Cobra Driving Takes Skill

[Fred Z]

You know, one of the most important things here is to ALWAYS REMEMBER.....this is a fun, but very dangerous machine!! I can drive pretty well, and have drag raced, done some twisties, and know my limits! But never, ever do I get in the car and forget what I am about to enter into!! Once the door closes I hear that familiar 'click' of the lock, slide the little shiny key into the slot.....and turn it slowly.......just reminds me of what it would be like entering into a jet fighter......'ready for take off........then the engine fires up...and right then and there I am fully in tune with the beast below!! Trust me, this may sound like an ad for a Cobra....but any of you that have one..know exactly what I mean! The thrill is there, but so is the fear....a good fear, but one that gets my full attention, absolutely every time and every second I have the foot on the go pedal. Anything less than that and you are just an accident waiting to happen!
That being said......think I'll go fire up the F15 in a few and take a cruise!
have a good one guys.........stay safe1
fred z

[WildBill3]

We let our son drive at the autox and once at the drag strip he told me the car was moving around abit when he shifted gears.Although a fairly good autox'r im going to limit his time on the drags just to be safe.On street tires this car is way to easy to get out of control I preferr to run our DOT slicks on the street for better stability,the street is a very polished surface and has alot less gripp than most tracks Ive ever been on...Be carefull out ther...WB3

[Mulv]

Only an imbecile has a single car accident on the street. These cars are simple to drive if you have even a modicum of skill, they drift well and stop well. Perhaps some of the fools that have wrecked or spun on the street should take some remedial driving instruction..?


Mulv-

[Excaliber]

I don't agree with the Mulv, the combination of low rear gear ratios and typical tires severely lacking in traction (Goodrich TA's come to mind) makes it pretty easy for even a good driver to 'spin out' when conditions are right.

Going through an intersection and shifting casually into 2nd gear, then applying throttle, NOT a lot of throttle, just enough, can easily break the rear tires loose resulting in a spin out. This doesn't even take much horsepower, a bone stock 302 will do the job nicely. At times it's difficult to judge just how much traction the pavement offers at any given time. Near the beach? Sand blows onto the highway, hard to see that, but you FEEL it when the tires break loose.

What you really need is two things:
Higher rear gear/trans ratio in 1st and 2nd gear and good tires, like the Goodyear Bill Boards or equivelant. A well built/designed and spec'd replica is WAY easier to handle the power than the typical replica we so see so commonly today. I would dare to say the original Cobras sporting 400 to 500 horse were SAFER than many of todays replicas. Why? Read on...

The typical replica might be: 302 (even stock, 225 horse power), T5 trans with a 3 to 1 1st gear ratio backed up with a 3.5 rear gear ratio and Goodrich TA tires. Now THERES a recipe for disaster just waiting to happen. Add some more power to the motor and the recipe becomes ever more dangerous.

[badrich]

This subject has been discussed more than once on this forum and one thing can't be emphasized enough. That is take some kind of formal performance driving training and/or a number of autocross sessions before driving your new beast much. I have quite a few miles autocrossing under my belt and feel fairly comfortable driving different performance vehicles. But I drive my Cobra a little more conservatively than 'most any other machine. And mine is set up to handle well. But when I get the urge to really push it, I make sure I am on the track. If something goes wrong, so far, minimal damage is the result. That said, driving my beast is the most fun I've ever had with my clothes on! Rich

[Supersf]

Originally Posted by badrich

This subject has been discussed more than once on this forum and one thing can't be emphasized enough. That is take some kind of formal performance driving training and/or a number of autocross sessions before driving your new beast much. I have quite a few miles autocrossing under my belt and feel fairly comfortable driving different performance vehicles. But I drive my Cobra a little more conservatively than 'most any other machine. And mine is set up to handle well. But when I get the urge to really push it, I make sure I am on the track. If something goes wrong, so far, minimal damage is the result. That said, driving my beast is the most fun I've ever had with my clothes on! Rich

Sorry to revive an old thread but this spoke to me as I'm coming off of motorcycle racing this season. I've decided to hang up the moto helmet and would like to get on the track with my SPF. I'd really appreciate some help/recommendations to:
- properly prep/modify my SPF for track riding (while still street legal)and potentially racing. (Passing tech)
- find recommendations for forum-favorite track day providers and driving schools for local bay area tracks. I've had a lot of moto seat time at Thunderhill, Laguna, and Sonoma. Doubtful our cars have a chance at passing sound at Laguna but Sonoma and Thunderhill should be fine, correct?
- recommendations for mechanics in the East Bay to help with mods.

