Cobra lettered bellhousing

[cobrakiwi]

This one best I can tell is a version 2 from Dan's bellhousing info notes.
It's a little crusty but should clean up nicely.

[MAStuart]

Have you had that one long? I didn't need a NOS one but its what I found. If they made repos of 5 bolts I would have been fine with that. I think a repo if available would still be a big chunk of money. It would be nice if they could be SFI approved. New hydoformed ones just don't fit to good in a made to original spec Daytona coupe.


Makes me wonder if guys are using them or just have them in there collection of cool stuff!

[Dan Case]

Originally Posted by MAStuart

I think a repo if available would still be a big chunk of money. It would be nice if they could be SFI approved. Makes me wonder if guys are using them or just have them in there collection of cool stuff!

If copies of any five of the bolt engine block COBRA or TIGER versions have been made it is a well kept secret.

Lots of 1960s Ford fans seem to have one in their collections of stuff. One situation that keeps fewer in use is that a significant number of 1960s Ford and Mercury cars these would have been used in were converted to some type six bolt engine over time. That is especially true of any vehicle used in any kind of competition.

The main market seems to be high end restorations of Cobras that were raced factory or otherwise in the 1960s OR folks like me that don’t want to be in an original car with the engine running without some kind of safety bell housing. I use to hit 8,000 rpm on the straights when I open tracked the black car and 7,000 rpm out playing. The original cast steel (SAE 1030) shields are tough. I have not yet seen a broken one but I have seen ones badly deformed (can tell with a tape measure) by events they contained. I friend of mine had his flywheel and clutch get loose after the fasteners holding the flywheel failed north of 9,000 rpm while he was racing is dirt track car. He was fine, the car was fine, but the engine block, flywheel, clutch, transmission, and COBRA shield all became scrap metal. The ring gear on the flywheel left circular internal knurling inside the shield where it ran around a few times before jamming up and stopping.

Another friend bought a shield that had contained a failure in the past for his original Cobra. It was not useable as it was deformed on the order of 1/8” around the block mount surface and the transmission mount face was not parallel to the front face any more. Looked okay just laying on the floor. The guideline here is to be wary of units that have already done their job before, they might not be useable.

There were at least three other five bolt cast steel safety housings in the 1960s for 221/260/289 five bolt engines. The maker of the COBRA and TIGER parts sold a version under their brand name, ANSEN made something, and RC Industries made something. I know of privateer original Cobras that used these other models. (Tip: Most privateer racers didn’t load their cars up with COBRA-Ford marketed goodies. Before the 1980s surge in rebuilding old racers into configurations they never race in period in you would see almost any brand of ignition, oil cooler, rocker arm covers, intake manifold, and or carburetor. 2-4V cross ram in SCCA B Production, yes. T-J mechanical fuel injection, yes. Any of the safety bell housings. Just about any version of 4V, 3-2V, or 2-4V induction system. Ford carburetors, yes. Carter carburetors, yes. All kinds of variations in Holley carburetors. Custom wheels made in steel, yes. Custom aluminum wheels adapted to Cobras, yes. Any kind of ignition distributor or magneto. So on and so forth. )

[MAStuart]

Dan I have always been a fan of vintage speed parts. At the swap meets around here you don't see much old speed parts any more. At the Ohio Ford swap last thanksgiving there was lots to old performance parts there. The old speed parts are out there but hard to find and getting expensive.

[Dan Case]

Originally Posted by MAStuart

Dan I have always been a fan of vintage speed parts. At the swap meets around here you don't see much old speed parts any more. At the Ohio Ford swap last thanksgiving there was lots to old performance parts there. The old speed parts are out there but hard to find and getting expensive.

