Gone very far to the Dark Side - Cobra Kit
03-30-2014, 07:47 PM
#81
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Holy.Crap. How am I just now seeing this? This is awesome!
03-30-2014, 08:30 PM
#82
Instructor
Its not a hard build if you stay with a basic car just takes a lot of time. Anyone who can follow directions, use basic hand tools & has patience can do this. Things can get weird when adding stuff like A/C, power steering etc.
Thing to remember these are replica's of what was effectively a street legal race car, not a boulevard cruiser.
I took the easy way & went no donor parts so all the parts are new & clean which can be used right away without restoring or reconditioning. Kit was originally designed to use a Mustang as a donor.
It costs more to go no donor but I don’t believe its that much more if you don’t go crazy with what you are buying.
Thing to remember these are replica's of what was effectively a street legal race car, not a boulevard cruiser.
I took the easy way & went no donor parts so all the parts are new & clean which can be used right away without restoring or reconditioning. Kit was originally designed to use a Mustang as a donor.
It costs more to go no donor but I don’t believe its that much more if you don’t go crazy with what you are buying.
03-30-2014, 09:59 PM
#83
Turd Polisher
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ttribe (03-31-2014)
03-31-2014, 10:05 AM
#84
Engineer
03-31-2014, 10:12 AM
#85
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I pinged Yummy to move it since F23A4 was busy 
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ttribe (03-31-2014)
03-31-2014, 10:21 AM
#88
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Holy moly 
In for moar!
In for moar!
03-31-2014, 01:08 PM
#90
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Awesome thread. Looking forward to further updates.
I'd like to do something like this in the future, but with something like a Caterham.
I'd like to do something like this in the future, but with something like a Caterham.
03-31-2014, 01:38 PM
#91
Suzuka Master
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thanks for the quick reply. this gives me more confidence to do this in the future. with a kit like you are building, what is a realistic price range to expect when everything is all said and done. if this is too prodding a question then i understand. i look forward to future updates! wish i had a garage big enough to handle a project like this!
Things like tires etc will add another few thousand. Use of a donor can drop this number if the donor can be purchased cheaply. Best time to buy is when they have a 50% off on all options. Example my wheels cost $500 for all 4.
The wildcard is paint. Some guys do it themselves & others can spend up to $10K for a Concours level show paint job.
03-31-2014, 02:15 PM
#92
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04-06-2014, 01:35 PM
#93
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4/6 Got a lot of sheet metal work done. Arm is falling off after drilling about 600 rivet holes.
Trunk needs two small trim pieces to finish it. Cockpit metal is all fitted & mostly drilled. Some small panels still need primer & truck bed liner on the outsides. Instrument panel is also mostly drilled out.
Working on the placement of some knobs & switches to finish it. It will have a soft black padded leather cover. Have the under dash panel installed. It will house fresh air, defroster & heater ducts outlets, courtesy lights, USB ports etc. Front speakers will be mounted in the panes under the doors.
Still waiting on the rear axle, but got shipping notice from FedEx that the Spohn adjustable lower control arms will come in on Tuesday.
Trunk needs two small trim pieces to finish it. Cockpit metal is all fitted & mostly drilled. Some small panels still need primer & truck bed liner on the outsides. Instrument panel is also mostly drilled out.
Working on the placement of some knobs & switches to finish it. It will have a soft black padded leather cover. Have the under dash panel installed. It will house fresh air, defroster & heater ducts outlets, courtesy lights, USB ports etc. Front speakers will be mounted in the panes under the doors.
Still waiting on the rear axle, but got shipping notice from FedEx that the Spohn adjustable lower control arms will come in on Tuesday.
04-06-2014, 01:50 PM
#94
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DUH camera flash was switched off these are better.
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rockstar143 (04-15-2014)
04-15-2014, 12:56 PM
#95
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04-15-2014, 01:35 PM
#96
Drifting
04-15-2014, 03:49 PM
#97
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Also plan either two more round ones or a single larger one in the under dash shelf I made.Guys have said around town it works OK on the road, forgetaboutit.
Got a FedEx notice that my seats are on the way. Just the rear axle & I will have everything to finish the car.
Last edited by BEAR-AvHistory; 04-15-2014 at 03:53 PM.
04-15-2014, 05:24 PM
#98
So glad I subscribed.
Question, is riveting because it's supposed to be built by end user and welding aluminum is hard? Do they have a section in the instructions that reads "if you are welding, skip to page 96"?!
Just curious.
Question, is riveting because it's supposed to be built by end user and welding aluminum is hard? Do they have a section in the instructions that reads "if you are welding, skip to page 96"?!
Just curious.
04-15-2014, 09:58 PM
#99
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Its an end user build & welding aluminum is hard without prior experience. There is also a lot of fitting to be done with wiring & plumbing so its nice to have the panels held in with clecos you can pull them if they are in your way the finalize them with rivets. The rivet spacing is designed to be pretty close on panel to panel joints & a bit wider on panel to frame joints.
The space frame is designed so that neither the panels or body are load bearing so it works out very well. Early kits had AFAIK welding options but it was dropped quite awhile back.
The space frame is designed so that neither the panels or body are load bearing so it works out very well. Early kits had AFAIK welding options but it was dropped quite awhile back.
04-23-2014, 01:00 PM
#102
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4/23
Started wiring with main harness. PIA job but someone has to do it. Black box on the far right is the heater core, blower unit is on the other side of the firewall.
