Peoples thoughts on Australian Kits

[LoBelly]

Originally Posted by albanycobra

I know this is a bit left field but also consider the FFR complete kit Roadster....all I can say is value,value, value. Ask your Aussie kit suippliers for a matching qoute.

or maybe a quote.

Personally, if I were to do another cobra, I'd be looking very seriously at this option. (or a Kirkham - best value/ best car, or maybe both)

LoBelly

[400TT]

Can't argue with the recent sentiments. Don't limit yourself to just the local kits. There are plenty of fantastic options over in the USA. And it's quite often not hard to find someone local who is familiar with the make who can assist

I looked seriously in the USA and look at me now.

My advice is to attend club meetings & events. Talk to owners and previous owners of kits.

Sounds like you are doing a thorough research of the manufacturers, which is great.

This way you will get the right kit for you. Good luck with it.

I've owned three Cobra's and have loved all of them.

[wishfullthinkin]

WOW.

Thankyou so very much for everybody's help and advise, i wasn't really sure how a thread like this would turn out. I am into rc cars as well and if i asked the same question about chassis and kits on that forum it would have gone like this one did for about five minutes then turn into a mines better argument. I guess there is a bit more cash tied up in these though. Everybody is willing to help out.

I'm not sure if this is a good thing or not, i am a spare parts interpreter at a local spare parts shop, do you guys think this will be a help or hinderance in getting some of the bits and pieces. Personally i would have thought it would help, or am i better off just going through the kit manufacturer for the parts.

My final question for today is about engines. Because i can source a lot of engine parts ( i could build an engine from a bare block ) am i going to be restrained by the law? By this i mean are vic roads going to can me because i don't use a built motor out of a donor car?

[alffie]

You wont be able to build an engine cheaper than a crate motor!! Your choices are very limited, its either LS series engines or the Ford boss series, Iam not sure if you will ready in time to use a 5L windsor.
There are holden dealers around that have been selling LS2s under $5000 brand new and T56 for $2500.
The main reason I went with a CR is because all the parts are brand new and the body is all one piece. No mater which kit you get you will have some issues you will need to sort out along the way.
Ive also found that the kit makers arent that more expensive for the parts, by the time you find someone else withe the parts they often turn out to be similar in price.
Getting a roller will save you a lot of time and work, get a painter lined up now so when you get the kit he will take it straight away, otherwise you will be waiting a while for paint.

[Aussie Mike]

Emissions compliance is going to get you on the motor. You need to use a motor that is compliant to the current emissions specs which means sourcing something late model and using the ECU and assosiated emissions controls, cats etc.

You should speak to an engineer on this one or perhaps someone here can chime in with the current state of play in Victoria. You will probably find it's easiest to source a complete crate motor or pick up the drive train from a wrecked late model.

Depending on the parts you will probably be able to souce them cheaper yourself. If you are buing them from the kit manufacturer they will add their markup on them. There will be plenty of people one here with sources for parts at the right price.

As far as a mines better argument I think you will find most Cobra enthusiasts are fairly mature and realise that each kit has its plusses and minuses. There's things in each kit that I like and things I don't but I dont think it does any good to bash others cars.

Cheers

[400TT]

Or on the flip side you could buy an older Cobra and restore it. The emissions rules have been slowly getting more restrictive. A lot of older Cobra's were built during a period where emissions were less restrictive even to the point of carby engines. Even if the 2nd Cobra doesn't have the engine you desire, you can swap to any other engine of the same emission level. This is certainly the easiest way to build a big block Cobra and the only way in VIC.

It all comes down to year of first registration. Even if the Cobra is not currently registered, if you have the paperwork for the original registration you are good to go.

You can source 2nd hand Cobra's from any state as the states have a recipricol agreement on rego, but you may need to make some changes. e.g. WA cars have an exemption for running side pipes, so technically you would need to run an under body exhaust in VIC. From my experience VIC is straight forward when it comes to interstate rego transfer.

2nd hand Cobra's have been increasing in value over the years, but there are still good buys out there. Certainly in the fixer upper category.

Also the manufacturers have been slowly introducing updates and new Cobra models over the years. But in all honesty some of the older models make excellent street cruisers. And even today at the Cobra Nationals, some very old, very modest models still top the placings. So they perform as well.

Most Cobra's, if not nearly all will have modification plates with ICV codes on them. Very few have true manufacturer compliance plates, but they do exist. If you look at enough local Superformance Cobra's you will find compliance plate cars.

So lots of options.

