Tiptronic
 

Has anybody ever put a tiptronic transmission on his/her Cobra? Comments pls?

You mean a slushbox with buttons? I hope not. No offense, but it's just my opinion.

Sorry, Ertu, gotta agree with Ikestaa
 

I've been dutifully trying to locate a lightly-used Bimmer convertible for the "Bride Of"---quit laughin' guys, how d'ya think I'm getting the Butler? Well, I found a DISTURBING amount of M-3s had slushomatics! Almost as bad was the number of Z-3s and 328-323s which had 'em. Across the street (in Danvers, Mass.) was a Chebbie dealer. OF COURSE, I went over therer. There were at least 30 'Vettes there including the new Z-whatever. With the exception of trhe latter---over 70%. or about 23 of the used ones had SLUSH-o's! Sofa-Nation, Rise Up! Cast off trhe chains of your slavery---by a crash box!
Save us! Jaysus--a brand new Maranello (275?) was in the BMW place with---GASP! Paddle shifters! OMIGOD. It's practivcally over! Fight them off! I talked to two prospective NNEW M-3 buyers and asked the (cagily) what "options" they were going for...Ready? One for the AUTO**) and the other---the TRIPPED-ONIT!:CRY: BOTH--I swear to God said that they'd NEVER "learned stick-shift". So m,uch for the 30-nothings. Again..please, Ertu, take no offense--we TYPE-A porkers are nuckinn' fus, anyway. Disregard our foam-entings!:LOL: See why they say "No good deed goes unpunished?" A decent guy like you asks a perfectly okay question. Another decent chap (Ike) waves the red flag---and---and---whatchaget? Moi!:LOL: :LOL:

PS: Foregive me Ertu---I was taking down old sheetrock, jury-rigging some 220 V wiring, and re-rocking my studio---it must be that, plus the medications............:LOL: :JEKYLHYDE **) %/ :LOL: :LOL: :LOL:

Foregive the mispellings--which are legion. The for-keen spil-chuccka went down. Nuckin' futs, ideeed.

Ertu,

I don't know about a Tiptronic, but I'm putting an AOD-E automatic in mine for reasons of age (mine) and legroom. The microprocessor I've purchased for it has a provision for making shifts with a momentary contact pushbutton. I'll let you know how it turns out.

Ertu, I have an automatic in mine because of limited room in the footbox and also, I already had the trans in my shop. I didn't know if I would like it, but I LOVE it! (BTW, I can shift a manual with the best of them and don't give a damn what anybody thinks about an automatic in a Cobra.) :D :D

I don't know much about tiptronic either. I heard that it is something new and works like both an automatic and a stick shift, which sounds good to me.... I have been using stick shift all my life, and now have an automatic, and I love them all. The better can be both together. :) That's why I'd like to learn if anybody has sth. like this in his cobra...

I have an AOD in mine and love it. It's not your fathers slushbox. It is retooled by LenTec out of Ontario Canada. I have it hooked up to a ratchet shifter that lets me pick the gear I want when I need it. (Down shifting it won't grab 1st until under 5mph) You can find Lentec advertised in the 5.0 Mustang magazines.
Yes, I spent many years with stick shifts and always loved them but don't miss it in this car. I get the feel of a manual without the headach.
As to being authentic, I belive that many of the street cobras were sold with automatics.

PS. Do not downshift a stock AOD. As it was explaned to me 3rd gear and overdrive(4th) stay engaged for a few moments when you do. I managed to eat up my origial stock AOD in about 10,000 miles doing this.

Cobra Guy,

What shifter do you have? How does a ratchet shifter work? I'm putting a Lentech AOD in my Cobra and was considering a B&M Hammer but never could find a good description of what a ratchet shifer did.

Pete

Pete,
My ratchet shifter is from B&M. It is there low end unit, the model escapes me at the momnet.
2 ways to use it. Put it drive like any automatic and leave it there.

Or.... Once in drive (3rd position)push back on the lever once and it drops to the 2nd position. Push back again and it drops to 1st position.
Just the reverse for upshifting. Start in the 1st position, when you want to upshift just push the shifter forward once and in goes up a position. And push forward again for 3rd position.
I say position instead of gear because the Lentec AOD is 4 speeds but the shifter has 3 positions. Overdrive(4th gear) can be locked out with a swith. I have mine mounted on the dash with a light to remind me when overdrive is locked out.
It is a great combination. You'll love it.
I was able to mount the shifter very low on the console and with a round ball shifter knob it looks natural in the car. You can see it in the dashboard shot of my car (Click the camera next to my name)

Be sure not to get Ferrari's F1 box and BMW's SMG confused with those of other companies, such as, Porsche's Tiptronic, Mercedes, Chrysler's Autostick, and what have you. All of the later are simply automatics that have been fitted with controls that allow you to use a button, or a sequential action to shift. BMW and Ferrari have gone a different route and use conventional manual transmissions, except everything (clutch actuation, shift linkage) is controlled by high pressure hydraulics. These types of transmissions are actually pretty impressive. BMW's SMG can click off shifts in .08 seconds. These cars will also match revs perfectly on downshifts by blipping the throttle. Toyota just release something similar for their MR-S, however, I hear it needs some refinement. None of these boxes are sequential, which is what is used by CART, F1, and in virtually all motorcycles. The only truly sequential road going box I have seen was for a Nissan Skyline with a price tag of $11,000.
I wasn't trying to put anyone down, and obviously, if you are unable to use a manual that's completely different. I just think that you loose a large part of the driving experience, and connection with the vehicle when you don't shift on your own. Some think it becomes annoying, I think it becomes second nature.

Cobra Guy,
Your shifter does look nice. I really like that wood dash too.

Ikestaa,
I fully expect to get grief from fellow Cobrafiles on my choice of transmission. I'm also ready to lay on the guilt trip to whoever does. I'm a disabled veteran who has lost the ability to work a clutch due to injuries sustained while serving my country (that good enough?). I already had to sell my beloved Mustang GT because I couldn't handle the clutch anymore - I'm not about to give up my dream of owning a Cobra. It'll be faster at the dragstrip with the Lentech AOD than with a 5-speed anyway :3DSMILE:

Pete

How about some air conditioning also? :3DSMILE::D:3DSMILE:

Now wait a minute....

Go to your local drag strip and see what the serious racers use. Also, they don't equate the automatic with power seats, A/C, remote control stereo, DVD player either.

IF you have a lot of horsepower/torque, it means faster, more consistent times with less maintenance cost then a manual.

I would suggest to anyone thinking of an automatic in there Cobra to install a manual valve body. No clutch pedal , but you must shift the valve body . Lots of fun !!!

If you are disabled I agree the auto is the way to go but if you are not disabled a manual shifter in a Cobra gives you the whole experiance. Yes an automatic can give faster shifts but IMHO someone who can properly shift a manual and still control the car has more SKILLS. I think those FI drivers are panseys if they cannot perform a basic driving skill anybody raised before 1970 should have.

Now if the driver has some true disability they should allow an auto. Just like I feel golfers with a handicap should have carts...heck give them all carts as to me anybody can walk a course but only true golfers can hit that little white ball where they actually want it.


P.S. as for all the Bimmers with autos I hate them but my wife who can drive a manual in a pinch wants a Z3 with an auto. That is her choice because she does not want to shift in traffic on her drive to work and I agree for a dailey driver an auto is pretty good. A lot of bimmers are go to work in traffic cars so that is why so many autos. I also have a daily driver(F150 supercrew) with an auto and I love it but it is not a sports car. If you have a roadster with an manual it is a sports car but with an auto it is a sporty car.


I need to quit rambling. But to each their own.