Driving at 100 mph +

Cobra428 · #1 (**permalink**) 03-06-2003, 05:20 PM

How is it driving a Cobra at over 100? I have never driven a Cobra but I have driven a Viper. Hated it. It was an R/T. The back end broke loose extremely easily and the noise at over 100 was terrible. I did take the car up to 135 but it was out of the sheer determination to do it! The wind noise and buffeting beat the hell out of me. This in comparison to my 2001 Porsche 911 C4 which I have no problem driving at 100+ and have had up to 160.

decooney · #2 (**permalink**) 03-06-2003, 05:38 PM

A lot more noise in a Cobra at 100+ than a Viper. You can hear the wind in a Viper. Much less wind noise in the Cobra to be heard with the sidepipes roaring like a beast and drowning it out! Especially when driving WFO.

agro1 · #3 (**permalink**) 03-06-2003, 05:58 PM

Up to about 130 mine solid as a rock. At 140 the front end starts to get light. At 150 it becomes very light, steering is mushy and light and the nose starts to rise. Over 150 and it's hit or miss; tire contact patch is minimal and there is allot of play in the steering wheel. At 150 in 5th gear I am turning about 4000 revs and it is still pulling as hard as it does in 3rd. It could top out much higher but it is not safe at all to do so. At that speed the front end could come off the ground and as soon as that happens your DEAD.

The wind noise is tremendous and you really need some sort of ear and face protection when traveling that fast for any extended period of time. I used to race Viper GTS-R's and they are totally different compared to a Cobra. There is no comparison. With a 90" wheelbase, 535 hp and c.2500 lbs; my backend gets loose if I do a quick 4-3 downshif and stand on it...

You have to manhandle these cars, the exact opposite of a Porsche. Ideally everyone should have both

RallySnake · #4 (**permalink**) 03-06-2003, 06:35 PM

I agree with Duane and Agro 1, the car is a beast. I just returned from a 4000 mile trip in my Arntz with the Butler hard top on it and much of it was at 100+.

The procedure is this:

1. Glasses must be spotless.
2. Polish the Lexan windshield until it's perfectly clear.
3. If you're traveling toward the sun, prepare strips of duct tape as a visor.
4. Take the wallet out and put it in the side pocket so my big rear will fit in the seat.
5. Tighten down the 3 inch harness until you cannot move.
6. Check the Valentine 1 and the radio scanner are on.
7. Roll the ear plugs into tight little cylinders and insert them.
8. Fire it up and hold on!

Seriously, driving the Cobra at high speed requires really good eyesight and really good tires. My Hoosier race tires used to drive me crazy, jerking the car around. The Toyo Proxys are a revelation. Straight and smooth. The noise from my Jag-you-are differential and the wind are the real limiting factors. At 160, all you can see is the sky.

Paul

Excaliber · #5 (**permalink**) 03-06-2003, 07:01 PM

Top speed on my Excal was about 115 at the end of the straight at the track. I never made a high speed run on a highway. Even at that, it FELT like WAY more. Dam, I can't imagine taking a Cobra to 150, lol. I had my Jaguar up to 135 and would reach down to "tweak" the air conditioning or change the radio station, solid as a rock.

Ernie

Scott Mc. · #6 (**permalink**) 03-06-2003, 07:43 PM

I heard it told once that the aerodynamics of the cobra make it hit a wall (top speed) of 160, but that the racers that wanted to go above that created the "fastback" body on these things.

If I blink too slowly I am at 100. No opportunity to get beyond that....yet!

wilf leek · #7 (**permalink**) 03-07-2003, 06:39 AM

I did once get mine to around 160mph.

It was VERY LOUD INDEED. Although I have to say the front end stayed well planted.

The only thing I could think of at the time was pondering on the strength of those tiny little screws that hold the windshield to the frames, and what the wind pressure on that screen was!
I have not repeated this since. LOL

Clois Harlan · #8 (**permalink**) 03-07-2003, 07:01 AM

138 mph on the straight away between turns 4 and 1 at Gateway in St. Louis. On final lap I avoided the infield road course and opted for the high banks of turn 1 rather than making the infield road course. Cobra was comfortable but after that run I decided to upgrade my brakes.

Clois

Jake · #9 (**permalink**) 03-07-2003, 10:10 AM

While passing a group of 4 cars last September on a 2-lane road I down shifted and got around the entire group of cars. The strange thing was that I started to feel the suspension work, this was a first. I then looked over at my wife, who was holding on with her eyes bulging and said what? She said that when we got around the 4th car we were doing 120mph. Hmmmm I guess I was to busy watching the road to watch the speedo. The car was actually very tight and stable at speed, no complaints here!

