Re: AC Cobra Super Stocker
 

Alan,

There are two outfits that make an exact replica aluminum bodies, one in South Africa and one in Eastern Europe but my thought is does someone make an exact replica of the frame?

JimR

Re: AC Cobra Super Stocker
 

Plymouth Prowler??

Re: AC Cobra Super Stocker
 

AC Autos in Buffalo, N.Y. and Kirkham in Provo, Utah make the frames.

Kirkham also makes the aluminum body.

http://www.acautos.com/67-roadster/

http://www.kirkhammotorsports.com/

Re: AC Cobra Super Stocker
 

The frame that AC Autos in Buffalo, NY makes does not look like a factory Frame. It has rectangle main frame rails and original Cobra's have round tube frames. Mark I and II Cobra's are 3" diameter and the Mark III is 4". Kirkham states that they use round tube rails but I did not see a picture to see if it looks like the originals.
Roland

Re: AC Cobra Super Stocker
 

Bruce drove one of the few Dragonsnakes that were produced, it was powered by a 289 with webers and ran in A/SP if I remember correctly. We ran a '65 vette with a 327/365 and ran in B/SP. Bruce was the bane of the class, he could run as far under as he wanted to and we never got past him in the eliminator...a fast car indeed!

JimR

Re: AC Cobra Super Stocker
 

One comment ..N I C E !!

Re: AC Cobra Super Stocker
 

2800 lb shipping weight, 113 inch wheelbase, its got potiental. I happen to know where one is wrecked and no drivetrain.

Re: AC Cobra Super Stocker
 

The aluminum frame may be a problem....but it would be cool

Re: AC Cobra Super Stocker
 

Gene Bichlmeiers brother Al has covair with a small block in front but there is no grill in them and then there is nowhere to put the spare tire. If you what a clean covair Lambert has a bunch of them on the sale this weekend. Tom

Re: AC Cobra Super Stocker
 

I took a tour through the Kirkham facility in Provo a few years ago and Tom Kirkham told me that their frame and suspension parts were interchangable with the original and they supplied parts to people restoring originals. I do believe they also build upgraded parts also.

Re: AC Cobra Super Stocker
 

These links are from articles written in AutoWeek when they started their company:

http://www.cobracountry.com/kirkham/...msidebar1.html

http://www.cobracountry.com/kirkham/...mfeature2.html

Re: AC Cobra Super Stocker
 

I have to wonder if the Stock family has a son or daughter named "Super"? But, I digress...

Re: AC Cobra Super Stocker
 

All 427 cars had to be raced with hardtops, ie Harr ford,Motion king kobra. Look at Shelby drag snake option,it was part of package.

Re: AC Cobra Super Stocker
 

Stock family has lot of kids there's, Pure,Top,Modified,Pro,Super,Factory,Street,Showroo m,and Jr. Stock LOL,I don't think I left any one out.
Hopefully the Stock family has sense of humor.
Mike Taylor 3601

Re: AC Cobra Super Stocker
 

Would those funky front wheel pants limit tire size? A guy near here bought one and had to redo his apron at the curb because he couldn't back into his driveway without them hitting.

This Cobra is a 289 big rear fender body correct?

Re: AC Cobra Super Stocker
 

I want to thank everyone who has commented on the new car. Since there seems to be some interest, I thought I’d share a little background on the project and throw in a couple early photos.

About 12 years ago after watching the Hemi Challenge at Indy I sat down with my big red binders, the Classification Guide and Blueprint Specifications to see if there were any other combinations that could run SS/AA besides the 68 Hemi cars. Remember those before the internet availability? I only found one car that fit the class, the Cobra Roadster (Ken explained the Roadster part perfectly) which happened to be the only roadster in the guide, a neat thing, but too exotic and expensive to even consider. After that I was at a Vegas race and I toured the Shelby Facility across from the track, and in the facility was a group of unfinished Cobra Roadsters that got me thinking.

