Need advice for my fellow road warriors - long distance drives

Hello all. I recently fulfilled my dream of owning FFR Roadster, buying an already built and running Mk IV from another builder. He completed the build, started some body work, drove for ~2,000 miles, and decided to sell. I took Ownership in mid-April, and just received my title from PA this week. Once I knew the title was approved, I registered for the London Cobra Show. I've been to the show several times the last few years, but this will be the first time with my own Cobra!

A little about the car. It's a Mk IV, with a stroked 351W, IRS, but no soft top or tonneau cover (but I do have a full car cover). It has temporary windshield wipers, but they don't work very well - I may just throw them in the trunk as a just in case. It's currently still in gel coat, with some stripes and patches of body filler. I'm working on some bodywork currently and may have a coat of paint/primer on it before I leave for the show. I plan to run through the racing checklist in the back of the build manual, prior to leaving on the trip. I'll also bring along some tools and fluids in case they are needed.

So my questions are about driving the car for long distances, and any advice for how to best enjoy the show as a Cobra owner? I'll be driving from Pittsburgh to the hotel in Dublin, OH next week on the afternoon of Thursday the 20th. I plan to stick to side roads, avoiding I-70 as much as possible. It doesn't add too much time to the drive, maybe an extra 30 minutes, and I feel the drive will be a bit more scenic. I'm looking to those veterans of the LCS, any advice for driving from Pittsburgh to Columbus and back. My wife is coming with me but she'll be following behind in our "normal" car. My son will be in the car with me for most of the big drives.

My biggest worry is about the weather. Do you worry much about the rain?
What if I get caught in the rain while driving?
I'll have a full car cover for overnights. Anything I should bring to better enjoy the weekend (chairs, canopy, cooler, etc.)?
Any advice on taking long drives (3+ hours), like clothing, sun screen, hearing protection, etc.?
Any other advice? Lay it on me

Thanks, and see you at the LCS!

If it rains you get wet.

The wipers are not effective....

RainX helps a lot on BOTH sides of the windshield.

Use painters tape to tape up the holes around the windshield posts and any other spots water is pouring in on you. Ultimately, water pours in on you, but it can be curtailed a bunch.

You get wet...

I put some holes in my floor for the water to drain out. Other wise you end up with a small swimming pool at your feet.

Be aware of your fusebox location. It can end up getting soaked and then you'll have electrical issues.

Travel with a group of buddies and have a text group setup to alert if one of you have issues. Also bring a get set of tools, tape, zip ties, tire fix kit.

Oh.. you get wet!


I'll be at LCS too! Hopefully not wet....

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Originally Posted by john42

If it rains you get wet.

The wipers are not effective....

RainX helps a lot on BOTH sides of the windshield.

Use painters tape to tape up the holes around the windshield posts and any other spots water is pouring in on you. Ultimately, water pours in on you, but it can be curtailed a bunch.

You get wet...

I put some holes in my floor for the water to drain out. Other wise you end up with a small swimming pool at your feet.

Be aware of your fusebox location. It can end up getting soaked and then you'll have electrical issues.

Travel with a group of buddies and have a text group setup to alert if one of you have issues. Also bring a get set of tools, tape, zip ties, tire fix kit.

Oh.. you get wet!


I'll be at LCS too! Hopefully not wet....

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So wear a swim suit just in case :). Looking ahead at the 10 day forecast it's clear but hot so far, but that will change I am sure. I may get a Frogg Togg rain suit set, as a just in case.

Another buddy told me about the fuse box, I will make sure to cover it before the trip, and seal the holes around the windshield posts as best as possible.

Thanks for the advice, and see you out there - hopefully dry as well.

Here's a picture of the car, in it's current state.
Attachment 200623

Yea I have "shorts" that look like normal shorts but they are made from super fast drying swimsuit material. I also have a swim/sun light weight shirt that is 100 SPF and long sleeve but very light and cool. Also, super fast drying. Works great for long drives in the hot sun or rain.

