1,000 hp Superformance drift Cobra shakes up SEMA ’17

[cycleguy55]

He started out with a standard Superformance MKIII Cobra replica as a base, already a healthy performer. But then he fitted the chassis with a special hydraulic e-brake. Pulling on the hand lever is a quick way to initiate the drift, both to unweight the rear tires and then control the drift.

The engine delivers nearly 1,000 hp now, for one. It started life as a Ford Racing Aluminator SC crate engine. In order to up the output, “We removed the heads, changed the springs, cams and valves,” Vlado relates. “The bottom end is a stock Ford Racing Aluminator SC crate engine running a Whipple supercharger at 22 pounds of boost and 100 shot of nitrous to get that thousand wheel horsepower.”






More: https://www.rcnmag.com/garage/the-drifter

[Bartruff1]

Not my cup of tea....

[cycleguy55]

Originally Posted by Bartruff1

Not my cup of tea....

Ditto.

[Alfa02]

Me too, never quite got the whole Drifting thing. Seems like a waste of rubber.

[Bearwolf]

https://youtu.be/Ynl2dJSpEYo

I don't want to leave another negative comment, so I'll let Peter Brock do it for me. Go to the video in the link and go to 6:15, haha.

[spdbrake]

Originally Posted by Bearwolf

https://youtu.be/Ynl2dJSpEYo

I don't want to leave another negative comment, so I'll let Peter Brock do it for me. Go to the video in the link and go to 6:15, haha.

And the correct 4 wheel drift @ 8:00.

[NewYorkGuy]

Originally Posted by Alfa02

Me too, never quite got the whole Drifting thing. Seems like a waste of rubber.

Younger generation is doin their own thing. Kinda like 1950s and 1960s demolition car derby. Tires are cheap.

[Buzz]

Young people with powerful cars have enjoyed doing burnouts since the dawn of time. Most here have grown up basing a car's performance on straight line drag racing. Think of drifting as doing burnouts around corners or on a circuit; balancing a car on the ragged edge of control. No one ever said it's the quickest way around a track or the best way to preserve your tires. it's all about high horsepower, tire-smoking fun. As a kid I used to wear out the back tires on my bicycles doing rear brake drifts. Later on we did handbrake drifts (most of the cars were front wheel drive) on sandy beach ramps in our parents' cars. When we began to get our grubby lil' hands on more powerful rear drive cars, we were drifting away long before drifting even existed. Spinning tires, driving sideways - tons of fun. Most ol' pharts hate it because they associate it with the evil "ricer" culture, but it reminds me of my youth, and I definitely get it.

[Bartruff1]

I know pimps that would not be seen in that car...

[Buzz]

Originally Posted by Bartruff1

I know pimps that would not be seen in that car...

Well, I don't know any pimps (not my cup of tea ) so I'll defer to your authority in this area.

Having said that, most race/special event/special purpose cars are set up and dressed up in ways that most folks wouldn't consider for their daily drivers.

[Bartruff1]

Well back in the olden times when I used to pimp, it was excellent marketing to draw attention to yourself...... but today...... with the internet and the opportunity to access some very high quality product...... at a very high cost...... by some very high profile customers....... it is now necessary to be as discreet as possible......I mean, can you imagine seeing this car parked outside Trump Tower.....not prudent....

[Alfa02]

Buzz, I do get the drag race thing about
warming up tires" (Burnouts), but as you know burning them down the 1/4 mile IS not the fastest way to the end. As a Vintage racer / Autocrosser, the quickest way is NOT to spin your tires. This Drifting thing, just doesn't make sense to me, what is the end result? Not the quickest way around a course, Is it by a judge, or judge's (Crowd vote?) that determines a winner? That then is just some other guy's option, which in the end means nothing. I've watched these thing's on TV, 2-cars side-by-side, smoking their tires, and the car control it takes, but nothing different then two (or more) road racer's doing the same thing, and yes we're doing a four wheel drift, only we're trying to go as fast as we can to beat the other cars. To me it look's the same only in slow motion, with tire smoke. No offense, I guess I'm just too old to understand it Cheers Tom

[Buzz]

Originally Posted by bartruff1

well back in the olden times when i used to pimp, it was excellent marketing to draw attention to yourself...... But today...... With the internet and the opportunity to access some very high quality product...... At a very high cost...... By some very high profile customers....... It is now necessary to be as discreet as possible......i mean, can you imagine seeing this car parked outside trump tower.....not prudent....:d

lmao!!

