Worlds Fastest Cobra

[Jamo]

Yup...about five years after he souped up my Dad's old pickup so he could beat the other Armenians out in the vineyard races in between rolling dice with JC Agajanian and Iskendarian in the packinghouse. (Armenians invented horsepower as well as yogurt, rugs, and everything else. ) Joe built every motor for Dick since then. He also turned a wrench or two on Andretti's Indy winner and has kept at it to building blown NHRA, drag boat motors, flatheads, Offies, etc. to this day.

Much as I love what Mike, Keith and George can do to a lump of metal (and I'm sure they can understand the reasoning), having this Old Man five miles away is a godsend for me...my motor has some Armenian blood mixed in with the oil. Good mojo.

[RICK LAKE]

My thinking with KCR and Dynoroom, I have the car, transmissions, ( either a G-Force 5 speed with a 1-1 5th gear or a T56 double overdrive 6-spd. The place would be Maxton. The track is short, better than salt, closer to the hospitial. Maxon is a punch run, not a wring it out run. I am not a big fan of salt. I have a 30 spline 3.07 gearing, The tires would be the question. Stay with a wider tire or go down to a 8-9" tire. I would like to also see pictures of Dicks run and what windshield was on his car. Will have to look for info on wheel alignments. Taping the seams to help with smoothing the air out. Small hood scoop if any? Not in a rush but have kicked it around for a couple of years. I want to do some more info getting before looking into this. IMO 158 on a bike or 170 in a car is about the same. What's another 30 mph. The down side is IF it's possible, not sure about trying to take a crown from a great racer and a record that has been there for 40+ years. This is one record that shouldn't be broken either in a real CSX car or replica. I will have to call Joe B. and ask about the OTHER Magic motor that was built for Dick that was in the 490-511" range. Dick told me way to much power for the car. Wonder how crazy that bullet was made. Will have to add, trans and rearend coolers for this. I will take the winter to think it over. Have to get through R&G first. I am think that the weight of the car will need to be about 2,800 lbs and 200 of lead shot or plates in the frontend very low. Wet sump oil pan with the largest width to help with air under the car. Dick didn't run with a belly pan on his car. I wonder if the radiator opening was partially covered? Need to get more info. Rick L.

[JustOne]

My car doesn't have a cage, otherwise it sure would be fun to try. If anyone wants a loose nut behind a steering wheel, I would sure like to give it a go!

Anyone up for going to the Texas Mile this year?

Justin

[Keithc8]

I feel that getting the car right would be the main deal. I do not see a problem with the horse power but would need someone to help get the car lined out for those kind of speeds. someone get the car lined out and we will get the engine lined out. Keith

[Buzz]

I seem to recall that one of the original DV v-10 cars was being prepped for a 200mph run. Not a stock body/stock wheelbase car, I know, but some of the issues encountered may be of value to this discussion. Ed? Anybody else have info?

[D-CEL]

Keith,

Soooo, what would you consider a "good car"?
I have a Superformance and just might have all the parts for an all aluminum, Kinsler efi'd, dry sumped 565ci 385 series motor .
New A96 block with 351 mains, Sonny Byrant 4.250 forged crank, Charlie Evans Ported SCJB's (with P51 valves and bigger springs),
we should talk, THEN GO POST SOME GIANT NUMBERS!!!!!!!

YEEEEE HAAAA!!!

Jason

[D-CEL]

Keith,

By the way,

Ive got that "crazy enough to drive it" thing covered.

Ya know, We could both get red hats!!

Jason

[Tony Ripepi]

Hi Guys,

Dick Smith was a great man and talented driver.

Morris Clement is taking a shot at the "Fastest Cobra" with his Kirkham and as much modern technology that he can stuff into 90 inches of wheel base.

http://www.kitcarmag.com/featuredveh..._sc/index.html

Kit car magazine article at the link.

TR

[Jamo]

A bunch of cars with modern technology can hit 200 and beyond now.

[BevanWright]

Originally Posted by Keithc8

I feel that getting the car right would be the main deal. I do not see a problem with the horse power but would need someone to help get the car lined out for those kind of speeds. someone get the car lined out and we will get the engine lined out. Keith

Hi Keith,

My name is Bevan Wright - I have a Kevlar Bodied 454 powered Cobra in New Zealand, and have achieved about 185 mph many times in races (car was sitting at the rev limiter in top for half of the straight at a racetrack using a long runway).

I would be keen to break the 200mph barrier in a Cobra. Maybe we could get the Kirkhams to provide a shiny Cobra, one of your engines and a bit of tickling here and there and do it? It would be great publicity for your companies. I can be the Kiwi like the Burt Munro - Worlds Fastest Indian story!

In my car we had an aluminium cover for the passengers compartment (clipped on with dzeus fasteners), an aero screen, and vents in the bonnet to release pressure.

My car was starting to feel light at 185, so I was in the process of making an alloy belly tray to cover it all off. I would also vent the front arches through to the side vents, and make a cover to blank off half of the nose opening. Also think about rear wheel arch vents to let some of the air out. If going to this effort - a smooth bonnet with an air intake for the carbs / injection etc from the engine bay opening would also be a good idea.

I was also going to put an airdam on my car, but can see how some people would prefer the standard body.

The car would also need to be low, and have good stiff suspension, as well as new high speed rated tyres.

So... let me know, I would be keen as mustard!

Bevan@WrightApplications.com

Edit - PS - option 2, I would use my car - happy to have one of your motors in it, but would probably prefer to do the speed run in New Zealand if using my car.

[lamaluv]

At the 2007 WSCB there was a blue Daytona Coupe that so someone was going to take to Bonneville. Does anyone know if he ever made it and how fast he went? By the way we plan on being at World of Speed 2009 at Bonneville this September 16th as spectaters and will watch for Cobras on the course.

