Projects DRAG SNAKE "Vintage Terror!"

There was

This car is Killer in person

 

Hoping it is still there this morning after watch some videos from the Meltdown site of the storms last night. She was coiled up pretty tight though...lol

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Been following the build, I will try to stop by on Sat and say hi.
TZ

 

MELTDOWN DRAGS













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It has been a long time since I laughed as hard as I did yesterday afternoon. Let me preface this by saying Dad spent the better part of three days working on the roof.

Of course we all know what it looked like:


After we got the car in primer he was sort of obsessed to do the top in a satin black. It just about wore him slick!



I lost count of how many times he painted the stupid thing, then found a flaw or two, sanded it down and painted it again. The final round (the day before we left) he was basically painting in the dark. The next morning he found a small run he just couldn't live with. The rest of the roof was near perfect so he took 1000 grit paper and worked out the run and smoothed the entire finish. It has a bit more sheen to it than he planned but it looks and feels really slick.



So there we are hanging with car and talking with folks when this guy asks what color we are planning to paint it. Dad says 1964 Ford Viking Blue and points out the dash is already painted. The guy has a look and says nice. Then he looks at the top and says, "...you going to paint the roof too or just leave it in gel coat?"

I just about fell out of my chair. I had not thought about it but Dad spent 3 days, countless hours and God only knows how much money perfectly replicating a black gel coat finish...LMAO!

Not sure he thought it was very funny. So if there is anyone at the track today...drop in and comment how good the roof looks! LOL!!!

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Hey you got "Blue Balls"

 

It was nice to see this project in person, how did the "Tech Inspection" go?

 

They did not make it over there this weekend. So I will have to have evaluated around here. Good to meet
you though. Always nice to put a face with an avatar etc. Thanks

 

Man we had a blast at the Meltdown Drags. It was great to see all the usual crowd there from the HAMB and catch up a bit. I have lost track of how many NEW HAMBers we met and got a chance to put a face with an avatar. It is always cool when that happens. It was surprising how many folks came by and said they are following this thread from a far... At least 6 guys introduced themselves and when I asked what their avatar was they said I would not recognize it because they do not comment, just watch. So nice to meet you boys as well (you know who you are). LOL.

While it is always an amazing event, this year was a bit melancholy at times for me. One of sponsors of the event is of course Gasser Wars Magazine. They were on sight showing off their wares which included a very nice looking Austin Somerset on the cover of last years Meltdown Edition. They were selling new subscriptions and back issue samples. It seemed every where I looked that crazy magazine was in someones hand or on a table etc.

But then it really got put into perspective for me by a guy standing in our tent checking out the Cobra. He had obviously just came from the Gasser Wars Magazine booth as he too had the edition with Dragnasty in his hand. He asked if I was building this myself and I answered yes. He said so what kind of car is this, a Griffen? A bit taken back I said no it is a Cobra. He said really? Part of me is trying very hard not to roll my eyes that any level of car guy could look at it and for crying at loud, not know it is Cobra. But I said yep it is a replica of a 1964 Cobra race car.

He walked around back and asked about the rear suspension. I explained the parts etc. to which he replied I am not sure that is going to work. Sort of feeling like I am now being questioned by some Yahoo I said, "Oh I don't know, it has the same basic suspension set up as that Dragnasty car there on your Magazine, and it always went pretty straight."

He held up the Magazine and said, "Oh man you got that right! That was one of my favorite cars last year."
He went on rant about the Austin telling me all kinds of facts about it and how fast it was (which was a good deal faster than it really ran). He spun a tale from last year about what he saw from the stands from the first run we made on Friday. It wasn't anything Paul Bunyan like but it was quite a bit taller than what I remembered (and I was in the car!)... After he finished he said he was sure hoping to see it run again this year. He said he had been all through the pits looking for it but didn't see it anywhere. I said I was pretty sure it was not here this year. He said oh well at least I got the magazine...and he headed off back towards the stands.

After he left my daughter said why didn't you tell him the truth. I laughed and said I don't think he can't handle the truth. LMAO. I am not sure what made me feel better, hearing him talk so adoringly about my car or the fact that I just let him go without saying a thing. It was very empowering. Sort of a release I think.

 

Well after quite a bit of research on them, I have opted for a pedal system for the Cobra.

I am going with a Tilton system with remote reservoirs. I am pretty excited about them. I actually
saw a set on car at the Meltdowns and got to talk to the builder about them. His recomendations
sealed the deal etc. So they are on the way. We were doing inventory last night and with this purchase,
we are only two items away from being complete... Push rods and a steering rod and we are driving it!

Well after we assemble the motor anyway! LOL

 

I have a Tilton hanging set up in my Model A and it works great. I am currently running 2 Tilton and one Wilwood Master cylinder, I already had the Wilwood. No problems in 15 years.

 

You must be more mellow than I am. Over the years I found that you run into people like that at any race track - straight , round , or left / right and the best thing you can do is ignore them.

