<VV> Re: Nice Ride -- Cops -- Route 66 in the old days - some Corvair

[Charles Lee at Proper Pro Per]

I had the extreme pleasure, back in 1967, as a freshly discharged draftee, 
to drive some rich guy's 1966 Rolls Royce Silver Cloud from Oakland CA to 
NYC. I had the car for two weeks, all expenses paid.

She got almost 30 MPG on the open road, but even better she had a top end 
of, well, I never did find out exactly.
On Route 66, before there was a speed limit, I just had to try her out, and 
brought her up slowly, about 10 MPH at a time.

At 10 MPH, she was like sitting home in a comfy sofa.

Feeling ever more confident, I inched her over 150 and was quite 
comfortable, being too young then to think what would have happened if I 
blew a tire or if ANYthing went awry at that speed.

What did get me though was seeing a car in my rearview GAINING on me !

I found this interesting and not until I saw a little bump on the roof (a 
good 1/2 mile behind me, or more), did I start to slow down.

I was cruising about 120 when the Highway Patrol's 1968 Dodge Charger pulled 
up beside me and made eye contact with me.

He saw the uniform and probably figured I was a "fortunate son" with whom he 
should not hassle (I wasn't), and he blew away from me like I was standing 
still.

Brought her back to 150 just to see what it felt like, and try to find the 
top end, but figured I'd die trying and thought of enjoying the ride a at a 
more reasonable speed.

The white lines on the road were a blur, and I could visibly see the 
mountains getting closer at that speed, and it just didn't feel like I 
should be doing that.

I wish I had that back, to try again, have been over 115 in a Corvair 
(comfortable, but she was working hard.  The Rolls wasn't even breathing 
hard !)

I like the Corsa better though, and not just because she cost 10 cents of 
the Roll Royce's dollar, new !