Club Cobra - If you did this for a living, what would you do for yourself?

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- Kirkham Motorsports (http://www.clubcobra.com/forums/kirkham-motorsports/)

- - If you did this for a living, what would you do for yourself? (http://www.clubcobra.com/forums/kirkham-motorsports/98724-if-you-did-living-what-would-you-do-yourself.html)

It's a thing of pure beauty...

PatrickT is pissed though. He was hoping you'd go with the dual roll bars.:D
(I was rooting for the forward braced bar myself).

Quote:

Originally Posted by Buzz (Post 994915)

PatrickT is pissed though. He was hoping you'd go with the dual roll bars.:D

That's about the only thing I can think of that would have improved it.;)

modular roll bar system

why don't you create a modular roll bar system that functions as a traditional correct looking single roll bar when driving on the street, but can easily bolt together to create a full width bar for track days? Doesn't seem too difficult to engineer something like this especially since you build the car from scratch so you could add the mounting points into the design?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tom Kirkham (Post 971889)

Ron, you let the cat out of the bag ;)

I would tell you, but even after looking up scarps in the dictionary I am clueless.

Mike Pack was the inspiration for this car. With Mike's prodding we made him a car with the Jozef's rear flare. I loved it. I have always loved the FIA front clip but for practicality I have never really liked the cut back doors. I love the flairs on the LeMans car rear clip but I have always felt that the big rear flairs looked out of place with the street car squared off front flairs. So with a little thought it only seemed natural to combine the two cars. Latter I learned that a car very similar to this raced at Sebring.

So for this car I have cherry picked what I think are the best attributes of every car and put it into this car.

As you can see from the photos there are a few attributes I have not decided on yet. Currently I have a few undecided issues.

1. The gauge layout. I am currently leaning towards a 427 street car. I loved the FIA layout with the speedo in front of the passenger until I drove one. It drove me nuts looking over for the speedo and hardly being able to read it. For a race who cares, but for something that I want to drive... The 289 street cars speedo and dash are somewhat hard to read...I also want to add a couple of gauges... The jury is still out on this one.

2. The roll bar. I love the look of a 289 forward braced roll bar, but it is a REAL pain in the backside when you are in the passenger seat. Even Gurney made Shelby pull the forward bar on the car he was driving. Also most tracks will rightfully not allow passengers on the track with out the roll bar covering them. So I am thinking of a full width bar, but I am not pleased with that option. I might just leave the bar off for awhile.

3. The gas tanks. Because the roll bar determines what tank can be used...

4. The FIA rims are from Hawkcars.co.uk These are very, very nice rims. These are the nicest FIA rims I have ever used. Now maybe if Gerry made some Kidney Beans...

If I had seen these pictures before I had my dual roll bars made up, this is the way I would have gone. That double wide roll bar just looks great. Is it stainless or chromed steel?

Absolutely gorgeous roadster.

Bob

The roll bar is stainless.

Dear Mr Kirkham

I'll be joining your ranks of satisfied customers as soon as Gerry Hawkridge has built my Kirkham slabside to rolling chassis stage - getting very excited! My username, OCD, refers to the fact that this will be my 9th Cobra replica since 1988 (Obsessive Cobra Disorder - sadly no cure but to keep buying stuff).

Hope I'm not letting the cat out of the bag when I say that Gerry will have a facsimile Allen Grant car at this years NEC Classic Cars show in Birmingham, England, Nov 13-15. Not sure if its a Kirkham or a grp car, but seeing as it will be painted yellow with the black stripes etc, its probably grp. That said, he's working on the same thing in aluminium. The car resembles what you have built in many ways, namely the rear flares but of course was built on a 260 originally, hence no side vents.

Met a guy last week who used to cycle to the AC factory when he was in his early teens and have tea with the 289/427 line workers!

Will put some pictures of my Hawk onto the website in due course - generally acknowledged to be the best in the UK.

Look forward to posting some more anon.

Regards
Colin

Hi Colin,

Welcome. :)

Are you saying that the Hawk is generally acknowledged as being the best in the UK, or yours specifically? :LOL:

Paul

Looks good Tom.

I'll come by and check it out!

Tom, Look fantastic. I am interested in hearing more on the engine specs. Are you running a Hyd roller cam? What heads? ARP? Looks like an edlebrock or a funnel port intake.

Quote:

Originally Posted by FatBoy (Post 996765)

Hi Colin,

Welcome. :)

Are you saying that the Hawk is generally acknowledged as being the best in the UK, or yours specifically? :LOL:

Paul

Mine of course!

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h2...ra/BestOne.jpg

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h2...Itonight01.jpg

Colin

Congrats to your decision Colin :)

Flared fenders on Sebring cars :)

Make many pics at the NEC.

Cheers
Migge (Special customized BRA289 under construction)

Quote:

Originally Posted by migge (Post 997689)

Congrats to your decision Colin :)

Flared fenders on Sebring cars :)

Make many pics at the NEC.

Cheers
Migge (Special customized BRA289 under construction)

Nice work Migge! Shame you won't be the first to finish but look forward to it anyway! I'll be sure to take my camera.

Colin

Quote:

Originally Posted by RedCSX1 (Post 996804)

Tom, Look fantastic. I am interested in hearing more on the engine specs. Are you running a Hyd roller cam? What heads? ARP? Looks like an edlebrock or a funnel port intake.

Thanks

Engine was built by Dave Dralle to run on Mexican pump gas a while back. Intake is a E-brock air gap. Crane solid lifter cam (would now go hydraulic roller), Mexican block (poor man hypo), Boss 302 crank, Carrillio long rods, Ported 351 W heads (rules dictated iron, would go aluminum now), JE pistons. 351 ARP head studs (1/2 inch vs 7/16).

Hey Tom,
Are you driving it yet? Would like to see more pictures. What a beautiful car.

John

Yep,

Drove the car yesterday. :) :) I will post some pics later.

Well I couldn't wait any longer so I took her out for her first drive up the canyon. Woo Hoo!!!! :3DSMILE:

http://www.clubcobra.com/photopost/d...002_Large_.jpg

http://www.clubcobra.com/photopost/d...001_Large_.jpg

Sorry for the poor quality pictures.

Wowwww !! :eek:

Hasta la vista baby :D

Alfredo