Million Dollar Skunksworks Kirkham

[What'saCobra?]

Full-hearted Congratulations from one wacko engineer to another!

Birthday indeed!

Truly an engineering masterpiece, just like your favorite F-22A. Fabulous penske shock layout, which was the final hint from the picture. Didn't really see enough during visit to be sure, but was hoping. Gonna' be a sweet handling machine with that stiffness. Mostly because it allows softer shocks to control vibes, rather than infinite stiff shock valving. Softer shocks allows better tire grip with less chassis upset, of course.

Adjustable Penske's will be de rigur, of course. A trifling 2400 USD or so.

But, what's a mere million between friends?

Now, just a little more geometry and webbing to get to the magic 10K Lbsft? It is a matter of marking the territory, no longer just utility.

You have achieved something FORD would have dreamed of and spend 20 or 30 million to achieve. This first step in stiffness will make this Cobra the finest handling machine this side of McLaren, Lola and Mercedes. (Don't forget, my little 2 Liter Lola T-212 had a 10K stiffness in 1971... almost 40 years ago!) But, it wasn't bloody billet!!!

i am really amazed, NS Sherlock. And i thought the SS chassis was the plus ne ultra? Of course, it is. But, this is something out of the skunkworks.

There are, as of this morning, about 100 engineers at the small and large car companies that are plotting their retort. As it should be. Good luck to them. Long live the competition.

My curiosity was raised when i realized the bed size of your new NC. No other reason for that size, since multiple heads are not yet very common. Now i know.

Of course, there are several grades of forged aly bar, the finest granularity laughingly referred to as "unobtainium".

Congratulations again because i just simply cannot properly express my enthusiastic appreciation of what you have uniquely achieved.

Viva the KBros!
Viva American enterprise!
Viva America!

[Hoofa]

Why are the front shocks so high? Can you get them in the box

[David Kirkham]

Originally Posted by Hoofa

Why are the front shocks so high? Can you get them in the box

We could have gotten the shocks in the box, but that would have made adjusting the ride height very difficult. Also, the shocks are double adjustable and adjusting the jounce and rebound would have been hard hidden in a box. There is the question of raising the center of gravity, but the Penske shocks are ridiculously light. Even F1 cars leaves them up top where they can tinker with them easier.

David