For the three days a year it doesn't rain...I built this with my Dad, it took about 3 years.
About 3 years I'd say!
Haha good guess!
They are available in kit form from a number of different manufacturers. If you worked on it solidly and had all of the parts available and are reasonably competent I think it could be done in a couple of months. We did it over holiday periods and that sort of thing as and when we could. We also didn't want to rush it!
What planet have you been living on?
About 99% of all Cobras you see on the road are kit cars and probably at least 50% of all kit cars are Cobras!
That doesn't in any way detract from the fact that they are probably the best looking car ever built and yours is a stunner in that colour OP!
It's a great thing to do and a big sense of achievement at the end of it so I'd definitely recommend it!
Thanks for the comments on the colour too, I had a slight argument with my Dad about racing stripes - I wanted them, he didn't - but I think he was right in the end.
Always listen to your dad!
Rule number one. And totally ignored by all children of whatever age!
My new toy...
The 325 Ci Sport and gone and a M Benz E350 cdi AMG Convertible has now arrived.
And very impressed I am with it to. The V6 seems smoother than the BM's straight 6, its also faster and has more torks. The equipment levels in the Merc are also better. Electric everything (including rear headrests), A voice Command system that actually works, automatic lights (including dip), Radar Cruise Control, air scarf system - the list just goes on and on.
Yes, I know its a bit of hairdressers car, however driving it with the hood down, it more like a old American Muscle Car, with a great engine, gear box and suspension.
Roll on summer
Just in case my manhood is question I still have my very hairy arsed Porsche 911 964 C2.
Whoever does not know how to hit the nail on the head should be asked not to hit it at all.
Friedrich Nietzsche
Last edited by Andyg; 17th June 2014 at 13:55.
Whoever does not know how to hit the nail on the head should be asked not to hit it at all.
Friedrich Nietzsche
I've had several TVR's over the years, and apart from servicing never had any significant problem with them. Provided the car is maintained they are not unreliable. The Rover/Buick based V8 engines are fundamentally very robust, although the straight sixes need to be approached with caution. Conversely, the highest service/maintenance cost I ever had was on a 911.
I'm still toying with what I would like next, an Audi RS5 or TTRS is quite high on the list at the moment. Might go back to a Jag XKR. Very tempted by an Aston Martin Vantage, but generally find two seats too restrictive... or if I did decide to live with two seats for a bit, maybe an R8 would be a better choice...
Last edited by TheFlyingBanana; 17th June 2014 at 14:46.
So clever my foot fell off.
Enoch, I believe every TVR has the name of the main guy who built the engine engraved onto the engine block - can you find yours?
Nice Enoch, I did wonder when seeing your number plate.
I'd like an LS engined Cerb, the 4.5 was great but a little fragile
My father in law bought a '64 AC Cobra recently which he wants me to use whenever I like. A terrible chore! It's an FIA car with a 302 (instead of its original 289, which is a shame originality wise, but I won't be complaining) and quad Webers. We need to make it a bit more road friendly as it's still in full race spec, although it is road legal already. I've driven AC Aces before, but never a Cobra, so I am very excited.
Haha we didn't use a proper one unfortunately! It's a 3.5 litre V8 from a Range Rover, with a TVR gearbox. We rebuilt the engine entirely and fitted high lift cams and various street performance parts, including a big carburettor so it sounds quite good! There's very little by way of sound deadening and the exhausts flow quite freely, when it was tested mid-range the sound was just over 100 decibels at each exhaust pipe. The last time we had it tested the engine was producing around 150 bhp at the wheels which isn’t bad given the car weighs about 850 kilograms.
I think you're right that American V8 makes sense and is probably a more natural fit but we liked the Rover for ease of parts and working on, and the fact it's aluminium so very light. Technically the Rover V8 started out as a Buick block as far as I’m aware does have a tenuous link with the US!
Very cool! You'll have to post some photos once you see it.
One of my favourite AC Cobra stories is that when he was giving test drives, Carroll Shelby would put a $100 bill on the dash board and tell the passenger that if they could grab it when he was accelerating they could keep it. Not surprisingly no one was up to it!
I used to see a genuine AC Cobra race at Wiscombe ? hill clime in Devon.
I remember it was red and had a COB number plate stuck on the bonnet. He had a rack on the back carrying 4 race wheels and tyres.
He would drive to the event. Change his wheels, race up the hill usually winning his class, then change the wheels back and drive home. A brave and skilled man I always thought.
sorry, just figuring out how to post flickr images...
I give up for the moment, flickr is playing me up and perhaps its not the best place to host photos destined for a forum?
Last edited by catch21; 18th June 2014 at 11:14.
LOL it sounds as though you have made the best of a bad job then! Really only joking , Nothing much wrong with the Rover ( as you say Buick ) but it's just the chevies are one of the best engines ever built in my opinion,And so many bits it's untrue you can basically do what you want given the budget, And they don't break easilly, Only probs I remember with the Rover were ---- did not like dirty oil one bit, Result cams that ended up round and lifters tapping,Lol,And was that the engine with the central V cover/manifold that leaked a bit . but generally a. Sound motor and you seem to have thought it through, Though sometimes I think it can be a bad idea to push some engines too far IE when going from say 3.5 as far as 4.2 it can bring reliability problems, The old Triumph 2000 engine was brilliant but when pushed to 2500 became a poor engine, But I do love a V8 and most are so quick they can't really be thrashed for long periods, You do have a stunning car there, Love the color , Unsure on stripes ??? Maybe a subtle silver and only about a foot wide for each one .?? Only kiddin.
Last edited by fishman307; 18th June 2014 at 16:37.
[QUOTE=catflem;1246586]The beater is a V40, and I'll rot in hell before I take a picture of the munter.
My wife just got rid of her 1996 V40 and I had a cream-coloured Scimitar in the 70s. Loved it but always carried a fire extinguisher!!
Most of my watches are from the late 60's and 70's, which match the toys. The eagle eyed will note that ones a 5, and the others a 5A, and to those that couldn't give a monkeys, they're Reliant Scimitars
[/QUOTE
Drive the memsab nuts with the noise from this!
Last edited by ingenioren; 21st June 2014 at 17:30.
Been using the Elan a lot this week...
Last edited by adigra; 19th October 2014 at 14:44. Reason: Dead link.
This one finally made it home yesterday, sold on a while back but now she is home again :-)
Little bit of work needed to make her roadworthy and then I have my shopping trolley back!
You boys have too much Money :-)
Mondeo mk2 estate 2.5v6, year 2000 w-reg' 30 mpg (mixed) 142,000 on the clock, valued at circa £400
This is what you want!!!!!