Howdy From N.E.Mi.

[63mercury]

I am a Ford nut but tolerate other makes as long as they have Ford power. Presently I am scratch building a Cobra replica from my own prints. I will buy a body but not sure from who yet.

[TurnpikeBoy]

And welcome. Lots of good stuff in here, bodies included. Guessing you're putting skis on that Cobra when done. Real nice country up there - have spent time in Traverse City and more time in Torch Lake, and miss it.....except for wintertime :)

Hunting still outstanding up there too, I imagine.

[Slither]

63Merc,

You might consider saving some time and getting a tried and true platform that works...

Check out the basic kit from Unique. It's good stuff[thumb]!

But good luck with the project either way... oh and stay warm;).

[Jerry Cowing]

Agree with Slither. Starting from your own design is probably a 5+ year project and when done you'll probably wish you had changed a few things to make it handle better, etc. With the Unique kit, you should be able to put it together in one winter and all the suspension and handling probems have already been worked out over the years. I put mine together in one month of some 24 hour days/nights. Like reading a good book, I couldn't put it down until I finished.

[JeepSnake]

On what Paul & Jerry said.

If you have to build your own chassis, though, and you're going to use an off-the-shelf body, you still need to pick the body up front. The body you select will dictate wheelbase dimension, frame rail locations, floor pan dimensions, mounting points, fuel tank mounting scheme, etc. Otherwise, you are going to wind up with a complete body and a complete chassis, and another complete project's worth of time adapting the two to mate. And you probably won't wind up real happy with the results due to the compromises made.

Just a thought.

[ralphscott]

Ditto to Zach's comments, Other issues include mounting points to the frame so you will not have stress fractures or wavey fiberglass, Wheel well centering and ride height and turning radius within the wheel wells are key. One thing that Unique offers that others don't is no chopper gun all hand layed...better than a metal body in a crash. How about an 80 mph crash head-on driver walks away and the front to the center of the front wheel well needs to be replaced and frame not out of whack. One tough little body and frame.

Ralph

[Slither]

One thing that Unique offers that others don't is no chopper gun all hand layed...better than a metal body in a crash. How about an 80 mph crash head-on driver walks away and the front to the center of the front wheel well needs to be replaced and frame not out of whack. One tough little body and frame.

Ralph

Yes, the quality is there in a Unique[thumb]. Yikes on the crash, Ralph:eek:! Was that Justin, or who...?

[weaver]

How about a Charlotte Motor Speedway roll over, and they walked away part one.

Alan

[ralphscott]

Paul, it was at the Talledega Grand Prix track. Naturally I can't remember the name of the driver. He hit a concrete divider head on. Perhaps some of the other members will.

Ralph

[TurnpikeBoy]

How about a Charlotte Motor Speedway roll over, and they walked away part one.

Alan


.......are you planning a part two?

[Slither]

.......are you planning a part two?

No part two Allen... I still have the magazine photos of part one... Strong car!

[weaver]

I gave up racing and acting so no part 2. The guy who crashed at Talladega is John "Captain Concrete" DiJulio form Daytona Beach, he showed a video clip of the crash in his bar for weeks after he got home, I repaired the car for him and delivered it while on vacation.

Alan

[Slither]

I gave up racing and acting so no part 2. The guy who crashed at Talladega is John "Captain Concrete" DiJulio form Daytona Beach, he showed a video clip of the crash in his bar for weeks after he got home, I repaired the car for him and delivered it while on vacation.

Alan

Hey, maybe you could get a stunt double for the hard parts[thumb], keep acting, and then you could give up the day job;).

[Naumoff]

63merc,
hello and welcome

Unique is a great quality and accurate body. That is one of the reasons I picked them as I painted my car black.

If you are doing your own chassis you might want the body before you start. The trunk, cockpit tub, foot boxes and inner fenders are attached to the body. I don't know if they will sell you just the shell.

I leave that to Alan to answer.

[63mercury]

Thanks for the welcome guys, I already have most of the frame done, a great majority of the parts came from Speedway Motors. The frame is patterned after the Hurricane frame, the power is a 302, T-5 WC trans, and a 9in from a 57 Ford station wagon. I've had lots of help from the guys at Club Cobra.
I am retired from a machine shop, and it was the best trade school a person could get paid to attend, had 37.5 years and when I left I was the only one in QC, spent 15 years in that area.
As for the wheel base of the car it is the original 90 in with the rear located with 3 link and a panhard bar, all totally adjustable, the front has adjustable upper and lower A arms. I have a few pics posted on photobucket and at club cobra.
Thanks again for your comments. Carl

[Naumoff]

Hey Carl,
Checked out your work on CC.
There is some good work you have there but like I said the only way that the Unique body might work on your frame is if you can only get the shell.
That is something only the Weavers can answer.

(256) 546-3708

Good Luck