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Originally Posted by john42

Yea I have "shorts" that look like normal shorts but they are made from super fast drying swimsuit material. I also have a swim/sun light weight shirt that is 100 SPF and long sleeve but very light and cool. Also, super fast drying. Works great for long drives in the hot sun or rain.

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Good idea about the long sleeve shirt. I have a swim shirt as well, SPF rated. I'll bring that along for the drive.

Plastic bag for your phone and wallet. As long as you are rolling, a surprising amount of water stays out of the cockpit. Physics, I presume, but Rain X on both sides of the windscreen is a must. Frog Togs are good, as they breathe a bit more than classic rain gear.

hat, sunscreen, sunglasses, hearing protection, water bottles.
you'll be surprised how taxing it is to drive these long distances compared to the comforts of a daily driver. the sun and noise from the wind takes it toll. Take frequent breaks.
watch the weather and plan on getting wet if there's stoms in the forecast.
i wouldn't worry about paint/primer before the drive. you'll need to seal the primer or contaminants will get in and you'll be redoing the work.
see you at LCS!

My 2c - aquapel is better than rainx. I don't have wipers, and I don't miss them - and I've driven in a lot of rain.

Congratulations on the purchase. John has a lot of experience with rain. Our ride home from LCS last year was wet (real wet). John got a little wetter than the rest of us.:D All good advice. Certainly bring fold up chairs, cooler and you can use a tent if you'd like. Its a great time and feel free to track John and myself down. John42 see you in a week.

Dave.

Driven long trips many times, and a lot in the rain. Suggestion is to tape (yellow areas) the leading edge of the windshield rubber to body (water will leak under that to you). Also, between the visor and windshield as well as the door seam from cockpit to at least half-way down the door (water will wick up that seam and on your knee). Also, make a "dam wall" so to speak in the green circled area. That'll keep extra water from coming around the windshield. Not much else to do about rain/water and protection is the best. Be prepared if needed to pull off in shelter area if it pours, you can't escape that. Hail hurts too! Do wear a water proof top as the water will sweep back behind the door and get you wet!

All the other suggestions are spot on. I use my iPod on trips (yes, still have two of them) and they are great to break mahem noise. I guess you can stream from your phone as well. My wife and I drove cross country in heat, rain, hail and snow and we survived. Make it an adventure and stay safe. Take a cover to keep the car reasonably dry if parked and raining. With IRS the drive will be comfortable, much better than a solid axle. We drive for 4 to 6 hours a day on trips, and I'm old too! :)

Attachment 200627

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Originally Posted by weendoggy

Driven long trips many times, and a lot in the rain. Suggestion is to tape (yellow areas) the leading edge of the windshield rubber to body (water will leak under that to you). Also, between the visor and windshield as well as the door seam from cockpit to at least half-way down the door (water will wick up that seam and on your knee). Also, make a "dam wall" so to speak in the green circled area. That'll keep extra water from coming around the windshield. Not much else to do about rain/water and protection is the best. Be prepared if needed to pull off in shelter area if it pours, you can't escape that. Hail hurts too! Do wear a water proof top as the water will sweep back behind the door and get you wet!

All the other suggestions are spot on. I use my iPod on trips (yes, still have two of them) and they are great to break mahem noise. I guess you can stream from your phone as well. My wife and I drove cross country in heat, rain, hail and snow and we survived. Make it an adventure and stay safe. Take a cover to keep the car reasonably dry if parked and raining. With IRS the drive will be comfortable, much better than a solid axle. We drive for 4 to 6 hours a day on trips, and I'm old too! :)

Attachment 200627

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Thanks for the picture, I'll definitely look into doing those suggestions.

Yup, definitely going to get wet and the wipers are only for looks. Rainex inside and out of the windshield. My one big caution is if hail is in the forcast, keep an eye out for overpasses to hide under. Got caught in one storm and my car looked like a snow cone when it was done.

