Viper vs Toy Car

[slysnake]

I did a search for this to see if anyone had already posted it but I didn't find anything so here goes.

Mythbusters did a race between a real Dodge Viper and a toy "Hot wheels" type car. Here's a link to the episode.

I like that the guy straps on his racing helmet. lol

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=By_umHzRa-4[/media]

 

[big-n-italian]

who decided the viper driver needed to wear a helmet for this?

 

[JonB]

I raced a GOLF CART for Ripley's Believe It Or Not TV back in 2001..... {I wore a helmet}

 

[slysnake]

Did the guy in the golf cart?

 

[Bird325]

OK, it's time to put up whether an airplane, running on a treadmill (long one, but running at the same speed as the plane's wheels) will take off or not. This one went for over 2 months on my motorcycle club board with engineers from Bell and Lockheed as the active participants.

Myth Busters actually did it with a full size (well, it WAS an ultralight) aircraft to settle it. Not a Viper thing, but the concept is still fun.

 

[JonB]

OK, it's time to put up whether an airplane, running on a treadmill (long one, but running at the same speed as the plane's wheels) will take off or not. This one went for over 2 months on my motorcycle club board with engineers from Bell and Lockheed as the active participants.

Myth Busters actually did it with a full size (well, it WAS an ultralight) aircraft to settle it. Not a Viper thing, but the concept is still fun.

Had to be propeller driven ultralight...


and YES the golf-cart guy wore a full-face helmet and NEEDED IT when a couple of his batteries exploded!

 

[Bird325]

Yes, it was! Damn, Jon, is there ANY area that you're not schooled in?

Gotta hear more about that Golf Cart race ... sounds like something we would ALL enjoy.

 

[slysnake]

Yeah, how about a vid Jon?

 

[Phun70]

OK, it's time to put up whether an airplane, running on a treadmill (long one, but running at the same speed as the plane's wheels) will take off or not. This one went for over 2 months on my motorcycle club board with engineers from Bell and Lockheed as the active participants.

Myth Busters actually did it with a full size (well, it WAS an ultralight) aircraft to settle it. Not a Viper thing, but the concept is still fun.

I would say no, since ground speed is different than air speed. unless you could get wind over the wings at the proper speed, you couldn't generate any lift.

 

[JonB]

I would say no, since ground speed is different than air speed. unless you could get wind over the wings at the proper speed, you couldn't generate any lift.

Exactly! But in relation to the airframe size, a large-prop ultralight CREATES its own airflow as the prop pulls and pushes enuf air over its own wing surfaces to lift its ultra-light weight.

Have you ever seen a Piper Cub or small Cessna try to land in a 50 kt headwind? NOT RECOMMENDED..... they virtually hover, then stall / PLOP to the ground/snow/water landing!

 

[JonB]

Yes, it was! Damn, Jon, is there ANY area that you're not schooled in?

Gotta hear more about that Golf Cart race ... sounds like something we would ALL enjoy.

We wrote up the story here in real-time, now archived somewhere. Unfortunate for Ripleys, they spent about $7k expenses as I recall to film the "Golf Cart Beats Viper" episode. It was a part of the NEDRA World Championships (National Electric Drag Racing Assn) sponsored by Optima. My Viper entered the 12-volt class! I think if you google NEDRA and Viper you can find some info and VIDEO.

We (I) got beat / toasted / fried / electrocuted / juiced for 4 straight years, bringing Ripleys to the 5th event. I WON ! Because the cart exploded. No Story. It took longer to fix than Ripley's had daylight.

Producers then asked "What OTHER CRAZY STUFF" do you NW Viper Club Guys Do?" I related our Viper vs Blue Angels Drag Race in 1994....... and THAT dear friends, led to the 1st Viper vs Viper drag race, covered by Ripleys, at Luke AFB in Phoenix.