Shelby Cobra Conversions, any pics/info
06-23-2004, 12:25 PM
#1
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Shelby Cobra Conversions, any pics/info Got a 408ci LS1 motor and can put it back in my car, or I can possibly build one.
How much have you all spent?
What kit did you start off with?
Any really big custom work that needs to be done?
Any BIG problems??
How much have you all spent?
What kit did you start off with?
Any really big custom work that needs to be done?
Any BIG problems??
06-25-2004, 02:18 AM
#2
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There's a bunch of us down here in Australia building LS1 powered Cobras.
I've got a heap of progress pics in my gallery over at Club Cobra here: Gallery
It's probably easier to put an LS1 in a Cobra than it is to put a Ford Windsor motor in. They are very compact and the more upright head design makes fitting headers and other stuff much easer. The main issue you will probably have is the length of the T56 gearbox and getting the cross member sorted out. I cut the original cross member out of my chassis and fabricated a new one.
Cheers
Mike
I've got a heap of progress pics in my gallery over at Club Cobra here: Gallery
It's probably easier to put an LS1 in a Cobra than it is to put a Ford Windsor motor in. They are very compact and the more upright head design makes fitting headers and other stuff much easer. The main issue you will probably have is the length of the T56 gearbox and getting the cross member sorted out. I cut the original cross member out of my chassis and fabricated a new one.
Cheers
Mike
06-30-2004, 08:34 AM
#5
Originally Posted by LS1 Cobra
There's a bunch of us down here in Australia building LS1 powered Cobras.
Mike
Mike
07-04-2004, 08:40 PM
#6
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Originally Posted by SPG
There are a few Ls1 and Ls6 cobra conversions here in the UK too
Hi SPG,
Nice Cobra, who's kit is it? Crendon, GD, DAX?
Cheers
Mike
07-05-2004, 03:24 AM
#7
Thanks
This is a GD Euro chassis and body, took about 4 months to get on the road.
THe guys at GD are great, and are really winding up to get the LS1/6 as their "stock" offering.
They now do custom looms and custom ECU etc for their cars (though mine runs modified GM stuff because the factory weren't set up for that at the time)
The car is in gelcoat and has no carpets etc, as I'm gonna do all that stuff over winter (wanted the car on the road for the short English summer
Whose is your car? I dont recognise it
This is a GD Euro chassis and body, took about 4 months to get on the road.
THe guys at GD are great, and are really winding up to get the LS1/6 as their "stock" offering.
They now do custom looms and custom ECU etc for their cars (though mine runs modified GM stuff because the factory weren't set up for that at the time)
The car is in gelcoat and has no carpets etc, as I'm gonna do all that stuff over winter (wanted the car on the road for the short English summer
Whose is your car? I dont recognise it
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07-05-2004, 05:30 AM
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Mine's a Classic Revival (Sydney Australia). Front suspension arms and hubs are S3 XJ6 Jag and the rear end is Ford Falcon XR8 IRS. AVO coilovers all round.
I've modified the rear end and chassis to take a diff head from a VU GTS 300 Commodore. That's the hotrod version of the GTO you guys get over there. It's a 3.9 M80 diff with a Hydratrak center. The Borg Warner M80 uses an 8" crown wheel where as the Falcon diff is the lighter BW M78 which only has a 7.5" crown wheel. The Commodore CVs and drive shafts are stronger too. I wanted the Hydratrack for it's more progressive engagement. I figure it'll help control the power oversteer on the track.
I'm hoping to have mine on the road around September-October for the Cobra nationals down here. I think I'll be driving round in primer with no interior for a while as well. It's a slow processs I bought the most basic body chassis kit they had and then I've made or modified virtually all the parts myself. I'm a bit of a perfectionist which doesn't help either. Plus having a young family doesn't give me as much time in the shed as I'd like.
Got any more details and pics on your kit?
Cheers
Mike
I've modified the rear end and chassis to take a diff head from a VU GTS 300 Commodore. That's the hotrod version of the GTO you guys get over there. It's a 3.9 M80 diff with a Hydratrak center. The Borg Warner M80 uses an 8" crown wheel where as the Falcon diff is the lighter BW M78 which only has a 7.5" crown wheel. The Commodore CVs and drive shafts are stronger too. I wanted the Hydratrack for it's more progressive engagement. I figure it'll help control the power oversteer on the track.
