You guys are WAY PAST Me in motor experience, but as a close to one year driver of a cobra with about 50 less HP and torque I can tell you that any newbie better respect the shortnes of these cars. You just don't go rompin on one of these like a regular musle car. I will probably go for some more motor, maybe even another car with a hotter motor, but I am probably lucky I did not have it starting out.
As far as a choke - I put one on my speed demon and only had to use it this last winter - not to get the car to start, but I got tired of sitting in it and jacking with the throttle till it was warm.
