Do you worry about parking your Cobra?

[NewYorkGuy]

I live in two major cities, NY and LA, and I have seen many expensive cars park unattended on streets and public garages BUT I have not seen many open roadsters park unattended (longer than an hour parking). Do Cobra owners drive a different car when they know beforehand that they will need to park the car for long hours (say 3-4 hrs to go dining, movies, shopping, etc.) and do you worry about your car when you're away? Thx!

[rodneym]

I must admit I worry to the point of not doing it, and it keeps me from enjoying the car to its full potential.
I've even had small dings and light scratches from car shows. You go grab a coffee and a donut and some a-hole who drove in on a [insert 80's quasi exotic here] HAS to knock on it and feel what kind of 'paint' it is.

[dallas_]

Good question.
I guess it depends on the car and the location.

Mine is a track car so I don't get too worked up about dings and scratches. I intend to repaint the car anyway when I decide to sell it.

Also, our area isn't as prone to vandalism as some other areas might be.

If I had a nearly perfect car in a high crime area I expect I would feel differently.

[FWB]

i never park it anywhere unless its fully within my eyesight all the time.

it would take about 3 minutes to steal one of these cars if you know what your doing

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by FWB

i never park it anywhere unless its fully within my eyesight all the time.

it would take about 3 minutes to steal one of these cars if you know what your doing

Agreed. If I ever did have to leave it unattended for a while, I'd pull the QR on the Moto Lita and take it with me. You can hot wire cars with a Ford solenoid on the wall almost as fast as you can start them up with a key.

[RodKnock]

Originally Posted by patrickt

Agreed. If I ever did have to leave it unattended for a while, I'd pull the QR on the Moto Lita and take it with me. You can hot wire cars with a Ford solenoid on the wall almost as fast as you can start them up with a key.

As a general rule, most BEIGE Cobras with two roll bars are considered safe pretty much anywhere. Even thieves have taste.

[BAsque1]

Originally Posted by FWB

i never park it anywhere unless its fully within my eyesight all the time.

it would take about 3 minutes to steal one of these cars if you know what your doing

Ditto here too, If I go to a restaurant, the car is parked where I can see it at all times, being the fact that my navigator (aka wifey) has a handicap permit it allow us to park in a larger spot and dings from doors are less of a danger. I am annal about my car. for I show it a lot I hate to see any imperfections on the car. Being painted in black you can see everything!! There are always the onlookers who take countless pictures etc, that don't bother me.

[Jaydee]

On a previous car I set up a smoke alarm. I wired a phone cable inside a Bakelite tube, wired to the ignition. if I didn't turn of a hidden switch, it would short to earth, drawing only 10 amps, and it would create an instant smoke cloud from under the dash. Would be enough to scare the crap out of any would be thief.
JD

[DanEC]

Originally Posted by FWB

it would take about 3 minutes to steal one of these cars if you know what your doing

Very true if no hidden kill switch. Two pieces of wire or one piece of wire and a screwdriver and I don't think it would even take 3 minutes to drive it away.

[Mr Jody]

Originally Posted by DanEC

Very true if no hidden kill switch. Two pieces of wire or one piece of wire and a screwdriver and I don't think it would even take 3 minutes to drive it away.

Pull the coil wire and put it in your pocket before you walk away.

And if you are concerned that the would-be theives would be smart enough to look for such things and to keep a spare on hand, you could even devise a fake coil wire to put in its place.

Of course as already mentioned, this would be only if no other means had been built in. A battery with a switch in a locked trunk to prevent it from even being turned over with hotwire attempts would be better. This would hopefully make any would-be thieves realize it's time to move on when nothing happens on the first attempt. Prevents any arcing and sparking damage, too.

[NewYorkGuy]

Originally Posted by DanEC

Very true if no hidden kill switch. Two pieces of wire or one piece of wire and a screwdriver and I don't think it would even take 3 minutes to drive it away.

You can get a GPS car tracker for under $100 and sync it to your cellphone. it's awesome and a sinking sensation to see your car being stolen in real time on your cellphone screen!

[RodKnock]

Originally Posted by rodneym

I must admit I worry to the point of not doing it, and it keeps me from enjoying the car to its full potential.
I've even had small dings and light scratches from car shows. You go grab a coffee and a donut and some a-hole who drove in on a [insert 80's quasi exotic here] HAS to knock on it and feel what kind of 'paint' it is.

First, stop grabbing donuts. They're not good for you.

Otherwise, yes, I worry because Cobras are attractive nuisances. If I drive it to the local coffee shop, I literally have to walk backwards into the coffee shop so I don't take my eyes off the car. Seriously, they're a magnet for those with etiquette and those w/o.

[rodneym]

Originally Posted by RodKnock

First, stop grabbing donuts. They're not good for you.

Bad for the body but good for the soul.
Sort of like a Cobra.

[Maricopa]

Bars/Restarants, Wal-Mart, Library, movie theater, etc. etc. In nearly 8 years I've gotten one door ding but never even had the hats and cheapo sunglasses I keep behind the seats taken out of it.
It's nice to only have 25 instead of 60-100K sunk into one. I do worry about actual theft (joy ride) so I have a battery cut-off. Not gonna keep a dedicated thief from stealing it but will require popping the hood an add several minutes of futzing.

[OnyxRider]

I think anyone that values their collector car is worried about parking. It's a dam shame too when someone has to be present to watch it.

I use to have one of those high tech alarms in a Ferrari Spyder to keep the top down but it did nothing for seagulls by the beach.

Wish there was an alarm sound like one of those used for an inbound ICBM. It would put your heart in shock mode as someone approached your car.

https://autos.yahoo.com/news/despera...233723190.html

NYC parking forget about it.

[AL427SBF]

Interesting, May '14 member, 10 posts ...

Used Superformance or New Backdraft from Vintage thread -

Originally Posted by NewYorkGuy

lol, i havent bought gas for my daily driver in 2 years. I have an electric car. It is obvious the original poster, Ace, is not a cobra guy but wants the thrill, experience, and thumbs up from the old timers. And that is fine. And he should skip baby steps and get the best body with the best baddest engine. i not.he will always lust for the Kirk orCSX.at.every.car show

Originally Posted by NewYorkGuy

You will always have buyers remorse with a BDR or SPE. It's like buying a Porsche Boxster. They are entry level models.

Buy the best, either a Kirkham or CSX. Spend $100K for roller, $35K for engine, add $10K for bling parts. Only then, you will either be a Cobra guy or not.

http://www.clubcobra.com/forums/newr...eply&p=1300593

[rms427]

I once parked my cobra on the street in Hermosa Beach (just outside LA) and left the key in it. This was on the main street off the ocean. It was a holiday weekend in the Summer and it was really crowded. It was there for several hours. Now this was in the early 70's and I did have the tonneau cover on it.

[Bartruff1]

I don't worry about it because I don't do it....so that must mean I would worry about it if I did.

The simple fact is that my SPF is always parked in a secure private garage or enclosed trailer when I am not using it.... to frighten small children and domestic livestock on the backroads of the Northwest.

[hinoonaz]

A few years ago this exact subject came up. Solution was to leave an empty pistol holster on the dash. Has worked so far!

[AL427SBF]

Originally Posted by hinoonaz

A few years ago this exact subject came up. Solution was to leave an empty pistol holster on the dash. Has worked so far!

That's a good one!