750hp - Hi Craig
Sorry, been a bit slack with a response regarding what we are doing up at McDonald Bros. Racing.
The guys there have built a few cars for me or with me and the Cobra is one we are doing together.
Basically, I am working on a as need help basis. When I need their help they are in there helping. I am trying to do as much on the car as possible including cutting steel and 'G' clamping it in place.
The boys there are doing the welding and the design.
To date, I have fitted all of the body parts and the jewellery items such as window frame, boot hinges, handles, fuel cap, lift jacks etc. etc
I have a bity of a head start with the motor and gearbox in and ready to go. Mike Moores old motor the 351 strocker (377ci)
I have used the Jag upper arms with a tube fabricated lower arm all attached to a crossmember and hanging brackets. A Ford 9' rear end shortened to 53 and a 1/2 " with Commodore end grafted on. Will use the Commodore discs on the front and the rear now. Traditional four bar rear end with coil over shockers. The lower arms are parrell.
Russell McDonald will wire the car with me and we have designed the dash and I am fitting guages at the momment. Hope to have that done in the next few weeks.
Paint - well I am going to have a go at this myself!!
Sorry Doug!!
Seriously Russell and a young painter are going to prep the body with me and we will hire the booth at the young guys factory to complete the body. I will paint the chassis in black - what else.
The boys at McDonald's lifted the body off last week and this gave me a chance to do some basic fibreglassing. Overall the body a Homebush from Doug in Melbourne is in good condition. I went for their bigger footwells which are 100mm higher.
This makes for easier pedal box fitting and more room around my size 12's.
Additionally Doug talked about the 50mm longer body and I went in that direction. It is dam near impossible to see where the 50mm is. I have had the body on the floor next to a standard body and I just cannot see it. The 50mm is in the doors and due to the angle it is even harder to find. I think Pauls has the 50mm as well?
The 50mm makes a lot of difference. I originally purchased Mike Moores burgundy RMC - you may remember early West Wylong and Mangalore airport days!! This car was a standard body and I could not get comfortable in it.
I spun the car out big time at Magalore and went between those airport lights and George and Maggies car. I blamed the tight fit in the car. Mike immediately went out and ran a fast time flat out and then came back and said it was the driver and not the car that caused the problem..
Having been for a few runs with Mike in that Extreme7 roadster I look forward to having a go at his new Cobra car at Calder raceway.
As I said, the extra 50mm has made a big difference as has the placing of the floor under the chassis. The chassis has an internal frame similiar to the RMC and a bigger outrigger. This allows the seat to drop down in the chassis. Testing has seen the chassis lift of the ground before it flexes.
Hope this gives you a bit of a picture as to what is happening at McDonald Bros. Racing factory.
Email me and I can possible catch up one day there and show you over it. The factory has some really great cars of all types there. Its amazing.
Cheers
Bernie
Email
kni-time@bigpond.com
Give Doug a call and he will pass on telephone numbers for me
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