I want a cobra, how and why

[Hoity]

Where does the spare go?

Just saw the kids ride on, made me think, do Cobras have a spare and if so where does it go?

[Wazza]

Not usually a spare...although I've seen some using a space saver type spare....but when I asked them what they were going to do with the big fat tyre/wheel when they use the spare....

Oh !

Either rely on your R.a.c.q. Or Similar.....or an instant tyre repair and small compressor or foot pump.
Cheers
Warren

[400TT]

Originally Posted by Jaydee

Just curious, what would the complete Pace kit cost? I mean, every part to finish one. With allowing say 15000 for engine and trans.
JD

You could build a PACE 427 for under $80k if you wanted with that sort of engine & trans budget.

I know the value we are offering our customers and I can't see how you could finish any other kit to the same standard (all new parts and as complete) for any less these days. Our kits have more features/functionality than what you see in typical Cobra kits, so are made up of many more parts. And don't forget about the hardware (bolts, nuts, washers, clamps etc), we supply over 3000 pieces if you purchase our full kit offering. We don't even skimp on hardware quality, we supply a significant number of stainless hardware including stainless P clamps, stainless saddles, etc.

As you guys would have realised the traditional Cobra kit market has virtually dried up here, our main market is for customers who have little to no mechanical knowledge or experience and want to build one.

[Jaydee]

Could you powder coat the entire chassis, to prevent corrosion etc? Just curious what the melting point of fibreglass is to aluminium? I mean they call it a fire wall, but i'm sure with a decent fire in the engine bay it would burn through the fibreglass a lot quicker.
JD

[albanycobra]

That was my plan, powder coat chassis satin black and black anodise the suspension arms and uprights black.

[400TT]

Originally Posted by Jaydee

Could you powder coat the entire chassis, to prevent corrosion etc?
JD

Yes, you can use a number of coating options on the chassis including coatings to keep the natural aluminium appearance. These natural appearance coatings can even be applied/re-applied to a complete vehicle.

But you don't need to coat the chassis, we have custom spec'd our grades of aluminium to have very high corrosion resistance and our kit design does not encourage it either. We have performed extensive testing on this approach and have had aluminium chassis on both street and track for 7 years+ now monitoring their performance.

Originally Posted by Jaydee

Just curious what the melting point of fibreglass is to aluminium? I mean they call it a fire wall, but i'm sure with a decent fire in the engine bay it would burn through the fibreglass a lot quicker.
JD

Fibreglass will catch fire very, very quickly. If anyone even suspects their kit car is one fire, you had better exit very quickly as you will get burned very quickly. Fibreglass burns quick and hot. It's one of our safety advantages as we don't have a fibreglass tub style cockpit.


albanycobra, black chassis with black suspension will look awesome. You probably know this, but for anyone that doesn't, the smoother you make the alloy surfaces before coating, the more gloss the anodised finish. I love the look of anodising polished alloy.

[albanycobra]

Fibreglass will catch fire very, very quickly. If anyone even suspects their kit car is one fire, you had better exit very quickly as you will get burned very quickly.

Go the alloy body option.....problem solved.....

[DaveW]

Originally Posted by albanycobra

Go the alloy body option.....problem solved.....

Is there any progress pics of the pace alloy body development yet, bucks etc.

I'm hanging out to see this version.

Dave

[400TT]

Originally Posted by DaveW

Is there any progress pics of the pace alloy body development yet, bucks etc.

Buck is just having it's final touches finished. Pushing now to get bodies rolling through.

I think our PACE Alumina (alloy body version) will surprise a lot of people with it's unique features. Body is hand formed (english wheeled) with vacuum infused carbon superstructure. It is also removable from the chassis. The rest of the vehicle is similar to the PACE 427, but some cool upgrades.

We will hopefully release some photos soon.

[deano59]

can the alloy body be retro fitted to cars with the standard body ?

cheers dean

[Jaydee]

What is the advantage of ali body over fibreglass?

[boxhead]

On a purely dollar aspect, I spent about the same as PACE starter kit plus roller.
And that got me a complete car past by engineer, stamp duty paid and 12 months full rego.
Time is a hard one to figure out, as I did bits, then did it a different way, then a lot of time was also spent sitting on a chair with beer in hand and a goofy grin.
If I stripped my car down now (not dismantling engine, box and diff), I believe I could reassemble the car inside 100 hours.
But first time doing it you spend many many more.

