Anyone running a Cobra R?

[D Algozine]

I have no problem with feedback. I expect it. I just don't like to have words put in my mouth.

Ernesto is dead on with his statement. One thing I will tell you about my car is that the vast majority of what i have done is invisible to most eyes. the only thing I will give away is that some things on the car are not done to make it faster, but to just simplify the car and make it easier to work on. For me that goes a long ways when I'm at the track. All the things that I did that most will never notice no matter how much they can be pointed out took a whole lot of man hours to do and not everyone will do that. I don't blame them. It's been a long and frustrating road.

 

Not intending to start some shit, but, if what you've done is invisible, what makes you think someone else hasn't done something similiar, or perhaps better? One of my points is that you can't see, so how would anyone know the level of prep by looking around a paddock? And yes, there is a degree of arrogance to think that you, or your group, are one of the few to be innovative, and that no one else is as prepared. Many of us labor on our cars for long hours with tight budgets. You are definately not the only one, and it's not just a west coast thing. Maybe you found something, but that doesn't mean you're the only one.

 

Get that car finished and come to Nationals, race hard, have a great time, and look me up.

[D Algozine]

This is great...Ignored in my own thread. You guys can have it. I am going to kill the email notification of replies since none of them have anything to do with why I started the thread. Thanx fellas.

 

Look around there is plenty of info. If your car has been race prep'd then race it, if you can live with it getting wrecked, because it's most likely going to get some damage at some point.

And it's all about being prepared and driver skill. Safety first, then "go fast" parts. Work on those items and you're all set, and I'm not kidding. That's what it takes. Find a quality AI driver in your region and ask a lot of questions.

[Ernesto Roco]

Dave A,

 

We'll definitely be looking you up. I still owe you a couple of beers remember, I have not forgotten. Stay safe and keep the rubber side down.

[nape]

By the way...My Cobra R was fully race prepped by Steeda...Twice. Its not an off the truck stock Cobra R with a rollcage in it.

 

It finished 2nd at the '99 SCCA Runoffs in T1 which as I understand it is a catagory of Vipers, Corvettes, Ferrari's and Porsche's. IMO the car overperformed its capabilities because it had an F3 driver in the seat, but even for that to matter, the car needed to be fast enough to keep up.

 

Then it's probably above the prep level of any normal R, so it's an apples or oranges discussion in the first place. Race it if you want to find out how it'll do. The driver matters more then the car anyway.

 

This is great...Ignored in my own thread. You guys can have it. I am going to kill the email notification of replies since none of them have anything to do with why I started the thread. Thanx fellas.

 

You haven't been ignored. You asked a vague question in the first place and then got miffed when you were told that the car is heavy and that you'd be better off building from scratch on a car without historical value, but that you could race the R anyway if that's what you want to do. What other info are you looking for?

[z28racergirl]

Uh oh, Christine's on the thread!

 

Mike P out here (and in TX prior) is FAST with a "full" interior LS1 Camaro. I'm slower than molasses in my "prepped" and stripped LT1-ish Camaro. When Vageli gets in a car, no matter what car, and it' running to the best of it's abilities, he's FASTER than most everyone. There are fast dudes in 120 hp Honduhs. There are slow dudes in Viper Comp Coupes and Porsches. As to allegations otherwise (and a bit off topic) I also subscribe to the "V's fast and I wish I could drive that way" camp. Here's my point:

 

If you have at your disposal a prepped "R" race car, then come on out and race with AI! It's a blast! However, my personal mantra anymore is "don't race a car you wouldn't willingly push off a cliff." So if your R is something special and you have doubts, then don't do it. My Z28 was clean and beautiful as a street car until I started to race it. But it wasn't special in the car world, just to me (and it's original owner in TX).

 

Bottom line, it's up to you what car you campaign. If you're a fast driver you will be fast, especially if your car is professionally prepped for racing. I'm a Chevy gal, so to me pretty much any Mudstain is a piece of junk, so I can't tell you if your car is "better," "faster," or "should be raced" based on it's R designation. It's for you to decide if you can handle wadding it up.