Since I had 2 GT cars that had never been real cars with a VIN, just an amalgamation of parts from other sources built into race cars and there were more 68 Hemi cars in existence than had ever been built, I conferred with Jim Skelly at NHRA who verified that a car need only be in conformity to the original vehicle. The origin of the components was not an issue, only their trueness to the original. That sent me on a search for Cobra parts. Then, before I could make substantial headway on the project the NHRA gave the ‘68 Hemi’s their own class and saved me from myself.

Fast forward to the release of the Ford 2010 Cobra Jet program and I took a glance at the new engine specs and it seemed that the 352 looked to have a fairly favorable horsepower rating. Jesse Kershaw helped me round up some of the required parts and Patterson Racing went to work on the motor.

I was looking for a good Escort ZX2 to build for GT and I was talking to my Ford buddy Alex Denysenko who said “Why don’t you build the Cobra we talked about years ago? NHRA dropped the 1982 restriction for GT cars and now all the cars in the guide are available.” I didn’t have a good answer not to, so as I’ve told Alex, this project is his fault.

The body and original chassis are from Kirkham Motorsports. They are exact reproductions of the original, hand formed all aluminum body on tube steel chassis, with the exception that the 4 inch main frame rail tubes are .125 wall as opposed to the originals which were .080 wall. Everything would bolt on an original car and vice versa. The key point is it is a reproduction, not a replica. The original cars were really race cars that were titled and driven on the street.

The car was dropped at PK for Pat and Andy Kronnenbitter to tackle. Pat and Andy incorporated everything I asked for and many more ideas of their own into what I consider an absolute work of art. The car is a traditional ultramodern Super Stock chassis in a very compact space. Please help yourself to a good look at their work if you can.

Tom Perdue massaged the aluminum body to perfection and added the flawless paint in what can only be described as the tape job from hell. Aesthetic Finishers powder coated the chassis, cage, underbody and every other possible part. My decades long racing confederate Rick Brown, Bill Lipscomb, Jerry Hall, Jeremy Stock and Michael Link all had hands in fabrication, transportation and details too numerous to recount. The irreplaceable Richard Doane set the chassis up and it hooked and went straight from pass one on. Jason Coan hit the convertor perfectly. Joel and Sean of “Joel’s On Joy” fame built the C-4. Gary Patterson, Vice-President at Shelby American has been an invaluable and indispensable source of information.

Last, but not least are all the NHRA Tech officials who provided consultation and guidance to bring this unique car to reality. They love our sport and we couldn’t operate without them.

Thanks to everyone who showed interest, hope to see you at the races.

Re: AC Cobra Super Stocker
 

Pictures don't do this car justice. I hope all of you guys on this forum have the opportunity to see this car in person. It is remarkable.

Re: AC Cobra Super Stocker
 

I look forward to seeing your car in person John, Thank's for your story on the build,I know that would have to be the short version,for a project like that.
Mike Taylor 3601

Re: AC Cobra Super Stocker
 

Cool car...and it adds diversity to the eliminator....BUT it might be time to bring back the
Sports Car classes....(A/SP, B/SP...AM/SP...BM/SP...etc.)

This car should run in a modified sports class...IMHO....I don't think it's what we come to
know as a GT car...I KNOW by definition...it DOES...but.....

Of course let him run in Super Stock Eliminator...

Hey..they brought back '55 Chevies in Stock....so why not this?

Just my .02.......

Re: AC Cobra Super Stocker
 

This car is really cool!!!

I wonder if I could race without my hardtop??

Re: AC Cobra Super Stocker
 

When I raced B/FX back in 1965 we used to race a Cobra 289 with webers in eliminator. If I remember correctly, the car was owned by Schlitz breweries and the driver was the grandson of the founder of Schlitz. (The beer of Milwaukee)
Usually at Niagara Raceway.

Re: AC Cobra Super Stocker
 

I doubt it, your Honda is a convertible with roll up door windows, a Cobra is a roadster with no provisions for door windows.