It all goes back to you can't fix stupid.

 

Oh I have a better one than that from this weekend! I had a guy walk up Friday while I was uncovering it for about the 20th time...LOL. He says is this one of the GM bodies? Obviously a bit confused I said what kind of body? He said GM. I repeated it to make sure I heard it right the second time. I did. I said no it is a Ford...it's a Cobra. He said Oh, it looked like one of those GM bodies. I am like, you mean a Corvette. He said oh no not a Corvette! I said well that is about as close as they made to the Cobra unless you mean the Cheetah? He said no it just looks GM to me. I sort of laughed and said well its not. He got a bit sheepish and said sorry if I sound ignorant. I didn't want to offend him so I said no you are all good, I just don't what GM body you have seen, was Chevrolet, Pontiac, Buick, Olds? He said no it is a British car. A British Sports car. I thought for a second and said you mean....MG? He said yes that is it, MG....LMAO! Apparently he is not only a bit slow on the car uptake but dyslexic as well!

 

You mean it is not?

 

Hilarious
You can't make up stories like that one!
I guess you better get use to it Randal.
Sounds like you handled it better than I would have.

 

Sounds like the time I picked up a hitch hiking kid in my '40 Ford. Had a NSRA sticker on the windshield. He asked me if my car was a Nash. I attributed it to ignorance so didn't kill him.

 

Well, it was worth something that he even knew that a Nash was a brand of car...

 

So true!

 

Well Randall I was going to stop and say hi, but you and James where deep in discussing world affairs so I just checked out the Cobra and wandered off with a big smile on my face! Love this car! Was going to stop back but got wrapped up in watching everyone having fun! Now I need to go find a 12 step program now to talk me down from building something to join in fun Wife says I got to finish the Merc and her Mustangs first! Dam honey do list. Larry

 

Just a quick edit to an earlier post (which I already changed above). Some one corrected me that the amazing guys from Gasser Wars Magazine were not giving away back issues but were rather selling them for $5.00 each (a total bargain) especially the one with Dragnasty on the cover...LMAO! You know these guys make quite a trek each year just to be onsite at the event. I certainly wait with baited breath for my latest issue to arrive!

 

Oh man you should have interrupted us...James was just telling me how he rigged the entry box to win a really cool welder autographed by Gene Winfield! LMAO! No just kidding, he apparently won it fair and square! Anyway sorry I missed you, maybe next time...

 

I swung by and checked the car out Saturday. I didn't want to wake you so I let you sleep and just looked. Nice build by the way.

 

Sorry I missed you, next time just kick my chair! I could have always slept while driving the truck home. LOL

 

LOL! Funny though, I was really surprised at how many people did not know it was a Cobra. I probably had 15 or 20 folks check it out and then ask what kind of car it was? In my opinion the Cobra form has to be up there in the top echelon of most recognizable cars in the world. But none-the-less we were continually confirming it as a Cobra to folks that I really felt should know....you know?

Dad and I were laughing about it and he made the comment that maybe the roof was throwing them off a bit. He might be right.

 

Put a 427 in it. That should solve the problem.

 

So, how many people asked "is that a kit"?

 

It was really Nice meeting You on Friday at Meltdown!!
The Cobra is turning out Awesome!!!
I hope to see Ya racing it at Meltdown Drags 2019!!

 

I get asked that question fairly often. My reply, "No it's a Corvette!''

 

Actually only one! And he got a very emphatic "NO". He said you mean it is real. I said no it is a "tribute car" to the original Dragon Snake Cobras. He said so it is fiberglass? I said yes based off an original early Cobra body etc. etc. Oh, so it is kit car. Again I said no it is certainly not a kit car. I said a kit car implies everything showed up in a kit, preformed and pre-fit and for the most part ready to simply open the box, read the directions and start assembling.
I could only wish! LMAO!

Dad used to carry a baseball bat in his traditional RPU hot rod. It had "RAT ROD?" in big black letters on it. When ever someone called it a Rat Rod at a car show or cruise in he would jokingly pick it up and say alright, sorry to have to do this but your are looking at a traditional hot rod....and now I am going to have to beat you with the Rat Rod Bat!....it was always pretty fun. I guess I will have to get me one that says KIT CAR!

 

I am constantly amazed at the number of people that show up at "car events" and don't have a clue of make/model/year AT ALL! I can see being a year, or even 2, off on some models. Maybe missing a model where it was shared across brands. But who the hell doesn't know what a Cobra is that has an interest in racing, cars, etc.?

I was part of a Ford club for years. We put on an ALL FORD show every year (actually not terribly far from you, hint, hint). I actually had a guy walk up to me and complain there were no nice Camaros or Chevelles at the show. He drove a long way to see some nice cars. I pointed out it was a FORD SHOW and he said there was no reason not to let a nice Camaro in......

Hard to believe they walk among us....
SPark