Finally, a good kill.

[John-Tucson]

You two guys would be much safer ( as would we) if you took your frustrations out at the go cart track on the south side of I-10 across from the airport.

[DWRAT]

No john,
I want Danr's car not some go-cart.

[John-Tucson]

You ain't gunna' get Dan's car. And, in the process you'll be out one Ben Franklin.

[concobra]

To all who have posted after my post regarding my opposition to street racing.

Thank you for your opinion it is obvious we all have a passonate position regarding this subject.

Please note I made no mention of any other point of topic. Just street racing.

I still stand by my conviction that street racing is wrong, dangerous, and detrimental to our hobby in the long run. Driving a car like a Cobra is a previlege not a right and when we abuse this we set our hobby up to be legislated out of existence. There are many groups out there who would see us shut down by many reasons besides dangerous driving conduct. Reasons such as safety, evironmental, requirements that all street driven vehicles to be produced by manufacturers that meet current vehicle production mandates and so forth, They want to stop all aftermarket components sales and usage including kit cars. Street racing feeds their fire. I know that other issues can be used by them but nothing gets the public's attention more than when we abuse our driving previleges by this kind of behaviour. It carries the largest amount of emotional clout for those that would shut us down.

The short of it is, if we do not govern ourselves in our hobby someone else will. And I have no desire to drive a Geo Metro.

I noticed many responses from members in the Tucson and Phoenix area so it is obvious you have a strong orgainzation there. Great. Have you ever given thought to renting a local track for a day. Invite some of the other car groups to your function. Vette clubs, Mustang clubs and so forth. Invite the younger kids that are starting out in the car hobby and teach them the correct way to have fun with this hobby. My son and I did this in his town with a lot of the kids that were street racing. We went to their local hang out and took an interest in their cars. When asked how fast my Cobra is we told them what it ran it the track as well as what my son's GTO does. When asked to do the perverbial burnoff and so forth we informed them that this is not the place for this and if they really wanted to see how their cars performed and had the courage to back up their bragging to come to the drag strip. This was very successful most all the kids now race and are very invloved at their local 1/8 mile strip. They look down on any one who is street racing and believe that the track is only place to race. They have also learned that what they thought was fast on the street hardly ever turns out to be fast at the track. They spend their time not hanging out at local parking lots but instead spend their time working together on their cars to get ready to race. (Mostly at my son's home. I think his wife is ready to kill me)


Cobras are by their reputation a car that gets huge attention. Owning one is great fun but because of the high level at attention also carries a great responsibility. To assure that we can always enjoy driving them drive smart.

Respectfully Submitted
Concobra

[lovehamr]

Originally Posted by ItBites

I find this all really amusing.

Why have a fast car if you don't use the "fastness"?

I contend the very logical admoishment of folks who do depress the loud pedal on the street is inconsistent with the illogical decision to own a cobra.

Bites makes a very good point, where is the logic? This is even born out by some posters in their own writings. For instance, Zilla writes:

Originally Posted by Fordzilla

I agree with concobra. It's real simple, street racing is illegal. Those that do it are idiots & those that admit to it in public internet forums are even bigger idiots.

And yet in his own tag line he has "Blown 1969 Mustang Fastback Pro-Street" which is apparently an 8-71 Blown 567 Boss, Competition C6, 3.70 locker and a Full cage. Doesn't sound like any kind of "street" car to me. It sounds BADASSSSSS!!!!! Makes my genitals swell! Zilla, don't get me wrong man, you were just the most convenient example of which there are many on this forum. In fact looking at your sig line "Of the troops, for the troops" I imagine that we are cut from the same cloth. The point is that casting stones, like con and zilla have, should make you question the longevity of your own glass walls. Or at least the decision to own a high performance car.

Steve

[DWRAT]

Originally Posted by John-Tucson

You ain't gunna' get Dan's car. And, in the process you'll be out one Ben Franklin.

We will see and if he can back it up I will be happy to give him a C-note.
Either way, it will be fun.
Dan

[lovehamr]

Originally Posted by concobra

I noticed many responses from members in the Tucson and Phoenix area so it is obvious you have a strong orgainzation there.

Con, you may want to note that this thread is in the "Arizona Cobras" forum, not the lounge or something of that nature.

Steve

[concobra]

To Itbites

I enjoyed reading all the responses but I found yours to be interesting and present a logic that continued dialog would be enjoyable.

You brought up serveral points that I would like to respond to. (None of these responses is intended to create opposition to your comments. These responses are only meant to inform.)

I enjoy having my Cobra but my true passion is engine building to create power. My choice of the Cobra is I have always considered it to be the quintessintial single purpose car. No fluff, no stereo, just engine and car. I often tell my friends that my cobra is a good place to carry around a great engine. So making efficient power to me is the challenge I enjoy. Thus the reason for having a high horsepower car.

I have spent time at the track with my car.

Woodburn Dragstrip
Madras Dragstrip
Thunder Hill (Where I have proven that I am a driver of a race car and far from being a racecar driver.)
Spokane Intermational Raceway
Boise Dragstrip.
Various Autocrosses ( Boy is it embarrasing to get whipped by go karts. )

I use TA's and Goodyear GT II for the street as they are street legal tires and look correct with the taller side wall on a 15" wheel. I have a set of Hoosier road race slicks for the track.

