Good Q&A, What speed have you had

[n/a]

Hello All,
 So what speed have any of you guys had out of your cars (top end)
and what is the longest distance you have driven in any one time
in your cars, did you break down on the run or at speed. etc,etc

 Regards Pagoda Red
 
P.S I've just had a race with a sl280 down the M56 for about 11 miles


red kelly

[dldubois]

I've only had mine up to just over 100mph.  Not sure what the top would be.  Longest trip as of yet is only 100 miles each way.  No problems.  

Nothing feels better than riding w/ the top down around 75-80 mph on the highway.

Dana DuBois

1970 280sl White (050)4spd
1968 Corvette Conv. 4spd
Corinth, TX

[Cees Klumper]

There was a thread about top speed not too long ago - mine as I recall was around 185 kph (115 mph) earlier this year.
The furthest I have driven the car in one day was to the Normandy, France coast from Amsterdam (and then back a week later). I think it was around 600 miles each way. Went without a hitch.

Cees Klumper in Amsterdam
'69 white 280 SL automatic

[Douglas]

Cees,

Were these after your new engine or before? Also, was the high speed driving with soft top up or down (or hardtop)?

Douglas Kim
New York, NY
280 SL #016220

[hauser]

If I'm not mistaken I believe Klaus Drexl holds the distance record. From New York to Florida round trip.

1969 280sl 5 spd        1999 ML320          Gainesville,Fl.

[JamesL]

Distance, so far, 120 miles each way in a day. So not too exciting

Except on the way back I went through the 100,000 mile mark. So took the car up to 100mph to celebrate

That was just under a year ago. Not been as far or as fast since. No need. And as dldubois says below....75-80mph, top down... who needs speed?

[Ben]

I've had it at a little over 6500RPM in top which I guess is about 125MPH !  Done it a few times no problem, gets there quite fast too !

Furthest in one day was 750miles, went through 15 Counties !!  Top was up, heavy rain from start to finish !!  [!]

Regards,
Ben in Ireland.
'64 230SL 4sp.
'03 CLK Kompressor

[mulrik]

Topspeed about 170 km/h (with a broken distributor I later found out)

Longest distance: Copenhagen (Denmark) via Paris to Le Mans in France, about 1800 km in about 24 hours. No problem.
Ulrik


'67 250 SL Papyrus White 113043-10-000023

[hauser]

The longest distance is about 100 miles.  No problems in the last two years of ownership.  The only thing my car has required is routine oil changes.  As far as speed the fastest I have driven would be about 130 Km.  About 95% of my driving is with the top down.

My speeding days are somewhat over.  In the past my heavy right foot has brought too many visions of blue lights in my rear view mirror.  In Florida you are allowed to attend a "Driver Improvement Class", you can goa total of 5 times no more than once every 12 months.  This keeps points from being taken off your license.  It also keeps insurance rates low.  I can no longer attend these classes because I have reached the maximum allowed. :?   So now I basiclly just keep up with traffic.

1969 280sl 5 spd        1999 ML320          Gainesville,Fl.

[n/a]

I had mine at 105 mph with noooooo problem....I am sure it could go faster and one of these days I might find out......1969 280 SL 4 speed

[wildatheart]

A while ago I drove my '70 280SL from Barcelona to London, in ONE session. Must have been a 15 hour drive or so, with just the 1hr car train between Belgium and Britain (it goes under the sea you know!) as a break. Otherwise, constantly between 70 and 100 mph, depending on traffic, hour after hour after hour. The car was absolutely fine, but my eyes were spinning all over the place when I finally made it home. Yes, I know it wasn't a particularly sensible thing to do...

Jaap

1970 280SL
1965 Volvo Amazon
1986 Ford Capri 280 Brooklands

[JamesL]

Wildatheart is still paying off the fuel costs of that trip....