would any one recomend putting an xr8 tickford motor into a cobra

[mantis-bec]

Can anyone sujest what type of motor to put into my Modified crown chassis. Would it be easier to put a fuel injected motor in with all the polution gear, than trying to put a modified motor carberetor style. As we all know this is the first step into building the car around it would be great to hear some input. I personally would love to put a chev in it ( thats what i always work with ), But i have no choice, my wife and father both are ford people and say if you build a ford a ford motor must go in it.
Thanks for you input.
cheers

[Plums]

Just stick the Chev in it.... These are AC Cobra's, they weren't designed by Ford, they just happened to use a Ford motor!

So far, (touch wood) I haven't used one Ford part in my car.
It has a custom made chassis, Jag running gear and fibreglass replica shell.

[richsd]

Originally Posted by Plums

Just stick the Chev in it.... These are AC Cobra's, they weren't designed by Ford, they just happened to use a Ford motor!

So far, (touch wood) I haven't used one Ford part in my car.
It has a custom made chassis, Jag running gear and fibreglass replica shell.

Sorry but this is the type of thing that has assisted in destroying the image of the original Cobra. The vision of what a Cobra really was like has been so bastardized because of all of these "replicas" (I hesitate to say replica because many have been built with no attempt to replicate the original car) running around built with parts that were never on Cobras. If you want a Chevy motor buy a Corvette or a Chevelle. Here is a link for the forum you should join http://www.chevytalk.com/.

[ItBites]

richsd - Wah Wah.... The image of the original Cobra... Blah Blah Blah.... Its just a friggin car. Many of us call them what they really are - kit car. This whole high and mighty "replica" nomenclature makes folks forget that most are made from available parts, not replicating the original. Where was that skin made? - oh yeah Poland, at the AC plant, yeah right. But, I do remember when CS went to the billet control arms like the K bros use - NOT. If the body ain't AC, why does the engine have to be Ford? If the suspension is bastardized and the brakes and the steering column, etc, etc, then why is the engine so sacred? I get tired of these type of posts, get over yerself.

Mantis, it is your car, do what ya like and have fun.

[richsd]

Originally Posted by ItBites

If the body ain't AC, why does the engine have to be Ford? If the suspension is bastardized and the brakes and the steering column, etc, etc, then why is the engine so sacred?

I am confused as to how replicating a great car has now progressed to just using random stuff that has no connection to the spirit of the original car. My point is that if you want to try to replicate a Cobra then why not at least make an attempt at replicating a Cobra. Of course given the part availability, budget, and the approach that many replica companies take to building their chassis it is not possible to replicate it perfectly these days. But it is pretty easy to build a Cobra replica that is done with the spirit of the original in mind. I just get very confused with those that want to redefine the car without any attempt to sticking with the spirit of the original. If you have no interest in some of the key points that define the Cobra then why not build something like an Ultima and stick a Chevy engine in it?

[ItBites]

richsd,

I guess to many of us, a cobra is a car that looks like a cobra (BTW, an Ultima does not look like a Cobra). People ubiquitously can recognize a Cobra at 1/4 mile distance, but a side-oiler is just a powerplant, not the car. Most folks cannot recognize a correctly-equipped Cobra side-oiler from a schoolbus engine, so I wouldn't consider the engine to be, as you state, a key point that defines a Cobra.

And, what is the "spirit" of the original? 2 seat roadster? Wind in yer hair? Too little weight and too much power, Fat tires that are still too small? smell of gas? Smell of burning rubber? Loud sidepipes? Freedom of the American sixties? Or must use Ford Engine?

What is it people love about Cobras? Very few in the general public will tell you they love Cobras because they are Ford powered. Heck, Country Squire Wagons are Ford powered, but they do not have the Cobra "spirit", so the "spirit", by definition, must derive from something other than the powerplant.

[richsd]

Originally Posted by ItBites

richsd,

I guess to many of us, a cobra is a car that looks like a cobra (BTW, an Ultima does not look like a Cobra). People ubiquitously can recognize a Cobra at 1/4 mile distance, but a side-oiler is just a powerplant, not the car. Most folks cannot recognize a correctly-equipped Cobra side-oiler from a schoolbus engine, so I wouldn't consider the engine to be, as you state, a key point that defines a Cobra.

And, what is the "spirit" of the original? 2 seat roadster? Wind in yer hair? Too little weight and too much power, Fat tires that are still too small? smell of gas? Smell of burning rubber? Loud sidepipes? Freedom of the American sixties? Or must use Ford Engine?

What is it people love about Cobras? Very few in the general public will tell you they love Cobras because they are Ford powered. Heck, Country Squire Wagons are Ford powered, but they do not have the Cobra "spirit", so the "spirit", by definition, must derive from something other than the powerplant.

Yes I know that an Ultima does not look much like a Cobra. It is a cool car though. Many of the things you list do describe the spirit of the Cobra. However I will debate you on the engine company. Sure a Country Squire Wagon is Ford powered. So is my Noble and it is also from the UK. Neither of these is in any way meant to be a Cobra but a Cobra replica is. You are probably right that many in the general public will not tell you that they love Cobras because they are Ford powered. However the reason they love Cobras is because of the mystique and reputation of the car. This mystique and reputation was built on a few factors. One of the main things that took the Cobra from being a cute little AC car to what it became was sticking a big Ford motor in it. Without this the Cobra would have never been the Cobra so to me it is clearly a key point that defines the car. This forum would not exist if Carroll Shelby did not stick a big Ford motor in an AC and I doubt anyone would be replicating the AC Ace. I understand that many must deviate from a side-oiler due to availability and budget but I still feel that Ford power is the way to go for a Cobra replica.

