Cobra owners

[Walter F.]

Just wondering how many NCRS Corvette owners also own Cobra's or have owned Cobra's . Wondering how the two car's differer in handling and all round performance. Especially owners of second generation Corvettes?

[Jim S.]

Re: Cobra owners

They are fun and easy to like; though they are, for sure, not for everyone. It would have taken a 'special' individual to spend $5995. plus options for a 289 Cobra in '64. A car with few creature comforts. No door handles, no roll up windows, an 'erector set' soft top that only slows the water from coming in. The optional radio can not be heard if the engine is running. Suspension of twin transverse leaf springs dating to the early 50's. They came with heaters but why? The heat that flows through the aluminum bulkhead is sufficient to warm you on a cool fall evening. Care has to be taken when even waxing as to not dent the aluminum body.

This was a story quoted a few year ago by Tim Suddard of Classis Motosports magazine:
"IThe salesman repeatedly tries to steer the young enthusiast toward the more practical and docile small-block version, the 289 Cobra, but the potential customer will have none of it. He wants the big block. So the salesman dutifully wheels a bright-red Cobra to the front of the lot and takes the youngster for the ride of his life.

[Michael J.]

Re: Cobra owners

I have a 50th Anniversary FIA Cobra on order and under construction right now from Shelby American in Las Vegas, it will be CSX 7972, picture attached, it has a 455 HP 289 with Webers, like the originals did, but a Tremec 5 speed. I have driven several vintage Cobras before, and of course owned several C2 and driven them extensively. The vintage Cobras are hot, tight getting in and out, hard to reach pedals, and a notchy shifter with the old top loaders. No heater, no power anything, no side windows, and few had tops. They are strictly race cars, IMO, and they will outrun, out accelerate, and out brake a C2 most any day of the week, even with the 289. Handling is better in a C2, IMO, and of course a C2 is really a street car, so not really fair to compare, oh and did I mention the Cobra is very loud. My dos centavos.

[Jim S.]

Re: Cobra owners

I have a 50th Anniversary FIA Cobra on order and under construction right now from Shelby American in Las Vegas, it will be CSX 7972, picture attached, it has a 455 HP 289 with Webers, like the originals did, but a Tremec 5 speed. I have driven several vintage Cobras before, and of course owned several C2 and driven them extensively. The vintage Cobras are hot, tight getting in and out, hard to reach pedals, and a notchy shifter with the old top loaders. No heater, no power anything, no side windows, and few had tops. They are strictly race cars, IMO, and they will outrun, out accelerate, and out brake a C2 most any day of the week, even with the 289. Handling is better in a C2, IMO, and of course a C2 is really a street car, so not really fair to compare, oh and did I mention the Cobra is very loud. My dos centavos.

Small corrections ;^) The 289's used BW T-10's, not top loaders. Street cars were all delivered with soft tops and a hardtop as an option. Heaters were a 'standard' option. All street car received them with only one customer complaining that he did not want to pay for the option. Cars had side curtains for the soft top and "Delux" aluminum side curtains were available to use with the hardtop. Only two 289's were sold new to customers with Webers installed. (Both were Dragon Snakes) Street cars are very streetable and docile if you wish. Third gear is good from 25 mph and up.

[Michael J.]

[Michael J.]

Re: Cobra owners

BTW, here is a good description provided to me by my fellow SAAC members when I took the plunge on a Cobra:
"If you want to just gas and go, and never have to worry about replacing an alternator, or snuggling down the header bolts, or getting a wet leg driving in a rainstorm, or learning how to set your carb float level or Weber air flow balance adjustments, or driving in traffic on a warm winter day with "winter gas" in the tank, get a Corvette. "

With an original Cobra, Cobra Continuation, or Replica you have to remind yourself that you are driving a hand made race car on the street. There is no compromise for anything other than pure speed. These cars are brutal and unforgiving, with all the refinement of a medieval battle ax. Like being in a relationship with an exotic dancer, you can never take anything for granted. These cars don't have millions of miles of testing refinement before you get yours. For any trip longer than an hour, you need earplugs, and goggles, and carry Advil and eye drops. You will need to learn to "read" the clouds for rain in your path, and have experience in unwrapping your frozen fingers from the MotoLita. You will experience lady passengers "wetting" the passenger seat when you merge into traffic from an on ramp, and then nearly burn their calf getting out of the car.

You will have all the invisibility of a burning Hindenburg, and flee from underground parking lots when uncountable car alarms are screaming your departure. When you shop, you will remind yourself that these cars get more attention than a dead body in a parking lot.

