Speaking of morons doing spin-outs with excessive power...

[4pipes]

Same as high-siding' on a cycle.

[tin-man]

Tom, I have sent you a PM. tin-man

[Excaliber]

I think you mean trailing throttle over steer. Here's one link that might be helpful, I'm sure there are an endless number of links that deal with the subject.

http://www.turnfast.com/

It is absolutely something every Cobra owner should understand. It is a common error with new owners, and as this thread points out, can STILL bite even a very experienced driver.

I use it often, on purpose just to keep it shape. I DON'T recommend anyone try it, I'm just saying, there are times when it can be fun, when it can be useful, when "it hits the fan" and your in it already! One time I enduced it specifically because I lost my brakes on the race track. It was either "get it sideways" in an attempt to slow the car and make the corner,,, or crash. Other times, it just comes when you least expect it and it's good to have a clue what to do!

Fairly common street example for new Cobra owners:
Intersection, shifting into 2nd gear as you make the corner, moderate to spirited throttle, OFTEN results in an instant spin, bent wheels and damaged ego.

The most fundamental method "Drifters" use to "get-r-sideways". I used to Drift my Cobra in Hawaii, it was really BIG there at the time and before it became widely known on the mainland. For those who poo-poo the idea of Drifting, if you haven't done it, you might want to try it. It's an excellent skill to have in your tool bag of driving techniques. It saved my butt when I lost the brakes, I KNEW what I had to do!

[tin-man]

Excaliber, thanks for the link, very good information for a newbie. Cheers, tin-man

[JBCOBRA]

"Heel-Toe" is one of the most important driving techniques, especially with cars like these.

[undy]

Originally Posted by Jamo

Everybody's being so nice...

Dumbass! Glad you're still with us!

Thanks Jamo..

Yep, it's the admission of one's own shortcomings that diffuses the dumbass comments. I really do deserve them though, especially when (I thought) I knew what I was doing.

BTW, the extreme crown on the road really contributed to the radical left-hand sweep of the car's rear. I've done the same "trick" many times on a flat road with predictable results. Live 'n learn

Originally Posted by tin-man

Undy, I am glad you hear that your are safe, the car can be replaced but you can't, the man upstairs musta had your guardian angels on high alert at that time.

That said, are these cars so temprimental that even at 45 MPH if you blip the throttle they can do a 180? After receiving a whole lot of advice on a previous thread and now reading this I'm having severe anal retention issues and I havent even got my car yet. kidding of course, but its alarming for me to think even at that slow speed the car can spin. Glad you are still able to talk about this. We live and learn. Cheers, tin-man

Thanks Tin, it's just part of the "cobra experience". J/K, respect the car and it will take care of you. It'll provide you with many life's memories that'll put a smile on yer face long after the Cobra's gone.

It was more than a blip of the throttle. I purposely shock loaded the drive train to produce (predictable) wheel spin. I just didn't allow for all the variables that I should have been aware of. The heat of the moment thing, ya know...

With your similar thread I felt I needed to bring this to light. In spite of the candid confession I'm actually quite embarrassed over the whole situation. I've always prided myself with better behavior and abilities that this reflects..




The sad thing is I'll probably be down for the rest of the season...

I'll be calling Bob Lacy w/ Vintage Wheels tomorrow. With my non-typical offsets it took Vintage 2 months to have the wheels custom made in South Africa and get them to me. They had to go from South Africa, then Britain, then to Cali and ultimately to the "right" coast, here in Virginia Beach.

Oh well ... I guess I can chalk it up to "just deserts".

Even Jamo took it easy on me, must be getting a tad soft .... NAH!!

This is all after it stayed down for a couple months with the internal coolant leak fiasco.. Did I mention the beloved "Cobra experience" ????

Thanks to all of my extended Cobra family, for the compassion, minor scolding and most of all the helpful hints.


Dave

[sllib]

Dave;
I'd go ahead with the nitrous. If you had to downshift you obviously don't have enough power!! Seriously, I'm glad you're OK. I had a little accident myself yesterday but it involved a set of stairs, a pair of flip-flops, and a very rough sidewalk, on my way to Jenro's.
Bill Stradtner

[slider701]

You might want to give Weldcraft in Livonia, MI a call on Monday to see what it would take to repair the rim.

