Back Tracking...

While I was waiting for my body and chassis to be built there was a lot going on in the back ground and I would like to bring readers up to date on the process.

Once I had figured out the way I wanted to go I ordered a Cobra with finishing kit (this kit contains all component to finish the car including wheels and tyres, no donor parts except drivetrain) from Absolute Pace in Queensland. I decided early on in the process to keep the asthetics as near to original as possible and very old school while the suspension and drive train would come into current times.

The pics above are of the all aluminium monocoque chassis construction process through various stages.

Next post I will go through the body construction from laying up the high carbon content body to completion.

Cheers

Russell

It's been a long time coming

I finally picked up my Cobra from Absolute Pace on 29th August. A friend of mine and I did a road trip from Geelong to the Gold Coast with our trailer to pick up the car which I thought was the better thing to do as I do not completely trust the freight companies with so many boxes of bits and a perfect outline of a Cobra to be seen by all. At least if it was in my possession and things went wrong, well, that is my fault but after 3800klm we got back in perfect condition.

The trip went very smoothly and my co driver was good company as he is a car nut as well so he has taken a lot of interest in what I am doing. Probably the only issue we had was the cladding of the trailer was popping rivets to the point we had to pull over and tie the sides of the trailer together

Having got the car back home, we just rounded up the neighbours and lifted the body and chassis onto a trolley that I made
Then started to sort out where all the bits go.

I am a long way down the track now but I will post more pics in the next few days.

Things Are Happening Now

Well, we are getting closer to delivery date now. Craig from Pace has told me to expect a delivery date of 18 April 2014 and I wait in anticipation. This has come at the right time as I am now ready to take on the project after making several adjustments to make way for my car.

I will be receiving the car with all components to complete the project with the exception of the engine, drive train and assocciated bits and upolstery of coarse.

A business colleage of mine is going to join me on a trip from Geelong to the Gold Coast to bring the Cobra back on a trailer, probably a 4000km journey but I like the idea of another road trip and lots of fun plus I will be a whole lot happier with the car in my care supported by my insurance broker.

I have already ordered the engine and gearbox and a host of other components out of the USA just waiting final delivery advise from Pace then I will get these bits in just in time to fit them. Sounds easy doesn't it.

I am currently making a pair of mobile tressels to carry the chassis until I get to a point where the wheels can be fitted and it can be rolled around my modest garage.

One thing I want to add to this blog in way of helping me make the decisions and seeking direction is the invaluable help and friendship of the members of the Victorian Cobra Car Club. So many people want to contribute to my project and each one offers something of value.

As soon as I take delivery of my car, I will start to post photos of my progress and things that I do and will also put my aging ramblings into the public domain.

Until next time

Cheers

Another Step Forward

I had the opportunity to spend some time at Absolute Pace last Monday and was given a complete tour of the operation by the owner Craig White.
Pace is as I imagined it to be from looking at the quality of the products. As one would expect, it is a very professional and well laid out organisation from the fabrication, body shop and assembly area and seeing the design and quality of what is being produced laid out in component form has convinced me that my decision to go with Pace has been the right one.

Before leaving Pace I went through the build sheet (build No.27) and ordered the upgraded carbon fibre/kevlar light weight body. This body is very light and has additional strenght and the finish on both the outside and underside is remarkable. I also ordered the urethane rod ends over the sperical type as this will improve the ride quality and reduce mechanical noise and vibration. Motivation will be provided by a new 5.0 Coyote Aluminator coupled to a TKO-600 5 speed with 0.64 overdrive 5th gear.Ultimately I would like to fit an 8 stack injector system along with Cammer type valve (coil) covers and a good tune. The rear differential supplied as standard is a ZF aluminium housed 2.92 non-LSD type but to me, having a non-LSD in a car as light as a Cobra and having over 450 plus hp on tap would create some unexpected and unwanted excitement at the most inappropriate time so I have gone with a 3.70 LSD. I think the higher ratio with an 0.64 overdrive 5th gear would result in a car that performs very well and also provides economical cruising. Another option I settled on was to have Pace carry out all the cut outs for lights,side exhausts,windscreen posts,roll bar etc as they have the templates and the right tools and without the right knowledge, errors will eventually happen and that would not be good. The colour scheme I have chosen is black with silver stripes and all black interior. The side pipes will be coated in the aluminized colour. Standard wheels for the Pace is 15" Halibrand style pin drives which look sensational the way they fill out the fender wells and as I am going for the traditional look, this is what I will use. I originally wanted to run live side pipes but have decided to use them for looks only.The more I spoke to people the more I could see the dangers with them. My reasons for this is primarily the risk of passangers getting severely burned and children, in their excitement standing on hot pipes to get a better look at the car. Contributing to third degree burns on some poor soul is not an exciting prospect. With this in mind, Pace have incorporated under car exhaust tunnels on either side to drop the pipes just behind the rear wheels and out of site.

