The Cobra's "Snappy Rearend"

AL427SBF · #1 (**permalink**) 06-02-2014, 09:59 AM

A good place to showcase just how quick things can go south with a 90" wheelbase car. Even under controlled circumstances, in about 1/2 a second you could find yourself in serious trouble like this guy.

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nFcAO-wisg0"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nFcAO-wisg0[/ame]

buddyg · #2 (**permalink**) 06-02-2014, 10:48 AM

Ahh that should buff right out.

patrickt · #3 (**permalink**) 06-02-2014, 11:40 AM

You know, I've seen that one before and it always looks kind of strange -- almost slow motion, but still a hard hit. It's not like it was a quick spin. You feel like you could almost just yell at the guy "hey, you're gonna hit the wall - push in both the clutch and the brake as hard as you can and you'll stop before you hit it." Maybe it's just an optical illusion.

AL427SBF · #4 (**permalink**) 06-02-2014, 01:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by patrickt

You know, I've seen that one before and it always looks kind of strange -- almost slow motion, but still a hard hit. It's not like it was a quick spin. You feel like you could almost just yell at the guy "hey, you're gonna hit the wall - push in both the clutch and the brake as hard as you can and you'll stop before you hit it." Maybe it's just an optical illusion.

I thought the same thing when I saw it, maybe he hit the wall under power and the tires hooked up about 2' before impact.
_

vector1 · #5 (**permalink**) 06-02-2014, 02:02 PM

Look like there could have been a possible save on that one. Maybe just showing off, an intentional 360 and somebody put the wall in the wrong place?

flipper35 · #6 (**permalink**) 06-02-2014, 03:16 PM

Looks like all four wheels are locked up as soon as he gets sideways to me.

bobcowan · #7 (**permalink**) 06-02-2014, 03:26 PM

This would be something similar, but not as bad. Watch the first one to the end.

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3tF4FjaIgY[/ame]

This is the same thing, but in slo-mo.

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xfnq8rAzGJU[/ame]

FWB · #8 (**permalink**) 06-02-2014, 03:46 PM

the drag strip video......owner/driver inexperience and wrong equipment

not knowing how to launch his car and going to the strip with the Gucci tires put him in the wall.

the road race video....seems like he downshifted to slow down to avoid car in front.....rear broke loose and bye-bye

the first time i launched my car at the strip i went totally 180 degrees both ways but felt car go let off corrected, slid again corrected.......straightened and finished the run.........with the moe tires he had i may have hit the wall too.

bummer, but thats what happens at the track....you put yourself and your car at risk of loss.

Luce · #9 (**permalink**) 06-02-2014, 04:15 PM

In the road race video, other than the finish line, there was no reason to downshift. Maybe upshift and too hard off the clutch. Maybe he hit the magic 158 MPH where the aerodynamics lift the ass, and again, spin. Or was he nudged by someone?

Well, maybe the up coming curve. But the high speed after the long straight away I'll say requires some delicate braking. Things get so touchy past 130 MPH.

AL427SBF · #10 (**permalink**) 06-02-2014, 04:34 PM

Then there is the showing off that makes the driver look like a fool ...

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7pKSQ-I1kQ"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7pKSQ-I1kQ[/ame]

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3yg1LKnRDGM"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3yg1LKnRDGM[/ame]
_

bobcowan · #11 (**permalink**) 06-02-2014, 10:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FWB

the road race video....seems like he downshifted to slow down to avoid car in front.....rear broke loose and bye-bye

Nope, didn't hit the clutch until it started to spin. I braked hard - like every previous corner - and the back end immediately locked and sent the car into a spin. The video doesn't give the right feel, but there was no warning and it happened very fast.

Unknown reason for that. The car was mechanically perfect (as it gets). Never did it before or after. I was way off line trying to stay behind the LS powered porsch and out of the Miata's way. If you watch the porsche, you can maybe see a little smoke off the right rear tire as he brakes. Maybe hit something on the track?

Before that, my car was really handeling well. I mean really well. You know those laps, when the car runs so well it surprises you? I was on a hot lap, and that was my fastest lap of the day.

The bottom line is, I guess, stuff happens.

Dominik · #12 (**permalink**) 06-02-2014, 11:11 PM

The blue one in the drag race: Isn't that automatic?
Maybe the throttle got stuck...

