How do Cobras handle?

[hotrodman]

I have never driven one myself, so I wonder what they feel like. I look in the cockpit and see a big wooden steering wheel, so it makes me think "These things must be a handful". But I am pretty sure thats not the case. How is the steering feel?

btw, I am talking about AC-type Cobras, not the mustang variety.

[Jamo]

Excellent. Obviously, it depends on your components and how you set it up, but they are really good.

Just came back from driving some foothill roads to get out of the fog here, and every time I drive this thing I'm impressed all over again. With the arruminum BB up front, it's basically 50/50 weight distribution. I'm running Penski racing shocks and Big Letter Eagles rains, so control and grip are damn near perfect. Tom Kirkham has estimated that with the Big Letters, 1g and more on their cars is expected, and I have no reason to doubt that. I ran a C4 Vette for a good number of years in open track, autocross and about 80K of open road miles, and I think the Cobra is more precise and forgiveable at the limit...IF you respect it! Do something stupid with the increased power/lower weight, and you will have totally screwed the equation. "Roll on" the gas and the brakes.

Different makes handle differently. My Butler (now Fred's) was wonderful...more engine setback which made it truly mid-engined. I personally think it would outhandle the Kirkham if it were set up the same (shocks and tires). FFRs benefit from all manner of upgrades available to Mustang go-fast suspension pieces.

I'm sure others will chime in with their experiences. Welcome to CC.

[clayfoushee]

Well put by Jamo. If set up properly with the right tires, IRS all the way around, coil overs and good shocks, they handle extremely well. I can only underscore what he said about respecting the power and light weight combo. With BB torque, it doesn't take much effort to break the rear end loose, and the short wheel base causes everthing to happen very fast.

[RACERAL]

where in va are you located.. its a gang of cobras around Richmond,DC and on the Carolina line

[Jack21]

Like Jamo said, it all depends on what yo use for suspension components, brakes, wheels, and tires.

So many guys spend so much money on the biggest, baddest engine and consider handling as an afterthought. Since many kits use '74 - '78 Mustang II front ends, and late '79 - up rear ends (4 bolt wheels - drum brakes) ; the car has the street manners of a AA Fueler, and the handling of a logging truck. It's easy to spot these. They're on eBay, with less than 2,000 miles, and priced very low.

Done right; a little conservative on the engine, and the "Big Bucks" spent on cooling system and suspension, wheels, and tires; these cars handle beautifully! Comfortable enough for over the road trips, and corner like roller coasters.

The crime of it all, is most kit manufacturers don't tell you how to put good suspensions in these things, or where to get the components from. Hang out here, and ask, and we'll tell you how to build it, and where to get the components from so it will handle, and your car won't wind up on eBay cheap.

My CR? I couldn't ask for a better handling car! Every time I get behind the wheel, fire up the engine, and back it out of the garage, I think this is car Heaven.

If you start looking at a Mustang suspension car, I'll tell you what I put in mine to make it handle so well.

[Jack21]

Didn't notice you were in Virginia. Capital Area Cobra Club has about 30 cars now, mine being one. Probably half are FFR's, but there's a smattering of all makes from one CSX4000, to two Classic Roadsters, and one Excaliber (a factory built Classic Roadster).

We'll give you the ride of your life man! See when, and where the Snakes all gather at capitalareacobraclub.com.

[hotrodman]

Hey guys, thanks for all the welcomes. These cars really have no equal. Hey Jack and RacerAl, I live in Winchester, VA. I like taking trips to SummitPoint which is about 10 miles from my house. I'll check out the capitalareacobraclub too.

[badrich]

Hotrodman: The comments before mine are very good indeed. There appears to be a wide variety of cars out there that *look* like Cobras at first glance. But engines, running gear and suspension vary considerably. Some are close to the originals, which is important to many, but the most important feature to me is balance. My Contemporary has XKE independent suspension, which made it earier to set up my neutral handling, which is what I like in a performance car. That big 16" steering wheel is a holdover from the originals, but today most replicas use the 15" model. Still looks "correct'' but you bang your knuckles on the bodywork less. By the way, when you say "Cobra" on this forum, we know which Cobra you mean.

[maxrpm]

Hotrodman, think ADULT GO-CART!

