Biden brags he drove 160 mph, but did he?

Fox News.com ^ | October 21, 2016

[Kaslin]

“I like speed.”

So says Vice President Joe Biden in a clip from an upcoming episode of Jay Leno’s Garage, where the two take the Vice President’s 1967 Chevrolet Corvette for a spin.

Biden tells Leno the car was a surprise wedding gift from his father, who worked at a car dealership at the time.

Biden is the car's only owner, and the well-maintained green convertible looks to be in mint condition, with a four-speed manual and a rebuilt 327 cu-in V8. Leno says it's a 300 hp version, but a decal on the air cleaner says it has 350 hp. According to the Hagerty Price Guide, it could be worth close to $100,000 today.

Due to security concerns, Biden isn’t allowed to drive it much these days. The jaunt with Jay was just the third time he’s been behind the wheel in seven years, and the ride took place at a secure Secret Service training facility.

[BatGuano]

I drove a Porsche 996 Twin Turbo on the Autobahn in Germany.
My wife told me that she was “uncomfortable” at 250 k/hr (about 155 mph). I didn't go any faster, though I had a lot of car left. A friend had his Porsche 996 TT at 300 k/hr (188). I asked him what his wife was doing? “Sleeping!” I said, “lucky you!” We were on an eleven day trip through Germany, Switzerland, Italy, France and back to Germany. I drove my rental car on the Nurburgring race track as well. A trip of a life time, for sure.
One needs the car, the road and the visibility to drive that fast.

I do not believe Joe Biden for one minute!

[BatGuano]

All hat and no corvette....

[ROCKLOBSTER]

original never revuilt small block 350 (mechanic called it “a tired engine”.),P.. Hmmm...

That's just begging for a crate engine, EFI and distributorless ignition.

[Bartholomew Roberts]

Same source as before:

Acura 2.5TL, model year 1996, version for North America
•4-door sedan body type
•FWD (front-wheel drive), automatic 4-speed gearbox
•petrol (gasoline) engine with displacement: 2451 cm3 / 149.8 cui, advertised power: 131 kW / 176 hp / 178 PS ( SAE net ), torque: 231 Nm / 170 lb-ft
•characteristic dimensions: outside length: 4865 mm / 191.5 in, wheelbase: 2840 mm / 111.8 in
•reference weights: base curb weight: 1475 kg / 3252 lbs
•how fast is this car ? top speed: 211 km/h (131 mph) (theoretical);
•accelerations: 0- 60 mph 8.8 s; 0- 100 km/h 9.2 s (simulation ©automobile-catalog.com); 1/4 mile drag time (402 m) 16.7 s (simulation ©automobile-catalog.com)
•fuel consumption and mileage: 20/25 mpg (U.S.), 11.8/9.4 l/100km, 23.9/29.9 mpg (imp.), 8.5/10.6 km/l EPA ratings average estimated by a-c: 11.9 l/100km / 23.7 mpg (imp.) / 19.7 mpg (U.S.) / 8.4 km/l

[PA-RIVER]

The brain operation he had, I’m convinced there was damage.

He acts like a kid stuck in puberty.

[editor-surveyor]

.
Maybe he can find Rodney King’s Hyundai.

I heard that it was doing 115 MPH.
.

[yarddog]

I stand by my statement.

There is no way a 327, 300 hp Corvette of that era would do 160. I was a young man or teenager during that era and pretty much knew what they all would do. It is slightly possible that one of the hot fuel injected models might do it.

Around two years ago, I got free subscriptions to Car & Driver and Road & Track. I have frankly been amazed at the performance they are now getting from even small blocks. Of course just about all of the hot ones are turbocharged or Supercharged. Not the same thing at all.

[HonkyTonkMan]

Great story — you’re right about all those conditions — at that speed it starts to feel surreal. Sounds like you had a great trip - cannonball run-style through Europe. Hilarious you took the rental car to the track - nice to put a car thru it’s paces and give it back! I used to run the pits with some guys in SCCA. Great fun but the drivers were always breaking equipment — gear boxes, engines, rotors. Punishing to operate at high speed for long periods.

[editor-surveyor]

.
>> “In the past, ratings were made up, at best.” <<

In the ‘60s horsepower was deliberately under rated to keep insurance costs down.
.

[PA-RIVER]

My dad had an oldsmobile rocket 350 cutless supreme, two door. One night my brother raced a camaro or chevelle SS from same Era, late sixtys. We topped out around 120. Virtual tie. I could see a vet doing 135, but no more. Biden is a fraud, like his plugs and capped teeth.

[TexasGator]

I spent some time but couldn’t find the m62 specs.

[tumblindice]

Explaining how she left her hydramatic tranny on the street, the blonde said,
“I started out in low, then over to drive 2 then drive. Then I wanted to make it go really fast,it took all my strength but threw it in R for ‘Race’.”

[TexasGator]

Only a few were under rated. Most were NOT delivering the advertised hp to the flywheel.

Most ratings were bare motor without accessories or mufflers running with modified carburetors and undriviable tunes.

[yarddog]

My late wife bought an Olds Cutlass with a 350 Rocket V-8 and four barrel. This was actually a few days before we were married. I actually picked it out and convinced her to buy it instead of a Mercury.

She paid $500 down and I wondered how she would get financing as she had just graduated college and had no credit history. It turned out her Uncle was president of the bank.

I had an old 65 Olds Delta 88 with a 425, 370 HP. While the Cutlass was a beautiful car and handled really well, that old full size 425 was far hotter. Amazingly, it also got better gas mileage.

[editor-surveyor]

.
I had a new ‘62 corvette that was rated at 340 HP, that would peg its 160 MPH speedometer in just over 1 minute.

The peg was about 10 MPH in arc measure beyond the 160 mark.

The howl of the wind where the top met the windshield was severe. The tachometer was reading about 6800 RPM, and the car had 3.56 rear gears, so the rear axles were turning about 1900 RPM with 750x14 tires.

That makes about 13.000 feet per minute, disregarding tire growth from centrifugal force.

That means that it was going at least 148 MPH (obviously more, but who knows how much)
.

[TexasGator]

By the mid-sixties, the advertised outputs of many bread-and-butter engines were still unrealistically high,

http://ateupwithmotor.com/terms-technology-definitions/gross-versus-net-horsepower/

[Texaspeptoman]

I go w/ yarddog. Had a friend w/ a ‘63 327 and racing cams - maybe the spedo reading was off but it would peg at 160. One time we ran out of gas 2.5 miles out of town and coasted into that distance into a gas station (it was not downhill). Just saying....

[TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig]

Kepping it raw so i can drive it after EMP attack and use my AR out the T-Topa during shopping trips....

;)

[BatGuano]

Yes and what was not lost on my mind was the fact that I was self insuring the $143.000 car. If you ever get the chance, drive anything on the Nurburgring, it is a hoot. I drove three circuits and a buddy (a driving instructor) drove three. Our wives drove a Boxter back to Dusseldorf. I had a few friends who were involved in SCCA here in Florida. They drove as far as Virginia and Texas to play...My only experiences were driving my 68 911 on Roebling Road in GA, Sebring, and a few “parade laps at Daytona, here in FL. Never raced the car.
SCCA racing does require substantially deep pockets and some serious wrench capabilities. It is always something to fix.
Cheers,
Bat

[BatGuano]

I am not being a wise ass but was there any concern about tire limit speeds back in those days? Probably not.

That ‘62 was just so sweet. A buddy of mine has one and the most amazing thing about it is the size of the steering wheel! His Colorado plate is “IT’S A 62.