First post on the CC forum!! Now talk me into buying a cobra!!

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by lamaluv

If you really need to be convinced by us you probably don't want the Cobra bad enough.

Well put. Backdraft73, don't buy one. They're dirty, nasty, expensive pieces of crap that are too loud and they're just begging to come out from under you and put you in a grave. I say turn back now, while you still can.

[RodKnock]

rsimones anyone?

[Backdraft73]

Originally Posted by STL Mark

I had a Vette. Great car. Reliable, comfortable, plenty of power, sporty, nice looking - AND BORING. Hit the throttle, take 'er up to 130 or so, change the radio station, adjust the AC, tilt the steering - YAWN. But don't forget to wave at the other Vettes.

Take a Cobra up to 130 - watch your passenger search for something to grab on to. Shift gears over 100 and it's a life threatening situation. And don't even think of taking your eye off the road. You'll need ear plugs, and your arm will get tired of waving at passing cars, bikes, cops, neighbors, kids in ricers, Vette pilots, and girls. Everyday is a parade and you are the star. Fire up the car in your garage and your pulse will immediately increase - as well as you next door neighbors. Pop the hood at the gas station and you're a 1 man car show. Everybody in town knows you - you're the Cobra guy. Pull up to any stoplight with any muscle car, exotic, etc. in the other lane and know - you got this one.

Great quote, exactly what I am thinking, do I want the everyday reliability with all the creature comforts, or the car that stirs the soul and is a blast to drive everytime you get behind the wheel!

[ekrupa2]

Originally Posted by Backdraft73

But then the analytical side of my brian kicks in and says what "Ron AZ" said about worrying about where you drive it, and is it going to rain, or will it get cold, and then I only drive it on a nice Saturday. I want to drive it at least 3 days a week! I am not a garage queen kind of guy, I am going to go track events, car shows, and just cruzing. I know that I can do all of these things in a vette too, but nothing compares to these cars!!

I used to be afraid of getting a drop of water on mine. Well this summer caught in a storm and vaccumed out 1/2 inch of water in the footwells. Guess what...the car didn't melt. Loud...smelly...obnoxious...some will give you dirty looks. Maybe I should give someone else the keys to my SPF...

when they pry them from my cold dead hands!

[boxhead]

If you need to be talked into it then you dont really want one.

Cobra ownership is exactly how STL Mark describes.

Here is a pic from a recent trip.

By the time I got to my destination, I had about 3 inches in the cabin, a cordless drill got most of it out.

[elmariachi]

Written by Cobra owner Hal Copple, This is a little verbose, but it says it all:

"If you want to just gas and go, and never have to worry about replacing an alternator, or snugging down the header bolts, or getting a wet leg driving in a rainstorm, or learning how to set your carb float level, or driving in traffic on a warm winter day with "winter gas" in the tank, get a Corvette. With a Cobra you have to remind yourself that you are driving a hand made race car on the street. There is no compromise for anything other than pure speed. These cars are brutal and unforgiving, with all the refinement of a medieval battle axe. Like being in a relationship with an exotic dancer, you can never take anything for granted. These cars don't have millions of miles of testing refinement before you get yours. For any trip longer than an hour, you need earplugs, and goggles, and carry Advil and eye drops. You will need to learn to "read" the clouds for rain in your path, and have experience in unwrapping your frozen fingers from the MotoLita. You will experience lady passengers "wetting" the passenger seat when you merge into traffic from an on ramp, and then nearly burn their calf getting out of the car. You will have all the invisibility of a burning Hindenburg, and flee from underground parking lots when uncountable car alarms are screaming your departure. When you shop, you will remind yourself that these cars get more attention than a dead body in a parking lot. With a power to weight ratio better than almost every supercar, you will find your 1/4 mile times, traction, rather than power limited. On the other hand, when you stage, out of the corner of your helmet's visor you will see almost the entire audience lining up at the fence, most with cameras up. If you track on a road course with a Porsche club, owners of expensive German machines will come to the fence to watch you power out in smoking oversteer. You won't even try to start your engine in the garage, but push it out onto the driveway, else your loyal watch dog will croak from the exhaust fumes. If you idle next to other "sports" cars at a traffic light, by the green, their girlfriend will be coughing green phlegm into her hanky, yelling at her date to just go! When you refuel, you might as well prop the "bonnet" open, because you are going to have to show your motor to just about every other guy there. When you order your wings at Hooters, your waitress will whisper in you ear, "take me for a ride." When you stop at the red light, the girl in the convertible next to you will invite you to "take my top off too." When you slowly pass a troop of Harley riders, they will look over and give you thumbs up. When you want to ease out into traffic, other cars will immediately pause to let you go ahead of them. When your engine has its hot, crackling, intimidating exhause sidepipe aimed right at the flank of the GTO, or the Z28, your exhaust pulsation's slowly unscrewing his lug nuts, the other car will remain motionless, as if the slightest quiver of his car will cause your car to stomp it dead. When you leave it open in a parking lot, and come back to find your sunglasses and cell phone still sitting on the tunnel, it is because your car has sullenly warned those who came over to admire it "touch me and I will rise up here and kill you dead." When you put that tiny silver key into the ignition, and begin your start countdown, you car will whisper, "take me for granted, and I will kill you." When other drivers just hop in and snap up their belts while backing out of their parking space, you will still have two more minutes before you even get all the Simpson's properly on and snugged down. Pulling up in a Cobra is like landing an F4U at an ultralite convention. In summary, very, very few drivers want this kind of attention, or can tolerate all that a formidable Cobra demands. These cars are intolerant mistresses. But remember, there will come a day when you have to hang up your keys for the last time. And perhaps you want to say then, "I did it."

