Classic Glass Cobras

[C0braed]

Does anyone on here own or has worked on or driven one of these kits.
I have started putting the front end back on and to me the suspension geometry doesnt look right. The drivers side wheel when jacked up has a lot of caster but the passenger side doesnt. The drivers side tyre has been rubbing on the wheel well but the passenger side is the wheel that looks to be to far back. I tried to fit new coil overs on the front but the angles are so bad I think I would end up breaking a shock with the binding or it will flog out the bushes very quickly. What I looking for is some info from someone who has driven one or if they do require modifications to handle better as if that is the case I will put it back together so it can be pushed around till I am in my new shed and then do a body of restoration. I really want to get this baby on the road but I really want it to be right.

[Aussie Mike]

Does it use Jag front end components? You might have one of your arms around the wrong way or a mix of arms from different models. There are a few important differences between them that can be easily missed.

Cheers

[David Hodgson]

They do use Jag front and as Mike says, compare all components from side to side and check for ring-in components.

BJ's Snake has an Evan's - essentially identical to Classis Glass as the same guy designed both.

G-Force and RMC are also very similar.

[C0braed]

Yes its jag and the upper arms are the same on both sides but the shock mounts a fabricated if you can call it that and the alignment is very ordinary

[David Hodgson]

I recall about 10 years back a lot of the S.A guys with Classis and W.E were having issues with the upper control arm inner pivot mount fatiguing and one or two even broke away from the chassis.

Maybe yours has done this previously and had a bodgy repair throwing all the angles out. You should have a look there.

[Rebel1]

And check both lower arms are from the same series.

The upright lower ball joint is 0.25" further forward on the Mk 2 than on the Mk 1.

[Rebel1]

My last post has an influence on the caster but wont affect the shock binding.

Are the shocks fitted to a plate which is bolted underneath the lower control arm?.

[dadndave]

Mines a Classic Glaas factory build and yes I have the same problem. Just fitted new spax coil overs front and back. Yes front right hand jacked up and left hand side down. The problem is in the body. Its not symmetrical. Running yokohama 235/55 front it rubs, run toyo 235/50 no rub. Back yokohama 275/50 no rub, toyo 295/60 rubs only on the right under load. Has nothing to do with suspension set up, just stand at the front and look you'll see the body is off set to the left approx 10mm.
The only time I get rubbing is when load is on the front, ie dips in road surface or ridges. Just have to be aware of road conditions which sometimes takes the fun out of driving.
Considering minor guard mods or waiting until tyres wear down then replacing front with 215/55 yokos.

[C0braed]

Are the shocks fitted to a plate which is bolted underneath the lower control arm?.[/quote]

Yes they are and to fit the new shocks I have to open up the notch so it clears but the angle is wrong ang is putting a lot of tension on the shock so I will just make new lower brackets.
Mine has Yoko 235/60 on it now but I are replacing them anyway so will go with the 215/50 and see how it fits. Did you use shocks with bushes or eyelets

[Rebel1]

I used spax shocks with bushes. I also had to have plates custom fabricated.

Two reasons..first as you have found I had some binding of the bushes .... second I wanted the shock to bolt to the underside of that plate to increase the amount of shock travel.

In other words the shock body passes thru that plate and the bush is bolted under the plate.... not on top of the plate.

[C0braed]

Dadndave how do you find the car to drive as in is the steering heavy and or responsive or do you think it could be better. Overall how do you rate the car

[stephen low]

While we are on the subject, I seem to recall reading advice that suggested leaving at least one of the upper ball joint alignment spacers on the opposite side of the ball joint to the remaining spacer.

In my rebuild I've inadvertantly put all the spacers to the front.

Is this an issue or is it ok to do this? If an issue why?

[Rebel1]

Originally Posted by stephen low

While we are on the subject, I seem to recall reading advice that suggested leaving at least one of the upper ball joint alignment spacers on the opposite side of the ball joint to the remaining spacer.

In my rebuild I've inadvertantly put all the spacers to the front.

Is this an issue or is it ok to do this? If an issue why?

Slowy, I have a Jag workshop manual which states the adjustment of the upper ball joint is achieved by moving spacers from front to back or the reverse. However, there must be a total of three spacers.

All my spacers are on one side of the ball joint.

[dadndave]

CobraEd,
Steering very responsive ( more so with toyo tyres than yokohamas), doesn't wander or track. For road use front shocks set at 8 clicks ( Spax adjustable 28 settings), they still rub, but only as mentioned before on bottoming out.

I suppose engine size will affect also. Mine's a '65 289 windsor with alloy heads, manifold, headers. When all the original cast iron was replaced( roughly 200kg) front rose about 35mm so maybe you may need to lighten the front .

[C0braed]

I went with coil overs from Rod-Tech as these are fitted with a high speed valve which is better suited for street use than the adjustable race bred coil overs, (thats what I was told anyway) But the angle of both the upper and lower control arms seems unusual and the way the shock mounting bolts are angeled to each other instead of being parralel has me a bit concerned. Front end weight wont be a problem for me as the engine is all iron (for now anyway)

Cheers