My 2 cents: I have a top now, but last year, did not. I got caught in two downpours - one at the OH/IN border and another at about exit 220 on I-65. Yes, I got wet. Yes, the car got wet. Oh well. Here's my recommendation based on my personal experience. Get some foam pipe insulation, slice it length-wise, and put that in the gap between the door and the windshield. That is where most of the water enters. Next, put something on your left knee. Towel, rain gear, anything. That is the body part that will get drenched the most. Put towels or something similar on the passenger seat or passenger floor. If you can limit the amount of rain getting to the carpet, you will significantly reduce the water-induced smell that arrives the next day.

If it is sunny, wear a long-sleeved shirt and hat so you don't burn to a crisp. Ask me how I know...

All that said, it is a blast to drive to Dublin, OH in an open car for the LCS. I look forward to this trip every year! It's all part of the adventure! I look forward to seeing you there!

Axoid,
How are your tires? Will they work in the rain? Many of the great tires for these cars fail miserably on wet roads and if you keep driving you might be OK at slower speeds. I've run for hundreds of miles and often a half day or more at a time in the rain w/o putting up the top. Yup I got wet but not as bad as many, but I ran hard and fast as my tires worked in the rain.
I always had visors and wind wings, not perfect but they did direct the water over head and around fairly well. As mentioned, that gap between the door and body is a direct line to the outside leg, fortunately you don't get center punched, which looks really bad.
There are many good recommendations in the previous posts. One I'll add is have a tent post for your cover, something that will hold it up and not allow puddles in the unsupported areas.
Plastic bags for electronics are good, I trashed a GPS unit getting it wet.
After that have a great time, you'll dry out as will the car.
Hope to see you at London. No car for me but I'll be there taking photos.
Jim

Thanks cob427sc, Al_C, & Jim1855. I was going to use a pool noodle for the gap between the windshield and door, wrapped around the bottom of the windscreen. For the car cover, I had read somewhere to put a big beach ball inside the car before covering it, to help prevent the rain from sagging down the cover. A few plastic bags and some extra towels for sure will be in the cockpit. I ordered RainX and will coat both sides of the windshield. I don't have a hole drilled in the floor pans yet, and probably won't get to that either before the show. But it's on the list of "upgrades" for the future! Also, I was made aware (by a local friend also building a FFR) about the gaps between the back of the cockpit and the rear wheel well, right behind the seats. I probably won't have time to address that before the show, but it's also on the list of upgrades. I may just stuff more pool noodle in there as a temp fix, to keep some wheel well water from splashing in.

I haven't driven the car in the rain yet (heck, haven't driven it much yet due to waiting for the title/plate), but my other car is a Mustang with ultra-performance summer tires. I'm used to driving in the rain with those types of tires, so I'll just slow it down a bit and take it easy.

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Originally Posted by weendoggy

Suggestion is to tape (yellow areas) the leading edge of the windshield rubber to body (water will leak under that to you). Also, between the visor and windshield as well as the door seam from cockpit to at least half-way down the door (water will wick up that seam and on your knee).

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What type of tape do you recommend?

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Originally Posted by Axoid

I haven't driven the car in the rain yet (heck, haven't driven it much yet due to waiting for the title/plate), but my other car is a Mustang with ultra-performance summer tires. I'm used to driving in the rain with those types of tires, so I'll just slow it down a bit and take it easy.

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I'll have to give fair warning here. Driving a 3-4000lbs car are summer tires is a lot different then driving a 2000lbs car on summer tires. I'm on R888R's and in the rain my top speed is 40mph. Anything above that and I'm hydroplaning. That was the biggest issue I had last year on the LCS drive. Soon as the roads had any standing water I had to go painfully slow. That just made me get more wet..

Also trucks! HAHA. Trucks in the rain making a nice tidal wave of water right over the door and into my lap. I won't ever forget that.. Even with holes in my floor boards I had 10 inches of standing water in my footbox.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Axoid

What type of tape do you recommend?

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Just use Blue Painters tape, the regular, not smooth finish. It works fine. I used 3/4" and 2". Use the 2" for the windshield and door and the 3/4" to fill other areas. For the dam wall, make a roll-up of sorts with tape, then put a piece in front to allow the "wall" to deflect. Also noted you don't have side wings so you may want to make some sort of tape deflector there. Trust me, the water will find a way. Have fun!

