Just call me captain overkill. With the frailness of the bodyshell and pics of what can happen to these cars in a minor accident, not to mention the probability of my spouse and children in the car. I will gladly add a few pounds to a 300hp car if it will hold up to a hit in traffic by some guy on his cellphone in his suv, and hopefully leave a decent mark. Patrick

Great minds think alike.:o

Patrick,

Hi. Been following this build since the start...coming along quite nicely! I checked out the other recent photos in your gallery (with body on) and noticed one thing. That larger diameter wood steering wheel doesn't leave you with much clearance on the door side. You might want to consider a smaller leather-wrapped wheel for hand clearance. I look at all your engine pictures and ask myself "So...if the {insert name} component needs replacing or servicing, how is he going to get to it...from above or below?" :)

-Dean

I refuse to take back my comment on your work when I first found this site.....You're an ARTIST, and even in the pics too. Great stuff, and keep up the intensity................

Hopefully I shouldn't need to change many components. I should be able to get at the oil filter, sparkplugs, and starter, headers maybe. The tunnel is removeable so you can pull the trans right out though the cockpit. Yea it's 10 pounds of s#@t in a five pound bag.

Patrick, the workmanship seems to improve as you go along, looking great. Was wondering what you are going to do to with the angled filler neck on the radiator? I imagine you have that figured out already but would like to see the solution. Good luck on the attachment of brackets to the body. If you are glassin' in brackets, use something that won't rust out in the future. Keep the nose to the grindstone, I can't wait to see this in the running flesh...or at least a video of it cruising along the by ways...
Ken

Remember when I warned you about the stress on the differential rear mount?

Differential Reinforcement

Teaser shot
 

Well I cant keep you all in the dark for to long here is what I've been up to%/
http://www.clubcobra.com/photopost/d...920_Small_.JPG
:cool: I will try to get the bugs worked out and give more latter. Patrick

slammin doors
 

Wow, nobody piped up with the teaser photo, well then here. In keeping with the overbuilt chassis concept we have door frames. They are as beefy as the rest of the chassis.
http://www.clubcobra.com/photopost/d...921_Small_.JPG
http://www.clubcobra.com/photopost/d...924_Small_.JPG
http://www.clubcobra.com/photopost/d...m/IM000925.JPG
http://www.clubcobra.com/photopost/d...927_Small_.JPG
http://www.clubcobra.com/photopost/d...928_Small_.JPG
Now we'll see if there is something to say. Patrick

Patrick,
I've been enjoying your build thread since the beginning. Beautiful craftsmanship everywhere you look.
Those doors are beefy to be sure. Very nice to see, I think they have the potential to make a huge difference in the event of a side impact.
Keep up the good work and we'll continue to enjoy it.
Chris

Patrick, a thought, you have made one sturdy frame for the door, no question there. However, if you get a side impact, assuming something with a bumper in the middle of the door, it would appear that the door would be pushed in, after breaking or bending the front hinge and the pin the door locks on. It looks like those are the only two solid points holding the door on. Would a second hinge keep the door in place along with some type of L ridgeor lip on inside rear to prevent the door from coming in? It would appear that the door will not "cushion or absorb" much of a blow, just push the entire door in on the passenger or driver, a second hinge and a metal lip at the rear would help transfer some of the impact to the door frame and onto the birdcage. I may be missing something I can't see in the photos though that may already address that. ( you must have been really tired one night, that's the first shot of your shop hasn't been spotless..:) ..)

Ken,

It's a Cobra. Anyone who wants one has a death wish. JMHO.:D

still waiting for the release date on the "How To" build manual...

Patrick, Ive been watching this for a while now and I gotta say this is one hell of a tank, and I mean that in the most admirable terms. All of us who have owned Cobras and especially those who have built them have had ideas on how to make em safer but few have done as much as you. Kudo's to you on a fine job. Like everyone else I cant wait to see it finished. If there is anything that I see that could use another look it would be the door hinge deal. I think it was Butler who built the best side impact door hinge in the industry. I think they have sold and the name has been changed to B&B (I think, but dont quote me). Take a look at their door with the side beam in it. Other than that you got it in spades. Good luck!!
Michael

"It's a Cobra. Anyone who wants one has a death wish. JMHO."

For anyone who has a sports car, Boxster, Miata, or Cobra.....getting T-boned by an 18 wheeler is a sure Kiss of Death no matter how many anti-intursion bars we have ......but hey, we die happy...:D

Fastraxsg. Take a look at the underside of any jap scrap tin can car. I'll venture a guess that if you weighed the frame material in this cobra it would equal 3 of those aformenttioned jap scrap tin can cars. Dont forget your physics 101 Newtonian Law that it takes mass to dissipate energy!
Michael

Not much mass between the door and the driver. The craftsmanship in the car is outstanding but don't forget that a Cobra is a small car. This car is still going to be lighter than a Jap compact car. :)

Naumoff. Glad you chimed in. Huge coincidence!! I was just looking at your photo gallery and was wondering, did they ever find out what the fastback Falcon was all about?

Say are you in touch with Lee Holman? Ive exchanged emails with him a couple of times on parts he had on ebay . Ive been trying to find a high rise weber manifold and havnt had any luck as yet. If you are in contact with Lee please ask him if he has one and if he would sell it . If not then maybe he'd rent it so I can make a copy. Id even settle for some blueprints and engineering. Thanks.

Cobras are small, no doubt there, I own 2 of them and Im constantly thinking of how to make em safer. About a year ago I turned down a chance to get an NOS Cobra fuel tank for 400.00 because I decided on a fuel safe. But I have to admit the purist in me usually stops any real attempts at change especially on one of my cars the Hi Tech. Its the last of 9 Alum bodied Hi Tech Cobras that were ever built . The other is a custom build Contemporary chassis with a BBC. M22. Jag RE. Both are a work in progress.

Mass isnt exactly the same thing as size. Density is probably a better way of putting it. Stamped Sheetmetal I beams are nothing compared to tubular steel given the right design. For instance a few years ago in Texas a 400 lb wild pig completely destroyed a new 5000 lb. Ford 150 pick up and put three people in the hospital!! It was a friend whos daughter needed multiple operations to fix her legs. You are right about Cobras being vulnerable in the door/ side area but all he needs to do is use Butlers design on the door beam and this thing is a tank. About the only thing that helps Cobra owners in a Tbone situation is the floor bracing and/or the fact that the door area is so close to the cowl hoop and the rear end framing. As long as the opposing car's bumper isnt high like a pick up or a 57 Chevy that was turned into a straight axle gasser he'l have a chance at survival. This is one reason I woudnt want to drop the floor without some additonal support, It just puts it that much lower than the opposing bumper. One thing for sure, in this build with a front end collision the trans wont be going anywhere important!!
Michael

Michael,

I have not searched for any information about the Falcon Fastback.
Someone must have a High rise Weber or better yet a fuel injection intake manifold for a high riser. Have you tried searching for a fuel injection manifold?

A keen eye and don't drive in rush hour or drive like an idiot on the streets helps with safety a little bit.:)

Absolutely beautiful craftsmanship - by all indications, this is going to be one incredible Cobra! Please keep posting updates!!
As far as the beef in the door frames is concerned, the dividends will be paid mostly in door/body structural integrity and rigidity - no sagging doors and less chance of rattles. Given the dimensions and design constraints of an accurate appearing Cobra, there's not much you can do to have any meaningful side impact protection unless you plan on being broadsided by a 90lb environmentalist on a Segway.