what might be a realistic zero to 60 guesstimate

[madmaxx]

Half shafts are cheap, trust me you feel like a real man if you break one, which I never did in the BDR's I owned and driven. Heck I scored a 3.8 sec 0to60 with a 302 and 305 rwhp.

[Jimbocobra]

Hmmmmm......facts?

[Jimbocobra]

I stand by that statement, if offends BDR folks, well, the facts speak for themself "based on the threads on this forum".

Why would anyone be offended by your opinion or actually care what you think?; particularly your supposed "facts" that are "based on the threads on this forum". Honestly, no one cares.

Of the people in the WCCC, the only half shaft that snapped during our drag strip adventures was on an SPF, two years in a row! (with the same engine as mine). The other BDR guys and myself have been just fine, that's a fact.

[Excaliber]

I don't think too many people actually care what you think...

Same here, I could care less when the BDR owners get their panties in a knot, bury their heads in the sand and refuse to accept the facts.

FACT is: There are more threads/posts on Club Cobra concerning BDR broken half shafts, broken differential's, broken CV joints, "one wheel peel" than for any other replica on this site. You can argue the point, ignore it or excuse it, but the FACTS remain.

Not an opinion, FACT.

[Jimbocobra]

Oh, more "facts", thanks for clearing that up. You're good at this.

[Excaliber]

Look, I didn't come on this thread to bash anybody, BDR or any replica. FACT is, with any replica, getting below a 4 second 0-60 run is going to be hard on the drive train. Especially a BDR without something like the up-graded M5 type half shafts (17" wheels required) or better.

I've been around here a LOT longer than you have, Jimbo, I'm no "newbie" by a long shot, unlike yourself.

[Jimbocobra]

Well, I learned a long time ago, when someone resorts to name calling, you know you have won.

I may be a "newbie", but I happen to own a BDR with 3 years of drag strip runs, autocross, hard street miles etc... and perfectly good half shafts. I don't have the upgraded BMW M3 parts, but still have plenty of sub 4's to 60.

I've seen your posts over the years, you might want to reconsider your last statement about "trashing". Might be time for you to retire, you've been getting cranky in your old age. Maybe you can park your ERA and enjoy a nice car show in your lawn chair.

[twin turbo]

Dennis, you can get a G-tech meter and it will tell you how quick you are 0-60 or any speed. You'll find it takes a little practice to get the best times. I too used to ride motorcycles and switched to a Cobra replica for the same reasons, my safety. Cheers.
Thomas

[FWB]

Originally Posted by Jimbocobra

I may be a "newbie", but I happen to own a BDR with 3 years of drag strip runs, autocross, hard street miles etc... and perfectly good half shafts. I don't have the upgraded BMW M3 parts, but still have plenty of sub 4's to 60.

you haven't had a problem with your half shafts because with the 60 ft times you have you aren't hooking up....when you eventually do get the car to hook, you'll have a window in your rear quarter where your half shaft went through.....and the 3 years of racing where? i want to call the track, because your car should not be on it without the proper safety equipment. being you so worldly with the years and years of experience, since 2008, i'm sure you know this already.

it just rubbed me the wrong way how you talked to ernie........

[lovehamr]

I've only seen 2 Cobra half shaft failures and both were on Jag rear ends. The carnage was considerable for one as it broke on the outside in a high G autocross turn. It didn't roll which surprised me later as the damage to the rear of the car from the tire bashing around convinced me that no matter what I built it wouldn't use the half shaft as an upper control arm. Jus sayin'......................

Steve

[Cashburn]

Originally Posted by Excaliber

Look, I didn't come on this thread to bash anybody, BDR or any replica. FACT is, with any replica, getting below a 4 second 0-60 run is going to be hard on the drive train. Especially a BDR without something like the up-graded M5 type half shafts (17" wheels required) or better.

I've been around here a LOT longer than you have, Jimbo, I'm no "newbie" by a long shot, unlike yourself.

Give it up. There is no such thing as an M5 option, nor is there a 17" wheel requirement. Quit spewing false gospel and calling it fact.

The reality is that when a company has more of any product on the market then you are more open to failures simply by numbers. If the customers of that product put the product to harder use you again will have more failures. It's very similar to your bias to Roush engines ... if you have 1000 engines and 20 failures you are way ahead of the game to a guy that has 50 engines and 5 failures. Numbers are relative.

What type of response do you expect from Backdraft owners in a Backdraft forum?

[Excaliber]

I recall a thread about a Jag IRS shaft breaking on a road course, and the car DID roll. Driver was OK,,, got lucky I reckon. The way ERA modifies the half shaft, it can break, but it won't let the wheel flop around. Their methodology specifically address' the shaft as a control arm problem.

I don't recall a BDR thread about a half shaft breaking on a road course or Auto X, it seems to be limited to the drag strip. BDR's often run a faily low rear gear ratio (3.5 to 3.9 range), when you combine that with a T5 or TKO 1st gear ratio, and plenty of bite, you maximize the torque. That could be the primary factor.

The original 289 drag race cars were running extremely low rear gear ratio's, 5.13 or something wild, with slicks of course. They primarily had trouble with rear end ring and/or pinion breakage.

DV, with his Viper powered Classic Roadster DESTROYED a Ford 9" housing when the ring/pinion AND housing exploded, so anything is possible when your pushing the limits.

Roush? I wouldn't put one in my car if you gave it to me!

