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Back in the early 60s I owned a Jaguar XK-120 roadster that I drove to the
university every day. In the Pennsylvania winter that meant the flimsy top and side curtains had to go on. At around 60mph the tops of the side curtains would bow out a few inches and when it was snowing it would let the snow in the cockpit. Then you would have swirling snow on both sides of the windshield with vertigo soon to follow. A fine English car experience. |
When I purchased my Superformance in 2004 from Dynamic I asked the young sales guy about the top. His response, after a pause, was "less wet". I've since concluded that the top was some weird cross between a WWII military two-piece pup tent and a plains Indian teepee.
In my 60k plus miles between two SPFs I ran the top about 3 maybe 4 times. My basic analysis is "a different wet", top or no top you'll get wet, just depends where it comes from. At the same time I've logged many miles in the rain and prefer to run without the top and just center the Rain Gauge, that big one in the center of the dash that reads CCW, at 100% and let the rain blow over the top. You still get wet more so when you stop but then Cobra life is full of adventure. Jim |
no top
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For your amusement:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngTk1Znxp_Y Me over 10 years ago taking my first Cobra for its SVA re-test to legalise it, prior to paint and a few add-ons for the purposes of the test. No top or side curtains of any sort. We were the only open top sports car OTR that cold October day, although we got a lot of thumbs up from people that must have thought we were mad. 140 mile round trip in pouring rain around the M25 - London's orbital motorway and out onto the motorway in Kent. Tremendous spray from passing trucks, I was fairly scared as visibility was down to less than 5m as I peered round the screen, given there was more rain coming round on the inside than on the front of it. Moral of the story: never drive a cobra in high rain high wind conditions on a freeway/motorway without some form of top. Too dangerous and car took weeks to dry out. |
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Here's a shot of my Everett Morrison top. If anyone tries to convince you this is as wet as no top, well, they must not have a decent top...
Only caution is that the side curtains need to be in place in order to do highway speeds. Otherwise, definitely better than no top! |
I have a Bimini top I made, I keep it on most of the time. Keeps the sun off and the rain. Driven at 80MPH no problem. not even a flutter. I have custom windows made out of plexyglass. They slide in to the holes on the top of the door. I have only used them a couple of times, but they work great.
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The October 31, 2002 issue of Second Strike had a 5 page article about "weatherproofing" an SPF. They identified the major leak areas and suggested weather stripping and foam in strategic places to minimize water into the cockpit.
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Did your Superformance come with a Tonneau Cover. Mine SP01400 came with one and I found that it is very effective keeping water off your legs.
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Depending on the rain, road condition, your tires and your driving skill it is possible to find a speed that the rain just flys over the top of your head and the car does not fly off the road. A definite balancing act but depending on how bad the weather (and how good the other stuff) sometimes possible ...
Ed |
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Like this 😅
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A veritable master of the near impossible, with nerves of steel. Very impressive, Tom :)
Ed |
I was caught in a rainstorm once. As long as I kept the speed over 30 I didn't get wet. Damn those red lights and stop signs. Put the top and side windows on once and thought it made the Cobra look like a hearse.
SCOF has an old technical bulletin showing where you can adjust and pad all the areas where rain leaks in - If you follow it all the way I hear it works pretty well. |
Grubby!
You convinced me to order the top and side curtains with my new slabside #3035. I had #407 for 26 years and only had the top, but now living in Florida we see much rain and heat. Will also be installing Vintage air Mini/ Heat. When it's hot here it's HOT! Bill |
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