Newbie Seeking Advise - Cobra on a budget
 

Hi,
I'm new to this forum. So hope some of you 'old hands' can give me some advise.

I've been thinking about building a Cobra replica for some time. Now I've decided to get serious about it.

To give you some background about myself. I am a qualified Electrical Engineer and have a lot of experience in electronics design and software. I have also been pottering about with cars for most of my life. My first car was a Datsun 1600 which I basically rebuilt with a 180B engine, etc, etc.

Recently I've been rebuilding a couple salvaged/written off cars. Along the way I've taught myself to MIG weld, repair dinged panels and I'm reasonably handy with a spaypainter.

So I'm not intending to build one of those lego kits that you put together with an instruction manual. I am expecting to do a lot of the work myself, which I'm hoping will allow me to complete a good quality Cobra on my limited budget (expect to spend around $30~35K).

So I'm looking for recommendations on which kit would best suit me as a starting point. I'm thinking that if I purchase a donor car, and can reuse a lot of the components, this would minimise my outlay. Was thinking of a Ford XR8 with the Boss engine. Could I also re-use any suspension components, brakes, drive shafts, steering column, etc ?

My minimum starting point would be the fibreglass shell plus a fully engineered chassis. Add parts from a donor car and salvage yards. Then purchase specific parts needed from somewhere like Snakebite.

Regarding compliance, any recommendations regarding a good Sydney based engineer ? What sort of costs would I be looking at for compliance ?

Am I being realistic with my expectations re budget, or am I looking at significantly more $$$s ?

Advise appreciated.

Cheers,
Greg

Welcome Greg, in short your budget is also short for a good quality car, but anything is possible.
Depends on just how much you can do, who you know for big favours, how much you can screw down prices for parts, what kit you're starting with; be it new or someone else's unfinished project. There will be a lot of second hand bits in there for that budget, even wheels etc
Also really depends on your accepted level of quality for the finished product.
Really good trim, paint, wheels etc cost $$$. You also will need to factor in engineering and some other non component costs, i.e. emissions testing etc


Treeve on this forum for engineering is worth seeking out.

I built my car too long ago to offer good advise on current donor etc, but having said that, this forum has a wealth of knowledge and advise and can be very useful to you.

Most of us didn't start building our cars with a huge bank account ready to go.
I bought my chassis and body for about and then bought parts as I could afford them over a number of years.
Good luck and keep us up to date with your progress.

Welcome to the Forum.
There's a couple of un finished projects on Ebay.
AC Cobra RMC Series 3 Project in Kilmore, VIC | eBay

AC Cobra | eBay

or this one looks ok and it's ready to go
AC Cobra Swap Trade TO Value 60K in Traralgon, VIC | eBay

Hi Greg,

In short if you want to start a new build, your budget expectations are too low. If you want to build one of the better kits you're looking at 45+ to get it going, if you want a "nice" car then you should be allowing at least 65+.

If you want to get in to the game and don't mind fixing something, maybe buy one of the cheaper second hand cars around and spend a few years "correcting" it to your liking.

where are you located?

Welcome.

Hi Greg
Welcome. Like Gav my bank balance wasn't able to sustain a purchase of all components ready to go. I have the Boss motor in my kit it is a big wide engine but with the right chassis you can fit it in. From the BA XR8 I used the diff centre, wiring loom & computer & bcm. I also used the steering column and instrument cluster.
Good luck with your search/build.

Doug

Thanks for the recommendation and support guys, although I'm not in Sydney I do specialise in ICVs.

I'm a bit excited as my RF GT40 has turned up and I'm planning on bolting up the first bits on Saturday.

Thanks everyone for your replies so far. This has given me food for thought.

Firstly, David - yes I know I was being a little optimistic with my $35K budget. But as other posters here have said, they too have started with a low budget, and built it up over time to get the finish/quality they deisre. I guess that is also a good approach for me to take as well. Hopefully I can get a long way down the track before I need to commit the additional $$$s needed to finish it off to the quality I want.

Doug, good to hear you have used an XR8 as your donor. Could I ask what base kit you used ? (I have read that not all kits will take a Boss motor). Also, what about things like calipers, suspension, radiator, etc, could you re-use any of them from the XR8 ?

