2bridges

Well the salt is an entirely different animal altogether.
You almost have to forget anything you think you know about driving fast, and how your car does it.

From day to day the salt itself can change very significantly. Some days it will be like sheet of glass.... others like a shale "crunchy" surface, others an inconsistent mix of loose/compacted/smooth/rough.

My first orientation run was a nice easy 130mph. I can tell you that was the fastest, most eye opening 130mph I have ever driven. That day the slat was in very good shape, and still it felt much like driving on a gravel road with periodic "soft spots" that would gently redirect the car around.

In my experience you must be smooth and easy and just let the car drift around correcting only as much as necessary. Sounds easy, but this is exactly the opposite of what you want to do when you catch a side wind at 150+mph.

I made a total of 9 or 10 runs....... and 156.9 was all the 26/6 turbo could do at the 2 1/4 timed mile mark. That setup was very near stock with only chip/exhaust/wastegate/EBC.

The heat and altitude significantly impact the car. With the massive openness the slightest breeze can be a real force to deal with also.

I highly recommend running Bonneville if you have the opportunity. For me it was an experience of a lifetime. But frankly I am more into the heritage and vintage land speed racing aspect than most.

Here is a short little in car video of a 148mph run. http://s239.photobucket.com/albums/f...44T_148mph.flv

333pg333

Cool video. Like how you slap the dash for good luck as you set off!

When cars lose control on the salt, do they just slide out or do the slide, catch, and roll?

951_RS

Hmm, interesting. I don't think 160-170 is nearly as hard to hit as some makes it out to be. The 951 stock is rated at 152 mph and the turbo S at 162.
While it does take an exponential amount of horsepower to gain more mph (around 4 times more power needed to go 200 mph compared to 100 mph), many people are pushing a lot more than 255 horsepower to the crank, which we can somewhat safely assume is good for 162 mph.
I'd say a decently modified 951 is around 325-375 crank horsepower depending on if it's an S model or not of course. Definitely capable of 170 mph though.

For you math guys here are the aerodynamics of the 944 turbo:
Cd: 0.33 - 0.34
Frontal Area (m2): 1.90
Frontal Area (ft2): 20.44
Cd x A (m2): 0.63 - 0.65
Cd x A (ft2): 6.75-6.95

Given those data sets we can see that it doesn't require very much power to actually go to some extreme speeds as the 944 turbo is quite aerodynamic.
180 is a very real possibility for these cars.
Even mid 90's 911's that are not as aerodynamic as our cars do over 180 with around the same horsepower as a modded 915 can achieve.
The 996 turbo is good for 189 mph with 450 horsepower and a greater frontal area (though lower Cd)

So I personally feel 170 mph is very possible in a modded 951 and 180 is too, given a good 400 hp to the flywheel.

CPR

Throw out the "s" or non "s" theory.

As soon as you start modifying you essentially take away that difference if you change the turbo and modify the DME....which is the only difference between the two from a power standpoint.


And 170 is not impossible...just improbable for most cars here.

odurandina

I think I will stick to pavement !!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5oAkaUK37A

The salt flats would be fun if we could set the front of the trap about 3 miles out...

cuz the surface is so frigging fast once you get up there.


What do they call it then -- the flying mile right ??

951_RS

The S has everything to do with stock top speed, which is what I quoted. Also, the S having a larger turbo from factory has a lot to do with the power potential if you keep the stock turbo.
Over 300 whp is possible on a turbo S and stock turbo, while a turbo without the s would be hard pressed to do such a deed.

333pg333

Thank god the shute deployed in time!
Seriously, you would want some pretty decent aero going on before tackling that. Problem is I guess with some hardcore milers might be that downforce is seen as speed depleting so it may not be used so much? I don't know.

CPR

yeah that is what I was getting at....you would not reach your speeds of 180 or whatever without going deeper into mods.

Some mods to get it there would be a new turbo and engine management.

And since the power differnce between the S and non-S is the addition of the 26/8 (in lieu of the 26/6) and more aggressive tuning at the DME once you remove these you are back to the same car.

An S with a Vitesse Stage II kit and a non-S with a Vitesse Stage II kit will make the same amount of power.


No biggy...

333pg333

p.s. a different take on the same thing...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kq-C9...eature=related

951_RS

Yeah I totally agree, but I think 180 is almost possible on stock turbo with a Turbo S =]
Perhaps if you get smaller mirrors and tape up the front etc

CPR

Actually I heard if you just add a Porsche decal across the windscreen it is good for 5 more MPH

951_RS

You forgot the 968 door handles too

333pg333

Actually I bet the 968 mirrors would make a difference though.

CPR

a bit more aerodynamically inclined than flag type...that is for sure.


And so sorry to hear about your car, Patrick

But very glad to hear you are OK health wise. It could always be worse. Praying for the best for you.

951_RS

They probably would, along with removing the rear wiper and front wipers or at least putting a single wiper in front straight up to reduce drag.