What do you do in the winter months?

[pliot_guy]

HI guys,

Just purchased a cobra and right now the weather is great for driving, but im wondering, what do you guys do in the winter/rainy months? do you drive it at all? I know its not great to let the car sit in the garage for months on end so do you wait for a day that's not raining and take it out for a quick spin? or something else? tips/advice appreciated !

side note: I don't have a top and wont be able to get one anytime soon

[Got the Bug]

If it's not raining, we'll meet for breakfast. Unless the weather is miserable, I normally try and take my car out for a quick run every couple of week during the winter.

I've driven over Hwy 17 when it was only 35 degrees. Crazy, but you certainly know you're alive.

[lamaluv]

The best solution for winters with your Cobra is to retire and take the car to Florida or Arizona with you in the winter. At least thats what we do.

[DougD]

I live in the north half of the US, so I've been storing some type of car during the winter for as long as I can remember. I always have a "sacrificial" vehicle to drive back and forth to work, etc., in the snowy months. My latest winter driver is a 2WD Ranger pickup with Blizzaks all the way around. Throw a couple hundred pounds of sandbags in the bed, and she goes through the drifts like a Jeep. Every winter is different, but as long as the pavement is dry, I try to exercise a stored car at least once a month. I like to drive it for at least a half hour to get the mechanicals good and hot to remove any accumulated moisture. My storage area is heated to maintain at least 55 degrees F, so my tools and collector cars stay nice and dry all winter and never pass through the dew point. Once in a while Mother Nature blesses us with snow all winter, and then several months can elapse between drives. But there always seems to be a window in the weather when I can go for a spin.

[RodKnock]

There's always heated seats and a java cup holders.

How long has Pilot Guy lived in the Bay Area? We're not living in Seattle or Maine.

There was barely enough rainfall last winter to put off drought warnings.

[Got the Bug]

Originally Posted by RodKnock

There's always heated seats and a java cup holders.

How long has Pilot Guy lived in the Bay Area? We're not living in Seattle or Maine.

There was barely enough rainfall last winter to put off drought warnings.

My plug in heated seat and armrest with cup holder has served me well thank you very much. Of course I went with the period correct cup holder.

[RodKnock]

Originally Posted by Got the Bug

My plug in heated seat and armrest with cup holder has served me well thank you very much. Of course I went with the period correct cup holder.

Did you ditch the face mask for when you make the trip over the 17 summit?

[Got the Bug]

Originally Posted by RodKnock

Did you ditch the face mask for when you make the trip over the 17 summit?

What, you haven't seen my skeleton biker face mask?

[pliot_guy]

28 years !

Originally Posted by RodKnock

There's always heated seats and a java cup holders.

How long has Pilot Guy lived in the Bay Area? We're not living in Seattle or Maine.

There was barely enough rainfall last winter to put off drought warnings.

[RET_COP]

Tear it apart and make it better. My wife can't grasp this behavior. I tell her I can't help myself. When it's together and the roads have been washed of salt and sand with a good rain storm, I will take it out for a spin.
Live in RI
Lou

[Cobrakeith]

No problem in Arizona, lots better than the summer heat LOL.

[rodneym]

Patrickt!
Wanna chime in here?

[scootter]

There isn't enough rain here to worry about. My wife and I take out the car year round. I always think I will do winter projects to the car, but it never rains long enough.
My wife and I got rained on going to the historic's a couple weekends ago in August!!
If it rains to much, then I have to take out the dirt bike and go to Hollister.
Scott

[Varmit]

I live in San Diego what is rain and this winter thing you guys speak off???

[289fia_cobra]

I can pretty much drive it at least 2x a month during the winter. Drove once to deliver Xmas presents, driven in about 42 deg., and as said before, it doesn't really rain constantly. I think 2010 was our wettest year since I've had mine on the road in 2006.

This year: change oil, and work on some rear boxes to add into the trunk for additional storage. That should be all. Maybe I'll try to clean the undercarriage this year!

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by rodneym

Patrickt!
Wanna chime in here?

Everyone knows that ERA #732 goes in to a hermetically sealed bag around Thanksgiving and then doesn't come out until Easter. With the exception of the one year when she leaked brake fluid during her hibernation, she comes out in the spring exactly the same as when she went in. And a little StaBil in the tank keeps her gas fresh as a daisy. What's funny is that by the time November comes around I start to get "Cobra-d Out" for the year, and by the time April rolls around the "Cobra Itch" has returned and is quite pronounced.

[RodKnock]

Originally Posted by patrickt

Everyone knows that ERA #732 goes in to a hermetically sealed bag around Thanksgiving and then doesn't come out until Easter. With the exception of the one year when she leaked brake fluid during her hibernation, she comes out in the spring exactly the same as when she went in. And a little StaBil in the tank keeps her gas fresh as a daisy. What's funny is that by the time November comes around I start to get "Cobra-d Out" for the year, and by the time April rolls around the "Cobra Itch" has returned and is quite pronounced.

I think that's called a Pavlovian response. I guess every "dog" can be trained

[601HP]

Over the years, I have:
1. partially rebuilt the engine or had someone else rebuild the engine, several times. Because: it's had 4 cam shafts, 3 sets of heads, several different compression ratios, valve dropped and hurt the piston(OUCH!) and yada, yada, yada...............etc.
2. Installed another transmission, clutch, pressure plate.
3. Changed ride height with new shocks and springs, several times.
4. Changed out the street fuel tank for a full comp 42 gal. tank.
5. Replaced welded steel rear uprights with original style cast iron uprights.
6. Changed rear end ring and pinion, several times.
7. Removed the roll bar, stripped the chrome and had it powder-coated black.
8. Scotch-brited the engine bay aluminum panels.
9. Scotch-brited the trunk aluminum panels.
10. Stripped the paint from the Trigos for a more vintage appearance.
11. Removed the Sidewinder and single 4 bbl., and changed to Tunnel Wedge and 2x4's.
12. Added bling.
13. Removed bling.
14. Will do a rear brake upgrade this winter.
15. Have a pair of matched 750 carbs coming in the near future.

Next winter I may remove my iron block 427 side-oiler, sell it and install a more appropriate engine, maybe a vintage Mazda rotary! According to a statement made days ago, my kit car isn't one of the chosen few that is worthy of having a side-oiler. Dang it!

It never ends, by choice.

David

[4pipes]

Originally Posted by 289fia_cobra

I can pretty much drive it at least 2x a month during the winter. Drove once to deliver Xmas presents, driven in about 42 deg., and as said before, it doesn't really rain constantly. I think 2010 was our wettest year since I've had mine on the road in 2006.

This year: change oil, and work on some rear boxes to add into the trunk for additional storage. That should be all. Maybe I'll try to clean the undercarriage this year!

And then clean the car?

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by 601HP

10. Stripped the paint from the Trigos for a more vintage appearance.

David, post a close up pic of that, if you don't mind....