Lee's speed
 

Ok Lee, I was just reading on the Porsche forum about your little speed trip. Now where was it and what did everything look like. You gotta tell me. I won't post your speed on here, you can if you want to. But that's FREAKING AWESOME!!

RE: Lee's speed
 

I really should not do that and I don't advise you. I use a spot on US 1 between Raleigh and Sanford NC. Near the Progress Energy HarrisNuclear plant there is a five + mile stretch of road, two lanes in each direction, wide flat esplanade and shoulders, with a flat straight and nearly two miles between entrances, with turn arounds above the road where you can see back along the entire length. On dry Snday mornings, early, I checkit once at speed limit to check it out for highway patrol, debris, anything, then turn around and wait until there are no cars.

An indicated 192 is the top speed so far, and my speedo is very accurate.I just wanted to see how it pulls at high speed: I shiftedout of 5th into 6th at 6000 (190) -- the car was smooth and stable but it occured to me I really was going too fast, and I should not abuse 6th gear (it is not designed for even 400 lbs of torque.

This isn't something I would recommend doing . . .

RE: Lee's speed
 

Holy sh!t! Your crazy, 190 mph. The car was stable huh, I hear a lot of people bitch that vettes get unstable in the back above 160. Guess they are full of it.

RE: Lee's speed
 

Remember, I have the custom front end with an air dam and a lot of rework on the rear suspension including some C5R pieces back there - both for the power and the high speed stability. The shop that does the work on my car wants to take it to the Maxton Mile in March to try for 200+, they even have someone who will drive it for me if I don't want to. Only problem is the rules there would require a rollcage before they would let me exceed 165 - 175 (something like that anyway). That kind of ruins the daily driveability

I probably won't do it again, I agree it was too fast, although I really would like to see the car exceed 200 mph once (as I said in the rear end gears post in General Tech, it has the power to do 225). But the thing was, it was not that difficult for the car to do and it did not feel dramatic at the time -- did not feel anything like that fast, and while I did have the engine at full throttle I was shifting slow and 500 RPM below the red line in every gear.

RE: Lee's speed
 

So...Lee,....what about Germany? You've mentioned that you travel. :D
There must be someplace, where ya can get 'er clocked. :eek:

I understand about the cage. I've thought of puttin' one in the "Starship", but I was told that my insurance would go way up. [&o]
I don't get it.....pay more ins, for a safer car!?!?!?!?

RE: Lee's speed
 

I would think that if you took your car to the track and ran the 1/4 you would need a cage. If they didn't catch it at inspection they would boot you off after one run.:)Must be nice to have a car that powerful.

RE: Lee's speed
 

If I run at a san tioned track I would need a cage now. There are, of course, some non-santioned tracks. The car is known at the sanctioned tracks now, the first time it ran I sort of underestimated the time I'd run as 11.9 to get on the strip, but the first run real run I did was in the low 10s and that was that.

I don't really plan to take this to the drags anymore: the whole idea is to have a super-powerful but torquey and completely comfortable street car. Too hard on the car.

That said, I really would like to see it do over 200 mph just once,but I'm not going to drive it that fast myself.

RE: Lee's speed
 

Man, that's just completely crazy! I love it... what a rush that must have been. I don't have the nerves anymore, myself, to crest over 100mph on our roads. It's not our car I worry about; it's the other idiots that surround me that concerns me the most.

RE: Lee's speed
 

"I don't really plan to take this to the drags anymore: the whole idea is to have a super-powerful but torquey and completely comfortable street car. Too hard on the car."

I completely agree, Lee! :)
I just don't like bein' that rough on my Vette! ;)
I like the loooong cruise, at say,.....80! :D

RE: Lee's speed
 

Wow Lee, I can't imagine traveling that fast in a car. I think the fastest I've drove is about 120. Seeing that you don't plan to do this again you should have video taped the run...but if you ever decide to give it another shot, definitely hook-up a dash mounted camera so those of us who don't have the courage to do that can live through your experience;)

RE: Lee's speed
 

Sweet baby Jesus, Mary, Joseph and Dale Earnardt Jr.!! I second that motion! :D

RE: Lee's speed
 

[8D]

RE: Lee's speed
 

[&:]Dude, have you actually checked out his car?

RE: Lee's speed
 

man as dangerous as that sounds, i would eventually try it with my car

RE: Lee's speed
 

yeah his car is hooked up and hes not one 2 lie like that.i believe ya all the way Lee and damn..that must be one hell of an addreline rush!!

RE: Lee's speed
 

Thanks guys. Yeah, it's true, I really did it and it was not even a tough job for the car. For the record it takes right at 500 RWHP to push a C5 or C6 to 200-205 mph. My car could actually do a bit better than that normally aspirated. With the SCr it's no problem - 40% more power than that -- the car would punch right through 200 and keep accelerating to about 225 or so -- if I had the guts (or crazies) to try. 190+ was enough though. I have a real temptation to try for 200, but I would only do it with a roll cage installed and I've resisted that for so long -- sort of ruins the daily driver streetability in my opinion.