Also, I know the DRB540 was designed to use a lot of parts from an XR8 (including the dash). Anyone on the board build one of these ? If so, could you give me some comments on your experience.

Treeve, thanks for your reply. Could you give me a bit of an overview of the compliance process and the costs involved. Could you do it from where you are or would I need to get a Sydney based ICV certified engineer ? (if you want to reply seperately, my email is gcarm@optusnet.com.au).

Thanks again,
Greg

G'day mate,

I've just sent you an email from my work address; please check your junk emails in case it has headed there. I'll send through a set of documents that I've put together detailing the ICV registration process.

Cheers,

Treeve

That RMC in a previous post looks pretty good....there's some good stuff in that package.
My RMC cost 22 grand so there's a big start there. I'm afraid your buget might "escalate"a little. I stopped counting at $50 grand. By the way those Trigo wheels are worth heaps more than he claims.

The RMC is owned by a guy who used to post on the forum. Here are some more photos of it. justcobra Gallery - Club Cobra Photo Gallery

Hi Greg

Download a copy of VSB 14 (Vehicle Standards Bulletin 14). You'll find what you need to do for an ICV. There is a checklist which you will find useful.


As for a BA Falcon
The PCM has to be linked with the BEM (not BCM), and
The BEM has to recognize the transponder code in the ignition key.

The BEM hides in the ICC.

If you need to re-code the key you will NEED two keys and a WDS unit.

clear as mud ?!

PCM - Powertrain Control Module
BEM - Body Electronics Module
ICC - Interior Control Centre
WDS Worldwide Diagnostics System
PATS - Passive Anti Theft System

An aftermarket WDS is a unit like the Autel Maxidas DS708 or G-scan Tool.
These units are about 3k & 5.5k respectively.

When you start ripping a BA apart and the electronics think you are stealing it it may shut down through the PATS and need a parameter reset with a WDS unit.

The ICC is the unit that holds the radio and A/c controls.


Hope this helps

Dave

Dave,

???? :confused: -- now in English please for we older folk who are still wrestling with whether to run an 850 or a 1050 cfm carby.

Lost me at VSB. :confused:

Yep, and the chassis is home made.

Just a word of warningre: VSB14 in NSW.

It's a guideline, not the law.

It lists ADRs which are out of date and if you do not meet the more up to date versions you will not be building a compliant car.

You also need to reference the ADRs themselves, here:

Third Edition Australian Design Rules

Then finally, it's handy to reference the VSCCS bulletin number 2, which covers some of the ways that the RMS / RTA accept 'deemed to comply' information. link here:

http://www.rms.nsw.gov.au/documents/...d-vehicles.pdf

And the difference between the first post and my post is why I'm on the big bucks! :P

Treeve

Les, Happy New Year old fella!

How about getting up early and making the trek down the Gateway and coming to the Red Rock for brekky on the first of March? There are some nice new additions to the Club's ranks that you'd get a kick out of seeing.

I could ask Wazza to consider a new one-off award of a free meal based on the formula of kilometres travelled to get to Hope Island multiplied by the number of years a build has been in progress. You'd romp it in! ;)

Anyway mate, good to see you're keeping a eye on the forum's happenings, and all the best.

Just a word of warningre: VSB14 in NSW.

It's a guideline, not the law.

It lists ADRs which are out of date and if you do not meet the more up to date versions you will not be building a compliant car.

You also need to reference the ADRs themselves, here:

Third Edition Australian Design Rules

Then finally, it's handy to reference the VSCCS bulletin number 2, which covers some of the ways that the RMS / RTA accept 'deemed to comply' information. link here:

http://www.rms.nsw.gov.au/documents/...d-vehicles.pdf

And the difference between the first post and my post is why I'm on the big bucks! :P

Treeve

Don how on earth did you post this without mentioning AP? You must be sending em broke at $50 a mention! :LOL:

Spook the capital a and capital p buttons on my keyboard have worn out.

Who's your manager? $50??? I'm on a dollar ninety five. Besides I've reached my allowable for this financial year but look out come July 1. :LOL: