Club Cobra Gas - N Exhaust  

Go Back   Club Cobra > Manufacturers, Engine Builders, tools, and parts. > BackDraft Racing ---

MMG Superformance
Nevada Classics
Keith Craft Racing
Main Menu
Module Jump:
Nevada Classics
Nevada Classics
MMG Superformance
Keith Craft Racing
Advertise at CC
Banner Ad Rates
Keith Craft Racing
MMG Superformance
MMG Superformance
Keith Craft Racing
March 2024
S M T W T F S
          1 2
3 4 5 6 7 8 9
10 11 12 13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20 21 22 23
24 25 26 27 28 29 30
31            

Kirkham Motorsports

Like Tree3Likes
  • 2 Post By cycleguy55
  • 1 Post By eunosracr

Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Rate Thread Display Modes
  #1 (permalink)  
Old 06-09-2016, 05:00 AM
tocheck's Avatar
CC Member
Visit my Photo Gallery

 
Join Date: May 2016
Cobra Make, Engine: Backdraft, small block
Posts: 43
Not Ranked     
Default Front ride height. How low is too low?

I've had my Backdraft for a little over a month and am trying to get everything sorted out. The previous owner had apparently raised the front ride height about 3/4". The car seems to sit a little nose high for my taste. I would like to lower the front, but currently I only have 3" clearance from the oil pan to ground.

How low is too low?

Will the additional camber from lowering it down be excessive?

Does changing the ride height change the ride quality?

Any advice on this?
Reply With Quote
  #2 (permalink)  
Old 06-09-2016, 07:46 AM
CC Member
Visit my Photo Gallery

 
Join Date: Oct 2014
Cobra Make, Engine: FFR fat block tko 600 9"
Posts: 191
Not Ranked     
Default

Speed bumps, curb stops in parking lots, driveways vs. the body and oil pan.
__________________
If aliens are so smart, why do they always choose to talk to guys named Bubba?
Reply With Quote
  #3 (permalink)  
Old 06-09-2016, 10:44 AM
CC Member
Visit my Photo Gallery

 
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Tampa, Fl
Cobra Make, Engine: Backdraft 347
Posts: 38
Not Ranked     
Default

I have about 1 and 1/2 fingers above tire just make sure lower part of nose clears speed bump
Reply With Quote
  #4 (permalink)  
Old 06-09-2016, 10:50 AM
CC Member
Visit my Photo Gallery

 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Bay Area (Peninsula), CA
Cobra Make, Engine: ERA 427, 427/487 side-oiler
Posts: 1,248
Not Ranked     
Default

And put clear helicopter tape along the front/bottom. It saved me from many scrapes.
Reply With Quote
  #5 (permalink)  
Old 06-09-2016, 11:08 AM
Winchester67's Avatar
CC Member
Visit my Photo Gallery

 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Cobra Make, Engine: Backdraft #91 with 345 HP 302
Posts: 181
Not Ranked     
Default

Low is cool looking, no doubt. But I drive my car around town, not around a track. I would leave it as is for a while...I bet the former owner jacked it up a bit for practical reasons, not for show. Since it is still new to you, I would keep driving it a while before I decided.
Reply With Quote
  #6 (permalink)  
Old 06-09-2016, 11:28 AM
cycleguy55's Avatar
CC Member
Visit my Photo Gallery

 
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: White City, SK
Cobra Make, Engine: West Coast, 460 CID
Posts: 2,844
Not Ranked     
Default

When I had a new oil pan built for mine, it was carefully measured, then built, so the bottom of the pan is 1/4" above the bottom of the frame rails. The bellhousing is lower, but it's better able to take a hit from a speed bump than a sheet metal oil pan.
__________________
Brian
Reply With Quote
  #7 (permalink)  
Old 06-09-2016, 12:37 PM
RACERAL's Avatar
CC Member
Visit my Photo Gallery

 
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Stoneville,NC, NC
Cobra Make, Engine: Factory 5 mk4 445 FE
Posts: 1,623
Not Ranked     
Default

3" ain't much... I would not drop the front any lower. Besides.. the Cobras normally have a front up look. Just as long as the top of the tire to the bottom of the wheel well opening is about a finger,,, that's about right to me anyway.
__________________
-----------------------
Thanks,
Al Adkins
Stoneville,NC

My ex car. Sad to see it go.
http://www.ffcars.com/POM/nov2003pom.JPG
Reply With Quote
  #8 (permalink)  
Old 06-09-2016, 04:58 PM
Dwight's Avatar
Senior Club Cobra Member
Visit my Photo Gallery

 
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Florence, AL
Cobra Make, Engine: RCR GT 40 & 1966 Fairlane 390 5 speed
Posts: 4,511
Not Ranked     
Smile

what oil pan do you have?

