Dick & jo's most excellent cobra adventure - Page 3

Justin O'Rourke · #41 (**permalink**) 11-01-2010, 07:04 PM

What a great couple. Living the dream!!

d_ford · #42 (**permalink**) 11-01-2010, 09:20 PM

Aren't they though? This was great.

lamaluv · #43 (**permalink**) 11-02-2010, 02:56 PM

We just pulled into the parking lot of the Mohegan Sun Casino at Pocono Downs in Wilkes Barre, PA for the night. The wife can get her slot machine fix and I can visit the buffet. In the morning we will head to Freeland, MD and stay there untill Friday the 5th.

The long range weather is looking better. By the time we get to Emporia,VA maybe, and Selma, NC for sure, we'll have some Cobra cruising weather.

Some quick factoids about ERA EXP 002 that I have gathered on this trip:

She was the first Cobra owned by all seven owners
The only Cobra owned by four
Two have owned a second Cobra
One has owned over twenty
Thirty years on the road and 33,000 + miles
Shortest period owned was one year
Longest period six years ( three owners)
Average age of first six owners at time of purchase was 38 years
First owner is now 70 and present owner is 64
Car has always had an FE engine
Started with a 428, 427 center oiler, 427 side oiler, 427 Dove tunnel port & back to 428
Has had dual fours, single four and now fuel injection

lamaluv · #44 (**permalink**) 11-04-2010, 07:02 AM

Arrived in Freeland, MD last night and it has been raining ever since. Looks like the Cobra will stay in the trailer while we are here. Hopefully she can come out and play this weekend in Emporia, VA.

Someone who has been following this thread closely asked what ever happened to owner number six, Paul Solomon. Well Paul and his wife were spending the week on vacation in Mexico while we were in Ohio. Sorry that we didn't get to visit them. I bought the car from Paul and we had already met and I had been to their home when I came out to see the car in 2004. I didn't want to miss seeing anyone, but if it was going to happen, I'm glad it was someone that I already had met.

d_ford · #45 (**permalink**) 11-04-2010, 07:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lamaluv

Car has always had an FE engine
Started with a 428, 427 center oiler, 427 side oiler, 427 Dove tunnel port & back to 428
Has had dual fours, single four and now fuel injection

Dick, during the time I owned #002 I had 3 different FE's in it. The 427 TP that I bought it with and that I still have, a 428 CJ, and finally the 428 PI out of my 67 GT500 that's in her now. Just wanting to help clarify.

lamaluv · #46 (**permalink**) 11-04-2010, 09:07 AM

Doug the referance was just to the types of FE engines the old girl has had. Bruce had three differant engines as did you. Gail had at least two as did Justin. David, Paul and I are the only ones that kept the same engine we bought her with.

Don · #47 (**permalink**) 11-04-2010, 11:43 AM

Dick......when leaving CT, what route did you select to get to VA, and then to FL ?

d_ford · #48 (**permalink**) 11-04-2010, 12:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lamaluv

Doug the referance was just to the types of FE engines the old girl has had. Bruce had three differant engines as did you. Gail had at least two as did Justin. David, Paul and I are the only ones that kept the same engine we bought her with.

Wow, that's a lot of heart transplants!
It's a testament to ERA quality when the car has outlived several powerplants.

lamaluv · #49 (**permalink**) 11-04-2010, 05:52 PM

Don we left East Lime, CT on I81 to I83, Freeland, MD I83, I695, I95 & I495, Emporia, VA I95, Selma, NC I95, Savannah, GA I95 FL I95, I4 & I75 to Riverview.

Dick

Trueoo7 · #50 (**permalink**) 11-04-2010, 07:18 PM

Curious if you happened to notice how the selling price held up through the years. Did price go up or down or hold its own?

lamaluv · #51 (**permalink**) 11-04-2010, 10:01 PM

Trueoo7 there were several variables such as the car being wrecked and one owner selling the car with a Dove aluminum tunnel port engine and another trading for the car. Then you have the value of $ over a 30 year period. How many Cobra replicas were available in 1980 or 1990 vs today. The car sold for over $30,000 in the 1980's and has sold for more than that each time she was sold. Whether the price went up, down or held it's own is pretty subjective. That is not my primary consideration as I consider the car to be a significant piece of ERA history.

d_ford · #52 (**permalink**) 11-06-2010, 04:45 PM

Dick, do you know if Gail is a member here and following this thread? I'd like to be able to keep in touch with him if I can.

lamaluv · #53 (**permalink**) 11-06-2010, 07:11 PM

As far as I know Gail is not a member but I will send you his information.

