TTO: a force to be reckoned with.

[tin-man]

Originally Posted by RallySnake

Tin-Man,

You got some good advice here, but not the BEST advice. Taking your new Cobra to a track day is a bad idea. Going to a driving school is good, but not the best first step. I have been driving my Arntz Cobra 25 years now and have had many "near death" experiences. My Guardian Angel is pretty beat up! I will explain how to stay alive.

RS

Whenever anyone recounts a many near death experience I pay attention and am borderline anal retentive. Jeeez, if this car can make a turn at a lowly speed of 45mph and still spin out, how can anyone ever attempt a high speed turn without losing their cool??

Now I am begining to realize maybe this car is more than I ever bargained for given the power and torque I have and there is no doubt in my mind I will become a permanent fixture at Bondurant Driving School until I have the confidence to take it out for a real spin.

That said, I need some advice from anyone who has an automatic tranny and are willing to share their driving experiences particularly when slowing down going into a curve.

Guys, please forgive my naivette here, I'm still waiting for my car and am doing what I consider is my due diligence in endevoring to determibne what I will experience real time when I drive, thus all my questions. I fully realize taking the beast out for its first dance will see how much I have assimilated from all your experiences and advice.

I am humbled by all your collective experiences and am thankfull for the opportunity of being a member of a club populated by such Cobra enthusiasts.

Keep the advice coming and thanks.

Cheers, John, AKA, tin-man

[Tommy]

Originally Posted by tin-man

I need some advice from anyone who has an automatic tranny and are willing to share their driving experiences particularly when slowing down going into a curve.

I had the good fortune to spend a day at the GM test track near Mesa, Arizona some years ago. I spent more than an hour that day flogging a 1989 Corvette auto around an oversized autocross track they had set up. I'd make one pass through the three minute size course then hit the long straight for a minute to cool the brakes and do it again. I used up a set of tires during that hour. The Corvette had an automatic transmission and antilock brakes. The GM driver who showed me how to drive the car said the key to quick times was to trust the antilock feature and brake late and hard. The automatic transmission seemed to always be in the gear I wanted when I wanted it. I don't recall it ever adversely affecting my entry into a turn. I left thinking that an auto transmission car would likely be quicker around that course than a manual, especially if I were the one driving it.

One other comment - You're wise to have great respect for the potential to lose control of a Cobra. But don't go overboard. If you plan to drive the car hard, or you doubt your ability to resist the urge to open it up from time to time, then your caution is warranted. But if you take it easy while you're getting accustomed to it, and you save your spirited driving for autocross events and the track, you should be fine. Even on the track, there's nothing that says you have to enter every corner at 100% of your car's capability. If you enter a corner using 75% of the car's grip and mishandle the power or brakes a little, you've got a pad that can allow you to learn from your mistakes without going off the track.

[xb-60]

Originally Posted by tin-man

Guys, please forgive my naivette here, I'm still waiting for my car and am doing what I consider is my due diligence in endevoring to determibne what I will experience real time when I drive, thus all my questions. I fully realize taking the beast out for its first dance will see how much I have assimilated from all your experiences and advice.

I am humbled by all your collective experiences and am thankfull for the opportunity of being a member of a club populated by such Cobra enthusiasts.

Keep the advice coming and thanks.

Cheers, John, AKA, tin-man

Well said, tin-man! I, like you, don't have a Cobra replica in my garage yet, and also like you, I am on an 'intelligence gathering mission' in preparation for that great day.
Almost all forum members are extremely forthcoming and generous with advice and good natured humour, but just occasionally, when giving my opinion, I have been criticized because I am a 'wannabe'.
I unreservedly appreciate the opportunity of being a member of this great community of enthusiasts. The collective experience and knowledge, mixed with light-hearted banter is much appreciated.

Cheers!
Glen