Boy This Daytona Coupe Sounds Good!!

gsharapa · #1 (**permalink**) 12-30-2011, 07:31 PM

Goodwood Revival Meeting 2011 RAC Tourist Trophy Celebration (RAC TT race) Full HD! - YouTube

grybrd123 · #2 (**permalink**) 12-30-2011, 08:18 PM

It sure does. And it won. But which one of the six coupes is it? Or is it a close replica?

gryrd123

Lucia289 · #3 (**permalink**) 12-30-2011, 08:51 PM

CSX 2300

tickets already booked for 2012!!

mickmate · #4 (**permalink**) 12-30-2011, 09:45 PM

Those leaf sprung Cobras are the worst handling cars on the track! The back ends are all over the place. It never ceases to amaze me how well they do and the intestinal fortitude required to wheel them like that. Some hairy scary stuff, thanks for the link Gary.

FatBoy · #5 (**permalink**) 12-31-2011, 02:31 AM

Doug (767jockey) and I were there and it was spectacular to watch. I can't accept that they are the "worst handling cars" though. To be able to win in that company (cars and drivers) and in torrential rain, it had to handle well and I think it shows how good a well set up leaf sprung Cobra can go. It certainly wasn't just all about power.

Also, Eddie Cheever (Cobra #98) was spectacular off the start line, passing something like 6 or 7 cars before the first corner and improved his position further, even when the rain started to fall. Unfortunately, the car lost some places when a more cautious owner, Kevin Kivlochan took over the wheel and he had to look out the side window to see where he was going in the downpour.

Paul

xb-60 · #6 (**permalink**) 12-31-2011, 03:20 AM

Great footage! Thanks for posting the link.
That Daytona Cobra was skating on the limit even before it started raining. That they had the measure of their competitors with more sophisticated suspensions (OK, the period Ferraris have leaf sprung rear suspensions, but at least they weren't transverse leaf front and back, and taking the place of suspension wishbones) is amazing.
And yes, Kivlochan's #98 (COB6008) is fast in Cheever's hands.
Ain't it great that the owners of these almost priceless cars are willing to drive them, or have them driven, in such a way and in such conditions? Thankyou to them, and may it continue for a long, long time!
Cheers,
Glen

FatBoy · #7 (**permalink**) 12-31-2011, 03:38 AM

All the cars that were being driven hard were "skating" because the track was never dry throughout the race. The issue was one of traction, not "handling".

I'll talk to Kevin next week and get his perspective on it.

Incidentally, Kevin's car had only just come out of a lengthy and very expensive restoration, which saw it restored to Angolan Grand Prix winning specification, including louvred hood. Unfortunately, it picked up some battle scars in Cheever's hands at Goodwood. Fortunately, they weren't any where near as bad as Berger inflicted on GPG 4C at the same event.

Paul

lovehamr · #8 (**permalink**) 12-31-2011, 07:07 AM

Excellent video, had to watch the whole thing. Thanks.

JBCOBRA · #9 (**permalink**) 12-31-2011, 07:20 AM

Excellente'
They were working that Coupe. Sounds awesome.
Loved it!
Happy New Year
JB

mickmate · #10 (**permalink**) 12-31-2011, 07:22 AM

Don't worry Paul I love them as much as any of us

I'm saying the lousy handling apparently has no effects on the finish rankings. I have driven a few leaf sprung cars and can feel the top of the trunnions moving around on the corners, and that's only driving them slowly. It makes me very respectful of the level of nerve and skill they had and I'm in awe of seeing them still being put through their paces today. That track doesn't look like it has very long straightaways where the Daytona could make best use of what it was built for? It still won

FatBoy · #11 (**permalink**) 12-31-2011, 10:20 AM

Hi Nick,

Gerry at Hawk Cars makes new front uprights for the leaf sprung cars that I believe most of the racers use, maybe they account for some if not all of the improvement.

Paul

mickmate · #12 (**permalink**) 12-31-2011, 01:24 PM

I have a couple of versions of them here original style and adjustable. There are something like 9 different front springs available with only 1 for the rear. That might explain a thing or two about rear end wobbles huh :-)

Riverside racer · #13 (**permalink**) 12-31-2011, 02:06 PM

Some on board camera shots
2011 Goodwood Revival - Royal Automobile Club TT Celebration Part 1/2 [HD] - YouTube

2011 Goodwood Revival - Royal Automobile Club TT Celebration Part 2/2 [HD] - YouTube

Even back in the day, leafs were taken out on certain tracks to change characteristics.
We also cast and machine our own uprights, trunnions etc but use adjustable control arms a la 2431 for easier set up.Unfortunately don`t sell spares at this point as we are struggling to keep up with production.
Ross