What risk of car being vandalised?

[PeterAllen]

I’ve largely finished the mechanicals (he said hopefully) and I’m starting some serious work on the body. It’s not a Cobra but fairly similar and I was wondering what are owners experiences of vandalism so I might put some preventive designs into the finished product. I have a coupe and plan to fit sliding Lexan windows into a fibreglass door and I’m not too sure how secure I can make it. Also, are badges, etc, purloined – I’m remembering ‘179’ and ‘186’ badges from my youth!

A friend who owned a Cobra said he started out all nervous and wouldn’t park it out of sight, etc, but at the end he said he had worried over nothing and the car was never interfered with

[750hp]

Peter, the unfortunate reality for you is that some knobs will see your 250GTO as a real Ferrari and will treat your car with the same contempt. I don't know why, but the some people that give a Cobra or a GT40 a thumbs-up will give a Ferrari driver the bird.

I like all types of cars, so I find it hard to understand why people can detest a particular marque. Maybe it's a jealousy thing and they tar all owners with an elitist brush?

Ferrari badges would similarly have to be a target...

If you're asking the question as it relates to Cobras, I've never heard of a single Cobra ever being vandalised.

[BMK]

Not sure if you will be just leaving your car out 24/7 or worried about that trip where you may park for a coffee etc.

You will find that a car that is different is usually attracting a bit of attention and the interested lookers are security in themselves.

I have had people sit on my GT40 for photos and walked up as another person was telling them to get off the car.

Don't think you will have any problems.

[boxhead]

My biggest fear is a kid with no shoes on using the side pipe as a step.

[byroncobra]

Funny this came up...........only yesterday I dashed down to Coles for milk in the Cobra (any excuse) When a couple of kids stopped for a photo their Dad scolded them for touching the car.

I never leave it for long out of sight though.......still a nervous newby :-)

[sllib]

I was at a huge show in Pomona a few years ago that was put on by the local Corvette club. There was only one Cobra there, a FF that the owner was trying to sell, amongst maybe 200 'Vettes. While he was off getting a drink someone stole his aluminum side vents which, I gather, were not well installed. Not vandalism exactly but food for thought.
Bill Stradtner

[ReMorton]

...I'm more worried about soccer mom in her Caddy SUV pulling up, the 9 yr old chubsters unloading and doing a ding fest on the side of the car. Having said that, Bellingham WA, is the beard and birkenstock, Prius capital of the world, haters of anything that gets less than 30mpg....frowns abound when pulling into the local supermarket......maybe I should worry...

[aa909]

" Bellingham WA, is the beard and birkenstock, Prius capital of the world, haters of anything that gets less than 30mpg....frowns abound when pulling into the local supermarket"

LOL, Great quote. Try driving a hummer around in Berkeley CA, all our neighbors pretty much hated us until our lease was up. Can't wait to see the dirty looks I get when my cobra arrives, sheesh.

as to the OP, I think it all depends on where you live. I've had a car keyed when I lived in NY and my Porsche was keyed by a douche while parked in a CVS parking lot in Berkeley (btw no one ever F*cked with the Hummer!). a dealership in the SF area had a superformance Cobra stolen at a car show earlier this year. and my local CHP officer told me that a couple of guys from Dublin, CA had their Factory Five Cobras stolen right out of their garages while they were on vacation. I would assume some of this can be attributed to bad luck (sh*t happens) and some of it to carelessness. Again, I think it all depends on where you live and where you plan to take it. Given my personal experience I likely won't be parking my Cobra out of sight for the foreseeable future

[Leecbr]

I always park within eyes view. If I'm in a resturant I request to sit by the window to be able to keep an eye on it. I swear the car attracks people from eveywhere. GRocery stores I'll drive my crappy daily driver to prevent door dings. I'll only park at places like that if my wife runs in to grab something while I sit in it..

Like Bernie has stated.. The attention and the interested lookers are security..As long as no one touches crap..

When pulling into my neighbor hood I keep an eye on what car follows me. If a car turns in with me I usually take a spin around the block. Within a few turns I will know if they live there or I'm being followed.. I will then proceed to leave the neighbor hood.. On a few occasions I've had people follow me in and pull up beside me or when I exit the neighbor hood.. It's been harmless questions etc.. I don't dare take chances with strangers knowing my residence or when my family's safety could be in question....

When they ask if I'm from the area...I usually just say I'm driving around checking out the homes for sale..

Lee

[BMK]

Boxhead

Yes the kids and the side pipes are a problem. At shows I always hang about for a few minutes until the side pipes were cooled right down.

I took a good friend of mine for a ride in my Cobra. He had purchased my Mustang coupe a few months earlier. When he climbed out he touched his calf against the pipe. I really heard the skin burn. It left a very large tennis ball blister.

I watched him riding in the Tour a few months later and cringed as I saw the scare still on his bare leg..

You just cannot hide a good scare on your leg from a side pipe. Only this guy shows off his legs to the world!!!

[Merv and Sharon]

Quite a few drivers have 'cobra tattoos'. They seem to last as long as normal tattoos. I guess hot side pipes are kind of theft protection.

[Dimis]

Originally Posted by BMK

A real hero of mine...
Come the 30th June this year, I will once again YELL for CADEL in the tour.
Wish him the best of luck for us

PS: I'll keep an eye out for that scar.

[BMK]

Dimis

My son tried to get over to watch the tour but crashed heavily a few months earlier. He broke his collar bone - a normal thing for cyclists. He missed going over due to surgery and recovery.

He had planned to watch the tour and then catch up with Cadel at his home during recovery. As Cadel won the tour it became apparent to us all that Cadel was going to be rushed straight off to interviews, meetings and speaking engagements. So my son whilst not happy missing out on catching up realized that Cadel would have been to busy.

Yes we will be cheering for him again this 2012 Tour. My son may even get over this year..

I had the GT40 out at a recent car show and I think the biggest issue we have is the amount of people who lean all over our cars for photos. I even had one climb in for a photo as I had left the drivers door open.

No damage done and nothing stolen on the day - which was good. But I do stay pretty close to the car.

The only thing that I am a little concerned with, is items being dropped in the trumpets onto the butterflies. I added wire strainers to stop this...