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Took a shot & entered my first judged car show, The 20th Annual Triangle British Classic Car Show. There were about 200 cars entered.
Got a pass on entry because the original Cobra had a British built chassis & body. Was assigned to the Race Car class by the organizers.
Was interesting choice because my first three race cars were all British models back in the 1960's.
The absolute hottest car at the show was a brand new McLaren MP4-12C Supercar.
Next up on the dollars spent column were a pair of new Jaguars.
Next were two cars of personal interest to me since the covered my first three race cars.
Put a roll bar & some meatballs on the sides, hood/trunk & this TR3A is my first & second race car.
My last British sports car was a red Morgan +4SS like this black one.
Living pretty close to the shows site at the North Hills Mall got me a primo spot to park.
Second car in the class to show up had an unspecified technical problem & I helped push it off & on the trailer.
Little self promotion always helps. Asked my granddaughter to knock out a quick sign & wound up with a second place in class.
One of the best moments of the day. Was letting some of the kids sit in the car with the shoulder belts on to get their pictures taken. One lady who was part of the organizing club asked it I would answer a bunch of questions from her teenaged sons. We talked for a while the boys got there pictures taken & one asked me as I helped him out of the car if they could here it run.
.
The lady said it would not cause any problems so I ran it up. I was looking sort of over my left shoulder trying to hear the guys when I ran it up. When I turned around there were about 25 people now standing there with a whole bunch of thumbs up.
Little self promotion always helps. Asked my granddaughter to knock out a quick sign & wound up with a second place in class.
If you're ever interested in having a legit show sign designed PM me. I can help you out.
Looks like a great show. And the weather looked perfect. Show season is here!! And kudos for letting kids sit in the Cobra. My son would be all over that!
Very jealous today. Am slaving over installing a hot BOSS 302 package with a BOSS 302 manifold & 3 new programs, street performance, race & ghost cam to go with it plus an updated coolant recovery system on the COBRA.
4 cars pull into the driveway, 2 Genesis Coupes one an R-Spec, 1 BRZ & 1 BOSS 302 Mustang. My grandson & his friends just out for the summer break between Junior & Senior years have finished a 5 hour drive back from western Carolina.
They were not coming from school which is an hour& a half south of here but from Carolina 129 better known as The Tail of the Dragon at Deals Gap 318 curves in 11 miles through some spectacular landscape.
Personally consider that 11 mile stretch the best public sport car road in the country.
Started on my upgrade which will add cooling capability & additional power.
Original GT manifold & new BOSS 302 version.
Whole current project, swap manifolds, retune for new manifold & add cooling capacity. The MOROSO alloy tank is the main part of the cooling upgrade. Will take the system from an open one to a closed system & add some fluid capacity.
Last the inside of the COYOTE. The new manifold put a stratigh shot of air & fuel into the pocket above the two intake valves. The short runners improve top end performance.
Had a question on the tune so will go slow installing this...done for today
Figure if I brain wash the kids they can do the heavy lifting when I get old & feeble.
Sent both through the BMW drivers school as soon as they could drive. Both liked it but only one talked about taking the advanced M school
There is not as much interest in cars among todays kids. I graduated High School in 1959 pretty much at the birth of the Muscle Car Era so I was fully indoctrinated into cars & engines.
When I got drafted after basic I was sent to Tracked Vehicle Mechanics school. Was eventually transferred to a line unit as a tracked vehicle recovery mechanic. Over time became a senior tracked vehicle recovery mechanic before I was discharged.
Was my main hobby ever since. FWIW am this far on the upgrade, just need to finish the cooling system then back on the road.
Last edited by BEAR-AvHistory; 06-01-2016 at 12:08 PM.
I like that Mustang. Very well done. Got the new overflow/burp tank in so for a while it will be just driving time. Outside of playing with tunes this project is about done. Might redo some of the hoses in braided stainless steel.
Got a Ghost Cam tune to try. It opens the exhaust valve early, increases its duration & overlap a very low RPM's. Mimics a full race solid lifter "side oiler" Ford 427 cams sound at idle. These 427's powered the Original 1965Cobra Race cars.
Last edited by BEAR-AvHistory; 06-03-2016 at 05:41 PM.
Ian Hunter one of the FFR Cobra guys from the UK had a chance to run at the Le Mans circuit in Grance. These are his vids of the experience. He got to 150mph .Mulsanne Straight between the two chicanes!
Just about finished the performance look bling that is also functional.
Pulled the crankcase vent hoses & replaced them with filters, FORD Racing Powder Coated alloy coil covers replaced the original plastic ones, BOSS 302 specific insulation panels between the intake & coil covers.
Time to leave the engine porn be for awhile. New tune has proven to be very strong & am happy with 'Bama's product..
