How fast would you drive an '83?

[Moses]

A friend has access to a very long private airstrip in Nevada. He has invited me to do a few runs in my SC. Before the engine switch, the car felt solid up to 120 MPH with the Carerra tail and stock chin spoiler. Now I have a new motor and a new bumper (IROC without splitter). The car has good tires and good brakes (stock). Stock suspension. It feels nice and tight, but heck it's 20 years old!

How fast would you drive it?

[masraum]

how fast will it go. I've had my '88 at redline in 5th. It was quite a rush.

Shoot, at 120 I'm just getting ready to shift to 5th.

[svandamme]

you need an airstrip for speed runs?
what's wrong with a little bit of autobahn?

heck , when i drove back(from the place i bought it) mine last august , i hardly went below 120 !

must admit, the 2 weeks after that day , i was a bit jumpy whenever i saw the postman ...

[vash]

your car? i would at least match your 120. my car, 60 tops.

hey moses, give me a ride in your car for reference. my car seems very stiff, suspension wise. i have never owned a 911 before so i dont know what it is supposed to "bounce" like. maybe i have been driving too many spongy 4x4's. i'm in the east bay too.

cliff

[jpachard]

If it's well maintained, until you hit the fun limiter in 5th...mine see 5k of track miles a year. This is what they were made for.

Cheers, James

[ZOA NOM]

It's not very risky for any of US to tell YOU to open her up, so use your best judgement. I would worry a little about the motor most of all. How well do you know it's history? Is there something waiting to be discovered at 130 MPH that you might rather discover at 60? Drive her as fast as YOU feel comfortable.

[cowtown]

I must be a wuss. At Thunderhill in my '88 I backed off when I hit about 110 on the straight. Without front or rear spoilers, at stock ride height, it's a scary ride.

The '75 with ducktail and IROC front feels much more planted.

So Moses, I guess I'd just take it up until it felt twitchy enough to back off. Just my cowardly-lion point of view.

If I wad my car up, what will I do with all those tools I've bought?

[svandamme]

my 73 feels perfectly sweet doing 125+ with the targa roof off
even if it isn't on a completely clean pooltable flat piece of asfalt, i have no worries at all

i wouldn't do high speed turns like Tamborrella@Monza at those speeds though, i ain't Ayrton Senna

[Bob's Flat-Six]

What speed are your tires rated to?
And how fast do you think it will go?

An SC speed record perhaps

Good luck and be carefull if you go for it

[BlueSkyJaunte]

Officer, my car only goes up to 85 MPH. So your radar gun MUST be lying...

[Embs]

Unleash the BEAST if you have no chance of collision with another car. I am guessing you will at least make it to 160.

[rdane]

I'd hit the rev limiter or 6900 rpm in 5th gear which ever comes first.
Which is what I do with my '79 when I get the chance.

[masraum]

My '88 feels completely fine at 130 with stock ride height and a front spoiler. Above that with bad shocks it feels a little scary, but now I have new Bilstein Sports all around, so it should feel fine, but I haven't taken the opportunity to top 130 since the new shocks.

[Bob's Flat-Six]

I'd also take a close LOOK at that runway for debris, etc before I hammered down.

[MrKJBlue]

If its a long straight road I cant see spoilers or lack of having any affect. Personally 120-130 top up or down is not a problem, but if it was private then I would max it out.

[IROC]

Can I come too? I've been leary of top speed runs on public roads, so my personal top speed occured on the back straight at Road Atlanta. Not really enough room to wind out a old 2.7...

Mike

[911boost]

Moses, I did a quick sprint to 135, and oh my gosh I just have the big rear tea tray spoiler on my 911 thats it......it felt pretty stable but I didn't stay there for long either.

I am installing the front chin spoiler though....

Bill

[JonT]

Might be worth throwing your helmet on for added safety.

Full speed nekid, I say.

[targa911man]

I'd take it to just under the rev limiter. At that speed if you hit the limiter you might have a control "issue".