Original 4 inch vs. Billet Poll

[goof2]

I voted billet but I was curious about what the difference in weight is between the billet and tubular stainless chassis. That was also using your assumption that the price would remain the same between the two. With the difference in price I would opt for the stainless chassis with billet suspension components.

I can't wait to see what kind of original car the masterminds of Kirkham come up with. My guess is it will set the industry on its ear. All I ask is don't stop making Cobras (at least until I can afford one).

[David Kirkham]

Originally Posted by goof2

I voted billet but I was curious about what the difference in weight is between the billet and tubular stainless chassis. That was also using your assumption that the price would remain the same between the two. With the difference in price I would opt for the stainless chassis with billet suspension components.

I can't wait to see what kind of original car the masterminds of Kirkham come up with. My guess is it will set the industry on its ear. All I ask is don't stop making Cobras (at least until I can afford one).

The weight difference between a stainless chassis and a steel chassis is around 20 pounds. The difference between our billet chassis and the original chassis is about 20 pounds as well. The problem is, I can't remember which car (steel or stainless) we compared the billet chassis to!

I will have to go back an look at the numbers...or, just wait until we drive it here in a few days.

David

[alpace@pacificp]

David,

As you know, I am a bit of a novice, notwithstanding considerable research into the deep, dark recesses of the dysfunctional cobra world. Notwithstanding, I have to say that being able to relate to others that the frame is 'tube,old school' goes a long way.

As someone already thinking about a 'second' Kirkham (I have two boys), I would opt for tube, steel. Old School.

But about those magnesium wheels......

al

[David Kirkham]

Originally Posted by alpace@pacificp

David,

As you know, I am a bit of a novice, notwithstanding considerable research into the deep, dark recesses of the dysfunctional cobra world. Notwithstanding, I have to say that being able to relate to others that the frame is 'tube,old school' goes a long way.

As someone already thinking about a 'second' Kirkham (I have two boys), I would opt for tube, steel. Old School.

But about those magnesium wheels......

al

From the poll I can see we aren't going to be throwing the tooling for the original chassis away any time soon

I'm glad to see there are a lot of people who love the billet stuff as well. Funny, when we started, every one wanted everything as original as possible, right down to a date coded dip stick! "Date coded; man I haven't heard that word in a long, long time!

David


David

[decooney]

Originally Posted by David Kirkham

From the poll I can see we aren't going to be throwing the tooling for the original chassis away any time soon

I'm glad to see there are a lot of people who love the billet stuff as well. Funny, when we started, every one wanted everything as original as possible, right down to a date coded dip stick! "Date coded; man I haven't heard that word in a long, long time!

David

Looking at it from a different (maybe stupid) angle... If this situation became a "this or that, but not both options type of decision", I'd be curious what the vote results would be if you asked all of your existing KMP Cobra owners if they (hypothetically) could trade their existing tube chassis cars for billet chassis cars straight across, with no chance to ever obtain or purchase a tube chassis car again, what would they actually vote for?

[ENTDOC]

no trade here

[goof2]

Originally Posted by David Kirkham

The weight difference between a stainless chassis and a steel chassis is around 20 pounds. The difference between our billet chassis and the original chassis is about 20 pounds as well. The problem is, I can't remember which car (steel or stainless) we compared the billet chassis to!

I will have to go back an look at the numbers...or, just wait until we drive it here in a few days.

David

No need to look back on my account as it is all academic for me at this point anyway. I had assumed the difference in weight would have been on the order of 100 to 200 pounds. For the tuneability and responsiveness that should result from the 300% increase in stiffness I would deal with the extra 40 pounds. If 40 pounds were that big a deal I would loose the weight myself.

[David Kirkham]

Originally Posted by goof2

No need to look back on my account as it is all academic for me at this point anyway. I had assumed the difference in weight would have been on the order of 100 to 200 pounds. For the tuneability and responsiveness that should result from the 300% increase in stiffness I would deal with the extra 40 pounds. If 40 pounds were that big a deal I would loose the weight myself.

I've often thought while working on this billet chassis how much easier it was to remove weight from the car than it was to remove weight from my middle!

David