Dwight
__________________
''Life's tough.....it's even tougher if you're stupid.'' ~ John Wayne
"Happiness Is A Belt-Fed Weapon"
life's goal should be; "to be smarter than inanimate objects"
Reply With Quote
  #9 (permalink)  
Old 06-10-2016, 05:39 AM
CC Member
Visit my Photo Gallery

 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 122
Not Ranked     
Default

Get Armando's oil pan. Gave me almost 3 more inches of clearance.
Reply With Quote
  #10 (permalink)  
Old 06-10-2016, 08:12 AM
CC Member
Visit my Photo Gallery

 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Cobra Make, Engine: FFR
Posts: 388
Not Ranked     
Default

Can you post a pic so we can see the stance? You may need a different oil pan so you can drop the nose down a little. My oil pan is about 3.5 inches off the ground and I have to be really careful on speed bumps and watch out for potholes. My front spoiler used to be at 3" but I had to trim it up slightly due to hitting driveway entrances and the like.
Reply With Quote
  #11 (permalink)  
Old 06-10-2016, 09:59 AM
tocheck's Avatar
CC Member
Visit my Photo Gallery

 
Join Date: May 2016
Cobra Make, Engine: Backdraft, small block
Posts: 43
Not Ranked     
Default

There are some pictures in my album.

Starting to think lowering it would be a big mistake.
Reply With Quote
  #12 (permalink)  
Old 06-10-2016, 11:25 AM
cycleguy55's Avatar
CC Member
Visit my Photo Gallery

 
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: White City, SK
Cobra Make, Engine: West Coast, 460 CID
Posts: 2,844
Not Ranked     
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by eunosracr View Post
Get Armando's oil pan. Gave me almost 3 more inches of clearance.
Armando built my pan. Great work. Highly recommended.

tocheck: Tell Armando you want a Cobra-style road racing oil pan for your SBF. It's not listed on the Web page, but he will custom build whatever you want.

I took front and rear oil pan rail measurements on my BBF to a straightedge across the bottom of the frame rails, then subtracted 1/4" to get the bottom of the pan at that level, and that's what Armando built. He also installed drain plugs front right and left side rear in order to properly and completely drain the sump, plus he installed a bung in the pan for an oil temperature gauge, as well as a dipstick fitting.

I almost forgot, the pan will come with a matching pickup. In my case I was switching from front sump to rear sump, so I also needed to change the pump and add a main bearing stud with provision for the pickup attachment.

Link to Armando's Road Racing oil pans: Road race oil pan
eunosracr and SGwick like this.
__________________
Brian

Last edited by cycleguy55; 06-10-2016 at 11:28 AM..
Reply With Quote
  #13 (permalink)  
Old 06-10-2016, 11:49 AM
CC Member
Visit my Photo Gallery

 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 122
Not Ranked     
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by cycleguy55 View Post
Armando built my pan. Great work. Highly recommended.

tocheck: Tell Armando you want a Cobra-style road racing oil pan for your SBF. It's not listed on the Web page, but he will custom build whatever you want.

I took front and rear oil pan rail measurements on my BBF to a straightedge across the bottom of the frame rails, then subtracted 1/4" to get the bottom of the pan at that level, and that's what Armando built. He also installed drain plugs front right and left side rear in order to properly and completely drain the sump, plus he installed a bung in the pan for an oil temperature gauge, as well as a dipstick fitting.

I almost forgot, the pan will come with a matching pickup. In my case I was switching from front sump to rear sump, so I also needed to change the pump and add a main bearing stud with provision for the pickup attachment.

Link to Armando's Road Racing oil pans: Road race oil pan
I took this advice and bought Armando's oil pan. Best money ive spent on the car yet. The extra 3 inches of clearance makes a world of difference.
cycleguy55 likes this.
Reply With Quote
  #14 (permalink)  
Old 06-10-2016, 12:14 PM
tocheck's Avatar
CC Member
Visit my Photo Gallery

 
Join Date: May 2016
Cobra Make, Engine: Backdraft, small block
Posts: 43
Not Ranked     
Default

I will check it out.

Thanks all.
Reply With Quote
  #15 (permalink)  
Old 06-10-2016, 02:38 PM
CC Member
Visit my Photo Gallery

 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Cobra Make, Engine: FFR
Posts: 388
Not Ranked     
Default

In looking at your pics it does look like your car is slightly raised in the front. A custom pan would help or if there is room in the tunnel you could raise the motor mount height.
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes Rate This Thread
Rate This Thread:

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On



All times are GMT -7. The time now is 02:14 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.0
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Search Engine Friendly URLs by vBSEO 3.6.0
The representations expressed are the representations and opinions of the clubcobra.com forum members and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and viewpoints of the site owners, moderators, Shelby American, any other replica manufacturer, Ford Motor Company. This website has been planned and developed by clubcobra.com and its forum members and should not be construed as being endorsed by Ford Motor Company, or Shelby American or any other manufacturer unless expressly noted by that entity. "Cobra" and the Cobra logo are registered trademarks for Ford Motor Co., Inc. clubcobra.com forum members agree not to post any copyrighted material unless the copyrighted material is owned by you. Although we do not and cannot review the messages posted and are not responsible for the content of any of these messages, we reserve the right to delete any message for any reason whatsoever. You remain solely responsible for the content of your messages, and you agree to indemnify and hold us harmless with respect to any claim based upon transmission of your message(s). Thank you for visiting clubcobra.com. For full policy documentation refer to the following link: CC Policy
Links monetized by VigLink