Cheers and thanks in advance

[SPF1061]

Originally Posted by Maurice Johnson

Does anyone have a policy which states that a second driver is acceptable,and that person enjoys the full policy protection as the insured. Second driver is mature, has completed a performance driving course, and has every-day experience in auto and truck manual shift vehicles. This query is for a specific legit reason, so you "nobody gets to drive my car but me" guys can save it.

My policy has the restriction that any driver must be licensed for at least 10 years.

[scottj]

Originally Posted by COBRA427

John
You're going to have a "cold body" by the time you finish that hybrid- Cobra of yours.

Originally Posted by COBRANIP

Ed, you'r a fine one to talk! That's the pot calling the kettle gardsman blue!

Ed, another 5 years has passed since your post... how's that thing drive? Hopefully you're getting a lot of enjoyment out of it before your skill set deteriorates with age. Although, it's probably time to think about setting the rev limit a little lower... say 2500-3000rpm.

[Jerry Clayton]

Hey Scott-----------finally getting mine into an area nearer the welder for some Bonneville prep---------------

[Maricopa]

Mulv's right, they're not that hard to drive if you pay even a little bit of attention. IMO it's only a matter of time before these things are essentially uninsurable. I've lost count of the ones wrecked just in our little AZ Cobras club. Spun out on the freeway (while leaping the median!), driven off the road into the desert, stuffed into a mountainside on a curvy road, etc., etc.

And Ernie, if you're losing traction in 2nd gear while crossing the light let off the gas a little OK? Mine has a warmed over 302, a T-5, 3:55 gears and 10yr old T/As and the idea that I can't give it a little gas in 2nd gear without spinning the rear tires is ridiculous. Will it break loose if I stomp on it? Sure, but not under normal circumstances.

[Slick61]

I've always found the Cobra relatively easy to drive, provided you respect the car's capabilities. I don't think it takes much skill to drive, but it does take skill to drive WELL. What this car really requires is BRAINS. You've got to respect the power, and remember its handling quirks. I made a promise to myself, when I bought my Backdraft, that I would NOT end up in somebody's YouTube video, wadding-up my car. It seems like it always happens when trying to show off or impress someone else... which I try NOT to do. So far... so good. I'll admit I'm not the greatest of drivers... nor have I taken a performance driving class. But I KNOW my limitations as a driver... and I'm well aware of the car's capabilities. Very occasionally, I'll explore the upper regions of my driving skill... but ONLY in a safe location. One careless moment can be deadly... and/or expensive. I have a co-worker who keeps asking me when he's going to get a "REAL" ride in the Backdraft... and I always tell him: "the kind of ride you want, you're not going to get from me!" I may occasionally explore that deep well of power beneath my right foot, but not with someone else in the car. I've owned this car for over 6 years... and it still scares me... and I think THAT is what keeps me alive!

[Steve Gallegos]

J Coop, try state farm, I have state farm and they insure for agreed value. I insure for $55,000 for about $450.00 with no restrictions. I don't know about the track issue I have never asked. You need to find an agent who owns a classic car or knows the ins and outs of insuring them. I live California, hopes this helps.

[scottj]

Originally Posted by Jerry Clayton

Hey Scott-----------finally getting mine into an area nearer the welder for some Bonneville prep---------------

It's not time to pick on you yet Jerry... couple more years then it's no-holds-barred.

[PANAVIA]

A great deal of the time, we see cobras come in that are beyond evil and are true angry machines to drive.

