44-Year-old Cobra Wins Street Car Challenge

[somedayaurora]

besides the engineering porn , I gotta say hearing from a true enthusiast with a modifided orginal who beats the snot out of it is awesome .
SDR
________
Roger laurent

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by Cobra #3170

Thanks,
I'll give you the short version, engine is Shelby FE block, Blue Thunder raised port heads (it only needs 29 D. advance at peak power), MSD, Carrillo rods, Victor jr. manifold- highly modified, Ti Valves, 14.7 to 1, 1650 cfm Throttle body, seq. EFI really big roller cam, peak power 7600 peak torque 5500, headers are 2 1/8 primary 3.5 collectors. This engine has a Daley dry sump and Stefs tank and never leaks oil as long as it is running (13" of vacuum) CID = 498 with a Moldex billet crank. Engine by Kinetics in Michigan

The suspension is really where the car shines, the roll centers move together, --------- It took about 5 years of tuning and tweaking to get it to handle like it does now. We went through 15 pairs of springs getting it to this point along with three shock revalvings. I can honestly say the car is really easy to drive now; it never does anything unexpected, unlike past incarnations. --------, rear wheel HP in the 670 range not as much as some but just right for this car. -----r.

HOLY MOL---DEX !!!!

Where else have you taken your car ?

Where else do you plan to take your car ?

Tell us a little about your co-driver.

You should take your car to Run-n-Gun and have some fun there.

[Cobra #3170]

Originally Posted by Anthony

HOLY MOL---DEX !!!!

Where else have you taken your car ?

Where else do you plan to take your car ?

Tell us a little about your co-driver.

You should take your car to Run-n-Gun and have some fun there.

The car just started to come around this last summer with the switch to 18" wheels. My suspension changes did not really improve the car that much until I went to 18 " rubber. I spent June, July and August tuning it up on autox courses and Oct. getting a set up for road race courses then developed a compromise for both. The first big event for the car was the Optima Challenge. This year I will probably track it at Buttonwillow (near Bakersfield Ca) and maybe Sears Point for SAAC if I can get the noise level down and I'll also run a bunch of local autox's.

Jim is the finest Autox driver I have ever seen, he is smooth and always fast no matter what vehicle he is in. He had not driven my car since 2004 when it was quite evil. With no practice at all he managed to blow everybody away in three laps on the autox at the Optima challenge. His first run would have won, then he just got faster on every run. The throttle had a little glitch in it off idle that I could not detect but he found it showing how sensitive he is. He did say that the handling was so good that he did not find anything that needed to be changed. The car is very easy to change now and we were prepared to move the rear bar up for the autox but left it alone, all we did was soften the front bar. Initially we were going to change the shocks for the 0-60-0 but the brake bias was so far off we did not have time to fix the shocks too.

Jim started the McKamey autox school and has won numerous national autox titles. We have been friends for 29 years after meeting when we were running against each other at a hill climb. Jim was almost killed there when he hit a tree on his last run trying to beat my time (I was faster in those days) his car was cut in half right behind his shoulders but all he got was a sore arm. We became good friends after that and have worked together on a number of autox car design ideas. He had many unorthodox ideas that lots of people laughed at including me but it turned out that he was right and all of us were wrong because they worked.

I really don't like towing it long distances anymore because it is a pain to do at my age and the only other person I would trust driving the tow vehicle is Jim Mckamey. Jim lives in Indiana and has plenty on his plate for this summer already, lots of the Optima guys want his help now,so run and gun is out of the question this year.

[Wayne Maybury]

#3170

Thanks for sharing your knowledge and experience with us.

Congratulations on seriously kicking butt. It was a joy to watch.

Wayne

[Dubiwan]

Hi Bruce
Can you explain what all you did to the suspension onthe cobra. Or pls email me at ltduba@hotmail.com as I would like to talk to you.
Thanks
Larry

[timothale]

Brucee, you need to find that old T Bird tow car you had in the 70's. and take it to Optima. We worked on the Cobra all night then put it on the trailer and headed to Flint for an Autocross. The Pres of the Porche Club came flying by and thumbed his nose at Bruce. Bruce put his foot down and caught the porche just before the big winder turn. A more the 360 turn corkscrew on the freeway offramp. Bruce was right on his tail flashing the headlites and honking. The porche started getting loose in the rear. the T-Bird pulling the trailer with the Cobra could out corner the porche. When we got to the GM parking lot Bruce told them to move the cones farther apart so He could runn the bird pulling the trailer. Told the officials at registration the T bird was faster.

[Mark Husar]

3170,

It just doesn't get any better.
Lot's of us geezers...40 years in the trench and runnin' thin on time ...
We all got goose bumps dreamin' about the life you live.
Each and every one of us in some small way sat with you guys as you won that event and are just proud as hell to own a replica of your true sports car.
To you guys who own the real thing...a deep bow!!

[Rick Parker]

14.7:1......thats some POP! That'll improve the throttle response!