Agree, Its not something you would expect to see here & not something I would do in a home built car. That said, the season opening weekend at VIR has a lap the track "run what you brung" thing @ so much a lap for charity. That also does not require helmets but IIRC the max speed is more tightly controlled. Looks like at LeMans the pace car blasted off into the sunset never to be seen again.
Car has been a real joy over the past year & a half (time flys when you are having fun) & am helping 3 others with their COYOTE builds. Interesting thing is two of the three are professional pilots. One is flying for a first tier commercial airline & the other a Charter Business Jet operator. Both retired Naval Aviators
Have some MotorX coming up later this summer & hope to get some vids. Also hope to not be too badly embarrassed by prepared Miata's. For me most all courses are a 2nd gear only run but the manual steering can be a b**ch on a very tight run.
Last edited by BEAR-AvHistory; 07-31-2016 at 01:59 PM.
Car has been a real joy over the past year & a half (time flys when you are having fun)
It must be so much fun driving that much power in such a light package, but it's probably even more fun knowing you put it together when it was just a pile of bolts, body panels a chassis, and an engine.
It must be so much fun driving that much power in such a light package, but it's probably even more fun knowing you put it together when it was just a pile of bolts, body panels a chassis, and an engine.
Yes that's true. Especially when people ask if its a "real one". Some guys get annoyed but I think if it looks good enough to raise the question why not just take some pride in your work. The other thing is there is always something to go. Just upgraded my sound system so I can have WAZE & other maps show up from my phone to the radio screen,
Nice work on that engine bay, I just did a BMW track day with my Dad in NY, so much fun. I am moving to Clemmons in a few months, I hope our paths will cross at some point.
Time goes by way to fast especially when you are pushing 3/4 of a century real hard. Its already time for the Oak Tree Grand Prix at Virginia International Raceway again.
Our local Porsche dealer again hosted a meet & greet the drivers buffet at their store. They did not bring a race car down this time since tomorrow is the last practice day & the mechanics will not let go of the car. So we were stuck with the 918SPYDER for visual entertainment. Would have scooped it up in a heartbeat but alas it was already sold.
Quality of the cars is really improving in the area. Today I was out in the Cobra & when I pulled out of the sub-division I was in back of a yellow Ferrari 458. He turned off Possum track at SixForks going west toward the boat ramps. About another 700 yards down the road met a gunmetal gray McLaren P1..
The Oak Tree is going to be run on the full course at 3.27 miles. The C&D Lightning Laps is run on the Grand Course North at 4.20 miles. Would have liked to see the race & LL on the same course because I believe the handicapping system neuters some of the cars. You can drive a StingRay off the dealers lot with more horsepower than the race car has,
I asked Nick Tandy who won the 24 Hours of Le Mans last year for Porsche what the drivers thought about the system. He said we all have problems with it when it hits our cars but the reality is without it there would be no race because of basic differences among the cars.
That said it would have been interesting to see the times of the race cars vs the street cars on the grand course.
Nice work on that engine bay, I just did a BMW track day with my Dad in NY, so much fun. I am moving to Clemmons in a few months, I hope our paths will cross at some point.
Will be fun for you. The Tar Heel chapter is very active & runs a few drivers schools at VIR each year. Usually shortly after the track opens for the year (there is an open lap what you brung on opening day with so much a lap for charity) and many times the last event of the year.
There are quite a few exotics now in the north end. Within a few mile circle of the house are 4 Lamborghini's, one just up the street, a larger number of Ferraris, same guy as the orange Lambo has one, (used to be a pair on the pickup line when I was running my granddaughter to school) & a little further out at least 2 McLarens. Not sure who has the 918spyder but it was at a Rick Hendrick owned dealership so it might be his sent up for the night or be a local one. Would be a fun run up from Concord.
In the 2000/2008 time frame the TL was the typical 2nd/3rd car here but they have all but dried up. Its pretty solid German & Lexus now. The Research Triangle tech base is brining a lot of serious money in. The building boom is tapering off as the available land is getting used up. The watershed limits density & keeps it very country with a lot of two lane blacktop to play on.
There are quite a few exotics now in the north end. Within a few mile circle of the house are 4 Lamborghini's, one just up the street, a larger number of Ferraris, same guy as the orange Lambo has one, (used to be a pair on the pickup line when I was running my granddaughter to school) & a little further out at least 2 McLarens. Not sure who has the 918spyder but it was at a Rick Hendrick owned dealership so it might be his sent up for the night or be a local one. Would be a fun run up from Concord.
In the 2000/2008 time frame the TL was the typical 2nd/3rd car here but they have all but dried up. Its pretty solid German & Lexus now. The Research Triangle tech base is brining a lot of serious money in. The building boom is tapering off as the available land is getting used up. The watershed limits density & keeps it very country with a lot of two lane blacktop to play on.
