When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Yes, it was. But it sure beats what could have happened,
Actually, I knew what was going to happen. It first did it at about 15 MPH, then worked my way up to 80 MPH. And I wasn't just screwing around, I was on a test track in a test vehicle.
That's what you do with test vehicles. Plus my boss assigned me to do this, and he knew what the outcome was going to be.
I worked for GM for a couple years in the '80s. There were a lot of people with good stories! One that this reminds me of was my boss telling me about when he was a new engineer being assigned to to a trans test where he put it in gear, put his foot on the floor and then after moving about 30' forward slammed it into reverse without lifting his foot. Backed up to the starting spot and slammed it back into drive and keep repeating.
He thought that sounded like a really fun test to run!
Within one or two shifts it broke the tires loose, so after that he was just rocking back and forth, looking out the side window to see his markers, in a cloud of tire smoke.
When the test was over he staggered out of the car and puked, understanding why the more experienced engineer had "allowed" the newbie to run this test!
We called that the rock cycling test. GM ran theirs on dry pavement, we had a pit filled with soapy water to simulate ice and snow. The test was to simulate a customer that is stuck in the snow and trying to rock it out. That test was no fun at all.
Mark did you ever do a high rev neutral drop test?
thats another one I’ve always dreamed about
If you're talking about hi rev in neutral and dropping into drive, well I tried it once in 1974. I was driving a stock 64 Galaxie with a FMX transmission and a 352ci engine. I had just installed a new set of Dunlop HR78-14 tires and the pavement was blistering hot on that 100 degree summer day. Traction would not be a problem. Myself and 3 guys who owned British sports cars were to drag race the length of a closed off shopping mall parking lot. I had the tach bouncing between 3-4K when I slapped it into drive. Initially it felt like I had been rear-ended, then a loud, repetitive metallic banging noise. I shut it down and got out to inspect the situation. The driveshaft had been wrung in half. The front section, still in the tailshaft, had spun beating the tunnel in the floorpan. That was the banging noise. The rear section of the driveshaft had rolled out from under the car with the pinion gear still attached! There was a hole in the front of the 9" rear end still weeping gear oil on the pavement. Scattered about were chunks of cast iron and a number of ring gear teeth. By the following weekend I'd made a visit to a junkyard and gotten another driveshaft and hog's head. After installation the car drove fine for years with no apparent damage to the transmission. (and they said Torque Flights were the toughest, Ha!)
If you're talking about hi rev in neutral and dropping into drive, well I tried it once in 1974. I was driving a stock 64 Galaxie with a FMX transmission and a 352ci engine. I had just installed a new set of Dunlop HR78-14 tires and the pavement was blistering hot on that 100 degree summer day. Traction would not be a problem. Myself and 3 guys who owned British sports cars were to drag race the length of a closed off shopping mall parking lot. I had the tach bouncing between 3-4K when I slapped it into drive. Initially it felt like I had been rear-ended, then a loud, repetitive metallic banging noise. I shut it down and got out to inspect the situation. The driveshaft had been wrung in half. The front section, still in the tailshaft, had spun beating the tunnel in the floorpan. That was the banging noise. The rear section of the driveshaft had rolled out from under the car with the pinion gear still attached! There was a hole in the front of the 9" rear end still weeping gear oil on the pavement. Scattered about were chunks of cast iron and a number of ring gear teeth. By the following weekend I'd made a visit to a junkyard and gotten another driveshaft and hog's head. After installation the car drove fine for years with no apparent damage to the transmission. (and they said Torque Flights were the toughest, Ha!)
A few years back I bought a 64 Merc Monterey for parts. The drivetrain was complete so we woke up the 390 under the hood from a 7 year slumber. Brakes didn't work (all drums) but we drove it around the back yard using the old MX transmission for brakes by slamming it into reverse. Never apparently hurt the MX. Everyone claimed the FMX and MX weren't strong enough for high performance work but Ford chose the FMX to put behind the Clevlands and the Maverick Grabbers and Comet GT's in the 70's. Then later morphed it into the AOD
Everyone claimed the FMX and MX weren't strong enough for high performance work but Ford chose the FMX to put behind the Clevlands and the Maverick Grabbers and Comet GT's in the 70's. Then later morphed it into the AOD
Ford may has missed that message. In the late '60's if you ordered the Police Interceptor package with the 428 it came with a FMX. Hey Baddad, I once had a calendar that featured special vehicles on the monthly pages. One had pictured a 1968 Mercury Marauder with light-bar and full police package. The caption read, "Imagine the surprise of the speeding Porsche owner traveling at 130mph and the Mercury police car he sees in his rearview is closing on him!" The 68 Merc PI had the distinction of being the fastest production police car made.(at that time)
1968 Mercury Monterey Police Interceptor w/ 428ci and FMX transmission.
Ford may has missed that message. In the late '60's if you ordered the Police Interceptor package with the 428 it came with a FMX. Hey Baddad, I once had a calendar that featured special vehicles on the monthly pages. One had pictured a 1968 Mercury Marauder with light-bar and full police package. The caption read, "Imagine the surprise of the speeding Porsche owner traveling at 130mph and the Mercury police car he sees in his rearview is closing on him!" The 68 Merc PI had the distinction of being the fastest production police car made.(at that time)
1968 Mercury Monterey Police Interceptor w/ 428ci and FMX transmission.
I had a 68 Merc Monterey 2 dr fastback for a few years. Premium fuel 390 2 bbl backed with a C6 and 2.75 rear which I replaced with a 3.70 geared chunk. Rebuilt the 58,000 mile 390 gave it a Crane 272 Energizer and topped it with a 428PI intake and 3310 Holley. FPA headers and dual exhaust. Ran 15 sec 1/4's. My kid and his friends nick named it the USS Monterey cause it was a Heavy Cruiser.
