way and brake a little and stay in control. How did they do this routinely racing in the 60's? I know the drivers were pros and that's a huge difference. They must have done the high speed driving so much it was more comfortable. Living the dream!

[JBCOBRA]

Sure, you take can your foot off the gas all the way. Gotta get ready for the next turn
Anything over a buck-fitty is pretty hairy, I think. But these cars really shine in 50-130 zone

[Tommy]

Originally Posted by JBCOBRA

Sure, you take can your foot off the gas all the way. Gotta get ready for the next turn
Anything over a buck-fitty is pretty hairy, I think. But these cars really shine in 50-130 zone

I agree. My top speed was just before the slowest corner at Roebling Road, so the transition from max acceleration to max braking was very short. The keys are to be straight when you do it, and match the RPM to wheel speed when downshifting to avoid locking up the rear wheels.

[JBCOBRA]

Right On Tommy!
I don't know or understand how anyone could drive these beasties without matching RPM's when downshifting. Getting it right is essential to control.

Originally Posted by Tommy

I agree. My top speed was just before the slowest corner at Roebling Road, so the transition from max acceleration to max braking was very short. The keys are to be straight when you do it, and match the RPM to wheel speed when downshifting to avoid locking up the rear wheels.

[monaro]

160mp backdraft p51 4.6 superchaged and still pull hard : :

[AL427SBF]

Originally Posted by JBCOBRA

Right On Tommy!
I don't know or understand how anyone could drive these beasties without matching RPM's when downshifting. Getting it right is essential to control.

Not to mention that it sounds cool too

[Buzz]

I've gone over 130 in the Cobra a few times and probably touched 140. If you know or can imagine what the roads are like on a small Caribbean island, you'll understand what a rush that would be. It feels like the adrenaline stays in my blood for hours afterwards! I would say that the hair on the back of my neck prickles up just thinking about it, but that would be a rotten lie since I have no hair there at all.

I doubt that I will do it again, though - even with no traffic around and very early in the morning, there's just too much to worry about at that speed other than keeping the car on the road. 100mph is easy though, and the car gets up there in no time. There's a stretch of semi-straight road just before I enter my neighborhood and I routinely blast up around 100 or so in 4th gear on my way home when conditions permit.

The Cobra is stable enough at speed and exhibits no bad manners when I brake or lift off in 4th gear. Lifting in 5th is not even an issue, as engine braking is minimal with a .68 gear ratio. I do have hood louvers - installed to vent underhood heat - but they are purported to counteract front end lift by venting pressure. The real problem is the uneven road surface - it ensures maximum pucker factor during high speed passes.

When I lived in Canada, I hit 250kph (155mph +-) in both of my 'vettes several times and on the big, wide, empty highways of Northern Alberta that was a yawn and a cakewalk compared to going fast in a Cobra down here.

[flipper35]

Been over 145 a couple times with my little motor and it was still pulling hard. Rode with a friend that has raced professionally and we were cruising at 135 for several miles just south of butterfield ranch. We were fully extending and compressing the shocks several points along the way.

[scottj]

Originally Posted by flipper35

Been over 145 a couple times with my little motor and it was still pulling hard. Rode with a friend that has raced professionally and we were cruising at 135 for several miles just south of butterfield ranch. We were fully extending and compressing the shocks several points along the way.

...one reason why my track suspension has 800#/900# springs vs 500#/425# for the street.

[Jamo]

Originally Posted by flipper35

Been over 145 a couple times with my little motor and it was still pulling hard. Rode with a friend that has raced professionally and we were cruising at 135 for several miles just south of butterfield ranch. We were fully extending and compressing the shocks several points along the way.

Well duh!

I miss those roads.