Projects DRAG SNAKE "Vintage Terror!"

Learning a lot about the Cobra including a few things I would have never guessed in a million years. One, the first generation used a transverse spring (front and back) with independent suspension. I had toyed with the idea of running a straight axle up front (simply because I have never seen one). Of course, I don't want the standard Gasser total nose up look. But after seeing the original front suspension below I am getting all kinds of ideas!


I also read early in the conversions they did some work up front to incorporate an MGA rack&pinion unit and swiped the steering column from the Volkswagen Bug. Kind of an odd start for such a prestigious and renowned performance car. I love it!

 

This is great, but I'm getting the feeling I've missed something. What's happened to Dragnasty?
Has the wheelstander been shelved?
These important questions need to be answered, haha.

 

I sent you a PM Kiwi....

 

The early Cobras had a regular steering box but they soon switched to rack and pinion (early 1962). I am not sure of the serial # of the first R & P car but this one (with the original box) was # 2066. It was also a 260 engine car (as per the first 75 cars built) but had a 289 (five bolt bellhousing pattern) installed early in its life. I did a frame up (including removing the body which is a very big deal) resto on it in the early 90's




Roo

 

This the color you were looking at? Dan Gurney in Cobra

 

Very cool project Randall, that story on the Reimer car sounded familiar as I had read it some years back. I had reread most of it here when I realized there was actually a connection between the Cobra name and the drag class designation of A/SP.
See below.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asp_(reptile)

 

So which do you think was driving the first Cobra Drag Car...Cleopatra or Shakespeare? LOL
It is funny though, I had not put that together that the "A/Sport" Designation A/SP spelled ASP!
I am just hoping this little Cobra runs really well and doesn't fall on its asp!

I guess if it doesn't get good traction it will be: ASPen!
Hopefully I won't have to Supercharge it, just keep in normally: ASPirated!
Of course if it gives me as many head aches as the Austin I can take: ASPrin!
A road built for just for a Cobra would have to be made of: ASPhalt!

 

Good god Randall you have been hanging out with ric Pannenton way too much since you have so much time on your hands to sit around and think about this stuff why don't you come by my house I have plenty of stuff to keep you busy lmao


Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.

 

I think he would be proud. LOL

 

Might make a cool license plate though: 289 ASP

 

I don't know but I bet it would have been a bitchin chariot!

 

You could tow it to the track with a Dodge ASPen!

 

Well my premature valve covers arrived today but they shipped me the wrong ones. They were supposed to be the black crinkle finish but after seeing these just "natural" finish, I think I like them better....happy accident!

 

It's good to have aspirations.Just don't aspirate the block with a piston of a rod.

 

On the chassis: Wondering what (if any) patterns/drawings are available for that magnificent 'space frame'...
Curious, as I've 'shoe-fitted' some frameworks into less-than-receptive 'glass bodies; a precarious practice when several inner structural fiberglass 'speed bumps' interfere with a linear tube thought to have been permanent!
Tell me your plan? (how to overcome this type of ASPersion?)

 

Try not to make an ASP of yourself

 

O.K., you've forced my hand.
"Come to the Snake Barbecue! Everybody gets a piece of asp!"

 

Had a slot car called the ASP

 

So I have decided to build my own chassis starting with the 3" diameter tube ladder frame. My new Haynes Cobra Workshop Manual (which is more of a coffee table book than manual) says the originals on the 289 cars were 12 gauge. I have shopped around locally but to get that exact wall thickness it is a special order item. However one place does stock 11 gauge. So I don't suppose I can go wrong adding a bit thicker tube especially after doing the math it is only a gain of 6 pounds for the entire 20' stick and we we will not use all of it. The book also gave me another tidbit I was looking aimlessly for and that is the distance between them: 17" center to center. So that makes the space between them 14" and the Tremec Magnum is 12.25" at its absolute widest point.

 

...And I have been thinking which usually gets me into trouble. But I really want the transverse leaf spring front and back like the original. No issue out back but up front that is another matter. I have some concerns as to why AC built the independent front they way they did. If you are not familiar with it, they basically put a standard lower control arm on the car but instead of having an upper control arm they just hooked the top of the spindle mounts to either end of the transverse leave spring. So basically the spring took the place of the upper arm.

Here is the question I have, why? Independent suspension (configured as we know it today) had been around for a long time. My Austin had upper and lower control arms and it was 10 years older then the AC cars we are talking about. So here is the real question. There are plenty of very nice independent front suspension kits out there. They have already had an engineer develop their alignment and geometry etc. So why couldn't I start with one of those but instead of installing coil overs, put a transverse leaf spring attached to the upper arm and then just run shocks. Also would mine need to have shackles. The original AC cars did not, they bolted directly to the spindle mount.

You know the last time I experimented with suspension, I created a Mexican Jumping Bean Austin Gasser. Had to get called Corn Flake by Ric Panneton and then showed how to fix it....LOL Now I am wondering if AC left the upper arm off on purpose (maybe it messed up the geometry with a transverse spring attached to it). Thoughts anyone? Ric??? LOL!

 

GM used the transverse spring on the front of the Corvette in the mid to late 80s.
Maybe Bristol saving weight.

 

opel gt and early 2wd willys wagons used that type of setup too

 

Interesting. The question might be why they quit using that design. Seems like hard braking would create stress or flex.

 

Wow thanks James for the Corvette information....actually according to what I just read through C5/C6 Vettes have front transverse springs suspension (I had no idea). Now for the $100 question. The Vette's transverse spring is connected to the lower arm, wonder if it matters?

 

That is exactly what I was thinking. But after reading all the Corvette stuff, it is obvious a transverse system works really good with upper and lower control arms, but will it work off the top arm?

 

I would think it just depends on what control arm you want to hold up the car.

 

The Corvette's spring is simply the medium that holds the car up whereas in the John Tojiero designed AC chassis it is the upper control arm. It worked in the Cobra (and numerous other AC derivations) but I would not consider it ideal in the light of later advances in tire width, braking power etc. The Cobras won races because they were small. light cars with plenty of power. They were not the best handling cars on the track in the purest sense of the word but they got the job done. There was a reason that the big block Cobras had wishbones and coil overs.

Roo

 

Exactly. They found out right quick with the FE 390 car or "Turd" as Ken Miles called it after pronouncing it undriveable after its debut at Sebring. So it was obvious a new chassis was in order for the 427s.

 

So here is what Heidt's engineer says about my plan. He sees no issue that the "original" Cobras did not have with taking an upper and lower control arm and springing it off the upper with a transverse set up. His only caution was most upper control arm are not designed to carry the weight of the car like the lower ones. But if we engineer ourselves a heavy enough arm and mount etc. there should be no issues with performance etc. Ding.