does any one have the top speed rating of an 88 turbocoupe 5speed?
Also looking for some more info. is there a rev limiter on my car? and if so what is it set at?
Ill fill yall in on the whole story soon. thanks for the info.
top speed - 143mph
rev limiter - 6250rpm
thanks.
do u happen to know the same things for an 88 sport? no reason, im just curious now
thats insane fast for an old 4 banger car. my mark is limited at 116
They'll go 143+ too. A looooong time ago we radar'd an 87 TC that was gutted with no A/C and a Gillis/CAI/Exhaust combo. It had a Mustang gear set (or something) in the WC T5. Topped out at 166 and the rear was LOOSE! (Yes these were controlled conditions)
im aiming for alot higher than that :)
A Sport going 143?I would find that hard to believe with an SO 5.0 engine.Now,with an H.O engine and the right rear gears,I'd believe that.
i guess my speed limiter is a good thing. not that i know how fast im going over 90...
87 TC, not a Sport Vinnie. It's the "half motor" :hick:
You tell him Sleeper! Hell, I want to see his 5.0 beat Layla's 14.7 :hick:
i'm with these guys! haha!
My SO 5.0 with very few mods was doing an indicated 130+ back when I had the digi speedo.
Mine stops at 110 mph, because it has a Mark VII computer:hick:
many years ago being dumb (children don’t try this at home) with my 87 sport coupe 50SO all stock and digital dash that only when to 85 but if you switched it to KPH it went to 200 I got my car up to 185 KPH. Figure out the math. For the record as dumb as that was it was very late at night and I was the only car on the freeway.
Oyea the car would only do it in drive if I remember right every time the car went into overdrive it would slow down till I put it back in D.
Had that car for a long time god bless it drove it till 245,XXX miles then endured it man that was stupid that car had full power everything on the list and it all worked. But it started my love for fox birds.
Wouldn't the SO's power band drop off somewhere around 100-110mph? I'm guessing it can maybe make 120 before it can't suck enough air in to keep going. In Drive, wouldn't it be going around 105-110mph at 3500rpms with stock gearing and tires?
185kph=115mph
After we get the engine together in a few weeks,the Sport will do better than 14.7.I'll get a time slip for you at that time.
I've had mine up to around 135. :) (I burried the speedo and climbed a few notches on the tach) Those were controlled conditions too. Two hands on the wheel and one foot on the floor. :hick:
My brain is telling me that some where I read or somehting that top speed of the turbo coupes is 149MPH. I guess is doesn't matter as long as we beat the other guy.
I had both my '88 Cougar LS and '87 T-Bird Sport indicating 199 km/hr (about 120 MPH) on the digital dashes. I've never had the '88 T-Bird near that fast - age has put some sense into me...
The Cougar was actually still accelerating when the speedo was indicating 199 - I remember slowly but steadily pulling away from my sister's ex in his '84 Cutlass. He was so mad that I'd beat him that he pulled his 305 and dropped a 350 in. By this time I had the '87 Sport, which explains the 199 achievement in that. I beat him again, BTW...
For the sake of honesty I should also point out that both speeds were achieved on a long, straight (about 2 miles) steep hill on a 4-laner known as the "Magazine Hill". Yes, I was going down, not up :hick:
Seek has it pegged for the Asthmatic SO 5.0...
May get a little more out of one easing off the throttle and letting it shift to O/D... But then the HP may be so low it can't overcome the air drag...
i can tell you that my ranger, back when it was stock save for more boost, got clocked by a state trooper at 146mph. that was years ago, and i've grown up. the fastest that i've gone since then is 140 in my wifes old cobalt ss/sc.:D
My bird did 164MPH, no BS here either.
