New BDR Cobra - Just need a little advice

michaelj · #1 (**permalink**) 12-01-2009, 02:21 AM

Hi Everyone,
First of all, thanks for all of your posts. Being a brand new owner of BDR cobra...I am thrilled to now officially feel like an insider!

I have a couple of questions though.

1. Heat Shields: My ceramic coated pipes do not have them and I am worried about my wife burning her leg (or even a valet driver). Should I buy a ceramic coated heat shield to match the pipes or would stainless steel look better? Do you know of any good sources?

2. Radio: I know these mutha's are LOUD and in a way its pointless. However, I MISS having a stereo and I don't want to jack anything up in the car or the dashboard and make the thing look dorky (especially a Backdraft). Does anyone have a good recommendation of where to mount it?

3. Insurance: In California, we register these things as a special constructed vehicle with a year of manufacture (mine's 2005). However, does that eliminate the chance for me to insure it as a classic car?

4. Parts and Accessories: Is Finish Line Accessories the only online store that sells cobra stuff (besides forums and ebay)?

I look forward to your responses and being a part of you guys! Pics are coming soon!

Mike

RICK LAKE · #2 (**permalink**) 12-01-2009, 04:18 AM

michaelj
Mike some of the guys are using welding blanets to cover the pipes. You roll them in and out for getting in and out of the car with hot pipes. Work great, no cooked meat or scars. You may have to get shields for State inspection any way but after that, hang them on the wall for next inspection.

Radio would be a remote system in the trunk with just speakers inside the driving area. Unless you are blasting, or get rear exhaust system in the car, I doubt you will hear it when driving. Little side note EAR PLUGS

unless you like hearing the phone ringing in your ear after a nice drive.

Parts and extra goodie will be a shopping thing on e-bay and SCCA events. Can find motor parts of the FE forum. Good bunch of guys there with alot of info.

Welcome to the sickness. Looking forward to the first fight with wife about misstress in garage

Ps no cure found yet. It's alot better that having bird or swine flu.

Bill Wells · #3 (**permalink**) 12-01-2009, 04:37 AM

welcome to the thrill of ownership in one of these cars , and the friends you will develop because of them . some thoughts :

* valet driver - NOT and NO NO NO
* heat shields - did you try BDR as a supplier source ?? also, besides Finish Line, SPF sells them too - coated or polished . Others might have them for sale too .Two different styles , one with perforated holes and one with no holes. Should they be coated or stainless ? that is your call . do they work ? mine sure do.
* radio ? limited hearing depending on where speakers are mounted , sound level of exhaust, side pipes vs rear and RPM levels> I have a Custom Autosound hidden radio in my car with a power amp in trunk adn speakers under dash . Cruising in city areas at lower rpm's it can be heard - on WOT take offs and over 70 mph, ya cant hear a thing . If i was to do it over , I would mount speakers in the bulkhead behind seats or not do it at all . the pipes are music by themselves .
* insurance ? SB 100 ? I stay out of those discussions as so much varies by state and insurance company.

Enjoy your new car - take your time learning about the car and the right go fast pedal - and do a nut and bold tightness safety check every several hundred miles or so - things can vibrate loose . Bill

Got the Bug · #4 (**permalink**) 12-01-2009, 07:40 AM

Mike,

Welcome and congrats on the new BD!!

- The heat shields will help, but if someone touches the pipe with their leg they'll probably still get burned. I've given quite a few people a ride in my car and no one has gotten burned yet. I usually jump out the car to help them out before they start to get out.

- Stereo. Some have them and like them. I don't see the point...but I have been know to listen to my iPod from time to time.

- Insurance. The best place to start is with your existing insurance carrier. Depending on your age/driving record, it may be cheaper than you think. There's no break on insuring these beasts in CA...no such thing as a "classic" or "historic" car designation.

I've been with Northwest Classic Insurance for a couple of years. The policy is through Infinity Insurance. Agreed value and no mileage limit in California. The price is competitive with my Farmers policy.

http://www.gotinsurance.com/NW_INSUR...NTER__INC.html

Tom Foltz
1 800 683 1165 x 4
tom@gotinsurance.com

- Parts. Lots of stuff available through Summit, Jegs, your local Napa store.

Rickd · #5 (**permalink**) 12-01-2009, 08:08 AM

VALET DRIVER?? No way Jose - fugitaboutit!!! Seriously, most of the 'collector" car insurance policies WILL NOT COVER any damage, loss or theft in a car left unattended by the owner. The car usage is very restricted as per the policies. Secondly, are you craZy to turn a cobra over to a valet??? In the time you have a drink and dinner, without an apertif afterwards, anyone with a pair of wrenches could pull your motor out in 15 minutes. Enjoy the car, drive the heck out of it - but don't give the keys to ANY ONE.

patrickt · #6 (**permalink**) 12-01-2009, 08:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rickd

Enjoy the car, drive the heck out of it - but don't give the keys to ANY ONE.

Especially your girlfriend... the last guy that did that they ended up burying both of them.

michaelj · #7 (**permalink**) 12-01-2009, 02:29 PM

Thank you Guys for all of your advice. You are all pretty damn funny too!!! I wont be leaving my keys with the Valet!

Rickd · #8 (**permalink**) 12-01-2009, 02:40 PM

Michael - some of the comments are humorous - but nonetheless based on facts. There have been SERIOUS incidents with girl friends, or buddies - or unsuspecting valets - and in one case an inspector for the Dept of Motor Vehicles in a German town - driving a cobra for the first time and 'stepping on it' while the wheel was slightly turned. The idea being to quickly go around a car - to pass fast. What happened? The 2200 pound car (less than half the weight of a 400 hp Mercedes) did 360 turns in a tight circle -and hit whatever was in it's path - in Germany it was a LARGE decorative boulder on a street corner = one severely damange Kirkham. In other cases it has been serious bodily injury or even death. There are a lot of big HP cars out there. But there are almost NONE that have 360 - 600 hp - that weigh from 1800 pounds to 2400 pounds (an aluminum bodied car with an aluminum motor can come in close to 1800 pounds). So even a cautious Valet could total your car just from plain ingnorance. Like they say "be careful out there".

michaelj · #9 (**permalink**) 12-02-2009, 01:52 AM

Thanks again for all of your replies. I won't be letting any valet driver touch the keys, thats for sure. Here's my new beast...

Trueoo7 · #10 (**permalink**) 12-02-2009, 05:28 AM

That looks like an early model, judging from the seat belt eye bolts.
First thing you have to do is check those seat belt anchors, especially on the passenger side. Make sure they are tied into the frame, not just the back wall (like mine originally was) There should be a set of brackets that connect the eye bolts all the way down to the frame.

lovehamr · #11 (**permalink**) 12-02-2009, 06:54 AM

I saw that puppy for sale on Cobra Country, pretty car man. When I ordered mine I almost got the same color combo. BDR supplys heat shields with all their side pipes now so you should be able to source some there and reduce the inevitable burns from 3rd degree to 2nd degree! LOL Welcome to the sickness, I'll post a few links that may be helpfull;
http://www.backdraftboys.com/forum/
https://www.europaspares.com/COBRA_SPARES/
http://www.cobraautomotive.com/index.htm
http://www.gessford.com/
http://www.cobranda.com/

That's just the tip of the iceburge, have fun man!

Steve