There is no telling how much has been discarded or melted down. Lots of family members don’t get deep into their family’s car enthusiast nuts and bolts activities I bet. Original Cobra parts wise, the best parts and lowest prices are often ones misidentified in estate sales. Every year ever more caches of 1962-1970 stuff come out of hiding as either the enthusiast drastically downsizes, gets very ill, or dies. Original Cobras and parts have been coming up for sale recently just as part of downsizing. Something like, “Yeah, I have had that (insert the description of all kinds of goodies) for (insert maybe one to five) decades. I thought I would use it but now I realize I won’t.”

In part some of the extreme sales prices or outrageous trades have been due to the realization us ‘baby boomers’ aren’t going to be out driving play cars and or living another four decades. I have waited decades to buy something like C6FE GT40 / Group II heads until my disposable income was truly disposable into play. Real dollar wise on my income curve, race cylinder heads were cheaper in 2002 than 1969.

A place look to look for or ask about 1964 and earlier “speed & sport” type accessories is the H.A.M.B.
forum.

[1795]

Originally Posted by Dan Case

There is no telling how much has been discarded or melted down. Lots of family members don’t get deep into their family’s car enthusiast nuts and bolts activities I bet. Original Cobra parts wise, the best parts and lowest prices are often ones misidentified in estate sales. Every year ever more caches of 1962-1970 stuff come out of hiding as either the enthusiast drastically downsizes, gets very ill, or dies. Original Cobras and parts have been coming up for sale recently just as part of downsizing. Something like, “Yeah, I have had that (insert the description of all kinds of goodies) for (insert maybe one to five) decades. I thought I would use it but now I realize I won’t.”

In part some of the extreme sales prices or outrageous trades have been due to the realization us ‘baby boomers’ aren’t going to be out driving play cars and or living another four decades. I have waited decades to buy something like C6FE GT40 / Group II heads until my disposable income was truly disposable into play. Real dollar wise on my income curve, race cylinder heads were cheaper in 2002 than 1969.

A place look to look for or ask about 1964 and earlier “speed & sport” type accessories is the H.A.M.B.
forum.

Dan,

You raised good point about us "baby boomers" aging. I wonder hw that will effect the price of Shelby related cars/items 5-20 years from now? More and more stuff will be coming on the market as people divest themselves of materials/cars, or pass away. The younger generations are not as enamored with these cars as we are. It happens to everything in life. Eventually what was thought to be worth a lot of money falls by the wayside as people move on towards newer things. Not sure when that will happen, but it will eventually.

As always, enjoy reading your posts. We need to make sure that the knowledge that you have gathered is kept and that you take on an apprentice to carry on your work when it is time.

Take care,

Jim

[MAStuart]

Originally Posted by 1795

Dan,

You raised good point about us "baby boomers" aging. I wonder hw that will effect the price of Shelby related cars/items 5-20 years from now? More and more stuff will be coming on the market as people divest themselves of materials/cars, or pass away. The younger generations are not as enamored with these cars as we are. It happens to everything in life. Eventually what was thought to be worth a lot of money falls by the wayside as people move on towards newer things. Not sure when that will happen, but it will eventually.

As always, enjoy reading your posts. We need to make sure that the knowledge that you have gathered is kept and that you take on an apprentice to carry on your work when it is time.

Take care,

Jim

Was talking to some guys that were into 55-57 tbirds. Asked about the price of the cars. Told them I have seen some and the price seems to be coming down. Was told the kids could care less about old cars and the old guys like us that like the stuff are dying off.

[cobrakiwi]

I dug this one out this morning, I am looking for good pictures of this type bell if anybody has any and can share would be greatly appreciated.

I am missing the lower half, I am hoping to find the missing half but if I need to I will fab something up hence the request for pictures.
Thanks

[Dan Case]

Originally Posted by cobrakiwi

I dug this one out this morning, I am looking for good pictures of this type bell if anybody has any and can share would be greatly appreciated.

I am missing the lower half, I am hoping to find the missing half but if I need to I will fab something up hence the request for pictures.
Thanks

Made by the same company that made the COBRA, TIGER, and 427 Cobra models. You are missing a thick cast steel part.

PM me with your email address and I'll send you some information.