Posted on 12/02/2013 8:23:46 PM PST by grundle
Paul Walker liked his cars fast fast fast -- in fact, he once boasted about hitting a top speed of 185 MPH -- and it wasn't on a racetrack ... it was on a freeway.
"The Fast & The Furious" star -- who died in a fiery car crash on Saturday -- made the revelation on GTChannel back in 2011 ... while taking a Nissan GT-R out for a test spin in Japan.
"The fastest I've ever gone is 184 to 186," Walker says on the video .... and then he reveals how fast he was clocked on an actual racetrack.
As TMZ reported ... law enforcement believes speed was a factor in the crash of the Porsche Carrera GT that killed Walker and his friend Roger Rodas in Santa Clarita, CA ... although it was Rodas -- not Walker -- who was driving at the time of the collision.
(Excerpt) Read more at tmz.com ...
So, when did the front clip pop off?
/johnny
Once, these guys were challenging my Ford Focus to a race on the highway and I had it up to 185 km, but so did they. We got behind a line of cars, on a two lane road, and to,show them up so that I could do something they could not, I pulled into,the opposite lane and bypassed all the waiting cars, while there was another car coming.
I,probably wouldn’t do that again.
I know what you mean. It’s a shame those cars had way more power than what they were designed to handle.
The fastest I ever drove was 120 on a German Autobahn, and then for only a few milles, between Nuremburg and Munich. Needless to say, it feels nothing like driving at 80 or 90. Weird. I have been content since to look out of windows as the airplane takes off.
“I once went 50 mph in a Radio Flyer.”
I got my first traffic tickit when I was 8 years old going 45 in a 25 and reckless driving going downhill folding papers on my bicycle!
I once saw a buck-forty on a KZ1000, one fine summer day. Made me realize how stupid I was (with tube tires and spokes).
The amply wide highway seemed to narrow down considerably, and the bike felt like it was jumping back and forth about 6 inches.
As it seemed about to take flight, I let it back down to about 100...which now seemed slow.
But that day, I did find out why all those numbers were on the speedometer. I never felt the need to do it again.
I mean, what the heck? how could that be bad?
I'm missing a kidney and a spleen because of that fall. Dang near kilt me.
I'm more conservative these days. Ladders suck. Fast cars suck.
I don't mind dying. I really mind the painful interlude between 'hey ya'll watch this' and 'oh shit, I'm dead'.
/johnny
Yeah, you really have to wonder how Nascar, rally, and f1 drivers drive as fast as they do.
They are not like you and me. I never could hit a 90 MPH fastball either.
ROFL
There cars are designed to hug the road once they hit 60mph, because air pressure difference between what’s above and below the car is so great, or so I’ve read. At sufficient speed, they could honestly drive upside down and now worry.
I’ve gone 115 mph in my ‘69 Merc. Cougar, and 105 mph on my ‘02 gl1800 Goldwing.
American authorities(and many ordinary people)make a big deal out of going fast on a freeway. The fact is parts of the autobahn in Germany are no speed limit and cars routinely do 200 MPH or better. Very few accidents, a much lower accident rate than American freeways. Several reasons for this, one is that it costs like he** to get a drivers license in Germany, second is the cops actually enforce the “slow cars in the right lane” rule.
/johnny
I did an indicated 160 on my GSXR1100 (probably ~155 actual) on a 2-mile-long straightaway outside the base I was stationed at a couple of times. The front end got a little “floaty” at that speed, mostly because I couldn’t get proper Z-rated tires for it. It was fun. I was “racing” a guy in my unit who had a turbo Starion, and went past him like he was painted on the road.
Love the stories, we all have to numerous to tell, we did Our street racing all over East Bay in California. Yes could outrun cops, but in those days not many buildings and could see them coming from miles away. Uncle Sam , put a end to my street racing career. Ahh good memories though.
I had a 2000 Mustang GT convertible and got it up to about 140 or so on hwy 101 going up the WA coast on a nice long stretch of unoccupied road. With the top down the roar of the wind was so loud I couldn't even hear the stereo (AC/DC Back in Black) anymore. But I must say that it felt solid... In fact, better at 115+ than at 90 or less. The aerodynamic effect, the "kush" pressing down on the car didn't really kick in until I got it over 105 or so... And from there on out it just squatted lower and got more solidly fixed to the road with more speed. Mmmm... Was a fun day. :-)
Cars do NOT regularly go 200mph on the Autobahn. For one thing, very few cars can actually GO 200mph. For another, there are very few stretches of the A-bahn that are still unlimited, and they’re not all that long.
More likely, it’s “cars routinely do 200 KPH”, and some hit 250-270. I’ve been on the autobahn a few times on the non-limited stretches, and have seen the occasional big Merc sedan or Ferrari blast past at 130 or 140mph, but they’re rare. Most don’t go much over 90mph.
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