[hotrodman]

hahah Max

[408cobra]

I built a FF roadster with sn 95 spindles Baer eradispeed rotors PBR brakes Cobra disc rears and a Tilton balance bar with remote bias adjustment. Yokahama AVS 245-45-17 / 285-40-17. I do not have IRS but do have aftermarket bushings and adjustable upper control arms and Pro shock / Koni damper shock rear setup with a shortened 373 Ford 8.8. The engine is a 10-1 CR 408 stroker with stack throttle body fuel injection. The car accelerates and has amazing grip and the brakes stop right now but I will say this if you get cocky and over exuberant with the go fast pedal the car can change directions very quickly. You need to learn the limits slowly until you are comfortable. It is predictable but abrupt oh and a hell of a lot of fun. Im sure the IRS setup is more forgiving around a corner with bumps than the solid axle setup.

[408cobra]

I have a manual flaming river rack and steering effort can be high in parking lots but if you cant handle it get a pink Lexus coup instead LOL

[Durt]

I'll chime in on the flip side.
The Cobra is a handful, especially stressed on the track. It's a very physical experience. Couple that with the endless learning curve of applying lots of HP and torque at the right time, and I would not characterize the Cobra as an easy handling car at all.
I shared the Streets of Willow track with a bunch of hotted up old 240 Z cars some time ago & was vexed at the fact that I toasted them on the short straight & watched them slowly make up the distance in the twistys. BMW M3 Dinan club racers creamed me, and no - I'm not a grandma. Suspension technology has come a long way in the last 40 years, and I would imagine that I could post a lap in my Audi S-4 many seconds below my Cobra - and not break a sweat.
On the street, however - it's smooth as silk & tractible as a Miata.

[decooney]

With some horsepower, its a hand full with manual steering and manual brakes, and a big ol' wood steering wheel! Definitely not like driving a cushy Vette or Viper. Raw & Fun if you like to feel the road a bit more. The handling can be good or bad depending on how the car is set up.

[RACER X #99]

One of the more experienced Cobra drivers around here and a winner of more than a few Time trial events at road courses in his BB Cobra, has recently exchanged his car for a Zo6 Corvette. He told me just a week ago that the Vette was just so much easier to drive and handled much better than the Cobra with more predictability.

I know from my own personal experience that a 600 hp Cobra is no piece of cake to drive. I can leave almost everthing in the straights but in the corners it is constant steering and throttle input to keep the car from looping, something that happens quite often.

The fact that Richard Hudgins has streched the wheelbase in the JBL Cobra to improve handling just goes to show that 90" wheelbase cars are difficult to control.

Those that can drive these cars faster than the rest of us should be appalauded for their driving expertise.

Cranky

[Jack21]

The CR is a 94" wheelbase car. Not quite as touchy as the 90"ers. 600 hp, manual steering, and manual brakes is a handful. 375 - 400 hp, power steering, power brakes, 17" tires, and a 14" steering wheel is more toward the fun-to-drive side, than the handful side. (That's why original 427 Cobras did so poorly in sales, but the 289's were a ball to drive)

I will admit though, that the car is so responsive, it takes awhile behind the wheel learning to drive it.

[coyled]

From a fun to drive standpoint, there is nothing like a high hp cobra on a road course. In a corner, the light weight of a cobra is your only advantage. The short wheel base, narrow track, 1965 suspension technology, and or the cut and paste kit cobra model are all flaws that you can see clearly when you are on the track with zo6'6, 911's and m3's. Since 1965, the factory's have spent at least a billion dollars on handling technology and for that kind of money, the newer cars aught to handle better, be more forgiving and predictable then a cobra. I would let my wife or my mother drive a zo6, 911 or m3 on a road course. There are only a handful of experienced drivers that I would let drive my cobra on a race track. My advise on the cobra is to brake early in a staight line and run bias ply tires so you get more warning before your farming excursion begins. Scott

[RACER X #99]

Scott,
You can alway spot the serious Open track Cobras. Just look for the grass and dirt that is coating the suspension pieces. But isn't that part of the learning curve? Sorry for you guys on the left coast. I mean sand covering the suspension.

Cranky

[Johan]

Originally posted by RACER X #99




Those that can drive these cars faster than the rest of us should be appalauded for their driving expertise.

Cranky

Thanks, but please, my face is turning red from all this attention...

[flipper35]

I think the Cobra has more mentally fatiguing than some of the more modern Street cars. There is a little more concentration required to hang on to the car for an extended period of time. I could drive my wifes Cavalier at the limit all day one handed and not break a sweat. Drive a Cobra at the limit all day and...well, those limits are night and day different!

They do have a very high limit and mine is fairly predictable. But things can happen very quickly when you get to the limit and beyond.

Do they handle poorly? Only in the way a race car handles poorly for the average or inexperienced driver. Below the very high limit they are like a very laid back teddy bear to me.

This is just my experience though, others will vary.