With a power to weight ratio better than almost every supercar, you will find your 1/4 mile times traction rather than power limited. On the other hand, when you stage, out of the corner of your helmet's visor you will see almost the entire audience lining up at the fence, most with cameras up. If you track on a road course with a Porsche club, owners of expensive German machines will come to the fence to watch you power out in smoking oversteer. You won't even try to start your engine in the garage, but push it out onto the driveway, else your loyal watch dog will croak from the exhaust fumes. If you idle next to other "sports" cars at a traffic light, by the green, their girlfriend will be coughing green phlegm into her hanky, yelling at her date to just go! When you refuel, you might as well prop the "bonnet" open, because you are going to have to show your motor to just about every other guy there. When you order your wings at Hooters, your waitress will whisper in your ear "take me for a ride." When you stop at the red light, the girl in the convertible next to you will invite you to "take my top off too."

When you slowly pass a troop of Harley riders, they will look over and give you thumbs up. When you want to ease out into traffic, other cars will immediately pause to let you go ahead of them. When your engine has its hot, crackling, intimidating exhaust sidepipe aimed right at the flank of the GTO, or the Z28, your exhaust pulsation's slowly unscrewing his lug nuts, the other car will remain motionless, as if the slightest quiver of his car will cause your car to stomp it dead. When you leave it open in a parking lot, and come back to find your sunglasses and cell phone still sitting on the tunnel, it is because your car has sullenly warned those who came over to admire it "touch me and I will rise up here and kill you dead."

When you put that tiny silver key into the ignition, and begin your start countdown, your car will whisper "take me for granted, and I will kill you."

When other drivers just hop in and snap up their belts while backing out of their parking space, you will still have two more minutes before you even get all the Simpson's properly on and snugged down. Pulling up in a Cobra is like landing an F4U at an ultralite convention.

In summary, very, very few drivers want this kind of attention, or can tolerate all that a formidable Cobra demands. These cars are intolerant mistresses.

But remember, there will come a day when you have to hang up your car keys for the last time. And perhaps you want to say then "I did it."

-author unknown

[Don H.]

Re: Cobra owners

someone has been channeling his carroll shelby walter mitty a little too much....

[Michael J.]

Re: Cobra owners

True, a bit exaggerated, but the Cobra has a mystique that no other car can match. And from personal experience I can tell you they are much more of a handful than any Corvette under power. Very hard to drive fast, IMO, compared to a C2, much more driver input needed. And then again, old CS did have quite a mystique himself…...

[Don H.]

Re: Cobra owners

blah, blah, blah.... blah, blah, blah......

just keep it up. You are building a huge fan base here on our corvette enthusiasts' website I'm sure.

I think I hear Zora clanking in his crypt.

[Patrick H.]

Re: Cobra owners

Maybe we should next start a thread on Vipers?

I've driven a Cobra replica with a 302, and also a Viper GTS coupe.
Many years later the salesman still talks about the ride I gave him in that Cobra...

[Michael J.]

Re: Cobra owners

Maybe we should next start a thread on Vipers?

.

[Patrick T.]

Re: Cobra owners

As long as we're on an off topic thread, I have an '83 Ferrari 308 GTSi in my garage along side of my '67 Top Flight convertible. It's the second one I've owned. As mentioned above, these cars are very difficult to get into and exit. Even though it has A/C, it still gets hot on the inside. I'm not sure how fast it will go but it's fast enough for me.

It's a 2 owner, 2 Doctor Arizona car which is definitely a plus on these cars; it doesn't have a speck of rust on it. The photo below was taken at the previous owner's house.

[Patrick H.]

Re: Cobra owners

As long as we're on an off topic thread, I have an '83 Ferrari 308 GTSi in my garage along side of my '67 Top Flight convertible. It's the second one I've owned. As mentioned above, these cars are very difficult to get into and exit. Even though it has A/C, it still gets hot on the inside. I'm not sure how fast it will go but it's fast enough for me.

It's a 2 owner, 2 Doctor Arizona car which is definitely a plus on these cars; it doesn't have a speck of rust on it. The photo below was taken at the previous owner's house.

PT

Didn't know you bought another one - nice car!

[Patrick T.]

Re: Cobra owners

PT

Didn't know you bought another one - nice car!

Thanks Patrick,

Below is a picture of my first 308. It was an '82 GTB (Berlinetta Hardtop). On the one I have now, the top comes off and stores behind the seats. I sold that first one below so I could buy my '67 Vette. It never ends!

Patrick

View Raw Image" height="359" width="509.78000000000003">

[Jim S.]

Re: Cobra owners

I was specifically referring to the FIA Cobra, of which only 5 were made, all with Webers and a top loader,

The 289 comp cars still used a T-10 but team cars substituted cast iron tail shafts because of the multiple failures of the aluminum street car housings. 427 Cobras did use "top loaders"