Geetings

[sambo]

Hello all. This is my first post and let me just say how refreshing it is to find so many helpful and well mannered people on a car forum like this. Great work!

I've been dreaming about building a Cobra replica for years, more so after parting with my beloved HT Monaro (built on student budget, e.g., 90% bog ).

Anyway I'm very much in the info-gathering phase right now, tons of questions to ask and decisions to be made. I'm starting with the budget side of things and one area that's hard to pin down is insurance.

So I'd welcome any ballpark numbers for insuring one of these cars (preferrably in Vic) and with whom you're insured. I guess it's fair to say I'm after full comp on a $50,000 car? Any other thoughts on the matter would be much appreciated.

And that thread on the Victorian EPA inspections has really put the wind up me. Can anyone recommend a good engineer in Melbourne who really has his head around this whole compliance issue? When my Cobra is finally registered I want it to stay that way!

Many thanks,
Paul

[Bryan Wilson]

Welcome to the mad house sambo.
Shannon's insurance is one of the few insurers that will insure a Cobra, costs me about $350 bucks a year for insurance with limited use.
Others more knowledgeable than me on adr's will add more.
Cheers,
Bryan

[boxhead]

I contacted Shannons earlier this week.
I was quoted $570.00 for rating 1, vehicle valued at $70000.00 with 15000kl per year.
At that price they will also provide 1 free windscreen replacement per year.
They asked my age (It may make a difference as you said you are/where a student) I am 37.

[PCC]

$350 for rating one 15,000 kms and a windscreen too.

Car Value $60,000 and age 44ish (Me, not the car)

Cheap in QLD

[Asp302]

Hi Paul and welcome. When I was shopping for insurance for ours Shannons were the cheapest and u can do the agreed value and wreck buy back if u want. At the moment ours is about $500 for the year but it will be a bit dearer this year as I'm going to have the value put up as we have done some more work on it. I recommend them.

[sambo]

Thanks for all the replies guys. No I'm 32, the Monaro project was some years ago and I just feel it's time to once again roll the sleeves up and get stuck into something ambitious.

So from all reports it's not overly expensive to insure the car - great.

Now onto chassis/body/engine/suspension choices... the mind boggles.

[boxhead]

When deciding on a car supplier, the best thing you can do is write up a list of what you feel is important in the car you want.
This includes all sorts of things rangeing from price through to size of wheels, type of suspension, body shape, interior size etc.
Some kits also have removable bodies and others have the bodies bonded to the chassis.

[Gav]

The other thing to think about is your choice in wheel offset.
If you dont like a positive offset then at least your choice has been narrowed to somthing other than a Classic Revival!





I love that shot

[sambo]

Note to self: find out what "positive offset" is. Anyone?

But yeah, I know that each kit chassis has it's own characteristics that will limit drivetrain/wheel choice.

[Gav]

Positive offset has no dish on the wheels, such as in the pic above.
Negative offset would have the wheel centre back further creating the 'deep dish' look.

Gav

[sambo]

Gav, now I understand - thanks. Hey did you get the AU falcon rear from CR or purchase separately? It's my first choice at the moment, but is there much work involved in fitting it to the CR chassis? Thanks.

[Gav]

I bought my rear end from a wrecked AU fairlane,
No problem fitting it, it is quite straight forward. Fitting the bushes at the back of the diff are a bit of a pain though!

Gav

[Churchy]

Fitting the bushes at the back of the diff are a bit of a pain though!

Nothing a lump of hardwood and a big hammer won't fix

[boxhead]

When did you come over and borrow my specialised tool there Churchy?

[TMK 2002]

Hey Paul,

It sounds like you have done a lot of narrowing down of your plans already... there is plenty of helpful people around and I am sure Doug will provide you with the most unbiased opinion of all as he has seen the best and the worst of most manufacturers and will put you on the right path to Cobra ownership.

The Cobra car club meeting at this time of the year is excellent to see a number of different kits built with varying budgets and purpose in mind.

Good luck with the project, keep us all posted with your plans and thoughts.

Todd

P.s - dont post that pic of me at the Thai restaurant here either

[sambo]

Thanks Todd. I'm heading down to Doug's workshop tomorrow - most excited and even more importantly, the missus is too! Early acceptance of this project is essential.

And my silence on that picture from Tho Tho's will cost ya!

Paul

[TMK 2002]

Hahaha! Maybe I can organise dad to take you for a burn in his car.

Todd

[Churchy]

Sambo,

I was being a bit flippant before. The fitting of the rear end to the CR is actually one of the less daunting jobs of the whole process so far (for me anyway). It pretty much bolts staight up (once you put the diff in the right way ), and all you basically need is the muscles of Arnie and your fine.

They can get a bit heavy when you are holding them trying the get the bolts through.

Oh and boxhead, I hope I put that Hardwood and Mallet back in the right place :-)

Cheers Churchy