CSX 3170 @ Monterey

[Cobra #3170]

Warning, potentially boring and long post, read at your own risk

A chronology of what happened at the Monterey Reunion with CSX3170

Tuesday, Arrived at 1:00 PM to be assigned my pit space, we were all parked on “Cobra Row” so it was kind of a neat set up, we could have trailers but trucks had to go out on the Blue parking area.

Wednesday, Went through tech with no issues and then participated in a photograph with all the race cars and the historic cars, we drove around the track in a clock wise direction and got to buzz the tires a couple of times.

Thursday, Some of you will remember I had a very bad vibration problem, it was still there the first time I gassed it up the front straight in the first qualifying session. After 3 laps it really let go and the rear end locked up as I was passing two cars going into turn five sending me backwards off the road. Fortunately the other drivers I just passed missed me, and I was able to limp it off the track and back to the pits with all kinds of clunking and shuddering. It appears that it had some ring gear tooth damage and the track session finished it off. (One person in my vibration post said to check the gear, and he was right) The good news is now I know what it was, the bad news, only 3 laps of practice for the extremely old driver. Some very talented friends then put in a borrowed aluminum 3.54 differential for the next qualifying session and the race.

Friday, Went out in the qualifying session and found that the car broke loose so badly that I could not use anything below 3rd gear with out scaring myself half to death, the car did not feel like it's old self either but I guessed that it was just poor driving on my part and that retirement from driving would be a good idea after the race. We looked the car over after that session and determined that the new differential was slightly over filled and I was getting oil on my RH rear tire from the vent tube, we then added a vent catch can fashioned from a Coors beer can (we had lots of those). I also should mention that I missed a gear going into the Corkscrew and almost got the wall. I also spun to the inside of 11 and almost hit that wall. After seeing the oil I decided to put off my retirement for another time but still had no confidence in the car. At this point I was 11th out of 42. We saw a small coolant leak on the bottom of the expansion tank and although my friends told me to fix it I thought it was small enough to ignore, again a real demonstration of ignorance on my part.

Saturday, We got the car gassed and were waiting for the 1:00 PM race when all the guys around me put there suits on, what the heck, a qualifying race that I did not know about that determines the grid for the big race. I jumped in the car and got in line next to Bruce Canepa. I thought they just took lap times and gridded you accordingly (that is how it used to be when I was racing in the really old days) but as all of you know it is where you finish that matters. When the race started I let three or four cars go by assuming that I would get a gap a lay down a quick one Ha. Anyway the car started to feel pretty good other than spinning the tires from corner 11 until I chickened out at the top of the hill. I noticed that it would go anywhere I wanted to and that the new Wilwoods worked exceptionally well. I was a happy camper and started passing cars and going for it. Remember the small leak, well Shelby American had soldered a bung in the bottom of the expansion tank to hold the fan temperature switch, it decided that 47 years was long enough to be there and blew half way out of the tank spraying everything with water including me and the front tires. I then spun on my own water in 2 and decided to come in. We worked like dogs to re-solder the tank before the main race figuring it would be fun to pass some cars. We barely got done when they called the cars to grid, I got in and started the engine but noticed the alternator going nuts, it then died and as you know fuel injectors won't open below about 12.8 volts so we were out of the race! The water from the tank knocked out the alternators VR. Good News: The car had massive power everywhere and worked well on the vintage tires plus I did not smack any walls despite several attempts, I found the vibration and had a blast so it was a good event for me that could have been much worse, think Daytona Coupe.

[Jamo]

Bruce, it was great seeing you out there for the laps you did...wondered what happened. We were at the Flag Room by turn 5 when the Sat afternoon race was run.

Tough coming back over Pacheco to the heat, eh?

[gsharapa]

Great story..........sorry you missed the main race however!

[xb-60]

Ignored the warning....great first-hand commentary. Thanks!

