Girlfriend wants an AC Cobra

[289FIA]

Originally Posted by IFlyEm

I would like her to start with a decent 300 - 400 hp modern sports car with traction control.

...and ABS, side impact protection, Air Bags, front crumple zones...

[AL427SBF]

I personally would skip driving school and jump right into Drifting 101, you'll pick the other stuff up along the way

Best of luck, it'll be fun and no question in my mind she will do well. Next up, the trials & tribulations of the build. When that time arrives, I think you know to be very careful on how you might ask about 'component selection' lol.

[olddog]

Maybe some bias because it's a She. Although if a male said he had no experience with performance cars, I suspect the driving school would be recommended by all. Maybe not quite as negative of a tone.

There are plenty of women racing, so gender means nothing.

Someone saying that they are not that good of a driver could mean anything from being honest and realistic on needing some education, to truly being clueless behind the wheel. So you need to honestly access which she is, and what type of head she has.

I find arrogant over-confident know-it-all men to be best candidate to kill themselves in any car. It's not necessary to have the skills to drive a race car, in order to own a performance car. It is imperative to have enough control over yourself to never attempt to drive over 66% of your capabilities on the streets. You only push it on a track.

[ERA Chas]

Do YOU have high performance (not talking about what ever you fly) street experience? If so, buy the ZO 6 first. You teach her to handle IT and see how comfortable you are in the pass seat while she learns.
If she bashes it or craps herself-you have your answer. There-I just saved you $30K.

[AL427SBF]

Some well spoken wisdom there.

[AL427SBF]

Originally Posted by AL427SBF

Some well spoken wisdom there.

--> olddog

[ZOERA-SC7XX]

The only thing I see wrong here is she doesn't have to finance the Cobra. If you buy or build her ANYTHING, you will be whipped for life. Tell her if she wants a Cobra, get a job and buy one, or buy a kit and you can HELP her build it. If she doesn't have anything invested in it, It'll mean nothing to her...just a guy magnet. Think hard about this.

[fastd]

where does IFlyEm live? If your girl knows how to drive a stick, see if you can find someone in your area to let her drive one, safely. My wife has driven mine; no biggie.

Not every Cobra has to have 700 hp to be fun.

[tcrist]

No bias at all because of gender on my part. I have mentioned it before to people (men and women) that are new to this type of car. I.E. high HP & light weight, power to weight ratio, whatever you want to call it. Also have mentioned schools to motorcycle riders.


AL427SBF,

Back when I was around her (assumed) age and earlier when getting into high HP vehicles, only the people that was trying to get into, or was, racing went to driving schools. I do wish that I had gone to one when I was younger. Would have been a very good experiance/training to have.

[Tommy]

IFlyEm,
Does she have her own car now? How many miles between brake pads on her car? Aggressive drivers tend to burn through pads quickly (i.e., less than 20,000 miles). If there are signs she is an aggressive driver, I strongly suggest you build her a car that looks like a Cobra, but accelerates like a family sedan. The last thing you want is to feel guilty for providing her the means to get in a bad accident, even if she asked for it. .... BTW, there is a huge difference between driving a modern safety equipped car designed for the masses, and a car built to emulate a 1960's era race car. If you haven't driven one, you may not fully appreciate the difference.

[Buzz]

There are two important points to consider that have not been emphasized and are critical to the success or viability of this decision. Neither is directly related to her gender or the structure of your relationship. They are:

1 - What type of person is she?
Is she a sensible, reasonably disciplined individual who is unlikely to do something impulsive and stupid like driving impaired or driving too fast and beyond her ability in a small, light, powerful car that she has no relevant experience in?

2- Is she conscious of and able to live with the reality that a Cobra is a loud, hot, smelly, and primitive little car whose only concession to creature comfort is a thinly padded seat?

It will blow your hairdos to smithereens and assault you with noise, heat, wind blast and the smells of gasoline and exhaust - and that is only when the weather is perfect. When it isn't perfect, you'll also be treated to sunburn, windchill and being soaked by rain - even when you choose to use the rudimentary and crude, awkward little soft top and fussy, pop-in side screens. A Cobra's idea of climate control is a gradual warming of the atmosphere with radiated heat and burnt carbon emissions.
Regardless of the weather, the sidepipes will burn you painfully and repeatedly until you achieve an uncanny, zen-like state that keeps you conscious of the pipes in relation to your body parts anytime you enter, exit or move around the little monster.

If she is both of the above and a true lover of sports cars, then the entire progression through choosing, buying, finishing and driving a Cobra will be a fantastic, rewarding process that will get better and better as you grow in experience, skill and familiarity with the joys and quirks of these unique cars.

If she is neither of the above, then the entire experience will be at best a frustration and a massive disappointment. At worst it will be a real disaster waiting to happen no matter what driving school she attends or how many yards of chromoly tubing are built into the integrated roll cage.

I say unto thee - know thyself and thy Cobra and thou shalt indeed be rewarded. Know them not and verily verily verily the nasty lil' beast will rise up and bite thee in thine arse.

Have fun and good luck!

[Cashburn]

It's called a governor... like the go-carts at the shore. Give me a call, I gotta meet this girl and sell you a car with a governor. I'll give you a discount if you throw in a Barri burger from AJBombers.

[Ant]

I am wondering whether your girlfriend is really interested in AC Cobra's or cars in general or is it a passing fad.?

