Newbie to this forum; Best & strongest Cobra frame?

[Roger Upton]

Saint

If you are wanting to race your kit you need to buy Herb Adams book Chassis Engineering. It is published by HPBooks - 1055. I purchased my copy at Barns & Noble. I use it to try and explain chassis engineering to people. Read chapters 7, 9, 11 and 12. You really need to read this book before purchasing a kit.

In simple terms take a ladder and grab one end and have a buddy grab the other and try and twist it then build a upper structure to it and try again. I single plane frame that is not honeycomb, can not resist twisting.
If you lay two frame tubes down then connect them with cross members, when you push up or down on one corner like the suspension would. You are now putting the main frame rails mostly in beaming strength not twisting. To have the main frame rail in mostly twisting strength you would have to have only one frame rail. Like one axle or one drive shaft. Round tubing resist twisting better than square or rectangular tubing and square or rectangular tubing resist beaming better than round. This is why NASCAR chassis have rectangular main frame rails and the roll cage is not only for driver protection but also chassis rigidity. That is way it extends from the front to the rear of the chassis.

Ideally you want your front and rear camber gain to be equal to body roll minus tire sidewall flex. You need a negative camber gain. Be sure to watch out for bump steer scrub radius. Also make sure the shocks and also the brake rotors are out of the way of heat from the radiator and engine.

Good luck with your kit.

Roger N. Upton