 

Maybe I should have started in AI as a co-driver with Guy Cunningham, so I could learn how to drive faster in a well-built car. However, I'm too stubborn and I thought I was doing everything right in my Camaro, so I stuck to it. Now it's up to me to show up, race, drive better every time, and get faster. I'm cool with that. And I'll keep respecting what my faster competitors bring to the grid--both machine and person.

 

Thanks for listening.

Christine

[KMAC]

Dave,

Not to beat a dead horse, but I don't believe V was stating or insinuating that his build is any better than any others. He merely stated that the vast majority of what he has done won't be noticed to "most" eyes, because unless one has built a car themself, they won't and don't know what to look for.

 

Not all, but the vast majority of individuals take their cars down to a shop and have roll cages etc... built into their car and just bolt on the additions because they don't have the resources necessary to build a car themselve's. There's nothing wrong with this, tools are expensive and not everyone can afford them, and/or people may not have "hook ups" with those that do have the resources.

 

Those who can and do build cars starting with a shell have far more appreciation for what goes into them and know what all it took mentally and physically to get the job done. Some who even do this don't have the patience to do it the way they really like and tend to short cut things.

 

Furthermore, V never stated that "no one" will take the time to be meticulous, he only stated that "not everyone will do that" because it's long and frustrating. I'm sure that as you build your car, you have probably said to yourself that others may not take the time to build whatever it is the same way, but because you're set on doing it right in your mind, you do it the way you believe it needs to be done no matter how intensive it is.

 

Maybe when '07 Mid Ohio comes around, you and V can have a couple of brews and share notes.

[rppngears91]

This is great...Ignored in my own thread. You guys can have it. I am going to kill the email notification of replies since none of them have anything to do with why I started the thread. Thanx fellas.

LOL!!!!

[RichardC]

Dave,

Not to beat a dead horse, but I don't believe V was stating or insinuating that his build is any better than any others.

 

I was happy to see no more posts to this thread but unfortunately it's started again so here is a quote from the post that really got this debate going:

 

"Second, I will be rolling out possibly the best built AI series fox mustang in existance"

 

Would you maybe like to show me how there is no insinuation that V's car is better than any others in his statement above?

 

Richard.

[Pat L.]

My size 14 NewBalance's FoR TeH WIN!

 

Chevy Rules!!!

[KMAC]

Richard,

I wasn't referring to that particular statement. I was referring to Daves thread at the top of this page in regards to what parts of a build may be invisible to those who don't have the experience of doing a hands on build themselve's. If you read my thread, I think it clearly shows what I was referring to.

 

I've known V for a long time now and I don't believe that he ever intended for people to believe that his car was the best, this is why he didn't say that it was. V has complimented many builders on many different occassions and has often referred to other fabricators, racers, and builders that he knows or has come across as being top notch and some of the best he knows.

 

I will say that for a privateer lacking a lot of the necessary tools, machines and finances, and for building a car from a shell for the first time, he did a hell of a job while only using basic tools. I'm sure there are others that have done the same thing so please don't misconstrue this as if I'm saying that he's the only one. Just because I compliment him doesn't mean that I'm taking away from others.

 

Throughout this thread, V has unfortunately been branded as a cocky all knowing builder and racer and this isn't the case. He's a good dude who has repeatedly offered his time and knowledge to help others over and over again. I've witnessed V on several occassions drop working on his car at the track to help another racer. Not many would do this. I'm sure those who know V as well as I do can attest to this.

[RichardC]

KMAC,

 

I do not know V at all and I have no reason to believe he is anything other than all the good things you are saying.

 

However his post did come across as though he thought very highly of himself and the quote I made in the post above were his exact words.

 

I think it contradicts the opening sentence in your first post.

 

Richard.

[JWL]

...and, on that note, we'll lock this one and let you all work the drinking schedule for Mid Ohio offline as I don't see much point in further debate over whether the new and improved Baklava Bullet will indeed be kicking ass next year. Should be an interesting season (again)!

 

-JWL

 

* For the record, I neither own or race a Cobra R. I do have a beat-up son of Fairmont holding down the floor, but it's one of the 180,000 built that year and one of around 20,000 with that particular option/color combo so it probably ain't a collector piece.