Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[colwyn500]

Today I had to "speed" at just more than 40 miles an hour the 15 miles or so of fast "A" road to my local car accessory shop.
Phew, what a strain on me (54) and the car (nearly 78 ). I came back via an alternative and more tortuous route which is a part of the National Cycle network.
That kept me at just less than 40 miles an hour and it was a complete transformation.
So 40 is the speed but what a difference the type of road make.

[Rick]

I found in the '34 Minor that 30-35 was comfortable (ish), but any more and it got a little strained, or at least that's how it felt. I'm hoping that the Dodge tourer, probably comfortable at around 40-45 due to gearing, will be a lot less frenetic at its favourite cruising pace than was the MM.

RJ
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[D4B]

Have just been to France in my Peugeot van, and all the way to Newhaven I found that at 37 mph things got strained....

However, in France after meeting up with some other vans of the same model, I found that they were whizzing along at 50 mph, so of course unless I wanted to be lost I had no option than to keep up....

This showed me that after 40 mph things calm down a little until about 53 mph where again it can get busy.....

So optimum speed is probably 45mph



Steve

[JohnDale]

My Zephyr is just a youngster at 53 & has been lightly breathed upon & runs happily around 60 with occasional bursts to 70 for overtaking(with overdrive)
The run to Thirlestane Castle on Sunday returned 28mpg(about 140 miles)
The Triumph is even younger at 45 & is quicker but I don't drive it any faster(except when I'm playing boy racer).Cheers,JD.
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1958 Ford Zephyr Mk2 Convertible
1976 Ford Granada Ghia.

[Riley Blue]

My '63 Riley 1.5 is happy around 50-60 on NSL A roads but will do 70 when asked. On our recent trip to Scotland (about 1,000 miles) we averaged just over 30mpg which was a pleasant surprise but the fuel bill was still £200+

[peter scott]

Like John's Zephyr my SS is happy at 60 mph and with 70 now and then. The only problem with 60 is that 50 is about the limit for flies not plastering themselves on all the near vertical surfaces.

Peter
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https://www.nostalgiatech.co.uk
1939 SS Jaguar 2 1/2 litre saloon

[mikeC]

My 1922 Star 11.9hp (about 1800cc) was quite comfortable and happy to cruise at 50mph given a smooth straight road; the problem came with bumps and other traffic - 2 wheel brakes and no shock absorbers meant 35-40mph was a more practical speed
On the other hand, my 1958 Lancia Appia was not really happy under 50mph, and motorways presented a real danger to my licence - it really wanted to run at 80mph
I have yet to do any meaningful mileage in the 1914 Saxon, but I am expecting 30mph to be plenty fast enough, whilst the 1930 Morris Cowley looks like it well be happy at 40mph, but will struggle to maintain it if a gradient appears on the horizon

[Roger-hatchy]

The DLM will cruise happily at 60 mph.
On the minor roads it's comfortable at 50 and pulling about 1800 RPM
Fuel consumption is a handy 42 MPG, handy as the fuel tank is only 5 gallons.

A couple of years ago took it to Blackpool via old A1 to Worksop and across the A57, only motorway was to bypass Manchester then north on the M61 to pick up the A6. About a six hour trip. from Tiptree / Colchester, just over 260 miles.

[V8 Nutter]

On the motorway cruising just below 70 means the Caddy returns a fuel consumption I can just about live with. The suspension is a bit soggy for fast driving on ordinary roads, but it easily keeps up with modern traffic.

An identical model came second in the 1971 Cannonball run. The driver claimed cruising at 120 it returned 15 per U.S. gallon.

It is so long since I had the Ford V8 on the road I am not sure what that would be like. In 1934 (mine is a 37 model) Buck Barrow, Clydes brother, was reputed to have driven a Ford V8 59 miles in an hour on Mississippi backroads

[BigJohn]

The P6b auto gets 24mpg at a steady 60 on the motorway, 18mpg average with mixed driving, and 15mpg(ish) if I'm out with the naughty boys on back roads. I suppose it's happiest just posing at about 50mph.

[clan chieftain]

I am very seldom over 60 with the marina but I believe if I pushed it it would do 100 but I wouldnt like to try it. Cornering with the understeer on these cars probably 40. MPG isnt too bad though, maybe 30/35 at a steady 50mph.
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The Clan Chieftain

[Jason]

the Alvis supposedly had a top speed of 72mph when new, but due to its low gearing I haven't had it above 50mph because the engine is revving too high.

when we set of to Tatton park on Sunday, we went in convoy from Rochdale, a bloke had a 1933 Morris 8 with a top speed of 35mph and he was worried about us all speeding off and leaving him

edit: forgot to say the Alvis is doing about 20 miles to the Gallon, which isn't too bad for a very heavy car with an under powered engine (book says 22 miles to the gallon when new).
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"people with money buy a Rolls Royce, people with taste buy an Alvis".

[rjt10/4]

my 16hp Armstrong is happy cruising at 50-55 i have actualy had her up to 65 its hard to judge lower speed as needle floats very well returns around 27/8 to gallon

[MikeEdwards]

I rarely take the Firenza on motorways (mainly because the shows I take it to are close by) but I do forget that it all seems to get a bit quieter once you get to motorway crusing speed. Worst speed is stop-start in queues as there's a bit of clonk from the rear end that needs looking at.

On a decent motorway journey it will venture into what I think is around 30mpg but it's hard to tell with the random-ness of the gauge. From 2012 MOT to 2013 MOT I got an average of 23mpg, which is less than I hoped but not terrible for the engine size, state of tune etc.

[badhuis]

An old friend always insisted the build year of a family car is a good rough reference point regarding top / cruising speeds.
So a 20s car should cruise happily in the 20s, a 50s car in the 50s, etc.
Indeed he never exceeded 60 mph in his Hillman SuperMinx or Austin A60.

Of course it is a very rough guide because there always were slow and fast cars etc. But it ssems to hold up in most cases (for ordinary family cars).