[Jimbocobra]

FWB: "and the 3 years of racing where? i want to call the track" It's Byron Dragway, give 'em a jingle. Oh, but the way, only a helmut required on test and tune days - that much I figured out in my "worldly ...years of experience, since 2008"

The way I talked to Ernie? Did you even read the post? Maybe you skipped the parts like "panties in a knot" or "newbie" etc... Why don't you take a look at some of Ernie's 15,558 posts and see the way he talks to people. I wasn't calling him names.

[Cashburn]

Originally Posted by Excaliber

I don't recall a BDR thread about a half shaft breaking on a road course or Auto X, it seems to be limited to the drag strip. BDR's often run a faily low rear gear ratio (3.5 to 3.9 range), when you combine that with a T5 or TKO 1st gear ratio, and plenty of bite, you maximize the torque. That could be the primary factor.

At what point to you give up? The BDR comes with two rear ratios, either 3.46 (most common) or 3.15. There are a few others that get mixed in, but of the 1,000 cars sold in the USA you have 95% equipped with ratios that don't meet your claim.

It's fine if you don't know enough about the cars, just don't make stuff up.

[Excaliber]

Well we can argue, or we can have a discussion.

M5 axle upgrade? Sorry, my mistake, that's the M3 upgrade. That option requires 17" wheels to clear the brakes. You can't just bolt in the M3 half shafts. How much is that upgrade these days? $4,000 or so, as I recall, probably more now, if it's even available anymore.

There are a number of "vendors" whom I don't care for, wouldn't seriously consider buying their parts. Roush for one, to much money, not good enough customer service and questionable reliability. Shelby is another, just to much money, in general, for my taste. I'd go with KC for my motor, or build it myself. BDR? By the time I got the options I want (like stronger half shafts and LSD) it would be very close to the cost of an SPF, which I would prefer to have anyway. There are other reasons I wouldn't want a BDR, but no need to bash anyone.

3.9 LSD is one option a guy could run with, combined with slicks and a TKO, your looking to snap a half shaft. 3.46 is close enough to 3.5 to be a reasonable number. TO low in my opinion, WAY to low for a T5.

Like all of us, I have reasons for products I like or dislike, products I prefer one over another. So what else is new?

Cashburn, the issue here isn't the "typical" BDR, it's 0-60 in the 4 second range. 3.15 rear gear ratio need not apply. So, quit making stuff up.

[D111]

so I guess there's not much that could touch these roadsters from 20 mph to 80 mph .

I figured it would weigh somewhat less than 2600 pounds I thought original cobras came in around 2300 lbs guess it's the fiberglass resin and some additional steel?

[tcrist]

Originally Posted by D111

tceist

No offense taken, but please explain.

The reasons I believe I purchased this roadster .

I like Harleys but I don't like the thought of my flesh scraping against the pavement.

This seems the closest thing to a Harley-Davidson with less risk.

they always caught my interest even though I rarely see one in New Jersey on the road.

I'm going to be 52 in April if this was 20 years ago it would probably not be a good idea, but now hopefully I will not get too crazy with it.

I stopped at the Harley-Davidson dealer today matter-of-fact to pick up some s100 wax and leather treatment,and feel that I made the right choice risk wise. Bikes are just too risky here in Jersey lost a couple of friends over the years .

Dennis

Dennis,

What I am talking about is on the thread" Buying first Roadster", All you cared about if it had a "loopy Sounding Idle".

This thread,
"o you mean to tell me that there is a chance that my car stands a chance of not getting spanked against my friends new ZR 1, that he just paid $115,000 for."

And other things on this thread it just seems like all you are interested in is "how fast will it go".

Seems to me that you are purchasing this car to impress people not because you really like Cobras.


Guess I could be wrong and like I said, if I am, I apologize.

Edit: What ever the reason I hope you have fun and enjoy your Cobra.

[Excaliber]

2,600 to 2,800 is actually pretty typical. Kirkham and FFR are, generally speaking, about the lowest weight around. Yeah, I guess it's the fiberglass that is a major factor there. FFR, for instance, their early cars were pretty thin on the glass, reducing weight, but at the expense of the potential for spider cracks, paint flaws, glass webing could be seen through the paint in some cases. There is always a trade off somewhere.

Rumor has it Kirkham is getting darn close to 2,000 with all their "billet" options in place, alloy engine, etc.

[Cashburn]

There is no M3 option any longer, because get this... approx. 3 years ago the product evolved and the company introduced new half shafts purposely made for the cars. There was an early batch of this change over that experienced a manufacturing (not a design) flaw. This is the era of "snapped" half-shafts and resulted in a couple of posts on the issue.

Back in those days the rolling chassis was $26,500 then $28,900 ... price went up and guess what you got better components with it. So adding $4k to a $31,900 chassis ... you'll be at 16k posts before that sinks in.

If you want to claim superior knowledge based on your time around here and number of posts, then you have to make sure you have the correct information. That's all.

Jim could have 5 posts and just walked in here, but if he's got the first hand knowledge then reality is defer to him. I won't make claims about your car, why should you about his?

[Excaliber]

Never claimed any superior knowledge, the PRINCIPLE applies to ANY car.

When you run a low final drive ratio (like 3.5, excuse me, 3.46) combined with a low 1st gear ratio of a T5 and slicks, your looking to break "something". Which "apparently" resulted in BDR strengthening the half shafts and doing away with the expensive M3 option. So, maybe it's OK now?

I wouldn't bet on it, with ANY car. That ultra low final gear ratio (3.5 and a T5) with slicks, decent horse power and an LSD is a recipe for breaking something. Like, half shafts!

Maybe Jim's car is a typical BDR "one legger" rear end?