What you get at 150 mph and hit a tree

[AlabamaSS]

The benefits of a large RWD car.
For your viewing pleasure:

All servived ok, but the SS did not.

here:
http://www.impalasuperstore.com/naisso/forum2002/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=13929&whichpage=1

or here:
http://www.cardomain.com/member_pages/view_page.pl?page_id=312929&page=14:(

[Smokie]

It's a shame to ruin a nice car that way...very lucky kids, still breathing. Looking at car....in my opinion 150 mph is what they imagined the speed to be, anyways they sped beyond the drivers skills.

[O's Fan Rich]

Sheesh, anyone else remember the stolen MM that got rearended by a truck while it was sliding backwards at speed?
At a buck fifty it seems that things could have been alot worse. And I would not be smiling for the photos.

[BigMerc]

If anyone has ever worked a traffic crash, and has seen the physics that are at work, you'll know their impact speed was most likely 50-70 MPH.(if that) 100+ speeds would make the car unrecognizable. 150 is sheer fantasy for these guys

[Petrograde]

Were they doing 150 in Reverse? :confused: The a$$ end of the car is smashed, ... makes ya wonder.

[AlabamaSS]

Lost control and spun around and the rear end went into a ditch and then into a tree. That is the story that I saw.

[Marauderman]

Originally posted by BigMerc
If anyone has ever worked a traffic crash, and has seen the physics that are at work, you'll know their impact speed was most likely 50-70 MPH.(if that) 100+ speeds would make the car unrecognizable. 150 is sheer fantasy for these guys

Personnally agree here with BigMerc--Have been a firefighter/rescue person most of my life and he is right---those of us in the know about this knows we've all seen cars break into half at lower speed--it's the angle/speed/ and object hit that determines the outcome--......and 150mph..--geeesh..that car would have been into three or more pieces...BTW--you gotta ask youself--who was looking at the MPH and that car does not read 150 on the dash...so......yeah ---they were looking to get the corrrect speed before impact---sure they were---.....BigMerc is right on!!!......Tom

[SergntMac]

Enlightening photos, thanks for the share. However, that is not the remains of a 150 MPH crash. Like BigMerc, been there, seen that, too many times. I thought 60MPH...maybe.

[CRUZTAKER]

Kids.....dreaming....

[Petrograde]

Do Impala SS speedometers even read to 150? If he slid off on the grass the spedo may actually have pegged out, ... but just because it says 150 doesn't mean you're doing 150:cool:

[AlabamaSS]

I am in doubt of his speed as well. The point here is how well the car held up. (a large RWD car like we all have)

As for as the speedomoter reading 150, I can only say this,
I understand that all cars may have an error in their reading versus the "real" number.

That being said, for a stock car our PCM controlled limiter comes on at 5400 rpm (I believe) and shuts the fuel off. I can attest to this as I was recently running with a Porsche (I know I was just playing with him) when he came up behind me and I was at 65 mph and I put my SS into 2nd gear and pulled away. When it reached @ 80-85 I had reached the 5400 rpm mark going from 2nd gear to 3rd and the fuel was shut off. As soon as I let the rpm's drop the fuel pump cut back on and I was on my way. (lesson learned)

Then, on a recent trip to Houston, Texas a few weeks ago on the way back to Alabama I was passed by a Porsche 911 Twin Turrbo (brand new with the dealer plates on it). I was running 85 mph and he eased by me and so I matched his speed at 90, then 95, then 100. I looked at my tach. and it read barley 3000 rpm and there was plenty of throttle left. (honest) I have read about former cops who had the 9C1 Caprice's and had them to 120-130 in chases. I understand that our cars max out at @ 154 that is with the limiter set to 5400. You have to remember though that stock SS's have 3:08 rearends. So of course that helps. From my own experience from the trip to Texas, I believe that they will have no problem up to about 140. I think that after 130 or so there is a serious aerodynamic problem that occurs....called physics..HA! ;)

[jgc61sr2002]

A full perimeter frame held the car together. 150 MPH I doubt that but 75 MPH is possible. The car probably slowed down somewhat before striking the fixed object. Very lucky people.

[Agent M79]

I sure would like to see that tree.

[Constable]

I covered a collision three weeks ago with a new G35 coupe. Our fatal accident team determined the speed prior to impact to be about 93 mph. The car was split in two (the rear portion from the seats back was found about 900 feet from the front portion of the car). It was really tragic... both passengers were ripped from the car as it split. At 150 mph, I doubt that there would have been a piece of the car that was bigger than a bread box.

[stumpy]

The speedometer on a 94-95 is digital. The 96's is analog and goes up to 160. The rev limiter was set to 154 but most have removed it with programming.

Supposedly they were racing and got up to 150, however, looking at the condition of the car and the occupants it's not likely that they hit any tree going much faster the 60. But then I'm sure the adrenaline was pumping and it felt like 150 to them. The car weighs over 4100 empty and at 150 it would have disintegrated and the tree would have a V8 sticking out of it.

[capt512]

Gotta agree with Sarge, Constable and the others on this one.

After 20 years in in Public safety had this been a 150 mph crash no one would have been smiling and the car would have been largely unrecognizeable. Even the interior, console, seats etc would have most likely been ejected .Air bags even if deployed wouldn't have prevented serious injury or death at 150.

Seen too many fatals at a lot less than 150. This was probably in the 55 to 65 mph range. I would imagine that the impact of hitting that tree made the occupants feel like they hit it at 150.
Trees aren't very forgiving when there confronted, and much less than telephone poles. Had the point of impact been 5 to 6 ft forward they wouldn't be so lucky.

Stupidity :nono: reigns and physics rules in a case like this.

Mike

[cheddar 96 SS]

Ok ok ok. So we have come to the conclusion that the crash didn't happen at 150. Now the sheer physics, gearing, torque/hp available and the aerodynamics WILL NOT allow this bohemoth to go 150 mph in stock or even mildly modded cars. Even if the speed limiter was lifted. The 3.08 rear is too high for the amount of hp, the 3.73 is too low and the redline will come way before 150. The optimal rear gear is 3.42 if you wanted to get remotely close to 150. Just thought I'd throw in my .02, and I must add, that kid is an idiot :rolleyes: