Long Island Cobras

[Nickpz1]

Jim,
Thanks for the great information! It seem that the group keeps busy. I went on www.specialinterest.com and found 19 events/shows in Nassau & Suffolk counties just in April & May. (If anyone would like I can eMail you the list)
Talking about list, is there a list of good/cobra friendly auto shops in the area? Interior, body & paint shops, ceramic coating, chroming, dyno-tune, alignment – I have done everything to this point myself but now I need some outside skills. Any help you can give would be appreciated. Thanks.
All the best,

[JAM1775]

There's Nick's Classic Concepts 631-643-4611, located SSP to Exit 36N (Straight Path) to 2nd light Left on Edison then quick right on Otis.
It's right there on the corner. Go there any sunny Saturday from 8-2pm you will find 10-20 Cobras outside and as many in the shop.

Interior ?? Ask Nick for Sal's number. Carpet guru but not cheap. He visits the shop and sometimes will go to your home.
Ceramic coating? The shiniest silver by far is Jet-Hot . see their web.
Not that it mattered with my headers they dulled after heat cycles anyway.
Otherwise many guys have used Airborne Coatings in New Haven Ct.
860-528-8281
Dyno tuning IMHO the best for quick tech help and leaving with the most HP is Mustang Magic 631-254-3430 located off SSP Exit 40N, Bayshore Rd, continue to Brook Ave make right, bear right at fork it's there. They built my motor way back when. But, many guys have left there very happy with dyno gains the past 3 years . If carbed you must have you own jets. Owner is Joe . Dyno guys are Steve and Joe.
401K should be on their dyno next week with his SC'd head ported 392 stroker....woo-hoo !

Paint for me and a few FFR's was done by Keith at K&M just behind Mustang Magic 631-243-1337. He's my guy. Others on FFC living on LI, like Lawman,TonyA and CobraRay have terrific paint done at other shops.
These guys are at Oakdale most summer Thursday nights.

These are just starting points . I'm sure you will settle in to places as time goes on and other guys chime in . Feel free to shoot me an e-mail I can give you my tel# if you feel like heading WAY east for a ride in an old MKI. I'm in Manorville. Special Interest is very popular. I'm lucky because they sell the paper at a Hess right down the road from me!
Pray for sun this weekend !!!!!
Jim Marotta

[JCoop]

Hi Jim,
No problem, my interest in formalizing the club has the same objectives as any cobra enthusiast anyway. Comraderie and just learning about these cars and its heritage. To start, I'd like to get the dates and a short synopsis of the runs you mentioned, plus the gent-in-charge and his/her contact info. I'd like to put together some sort of general schedule, make a PDF and attach or post it here where people can refer to it. Then we can talk it up a week or so before the event. Having a club is nothing but getting together and agreeing on a name so we can represent ourselves as a unified group. It's the only way we can get the discounts, recognition, and just be able to negotiate or represent the group in larger bodies or groups where there could be some benefit to us. We don't need dues right now, if there is a need for something that requires funding, then we can talk about it.

Anyway, thanks for sounding off, I'd like to go to the track thing but road racing is my interest and quite frankly, I'm still intimidated by my Cobra's power and haven't really floored it yet. Maybe I'll drive up to spectate

[JAM1775]

Ray...smart move...respect the power.
The LICR dates are not set. The person organizing what develops will vary. So too will the dates . The best I can say is as the season progresses things will emerge. Unless of course you decide to kick start a Cobra Run.

[ERA-FIA]

Ray, I agree with you my first choice of enjoyment would be a road course however, might I suggest that if you haven’t come to grips with your cars power as yet the strip might be the best way to accomplish this. You will be in a fairly safe controlled environment…forget the lights and the guy next to you just drive as hard as you are comfortable with. After several passes you will be going faster and probably be comfortable doing it, pedal to the metal and all that.

Anyway looking forward to meeting you.

[JAM1775]

Ray....Joe is dead on. The safest place to learn how the car reacts is the track. Got a trailer ?

[JCoop]

Jim, I have a friend who lets me use his open steel bed anytime. I also have a tow dolly. I've been looking for a 20 foot enclosed for quite a while but none have come up in the used market. I was signed up to run the GT40 at Pocono on May 8-9 and was also hoping to go to SAAC31 at VIR at the end of June. Do you guys use enclosed trailers?

[JAM1775]

I just purchased a 20' enclosed Cargo Mate. A few guys have an enclosed and a few more have open.

[JCoop]

Sorry, couldn't show this past Sat. I was lawnboy, houseboy,etc. out east, so I could be boytoy Tough deal at my age.

So is a 18 footer too small for a Cobra?

[JAM1775]

I'm not sure what the company I used recommends or the pro/cons of 18 bersus 20 foot car haulers. Perhaps a guy with more experince can chime in.

Here's the link www.cargomate.com
Mine is Model EH852OTA2. It is a 20' but measure 23'10" inlcuding the steel triangular hitch in front. There is a 21'10" Model which is probabaly referred to as a 18' trailer. The of course, there is always Serpent Express which a very short and designed specifically for the Cobras and are really nice at somewhere near 16 feet long.