Small block Chevy in a cobra?

[t walgamuth]

Cool! Now that is what this site is all about!

[peterpjb]

its all about right or wrong

Chevy in a Cobra is wrong....its that easy

[t walgamuth]

My car was built by Herb and Matt Adams. They have a long history with GM engines and cars. Nothing in the car chassis or drive train has anything to do with the original cobra, though I am told the body, dash and such are very true to the original.

When they built the car for the original owner, Steve Urban, it was built to his specification which apparently included the all aluminum Brodex chevy based small block bored and stroked to 427 CI. It has a forged crank, h section racing style rods, roller lifters and roller rockers.

I imagine the Adams' did not discourage from it.

I will say this though, there is plenty of room in the engine bay for a big block ford. The chevy actually leaves a bit of room around it for getting parts in and out.

It is a hand build supercar and other than the body shares nothing with an original cobra. It contains a boat load of top quality racing style parts. It weighs about 2000# and has I suppose at least 500 hp. It will definitely keep your attention focused on driving it. It does go very fast and gets a lot of thumbs up.

[olddog]

Originally Posted by t walgamuth

My car was built by Herb and Matt Adams. They have a long history with GM engines and cars. Nothing in the car chassis or drive train has anything to do with the original cobra, though I am told the body, dash and such are very true to the original.

When they built the car for the original owner, Steve (forgot last name for the moment), it was built to his specification which apparently included the all aluminum Brodex chevy based small block bored and stroked to 427 CI. It has a forged crank, h section racing style rods, roller lifters and roller rockers.

I imagine the Adams' did not discourage from it.

I will say this though, there is plenty of room in the engine bay for a big block ford. The chevy actually leaves a bit of room around it for getting parts in and out.

It is a hand build supercar and other than the body shares nothing with an original cobra. It contains a boat load of top quality racing style parts. It weighs about 2000# and has I suppose at least 500 hp. It will definitely keep your attention focused on driving it. It does go very fast and gets a lot of thumbs up.

I'm sure it is a nice car. It has a good reliable engine that makes plenty of power. Don't misunderstand me. I am not spitting on your Cobra, and I have no issue with you. Maybe the original owner had a good reason or maybe he did not. My issue, if I had one, would be with the original owner, but what's done is done. I'm more interested in getting the generations, to come, to think before they act.

[t walgamuth]

Originally Posted by olddog

I'm sure it is a nice car. It has a good reliable engine that makes plenty of power. Don't misunderstand me. I am not spitting on your Cobra, and I have no issue with you. Maybe the original owner had a good reason or maybe he did not. My issue, if I had one, would be with the original owner, but what's done is done. I'm more interested in getting the generations to come to think before they act.

If I had been able to choose things it would have some sort of Ford and IRS. I'd probably go with a Windsor based engine too. I might go with some sort of tranny with dogs instead of synchros too.

It is pretty fun as it is.

[olddog]

Originally Posted by t walgamuth

If I had been able to choose things it would have some sort of Ford and IRS. I'd probably go with a Windsor based engine too. I might go with some sort of tranny with dogs instead of synchros too.

It is pretty fun as it is.

When it is well put together and runs great, why spend a bunch of money fixing things that are not broken? Economically it makes no sense. That is why I never changed a lot on my own Cobra.

If money were no object for me, I would buy a Kirkham and drop a 427 FE in it. If I owned an original I could not enjoy risking it on the streets, so I would choose a Kirkham over an original, if money didn't matter and I had to choose one. Otherwise I would own both.

My second engine choice would be a 390/445 stroker FE. My next would be a Windsor or a Clevor. I also have to admit that the 385 series is a great engine to make a lot of torque for little money. It's a tight fit, but they will fit.

[peterpjb]

Originally Posted by olddog

...
If money were no object for me, I would buy a Kirkham and drop a 427 FE in it. If I owned an original I could not enjoy risking it on the streets, so I would choose a Kirkham over an original, if money didn't matter and I had to choose one. Otherwise I would own both.....

its the same money to fix a Kirkham or an original after an accident ...

[Phx Mike]

It’s settled - I’m going with a “300 Big Six” in my next Cobra......:-)

[letsboogie351]

Dimis, you $hit stirrer! One post about an ELECTRIC powered Cobra and look what you have done.......Maybe when all this lock down is relaxed we might see you out and about the Noble Park area one Saturday
cheers Doug

[Dimis]

Originally Posted by letsboogie351

Dimis, you $hit stirrer! One post about an ELECTRIC powered Cobra and look what you have done.......Maybe when all this lock down is relaxed we might see you out and about the Noble Park area one Saturday
cheers Doug

DOUG!
I'm looking forward to it!
You sir and Marty of course, are ones I do miss.

Ps. ..and here I thought people would get their knickers in a twist over the electric motor.

[Thor maine]

Some of you guy's make me laugh! Most of us do not have original AC-SHELBY- FORD Cobra's! We have kit cars and HotRods. Or a replica made Shelby America which is not the company that made the Cobra in the 60's they went out business for 6 plus years and came back with Chrysler! AC Cars Ltd sold the name and what ever the company is today sells a Cobra with a GM LS engine. But back to the kit cars and HotRods you guy's don't have a problem with a square tube frame or space frame hybrid or suspension from a Pinto or a Jaguar or a MG or Datsun or a BMW SUV or a (for a modern handling super car) a CORVETTE or a combo of all the above or just some junk that is made to fit! You guy's have no problem with a 5 or 6 speed transmission that is made in Mexico for Corvettes or a Viper. And no problem with a fiberglass body that was probably made by a company that makes boat hulls? But put in that Chevy motor from the car that you used the suspension and transmission from and you guys have a freaking meltdown???

