The Best 8 and a half minutes in a Cobra.

[Alfa02]

Jenson Button, has pretty quick hands too It takes a F-1 world Champion to tame a Cobra Enjoy Gentlemen. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Drl175t-KEE

[Daytona Dek]

For those that like the Goodwood Festival of Speed:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hIQOgk7a0Y

[Daytona Dek]

For those that like the Goodwood Festival of Speed:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hIQOgk7a0Y

[86Sebring]

Wow, awesome drive, thanks for sharing
Reminds of an older video of Kenny Brack in a GT40

[Alfa02]

Going to Goodwood is a bucket list option (May happen ) Tom Kristensen is a pretty good shoe around Goodwood in another old Ford product https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ser-fqlT22M

[Alfa02]

Another 6mins of two Cobras battling for 1st place. Some of you may ask how come the second-place car turns on his headlights, it's an old trick, to distract the lead driver, when you see a flash of something bright in your mirror, it can and/or break your concentration, for just that split second Trust me it WORKS https://www.bing.com/videos/rivervie...8A94&FORM=VIRE

[86Sebring]

Originally Posted by Alfa02

Another 6mins of two Cobras battling for 1st place. Some of you may ask how come the second-place car turns on his headlights, it's an old trick, to distract the lead driver, when you see a flash of something bright in your mirror, it can and/or break your concentration, for just that split second Trust me it WORKS https://www.bing.com/videos/rivervie...8A94&FORM=VIRE

I must say I hate it and it distracts me as well if somebody in the rearview mirror has the high beams on, lol

[Alfa02]

Indeed 86Sebring, Now try that @ 150MPH going into a 50MPH turn, and all the while trying to keep the other driver behind you You have to have the "Drivers Gene" Mark Donohue (Yes, that Mark Donohue) told me @ age 13 I had that gene, that's why I spent 45+ years racing Cheers Tom

[Unique427]

Originally Posted by Alfa02

Going to Goodwood is a bucket list option (May happen ) Tom Kristensen is a pretty good shoe around Goodwood in another old Ford product https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ser-fqlT22M

Full member of GRRC and attended the 2023 Revival.
The Shelby and Ferrari tributes were fantastic.

Couple photos (if CC site cooperates)

From the paddock:
GT40 #2 - Le Mans 66 winner (Bruce McLaren)
GT40 #6 - Le Mans 68 & 69 winner (Pedro Rodriquez & Jacky Ickx)
No....these are not Superformance copies.
Paddock is valued at almost 3/4 Billion Dollars.

Spitfires based at Goodwood airfield circle
the track in formation each morning before
breakfast service (followed with champagne)

[Unique427]

More pictures:

Track photo from "Officers Club" just past the starting line.
You are given a single channel earpiece where commentators
keep everyone up to date even if you're inside at the open bar.
Trackside viewing is spectacular.
This photo was the Pre-1945 Harley-Davidson tribute lap.
Must have been well over 100 bikes. Drivers dressed in period.

A Dragon Snake (Total of 8 were built)
This car, along with dozens of other original Cobras participated
in a Shelby tribute lap and full competition.

[CompFi]

First, these vids and pix from Goodwood are absolutely fantastic. Thanks for posting.

These vintage races require the cars to adhere to certain period-correct standards, yes?

Then why do these Cobras each run with a roof rather than an open cockpit as would have been the case back in the day?

And lastly, where do they source the roof? Are there prominent vendors?

I have seem some impressive DIY roof projects here on the forum. Maybe someone here could land a customer with deep pockets. Just sayin'

[Alfa02]

@compFI, most Cobras in Europe ran hard-tops back in the day. We here in the US, would run what European drivers would call "short courses" 2-3 miles a lap, with short straightaways, and more turns.
LeMans, Spa, Hockenheim, etc., were long courses, a lot higher avg. speed per lap, so aerodynamics were much more in play over the pond.
Daytona coupes were built to run in Europe, with the exception being the Daytona & Sebring (High avg. speeds) tracks here.
Hope this helps. Cheers Tom.

[CompFi]

Thanks Tom.

I know the backstory of the Daytona Coupe and its improved aero over the open cockpit. At least the short version of that story anyway

But are you saying that the FIA 289s ran on the European circuit at Le Mans etc with a hard top back in the day? That I didn't realize.

Who was making those hard tops back then? Probably not AC, correct?

Like I said above, I have lots of questions about hard tops which I didn't realize were period correct.

[Unique427]

2015 Goodwood Revival reunited all 6 Cobra Daytonas for the
first time since they raced Le Mans. I tried to post
photos but CC site services not cooperating.

Here's a link from Goodwood:

https://youtu.be/Qlhru1eh3cg?feature=shared

[Unique427]

Drivers race these cars full on at Goodwood Revival.
Crashes do happen.
The only place in the world where you'll witness a spinning
$25M Ferrari get turned into a $10M Ferrari by hay bales.

[Unique427]

Originally Posted by CompFi

First, these vids and pix from Goodwood are absolutely fantastic. Thanks for posting.

These vintage races require the cars to adhere to certain period-correct standards, yes?

Then why do these Cobras each run with a roof rather than an open cockpit as would have been the case back in the day?

And lastly, where do they source the roof? Are there prominent vendors?

I have seem some impressive DIY roof projects here on the forum. Maybe someone here could land a customer with deep pockets. Just sayin'

UK fabricators like North Devon Metalcraft specialize
in Cobra bodies and panels.
Located west of the Goodwood Estate in South Sussex.
https://ndmetal.co.uk/shelby-cobra-body-chassis/

[CompFi]

Originally Posted by Unique427

UK fabricators like North Devon Metalcraft specialize in Cobra bodies and panels.

Cool. I didnt know about shops like this. Thanks

[Daytona Dek]

Originally Posted by Unique427

2015 Goodwood Revival reunited all 6 Cobra Daytonas for the
first time since they raced Le Mans. I tried to post
photos but CC site services not cooperating.

Here's a link from Goodwood:

https://youtu.be/Qlhru1eh3cg?feature=shared

The question I ask myself is what did it take (£££?) to get all 6 to the U.K.? I’m sure Lord March can be persuasive but that alone? It is a very prestigious event though attended by F1 drivers, WRC drivers, super bike champions etc. I don’t think it will ever be repeated but I hope I’m wrong.

[Daytona Dek]

Originally Posted by Unique427

Drivers race these cars full on at Goodwood Revival.
Crashes do happen.
The only place in the world where you'll witness a spinning
$25M Ferrari get turned into a $10M Ferrari by hay bales.

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

[Unique427]

Originally Posted by Daytona Dek

The question I ask myself is what did it take (£££?) to get all 6 to the U.K.? I’m sure Lord March can be persuasive but that alone? It is a very prestigious event though attended by F1 drivers, WRC drivers, super bike champions etc. I don’t think it will ever be repeated but I hope I’m wrong.

I have no clue how Lord March and team persuades
a Daytona owner to participate but he had help from
Shelby American and Carroll Shelby International.

The paddock had been altered to recreate the Sebring
pit area circa 1965. A 1965 style press box was
also constructed with Peter Brock, Allen Grant and
Jack Sears providing autographs. These legends
were even impressed as all 6 Daytonas (including
protoype) had never before appeared as a group in one
place at the same time. Not even back when these
cars ruled the track.

My only take is all participants/owners wanted to
be part of history because it likely will not happen again.