Bonneville salt flat moment

[drambuie]

"I don't always drive at 119 MPH...but when I do....it's in my Austin Healey"

Today I was driving My 67 BJ8 down famous Route 66 like I usually do not far from the Chicago land Speedway. I like this road because it is open and with minimal stop lights with a 55 mph speed limit for about a 27 mile stretch with farms, cattle, and open nature preserves along the way. A good stretch of road to blow out the morning cobwebs as I sip on a hot cup of coffee along the way as I enjoy the sounds, feel and joy driving my Vintage British Sports car.. Just relaxing and enjoying this drive as I always do.

But all of a sudden I decided to make a detour off my route and down this very wide and very long stretch of smooth paved road with nothing in site as far I can see! Something just clicked in my head as I shifted into fourth gear reached 50 mph and switched into overdrive! I just keep pushing the gas peddle down..60mph 70 mph 80 mph 90 mph 100 mph 110 mph 119 and then I snapped out of it and backed off as the Healey seemed to be getting a little light because of the very heavy winds combined with the speed I was driving.

Anyway, I was a little surprised that while at 119 mph the Healey still had peddle left and the motor just keep pulling! Now, I don't know what the absolute top speed of a 67 BJ8 is in reality, but for a vintage sports car that is 47 years old! And never had the drive train out or rebuilt, original 39,000 miles. I was very impressed how that straight 6 with two inch S U carbs can blow off 100 mph like nothing and still keep pulling and gaining speed like that!

As I returned home, pulled in the garage and slid the car cover over my Austin Healey, I had a big grin.. Way to go Donald!

 

[andrea]

Also my friend with a 3000 BT7 surprising himself when the car go to 180 Km/h on a Highway, but immediately remember that his tires are twenty years old.......

 

[drambuie]

Also my friend with a 3000 BT7 surprising himself when the car go to 180 Km/h on a Highway, but immediately remember that his tires are twenty years old.......

. Hello Andrea, how have you been? I just put on a new set of Nexen tires on last year otherwise I would never attempted to drive that fast, it's nice to know at least our Healeys are that capable. The only thing I forgot to do is look at the tachometer rpm as I was more busy scanning the speedometer and road in front of me.

 

[stuntflyr]

Torque and proper gearing do it all. You should see what a good automatic V-12 E-Type will do if you leave your foot down for two minutes! The things we do when the road is clear.
Chris...

 

[dougie]

Doing the ton in a Big Healey is really fun. I try to do it as much as possible......

 

[drambuie]

Torque and proper gearing do it all. You should see what a good automatic V-12 E-Type will do if you leave your foot down for two minutes! The things we do when the road is clear.
Chris...

. Hello Cris, A 63 E-Type roadster is next on my list...I would be more then happy to plant my right foot deep in the carpet on that one! Funny your so right, A very long open road with nobody in sight....ARE WE NOT MEN!

 

[drambuie]

Hello Dougie,

Posting those pictures of your Beautiful 57 100/6 in past forum discussions is what pushed me over the edge I think! LOL.

Dougie, It's kind of strange that driving at 80 or 90 mph seems the same...but when the car hits 100 it's a completely different feeling for some reason..at 119mph it started to feel a little light footed so I backed off.. maybe because the wind gusts where really strong that day, but I still have to wonder what the top end would have been if I nailed it to the floor for just a minute or two?

 

[andrea]

. Hello Andrea, how have you been? I just put on a new set of Nexen tires on last year otherwise I would never attempted to drive that fast, it's nice to know at least our Healeys are that capable. The only thing I forgot to do is look at the tachometer rpm as I was more busy scanning the speedometer and road in front of me.

