Hi to all, and........

[Outwest34au]

Hi crowd,
time for me to say g'day. "G'day"
In a nutshell, I'm 42 yo living in central Queensland with 2 kids and an understanding wife who can no longer afford to leave as the new toy turns up tomorrow.
I ended up with an Evans kit that has never yet had a motor or box fitted. Looks pretty tidy in the pic's, needs all the usual finishing off.

Whats the update on the ADR/ ICV rules here? QT has put the old PDF regulations back on thier site.
Will the 5 year engine roll back rule be abolished as of 1/1/08 or will an AU series 3 motor still comply?
A vehicle in Qld is deemed to be a 2008 model build if presented after 1/1/08. Is this the same in all states or do some still go by the date of manufacture of the chassis?

And finally, Thankyou so much to the people that have provided advice on the phone so far. Paul Woolley especially has been a very positive help and is obviously a wealth of knowledge.

Look forward to posting a lot more here as the project progresses.

[Outwest34au]

ooops, "is deemed to be a 2008 model build if plated after 1/1/08" I think I should have said.

[BMK]

Outwest34au

Welcome to the forum.

I'm not going to offer advice on the registration in QLD. There are lots of helpful people there that can see you with the right advice and assistance.

The few Evans cars that I have seen - and there are a lot in SA. - seem a good build.

So good luck with the construction.

Bernie

[400TT]

Welcome mate.

QLD is definitely moving to EURO2 emissions compliance as of 1/1/08. So the old Ford 5lt is no longer a bolt in option.

It goes on completion date, so you need to comply with whatever requirements QT ask for at the time you present your Cobra for approval. So a moving bar in fact.

Best engine choices in QLD are Ford Boss 5.4lt & Holden L76 6lt.

Sounds like you know all this anyway.

Western Australia is the best state to get Cobra's registered in now. You can still use the Ford 5lt and also have working side pipes.

Have you joined the QLD club? If so, there is a fairly active northern QLD group that you should get in contact with.

I bet you can't wait to get started on your build. Please keep us updated with your progress.

[Outwest34au]

Thanks Bernie and Craig.
Euro 2 is also referred to as tier 3 or 4 maybe?
Paul is unsure if the bigger ford donk will fit in, I think he is trying to jam one in as we speak. The cost of sourcing a 2008 model engine and box will be prohibitive though. I assume the BA motor is only ADR 79/00, and the reason I assume this is because the 13ford help number was manned by someone who had NFI what emission standards applied to what motor. I should have just gone to a car yard and lifted bonnets and looked at plates.
The sad fact of the matter is,
I have tracked down torsional testing and fibreglass results,
I have a few very capable friends who (we think) could have the toy running and 99% setup by Xmas
We live far enough out in the country that we can do most testing here with a QT rep instead of hiring a racetrack 10 hours away (unconfirmed, but lead to believe so)
And the real sad bit, the paperwork would be the slowest part of the whole deal.

If we knew the paperwork could be expidited its just a matter of asking more mates and throwing more money at it to achieve a finished vehicle before xmas.

Has anyone that has had the QF1854 approved been allowed to continue as per previously agreed or has every poor bugga had to flog off the motor they already had fitted and double mortgage the house for a new powerplant?

Maybe if I leave the boot lid off I can get it passed as a 1937 Bitza pickup under hotrod regs, or do I have to have a blower hanging 4 foot out the bonnet to do that? ;-)~

[Tenrocca]

Originally Posted by Outwest34au

Paul is unsure if the bigger ford donk will fit in, I think he is trying to jam one in as we speak.

Why? For the sake of a ford badge on the engine its just not worth it. If you put a gen 3\4 next to a boss, and told a die hard ford guy they were both fords, and said install one in a cobra, he would pick the gen 3\4 every time. Blind loyalty can be just that...blind!

[400TT]

Well your engineer just has to be satisfied with his inspection(static, lane change, brake etc) and you just need him to submit the paperwork to QLD Transport before xmas to use the Ford 5lt. Then after some time QT approve the build on paper and you book and then take it for a QT pit inspection(which is just the standard roadworthy check).

We've got lots of guys here in the SE that are yet to finish their Cobra's and get engineer check. They are using old engines, so are planning to get engineer sign-off by xmas. We also have lots that have had engineer check and waiting on QT. QT takes months to handle the paperwork.

