ERA 752 made it home safe w/pics

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by 428street

...I'd love to open it up somewhere!

After you've broken the car in by driving gently for a few hundred miles, take your car to a large open space where you can safely lose control. The parking lot of a ball stadium or large concert arena early on a Sunday morning is good (lots with NO light poles, please). Drive in a circle, lift off the throttle, and learn how your rear comes out unexpectedly. Try accelerating "too hard" out of a pretend curve and see what happens. Experiment with hard launches out of the hole with your wheels not completely straight so you start fish-tailing. With no roll bar you might have trouble getting on some tracks for hi-po training. An instructor might be a little hesitant to sit in that passenger seat but you can at least follow him and learn the proper lines (if they let you on the track, that is).

[SLHetal]

Patrickt is right on with good advice. I did the same thing with my old 1958 Carrera Speedster after a total restoration. It was basically a new car again and I had to learn it all over again. A few weeks later I nearly became entangled in a traffic disaster but was able to avoid mishap by using the little car's power and agility. Knowledge is king.
Sam

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by SLHetal

Patrickt is right on with good advice. I did the same thing with my old 1958 Carrera Speedster ... I had to learn it all over again.

I think the two most common mistakes with a new Cobra that I have seen over the years are: 1) Learning about lift-throttle oversteer the hard way; and 2) Showing off with a cool burn-out and then losing control of the car. I guess there is that occasional newbie that is heard to say "I was in a perfect four wheel drift at 110 and just lightly kissed that guard rail...." I can't say I recall hearing that, though.

[Pete Munroe]

428 and Patrick,

OK, to quote Pat- ""I think the two most common mistakes with a new Cobra that I have seen over the years are: 1) Learning about lift-throttle oversteer the hard way; and 2) Showing off with a cool burn-out and then losing control of the car.""

Good advice, I would add ONE that almost got me.

I think the short wheel base makes the car more unstable on up/down undulations in the road. A "dip" or "hump" that I was barely aware of driving my 67' Corvette was an opportunity to go "fly" in the much shorter wheelbase Cobra. Add a passenger for ballast and it was "off to the THRILLS SHOW"!

OK, full throttle acceleration over the otherwise "unremarkable dip" resulted in the Cobra rear end in a full "squat" and front end "pitching" up...enough to toss us back/forth a little...I inadvertently got off/on again on the accelerator...passenger thought it was great fun...I realized I had almost lost the car as traction broke and the car fish-tailed a bit.

My friend with a race-ready 63' 289" smiled at the story..."they sorta ride like a "buck board" don't ya' think"?

Have fun, take your time, r&r all the bolts and especially the knock-offs...I had NO idea how firmly they had to be whacked with the lead hammer...NOT tapped...WHACKED. I almost lost one.

And, always, be sure to "check your 6" before you get on it...

Oh, 428 your car is beautiful, like the attention to stock details, no hood scoop...and the color is a favorite of mine...(after maroon).

Since you went to all "straight slot" screws...YOU don't need to carry a "phillips head" screw driver in your tool kit...just spare change...dimes work great on the SPAX shocks.

Pete

[Great Asp]

Originally Posted by patrickt

After you've broken the car in by driving gently for a few hundred miles, take your car to a large open space where you can safely lose control. The parking lot of a ball stadium or large concert arena early on a Sunday morning is good (lots with NO light poles, please). Drive in a circle, lift off the throttle, and learn how your rear comes out unexpectedly. Try accelerating "too hard" out of a pretend curve and see what happens. Experiment with hard launches out of the hole with your wheels not completely straight so you start fish-tailing. With no roll bar you might have trouble getting on some tracks for hi-po training. An instructor might be a little hesitant to sit in that passenger seat but you can at least follow him and learn the proper lines (if they let you on the track, that is).

This is some of the best advice you will ever get regarding your Cobra (More important than BBF or SBF )

E

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by Great Asp

This is some of the best advice you will ever get regarding your Cobra (More important than BBF or SBF )

428Street, once you start learning how your Cobra can surprise you sights like this will start making sense to you. And when your wife says something like "I wonder how he managed to do that?" you'll be able to say "Let me tell you about lift throttle oversteer...."