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Old 01-12-2017, 06:24 AM
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moore_rb moore_rb is offline
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Cobra Make, Engine: All original, with Chevy engine since 1964
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Quote:
Originally Posted by moore_rb View Post

Quote:
Originally Posted by 120mm View Post
Man, the price may just drop them off the list, though.
Yeah- That's what happened with me, too. I was going to put either these pin drive KB's, or a set of Torq thrusts on my 289 car, and the price difference is what finally tilted me to the Torq's....

The "Pin drive knockoff versus lug nuts" debate is another one that pops up on this forum all the time. For a 427 car, center knockoffs are the only "correct and original" way to attach your wheels to the hubs. However, there are a million 5-lug, 427 style replicas out there. If your car is otherwise pure to the original cars from a styling and aesthetic standpoint, then you can expect the lug nuts to potentially decrease the resale value of your car by the cost of a pin-drive wheel conversion kit (so again, about $2500)

My personal opinion is that if you really think you may track or autocross your car when it's done, then 5 lugs make better technical sense from a durability and safety standpoint (5 points of failure per wheel is a lot better than 1 point of failure) -

There are numerous stories right here on the forum about knockoff wheels flying off at the least opportune moment.... and for every guy who was man enough to post his story, there are probably 2 or 3 more from guys who were too embarrassed to post theirs...

Naturally, there are also going to be thousands of guys who say "I've raced my car with knockoffs for 20 years, and I've never had an issue - Just use safety wire and you will be fine"- Which is probably equally true...

But the math is the math- 5 potential points of failure per wheel is a lot better than one; the same way that the pass line is a much safer bet on the craps table than rolling a 3...

Knockoffs are used on race cars because they are the fastest way to swap tires and wheels in the pits- They are not used because they happen to be the safest way to attach a wheel to a hub.

Again: Make your own decision, based on your own criteria.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bill D View Post
Love he kidney bean wheels. Did any 427 models come with them?
I think only a few 260/289 competition cars left SAI with KB's in the early 60's.

(I'm sure the SAAC historian gurus will crash through the ceiling, descend down on rappelling lines, and put me in my place if I'm incorrect about that , haha )

The Kidney Beans were one of Halibrand's first competition wheels, and came before the USRRC/FIA wheels, and before the Cobra S/C wheels, and before the GT40 wineglass wheels.

So, they are definitely period-correct, and I'm sure there are historical photos of some racing team that had thrown a set of KB's onto a 427 race Cobra somewhere in the mid-60's to early 70's....
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