Tommy · #13 (**permalink**) 06-03-2014, 05:06 AM

Back when I hit the track regularly, I spun out at least twenty times trying to find the ragged edge of grip in turns. I tried various tire pressures and shock settings but the moment the grip failed would still come as a surprise. And once it started I was almost never able to correct fast enough to keep it from looping. ... Until I went to an event where I was able to run several hours a day for three days. By the third day I could feel a little something from the tires just before it was going to let go. I was even able to keep it in that tiny space near the end of grip. It was three months later before I hit the track again and it took me hours to regain that skill again. .... It reminded me of my experience flying high performance jets for the Air Force. If you did it every day you got better. If you did it less than twice a week, you got worse.

I took several lessons from my track experience.
1. Don't shoot for 100% of grip in a corner (or any other situation) with no safe escape routes. Learn your capability where failure will not result in disaster.
2. Don't demand more than 80% of capability (yours or the car's) until you, the car and the tires are fully warmed up and in a safe, controlled environment with emergency equipment nearby.
3. I'm much more likely to step over the edge when there is an audience involved (e.g., the driver I'm chasing, the driver who is chasing me, or those folks watching from the paddock). Ego is a ***** and I suspect I'm not the only Cobra driver affected by this.

vector1 · #14 (**permalink**) 06-03-2014, 06:47 AM

I've been on the street during a rain, trying to impress a friend with some rear tire spin and had the car yaw about 30 degrees right and left and still recovered, had my friend excited and I didn't expect it, but the car still recovered, maybe the nature of the JBL, I'd like to call it predictability, or don't be afraid to turn the steering wheel. That unexpected spin stuff is no fun.

SPF1061 · #15 (**permalink**) 06-03-2014, 07:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bobcowan

Nope, didn't hit the clutch until it started to spin. I braked hard - like every previous corner - and the back end immediately locked and sent the car into a spin. The video doesn't give the right feel, but there was no warning and it happened very fast.

Unknown reason for that. The car was mechanically perfect (as it gets). Never did it before or after. I was way off line trying to stay behind the LS powered porsch and out of the Miata's way. If you watch the porsche, you can maybe see a little smoke off the right rear tire as he brakes. Maybe hit something on the track?

Before that, my car was really handeling well. I mean really well. You know those laps, when the car runs so well it surprises you? I was on a hot lap, and that was my fastest lap of the day.

The bottom line is, I guess, stuff happens.

I had a very bad experience chasing down a Porsche on the straightaway and then trying to stick with him through the twistys...

Tickwomp · #16 (**permalink**) 06-03-2014, 02:14 PM

I know it's not for everyone, but I really like the quickness power steering gives me. Yes my car gets pretty tail happy, and I've had some very near misses, but I would have looped her for sure without the quickness from the power steering.

I first built the car with manual steering and while the "heaviness" didn't bother me, the fact that I took so much sawing at the wheel to keep things pointed in the right direction.

FWIW, just changed over to the NT01 and I really like they way they stick compared to the NT05. Sadly, I didn't quite get 4000 miles out of the NT05 so I'm not expecting much from the NT01 with regards to mileage...

Tick

AL427SBF · #17 (**permalink**) 06-03-2014, 02:44 PM

I know many have seen this one before, probably has the most hits of any of them. I still scratch my head watching this. The reasons are many -

group mentality?
wet road
inexperience
maybe some alcohol?
zero judgment

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAmbhWLcWew"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAmbhWLcWew[/ame]

vatdevil · #18 (**permalink**) 06-03-2014, 05:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bobcowan

This would be something similar, but not as bad. Watch the first one to the end.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3tF4FjaIgY

This is the same thing, but in slo-mo.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xfnq8rAzGJU

Looks like hard lift off on the accelerator combined with hard braking loosened up the rear.

buddyg · #19 (**permalink**) 06-03-2014, 09:20 PM

She couldn't drive a stick shift in a diesel rabbit much less a Cobra.

PatBuckley · #20 (**permalink**) 06-04-2014, 06:36 AM

I think that it was criminal to let her leave. She was obviously not a competent driver. As the guy said in the video "I knew she would do it".

Well I knew she would do it too - when she couldn't even find reverse, for chrissake.

What makes otherwise sane people think they can suddenly grow the talent needed to drive a 500 HP , 2500lb car in a reckless way?

Here is something to consider: I once did a left turn donut in a parking lot, I got about one in when all of a sudden the car snapped (and I mean snapped as in GONE) to the right! Not a thing wrong with the car. The only thing I could think of was that the tires were cold (Billboard GY's) and spinning them got them hot and they suddenly gripped.