tin-man needs some advice.......

[tin-man]

Originally Posted by snakebitekit

Why such few driving times? The weather is perfect from late September through mid November and again from mid March through late may early June. Longer on both ends for a lot of us.

snakebitekit, I get two ten day home leaves per year, one in June and one in December, the rest of the time its work. The Sphincter Police here do not grant excessive vacations. tin-man

[tin-man]

Originally Posted by patrickt

I understand; I just raise an eyebrow though when I see 600HP and an automatic transmission in a Cobra. I just wonder if the thrill will last....

several years ago I tried out a Shelby Cobra with stick shift and gave myself a sufficient scare when I did a 360 as a result of downshifting into the wrong gear, thus the auto transmission. As regards the thrill, does it ever go away when driving a Cobra?

Cheers, tin-man

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by tin-man

As regards the thrill, does it ever go away when driving a Cobra?

The short answer is "Yes." For a certain segment of this forum, it goes away rather quickly. I have never driven a Cobra with an automatic transmission. I have, however, driven very fast "old school" cars with automatic transmissions. I can only imagine that the danger posed by an automatic transmission shift, in a car whose rear end breaks away as easily as the Cobra, would be catastrophic. In fact, almost any shift, during acceleration, where the nose of the car is not pointed straight ahead, is probably dicey. An automatic transmission should be for gentle, easy cruising. If you try and road race a light, short wheel base, high horsepower Cobra with an automatic, I think you're going to end up in the trees... or a casket.

[Tom Wells]

If you try and road race a light, short wheel base, high horsepower Cobra with an automatic, I think you're going to end up in the trees... or a casket.

Shucks, patrickt,

Since you're obviously a really knowledgeable prime speculator I guess I'd better quit doing it

I've spent quite a few whole track days at Sebring, Roebling Road, Daytona, Gainesville to name a few. How many tracks have you run while you were at the wheel of such a car with an automatic?

Get real.....

tin-man,

It's still a thrill after more than 26,000 miles! I wouldn't trade this car for any other that I've seen or heard of.

Just treat the car with respect which is waaaay easier said than done. I call it "right foot restraint." Especially when someone surges behind you repeatedly trying to goad you into "goosing it" or pulls along side yelling and doing burnouts repeatedly like a guy in a drag-racing style Chevy kept doing the other night - all the while yelling stuff I couldn't really hear ( LOL ).

Some Cobra drivers have been guilty of a momentary loss of caution, and have been injured or killed. Leaving a church parking lot (!) and blipping the throttle while turning onto the road, resulting in a meeting with a roadside telephone pole. Or a swerve to avoid an animal resulting in a spin and a meeting with a tree and so on.

patrickt's right about one thing - we're all going to end up in a casket - eventually. You can enjoy the ride much more without hastening that eventuality
with some discipline of the right foot.

Tom

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by Tom Wells

Since you're obviously a really knowledgeable prime speculator I guess I'd better quit doing it

Tom, I think you and Tin-Man are two entirely different breeds of cat....

[tin-man]

Originally Posted by patrickt

Tom, I think you and Tin-Man are two entirely different breeds of cat....

partrickt, you are right and I am doing whatever it takes to learn respect for the Cobra by seeking advice from my peers. tin-man

[Silverback51]

Originally Posted by patrickt

The short answer is "Yes." For a certain segment of this forum, it goes away rather quickly. I have never driven a Cobra with an automatic transmission. I have, however, driven very fast "old school" cars with automatic transmissions. I can only imagine that the danger posed by an automatic transmission shift, in a car whose rear end breaks away as easily as the Cobra, would be catastrophic. In fact, almost any shift, during acceleration, where the nose of the car is not pointed straight ahead, is probably dicey. An automatic transmission should be for gentle, easy cruising. If you try and road race a light, short wheel base, high horsepower Cobra with an automatic, I think you're going to end up in the trees... or a casket.

Remember Jim Hall's Can Am Chapparrals? They were automatics and did very well. A lot of it has to do with how they are set up.

Personally I dislike vacuum secondaries more than automatics.

