Commissioning a Turn Key ERA 427 Cobra

[Flygirl]

Thanks, guys. I'm 5'11" and fairly strong I suppose, so I'm not too worried about the physical location of the parking brake handle, although to be honest I haven't really fully considered that question.

The good/bad news (I say it with very mixed feelings) is that I no longer live in SF proper, and would do my best to avoid at least some/most areas of the City for potential carjacking issues as much as anything.

I just don't think I'd feel safe sitting in such a completely open car, a single woman in such an attention magnet of a machine. On more open roads I feel like I control my destiny to some degree; stuck in traffic or creeping along in a very congested area, not so much.

Also, I want the car to have a bit of dropped front rake and sit as low as is reasonably possible, so yes, avoiding opportunities to high center it would be good.

Considering the build of a new car, I'd really do my best to avoid mission creep. Although I'm a perfectionist, I've also spent a lot of years driving beat up older cars and am still relatively adaptable to mechanical imperfections, although obviously I'd like to minimize them wherever possible. If the brakes have good pedal feel and stop the car reliably in 8/10ths driving, maximum, that's fine with me.

I just don't feel like this would be a good car to crash. Not only would it break my heart, but it might break the rest of me, too.

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by Flygirl

I just don't feel like this would be a good car to crash. Not only would it break my heart, but it might break the rest of me, too.

IMO, these cars are best viewed as fun toys that you take out and play with when the mood strikes you. I would not want my Cobra as a daily driver (there are exceptions to that on this forum, though). As to safety, if you get hit in any way other than a light "fender bender" tap, you're going to get hurt or killed.

There's still time to back out.

[xb-60]

I sense there are some male egos feeling slightly threatened here. Is it a 'two-roll-bar' vs. 'no-roll-bar' thing, Pat?

Originally Posted by patrickt

....There's still time to back out.

Cheers,
Glen

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by xb-60

I sense there are some male egos feeling slightly threatened here. Is it a 'two-roll-bar' vs. 'no-roll-bar' thing, Pat?

Hmmm, I'd never thought of that. Maybe cscobra Era 774 could give us some insight there....

[xb-60]

Originally Posted by patrickt

Hmmm, I'd never thought of that. Maybe cscobra Era 774 could give us some insight there....

Humour is important. And so is that Gulf vacation

[Flygirl]

Originally Posted by patrickt

IMO, these cars are best viewed as fun toys that you take out and play with when the mood strikes you. I would not want my Cobra as a daily driver (there are exceptions to that on this forum, though). As to safety, if you get hit in any way other than a light "fender bender" tap, you're going to get hurt or killed.

There's still time to back out.

Until I learned that you drive one, I wasn't sure I could handle it.
:-)

________

As far as the woman in the Cobra, that had disaster written all over it. She was clearly in over her head; the unlatched passenger door was the cherry on top of the sundae. That was just awful, she should have known better than to drive the car, but I still feel really badly for her.

[mreid]

Originally Posted by Flygirl

Until I learned that you drive one, I wasn't sure I could handle it.
:-)

Oh snap! Natalie, you fit right in and I now have to agree with Rodnock. So when are we getting our cobra?

[ZOERA-SC7XX]

Originally Posted by Flygirl

Thanks, guys. I'm 5'11" and fairly strong I suppose, so I'm not too worried about the physical location of the parking brake handle, although to be honest I haven't really fully considered that question.

The good/bad news (I say it with very mixed feelings) is that I no longer live in SF proper, and would do my best to avoid at least some/most areas of the City for potential carjacking issues as much as anything.

I just don't think I'd feel safe sitting in such a completely open car, a single woman in such an attention magnet of a machine. On more open roads I feel like I control my destiny to some degree; stuck in traffic or creeping along in a very congested area, not so much.

Also, I want the car to have a bit of dropped front rake and sit as low as is reasonably possible, so yes, avoiding opportunities to high center it would be good.

Considering the build of a new car, I'd really do my best to avoid mission creep. Although I'm a perfectionist, I've also spent a lot of years driving beat up older cars and am still relatively adaptable to mechanical imperfections, although obviously I'd like to minimize them wherever possible. If the brakes have good pedal feel and stop the car reliably in 8/10ths driving, maximum, that's fine with me.

I just don't feel like this would be a good car to crash. Not only would it break my heart, but it might break the rest of me, too.

Just respect the car for what it is and you'll be fine. Don't let the naysayers talk you out of a dream.

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by ZOERA-SC7XX

Don't let the naysayers talk you out of a dream.

Didn't we used to have a rule that when someone knocked on the door looking to enter we had to turn them away at least three times? If they came back again after that, then, and only then, did we let them come in to learn more?