Driving tip of the day..

[Red Arrow]

heir, when did you graduate from Hale?

Back before rocks turned to dirt.

[Red Arrow]

'57 Ford beater.   (about 115 mph top speed on that car)

Unless it was a retired Police Interceptor or hot rodded (not a beater), I think maybe the speedometer was exaggerating a bit.  Remembering the handling and crashworthiness of cars of that era, it was probably good the speedometers did lie a bit.

[AquaMan]

They had a 312 v-8 with 4bbl that was pretty powerful. With the right gearing..... I loved that 57 styling. Both Chevy and Ford. Seriously unsafe at any speed though.

[Red Arrow]

They had a 312 v-8 with 4bbl that was pretty powerful. With the right gearing..... I loved that 57 styling. Both Chevy and Ford. Seriously unsafe at any speed though.

I won't say they couldn't go that fast but remember that "powerful" at that time was around 200, maybe 250 Gross Brake HP for that displacement range.  The cars were lighter but even the mid 50s had a fair amount of frontal area and drag coefficients that would be unacceptable today.

I recently ran across some traffic accident pictures my dad took in the 50s and maybe early 60s.  He did a lot of road traveling then.  Those cars simply exploded on impact.  We look at crunched (but mostly still in one chunk) wreck today and ask how anyone could survive.  I look at those pictures and know that they didn't.  Thank goodness they DON'T build them like they used to.

[Red Arrow]

Looks like my guess at 250 HP for the Police Interceptor wasn't too far off.

http://youtu.be/pCra5HpVk1c

OK, I'll start it.  How do you make a Chevy V-8 sound like Ford?  Pull two spark plug wires.   

(In reality, Ford has had some good sounding exhaust systems on their performance cars like some of the Mustangs.  A bit of gurgle at idle and then strong through the RPM.)

[nathanm]

Sometimes I think that if it weren't for the sound of the exhaust and nostalgia nobody would buy an American performance car these days.

[Red Arrow]

Sometimes I think that if it weren't for the sound of the exhaust and nostalgia nobody would buy an American performance car these days.

There aren't really that many choices.  Some are performance only in optional trim.

Mustang (I wish they had made it with IRS, might have been the first Ford I ever bought if I could see out better.)
Dodge Challenger
Vette
Camaro
Viper (still being produced?)
Buick Regal (wants to be but they won't bring the big engine from Opel to the US)
Cadillac (I can't remember the model but they have one)

These are the mainstream models that normal mortals might be able to afford to buy but probably not insure.   Anyone feel free to add to the list.

[heironymouspasparagus]

Back before rocks turned to dirt.

Well, the school wasn't built until 1959, so had to be after that....

Very late '60s, very early 70's.

[Townsend]

Sometimes I think that if it weren't for the sound of the exhaust and nostalgia nobody would buy an American performance car these days.

This gets subjective now.

My 4 door American made has more hp, better handling, breaking, traction control than most 2 door sports cars did less than 10 years ago.

I'm not really sure how many American Made true sports cars are still made.  ( two seat, two door automobile designed for high speed driving and maneuverability)

Corvette...

[Red Arrow]

Well, the school wasn't built until 1959, so had to be after that....
Very late '60s, very early 70's.

I lived in the known part of the Universe then, east of the Mississippi River.   

[heironymouspasparagus]

I won't say they couldn't go that fast but remember that "powerful" at that time was around 200, maybe 250 Gross Brake HP for that displacement range.  The cars were lighter but even the mid 50s had a fair amount of frontal area and drag coefficients that would be unacceptable today.

I recently ran across some traffic accident pictures my dad took in the 50s and maybe early 60s.  He did a lot of road traveling then.  Those cars simply exploded on impact.  We look at crunched (but mostly still in one chunk) wreck today and ask how anyone could survive.  I look at those pictures and know that they didn't.  Thank goodness they DON'T build them like they used to.

Ooops!  Sorry; I messed up.  It was a '59 (two headlights).  It was the 352, with manual on the column.  I thought it was 3 speed, but the following page says only 2 speed.
Usually took about 12 minutes to get from Hale to BA main street.  Also, went from Hale to East Central (in the pursuit of girl friends).  Out at 3:30, and if we got to EC by the time the bus left (usually about 3:38), they would ride with us.  Otherwise had to meet them at their home - luckily, they lived two houses apart.

Down the page a little;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1957_Ford

Yeah, pretty crazy, but NEVER did it drunk!  Lost track of friend after high school, but heard at first reunion that he had spent some time in prison for something - don't know what....

[heironymouspasparagus]

heir, when did you graduate from Hale?

Didn't mean to ignore you - answered in a reply to RA.  Did you go to Hale?

[heironymouspasparagus]

This gets subjective now.

My 4 door American made has more hp, better handling, breaking, traction control than most 2 door sports cars did less than 10 years ago.

I'm not really sure how many American Made true sports cars are still made.  ( two seat, two door automobile designed for high speed driving and maneuverability)

Corvette...

None, counting the Corvette....


(Couldn't resist...)

[Red Arrow]

This gets subjective now.

My 4 door American made has more hp, better handling, breaking, traction control than most 2 door sports cars did less than 10 years ago.

I'm not really sure how many American Made true sports cars are still made.  ( two seat, two door automobile designed for high speed driving and maneuverability)

Corvette...

I am more than willing to include Sport Sedans as well as 2 door cars.  My '95 BMW 540i, 4 door, (obviously not American although some BMW models are assembled in South Caroling now) is a somewhat of a performance car.  When I bought it, every insurance company except one (Farmers) wanted the same premiums as for a Corvette.

I am thinking of something more exciting than the average family sedan people mover. Back in history, I would include GTO, 442, Buick GS series and mid 80s Grand Nationals, Chevelle 396, 427, 455, Nova 397 and I actually even saw a Nova 427 once, Dodge Chargers, Cudas, Plymouth Satellite,  Road Runner,  Ford Torino, and a couple of AMC models I don't remember at the moment.  They all had their strong points compared to the other choices at the time.

[Red Arrow]

Ooops!  Sorry; I messed up.  It was a '59 (two headlights).  It was the 352, with manual on the column.  I thought it was 3 speed, but the following page says only 2 speed.
Usually took about 12 minutes to get from Hale to BA main street.  Also, went from Hale to East Central (in the pursuit of girl friends).  Out at 3:30, and if we got to EC by the time the bus left (usually about 3:38), they would ride with us.  Otherwise had to meet them at their home - luckily, they lived two houses apart.

Down the page a little;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1957_Ford

Yeah, pretty crazy, but NEVER did it drunk!  Lost track of friend after high school, but heard at first reunion that he had spent some time in prison for something - don't know what....

One of my Jr High School friend's parents bought a used 58 or 59 Police Interceptor from the township.  My friend's dad was one of the town commissioners.  My friend's mom drove civilized though, at least when I was in it.

Very late 50s was part of the cubic inch race.  Everyone was upping their engine sizes.