As a hot-rodder would it really bother you if "they" brought back the double nickel?

How fast do you typically drive your classic custom or traditional hot-rod on the 4-Lane?

What's a comfortable cruising speed in your old car on the highway?

At what speed are you attaining the most bang for your buck in the gas tank... and at what speed is your car sounding "just right"?

From my own personal experience with my first truck (40 Chebbie P/U with an I6-2-1bbls and a "4spd") most old cars seems fairly content pushing around 60mph consistently... but then again that was before o.d. transmissions and modern rubber ruled the interstate highway system... so you tell me.



What would the public reaction be if this was ever proposed again?

Is this country ready to go back to the double-nickel?

Please spare us the Sammy Hagar jokes and here's a handy link if you need to indulge yourself... personally. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CfNATuw1DRs

 

Prius sales would plummet.

 

I usually run 70-75 in the 54 Chevy. I built it with highway driving in mind. I run a mild 327, th350 and 3.36:1 gears. With 27.5-28" tires it hums along just nicely there.
However, I am thinking of O.D. just to save a little in fuel.


Now my Buick is another story. 60-65 is about all it wants to do for any length of time. This car runs a somewhat healthy 401" Nailhead, and 4.10 gears. It used to have 4.56 but traction was a real issue. I only wish I had changed the gears before all the trips to NJ and Boston. Those are long rides home with 4.56 gears (especially after a long night at a bar).

I don't think dropping the speed limit is going to save the world. Most modern cars get fair-good mileage at 65-70. And, there really are not enough of us driving older cars with poor mileage to make a huge impact on the environment. Besides who does a better job recycling old stuff than a Hot Rodder?

 

Wouldn't bother me. I like looking at the scenery when I'm cruising.

 

I stay about 60-65 anyways. Wouldn't bother me a bit!
Of course the frwys here in California are usually 20-25 mph and bumper to bumper anyways, LOL!!!!

 

The T cruises nicely at 55-60 but after about an hour you need to get out and stretch. lol

 

ditto............i like to cruise along,check out the roadside,listen to my "exhaust tunes"

 

I read that as 'I like looking at my secretary when I'm cruising.'

 

My gas milage is so much better at 55 on flat ground... it wouldn't bother me too bad. The time difference on long trips would suck... but the gas savings would rule.

 

In my Hudson, I'll cruise at 60-65. In my daily, I roll at 75 or so on the highway...

 

If I'm around town, Then I do the speed limit.

If I'm on the highway the pedal is on the floor...(About 70 or 75 is all she has)

 

I wouldn't mind it, but I also don't think it will matter. When I'm on the freeway, I usually go above the limit anyway. Of course I do look out for John Law and haven't gotten a ticket in over 4 years. I'm sure I'll tend to drive conservative in my T Bucket though.

One thing I've learned, you can't FORCE people to save fuel or anything else for that matter.

 

In the Seattle/Tacoma/Olympia I-5 corridor, yeah I think its not a BAD idea. During rush hour you arent going to get over 45 on a good day anyhow! Plus it will mean bigger tickets for the ricers who get pulled over for reckless driving. But out on the open road? No. 60-65 mph is fine. 70 mph? Hey, its your gas and wallet. Like my ol' man used to say,"Speed costs money,how fast can you AFFORD to go?"

 

im not a truck driver but the double nickle days just about put them out of bussiness in those days and im sure they have even more laws applied to them today .. for that simple reason im gonna say "NO" .. im with ^fred^ i dont think it will matter ..

 

55 sucks wether you're a truck driver or not. in my old tin i cruise 55, i like people giving me the thumbs up. in my rig i throttle at 60-65. at $4.65 a gallon of diesel and 5 miles to the gallon 75mph limit in nevada or arizona is a thing of the past.

 

The Van Halen Rocker said it so well..."I can't drive 55"

I agree with Sammy Hagar!

 

Bonneville is a long drive at 70. i don't want to hear about 55. Spend it if you got it. We are going to run out of gas anyway.

 

Does it really matter as a Hot Rodder ?

Here in So. Cal. if the free way isnt a parking lot you have 3 types of drivers.

10% who do the speed limit.. give or take a Lil.

10% who do 45~55 at all times

80% who feel that 95 and cutting in & out & crossing 3 lanes to get 1 car ahead is the legal driving stratagy.

Posted speed limit here is just a number on a sign...

 

55 would be fine with me. I miss the old days when you could relax while driving without having some nit-wit on your ass like a sissy in boystown.

I had my 64 Bonneville out today and was cruising along at 65 real nice. This guy in a new Caddy STS was checking out my car and then took off, I decided let my car flex its muscles and passed him about a 1/4 mile up the road at 125-130. I pretty much left him standing there until I was about a mile down the road.
BTW) I run V-rated Firestone PV-41 cop car tires.................

 

Not a fucking chance..scenery or not,55 on a long drive will PUT YOU TO SLEEP......I hope this doesn't come back up.we don't need more bullshit,feelgood,worthless laws..I remember 55mph..it sucked bad..nobody drove it anyway,but a helluva lot of tickets were written..

 

Personal choice says if you want to drive 55 do so, in the slow lane.Yes "they" bother me whatever "they" want.

 

My old sedan got better gas mileage if I could keep it above 70. Seriously. Mild 350 with a Muncie 4spd and 2.73's out back, and I got 22.9 mpg running about 75-ish on the way home from the 2006 Roundup!

 

55 would be fine with me. And I believe it saves gas unless you're averaging 55 because of stop and go traffic conditions...zoom, stop...zoom, stop.

 

Wouldn't bother me at all. Most of the roads around here are still 55 anyway and I don't drive on the big highways much. My old cars are pretty comfortable at 55 and trying to maintain 65-70 in anything old (at least, my old stuff) gets nerve wracking fast.

Will it do any good? That I'm not sure about. People are in the mindset that the real speed limit is the posted speed +9 and assume that they won't get a ticket unless they're doing at least 10 over.

 

I'm no leadfoot but a 55MPH ceiling on a long highway trip sucked.

 

Personally, I think the issue is more toward the enforcement of set limits/laws. I've seen some wrecks that would have NEVER happened if the drivers followed the speed limit. In this day and age 75, 55, even 25 is dangerous when drivers are texting or watching dvd's and not the road.

I enjoy higher limits on the highway, especially now that live in the west. However, no matter the limit, there'll always be someone whom wants to drive WAY over the limit for a thrill. I'm no saint, I've had my day, yet I've sadly learned my lesson by the loss of a few great friends. 2 were victims and one crashed at high speed. If the limit were followed, they'd all still be here.

 

the price of gas has nothing to do with availibility. and lowering the speed limit just raises revenue for the state (higher fines) it's all B.S. and we're in the middle.
hell yes I'd mind. speed limit 75 I drive 5 over. speed limit 55 I drive 25 over.

 

I wholly and completely blame the popularity of NASCAR for that

The worst cities to drive in and around I can comment on firsthand are Chicago, Minneapolis and Atlanta... those folks are plumb nuts (more like morons) and I'm not one who's afraid to trade a little paint.

 

Me too I'd mind...makes along trip waaaay longer too...especially running down I5 from the bay area to LA.....straight shot of 380 miles...I usually drive it at about 80mph....55 would mean 7-8 hrs. drive one way......sshit I do it in 4.5 now and round trip it in a day....couldn't do that with a 55 limit....well not without giving the taxcollectors with the lights on their roofs some of my cash.

 

precisely... 55 = 64