How many of you Track your Kirkham?

Dimis · #1 (**permalink**) 03-22-2011, 09:09 PM

Hi

Just wanted to run a quick poll.

How many of you Track your Kirkham?
ie: do you autocross, drag or anything in between?

Or is your Kirkham for visual pleasure.

Further what engines are you runing?

Many thx,

mreid · #2 (**permalink**) 03-22-2011, 10:09 PM

I've given this a lot of thought and have decided not to run it. I know how to fix fiberglass, but aluminum. I would be gutted! Ford Racing Boss 427w.

fordracing65 · #3 (**permalink**) 03-22-2011, 10:17 PM

When i get mine i will track it.

Rich A · #4 (**permalink**) 03-23-2011, 03:23 AM

hahaha,

I had to reply to this.

I don't think that many would track their Kirkham, maybe 1% of the owners.
The cost to insure a Kirkham to include track event would be expensive and to
repair out of pocket would be even more costly.
To have something happen would be a shame.

If you want to track a Cobra I (my opinon) would go with a FFR Challege Car.
It would cost you a lot less.

fordracing65 · #5 (**permalink**) 03-23-2011, 05:16 AM

The challenge cars are sweet, and oh so fast and nimble, what a car.

mreid · #6 (**permalink**) 03-23-2011, 06:50 AM

That would be an excellent choice and if I put it into a wall, a relatively easy fix.

N2VENOM · #7 (**permalink**) 03-23-2011, 07:09 AM

I have tracked my kirkham over 30 times. I'm running a Roush 451 FE with EFI. *I could not imagine owning a cobra and not enjoying what the car was intended to do, Go Fast! *Yes, kirkhams are a little expense and repairs are more challenging, but its not an original. Enjoy the hell out of them. *I think we all know cobra owners, including all makes, that just sit in the garage. What a shame... ****

4pipes · #8 (**permalink**) 03-23-2011, 07:30 AM

I've tracked my Kirkham about 10 times. The very first time, a guy in front of me went inside an apex and showered me with gravel! Got a couple of small dings on the nose, but not too bad. No other damage since.

I had to add a differential cooler because it got so hot it failed. It's a major pain to remove the diff. on a Kirkham. Other than that, it was quite reliable.

I have since stopped tracking my car......just too dangerous with no structure between me and other potential impact objects.

I have a stroked Shelby FE that now develops 625 foot lbs.

RodKnock · #9 (**permalink**) 03-23-2011, 09:21 AM

At this point, I would love to "uncover" my car and then "driveway" my car before I "track" it.

482ci.

mreid · #10 (**permalink**) 03-23-2011, 09:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4pipes

I've tracked my Kirkham about 10 times. The very first time, a guy in front of me went inside an apex and showered me with gravel! Got a couple of small dings on the nose, but not too bad. No other damage since.

Pipes, that's racing patina and kind of cool. A bashed in fender would have me crying. A kid hit my FFR daytona coupe and crushed the front end (his Honda actually came out worse) and I was horrified. I can't imagine how I would feel if I did that to my Kirkham while racing where it would be my fault (I chose to race it, so any accident is my fault).

acindrich · #11 (**permalink**) 03-23-2011, 10:04 PM

I'm a lucky bugger. Miller Motorsports Park is in my back yard, I own KMP493 with a stroked 302 and Dave sponsors "customer appreciation days" once or twice a year (depending on the economy and what political season we're in).
So, short answer is I abso-freakin'-lutely take my car out on the track. It's the most exhilarating thing I do in any given year. I figure the worst that can happen is I might drop a couple tires off in the gravel and make a mess of my interior, which vacuums just fine. And, if anything crazy happened - I just so happen to know a couple guys at Kirkham Motorsports that can straighten the edge of an uncooked lasagna noodle. So, KMP 493 will always be driven hard any time there is an open track!

N2VENOM · #12 (**permalink**) 03-24-2011, 09:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4pipes

I
I had to add a differential cooler because it got so hot it failed. It's a major pain to remove the diff. on a Kirkham. Other than that, it was quite reliable.

.

Has anyone else had a problem with diff. failures kirkham or other?
What parts failed?
How much track time does it take to get the diff. oil too hot?

I go to Willow Springs in the summer with track temps 100+ degrees. Each run group is about 20-25 minutes.

rodneym · #13 (**permalink**) 03-24-2011, 09:44 AM

Hey Darren,

Is the reason you're asking have anything to do with a gauge that Tom is making for you?

CAN'T WAIT to see it completed!

Rodney

RodKnock · #14 (**permalink**) 03-24-2011, 11:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by N2VENOM

Has anyone else had a problem with diff. failures kirkham or other?

A friend of Rokndad in SoCal (Rokndad used to here on CC, but he sold his Cobra and got a Vette), had a Kirkham diff failure a year or two back. I'm not quite sure if the discussion actually made it to CC board, but I clearly remember the gentleman having to ship the diff back to Kirkham and getting a new diff. But I don't believe it was due to track use.

4pipes · #15 (**permalink**) 03-24-2011, 12:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by N2VENOM

Has anyone else had a problem with diff. failures kirkham or other?
What parts failed?
How much track time does it take to get the diff. oil too hot?

I go to Willow Springs in the summer with track temps 100+ degrees. Each run group is about 20-25 minutes.

It was a very hot day at Thunderhill, around 95 degrees......hotter on the track. At those temperatures, it doesn't take long for the gear oil to overheat. Over time the clutch plates wore and worse yet, the bearings started to fail. When I saw the parts, the bearing races were pretty well worn.

I think the failure occurred after I had put about 5000 mile on the car and maybe 2-3 track days.

maurice19 · #16 (**permalink**) 03-24-2011, 02:11 PM

I have tracked my Kirkham three times and totally loved it. I have two 660 carbs on it that don`t take too kindly to quick or sharp turns or I would track it more.

Maurice

4pipes · #17 (**permalink**) 03-24-2011, 02:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by maurice19

I have tracked my Kirkham three times and totally loved it. I have two 660 carbs on it that don`t take too kindly to quick or sharp turns or I would track it more.

Maurice

Howdy Maurice.

Jamo · #18 (**permalink**) 03-24-2011, 04:27 PM

Mine first saw the track back in 2003 when it was built and it has continued to be driven in anger on the track ever since. I do stay away from places with walls (Sears Point). Autocrossed as well. In the snow. In the dark. In the rain. In Death Valley.

In other words, hell yes. Ain't doing anybody any good just sittin there.

One of the reasons I went with the BNL (Bare Naked Lady) approach was to make it easy to track without breaking out in hives if it got a little scratch. One look at Tom Jr's naked car and that was it...ze paint is for zee pooseys.

By the way, KMP184 was shipped to the Fling a month after it was finished in 2003. Started life doing full bore burnouts on Main St...I recall David Kee coming up and telling me my warranty was over.

I can't believe anyone would have one of these things and not use them for the purpose for which they were intended.

4pipes · #19 (**permalink**) 03-24-2011, 06:07 PM

You mean a BNL is not a poosey?

Jamo · #20 (**permalink**) 03-24-2011, 06:17 PM

Hehehe...more like a muff in the buff.