Crazy! If you see a white 488 GTB at C&C, I know the owner
Hendrick's 918 is silver with brick-red interior; absolutely stunning combo in person.
Ran my & the COBRA's first Auto-X today. Was a nice event with 130 cars getting 5 runs each.
Car was assigned to the XP class, Note in the clubs rules said XP used to be the PRO class.:surprise:
Good news is over 5 runs dropped my time by 16 seconds with no penalty's. Bad new was I was 4 to 6 seconds off the pace. Car was solid & handled much better than I expected. Needs driver improvement.
Some other interesting cars that ran:
Modified bug with full roll cage. Guy gave me a ride on one of his runs. Much fun & much leaning in the turns.
Local Toyota dealer sent along a lot of tires with their car.
Its true, the flat plane VOODOO engine in the new Shelby GT 350 does make a strange howl at WOT.
Big Bucks showed up. This confirms there are at leat two of these cars, Dark Gray & Orange lurking in the Triangle.
Once upon a time this was a Corvette. Amazing thing is its still street legal.
Well that Vette is wild looking.
Local dealer has 3 GT350s (with 15-30k markups), haven't heard one in person, but can only imagine from the online videos.
I miss auto-x, definitely out of the question for now, since I doubt they'd let a crew cab F150 on the track.
Well that Vette is wild looking.
Local dealer has 3 GT350s (with 15-30k markups), haven't heard one in person, but can only imagine from the online videos.
I miss auto-x, definitely out of the question for now, since I doubt they'd let a crew cab F150 on the track.
No trucks, sorry about that. Being as its in Carolina one for pickups would be very interesting, would enter my 4X4 Ranger. One of the posted his run on youtube.
No trucks, sorry about that. Being as its in Carolina one for pickups would be very interesting, would enter my 4X4 Ranger. One of the posted his run on youtube.
Yeah, when I used to Auto-X a lot, there was a MTX (I think) class. Usually a Ford Lightning (from our group) and a Tacoma with no bed.
Can't imagine any 'standard' truck being allowed, much less a crew cab full-size.
Bear, you never cease to amaze with all the events you go to!!
awesome stuff!!!
and that vette!!!
now, I want to do a street legal go kart
The Vette was pretty quick & pretty ugly. During the COBRA build process there is a stage called GOCART where we have a non street legal no body but fully running car. Don't think there is one out of the 9,000 built so far that was not snuck out onto the street at 2AM for a few "test" runs.
Overall was great fun. Only hiccup I have was being told I was in the XP class not AP. Had to scramble around for some tape to replace my nice white "AP" decals. Since there was only one other car in XP I finished 2nd. Have ordered a fresh XP set Thing is a money pit, now I have to go out & get a Kirkey competition vintage bucket seat to keep my old frail body in one piece.
Two Twilight Zone things on the day. My old 335is was there & a 135 convert also ran.
Last edited by BEAR-AvHistory; 09-23-2016 at 03:54 PM.
Yeah, when I used to Auto-X a lot, there was a MTX (I think) class. Usually a Ford Lightning (from our group) and a Tacoma with no bed.
Can't imagine any 'standard' truck being allowed, much less a crew cab full-size.
Would have liked to see those trucks run. This was a very technical course don't think & I got over 80 on the fastest section. The ones at the airports & reular tracks are much more open & a truck would have an easier time.
Would have liked to see those trucks run. This was a very technical course don't think & I got over 80 on the fastest section. The ones at the airports & reular tracks are much more open & a truck would have an easier time.
They ran some relatively tight courses, I raced a 97 Civic & a 96 Saturn SL2 & rarely could get near 60mph.
A regular there in a 911GT3 could get closer to 80 on the finish.
I rode along in the Lightning once, a hoot of a ride.
Interesting road test of an early 260 powered COBRA done in 1964 by Road & Track. I saw this very car in yellow paint at the New York City Auto Show that year. IIRC it was the only completed car Shelby had. It was painted different colors for the various magazine tests to make it look like the car was in full production. Fact was it was the only complete car in existence at the time.
Some interesting stuff for anyone building up a COYOTE engine from one of the COBRA guys building a 1300/1500HP engine for an FFR Challenge series race.car.
This is the current Challenge car which has been featured at SEMA
The intake system will be used on a lower powered N/A version for a FFR Daytona Coupe he is building as a street car. The new race car will have a FI version with a custom designed intake system for the supercharger. In order to support the boost required for that much power the COYOTE has to be sleaved it prevent catastrophic Destruction at WOT. This is what is being done to sleeve the all alloy block of the COYOTE in a article on HotRod TV.
05-15-2016, 11:23 AM
