Shamrock Cobra Build in Cape Town

Tarrensmith · #1 (**permalink**) 01-22-2013, 01:23 AM

Hello all, have been busy with my Cobra project since July last year and am almost complete with the rolling chassis. Why Shamrock I hear you say... Well, Shamrock was a Cape Town based company that sadly closed its doors some years ago. Lucky for me I found a chassis and body and Eli, an ex Shamrock employee with many years of expertese behind him.

It had been a dream of mine to build a Cobra since I was younger than 16 as, for me, simply buying one is just not the same. I got married and decided - the time is right - so, on my birthday I paid for a chassis that had been lying around in a barn or something for 12 years.

It was a lot of fun reconditiong the XJ6 bits and getting my wife invloved and slowly, watching a car apear from what looked like a jungle gym.

Last weekend, we joined the Cape Cobra Club at a car show with the "Half Cobra". It was amazing how much interest it attracted with groups of people disccusing and looking. What a pleasure. Well, truthfully, either it was the interest or the fact that my wife was the one exibiting since I had a work function on.

Well, I welcome any comments and would love to engage in some conversation with any interested parties.

Tarren.

Riverside racer · #2 (**permalink**) 01-22-2013, 04:42 AM

I welcome you to the Cobra world, Tarren. As an ex South African I know the Shamrock well as I spent time with Greg Erasmus up in Boksburg whilst he put one or two together.
Was the DAvid Piper circus at Killarney this year
Ross

CHANMADD · #3 (**permalink**) 01-22-2013, 11:04 AM

I built a Shamrock, back when, .....it was a really nice car, and q really nice kit. In the late eighties the Shamrock was a very desirable car to have......it has a 95 inch wheelbase if I remember correctly...
Best of luck.....

mboza · #4 (**permalink**) 02-21-2013, 03:27 PM

hi, was the show in constancia,in capetown?i looked at the car,frome ,diff and motor,i e mailed peter,spoke to him and baught a cobra club t shirt from him.i was on vacation with my daughter in durbanville.i am from pawleys island south carolina usa,iam also biulding a cobra,460,peter has a pic of it,.

Tarrensmith · #5 (**permalink**) 04-29-2013, 02:15 AM

Interesting Mboza should mention the show as I took part with my 1/2 cobra this year. It turned out that most people were more interested in the nearly complete rolling chassis than the actual cobras at the show!

Well, the build is going well apart from having to move the motor and gearbox back because I couldnt fit the alternator in.... yip - unfortunate but true.

Currently I have the following quandries I was hoping you guys and hopefully girls could help with:

1 What size rims and tyres? Standard on my car is 15" with 275's at the back and 245's at the front. I want to go with 295's at least at the back but am in a quandry about the rims. 15" looks period styled whereas 18" looks more modern... then there is the cost.

2 WHAT COLOUR!!!!!????? How do you even begin to choose? I have looked, dreamed, pretened but how does one decide?

I will post some pics soon...

RideUS60 · #6 (**permalink**) 06-10-2013, 08:57 AM

Hello Tarren, I bought a Shamrock about a year and half ago from a guy who had bought it new back in 2003 or so. He and his brother each got one and split the shipping, two would fit in a container. He bought a 427W and tranny but never started the final assembly. I'm starting to gather what's needed to get this baby rolling. You'll have much more work in yours as mine was factory assembled. I've heard mostly favorable things about Shamrocks but not much of the factory built models. Do you know if they built many and do you see them around your area?
I'll be shopping for wheels, tires, exhaust, drive shaft, clutch assy... Do you know if they used a Jag clutch master cylinder along with the front and rear ends?
Good luck with your build, Dave

CHANMADD · #7 (**permalink**) 06-10-2013, 09:33 AM

I know I used the Jag masters and the pedals too............This on the first Cobra I built......I remember shortening the pedals .............as I recall it all worked very well up to and after I sold the car......got some real fast lap times in that car.....

RideUS60 · #8 (**permalink**) 06-10-2013, 11:10 AM

CHANMADD, Do you know if the Jag master cyl. has a 3/4" piston?
Thanks

Tarrensmith · #9 (**permalink**) 06-11-2013, 12:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RideUS60

Do you know if they used a Jag clutch master cylinder along with the front and rear ends?
Good luck with your build, Dave

Dave, great to hear you are giving life to a Shamrock! Shamrock built many cars for local and export to the rest of the world and yes there are still quite a few driving around Cape Town especially.

Regarding the clutch master - I'd assume you would use the Jag master as the aluminuim casting housing the break pedal also houses the clutch pedal and assembly. You would need to match the piston diameters so it corresponds to your clutch.

Check out my build blog on talk@cobraregistry.

Post some pics so we can all see!

Tarren.

Ron61 · #10 (**permalink**) 07-20-2013, 04:11 AM

Don't let Tarren fool you. Bron claims she is the brains behind the build and he is just the muscle. But either way his Cobra is going to be a beauty and he is really getting anxious for that first drive.

Ron

justcobra · #11 (**permalink**) 09-27-2013, 02:39 PM

I would like to see more photos of Shamrocks in various state of build and it is good to know that this replica was widely available in South Africa and was exported worldwide

shamrock427 · #12 (**permalink**) 11-17-2016, 05:23 PM

Tarren; I'm Building a shamrock curious where did you get the steering rack & tie rod ends the arm on the jag spindles are Zinc plated, Not Jag, must be shamrock ,The steering gear that I got from the guy I purchased the car from is rt hand drive Looks like flaming river But I'm US so Need Lt hand, I Went to flaming river and the tie rode ends they sent me are too small for the tapered holes in the arms that Shamrock supplied.

1985 CCX · #13 (**permalink**) 11-18-2016, 03:00 PM

Add pictures, helps us in the cold Northeast pass the days....

SHIFT · #14 (**permalink**) 06-28-2017, 01:55 AM

Hello,

On 6/25/2017 I purchased a cobra body & frame. Seller received it in trade and doesn't know much about it. I've since concluded that it is a Shamrock frame and body, based on photos from this site. Thank you! I've enjoyed reading about your builds and I'm eager to start mine. Does anyone have a Shamrock Assembly manual they would be willing to share electronically or otherwise?

alanzandi · #15 (**permalink**) 10-10-2017, 07:04 AM

hello All,
I purchased a 2006 Shamrock from Tennessee, USA. He did not have much info can someone help to find a PDF or an type of spec or info regarding the front end measurements. Any info will be helpful. Is Shamrock is business?

Thank you

Dominik · #16 (**permalink**) 11-16-2017, 02:44 AM

Good day!

Shamrock not in business anymore. There is a local chap (in Cape Town), Eli, who services them. I don't have contact details.

You won't be wrong in using Jaguar XJ6 front and rear axle settings - which I don't have in my head.

Try slight toe-in in front and rear, 3/4 deg camber in the rear and 0,5 deg in the front.
Caster 2.5 to 3 deg.

Look out for bump steer (in the front). There were known for that.

alanzandi · #17 (**permalink**) 06-20-2019, 12:04 PM

hello all,

I was in an accident with my cobra and the body is badly damaged and I am desperate to find one or something comparable any suggestion?