Small block Chevy in a cobra?

[t walgamuth]

I like history too.

[kyleb]

Originally Posted by xb-60

kyleb,

What is the situation in Victoria now? I know you now have club/historic registration, so with that, do you still need to meet an emissions standard, or is it 'open season'?

Cheers,
Glen

edit: attn Mr. Dimis - any comments from you?

G’day Glen
All bets are off with Club/historic registration in Vic nowadays which is great for cars that can’t get full registration or owners that want to utilise the much reduced rego cost.
Club registration can be problematic if you want to drive between states though.
I wanted full registration for my car so that I wouldn’t be restricted in any way.
Cheers

[xb-60]

G'day kyleb,

"all bets are off" means that if on historic registration, there are no emissions requirements....yes?

We (SA) don't have a historic registration yet for our Cobras (club is working on it, but it's a monumentally slow process). My Alfa is on "conditional" registration (90 days a year, on a log book), and from memory the car can be taken interstate. Oh, for consistency between States!

Cheers,
Glen


edit: apologies Dimis, I'm a little off-topic

[Thor maine]

Well I just had to say something! AC cars Ltd back in the day at least 2 Cobras left their factory with Chevy engines, FACT! They used Ford engines but were not required to, if a customer wanted a Chevy they got a Chevy in their COBRA from the factory. And today AC Cars what ever that means now uses GM LS engines. And a former Shelby mechanic back in the sixties who later went on to build his own Cobra kit car told me that back in the late sixties and early seventies as a privateer racer the trick was to pull the 427 ford and put in a 427 Chevy because as a privateer you could afford to race and win or race and blow a motor and with a Chevy you could afford to be out racing the next weekend and with a Ford sideoiler , well who could afford that with out factory sponsorship?? So a Chevy in a COBRA is not without precedence.

[Alfa02]

@ Thor maine, that may be true (I believe you are speaking of Ron Butler, as the builder of the kit cars), you could put a 427 Chev. in a Cobra and be back racing the next weekend. But you couldn't run in A Production, they (SCCA) would put you in A Sports Racing, which in the day was known as Group 7, CamAm's humble beginning, which during that time, had a LOT of Lola T-70, both open cockpit, and closed, McLaren Mk. 1A though and up to the M8E. Not counting the one off Genie's, or any other Group 7 cars that happen to showed up. The Cobra would be back of the pack car, at the very best. TommyRot P.S. The name Group 7, came about because it was more then likely the last race of the day, and kept the crowds there, as they were the fastest cars of the day (Lots of Thunder & Action There is a well known fact that by the third or fourth lap, your Beer or Pop would be flat from the sound (True story, I was there)

[blykins]

Originally Posted by Thor maine

Well I just had to say something! AC cars Ltd back in the day at least 2 Cobras left their factory with Chevy engines, FACT! They used Ford engines but were not required to, if a customer wanted a Chevy they got a Chevy in their COBRA from the factory. And today AC Cars what ever that means now uses GM LS engines. And a former Shelby mechanic back in the sixties who later went on to build his own Cobra kit car told me that back in the late sixties and early seventies as a privateer racer the trick was to pull the 427 ford and put in a 427 Chevy because as a privateer you could afford to race and win or race and blow a motor and with a Chevy you could afford to be out racing the next weekend and with a Ford sideoiler , well who could afford that with out factory sponsorship?? So a Chevy in a COBRA is not without precedence.

My first statement would be, prove it. Let's see some documentation. Hearsay doesn't count, because I'm sure there have been all kinds of stories passed down over the decades.

Second statement is, if an AC car came with a Chevy, that's all fine and good, but that's not the same as building a Shelby Cobra. Show me a CSX car with a Chevy engine.

[Thor maine]

Originally Posted by blykins

My first statement would be, prove it. Let's see some documentation. Hearsay doesn't count, because I'm sure there have been all kinds of stories passed down over the decades.

Second statement is, if an AC car came with a Chevy, that's all fine and good, but that's not the same as building a Shelby Cobra. Show me a CSX car with a Chevy engine.

Yes you are right AC Cars Ltd had nothing to do with the building of the Cobra and the AC 289 that was sold in Europe and the rest of the world is a completely different car , how stupid of me! How could I had made such a mistake? I am more of the AC built the car , Shelby turned into a world champion race car! A COB or COX will do just fine!

[blykins]

Originally Posted by Thor maine

Shelby turned into a world champion race car!

With a Ford engine.

[Thor maine]

Originally Posted by blykins

With a Ford engine.

And Chevy/GM engines they have never have never won anything??? ( Because I have read that GM powered cars have more titles than all other manufacturers combined, FACT)

[blykins]

Sure they do.

