SC max speed
#31
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#32
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120 with top down but only once
125 with top up but only once
maggie is a bone stock 2002 sc430 with original struts new ones on the way
just bought her in sep 2020
don't doubt she can do 155 but the car really becomes unstable at about 110-120 at least for this old codger. she'll get some strut work and maybe some sway bar, brake upgrade, and bushings (not worn) and other regular maint items before long. while shes fun she wasn't built to habitually do high speed. and she'll be kept at lower cruising speeds. fun car.
125 with top up but only once
maggie is a bone stock 2002 sc430 with original struts new ones on the way
just bought her in sep 2020
don't doubt she can do 155 but the car really becomes unstable at about 110-120 at least for this old codger. she'll get some strut work and maybe some sway bar, brake upgrade, and bushings (not worn) and other regular maint items before long. while shes fun she wasn't built to habitually do high speed. and she'll be kept at lower cruising speeds. fun car.
#33
Pole Position
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120 with top down? How did she feel? With widows are up, I guess it’s not bad, but windows are down, it’s quite an experience for me. And it was only 95.
#34
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I have no speed limit with my remapped ECU but I can't drive fast. We have no autobahn like Europe.
#36
Instructor
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167 no top no windows...open cockpit except for windshield. Ok, Ok, it wasnt a Lexus, it was a Lola, But the point is that if the car is designed for the speed, it wont be scary. It wasnt.
#37
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#38
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I wouldnt try high-speeds in this car with the roof down.. I have taken it to about 100 this way, and I didnt think it was a good idea to push harder.
I had my SC430 up to around 135.. I overtook a WRX on the freeway and he didnt like it and was stuck to my *** just close to the rear of my car. It was in the middle of the night on the freeway and wide open, but I was uncomfortable at that point and moved over to let him pass so he could feel "superior" lol.. I think it was a young kid. My SC felt like it had a lot more to go, but between the young kid behind me riding so close, and the fact that my SC was drifting a little in the lane, I knew I had to let it go and slow down. The car has stock suspension, and starts to drift a little back and forth in the lane by the time I hit about 125. I am starting to build up my extra 3UZ engine in the next year along with rebuilding the entire suspension with Figs bushings, coil overs, sway bars, coil overs, and various braces (strut towers, frame, etc..), which will make the car very stable at high speeds. These SC's have close to 50/50 weight balance, and the frame of these cars are very solid - my totaled 2009 was not fun to cut into pieces. My buddy went through more blades cutting up that car than any other car he did this with in the past and it makes sense since the SC430 weighs the same as my Lincoln.
I would expect that if no expense is spared with the suspension and going with big brakes like I plan, these cars are capable of very sporty Porsche-like handling if its all dialed in properly. They race these cars in Japan, in drifting and other classes for a reason, and they usually weld the roof in place. I think these cars can be turned into total beasts with handling and speed with the right mods! With the path I expect to take with re-sleeving the engine I build up (I may use an iron 2UZ instead of 3UZ) and enlarging to 5.0 or 5.2, I expect to make some pretty good power especially since the internals will be all forged and can handle boost. Ill have to figure out the transmission as well since the stock 6 speed auto wont handle power well much above 400hp. I am going to create a thread for the engine build - the engine is apart and the internals look pretty skimpy,
On a side note... My 92 Thunderbird I used to have was rock solid stable at high speeds... And my Lincoln Mark VIII (fancier version of Tbird) even with the air suspension, felt solid all the way up with the speedo buried past 140 - the car is limited to 147 I believed, but Ford engineers removed the limiter, and built a roll cage in the car and had it up to almost 183, which is not something you would expect from a Lincoln, but the Intec 4.6 32v engine is what Ford used to make the Cobra engine for the Mustang Cobra, and the engines are stout as can be and can handle over 700hp with stock internals.
#39
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I've hit the governor limit of 155MPH once when a Corvette kept taunting me on the freeway. We were both doing about 95 and he was attempting to overtake me again, when I just let it open and left him behind trying to catch up.
Drove at 155 for about 5 minutes before the tires overheated and I lost about 10lbs of pressure in the front passenger tire and had to pull off an exit to let them cool down and refill. The corvette was not able to catch up to me during that 5 minutes. More likely due to the driver's mettle than the corvettes capabilities - he should have been able to smoke me since my SC is still stock.
