You have to be careful.....

[pgermond]

Wanted to share with you what can happen if you're not careful. A guy in our group (NorCal Cobras) let someone drive his SPF. The guy lost it making a right hand turn and stuffed it under a utility truck that was parked. He had just gotten it re-painted this spring.

[RJacobsen]

Wow Phil, I hope the passengers are OK. looks like it hit pretty hard.

[ralphscott]

Looks like chopper gun fiberglass rather than the Unique hand laid woven. Wow what a difference in impact tolerance. Anyone got the pictures of the Unique that slammed at 80 mile an hour into a concrete baricade? Thanks for the pictures Phil. Hope the driver and passenger were all right.

Ralph

[Naumoff]

Hope they are OK.

You should not play in a turn with a Cobra, especially on the street and especially if it is not your car.

[clayfoushee]

For the older veterans of this site, pardon the repeat, but some of you new guys may be interested in this story.

I acquired my 98 Unique in 2003, and two weeks after I took delivery, a young woman in a Ford Focus decided to back into my passenger side, broadside, in a shopping center parking lot. Obviously, it was low speed, but hard enough to severly crack or dent the average car.

My car suffered scuffs on the door and fender, but no cracks of any kind. All I had to do was wet-sand and polish, no painting at all.

It is a very strong body, indeed.:)

[Justin Upchurch]

This car was so torn up because of the way it hit the truck at the corner of the bumper. The biggest advantage of having a Unique is that if you do have an accident you just call the factory in Alabama and tell them what parts need to be laid up. I am sure that getting a front clip from S.Africa (pick your brand) is more time consuming. People need to consider this when choosing a replica builder.
I sure feel bad for the owner and the person driving the car, as long as there wasn't an injury everything else can be fixed.

Justin

[pgermond]

The jury is still out, but judging from the (different) direction of the front wheels I wouldn't be surprised if this is near a total loss. In the second photo the car is still under the corner of the trucks barden bumper - the car hit damn near dead-center. Too bad - the owners a nice guy and he had just finished freshing it up with new paint, seats, etc. :(

[Tony Radford]

Phil, I haven't seen any confirmation as to the status of the humans involved. Was he/they OK? It certainly does look like a "start over" situation. The good news about SPF is he'll probably get it replaced pretty quickly being a production factory car. I was visiting Rob Ginn and company at the local Atlanta SPF dealer yesterday (I store my trailer there) and I must say they are really nice cars. I love my Unique, but I love the fit and finish of the interiors. No exposed fiberglass.

[pgermond]

Hi Tony,

I haven't heard anything about the driver (or passenger if there was one), so I have to assume there were no serious injuries. Our group met for breakfast yesterday and there was only talk of the damage to the car. Again - my assumption. I'll post if I hear differently.

[weaver]

You can bet it is totalled, I heard of a Backdraft that needed a front nose section and the repair bill was over $23,000, that is what happens when you buy a car manufactured out of the country.

Alan

[Naumoff]

Import tariffs.

I wrecked a Friends '83 Kawasaki 1100 Spectre when I was 19. It was two model years old and he paid 3grand for it new from the dealer.

One instrument cluster ( in pieces), one fender, one gas tank, one front fork

$2400.00 just for parts. ouch! I didn't get hurt in the crash but the cost of parts sure did hurt my pocket.

[eliminator]

My car will never be driven by anyone without me in it first of all and so far no one has ever driven it except me.


Lot's of folks run out of talent when they turn the key on!!!!!!!!!!!


We have a Unique out there wrecked right now because the owner let someone drive it at a track event, same story. The driver didnt need to be in the car in the first place.

[souzape]

Phil- I'll bet this guy is real popular with his insurance company. Wouldn't like to be in his shoes if/when he tries to renew his policy.

Phil S.

[will butterworth]

remember the clip of the woman wrecking cobra over in west alabama, looks a lot like that.Apparently got on it and little car pulled to the side.Totaled looks like.It is toooo easy for me to come on down on that throttle and run withem on I-20,showem who is quickest.I avoid I-20 and interstates now, when i can,like to run behind Zach--drives like an oooold fella, cool don,t let folks fluster him,good pace.This one don,t look good, Phil.Will-alabama

[pgermond]

remember the clip of the woman wrecking cobra over in west alabama, looks a lot like that.

Will - that was my exact thought as well. Is it coincidence that they are both SPF's?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNLpZdDz-1k

[Justin Upchurch]

My bill from Unique for replacing the parts that I scuffed on the walls at the track will total around $3300 - $3500, and no chassis components were damaged. I'd buy another Unique.

Justin

[brfutbrian]

i think the only coincidence is both cars had drivers that had no clue how to drive a high powered car on a public street. at what point does it come to mind to maybe peddle the car and get at least some control back ?? probably about a half second before both drivers went "oh sh*t" (can be substituted for the f word). i believe i read on cc that this car was for sale and on a test drive. what kind of moron does this to someone`s car?? hope his insurance picks up the tab on this one, not the owner. later , brian

[will butterworth]

be surprised to know that frames under the SPF machine warps under extreme pressure and driver can,t handle car when that happens.Don,t really know-just a thought,odd stuff happens when put to the extreme.Will-alabama

[Naumoff]

I don't know if it the driver or the car but I don't have the car going out of control problem that I hear other people having with there brand of Cobra.

My car is well behaved and does not want to swap ends at the touch of the throttle when I pull out on the road.

When I give my car to much gas and it breaks traction I just feather the throttle until the car catches up to the wheels. If I have to stop the car when this happens, the car stops.

Are people to jerky? Do they panic?

Justin hit the wall because his radiator hose blew and dump water on the track.

[YerDugliness]

Too bad - the owners a nice guy and he had just finished freshing it up with new paint, seats, etc. :(''

I'd have to wonder about the quality of SPF's finish if it needed freshening up this quickly :eek: . Most Cobras don't get the kind of milage a daily driver does--it would be interesting to find out how many miles this one had on it.

Again, a good reason to give second thought to any part of the build over which you don't have control.

Doug :cool:

[JeepSnake]

Are people to jerky? Do they panic?

Tony, it may not be a factor in this wreck, but you just hit the nail on the head about a majority of drivers today!!!

It seems like fewer and fewer people attempt to drive smoothly these days. Take a look around you as you leave a traffic light, and you'll see most people are trying to launch like Don Garlits. As you approach a red light, notice how many people fly past you and jam on the brakes as hard as they can at the last minute. On a multi-lane road, just take a look at how many people jerk or "throw" their vehicles back & forth from lane to lane.

I will hardly ride with anyone else because of this. I get terribly motion sick to begin with, so if I get in the car with a driver that doesn't try to drive smoothly, then, well, I get to revisit my latest meal :(

I literally make it a point to try to drive as fluidly as possible, unless conditions warrant otherwise. When leaving or approaching a light or stop sign or making a lane change, I might imagine that there's an open cup of Coke, filled to the brim and sitting in the cup holder, and I've got to keep from spilling it. If I have other people riding with me, I want them to come away with the impression that they've just been driven across town by a professional chauffeur - unless we're in the Cobra, of course!

All that jerking or snatching your vehicle around does for you is: 1) lower gas mileage, 2) wear out brake pads, 3) unnecessarily put wear & tear on all vehicle components.

Anyhow, just something your comments made me think of!