I'm hoping to have mine on the road around September-October for the Cobra nationals down here. I think I'll be driving round in primer with no interior for a while as well. It's a slow processs I bought the most basic body chassis kit they had and then I've made or modified virtually all the parts myself. I'm a bit of a perfectionist which doesn't help either. Plus having a young family doesn't give me as much time in the shed as I'd like.
Got any more details and pics on your kit?
Cheers
Mike
07-05-2004, 06:21 AM
#9
Gardner Douglas do 2 chassis options, the first is series 3 jag based, and uses the front and rear suspension parts, largely unmodified. It is a very good chassis, and receives recommendations regularly regarding handling
The option I have is a very similair "tubed" chassis, but uses bespoke made arms, cast aluminium uprights, and hubs that are originally of Ford origin I think. Things like drive shafts are designed by GD and made for them by GKN.
It is fully adjustable, with rose joints at the ends of the A arms, giving precise to and camber adjustment. GD have started using the Hydratrak diff now, (thats what I have) It is much nicer (IMHO) than the jag PL diff I had in my last car.
I don't have a lot of pictures, but the chassis is kinda different to most Cob chassis!, the body a completely seperate tub that mounts to the chassis on rubber suspension pads, so the body is cushioned from the chassis vibrations (you can see a couple of these on the chassis side)
It has been incredibly easy to put together, but like you it'll stay unpainted till winter so I can enjoy it and see what needs improving. I'd hate to have it off the road for another 3 months just to paint it!
I'm going across to le mans later this month - so hope the rain holds off as I don't have a roof!
The option I have is a very similair "tubed" chassis, but uses bespoke made arms, cast aluminium uprights, and hubs that are originally of Ford origin I think. Things like drive shafts are designed by GD and made for them by GKN.
It is fully adjustable, with rose joints at the ends of the A arms, giving precise to and camber adjustment. GD have started using the Hydratrak diff now, (thats what I have) It is much nicer (IMHO) than the jag PL diff I had in my last car.
I don't have a lot of pictures, but the chassis is kinda different to most Cob chassis!, the body a completely seperate tub that mounts to the chassis on rubber suspension pads, so the body is cushioned from the chassis vibrations (you can see a couple of these on the chassis side)
It has been incredibly easy to put together, but like you it'll stay unpainted till winter so I can enjoy it and see what needs improving. I'd hate to have it off the road for another 3 months just to paint it!
I'm going across to le mans later this month - so hope the rain holds off as I don't have a roof!
07-05-2004, 07:17 AM
#10
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Hi SPG,
I remember seeing that backbone chassis on The GD website a while back. Very nice, should be lots of fun. There's a lot of similarities between your chassis design and the Robnel Cobras we have down here.
Looks like a tight squeeze for headers and spark plug changes. My friends 514 powered Robnel is a pain to do the plugs on.
I was never keen on building a car witha Jag rear. I wanted something a bit more high tech. The XR8 rear uses spherical bearings on the uprights and rubber bush at the chassis end of the arms. It's a double wishbone setup with CV joints and has eccentric adjusters for camber and track rods for toe adjustment. the whole thing is very adjustable. I've put an adjustable sway bar on the rear and the coilovers are adjustable for preload and damping. I'm working on an adjustable sway bar for the front as well.
Brakes are a dual Wilwood master cylinder set up with a Tilton balance bar and it's adjustable in cabin. I'll adapt up some ex V8 Supercar rotors in the future along with some big AP or similar calipers. For now the Jag front and Ford rear setup will work fine.
Do you ever get onto www.clubcobra.com ? it's an excellent site with a ton of Cobra info. There's quite a few of your countrymen on there too.
Keep in touch.
Cheers
Mike
I remember seeing that backbone chassis on The GD website a while back. Very nice, should be lots of fun. There's a lot of similarities between your chassis design and the Robnel Cobras we have down here.
Looks like a tight squeeze for headers and spark plug changes. My friends 514 powered Robnel is a pain to do the plugs on.
