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DC Water Jet's 202mph Z-Car


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The guys at DC Water Jet broke another record at over 202 mph during Speed Week this year (8/08). I think this photo bears some scrutiny for what they have on it compared with what the Aero Testing Revealed. From the prior records on the fender you may or may not be able to see that this car has gone 221 mph in the past... Real speeds verified and registered. It's kind of shocking when you look at the car in the light of what the testing revealed.

I mean, this car is going a good 30 (to 50!!!) mph faster at Bonneville than our slicked-up 2+2 with a G-Nose and the light covers, blocked radiator inlet, and full belly pan.

They are running this year in F/BFMS, which is 3 liter (F/), Blown (B), Fuel (F), Modified Sports (MS)...which MS is the class you run in with a 240-280 that has non-stock body mods, after that all the other stuff should be self explanatory in the class.

So take a look at what they are running and comment as you will.

IMG_2064.JPG

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The guys at DC Water Jet broke another record at over 202 mph during Speed Week this year (8/08). I think this photo bears some scrutiny for what they have on it compared with what the Aero Testing Revealed. From the prior records on the fender you may or may not be able to see that this car has gone 221 mph in the past... Real speeds verified and registered. It's kind of shocking when you look at the car in the light of what the testing revealed.

I mean, this car is going a good 30 (to 50!!!) mph faster at Bonneville than our slicked-up 2+2 with a G-Nose and the light covers, blocked radiator inlet, and full belly pan.

They are running this year in F/BFMS, which is 3 liter (F/), Blown (B), Fuel (F), Modified Sports (MS)...which MS is the class you run in with a 240-280 that has non-stock body mods, after that all the other stuff should be self explanatory in the class.

So take a look at what they are running and comment as you will.

 

All I can say is it's take a bunch of horsepower and extra weight to overcome poor aerodynamics. The front end is literally shaped like a brick. Here are a couple of pictures I took of the car at Speed Week 2007. It was a little more shapely back then.

 

IMG_2360 (Small)_thumb.JPG

 

IMG_2361 (Small)_thumb.JPG

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Horsepower for sure...they were running 150mph range in G/BMS, which means with the 2-liter they were going almost as fast as us with the F-Motor (3 Liter N/A). I really would like to check out the engine setup. I can't remember if their website showed any engine detail shots or not...but it's gotten me curious... "Half a Big V-8" comes to mind...

 

"Brick" is what I was thinking as well. The differences between the 2007 photos and this one I posted may simply be the front end removed for towing...but with that bitchen foldaway tow-lever it's an open question as to why the nice airbrushed lower panel is not on the car and there is salt on some of the exposed work there...

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Wow small world. When I was on the way to Burning Man from Los Angeles(about 3 hours north of Reno), we had stopped by a starbucks for a bathroom break. While we were there I heard of this guy talking about a 240z, I told him I had one as well, then he had some pictures of his car which is the ones above. He said he was running an SR20DET with over 800hp if I remember right. I was kinda stumped when i first told me that though. :shock:

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That would be applicable for the G/FBMS catagory, that would be 2 liter and below.

 

A simple boring of the engine to something larger than 2001cc's and less than 3000 would put him in the class pictured.

 

Curious what you run into on the road, huh?

 

I was shocked last night when I saw myself on French T.V.! On a show called "Planete" which had a half hour segment on El Mirage and the bikes that race there. I was shocked to see myself waddling around the starting line, putting the door net in, closing the door and giving Dave the thumbs up...as well as Andy's old van pushing him off the starting line! You could have knocked me over at that very second. "Shocked I was" as Yoda would say. I remember a couple of guys with a Pro Rig camera and Tripod two years ago shooting there, and that they were speaking French. Long hair, big moustache. I chit-chatted with them and made small talk. Didn't even realize they filmed me during our morning run! I'm still kinda shocked.

 

But we digress...

 

With the front end closed off like in JGK's photos I could see nice slipstreaming. I just don't know what the function of that silver section is...and it looks like it was added this year. Perhaps it's ballast. I've seen a lot of stuff done to keep front ends planted. But I don't see the trade-off for the open front end compared to the previous 2007 Shots on the Salt.

 

I'd really like to spend some time talking with the guys. I hope they come to ElMirage this month (I hope I'm there to see it!) OR for the Two-Day meet in November. Usually a lot of Bonneville guys make it down from the salt to that meet.

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Tony, What width tires are typically used on these cars? They are really "tucked" under the body work, especially the front. Man, that thing looks like it's going 200 when setting still! I just can't imagine it going faster without the slick front end shown in the 07 pictures.

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I'm not sure on their widths, I think we are running 5" rims in back and 3" width in front. Usually a 24 / 25 / 26" tall tire, depending on gearing. The land speed tires aren't particularly wide, it does you no good and makes it near impossible to keep the tires together reliably at higer speeds...the center of the tread bulges out and that is all the contact patch you have anyway. Watch a slow-motion Top-Fuel Lanuch and you will get the idea what is happening.

USFRA runs throughout the season on the flats, but in march I'm sure they are all under water. August, September, October for sure. Maybe as early as May or June under USFRA.

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  • 3 months later...

Hi Guys,

The car ALWAYS runs with the full bodywork on the front. the picture that is posted we must have been going to tech inspection that is why the Moon discs are off. The car is powered by a turbocharged Chevy ECOTEC 4 cyl. (128 CI) I spun the car this year at 222mph, I really noticed it feeling light around 220mph. in 2006 my dad set a record at 221mph using only 3 cyl. We have plenty of power, The problem is getting it to hook up. We are adding another 500lbs of weight for 09 and I am hoping to go 225+ mph. There is a video on youtube of the car spinning. just do a search for DCWATERJET.

Gary Cole DCWATERJET Z

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