Insurance issue/Cobra charter group. Your vote is NEEDED!! Input very important!

[klayfish]

Blackjack,
Excellent point. As in my original post on this thread, our goals will go well beyond the insurance problem alone, that is why we're coming up with a solid list like the NSRA has. Because we want to make sure we are as safe as can be, regardless of insurance. However, you are correct in that the immediate crisis facing us is insurance.

Before I go into this, you must remember that all underwriters aren't car people. Even if they are, usually they into the muscle cars, classics, etc... They know very little about the "replica" "kit" whatever you call it business. They know about street rods, but some don't realize how similar they are to us. I'll discuss that below.

Insurance underwriters think "kit" car and you can imagine what type of image comes up in their minds. I truly don't understand why it is any different than with a '32 Ford built from the ground up, but it is. Those cars have as much in common with an original '32 Ford as my FFR does with a '60's vintage original Cobra. Truthfully (and this is right from the heart, no insurance talk), I think they look at street rods as an established, known item. They have experience with street rod writing. Street rods have been established for a long time, by groups like the NSRA. So when they see a street rod, they are comortable with them. They have proven to be well built and a low risk, despite the big block motors and steam roller tires. The underwriters just don't know what a Cobra is or how it is built. Remember, and I don't think I ever discussed this before, the number of street rods vs. the number of Cobras is vastly different. Underwriters have very little experience with Cobras, as opposed to a wealth of experience with the street rod. The ratio is probably 25/1 if not 50/1. You can call it ignorance, but ask yourself how many people outside of our little Cobra world really understand these cars? Probably not many.

So, in a long winded answer to your question, I think we need to show them that our cars are generally well assembled. Simple things such as the steering wheel won't fall off in our hands, the brakes work when we hit the pedal, the gas won't leak out all over the road, a wheel won't fall off, etc... Those are the basic goals we are trying to establish in our safety check, not something crazy like ABS or airbags. I even think the NSRA list of 23 is pretty basic.

The physical inspection is only one part of the equasion, albeit a very important one. The other is driving. I've said it before, and I'll say it again...I'm not pushing for a lack of fun and a total police state. However, I'd bet established groups such as the NSRA or NCRS frown strongly on driving like an idiot on the street and members encourage each other to drive smart. It's no different than many of the cruise nights I go to. We all go, have a good time, and show off our cars. On the way out, sure we blip our throttles some and give a big grin. But if someone smokes the tires or acts like a jackass, they are asked to leave and not return. That's because if they allow that, the parking lot owner will tell them not to come back. Is that ruining anyones' fun? I don't think so. Same happens in autox. If you act stupid, you're asked to leave. But we have tons of fun. It's just common sense. I want our group to encourage this, and encourage driving schools, or other things to make us better risks, and be able to live to see tomorrow.

Please keep the input and votes coming. It seems we have support for this, and it can only help us. Not hurt. We're already hurting enough.

Steve