Coming to AZ

SkipB · #1 (**permalink**) 08-23-2009, 04:01 PM

Guys,

It looks like I may be moving to the Phoenix area from San Diego. I am wondering just how many months of the year you can realistically use your Cobra? I am sure some of you will say 12, but I have been in my car, top down (what top?) on a 100 degree plus day and it was not pleasant. So, truly how many months can you really enjoy going for a cruise without wilting from the heat?

My wife thinks we need to sell the Cobra and buy something with AC. We already have two other vehicles with perfectly good AC. But, she thinks having the Cobra sit for sevral months of the year is a waste. I said, yeah, just like back east with snow and cold. But,logic is not what she wants to hear. She wants a realistic answer to my first question.

Help!!!

SkipB

Ps. Dan, you rode in our 4th of July parade in Scripps Ranch a couple of years ago. Remember?

csx4910 · #2 (**permalink**) 08-23-2009, 04:13 PM

I am sure that everyone will have a different answer and a different comfort level with driving in our "dry Heat" of an oven we call Az. To me, you realistically have 8-9 months of good driving weather and 3-4 months of - take it out for short trips to get your "cobra fix" but not anything more than 45min-1 hr at a time. At least for me anyway. I am relatively new to the hobby so this is just my 2 cents worth. We have several guys that go on long runs even in 110+degree heat. Remember that even in the dead of summer you are 90 minutes away from teh cool pines in the mountains and temps 20-30 degrees cooler that Phoenix. A lot of people don't realize that about Az. 1 1/2 to 2 hours from phoenix is 7500 elevation and snow topped mountains.
Ron

vettestr · #3 (**permalink**) 08-23-2009, 05:43 PM

Yep, what Ron said. Hot is hot but it is a lot easier to sneak an hour or two for a Cobra run here than many other climates. An evening run or stealing a little time in the morning makes about any day do-able. Sitting in a traffic jam at 115* at high noon is just not fun so avoid that. All in all I bet most Cobra owners would love to be able to drive the car every day for 9 months or more and pick the time of the day for the rest of the time. It must also be said that I do not enjoy driving the car when it is 4o* outside either, and must wait till it gets warmer to enjoy the run. Even then you do not have to worry about snow and salt ...... so it's all good.

Danr55 · #4 (**permalink**) 08-23-2009, 06:47 PM

Hey Skip, I do remember. That was the parade that the young lady came over and climbed in the car and asked if she could have a ride.. REalistically, I've driven my car in every month of the year. Early morning breakfast runs up to Pine or Payson then a quick trip home in the summer heat isn't bad, but I have a question for you. Driving is comfortable usually 9 months of the year. The only really bad months are July and August. Late June and early September can be a bear.

Why in the hell would anyone move from San Diego to Phoenix?

mikiec · #5 (**permalink**) 08-23-2009, 06:57 PM

I'm one of the wacky ones. I try to get mine out every day of the year. It is my Prozak.

Realistically I'm out every weekend for a short run in the summer. I would like to join Dan on his breakfast runs but it's to darn early for me. So I drive during the day.

Tell the wife to follow you with one of the AC cars.

Mike

twobjshelbys · #6 (**permalink**) 08-23-2009, 08:30 PM

12 Months. When it's hot out (early June through Sept/Oct, get out early and head up to Payson/Pine, or Flagsaff. The rest of the time you'll be pretty comfortable in the afternoons but want a sweater/jacket in the morning. At no time will your feet be cold.

At no time of the year is your Cobra a commuter car. There is just too much traffic for the manual trans we have in our cars. You'll slip it way too much just driving. Head out of town and have fun.

I've not lived there for a long time but I know that the drive from Phoenix ("The Valley") up to Sedona - and there are probably 10 different ways with all beautiful drives - will blow your socks off. My favorite is the Wickenberug, Prescott, and then to Flagstaff and 17 back home. It's a nice (long) day drive. Stop if Flag if you stop to take lots of pictures.

Another very nice drive is the "long way" to Tucson. Don't take the freeway - go through Apache Junction, Florence... If you're not in a hurry then go through Superior, Miami, Globe and then down Christmas, etc. That route is a day trip and again stop in Tucson and come back the next day.

When I go to Phoenix from Colorado I always go south on I25 to I40 and get off at Holbrook. There is a little back road that will take you directly to Heber and then to Heber, Payson, and to north Scottsdale. It's a rarely traveled road that you can "go fast". For scenery go from Holbrook to Snowflake and ShowLow. That's the Salt River Canyon drive - fun but twisty with roads that have cliffs on one side and canyons on the other side. My mom freaked.

Then you have to take a river rafting trip on the Grand Canyon (I am waiting for my 5th permit).

Arizona is my second favorite state. I truly love Colorado - we've live here over half of our lives now - but the scenery in Arizona is so nice.

twobjshelbys · #7 (**permalink**) 08-23-2009, 08:32 PM

When we lived in Phoenix (actually, Tempe) we had friends from college that lived in the San Diego area. One was in the marines stationed at Pendleton and another was (and still is) at the observatory.

Car Nut · #8 (**permalink**) 08-24-2009, 07:07 PM

Tony

So when are you going to come back down to Phoenix and hang awhile.

Cheers,
B.

SkipB · #9 (**permalink**) 08-24-2009, 10:41 PM

Dan and others,

Thanks for the info. I truly think I can live with the Cobra in the heat! We shall see pretty soon.

