What was your scariest cobra moment? - Page 3

Detroit Bill · #41 (**permalink**) 03-06-2015, 08:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MOTORHEAD

I sure hope no insurance agents are lurking on this thread ! Who started this anyway ?
Bill ? What do you do for a living Bill?

Well now that you mention it.....

Hotfingrs · #42 (**permalink**) 03-07-2015, 03:53 AM

BTW my second most scariest moment involved a cornfield at DVSF in 2003. Those that were there know what I'm talking about.

jeffgrice · #43 (**permalink**) 03-07-2015, 05:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Detroit Bill

My scariest cobra moment to date was writing the first check. Car is due in late April. I have read enough warnings "just remember the car wants to kill you" type stuff that I thought there must be a lot of good stories to go with those warnings.

The scariest moments I have had in a vehicle were on a motorcycle and thankfully they were near misses.

Detroit Bill,

Likely a similar story to many. Got to respect the power and understand the ramifications of a short wheel base car. From a rolling start jumped on the Cobra, hit second and the back end came around and I was driving in the opposite direction! Fortunately it was on an industrial road at 6am and no traffic. Once is enough!

BTW, check out Great Lakes Cobra Club - we'd love to have you join the group!! Great Lakes Cobra Club, Great Lakes Cobra Club

Jeff

Detroit Bill · #44 (**permalink**) 03-07-2015, 05:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeffgrice

Detroit Bill,

Likely a similar story to many. Got to respect the power and understand the ramifications of a short wheel base car. From a rolling start jumped on the Cobra, hit second and the back end came around and I was driving in the opposite direction! Fortunately it was on an industrial road at 6am and no traffic. Once is enough!

BTW, check out Great Lakes Cobra Club - we'd love to have you join the group!! Great Lakes Cobra Club, Great Lakes Cobra Club

Jeff

I already did Jeff. I am the Bill that was at the last meeting with my wife Teresa. Looking forward to future events after the most recent ice age ends.

G-Pete · #45 (**permalink**) 03-07-2015, 06:07 PM

No Bill, was not me. I'm a road course guy. As far I know the driver had just some minor scratches and a concussion.

Detroit Bill · #46 (**permalink**) 03-07-2015, 06:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by G-Pete

No Bill, was not me. I'm a road course guy. As far I know the driver had just some minor scratches and a concussion.

I suspect in addition to those injuries he may have crapped himself a bit.

fordracing65 · #47 (**permalink**) 03-07-2015, 11:15 PM

The day I rode in a Streetbeast, that was built by an idiot...

Blacklemming · #48 (**permalink**) 03-11-2015, 12:37 AM

This Saturday we did go out for a ride,
Just out of town we came to an intersection.
When we approached it we had to stop(cold engine so I was looking at the meters)
The light turns green.
When I look up the car in front of me was already moving so I take off.
There was a gap about 60 feet,I take off and notice a pick up standing at the intersection to turn right.
When I could see the white in his eyes, he takes off!
Front wheels locked up,pumpt the brakes and just missed him.

There was so much smoke I couldn't see a thing left or right

G.R. · #49 (**permalink**) 03-11-2015, 11:41 AM

My scariest was in the summer of '05. I was at the then Seattle International Raceway doing time runs on a 1 1/2 mile road course. I'd just re-done the suspension and had installed a full SPC adjustable A arm suspension and this was the 2nd time on the track with it.
It was my last of 3 runs and I was trying to beat my previous time. Came into a newly re-paved downhill right hand corner at around 80-85mph when there was like a screech and pop and the passenger side front end dropped way down , the car immediately dived to the infield and I had little control of it. Threw it out of gear, hit the 'kill switch' and went sliding broadside into the runoff area at about 70mph. I went thru the runoff gravel and into the grass/mud of the infield. The car lifted up on the driver side(according to a course official who told me afterwards, both drivers side wheels were about a foot off the ground) and I truly thought I was going to roll over.

When everything was all done I climbed out of the car, and in need of an underwear change...LOL. The course officials hauled me and the car back to the pit area. Turned out 2 adjustable heim joints had sheared off dropping the A arm and the coilover shock could not take the strain and blew out, later determined they were bad castings from SPC. SPC made it right replaced all 8 of them and two new coilovers.

Took about a day to clean out my shorts...LOL and a week or so to clean all the mud/grass/gravel off the undercarriage...

Bartruff1 · #50 (**permalink**) 03-11-2015, 11:45 AM

When I had paid $65,000 to the dealer and he went broke before I got my car...... I did get my car, finally.

