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

[computerworks]

Spoke with Tom Kirkham the other day. Tom spends most of his waking hours designing and building the very best for his customers.

Sometimes, though, ya gotta make one for yourself. That's exactly what Tom is doing....

A little coaxing got some spy pics of the work in progress.

It is a 289 FIA front half with a 289 LeMans rear half. Similar in spirit to a car raced at Sebring. 289 nose and hood scoop with bold front flares and large side vents. The rear is pure LeMans style.

[computerworks]

[computerworks]

The engine is a 302 (Dave Dralle build, Mexican block, Boss 302 crank, Carillo rods, 351 W heads, Tremec TKO 600 5 speed.

[1985 CCX]

Absolutely FANTASTIC

A Joeseph flared 289 comp car, my FAVORITE. It will be my next car....I hope. If I MFG'd Cobra's for a living it would be my choice and exactly what I would do.

Tom awsome job! Please use a 16" Moto Lita....

[computerworks]

More pics from about 20 minutes ago.

(sorry for fuzzy phone pics...these are Real spy shots.)

Finally on the ground, sitting on FIA wheels.

[mr bruce]

I'm in the midths of doing the same to a slabside(in 'glass tho) what sized scarps are on that beercan?

[Trueoo7]

I'll tell you what...that company is a fine example of what true craftsman are all about.
The quality and detail is AMAZING. Shelby couldn't hold a candle to these guys. Simply stunning...WOW !!!!!!!!!!
Maybe someday or in another life ??

[HI Cobra]

WOW - that is a thing of pure beauty. If I somehow am able to get another
of these - this would be it.

[tkb289]

Wow ... what a beautiful car !

This is just a thought ... but I would consider the following:

Take off the quick jacks ... then get a big slab of Aluminum and have the CNC wizards machine a billet grille, and put that baby into the 289 nose... that would look pretty sweet!

- Tim

[rustyBob]

WOW.......some people have all the fun.......that Cobra is "COOL".

[Tom Kirkham]

Ron, you let the cat out of the bag

Originally Posted by mr bruce

what sized scarps...

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...

[Jamo]

Tom...a great pulling together of some of the nicest attributes from the various versions...the matching of the flares being the most obvious.

Mucho muy fantastico.

[eschaider]

Tom,

As usual, absolutely gorgeous workmanship. The fender flares are reminiscent of a barn find I stumbled over about a year ago.



I haven't discovered all the history of how those came to be on the car but they appeared to have been an after thought rather than something AC did in England. They definitely were not formed into the fender the way you have done. They were fabricated and then attached to the car.

Any additional thoughts or information you may have on how the originals came to be would be great.

Did I say what a neat looking car you're building - oh yeah, brain fade.

Ed

[Buzz]

An absolutely stunning piece of automotive art. I have always loved the look of those rear flares on the 289 comp cars.

[Clois Harlan]

Gee whiz that is absolutely georgeous!!!! Wow and I didn't think there was a way to make one any better. FIA is just toooooo cool.

Clois

[mr bruce]

Scarps is civilian for tyres, what about them big side vents, you be selling them seperately, witout the rest of the car?

[Aussie Mike]

Great looking car. Those rear flares are reminiscent of COB 6033 which currently resides here in Australia. This car was raced back in the day.



Cheers

[tuska]

wow thats looking great....so what hp is it putting out....and how often are ya going to polish it...i'd be there to help cept for distance problem!!!

[Tom Kirkham]

Originally Posted by mr bruce

Scarps is civilian for tyres, what about them big side vents, you be selling them seperately, witout the rest of the car?

Thanks. The tires are 225/65-15 and 245/60-15 Avons. On 6.5 and 8.5 rims.

The LeMans vents are a special order part.

[Tom Kirkham]

Originally Posted by tuska

...so what hp is it putting out...

I believe it was 375 HP on the dyno.