Whats the fastest speed you driven at, and in what car?

[chaparral]

In 1963 my friend and I were drag racing, he in a Pontiac Tempest, me is my hotrod 1953 Ford Flathead. He rolled the the Tempest and promptly traded it (with money added) for a stored Jaguar XK 140. Two days later I drove the Jag with top down on a lonely country road at night, pitiful headlights ablaze, at an indicated 125 MPH. Mind you, this was on the 1954 Jags original tires. The sound from the engine was amazing. If I remember correctly there was no synchro when you went back to first gear. I hit a jackrabbit while doing this and my friend said, when we stopped, you could have killed us hitting that rabbit, what if a bone had gone through the tire? Yeah, like that was the only thing.
I often think of that car and what a goober my buddy was for only keeping it a short while and then trading it for a rebuilt 57 Chevy 283 that had been wrecked. What I would not give for that Jag today.
Bruce

[Ferrer]

An in-One hundred and forty in a 17 year old car. Seems like 140 is my speed.

[Panama Red]

My 1986 Mazda RX7 was one of my all-time favorite cars. I modded it quite a bit, and rebuilt the engine after 117,000 miles of high-revving and enjoying the car. After breaking in the newly rebuilt and modified engine, I hit 147, at altitude, between Cody, Wyoming and Red Lodge, Montana. There's a long straight stretch of highway out in the middle of nowhere, where you can see any other vehicles at least 5 miles or more away. I also loved to cross Shirley Basin in Wyoming at a constant 135 for miles. It's great to live in the wide open West!

[csl177]

^^^That seems pretty optimistic for an '86 RX7 unless the modifications were extensive. Any photos of the car? Love that part of the country BTW, drove Medicine Bow to Casper once long ago, a pretty bleak road. Felt almost post-apocolyptic.

[Strokera4]

The fastest I have ever driven was 147 mph in a BMW 335i sport package. I definitely would have hit the 150 mph limiter if there was room. However, the fastest I have ever been driven in a car was 155 mph in an Audi S6.

[Panama Red]

^^^That seems pretty optimistic for an '86 RX7 unless the modifications were extensive. Any photos of the car? Love that part of the country BTW, drove Medicine Bow to Casper once long ago, a pretty bleak road. Felt almost post-apocolyptic.

csl177, I know it seems a stretch, but it was highly modified, tho no turbo, it had turbo rotor housings, and 'freed up' exhaust, as well as a number of other things, including aluminum flywheel, bigger injectors, etc. I will post a pic when I can locate the file!

[clutch-monkey]

csl177 there's no guarantee the speedo is accurate at that speed either. i remember the excel race series were optimistically claiming 170kp/h at the end of the straight at lakeside but it was more like 150-155kp/h

[csl177]

csl177, I know it seems a stretch, but it was highly modified, tho no turbo, it had turbo rotor housings, and 'freed up' exhaust, as well as a number of other things, including aluminum flywheel, bigger injectors, etc. I will post a pic when I can locate the file!

I don't doubt the speedometer reading, Panama. But many factors make them unreliable for measuring terminal speed. Doesn't take away from the thrill though, eh? As an RX7 fan, looking forward to the pics. Great cars.

csl177 there's no guarantee the speedo is accurate at that speed either. i remember the excel race series were optimistically claiming 170kp/h at the end of the straight at lakeside but it was more like 150-155kp/h

Exactly, clutch. As discussed in another thread most manufacturer's standard speedos are notoriously innaccurate, usually to the optimistic. Add non-stock wheel/tire combo for extra optimism. No offense, Panama... the 1900lb 235HP 911R I'm racing can't see 147 on an Ames data calibrated speedometer. My CSL is considerably more powerful and indicates 160+ on the dash, but radar can't lie: it's never passed 142.

[Panama Red]

No offense, Panama... the 1900lb 235HP 911R I'm racing can't see 147 on an Ames data calibrated speedometer. My CSL is considerably more powerful and indicates 160+ on the dash, but radar can't lie: it's never passed 142.

I'm just glad there wasn't any radar there!

[csl177]

I'm just glad there wasn't any radar there!

In the right hands, it can confirm your statement. Wrong hands... well, of course.

[Bugace]

As I a kid I was passanger in a all new '76 Golf GTI. My father drove, and we passed 110mph. Over double the speed limit. Some weeks later we rode the new Audi 100 5E at closely the same speed. When becoming a teenager, I hitchhiked with a older friend. His ride was a '75 MGB Jubileum. Also this time the speedo showed arround 110 mph.
I have never rode a really fast car. Speedlimits, and roads, in Norway makes in many ways pointless. If You really like to go fast, You have to find those roads where there is no risk for speedcontrolls.
In '99 I rode a VW T4 TDI at over 120mph up in the mountains. The road is about 4.5 meters wide, with traffic both ways. That is also the fastest I've ever driven my self.
But at the same roads, the fastest over the whole distance, have been in small cars with good handeling. Average speed arround 85-90 mph in two hours driving a 2002 Fiat Punto 1.2 16v. Audi S6, Ford Sierra Cosworth, and big Mercedeses beeing parked, as they had to brake down to nearly zero in turns. Or chassis doesn't manage the beating of the poor roadquality. Do I need to mention it is my favourite roads?

[vettemanjoe]

163mph 2006 C-6 Corvette Headed north out of Lake Havasu City.

[60Valves]

I will be running both the F50 and Mosler down a runway this summer so should have a new personal top speed

[Ferrer]

Almost saw 230km/h in the six cylinder boat. Probably was about 140km/h...

[cosm1]

180 km/h with my Merc A Class 170 cdi, but about 300 km/h on a passenger seat of an ferrari 430 challenge race car!