How fast should a stock sc be able to go?
 

Now I know this is an open end question, but what should be the max mph of a stock 1980 SC(not the manufactures data). I got mine up to about 120mph and it would go no faster. My wrench said maybe the rear end or trany gears were changed.

Any thoughts ?

Were you at redline on the tach?

Are you sure you are getting full throttle? Many stories of throttle rod linkage issues on older cars - out of adjustment, etc.

120 ~ 130 sounds about right. 145 for 930's, I think.

No redline. Pedal was to floor. Engine just rebuilt completely. Heads ported, new SSI's and performance muffler

138-140

I had my bone stock '88 3.2 Cabriolet up to 130 on accident, was only trying to go about 120, but glanced down and the needle was slightly past 130 ish. These Carrera's are not the fastest things off the line, but they go like a demon after 60-70 mph. Car was still pulling really good too! My OM says the car is capable of 149 (Carrera) & 157 for (930). I would be curious my self to know what some of you have hit on a track or closed course;)

-Ryan

How many miles are on the rebuild?

Agree with the not getting full throttle possibility.

Easy to check, have someone floor it, look in the engine compartment and the throttle opening should just be short of the stop.

SC should be good for 135-140mph.

Stock 2.7 135 mph slight downhill. gets a little iffy about 120.
Brand new toll roads out here in so cal are nice for speed runs.

I've read that our speedos are notoriously optimistic by about 10 mph at speed. Mine was according to my GPS, when North Hollywood Speedometer overhauled it, they recalibrated it.

I have seen + 110 mph also "by accident" and the 83 had a lot of pedal and rpms left.
Still getting to know this car so I can't say for sure.

120 seems awfully low to me, when my 79 sc was bone stock, smog pump and all, I easily saw 145 on the speedo on a drag strip (used for warmups before a short autocross course) and it didn't feel at all like it was done yet. Still pulling firmly.

Does it roll easy? Anything dragging (brakes CVs trans)? Timing, bad fuel etc.......?

Now if it was only a Targa..........;)

My '82 SC maxes out at 85 MPH (I still have the original 85MPH speedo). :(

My '82 SC maxes out at 85 MPH (I still have the original 85MPH speedo). :(

I had my '79 SC up to 125 the other day, and it didn't feel like it had any ideas of slowing down.

In period it was tested at 143 mph. If you weren't going uphill into a strong headwind you're probably missing about 70 horses.

my 80sc with stock 3,2 replasement engine does 255km/h on speedo. gps showed 238km/h at the same time, so there is an big gap in actual vs speedo with my small tires. it revs to the limiter in 5th gear with 205/60-15 rear tires. 238km/h equals to about 145 mph. your 120 seems very low indeed. what size tires do you use?
Oh... and my car is narrow body with no rear wing.

120 mph is LOW for an SC. I've hit ~130mph with 1200 left on the tach in 81 Targa (top on of course). Top end in my ride is probably 140mph; not bad for a 27 year old 911SC!
SmileWavy

My 3.2 does 120mph at 6000 rpm.



Then I shift to fifth

My '8O SC has seen 135 mph in the middle of nowhere Utah no problem. YMMV

142. Redline and used my GPS to log the speed. That should land Ya in jail in any state. I was a dumba$$ for doing it on the public interstate in the first place.

My '78 with SSIs topped out at a corrected 140mph @ 6500rpm all day long. It did 140mph with the stock body and with the widebody conversion. The (stock) 915/61 gearing was perfect as the engine was running out of juice at the same time it hit red line.

I posted the following in an earlier thread on the same question:

My '77 S with a 3.0 will do exactly 146 real mph (GPS). In my case its most definitely rpm limited, not horsepower. If I wanted to go past the red line I know it would break 150 but I don't see the need to be that hard on my 30 y.o. car for the sake of 3mph. The car does this easily and while it feels a little light in the steering (no spoiler or tail) it isn't scary. Noisy, yes, but not scary. Based on my own car, I find the other claims of top speeds in this neighborhood totally believable.

I took my 996TT 175. My 80 SC about 120.

139. Ops tested in targa with 170,000+ miles on it.

Look at the transmission chart in the owners manual or in Bruce Anderson's 911 handbook.

140 + for my 79 SC... I backed off before it was done..

My SC did 132 indicated at Willow Springs. A recent GPS survey found the gaugeto be reading low by 10mph above 70.....

My new 964 speedo gauge is spot on....

My 1979SC, with 180K, has seen 130 mph and was short of being at red-line. I have read the Porsche speedometers read on the optimistic side.

I've read that the Porsche speedometer's read very "optomistic". With that in mind, I took my 1979SC to 130 mph and it wasn't at redline, but close.