Pin Drive Halibrand Kidney Bean wheels

[Bill D]

Although these wheels have been discontinued by Halibrand, I found these from Vintage Wheels US. They are ET Kidney Bean style wheels with a faux pin drive look. This would enable me to better clone CSX2129.

http://www.etwheels.com/et/images/50alt-c-ko1.jpg

What do you guys think?

[Aggressor]

Bill - These are listed on the Halibrand site. Bolt on's. Several faux covers are
listed on the link below under "Wheel Accessories". $1583/set

Either way a good call - The Et's have a real good look.

-Geary

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.halibrand.com/images/Wheels/wheels_kidney5_small_r01_c01.gif&imgrefurl=http://www.halibrand.com/wheels_kidney5.htm&usg=__FR1ppOf-wDE41UanY7eKXnNfxsg=&h=320&w=299&sz=45&hl=en&start=13&tbnid=__mXQeuI8mZwVM:&tbnh=118&tbnw=110&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dhalibrand%2Bkidney%2Bbean%2Bwheel%26g bv%3D2%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DG

[Bill D]

Thanks Geary. But there website says those wheels are currently not in production

[Aggressor]

Bill - I guess it's just how they define the phrase "temporarily out of production"
It could mean a temporary inconvienience or massive production layoffs.

Like I said your ET choice is good. I prefer bolt-ons for my personal vehicle. Having owned British sports cars since 1969 I'm well acquianted with a Thor knockoff hammer and prefer just to drive my car without the little extra concerns.

I don't think I've mentioned it before but I really like your GT40. I wouldn't mind attempting a T70 build in the future.

Stay Sport-Minded

-Geary

[Naumoff]

I like the kidney beans.

2129 was a team car driven by Ken Miles, right?

[Bill D]

Tony
I'm not sure.

[Naumoff]

Bill,
Post some pictures of the car.

[RJacobsen]

Bill, If you haven't already found this here is a link to some more photos of CSX2129 http://www.csxinfo.net/289cobra/csx2129/2129.html

[RJacobsen]

Some things to note about CSX2129 that are different than the 289FIA, the hood is like a 427 car with a rivet on hoodscoop and there are no side louvers.

[souzape]

I used PS Engineering "Halibrands" on my 289...agree that real knockoffs are not a good idea for a street car.

Phil Souza

[Bill D]

Bill,
Post some pictures of the car.

Which car?

[Naumoff]

Which car?

CSX2129 but Rod posted a link.

Thanks Rod.

Bill that looks like a great project.

[Bill D]

I'm trying to figure out the added piece around the fuel filler cap.

http://www.clubcobra.com/photopost/data/500/DSC01026.jpg

[RJacobsen]

That ones got me stumped too Bill

[Aggressor]

Laminar Air Flow Reduction PLate. Ya know like were used on WWII warplanes.
(Pretty Good BS if I must say so)

I don't really know but it is does provide very close shouding around the roller cap and may provide some airflow soothing.
The FIA style roller usually stands "proud" of the car body and this presents a sleeker profile to the airstream.

-Geary

[Slither]

I think Geary's got it... It looks like it is in a well something like the 427 has, and this cover provides that little extra bit of streamlining[thumb]!

[weaver]

My guess would be they added the Le Mans filler because the 289 cap was smaller and couldn't except fuel fast enough, they finished the area around the opening with a plate.

Alan

[Glenview289]

Bill,
From what I can recall when doing research for our FIA car, this plate was a trim plate to cover an even larger opening underneath. Remember, these cars were all hand hammered aluminum over cut and hand welded tubular frames to which the hand made gas tank was positioned, so some variation was bound to exist. A much larger hole should be under the trim plate to ease construction. The trim plate was positioned after assembly to dress up and minimize the opening around the filler tube. The next time you see an original, look at the symmetry left and right and all about the car. Small variations exist do to the nature that they were made. I am in no way knocking the cars, in fact considering the technologies available at the time and the small volume produced, they did a very good job. You can even see these same variations in the glass cars of today, as most molds were pulled from an original and inherited all the "unique" characteristics of that car. The filler caps of most FIA cars has also moved to behind the passenger seat (another good reason for having the wind screen around the filler or having the passenger exit the vehicle while refueling). As you research your car, you will start to see the many small differences of all the cars that were built. To replicate a specific chassis will be rewarding to you knowing all the work and details that are there, but it is possible to be next to a car that was built to the same exacting detail as yours and have it looking completely different. They are the same, but then again they are not..... Have fun with your build.

Bill

[RJacobsen]

Streamlining??? too many other places to work on other than the gas cap.
The specs on the car say that it was equiped with dual tanks, which explains the "reserve" switch on the dash, I suspect that the cover has something to do with the two tank modification and was just an easy way to cover a bigger hole.

[Bill D]

I agree with others that the added piece was to cover up a bigger hole

[Aggressor]

That's a good thought Rod. A blunt nosed open cockpit car would not really benefit appreciably by sleeking up the filler opening. It would be far more effective to remove the windscreen, put an aluminum tonneau cover over the the cockpit, and add fender skirts similar to the Triumph TR2 "Jabbeke" factory car. This car was driven by Ken Richardson to 124.889 MPH. The speed trial was on the Jabbeke road in Belgium May 1953.

-Geary

[Bill D]

While we are discussing the 289 filler cap, can anyone tell me where you can get the aluminum spalsh guard that many of the original 289 FIA cars had to protect gas from splashing on the driver?

[Slither]

My guess would be they added the Le Mans filler because the 289 cap was smaller and couldn't except fuel fast enough, they finished the area around the opening with a plate.

Alan

And they did a nice job of it, too. That is a better explanation[thumb]. Thanks Alan.

[Naumoff]

In my line of work that would be a cover up for a mess up.

An ideal that went wrong and they had to do something, then told Shelby it was for stream lining the body.:D

I wonder if they put a drain in for the spilled fuel.

[eliminator]

Billy D., one our forum member Juan Lopez has one for sale, never used.

[Bill D]

Thanks Rick. I sent him an email

[migge]

Sanded, 3 x primer coated, 3 x black coated, silver painted kidney holes with a brush x 2, 3 x clear coated.

And that for 4 wheels, never again, but looks okay I think.

Cheers
Migge