One thing I try to tell all of our customers is - In modern cars you have thousands of engineering hours in software, and probably a few captured German scientists driving with you. In a Cobra the only software is the squishy bit holding onto the steering wheel. ( you )

You determine braking, shifting , turning , rate of yaw , power application, all of it.

wherever you are though , make sure your car has been looked at by someone who is interested in how the whole car drives and not just the engine.

we have pulled out so many badly engineered, ill thought out throttles , brakes, clutches and the rest and replaced them with things to make the cars run and drive well.

Its not "who makes the nut" --its "the Nut who makes it" - so in addition to seat time and pilot training in type, make sure your ground crew is up to the tasks, or you could end up being a first rate Forrest Ranger with the splinters to prove it.

AKA: Drive it like Bondo' but dont crash it.

[scottj]

Originally Posted by PANAVIA

A great deal of the time, we see cobras come in that are beyond evil and are true angry machines to drive.

wherever you are though , make sure your car has been looked at by someone who is interested in how the whole car drives and not just the engine.

we have pulled out so many badly engineered, ill thought out throttles , brakes, clutches and the rest and replaced them with things to make the cars run and drive well.

Its not "who makes the nut" --its "the Nut who makes it" - so in addition to seat time and pilot training in type, make sure your ground crew is up to the tasks, or you could end up being a first rate Forrest Ranger with the splinters to prove it.

AKA: Drive it like Bondo' but dont crash it.

When I purchased my car 14 years ago I took for granted that the design and engineering was correct. I assumed that some of the traits the car exhibited were simply “the nature of the beast”.

Having gone through the car from front to back, reverse engineering, modelling, and doing motion analysis on just about everything, I realize I was wrong.

Some of the major changes I made were to engineer and fabricated a new pedal assembly to correct the improper geometry of the original one… engineered and fabricated motor, trans, and differential mount locations to correct the driveline angles... revise front suspension geometry… and the most important change… re-design and fabrication of the independent rear suspension linkage points.

The elimination of the rear suspension bump steer transformed what was once a “handful” into a very easy to drive and stable experience… relatively speaking at least, considering the HP level and a 90” wheelbase.

[lippy]

Very interesting post. My cobra isn't yet finished but I estimate it'll be on the road in Jan or Feb. I'm in my mid-40's, have SCCA racing experience, have taken three performance driving and racing courses, am very respectful of fast cars, and never show off or drive like an A***ole. Still, I'm wondering how tricky this car will be with a Blykins beast of a big block under the hood and low curb weight.

It would be great to hear how people most often get into trouble in these cars (and I'm not referring to letting high school kids or others drive them). If you drive in a sane but fun way, what are the biggest problems? Drop throttle oversteer/spinning? Over throttle oversteer/spinning? Getting into turns too fast?

[Jerry Clayton]

Well-----------I've been around different types of racing and also some aircraft---------
I intend to take mine to Bonneville in a few years for some max speed runs , but first will probably go out there with my Pontiac Firebird to do some of the licensing stuff and learn the procedures-------Should be able to go considerably over 200 and will be good tuning opertunity for the engine/driveline stuff and then the next year with the Cobra hopefully will be able to do 75% of the F'bird speed-------

I most likely won't be doing much (if any) street stuff with it so am not worried about insurance, licsence/title, etc---maybe not even paint------------

[Supersf]

Originally Posted by lippy

It would be great to hear how people most often get into trouble in these cars (and I'm not referring to letting high school kids or others drive them). If you drive in a sane but fun way, what are the biggest problems? Drop throttle oversteer/spinning? Over throttle oversteer/spinning? Getting into turns too fast?

Also curious as well. Although, with the variety of builds and resulting variability of weight distribution, I wonder if there is any commonality?

[scottj]

Originally Posted by Supersf

Also curious as well. Although, with the variety of builds and resulting variability of weight distribution, I wonder if there is any commonality?

egos writing checks that bodies can't cash... short of catastrophic part failure anything else is just an excuse.

[Kobura]

Even though my Backdraft is 'underpowered' at 340 hp, I believe that if I didn't have the 17" Nitto tires, which are very sticky, I could find myself spinning the rear of the car while doing the slightest of turns with too much throttle as I have come close to doing so.