Cruising speeds
- Thread starter Mad4slalom
- Start date
Chuffer
CCCUK Member
The longest trips I have done in mine is a rally tour I organised in 2019 from Northamptonshire , down to the south coast via Poole and Weymouth , along the Durasic Coast and across to Sherbourne and then back via Swanage and Bournemouth . But that was over three days stopping off at a hotel and places of interest on the way . Should have been doing a similar event involving longer mileage around Central Wales and Snowdonia last September but Covid put paid to thatThis has turned into a really interesting read.
As someone who plans to add a C3 (already would have had it not been for Covid!) I currently have to admire from afar and live vicariously through other's descriptive reporting.
As I would want side pipes and enjoy really long drives, the drone level vs speed factor is interesting to note.
I wonder how many here do make longer trips in theirs, such as to Le Mans or up to Scotland or even beyond?
Thanks everyone.
Got it rescheduled for this September so fingers crossed !
kentvette
CCCUK Member
.............As I would want side pipes and enjoy really long drives, the drone level vs speed factor is interesting to note.
I wonder how many here do make longer trips in theirs, such as to Le Mans or up to Scotland or even beyond?
Thanks everyone.
After about the first 5 years of ownership, the old exhaust was virtually non existent on ours! The car also had headers, that were rubbish! So we changed back to the original manifolds and a custom made, full dual S/S exhaust (still a one-off). When it was built I specified a nice idling "rumble" but nothing overly loud on the road and the company tuned the boxes to suit and provided what we think is the perfect balance.
We are some of those who take long journeys ( I mentioned our 780 miles in a day to Magny Cours and back recently), so side pipes or a loud exhaust are not an option!
Before we moved here we used to do a lot of European trips in the Corvette, and Le Mans of course, and discovered how great the roads here are! Not having to cross the channel now is a huge bonus and the Corvette Club de France events have taken us to all four corners of the country and much in between. We still find the old car is perfectly comfortable for a run of about 300 miles in a day, after which we feel we've "enjoyed it" enough! I plan our fuel and hotel stops accordingly.......
James Vette
CCCUK Member
Doesn't matter if he did because it's about the look of the car.That reminds me of an amusing experience 3 years ago whilst barreling up the M6 at a steady 70 on the way to the NEC Classic Car Show . In the rear view mirror I saw piercing ice blue headlights coming up fast and first thought it was the plod ! As it got nearer I realised it was a BMW i8 and thought " here we go , he wants to blast past me and show off " ! So I pulled over to the inside lane to let his ego go by , but no ! He drew along side me , wound down his passenger side window and took a photo of me on his phone , gave me the
Mad4slalom
Well-known user
Thanks all , great info , all drivetrain has been done, glass rear spring am told it drives really well. Non power brakes tho so may be better or worse than I hope. The old vendor did a lot of parades in slow moving traffic and reports no overheating probs , I seem to remember him saying it has a 160 deg thermostat fitted.
Mad4slalom
Well-known user
Yes this was fitted after the restoration to improve the ride as it was a bit jarring with the original apparently.
kentvette
CCCUK Member
We fitted a composite spring to our '78 in 1990 and it's possibly the best thing we did - a huge improvement in ride comfort. No doubt some would say it is a tad "soft" for "spirited driving" , but I have Koni adjustable shocks all round, so I could stiffen it a little if needed, but we like it as is.
Chuffer
CCCUK Member
There must be a considerable weight saving using composite rather than steel springs . I have the standard 9 leaf steel spring mated with KYB gas shox`s all round . I get zero body roll . Being a 1980 model year it has the weight saving aluminium rear cross member of course . When ever I do Dream Rides with the Sporting Bears , one of the most common comments I get from passengers is that they are surprised how comfortable the ride is .
Forrest Gump
CCCUK regional rep
Steel approx 50lbs, composite 8lbs. I’ve got a composite rear spring on order, arriving soon I hope,
CaptainK
CCCUK Member
I have a 68 327 with 4 speed manual and side exhausts. I normally cruise around 65mph actual speed - the speedo isn't the most accurate of things (normally have satnav GPS speedo on as well). Around that area seems quite good for the old car. I'm not one for speeding and so forth and happy to pootle around. The side exhausts aren't too noisy, but then I'm a little bit deaf. Missus doesn't moan about them.... well, I haven't heard her moan about the side exhausts anyway....
On private roads, I have taken it up to almost 100mph, and to be fair to it it does cruise very well at that speed and oddly the faster the car goes, the quieter the side pipes become. Just don't look at the fuel gauge when going fast.
On private roads, I have taken it up to almost 100mph, and to be fair to it it does cruise very well at that speed and oddly the faster the car goes, the quieter the side pipes become. Just don't look at the fuel gauge when going fast.
Daytona Vette
Well-known user
It's true I saw it on his Speedo when I passed him in second gear
Daytona Vette
Well-known user
I never know if it's you till I see the flash of that L88 black bonnet in my rear view mirrorYeah, right......that wide bodied monster of yours - there would'nt be enough width on a dual carriageway for both our vehicles - wheels would interlock