What car for a Cannonball?
Discussion
From this thread:
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a... to watch - Gumball Rally on this afternoon
This subject grips me like no other. I wish to attempt some road-based record before I die but I have a horrible feeling the time in history where something like this is possible has long passed. There are simply too many anti-social connotations associated with high speeds these days, and the authorities have too many ways to catch you - you only have to read about the extensive preparations Alexander Roy employs to catch an inkling of this.
The objective of the Cannonballs was to show that high speeds were possible in safety and that dumbing down to the lowest common denominator was unecessary. It's something the previous govt of this country was guilty of (in line with all socialist govts) and even now that they've gone, their legacy is that people still approach speed as though it is somehow the work of the devil.
Brock Yates' book "Cannonball" makes several good points about your choice of car. The ambulance was a stroke of genius but it got me thinking about what I'd use for a NY->LA run. It'd have to be something British, of course, and something capable of extended high speeds. The book goes on about the problems people faced running at average speeds of approaching 80mph for the whole trip, and for hours upon end at well over 100mph. I don't think that would be a problem these days. Cars are significantly more reliable - and even my first choice (TVR Cerbera 4.5) could be built to handle that without the infamous (and not entirely justified) reliability issues.
But a TVR is perhaps too loud and too obvious a race car. Roy uses a BMW M5, a fairly innocuous-looking car even in the US, and although I think he "dresses it up" with his Polizei stickers for the Gumball/Cannonball events, when he was attempting the coast to coast record, I think he kept it low-key.
So what then would you use, and why?
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a... to watch - Gumball Rally on this afternoon
This subject grips me like no other. I wish to attempt some road-based record before I die but I have a horrible feeling the time in history where something like this is possible has long passed. There are simply too many anti-social connotations associated with high speeds these days, and the authorities have too many ways to catch you - you only have to read about the extensive preparations Alexander Roy employs to catch an inkling of this.
The objective of the Cannonballs was to show that high speeds were possible in safety and that dumbing down to the lowest common denominator was unecessary. It's something the previous govt of this country was guilty of (in line with all socialist govts) and even now that they've gone, their legacy is that people still approach speed as though it is somehow the work of the devil.
Brock Yates' book "Cannonball" makes several good points about your choice of car. The ambulance was a stroke of genius but it got me thinking about what I'd use for a NY->LA run. It'd have to be something British, of course, and something capable of extended high speeds. The book goes on about the problems people faced running at average speeds of approaching 80mph for the whole trip, and for hours upon end at well over 100mph. I don't think that would be a problem these days. Cars are significantly more reliable - and even my first choice (TVR Cerbera 4.5) could be built to handle that without the infamous (and not entirely justified) reliability issues.
But a TVR is perhaps too loud and too obvious a race car. Roy uses a BMW M5, a fairly innocuous-looking car even in the US, and although I think he "dresses it up" with his Polizei stickers for the Gumball/Cannonball events, when he was attempting the coast to coast record, I think he kept it low-key.
So what then would you use, and why?
Alex Roy goes to extreme lengths to not get caught, and still does occasionally. Unfortunately, the reputation of these kinds of things has been very bad since the Porsche gumball crash in 2006. I'd use a Nissan GTR for the cannonball, just for the practicality aspect, and the performance it's capable of.
If i had to chose something British though, i'd go for a DBS.
If i had to chose something British though, i'd go for a DBS.
FraserLFA said:
Unfortunately, the reputation of these kinds of things has been very bad since the Porsche gumball crash in 2006.
Yes I absolutely agree, which is why I think I appreciate Roy's approach (running alone, not with a pack of other "racers"). The modern organised "events" have ruined any future possibilities of running any genuine multi-car attempts at the record. Reading the book, which was contributed to by some 37 original Cannonballers, you clearly appreciate that their intentions were not to beat the record "at all costs". The fame was in their "entry" into the event, and the objective to protest the low speed limit only made sense if speed wasn't the cause of any accidents. They all seemed to understand this.My first reaction is that I'd choose something like a C63 but I fear that I may be stopping too often for fuel. An E320 CDI (or similar) might be the way to go but I would have to give extra thought to the stops. I don't think that diesel is available on every forecourt like it is here.