Tenrocca · #51 (**permalink**) 03-12-2015, 05:01 PM

I was heading into the city to meet up with the new wife on our first anniversary. The darkest and angriest storm cloud Ive ever seen opened up above me out of nowhere with lightning and thunder all around, zero visibility, left the freeway aquaplaning sideways in attempt to seek shelter. Had to sit out the storm in a servo for an hour. No where near as scarey as the missus when I picked her up an hour late still soaking wet.

gjkrv8 · #52 (**permalink**) 03-12-2015, 07:49 PM

Mine was on the race track last year at our Aussie Cobra Nationals.

The sphincter was working overtime.

scroll forward to the 1 minute mark.

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6kSscmK6W2M[/ame]

cheers

Gregg

gthompson · #53 (**permalink**) 03-12-2015, 09:01 PM

The day that I got a 289 street car, I was showing my girlfriend how much easier it is to drive than a 427 Comp Car

I told her to drive it around the block to see for herself.
She gave it 3/4 throttle pulling out on a 3 lane road and proceeded to do a 180 heading for the stone wall running along the street.
I'm still not sure how she didn't drive through the wall

The best part was that I didn't have insurance on it yet

I told her that was good enough and that we could just leave it in the garage for a very long time. Lol

When we got home, she said that the wheels looked like they came off of a Model A Ford, that is why she got sideways

She said that it was safer driving the 427 because the wheels are 10x wider

zrayr · #54 (**permalink**) 03-13-2015, 01:43 AM

double post

zrayr · #55 (**permalink**) 03-13-2015, 01:45 AM

My scaryest, and happiest moment was riding in the 1st Cobra to hit town in 1965. I was 14. It actually got there the year before, but the Ford dealers son wrecked it the first day. It took a nearly a year to get it fixed I spend a lot of that year at the dealership pestering the mechanics to hurry up.

Z

Thor maine · #56 (**permalink**) 03-13-2015, 05:53 AM

One night out in my 427 Chevy powered HotRod that is shaped like a Cobra, I pulled into a Bank parking lot just to turn around. Well I guess I pulled to close to the (closed for the night) Bank building. The Rumble of the Big Block Chevy out thru the side pipes SET OFF THE BANK ALARM!!! The cops were there in a flash, guns drawn.

itstock · #57 (**permalink**) 03-13-2015, 03:08 PM

PSA: OLD PEOPLE SHOULD NOT DRIVE. Everyone over 60 should be tested at 60 then every 5 years to see if they are capable of driving a car. I know that is not going to be a popular opinion on this site!

An old lady in a late 90's suburban reversing across traffic definitely made for a pucker factor. I crossed the small median to avoid her as there was no traffic that I could see and came out with nothing more than an elevated heart rate.

It happened about a year ago, pretty over dramatic description by me...

The MS paint should clear most of it up, but I will give a synopsis. I was doing 65 when a green 1990's suburban did a u-turn in to my side of traffic. No problem, I'll slow down. So I let off the gas from my 65mph. The Suburban had completed it's u-turn and was straight in the far right side of the lane when all of a sudden, REVERSE REVERSE REVERSE!!!

WHAT THE ****! BRAKE!

I slammed on the brakes and the Suburban, seemingly stuck blocking both lanes left me little choices on where to go. No shoulder to the right, concrete low barrier to the left. The good news?? One car upcoming very far up ahead. So I let off the brakes, slid across the intersection where the suburban just made the u-turn probably 10 yards from it, got on the gas and got in to the clear lane.

The oncoming car clears the scene, I scoot back in to that closer oncoming lane, and slowly on an angle drive over the concrete to get out of any future oncoming traffic. Meanwhile, my panties are soiled and I continue driving to the closest intersection where I can turn in to a parking lot to check for damage. The suburban, still sideways in traffic in my rear view mirror.

No damage other than a couple scrapes on the bottom of the front nose and the bellhousing which are about 2" off the ground. No biggie, probably scraped before anyway. Then I see the suburban make a left and drive past where I was checking out my car. It keeps driving, and I follow. My intentions were not to yell or rage, just check out who was driving and figure out what the **** they were doing.

I follow the car which ends up going to the police station. Sweet, decent place. A 90ish (that's a guess) year old lady slowly steps out of the car, shaking, and on the verge of crying.

Her: "Im so sorry, I'm so sorry. My god, I'm so sorry."

Me: "We are both okay, it's no problem. It's just time that you really consider giving up your license."

Her: "I know I know."

Me: "Making the u turn is one thing, but putting it in reverse is a whole different thing. Just think about giving up your license."

Her: "I know, I should. I got dizzy after the turn, and I didn't mean to put it in reverse".

Her: "I'm so sorry. The lord was on both of our sides today, I'm just glad we are both okay."

