Venom Cobra Build
 

For all those out there looking into building one of Dave's Chassis, I know of three that are all about the same stage, nearly on wheels, engines fitted.

Photo 1: Picking up the body
Photo 2: My baby home!
Photo 3: Chassis Home
Photo 4: Test running the engine, breadboarded as fitted to the BF Ute I removed it from. If you have issues with Ford Engines of BA-BF-FG just ask!
Photo 5: Test fitting the body after fitting the engine. Ford engines and this chassis are very complex and require too much work - removal of oil filter, water pipes, the whole shebang!

Photo 6: Front view after testing the body and Engine. the intake of the BF needs to move to the front, so maybe I just supercharge it at the same time!

Photo 7: The site supervisor and chief ball retriever. Also very good at stealing things and chewing them up and leaving them at the back door. Like my welding mask, didn't need that!

Hey Nathan, great to see some more build threads.

Looks like you need a broom, or has the guard eaten that too? :)

It may be an illusion, but how much space is between front chassis rails and mouth opening? Is there room for radiator?

Good to see the OHC Ford motor fits (even if tight) as I think it wont fit into a few chassis?

Dont be afraid to show more detailed pics and keep it updated :) We do love pics.

Good luck with the build mate !!!!!

Look forward to following the thread!!:cool:

ATB OZ :)

So basic update of where I'm at and what I'm doing:

Venom chassis and Body, March 2010 start.
CAD designed dash/footwells
Engine is installed, but requires a new main rad water pipe, and oil lines (half done) and a remote oil filter. Also needs a front entry intake manifold, which I'll design myself, with or without a supercharger. I'm targeting 410kw with 8psi.
6 speed auto is functional, but no speed input. Dunno yet what i'll do there.
Using the loom from the Ute as it's too complex to wire a BF engine and make it work. You also need the door locks or else it'll immobilise itself so I'm using the door locks from the ute. Also using the fuel pump as it's a baffled fuel pump with surge tank and level sender all in one, in a custom CAD designed aluminum tank of 68L, with the factory lines.
I'm in the process of finishing the design of the side impact protection, and am looking at making it capable of passing ADR (I have yet to hear someone who has passed ADR rather than the engineer signoff method).
BF column (talks to the BEM, which runs the car, can be changed but I like it), BF electric accel pedal and brake.
Jag Front End and Rear End from an XJ6. Front End is series one so has been upgraded to ventilated with Wilwood Calipers. Rear is stock XJ6 series three. Those shortening driveshafts be aware the engineer will require an Xray report.
Propshaft will be Hilux, adapted to fit, and is longer than the T56 manuals in both the Falcons and the Holdens (ZF box is smaller in almost all dimensions but can handle more torque)
DVD, reverse camera has been wired in, just got to work out where to put the subwoofer!
Sidepipes from stiffy will be used, with a hidden return pipe to a rear dump, as this is the law down here.

Thats all i can remember at this point. It's been a few months since i touched it as the boss wanted a garden reno for the christmas party!

Nathan Smith

The boss comes in and vacuums :) We clean up every coupla months, but the guard dog brings all the toys, branches and bones in out of the rain...

Boss Ford engine is too large, but once you take in exhuasts it's only about 50-100mm wider overall. Boss Engine is 800mm, outside chassis rails are 1300, plus 70mm overhang into the curve of the body, leaves just enough to fit some feet.

Rad is a HZ turned sidewards, laid back with a thermo fan, or a least thats the plan when i ask desert rads to make me one up.

Nathan

Nathan,
The speed signal for the falcons comes from one of the ABS senors(front one I think). If you can fit all the sensors you can have ABS plus the speed signal for the gearbox. If you have any questions about the ZF and wiring of it PM me. My brother is charge of the auto section at a local ford dealer and might be able to help.

Are you sure about the door locks and immobilising itself. When I built my 540(BF ll doner car) the car was started and driven without the door harness and door latches plugged into the main loom.
Using the door latch is a good idea although they do take a bit of room and will be a tight fit in an AC door.

