cobra body

[mrmustang]

Originally Posted by feadam

Were the Naf's close to original shape and wheel base.

Who told you it was a NAF, as no NAF (including the one I owned many years ago) looked like that one.

Yours


One similar to mine (but still a documented NAF)

Originally Posted by feadam

Were NAF's taken off original car shape?

No, the NAF was not a "splashed" body off of any original Cobra.


Bill S.

[Buzz]

That body does not have an extended wheelbase. It looks that way because its sitting low over the prop wheels. I superimposed it over the pic Bill posted and accounting for slight variations of angle and focal length between the two images, the lines and features are practically identical. I would say its definitely a NAF or one of the variations thereof.

[mrmustang]

Originally Posted by Buzz

That body does not have an extended wheelbase. It looks that way because its sitting low over the prop wheels. I superimposed it over the pic Bill posted and accounting for slight variations of angle and focal length between the two images, the lines and features are practically identical. I would say its definitely a NAF or one of the variations thereof.

Try doing it with just the wheel arches as a guide, and you'll see the major differences and why I will stand behind my "it's not a NAF" statement above

[Buzz]

I did. I created an exact trace of all of the lines and openings and superimposed it over your picture. In particular, the fender lines and wheel openings are an exact match. Once the body is lifted of the tucked up prop wheels the impression of it being a stretched wheelbase car is dramatically eliminated. I did this out of curiosity and have no stake in the outcome or what anyone chooses to believe.

[mrmustang]

Originally Posted by Buzz

I did. I created an exact trace of all of the lines and openings and superimposed it over your picture. In particular, the fender lines and wheel openings are an exact match. Once the body is lifted of the tucked up prop wheels the impression of it being a stretched wheelbase car is dramatically eliminated. I did this out of curiosity and have no stake in the outcome or what anyone chooses to believe.

I don't have a stake in it either, but did similar to you with a overlay in photoshop, and can see the differences both in the front and rear wheel arches and openings, along with the side grille opening. Top of the fenders don't quite match up either, whether I size up, or down, or stretch and shrink with both images to fit each other. I've tried it on three other known NAF's, as a side view, front nose, and tail shot. The nose is close (still off on openings), the tail does not come even close, even taking into account mounted and unmounted bodies. Just don't want someone to stumble across the thread in another 15 years from now and take it as fact that it was a NAF body when it is clearly not.

Bill S

[Karl Bebout]

Jack and his body shop Mgr Carl, both told me an original was used. Don't remember what number. They were very heavy glass.
BTW, I have two foot boxes that I didn't use and two door inner panels. Make me an offer I can't refuse.

[feadam]

Thanks Buzz, Looked at as many pictures as I could find of NAF cobras and it looked close to me. Many of the NAF pictures have little differances so wasn't sure. From what guy that had body told me he is sure it was NAF, but he doesn't know much about cobras, he just bought mold with body and sold body (not to me). I haven't seen many NAF's so wasn't sure if they are close to original.

[YerDugliness]

Originally Posted by Antny

Build a racer using that body. Why cut it up as "wall art"?

Just curious...to whom would we refer the OP if he wanted someone to build a frame for just that purpose...I know there is Mr. Bruce, but aren't there other sources for chassis without the bodies (no disrespect for Mr. Bruce intended, I'm just curious about other sources, too)?

In the past various companies would sell chassis plans...the Kelmark GT (a "Dino replica"...sort of... ) comes to mind, which was originally designed to fit a shortened VW floorpan, but when built with the "Olds Toronado" powertrain required a purpose built frame...Kelmark sold plans for those frames.

Seems such a shame to see it sit unused...or even cut up for wall art...if it could be built and make someone happy who does not share our passion/quest for detail, proportions and originality. Keep in mind that the first Arntz Cobra replicas I ever saw were made to be built on a VW chassis (yeah, I know...that's WAAAAAY back in the late '60s/early '70s and we've come a long way since then).

Cheers!