[schipps]

Outwest34AU,

Welcome to the forum,
Great to see another Qlder and central Qlder at that. I am in Bundaberg, building a Harrison Kit with the 6 litre Chev.
Good luck with the build

regards Mick

[boss290cobra]

andrew i seen both and am not an avid fan that would know the difference between a bb and a whatever but my choice side by side chev v ford boss definetly the wider choice,boss for me,if i was leaning toward price then the chevs would do it, but i think its like a match made in heaven, (almost like love and marriage,,oooops did i say that out loud )cobra and ford i meant, obviously not saying size is everything but the boss looks a sh#tload meaner than most of the newbies,only my choice though each to their own,but theyre are a tight squeeze got the scratches to prove it,,
cheers darrell

[sideshow]

does anyone know what hieght probs the ford 5.4 has

i wired a usa 4.6 quad cam into a cobra afew years ago

sump was only around 3 inches from the ground and at same time throttle body was abit above the bonnet line

i know aussie 5.4 doesnt have a hi inlet manifold

but also have heard the aussie quad cam heads are not as good as the usa 4.6 heads

[Rebel1]

Welcome to the funny farm Outwest34au.

Actually the choice to install a chev has nothing to do with price. It comes from ease of install, weight, standard performance and potential performance.

Would you believe that your's truly was installing a ford into the cobra and is by preference, a ford follower. In fact, I would say I put as much grief on the chev fellas as most anyone on this forum.

When I was confronted with the pending doom of the windsor based engines I had a tough decision....ford 4.6, 5.4 or a chev LS whatever.

When push comes to shove the LS covered all the bases but one. That is, it was not the traditional cobra power plant.

Now I'm not trying to talk you into a bow tie but what I am going to comment on is the sheer difficulty of fitting any engine into the tight confines of a cobra engine bay.

It is just mind boggling the number of issues you have to sort. Is there room for a good set of headers or do I have to squash the things up which defeats the purpose. Where is my alternator going to fit, what about my induction system....accelerator pedal.....what about engine alignment to the diff?. Can I change the plugs easy?. Are my foot boxes so small I can't pedal properly?.

I guess what I am saying is to try let go of the emotion and desire to have the biggest baddest engine you think you can shoe horn in.

If performance is what stirs your soul consider this.....History says some of the fastest performing cobras are not powered by the biggest baddest engines.

In fact, I'm gonna ruffle a few feathers and say the more money you pour at the engine the less likely you are going to be at the head of any performance based competition.

Welcome again.

[400TT]

Originally Posted by Rebel1

In fact, I'm gonna ruffle a few feathers and say the more money you pour at the engine the less likely you are going to be at the head of any performance based competition.

Well my brother won overall at the Cobra Nationals a few years ago with only 220rwhp. The more power you have, the harder and more of a handful the car is on the track and the less reliable it becomes. So no arguments from me.

Sideshow, it's not the height of the Boss that is the biggest problem...it's the width. At least with modern overhead cam engines they are easier to fit into tight spaces as the plugs are on top and the exhaust are underneath the heads.

[boss290cobra]

my bonnet has been modified with an extra bulge to the side of the existing one to accomodate the throttle body,as has the chassis ,good point rebel on the size of the foot boxes they are a weeeeee bit small,something i had overlooked,as for the biggest baddest ,or the meaner looking was only my choice and each to their own for which ever reason they have decided,as for who would be at the head of the performance queue dollars help but the driver plays the biggest part,though dollar for dollar chev v ford i,d like to see the outcome

cheers darrell

[Rebel1]

Well, I made a visit to that over rated swamp they call the gold coast today.

Visited Snakebite and Harrison.

Must say, there were a lot of those over wide fords going into Harrison kits.

[400TT]

Originally Posted by Rebel1

Well, I made a visit to that over rated swamp they call the gold coast today.

Just call me the swamp rat.

Les, let me know the next time you are down this way. Would be great to catch up and show you my latest projects. I'm about 5 mins from the Snake Bite & Harrison.

[Rebel1]

Yep, will do Craig.

Actually I do a lot of work down there, but am always on the run. For some reason I find all my appointments down there take longer than expected.

I worked all weekend so took the whole day off today. I was to see Don last Thursday so today was good to catch up with him. I also have a mate in Cairns who's considering buying a cobra so I dropped in to see Warwick for latest prices.

Cheers

[boss290cobra]

come on rebel you made the change to chev now you can change back ,give in to you wants, you now you,ll be a happier man,the wheels are in motion

[Rebel1]

Too late boss290, the windsor mounts have been cut off the chassis and replaced by chev friendly ones.

Must say the L76 looks good in there too. 6 ltrs of aluminium, about the same weight as a 302 windsor but developing 351W power.

Nice.....

[boss290cobra]

sounds like your already happy,is your diff a dana

[Rebel1]

3.31 sourced from a series 11 jag.

Where I differ from most is my use of a tremec 600, 5 speed. With the 3.31 and 5th gear at .86 it'll be doing about 2100rpm.

Exactly where I want it....just over where the cam will start to wake up.