Originally Posted by Hoity

, you talk to the people actually building them and the final result is not that cheap purely from a dollar perspective. Then how much time is too much time, is 250-400 hr labour of love ok, is 600+ hrs too much? Two or three days a month, somewhere in 2-5+ years you have a cobra.

[Hoity]

Originally Posted by boxhead

On a purely dollar aspect, I spent about the same as PACE starter kit plus roller.
And that got me a complete car past by engineer, stamp duty paid and 12 months full rego.
Time is a hard one to figure out, as I did bits, then did it a different way, then a lot of time was also spent sitting on a chair with beer in hand and a goofy grin.
If I stripped my car down now (not dismantling engine, box and diff), I believe I could reassemble the car inside 100 hours.
But first time doing it you spend many many more.

Thats 34k, less 2k for engineering and rego, 32K That is pretty impressive given the CR Kit is 16k, i am thinking you spent a fair bit of time engineering solutions and maybe manufacturing in house. The others i have spoken to building CR kits whilst they love their cars, might not make the same choices if they had there time over again.
The CR kit will ultimately end up a great car, the guys prepared to do the big hours and have the engineering know how either individually or collectively (B-Club) can get it done, most end up spending a lot more than you have.

well done
cheers
jon

[400TT]

Originally Posted by Jaydee

What is the advantage of ali body over fibreglass?

In my opinion the alloy body is just for the cool factor of having alloy. Especially leaving it with a natural aluminium finish or polished. At Absolute Pace we are bringing the alloy body into the modern age and producing an alloy body solution that both increases the visual appeal of the alloy body under bonnet, boot etc by using a vacuum infused carbon structure which also improves the performance and practicality of having an alloy body.

In every respect you could argue our Carbon/Kevlar composite bodies are superior to our alloy.

What would I have? Alloy, it is just too cool for school...especially with an infused carbon sub structure.

Craig White
Owner of Absolute Pace

[boxhead]

When I bought my kit, the sale price was $12k (plus GST that Ian forgot to include all through the quote process)
I also got lucky on freight, the car was packed on a single pallet, and Northline only billed me for 1 pallet ($120) to freight from Sydney to Alice Springs)
Engineer was happy to bill me an hourly rate of $100 per hour, he billed me for 10 hours.
Plus I bought his plane ticket from Darwin to Alice Springs.

Originally Posted by Hoity

Thats 34k, less 2k for engineering and rego, 32K That is pretty impressive given the CR Kit is 16k, i am thinking you spent a fair bit of time engineering solutions and maybe manufacturing in house. The others i have spoken to building CR kits whilst they love their cars, might not make the same choices if they had there time over again.
The CR kit will ultimately end up a great car, the guys prepared to do the big hours and have the engineering know how either individually or collectively (B-Club) can get it done, most end up spending a lot more than you have.

well done
cheers
jon

[Tenrocca]

Originally Posted by 400TT

In my opinion the alloy body is just for the cool factor of having alloy. Especially leaving it with a natural aluminium finish or polished. At Absolute Pace we are bringing the alloy body into the modern age and producing an alloy body solution that both increases the visual appeal of the alloy body under bonnet, boot etc by using a vacuum infused carbon structure which also improves the performance and practicality of having an alloy body.

Craig - can you clarify what your doing with the carbon fibre - Is it just basically a layer of CF layed up on the inside of the Aluminium?

We just had a nice Hail storm come through here that would have golf balled a aluminium car.

Cheers

[albanycobra]

Fellas feel free to move the Alumina body conversation to my Alumina build thread, might be some good detail that should be kept easy to search for and keep Hoity's thread on course

[stephen low]

Jon

I have a spread sheet somewhere from my pre-engineering build costs. I did this partly as some form of proof for Vicroads when I first registered it in terms of claimed cost for tax purposes.

My initial total build cost to engineering stage was just on $30K I recall.

It was a nothing special build and was very Spartan in terms finish but it was registered.

Don't ask me what it now owes me as for one I stopped counting and I'm sure the missus wouldn't want to know - lol

[Hoity]

I think to get purely to the point of rego as you say it can be done for something south of 50 k, using a secondhand drivetrain, minimalist interior, no covers, s/h wheels etc. but as you rightly point out, when the passion grabs you to make it your pride and joy. $$$

[PeterAllen]

Originally Posted by 400TT

..., we have custom spec'd our grades of aluminium to have very high corrosion resistance...

Just curious, does the TIGing process impact on the properties?