Nose problem

[boris_thespider]

The nose section is off quite a bit when looking down across the front of my car. On the passenger side, the bottom of the nose sticks out 1/4"-3/8" further than the driver's side. You can see the difference from the shadow created by my camera flash. I've read that other people have had nose issues and I wonder what they did about it. Do I fix this with filler and reshape it... or just live with it? I think it looks really bad in person. I'll attach a couple of photos to give you an idea.

[Dwight]

most of the kit bodies are pop off of an original Cobra that where hand made in England. Some bodies are pop off's of pop off's of an original Cobra that was hand made by somebody in England.

I had my body man fill and reshape some of the body problems. Now, 11 years later I wish I had more of the problems corrected by the body shop.

Dwight

[Wbulk]

I am about to start the bodywork on mine to. It has the same issue but I didn't notice it until your posting. I had noticed the center strip piece above the oil cooler hole is bowed in about 1/4" and I was intending on fixing that. As has been said many times on CC these bodies were never perfect as the originals were hammered out by individuals and later splashed with glass to create molds. Don't start measuring or you will find a lot more. I think it's all about blending in. A friend has an LA Exotics that has a fender issue that bugs the heck out of him. I haven't seen that problem yet. I just want to find the big ones before it's painted. We all have to decide how far we want to go.

Wayne

[OCCOBRA]

Wbulk
Your freind has a fender issue on his LA? I too have some similar issues. Can you describe them as you know from your discussion with your freind?
OCCOBR

[boris_thespider]

This is one problem I'm going to fix. It's looks very obvious to me and the big oval in the front attracts a lot of attention. Maybe with a nudge bar it wouldn't be as noticable.

[Jerry Clayton]

put more horse power in it so people only see the back end!!!!

[Wbulk]

OCCOBRA, he said it was one of the rear wheel openings that the arch was a little off. Perhaps Lee would give some more detail here.

[Clois Harlan]

Boris,

I think Jerry's solution is the best and cheapest fix. By the way there are more so leave your tape measure on the bench. I fixed most of mine but every kit has some issues. Just thinking about what would be involved in your fix Boris is mind boggling and I am beginning to dislike working with fiberglass. Still have a little more work to go on my coupe.

Clois

[Leecbr]

Hi Wayne and OCCOBRA,

How are things Wayne?

The fender arch is different on the rear fenders. The driver side has a higher peak in the curve/arch. While the passenger side has a better arch/curve which compliments and follows the tire shape. When I first bought the car I didn't notice it because I was "Cobra Drunk". I think when I get the coilovers on the rear then I can hide it by lowering the driver side a bit more than the passenger.

I guess you could say no 2 cars are a like. I would imagine they all have there imperfections. I also think once we start tinkering and changing things out, it's just comes with the territory. We as owners start to notice the imperfections along the way while striving to make our perfect dream car.

Sometimes I get OCD when I notice them. When the cobras on the road going 80 plus miles an hour and the sidepipes roaring..I tend to forget about all those imperfections.......... until the next clank or squeek.... Then it starts all over....

[Wbulk]

Lee, "Cobra Drunk" ! I think that sums up pretty well that beginning stage that just about everyone is in at one time. It's that "all looks good kind of blur where we don't know what hell you are looking at." Some how my wife never got that way.

I think if you want a perfect body you would have to get a Kirkham. I heard they matched the left to right with a computer.

Things are good Lee. Back working on the car and making progress.

Wayne

[Leecbr]

Wayne, great to hear your back working on the cobra. I can't wait to see it.

Yeah I was in a haze and didn't know where to start looking..I brought my wife to slap me from time to time so I would ask questions. She did most of the price negotiating... When I saw it, I was going to pay what ever he asked..I didn't tell him that.

I even wrote down a list of things to ask and what to look at. Almost forgot to pull it out of my pocket. After I heard it start up, I was pretty much heading home with it or I was going to sleep in his garage. My wife said I looked like a kid in a candy store. She knew I was bitten.

I agree Kirkhams cobras are definately close to flawless. Everything built by hand or from a mold will never be perfect. I just can't drop that kind of coin, because I just don't have that kind of coin. Hats off to you guys with the Kirkhams...

Wayne, I still plan on swinging by your place to look at your build when weather permits. I 'll talk to you soon.

take care

Lee

[boris_thespider]

The more I look at the nose from all different angles... I'm thinking of just leaving it as is. It will be behind the over-riders and I'll probably be the only one to notice it being off. I spoke with Bryan and he gave me a way to fix it. Having never done any fiberglass work before, there's a chance it may look worse if I attempt the fix. Then I'd be p*ssed off that I wasted so much time when I could have just left well enough alone.

[Leecbr]

boris,
It's probably the best. Once it's painted and the over-riders are installed. I bet it will be barely noticeable. I bet no one ever notices. We are the only ones that notice our cars imperfections.

In my situation with the rear fenders. No one has ever mentioned it when they see the cobra. Only when I point it out, then they notice it.
Even then they take multiple looks but don't really see a big difference.

Just get her finished and on the road..You'll forget all about it once the smile is permanently on your face.

take care

[lnfletcher]

I hadn't noticed it, but mine is like that.
I agree, once the paint and finish is on it, it won't be noticed. That's one of the appeals of these cars is that each one is a little different and not like every other car on the road.