Black Pipes or Not?

[RACERAL]

My car will be black this time and I am going black pipes. Black wall tires, chrome roll bar. Not sure about bumpers yet or quickjacks

[Buzz]

You've got the Photoshop skills to experiment with the look so pick the one you want and don't look back. Others will have different opinions but you're the one driving the car.

As for opinions - for me, I'd say ditch the second roll bar - its an eyesore and more of a hazard than anything else unless you make your significant passenger wear a helmet. But that's only one man's opinion and you know what they say about opinions... Do what you think looks best. Enjoy the heck out of your Cobra!

[Ray1960]

Ceramic air dry, just paint my other set with Black Glacier 7600 , they look awsome, will have pics soon.

[gthompson]

I have a red Cobra like yours and I have the black pipes, roll bar and quick jacks and I like the way that it looks
I have a picture of it in my album here

Like everyone else has said
It's your decision and do what makes you happy

[Springbok]

Originally Posted by Bernica

I recently bought a set of Classic Chambered exhaust mufflers and accessories (non packed) and wondering same thing. With the blue car, I always thought white was right, but wondered about maintenance...

Yeah, the white would look killer. The maintenance would be a concert for me as well, but it looks SO good!

[Springbok]

Originally Posted by Buzz

You've got the Photoshop skills to experiment with the look so pick the one you want and don't look back. Others will have different opinions but you're the one driving the car.

As for opinions - for me, I'd say ditch the second roll bar - its an eyesore and more of a hazard than anything else unless you make your significant passenger wear a helmet. But that's only one man's opinion and you know what they say about opinions... Do what you think looks best. Enjoy the heck out of your Cobra!

How is the second roll bar a hazard? My daughter is 12, my son is 14 and my lady won't ride in the car without it. I also don't drive it hard on the street, thats what tracks are for.

[RodKnock]

Originally Posted by Springbok

How is the second roll bar a hazard? My daughter is 12, my son is 14 and my lady won't ride in the car without it. I also don't drive it hard on the street, thats what tracks are for.

In an accident where whiplash occurs, an unprotected head will likely impact the roll bar. Wearing a helmet and padding the roll bar will kinda help. Of course, there's zero side impact protection and no front or rear crumple zones, so the car is completely unsafe, especially with 24-42 gallons of gas right behind the cockpit. So the 2nd roll bar is really just there to make driver and occupants feel better about the decision to drive the car on the road.

[DanEC]

Originally Posted by RodKnock

Of course, there's zero side impact protection and no front or rear crumple zones, so the car is completely unsafe, especially with 24-42 gallons of gas right behind the cockpit. So the 2nd roll bar is really just there to make driver and occupants feel better about the decision to drive the car on the road.

OK - now I understand the low use on your Kirkham.

Actually, I'm pretty paranoid driving mine, sometimes feel I could die at any moment due to a distracted driver.

[Jaydee]

I'd prefer black otherwise chrome, Not dull silver. I painted my wheels fake silver chrome when I was 16, some one laughed at me at the traffic lights.
JD

[1795]

That's the nice thing about these cars being loud; it is more difficult to miss these small cars because you hear them coming a mile away

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by DanEC

OK - now I understand the low use on your Kirkham.

Actually, I'm pretty paranoid driving mine, sometimes feel I could die at any moment due to a distracted driver.

RodKnock is right about the roll bars. On the street, an unpadded roll bar is more dangerous than no roll bar at all. When I think back on all the Cobra accidents we've had on here for the last decade, I can only think of one street roll over (and it was more of a "roll on to the side"). OTOH, I can think of a couple of front end, and rear end, pops where the occupants whacked their heads in to the roll bar. I can remember one where the guy hit the curb in front of the country club and the BFT to the head put him in the ER. Remember, BFT is a BFD.