I usually don't like to list stats of my car but if it helps bonify my comments, here they are.

1. HP Current state of last Dyno 610 HP @ 6350 RPM
2. 1/4time 10.96 @ 132 ( Borrowed some slicks and had terrible traction) ( Besides I am a lousy racer) On street tires 11.36 and 128 MPH

I am currently building a all aluminum FE we are hoping hit the 700 HP number. I know, rediculous for a Cobra but I will only leave it in there for a season and pull it the put in another car later.


Thanks
Concobra

[concobra]

Thank you lovhamer

I did not realize that I was in a regional forum. I will respect that and refrain from further dialog.

I appologise and wish your group the best.

Concobra

[mikiec]

ConCobra...

Yes this is a regional section, but all are invited.

Mike

[mikiec]

John,

I'll run Arivaca with you, after you clean out all the trees.

Mike

[Fordzilla]

Steve, There is no "logic". I own a nasty nasty street car but it doesn't get raced on the street, (it gets raced on a track). It gets driven to the local supermarket for milk & around the neighborhood & such and there is no logic to owning a beast like mine for that purpose. I just want to. Kinda like alot of other "unlogical" things I do...LOL The point is that street racing is illegal. Concobra's opinion is quite correct on the ramifications of street racing. I was both a Military Policeman & civilian Police Officer (Deputy Sheriff). Engaging in Illegal activity & posting about it in a public venue is not the smartest thing to do. What seems safe at the time can quickly go wrong & lives changed majorly by the impact (no pun intended). Innocent bystanders can have their lives taken & loved ones lost in the blink of an eye. Yes, It's cool to have nasty huge horsepower cars on the street but with that comes great responsibility. Take the racing to the track & be a plus to the car hobby, not a negative. There are plenty of those out there already that are hurting our interest & love of the automobile through irresponsible & illegal actions. I enjoy driving my unlogical street beast to the local supermarket & car shows, etc, & would like to continue to do so. I'll do my part, stay legal and responsible with good judgement & decision making. The thunder pedal doesn't get pressed more then the law allows on the street. On the track it sees plenty of pivoting action.
I challenge others to do the same.
Respectfully submitted,
an unlogical car lover,

[Fordzilla]

Also, No personal offense intended to anyone made by my "idiots" comment. I just wanted to get you guys to thinking about the logic of engaging in & admitting to illegal activity in a public venue such as an internet posting forum.

Steve, if we are cut from the same cloth, I want to say Thanks for your service to this Nation, in fact- Thank You to all that have worn the uniform of the United States Military & have served with Honor.

Regards,

[Car Nut]

Certainly you are not suggesting a little spirited street driving in the right place is street racing. I play a little on the street, if there is little traffic and the speeds don't excessive.

I do understand the problem of trying to race the "kid down the street" who will not lift under any circumstance. Those are the kind of drivers who I just let go, I am not interested in putting myself or others in peril. Half the time, these kids just want to bait you anyway, just to see you go fast.

However a little 0-60 on nice wide empty street is another thing all together.

Just my opinion.

[Stentor]

Originally Posted by concobra

To Itbites
I use TA's and Goodyear GT II for the street as they are street legal tires and look correct with the taller side wall on a 15" wheel. I have a set of Hoosier road race slicks for the track.

I usually don't like to list stats of my car but if it helps bonify my comments, here they are.

1. HP Current state of last Dyno 610 HP @ 6350 RPM
2. 1/4time 10.96 @ 132 ( Borrowed some slicks and had terrible traction) ( Besides I am a lousy racer) On street tires 11.36 and 128 MPH

Thanks
Concobra

You ran an 11.36 in the 1/4 mile on BFG Radial TAs? That's impressive. Tell us a bit more about your engine and any modifications you've done to your car to get that sort of time.

[concobra]

To Mikiec

Thank you for the invitation to respond. I appreciate that.

To Stentor

Regarding the 11.36@128 on TAs

I got lucky. The track was cool and traction was good. Normally the car runs 11.8 to 12.0. A huge difference and wide inconsistency. Such is the witness of me not being the best of drivers and having a car that is traction limited. ( Note, I did not get a chance to back up the 11.36 as the NHRA official kicked me off the track for not having the speed equipment to go that fast. Roll bar too low, no SFI balancer, and no arm restraints.) He was in the right. I should not have been running that day.

When I ran the 11.36 I had the following changes to the car from the days I had ran previous to this. Traction is the problem.

1. My car uses a JAG rear end. The hub housings use a watts linkage on top and I built my own lower A Arms and added a radius rod mounting point to reduce flex which helped to eliminate any wheel hop. In drag racing I think the radius rod is one of the helping factors. The radius rod attaches to the front of the A arm and then to the frame on a mount I made. When I ran the car I had made an additional mounting point that bolts to the A arm that lowers this mounting point and thus allows me to load the weight of the car on the rear tire when the suspension compresses during launch. Not perfect but it seems to help. Terrible for street driving and track running.

2. I added an ignition retard module that stays if effect in first and second gear using to micro switches. I again go to full advance in third.

3. I launch around 2000 RPM and step slowly into it on launch.

4. No burn offs. As you probably know street tires get worse with burn offs.

5. I do not go into the water box. I drive around it and back up into the sticky stuff and just spin the tires enough to pick up some tire stick.

6. I hope and pray to the traction gods and wait for the last amber.

concobra