Thanks for the kind words, guys! Let's not give up hope though - maybe someone is paying attention and we'll see a new Cobra that is a worthy tribute to the old icon just like the new GT is to its ancestor.
@#$%$*^% Lucas electronics!! Blame it on Wilf - it was his idea!
I'll do a few more tweaks tomorrow and I'll see if I can produce a side view for Mr. Bruce.
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Tropical Buzz
Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the strength to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. -(wasn't me)
Cobra Make, Engine: NAF replica, 351W, about 420 HP
Posts: 3,046
Not Ranked
Make its rear end wiggle and shimmy like Jessica Rabbit. Remember, she wasnt bad, she was just DRAWN that way!!!
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Edley, The Cobra Rogue!
"If you think that you can cut it, if you think you got the time, you'll only get just one chance, better get it right first time. 'Cause in this game you're playing, if you lose you got to pay, and if you make just one wrong move, you'll get BLOWN AWAY. Expect no mercy.
Buzz...didn't see this had already gone 3 pages when I posted earlier. Your last design nails it in my opinion. I, for one, don't want to see the "original" again, but I think your last tweak much better captures the Cobra cues that are so appealing, while maintaining the contemporary design.
I went to college with Rick Wagoner (CEO at GM), but I don't think that will help much in this case.
Great Job Buzz!
My son and I watched the TLC show together and both agree with the mods you made so far. The rear end needs something, but I'm not sure what.
Jeff
That last rework- WOW! Impressive! Two days ago I laughed at it, now I'm wishing for it!(blue/white please) Hmm...while I'm dropping pennies down the wishing well, I wonder if Ford would take my car as a trade-in.....
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"If you're not racin' it, you're wastin' it!"-Me
Cobra Make, Engine: Shamrock ,350 chevy, jag axles
Posts: 138
Not Ranked
Great, thats how this car should look! You now have a continuation, like Porsche does for decades; you always recognize a 911, no matter what year it was build.
With this design, even with the more modern headlights, it will be recognized as a cobra.
Ford should pay you for this, Buzz!
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Gernod
This is a mans world, but what would it be without a cobra!
Thanks Al - that's great! Lets hope J actually reads the thread and sees that the largest gathering of Cobra enthusiasts in the world is really excited about the car he is building but would love it a lot more with a few important (to us) styling changes.
Like the GT40 the Cobra is too much of an automotive icon to be able to be captured in a handful of token styling cues on a completely different looking car. The Cobra's racing heritage and reputation as the ultimate street legal racecar have a lot to do with its appeal. But there is a lot more to it than that. Cobras understandably pull a crowd in the US and Europe where people recognize them and know of the heritage and rep. I live down here in the Caribbean where most people have never even heard of a Cobra (car, that is) -and guess what - it pulls a crowd wherever it is parked. Even in the company of a dressed up SLK, M3's and a host of radically modified Japanese performance cars; men, women and children gravitate towards the Cobra; much to the frustration of the other car owners. That shape; however accidentally it may have evolved; the curves and the overall look of the car make it unlike anything ever sold to the public before or since. Now its going to be done all over again. Lets try to help see that it's done right.
Here's a side view for Mr. Bruce. I don't have a good side pic of the existing design to work from yet so expect this one to improve.
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Tropical Buzz
Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the strength to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. -(wasn't me)
Would look much better if the rear quarter behind the rear wheels were streched a bit more like may 6" to 10" and given more of a Cobra rear curve. The Windshield post needs to be slimmed down some more. But let me say you are doing a fantastic job so far.
Buzz, absolutely fantabulous!but,a little too Corvette(C-3) in the front fender(top of fender to door), and ,nothing against JBL, but it looks like a JBL rear fender ,or that red car you posted a while back. If I go thu with building the body, do you think you've altered the shape 10%?
I only read the first post in this thread and I have to say I am glad it is not just me. I saw the program about this car and when they finally did show it all I could think was "I have seen this car before, it's an Audi TT roadster".
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We have enough youth. What we need is a fountain of common sense
I love the pic with the rounded headlights! That is exactly the way I would want it. The side pic I feel that you took too much off of the rear. It looks exactly like the original, and that you dont want.
I'll work a bit more on the side profile and see what I can do with the fender lines. Blue Rooster has a good point - One design element that I think we will be stuck with is a sort of a "bob-tailed" look at the rear. This due to the modern trend towards shorter rear overhangs behind the rear wheels. The "droop" in the rear of my sketch may have to be reduced a bit as a concession to the added high speed stability that the high, short rear end produces - reducing the need for a rear spoiler. The other thing that will be hard to alter too much is the thickness of the windshield pillar as the current one is clearly engineered to support the weight of the car in the event that you get the greasy side facing up.
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Tropical Buzz
Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the strength to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. -(wasn't me)
Good point on the strength of the window pillars. Todays design HAVE to address safety features. That in itself will be a limiting factor.
In fact, I'd be worried about how the bumpers (front and rear) can be incorporated into the design and yet retain "crash worthiness".
Did you guys see the early prototype of the GT-40? Horrible looking bumper in the rear, like a 12X wooden beam bolted on. Totally hideous, but that went away after some "tweaking" and the end product is fabulous!
I suspect we may see the same thing happen with the new Cobra. They aint done yet, and neither is Buzz!
By the way, one of the best design features of the JBL is the wide open rear wheel opening, I love that! You can stuff some GIANT meats in that rascal! The new Cobra runs 13" rims on the back.
Ernie
Last edited by Excaliber; 01-08-2004 at 07:33 PM..
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