SC 540 Build Photos

[tabey25]

Hi I have just bought the cobra540, now waiting for the donor car to come up, what year falcon did you get I have been told you can go back three years from the date you take on the new one ADR rules we pay a big part in the build i will need to look for a 2005 2006 2007 modle Cant wait to get started.

[WKB]

Tabey25
You made a good choice getting the SC 540. You will find it is easy to build and will come together pretty quick. Even if you haven't got you doner car there is a fair bit of work that you can do.
I used a 2006 BF. At this stage in Queensland we can use all of the BA/BF models from 2003.
Don't just look at the Melbourne auctions, Adelaide and Sydney are close enough that the transports cost are reasonable.
Is your kit from Copycat cars or DRB Sportscar?

I will add some more updated pictures this week.

Warren

[macloft]

Hi Warren Great looking car and the time its taking you shows how well the kit must be put together.
Makes me think about the skills of the peron(s) who originally made the kit. They must have developed the body off pictures (would ford have lent them a mould doubt it) through computer rendering, then transposed the BA parts onto the kit. Doubt if ford gave him these drawings either so he would have measured them all. Then hours of work taking the computer drawings and turning them into reality.
There are some clever bastards out there (like Fastpatrick on another thread here) I take my hat off to them.
Bruce

[Towmaster]

I think the kit was developed by the one and only Denis R Bedford..... or DRB for short.....
Towmaster..

[Mrs flatchat]

The "540" is one of Denis' best creations -- its brilliant!

This'll get you motivated :-

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/864433...rs_info20_com/

[WKB]

Bruce,
You just can't imagine how skilled Denis is until you see this kit and the way it goes together.

Warren

[fox123]

My kit is ready for pickup 5th Jan. I have just put a hoist in my shed on the weekend. I,ve got a donar car 2003 BA GT. It's all happening. I will keep in touch

[Tatsushige]

New to the Site.

I was looking up Custom Chassis on the net for a home project when I came across this build and I have to say I am impressed.

Very much so that I am interested in buying a kit.

I have built a AC Cobra in 1993 back in Perth, but now I have 2 problems


1) I live in Japan since 2003 (Own a Aussie Meat Pie Company here)
2) We do not have Ford Falcons here


So I like to know how easy would it be to custom the chassis to accept the parts of a Toyota Crown Majesta including a Toyota VVT-i 5.0l V8, a Getrag 6 speed gearbox etc.

[WKB]

Hi Tatsushige,
The kit uses most of the required the parts from a BA/BF Falcon. All the mounting points are in the chassis to accept the Falcon parts which includes suspension, complete drive train, dash, wiring harness.
Anything is possible with kitcars so modifing the chassis to accept local parts would be a challenge. The 5 ltr V8 toyota motor would be a nice engine to use.
DRB Sportcars builds these kits( www.drbsportscars.com ). Send them a email and tell them what you would like do to. There is a guy on the Gold Coast that gets wrecked falcons and sells them even in a stripped down version for the 540 ( http://clubcobra.com/forums/showthread.php?t=94669 ).

What are the rules for kitcars in Japan like(emissions, design rules etc)

Warren

[Tatsushige]

G'day Warren,

Thanks for the information. Sent an Email off to DRBsportcars about the kit, no reply back yet.

I like the XR8 Dash so will try and see if I can find one on eBay, but the Sat Nav, Instrument Cluster, Climate Control etc would be from Toyota or Custom built.

Ordering in a Lamborghini Miura replica from the UK at the moment that will run a 3.5l VVT-i V6 through a 6 Speed Getrag transaxle, sorting out Toyota parts for that.

The 540 will be the next project so it gives me time to sort out customizing the chassis, if I can get one and have it shipped to Japan.



Kit cars in Japan are a pain, You can order built cars in from overseas as long as they are licensed in the country they came from and then there is no problems about emission or anything.

BUT if you build yourself you need to get a Manufactures license like what Toyota, Mitsuoka, Honda all hold, you have to have the chassis and body approved, it must meet Japan’s STRICT emission laws, You really need to jump through hoops here.

Back in 1996 when I was here, there were 3 USA Lamborghini Replica Companies who opened up their doors in Tokyo and within 18 months they all closed up shop. The cost of their Lamborghini Replicas were about $80,000 fully built; you could have brought a new Lexus LS400 for $60,000. So no one wanted to buy a replica with second hand parts when they can buy a new Lexus.




There are a lot of Cobras here in Japan all imported from the USA, and so many people believe they own a GENIUNE Shelby Cobra. Because the person that sold them it said it was. I have told 2 people they have REPLICAS only but they do not believe me…

[SoTxButler]

Great looking car...keep the pictures coming.

[Mrs flatchat]

ABS, track control, fly by wire, climate control, electric windows............