[albanycobra]

Or on the flip side you could buy an older Cobra and restore it. The emissions rules have been slowly getting more restrictive. A lot of older Cobra's were built during a period where emissions were less restrictive even to the point of carby engines. Even if the 2nd Cobra doesn't have the engine you desire, you can swap to any other engine of the same emission level. This is certainly the easiest way to build a big block Cobra and the only way in VIC.

This is very true. I am doing exactly that with a 1991 Westfield I bought.
It was registered with a 2ltr Escort motor and went over the pits back then with a side draught 45mm DCOE weber....try doing that now.....I have pulled the Escort motor and fitted a turbo charged 4g63B motor with Motec M4 ECU.

I have retained the required Emissions at time of rego which was a Charcoal cannister. So I guess I'm fully legal Officer.....

[400TT]

Originally Posted by albanycobra

I have pulled the Escort motor and fitted a turbo charged 4g63B motor with Motec M4 ECU.

Dave you are one extreme individual, I can only imagine the power to weight ratio. Now that's what I call an engine upgrade.

[NASSTY]

Originally Posted by wishfullthinkin

WOW.

My final question for today is about engines. Because i can source a lot of engine parts ( i could build an engine from a bare block ) am i going to be restrained by the law? By this i mean are vic roads going to can me because i don't use a built motor out of a donor car?

G'day wishfullthinkin and welcome to the forum.

I went through the rego process a year ago in Vic. The easiest route to rego in Victoria is:

Choose an engineer and have a long chat to them. They're not all the same and they all interpret the rules slightly differently.

Engine wise you're restricted to late model donor engines. So either Ford 5.4 or Chev Ls2. If you are to built your own engine then you will need to have it fully tested for emmissions which is prohibative. A donor engine has already been certified by the factory so a simple static emission test is all they need for rego. Cheap and easy process. I think it cost me $50 and 1/2 hr.

Lastly, the cost of engineering varies significantly if the engineer wants to test the chassis or not. This depends on whether they have engineered the same kit before, the said kit is largely built to the same specs as the ones they have previously tested or whether the engineer is prepared to rely on another engineers testing, assuming the testing/drawings are made available to you. This is perhaps the main reason to go with an Aust product. An overseas product may easily pass engineering but if the engineer wants to test it then it will be more expensive to pass. The difference may be anywhere from $1000-$2000 to at least twice or more if the engineer wants to do a full set of drawings/tests.

Happy hunting!

[stiffy]

Hey Wishfullthinking,


I agree totally with NASSTY, I was at the engineers again yesterday (Enkleman's) the same one NASSTY used and alot of other Cobra builders.

They know the cars and they are easy to deal with. There are alot of great kits available now, come and look at them in the flesh, they all have for's and against it depends on the style you are after. I have a Ford powered Cobra and a Chev powered Daytona, they are both great engines, unfortunately the Chev was the only option as there were size issues (but what an engine stock).

Good Luck


STIFFY

[DaveW]

i thought Harrisons was the FFR ?, is there another way to do a RHD FFR ?

[DaveW]

OK answered my own lack of knowledge, had a look at their website again and they do their own but are also agents for FFR,
Has anyone done an FFR RHD conversion ?

[albanycobra]

I have a done a RHD conversion on a Coupe which is basically the same chassis as a Roadster. You use a Cortina TE/ TF steering rack and a few bits from summit....a bit of welding and you have a RHD FFR.

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[albanycobra]

Dave you are one extreme individual

Ha ha ha I know, maybe I'm my own worst enemy.... Actually I want to ditch the 4g63 and fit a 13B turbo bridge port rotary motor. I just can't get the acceleration I'm looking for from the 4g63. I have a hybrid T3/T04 ball bearing turbo ,15psi boost ,full forged internals and ARP every bolt you can and still I just want more.....She spins the wheels 1st-2nd-3rd but I want more...and I think a 450hp Rotor will do the job I want in my 650kg Clubby.

[DaveW]

Dave, what about pedal box and mastercyls etc did you just mirror mountings on the other side, and for engineering, does the rack have to go through any special treatment or is it a RHD version of what would normally fit in the coup.
Pics look great by the way

regards

Dave

[albanycobra]

No special Engineering as you only have to redrill one hole to mount the rack in the same location as original. The TE Cortina rod ends fit into the Mustang uprights with little spacers that extend the rack (something the Clubman Boys do all the time with their +100 cars so getting them was easy.

I used a Falcon steering column, but you can use any Aussie column. But yeah I just mirrored the left side with pedals and such. The kit comes with Wilwood pedals and mastercylinders which are quite universal. No serious frame mods. All very easy and I had no troubles registering the car as FFR fit approved side intrusion and so on.....