Found it on EeeeBay

[gab]

...yep same motor as me...meant 2.4 and not 2.5 litre. If it`s not tuned or some type of import that was not meant for the UK market then maybe you were just going down a very long and steep hill Rick  Sure can`t get that performance out of a pre-1994/95 T4 even one meant for the German market.

[neilsie]

Also, where is this supposed two mile runway? Even the JCB diesel land speed car is currently practicing at RAF Wittering which has a 1.6 mile of blacktop. I was led to believe this was the longest in the UK, so where has a two mile straight?

Not sure but Greenham Common used to have over 2 miles of runway. How long is the runway at Marham?

RAF Upper Heyford  was around  2 miles long i think.  They had F111's.

[LangTall]

I just can't understand how a 78bhp van can cruise at 115mph and yet apparently be geared with the same final drive ratio as the Ultimate TT above and therefore have a theoretical top speed of 210mph! As you know, I am possessed of a 48bhp van which struggles to get to 65mph even when empty and runs on shorter gearing, giving a terminal velocity of 75mph at the end of the red line. I know weight and wind resistance comes into it took, as does your greater torque, but does your extra 30bhp really equal a very comfortable 50mph higher top speed?

Could be something to do with the onboard balast penalty that has been served on the Commer 

Ian the answer is above

Is it? I'd question that.

I did a quick check on the VW website and the and the current VW Transporter with the 130bhp TDI engine (which obviously has nearly double the bhp and torque than Rick's normally aspirated version) is credited with a top speed (where the law permits) of 104mph.

Whilst I agree, Peter, that Rick's VW has a much torquier mill than the Commer, it does not explain the apparent cruising speed of 115mph. A high-top van all kitted out with heavy camper gear (i.e. beds, fridge, gas and water tanks, cooker, exterior awning and all the other parlava) and with just 78bhp, can someone please explain how it can go faster by a margin of 11mph higher than the new VW which has much higher bhp and torque, lighter weight and better areodynamics?

Maybe the answer is blindingly simple, I suggest that Rick's van is a foreign import and he's forgotten to change the speedo from kph to mph!  It's either that or he's giving us a slightly ambitious account of the performance capabilities of his van, which incidentally is a very well appointed camper indeed. 

That thought also crossed my mind. Paddy has a T5 TDI, and manages 170 km/h with it. calculate that to Mph, and you've got 105 Mph. 115 kmh = 71 Mph. 115 Mph = 185 kmh. Can't believe you manage that with a T4 without TDI engine.

[Ferrari Spider]

I just can't understand how a 78bhp van can cruise at 115mph and yet apparently be geared with the same final drive ratio as the Ultimate TT above and therefore have a theoretical top speed of 210mph! As you know, I am possessed of a 48bhp van which struggles to get to 65mph even when empty and runs on shorter gearing, giving a terminal velocity of 75mph at the end of the red line. I know weight and wind resistance comes into it took, as does your greater torque, but does your extra 30bhp really equal a very comfortable 50mph higher top speed?

Could be something to do with the onboard balast penalty that has been served on the Commer 

Ian the answer is above

Is it? I'd question that.

I did a quick check on the VW website and the and the current VW Transporter with the 130bhp TDI engine (which obviously has nearly double the bhp and torque than Rick's normally aspirated version) is credited with a top speed (where the law permits) of 104mph.

Whilst I agree, Peter, that Rick's VW has a much torquier mill than the Commer, it does not explain the apparent cruising speed of 115mph. A high-top van all kitted out with heavy camper gear (i.e. beds, fridge, gas and water tanks, cooker, exterior awning and all the other parlava) and with just 78bhp, can someone please explain how it can go faster by a margin of 11mph higher than the new VW which has much higher bhp and torque, lighter weight and better areodynamics?

Maybe the answer is blindingly simple, I suggest that Rick's van is a foreign import and he's forgotten to change the speedo from kph to mph!  It's either that or he's giving us a slightly ambitious account of the performance capabilities of his van, which incidentally is a very well appointed camper indeed. 

That thought also crossed my mind. Paddy has a T5 TDI, and manages 170 km/h with it. calculate that to Mph, and you've got 105 Mph. 115 kmh = 71 Mph. 115 Mph = 185 kmh. Can't believe you manage that with a T4 without TDI engine.

are you saying that un-truths and misleading facts are being reported on this forum, my flabers are gasted if that it is true, i thought it was truth and nothing but truth on here.

[johnevans3]

To wrap up this digression from the original "Found it on Eeeebay" ....Take it away Weird Al....

http://www.imagestorepro.com/ebay_song.html

[Martini...LB]

To wrap up this digression from the original "Found it on Eeeebay" ....Take it away Weird Al....

http://www.imagestorepro.com/ebay_song.html

Something you feel you have to listen to...!!!???

>Martini...

[Steve Pyro]

When I built my cobra, I needed to have the speedo correctly calibrated.
I'd heartily recommend Speedy Cables for recalibrating and correcting inaccurate speedos.

More info here - http://www.speedycables.com/calibration.htm

[Rusty]

I agree Steve.

[Rusty]

As far as vans are concerned, all our Hertz rentas have been a gas with the Veedub being the quickest. But they are totally gay compared to this mother.
Don't be a shirt, get a rocket up your arse.

[Snoring Rhino]

I just can't understand how a 78bhp van can cruise at 115mph and yet apparently be geared with the same final drive ratio as the Ultimate TT above and therefore have a theoretical top speed of 210mph! As you know, I am possessed of a 48bhp van which struggles to get to 65mph even when empty and runs on shorter gearing, giving a terminal velocity of 75mph at the end of the red line. I know weight and wind resistance comes into it took, as does your greater torque, but does your extra 30bhp really equal a very comfortable 50mph higher top speed?

Could be something to do with the onboard balast penalty that has been served on the Commer 

Ian the answer is above

Is it? I dont see any mention of the fat gits being carried.

[Andy Zarse]

Rick's driven some fantastic vehicles over the years. I remember him telling me and Gibberish once about a 1.4 litre Peugeot 306 he'd driven the day before, I can't remember all the details because we'd been drinking Harvey's Bitter, but it was extrememly impressive. I think the vehicle managed to do 110mph in third gear which, once the gearing was back-calculated, equated to about 12,000rpm. Rather like Nordic's A Team flying car, how and why the SOHC engine did not detonate was never adequately explained, but i remember me and Gib were mightily impressed. 

[rcutler]

Nope it was a company car that was the 2.0l 16v XSI

[vqdave]

i think you will find hire cars are faster than company cars.............my mind goes back to getting pulled for speeding on my honeymoon at the Grand Canyon in my hired Ford Excursion thingy. Now you would think that a big boat like that would be dog slow, but i think the gearing was something special like a 2 speed auto and i was pulling a heady 50 mph round a corner in a national park. Pulled into a viewing spot, was told to sit on my hands on the bumper while a coach full of japanese took my picture as i was repremanded with one of teh natural wonders over my shoulder.

I think at a different point of the holiday, in a different state i hasten to add, i got the beast up to around the low 70's!!!!!! And yes that is MPH not KPH my speed loving buddies