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Originally Posted by john42

Even with holes in my floor boards I had 10 inches of standing water in my footbox.

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Damn sam! How deep are you footboxes? :)

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Originally Posted by weendoggy

Damn sam! How deep are you footboxes? :)

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It was up to the seats... My son in the passenger seat started using a cup to bale out the water. He said "Dad we're sinking!"

Quote:

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Originally Posted by weendoggy

Just use Blue Painters tape, the regular, not smooth finish. It works fine. I used 3/4" and 2". Use the 2" for the windshield and door and the 3/4" to fill other areas. For the dam wall, make a roll-up of sorts with tape, then put a piece in front to allow the "wall" to deflect. Also noted you don't have side wings so you may want to make some sort of tape deflector there. Trust me, the water will find a way. Have fun!

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The driver's side side wing was broken by the previous owner, I have a passenger side. I am getting a replacement driver's side prior to the trip.

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Originally Posted by Axoid

Here's a picture of the car, in it's current state.
Attachment 200623

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I recognize that car! He had it for sale for quite a while and I talked with the previous owner about doing the body & paint and offered some advice when he decided to try it himself.

Getting wet is all part of the experience. I always say that I've never pulled out of the garage while it's raining but I've sure driven back in a lot of times while it's raining. It doesn't hurt the car...or you (you were probably wet last time you took a shower) :)

See you at the show!

Jeff

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Originally Posted by Jeff Kleiner

I recognize that car! He had it for sale for quite a while and I talked with the previous owner about doing the body & paint and offered some advice when he decided to try it himself.

Getting wet is all part of the experience. I always say that I've never pulled out of the garage while it's raining but I've sure driven back in a lot of times while it's raining. It doesn't hurt the car...or you (you were probably wet last time you took a shower) :)

See you at the show!

Jeff

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Jeff, yeah I was also watching it since last summer. Price was a bit too high for me at that time, considering the bodywork and paint needed, as well as not being titled yet. But we came to a deal this Spring and it's now titled in PA. I'm still going to attempt the bodywork and paint myself. It's something I always wanted to learn anyway (I've done small repair jobs, but never a full car), and I have been reading A LOT of your advice on various build threads (and Jeff M. da Bat). That picture is from the seller's garage, but the car basically looks the same. I adjusted the doors and started some gaping but haven't got much further yet. I'd love to pick your brain at LCS! I plan to start a bodywork/paint thread once I get back from LCS, I'm looking forward to all the help for veterans like you!

With the rain I'm more worried about the car. I backpack a lot and never wear raingear when it rains, I end up getting wetter from all the sweat under the gear than from the rain. Building some water channels, covering the fuse box and bagging electronics and I should be fine seems to be the consensus.

I've been asked MANY times, "what do you do if it rains?". You get WET! No avoiding it but you can minimize the downside.
If you haven't gotten wet driving your roadster, you don't drive it enough! :cool:

Most of my recommendations have been mentioned, but I'll repeat some anyways.
> I keep multiple sandwich bags under my seats, to cover my electronics (GPS, Cell, & Radar Detector) and wallet. I also keep a baggy full of those little silcon pouches (I save them every chance I come across) if electronics get wet, throw them in that bag.
> I keep Frog Togs and a couple small towels behind the seats.
> I didn't see it mentioned, but I cut and installed small panels of ABS plastic sheets in the rear fender-wells to seal the gaps behind the seats between the body and doorframe. The tires will throw water on your left arm & side.
> And drill holes in the foot wells to allow water to drain. I filled them up on a different trip! (and look where you are drilling the holes before drilling them!!! Your fuel lines run along the frame rails! (don't ask how I know!! :rolleyes:)
London is a great time! I've driven my roadster there twice (800 miles round trip) with my 80+ year old dad. We got wet (REAL wet) on both trips, but we'd do it again. Wet is only a minor inconvenience and worth it for the experience.

Have fun! and don't be afraid to get wet, be prepared

So once you have all that nicely packed... time to figure out how to load it into the Cobra

Attachment 200653

Cowboys used to get wet too. And driving distance in a Cobra is about as close to being a cowboy as you'll get.

