Large Bob, question for Rem

[mr bruce]

Bob, I read in one of these books that the big block Cobra was designed by the FoMoCo engineers to have a 93" wheelbase.Could you ask Mr R if he knows this to be true?

[snakeeyes]

I think Rem has some interesting insight into his attempts to get them to lengthen the wheelbase of the 427 in order to decrease its polar moment of inertia (you know, that thing the Cheetah has in great abundance ). Large Robert and Cal saw him recently and can probably add more to the story--

SS Bob

[CCX33911]

Just to clarify (not being a know it all a**hole). When you increase the length of the wheel base using the same suspension components, etc. you will increase the polar moment of inertia due to the mass being farther from the center (vertical neutral axis) of the car. It will promote stability in the car, etc.

[Cal Metal]

Mr. Bruce:

If I might make a comment. We've talked with Rem about the lengthening of the wheelbase for the FE cars. I don't know if 93" is the correct number but Phil made a "hard" suggestion to Shelby to lengthen the chassis but to no avail.

Conventional legend is that AC had already cut the main frame tubes to length and were not about to scrap "all that material". In asking Phil about that, he laughed saying, "they never had more than four days of inventory sitting in their shop at any given time". The Hurlock family, who owned AC were outstandingly nice people, according to him. But the operation was a pretty austere one, at best.

[Thorin]

Any update on your project? Nosey people want to know. Anticipation is great for kids during the holidays, but not for old men waiting for words of wisdom.

Dave Lowell

[Robert Evans]

Dave,
Yes, Cal and I are now in possession of many more wonderful momentos from the archives of the Rem library, and Bob B. has hours of video tape from our last little "interview". We will be scanning them to help preserve them for later use. You won't believe some of the old letters and photos that he has let us "Borrow". Rem will be spending four days with us at Elkhart next month also, and Bob will have video camera in hand.

From my perspective, it was a known fact that the 427 was going to need a major re-do in order to bring it up to snuff very early into the 427's existance...much more than just a few suspension mods and a stiffer frame. Look at how much different the 427 Coupe was going to be compared to the 289 Daytona Coupe. Cal and Bob are right about the lengthened frame, but the aerodynamics were all wrong as well.

This is what gets me when people talk about the 427: If Shelby American already knew that the 289 body configuration was an aerodynamic disaster (hence, the Coupe), then why would anyone take the exact same body shape and try to make it faster? It doesn't make sense. Put a 427 in it to go faster on the top end, when the 289's were already at the body's speed limit anyway. Rem tried to suggest some sort of modifications to help the 427's handle better than the 289's with leaf springs, but a coil sprung chassis and stronger main tubes were all that they were allowed to do. My interpretation is that the 427 was a compromise between improving on the 289's, and still being a production line friendly car. It didn't take a brain surgeon to determine what needed to be done to improve the 289 chassis.

[Robert Evans]

Don't you just love it when all of us "Know-it-all" types can be in one place at one time??

[Jamo]

You all may be "know it alls" or you may simply be Cobra nurds--whatever. Just keep that stuff from the deep wells of history coming. It is appreciated, even by lowly gasholes...