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by Silverback51

Remember Jim Hall's Can Am Chapparrals? They were automatics and did very well. A lot of it has to do with how they are set up.

... and you would recommend a 600HP auto for a man's first Cobra?

[patrickt]

The wings were also movable. The Chaparrals used an automatic transmission, so there was no clutch pedal, which allowed Hall to add a third pedal. While accelerating, the driver would hold the pedal down with his left foot. This kept the wings horizontal for less drag. Releasing the pedal put the wings in an angled position, for greater downforce in the corners (the increased drag also helping slow the car).

Source: http://www.vintagerpm.com/can-am-history-of-chaparral/

[Silverback51]

Originally Posted by patrickt

... and you would recommend a 600HP auto for a man's first Cobra?

I went back and re-read all of Tin Man's posts on this thread, and no where do I see any reference to his experience with high performance cars. I can draw a conclusion based on some of his posts, but all that is is a guess.

Seeing as to how he has mentioned that he is approaching retirement age, I have to assume that he's not a 20 something kid that will automatically (sorry, I couldn't resist) go out there and flat foot it in the first corner. After all, he is asking for advice, not to be publicly flogged for what he has decided he wants in a car.

Would I recommend it? Not my call. It's his choice, same as my choice was mine. As long as he does not say he's going with dual roll bars, he's okay in my book.

[Silverback51]

Originally Posted by patrickt

Source: http://www.vintagerpm.com/can-am-history-of-chaparral/

Did you see the Sucker car? He tried to pass those off as cooling fans.

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by Silverback51

As long as he does not say he's going with dual roll bars, he's okay in my book.

Hmmph... and no 3rd brake light as well.

Originally Posted by Silverback51

Did you see the Sucker car? He tried to pass those off as cooling fans.

Yes. Pretty amazing.

[Tom Wells]

Silverback51,





Tom

[Silverback51]

Originally Posted by Tom Wells

Silverback51,





Tom

Damn, it's spreading.

Nice looking car Tom. At least you did not wrap them with foam rubber and electrical tape.

[ItBites]

Patrickt,

Sometimes it is better to keep your mouth shut and be thought a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.

You don't have an auto in your Cobra AND you have never been on a road race track with your Cobra (or any other car for that matter). I and others with real experience with autos in Cobras AND road race experience have provided the correct guidance here. Please feel free to provide advice about washing and waxing and LED lights and leave the questions about performance and driving to those who have a clue.

Modern performance automatics with semi-automatic valve bodies do not unexpectedly downshift when you depress the pedal. In fact most will not even upshift unless you're in "D". As I explained in an earlier post you chose to not read, with the kickdown disabled, these transmissions only downshift when approaching a stop. As has been written by me and a couple of others in this thread, who have real experience, road racing one of these cars with an auto is not a direct path to a casket, as you purport. In fact it can be more forgiving in some ways - for example it is very hard to miss a downshift to 4th and hit 2nd instead. Further, less shifting in general is required due to the converter, leaving more time to focus on braking and your line. But I am wasting my time repeating myself here.

Please check your credentials before giving advice on what makes an acceptable road race car and what will put drivers in a casket.

[patrickt]

Well that was certainly nice of you to post.

[ItBites]

More or less nice than having "your expertness" tell me and others who actually road race with automatics that we are headed for a casket?

I support you expressing an opinion on what transmission is best, but do not tell me I am headed for a casket if I do what I've been doing for longer than you've owned a Cobra.

From your post on page 3:
"An automatic transmission should be for gentle, easy cruising. If you try and road race a light, short wheel base, high horsepower Cobra with an automatic, I think you're going to end up in the trees... or a casket."

[patrickt]

IT, I didn't tell you anything. You and Tom are in a different category from someone who has virtually never driven a Cobra before. You need to check your blood pressure....

[Bernica]

Originally Posted by patrickt

Well that was certainly nice of you to post.

This is why I weighed in early. I knew this was going to get ugly....

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by Bernica

This is why I weighed in early. I knew this was going to get ugly....

... which you did with alacrity and grace that clearly evidences your fine breeding.