78 Miles

patrickt · #1 (**permalink**) 06-19-2011, 01:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tin-man

There was a hot smell of oil that I recall and the smoke was a lightish brown color and was fleeting, moving from left to right of this engine picture. Remember I was sitting in the drivers seat and it looked as though it came from the filter that sticks up on the left side of the long black header cover, but it could have come from the area near the rear.

tin-man

But there were no "puddles" of anything left under your car, correct? That smoke might very well be a red-herring that was the result of the engine not cranking right because the trans is locked/jammed on it, maybe a backfire, oil spritz out the breather, who knows. I know you think your car is "trashed," but it very well could be something pretty simple once they pull the trans away from the engine and have a look-see.

rodneym · #2 (**permalink**) 06-19-2011, 02:45 PM

tinman,

So sorry to hear about the problems. As Patrick said, they're just cars. Small potatoes in the big picture of life.

This car is everything you wanted and it's special and unique. You could buy a sorted car (there IS a lot of value in that) but your car will get sorted out. And for who? The NEXT guy?

This is your baby. I know the build has been long and arduous, but you just got it. And realistically, this may be the first of a few issues. This was not a vanilla build.

Hang in there, tinman.

Tom Wells · #3 (**permalink**) 06-19-2011, 05:04 PM

Buzz,

Thanks for clearing that up.

If the trans can accelerate or decelerate the car unpredictably then maybe you have something.

Having said that, I'm sometimes called "doubting Thomas" for good reason

Tom

Buzz · #4 (**permalink**) 06-19-2011, 05:29 PM

I hope I didn't just clear up the fact that I'm out to lunch on this!

As far as the trans being able to accelerate or decelerate the car - that will happen if it decides to change gears (up or down) on its own at any given RPM.

I have to admit that I am genuinely curious though about the hows (and whys) of flogging an automatic Cobra around a road course. Can the transmission ever be programmed to be intuitive and flexible enough in determining when and why to shift, or do you just come to anticipate that it will shift based on your throttle input and adapt your driving style accordingly?

Great Asp · #5 (**permalink**) 06-19-2011, 06:09 PM

Tin,

Sorry to hear you are having trouble. Having owned 3 SPF's I can tell you that all three took time to get sorted out, with one thing or another.

When I sold 1380 the guy asked why it was such a big deal to say "it is fully sorted out", because it is a big deal. These cars can be quirky.

All that said, think clearly and make good decisions moving forward. I know it's frustrating but in the end you will get your dream car.

Best of luck!

Eric

Tom Wells · #6 (**permalink**) 06-19-2011, 06:35 PM

Tin-Man,

Just to make sure I haven't forgot your plight, don't give up! A lot of us have had this type of experience - dare I say it is normal? Each one of these creations is unique and reflects the individuality of the person guiding the construction.

Hang in there - you'll look back on this episode and someday (probably not real soon but soon enough) be able to laugh about it.

Buzz,

No technique for me at the race track. Actually the same as on the street: put it in drive and drive. I use two feet; one for the brake one for the go pedal. My oldest son who has driven it extensively at the track only uses his right foot.

Interestingly, he and I often steer the car using only the accelerator when we are driving at 8 or 9 tenths: it's a Zen state that transcends reality when it happens - kind of like a dream state; some would describe it as "being in the zone." The car is predictable, brakes well and is a dream to drive on the track once you figure out the correct way to do it.

The "zone" only seems to happen for me once in a long while. When it does it is most welcome. I'm a slow learner and waaay linear - my brother in law said I could easily win a "can't walk and chew gum at the same time contest" which explains the automatic in my car. The fact that there is, um, adequate horsepower helps a lot. If I had to learn heel and toe and shifting I'd be years learning the basics. With the automatic I can remember right=go, left=stop and concentrate on learning the line and braking points.

Anyway that's the short version. If you want the full one, a couple of single-malts might be necessary

Tom