I can understand Black86s not believing it though. My brother had an '85 and it would do about 150 or a bit more on a good day, with the wind -- it was a fine car, but of another time and an older generation of technology. It's difficult to appreciate what less that4 lbs/HP (795 flywheel HP, 3100 pounds) feels like if you've never been in a car that isin that power category.

RE: Lee's speed
 

I've found one thing about you Lee, if you say it is so, it is so! ;)
You don't try to impress, ya just do! :)

RE: Lee's speed
 

Thanks Starship. I figure why brag or impress -- its about fun, not having big cojones or wowing people.

Any everyone remember my iron rule of the street": There is always a faster car: if you don't believe it you'll probably meet it tonight.

Whether it is a '53 with a Blue Flame Six, a two speed Powerglide, and a 0-60 time in the 12 second range, or a Lingenfelter 427 twin turbo 950 HP model, all vettes are fun and something to be proud of. I love 'em all.

RE: Lee's speed
 

Lee, Telling us about your Vette is anything but braggin'. I figure if youwanted to brag you'd be talking about your Camaro all the time.

Like Dave said, your a straight shooter in my book. I think that post from B86V was an older one anyway, before he got to know ya .

Hey....how 'bout some stats and pictures of that screamin' Camaro while we're talkin' about it? I for one would love to see it.

RE: Lee's speed
 

Yeah, let me get some pictures of the Camaro. It's sort of very nice in a bad boy, anti-social kind of way, but it's not that easy to drive on the street -- I recommend anyone think before putting a locker rear axle on a street driveable car, at least if they expect to cruise in it -- and riding in it gets pretty old after about 30 minutes -- the noise, fumes and rock-like ride.
.

RE: Lee's speed
 

Thanks, Can't wait to see it. Cheers

RE: Lee's speed
 

OOOO... Ya Lee!!!
I'd love to see some pics of your ground burner![sm=bounceybounce.gif]
Sounds like the kinda ride most people, like ME, only dream about! [sm=hail.gif]

RE: Lee's speed
 

I love Camaro's, and I love Lee's Corvette. Dude, you are the real deal, in my books. Hard-core muscle car enthusiast! My hat is tipped to you good sir!!!

I would love to see some photos or video of that Camaro, bro!!!! :D

RE: Lee's speed
 

I'll try to get some this weekend. It's over at my son's house so he can replace an idler pulley, and we've agreed it will stay there -- I'm about to give him the title to it: he races it and he works on it and it will still be in the family.

RE: Lee's speed
 

That's cool...I.m quite sure he'll respect it with all the time you two have in it. I wish my Dad gave my a screaming muscle car when I was a kid....but then again...I probably wouldn't be here now.... not the sharpest knife in the drawer, ya know......LOL.

RE: Lee's speed
 

Well, myyoungestis 25, service manager at a Ford dealership, and pretty responsible -- bought his own house, started a 401k at 24, etc. -- seems to have his head on right, and he and can rebuild anything including a TurboHydramatic transmission, so I figure he can handlethe car in all ways. Bascially, I don't drive it that much, have no place to keep it, and he loves it, so it's the thing to do.

RE: Lee's speed
 

So Daddy Willis,.......need a place to keep your Vette? :):D

RE: Lee's speed
 

It seems to like just where it stays now, thank you very much. I had to get the Camaro out of the driveway, my wife was insistent that we have only as many cars as garage spaces. Maybe I can build a new garage, but only afterI first remodel the kitchen - Ugh, but only fair, it's"her turn" for the next big expense.

RE: Lee's speed
 

I have a solution for ya......
Build another garage WITH a kitchen in it. :D

RE: Lee's speed
 

You seem to have it all. Smart in cars, all these hot rods $$$ and a good family. You seem lucky. I just hate for your luck to run out with these post about speeding. Becareful.:)

RE: Lee's speed
 

Thanks.

I think my high-speed days are over, at least for now. Some of the folks that helped build the engine have suggested putting in a temporary roll cage and running it down for a private session at Maxton. They think with good racing tires and race gas it would not only do 200+ (that, to coin a phrase, is a "slam dunk") but also just barely beat a 200 trap speed in the standing start mile. I'm not sure of that, but either way apro would drive it. If we get this scheduled, and it does well and is stable at 200+, I might make one pass there. Would like to legitimately say I have dirven it once at over 200 mph. Right now these plans are just that, a plan: I've got family stuff all summer and the business my partners and I started last July is growingso fast we can't find and hire people fast enough. I drive it but have no time for anything connected to playing with/getting more power out of it, which is a shame 'cause it is so sorted out and streetable, and yet has another pound or two of boost it could do with ease, etc.

RE: Lee's speed
 

Sounds hectic. Too much for my small brain to take in. Goodluck and be safe.[8D]