Re: AC Cobra Super Stocker
 

An S2000 is classified as a roadster, not a convertible.

Re: AC Cobra Super Stocker
 

Carey,
Looking at the information available, an interesting car.
Any chance to find an english version of this?

http://www.honda.co.jp/factbook/auto...99904/050.html

Is it called a Roadster from Honda? My Classic car friends always point out the roadsters on the November road trip as the guys wearing jackets, gloves (the newest car we've used is a '34 and no heater available) and heavy clothes just like us plus wearing hoods and stocking hats since they have no side windows.

Today they might call all two seat convertibles roadsters. Didn't the early Vipers have snap on windows? Bizarrely my friends wife had a Dodge Magnum wagon and it came titled as a truck to avoid epa "car" stuff.

Re: AC Cobra Super Stocker
 

Yes it is called a roadster from Honda

Here is what I could find in english.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honda_S2000

Re: AC Cobra Super Stocker
 

But does the Honda not have roll up windows from the factory? I believe THAT is what seperates a roadster from a convertible, regadless of what tag the manufacturer puts on it. It seems nobody calls a station wagon a station wagon anymore, they are all "Sport Activity Vehicles" or some form of hatchback. They still look like station wagons to me!!

Re: AC Cobra Super Stocker
 

It has powered windows from the factory.

So who defines it then if the manufacturer doesn't?

Seems like the traditional definition of roadster is different than the current.

Re: AC Cobra Super Stocker
 

Thanks for the link. Still trying to translate the Japanese page.

Seems all these small 2 seat cars are Roadsters now, the BMW, the Mazda, the new Viper, etc. as compared to an old school Cobra or a Morgan. It is listed in the wiki convertable section with a retactable hard top. How NHRA views a roadster is another thing way above my pay grade.

Re: AC Cobra Super Stocker
 

If that car was built when it first hit the drawing boards in it's original conception 10-11 years ago it would have run all of the hemis and vettes out of SS/AA ;) which was the plan at the time

Re: AC Cobra Super Stocker
 

Hey Alex, I also was looking at the Cobra as a SS/AA combo about that time myself. Problem was there were no autos in these cars by what NHRA info I could find but I did chase down 3 csx # that had autos in them. One was the personal car of Shelby himself and one other was the Cosby car that Shelby built for Bill Cosby both were Super Snakes with twin paxton super chargers plus one more.Still would be a wild ride with a stick.

Re: AC Cobra Super Stocker
 

They built more auto's than that. A 289 / auto Cobra just sold in the last few weeks at auction.

Re: AC Cobra Super Stocker
 

Jeff, I was speaking of the big block cobras, the bodies and frames on the 289 cars were different.

Re: AC Cobra Super Stocker
 

Oh...then since the SC/Cobra's did come with 428's, it should be a simple swap for that bad a** 428 & 4-speed of yours to fit into a Cobra! Man, that would be scary fast!

Re: AC Cobra Super Stocker
 

Jeff Colvert, you need to go ahead and get one of those bodies and chassis on order. All you would need is about 200k to have another really nice Cobra.

Re: AC Cobra Super Stocker
 

I could build three for that Greg. (-:

Re: AC Cobra Super Stocker
 

Jeff in the shelby registry there are at least 2 documented BB 428 FE dual quad automatic Cobras, also back then it would have been easy enough to get a "letter" from Shelby verifying it.

Re: AC Cobra Super Stocker
 

I used Google Toolbar to translate that page and it does not say "Roadster" anywhere on that page. It may somewhere, but not on that page.

Re: AC Cobra Super Stocker
 

Yeah Alex I know but look at the class guide, it says 4spd only.At the time getting nhra change the spec. was nearly impossible.

Re: AC Cobra Super Stocker
 

not with a letter from Shelby Jeff.

Re: AC Cobra Super Stocker
 

Another very nice article on John's Cobra

http://www.stangtv.com/features/car-...7-shelby-cobra


more S/SS ink from the non traditional drag race media is always good for us