Ok time to let the cat out of the bag. I plan on competing in "The Texas Mile". Its a standing mile run for top speed records. You go from 0 to whetever you can, in a strait one mile stretch. it is conducted on a unused air strip about 6 hours south of me. Im not going for any other record exept my own personal best. If I set a record on the way, than thats just gravy. My life long goal is to go 200mph in a street car(not on the street) Not saying for sure that this one will do it but Ill sure as hell try! So there you go. thats my plan. Any one want to sponcer me?lol
Ive had my TC up around 130. Prolly could go faster but I dont wanna try that on any road out here. It was dumb enough then, especially considering the tires and condition of the car then.
ive had mine well over 130, but will never do it again on the street. things come at you pritty quick at those speeds.
Ok I have already ran the aero numbers for a TC body. To reach 200mph in one mile takes about 800 rear wheel hp. Once you pass about 150 mph the aero drag becomes a real major player. The TC in stock form is not as aero as many think. The deal with Texas versus Maxton, NC is a longer shut down at Maxton. It takes a ton of brakes to get stopped at Texas. Yeah a chute is mandantory but it's not like a drag chute. It is a much softer hit. Ask me how many cars I have seen the ass end get lifted off the ground trying to use a drag chute. Not trying to discourage you, but want you to have real world advice. It is doable, but not as easy as many may think and still stay streetable. I have lots of data and software if you are interested. I also have a Land Speed TC project in the works now, but it's Maxton deal and maybe Bonneville if I can find a class it will fit into.
Oh BTW 200 mph is a football field a second just to put it in perspective.
You better tape all the cracks on the doors.
I am doing some aero changes to the car. like I said, Im not sure the car will do it, but Im gona try. Id like to know more about your project, if you dont mind. Im working my way up to bonneville, but want to get some experiance under my belt closer to home. I know there was a merc, that broke 200, but what is the fastest TC? That would be a record worth shooting for. Hillbilly Deluxe, I'd be real interested in seeing the info you have. as Ricky Bobby said, "I wanna go fast!"
I remember somebody posting in another thread about that.
I guess that, at a certain speed, the tops of the doors begin to pull away from the roof.
not the real reson, surprizingly at high speed you can loose top mph due to the wind resistance from the gaps in the body, headlamps, and door jams. so you put tape over the holes, and gaps to make the car more slick. every little bit counts when your going for top mph!
I remember about a year and a half ago I told everyone I did about 135 and every one said there's no way a 5.0 so could pretend go that fast....
It will accelorate in overdrive, up and down hills.....
I've had the 84 up to 130 back with the C3 and 3.45 gears. The car used to rip back then...until the PCM went out...hasn't run right since.
My 87 topped out at 123 mph going downhill in D...OD was burnt out so even if it would have shifted it wouldn't go any faster.
Fastest I've gone was in my GTP...13- something...it was faster than 130 but the speedo only goes to 115 and I didn't trust myself to focus on the HUD haha.
I have two speed goals....1st is to go 200+ mph. (I see a trend)
2nd is to go 200+ in the orange beast out west in one of those races... I'll probably hit #1 in a Factory 5 Shelby Coupe. But just maybe I'll take care of both in one shot.
I can't speak of Texas as I have never looked at their rule book but I am sure its modeled after Maxton's (ECTA) and Bonnevile's (SCTA), but you have to be careful what you tape up. In street legal classes just ask the simple question. Is this legal on the street? If yes then you shouldn't have a problem. Yes tapping body seams can help some. Also think about it would you want your driver's door tape shut? Greatest aero gains can be had by reducing frontal area and trying to prevent as much air as possible from getting under the car.
Frontal area is sometimes misunderstood as it involves the whole car. Imagine the car passing through a verticle plain. As the car passess thru front to back how much of the verticle plain would be cut to allow car to pass thru. Air doesn't like drastic changes in direction and acts as drag. Air also doesn't like to combine with air from other directions, example of air spilling off the top and air coming up the sides, rear roof pillars are a major area. Next is how is the air coming of the deck lid and up from under the bumper? If there is any turbulence behind the bumper it's drag.
One of the biggest hurdles to overcome with running a street legal vehicle over 150 MPH is the safety equipment required. Having to go from a normal 4 point roll bar to a full cage, the necessary fire systems. If you haven't already get your hands on a rule book. SCTA does not actually run a street legal class like Texas or Maxton. I think in all 3 sanctions if you are running out of class in Time Only you are limited to 150 mph.