[cobrajeff]

I saw Bruce actually run that big old T'Bird (it was NEW at the time, probably a '75 or '76 model, the big, heavy ones that shared a platform with the Lincoln Mark IV) in an Autocross at the Ford WHQ parking lot back in the mid-seventies. I'm pretty sure it needed a new set of tires when he was done sliding it through the cones. Bruce knows how to extract every last bit of performance out of a machine. It was an amazing, eye opening experience that I'll never forget.

Jeff

[xlr8tr]

Love this story!! Can you explain what it was about the 18" rubber that made such a big difference?

Originally Posted by Cobra #3170

The car just started to come around this last summer with the switch to 18" wheels. My suspension changes did not really improve the car that much until I went to 18 " rubber. I spent June, July and August tuning it up on autox courses and Oct. getting a set up for road race courses then developed a compromise for both. The first big event for the car was the Optima Challenge. This year I will probably track it at Buttonwillow (near Bakersfield Ca) and maybe Sears Point for SAAC if I can get the noise level down and I'll also run a bunch of local autox's.

Jim is the finest Autox driver I have ever seen, he is smooth and always fast no matter what vehicle he is in. He had not driven my car since 2004 when it was quite evil. With no practice at all he managed to blow everybody away in three laps on the autox at the Optima challenge. His first run would have won, then he just got faster on every run. The throttle had a little glitch in it off idle that I could not detect but he found it showing how sensitive he is. He did say that the handling was so good that he did not find anything that needed to be changed. The car is very easy to change now and we were prepared to move the rear bar up for the autox but left it alone, all we did was soften the front bar. Initially we were going to change the shocks for the 0-60-0 but the brake bias was so far off we did not have time to fix the shocks too.

Jim started the McKamey autox school and has won numerous national autox titles. We have been friends for 29 years after meeting when we were running against each other at a hill climb. Jim was almost killed there when he hit a tree on his last run trying to beat my time (I was faster in those days) his car was cut in half right behind his shoulders but all he got was a sore arm. We became good friends after that and have worked together on a number of autox car design ideas. He had many unorthodox ideas that lots of people laughed at including me but it turned out that he was right and all of us were wrong because they worked.

I really don't like towing it long distances anymore because it is a pain to do at my age and the only other person I would trust driving the tow vehicle is Jim Mckamey. Jim lives in Indiana and has plenty on his plate for this summer already, lots of the Optima guys want his help now,so run and gun is out of the question this year.

[Silverback51]

Less flex in the tire sidewalls.

[Rick Parker]

160 mph at Infineon SAAC event.

[Cobra #3170]

Originally Posted by xlr8tr

Love this story!! Can you explain what it was about the 18" rubber that made such a big difference?

The 18" tires are radials with modern construction that matched my camber curves much better than the 16" bias ply racing tires I had been using. I had some limited success with Hoosier 16" bias plys and Goodyear 16" radial racing tires on concrete but they were not good at all an smooth asphalt surfaces. The compounding of 18" tires is also far superior to the old racing rubber because that is where all the tire development is being done. Since almost all the racing tires for closed wheel vehicles are 17,18, 19 or even 20" the competition yields superior tires. The diameters of the new rubber also helped since I was running 23.5x11x16 fronts and they did not offer much of a contact patch for braking vs a 25" or 26" front tire. I am in the process of redoing the car for next year and plan on going to 315x30x18 fronts, upgrading the shocks, going to larger front rotors and 6 piston calipers, replacing the clutch and flywheel, reducing exhaust noise by a substantial amount (so I won't get banned at certain autox events) and installing a scatter shield after my Infineon adventure with a cracked flywheel.

[gsharapa]

Your car is awesome now so be interesting to see how your enhancements will improve it more. I should be getting my engine in a couple weeks and can't wait to get back into playing with a Cobra. Took your advise and having KC build me a big 496 alumumin FE, stage 3 heads, big solid roller, Victor intake and lots of other goodies...

[cdnus]

"and installing a scatter shield after my Infineon adventure with a cracked flywheel"

This statement is is probably one of the more notable for Cobra owners!

There have been a number of posters here Pooh Poohing the need for scatter shields. They seem to think that modern technology has overcome the problem of exploding flywheels.

"When was the last time you saw one explode---60's?" is the usual justification.

Here we have a gentleman who appears to spare no expense & engineering to develop one of the best Cobra's ever, yet suffers a flywheel failure.

Nuff said

Craig

[xlr8tr]

I think you'll be doing nose wheelies under braking with 315's!! I'm curious: any body work/further suspension mods required to get 315's under the front fenders?

[D-CEL]

Mr. 3170,

My respect and admiration for you exists on many levels.
Not only do you regularly carry your 40+ year old weapon into battle, you routinely trounce your opponents so completely, that they don’t want to play anymore.
You may have the ultimate “sleeper”
Your competition thinks: “its an original Cobra with big wheels, nobody would dare modify a REAL cobra, How fast can it be?”