[Chilibit]

Kirkey Drag buckets are what I have always used given the potential to back into the Armco at speed. I pulled the leather seats and stored them early on. The high backs help with wind down your neck when it is below freezing also. Sitting on bare aluminum puts you into the right mood to think about driving. In deference to the OP, black.

[Springbok]

I have ridden motorcycles since I was 5. I treat this car just like a motorcycle. I assume everyone doesn't see me and I drive on the offense all the time. And just like a motorcycle, when things go wrong you have zero protection, just like this car. They aren't built for safety in any way shape or form...much like a motorcycle. They are dangerous cars and should be driven with that in the back of your mind all the time. If a passenger can be hurt by the roll bar so can the driver, so why not take both bars out? By doing so you're assuming one type of accident over another. You can slice it a million ways because no accident is like the other. Maybe hitting your head on the roll bar is better then hyperextending your neck when there is no roll bar? Yes bucket seats that wrap all the way up behind your head are better for rear impacts but unless you are wearing a HANS device, a frontal impact to a tree will be a bad situation. So in the end, it just comes down to where you want to place your bets.

And yes...I know this is my car and I should do what I want to it...so back to the pipes...I'm still gonna wait till I put the black quick jacks on and see what that would look like. I have seen several examples of black pipes and chrome bars that look nice, there can be a good balance.

[eschaider]

The external side pipe dress, either black or ceramic is really a personal preference call as many have already suggested. The underhood headers from the engine to the side pipes are to your distinct advantage to keep ceramic coated. The ceramic coating will significantly lower underhood temperatures and also foot box temperatures. Both the driver and the engine will be happier.


Ed

[Millsy]

Originally Posted by Springbok

I have ridden motorcycles since I was 5. I treat this car just like a motorcycle. I assume everyone doesn't see me and I drive on the offense all the time. And just like a motorcycle, when things go wrong you have zero protection, just like this car. They aren't built for safety in any way shape or form...much like a motorcycle. They are dangerous cars and should be driven with that in the back of your mind all the time. If a passenger can be hurt by the roll bar so can the driver, so why not take both bars out? By doing so you're assuming one type of accident over another. You can slice it a million ways because no accident is like the other. Maybe hitting your head on the roll bar is better then hyperextending your neck when there is no roll bar? Yes bucket seats that wrap all the way up behind your head are better for rear impacts but unless you are wearing a HANS device, a frontal impact to a tree will be a bad situation. So in the end, it just comes down to where you want to place your bets.

And yes...I know this is my car and I should do what I want to it...so back to the pipes...I'm still gonna wait till I put the black quick jacks on and see what that would look like. I have seen several examples of black pipes and chrome bars that look nice, there can be a good balance.

Great post, avid motorcycle rider here and EVERYONE is out to kill you so the only person u can trust is yourself, NO ONE ELSE IS TO BE TRUSTED EVER!!

[Springbok]

Originally Posted by eschaider

The external side pipe dress, either black or ceramic is really a personal preference call as many have already suggested. The underhood headers from the engine to the side pipes are to your distinct advantage to keep ceramic coated. The ceramic coating will significantly lower underhood temperatures and also foot box temperatures. Both the driver and the engine will be happier.


Ed

Headers and pipes are currently ceramic coated for that reason. I would just paint over the pipes and leave the headers until the mis match makes my OCD tweak out again

[wkooiman]

Mine are recent classic chambered replacements too.

The weld is rusting a bit, probably because it's rough, so it's tough to get paint in all the little bumps. The rest is holding up surprisingly well.

Flat black definitely looks great on red. Silver looks best with blue - my opinion.

[moore_rb]

Originally Posted by Bernica

I recently bought a set of Classic Chambered exhaust mufflers and accessories (non packed) and wondering same thing. With the blue car, I always thought white was right, but wondered about maintenance...

JMHO, but white side pipes would look bad-ass on your car...

[twin turbo]

For comparison sake, here is an old pic of my car red with black accents including pipes.

[40k Later]

Since you asked opinions.... I say no to black side pipes.