These cars, were usually six-cylinder and no match for the bigger V8's, which could
travel at up to seventy miles an hour in second gear and ninety miles an hour in third
gear. Ruggedly built with their strong springs and rod brakes, they provided both the
comfort and the reliability needed on the country dirt roads. These cars held the road
firmly, while cornering and were well-ventilated, which came in handy while traveling
the Texas roads in the summer. These things, along with Clyde's driving skills many
times covering hundreds of miles in a single night without rest and his keen sense for
detecting danger, kept them one step ahead of the law.