My husband never challenged my driving

Judy Magin

My husband and I competed in the International 1000 Mile Road Rally starting in 1965. It was put on by the MG Car Club and took place in NY, New England and Canada, I drove and Jay navigated.

In 1980 we were somewhere in the Backwoods of Ontario in our MGB outside Kingston. It was a long stretch gravel road and Jay said “we’re late!”

I floored it, hit a berm on the side of the road, spun 360 a couple of times and ended up going down an embankment backwards. We stopped abruptly, he started to get out of the car and I stopped him, said “we’re late!”

I put it in gear, floored it and we literally leapt out if the ditch. Made it to the next checkpoint; after we passed it I pulled over and said “you drive!” It was our last cp of the day. Then, I started to shake.

My husband never challenged my driving! That is my most memorable rally story and I do have others. We had a blast as a team for many years and I still remember them fondly.

2600 miles of getting to know each other much better

Perry Small

And then there was the tale of a crazed man who decided to drive himself, his lovely wife and his one year old son across the US mainland, San Jose California to Western Pennsylvania.

At barely 22 years of age and just discharged from the US Army, abruptly, gathered up my wife and son, along with our transportation at a friend’s relative’s house in San Jose and headed south.

The plan was to get to Route 66 and head east to Pittsburgh. Our transportation was a 1965 Austin Healey 3000 that we had shipped to California in advance of an anticipated dock strike in Hawaii. That was a fortunate decision as the Army ordered my departure from Hawaii on a Thursday to occur the following Tuesday.

The car was waiting and ready for the trek. We hoped to be back in Pennsylvania by Christmas Day. Once out of the craziness of the California freeways the trip east went well until the water pump began to leak outside Gallup, New Mexico. Stopped there to find a replacement pump, which had to be sent via Greyhound Bus.

This was before UPS or FedEx. With pump in hand and help with tools from the local Ford dealer I got the pump installed and we were off again. Only problem was that the wait in Gallup was a week long and Christmas dinner was a peanut butter and jelly sandwich in the tiny motel room of the 1970s.

The SU fuel pump started acting up in the Texas panhandle which has its own story that will have to wait until later. In a one day sprint we drove 1060 miles in 16 hours. Averaged about 70 miles per hour but more like 80 for hours with fuel stops.

Long story short … arrived in PA a week later than planned, New Year’s Eve, but all in one piece. About 2600 miles of getting to know each other much better.

How fast can this car go?

Steve Katzman

1976 I was doing some business in Germany and had to spend the weekend there. Heir Schneider (we were formal back then) invited me on a trip to Cologne to see the cathedral.

We were heading down the autobahn in his Renault R30 and the telephone poles were snapping by very quick so I asked Heir Schneider, how fast are we going? His response was Heir Katzman, we are going 233 kilometers per hour. (146 mph).

My next question; Heir Schneider, how fast can this car go? He looked a little puzzled and then said Heir Katzman, 233 kilometers per hour:-)

He kept it floored for at least 20 minutes which felt very weird when we finally slowed down.

PS: The Mercedes, BMWs and Porsches were cracking by us!

Chicken skin, 44 years later!

Patrick Casey

Fastest ever in a four-wheeled vehicle, on the ground?

Test driving a Dekon Monza (IMSA GT racer) for Huffaker Engineering in 1976 at Willow Springs Raceway (bedding in new brake pads, checking suspension alignment, fuel system, etc.).

No speedo obviously, but turning 5,500 rpm in 4th, and using the diff gear ratio and tire circumference, I calculated that it was about 175-180 mph. This car was estimated to do 220 mph on the high banks of Daytona Speedway — but that’s at redline (8,000+ rpm). At 180, it was as stable as our street cars at 70 mph, glued to the track, and not even breathing hard, let alone breaking a sweat — I, on the other hand, was completely focused, and paying attention to EVERYTHING. And what a sound that thing made … chicken skin, 44 years later!

I have no plans to relive the experience

Rob Cowie

So I can beat you by 9 mph.

I was with my friend in his Lotus Elan +2S130 in around 1980 and we came out of the Birkenhead side of the Mersey Tunnel (“Lotus, cross the Mersey”) and he floored it. I couldn’t believe the acceleration (a Honda Odyssey minivan can do it nowadays), but we then headed to the M53 motorway (= freeway, kinda) and he floored it again.

The speedo said 130, but these cars are only supposed to have a top speed of 120, so I’ll accept 120 as the fastest I’ve been in a car. Hence the Elan in my garage, in which I have no plans to relive the experience.