Whatever it is, it MUST be comfortable. 33 hours is a bloody long time to sit in a car.
Whatever it is, it MUST be comfortable. 33 hours is a bloody long time to sit in a car.
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Strangely Brown said:
My first reaction is that I'd choose something like a C63 but I fear that I may be stopping too often for fuel. An E320 CDI (or similar) might be the way to go but I would have to give extra thought to the stops. I don't think that diesel is available on every forecourt like it is here.
Whatever it is, it MUST be comfortable. 33 hours is a bloody long time to sit in a car.
I agree with all of this. My first thoughts were to use an ML63 (better view, SUVs fit in with American cars) but then started to consider representing Britain (although a Cerbera painted with an all-over Union Jack/Flag might give the game away a bit).Whatever it is, it MUST be comfortable. 33 hours is a bloody long time to sit in a car.
I also believe Diesel isn't such an easy commodity to find there as it is in Europe-land.
Fitting in with the crowd would only be handy if you flashed past something you shouldn't have, and needed to drop in with traffic. Since a massive amount of the run would be across the heartland of America, anything other than a USA built SUV would stick out like a sore thumb.
For this reason, I'd go fast Jag diesel, (I'm patriotic too,) with HUGE tanks. And a co-driver that can plan my fuel stops for me. And knows that an American gallon isn't the same as an Imperial Gallon.
For this reason, I'd go fast Jag diesel, (I'm patriotic too,) with HUGE tanks. And a co-driver that can plan my fuel stops for me. And knows that an American gallon isn't the same as an Imperial Gallon.
Mars said:
FraserLFA said:
Unfortunately, the reputation of these kinds of things has been very bad since the Porsche gumball crash in 2006.
Yes I absolutely agree, which is why I think I appreciate Roy's approach (running alone, not with a pack of other "racers"). The modern organised "events" have ruined any future possibilities of running any genuine multi-car attempts at the record. Reading the book, which was contributed to by some 37 original Cannonballers, you clearly appreciate that their intentions were not to beat the record "at all costs". The fame was in their "entry" into the event, and the objective to protest the low speed limit only made sense if speed wasn't the cause of any accidents. They all seemed to understand this.I still love Gumball, but there are a few people who seem intend on driving like tosspots, and endangering others just to get a kick for a few seconds. Max Cooper has a tough time making sure people don't drive stupidly, and he does kick people off the rally if they drive like assholes, but one stupid move by one stupid person tarnishes the reputation of these kinds of events forever.
I would love to do this kind of thing one day, but with the high entrance fee most of these events now charge, i'd rather do it with just a few cars, or even road trip down to the South of France, along to Italy and around Europe. Not pushing the cars to their limits, but enjoying the drive and keeping everyone alive.
because that last sentence rhymed, i'm copyrighting it. I'll use it as a future slogan when i organise a cannonball-esque event around Europe.
If you're thinking about this kind of event, why not start small with the Midsummer Side-to-Side challenge?
I really don't like the modern events at all - they are more about the evening parties than the cars or trying to set a time. And even without the competitive element, it doesn't stop the entrants from acting like idiots.
Somewhere along the line, the cars became second priority. That can't be right can it?
Somewhere along the line, the cars became second priority. That can't be right can it?
S. Gonzales Esq. said:
If you're thinking about this kind of event, why not start small with the Midsummer Side-to-Side challenge?
When you said Midsummer, all i can think of is the ITV show. Making it from one side to the other in that village without being murdered would be a challenge in itself.jdw1234 said:
Is the record coast to coast not currently held by a Ferrari 550 with twin fuel tanks in 2007 as part of BullRun*?
'* Another w
ky street race**
'**Its not a race, its an event done for the experience and the people not the speeding man!!
Alex Roy holds an unsubstantiated claim of 31 hours and 4 mins but in his defence, he tends to video everything so it probably is easy to substantiate. Brock Yates doesn't recognise Roy's efforts but that's politics.'* Another w
ky street race**'**Its not a race, its an event done for the experience and the people not the speeding man!!
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