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Old 18 Jun 2000, 19:37 (Ref:17800)   #1
Franklin
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Franklin should be qualifying in the top 10 on the grid
I know of only one instance where a continental European constructor built a car with an over 300 mph potential (the Mercedes-Benz Type 80, which unfortunately never ran because Hitler decided to invade Poland). Since Eurpean authorities have virtually no firsthand experience with speeds much above 250 mph, could this be a factor in their apparent love of chicanes and highly restrictive engine rules? (Normally aspirated Top Fuel Harley drag bikes run faster top speeds than what we saw at Le Mans this year.)
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Old 18 Jun 2000, 19:54 (Ref:17813)   #2
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Franklin.

I hardly think this is appropriate to this forum so I am moving it to the technical forum. However you comparisons are somewhat awry. Obviously thrust has travelled much faster than your 300 mph. Indeed the US speed limits are lower than europe's so I'm not sure what your point is.

I am not aware of records in drag racing but Its worth pointing out that no dragster can actually turn a corner. Perhaps you might ponder this.
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Old 18 Jun 2000, 20:08 (Ref:17821)   #3
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Franklin should be qualifying in the top 10 on the grid
I said CONTINENTAL European.

The last time I checked a map, Britain was not part of the continent.

And even though British cars have run over 300, 400, 500, 600 and 700 mph, has anybody in Europe even seen 300 mph without having to leave Eurpope?

Last year at Bonneville, a team with a 1992 Pontiac Firebird powered by a turbocharged 370 cubic inch small block V-8 clocked 307 mph to set the first ever 300 mph record for a production car. (The body was so stock it still had operational electric windows.)

(The types of drag cars to run over 300 mph now include rocket dragsters, rocket Funny Cars, jet dragsters, Top Fuel dragsters, and fuel Funny Cars.)
[Edited by Franklin on 18th June 2000]
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Old 18 Jun 2000, 20:10 (Ref:17822)   #4
TimD
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TimD should be qualifying in the top 3 on the gridTimD should be qualifying in the top 3 on the gridTimD should be qualifying in the top 3 on the grid
I take it, Franklin, that you would be willing to accept a small wager that these drag bikes will run virtually non-stop for 24 hours, at speeds commensurate with the winning speed at this year's Le Mans, and that they will only require a total of 31 minutes servicing in that period.

I'm merely asking your Harley to do what the Audi R8 has just done.
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Old 18 Jun 2000, 20:20 (Ref:17833)   #5
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Franklin should be qualifying in the top 10 on the grid
I was implying when motorcycles WHICH ARE NOT EVEN THE FASTEST DRAG BIKES are running faster top speeds than the cars at Le Mans that maybe European authorities are getting seriously gun shy about speed.
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Old 19 Jun 2000, 13:25 (Ref:17969)   #6
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Franklin,
This seems a slightly futile discussion ...BUT...
It is relatively simple to build vehicle that go 50%SpOfSound and here in Europe (Continental or UK) there is plenty of experience in building engines (diesel/petrol/lpg/jet/rocket) that will produce the comensurate power to project the vehicle.

But just as with Drag racing where the technology and skill is in transmitting the power as quickly as possible, over here we like to apply it to road circuits in general.

A Saturn V launcher can achieve 15 miles in the vertical within 2 mins but so what......

IanC
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I heard a story from the US where someone found a pile of scrap metal under a cliff. Nothing was done about it until they discovered human bones. Local police investigation discovered parts of a military plane so called in the military aircraft accident team.

Further investigation showed that about 30miles away someone had strapped a small solid fuel retro-rocket to their GMC pickup and fired it.
After about 2 miles the 'pilot' obviously bottled it and applied the brakes. Long streaks of of rubber where followed by 4 parallel cuts in the tarmac. After a few miles there was no other evidence until the debris at the bottom of the cliff.

Source completely unknown...but probbaly an urban legend
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Old 19 Jun 2000, 15:06 (Ref:18020)   #7
Franklin
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Franklin should be qualifying in the top 10 on the grid
In April of 1995 I saw a 3,200 pound Bonneville car running on pavement accelerate from a dead stop to 255 mph in a distance of about a mile. That's about 1/3rd the length of the Mulsanne straight.
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Old 19 Jun 2000, 16:43 (Ref:18048)   #8
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Franklin,
But you miss the point, that particular car could not accelerate from 60 to 130 mph 15 times every 3mins and have two 15sec bashes at close to 200mph.
(The Mulsanne Straight is alas now divided in two and has a nasty little chicane in the middle of it)

Not only does Le Mans have bends (and the one at the end of Mulsanne is a little on the severe side) but it has hills and bumps, which require a little in the way of aerodynamic finesse. (Even Merc. had problems with that!)

Rather than going on and on about drag racers, which aren't in same league as your own Nascar, let alone IRL or CART, you might like to tell us why your 300mph bike or 255mpg lightweight US tank can't do the same up Pike's Peak.

With very little modification the Audi R8 could at least have a go!

IanC
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Old 19 Jun 2000, 21:01 (Ref:18108)   #9
Franklin
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Franklin should be qualifying in the top 10 on the grid
That 3,200 pound Bonneville car was not anymore powerful (but much less expensive) than the Porsche 917/30 Can-Am car.
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Old 20 Jun 2000, 14:59 (Ref:18251)   #10
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Originally posted by Franklin
That 3,200 pound Bonneville car was not anymore powerful (but much less expensive) than the Porsche 917/30 Can-Am car.
But it could only do it once, then it stops, someone turns it round, refuels it and sends it back. If it could turn round, do the trick again last for 24 hours without a complete re-build and maintain an average speed of 130 mph for that time including fuel stops, it would cost as much as the Porsche.

Please think about that Mr F.


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