She reaches over to shake my hand, and I shake back.

Me: "You're right, we are both fine. That's what matters. But some day we might not be so lucky, so just think about giving up your license"

Her: "I will, again, I'm so sorry."

I drive away. It pissed me off to no end. I bet she is still driving.

TN Shelby Cobra · #58 (**permalink**) 03-13-2015, 03:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by itstock

PSA: OLD PEOPLE SHOULD NOT DRIVE. Everyone over 60 should be tested at 60 then every 5 years to see if they are capable of driving a car. I know that is not going to be a popular opinion on this site!

An old lady in a late 90's suburban reversing across traffic definitely made for a pucker factor. I crossed the small median to avoid her as there was no traffic that I could see and came out with nothing more than an elevated heart rate.

It happened about a year ago, pretty over dramatic description by me...

The MS paint should clear most of it up, but I will give a synopsis. I was doing 65 when a green 1990's suburban did a u-turn in to my side of traffic. No problem, I'll slow down. So I let off the gas from my 65mph. The Suburban had completed it's u-turn and was straight in the far right side of the lane when all of a sudden, REVERSE REVERSE REVERSE!!!

WHAT THE ****! BRAKE!

I slammed on the brakes and the Suburban, seemingly stuck blocking both lanes left me little choices on where to go. No shoulder to the right, concrete low barrier to the left. The good news?? One car upcoming very far up ahead. So I let off the brakes, slid across the intersection where the suburban just made the u-turn probably 10 yards from it, got on the gas and got in to the clear lane.

The oncoming car clears the scene, I scoot back in to that closer oncoming lane, and slowly on an angle drive over the concrete to get out of any future oncoming traffic. Meanwhile, my panties are soiled and I continue driving to the closest intersection where I can turn in to a parking lot to check for damage. The suburban, still sideways in traffic in my rear view mirror.

No damage other than a couple scrapes on the bottom of the front nose and the bellhousing which are about 2" off the ground. No biggie, probably scraped before anyway. Then I see the suburban make a left and drive past where I was checking out my car. It keeps driving, and I follow. My intentions were not to yell or rage, just check out who was driving and figure out what the **** they were doing.

I follow the car which ends up going to the police station. Sweet, decent place. A 90ish (that's a guess) year old lady slowly steps out of the car, shaking, and on the verge of crying.

Her: "Im so sorry, I'm so sorry. My god, I'm so sorry."

Me: "We are both okay, it's no problem. It's just time that you really consider giving up your license."

Her: "I know I know."

Me: "Making the u turn is one thing, but putting it in reverse is a whole different thing. Just think about giving up your license."

Her: "I know, I should. I got dizzy after the turn, and I didn't mean to put it in reverse".

Her: "I'm so sorry. The lord was on both of our sides today, I'm just glad we are both okay."

She reaches over to shake my hand, and I shake back.

Me: "You're right, we are both fine. That's what matters. But some day we might not be so lucky, so just think about giving up your license"

Her: "I will, again, I'm so sorry."

I drive away. It pissed me off to no end. I bet she is still driving.

Old people over 60??????????? 60 come's faster then you think whippersnapper! LOL!!! I agree! the woman shouldn't be driving! We are going thru the same thing with my mother in law still driving!!!

Blue66 · #59 (**permalink**) 03-15-2015, 07:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TN Shelby Cobra

Old people over 60??????????? 60 come's faster then you think whippersnapper!

Yes it does !!!

Snake2998 · #60 (**permalink**) 03-15-2015, 09:34 AM

[quote=itstock;1342340]PSA: OLD PEOPLE SHOULD NOT DRIVE. Everyone over 60 should be tested at 60 then every 5 years to see if they are capable of driving a car. I know that is not going to be a popular opinion on this site!

Have to rise to the bait: Under 75 is no longer old for most people. I am 65 and enjoy taking my car on track whenever I can and still remain on pace.

I would bet that your old lady has been a bad driver all her life but yes there should certainly be some form of re-testing after 75 or 80. Against that my father in law is 92 and I would happily ride with him in his 400HP Mercedes.

The above reminds me of a classic family legend. My Grandfather was prone to falling asleep at the drop of a hat and on long trips on the main national route through the desert in their Morris Minor (he drove) he would tell my grandmother to take the wheel when he felt sleepy - she would reach over and steer and wake him up when he needed to brake - how he kept the throttle steady whilst sleeping I don't know. Of course in those days - early 1950's you only saw a couple of cars an hour and I guess their speed was below 50 MPH. Still, they regularly managed the 600 mile trip from Cape Town to Kimberley and back this way.