LeMans Hardtop for ERA - Page 3

dcdoug · #41 (**permalink**) 09-22-2010, 08:19 AM

Nice job Allen!

ERA Chas · #42 (**permalink**) 09-22-2010, 08:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fullchat289

....I can take more detailed shots later if someone has a specific request.
- Allen.

Lower the ride height by two inches first.

Fullchat289 · #43 (**permalink**) 09-22-2010, 09:51 AM

Guys...Thanks for the kudos.

Three Peaks: I'll live w/o a trunk for a bit until I lay the car up for Winter. Then I'll undertake the trunk splitting project as per the original Lemans Top wearing cars..Also, take a look on the first page of this thread where I have a pic of the roll bar relative to the roof....I haven't specifically measured it, but I'm guessing around 1-1.25" or so.

ERA Chas: I would love to lower the car a bit, but I'm at the limit of the free spring length, especially in the rear (not sure about the front)..I don't like having the springs fall off the perches at full rebound. I'm guessing the car would need new coilovers to appease...

- Allen.

Excaliber · #44 (**permalink**) 09-22-2010, 10:56 AM

As far as lowering it goes, you also need to strike a balance between the street and track performance. While I am doing some additional "track worthy" mods to my car I have no plans to lower it because I DO drive on the street mostly.

Gotta find that balance between the two.

ERA Chas · #45 (**permalink**) 09-22-2010, 02:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fullchat289

ERA Chas: I would love to lower the car a bit, but I'm at the limit of the free spring length, especially in the rear (not sure about the front)..I don't like having the springs fall off the perches at full rebound. I'm guessing the car would need new coilovers to appease...
- Allen.

Allen-
Not sure I'm understanding your explanation-about the free spring length and perches. Lowering happens by screwing the shock body into the coil-but no matter, call Bob for the exact procedure. There are numerous FIA's leaving ERA with the same coilovers as yours that have 2" less ride height.
The importance is you'll have no front contact patch over 100MPH with the front lift and drag of these cars. Makes for very scary light steering.
My oil pan is 3 5/8" off the ground in street and track driving-for the last 18 years. You will not be in danger and in fact gain better control.
And, you car is a great looking combination-just get the 'ERA stance' and it'll be killer.

Fullchat289 · #46 (**permalink**) 09-29-2010, 11:18 AM

Made it back safe and sound from the Dragon around 2:00pm this past Sunday. The Lemans Top performed flawlessly.

A brief trip report can be found here:

http://www.clubcobra.com/forums/show...69#post1080869

- Allen.

ERA Chas · #47 (**permalink**) 09-29-2010, 03:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fullchat289

The Lemans Top performed flawlessly.

- Allen.

Great-the top works 'flawlessly'. So you will ignore the lowering idea? The car's about to tip over on that uphill, off-camber sweep. And you're not going fast....

Cobra Pack · #48 (**permalink**) 10-11-2010, 05:36 PM

Allen's LeMans top is very nice. I got a ride in his car at lunch. I'm glad he didn't have a video camera. Getting in the car was a bit of a challenge for me at 6'5" - I dove in head first :-) . I was very impressed by the amount of headroom once in the car. It was rock solid on the highway too.

Very nice car Allen!

Mike

JBCOBRA · #49 (**permalink**) 10-13-2010, 05:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fullchat289

Made it back safe and sound from the Dragon around 2:00pm this past Sunday. The Lemans Top performed flawlessly.

A brief trip report can be found here:

http://www.clubcobra.com/forums/show...69#post1080869

- Allen.

Excellent Picture!

*13* · #50 (**permalink**) 10-13-2010, 06:43 AM

Cool stuff! Hows the noise? Does it reverberate in there?

Fullchat289 · #51 (**permalink**) 10-13-2010, 07:15 AM

Hyde:

I'm actually quite suprised with the lack of "reverb". Maybe it's the contour of top and how the sound bounces around, or maybe it's the fact that I haven't fashioned side curtains yet and have been running it with open sides, or maybe the holes I cut in the rear screen have an affect....or maybe it's the passengers with mouths open in fright whose lungs are acting as Helmholtz resonators???

I've experienced the closed cabin "reverb" in my MGB, so I know how a top can produce this issue...Do you notice a substantial difference when running your soft top? Are you running open pipes or ERA's "quiet" pipes? Just as a note, my car is running ERA's "quiet" pipes, they aren't open. When Mike Pack rode in the car, he mentioned that the exhaust music was relatively muted compared to his 289 kirkham..

- Allen.

*13* · #52 (**permalink**) 10-13-2010, 07:52 AM

I run the glass pack type which allows me to get quietly out o the neighborhood. If you open it up at all the world knows your "here". With the bare interior, nothing is quiet. The soft top doesn't reverberate but doesn't do too much dampening either. The Lemans top looks great! Even if it was noisy I'm sure you could line it with a thin layer of something. Not that were going for creature comfort anyway...

mr bruce · #53 (**permalink**) 10-13-2010, 07:55 AM

When I designed the LeMans top to fit the ERA cars I spent hundreds of thousands of hours and dollers in the sound chamber to minimize the reverbarations, glad that all the R+D work paid off with minimal reverb.

ZOERA-SC7XX · #54 (**permalink**) 10-13-2010, 09:20 AM

I'd be interested in the LeMans style for my ERA 427, but I'm not willing to cut up my trunk. Can you make/modify the type with the lifting rear window similar to The BB unit? I'm just sick of not being able to drive my Cobra in the cold weather.

Fullchat289 · #55 (**permalink**) 10-13-2010, 09:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mr bruce

When I designed the LeMans top to fit the ERA cars I spent hundreds of thousands of hours and dollers in the sound chamber to minimize the reverbarations, glad that all the R+D work paid off with minimal reverb.

The only thing more impressive than Mr. Bruce's spotless R&D facility and advanced anachoic chambers complete with rolling road dyno, is his temperature and humidity controlled wind tunnel and 2.65 mile test track and paddock area with full time umbrella girls.

- Allen.

mr bruce · #56 (**permalink**) 10-13-2010, 10:09 AM

Opening rear hatch? , no problem, figure around $2500, just need a deposit to get started.

ZOERA-SC7XX · #57 (**permalink**) 10-13-2010, 01:47 PM

I will give it serious thought. Where in PA. are you?

Cobra Pack · #58 (**permalink**) 10-13-2010, 04:16 PM

Mr Bruce - your glass work is excellent. I was extremely impressed with the quality of the top both inside and out.

mr bruce · #59 (**permalink**) 10-13-2010, 05:21 PM

Zman, pittsburgh, Pack, thanks

FIA-ERA · #60 (**permalink**) 10-13-2010, 06:00 PM

I like it personally! Plus, it looks like you could squeeze another gallon of gas in that fill neck!! Do you have any pics on how it's mounted?? Pretty cool stuff.