Challenged by a hotrod

[lukeh]

Before I start I feel it necessary to list these disclaimers. This took place late at night with no other cars around. Also, it was on a divided highway in the country. And no, I hadn't just seen The Fast and the Furious. I was coming home and stopped at a red light. I was waiting in the left turn lane when these headlights came up fast behind me. This car gets right on my tail and starts revving its engine. I couldn't tell what kind of car it was and the headlights looked very odd. I could tell the car had a serious motor in it because I drive a turbo cab and had the top down. It sounded like its motor was in my ear. When the light changed I started my turn and took the outside lane. The car behind me took the inside lane. As we both straightened out, he put his foot to the floor and pulled up even with my door. Now I have never raced before. When you live in a very small town an hours drive from civilization the opportunity almost never comes along. Well I guess there is a first time for everything, so I put her to the boards. I was in second and my revs were up a little so the turbo came on line almost instantly. I guess the new mods (exhaust, new turbo and intercooler) were doing their job. Now that my foot was in it, this stopped his advance up the side of my car. About two beats later I started to pull away. Once he dropped back to my tail he gave up and let off the gas. This is when I got the shock of my life. I looked down and saw my tach was in the red. My brain must have shut down while I was watching his car because I forgot to shift. I can honestly say that if he didn't let off when he did, I probably would have blown the engine. It was as if I forgot I was driving a stick. Now I don't know how fast I was going or how long I was in the red, but it put the fear of God in me. I couldn't stop thinking about how close I had just come to blowing the engine. This took all the fun out of my first victory. The car I had just vanquished passed me about a half mile down the road. I don't know what it was but it looked very similar to the car Sylvester Stallone drove in Cobra. It was metallic turquoise with a chopped top and a partially exposed engine. A very cool car. He taught me a very important lesson. Don't watch the car next to you, keep one eye on the tach so you remember to shift.

[This message has been edited by lukeh (edited 06-28-2001).]

[pacmyster]

I'm no rocket scientist but I would think your rev limiter would have kicked in before you blew the engine or you would have at least noticed a severe loss of power before catastrophe struck. You'd be surprised how far into the red these beasts can go before the end comes..
Pete

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'77 Carrera3.0 www.geocities.com/pcafaro2000/carrera30.html

[RarlyL8]

If your 930 still has the functioning stock fuel delivery equipment you should be fine. The primary fuel pump will kick out at 1.0 bar boost, if memory serves. A larger intercooler also helps out. Don't recall what RPM activates the rev limiter.

Sounds like you live in an area similar to my own. Low population with a lot of great roads!

Suggestion - get a shift light for your tach. I don't like to look at anything but the road when gettin' down to buisiness.

[5axis]

lukeh, I have to agree with Rarly, with overboost protection and the rev limiter you should be fine. I would guess you probably scared your challenger with a nice flame shot when you hit the rev limiter. With my wastegate pipe I can spot flashes in the mirror when I hit my shifts, that seems to back people off too.
david 89 turbo cab

[Rot 911]

Uh oh, racing, wait till the board Nazis read this! You are going to burn in the everlasting fires of hell. I'm going to go pray for your soul right now. I bet you forgot to shift cause you had a cell phone in your hand.

Kurt V
72 911E