Dick

[Tony Ripepi]

Hello Bevan,

Did you look at the kitCar article about Morris Clement and his Kirkham?

http://www.kitcarmag.com/featuredveh..._sc/index.html





Tony R.

[BevanWright]

Interesting article. I am not so keen on the air dam and wing, they dont look right. The other scary thing is that the guys head is higher than the roll bar it looks like.

Anyway - 185 - I have beaten that already!

Cheers
Bevan

[Maricopa]

At the 2007 WSCB there was a blue Daytona Coupe that so someone was going to take to Bonneville.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DNSY...layer_embedded

[BevanWright]

Nice - well... probably not going to beat that with a roadster! - tho... this thread is about standard body and naturally aspirated.

[DAVID GAGNARD]

Originally Posted by Michael4yah

No question Dick Smith will be remembered as one of the best. But at Daytona he had Ken Miles in his rear view mirror. Does anyone know what the overall effect of drafting @ near 200 mph speeds would be? Also was there any downforce due to a banked track ? Theres no doubt that when it comes to top speed and validating everyones efforts they do it best at Bonnie during speed week.

I've been 170 mph around the Daytona oval (3 consecutive laps), yes in the corners you can "feel" the car being pulled down by the 30 something degree banking, the straights are banked also, but you can't really "feel it", at least I couldn't.......
BTW: the track is/was a lot rougher/bumpier than what you see on the tv in a NASCAR race......at least it was 10 years ago when I was on it....rather large "bump" coming off turn 4 about the time you get the car pointed down the front straight, first lap my belts were not that tight and my butt actually came off the seat a tad, after the bump I reached up and grabbed the shoulder belts and pulled them down as hard as I could and that kept me planted in the seat for the duration.........

Interesting point Bernie, I recall more than once at the race track people asking how fast I was going, what rpm did I hit at the end of the straight, etc.

Generally, I have NO CLUE! It's all I can do to focus on driving it and a glance at the guages is quickly forgotten in the heat of battle.

Been there,done that.....While running at the Nashville SuperSpeedway Road Course in my 65 fastback street car, a driving instructor asked how fast I was going down the front straight, told him it was all I could do to focus on driving and not screwing up to look at the speedometer, he asked about the rpms, told him I didn't look at the tach either.....he asked that I check it out next time out, so I did, before I had let off, I had the speedometer buried at 120 mph and still was in the gas another couple of seconds, scared the crap outa me...........had some good ole Wal Mart tires on the car at the time rated for all of 90 mph!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!a blowout or tire failure at 120mph would have been reallllllllllllll ugly, not to mention very dangerous!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Came in and got a piece of duct tape and covered the speedometer after that, I didn't want to know!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

David

[Double Venom]

Buzz, et. l.,

The car you mentioned was the first DVII, on paper it was made to go with the capability of going well past 200 mph.... ? Car was shaken out at TRC's test track. Just as we were changing gears out, putting the best crew we could get together, (I think I still have a letter to Jamo inviting him to meet us at Bonneville to offer his vast and viable input.) , the owners wife had her own plans.

Right out of a clear blue sky, while playing catch with his son in his own driveway-waiting for supper to be served, by his wife. An unmarked cop car pulled into the drive (process server!), served the owner with divorce papers.... As they say the rest is history. He was able to keep the car but that was about it. End of a beautiful story.......At least I got to build it and watch one event at Putnam.

DV

[Buzz]

Wow. It's been a while, but I always did wonder what became of that project. Some things just aren't meant to be, I suppose.

It's a year old thread but not a bad one to bring up again. Not necessarily the rehashing of Dick's run, mind you, but that will always be pertinent to the discussion of just how fast a relatively stock bodied Cobra can be made to run.

What I cannot believe is that Keith Craft has offered to build the motor if others put up a car and a driver and this has still not happened. If we had a straightaway long enough down here, I'd tell Keith let's do it! C'mon guys - you folks have salt flats and unused runways and TRC Ovals!! If I can get my Cobra over 135 (limited by road and a small remenant of sanity) on this tiny island, surely a few of you can go after 200. Where's that pioneering spirit of adventure? People should talking about the first run by now and planning the second or third annual Cobra assault on the 200mph barrier!

[Biplanemavin]

I met Dick Smith after a vintage car race in Lime Rock, Labor Day Weekend, 2006. He ran against an E-Jag, an Allard, a '64 Ferrari GTO and 8 or 9 other cars, some not so competitive. The Jag sat on the pole, the Allard was 2nd and the GTO third. Dick started in 4th place. After a race I never wanted to see end, the Jag won, Dick was 2nd and the GTO third. I was about 100 yards away from the track and I could feel the ground pound when the Cobra came past. The Ferrari made that fantastic "other world" noise that only a high-revving 12 can make. It was fantastic to hear and see 40 year old pieces tearing up the course.

Dick was a great conversationalist. It didn't take long in our discussion before the topic got to Daytona and the record run. He said he did it with much help from a team of Ford factory engineers. He also said those guys clocked him at 201 and change, but he went with the official track time. I told him how mine feels like it's on ice when I get to about 100. He said his was not much better. He said he was determind to either set the record or make the most spectacular mess anyone ever saw.

I couldn't wait to get back to Lime Rock the next year to see him run again. We all know what happend in the interim. He was truly a great man and an equally great ambassador to the sport and hobby.

[Excaliber]

Year old thread? Closer to two years. As Jamo noted earlier, the subject comes up about once a year. Checking the dates, the thread is right on schedule for 2009.

Good stuff, I reckon we'll see it again in 2010, about this time...