[ItBites]

Seems to me just happenstance that the engines were Ford in original Cobras. CS would have been just as happy and likely as successful to use any of the american V-8s... So I would modify your above statement: "This forum would not exist if Carroll Shelby did not stick a big Ford motor in an AC and I doubt anyone would be replicating the AC Ace." to read "This forum would not exist if Carroll Shelby did not stick a big american V-8 in an AC and I doubt anyone would be replicating the AC Ace." Reads the same, except does not require the "blue oval magic". Certainly nothing magic about a side-oiler...


But CS did use a side-oiler and certainly with no regrets. So be it, however misguided he may have been . However, if you are not using a side-oilerin your "replica", why would an incorrect Ford W engine be better than an incorrect chevy engine? Wrong is wrong, right?

[Beejay]

Personally I do not consider a Cobra to be a Ford, but that is just my opinion. I am happy to build a hot rod that just happens to use the Cobra body.

This has been debated a million times before guys, and I do not think common ground will ever be reached.

Ben

[BJ's Snake]

Here we go again! Yawwwnn!

[richsd]

Originally Posted by ItBites

...Certainly nothing magic about a side-oiler...


...However, if you are not using a side-oilerin your "replica", why would an incorrect Ford W engine be better than an incorrect chevy engine? Wrong is wrong, right?

Well I do agree that wrong is wrong.

There is certainly something magic about a side-oiler though.

[slow 427]

Nice Kirkham richsd , but some of us that dream of having something that looks like a cobra can't afford to nick off to Poland and by a COPY .
In Australia , unlike the USA have VERY strict emissions rules and every car built has to comply to EURO 3 emissions or else no driving on public roads.
So fitting a bastardised chev or lexus into a kit cobra is the only way to get it done.
And we all have to remember 95% of the cobras are KIT cars.
Unless Carrolls company has built it , no matter how well they are built all the same ...........COPIES.
There thats my 50 cents worth.

[richsd]

Originally Posted by Beejay

Personally I do not consider a Cobra to be a Ford, but that is just my opinion. I am happy to build a hot rod that just happens to use the Cobra body. ..

Ben

There is no opinion here and nothing to debate on the points you make.

A Cobra is not a Ford as you say. It is a Shelby car with the body sourced from AC and it always had a Ford motor. This is a fact. Your opinion that a Cobra is not a Ford is correct but it is fact not opinion that Ford did not build the Cobra and it is fact that a Cobra used a Ford motor. Nothing to debate.

If you want to build "a hot rod that just happens to use the Cobra body" then you get a hot rod with a Cobra body.

[richsd]

Originally Posted by slow 427

Nice Kirkham richsd , but some of us that dream of having something that looks like a cobra can't afford to nick off to Poland and by a COPY .
In Australia , unlike the USA have VERY strict emissions rules and every car built has to comply to EURO 3 emissions or else no driving on public roads.
So fitting a bastardised chev or lexus into a kit cobra is the only way to get it done.
And we all have to remember 95% of the cobras are KIT cars.
Unless Carrolls company has built it , no matter how well they are built all the same ...........COPIES.
There thats my 50 cents worth.

If it is the only way to get it done for you then I am all for it. And as I said in my other posts, budget is clearly a limiting factor for many also and I completely understand that. There are various good reasons that people must deviate from the original design but I have a tough time understanding the logic of some of the deviations.

And yes, unless it was built by CS in the 60s then it is a copy although I am not sure what some are copying.

[WKB]

mantis-bec,

Back to your question.

Ford, Chev, Holden, Toyota, Rover, BMW, 8 cylinder, 6 cylinder and even four cylinder (in the UK), the choice is yours as long as it meets the ADR regulations for the state which it will be registered in.

The line

"But i have no choice, my wife and father both are ford people and say if you build a ford a ford motor must go in it"

might have already decided the question your asked.

Warren

[hogster]

WKB is on the money.

The only right way to build the damn thang is the way you want to build it.

Make a choice, do it, and be happy.

Whatever species it turns out to be, you'll still be smiling like the Cheshire Cat every time you drive it

Hogster

[Beejay]

Was there a Cobra or two made with a Hemi engine for drag racing?

I am not sure, but I think I read this somewhere.

Ben

[07cob]

Sitck your favourite CHV in it and put some Ford stickers on it and tell your wife and father its a Ford!! (Unless of course they could easily identify the difference). This way it will be an ORIGINAL car and not a COPY of anything at all!!

$0.02 + GST

[Rebel1]

From a dyed in the wool ford fella who has both 302W and 351W carby engines sitting in his shed.

Mr Shelby first approached Chev to use their motors but they knocked him back.

If we were allowed to use the 289 or 427 in original carby form then many of us would use them.

However....

Given that we can't the options are open.

Frankly, I don't believe the current 4.6 or boss cammer engines have any more right to be in a cobra replica then say the Chev or Lexus.

What have I decided to use....the 6Ltr chev.

[slow 427]

Guy, lets not forget that we ALL have a love for the same thing, cobras, no matter how original they are.
As long as you enjoy driving it who cares where or how they were built.
Hey I love my girl friend ,does this mean she need to be a pure breed supermodel ?
I think not.