Safety: Cobra vs C2 Vette or other cars

[the shadow]

Originally Posted by twobjshelbys

Remember that these are street versions of racing cars. Even the original street cars had no additional body safety features. The Cobra was a surround designed to push an engine around a track. Everything else was to support that mission. Race drivers were paid to take those risks, and some paid dearly.

truer words have never been said, my uncle lost his life in an open cockpit race car in the 50's (no roll bars) but the sport evolved from those brave men losing their lives. I have road many motorcycles and raced many types of cars over the years and have always felt comfortable in the vehicles I was in, mainly because I built and maintained them, I knew every nut bolt and part of the car. I always respected the power of an engine and no matter how powerful it is the street/track is always the equalizer be it traction, crappy road surface, changing road surface, weather conditions,traffic and congestion and just other drivers. you may have the mindset and skill of of road racer but the guy in the other lane does not. My late uncle always said he felt safer on the track then on a street because on the track he knew everyone else has the same mindset as him. I see no reason for car makers to produce 800+ horsepower cars were the hell are you gonna use 800+ hp on the road and the average joe who never had that kind of power will end up wrapped around a tree within weeks of getting it because they think they have to use the 800 hp.
just respect your car and its power, drive defensively but not so defensive that you forget to enjoy the ride.

[1795]

Originally Posted by AdamIsAdam

Yea, that's the part that I am curious about. I have to go play with it in controlled spaces. But the tires are hard so it just slides around mostly, which is fun, but then again not. It's like spinning tires in the rain. Sure, that was fun in my mother's Catalina when I was 16, but when you have real power or are trying to actually HAVE traction, it gets old fast.

I may have to go for a ride after work tonight!

Adam,

The really scary thing is when you suddenly go from not having traction to having it and then lurch forward suddenly in the direction that the front wheels are pointed. Which may not be where you want to go based upon the circumstances.

Jim

[twobjshelbys]

Originally Posted by 1795

Adam,

The really scary thing is when you suddenly go from not having traction to having it and then lurch forward suddenly in the direction that the front wheels are pointed. Which may not be where you want to go based upon the circumstances.

Jim

Everyone should take a high performance driving class that includes time on a skid pad. Bondurant (no longer in business) had a 1 hour session with vehicles with hydraulic lifts to take wheels up to simulate skid conditions. It was enlightening!

[AdamIsAdam]

Ah yes, I've done the skidpad thing in a Miata while at Limerock. That was cool. Plus numerous HPDE days. I'm debating taking the cobra to an autocross event if the pandemic will ever end!

[1795]

Originally Posted by twobjshelbys

Everyone should take a high performance driving class that includes time on a skid pad. Bondurant (no longer in business) had a 1 hour session with vehicles with hydraulic lifts to take wheels up to simulate skid conditions. It was enlightening!

Tony,

You are very correct. At my road race driver's school (Bertil Roos) they used specially modified Mazda sedans that had the rear axle modified so that the wheels would turn like the front wheels. You would start out with the wheels locked on the road course and then the instructor would tell us to take the course at 30 mph and he would unlock the rear, which would start initiating a skid and you had to keep the car on the road course for the fun lap. It was hard, but not too hard at 30mph, next time we had to speed up to 45mph and all hell broke loose. Went off track the first lap several times, but once i got it down could go through an entire lap with the rear end sliding like you were drifting the entire course.

Adam,

They are doing track days at Lime Rock and Wants Glen, just no spectators and limited crew. Not quite sure about autocross.

Jim

[t walgamuth]

We are autocrossing in the midwest! I have done at least 6 events this year. I am headed to Grissom on Sunday.....did last week at South Bend at the tire rack test track....

Woo Hoooo!

[AdamIsAdam]

Yea, the local PCA chapter is auto-crossing here in NY. I may go. I was still keeping my distance from large gatherings though. And then there's the need for new tires too.

Hey, this thread got pretty popular. A little off track now, but popular nonetheless.

[t walgamuth]

We have had up to 130 attend this year. Spacing is not a problem. Lots of people are wearing masks too. there is almost always a breeze too.