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 2Likes
05-14-2008, 09:39 PM
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CC Member
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Join Date: May 2006
Location: St. Louisville,
Oh
Cobra Make, Engine: A&C 67 427 cobra SB
Posts: 2,445
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Not Ranked
Dang it! I completely missed this party.
Dave,
I know aluminum is your expertise and you have the equipment to do this work. Just out of curiosity (cause I don't have a clue to the anwer) how would a carbon fiber chassis compare on wieght and rigidity?
Without a doubt this is the most beautiful chassis ever built. And "ever" goes both forward and backward in time!
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06-02-2008, 06:14 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
Quote:
Originally Posted by olddog
Dang it! I completely missed this party.
Dave,
I know aluminum is your expertise and you have the equipment to do this work. Just out of curiosity (cause I don't have a clue to the anwer) how would a carbon fiber chassis compare on wieght and rigidity?
Without a doubt this is the most beautiful chassis ever built. And "ever" goes both forward and backward in time!
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olddog,
Thank you for your kind words!
A carbon fiber chassis would be stiffer and lighter...if done right. But, for the common mortals without access to vacuum bagging and autoclaves, it would turn out to be a nightmare. The front engine lay out of a Cobra type car makes a carbon fiber chassis quite challenging. Not that it can't be done, but it just adds a very high level of complexity to the project. I think Rutan only saved 10% of the weight when they made a composite airplane. When you have to pick that weight up into the air, it becomes critical.
As for the ultimate chassis, that was not really the main focus of this project. The main focus was to make the car as cool as we possibly could and really venture into the wild unknown to make a really unique car for the customer.
I must admit that I am really starting to like the chassis. The more I look at it the more I like it--usually it is the other way around with most projects.
David
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06-02-2008, 06:16 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
D-Cel,
No, we will deliver the car long before SEMA. The customer will be driving with lots of smiles in November.
David
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06-02-2008, 06:18 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
CSX700?
As much work as the aluminum was, I don't think I would want to try titanium!
David
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06-02-2008, 07:21 PM
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CC Member
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Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: San Diego,
CA
Cobra Make, Engine: SPF1715, Roush Built 434 ci Stroker, Dart Block, Ported AFR 205 Heads... 561 hp / 547 tq, Former Roush Show Car, Completed and Prepped By Olthoff Racing.
Posts: 1,066
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Not Ranked
Quote:
Originally Posted by David Kirkham
olddog,
A carbon fiber chassis would be stiffer and lighter...if done right. But, for the common mortals without access to vacuum bagging and autoclaves, it would turn out to be a nightmare. |
You need to hook up with one of the high end performance boat builders. They have been using vacuum bagged post cured epoxy resins with both carbon fiber and kevlar for years. Very nice car btw... |
06-03-2008, 10:56 AM
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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
Our customer knows a few things about high-end performance boats! We decided on billet aluminum as it has never been done before and it is quite beautiful.
David
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06-03-2008, 10:57 AM
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CC Member
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Join Date: May 2004
Location: Palm Coast,
FL
Cobra Make, Engine: Shelby American CSX 4241 - authentically built
Posts: 2,573
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Not Ranked
David, I want a GT-90 replica. 
__________________
Sal Mennella
CSX 4241, KMP 357 - sold and missed, CSX 4819 - cancelled, FFR 5132 - sold
See my car at CSXinfo.net here >> CSX 4241
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06-03-2008, 02:54 PM
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CC Member
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Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: San Diego,
CA
Cobra Make, Engine: SPF1715, Roush Built 434 ci Stroker, Dart Block, Ported AFR 205 Heads... 561 hp / 547 tq, Former Roush Show Car, Completed and Prepped By Olthoff Racing.
Posts: 1,066
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Not Ranked
Quote:
Originally Posted by David Kirkham
Our customer knows a few things about high-end performance boats! We decided on billet aluminum as it has never been done before and it is quite beautiful.
David
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It sure is beautiful, I am sure he will love it. |
06-04-2008, 09:16 AM
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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
SP01715,
Thank you for your kind words!
We have put thousands of hours into the chassis--research, design, engineering, FEA, programming, proofing, checking, fitting, and tweaking. I told our customer I wanted to make him a "no excuse" car. So, I set the bar pretty high for myself.
"No excuse" means you don't need to explain anything to anyone if they ask you a question. "Oh, well we couldn't do this or that, or whatever, because of this or that or whatever." I didn't want any of that with this car. I just wanted to make a really cool car. Judging by the drool marks left on the car by customers who have seen it, I hope we have achieved our goal. (It is very, very hard for an artist to appreciate his own work so I DO appreciate the comments.) I would even appreciate negative comments so we could make the car even better.
David
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06-04-2008, 09:20 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
The only thing negative is that I can't afford it. 
__________________
"Cobra-Cobra-bo-bobra, banana-fanna-fo-fobra, fe-fi-mo-mobra...Cobra!"
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06-04-2008, 10:20 AM
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CC Member
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Join Date: Dec 2004
Cobra Make, Engine:
Posts: 195
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Not Ranked
Quote:
Originally Posted by David Kirkham
SP01715,
Thank you for your kind words!
We have put thousands of hours into the chassis--research, design, engineering, FEA, programming, proofing, checking, fitting, and tweaking. I told our customer I wanted to make him a "no excuse" car. So, I set the bar pretty high for myself.
"No excuse" means you don't need to explain anything to anyone if they ask you a question. "Oh, well we couldn't do this or that, or whatever, because of this or that or whatever." I didn't want any of that with this car. I just wanted to make a really cool car. Judging by the drool marks left on the car by customers who have seen it, I hope we have achieved our goal. (It is very, very hard for an artist to appreciate his own work so I DO appreciate the comments.) I would even appreciate negative comments so we could make the car even better.
David
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Unfortunatly,most artists work is never appreciated until yhey have passed on.
You Mr Kirkham are now even more legendary and I wish you many more years to persue your artistic endeavors.
I would be happy to provide any negative feedback(but I doubt fault could be found) simply arrange a 2 week test drive for me when your masterpiece is complete.
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