Cobra roll bar safety

[Double Venom]

patrickt,

You know I have an opinion IF you have ONE 3 POINT then you had better have a screw in/on gas cap under that LeMans cap! Not knocking Superformance since they were already mentioned concerning a roll-over, they just happened to be involved in a extreme-critical roll over at Run N Gun years ago. "DV" was right behind, getting tready to pass when the SF rolled. It did what all Cobras do with a 3-point, the left side of the car (with the roll bar) held up the left side of the car, keeping the driver uninjured, but the car naturally pivoted on the top of the bar, forcing the right rear of the car into the payment--tearing up the LeMans cap allowing fuel to pour out and instantly catch fire.

Ron Rosen (Superformance) asked me what we had done to prevent that type of accident in the "DV's"? When DV finally got off the track I showed Ron how we adapted the filler tube to take an OEM gas cap. Since it is mounted below the neck of the LeMans cap, you would have to literally grind the entire cap down before it would reach the OEM gas cap.

Within a month (?) all SF's that I know of, now came with the modification!

4-Point vs. two 3-points? Hmm, Id have to see a full -in slow motion- video of both types in a roll over and then compare damages. Since "We" don't have a third person in our cars () I really can't see the benefit of one 4-point vs. two 3-pointers.

[RON N BKFLD]

CSX4000..........click photo........Ron

[N2VENOM]

Double Venom makes a great point! If you survive a roll over, you then need to be concerned with fire. Once again, I think having a gas cap should be a minimum requirement on all cobras. Until we speak out about some of the problems or designs incorporated in the currant line of cars, manufactures have no reason to change. I had the Kirkhams install a second roll bar (KMP500) because I run in track events about every month. I now have a concern about gas leaking if I ever flipped it.

[RodKnock]

Originally Posted by N2VENOM

Double Venom makes a great point! If you survive a roll over, you then need to be concerned with fire. Once again, I think having a gas cap should be a minimum requirement on all cobras. Until we speak out about some of the problems or designs incorporated in the currant line of cars, manufactures have no reason to change. I had the Kirkhams install a second roll bar (KMP500) because I run in track events about every month. I now have a concern about gas leaking if I ever flipped it.

I had a real "purty" gas cap installed underneath gas lid last Spring. I want to run some track events in the future and I had thought that it was a requirement. 4pipes gave me the great idea.

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by RodKnock

I had a real "purty" gas cap installed underneath gas lid last Spring. I want to run some track events in the future and I had thought that it was a requirement. 4pipes gave me the great idea.

Wait a minute, your gas cap did not look like this originally?

[RodKnock]

Originally Posted by patrickt

Wait a minute, your gas cap did not look like this originally?

Mines (sic) is WAY better than that. It's got colors and everything.

[elmariachi]

Originally Posted by Double Venom

When DV finally got off the track I showed Ron how we adapted the filler tube to take an OEM gas cap. Since it is mounted below the neck of the LeMans cap, you would have to literally grind the entire cap down before it would reach the OEM gas cap.

And yet ANOTHER feature of the fine Hurricane car, the hidden OEM style gas cap.

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by elmariachi

And yet ANOTHER feature of the fine Hurricane car, the hidden OEM style gas cap.

Man, that seems like such an obvious safety feature -- you do know that some guys jam a tennis ball in there instead.

[elmariachi]

Originally Posted by patrickt

Man, that seems like such an obvious safety feature -- you do know that some guys jam a tennis ball in there instead.

Probably the same guys that lit their farts with Bic lighters in college.

[patrickt]

You flip your Cobra and come scraping to a halt. You're trying to gain your senses and get out of your belts and out from under the car and you hear and smell gas pouring out of the cap and running by your 400 degree sidepipes -- some of it beginning to steam. That could be right out of a Wes Craven movie.

[elmariachi]

Originally Posted by patrickt

That could be right out of a Wes Craven movie.

I was thinking Mad Max.

So two things we've figured out here....everyone needs a frame mounted rollbar and a fuel-tight gas cap under your LeMans lid. Hey, that's progress in a nation of 40 milllion uninsured.

[kobrabytes]

Hello...

Guys, when I built my Cobra I was under no misconceptions what I was getting. I have a 1965 death trap with the skin of a beer can on steroids. If I were worried about crash protection I would have bought an H1. At least that may survive a glancing blow by a semi in a Hummer.

After graduating from High School I placed my fathers Galaxy 500 in front of a city dump truck, which he obligingly his us. My passengers and I all walked away. I don't have any illusions about the outcome were I in the Cobra.

For may years I rode a bike. I also have a CJ5. Neither one would fair to much better in a side impact. Although the roll cage on the jeep might protect you in a roll.

Bottom line... Build it best you can, do everything right. Pray that your time isn't up whilst driving.

On the other hand, got to go someway...

[RodKnock]

Originally Posted by patrickt

-- you do know that some guys jam a tennis ball in there instead.

And a few others things I hear.