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 2Likes
02-15-2008, 07:01 PM
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CC Member
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Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Provo,
Ut
Cobra Make, Engine: Kirkham, 427
Posts: 6,990
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Not Ranked
Million Dollar Skunksworks Kirkham
Gents and Fellow Car Nuts,
If you had a "million dollars" what kind of a car would you build. More realistically, if you could have anything you wanted, what would you do? I am speaking of a replica that we all dream about. What options would it have? What engine?
I mean if you wanted the ultimate Chariot of Fire, what would you do? And why?
David
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02-15-2008, 07:11 PM
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CC Member
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Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Fairfax Station,
VA
Cobra Make, Engine: Kirkham 427 & 289 (KMP 090 & KMPS 040) and need a Kirkham GT-40
Posts: 39
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Not Ranked
A Kirkham GT-40 or 1958 Testarossi. Robert Ihrig  |
02-15-2008, 07:13 PM
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CC Member
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Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Provo,
Ut
Cobra Make, Engine: Kirkham, 427
Posts: 6,990
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Not Ranked
No, that will have to be later. We are going to miss you this year Robert!
No, this one is a KMS 427/SC. But what would you do to actually improve the car?
David
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02-15-2008, 07:18 PM
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CC Member
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Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Fairfax Station,
VA
Cobra Make, Engine: Kirkham 427 & 289 (KMP 090 & KMPS 040) and need a Kirkham GT-40
Posts: 39
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Not Ranked
That's going to be tough. The car is nearly perfect already. Robert
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02-15-2008, 07:27 PM
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CC Member
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Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Provo,
Ut
Cobra Make, Engine: Kirkham, 427
Posts: 6,990
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Not Ranked
Bert,
You are kind! Thanks! We do try to make the car as nice as possible. We have certainly learned a lot over the years on how to make things--espeically from billet.
BUT
There comes a point where you simply can't improve upon what is there any further and you have to throw the baby out with the bath water...you need to start over with a clean sheet of paper.
Once in a lifetime, your world is turned upside down when a customer calls and asks you to make the car of YOUR dreams for him.
David
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02-15-2008, 07:37 PM
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CC Member
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Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Fairfax Station,
VA
Cobra Make, Engine: Kirkham 427 & 289 (KMP 090 & KMPS 040) and need a Kirkham GT-40
Posts: 39
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Not Ranked
One improvement might be light weight half shafts instead of Spicer units and ceramic rotors. One pound reduction in rotating weight = a lot of total car reduction (as you'll surely know). Robert
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02-15-2008, 07:31 PM
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Senior Club Cobra Member
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Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Manchester,
NH
Cobra Make, Engine: AK1085 (302 Street), HTM111 (427 Comp), CSX2375R (289 Comp) and COB5999 (427 S/C)
Posts: 19,111
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Not Ranked
David,
With a million dollars.....let's see.....
This may sound corny/typical however:
I would start with a KMS 427 and build it to original comp dry sump specification. The car would use tubular steel suspension and use all the OEM Shelby details, new magnesium Halibrand wheels, all along with one slight change a KMS SS frame for years of service. The only other major deviation I would make uses the most up to date aluminum block FE available with all the best appointments money could buy. Of course the original paint scheme Rangoon Red! With every detail covered right down to the correct rear view mirror and optional 60's angle iron supports on the a-arms. So close it could even fool Ron R.
I would hope that after that I would have enough left over to talk you into making a custom replica of the Ferrari 250LM in aluminum. Of course this car would incorporate all the CNC capabilities of KMS to allow for undercarriage updates to match new exotics while taking advantage of the adjustability of today's engineering. Powered by a replica of the original powerplant in aluminum....  This car in F-Red or course.
A KMS version of an Alan Mann 40 would also be a treat as they were aluminum.
Thanks David, now I can't sleep.........Ahhhhh
Last edited by 1985 CCX; 02-15-2008 at 07:38 PM..
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02-15-2008, 07:36 PM
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CC Member
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Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Provo,
Ut
Cobra Make, Engine: Kirkham, 427
Posts: 6,990
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Not Ranked
1985 CCX,
Thank you for saying you'd use a KMS 427! I am proud of our cars and I am thrilled our customers are happy.
I know what you mean that you can't sleep. This project has kept me awake for many, many nights. Tonight will be another one of those nights.
David
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02-15-2008, 07:37 PM
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CC Member
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Join Date: Feb 2008
Cobra Make, Engine:
Posts: 214
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Not Ranked
After our lesson on "Whats in the background of the picture" can I post some more?
Side Pipes |
02-15-2008, 07:43 PM
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CC Member
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Join Date: Feb 2008
Cobra Make, Engine:
Posts: 214
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Not Ranked
David,
Since we had the lesson on "Whats in the back ground of pictures sent to customers", can I post some more?
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02-15-2008, 07:47 PM
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CC Member
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Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Bradenton Florida,
FL
Cobra Make, Engine: BDR 930, 427 Windsor T56
Posts: 658
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Not Ranked
Finish one to exact original specs with the patina of a well used race car. Worn leather on the seats. Dings and dents in the aluminum. Dull cracked paint. 
