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[Hotoxide]

Hi, my name is Dave. I have a Superformance MK III Cobra coming in a few weeks .Maybe joining the forum is a bit premature, but I wanted to get off to a good start.
I live in Green Valley, Arizona - about 20 miles south of Tucson. It may get warm for a few months, but the sun is out year-round. The Cobra is not my first sports car. The list includes a Datsun 1600 Roadster (SPL311), Datsun 240Z, Porsche 356 Speedster and two Miatas.
On to the Cobra. The car is being finished by Crown in Tucson. Power comes from a Roush SRX with a 5-speed and other options. The color is Viper Grey with Platinum stripes with pinstripes. The iyynterior, what we're waiting for, will be a close match to the stripes. The center of the seats will have a diamond pattern. I figure the light grey seats will be easier to deal with in the AZ sun. The rims are the 15in OEM style with Cooper Cobra tires.

Dave -- sorry if we rambled on a bit

[twobjshelbys]

Sounds like a winner.

Read through the forum from start to finish. You can be assured that every question that can be asked about a Cobra has, over the years, been asked and answered.

In here you will find many sage words, but perhaps the most important advice is:

Don't think for an instant that any other car has given you what you need to know to get in a Cobra and trounce on the gas.

The Cobra snake whispers in your ear, every time you get in it, "I'm going to kill you". It means it.

Treat is respectfully. Be very wary of the fact that these cars love to break the rear end loose under almost any circumstance. Be especially wary of cold tires. Even when it's warm!

Experience will tell you that you probably shouldn't accelerate "crisply" when the wheels aren't going straight. Just what you can get away with will take some learning. But I was simply turning left out of my subdivision onto the highway and was accelerating to merge into traffic - cold tires on moderately cold pavement - and the rear wheels momentarily broke loose. No previous history, just happened. A "pucker" moment.

As Dirty Harry said, "A man's got to know his limitations".

PS. The Phoenix guys drive their cars year round but this is the primary season right now. Tucson isn't as active.

[1795]

Welcome aboard, it is better to make contact here first, before you get your cobra, than to make contact after an oops moment.

As Tony said above, take it slow and easy. This car will make the other ones that you have seem like tricycles. The wheel base is short and it will come around in a hurry, and then if you are really unlucky suddenly it will get grip and throw you in the direction that your front tires are pointing. Remember, no ABS or traction control.

Jealous that you get to drive yours, the weather is turning cold here.

Enjoy, and if you feel the need to do burnouts, find an empty mall parking lot so that you have plenty of room for error.

Jim

[twobjshelbys]

Originally Posted by 1795

Enjoy, and if you feel the need to do burnouts, find an empty mall parking lot so that you have plenty of room for error.

Jim

Heed this advice. I tried one once (in an area with plenty of room for error) and the car went straight for about 10' then started to spin around. Could do cookies all day long but a straight line wasn't possible. Heed this when trying to win getting away first at a stop light when your wheels start to spin. Best advice is don't do it.

[twobjshelbys]

Here's another observation about Cobras.

If you master it, and can safely avoid and/or recover from all the things that it can do to you, then you can almost assuredly drive any other car. I knew how squirrelly the Cobra was and had a heads up on the Ford GT being equally prone to exchanging front and rear. The Cobra experience prevented many pucker moments.

But first, if you haven't done it, get a really good high performance driving class that includes skid pad. I got an email from Bondurant school this week, so contrary to what the previous press was, they still are open. Take the 3 or 4 day class. It'll be worth your time.

[Hotoxide]

Thanks for the advice Tony. I've never driven a sports car with so much power. I will treat the car with respect. The computer in my current Miata intervenes when you try to spin the tires. It will also try to save itself and the driver if you totally over do a curve.
I'm not a novice when it comes to skidding. Back in New York we used to run auto-cross on a frozen lake. I drove the Datsun 1600, 356 Speedster and a Volvo 142. It was good experience for driving on snow/ice covered roads.
Questions are always an issue. We'd all like to think what we have to ask is unique. I was a moderator on Miata.net for ten years back in the old days. Back then the search function on v-Bulliten was only fair. You can bet I'll give the search here some use. I hope it's improved.

Dave - there's lots to learn

[xb-60]

Originally Posted by twobjshelbys

Heed this advice. I tried one once (in an area with plenty of room for error) and the car went straight for about 10' then started to spin around. Could do cookies all day long but a straight line wasn't possible. Heed this when trying to win getting away first at a stop light when your wheels start to spin. Best advice is don't do it.

Welcome to Cobra ownership and to the CC forum Dave.
If you heed the advice offered above, you will no doubt enjoy your car immensely.

Stay safe!

Cheers,
Glen

[twobjshelbys]

Originally Posted by twobjshelbys

Best advice is don't do it.

I'll add a memory... With both the Cobra and the GT I was tempted -- after so many jerks wanted to race, and I never would - just look across and smile and wave and let them make fools of themselves, and in one case, get stopped by a cop -- to get a bumper sticker that said "I let you win".

Video after video posted here about people doing stupid stuff and the car going squirelly and plowing into a curb, another car, tree, etc...

[FredG]

Welcome to the forum and good luck with the car. You will find that this forum is going to be your best friend when it comes to finding things out about your car. Don't be afraid to ask questions because you are going to have plenty of them in the beginning. Do searches for areas you want to learn about. The knowledge here is tremendous. Have respect for these cars from day one. You basically have purchased a 600hp go cart. It can be exhilarating and frightening.

Fred

[Alfa02]

Welcome Dave, as you can see by the comments here already, we want you to enjoy your car for years to come. Sounds like you will heed our advice. Lots of PHX. Cobra owner to hang with, but as Tony said, not so much so in Tucson, in fact one there is coming up for sale on BaT soon. Best advice I can give you, listen to your Cobra, when it say's "I can kill you in a heartbeat" it means it. I've raced for 40+years, two time national Champion, I'm not scared of them, but RESPECT My Cobras. Cheers TommyRot.

[Hotoxide]

Thanks to every one for the responses and great advice. I feel welcome and part of the CC forum.
In a few weeks, when the interior is done, we'll get the experience of our driving life. Of course I will post about it, pictures too. For now we'll continue to explore the forum, the internet and order Cobra goodies from Amazon.

Dave--quiet for now