Then there’s your car..
The engineering and individual system detail would be impressive on a brand new race car. That you employ it on an irreplaceable car that many would put on a rotating, mirrored table in their living room, is what makes you “the man”.

Your gallery is filled with so many cool things, almost every picture has something telling in it.
I spent an hour looking and taking notes.
The adjustability designed into your suspension is beyond cool. Your sway-bars are fantastic
all the other things blow me away. (don’t want to give up what you don’t want divulged)

It’s so great to see a Cobra getting a technology infusion. I have always thought if someone put this kind of effort into a Cobra, it would be hard if not impossible to beat (up to 165mph lol)

A couple of questions?

What are your spring rates?
Why the lefty Stef’s oil pan when the rest is Aviaid?

I see your going to change your brake package. Have you decided on a direction? Im a Wilwood dealer, Id love to be involved if I can.


You and your car inspire me. Like Mark said, I bow in your presence.

Jason

[Jamo]

If you ever get a chance...

Bruce's Cobra is beyond belief. I got a chance to chat with him about the suspension changes during the Belmont Concours, and it is nothing less significant than when shelby messed with the front of the early Mustangs.

Great to see a true living Cobra, evolving through its life as it should. Even more so when the owner is a true gentleman.

[ERA Chas]

Originally Posted by Jamo

Great to see a true living Cobra, evolving through its life as it should. Even more so when the owner is a true gentleman.

Very true. Would love to see a competition and a technical comparison between Bruces' original and Morris' KMP.
Where has Morris been these days anyway???

[Cobra #3170]

I want to thank all of you again for your kind words, I really appreciate all the nice things you have said about my life's work.

The oil system is not Aviad the pan and tank are Stefs and the pump is a Daily, which I am very happy with since it not only returns the oil but pulls a substantial vacuum on the engine. I currently run 295/30/18's on the front so the 315/30/18's won't be a big deal. I'll go 1/2" wider on the inner rim since I have room to do that. The rear fenders were flaired by Mr. Shelby when I ordered the car and are actually wider than an original SC spec car.
They offered that option in the early Cobra days along with whatever else you could think of at the time. I have never touched the front or rear fender profile since the car was new. The reason the fronts fit is because the car is essentially a 0 scrub radius car, the spindle and brake package are inside the wheel unlike the originals that have the upper ball joint outside the inner rim. I originally sized the front brakes for 15" wheels so the rotor is only 12" in diameter. I won a front axle set from Baer Brakes at the Optima Challenge so I am installing their 13" rotor and six pot caliper. I have Wilwood
dynalites on now and they have quite a bit of caliper flex which makes the brakes difficult to properly modulate. I am really looking forward to the Baer system improving my braking capabilities. Comparing my car to the Morris KMP is kind of an apples and oranges deal, on high speed stuff he would have a huge advantage because of the extensive aero work he has done. I have more horsepower (same engine builder) and a lot less weight and no aero drag beyond the brick like aero of a Cobra so I would think acceleration and low speed performance would be superior to the Morris KMP. I believe my suspension geometry is superior but I am sure Mr. Morris would argue that his is so that would be a toss up regarding who you choose to believe. My spring rates (trying to answer all the questions here) are 1200 #/" front and 1100 #/" rear for road courses and 1100 #/" front and 1100#/" rear for autox. A better question would be what are your wheel rates for sway bars and springs front and rear but that is secret. The only way I could ever run these rates is with significant frame stiffening and really good shocks. I know this sounds really high but the car loves it. I hope this covers most of the questions you guys have.

Originally Posted by D-CEL

Mr. 3170,

My respect and admiration for you exists on many levels.
Not only do you regularly carry your 40+ year old weapon into battle, you routinely trounce your opponents so completely, that they don’t want to play anymore.
You may have the ultimate “sleeper”
Your competition thinks: “its an original Cobra with big wheels, nobody would dare modify a REAL cobra, How fast can it be?”

Then there’s your car..
The engineering and individual system detail would be impressive on a brand new race car. That you employ it on an irreplaceable car that many would put on a rotating, mirrored table in their living room, is what makes you “the man”.

Your gallery is filled with so many cool things, almost every picture has something telling in it.
I spent an hour looking and taking notes.
The adjustability designed into your suspension is beyond cool. Your sway-bars are fantastic
all the other things blow me away. (don’t want to give up what you don’t want divulged)

It’s so great to see a Cobra getting a technology infusion. I have always thought if someone put this kind of effort into a Cobra, it would be hard if not impossible to beat (up to 165mph lol)

A couple of questions?

What are your spring rates?
Why the lefty Stef’s oil pan when the rest is Aviaid?

I see your going to change your brake package. Have you decided on a direction? Im a Wilwood dealer, Id love to be involved if I can.


You and your car inspire me. Like Mark said, I bow in your presence.

Jason