How fast can a stock 1948 Plymouth go?

[larryconnors]

Back around 1969 I was driving home from college in my 48 2 door at around 2 am on route 2 near athol ma. It was a newly paved section of road that was wide and smooth and I was the only one on it. I decided to see how fast the car would go. I stood on the gas pedal until the the speedometer read 100mph. That's when I heard the siren and saw the flashing blue lights. The officer who pulled me over checked my papers and handed them back. He told me he couldn't believe it when he caught up to me and saw what I was driving. He told me not to do it again and I haven't. My question is, Was I really doing 100 in a stock 48 Plymouth or was my speedometer wrong? 

[casper50]

the officer should have told you how fast you were going.

[captden29]

54 Chrysler with the 265 flathead has top speed of 85 mph.i once did about 105 mph with a 54 new Yorker with the 331 hemi.unlikely the 48 could do 100. capt den

[Don Coatney]

Top speed has a direct relationship to gonad size

[Plymouthy Adams]

my 54 Plymouth will crusie at 85..just starting to sound a bit busy at that speed...has nothing to do with 'nads Don...lots to do with minimal gray matter...

[wdoland]

Don, is that why mopeds are always passing me?

[Reg Evans]

Down hill in a stiff tail wind and the clutch in it could happen.

[Don Coatney]

my 54 Plymouth will crusie at 85..just starting to sound a bit busy at that speed...has nothing to do with 'nads Don...lots to do with minimal gray matter...

Hum, If I understand you there is a direct relationship between minimal grey matter and large nads?

[busycoupe]

That section of Rt 2 has some pretty good hills.  Perhaps you were on one of the long downgrades.  Back in '70 I had a 1966 VW bus that would peg the speedometer at 80 mph on a long downgrade, but then have trouble doing 45 mph on the next upgrade. 

[Adam H P15 D30]

My 49 Dodge did 87 mph on the gps with the 3.91 gears and std 3 speed. Had no more in her.

Btw it was on flat ground.

Edited June 13, 2014 by Adam H P15 D30

[TodFitch]

Got my '33 up to 70 MPH per the GPS on a fairly long level stretch of US 101 south of King City where the posted limit was 70. Took a long time to get there.

 

I imagine the top speed of pretty nearly any car, at least small car, is about 500 MPH if you do it this way:

[moose]

Back in my senior year in high school(1990-91) I drove my 54 Belvedere at just past 100.  That was as high as the speedo went.  105 I always said.  Understand that was an indicated speed, with shorter(than bias) radial tires.  Probably in the 90 to 95 range, really.  A year or so later I got an OD for it.  Boy was I excited to see how fast it went then!  90(indicated) in OD...  Didn't have the power with the lower RPM.

[Tim Keith]

I bet George Asche would know how fast it could go

[55 Fargo]

Today had truck going 65 mph @ 2500RPM, because I have 3.23 gears. I had more to go, probably could hit 85 mph, but no thanx in the old truck. I am not sure how much fun these old trucks would be to drive @ 70+ MPH, with stock solid axle front end and truck suspension.

I personally enjoy driving at 50-55 mph, when possible, faster if I need too. This old beast is only spinning at 2200 RPM at 55 mph.

[Plymouthy Adams]

actually it depends on the free fall distance as it can reach terminal velocity

[48ply1stcar]

The Texas rancher says to the Maine farmer, "My ranch is so big, it takes me all day to drive my truck from one side to the other"

 

The Maine farmer replied: " yup, I use to have a have a truck like that"