__________________
Jim Pomroy
Have Fun!
BDR #930
08 Corvette Coupe
92 Sunburst Yellow Miata
#81 Saturn V Miata Crapcan racer
Panoz GTRA #42
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02-15-2008, 07:49 PM
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CC Member
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Join Date: Feb 2008
Cobra Make, Engine:
Posts: 214
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Not Ranked
Quote:
Originally Posted by FatBoy
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Pictures like these... |
05-19-2008, 10:55 AM
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CC Member
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Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Rancho Cucamonga,
ca
Cobra Make, Engine: SPF 239
Posts: 820
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Not Ranked
David,
Like always, Incredible. Will it be at SEMA?
As for "ultimate Chariot of Fire"
How about a McLaren M8F or a Lola T222!
I have always thought these were the most beautiful open top race cars. To build them with current technology, cylinder heads, turbo, EFI, shocks, brakes and optimized monocoques. To me, the ultimate road cars!!
Jason |
05-19-2008, 11:03 AM
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CC Member
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Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Phoenix,
AZ
Cobra Make, Engine: FFR: 302 w/aluminum heads, Edlebrock injection. Street car trim, no scoop, side pipes or rollbar.
Posts: 1,869
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Not Ranked
Check out RCR, he's building some stuff very similar.
__________________
"Cobra-Cobra-bo-bobra, banana-fanna-fo-fobra, fe-fi-mo-mobra...Cobra!"
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02-15-2008, 08:02 PM
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Senior Club Cobra Member
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Join Date: Feb 2007
Cobra Make, Engine: KMP 539, a Ton of Aluminum
Posts: 9,592
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Not Ranked
David and Joe,
I'm a bad guesser and I have little time for this since it's 6:00 PM Maui time right now. I've got to back to the pool and play with the kids. Can you hurry it up?
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02-15-2008, 08:04 PM
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CC Member
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Join Date: Feb 2008
Cobra Make, Engine:
Posts: 214
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Not Ranked
Maui?
Its 19* here in Provo. You do not deserve to know. Go back out and play with the kids.
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02-15-2008, 08:06 PM
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CC Member
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Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Provo,
Ut
Cobra Make, Engine: Kirkham, 427
Posts: 6,990
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Not Ranked
Lew,
We aren't wrapped up yet! It will be a long night. I have a special dish I have to get out oven.
This is so cool...It's like my birthday!
David
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02-15-2008, 08:10 PM
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CC Member
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Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Fairfax Station,
VA
Cobra Make, Engine: Kirkham 427 & 289 (KMP 090 & KMPS 040) and need a Kirkham GT-40
Posts: 39
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Not Ranked
Oven.... ? Are you heat treating something or autoclaving carbon fiber ???? Or is it just a TV dinner? Robert
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02-15-2008, 08:46 PM
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CC Member
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Join Date: Dec 2002
Cobra Make, Engine: KMP
Posts: 790
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Not Ranked
Quote:
Originally Posted by David Kirkham
Lew,
We aren't wrapped up yet! It will be a long night. I have a special dish I have to get out oven.
This is so cool...It's like my birthday!
David
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HA! HA! HA! 
__________________
Lew
I'm no expert.
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02-15-2008, 09:16 PM
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CC Member
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Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Provo,
Ut
Cobra Make, Engine: Kirkham, 427
Posts: 6,990
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Not Ranked
Lew,
Bert,
Just put the hubs in the oven. They come out looking like gold...about as expensive too!
What'saCobra hits the nail right on the head! (But he cheated, he came out here and saw us sweating over it!)
BILLET ALUMINUM CHASSIS!
If you take billet far enough, you eventually just billet the chassis so you can get the suspension points where you want them.
The 90 inch wheel base presented some real challenges. The structure is very similar to a wing with longerons. We will rivet sheet aluminum over the billet rails.
Just for some fun information, we did an FEA (Finite Element Anaylsis) on the original 427 Cobra chassis and it had a stiffness of 1450 foot pounds/degree of deflection. The billet aluminum chassis we engineered has a stiffness of right at 4500 foot pounds/degree of deflection--or a 300% improvement over an original. Just for comparison, the thicker frame rails we use have a stiffness of 1650 foot pounds/degree of deflection--for an improvement of around 14% over an original chassis.
Interestingly, even so low a figure as a 14% increase in stiffness is READILY noticeable as soon as you drive down the road. I can't wait to try a 300% increase in stiffness! Another point of comparison, a "Supercar" (like a McLaren F1) typically has a stiffness of 10,000 foot pounds/degree of deflection--but remember, they have a roof which is an enormous help. We were able to get the stiffness of the billet chassis so high because we used very tall door sils that we hid under the doors and spread them WAY apart. We also made a really cool billet aluminum bulkheads and a stressed tunnel to help transfer the loads.
David
I will post a picture soon.
Last edited by David Kirkham; 02-15-2008 at 09:19 PM..
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