I've noticed that right around 90-110, the SC feels likes it is in the 'zone' and handling feels very smooth and road grip seems to be at max. Above 120 it felt like it was lifting a bit.
I was on a long trip, and the engine was already heated up, so it had a lot of power. We were the only two cars, except for a semi we had just passed, for as far as I could see or else I would have never attempted it. Not something I would do again.
155 is really not that impressive, honestly. I had my 1988 6-cyl Toyota Corolla up to 140mph way back when (upstate NY on the thruway). Of course, it was shaking like crazy and felt far more unstable than the SC430. Just about any decent car should be able to reach those speeds.
The acceleration power is the real measurement, IMHO. At least on my SC430, this seems so inconsistent. Sometimes, I can get up to 50mph from a light change before hitting the other side of the intersection and other times, it feels like it is working its butt off just trying to get up to 45. I never participate when people try to challenge because of that. I never know what I am going to get. It's a bit embarrassing when trying to pass on the highway and it decides it wants to be a sloth. Yet, other times, I press the pedal and off it goes. Very inconsistent. And very frustrating.
I've read somewhere that the top speed of the stock SC430 is 210MPH (not sure if that applies to the -2005 model years). That would be impressive (if the car -and tires- could actually handle it)
Drove at 155 for about 5 minutes before the tires overheated and I lost about 10lbs of pressure in the front passenger tire and had to pull off an exit to let them cool down and refill. The corvette was not able to catch up to me during that 5 minutes. More likely due to the driver's mettle than the corvettes capabilities - he should have been able to smoke me since my SC is still stock.
I've noticed that right around 90-110, the SC feels likes it is in the 'zone' and handling feels very smooth and road grip seems to be at max. Above 120 it felt like it was lifting a bit.
I was on a long trip, and the engine was already heated up, so it had a lot of power. We were the only two cars, except for a semi we had just passed, for as far as I could see or else I would have never attempted it. Not something I would do again.
155 is really not that impressive, honestly. I had my 1988 6-cyl Toyota Corolla up to 140mph way back when (upstate NY on the thruway). Of course, it was shaking like crazy and felt far more unstable than the SC430. Just about any decent car should be able to reach those speeds.
The acceleration power is the real measurement, IMHO. At least on my SC430, this seems so inconsistent. Sometimes, I can get up to 50mph from a light change before hitting the other side of the intersection and other times, it feels like it is working its butt off just trying to get up to 45. I never participate when people try to challenge because of that. I never know what I am going to get. It's a bit embarrassing when trying to pass on the highway and it decides it wants to be a sloth. Yet, other times, I press the pedal and off it goes. Very inconsistent. And very frustrating.
I've read somewhere that the top speed of the stock SC430 is 210MPH (not sure if that applies to the -2005 model years). That would be impressive (if the car -and tires- could actually handle it)
I had the same experience with my SC, after doing the exhaust.. I think I went too big and lost too much backpressure.. Sometimes the car wants to leap forward especially when its cold, and then other times it doesnt take off like it should. I think I am going to get my pipes crimped in a couple areas just like the stock exhaust was.
I picked up the Lextreme 2800rpm torque converter and getting a tuned ECU to swap in this summer, so I am very interested in the difference it should make.. I heard its quite a jump from stock!
#41
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This car feels like it's the most comfortable over 80mph. 100-110 with the top up is a nice smooth and quiet ride. 120+ things start to get a little weird. And at 140 the wide open 3 lane highway ran out. 😭
#42
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Stock the car is unsafe at high speeds. Too floaty. Undulating roads are scary. MeisterR’s and sway bars and a front strut brace makes high speeds less scary. Race teams report using stock brake parts just different pads. So I put Akebono on the front only so far and everything balances out well.
#43
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Stock the car is unsafe at high speeds. Too floaty. Undulating roads are scary. MeisterR’s and sway bars and a front strut brace makes high speeds less scary. Race teams report using stock brake parts just different pads. So I put Akebono on the front only so far and everything balances out well.
flash did you change rotors as well? and why akebono? its time for brakes.
#44
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Higher frictional coefficient with their ceramic pads. More pedal modulation. Same thing on my ls460 and my superduty 4x4 truck
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