What do you do with your Cobra on a rainy day?

speed220mph · #1 (**permalink**) 07-02-2003, 01:39 PM

When the weather not nice, I take the opportunity to do those little things I've been putting off since I can't drive my Cobra. Today it's lash the valves on the old 427 SO; 0.025 in., a little tight on the intakes and a little loose on the exhausts.

Spoony · #2 (**permalink**) 07-02-2003, 02:06 PM

I sit in my garage, smoke a quality cigar and stare at the beast...My mechanic would kill me if I even opened the hood....!!!

Charlie · #3 (**permalink**) 07-02-2003, 02:11 PM

Tom,
We have had so many rainy days this year on the east coast, you should have all those little things wrapped up by now!

Charlie

speed220mph · #4 (**permalink**) 07-02-2003, 03:31 PM

After all the miles ERA409 accumulate at the events in Columbus, I needed a rainy day to keep me in the shop and get some maintenance work done. I agree, though. We've had more than our share of rain. Just hoping it's nice for a cruise on the 4th, then a trip to VIR weekend after next with Raceral's group.

RallySnake · #5 (**permalink**) 07-02-2003, 03:50 PM

Tom,

I put the hardtop on and "keep on truckin'". You can see recent shots of the June 21st rally in my pictures section.

Paul

427 S/O · #6 (**permalink**) 07-02-2003, 04:12 PM

Park it', pick up a six pack and rent a couple of good westerns.......

Tom Wells · #7 (**permalink**) 07-02-2003, 05:39 PM

Hey Tom,

What did we do in the rain all day on June 19th?

Drove the Cobra to the Fling, of course! 400++ miles...

Along with Hersh in his '40 and nearly a dozen CACC carzies (that's crazies too!) in their Cobras!

No tops, no nuthin, no wussies!

Tom

RACERAL · #8 (**permalink**) 07-02-2003, 06:00 PM

Don't ya just love it when all your "honey doo's" are all caught up and its just you and your cobra... doing a little bonding!!!!

speed220mph · #9 (**permalink**) 07-02-2003, 07:36 PM

Hey Tom . . . Wells, that is: I remember Hersh telling me about you guys hunkered down behind your windshields while he's sitting in his dry climate-controlled GT40 cockpit listening to his favorite CDs and admiring your grit.

There should be a special award given to you guys, much like motorcycling's OIBs, or Order of the Iron Buttocks.

DanElam · #10 (**permalink**) 07-03-2003, 02:02 PM

Drive faster so that the rain doesn't hit you.

kevinR · #11 (**permalink**) 07-03-2003, 02:27 PM

if i'm at the race track - race rain or shine.

if it's the street car - i will run rain or shine

Randy Resetar · #12 (**permalink**) 07-03-2003, 04:03 PM

RAIN...What's that

The last time It rained was..uummm, feb or march. I can't remember. But it is 111 today, The bummer is it's too HOT to sit in the garage and admire it...RR

flipper35 · #13 (**permalink**) 07-03-2003, 04:05 PM

I sometimes put the top on, but most times it isn't worth the hassle. Iv'e been caught in the rain on the bike too. So you get a little wet. Now that I am in the Imperial Valley, I don't even carry the top with me since it rains so little.

Fred Douglass · #14 (**permalink**) 07-03-2003, 04:20 PM

April-May was RAINY in New England---so up goes the soft-top, on go the side curtains (net effect=cutting down moisture content of cockpit by......let's say.......35%

). then I cuts out to Brewster and the like (Outer Cape towns with almost zero traffic) and...(seriously)...practice drifting, apex selection, braking, heel-and-toeing (impossible for a newfie!) and then read some more Carrol Smith's "Drive to Win". A wet twistie is (odd as this may sound) a nifty way to simulate going 30 mph faster on the same road, dry. Lotsa leather-treatment (saddle-soap) means any encrouching moisture just beads up. Interesting, these "front-mid-engined" Butlers---they don't u/steer nor o/steer----they just add radius---very controllable, very forgiving. Now....back to heel-and-toe!

Tom Wells · #15 (**permalink**) 07-03-2003, 06:15 PM

Hi speed220mph,

I knew there was something weird about that Hersh guy

You shoulda been with me when my wipers quit for the third time

I had four wet surfaces including my glasses

The rain "wraps around" and what doesn't hit you in the back of the head goes to the inside of the windshield. Did AC plan it this way

I have to say that my bride/copilot never uttered a complaint

Thankfully the rest of the trip was glorious sunshine - the "Jenny Effect" no doubt

Charlie · #16 (**permalink**) 07-03-2003, 10:36 PM

Tom Wells,
I noticed that too while driving in the rain. The water wrapped over the windshield and rolled down the inside of the glass. The wipers weren't worth a damn . . . apparently they were installed on the wrong side for this car!

Excaliber · #17 (**permalink**) 07-04-2003, 12:03 AM

It was raining so hard here the other day I stopped to put the top AND the side windows on. Drive on.

Ernie

Hal Copple · #18 (**permalink**) 07-04-2003, 06:43 AM

It doesn't make any difference to me, i just put the top on, and back out of the garage. I do Rain-X the windshield, though. Helps a lot, i don't run my wipers much, even though they actually work quite well.

Jack21 · #19 (**permalink**) 07-04-2003, 01:57 PM

Top and sidecurtains stow neatly in the trunk. Defroster and wipers work OK. With the right tires that stick wet or dry, you drive the car. A towel or two for where water leaks in at the edges of the windshield helps.

Had a design all worked out for a flap on the hoodscoop to keep water off distributor and air cleaner for really heavy downpours. Don't need it. Engine heat evaporates any water on dist and air filter.

And on June 19th it rained and thunderstormed all the way from just South of DC, all the way to the Ohio State line. We stayed somewhat mostly dry, and the 17" tires stuck to the twisty windy roads in PA, and WV. Even passing semi's at 75 - 80 MPH, not a hint of hydroplaning or instability. I was impressed.

Highland Daytona Racing · #20 (**permalink**) 07-08-2003, 10:41 PM

Well Gentlmen, I light up my fresh Avo Balicoso, and drive my Daytona!

Rick Ellis
HDR