[Doug Axelrod]

I was looking for a successor to my all-season '94 Mitsu 3000GT VR4, a wonderful car. I was looking at Vettes, NSX, like that--high end, highly evolved, touring sports cars. The VR4 was my first sports car (I'm now 50), but I loved it.

We had dinner at Vic Simon's house, just down the street here in Milford, OH, and walked in through his garage. There, in with the Riviera and the Camero, was THIS CAR!!! Blue and white, chrome rollbar and pipes (PIPES!!), and curves to make you blush. I had no idea what it was, but it was godamned gorgeous and the engine suggested high end thrills.

That lead to an amazing first ride, which taught me the beauty in brutal performance and overwhelming sensations wrapped in a body to die for. Well, to the WEB and ClubCobra and downloading lots and lots and lots of stuff, getting a better education than I could have ever hoped for. Just another reason to be grateful to ClubCobra.

Then a visit to Ross, Ohio, a ride with Vic to the first DVSF to see the variety of Cobra replicas, and to my own, SPF 1274 (see gallery).

So, the VR4 still stands as the bad-weather steed, but with Copple's instructions and example, and a hard top, I'm out there as much as I can be. Then there was VIR, Club Cranky, and a remarkable extension of this new car into a hobby and, ultimately, into an entire sensibility.

So, I'm one of those middle age guys that was NOT a lifelong Cobra guy, or even a car guy. But, falling in love is falling in love. Makes no sense, and all the sense in the world.

Thanks.