London Cobra Show 2017

[bfreer]

Hi Guys,

I am starting this tread to generate some talk about the 2017 London Cobra Show. We are coming along great with the planning and details and would like to get more cars this year than last year. If you haven't been to LCS it is a must do. If you have been there you know it's time to come back. It is the largest gathering of Cobra, Coupes and GT40 in the world. Our board and officers have been busy getting ready for this year's show and would invite anyone with suggestions to contact us. We struggle with wanting to make changes to the show and also being told if it's not broke, don't fix it. So this is your chance to give us some input of things we may not have thought about doing. As usual we will be having the driving school at Mid Ohio Race Track. We are also still having autocross as part of the show. Multiple guided cruises and of course charity rides in London. You can post your ideas here or send me a PM.

Thanks and See You In June,
Brian Freer
Vice President, The Ohio Cobra Club

[jeffgrice]

Hi Brian

We expect to have a large contingent from the Great Lakes Cobra Club this year!

Jeff

[Dirty Harry]

Hoosier Cobra Club should have several cars coming over as well. It's a lot of fun, and what a great cause!

[bfreer]

That's Great Guys. Do you have any ideas on how to improve the show? What can we do to get people to return that haven't been back in a while?

Brian

[1795]

If everything goes right with my build, the SVRA Vintage Grand Prix of Mid Ohio will be my first race with the FIA cobra at Mid Ohio. The dates June 22-25 coincide with the London Cobra Show. Hope to see some of you at the track.

[Dirty Harry]

Brian, PM sent.

[ROBERT GWALTNEY]

print more tee-shirts. you ran out last year. also do you have awards like best of show, top ten, who drove the furthest , furthest trailered, best burn-out, loudest exhaust. raffle for prizes donated by sponsers. have your car picture taken with super model or with whoever you choose

[vatdevil]

Pictures for a donation

[PSB]

Well, these aren't new suggestions, they're ones I made when I was on the OCC board and they got shot down, but WTH:

1) Open the show up to other component cars

2) Get some newer speakers. Someone from the current car shows on Velocity like Stacey David

3) Some "how to" seminars on Friday night.

Ok, that's enough sacrilege for now...

Pete

[Stearman]

Input/suggestions from an outsider looking to drive in one of these days.

1. Having different types of discussion forums open to the general public throughout the day. Example from experiences from the aviation world. Each public forum would last 15 to 30 minutes long and would host about 20 people. The topics could cover a multitude of items. This can be under one tent and the topic and time would be listed list outside the tent (or building). People choose which forum to attend.
Sample topics:
A. Buying a used Cobra, what to look for.
B. How to shop and navigate for insurance.
C. The history of the London Corbra Show.
D. New cars Manufacturers show and tell or showcase. New product rollouts.
E. How to remove and install wheel spinners correctly. And how to use safely wire. (With a hands on experience with a mock up).
F. Road tour highlights from past LCS trips.
G. How to best pack for road trips.
H. Highlight different Cobra clubs across the country

NOW, keep in mind...the experienced Cobra owner may or may not attend these public forums, it just depends on the subject matter. But, it does engage the general public into the activities and they are the future success of any program.

2. As any very serious buyer would appreciate, a chance to drive a particular Cobra kit brand. How would this work?? Depends on many factors, #1 would be the liability which kills most ideas instantly. BUT, If anyone went to the aviation meca known as Oshkosh, different manufacturers would let a pilot fly their aircraft (with an instructor) for a very steep fee which would be used as a deposit if you chose their product. If you did not buy their product, you just donated your money to their pockets.

For the LCS, Maybe charge $250 (+\-) for a predetermined route maybe on a closed coarse and open road, with a "factory rep" which would last so many minutes. Basic operations, left and right turns, bumps, braking, backing up, parking. Getting in and out of a Cobra, experience the wind and noise. Maybe the fee just goes to cover the cost of liability insurance and gas with the rest being donated to the LCS? The point is, make the fee high enough to put a sting in someone's wallet so the idea does not turn into drive and thrashing of someone's car. It's not an autocross, it's a buyers decision guide.

Trust me, spending a few hundred bucks to experience and understand something ahead of time is worth it compared to spending thousands on buyer regrets. A Cobra is a life long dream for many, but after learning your shoulders don't support you trying to get out of the car and burning our leg on the muffler....sometimes it's better to hang on to a dream rather than have that dream fulfilled with heartache of achieving that dream.

Things to consider to weed out the average wannabe: again...keep the price high to cover many unknowns, maybe have a pre-signup prior to the show with a non-refundable percentage fee (cover no-shows). Having a pre-sign up campaign can help coordinate types of kits to showcase, number of drivers, length of events. Keep the drivers age limit above 30 or higher due to liability.

Just a couple of ideas....totally understandable if these ideas get filed in the round file cabinet.

[vatdevil]

Car judging with awards broken out by manufacturer/kit brand. And Stearmans ideas above on insurance/manufacturer forums are super ideas. Forum on how to register cars in various states. Parts aftermarket suppliers is another forum idea.

[bfreer]

This is great input guys. I will be taking them to the board to see what we can do to make LCS bigger and better. Keep the ideas coming.
Brian

[tamanaco]

I like what Stearman said...could just have a few topics, small tent with a few chair, power point presentation with some one to answer questions.

post the London Cobra Show site https://londoncobrashow.com/

Also, Been to a coupe of the events in the past...and you guys do a good job! I think I can make it this year.

[Riverside racer]

A mobile Dyno?

[Sawdust]

Ross are you going this year with your Riverside Racer?

Stu.

[Riverside racer]

Not sure yet Stu, as I`m trying to get one of the new 289 comp Sebring Tribute cars there.
Best
Ross

[MOTORHEAD]

Brian:
Need info on track events so I e-mailed on the contact page of the LCS website, but not getting a reply. Can you provide contact info for whoever is the point man for the track events ? I need details on car and driver requirements.
Thanks,

Ted R.

[bfreer]

Ted,
Thanks for posting. When you say track events are you talking about the driving school at Mid Ohio or the autocross? I can get you info on either.

Brian

[MOTORHEAD]

Brian: I'm looking for the specific car and driver requirements for both, or contact info on the person/s in charge of both events.
Are either of these events part of the LCS, or are they sponsored by other org's, and just happen to be scheduled prior to the LCS ?
Thanks for your help.

Ted

[Dwight]

in 2005 they had a dyno but the Cobra guys were afraid to get their car dyno-ed. The dyno guys were charging $50 so it was not the price. I think they were afraid of the real numbers!