Jake

Ron61 · #10 (**permalink**) 03-07-2003, 11:12 AM

Well my car won't go that fast so I don't have to worry about it. But on the other hand I bet all of your insurance companies are enjoying reading these posts.

Ron

agro1 · #11 (**permalink**) 03-07-2003, 12:08 PM

The insurance comnpanies can kiss my A$$...Their profit margins are huge and they're nothing but a bunch of bean counters - IMO.

Jamo · #12 (**permalink**) 03-07-2003, 03:09 PM

Driving a cobra at 100+? Assolutely wonderful. Pat, Turk and yours' truly driving through the desert towards the Sierras at a sustained 140+ and more (me--playing catchup to those two BB monsters in my Butler) was just flat nirvana. Doing a bit of it with RallySnake going to Vegas on 15 for short spurts--oh my...

Not the 92 Vette I drove easily over 150 whenever the road opened up--it simply got better. Not the Audi A6 4.2 at speed--you don't even feel it. Nope--driving the Cobra at speed is like sex with an inflammed lover--gives it right back to you!

KobraKarl · #13 (**permalink**) 03-07-2003, 03:26 PM

After I had my car a couple weeks I was not too happy with its twitchy steering , the fact the car was always 'hunting" on the freeway, and that it took so much attention even under undemanding circumstances. So one day I turned on to a particularly long freeway on-ramp (1/2 mi.+)and finding it emty,decided to let out the dogs ................wound it up in third , took a peek at the speedo and to my surprize saw the needle passing 120 ...the weird thing was ,the car never felt better! she just sat right down .....no twitch, no shake ......just ...................smoooooooooooooth

KobraKarl · #14 (**permalink**) 03-07-2003, 03:40 PM

UUU HMMMMMMM.........Just like a fine misstress should.

good2go · #15 (**permalink**) 03-07-2003, 08:33 PM

In one word-"EXPENSIVE" LOL

Dave # 88

cdog · #16 (**permalink**) 03-07-2003, 08:41 PM

There are two tricks to driving both Vipers and Cobras very fast...

#1 A good full face helmet
#2 Earplugs

You'll hardly notice the speed... Not that a big-block at 4800 rpms steady is something that can totally be drowned out.

As to top speed, I heard that the open Cobras turned 190+ at LeMans...and that was with a puny 500 hp or so, and I know MANY of you have that much HP at least. I'm sure someone can do a quick top speed calc based on their 1/4 mile times, HP, gearing...

The general thought is that the Cobra body has bad aerodynamics above 145... Porsches, Vipers, etc. are pretty much rock solid though, I've been in a few up near 170. We have a guy around here with a twin turbo Viper that says he routinely hits 200 mph on public roads...Maybe youve seen it, its got the American Flag/Eagle flames, been in a few mag articles.

Heres a link
http://www.supervipersystems.com/Upg...stage_iii.html

kountzecobra · #17 (**permalink**) 03-07-2003, 08:46 PM

Well, I just didn't know these little old cars would go over 100mph! What a surprise!

Mark Husar · #18 (**permalink**) 03-07-2003, 09:06 PM

The roads around my home are really tore up! 2-3 " potholes and lift/drops are common. I got mine up to app. 125 and shut it down. It was being thrown all over the place, and I feared the backend would break free and I'd be doing donuts in the dirt.
I haven't tried it since then.

RallySnake · #19 (**permalink**) 03-10-2003, 02:16 PM

Jamo,

I wish I could have done the Death Valley run with you guys. What a blast that must have been!

The last time I came through there, Was on the 2000 Starlite Rally. I was escorting a rally teamate with a sick Jaguar S-Type. He had jumped some railroad tracks and hit hard on the landing and the car spewing out transmission oil. There is no transmission dipstick on the Jag and you cannot refill it from the top. We had to hold an even 70 mph to keep the Jag moving. I didn't want to leave him alone in the vastness of the place in case it quit. Got to Las Vegas, OK.

Paul

Russ Dickey · #20 (**permalink**) 03-10-2003, 04:00 PM

I think the fastest documented top speed that I have ever heard of in an open 427 S/C Cobra was posted by famous Cobra racer Dick Smith in CSX3035. He hit 198mph at Daytona (thus the number on his car that he uses at all the vintage races). Scary.