Kit Cars- cool toys

[Gbarce]

I visited my fathers's friend's factory exotic car replicas--I think "Kit Cars" is the proper term.

They're a fraction of the cost of original but still expensive. The mechanicals are simpler and they use more "ordinary" and easier to maintain engines so that it's easier on the pocket .

He only makes 4 models

Here's an early Porsche:

Here's a link if you want to see more on the toy Porsche:

http://freakofnature...e-and-blue.html

[Gbarce]

Another gorgeous kit they make-- an early corvette

To me this is one of the most beautiful american cars ever made.

The owner of this kit had an actual shelby motor put in.

I am making a post specifically on this car on my blog. I'll put a link here once it's ready.

[Gbarce]

Here's the post on the overview of the workshop:

http://freakofnaturezzz.blogspot.com/2010/06/car-kit-workshop-visit-to-nene-syquias.html

[mangolorry]

Sorry but the car in your second post is a replica of an AC Cobra, not an early Corvette.

[Gbarce]

Here's a link to the post on the Shelby Cobra:

http://freakofnaturezzz.blogspot.com/2010/06/car-kit-workshop-shelby-cobra.html

[Gbarce]

Sorry but the car in your second post is a replica of an AC Cobra, not an early Corvette.

I stand corrected. Thanks for pointing that out.

After checking out its Wiki , it's kind of ironic that I had the impression that it was a Corvette. Carrol Shelby actually contacted Chevrolet first inquiring if they could provide engines for this envisioned car but Chevrolet declined because they did not want to give their Corvette competition. A Ford engine ended up in the car.

You learn something new everyday.

[Kris]

Very nice cars and they are beautiful too...

[BS Man about Palms]

Looked at your link and thats a real interesting hardtop for the Cobra. More like a Daytona Coupe look. Kinda.

[Gbarce]

Bs Man- are they really that small? I am not large- only 5'7'" and I found it to be vary tight fit.

I am wondering if these kit cars are slightly smaller in scale?

[BS Man about Palms]

Some of the Cobra kits were smaller. I have been lucky enough to drive the real thing. Both 289 and 427.

Anyway, I remember it was an easy adjustment for me, but I have short legs, but with the top off, infinite headroom!!

Did the seat adjuster allow fore and aft movement?

[mangolorry]

"I have been lucky enough to drive the real thing". From what I've read of the originals the lucky part is that you survived. Straight line performance was apparently phenonemal but braking and handling left much to be desired as many owners found out to their eternal peril. Legend has it that Bill Cosby had one but only kept it a few weeks before returning it to the dealer saying it was a death trap. The subsequent owner later drove it of a Californian cliff into the Pacific Ocean.

[BS Man about Palms]

Theres more to the story than that. Braking and handling were on par with all the cars of its ilk in 1963-67. Especially with that level of performance. When you have a factory 427 that could do 175mph+ in 1967, handling was ALWAYS iffy. As to whether cars like that should have been sold to the average consumer without training? That I'll bite.

Bill Cosby had one of the 2 Cobra's made for himself and Shelby with dual superchargers and an auto transmission. It was the subject of his record album "Bill Cosby at 200mph". As for the whereabouts of both, I don't know without more research, but I know one was around in the 80's for sure and I distinctly remeber seeing a picture of Bill's on his (Dr. Huxtables) desk in an episode of the Cosby Show. Not likely for someone who thought "it was a death trap".

As a generality from what I have read and remember from driving both, most prefered racing the 289 as you could "find" its limits as the early chassis was stressed with that 289. The 427 chassis was built by design from a big Ford racing program and computer? Most drivers found that the limits of it were so high that by the time you "went off" you were going so fast the results were not good.

I also have seen and been in A LOT of the Kit Cars and sadly The overwhelming amount of them WISHED they had as good a chassis as the original 427!

Oh yes, if you want to make a just as fast, better handling car, thats doable. The Cobra kits just bring you the feeling.

I did a quick search and found this bit of history. As usual, I suspect the truth is somewhere in the middle of all the hype. http://auto.howstuffworks.com/1966-shelby-cobra-427-super-snake.htm

Edited June 21, 2010 by BS Man about Palms

[Gbarce]

Bs Man --THey were still assembling the kit and I think that the seat would still move a few inches to the back but It would still be pretty tight. The Asians are generally smaller that Caucasians and it's had to imagine most Englishmen (it a British car right?) fitting in the car.

Looking at the link you sent and comparing it to the photo in my blog they look about the same size though.

Then again it is a sports car so I guess it's made for a specific type of driver. Are sports car drivers generally small-- like jockeys for horse racing? I saw Michael Schumacher in an episode of Top Gear and I was surprise to see that he was tiny -- but then again he was with Jeremy Clarkson who is a bit of a giant.

Are your TVRs about the same size as this car?

[BS Man about Palms]

I think most cars should fit a 5'10" to 6' person easy.

My TVRs are generally shorter, but I have had some very tall people remark how much legroom there is in them.