Dick

lamaluv · #54 (**permalink**) 11-09-2010, 06:01 AM

We will be leaving Selma NC and arriving in Savannah GA tomorrow the 10th of November. The weather forcast is calling for sunshine and temps in the 70's. Sounds like the Cobra needs to come out of the trailer.

Do any of you have suggestions for a fun ride in the Savannah area? Are there any fellow Cobra owners in the area that would like to meet up?

Dick

Justin O'Rourke · #55 (**permalink**) 11-09-2010, 11:47 AM

Hi; I bought the car wrecked from the original owner, fixed it and sold it. I did not have it more than maybe 4-6 months (I think). I only had the one motor that came with it, and sold it with that motor. I believe that I was 32 when I bought it. That car has weathered a few storms in its day,and still keeps coming back for more. Regards.

lamaluv · #56 (**permalink**) 11-15-2010, 02:08 PM

The weather in Savannah was great and we got the Cobra out of the trailer and checked out a track that is on Hutchinson Island. The track had been used for vintage races in October and there was plenty of rubber in most of the corners and a few spots where the tire tracks went out into the pucker brush. There was a gate but it was opened so we went around the course a couple of times. We went at parade lap speed mostly as there were several places that traffic could get onto the track. it is a 2mile road course that is between the resort hotel and golf course. We didn't want to have a run in with a golf cart.

I did a video but will have to post it later once I figure out how to download it. It is a very cool course but in serveral spots there are concrete jersey barriers on both sides that don't look very forgiving.

On Sunday we met Flip Clifton at a car show in Claxton, GA. Flip has a nice red and white SPF with a stroked 427 FE engine. Flip's car and ours were the only Cobra's at the show and we both went home with "Top 20" trophies. They also had a trophy for long distance and when they found out that we had traveled from ID via CT for 4,300 miles we won that one.

Cruising in the Cobra was a great way to see the Savannah area and though cool in the evening it was 70 by 10 am.

We are settled into our winter home in Riverview, FL and are looking forward to hooking up with the Deep South Cobra Club gang this winter. Over the next few weeks I will do a recap and update of our great adventure.

Dick

flipscobra · #57 (**permalink**) 11-15-2010, 03:06 PM

Hi Dick I was glad yall came up to the car show everyone was in awe of your fuel injected Cobra its awesome hope yall had a good time, the weather was just right, you got some good pictures of the race track at Hutchinson Island. Good to hear you made it to your winter home. Wish I had went with yall to the track. If you pass back bye Savannah give me a holler an I will cook you up a Low Country Boil. Have a great time

Flip

Bobcat · #58 (**permalink**) 11-15-2010, 04:24 PM

Dick ... glad you found the track ok . The faster cars topped out at about 150 mph , but the Audi was in the 160 range . The BMW M1 I rode in reached about 135 mph according to the driver . They also let street cars run some laps under "controlled" conditions between races . The driver of the transporter told me they were hauling a$$ . I believe the cost is $40 to run the track ..... supposedly not at racing speeds . They tie this event in with a Concours d`Elegance over on Hilton Head if you`re interested next year .
As you said , there was plenty of rubber on the course , but no bent cars at all .
Claxton is a really neat town to visit .... guess you stocked up on fruitcakes for the holidays ??
If you`re interested , I can post a few of the pictures I took during the races .... unfortunately , no Cobras . Please post your video when you get the chance .
Welcome to the South !

Bob

lamaluv · #59 (**permalink**) 11-15-2010, 06:33 PM

Flip it was great meeting you and next time we are in the area we will sure take you up on that good " Southern Cooking".

Bob please post your track pictures and I'll try to get the vidio up soon. I'll bet the races were fun, especially riding in the BMW at track speed. I've had my car up to 140 on the long straight at Reno-Fernley but can't emagine going that fast at Hutchison Island.

The only complaint so far about our winter home is that I got hot and sweaty while unloading everything this afternoon

My wife says I better not be complaining about the heat.

lamaluv · #60 (**permalink**) 11-17-2010, 08:19 AM

I still don't have my video of our car on the track at Hutchison Island downloaded yet but here is a video link to the track.

http://vimeo.com/8088834

Dick