A post about cars a few weeks ago had me remembering an epic ride in a ’68 Corvette. When I was still in my teens and living at home I lived across the street from a hot shot mechanic/street (and track) racer with a big block equipped ’59 Vette. One day, invited on a test drive we headed north of Eugene where the freeway has a 30 some mile straight stretch. Just as we get to open country we spot a state police car entering an on ramp, and “Carl” hits the brakes. Once side by side with patrol car, Carl, a bold fellow, waves to the cop, rolls down his window and yells “My speedometer isn’t working (true), how fast is this?” Officer yells back “right on 70”. The Corvette is registering 2,700 RPM.
The cop takes the next exit on cop business, and Carl presses accelerator to the floor. No downshift, just a loud big block pulling and pulling until “that’s all she’s got”. 6,300 RPM. My math says something like 163 MPH. Remember when the freeways could be empty enough for shit like this?
But “Rick’s” Vette was another level. Rick loved to do massive burnouts, clouds of billowing smoke, he’d roll out of the car laughing his ass off. (Yeah, he bought of lot of tires.) A ’68 L88 Corvette, modified for even more power. He’d broken a few transmissions, but he found someone who built a 3-speed automatic that could take it.
One day we’re at the stoplight. Ahead is 4 lanes, empty of traffic, about ¾ mile long, then a curve (marked 45mph) to right. (Carl’s shop driveway is in the curve.) Rick stomps accelerator, tires fry, speedo goes to 70. Car hooks up, he slides shifter to 2nd. It really felt and looked like the jump to warp speed, the Vette shifts into 3rd at 140+. I see speedo swing way past 160. I’m freaking out that we won’t make the turn in the road when Rick stomps the brakes.
And as amazing as the acceleration was, the deceleration seemed incomprehensible. 180 or so to -0- in a couple of blocks. We didn’t go around the curve, we pulled into Carl’s driveway. Rick rolls out of the car laughing his ass off.
So – fastest I’ve gone in a car – maybe 185. Fastest I’ve driven a car – 120 in a rented Dodge Charger. Fastest I’ve gone on a (speedometer equipped) bicycle – 58mph. This was scary, the wheel’s gyroscopic effect made leaning into the curve at bottom of hill difficult. Fastest I’ve gone on a (speedometer equipped) mountain bike on a single track trail – 32mph. Fastest I’ve gone in the air – standard airliner with tailwind speed – 550?
Whatda you got?
I think maybe like 120-130 mph in a car? Nothing like your stories. I was in central Texas with a group of people in the car and had just turned onto the toll road, and it was THEN somebody had to complain that they had to use the bathroom. It’s not convenient to exit and have a gas station right there once on the toll road sadly. And it’s a wide open freeway with no trees or anything to duck behind and pee discreetly.
So...went across town to get to the exit as quickly as possible. 😅