SC 540 Build Photos

[Rob. Smith]

Go to a wreckers. Those blokes fiddle with everything. Look for the bloke with bits missing (eye, teeth, fingers) he's either an airbag expert or a suspension expert.

[AC-460]

Hey Warren
Hows the build going????
Mine should be ready to be picked up early March I'm getting itchy feet cant wait Have you any up to date photo's????
Cheers Mark

[WKB]

Getting down to last couple jobs I can do. These should be finished in the next week or 2, then off to painter in April(I hope). I will post some pictures of the finished car before it goes of the paintshop.

Have your ordered all the other parts that were not included in the kit?
Do you know what chassis number you are getting? Are you going to pick it up or going to have it delivered.

If you can get a fuel tank grab one as they are as scarce as rocking horse p**p.

Warren Bassett

[AC-460]

Warren
Peter assured me He'd have all the rest of the bits in stock when I go up to pick the car up....At this stage I'll be building my own custom fuel tank...
I would like to try and make it taller and not come back as far to try an increase my boot size I'll have to step the pump down in the tank and put the filler in the side.... I'll post some photo's after I've done it
Cheers Mark

[AC-460]

Warren
I just emailed Peter
It will be end of march... My car number will be 54003200916
Just decifering this number I'd say its a 540 3 month 2009 car 16
Man these things must be taking off 16 cars in 3 months.... I wonder how long it will be before someone gets on the wagon and copies them
Cheers Mark

[WKB]

Mark,
When you build your fuel tank don't make it to tall and make sure you can get enough fall from the filler cap to the tank. I fabricated all the parts today I needed to get the fuel from the filler to the tank and there wasn't much fall on the filler pipe. Couldn't get any closer to the tank and really couldn't go much higher on the filler. I am happy I didn't need to put an unleaded filler adapter as I might have had a major problem.

Warren

[AC-460]

Warren
I suppose I'll find all these things out when I get the car... Does your fuel filler go down through the top of the tank or in through the side? It can go half way down the side of the tank as long as the breather comes out the top (of the end or on top 5/8 hose) the tank will fill fine. Which means you could probably take the tank right up to 100mm down from the top. Its also a good Idea to have another chamber tank built on top of the tank with a small hole ie.1/4 hole between the main tank and the chamber tank on top. The chamber tank also needs an air bleed in the top. What the chamber tank does is allow fuel to drain out of the filler neck into the chamber tank so you haven't got fuel right at the cap. As the main tank empties the chamber tank drains. All modern cars use this concept thats why when you fill the tank its full but then air comes back up and leaves the filler neck empty... unless you keep clicking it to fill it right up. The tank also needs a baffle in front of the filler entry point into the tank to stop fuel surging up the filler pipe.. It's even more nessecary when the cap isn't that much higher than the tank
Anyway it's all fun and games

Cheers Mark

[paul68]

Hi new to site,
Ordered a drb 540 in early feb and have to wait til early may. the wait is killing me as the xr8 is in the shed waiting.

[Tatsushige]

Got a reply from DRB about the 540. They said no chance in hell of their chassis using Toyota Parts.

SoI have 3 Options

Option 1
I will need to order in the Body/Chassis and then also have a Falcon shipped to Japan. BUT I do not think Japan will let me import a wrecked Falcon from what I have been reading on the net.

Option 2
Order in the Body/Chassis and then tear it apart and take it to a R&D here and have them redesign the Chassis to suit all Toyota Parts

Option 3
Have a Turnkey built in OZ by someone and then ship the car to Japan.



Stuck between a rock and a hard place!

[*Cobber*]

Just get the kit packaged up with the running gear and dash etc you need and then put your 5 lt 2UR GSE and getrag 6 speed in. The Toyota 5lt v8 engines are awesome.

[Tatsushige]

Just email DRB about getting them to build the car minus the Gearbox and the Engine ....

All fun and games here with kit cars

Can ship in a New Falcon or Used but wrecked NOPE


A few things I will change on the Car



LED Blinkers in the Head light unit as the Cobra Concept
Lexus Style tail lights but on the side of the tail lights in the black area install Blinkers and Reverse lights.

[macloft]

Option 4
Buy Warrens off him and he can build another one. He is getting very good at building cars now. He probabaly wants to build a GTM or GT40 anyway
Bruce

[Tatsushige]

Yes could go option 4, but I am chasing a Toyota Engine and 6 speed Getrag box.

[WKB]

Bruce,
I build them and keep them. I was looking at a GT40, but I might be to tall to fit. I did hear a rumour that a Ford GT is being developed into a kit car locally. A couple of years away yet, but if it is a goer could be the next one. These will bigger and my wife likes the look of it which helps the cause.

Tatsushige
Like Cobber suggested get a roller with a dash then fit the Toyota equipment

Warren

[Tatsushige]

I have email DRB back about a roller with dash and waiting on a reply.

Just lookin up AC cobras here and they sell for about $35k for rubbish to $80k for close to newly build, all are replicas using 2nd hand parts and all LHD from the US.

I think if DRB did turnkey and got them licensed in OZ he could sell in Japan for about $80K to $100K.

Once I can sort out getting one in and building it .. I will find out how much she will sell for and then decided if to sell and build another and make a little dosh.

[Rotty]

Warren, new here..mainly joined as I have seen pictures of the DRB 540 (and Cobra Concept pictures) and have fallen in love with it...I am going to drop by DRB in the next few weeks for a chat, and see whats what as the DRB website doesn't have a lot of info. I'm interested in your build as you mentioned fitting a hardtop and power windows? If I get my a$$ into gear and get one it will be a daily driver...so I want to prevent weather such as of late coming down on my head....I'd love to see what you're doing with yours when it's out and about....

[paul68]

Hi nice looking car i think. i'm picking my DRB540 up on monday if i can get into the factory without getting washed away.check my gallery for some photos of how it looks before the body goes on.

[albanycobra]

`Wow that 540 chassis looks awesome, I wonder if DRB will ever do a version of their GT40 chassis in Alloy.....

[WKB]

Hi Rotty,
DRB have finished there demonstrator which they used to devolop all the parts required to build the car and is currently at the painters.
The factory car has the window hardware fitted to the doors. The aircon/heater unit is also fitted.
As it uses most of the mechanical parts from a XR8 Falcon it should be a good daily drive.
With all the parts now available from DRB to build the car the construction can be quick. I know of one in Victoria that got delivered in February, he received his VIN number a couple of weeks ago and has been driving it on the road with a permit.
Although the construction of my car is pretty well complete I am just waiting for some final measurements so I can finish cutting the required holes in the doors for the window hardware and the fitting kit for the aircon so I can then send it to the painters.

What area are you from?

Paul,
You should be right for Monday as the weather looks like it will be OK. Just watch out for the potholes around Brisbane as a lot of cars are damaging tyres in them.

Albanycobra,
If you want an AC cobra with aluminium monocoque chassis I heard there is a new factory on the Gold Coast making body chassis units.
Also there could be a next generation Daytona with an aluminium chassis that is not that far away from production.

Warren

[fox123]

My 540 kit is ready for collection the 5th Jan. I'm thinking about trying to get the chassis clear coated. what do you reackon and do you know anyone who has done this to an aluminium chassis.