A friend with me helping built a car for his wifes son who wanted to go racing, because his mother suggested it, this was some years ago he had never raced or driven a car fast, never really had an interest. Went out to the race track and drove the car once scared the crap out of himself, he never thanked us and blamed us for the scary experience.

My advice is go to a driving school and see if its worth going further, and or build or buy a Cobra with Automatic trans and no more than 200bhp something you can just cruise in, with long travel throttle.

To sum it up I couldn't let an inexperienced driver behind my 675bhp cobra with Five speed Jerico, I can't afford the new dog rings and gears or a smashed car plus I would have to be in the car as well and that could be a death sentence.

Take her for a ride in one from a car sales and see if you and she likes it, because a lot of Cobras are sh*t to drive and not that nice to go any great distance, sure if the car is designed well that will make a difference. AC Cobras are for enthusiasts they are not great road cars.

[AL427SBF]

Hey Buzz, while you were napping they gave women the vote and now it's even considered vogue in NJ if they light up a petite after dinner cigar. It's a changing world dude, get use to it.

[Three Peaks]

Originally Posted by AL427SBF

Hey Buzz, while you were napping they gave women the vote and now it's even considered vogue in NJ if they light up a petite after dinner cigar. It's a changing world dude, get use to it.

Al, with all the snarky comments you're throwing around someone would think you have something personal going on here...... so what gives? Did the pic give you a whole new definition of a "qualified driver"??????

The OP asked for opinions and that is exactly what he is getting. Let it go, would ya'?

Bob

[AL427SBF]

Originally Posted by Three Peaks

Al, with all the snarky comments you're throwing around someone would think you have something personal going on here...... so what gives? Did the pic give you a whole new definition of a "qualified driver"??????

The OP asked for opinions and that is exactly what he is getting. Let it go, would ya'?

Bob

I have let it go, some of you guys I think take yourselves and advice a little too seriously. If IFlyEm followed half the advice given here and delivered it to his fiancé in the condescending manner suggested, he probably wouldn't be engaged. Now here is where I sit on this whole issue -

First, it seems what Driving School emphasizes is being a responsible driver and exercising common sense. I already knew that, I'm sure you did to - but I asked that question to get it on the table.

AL427SBF
What did LMH learned in Driving School?

LMH
Probably the best thing I learned was that what I thought I knew, I really didn't know at all. Ego gets in the way though and that's a hard pill to swallow. You learn the basics and how to be consistent. You also learn how not to be a loose cannon. I'm speaking of road racing, not just everyday driving.

Ok, an honest guy true to his conscious will notice that most of those traits belong to men, not woman. Women don't play the "mine is bigger/faster than yours" game, their battlefield is much more subtle - experts in back-handed compliments and stature erosion, I digress. The truth is, when it comes to common sense I would put my money on the female species vs. male any day of the week (as a collective whole). In fact, that's one of the checks & balances I use with my wife - she is very good with helping me take that "reality check", and I believe we all need that occasionally.

Now to answer this question -
Did the pic give you a whole new definition of a "qualified driver"??????

No, but it definitely didn't hurt What nailed it for me is that IFlyEm's fiancé has her commercial pilot's license. Obviously she is responsible, has common sense and BRAINS (yes, that's another criteria). That license she has says her judgment is rock solid and the FAA trusts her with the lives of many, enough said.

In closing, IFlyEm has his input and is already on his way with his fiancé to take the next steps. I also think a cobra is in his future and a done deed, the fun you have behind the wheel is not exclusive to men. I only wish some of the fairer sex who do drive cobra's had chimed in here, I'm unaware of any who have - my bad if I'm wrong. They were probably thinking, "listen to these jackazzes, they are clueless". The truth is, we have a "hotrod boy's club" mentality out there, and I saw some of that here. Not so much what you say but how you say it. A prime example of this can be found by googling Danica Patrick's move to NASCAR (any forum) and reading the comments. She has been trashed totally, and based on no NASCAR history - yet she is an established Indy driver that can drive circles around all of us.

Done, I've said all I intend to on the subject - time to move on.
-----

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by AL427SBF

I have let it go, some of you guys I think take yourselves and advice a little too seriously.

Personally, around this joint I wouldn't take anyone seriously that takes me seriously.

[Buzz]

Originally Posted by AL427SBF

Hey Buzz, while you were napping they gave women the vote and now it's even considered vogue in NJ if they light up a petite after dinner cigar. It's a changing world dude, get use to it.

Seriously? Well I'll be damned...

[tin-man]

Originally Posted by Buzz

Seriously? Well I'll be damned...

Buzz, I'm thinking that too, I'm readin' were women are now in management positions and are running companies, they are even allowed to fly F16's and gasp, race Formula 1 cars and lordy, lordy, we got a female secretary of state, but it is as secretary position, right, and then there are some, oh my, who are president wannabes, what's next, chief of staff?

Be that as it may, after seeing I Fly Em's lady friend, I would be inclined to grant her any wish, providing she was to first drive a Cobra to see if that was really what she wants. I am thinking that's one classy lady who would be more at home driving either a Maserati or an Aston Martin and not driving a stinking, bone jarring, hot, dangerous, totally unpredictable Cobra. But then none of us know her as well as I Fly Em. My compliments to the dude.

Just my two cents, John, AKA, tin-man

[Buzz]

Edited - hit the post button too hastily

Edit #2 - Damn - I was hoping my edit came before any other posts. Oh well.