I have heard they can work magic on repairs............at least to have a spare for when your new one comes in.

http://weldcraftwheels.com/index.html

It would help if you have the missing chunk of wheel (from your picture) but I think they can rebuild it without it.

[undy]

Originally Posted by sllib

Dave;
I'd go ahead with the nitrous. If you had to downshift you obviously don't have enough power!! Seriously, I'm glad you're OK. I had a little accident myself yesterday but it involved a set of stairs, a pair of flip-flops, and a very rough sidewalk, on my way to Jenro's.
Bill Stradtner

Thanks Bill... I was on my way to Jenroes too, evidently a bad choice for the both of us.

Ouch!! At least I didn't end up with any bumps and bruises. Hope you're OK.

That nitrous setup was really going to be trick. The 8 nozzles would be on the bottom of the eight intake runners of the tunnel wedge, hidden from view. I'd have run all the plumbing out the back, disguising it too. About 800 rwhp would be about right

The roll back operator had to do a photo shoot of the car for his buddies before he dropped me/the car off at the house. He was about as thrilled as I was bumbed out...

[undy]

Originally Posted by slider701

You might want to give Weldcraft in Livonia, MI a call on Monday to see what it would take to repair the rim.

I have heard they can work magic on repairs............at least to have a spare for when your new one comes in.

http://weldcraftwheels.com/index.html

It would help if you have the missing chunk of wheel (from your picture) but I think they can rebuild it without it.

As you said, there's still a big chunck of the wheel laying somewhere at the site of the dastardly deed. I might return there today to see what I can find and to take a few pics of the Cobra's "street painting" she did before she went off-roading.

I Would worry too much about the unseen wheel trama that didn't get repaired. I'll still call them and email them the pic to see what they say.

[Jamo]

Undy...we've all been there in some shape or form, so my comment was from one to another.

Again, it was just a damn wheel lip.

[FUNFER2]

Thank God,....... you're ok buddy !

[undy]

I couldn't find the piece of the wheel anywhere. It probably made it into a shopping cart by now and is on the way to the scrap yard as I write this.

Here's the skid marks as I left the road and entered onto the sidewalk. You can see the hard angle that I shot into and across the inside lane. Man, what a lucky guy...



Here's the entry point where I went up onto the sidewalk, taking out some mulch and a bush on the way. BTW... I did straighten up the mulch and replant the uprooted bush before I left. Gotta think green I came to rest inches away from an elevated manhole.



Here's the sidewalk's rear wheel impact point. Also a close-up of where the rear wheel hit. I was sliding driver's side forward. What's troubling is the large scrape behind the wheel impact. It looks like my frame scraped or something. I'm getting ready to head out to the garage and ger her into the air for an inspection. I'll post pics of findings, if any.

[FUNFER2]

Now that we all have proof of @uckin' up the road & side walk, I'm callin you in to the city,....... to bust you ass !

(give me a call bud)

[madmaxx]

You are SOOOOOO LLLLLUUUUUCCCCCKKKKKYYYYY. I did the same thing once but luckly did not hit anything. I drive alot slower now and to tell you the truth it is alot less stressfull!!!

[patrickt]

Undy, I think you should call your insurance agent today and pick up a $5M Umbrella Policy to sit on top of the Cobra's auto policy.

[undy]

Originally Posted by FUNFER2

Now that we all have proof of @uckin' up the road & side walk, I'm callin you in to the city,....... to bust you ass !

(give me a call bud)

Gee Kev, I thought we wuz friends...

[undy]

I found the source of the second scrape mark in the sidewalk. It was my driver's side pipe. It dimpled it up and in towards the car. The other side took a bottom scrape too, although not as hard as the other pipe. All the rolled ends bent right out with my 10' lineman's pliers. There's no visible damage from topside. That damn pipe was hanging too low from the get-go. It actually looks better now than it did before. It's some expensive tweaking though...

[thudmaster]

We can also see the evidence that you must have been smoking while driving. Don't you know smoking can kill you............

[Sal Gerace]

I was coming back from a car show yesterday and was running a little late for work. I shifted through the gears then once in 4th going about 70 I decide to put my foot in it. The car accelerated but soon filled with smoke and I thought I broke something in the engine. I was looking to slow down and pull over but then I realized it was the smell of rubber from my tires breaking loose. I never had that happen at that speed with my Goodyear Billboards. Probably the cooler air temps with the cooler road temps. Scary when you think that the car could have easily went sideways.