The delivery schedule is expected for March 2014. When the car is ready, I will go to Pace and assemble it into a steerable roller and trailer it back to Geelong. I have been offered the use of a trailer with a front covered section so that most of the bonnet will be enclosed inside this section and I would feel more comfortable with the car being in my care. Once production has started, I will be provided with photos of the build from Pace which I will post as I get them and will continue with updates right through construction to registration and maybe post some of the adventures we get to have. Until next time...

Decison Made

Well, it has been 18 months since I first contributed to this blog. 18 months of research that included checking out manufacturers, cars for sale and listening to the advise of a lot of people I respect.

I have for some time had a leaning towards a new concept of Cobra that is being developed on the Gold Coast but I also looked at a variety of other manufacturers and cars for sale and I must say that from an engineering perspective, even though there are some great vehicles being produced, the Absolute Pace is streets ahead not only in it's design but in it's pricing as well.

I have come to the point in my life after building Street Rods and Custom Cars that grovelling around in the dirt and grease is not for me. I have no desire to get dirt under my finger nails and what Absolute Pace is providing is precisely that, a complete package of components that allows one to build a car using new parts that work well without the need to get a donor car.

I had the opportunity to attend the Cobra National in Goulburn last weekend and saw the Pace car in the flesh, to me it was a no brainer as it fitted everything I wanted in a project including the magnificent design and sheer quality in what they are doing. They are pulling the bodies from the mould equal to a fully finished and painted body.

All that aside, I have now placed a deposit on a comprehensive Pace kit incorporating their full carbon fibre light weight body that should be delivered with in the next 12-16 weeks or from my point of view, what ever it takes as long as the package is complete.

This has been a long haul but I feel that I have made the right decision and look forward to receiving the all the bits when they are available.

My next project is to order the Coyote Aluminator and TKO-600 along with the clutch, alternator, starter and all the other bits to make this thing work.

See you next time

A Step Closer

Well, I have taken another step on the road to aquiring my Cobra...I attended my first meeting of the Cobra Club of Victoria on Wednesday 5th June 2013.

Very low keyed affair filled with a lot of nice people more that willing to chat and to help in any way they can. As a matter of fact I got a text the following day from a member offering help and a call from another member who turns out to be a neighbour who invited me to have a look at his car. After about 2 1/2 hour we parted ways and I came away a lot more knowledgable.

The more I talk to people including those with a strong interest and maybe not owners the more I get an understanding of what I want to do.

I think by the time I attend the next meating I will have made a decision.

Things Are Getting Clearer All The Time

I really can't believe that 12 months has passed since I last posted on my blog. During the past year, I have learned more about the Cobra as an icon and how to go about building a copy of this icon than I imagined. No longer do I see it as a most desirable sports car that I had a passion for but truely iconic.

At the start I had a strong desire to build a Cobra and a vision to what it should be. Although my veiws are as strong as ever as to what I want to achieve, I have had my knowledge expanded by reading the Cobra Forums and following other peoples ideas and learning what is available and have developed a very healthy respect in the manner in which I see other builders go about doing what they do and how they overcome problems.

I have spent virtually every night for the last 12 months searching the web, looking up manufactures, reading ADR's and I actually went through a stage where I said "this is all too hard". I have created a spread sheet of components and prices and have changed it a hundred times. I have learned all about what I can't do but not much of what I can do, I have a daily ritual where I light the candles and burn the incense (and pour the red wine) as I open up the Australian Cobra Forum to see what little gems are on display today and even though I have not contributed I have a sense of getting to understand the personalities of the contributors and the banter that goes with it.

Through all of this research I have come to the conclusion that if one is to enbark on a project such as a Cobra it has to be done right. I had predetermined ideas of design, components, budget (don't mention the bloody budget) and what all of this is going to mean in the end. To see how others have put into action there own veiws of what a Cobra should be has been an eye opener, I have learned that it is open to interprtation. Some see the car as a show piece, others want to rip around Winton shedding rubber. One thing in all of this that is conclusive is that the original budget that I had anticipated is now rolling around on the floor laughing its bits of, well so be it. This has been the most interesting year of learning and finding out what I didn't know and if you think this is the end, well, I am more fired up than ever as I can now see and feel what I am looking at, my vision has progressed at such a pace (now there is a hint) that the only thing capable of outstripping the vision is the budget but at the moment we are still friends..well sort of.

I am now in discussions with manufacturers and am mightly impressed with two of them but one is shining through with a product that will stand this industry on it's ear to the point that the folding is about to be laid on the table as I believe they have the goods, more on this later.

I will be making a move in the not too distant future and will add to this blog on a more regular basis and will become involved in the club and contribute to the forum, so to all of the owners, builders and enthusiasts, thanks for your contributions as I am one who has learned a lot from what you have to say.