8-Ball Cobra: A Custom Fabricated Race/Show Car for the Street.
Here listed for sale is my custom fabricated, over the top Cobra replica. This is not a kit, nor a used Mustang in drag. Engineered and fabricated by myself (I’m a former GM automotive engineer) I toiled over 20 years and Invested $90,000 in materials to complete this “ground up” fabrication.
I’ve been in Cobras for a long time. An old friend of mine and former Shelby Team Driver, Allen Grant took this car for a ride. Allen said it was the most brutal Cobra he’d ever driven. (If you know Allen, ask him) Similarly, ask Ron Butler, former Shelby crew chief about this car. The real deal.
A slideshow of my car’s features is found at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0KqfzrW_7Y (use the slider and pause to control the show to your liking)
I began in 1989 by computer analyzing the suspensions of vehicles ranging from sports racers and GT Prototypes through Formula-1 and developed an optimum configuration. Up front, pushrod activated inboard mounted coilovers suspend billet aluminum “formula-1” live axled uprights. Twin 4-piston calipers on Grand National rotors provide up front stopping, with a single pair mounted on a Champ Quickchange IRS inboard at the rear. This brake setup, with 3 master cylinders (2 front, 1 rear) puts ⅔ of the force to the front and ⅓ to the rear without a balance bar or proportioning valve - track testing proved both the suspension and brakes work great.
A video of a private test session at Portland International Raceway is found at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KbgDCh2AtdE I’m riding shotgun (the driver is a race instructor with over 10,000 miles on this track!) Adjustments were made, and at the next test session, after only a couple warm up laps, my test driver lapped (again, me riding shotgun) at mid 1:20’s with speeds around 165 and about 1g lateral on turns. The instructor said this was the fastest car he’d ever driven. At less than 4 pounds per horsepower, it’s understandable.
The 600 cube, 724HP, 805 lb-ft SVO Ford Big Block is set back 8 inches from “stock” 427 Cobras and lowered 6 inches by use of a 4 stage dry sump oiling system. Motor setback yields 47% front to 53% rear weight distribution. A “Pinto sized” aluminum flywheel spins a 6.5 inch triple disc - 4 floater kevlar lined clutch of my own design (because I had to - after smoking “other guy’s” clutches)
Want to hear it run? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UceUg5BFImY
Finished in 2010, this Cobra has won many show awards. Principal use being cruise-ins and shows during the summers. In all fairness, there’s less than a couple thousand miles on the car, and that’s good for you, the buyer, because I’ve debugged it.
The satin black with gloss stripes and numbers is made to give an evil look to this monster of a Cobra - a monster in both technical specifications and performance - a racecar for the street.
Engine: 600 Cubic Inch SVO Ford Big Block
724 HP and 805 lb-ft torque (dyno’d); 6,250 rpm redline
4.605” bore x 4.5” stroke (600 cubes – 10 litres)
Fuel injected and dry Sumped
Alan Root heads (ported)
Dominator manifold converted to port EFI
65 lb/hr injectors run by an SDS computer – mapped on the dyno – computer runs shift light and rev limiter
½ “ fuel rails running at 55 psi, fed by an Aeromotive A1000 pump and regulator
4-1/4” (108mm) billet aluminum throttle body (approx 2,300 cfm)
Forged 4340 rods
Forged crank
JE pistons – 10.6:1 compression - runs on premium pump gas
Comp cams hydraulic roller
Crower stainless steel needle roller rockers
Stock Car Products 4 stage dry sump pump
Blueprinted distributor fired by MSD
2” headers
Tilton starter
Triple plate custom kevlar clutch on a 12 lb aluminum flywheel
Fluidampr
Aluminum water pump and custom pulleys
100 amp one-wire alternator
Transmission: TKO 600 5 speed with 0.64 OD
Rear End: Frankland Champ Quickchange IRS
4:11 main gear, currently has #15 change gears for 3.91 overall ratio
Speedway Engineering IRS sidebells and rear cover
Detroit Locker differential
Custom fabricated:
Control arms using computer optimized suspension geometry
Stub axles and hubs
Half shafts and flanges
Uprights
Inboard mounted JFZ 4 piston calipers on 11.75 ventilated rotors
128 mm OD Lobro racing CV joints
Adjustable coilover shocks
Frontend
Custom fabricated:
Control arms using computer optimized suspension geometry
Inboard mounted, pushrod actuated coilovers
Lola-style billet aluminum uprights
Twin 4 piston JFZ calipers on each side’s 11.75 ventilated rotors; line loc
Tubular space frame measuring 3,500 lb-ft per degree torsional rigidity
Custom modular wheels with knock-off hubs
16” dia x 10” wide fronts
16” dia x 14” wide rears
Hoosier roadrace slicks
One of a kind body, with extra wide rear fenders
Custom velvet black paint with gloss black stripes and numbers
Black ceramic coated headers and roll bar
Aluminum interior panels “flame turned”
Tire temperature monitoring computer
Titled and licensed as a 1965 Ford 2 door
Approximately 2,000 break-in miles since completed.
Very Loud, Scary Fast