desoto1939 Posted July 4, 2021 Report Share Posted July 4, 2021 sniper: Here in Pa the Pa Turnpike is now set at 70MPH both for cars and trucks. I have been doing the sppedlimit of 70 with the cruise control on and have semi's pass me onthe flats so they would have to be doing at least 75 or more. I can remember when the PA turnpike was 65 for cars and 55 for trucks then it went to 55 with the oil shortage and now i guess we do not have an oil shortage because the speedlimit is now 70. So go figure out the govt wanting us to concerve but then they up the speed liimits so now we use more gas and oil before the oil crisis. Rich Hartung Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kencombs Posted July 5, 2021 Report Share Posted July 5, 2021 I just drove I40 from OKC to Flagstaff and back last week. I think most if not all trucks are now governed at 75, which is the speed limit for most of that route. Either that or all of them are strictly law-abiding (doubtful!). The only exception that I know of is Swift who are (or were last I saw data) governed at 65. Management claims a sizeable fuel savings due to that. Some of our turnpike miles in OK are now at 80, most 75. Tx has some 85mph routes. No difference in rules for trucks or cars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sniper Posted July 5, 2021 Report Share Posted July 5, 2021 I regularly make the run to El Paso, 80mph on I10, the trucks are lucky to do 65. Not sure why that is so and I especially don't care for their rolling roadblock routine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TodFitch Posted July 5, 2021 Report Share Posted July 5, 2021 I travel to Arizona quite frequently and know the trucks move faster there than here in California. Arizona has some day/night speed limits but I don't recall seeing separate limits for trucks except for on some steeper mountain down grades. Seems like most truck are doing close to the 75 MPH speed limit there. Speed kills gas mileage, for any given vehicle traveling at the speed limit they will need 23% more power to move at Arizona’s 75 MPH limit than at California’s 70 (rural freeway) limit. Simply a matter of physics, only way to mitigate it is to reduce the frontal area and to improve the coefficient of drag. Since most people prefer big and poorly aerodynamically shaped vehicles (pickups and large SUVs) there is no way they can get decent mileage at higher speeds. In my Prius I see the MPG dropping from about 60 MPG on the 65 MPH freeways to 45 to 50 MPG on the higher speed freeways through the desert. Utah has lots of miles posted at 80 MPH and last time I was there our Prius really sucked gas, got only in the low 40s MPG. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MackTheFinger Posted July 5, 2021 Report Share Posted July 5, 2021 I drove a VW transporter for a long time so I got used to the slow lane. Braking ability is more important than keeping up with traffic and I did have disc brakes on the old bus. I'd recommend a disc brake conversion before anything else although I've read that 12" Chrysler Lockheed drum brakes are as plentiful as acorns under an oak tree and have enough braking ability for a Formula 1 racer. I can't understand why modern vehicles don't use them. ? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plymouthy Adams Posted July 5, 2021 Report Share Posted July 5, 2021 (edited) send me a bag of them acorns.......? (PS will need a mixture of left and right and front and rear acorns) Edited July 5, 2021 by Plymouthy Adams 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MackTheFinger Posted July 5, 2021 Report Share Posted July 5, 2021 6 minutes ago, Plymouthy Adams said: send me a bag of them acorns.......? (PS will need a mixture of left and right and front and rear acorns) Soon as I find that oak tree.. ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plymouthy Adams Posted July 5, 2021 Report Share Posted July 5, 2021 (edited) way back in the day I also owned and drove a VW transporter.....those drop down sides for instant flatbed....I am surprised this did not catch on with other makers....totally versatile (European lorry design I guess) That thing would also travel over about any road (non-road) conditions.....it was quite the fun beast when I was young Edited July 5, 2021 by Plymouthy Adams Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James_Douglas Posted July 9, 2021 Report Share Posted July 9, 2021 I drive the '47 Desoto all the time and all over place. With OD and 251 I run at 65-70 on the Freeway all day long. I do have the front converted to disc. The stopping power is not that much greater than the 12 inch drums. There is no fade but the real plus is directional stability when you hit the brakes hard. As to the freeway speeds. I have found that I drive in the second lane from the fast lane. If a three lane freeway, I am in the middle. In a 4 or 5 lane I am in the second from the left lane. What this does is create what I call the "teardrop effect". People come whizzing up behind me and then have to break around me to the left or right. What this does is create teardrop shape space around me with a lot of room in front for stopping distance. It has proven to be much safer than staying in the far right lane with all the people waiting for the last moment to cut over for a ramp or with dealing with people not entering at 60 MPH. My only issue with the car is the lack of power in the hills and mountains. The extra 1000 pounds makes a very large difference in these cars. My '49 Convertible with the same engine goes up the hills with throttle to spare. I would say get some front discs for directional stability in a panic stop, but in a OD to keep the revs down and be happy. I drilled some holes and added bulbs to the tail lights so could stop hearing people tell me my lower brake lights were out... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hkestes41 Posted July 12, 2021 Report Share Posted July 12, 2021 I drove my 48 Plymouth coupe as a daily driver for about 5 years in Dallas traffic. On 75 (Central Expressway) every day on the way to and from the office. Pretty much followed the recipe that AndyDodge put forth above with the exception of the electric fan and balancing the reciprocating assembly. Did it first with the original 218 while building a 57 model 230. Moved all the "speed" parts over to the 230 when I made the swap. In addition to the driving in Dallas made multiple trips to Joplin, MO for the HAMB Drags on I-44 through OK at 75-80 mph for an 800+ mile round trip. In good working condition and tune the old flathead provided all the power needed to keep up with traffic running through the 53 model R10 overdrive. With the completely rebuilt front suspension and Rusty Hope disc brakes was pretty comfortable running those speeds as well. Even with the disc brakes I just had to make sure to leave a somewhat reasonable distance between me and the car in front of me. Sometimes in Dallas that is hard to do because if you leave more than about 10 feet to the rear bumper in front of you some knucklehead is going to shove their Suburban or Expedition into the hole. I own my cars to drive. If I can't get in it and drive it anytime I feel the urge then I don't want it. I don't own them to leave them in the garage or only drive out in the country on the weekend. 4 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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