You will need all the computers ( air con, abs, body computer, air bag)plugged into the loom to get the car to started. There is a company in WA (http://www.norcom.net.au/~bpt/index.htm)that can disable all the unwanted computers if required.

Warren

You don't need to have all the accessories, if you can work out how to rewire the CANBUS system, as I did, but you do need the BEM unless you reflash the PCM. I wanted the key and the immobilisation from the Falcon, so at this stage I'm keeping the locks and therefore the BEM. I'm still deciding on the ABS, I don't have an ABS Jag set up so theres a bit of work in the machining of some parts to make it work. In regards to the door locks, the car was ok until i took the drivers door off but left the passenger door on, it then immobilised itself permentaly and I needed to call the Ford guy to my house and get him to dial into Ford US to unlock it. Cost me a slab of Bourbon!

Thanks for the offer of the Ford rep, but I might just work in the Ford plant, and have access to the fellow who makes all this stuff work ;)

The one unanswered question I do have is if i dont run the BF Dash how do i get a engine warning light to function as per the ADR....... Got any good ideas?

I know in the case of my LS1, I used the light signal to a bulb in dash, from memory I had to wire it through a relay as the bulb trigger is only 5V, probably could have used LED? might have been enough to pwer it up?

Hi Nathan,

My chassis is almost identical. Doug Pearce is worth talking to about radiators if you havent already. On my kit he said he has a mod to fit it vertically. Probably the same with yours.

Slanted radiators usually are a different design. I had one in an old 300zx and the radiator fins were different. That being said there are lots of people that put a standard radiator on an angle without any problems.

Since I'm getting custom from Desert I'll let them know that its slanted, plus i'd figure I'd run a 16" thermo fan, running off the standard Ford electronics and let the car handle it itself?

Nathan

I made front wheel speed sensors for my Jag front end to run my traction control. A chopper disc fits on the back of the front hub with a honeywell 1GT101DC sensor. You can run that with a simple speed adjuster to get the right frequency in to your ecu.
Drop me a pm and I can send you the CAD file to get the chopper disc laser cut.

I'm in the process of finishing the design of the side impact protection, and am looking at making it capable of passing ADR (I have yet to hear someone who has passed ADR rather than the engineer signoff method).
Isn't the ADR test a side impact crash test ?

the ford ecu has bugger all wiring to help with aftermarket dashes
there is just 2 can bus wires from ecu to dash
these can bus wires tell dash everything
water
oil
tacho and speedo
and all other lights
so all u do is wire up alternator to dash and not to ecu
then get ecu retuned and disable some of the stuff
water temp u just fit new sensor
and tacho u need a special tacho booster inline unit
also u need a square wave speed signal to the ecu otherwise it wont change gears
needs to be off one of the rear axles
and preferably about same count as an abs chpper wheel
so maybe round 30 to 36 teeth

what is the differnece form bf to ba
everyone says they cant be wired into another car
i dont see what the prob is
maybe an fg but not sure y a bf as they have similar wiring to ba and ive done afew of them think i even did a bf v8 with no probs

good luck with the build, and please keep the progress pics coming!

Update:

I found the broom and cleaned the SHED! Christmas parties are out of the way, so going to finish the repainting on the front end, and fitting up the rear end..

Any thoughts, anyone, on leaving it at 260kw, or supercharging to 410? Is 410 too much in one of these?

Many would say no upper level is too much. However, that much power would need the right gearbox, diff and brakes. I find that the limitation is often the suspension and how well set up it is for driveability. I am not sure how strong the bottom end is on that motor. Others would know more.

I think build it stock first, get used to the power, then upgrade it.

I am getting close to thinking about more power, but I prefer more cubes :)

Big Weekend Update!

- Fitted the old shocks, repainted diff driveshafts and brakes to the rear end.

- Fitted the shortened front end in for the first time, with reco bushes etc.

- Finished the new outlets for water, and oil from the block.

- Swept the floor! :)

Nathan