Summer fun

[MikeJones]

Completed a few trips and spent last Saturday on the track and skid pad at Shannonville. Drove 3 hours to the track and car performed great with no mechanical issues and no dents. My car is full manual (steering, brakes, carb) so lacked the advantages of some of the other participants. Shannonville is 2.5 miles long with 14 turns and I had top speed of about 95mph on the back straight, and average speed of 60mph, limited by the driver, not the car. Drove 90 miles on the track so about 35 laps over the course of the day.

track video -
https://vimeo.com/74178794

Also went to Mid-Ohio for the NASA races Aug 23 weekend with my son. It was a 7 hour drive to get there. Track facilities are pretty impressive and were few spectators so you pretty much have your run of the place. Even got some pics through the trackside viewing locations inside the fence. It seemed like some of the other cars spent more time fixing things in the pits whereas the spec racers just run and relax.

midohio 132.JPG

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The season is not quite done and thinking about some upgrades (bigger exhaust, tuning and more weatherproofing) so may not get too many more miles before the snow comes.

Regards, Mike

[Fluge]

Sounds like a great time Mike. Nice father and son experience.

I took a racing course at Shannonville a few years ago.

If you ever have a chance, go to the Calabogie track outside of Ottawa...that's a fun track too.

Marc

[Garry Bopp]

Mike,

Sounds like you are using the coupe as it was intended to be used. Driving on the open road and on the racetrack. Did your son get a chance to drive or ride on the racetrack?

I attended the London Cobra Show for the first time this year and also the track days at Mid-Ohio, just prior to LCS. Great fun at a great track. I'm planning on being back there next year and would love to see more coupes there so come on and join us. There was one other coupe there, the beautiful car of Chris Crum. Also, two Superformance coupes.

Garry

[MikeJones]

Hi, Marc:
Calabogie is a nice-looking track, and challenge with the blind corners. Will have a look at it for next year.

Gary, the LCS and preceeding track days sound very cool When we were at Mid-Ohio, we talked with a cobra owner from Cleveland who had been this year so were already thinking about it for next year. My son has driven cobras at Shannonville but not our car. I've driven about 14,000miles so far so certainly not a trailer queen (not that my build skills are at that level either). Got to like the drags up main street.

Regards, Mike

[David Hodgkins]

Mike, sounds like you and your son are getting your feet wet (so to speak)! Fun, fun, FUN!

Driving to and from the track is gutsy! Any plans to use a carrier in the future?

[JAE]

Way to go Mike - glad to see you are still driving the wheels off, these cars are meant to be driven.

David's comment about the carrier reminds me of a mistake I almost made. A long, long time ago when I was in my early twenties, I managed to put together a 55 chev (purchased directly from a farmer field of course). After a budget rebuild on a 350 ci motor, I decided it was time to take it to the drag strip - it lasted 3 passes before the motor let go - the only things I could save was the intake, carb and the two valve covers, everything else was scrap. I decided to trailer it there at the last minute-thank god. Lesson learned, don't buy cheap aftermarket cast pistons. I still have one of the pistons (or whats left of it) and one of the connenting rods that is bent in a very nice "S" shape.

John

[MikeJones]

no plans , at least for now as I dont have a trailer. If I was going to start racing versus track days, then I would find a trailer. I was impressed by the trailers and equipment at Mid-Ohio. From the McMann trailer that looks more like an Indy team to the guys who showed up with a small flatbed and a set of tires.

I was watching the oil temps pretty closely particularly after the harder runs. I need to install my oil cooler to make it more solid, but things worked pretty well.

[petergriesbach]

Looks like fun, Shannonville is nearby and I want to do some of the track days organized by St Lawrence auto club. Looks like a safe place to shake down soon to graduate coupe #568. A friend and I were just looking at the London show a 10 hour drive from Kingston. Mike maybe we can get two coupes out on Shannonville at the same time?

[JAE]

Has anyone been to the one of the track days at Canadian Tire Motorsports park (Mosport)? I was there a couple of weeks ago for the NASCAR truck rase and the track looks like it would be a blast to drive.

[tcoon]

Way to go Mike! Great to see another coupe on track, and very smart of you to go to driving school. These cars can bring you religion very quickly if not driven well! And awesome to bring your son into the fold.

[MikeJones]

Hey Peter, love to get organized to go to Shannonville together. It is fairly forgiving with not too much concrete (only the pit straight). I've heard Mosport is easier to get into trouble with higher speeds and closer edges, but I'm up for there too.

The build was originally my son's idea and he did much of the mechanical work, particularly early on in the build. He doesnt drive it too much, but does enjoy it.

Regards, Mike