I had a great time! I think this will shape up to be a must do event on the Aussie Cobra Calendar.
It was great to catch up with everyone. (Thanks again for the T-shirts Scott).
The racing action was excellent with everyone getting tons of track time and not a lot of waiting arround.
No bingles but a few breakages. Garrett lost a Gear box, Phil lost a clutch, Laurie Bongalias blew a head gasket and I think one of the NSW guys broke his engine.
Jason Millington's 2nd gear was playing hide and seek making for some interesting exits to corners. I Didn't know if I was watching Cobra racing or "Swan Lake" as Jason regularly pirouetted off the track.
A couple of highlights for me...
A drive in Phil's Cobra (Thanks for the inspiration Phil and for bringing me back to earth re performance mods). Awesome car and made me very happy that I'd bought a CR kit with LS1 for power.
The other highlight (and this is a biggie) was a drive on the Winton track in Garretts Cobra. This thing is a brute! I've driven a couple of times before on the street but never given it more than about 1/2 throttle. On the track I got to get a good idea of this things performance potential and all I can say is meer mortals like me need not apply.
The enormous power is intoxicating but at the same time terrifying. 2nd, 3rd, 4th gear full throtle down the straights left me almost laughing hysterically. Next I stand on the brakes to pull up for the corner and try then to finess the monster through the bend with my limited skills. Another straight sees my foot on the floor again and the gear lever being stired for another dose of insane laughter inside my helmet.
I now understand completely what Bill Cosby was talking about in his 200MPH routine.
Unfortunately to my horror on my 3rd or 4th lap the gear box cried enough and jammed in 4th gear. The last thing you want to happen when you are driving someones pride and joy is for something to break.
It turns out the weak link in T56 6 speed boxes when they are subjected to huge HP and Torque is that the keys in the 3rd-4th syncroniser bend or break. They are stamped steel and are a regular source of trouble. The other weakness is the 3rd 4th shift fork which is aluminium and can bend causing the box to pop out of 3rd gear. 3rd and 4th gear are the ones that are subjected to the most punishment in these boxes. 1st and 2nd cope OK since most of the time the wheels are spinning and they aren't under so much load. When you get into 3rd and 4th the wheels are more likely to grip so the box has to pass on all that torque.
Garrets car is in my work shop at the moment for a gearbox beef injection. Billet steel keys and a steel 3-4 shift fork developed for the Dodge Viper lemans racing boxes should see it coping with the extra torque.
I have to say a big thanks to Jason and Tony for their stirling efforts in organising a terific event.
I have to say an even BIGGER THANKS to all the sponsors who helped get the whole thing off the ground.
Cheers