GmanSC

No, thank you!

razorlex

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.

GmanSC

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.

digitatc

I have no speed limit with my remapped ECU but I can't drive fast. We have no autobahn like Europe.

razorlex

120 top down windows down.

jimisbell

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.

razorlex

exactly and im not convinced sc430 was designed for three people 120 mph top and windows down

SC430fun

I would be very surprised if these cars can go 170 when stock.. I heard without the limiter, it can hit 162

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.

SC430fun

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!

FatBuoy

So, what is the verdict on a speed limiter delete? I haven't found anything out there.

JW266

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. 😭

Caflashbob

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.

razorlex

agreed that at stock these cars are only solid till about 120 after that way too unstable. at 125 it was past time to slow maggie down. fun cruiser but they just aren't high speed cars.

flash did you change rotors as well? and why akebono? its time for brakes.

Caflashbob

Higher frictional coefficient with their ceramic pads. More pedal modulation. Same thing on my ls460 and my superduty 4x4 truck