New Top Speed!

[Ross]

Previously, the fastest I had gone in my MM was about 113. Last Saturday, Dawn and I drove out west of Houston on I-10. Dry, straight roads, not much traffic, long stretches to open up the car. Well, I decided to see what this thing can do on the open road. I got up to 125 on one stretch before I had to back down because of cars up ahead. Later, I got up to 130. No unusual vibrations or anything. Very smooth ride. What is the driveshaft "wobble" supposed to feel like at high speeds? Even Dawn commented at how smooth the car felt at those speeds.

[LincMercLover]

I haven't really felt it either... and I've hit around 130 as well. About the only thing I've felt is wind vibration on the floor from going so fast, but I can slightly feel that when I'm doing merely 85-90MPH too.

[sailsmen]

I felt the same way, no unusual vibrations, but there is a vibration.

When I drove an MM with the MMX the difference was significant.

If I had not dirven an MM with the MMX I would not have felt the need to install the MMX.

I also have 4:10 so the vibration comes in at around 100 - 105 mph.

[woaface]

Man...the Marquis tops out at 110 (so I've heard) and I've only done 105. That's pretty cool Ross! But same as you, I was doin this on open roads (Interstate) and with very little traffic at the time. Are there any decent chips for the Marquis? The top speed doesn't bug me much, but it shifts way to early sometimes and that annoys me to no end. BTW, mine does have quite a bit of wind noise once the car gets up past 60, but I don't think it's comparable to the Marauder, as mine has less going for it in the areodynamics department.

[Ross]

Woaface, I'm not sure about chips for the Marquis, but I'm sure our friend and mentor Dennis Reinhart will be a great source of information about it. He is one of the supporting vendors of this site, and most of the chips on the cars on this site are his. Check out his forum and give him a call. If he doesn't have one, but knows where to get one, he'll let you know.

[woaface]

Thanks you much! Sorry I had to ask!

[TripleTransAm]

http://www.picturetrails.com/gallery/view?p=999&gid=2573392&uid=8883

Not trying to preach or anything... but I've done 155 mph in my WS6 for several minutes... ONCE... and when I realized what was going on, I coasted back to 60 mph and swore never again to put my life in the hands of a bunch of unionized assembly line workers in various states of mind. All it takes is a faulty component or improperly torqued fastener (like I haven't found any of those on my Marauder since March :rolleyes: ) and whammo you're airborne and history...

[KraziKid]

So is it safe to remove the governor, or is the drive shaft wobble considerable? I remember reading that it is only rated for 120 mph or so, and the governor is set at 118 mph. Is that true?

[CRUZTAKER]

Once in a blue moon won't hurt...but if it is a regular thing for one to do, it is HIGHLY advisable to upgrade to the MMX, or at minimun the PI version to avoid rear gear assy damage. This car with stock gears and wheels and governer removed should be capable of 153 MPH or so from what I heard at the Ennis meeting of the minds.

[Hemlock]

I LIKE THE BIG NUMBERS A LOT , WITHOUT THE DRIVESHAFT UP GRADE THERE IS A BUZZ (NO NOISE)FROM 120MPH ON UP . !!! CHEERS , ITS A RUSH (NO PUN INTENDED)

[woaface]

That's really awful. I know I've talked about my speeding before, but the last time I raced someone, I came close to hitting someone in the rear at 95 miles an hour, and I would have either nailed a truck to my left or a brick wall to my right. That was 3 months ago and I haven't raced since then. I've promised myself that I'll never do it unless I'm on a closed race course with proper safety equitment. They still show all the lovely pictures in drivers ed of people with gearshifts sticking through their head (and not from their car) and people lodged in semi trucks, and that was about bad enough for me. That website really helps reinforce that I need give myself more and more caution, even as I become older. Those pictures make me quiver. Soon I'll be enrolled in a performance driving class at BMW, I hope it's worth it.

[Ross]

Woa, I have always talked about taking a performance driving class and have never gotten around to it. I think it would be great to learn some tricks the pros use just in case of a real emergency where your skill might save your life. Good idea.

[woaface]

Si...muy. BMW is weird about it though...$300 for one day, and $1000 somethin for two. The two day one includes air tickets, hotels, food, and a drive back and forth. But if you live 20 minutes from BMW like I do, you STILL hafta pay the full price.

[Ross]

Don't you hate stupid rules that make no sense...:bs:

[woaface]

Si....

[Constable]

originally posted by TripleTransAm:

Not trying to preach or anything... but I've done 155 mph in my WS6 for several minutes... ONCE... and when I realized what was going on, I coasted back to 60 mph and swore never again to put my life in the hands of a bunch of unionized assembly line workers in various states of mind. All it takes is a faulty component or improperly torqued fastener (like I haven't found any of those on my Marauder since March ) and whammo you're airborne and history...

How true! I, too, played with death just last week. After getting my new driveshaft on, I went for a late night spin on the GSP. I did one run from 40 to 140+ and then realized how freakin' dumb I was. I slowed to about 50 and then pulled over to think about how stupid I am. NEVER AGAIN. But on the upside, I can say that my Marauder will do 140+ with no issues!