I know I have been long winded, but I have been around LSR for years now. I am just coming back to it after taking a couple years off having lost a close friend at Bonneville.
If you haven't already please check the out:
Landracing.com (http://"http://www.landracing.com")
Sign up for their message board and email list. Lot of great knowledge and old time expierence there.
For technical information on aero and HP required I suggest:
Dr. Mayfield's buttstuffyses (http://"http://www.mayfco.com/buttstuffyses.htm")
Dr. Larry Mayfield is a true rocket scientist retired from Nasa and very good at aero buttstuffyses as well as other data. Also own what will be the worlds fastest Sunbeam Ford 5.0 turbo powered
PM an email addy and I can send you a link to Car test software that will get you started in evaluating a combo that will get you to the speed in a mile.
If you have ever read any of the LSR articles in Hot Rod magazine you might have seen this car. It is the one that got me hooked on LSR. I use to crew on this car at Maxton til I decided to back away and re-evaluate life. Losing a close friend sometimes makes you think twcie. Nope that not me in the pic that was this year from Speedweek at Bonneville.
(http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/556141/fullsize/camaro.jpg)
Not trying to burst anyones bubble here, but any speed claims based off factory speedometers are weak. I have seen and tested factory speedometers and most once they reach about 80-90 mph start to loose accuracy. I have seen as much as 20 mph off on 140 mph speedometers. Until speed is actually timed through a measured distance ie. normal distance used is 132 feet then its not accurate. We even tried GPS a few times but the average consumer GPS has a slow update rate and may actually miss peak speed. Not doubting that anyone isn't fast it just maybe not be as fast as you think it is.
Amen...
Everyone thinks they are fast... Till they find out what fast really is...
I was going pretty good... about 6 minutes in 13 miles, which included about 3 miles of residential(speed limit) driving.... That is when I made my origonal 120mph claim...
160 Km/h at a 3 mile straight at the level of the sea in my cougar carbed 3.8....With me and other 4 guys...
It`s not fast, but i did not have FRONT BRAKES at the time
(with NO front brakes i refer with no calipers)
Don`t ask me my i did it. I`m not proud of doing that. From then i don`t run faster than 65 MPH in the highway.
Even the F-150 V6 of dad can do that speed safely in not so many seconds.
I'm not proud either, but I do like to say I told ya so. I don't speed too much anymore. Never more then 10mph over the speed limit. I was a dumb kid with a v-8 that likes to go fast. I have alot more to live for now.
Most of the reason why I stopped speeding, is cause I had a cop follow me to my house one day...
I was driving the same route in my old 86, the gray one not the black if anyone even remembers any pics of my cars... That car I never did the digi mod to, so it stayed at 85. The cop told me that he was going 110mph for more then 5 miles and barely caught up with me. He said he had no idea how fast I was really going, but lectured me quite abit about how un-safe it was.
Then he asked me to pop to hood and show him how many hop up parts I had. He was severily disapointed when I told him it was a bone stock 5.0 s.o like the early 90's crown vics...
I think the fastest Tbird TC was bill Elliot’s at Daytona in 1987 he did 212.xxx MPH.:hick:
Cant believe it took till page 5 post 42 for someone to say it.
Don't forget, that was the speed according to time (average speed), so the top speed was higher. Plus it wasn't a real Tbird. :hick:
...and it wasn't a TC :hick:
and it wasn't full size either
I have a radar gun:)
thanks for all the info. I personaly know a guy who built a n/a 2.5 stroker, that ran 219.6 at bonnaville. granted it was in a custom chasis bullet shaped car. But an n/a 2.3 stroked to 2.5 with a stock pinto 4speed, and a 2 to 1 rear end! wow! they ran 13:1 compretion and the thing sounded like a harly from hell!
The back end was. I have a picture of a White TC production bumper being mounted to one of Elliot's cars.
212.809... In a '87... At Talladega, not Daytona... Std nose(highly modified for those speeds)... I doubt they could cool 700Hp with a TC nose...
