XH Ute 'can't do 140km/h'

[Pinch]

This was the claim by a 18yo charged with street racing in Darwin:

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599...-17001,00.html

My question is how many of its 6 cylinders were not working for it not to get to 140km/h (and still be in front of the other car when pulled over)?

Might have been better sticking with the 'my accelerator got stuck' excuse.

An 86 Camira auto could do 140.

[deesun]

In about the second last sentence it says the car cant do that speed "that quick". The race only lasted about 400mtrs from a set of lights to where they were pulled up. The driver admits to 120 but not 140 as the police have claimed.

[SirHenry]

I'm just curious about what they're actually charging him for drag racing or speeding. If its speeding good luck trying to get a conviction. I'd be challenging the accuracy of the measuring device, an unmarked cars speedometer is not a gatsometer reading. Don't get me wrong the guys a tool for street racing but so are dodgy tickets.

[troppo]

I suspect Officer Ragg might be telling porkies...

Officer Ragg told the court his speedometer reached 140km/h on the 70km/h stretch while he followed the racers at a constant speed, before they slowed down and pulled over about 400m later.

So he would have the court believe these two cars managed to accelerate to 140 km/h, maintain a constant speed for some unspecified period of time, then come to a stop...all within 400m. Hmm, my BA can get to over 150 km/h down the quarter but that's only if I accelerate the whole way. If I had to back off and brake to stop by the end, I doubt I'd get much over 100 and that's still not allowing any time for a 'constant speed'...

[RepSpec]

my xg working properly could only get to 130ish on gas and maybe push 140 on petrol if im lucky.

when at the drags it gets to 120-125 on the spedo and doesnt want to go harder it just runs out of puff lol

[deesun]

Wonder why they have adjourned the case? The driver has admitted to street racing and doing 120kph so why lock up the courts more. Just fine him for those things and be done with it, NEXT PLEASE. There would be not much difference between a 140kph fine and 120. Pffft.

[snappy]

Originally Posted by deesun

Wonder why they have adjourned the case? The driver has admitted to street racing and doing 120kph so why lock up the courts more. Just fine him for those things and be done with it, NEXT PLEASE. There would be not much difference between a 140kph fine and 120. Pffft.

Don't know about W.A but in vic the difference between 120 and 140 would be your license no chance of keeping it at 140

[Tuddy200]

Originally Posted by snappy84

Don't know about W.A but in vic the difference between 120 and 140 would be your license no chance of keeping it at 140

It was a 70KM/H limit road, he would have blown it at 100KM/H let alone a difference between 120 and 140.

More then 25KM/H over the speed limit gets you an automatic one month suspension and then anything above 45 would see it going bye bye.

[snappy]

Originally Posted by G.J.Tuddy

It was a 70KM/H limit road, he would have blown it at 100KM/H let alone a difference between 120 and 140.

More then 25KM/H over the speed limit gets you an automatic one month suspension and then anything above 45 would see it going bye bye.

ah yes you are correct. Well i guess 120 or 140 he is in alot of trouble even in W.A i would suspect

[Supercharged]

Originally Posted by deesun

Wonder why they have adjourned the case? The driver has admitted to street racing and doing 120kph so why lock up the courts more. Just fine him for those things and be done with it, NEXT PLEASE. There would be not much difference between a 140kph fine and 120. Pffft.

He isn't all that smart or he would know never admit to anything in court.

[XR06T]

yea, 45k+ over here is hoon law territory..

i have to agree with troppo here. from 0 to 140, then constantly hold that speed, then get pulled over in 400m? HIGHLY unlikely, especially the constant speed bit.

[cowboy]

Originally Posted by XG-PanelvanMan

my xg working properly could only get to 130ish on gas and maybe push 140 on petrol if im lucky.

when at the drags it gets to 120-125 on the spedo and doesnt want to go harder it just runs out of puff lol

There's something wrong with your XG me thinks.........

[RepSpec]

nah theres nothing wrong with it, i maybe worded it wrong. it would need a lot more than a drag strip or a street drag to get to 140kph if it got that high

[cowboy]

Aahhh, OK. I thought you were talking about overall top speed, not just on the strip. Fair enough then.

[F6T]

My XH would do it easy!! hehehe

[billkara]

i had an auto 86 corolla when i was 18 that would not do anythin over 120kmh... dont know why and didnt give a crap either. once i sat there with my foot flat to the floor for around 4mins straight and the speedo would not move from 120.

i also got pulled over once for speeding in an 80 zone (was doing about 95) with that corolla... cop accused me of doing 160kmh... i saw that he was in a paddy wagon and had no proof that i was doing 160 and so i laughed and said "no i wasnt".. then he said i was doing 150... and i said again "no i wasnt"... then he said i was doing 140... and i said again "no i wasnt"... it was like he was trying to negotiate a speed with me... haha.. but i never admitted to a speed and he had nothing to get me for...

[schnoods]

I know Darwin very well and I can say that its more than capable.

He would've been speeding down Trower RD, 3 lanes wide and 70km/hr zone, from Nightcliff to Rapid creek its a hill, it isnt a vertical drop off, but you cant stay on the 70 without having your foot on the brake constantly.

Although the ford six aint a rocketship it certainly is very easy to get up to speed on that stretch of road. In a manual it would of been a piece of pie to get up to 140km/hr.

Nevertheless he will lose he lisence, as over 40 odd km/hr is when you hand it in up there ( i think 36km/hr).

Bagot RD, Stuart Highway, Vanderlin Dr and Trower Rd are notorious for it on a friday and saturday night, I think the boy is kidding himself to think he can get off on a exaggerated technicality.

[troppo]

Originally Posted by schnoods

I know Darwin very well and I can say that its more than capable.

I also know Darwin very well, drove that road not more than 20 minutes ago and will have to disagree. You've assumed the race began at the lights for the Nightcliffe turn-off, but the article mentions the location as 'the lights near Rapid Creek shops.' Assuming it doesn't refer to the pedestrian crossing right out the front of the shops, the nearest intersection is Rapid Creek Rd, which is at the bottom of the hill. From those lights, it's uphill in both directions (although outbound does have a flat section crossing the creek)

I'll agree the Ford 6 is no rocketship, and that getting to 140 would be quite possible on that section of road in that car, BUT...not in that distance. My newer model BA with significantly more power couldn't possibly manage this feat so I seriously doubt the ability of a tired old motor to do what it couldn't do when new.

As for Friday and Saturday nights, in over 15 years I haven't noticed there's any difference to any other night of the week, except in the city. Methinks the boy might be telling the truth (his version certainly fits better with the known performance capabilities of said vehicle) and Officer Ragg might be the one doing all the kidding and exaggerating. I'm certainly not convinced of the police version.

[TUF_302]

sounds like the fuzz is telling porkies!!

[T_Terror]

If the officer is lying about that part, then his testimony in general is in question.

[dom_105]

Originally Posted by T_Terror

If the officer is lying about that part, then his testimony in general is in question.

There's one sure fire way of finding out. Take it for a spin at Hidden Valley