Hi.

[t walgamuth]

Yes, that is the SVE part, impressive isn't it? I am told they had it cast locally.

Herb and Matt Adams built a number of these cobra replicas in the Monterey area back around 2000 to 2002 or so, and sold them... or more likely built them to order. I have found three or four total so far. Matt Adams is quoted by a member here as saying they built some 20 Cobras though I have not been able to find very many. The car is pictured or mentioned many times in Herb's book on chassis engineering.

The way that the car is constructed is very focused and uses proven competition quality elements all through it. Between the first two owners I have receipts for $174,000 to build and develop it.

I corner weighted it and found with a half tank of gas (22 gal tank IIRC) it weighed 2,063#. Doing the calculations I found with me in the drivers seat the car has perfect 50/50 weight distribution with a bit more weight on the left. With a person in the right seat it is a little heavy on the right.

In addition to getting it running we have changed the master cylinder for the front brakes using the engineer at Tildon braking's advice on the size, and we are adding T-bird style power rack steering. We'll also be replacing the seats and adding a roll bar....oh yes and a rev limiter compatible with the Joe Hunt magneto.

I plan to autocross it and use in good weather on the street.
In looking at the car it is hard to find anything to reduce weight as all ancillaries are aluminum if available and minimalist. Indeed it appears as if whenever a part needed to be chosen the builders could have gone to the most expensive part and bought and installed it.

As far as finding it I really just fell into it. I had gone off on one of my usual mid winter car looking jags....looking for information about the Kellison coupe for sale in Indy that I was seriously considering and came upon this car. (Thank goodness I bought this instead). The aluminum chassis definately caught my eye. Finding it was built by Herb Adams also was a big plus.

I believe it to be a very special car but due to marketing it inappropriately I was able to buy it for the price of a much less exotic Cobra replica.

It was running very poorly but with the assistance of my excellent local race chevy shop I was confident we could get it running right.

I can't wait to get it on the autocross circuit!

(For the record I wish it had an equivalent Ford motor)