More new stuff from D&D Cobra

[mj_duell]

Don has developed custom pin-drives for use on our GT replica. These will be standard and are sized for use with vintage style 15 inch wheels. The disks measure 11.75 x 1.25 and utilize all custom billet pieces. The 4-piston calipers are billet as well and come loaded with Wilwood PolyMatrix pads. These drives ride on SN95 spindles allowing them to be fit to other applications with a few modifications. This new set of parts is only a taste of the new items D&D Cobra and TTR are developing for use on our cars and replicas of all kinds.



There are a couple more pictures in our gallery.



--Mike / Turn Ten Racing, Inc.

[DavidNJ]

11.75x1.25 with an 8 x 7" base circle is an excellent size. Common in oval track racing, there are a huge number of excellent rotors available, including floating rotor designs.

However, the caliper looks like the Outlaw caliper, with the two halfs held together by some tubes around the bolts. For the forces generated on asphalt (and aren't all Cobras and GT40s asphalt cars), that tends to have too much flex. Does the caliper have a 3.5", 5.25", or radial mounting? A bracket to allow 3.5" mounts (again, common in circle track racing) calipers would allow a huge selection of pieces, with fine tuning of piston sizes, and a wide variety of relatively inexpensive Superlite size pads.

[mj_duell]

Originally Posted by DavidNJ

However, the caliper looks like the Outlaw caliper, with the two halfs held together by some tubes around the bolts. For the forces generated on asphalt (and aren't all Cobras and GT40s asphalt cars), that tends to have too much flex.

That is incorrect. They are outlaw style calipers made by another company but, these calipers are perfect for the wieght and performance of a GT40 or Cobra and are used in NASCAR Winston Cup, NASCAR Trucks, SCCA, IMSA and ARCA to name a few. Here is a link to another company that sells the same type of product we use, read the features:

http://www.outlawdiscbrakes.com/3000_4000.html

There has been a lot of time and money put into the design of these pin-drives and other parts that will be arriving shortly. They are easy to use, maintain and service, not to mention a great value. That is why we choose these calipers.

--Mike / Turn Ten Racing, Inc.

[DavidNJ]

No one uses Outlaw calipers in serious asphalt competition; they aren't stiff enough. They are used in dirt competition and may be fine for street use. Where cost isn't an issue, the current fade are monoblock calipers, which have very high stiffness and manufacturing costs.

Are they used with a 3.5" mounting flange? If so, a huge choice of reasonably priced (if you consider $300-500 per caliper reasonable) high quality calipers are available. That would be very good.

David

[mj_duell]

David,
We have designed a system that is perfect for our vehicles and customers. These calipers are well suited to asphalt track duty and are used, as stated previously, on asphalt by various racing groups. Keep in mind we are building roller kits for the street and track events, not wheel to wheel competition. Yes, they have a 3.5 inch mount. If you wish to upgrade the calipers or make any of the changes you have talked about in the past, you may do so if you decide to place an order.


--Mike / Turn Ten Racing, Inc.

[DavidNJ]

Are the 3.5" mounts both front and rear?

[mj_duell]

Originally Posted by DavidNJ

Are the 3.5" mounts both front and rear?

Yes, 3.5 all the way around.

--Mike / Turn Ten Racing, Inc.

[DavidNJ]

Are these special spindles, or brackets to fit the standard Ford uprights? This sounds like the first time the widely available, relatively inexpensive 3.5" mount, 11.75" diameter calipers can be adapted to Cobras.

BTW, how are parking brakes handled? Does it require a Superformance like driveshaft lock?

[mrmustang]

David,

Are you ever going to buy a kit or are you still attempting to build a cobra replica out of your S2000 with a computer controlled suspension and antilock brakes. If so, then perhaps you should be looking at a Miata to race and not a Cobra kit.



Bill S.

[John McMahon]

Originally Posted by DavidNJ

No one uses Outlaw calipers in serious asphalt competition; they aren't stiff enough. They are used in dirt competition and may be fine for street use. Where cost isn't an issue, the current fade are monoblock calipers, which have very high stiffness and manufacturing costs.

Are they used with a 3.5" mounting flange? If so, a huge choice of reasonably priced (if you consider $300-500 per caliper reasonable) high quality calipers are available. That would be very good.

David

David,

I ran Outlaw calipers for years on my first Mustang racer at all the major road race venues with no problems. No problems, no failures, so I don't know where you're getting your information from, but they are very good calipers.

[DavidNJ]

Well I have a set here...and a set of APs...and some pretty extensive phone calls and e-mails with PFC, Essex (the AP importer), and Sierra.

I guess all those people using monoblock calipers are wasting their time.

[DavidNJ]

After thinking about John's comments for a while, I think would like to elaborate and correct my statement.

First, many racing classes require stock brakes. NASCAR late models use cast iron single piston floating caliper brakes. A wide variety of brakes will work in racing conditions.

Second, nothing in the design of the caliper, short of a lack of stiffness preventing forces to be applied, will affect either braking force or fade. This is an area affected by pistons sizes, rotor diameters, pad and disc materials, and cooling. The Outlaws should be fine here.

The issue of caliper flex affects the response and feel of the transients—during braking application, modulation, and release. And it is only important if the rest of the system—pedals, pedal mounts, master cylinders, brake lines, suspension, etc.—are also of sufficient quality to make the caliper flex discernable.

So for most applications, including most use at track days, the Outlaw calipers should be fine. I overstated my original comment and apologize for that.

However, the Turn Ten chassis has some interesting design features—for example the Tilton pedals—and seems to have more ongoing development than any other Cobra chassis I can think of. The TTR probably provides a better platform to make a more refined braking package. And the use of 3.5” mount calipers for 11.75” rotors now provides the option of a huge selection of super late model brake calipers, rotors, and pads. Great equipment at moderate prices.

To the best of my knowledge, and this stuff is all way out of my price range, all the high-end racing stuff from PFC.Alcon, Brembo, etc. is now mono-block. All in an effort to increase caliper rigidity. So it is an issue, although less so in a $25-45k Cobra.