Dan, to answer your question. Both our kids live in the Phoenix area (Chandler and Gilbert) They both went to ASU and stayed. So that is an incentive for us to move. Pluse we are trying to retire and realize that living in the state of Kalifornia is getting too expensive. Taxes, fees, goofy government, etc. are all making it less than affordable especially for retirement. Plus, we can sell our home to a neighbor (possibly) and have little or no mortgage on a very nice Phoenix area home. All of this is good, but we will miss San Diego a lot. But, we can come back in the summer and rent a beach house for several weeks and still save money over living here all year.

And, I do remember the nice looking young lady that scammed a ride in your car on the 4th of July. I didn't organize the parade this year due to lack of interest! Kind of sad in a way.

Well, I hope to see you guys soon. It sounds like you have a very active group and I look forward to some early morning runs!

Skip B

Danr55 · #10 (**permalink**) 08-25-2009, 07:33 AM

Skip, I certainly understand your position. We welcome you and your lovely bride to the land of eternal sunshine. Com'on down and have some fun. Let us know when you get close and we'll roll out the welcome mat..

twobjshelbys · #11 (**permalink**) 08-25-2009, 07:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Car Nut

Tony

So when are you going to come back down to Phoenix and hang awhile.

Cheers,
B.

Heading to two possible events. One is that I'll be going to Vegas for the BJ auction the first week in October. I might be going to Brussels for a one day kamikaze trip for a USB meeting that week. If I go to Vegas I will tow the Cobra out on an open trailer and hang out for a week. I'll stay with our friends.

The alternate plan (if I have to go to Brussels) is to go out for the January events. First, I would tow the Cobra (this time in an enclosed trailer) to Vegas, and drive it to Gardena for the Vegas Bash Caravan. Go back to Vegas for the weekend, and then tow the Cobra down to Phoenix for the BJ auction there, and then tow it back to Colorado.

First plan, you and Max are more than welcome to come up. Second choice I'll hang out with you guys.

Either way I'm assured based on the January happening that I have passes, and enough for some guests.

When you gonna get one of these beasts???? I like the Ford GT but I'm glad I go the Cobra. Now I'm thinking of a Superformance GT40. I was thinking of a SPF Daytona Coupe but now that they are official CSX cars they are a little over me. But if I win powerball.... The advantage of either is that, literally, they have air conditioning. With the temps in the 90's and the 427 heater fully active, the Cobra was on the verge of not fun. Fun won though.

Mike Brasfield · #12 (**permalink**) 08-25-2009, 07:27 PM

Skip...what the guys say is true. However, they didn't tell you the "rest of the story". In the heat of the summer you can drive early and enjoy the 80 degree mornings. You can go to the high country and find temperatures in the 50-60 F. Like San Diego on a foggy summer day. What they neglected to say is.....you need to plan your return to the Phoenix area early the next morning. If you come back in the afternoon you can expect temps 100-110. That's hot in any climate. And believe me, it's even hotter in the cockpit.

I moved here from SFO and it's just the opposite driving season. AZ = Oct to April/May. SFO = April to Oct. Right now I am doing some mods and making things all come together by the end of sept.

Having said that, I will say I have driven my Cobra every month of the year. What surprised me one day in Jan, it actually started snowing.

Welcome to the "Valley of the Sun". We went to San Diego last weekend and I enjoyed the early morning overcast. Stayed on the beach in pacific beach. Nice get-a-way from the heat.

twobjshelbys · #13 (**permalink**) 08-25-2009, 07:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike Brasfield

Skip...what the guys say is true. However, they didn't tell you the "rest of the story". In the heat of the summer you can drive early and enjoy the 80 degree mornings. You can go to the high country and find temperatures in the 50-60 F. Like San Diego on a foggy summer day. What they neglected to say is.....you need to plan your return to the Phoenix area early the next morning. If you come back in the afternoon you can expect temps 100-110. That's hot in any climate. And believe me, it's even hotter in the cockpit.

I moved here from SFO and it's just the opposite driving season. AZ = Oct to April/May. SFO = April to Oct. Right now I am doing some mods and making things all come together by the end of sept.

Having said that, I will say I have driven my Cobra every month of the year. What surprised me one day in Jan, it actually started snowing.

Welcome to the "Valley of the Sun". We went to San Diego last weekend and I enjoyed the early morning overcast. Stayed on the beach in pacific beach. Nice get-a-way from the heat.

You are right of course. The seasons are inverted.

I decided years ago that if I was going to spend 3-4 months of the year inside, I would rather spend it where we go from building to building in air conditioning than in parkas.

Additionally, I've never had to shovel 6' of 115*F off my driveway

On one of my trips to the Grand Canyon was in June/Jul (takeout was 4-Jul). We were at Tapeats and the temp on the way up to Thunder River was 125*F. Thank goodness for the river.

xlr8or · #14 (**permalink**) 08-25-2009, 10:14 PM

Skip just build a coupe with A/C.

Car Nut · #15 (**permalink**) 08-26-2009, 07:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by twobjshelbys

First plan, you and Max are more than welcome to come up. Second choice I'll hang out with you guys.

Either way I'm assured based on the January happening that I have passes, and enough for some guests.

I suspect I will have a lot of spare time on my hands in January so I'm in if it works out. Max will likely be out of state then.

Nick3798 · #16 (**permalink**) 08-26-2009, 02:15 PM

truthfully, it's a 9 month car in Arizona. what might help is that in Arizona it will be titled as a 1960's ford so plates are $15/year and insurance is cheap as well. I'm currently paying $270/year for full coverage in Arizona. Maybe not as big a waste as she might think. It costs next to nothing to sit in your garage for 3 months.