Which Cobra Handles Best?

[eschaider]

Jason,

You're missing the whole point here. This is not about a newbie with enthusiasm and two SPF's. Newbies do not have two SPF's!

This is about a troll coming in and suckering good people into the age old and unresolvable (because of personal preference) but never ending (and useless) Q&A about which Cobra is best. This jerk had a pretty good run at it until he got called out. Then suddenly he cuts and runs!

This is definitely not about holier than thou types inferring they do not participate in the periodic stop light Grand Prix. It is about running off trolls — good riddance!


Ed

[BDR_Boy]

Anyone notice his reason for cancelling? It was on his very first post. For: "Condescending attitude of replies"

So... for all his bravado... he can't take a little constructive criticism and good advice?

Condescending? I don't see it. He had people genuinely trying to assist him with his question... which seemed vague at best... and he got called out by others for his desire to street race, as track time had gotten "too boring".

[Buzz]

PS - I maintain that anyone who declares street racing "at 8/10ths on country roads" to be safer and more sensible than racing on a track is full of $$hit and I'll continue to call it that way.

Pain in the prostate, if you ask me.

[twobjshelbys]

Originally Posted by Buzz

PS - I maintain that anyone who declares street racing "at 8/10ths on country roads" to be safer and more sensible than racing on a track is full of $$hit and I'll continue to call it that way.

Pain in the prostate, if you ask me.

I agree 100+%

I think that most of the participants here are quite experienced sane about driving performance vehicles on public roads, and know what a fool gets when he hits the pedal on a public street. This guy was a person that is going to have bad things at some time.

[LMH]

As well as other events, I attend some track day events a few times a year. A lot of the groups, especially the lower ones, are made up of these street racers. Most don't have any professional training beyond a video game! Few know much about racing, braking, track setup or etiquette. They're all over the place through corners and esses and you can't trust what they're going to do next. To a lesser extent, that even happens in the upper groups but they tend to be much better. I can just imagine how these guys would be on a public road where there aren't flagmen and track workers keeping an eye on them.
The OP stated in one of his posts that we "don't need to worry about him" but it's not him that worries me! It's the family car he drives into on the outside of a blind corner as he comes out too hot! That's how I see it anyway.
Larry

[twobjshelbys]

Originally Posted by LMH

As well as other events, I attend some track day events a few times a year. A lot of the groups, especially the lower ones, are made up of these street racers. Most don't have any professional training beyond a video game! Few know much about racing, braking, track setup or etiquette. They're all over the place through corners and esses and you can't trust what they're going to do next. To a lesser extent, that even happens in the upper groups but they tend to be much better. I can just imagine how these guys would be on a public road where there aren't flagmen and track workers keeping an eye on them.
The OP stated in one of his posts that we "don't need to worry about him" but it's not him that worries me! It's the family car he drives into on the outside of a blind corner as he comes out too hot! That's how I see it anyway.
Larry

That inconsistency is why I never tracked my car in Colorado. Some friends went to a track nearby and I went to watch and these guys in their beaters were all over the place, came close to causing several accidents. I talked about it with my friend who had just gotten a new Boss 302 and he said it was normal for this particular group and that he avoided that time. I never went. I just went to the Bondurant classes and drove their cars. $2K for the class with people interested in learning was a lot less than 200K for my car with a group that thought that it was a demolition derby.

[724Bravo]

Answer to the question: Mine

[mdross1]

I'm certain everyone has their own answer for this question. Mine is that I set my big block car up to road race which ended up working very well even for an occasional drag race. Spent quite a bit of time working with a super modified car owner builder setting the suspension up.

[kanuck]

Jbl..

[merim123]

Originally Posted by kanuck

Jbl..

do they still make cars? I see a big NLA on the page for the only link that works (I assume it means no longer available)

[kanuck]

If I recall correctly someone bought the tooling.

[Richard Hudgins]

Originally Posted by kanuck

If I recall correctly someone bought the tooling.

Body tooling only. And only for the Goins modified bodywork as used on the touring chassis.

And yes, the JBL comp chassis car is NLA.

Dave is virtually retired and only building races parts. Like parts for the ill-fated Nissan Le-Mans effort, the gearboxes and drive systems for Danny Thompson's LSR which just went 425+ at Bonneville and replacement components for the original race parts that he built for Reynard, Gurney, etc.