But getting back to the point at hand, GM winning something doesn't detract from the fact that there were no Shelby Cobras that had Chevy engines. I'm also still waiting to hear/see your proof that AC used Chevy engines.

Listen, you guys can put whatever engine you want in your Cobras. However, I'm done with all of this "Well Shelby thought about...." or "I once heard that...." It didn't happen. There were no Shelby Cobras with Chevy engines and there is not a rumor true enough to justify that decision. I wish guys would just say, "I put a Chevy engine in my car because I found one cheap." That would be more truthful than trying to justify all the hear-say.

BTW, adding "FACT" at the end of a paragraph doesn't lend any more credible evidence to your argument. Let's see some documentation.

[Thor maine]

Originally Posted by blykins

Sure they do.

But getting back to the point at hand, GM winning something doesn't detract from the fact that there were no Shelby Cobras that had Chevy engines. I'm also still waiting to hear/see your proof that AC used Chevy engines.

Listen, you guys can put whatever engine you want in your Cobras. However, I'm done with all of this "Well Shelby thought about...." or "I once heard that...." It didn't happen. There were no Shelby Cobras with Chevy engines and there is not a rumor true enough to justify that decision. I wish guys would just say, "I put a Chevy engine in my car because I found one cheap." That would be more truthful than trying to justify all the hear-say.

BTW, adding "FACT" at the end of a paragraph doesn't lend any more credible evidence to your argument. Let's see some documentation.

Now I have to go dig out the books!

[blykins]

Well, unless it's a CSX registry, you're not gonna have much luck. FACT!

[maui]

if you want to put a chevy engine in a Cobra start with a 63 corvette replica.

The first time I saw someone put a 351C in a Cobra I was disappointed...let alone a Chevy... Chevy engines are great, but wrong. If you want to do it to prove you are a non conformist, go to Starbucks and order a large black coffee.

Cobra's have ford drive train. If there was ever a Shelby installed chevy engine, in a real Cobra, it was because somebody got drunk one night and when they woke up the next day had to chew their arm off to sneak out.

[joyridin']

Originally Posted by maui

if you want to put a chevy engine in a Cobra start with a 63 corvette replica.

The first time I saw someone put a 351C in a Cobra I was disappointed...let alone a Chevy... Chevy engines are great, but wrong. If you want to do it to prove you are a non conformist, go to Starbucks and order a large black coffee.

Cobra's have ford drive train. If there was ever a Shelby installed chevy engine, in a real Cobra, it was because somebody got drunk one night and when they woke up the next day had to chew their arm off to sneak out.

I would say probably 50-75% of Cobras do not have a Ford drive train. They might have a Ford engine, but the transmission and rear axle were not made by Ford.

[Mike I]

Incredible silliness...some of you folks act like there's some sort of automotive cultural appropriation going on here...get a grip, this is a hobby for most of us, not a lifestyle.

[maui]

Originally Posted by joyridin'

I would say probably 50-75% of Cobras do not have a Ford drive train. They might have a Ford engine, but the transmission and rear axle were not made by Ford.

fair enough.

Ford engine.

Halibrands are not a ford or chevy item but still look good (for what ever equivalent wheel)

Don't get me wrong, I like Chevy engines and cars but I'm not gonna put a 426 Hemi in a 67 Camaro because it fits....I think it fits anyway.

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by maui

I like Chevy engines and cars but I'm not gonna put a 426 Hemi in a 67 Camaro because it fits....I think it fits anyway.

I love quotes.

I was watching a drag racing documentary, and they interviewed Ronnie Sox.
He stated drag racers were in one of two groups . They were either running a hemi, or they wish they were running a hemi.

[maui]

Hemi's are better engines. If they have 4 cams even better.

Put a Cobra body on a Prius for all I care. My persona taste is that an FE engine looks best in between the frame rails but if someone has a 572" chevy in there its a super fun car.

If you're born in a Cobra body and self identify as a Corvette I don't think less of the car. I might tease a little, but fast is fast.

[Anthony]

There are a lot of great engines! Sometimes , it’s hard to pick! I agree, I would not put a hemi in a camaro.

Originally Posted by maui

If you're born in a Cobra body and self identify as a Corvette I don't think less of the car.

Interesting thought! So which car is the male?

[xb-60]

Originally Posted by joyridin'

I would say probably 50-75% of Cobras do not have a Ford drive train. They might have a Ford engine, but the transmission and rear axle were not made by Ford.

Ford didn't make the CSX Cobra's differentials. They are Salisbury 4HU diffs