[Dimis]

Originally Posted by Thor maine

you guy's don't have a problem with a square tube frame or space frame hybrid or suspension from a Pinto or a Jaguar or a MG or Datsun or a BMW SUV or a (for a modern handling super car) a CORVETTE or a combo of all the above or just some junk that is made to fit! You guy's have no problem with a 5 or 6 speed transmission that is made in Mexico for Corvettes or a Viper. And no problem with a fiberglass body that was probably made by a company that makes boat hulls? But put in that Chevy motor in the car that you used the suspension and transmission from and you guys have a freaking meltdown???

Correct!
Because all those other things are an upgrade and improvement... just like old Shelby himself intended... but a Chevy... haha...


Just kidding... or maybe not... you decide...

[Thor maine]

Originally Posted by Thor maine

Some of you guy's make me laugh! Most of us do not have original AC-SHELBY- FORD Cobra's! We have kit cars and HotRods. Or a replica made Shelby America which is not the company that made the Cobra in the 60's they went out business for 6 plus years and came back with Chrysler! AC Cars Ltd sold the name and what ever the company is today sells a Cobra with a GM LS engine. But back to the kit cars and HotRods you guy's don't have a problem with a square tube frame or space frame hybrid or suspension from a Pinto or a Jaguar or a MG or Datsun or a BMW SUV or a (for a modern handling super car) a CORVETTE or a combo of all the above or just some junk that is made to fit! You guy's have no problem with a 5 or 6 speed transmission that is made in Mexico for Corvettes or a Viper. And no problem with a fiberglass body that was probably made by a company that makes boat hulls? But put in that Chevy motor in the car that you used the suspension and transmission from and you guys have a freaking meltdown???

Just has to be restated

[olddog]

Somehow an electric motor does seem more appropriate than a Chevy engine.

I do think a Ferrari engine would be a step lower than a Chevy.

Weirdly enough, I like the straight 6 cylinder idea. You could make reasonable Hp with the Ford 300 straight 6 with a little work. Problem is from oil pan to valve cover I think it would be too tall. Maybe the old Chrysler slant 6 would fit. Yeah I like it. I think you guy's have helped me see the light.

[kyleb]

Originally Posted by olddog

Somehow an electric motor does seem more appropriate than a Chevy engine.

I do think a Ferrari engine would be a step lower than a Chevy.

Weirdly enough, I like the straight 6 cylinder idea. You could make reasonable Hp with the Ford 300 straight 6 with a little work. Problem is from oil pan to valve cover I think it would be too tall. Maybe the old Chrysler slant 6 would fit. Yeah I like it. I think you guy's have helped me see the light.

How your tune has changed!
You were praising a V12 powered Kirkham a while back.
Shouldn’t you be asleep?

[olddog]

Originally Posted by kyleb

How your tune has changed!
You were praising a V12 powered Kirkham a while back.
Shouldn’t you be asleep?

There was a V12 at the London Ohio Cobra show a few years back. It was a marine engine based on a Chevy design. I think it was a BB but might have been a SB. All I remember is the engine. It might have been a Kirkham. Yes I did think it was very interesting and loved it.

I am still being consistent. I have said all along be creative, if your not going to put a Ford engine in it. That V12 marine engine hit it out of the ball park on being creative.

There is nothing creative about sticking a SBC in anything. There is nothing you can put one in that hasn't been done a dozen times before.

[xb-60]

Originally Posted by olddog

....I do think a Ferrari engine would be a step lower than a Chevy.....

Interesting. The styling of the AC Ace was heavily influenced by the Ferrari 166MM

OK, if I had a spare early Ferrari V12 engine, I wouldn't graft it into something with a plastic body and a Tremec gearbox

Cheers!
Glen

edit: no offence intended toward owners of plastic bodies or Tremecs (or Ferrari engines!) or whales, or Aston Martin owners who feel left out
....oop, naughty moi, forgot the Chev guys and the moderators...

I reserve the right to add more after another glass of red

[olddog]

Originally Posted by xb-60

Interesting. The styling of the AC Ace was heavily influenced by the Ferrari 166MM

OK, if I had a spare early Ferrari V12 engine, I wouldn't graft it into something with a plastic body and a Tremec gearbox

Cheers!
Glen

edit: no offence intended toward owners of plastic bodies or Tremecs (or Ferrari engines!) or whales, or Aston Martin owners who feel left out
....oop, naughty moi, forgot the Chev guys and the moderators...

I reserve the right to add more after another glass of red

I had assumed that when I said the Cobra had a rich history, an Icon, that everyone knew it. Maybe I was wrong. The main rival that the Cobra raced against in the USA was the Chevy Corvette. In Europe it was the Ferrari. That is what is so wrong with sticking a Chevy engine in a Cobra. Thus a Ferrari (the entire reason the GT40 existed) would be worse.

https://www.shelby.com/en-us/History

[t walgamuth]

What is worse, buying an original Cobra and sticking it in the garage never to be driven or raced again or buying an original car and racing the woo out of it?

Also if a car is wrecked racing would it be worth more if the driver was really famous or less than an unwrecked and undriven car?

[olddog]

Originally Posted by t walgamuth

What is worse, buying an original Cobra and sticking it in the garage never to be driven or raced again or buying an original car and racing the woo out of it?

Also if a car is wrecked racing would it be worth more if the driver was really famous or less than an unwrecked and undriven car?

Interesting questions.

I think a Cobra that was wrecked by one of greats and repaired would be worth more than a pristine original Cobra to many collectors.

Either of those two cars wrecked, by a nobody like me, would loose value for sure.