Hi drambuie
Sorry for late reply- I have good XS MICHELIN 165x15 and car stay flat and strongly on the road, also with wet weather , I have also a sway bar oversized,next MOD a rear sway bar,

never experienced the speed limit, I have just 2100 Miles on engine, and imposed my self NOT(but sometime forget)
go over 4000 rpm for the first 3000 Miles.
probably a GPS on the dash can be useful for correct speed test, and for me also for convert Miles/h to Km/h
Cheers

 

[NutmegCT]

Okay - not an AH - but my own recent Bonneville moment:

But I did see a great AH in Logan the day before.

Tom

 

[drambuie]

Nice photo! I hope to tour Bonnevlle someday!

 

[drambuie]

Hi drambuie
Sorry for late reply- I have good XS MICHELIN 165x15 and car stay flat and strongly on the road, also with wet weather , I have also a sway bar oversized,next MOD a rear sway bar,

never experienced the speed limit, I have just 2100 Miles on engine, and imposed my self NOT(but sometime forget)
go over 4000 rpm for the first 3000 Miles.
probably a GPS on the dash can be useful for correct speed test, and for me also for convert Miles/h to Km/h
Cheers

.

Hello Andrea, The conversion from 119 mph works out to 191.51 kph. Yes, I know how easy it is to forget about speed limits when we find our selfs all alone on a long open stretch of highway driving any sports car! Next time I will take my GPS along and I pad to take video......I just hope the local police are busy someplace else having coffee.

It would be interesting to see the results of adding a rear sway bar to your Healey....I often thought about adding one to mine but was not sure if it would have a adverse affect or positive effect? To be honest, I am much more interested in a cars handling then all out speed. When you mount your rear sway bar please post your results! I remember adding upgraded road springs to my 1973 Triumph TR6 and at first the car was absolutely rigid....but after adding some sand bags in the boot over the winter months when I stored it away, the upgraded road springs broke in much better and the car handled like a Dream! I wish my Healey had Half the handling my TR-6 had. Take care Andrea, Michael.

 

[stuntflyr]

. Hello Cris, A 63 E-Type roadster is next on my list...I would be more then happy to plant my right foot deep in the carpet on that one! Funny your so right, A very long open road with nobody in sight....ARE WE NOT MEN!

SI's are scary at high speed, they go through a whole cycle of nose up, nose down, tail up tail down thing while climbing the 120 plus speedo readings. Calm wind is a plus. A friend had an SII with a 2.88 we got to pull 4800 rpm. There are some decent hills where I live and could probably get one going faster but they have a lot of drag that new cars don't. Make sure all of the foam blocks and rubber baffles are installed and in good shape because that helps the underhood airflow a lot. My parents S1 roadster was much more stable with the luggage rack (!) but only had a 3.54 and went about 125 or so at 5500. It hauled a$$ off the line though. A hardtop on the SIII auto and we were sailing after the converter was fully packed (took a while) and we got 150 indicated at 6200. Some slippage but pretty impressive nonetheless. This was all done in the '70's at night on I-5 and I-405, back then south of SNA/Orange County/John Wayne Airport there was very little housing and therefore little traffic after 11pm. We were idiots and lucky no one was hurt, but it was fun and we didn't know any better.
Chris...

 

[CLEAH]

I'll never forget the first time I did the ton in the BJ8 back in 1980 when I was in high school. Open freeway, and just decided to keep accelerating. There was a point when the car was shaking quite a bit, then it smoothed out at around 100 and it was smooth as silk. Thought it best back off at that point. I never told my now late dad about my Bonneville run in his car... As I restore the car now I wish I could tell him about it...

 

[drambuie]

Most likely is best you never told your father about your speed run at that time! However, I think it's really something special you still have your Fathers Healey and restoring it. I'm sure your father would approve!

 

[John Turney]

Sure must be nice having empty, straight roads around.

 

[drambuie]

Sure must be nice having empty, straight roads around.

Hello John, well it is deer hunting season here in Illinois and the country roads are wide open on Sunday mornings. The only thing I was worried about was some drunk trigger happy hunter mistaking my speeding Austin Healey for a large buck on the Run! Come to think of it maybe that's why I was doing 119 mph!