[What'saCobra?]

Thank you Stephen. The past is the past.

Though, just because somebody says I'm not Jay Leno and I used to own a few cars, that information shouldn't cause you to fold your tent. Stick up for your opinions and their basis, which was just what...exactly?

That I am unkind not to give you my inventory list? How about the keys to the house and a map? That I should be attacked by everyone, not just you?

Should you demand of me to disassemble my 427 FE SO TP, I would suggest that you file that request with the sunshine I was mentioning.

Ps: snobs rarely know they are snobs, just to let you know. They can only be detected by third parties.

But, I gather that we are all squared Jack away now and we can get back on the subjects of merit...

Trev:
I am sorry to confirm, Trev, that I did two years ago get rid of the 1959 FWE Climax 7. The motor was threatening to come apart and I didn't want another $6-7000 rebuild. You are right, they were very, very tiny cars and I could never keep track of where my feet were or were not. I had to use ballet shoes to fit in the pedal wells. I promise not to buy another one.

Fun car, though. A lot of babes thought it was "cute", so I sold it soon afterwards. I don't want to be found driving something "cute." A matter of pride, y'know?

Cobra race cars (cont'd):
Recall also that when the SCCA allowed the big block cars into Ap racing, they banished the 289 Cobra to Bp and simultaneously demanded that they remove the 4x2bbl Webers, always good for about 40 horses over the newly developed single 715cfm center pivot Holley. That restriction made it very hard indeed to beat the big blocks that ran in Ap (SCCA A production) and were well driven. Even so, unless the 'vette pilot was good, a 289 might just slip in the top three.

This Bp downgrade was purely a political move, although it had some logic. I suppose it wouldn't be "right" if the Cobra small blocks regularly whupped the big boys from Chevrolet (and FORD).... It might get Detroit riled up enough to withdraw from the Pro Series races, USRRC, CanAM and Formula A (F5000 in Erup), but often running as F6000 quite illegally. SCCA had by that time gone pro and needed the munny. Real bad.

A number of worthy drivers put Cobras into the USRRC pro series, but the cars were hopelessly outclassed by the new mid-engine designs that also utilized low drag shapes, etc.

I was an occasional pit crew gopher on Sam Feinstein's Q'ship Cobra 427 during 1971/1972 or so. You may have read that it was CSX 3009 and called "Ollie the Dragon" because it belched so much flames from time to time. Sam won the SCCA A production Championship in 1972 with a seven year old 1965 race car and an engine that had no FORD development since perhaps 1964. This was against Chevrolet big blocks and big money development.

I think that speaks wonders of the staying power of the 427 race cars, to stay a top winner for such a long time without factory development support. Shelby was nowhere to be seen. Parts were hard to get, except from AC. They stayed in there and built to order and shipped by air, if necessary, collect.

Not ever likely to ever win for such a long period again today. OK, Sam and Ed Lowther were great drivers, no question. But the car did the job and carried their big butts to many victories.

But, only Sam and a few others can tell you how lousy the Girling brakes were at the limit. The 427's would only go one or two laps with real brakes, so you had to make your moves quickly. After two laps, the brakes faded so bad you had to get used to higher than natural corner speeds and seriously time-wasting power oversteer to stay alive and block the 'vettes. You HAD to pass him before the corner, because after the initial turn in you had no more brakes and you would wack the guy.

I am not kidding, it was really silly driving around those "fabulous" Girling brakes. If you have them on your kit, it is OK by me, but don't plan on serious racing because I think they stink. We used ducts up the gazzoo and it only helped a little. We seriously considered a water drip system, but the steam noise was too obvious. And only an ijit would fail to cool the brakes down on the cool down lap, otherwise all the heat would migrate to the wheel bearings and the grease would drip out on the pits and you might get black-flagged for the next race. Use the AP's, Brembos or Wilwood, etc.

More LightWeight stuff:
You might know that some of the LightWeights had a power brake system. It was the sweetest dual master cylinder system, mounted on the drivers forward footwell face, vacuume powered and acting on BMW 750IL ventilated discs that fit inside the 15" wheels. Very excellent indeed and another reason why the LightWeight was/is easy to drive on the street. I should show pictures of it to the Kirkhams, but they probably know all about it.

Boy their stuff is nice...

Gotta get outa here..back at you guys later...