Fuse box goes in the upper section of the drivers foot box & every thing runs from that point. Engine has its own harness & ECU that interfaces with this one.
Finished punching holes in the dash panel & will cover it tonight with padded black leather. Will build a small panel to connect the bottom of the dash to the top of the trans tunnel. White Box. It will be wired for the radio head unit & Left/Right cool air vent pulls & vent fan power switches along with anything I forget to put in.
Hope to drop the engine trans in this weekend when son-in-laws are around to help. Used to do the Vette engine swaps by myself but those days are over.
Started wiring with main harness. PIA job but someone has to do it. Black box on the far right is the heater core, blower unit is on the other side of the firewall.
Fuse box goes in the upper section of the drivers foot box & every thing runs from that point. Engine has its own harness & ECU that interfaces with this one.
Finished punching holes in the dash panel & will cover it tonight with padded black leather. Will build a small panel to connect the bottom of the dash to the top of the trans tunnel. White Box. It will be wired for the radio head unit & Left/Right cool air vent pulls & vent fan power switches along with anything I forget to put in.
Hope to drop the engine trans in this weekend when son-in-laws are around to help. Used to do the Vette engine swaps by myself but those days are over.
Last edited by BEAR-AvHistory; 04-23-2014 at 01:05 PM.
04-23-2014, 02:09 PM
#103
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am eager for this build...
04-23-2014, 02:29 PM
#104
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One of my favorite cars ever!! That red you like is a beautiful color for it, and definitely go with silver stripes, from seeing the other pic of the red with silver, will look awesome on the red you picked! Your doing an awesome job, moving along pretty quickly.
04-23-2014, 03:54 PM
#105
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Hooray it finally came today 4/23. Spice up the rear cover & all set to go.
3:55 Traction-Lok center section with high strength axles. High performance Wilwood disk brakes. Three point adjustable mounting system & Koni Coil Overs.
3:55 Traction-Lok center section with high strength axles. High performance Wilwood disk brakes. Three point adjustable mounting system & Koni Coil Overs.
04-23-2014, 03:57 PM
#106
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Thanks on the paint. Retired so have plenty of time. Try to get in two - three hours a day even if its just little stuff. All adds up.
04-24-2014, 02:44 AM
#108
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04-24-2014, 03:07 AM
#109
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Found some pics that go with the beginning of the thread
Last edited by BEAR-AvHistory; 04-24-2014 at 03:12 AM.
04-24-2014, 07:27 AM
#110
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Wow.
04-26-2014, 06:31 PM
#112
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4/26 Prepped the rear end for install. Cutoff Mustang hangers & added FFR 3 link mounting points.
Checked gear mesh
Installed gear carrier girdle.
Coil overs are mounted to the car & will put in the axle assembly in the morning.
Raleigh Cobra & Coffee group met this morning with 15 cars in attendance & about 22 people overall..
Checked gear mesh
Installed gear carrier girdle.
Coil overs are mounted to the car & will put in the axle assembly in the morning.
Raleigh Cobra & Coffee group met this morning with 15 cars in attendance & about 22 people overall..
04-26-2014, 06:31 PM
#113
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4/26 Prepped the rear end for install. Cutoff Mustang hangers & added FFR 3 link mounting points.
Checked gear mesh
Installed gear carrier girdle.
Coil overs are mounted to the car & will put in the axle assembly in the morning along with Wilwood performance brakes.
Raleigh Cobra & Coffee group met this morning with 15 cars in attendance & about 22 people overall..
Checked gear mesh
Installed gear carrier girdle.
Coil overs are mounted to the car & will put in the axle assembly in the morning along with Wilwood performance brakes.
Raleigh Cobra & Coffee group met this morning with 15 cars in attendance & about 22 people overall..
Last edited by BEAR-AvHistory; 04-26-2014 at 06:34 PM.
04-27-2014, 09:50 AM
#115
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rockstar143 (04-28-2014)
04-27-2014, 05:31 PM
#116
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4/27 Car is officially a Roller
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04-27-2014, 07:56 PM
#117
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yez plz
04-27-2014, 09:41 PM
#118
Chapter Leader (Southern Region)
beefy
04-28-2014, 03:08 AM
#119
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Rear is the same setup they use in the FFR racing series except for the lower control arms. The FFR factory arms are a fixed length design but I added a set of Spohn Performance adjustable ones.
Upper, lower control arms & Panhard Bar are all on adjustable spherical rod ends. This makes centering the axle & setting the pinion angle an easy task by hand.
Take your measurements. Turn the lower (front/back) & Panhard (left/right) bars to adjust the axle to center. Turn the upper bar (rotate pumpkin) to set the pinion angle then tighten all the lock nuts to hold the settings.
Upper, lower control arms & Panhard Bar are all on adjustable spherical rod ends. This makes centering the axle & setting the pinion angle an easy task by hand.
Take your measurements. Turn the lower (front/back) & Panhard (left/right) bars to adjust the axle to center. Turn the upper bar (rotate pumpkin) to set the pinion angle then tighten all the lock nuts to hold the settings.
Last edited by BEAR-AvHistory; 04-28-2014 at 03:12 AM.
04-28-2014, 06:33 AM
#120
You must be getting giddy already, huh!?
Is there a market to build and resell these kit cars!?! Knowing the price that original cobras with documents go for makes me wonder how much these are worth in comparison to the price to buy the kit. Someone could probably just buy & build these full time and have a pretty lucrative income. You seem to enjoy the process of putting it all together.