I was never keen on building a car witha Jag rear. I wanted something a bit more high tech. The XR8 rear uses spherical bearings on the uprights and rubber bush at the chassis end of the arms. It's a double wishbone setup with CV joints and has eccentric adjusters for camber and track rods for toe adjustment. the whole thing is very adjustable. I've put an adjustable sway bar on the rear and the coilovers are adjustable for preload and damping. I'm working on an adjustable sway bar for the front as well.
Brakes are a dual Wilwood master cylinder set up with a Tilton balance bar and it's adjustable in cabin. I'll adapt up some ex V8 Supercar rotors in the future along with some big AP or similar calipers. For now the Jag front and Ford rear setup will work fine.
Do you ever get onto www.clubcobra.com ? it's an excellent site with a ton of Cobra info. There's quite a few of your countrymen on there too.
Keep in touch.
Cheers
Mike
07-05-2004, 07:35 AM
#11
Mike
The plugs and all are no problem, but without serious modification, a BB won't fit in this chassis. It had to be modified slightly to get the T56 to fit.
At the moment I am still considering cams and heads, which will be another winter time project, so I can take my time to think about it.
The diff in my car wiorks great - I believe they are source from Oz, I know GD have a couple of pallets of them around the factory, they work really nicely.
At some point I will get to a track day, but at the moment I'm just having fun getting to know my new toy!
I recently took the cart back to the factory for their free of charge factory setup, which included adjusting all of the suspension settings etc, (as well as pulling the rear wheels in 4mm to give me a bit more arch clearance) I couldn't believe how different the car felt afterwards. It was good before, but after it was fantastic!
I do get to read some of the other Cobra sites, but mainly the UK ones of course.
Hope the car works out as you want
Steve
The plugs and all are no problem, but without serious modification, a BB won't fit in this chassis. It had to be modified slightly to get the T56 to fit.
At the moment I am still considering cams and heads, which will be another winter time project, so I can take my time to think about it.
The diff in my car wiorks great - I believe they are source from Oz, I know GD have a couple of pallets of them around the factory, they work really nicely.
At some point I will get to a track day, but at the moment I'm just having fun getting to know my new toy!
I recently took the cart back to the factory for their free of charge factory setup, which included adjusting all of the suspension settings etc, (as well as pulling the rear wheels in 4mm to give me a bit more arch clearance) I couldn't believe how different the car felt afterwards. It was good before, but after it was fantastic!
I do get to read some of the other Cobra sites, but mainly the UK ones of course.
Hope the car works out as you want
Steve
07-05-2004, 11:48 AM
#12
How much are a decent Cobra replica kit, non-turn key? I saw one at the local cruise place and the guy said it wasn't at all hard to build. Just curious on kit pricing. Thanks!
07-05-2004, 03:05 PM
#13
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Not sure what the overseas guys are paying, but a Factory Five kit is $11,990. www.factoryfive.com. I know several guys who have built and race these cars and they all love them. I love the look of the Daytona Coupe!!!
07-05-2004, 06:23 PM
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If you guys in the US want a decent Cobra kit I don't think you can go past Kirkham. Just the most outstanding Cobra replicas available. Kirkham Motorsport
Their kit is US$39,900 but it's pretty comprehensive and iincludes pin drive wheels, electrics, interior etc. more importantly Kirkham use aluminium to make thir bodies and up until recently Shelby themselves were buying bodies and chassis from Kirkham.
Cheers
Mike
Their kit is US$39,900 but it's pretty comprehensive and iincludes pin drive wheels, electrics, interior etc. more importantly Kirkham use aluminium to make thir bodies and up until recently Shelby themselves were buying bodies and chassis from Kirkham.
Cheers
Mike
07-06-2004, 11:20 AM
#15
Wow, the Kirkham chassis are nice ...but ouchy at $40k. The FFR's have good quality and I see a bunch of those running around. That might be an option for me. I couldn't find anything on FFR's site though regarding if they offer them turn-key for a slightly higher price? I know building the kit is half the fun, but I have no time and would rather buy one complete. There ARE a few nice examples on eBay, but again, would rather have one that is new. GOOD TOPIC, I like the Cobras!