[zrayr]

upon reflection, since the Corvette and the Cobra are so different, to be considering one or the other is an indication of multiple personality disorder.

Z.

[Dwight]

Where is Hal?

I have not read anything by him in a long time.

I love his storys.

Dwight

[madmaxx]

I admit I get tired of the attention. Just yesterday as I am trying to merge a couple in a Honda accord was snapping pictures. It used to be a novelty but getting gas is a pain, sometimes I just want to fill up and be on my way. Not hear the stories about how their 60's super bee did 170 mph, LOL!!

I do however like the fact that even though I have deserved 5 speeding tickets I have never gotten one. I have blown by cops sitting in the media on the downside of an overpass, smoked the tires while one was sitting across from me, blew by one accidentally etc.

[JST4FUN]

Backdraft73,

What STL Mark and Hal Copple's article says sums it up! I have both and use them quite differently. Yes, they're both fast, but the Vette is great on road trips we take with other Vette folks. The Vette is not exactly boring, but when I drive my SPF, my whole attitude changes(for the better). If you don't love what those 2 guys describe, stick with the Vette. I had the Vette first, and it just didn't have the muscle I longed for from the 60's. Hopefully I'll always have one of each.......good luck with your search. BTW, only you can decide!

Joe

[RangerMac]

Originally Posted by SP01715

Great description of both...

I concur. That was the best description.

[Backdraft73]

Originally Posted by JST4FUN

Backdraft73,

What STL Mark and Hal Copple's article says sums it up! I have both and use them quite differently. Yes, they're both fast, but the Vette is great on road trips we take with other Vette folks. The Vette is not exactly boring, but when I drive my SPF, my whole attitude changes(for the better). If you don't love what those 2 guys describe, stick with the Vette. I had the Vette first, and it just didn't have the muscle I longed for from the 60's. Hopefully I'll always have one of each.......good luck with your search. BTW, only you can decide!

Joe

Great points from everyone, I don't feel I would ever be bored of the vette, I plan to build it with and eforce supercharger, cam and headers making 650rwhp so that would never get old. I rode in a friends vette making 670rwhp and it was like a rocket ship. But as it has been stated there is nothing that I could drive on the road that I think would compare to the cobra.

I love old cars, I love the smell of the fumes and the feel that you have when you drive them, and with these cars they have today's technology combined with the old feel. I just want something that I can drive!! Keep your experience coming, I am shocked the amount of response I have gotten to this thread, thanks for the love.

