LT1driver

thanks

Matt Gruber

in the 7-61 issue, HOTROD said it was "Hottest Thing On The Road" note the word ROAD
Now we have highways! and C6's for top speed.

Frankie the Fink

I think, repeat THINK, I read that the 315HP fuelie could hit 135MPH...

ghoastrider1

going by the speedometer,and who knows how correct the oe was,my brother and I hit 153 on the interstate going over to Alburn Ala one day. This was back in 1966 or so. The car started floating like a boat and smoke started pouring into the cabin...thought we blew it. The next day,I had it out on a date and the clutch went south.(course I got blamed) If I remember correctly, it cost right at 100 dollars for parts and labor...that was only a few months before my first stab at a clutch job,lol. Oh, yes, it was a 315hp fuelie,4 speed with just the vert top. Stupid,you bet,he was in first year college and I in highschool. We had "Radar" mags on the rear,couldnt afford the front ones yet.

devildog

This seems to be an area for investigation and producing verified data. I volunteer. For a few years I have want to run my 61 in the West Texas open road race at Ft. Stockton.

Race is held twice a year, spring South to Sanderson and fall north to Marathon. It is 60 miles of highway where they close the road and race as fast as you want in an attempt to hit your target speed.

The winner last year was a 1965 CORVAIR (yes Corvair) which averaged 166mph two way average over 120 miles total.

Obviously, the quest for accurate data forces me to make a few short sprints on the closed road to see what speeds a 61 will turn.

Joe

The 61 may have more power than I have will power!

DZAUTO

And of course, top end is going to be affected by the rear gear ratio. A 61 with a 4.11 won't see the same top end as a 61 with a 3.36. Of course, a 3.08 will fit, but the 3.08 wasn't available in a Vette until 62. I run a 3.08 posi behind the 400 in the 56, and as already mentioned, at speeds above 125-130, it begins to float and it's scarry as heck!!!!!
Several years ago, I was running beside an 81 Vette (let me rephrase, he was TRYING to run beside me ) on I-40 east of Okla City, and the last time I looked at the speedo it was on 135mph and still climbing! And that was when I had a 350 and a 3.36 rear in the 56.
I would suspect a 61-62 body may be slightly more aerodynamically stable than the 56-57 body, so I would expect it to float a little less.
Some of you may or may not be familiar with the Shropshire 56, which he promotes as the Fastest Stock 56 in the world. If I remember correctly, he claims it has hit 156mph. The engine is a "stock" (ya, RIGHT) 265 with 2x4s. But it has been aerodynamically "enhanced" with headlight fairings and the windshield removed. But still, no matter how you shake it, 156 in one of these old Vettes is plenty fast. The greatest fun I have with the 56 is between 20-110mph. I love to see 70-80 in 2nd gear!

Tom Parsons

capevettes

I'm running a 383 stroker with a 3:08 rear and 4 speed in my 61. It does not inspire confidence at any speed over 110 but I'm sure is capable of alot more. They really start to float. They have the aerodynamics of a brick. I think back in the day 125 mph was about all you could get out of one with the 315 hp and a decent highway gear.

bopewells

Uhh--Joe: Before you make that Ft. Stockton run, would you sign over the airplanes to meeeee????? Bert.

ghoastrider1

. I think back in the day 125 mph was about all you could get out of one with the 315 hp and a decent highway gear.[/QUOTE]
not even close to correct. heck, even the single 4 bbr vettes would do that.

Plasticman

not even close to correct. heck, even the single 4 bbr vettes would do that.[/QUOTE]

Yep, that would of been pretty easy to do. But would feel safer in a C1 than a C2 (they are known to "take off").

I remember my father burying the 120 mph speedo needle in his stock 57 Dodge D500. My mom was not too happy either, but he wanted to know "what it would do".

I have been known to follow his example a few times, but the most I have taken the 62 up to was about 120 (I ran out of road or guts - your choice). For such a "heavy" steering vehicle at very slow speeds, it sure gets "light" up there!

Plasticman

jim lockwood

Waaaay back in '56, R&T observed 129 MPH top speed by a 265-powered Vette with 3.55 gears.

The next year, a 283-283 tied to a 4.11 rear gear did 132 in a R&T report.

So, 125? With the right gearing, top speed would have been considerably higher than that.

Jim

cbernhardt

The 1960 Le Mans cars hit a top speed of 151 mph on the long Mulsanne straight.
There were no Corvettes in Le Mans in 1961.
I seem to remember that the 1962 cars hit about 160 mph on the straight.
Of course all these were race prepared cars.
A friend of mine in high school had a '59 fuelie that would do an indicated 135 mph.
My guess is that a "street" '61 fuelie would hit 140 if you were brave enough.

jimh_1962

I think the rear clip on the 61 and 62 makes it worst adding lift making it less stable than on the 58 to 60 models. There was a tunnel test done and it did show the air patterns on the rear part of the car.

capevettes

not even close to correct. heck, even the single 4 bbr vettes would do that.[/QUOTE]

I am reading from some reprinted articles from Motor Trend and Road & Track that I have. Some examples:

Motor Trend: 1962 Feulie 327/360 4 speed with 3:70
Observed top speed was 132 mph at 6,500 RPM's in 4th gear. More motor than the 61. Not the ideal gear.

1957 Feulie 283/283 3:70 4 speed Two way average top speed was 125 mph. Fastest one way run 126.8.

Based on that I'm not too far off. These cars were fun and fast in their day but the speedometers weren't very accurate and alot of the stories of high speed runs were just stories. When I was running my stock 283/230 with a 3:08 I could not get it over about 120 and it ran good.

AZDoug

You need an air dam.

Doug

vetrod62

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=shcms4YnOh8 Air flow test.

The air goes nuts at the back of the car. I have had the red car up to 165 a bunch of times. At 135 it is real loose, by 165 it is like driving on ice. So much so I do not bother the shift into 6th.

In 2002, I was talking to a old racer with a 1961 vette at Islands "Old Dazes" races and we talked about the lifting problem. He cured the problem with an 18" wing. He was running 9s. He also claimed to run Bonneville in the 60s with a 62 vette and broke 200. God bless him if true.

ghoastrider1

These cars were fun and fast in their day but the speedometers weren't very accurate and alot of the stories of high speed runs were just stories. When I was running my stock 283/230 with a 3:08 I could not get it over about 120 and it ran good.[/QUOTE]

230 horse is a horse of a differnt color when comparing the 315 hp one. 85 horse make a differance,not to mention things were made to flow a bit better at high RPM on the "hot" motors. BTW, mine :aint" no story...I was there.However,as we both pointed out..who they heck knew how far off the speedo was, espically with taller tires on the back.

AZDoug

Off topic, but I bought one of those Garmin Nuvi GPS things that suction cup on to your windshield.

I didn't buy it because I get lost, I figured if would make a very accurate speedometer/odometer, as my speedo is always somewhat of a mystery, and I have to use my tach as a reference.

Doug

Plasticman

Off the topic, but interesting that the C1 in the wind tunnel test (shown in the youtube video above) had dual outside mirrors.

Plasticman

Dan Hampton

All the 150 mph numbers seem high to me. The Shelby Competition Cobras which weighed in at around 2,000 lbs with a reliable 380 hp were capable of 165 mph. The differential of 1,000 pounds with considerably less h.p. than the Shelby would make one think that 150 mph+ is a real stretch.