The origin of "raped ape" as in "goes like a raped ape..."

"Raped ape" is not that common in the United States any longer, but was more common a few decades ago. I believe that it was slang in the Second World War. I've never heard the expression you used, and have always heard it used in the context of "lucky"---"he made out like a raped ape."

I wonder if, perhaps, it has changed in its meaning (as the English language is wont to do) and where this change occurred. Here are some examples of it being used to mean going rapidly:

http://search.live.com/results.aspx?q=%22like+a+raped+ape%22&form=QBRE

This is surely an odd question but the question stemmed from a conversation of conversion which, honestly, was an absurd question in the first place. The original question was, "How fast does a raped ape go and how many horsepower are in a raped ape."

Lacking an official answer I have postulated that 1 RA is equal to 350 HP because a 350 V8 powered automobile certainly goes like a raped ape. But, the origin of the phrase is still unknown and this is a mystery that must be solved.

I don't know the answer, but a raped ape must be really ballin' the jack.