1967 GT500 #341, a 203.1 MPH car?

[98SVT - was 06GT]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aston_Martin_Bulldog

The Aston Martin Bulldog from 1980 has been rebuilt and will try for 200 again. It made 181 back in the day and so far hit 162 in a shakedown run last month.

[FL SAAC]

Amazing

[tesgt350]

Just curious, I have read a few articles in the past where Altitude was discussed that, when it comes to Drag Racing and Speed, Altitude makes all the difference.  Using the same Car, leaving all the adjustments the same, which Track would get the Fastest MPH and which Track would get the slowest MPH?

[shelbydoug]

If you put it in a military cargo plane, it will do about 600mph at 35,000 feet?

Is that what you want to know?




You might want to ask Randy that question about "good air/bad air" speed differences. I want to say that the difference is about 2mph in top speed through the traps in something like a Pro Stock.

[68stangcjfb]

A 2.65 rear gear ratio with a 26 inch tall tire and 7000 rpm will get you to 204 mph. But that doesn't figure in torque converter slippage and the fact that that front end is
basically a barn door at that speed. I imagine it would take way more horsepower than that 427 could ever make in 1969. Maybe it was a 427 SOHC with a supercharger?😁

[98SVT - was 06GT]

Just curious, I have read a few articles in the past where Altitude was discussed that, when it comes to Drag Racing and Speed, Altitude makes all the difference.  Using the same Car, leaving all the adjustments the same, which Track would get the Fastest MPH and which Track would get the slowest MPH?

Thinner air at higher altitude is easier to go through - but HP in a NA engine is harder to make. Superchargers can help make up for the thin air by increasing the speed to cram more air in.

Sea level air will make more power and far out weigh the aero advantage of thin air at altitude.

You can't leave the adjustments the same. A car tuned for sea level would be far too rich at altitude. This is where newer engine controls have a big advantage. They are able to reduce fuel and increase timing to get back some of the HP loss as the altitude increases.

Holley recommends 1 jet size per 1000 ft. elevation change. More altitude = less jet.

Also, 1 jet size change per 35 degrees F difference of inlet air temp. Hotter = less jet.

[shelbydoug]

I'm not even sure how the SS made 170 something?

The steering on the car gets light depending on cross winds in the 125 to 135 mph vicinity.

I hit 155 briefly at Utica and the nose started to buck. The hood scoop was whistling to the extent that people needed to come up to me and tell me, "your car is whistling!". 

I saw Perogie at Pocono in what appeared to be an attempt to make the 427 blow up coming down the straight. Exactly what speed that was, no one had a speed gun on him.

I had Webers on my car which I'm sure that was part of the whistling thing since I was running closed headers. So the exhaust noise didn't drown that out.


Interesting experiences but I'm very sure that any "Mustang" needs some very serious aerodynamic intervention to even consider being able to approach 200?

I was taking a ride in CSX3036 at Pocono. Hiding down under the windshield so the wind wouldn't catch my open helmet and jerk my head back. The speedo was right in front of me, reading 176 or so, the tach was at 8,200 in 4th and the fuel pressure gauge was pulsing back and forth from zero to 7 like a Grandfather clock, and Dick Smith came flying by us in the turn.

That car, CSX3035 was said to have been timed at 195mph. So 203 in even a '67 GT500 is highly likely to be a Bass Ale induced imagination?


You know, 176 is ok if you are driving. As a passenger in a 2500 land cruise missle with a guy with ZERO high speed experience and going through his second divorce, it can make you think? 

[98SVT - was 06GT]

You know, 176 is ok if you are driving. As a passenger in a 2500 land cruise missle with a guy with ZERO high speed experience and going through his second divorce, it can make you think? 

I did the same thing with Sam Johnson in 3014 at Willow Springs. I think the full windshield is what held us to 160. After I got out it hit me what was I thinking? Not even a roll bar on my side. If I remember it was Sam Johnson's parents company that made the original tape side letters for the 65 GT350s. He had the original tooling and made a run of new ones around 75-78. I still have a pair.

