Re: How fast can a piston-engine car go?

mike <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> Top fuel dragsters hit over 300mph in the quarter mile.  But what
> could they do over a longer distance? If you took one out to the
> Bonneville salt flats and kept it floored until it blew (or ran out of
> fuel) could you get to 375mph or 400mph?
> 
> How fast can a piston-engine car go?

The piston-engined record is already well in excess of 400mph. 

Nolan White did a one-way mile at 413mph in 'Autopower', but was fatally
injured on the return run. This is the SCTA mile record.

Al Teague holds the FIA piston-engined record at 409.9mph for the two-way 
measured mile, 425mph for the two-way measured kilmoetre.

Bob Summers in 'Goldenrod' holds the normally-aspirated (no turbos or
superchargers) record for the two-way measured mile at 409.7mph.

The "wheel-driven" record (i.e. including turbines) is held by Don Vesco
at 458mph in 'Turbinator' which is as you'd expect a gas-turbine car.

pete
-- 
[EMAIL PROTECTED] "there's no room for enigmas in built-up areas."