Cobra weight distributions?

STL Mark · #1 (**permalink**) 12-28-2010, 07:51 PM

Superformance MKIII stock suspension, with BBFord 460 stroker, TKO600, full tank of gas and driver (me) at 220 lbs. Weight about 2900 lbs.

50/50 front to back - dead on.
Plus - 50/50 side to side - dead on.

Just sayin. Stock suspension, good install.

vector1 · #2 (**permalink**) 12-30-2010, 06:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by STL Mark

Superformance MKIII stock suspension, with BBFord 460 stroker, TKO600, full tank of gas and driver (me) at 220 lbs. Weight about 2900 lbs.

50/50 front to back - dead on.
Plus - 50/50 side to side - dead on.

Just sayin. Stock suspension, good install.

how do you get 50/50 side to side--with driver?

scottj · #3 (**permalink**) 12-31-2010, 06:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vector1

how do you get 50/50 side to side--with driver?

I'd like to hear how that's accomplished also. Regarding install... I built my car from the frame up on a set of Longacre scale pad levelers. First to insure I was always working on a level plane and second so that I was constantly informed of weight distribution when placing components. With the tight clearances in the engine compartment and trans tunnel, I was able to offset my motor 1" to the right and that was only made possible by fabbing my own headers. I also have the drysump tank and battery inline with the RS tires. The P/S tank and all the lines and cables are on the right side as well. With the driver at 160lbs, I'm LS heavy by 40lb.

Ron61 · #4 (**permalink**) 12-31-2010, 06:44 AM

It could be done with lead weight like the NASCAR cars use. Move the weights until they counter balance the drivers weight. I tried to find my book that has all of the pictures and explanations of how to balance a car for road racing but I must have let it go when I sold my Cobra. It came with the dyno program that I had back then which was the same one that NASCAR and the NHRA used. It cost quite a bit but it was extremely accurate so long as you got the figures for everything right.

Ron

scottj · #5 (**permalink**) 12-31-2010, 07:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ron61

It could be done with lead weight like the NASCAR cars use. Move the weights until they counter balance the drivers weight. I tried to find my book that has all of the pictures and explanations of how to balance a car for road racing but I must have let it go when I sold my Cobra. It came with the dyno program that I had back then which was the same one that NASCAR and the NHRA used. It cost quite a bit but it was extremely accurate so long as you got the figures for everything right.

Ron

Sure you could... but, he attributed it to... "Just sayin. Stock suspension, good install." Then consider that SPF specs the weight w/460 at 2660lbs + 112 for fuel + 220 driver and it's near 3000lbs already... so it's way over 2900 without any lead... not sayin it isn't possible... just sayin...

Tommy · #6 (**permalink**) 12-31-2010, 07:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scottj

Sure you could... but, he attributed it to... "Just sayin. Stock suspension, good install." Then consider that SPF specs the weight w/460 at 2660lbs + 112 for fuel + 220 driver and it's near 3000lbs already... so it's way over 2900 without any lead... not sayin it isn't possible... just sayin...

I, too, was very curious about how that weight distribution could have been achieved without significant modifications.

Ron61 · #7 (**permalink**) 12-31-2010, 07:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scottj

Sure you could... but, he attributed it to... "Just sayin. Stock suspension, good install." Then consider that SPF specs the weight w/460 at 2660lbs + 112 for fuel + 220 driver and it's near 3000lbs already... so it's way over 2900 without any lead... not sayin it isn't possible... just sayin...

Scott,

You are correct about the weight, but I was running a small block with a lot of aluminum parts. I also never used lead weights as I had a high quality suspension under my car and could adjust it pretty much to achieve a balance. Not perfect but close enough that it handled better than any of the others around here. But like most people I could never be satisfied with what I had and kept tyring things to improve it. I wish I had it back now as that is the only car I ever sold that I hated to see go.

Ron

vector1 · #8 (**permalink**) 12-31-2010, 06:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scottj

I'd like to hear how that's accomplished also. Regarding install... I built my car from the frame up on a set of Longacre scale pad levelers. First to insure I was always working on a level plane and second so that I was constantly informed of weight distribution when placing components. With the tight clearances in the engine compartment and trans tunnel, I was able to offset my motor 1" to the right and that was only made possible by fabbing my own headers. I also have the drysump tank and battery inline with the RS tires. The P/S tank and all the lines and cables are on the right side as well. With the driver at 160lbs, I'm LS heavy by 40lb.

160#'s? damn! find yourself a 120# trained monkey and you'd be set!

scottj · #9 (**permalink**) 12-31-2010, 07:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vector1

160#'s? damn! find yourself a 120# trained monkey and you'd be set!

He'd probably drive better too

mdross1 · #10 (**permalink**) 12-31-2010, 07:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scottj

I'd like to hear how that's accomplished also. Regarding install... I built my car from the frame up on a set of Longacre scale pad levelers. First to insure I was always working on a level plane and second so that I was constantly informed of weight distribution when placing components. With the tight clearances in the engine compartment and trans tunnel, I was able to offset my motor 1" to the right and that was only made possible by fabbing my own headers. I also have the drysump tank and battery inline with the RS tires. The P/S tank and all the lines and cables are on the right side as well. With the driver at 160lbs, I'm LS heavy by 40lb.

Wow,Sounds great love hearing how some are more anal than me.Keep telling the wife that when I focus on a project.Having the cars scaled is a major improvement, going to the lengths you did can only imagine the difference in road holding ability.

scottj · #11 (**permalink**) 12-31-2010, 07:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mdross1

Wow,Sounds great love hearing how some are more anal than me.Keep telling the wife that when I focus on a project.Having the cars scaled is a major improvement, going to the lengths you did can only imagine the difference in road holding ability.

Personally, I couldn't tell the difference unless I was on the track near the limit. At Gateway (Run & Gun) the car is actually faster being LS heavy... but that track is a roaval. So, there's no improvement, at that track anyway, over guy's that are less anal regarding weight distribution.

mdross1 · #12 (**permalink**) 01-06-2011, 02:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scottj

Personally, I couldn't tell the difference unless I was on the track near the limit. At Gateway (Run & Gun) the car is actually faster being LS heavy... but that track is a roaval. So, there's no improvement, at that track anyway, over guy's that are less anal regarding weight distribution.

Understand.But in my case it made a major improvement in street manners.Launching the car hard was something you really had to focus on,now it launches like it's on rails.Only thing the car lacks now is racing rubber,racing seat,and time on a track to tweak it even more.Trouble is have another toy to play with this summer.