Greetings fellow MKIV owners...

[palfers123]

Hi folks,
   
   I thought I'd just drop a short post as a new member of the club.
   
   My love for Cobra's started when I was about 4 - nearly 40 years ago - and I've fancied one ever since.  After much saving and an opportune moment (and much wise counsel from Peter DRH) I finally took the plunge - much to the dismay of my contemporaries who felt I should have bought something more 'obvious' - Ferrari or similar...  Pah!
   
   My car - bought in February this year - is the ex Bill Bridge's yellow MKIV with a Gurney Weslake motor up front and loads of 'race spec' additions (swirl pot, adjustable AP brakes, etc). Some of you may know it. It was in storage for many years - being brought out for a service and an MOT - then back under a car cover for another 12 months. This seemed a shame...
   
   Under my ownership, Big Al at Thunder Road has given it a thorough mechanical workover - new rather high spec clutch (following Al's advice), full service and a suspension adjustment to give it a little more ground clearance.  Since collecting it, it has been stored at my in-laws whilst I give it some TLC - detailing, wheel refurb, new tyres, new Mota Lita, new Smiths tacho, etc, etc. Cosmetics in essence...  The car hasn't turned a wheel yet - but in the next week or so I think it will be on the roadnow that the 'essentials' are done.  Still loads of fettling to do - but that seems to be half the fun...  It's far from concours - but has a nice patina of age!
   
   I live in Hertfordshire and very much plan to become active in the club - work, wife and 3yr old (who calls it 'daddy's ABBC Cobra!)  permitting - but in the interim simply wanted to say hi.
   
   If there are any members local to me who fancy at some point saying hi - it would be great to meet.  Ditto - if anybody has any info, insight or wisdom regarding my new acquisition - please do get in touch.
   
   Best,
   
   Andy

[cobham cobra]

Hi Andy,
   Welcome to the club and welcome to MkIV ownership. I noticed your car at Thunder Road a little while ago and you certainly have a good car with a great history. I hope you are booked for National Day and look forward to meeting you.
   
   John.

[SJ351]

Hi Andy,
   I know that car very well indeed.
   It is something of an old war horse with several past knocks and dings.
   However, it looked very nicely patinated when I saw it last and was a good buy.
   Google AMOC Silverstone 1997 for some race action.
   Make sure you keep all the bits you remove I think would be good advice.
   The race history may one day prove a boost to its value and you could find yourself putting it back to how you found it to maximize it.
   Regards,
   SJ

[palfers123]

Thanks folks.  I too look forward to meeting you both and certainly hope to get to Ickworth.  Thanks for the Google search advice - was fascinating and delightful to see 'it' win the class (I do need to think of a name for her though... thoughts welcomed!)
   
   SJ - re your points - I agree 100% and none of the 'fettling' I've done has involved anything that is not un-doable (I can easily swap back the tacho, steering wheel, harnesses, etc) and have the old bits kept for such occasions.
   
   I think the priority for me is to get it on the road after too much time being polished / gathering dust / bieng polished / gathering dust... I can then start to get a feeling for the car and then determine the winter priority projects.
   
   One comment made by my father in law was his view about the 'vulnerability' of the oil cooler.  I did show him numerous photos in Trevor Leggate's great book and it seems to be the standard to have the nose open rather than covered in mesh.  I am presuming that this is the 'norm' i.e. to drive it without a mesh protective screen (which IMHO doesn't look right)?
   
   One last question.  The members meeting that is held in Marylebone. Is this typically a 'driven to' event - or an 'on foot' meeting?
   
   As ever, any thoughts / insights / photos are thoroughly welcomed.
   
   Cheers,

[cobham cobra]

The Marylebone meeting is also the monthly council meeting and you would be very welcome to come along. Though some attendees do drive their AC to the meeting, it's not the kind of meeting where we get a pint and go outside, kick the tyres and talk left-handed widgets all evening.
   Come along one month and see if it's your kind of thing.

[nick Godridge]

Hi, Welcome to the forum and a lovely AC.
   
   I am also in Herts, Hemel Hempstead, and, sad to say, see very few other Cobra's, MK 1V or others, around here, or, at events other than major club gatherings.
   
   I bought mine from the factory in 1985, and since then have fiddled with it over the years to bring it up to some kind of fast road spec. Its been an educational journey! I use it as often as I can, and put on about 3-4k miles a year. Turns out to be a bit of a love hate relationship though.
   
   Hope to see you on the road at some point in the future.
   
   Nick G

[shep]

Hi to one Andy from another! I was hoping to see you up at Ickworth the weekend before last, and to say hello. Years ago, we used to prepare BBs Cobra when he raced in AMOC Intermarque when our company Uniclip Automotive was still trading. It was always a fabulous car. It used to have a 302 Ford engine which had been blueprinted by Richard Longman, and which I bought from Bill for my own Mk IV when he bought the Gurney Weslake. I still have the engine on a stand in my workshop as it has now been superseded by the Mathwall which came from the Orange Cobra race car. Your car has lots of history and I can tell you an amazing story about a Sunday morning with a Blonde on the A3! But that will have to be verbal as I dare not put it into print. Perhaps over a beer at the next AC gathering would be a good time! Anyway, congratulations on a fabulous purchase, and my advice is get out there and use it! These cars were made to be driven, and it seems criminal to leave them in the garage. Cobham Cobra is a great inspiration to all of us. He is always out playing come rain or sun, and he manages to keep his Cobra looking marvellous. Look forward to seeing you and your lovely Cobra soon. Andy.
   PS If you haven't already, it will be worth putting a set of Avon CR6 ZZ tyres on, as your power and torque need the best link possible to the road surface!

[MkIV Lux]

Welcome Andy, to the Mk IV driver's gang and to the Club. Fabulous Club and very well built cars, I can assure you. Now why don't you join into next year's International and get the opportunity to use your mount to what it is best at, as well as meet a lot of nice equal minded folks. Shortly after I had bought my Mk IV in 2002, I engaged on a 2000 kms trip to the International held in Italy that year. Since then I have put some 60,000 kms on the clock of my mount. As Shep mentions: these cars are made for being driven.
   
   Constant
   
   for detail on the International 2015, click here
   http://www.acownersclub.co.uk/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=3219