[Cobra #3170]

Hey Guys its time for an update on this year and the weekend, so get a coffee if you are easily bored. We have Iphone videos but can't post those so I will get some video to you later. First of all, as Ricky Bobby would say we were the first losers AGAIN! I am going to try 1 more year and that is it, wearing me out.
This year the car has improved tremendously I up graded the brake system with floating rotors early this year and also put new rotors and pads on the rear just this month. Biggest thing I found however, was that the brake pedal push rod clevis was going over center at full application making it very difficult to modulate because the mechanical advantage decreased with pressure. I made a new pedal and re-positioned the actuating clevis to fix that problem. Brakes are terrific, now we get consistent 1.0 - 1.2 g stops every time. We are using Porterfield R4-1 pads with stop tech front rotors and Wilwood rears. We recently switched to Bridgestone RE-71 305x30x19 rear tires on 12" rims and RE-71 285x30x18 fronts on 10.5x18 rims. The car has been the fastest car at every Good Guys event this year by at least 1 second and sometimes 2. So you ask how the hell did we lose? Good question, Friday morning Scotts first run ever would have been second overall in the Saturday shootout. On Friday we had a 2.0 second lead that dwindled to 1.6 seconds from time to time but we were the only car in the 62 second range. We continued to experiment with ride heights, shock rebound and starting air pressure and got it to a 62.2 run. Scott qualified number one with ease and the eventual winner and 4 time winner Danny Popp came over and told me they were all running for second place. Danny won the Optima challenge this year and is one very good driver. Brian Hobaugh, Robby Unser and Al Unser Jr. plus Ryan Mathews and Chris Smith were all there and fast but we had them covered like a blanket. Eliminations started and Scott took the first guy out with ease but the car was a little slower. I said whats up? He said just being careful. We were now running in the 63 second range but 4 or 5 tenths faster than anybody else. The next run Scott told me he heard a clunk from the rear suspension. We jacked it up, pulled a wheel and found the upper a arm mounting bolts were loose causing rear toe change. We could not fix it there because the chief mechanic did not convert to needle bearing thrust washers and aerospace 12 point bolts like he was supposed to. This is the same dope that did not torque them properly during nut and bolt check of the car. Who could be that stupid you ask? Why yes, yours truly.
On the final run for first place we lost by .005 seconds and ran the slowest run we had all day. We looked at the computer and the time was all lost in the last two corners so it was very depressing for both of us.

2017 Plans:
I am not giving up just yet however.
We are doing a new destroked engine that will turn 9200 RPM with less torque
and more HP (hopefully)
New slightly softer front sway bar
New digressive piston shock absorbers
New bump stops with greater tuneability
19x11 front wheels
4.88 rear end ratio

I know the competition will be getting better especially after seeing our capability, so we need up our game also.
We are hoping to be up and running by April 2017
I promise this will be my last attempt, getting too old to pull engines and thrash like this much longer. Especially when losing.

After driving that 991 GT3 I knew our brakes were crap so that forced me to find the problem so I am glad I got it. If you are wondering, the Cobra would eat the Porsche for breakfast.