Posted on 10/11/2010 5:56:09 PM PDT by Malone LaVeigh
I lost a semester of Chemistry due to an XKE.
My prof drove a Porshe, but took an XKE for a test drive.
The salesman was with him, and told him that if his Porsche could do it, so could the E. Prof took him at his word, and made a 90 degree turn onto a side road at 45, as he was accusted to in the Porshe.
The salesman was on the side that hit the power pole; the prof survived with a broken neck, but nobody could cover his labs at a time I could attend. I had to retread over the summer.
A physics prof would have understood the differnce between understeer and oversteer.
I would take #4. The McLaren F1 with the non-turbo V-12 BMW built/designed by Paul Rosche. Possibly the greatest engine builder in history. The car was designed by McLaren’s F1 chief engineer and designer of some of the greatest F1 cars - Canadian Gordon Murray.
The 1980s Formula 1 4 cylinder BMW turbocharged F1 engine Paul Rosche designed/built put out at least 1200 bhp and possibly as much as 1400 bhp.
I had a neighbor who was a Brit with a 2005 or so (new) Jaguar XKR convert. They said it was a POS and the front end would vibrates over 55 mph. They took it back to the dealer multiple times.
Whoa! That looks really nice. Sort of Enzo plus the things I like from a Gallardo. They really hit the mark there.
It was a dark and stormy night, literally... on the interstate west of Little Rock, Arkansas in the winter of ‘65... (I know, ...we were hungry, just barely alive...)
One 1964 Austin Healey 3000 MK III Special, 3 Weber two-barrels, 6 cylinders, 4-speed with electric overdrive, two friends in attendance (one riding shotgun, one in the jump seat), 135 mph on the speedo and the rear end started to get buggy. Decided to slow down to 75 mph at which speed the rear broke loose and I did a triple 360 down the east bound lane. Ended up on the median strip. This was a new section of intertate at the time and the median was wet sand - no grass. Some how my mates and I got the car off of the median and onto the highway. I got up to 35 mph and the front end was shaking like a mixmaster. Pulled off at the nearest service station to fuel and check the suspension; I knew I had probably damaged the struts and it was going to be an expensive repair. Everything looked OK? Couldn’t figure it out until I looked at the wire wheels. They were loaded with damp sand. A quick spray with the station’s water hose and we were on our way.
Then there was the time at Daytona in Buddy Baker’s Gray Ghost, 195 mph the day before the Fire Cracker 400. But thats another story...
I had one of those, too. It was the 429 Stage II version with a shaker hood (the air scoop projected up through the hood and shook with the engine movements). Most people thought it was a 351 version especially after I put duct tape over the 429 badges.
I bought it used. The rear tires were nearly bald, so I took it to a deserted stretch of road and floored it — twice. Then they were totally bald and I could get new ones. It burned rubber completely through the first two gears (rock crusher automatic) and to more than 100MPH in the third gear.
The scariest car I ever drove was a 1970 VW Bug at 92MPH. It had a warmed over engine. If felt like the front end was going to come off the ground with every small gust of wind.
They don't build 'em like that anymore. My older brother, he the Sunbeam Tiger afficionado, taught me to appreciate the Austins. That car with 6 cylinders must pack a pretty good wallop.
You're very fortunate the center of gravity was so low. Probably didn't hurt to have that little extra ballast, either.
That's the feeling, all right. Wish I could have phrased it like that.
That was what I had, same color even. Had the shaker on the hood also, when you mashed down on the accelerator it would give rubber in all gears, you would get a little chirp when she shifted into 3rd between 90 and 100. Put 52,000 miles (fast and rough miles) on it and never had 1 mechanical failure. Biggest idiot move I made was trading it in on 1972 Grand Torino Sport. From best car I ever owned to about the worst.
it was tested and was only the 5th fastest or lower on Top Gear. The only high is the price.
Mine was metallic blue. Of course, the hood was black (I think it was on all of them). I would say that mine did a little better than chirp when it shifted into third gear, but it did not continue for long. That was a lot of years ago, but I believe it shifted into 3rd at about 90mph and it continued to burn rubber to just a little over 100mph. I took it up to 125mph before I ran out of road.
BTW, I also found out about brake fade with that car. Scary. I seem to remember that it had front disc brakes, but even they had their limits.
I had 3 XJSs. Drove them a combined 100K without a repair, while my friends’ Porsches, BMWs, and Mercedes lived in the shop. Love Jaguar. My only Porsche was a daily nightmare.
My German teacher in college owned a BMW. One day he was telling us what a great car it was and how reliable.
After I left class, I happened to see him in the parking lot trying to do something to his windshield wiper. It was raining. He saw me and just said “wouldn’t you know it”.
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