Originally Posted by Alfa02

No offense, I guess I'm just too old to understand it Cheers Tom

No offense taken or intended. I don't follow or watch drifting enough to even know the rules, but I get that driving a car with enough power to smoke the tires all the way around a circuit sideways can be a blast for drivers and spectators alike.

[cycleguy55]

Originally Posted by Alfa02

Buzz, I do get the drag race thing about
warming up tires" (Burnouts), but as you know burning them down the 1/4 mile IS not the fastest way to the end. As a Vintage racer / Autocrosser, the quickest way is NOT to spin your tires. This Drifting thing, just doesn't make sense to me, what is the end result? Not the quickest way around a course, Is it by a judge, or judge's (Crowd vote?) that determines a winner? That then is just some other guy's option, which in the end means nothing. I've watched these thing's on TV, 2-cars side-by-side, smoking their tires, and the car control it takes, but nothing different then two (or more) road racer's doing the same thing, and yes we're doing a four wheel drift, only we're trying to go as fast as we can to beat the other cars. To me it look's the same only in slow motion, with tire smoke. No offense, I guess I'm just too old to understand it Cheers Tom

Drifting to me is all about 'show', not about 'go'. Analogies from the Winter Olympics:

• Figure skating vs speed skating
• Freestyle vs downhill skiing

Ask yourself: Do you want to show off or go fast?

[Buzz]

Originally Posted by cycleguy55

Ask yourself: Do you want to show off or go fast?

Maybe both... Do the two need to be mutually exclusive? Are the chrome bits, shiny paint etc. on your Cobra all there to make it go fast?

[Alfa02]

I believe clean cars are ALWAYS faster then dirty ones

[Gaz64]

Originally Posted by cycleguy55

Drifting to me is all about 'show', not about 'go'. Analogies from the Winter Olympics:

• Figure skating vs speed skating
• Freestyle vs downhill skiing

Ask yourself: Do you want to show off or go fast?

As a speed skater (roller) of years ago, I loved sliding a bit, but I strived to have the best grip to go fast. So sliding is fast, no sliding is definitely faster.

Originally Posted by Alfa02

I believe clean cars are ALWAYS faster then dirty ones

Yes, clean detailed cars definitely go faster.

[ACademic]

I've read all the comments and I have to say that many here are either misinformed or don't understand the true context of it all.

Vlado of V's Performance has been an expert Superformance installer in the Orange County, CA area for several years. His crew supports both Hillbank Motors (essentially the HQ for Superformance) and many area private owners on all aspects of Cobra/GT40 mechanics. They can do it all and they do it well.

But my point is not to make any glowing endorsements for either Superformance, Hillbank or V's Performance. I don't know this for certain, but given the amount of work that flows from Hillbank customers to V's Performance, the Superformance body and chassis that they use for the drift Cobra may very well have been donated or loaned to them for a song and dance (or leased for cheap to keep it legal). It's nothing more than an incredible marketing platform for the Superformance and Hillbank brands.

The fact that Vlado gets to take this car to national events (in this case, SEMA, but they also do many nationally-televised Barrett-Jackson auctions), flog the absolute crud out of the car, burn up someone else's tires relentlessly (several sets over the course of an event by the promoting sponsors), and gaining national media exposure for the car, the brand and perhaps even the drifting sport...All of that is truly exceptional. He's probably having loads of fun and on (mostly) someone else's dime. Not a bad gig if you can get it.

Disclaimer: I'm not a fan of "drifting" either. But here's a great example where a Cobra is being used in a marketing sort-of-way that attracts people to the hobby. And if that ultimately sells more Cobras, then that's healthy for the industry. Drifting is just the conduit, nothing more. Intelligent marketing, plain and simple.

Your mileage may vary. Thanks for reading.

[Buzz]

Originally Posted by ACademic

He's probably having loads of fun...

That's the point right there

[Unique427]

It's a judged exhibition.
A crowd pleaser.
Especially if you don't have the real-estate available for a track or dragstrip.

Not my cup of bourbon but still entertaining.