I am playing a lot more golf and building a very limited production ultra light weight (24.6 lbs) mobility vehicle.

A few of my old driver friends have busted up ankles and legs and had asked for years what I could design and build to help them get around. The clincher was that my lady has MS which makes walking a difficult task and she needed something she could put in her vehicle by herself.

This LTrike was the result.

And one last thing. The JBL was not a Cobra. It just sort of looked like one.

[Moto One]

The one with the "best Driver".

I would rather see the street racer types on track (maybe) taking each other out, but learning at the same time (maybe). We all started out somewhere driving (out of control). Some will turn their talent in to real skills, other will crash, burn and move on with some skills, some will text drive and kill.

Mark.

[avanti-176]

Looks like the OP is selling his...
PhotoPost Classifieds - Superformance MkIII w/Roush 427R (550 hp) - Powered by PhotoPost Classifieds

must have found one that does, in fact, handle better.


At least I am assuming that "csense" and "commonsense" are the same person.

[NewYorkGuy]

It's all about tires. Tires win races.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLZnYp1hG2I

[LMH]

1.45G lateral!! Wow!
Larry

[Morris]

You guy's should plan on staying with me at my house in Gurnee Il. And we can have a ball bench racing and going up to Road America.....

BTW......In all my racing years.....I always said "it's not the car.....it's the lap times" that make the combination of car and driver and preparation.....

There's a difference in driving a Race car and being a Racer.....that's when you stop looking at the gauges and start driving......

Bruce/#3170.....Tony/914LS I really enjoyed your discussion....Thank You....Morris....

[Cracker]

Its been too many years my friend...I'll definitely get by and visit when we come through again! Are you still in the oil business? Give me a call - I left a message recently on the home line...

PS: You trying to give away secrets big guy???

Tony

Originally Posted by Morris

You guy's should plan on staying with me at my house in Gurnee Il. And we can have a ball bench racing and going up to Road America.....

BTW......In all my racing years.....I always said "it's not the car.....it's the lap times" that make the combination of car and driver and preparation.....

There's a difference in driving a Race car and being a Racer.....that's when you stop looking at the gauges and start driving......

Bruce/#3170.....Tony/914LS I really enjoyed your discussion....Thank You....Morris....

[twobjshelbys]

cracker == troll.

[Buzz]

Wow - this thread sure got a second wind!
The fundamental issue that I was discussing was the claim that all Cobras - original and replica (with the exception of the "outliers" )- are tail-light "hot-rods" with archaic suspension and further, the declaration that CSX3170 is incapable of favorable comparison to even "semi-racy modern machinery".
Cobras are not tail light; 3170 kicks butt today, and there's nothing especially archaic about the MKll coil spring suspension with disc brakes and independent rear.

All wheel drive and electronic traction/pitch/roll/yaw control light years ahead? Sure - but semi-racy, more modern machinery like Cracker's "old 914" don't have those either. A well engineered and constructed Cobra replica - and there are quite a few of them out there - is a capable performance car by basic standards, but to varying degrees like many newer platforms - almost any car, really - they require modifications and upgrades for serious high performance driving or track use.

The old, original-style chassis design lacks the driver protection that is now legislated on newer cars, so additional bracing and cages are needed. Ditto for any Mustang, Camaro, 914 or Corvette from the 70's to the 90's, though the full body construction of the larger coupes make them inherently "safer" in a crash or rollover.

Are there limitations to the basic design? Yes, of course - but it's not simply the "short wheelbase". There are cars with similar wheelbases that track very successfully. Its the wheelbase/track ratio that comes with built-in handling characteristics in a light weight, high power application like a Cobra, and that can be partially mitigated by lowering the COG and widening the effective track. etc etc etc.

Bottom line is that current high performance cars out of the box are expectedly far safer and better handling than out of the box original-style Cobras, but dissing them off as hot-rods, the best of which can be blown into the weeds by even an old 914 is just inflammatory bull$hit. The "old 914" is far, far from stock, but any Cobra with performance upgrades or mods is dismissed as a "ringer" or an "outlier". Clearly, Cracker has considerable experience and racing cred - but none of that makes the dismissive, opinionated BS any more acceptable or valid. At least he admits to being a pot-stirrer, so that gives some context to it all.

Having said all of that, its great to see the makings of some friendly competition and kudos to both CSX3170 and Cracker for trying to make it happen. Opinions and back and forth aside, this could be some really good stuff.