212.239... In a '86, again Talladega...
Not fullsize?
I have seen several of the 87-88 cars when the Elliotts had their museum at the shop. The 87 car had a stock non-TC header panel and painted grill, and the headlights were bondo'd over but intact and recognizeable as the original lights. I have a mould pulled from one of the noses, and used my 87 Sport to develop the mould I have now. From the outside, it looks exactly like a street Tbird, except for the larger wheel openings and the slight stretch to the wheelbase. It uses a stock hood, decklid and roof steel, and the first ones used the stock rear bumper cover. It may be they all did, but the 88 cars, the tailight area was all solid. I just assumed they made up a different bumper cover, but I admit I didn't pay much attention about that.
My Sport had full length headers and an HO TB and blended plenum, was clock at "about" 125mph on the back straight at Lowe's and about 135 on the front straight. They would'nt tell us exactly but one the instructors told me anyway.
I can attest to the fact the rears get light on these cars. I have a pic somewhere of my T-bird on the back straight at Lowe's and the gap between the fender and tires is huge, like it is about to go airborn. I'm leaning towards a ducktail spoiler and roof rails extended down the back glass to guide the air.
Hillbilly, we have to share notes on the aero.
I have had my 87 T-Bird Sport indicating 199 km/hr (about 120 MPH) on the digital dash so not sure what it might do but i know it was still a nice ride even at 120 with stock springs and shocks and a trailor hitch "which is removed form my car finally".
Ok I knew I would open up a can of worms with that "not fullsize" statement. First off it's is just a rumor that I haven't beeen able to prove myself. Rumor is they made a 2/3 size car that FIT the templates. How they made it 2/3 size I don't know, but I suspect it was height that's the reason stock width parts fit. They may have sectioned the body. Ernie was very innovative back in those days. Prototype I wished I had realized you were in GA. I have been going to Norcross for the last few months, but that's finished now. Maybe one weekend I can ease over that way and we can compare notes. I have lots of aero idea changes for the Bird and I am lucky I do have access to a full size wind tunnel for testing. I do have plans on testing 4 different trunk lids and spoiler setups and some ducting behind the front bumper cover and nose. If I had some different bumper covers and noses I would test them. At this time I only have the stock TC nose and bumper cover. Hope is to reduce the Cd and help the aero balance. I don't see changing the frontal area much as that would take drastic changes. BTW roof rails are mandatory over 150mph.
Hillbilly,
I suspect that is just a rumor. The only "scaled down" car I have ever heard of is the old Smokey Yunick Chevelle. I have walked around some of the Elliott cars, leaned on them, etc, and they appear completely normal-sized except the wheel arches are cut 'way high and big, and what appears to be a slight stretch behind the front wheels to accomodate the 110" wheelbase. I would love to be able to make the streetcar windshield fit and be smooth like the racecar.... Haven't thought about this much yet.
Ernie was and is still very innovative, but he claims to have spent most of his time on the engine package, and Bill claims he did the majority of the work on the car.
Email me and we can save bandwidth and discuss this further. You have gotten me interested in finishing the mould and making some noses. Now the one I copied was flared out in front of the tires like a short-track or roadrace nose for downforce. The finished nose should be flexible enough to adjust and pull in if needed for aero. I can add some extra re-inforcement in the corners for a clevis. There is a moulded-in opening for airflow in the center, but nothing else. I modified the bottom edge so it is straight, all the way across from wheel to wheel, so a splitter can be fitted or a bellypan. It has about a 2" now to make this easier. (This would not be NASCAR legal). I have some carbonfiber triple nose ducts I plan to fit/modify, and can pull moulds from them too if needed. Although you may not need nor want them.
I would be very interested in what rear spoiler is needed for balance, and also what spoiler difference is needed to make significant changes to the handling/traction.
Yes, I am in Gainesville, not far from Norcross. If you came down 85, you were about 30 minutes away.
It is too hot to do composites outside right now, but maybe in a week or two I will dust-off the mould and see what I need to do to finish it.
Dave