[ERA Chas]

Originally Posted by Cobra #3170

It appears that it had some ring gear tooth damage and the track session finished it off. (One person in my vibration post said to check the gear, and he was right)

It gives me NO satisfaction to say that was me.
Been there, done that but spared your near tragic consequence.
The old sayings about the Nut Behind the Wheel and The Red Mist applied here-and at one (or unfortunately more) time or another we all made less than good judgements.
When I suggested it, I figured dropping the fluid and cover off the diff to look-see the R & P would be 5 minutes compared to the toil you already went through.
Glad the coolant snafu didn't get worse than a hair-raiser on track.
Hate to sound like a fanboy but I'm passionate about your car because I think it is a seminal example of what all Cobras (and their serious owners) should be. A constant work in progress to improve and compete against equipment four+ decades newer. Morris' car is the only other project I deeply respect but he started with a clean sheet of aluminum and you started with an early, original and valuable core.
When I found my broken ring gear, I went straight to Bontoft's heat treated and HD parts which proved bulletproof in my application. But I put nearly 150 less HP into them...
BTW Bruce, which 'vintage' tires did you compete on??

[fordracing65]

Your car is awesome and your awesome, I'm glad your ok and you got to race, if that car could tell stories, what a life, thanks for all the help on my build so far I really appreciate it, thanks for the race update, keep the posts coming...

[brandx]

That is one of the best posts I have ever read. Thank you very much for taking the time to write it. Am sorry for your trouble with the cobra.

[TimG427]

Thank you for the update. We arrived on Friday and the walk up and down the pits was amazing.

[Cobra #3170]

Originally Posted by brandx

That is one of the best posts I have ever read. Thank you very much for taking the time to write it. Am sorry for your trouble with the cobra.

Thank you, here are a couple of YouTube Video's showing two of my many screw ups with a little oil on the tires.

http://www.youtube.com/my_videos_edi...id=FzMrUZA-xsY

Cobra goes into auto rotation mode - YouTube

After watching this, I think it is time to retire the car for sure and probably me too.

[ERA Chas]

Originally Posted by Cobra #3170

After watching this, I think it is time to retire the car for sure and probably me too.

Say it ain't so.
The vibration was very evident in the second vid.

[computerworks]

First vid... bad link

Try this

Title(1/2) - YouTube

[JBCOBRA]

Yikes!!!
Is that where the expression "I'd rather be lucky than good" came from???
Whoa. That was 2 close ones.

[Cobra #3170]

Originally Posted by ERA Chas

It gives me NO satisfaction to say that was me.
Been there, done that but spared your near tragic consequence.
The old sayings about the Nut Behind the Wheel and The Red Mist applied here-and at one (or unfortunately more) time or another we all made less than good judgements.
When I suggested it, I figured dropping the fluid and cover off the diff to look-see the R & P would be 5 minutes compared to the toil you already went through.
Glad the coolant snafu didn't get worse than a hair-raiser on track.
Hate to sound like a fanboy but I'm passionate about your car because I think it is a seminal example of what all Cobras (and their serious owners) should be. A constant work in progress to improve and compete against equipment four+ decades newer. Morris' car is the only other project I deeply respect but he started with a clean sheet of aluminum and you started with an early, original and valuable core.
When I found my broken ring gear, I went straight to Bontoft's heat treated and HD parts which proved bulletproof in my application. But I put nearly 150 less HP into them...
BTW Bruce, which 'vintage' tires did you compete on??

Thanks for the kind words, should have listened to you but that JAG Diff is a real PITA to drop in this case took three guys to do it in 2 hours. I am going to put the original diff back in with HD guts like 31 spline stubs etc etc
I used GOODYEAR 8.00x15 and 7.00x15 in the softer compound

[ERA Chas]

Originally Posted by Cobra #3170

I am going to put the original diff back in with HD guts like 31 spline stubs etc etc

Hmmmm...that doesn't sound like both you and the car retiring-Whoopie!!

[lovehamr]

Bruce, thanks for posting the story and the links. I'm glad the car earned your confidence back!

[86Sebring]

wow, that second spin could have been costly..
great story, very exciting to watch

[ACBill]

Bruce, It was really great meeting and talking to you at the track, and was truly sorry to read here, of your problems continuing. I noticed your absence on Saturdays race, and wondered what had happened.. You were doing a great job, and driving the heck out of it, before the ghosts in the machine reared their ugly heads.

Thanks for the fantastic entertainment while it lasted!

[timothale]

I guess we should have looked for more soldered components when we spot brazed, then resoldered your original leaking gastank , what was that, 40 years ago ?

[mickmate]

I'm sure glad we swapped seats for this adventure.

[timothale]

When I fixed the original gas tank I filled it with water, heated the seams and wire brushed away all the solder then spot brazed it every 2 inches then resoldered over the top. I guess we should have kept looking for other potential problems. Tim.