Dugly

[Antny]

Originally Posted by YerDugliness

Just curious...to whom would we refer the OP if he wanted someone to build a frame for just that purpose...I know there is Mr. Bruce, but aren't there other sources for chassis without the bodies (no disrespect for Mr. Bruce intended, I'm just curious about other sources, too)?

In the past various companies would sell chassis plans...the Kelmark GT (a "Dino replica"...sort of... ) comes to mind, which was originally designed to fit a shortened VW floorpan, but when built with the "Olds Toronado" powertrain required a purpose built frame...Kelmark sold plans for those frames.

Seems such a shame to see it sit unused...or even cut up for wall art...if it could be built and make someone happy who does not share our passion/quest for detail, proportions and originality. Keep in mind that the first Arntz Cobra replicas I ever saw were made to be built on a VW chassis (yeah, I know...that's WAAAAAY back in the late '60s/early '70s and we've come a long way since then).

Cheers!

Dugly

I'd speak with the Art Morrison folks to build a "track day" chassis for it, and have a ball with it.

[mrmustang]

Originally Posted by Karl Bebout

Jack and his body shop Mgr Carl, both told me an original was used. Don't remember what number. They were very heavy glass.

Their original sales brochures (both the early and later versions), options and prices list in my collection do not mention a splashed body or a chassis number associated with it.

Bill S

[feadam]

Bill,
how much differant were the NAF's from an original, was it just shape or dimensions

[cycleguy55]

Originally Posted by feadam

Bill,
how much differant were the NAF's from an original, was it just shape or dimensions

Here's one perspective on that - profile photos of selected replicas against csX 3155: Compare car profiles

Another NAF: http://www.allcarindex.com/auto-car-...tes-NAF-Cobra/

[mrmustang]

Originally Posted by feadam

Bill,
how much differant were the NAF's from an original, was it just shape or dimensions

Both in dimensions and in shape, NAF did an Ok job at getting the body to fit their frame set up, but the body was off as you can see in the side by side shots from the ERA web site.


That also shows why the body in question, in this thread, is not a NAF

[Buzz]

Originally Posted by mrmustang

Not a Hi Tech body either, and the NAF body does not have as pronounced a front or rear fender as the OP's body does.


Might I also add, this body is a grossly extended wheelbase

Wrong. In the picture below, an exact trace of the body lines from the mystery body has been overlaid on the known NAF replica. The line image was placed over the photo, rotated and constrain scaled (proportions unchanged) to fit over the NAF. Given that the photos were taken from slightly different heights and angles, it is a very close match. The wheel opening shapes and the front and rear wheel arches are bang on. If we fail to agree on that, at least we can agree that the body in question is NOT a "grossly extended wheelbase."

[mrmustang]

Buzz,

I respectfully disagree. You'll see it when you start comparing flare dimensions, and other dimensions using the different shots in the OP's photographs.

[feadam]

Bill,
Are the mold lines on the body the same as NAF would have been, or did the molds they used split somewhere else? Asking because I saw an NAF body with mold lines and they seem to be in same place. Do you have any pictures of your NAF before paint you could share?

[mrmustang]

Originally Posted by feadam

Bill,
Are the mold lines on the body the same as NAF would have been, or did the molds they used split somewhere else? Asking because I saw an NAF body with mold lines and they seem to be in same place. Do you have any pictures of your NAF before paint you could share?

I've got boxes from when I last moved full of things like that, mostly Polaroid Instamatic type pictures as there were no digital cameras back then. I'll be home this coming weekend, will try to dig through some of them at that time, if I of course have the time to do so.

Bill

[Lenni-65]

Hi,
if this can help, here are some typical NAF corners

hood area corners:



door front body area



body door rear area, with removed seal



and if the inner shell is available , the NAF logo



Frank

[feadam]

Frank,
Thanks it does help, the hood pictures are exactly the same where the stops locate.

[Karl Bebout]

The pictured stops are also where they were on my long gone NAF. The frame on mine was 2"x4" boxed tubing, .180"thick. Pretty stout but I installed "X" members front and rear to prevent flexing. (My 496 RAT had twisted the frame so much that I'd carry the LF wheel through 2nd gear with my TH400). My MT drag radials hooked up pretty well. ha