Enjoy the trip. Hope to see you at LCS.

Jim

For road trips and for LCS and the cruises that happen on Thurs and Fri my wife and I keep a beach umbrella stuffed behind the seats. They are large enough to cover the whole cockpit of the car. Note that it will not work as a parachute LOL. :)

Matt

I have a large Golf Umbrella that covers the entire cockpit. Not good for driving, but was a life-saver when we got caught in South Dakota sun!

To dry the interior out after getting caught in a rain storm, I keep two small fans that I set in the seats. Let the fans circulate the air for a couple of days and the interior has always dried out just fine.

Keep in mind you will get some crazy looks from others, as they drive by you on the highway.

Roy

My plate arrived yesterday (finally), so I am all set. I have a couple more things to wrap-up on the car, but it shouldn't be a problem to get them done. If not, I'll wing it. I'm a little nervous about the heat now, instead of rain (heck, rain would be a welcome relief), but I have my long sleeve swim shirts and my hat and sunscreen to keep me on the raw side of cooked. Sticking to back roads more (Rt 22, 250, 36, 16, 37, 161). My wife will be following me in our car as the back-up.

If you are going to the show, please stop by and say hi. I want to thank you all for the advice, and I'm sure I'll be picking your brains for me - especially you Jeff Kleiner!

One thing I haven't seen mentioned is the volume of water that will blow forward between the body and chassis from the rear wheels. Its an odd feeling to see water coming from behind your left elbow and forward to the windshield. I fashioned some blocking panels that help, but don't eliminate.

Scott

I'm a little nervous about the heat now, instead of rain...

Years ago on a cross-country trip a friend gave me a neck scarf designed to hold water. Worked well once soaked and helped to cool the body. Probably had a specific name that I've long since forgotten. On that same trip, on the way into Denver on I76, following my friend's trailer, it was raining so hard I lost sight of the trailer occasionally, I was floating. I had wipers ... safely stored in the trunk.

Bring a turkey baster and extra water at least that way you'll be juicy and cooked rather than just cooked.

Jim

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Originally Posted by Jim1855

I'm a little nervous about the heat now, instead of rain...

Years ago on a cross-country trip a friend gave me a neck scarf designed to hold water. Worked well once soaked and helped to cool the body. Probably had a specific name that I've long since forgotten. On that same trip, on the way into Denver on I76, following my friend's trailer, it was raining so hard I lost sight of the trailer occasionally, I was floating. I had wipers ... safely stored in the trunk.

Bring a turkey baster and extra water at least that way you'll be juicy and cooked rather than just cooked.

Jim

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https://www.froggtoggs.com/chilly-pad-cp100

Not experienced with rain in a FFR, you're a few steps ahead of me in that journey. However, I have made some iron butt rides on 2 wheels.

One thing I will add from my experience is to bring a small tarp and some clips - if it rains too much, you can pull under an overpass and clip the tarp to your windshield and roll bar(s), letting the ends drape over the sides. Just be careful that the tarp is not large enough to rest on the pipes, or it will melt! This should keep your interior a bit more dry, especially when traffic passes you and kicks up mist. Im not familiar with the roadster, but I would assume that you can take part of the tarp and close it in the door jams to keep it from blowing up with wind or passing traffic.

You should also keep a Ziplock bag for your phone & wallet, but I would caution putting your phone in the baggie unless you absolutely need to - they tend to overheat if you just leave them, which could ruin your fun if you need to call out in an emergency.

Thanks to everyone for the advice. The trip to and back from the London Cobra Show was without incident. Except for the heat, it was a fun drive. There was a huge storm rolling into London Sunday morning, and we left about 20 minutes ahead of it and stayed dry the entire ride home.

Lots of sunscreen and a wide brimmed hat made the drives sunburn-free. The car stayed around 175F while moving and around 190F in stop and go traffic.

I drove back roads out to the show, but took I70 home.

Here's too many more road trips.

It was nice to meet and chat with you :)

Glad your trip back home went well...

Craig C