[joflewbyu2]

back in dec of 97 when i got my new ls1 formula 6 speed after trading my ram air 97 lt1 trans am, i wanted to see just how much faster the new engine was. i was on the interstate and opened her up. 100 mph came fast, 110 came fast, 120, 130, 140 and i began to wonder when she will run out of steam. after 140 in the 97 lt1, it took forever to get to 150 mph. anyway, after glancing down at the speedo passing 140 i looked up then down again and 150 past by then 155 then up aginst the limiter set at 160. needless to say, i was pleased at my new purchase decision.

[TripleTransAm]

Jo....., the scariest thing about getting my '98 LS1 up into that range of speed was how smooth it was. I was completely entranced by the rush of having obliterated a mildly modified late 70s Camaro occupied by a couple of our finest mullet-sporting good old boys, I didn't notice the speed until I clutched in to grab 6th and decided to hold off since they were so far behind me. I didn't hit the rev limiter, so I know I didn't hit 162 mph.

Had I grabbed 6th and kept my foot in it, I would have probably been shocked to see the car decelerating! Top speed comes about in 5th, as 6th gear is too tall to deliver enough torque to the wheels to maintain top speed (but on the flip side, we can cruise easily at 70 mph at 1700 RPM! ;) ).

Too many variables... what about a faulty component? What about faulty assembly? What about a pothole? What about a blowout? What about hitting a low flying bird? I could be the best driver in the world with balls made of alloy 304 stainless steel, but I'd still have ZERO control over these external situations! never again....

[woaface]

A Jewish friend of mine has a step dad that is nutz about his ride (an 8 foot by 3 foot by 3 foot rack full of car cleaning stuff in the garage catches one's eye). He's got lexi...a 1998 SC430, which had less up and go than the G35 4 door I drove last week...and family camry (on-stilts) RX330. But...haha...that's not what gets him goin. His pride and joy is a 2001 Porsche 911 Coupe (drool). They do a lot of traveling on I-85 to Atlanta, and my friend said he's usually hauling between 120 and 140. You know, screw semi's doin 80, and the mass amounts of traffic found just outside of ATL, they can be brushed aside. But he's scared to death of motorcycles. Eh, he's got enough brains and experience that I trust him when he's really movin. Him and the cop that drives an M3...but other than that...I'm nervous to be in a car with anyone that has the intentions of haulin' ass. If I'm going to die in a car accident, it won't be my fault, or anyone that's driving me. I have a few more years ahead of me, and as my mom said to me once "Forget sweet 16, life starts when you're 30."

[Jerry Barnes]

Hey folks,

I know a couple of our customers have easily achieved 140 mph on the expressway in their MM's. I just sold a kit to Virgil from Alabama who indicated that he drives flat out a lot, so he is going to install our supercharger and go test it on a new stretch of highway that has not opened yet. He indicated that his buddiy is a State Trooper who will clock is top speed with a radar gun. I am anxious to see the top speed he achieves. He will be running a 3:55 gear and 10-11 psi of boost. He should have his kit installed within the next couple of weeks. I will keep everyone posted on his high speed test.

Thanks

[woaface]

oooooo, can't wait!!!!

[martyo]

Ummmmmm, just out of curiosity, what does this:


Originally posted by woaface
A Jewish friend of mine...

Have to do with this:


Originally posted by woaface
...has a step dad that is nutz about his ride (an 8 foot by 3 foot by 3 foot rack full of car cleaning stuff in the garage catches one's eye). He's got lexi...a 1998 SC430, which had less up and go than the G35 4 door I drove last week...and family camry (on-stilts) RX330. But...haha...that's not what gets him goin. His pride and joy is a 2001 Porsche 911 Coupe (drool). They do a lot of traveling on I-85 to Atlanta, and my friend said he's usually hauling between 120 and 140. You know, screw semi's doin 80, and the mass amounts of traffic found just outside of ATL, they can be brushed aside. But he's scared to death of motorcycles. Eh, he's got enough brains and experience that I trust him when he's really movin. Him and the cop that drives an M3...but other than that...I'm nervous to be in a car with anyone that has the intentions of haulin' ass. If I'm going to die in a car accident, it won't be my fault, or anyone that's driving me. I have a few more years ahead of me, and as my mom said to me once "Forget sweet 16, life starts when you're 30."

:confused: :confused: :confused:

[woaface]

It's a description. The English language has a plethera of words and I find it a good idea to expound on them. I'm very used to describing her as my Jewish friend because it happens to be an inside joke. I hope you're not suggesting I'm anti-semtic as I did say she is a friend of mine, and she's a very close one at that.

[martyo]

Originally posted by woaface
It's a description. The English language has a plethera of words and I find it a good idea to expound on them. I'm very used to describing her as my Jewish friend because it happens to be an inside joke. I hope you're not suggesting I'm anti-semtic as I did say she is a friend of mine, and she's a very close one at that.

Ummmmm, OK, sorry I missed the joke. I'll look again. It must be in there somewhere.

[CRUZTAKER]

:sleepy: