Texas Cobra Club Spring Meet 2019 - The Hawk Coupe run through big Texas state!

[Erik W. Treves]

I didn't see much if anything posted on the forum about this show... A ton of Facebook but I thought since it seemed like mostly a different crowd from the Ohio Cobra Show ... I figured I would share a bit on this forum and the Coupe Forum since both groups were represented by the group I was in.

The planning actually started a few years ago while sitting under a tent in Ohio and then later through Facebook that we were going to "crash" the South show - Well, Henry Renaud posted something on FB and the plan formed... I jumped in since I am not building anything (well not kit car-wise) so I was going to be able to finally enjoy driving my Coupe this summer.... Right away most everybody jumped in - but as life seems to get in the way only a few of us were able to make it - Henry, Craig Watkins, Dan Hall, Sten Johnson and Myself. Henry (coming from Florida) and myself (coming from North Alabama) both Trailered - The rest drove from Illinois! They got there first , then Henry and I brought in the rear, making the 16 hour trip in 1 day.

Anyway - the Venue is fantastic. The Hotel gives us a huge section of the parking lot for the trailers and the cobras and they have people there to receive you and help you park. It was like a sea of Serpent Express Trailers!

I showed up at 8pm ish... checked in and settled in to catch up with the boys.. we were all pretty tired so I think we split to our rooms by 10-11 pm .

Nothing starts until 9am each day so there is plenty of "recovery" time -

One of the coolest things was that the "tours" or routes to choose from were Web Based so you go to that website and pick which tour you wanted to do and it was linked to Google Maps to include all the intermediate stops and lunch stops. This ensured nobody got lost and if separated you could find yourself back to the pack... Our Texas chaperones were also kind enough to Lead and provide straggler control for each group as well - just for good measure.

We basically got 2 of 3 days in for driving - the 3rd day was a huge rain day ... we made the most of it and ... well... what better thing to do in Texas...but shoot guns! So we spent the day at the gun range and shot a bunch of ammo.

The driving.......

not much to say ... IT WAS FRICKEN AWESOME!! The views were great and all... the food too.... but with posted speed limits of 75 and 85 MPH on the open "back 40" of Texas.... can I tell you that we let the cars EAT! We did 30-40 minutes at a time at 75+ in formations of 6 or more...The roads are nice a smooth and you can see for MILES! at 85 the speed to over-take ... well you get the idea. Nobody was stupid and I managed to leave my finger off the Line Lock the entire weekend! I beat the living crap out of my coupe the entire 2 days... running the AC the entire time which was nice with the 95* weather...

My Coupe looks nice... but the ride... you would think with all the turbo stuff and aircraft stuff and Kirkey Performer seats...I would be beat up... man did it perform... the longest I drove it before then was about 40 miles... we did 190 miles the first day and 340 miles the second day... it ran like a clock and power just kept coming!!! The engineering that went into the Chassis in stiffness ... really lets the suspension work and the IRS is the bomb.

Anyway, the meet up back at the Hotel after the days rides was great ... was like a car show every day.... different people would come by from one day to the next. -

Did I mention the driving...lol.... man the best time I have had driving these cars hands down - other than a track

Big thanks to Bill Swendsen for taking lead of our caravan each day and to his wife Diane (the I am not the navigator , navigator )

Here are some of the highlights and pics: the pics are in my Gallery if you want to see them all .. and on FB...

Day 1 parked for lunch:

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=105308&d=1554774123

Allen Grant stopped by to check out the Coupe and to say "hey"

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=105299&d=1554773882

Too close for missiles ... switching to guns

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=105298&d=1554773882

The "crew" .. minus Sten... who was taking a power nap...

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=105294&d=1554773880


so how about this flat road with no other cars other than your group for 1+ hours at 75+ ??

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=105288&d=1554773877

Stop at this "town"... population = 3 ... not a joke.. lol.... the group needed some liquid

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=105287&d=1554773877

[Erik W. Treves]

more views

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=105286&d=1554773877

feeling no pain :)

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=105283&d=1554773873

Future Factory Five Builder? Has my same "focused" look as I gave him instruction on how to start the Hawk Coupe... which he did!

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=105281&d=1554773872

Yep... roads for Miles and Miles!

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=105280&d=1554773871

Group photo time

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=105279&d=1554773871

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=105309&d=1554774822

[Erik W. Treves]

This showed up at one of the lunch stops!

