First run of the year..

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Paul Blore
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First run of the year..

Post by Paul Blore »

I took my Cobra out for the first time yesterday since getting back from Italy last October. :mrgreen:

It's bl00dy brilliant and I love it every time I drive it. 8)

Paul
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David Large
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Re: First run of the year..

Post by David Large »

I drove mine a couple of weeks ago, I never tire of the car, it is superb.

David
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Roger King
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Re: First run of the year..

Post by Roger King »

Just this moment got in from collecting mine from the trimmers - having driven it there in early February. So now it's done 96 miles! Had to remember how to drive a Cobra (it's been 4.5 yrs since I last did...), and there's no doubt leafsprings are different, as Colin discovered some years back.
Not the most pleasurable drive in a Cobra you could have - half of it across the windswept Lincolnshire fens in an ambient 7°C with no wind wings fitted, and all of it nervously glancing at the water temp gauge, the oil pressure gauge, the flickering ammeter, the fuel gauge on 1/4 even though I brimmed it....
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StewbieC
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Re: First run of the year..

Post by StewbieC »

Roger King wrote:Just this moment got in from collecting mine from the trimmers - having driven it there in early February. So now it's done 96 miles! Had to remember how to drive a Cobra (it's been 4.5 yrs since I last did...), and there's no doubt leafsprings are different, as Colin discovered some years back.
Not the most pleasurable drive in a Cobra you could have - half of it across the windswept Lincolnshire fens in an ambient 7°C with no wind wings fitted, and all of it nervously glancing at the water temp gauge, the oil pressure gauge, the flickering ammeter, the fuel gauge on 1/4 even though I brimmed it....
Ahh the joys of classic motoring

I fired mine back up after butchering the coolant system, only two leaks and that was with 50:50. Still to take it out, maybe next weekend.
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Paul Blore
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Re: First run of the year..

Post by Paul Blore »

Having decent warm, dry gear is fundamental to being able to enjoy these cars.
You can't enjoy properly them if you're freezing your nuts off, or you're wet through. 8)
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Roger King
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Re: First run of the year..

Post by Roger King »

Paul Blore wrote:Having decent warm, dry gear is fundamental to being able to enjoy these cars.
You can't enjoy properly them if you're freezing your nuts off, or you're wet through. 8)
I was warm enough, just paranoid about the various systems - always the same the first time you drive a car out of restoration (or build), and much more so when all the running gear is virtually hand-made (no nice MG kingpins or Jag hub carriers on this car) and of unknown serviceability (most of it's not tried-and-tested Kirkham stuff, either), the cooling system is completely original in style (i.e. totally marginal), and you wish you'd set the big-end bearings a couple of thou tighter on clearance. Still, she showed 86-7°C all the way home (in an ambient of around 7°!!) and I didn't test idling in traffic. That would have been a step too far, I fear. The fan was running all the time, even on the A1, so a little further investigation is required, even though there's little I can do. Obviously the motor is still tight which doesn't help, and I need to fit the correct engine-driven fan on the water pump nose now that I have sourced the correct one. Looks lethal spinning unshrouded in the middle of the engine bay, though.
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peterc
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Re: First run of the year..

Post by peterc »

Roger
A constant 86-87 C sounds like a superb even temperature to me. Cruising gives around that temp but as soon as I accelerate it winds up to 92+ a mile later. Running downhill I can get it below 80 on a trailing throttle.
Flipping Edlebrook manifold with temp sender remote from thermostat.
I'll find a fix one day.
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clive
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Re: First run of the year..

Post by clive »

Us hardened Scots were out at the weekend too, but in colder conditions, trying unsuccessfully to dodge snow and hail showers on the way home made for interesting driving and some rather odd looks.
Cheers, Clive.

(If I'm not here I'm in my workshop or on the golf course!)
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David Large
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Re: First run of the year..

Post by David Large »

Roger King wrote:
Paul Blore wrote:Having decent warm, dry gear is fundamental to being able to enjoy these cars.
You can't enjoy properly them if you're freezing your nuts off, or you're wet through. 8)
I really agree with this. I carry an emergency pack in my car of a thick anorak, waterproof trousers, ocean sailing gloves and a really warm hat!
David

I was warm enough, just paranoid about the various systems - always the same the first time you drive a car out of restoration (or build), and much more so when all the running gear is virtually hand-made (no nice MG kingpins or Jag hub carriers on this car) and of unknown serviceability (most of it's not tried-and-tested Kirkham stuff, either), the cooling system is completely original in style (i.e. totally marginal), and you wish you'd set the big-end bearings a couple of thou tighter on clearance. Still, she showed 86-7°C all the way home (in an ambient of around 7°!!) and I didn't test idling in traffic. That would have been a step too far, I fear. The fan was running all the time, even on the A1, so a little further investigation is required, even though there's little I can do. Obviously the motor is still tight which doesn't help, and I need to fit the correct engine-driven fan on the water pump nose now that I have sourced the correct one. Looks lethal spinning unshrouded in the middle of the engine bay, though.
I suspect you must be heading for problems in higher ambient temperatures. At 7 deg ambient I guess my water temperature would not get above 60 deg even though I have a new thermostat in it which did improve the situation a bit.

David
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Roger King
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Re: First run of the year..

Post by Roger King »

Well, we'll see. The motor is still very tight as you would expect. Not much I can do about the cooling system plumbing and radiator-wise as it's original design and I'm not deviating from that unless really forced to. According to Dan Case very few original cars can sit in stationary traffic in US temperatures without overheating, so mine is obviously an accurate copy! The four-blade Comet/Falcon fan bolted the water pump pulley apparently helps. When the cars were supplied new, this extra fan was fitted, with the intention that it be removed when the engine loosened up a bit. Dan still has his on the car, as does the Cobra in the Haynes Museum (COB6029) so I'll fit mine and see if it helps.
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