[shelbydoug]

You know, 176 is ok if you are driving. As a passenger in a 2500 land cruise missle with a guy with ZERO high speed experience and going through his second divorce, it can make you think? 

I did the same thing with Sam Johnson in 3014 at Willow Springs. I think the full windshield is what held us to 160. After I got out it hit me what was I thinking? Not even a roll bar on my side. If I remember it was Sam Johnson's parents company that made the original tape side letters for the 65 GT350s. He had the original tooling and made a run of new ones around 75-78. I still have a pair.

Well you wear the seat belts so the cleanup crew can find the body...maybe.

After that I'm more respectful of passengers and I try to be smooth.



I do remember being buzzed getting out and it took a minute to get enough feelings back in my feet and legs.

There is just something about a big block Cobra at speed. I didn't know which part of that to be more concerned about? The rpm or the mph?



After the convention, he went to start the car. It was shaking and sounded like there was a bolt swirling around in the bell house. The engine was gone. Aluminum block too.

He was told not to go over 7000 with it. I saw the tach. It was between 8400 and 8200 rpm.

"I don't understand that" was the quote that I heard. "My engine was built by Smiths 'guy so I tried to keep up with him!"

YIKES! I don't know if I was buzzing from the car or the driver? Amazing.


I'm not complaining, just remarking but I should have know better to let my son drive home from VIR in our mini-van rental. 9 hours of the monkey driving the Dragon Coaster at 95mph in bumper to bumper.

95 is as fast as they go you know? The boy ain't smooth. That thing shook just like the Dragon Coaster. Even the girl in the BMW couldn't keep up and gave us the "finger" all the way up to the elbow!

[98SVT - was 06GT]

I'm not complaining, just remarking but I should have know better to let my son drive home from VIR in our mini-van rental. 9 hours of the monkey driving the Dragon Coaster at 95mph in bumper to bumper.

95 is as fast as they go you know? The boy ain't smooth. That thing shook just like the Dragon Coaster. Even the girl in the BMW couldn't keep up and gave us the "finger" all the way up to the elbow!

We were at Bonneville and Dean Moon's daughter had to get back to the airport in a hurry. She had a rental Pinto and we tried drafting it behind a Boss 302. It kept falling out of the draft about 110-5. We stuffed a screwdriver through the fuel filter and it would then keep up to about 125. She got there with 20 minutes to spare.

[S7MS427]

I saw Perogie at Pocono in what appeared to be an attempt to make the 427 blow up coming down the straight. Exactly what speed that was, no one had a speed gun on him.

That's just the way Big George drives.  I think when I asked him what the speedo was reading during that pass he said it was 140 or so.  No way to verify that.  But there he was, blasting down the straight, pedal to the metal, nose lifted high, and his arm hanging out the window without a care in the world.  But I agree, hitting 200 is pretty damn near impossible.

That was the same year I drove my '85 Mustang GT 80 laps in the track.  I enjoyed every one of them.  Never did get above 120 at the end of the straight.

[jk66gt350]

After I bought 6S1575 in 1986, I tracked down the 1st two owners.  One of the neat discussions I had with the original owner was about the legend that was still taped to the front of the dash pad - see attached picture.  He lived in Springfield Missouri and his girlfriend lived in Dallas.  He said he was working as a mechanic in the late 60's and sometimes before going to see his girlfriend for the weekend, he would swap out the stock rear end gears for 2.73's I believe.  He claimed that allowed him to get over 140 mph out of the car.  The engine was stock other than a lemans cam and 2 x 4bbl holleys - the same as it still is.  I have no way of verifying what actual speed he was actually able to get with that setup, but it made for a good story - one of many that he shared with me about the fun he had with the car in the day.   

[Bob Gaines]

Dash pad notes most likey are numbers that were theoretical in this case but it looks very impressive if taken in the context of speed achieved.

[FL SAAC]

Amazing !

I checked the "Guinness World Records" and it is true.  Vehicle was dropped from a B52 bomber from 28,000 feet and reached precisely 203.1 MPH

The results where not good once it hit land.

Attached are pictures of car in flight and once it landed.....

[557]

That's one tasty looking car!