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=105276&d=1554773869

Nice evening

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=105274&d=1554773868

Henry performing his preflight checks on his Cobra
https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=105266&d=1554773865


Population of......3

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=105264&d=1554773864

Rain Day action:

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=105273&d=1554773868

Snakes trying to keep cool

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=105259&d=1554773662
https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=105257&d=1554773622

[Erik W. Treves]

2 hours out to get this pic! POM??

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=105258&d=1554773638

Refueling

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=105318&d=1554777326

Heading home

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=105320&d=1554777558


if you have never been..... you really need to go.... the people are great .... the driving is even better!

thanks ALL...

[steno]

Erik, I couldn’t have said it better! By the time I got home last night I had 3000.2 miles on the Roadster! About 2500 miles of commuting there and back... and I’ll do it again!! And meeting Chris and Carrol from New Zealand was a treat! From pizza in the parking lot to making some noise, we all had a wonderful time without getting arrested!;)
Thanks to the TCC for their efforts! You’ll see us again! These cars are meant to be driven!!

[j.miller]

Wow ! Awesome stuff. GOOD TIMES TO BE HAD ! Car looks awesome as ever Erik. Kleiner and I talked about coming but sluffed it off sighting "work was more important than fun"...………. then you show a pic of parking lot pizza party...….I MEAN ! DUDE! IF WE KNEW THEY HAD PIZZA IN TEXAS WE SO WOULD HAVE BEEN THERE...….oh! and let me guess. It's Texas so those were the personal size pizzas "the minis".....WE SO MESSED UP !!!...da Bat

[Jcdata]

I would love to do this!

[Jeff Kleiner]

Thanks for the report Erik! The pics and updates from you, Sten, Dan, Craig and Henry were killing me. Dougherty called me last Thursday and we commiserated over our absence :(

Like da' Bat said we talked about crashing the party but it was already too late since the route I had laid out for us meant that we needed to be on the road no later than February 17 (or February 11th if we stopped to see the worlds largest cherry pie like Miller insisted.........................

https://assets3.thrillist.com/v1/image/1402617/size/tl-horizontal_main.jpg

.......................................I didn't really want to see it but I know how he can get and didn't want to have to deal with him having a snit the whole 8,000 miles)

See you boys in Ohio :cool:

Jeff

[steno]

Jeff, those were personal sized pizzas! Since gas stations had over 200 pumps and highway interchanges were over 10 stories high, we thought we’d take the safe route!

[GoDadGo]

Erik,

The picture of You and Henry hanging with the Legendary Allen Grant makes me Super Stupid Jealous!
Where's Mr. Bondurant or how about that larger than life Texan, Mr. A.J. Foyt?
Okay, I've got to get back to work now and save some money for the Bank.
Thanks For Posting This Thread!

Steve

[65 Cobra Dude]

Awesome write up Erik! Thanks to the TCC for putting on a stellar show!! We had a great time and wouldn't change a thing. Roads were great as were the hosts. Thanks to Bill and Diane Swendsen for taking us under their wings. Da Bat, Karen, Mark, Jeff, Ron, Thierry, Aaron, Tak, Brendan and the rest of you that missed this event this year - you really screwed up ;). See you all at LCS soon!

Henry

[abdw-wcw]

The driving! We were constantly talking about the driving at high speeds for hours at a time, only occasionally passing another car. I've owned this car for 10 years and I've never driven it like I did on this trip. Truly memorable.

As a side note, after Michael Craven asked "who's the homeless guy" from the photos and my wife seeing this update with all the pics, I was promptly marched upstairs and instructed to cut the beard. (it was a pain at 80 mph anyways. Ha).

Great write up Erik. Appreciate the effort. The Swendsen's were great cruise leaders. The Skews' from New Zealand (with their patented, screw-on, reusable Rocket tips he's trying to sell Elon Musk...inside joke) were great new friends. Good seeing all the folks from the Ohio Cobra club (and appreciate the prayers you sent us on our way out late Saturday in the rain).

We'll see a lot of you all in Ohio in a couple months, but I challenge some of the Texas people (and everyone else that has one of these cars) to get together with each other. We all have a common interest in these cars and we always seem to have a blast visiting with each other. Use the cars to start those relationships. It's worth it!
Craig

[seagull81]

Great write up, Erik. We were glad Y'all could make it and all returned safely to home. Sorry for the rain on Saturday. We will put in an order for none next year. Y'all come on back.

[bobl]

It was great to meet you guys and put faces with names. Glad y'all had a good time and hope you can make it back next year.

[Garry Bopp]

Thanks, Erik. Great write-up and pics ... I can see that I really missed a good one! See you at LCS/Mid Ohio.

Garry