[RICK LAKE]

Backdraft73 Time for the bad guy to tell you the dark side. Cobras have killed people, some are from the CC group over the years. There is a big different between a new vette and cobra. SAFETY, forgiveness and comforts is the main thing. Safety in a vette, airbags, traction control, powersteering, crush zones and abs. Cobras, alot have manual steering, manual brakes, questionable designs if the car is in an accident. No airbags. Large seat belts that will leave marks on you if you have an accident. A steel bar behind you unless you padded it to crack your head on in a frontend hit. I have seen cobras on there roofs, I have not seen vettes on there, wider car and more stable not to say it doesn't happen. A new vette cruises to the point you can almost fall asleep in with comfort, I don't think anyone on this forum has fallen asleep driving there cobra without being drunk or sleep depervation. Hal C. and couple of the other guys have covered alot of the in's and out's of owning a cobra. The problem I see is respect of this car with a high HP motor and light weight. You can get into trouble in the blink of an eye. If you are lucky and God is watching, you walk away, others have not been as lucky. I will tell you to treat this car like a loaded gun. Be careful, have fun but not get stupid and you will have many years of enjoyment. Small problem I didn't see in the thread, time split up between car, wife, kids, or worst girlfriend. This car will become the new misstress. Hope they understand this. Other thing is try not to smile too much after a road cruise. They will all think you where up to something wrong. This covers everything from icecream run to nooky run. Small side note, a 40+ year old cobra ran in the optimati challenge and outran all of the fastest cars in this event. It's not to say that cobra #3710 didn't have a little work done to the suspension, brakes and wheels but still beat some of the latest new cars. Cobras are the measuring stick for all other cars in the US. I hope you buy one, James Y. will do you right and take care of getting what you need to be safe and have alot of fun. Go to a couple of driving schools to brushup on your skills also. Rick L.

[Backdraft73]

Well put Rick and thank you for your insite.

[lamaluv]

Rick has it spot on. Take a driving school, preferably with your Cobra. Learn how dangerous these cars can be and how to handle them. My wife refers to my car as "the red headed mistress". Luckily she must enjoy threesomes as she does like sharing the fun with the Cobra.

Dick

[patrickt]

I don't think Backdraft73 really wants a Cobra. <honestly> It's like a lot of things in life; when you're sure, you're sure. When he comes knocking at our door, asking if the Cobra is right, we are morally obligated to turn him away. More than once, in fact. Eventually though, maybe, if he doesn't give up, and continues to knock at the door, we will let him in and talk with him about the Cobra experience. Maybe even put him on the path to obtaining a Cobra of his own. But until then, he is better off knocking at other doors as we will continue to tell him that the Cobra is not the right car for him. And by doing this, we are doing everyone a favor.

[Backdraft73]

Best post yet, Thanks

[lnfletcher]

Originally Posted by Backdraft73

I don't feel I would ever be bored of the vette,

Buy a vette.

[henrik]

Originally Posted by patrickt

I don't think Backdraft73 really wants a Cobra. <honestly> It's like a lot of things in life; when you're sure, you're sure. When he comes knocking at our door, asking if the Cobra is right, we are morally obligated to turn him away. More than once, in fact. Eventually though, maybe, if he doesn't give up, and continues to knock at the door, we will let him in and talk with him about the Cobra experience. Maybe even put him on the path to obtaining a Cobra of his own. But until then, he is better off knocking at other doors as we will continue to tell him that the Cobra is not the right car for him. And by doing this, we are doing everyone a favor.

Spot on !!!

I got a vette when I was 24 - but the raw cobra was what I really was after - for me a cobra is 100% toy, and as so often mentioned before - if you can't buy it cash - don't buy it.

I have "wasted" more than 1000 hours reading about the cobra - and wrote down my wish (build) list 50 times before I felt 100% sure that the cobra was the right thing for me... Don't rush into a cobra - you will sell it after less than a year

[SP01715]

Not rushing the decision is good advice. I always wanted a "Cobra", and once I figured out I really wanted to buy one I spent about 4 years looking at options. It came down to an SPF or SA built CSX. I thought alot about what I wanted out of the car, and how I wanted it set-up, and the SPF was the best choice for me.

I have had the car going on 5 years now, and I don't regret the purchase at all. This is the only "toy" I have owned that never gets old. Take your time, do your homework and look at different brands. If you rush into it and just buy the first car you look at you might regret it. Different people want different things from these cars. Find out what car is best for you.

You might find out that a Vette is the best choice.