Tapered Stripes?

Edley Rondinone · #1 (**permalink**) 10-08-2003, 09:49 PM

Went on a cruise thru the local hills above Ventura this weekend with ten other Cobras. We all took turns following each other; at one time, I was following a Cobra with tapered stripes that narrowed as they cascaded down the trunk lid. IMHO, I prefer non-narrowed stripes, such as the ones that are on my Cobra. Does anyone know if the originals were tapered or not; if they were, what were the dimensions?

decooney · #2 (**permalink**) 10-08-2003, 11:50 PM

Edley, yes many of them were tapered I believe to help provide the illusion that they are not too narrow in the middle and wide at the ends. It makes them look straight (same width side to side and end to end) if they are tapered correctly. I believe Bob Putnam has posted on this before for ERA, and you might find some specs on the ERA website... It's in the ERA manual too. Good Luck.

Woodz428 · #3 (**permalink**) 10-09-2003, 07:10 AM

Yes, it's similar to the effect of pillars and why they make them thicker in the middle to avoid the illusion that they get narrow. The eyes do funny things.

CJ428CJ · #4 (**permalink**) 10-09-2003, 07:28 AM

Here's a link to the ERA info: http://erareplicas.com/427man/stripes/index.htm

BB427 · #5 (**permalink**) 10-09-2003, 08:55 AM

I did not think any original Cobras had stripes?????????????

Rick Bagley · #6 (**permalink**) 10-09-2003, 09:12 AM

The stripes were put on later and there were generally two widths, both tapered. The ERA's spec's are not necessarily correct or incorrect, just one version.

SPEEDEAMON · #7 (**permalink**) 10-09-2003, 01:49 PM

According to Lynn Park who saw my stripes, the originals were tapered and the stripes were inside the oil cooler opening. Mine is outside of the opening, because its straight. I kind of like it this way because it frames the opening.

Shin

BB427 · #8 (**permalink**) 10-09-2003, 02:48 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by SPEEDEAMON

According to Lynn Park who saw my stripes, the originals were tapered and the stripes were inside the oil cooler opening. Mine is outside of the opening, because its straight. I kind of like it this way because it frames the opening.

Shin

"Originals"

Somebody chime in here. The "originals" had no stripes. Is this right or wrong????

Edley Rondinone · #9 (**permalink**) 10-09-2003, 09:08 PM

Judging from the photo taken @Carroll Shelby's 80th birthday party, with 120 or so original Cobras, very few of them had stripes. Can anyone post the photo of which I speak?

Woodz428 · #10 (**permalink**) 10-09-2003, 09:25 PM

I don't think Iever saw any "in the day" that had stripes or even test cars of the time. It didn't occur to me until the later post. I was referring to the GT stripes on the Shelby 'stangs, they are dimensionally different from end to end, but not noticeable. Just enough to create the correct optics.

ERA 626 · #11 (**permalink**) 10-09-2003, 10:24 PM

ErA spec.

SPEEDEAMON · #12 (**permalink**) 10-09-2003, 11:59 PM

Clarification: what I meant was that Lynn told me original stripes, (not original Cobras), were tapered and were inside the oil cooler opening. In any case, i will ask him again when he recovers becasue I believe he would be the one to know.

Shin