Re: IML: How fast, bub?

[PAUL WENTINK <randalpark@xxxxxxx>]

"Back in the day" I use to drive my '56 fast enough to bury the 
speedometer needle. The previous owner suggested that he had driven it 
130 mph. I don't know how fast I was going, but it was well over 100, 
probably over 120. The last time I recall doing it was in 1974 on I-5 
in Seattle, along side of another '56 that belonged to a friend of 
mine. We happened to meet on the freeway going the same direction and 
both had the same idea. Back then, our roads were abandoned due to the 
Boeing lay offs, but it was still very illegal. I was also very young 
and stupid. Having said that, the car would travel that fast.

I "tested" my '60 LeBaron and had it going fast enough for the 
speedometer to register 115. It floated along like I was going 65 mph, 
but that also was a long time ago, and before I learned that there is 
never a time when its okay to drive like that on a public road. In 
those days the police would have scolded me if I had been caught, but 
the reality of it was that I could have killed people. I am very sorry 
about that.

Driving an Imperial "as fast as it will go" is fine, but it needs to be 
done at a race track, not on a public road.

Paul W.

-----Original Message-----
From: Klebert L. Hall <crocuta@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Thu, 13 Dec 2007 4:25 am
Subject: Re: IML: Not so fast, bub?


What Remco's doing with his '57 obviously isn't for everyone (it's more 
extreme than I'd go, but I still think it's cool), but I think the 
horror being expressed is a little over the top. I expect he's talking 
about 800+ *brake* horsepower, for one thing - you guys all know that 
with enough money, you can just go buy a buy sedan with that kind of 
grunt these days? BMWs and Mercedes make 'em (the Maybachs, some of the 
few cars made to the size and luxury of Imperials these days, have it), 
heck, you can buy a Chrysler 300 with what has to be around 600+ bhp... 
Aftermarket people will give you all the power you want. It's pretty 
easy to get *trucks* with this sort of power, aftermarket, and the 
SRT-10 makes 500 *net*... 
  You don't hear about too many of these cars crashing, though - lots 
more Corrolas etc. 
 
  Don't underestimate the high-speed prowess of our cars, either. Sure, 
they weren't meant to be run at 200mph, but they *were* designed for 
100+ mph running. I drove my '62 all the way through from Ohio to 
Colorado at a little over 100 back in the day, and it was *effortless* 
That car only came alive over 80 - it felt like you were coasting at 
lower speeds. It handled highway curves effortlessly at those speeds, 
too, though I wouldn't have tried it in the city. I once broke the car 
away at highway speeds into a 100-270-100 degree fishtail during 
accident-avoidance, and it handled that like a champ, too - nice and 
flat, good response to controls, predictable and stable. 
  It sounds like Remco has a good idea of what he's doing, and he's 
replacing the systems he thinks need upgrading. 
 
  As for the risk of some sort of tragedy occurring during his speed 
runs: well, he won't be breaking the law. Say he is in a wreck and 
somebody gets killed - how is that worse than if the same thing 
happened at 40mph? There are really only three reasons for car crashes 
- mechanical failure, bad luck, and failure of operator skill and 
judgment. Those can happen at any speed, and can be fatal at even city 
velocities. 
 
  I wouldn't suggest that anybody go and do what he's doing, but I 
applaud him and can't wait to hear how it turns out. 
 
  -Kle. 
  '69 Crown 4DHT (hasn't gone over 20mph, since I had to put it in 
reserve) 
 
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