The Art of Engineering

[Chafford]

Deleted

[Emmanueld]

Sorry, not my cup of tea as I said before! Yes attention to details but what's the point! And one will go blind driving the thing.
   
   1) Tacky billet stuff
   2) Different unproven suspensions. I would be worried driving this car on any kind of track, untested  suspensions! It took many hours for Shelby and his men to tune the suspensions of the original coil springs  cars. Like all  kit cars this car is very likely scary to drive with unpredictable handling, probably deadly.
   
   My problem with new Kirkham cars is all the billet stuff. They  started making nice Cobra reproductions that were so good that most if assembled correctly could hardly be distinguished from originals. Now they have changed the cars to make them look like kit cars. To tell you the truth, I don't trust some of these billet parts like their  control arms, they claim they are stronger than the original steel arms, impossible, steel is always stronger than aluminum and does not suffer metal fatigue like alloy does.. Yes the machining is beautiful but is it appropriate on a Cobra? And  their aluminum differential cases are crap,  they all leak. The alloy is porous, I know I had two and they both leaked, my mechanic said that every single one he had seen leaked as well.  I am the first one to praise Kirkham but lately I must say they have deviated from making nice stuff to making  tacky stuff, I hope they see the light. I command them from making really nice chassis and bodies, way better and straighter  than the AC made ones but the other stuff, please. Luckily, one can still order an original looking car, albeit for more money, also they make 289 leaf spring chassis,  bodied in narrow and FIA bodies as well, or if one wants, one can order a 289 narrow body on a coil spring chassis, this is the best combo if one wants to make the best handling 289 Cobra.   Also, they now make hot rods which use the AC coil spring Frame. These are really nice with a light aluminum body, they are probably the best handling Willys ever made and that's great. In addition, they are a great source of knowledge and parts to keep our cars rolling as well, my Frua has quite a few of their suspensions bits installed.
   
   However, if they make this stuff it's probably people are asking for it, so "inch Allah" if people are asking for it who cares. Not for me!!! I hope Kirkham does well and stays in business for a long time.
   
   Emmanuel[:)]

[J Jones]

Larry Ellison is a VERY rich guy, who is likely eccentic, but not a fool. He is well able to buy any toy he wants. And knowledgeable enough to see to it that his toy is really "the best".
   
   I doubt Kirkham could resist making this car for him - they have (no doubt) a great deal of money tied up in their CNC set-up, so why not use it for the ambitious projects it allows them realize? They did machine a 427 side-oiler block out of a giant block of aluminum (I wonder if it was intended for this project?). They say they used a Shelby aluminum block on this car - also problematic and "porous", as there is a high rejection rate for the castings. (I went to the Shelby facility. I know they do grade the castings. They sell off the passable ones and keep the best for their own use)
   
   They (kirkham) have done some serious engineering to make the chassis suitably stlff and strong. Mr Ellison himself does not lack the engineers and computing resources to ensure that the structure is sound and that the car handles really well. He has a lot to live for.
   
   They say they are using 6061 alloy. I have no idea what that is, but it must be the best currently available. I did not see a mention of the car's finished weight in the specifications.
   
   Emmanuel is correct, unfortunately, about the deficiencies of Kirkhams differential case. I think they have fixed the problem, though. Or so I've heard. I hope they will continue to make high quality replacement parts for "original" cars.
   
   The whole thing was a study in excess, but SOMEBODY has to keep flame lit. Everyone appreciates the baubles of the rich and famous - Popes, Kings and rich guys have been doing this for thousands of years.
   
   OK, it's not a nearly 50 year old chassis design. But it is a new design constrained by the body dimensions and a really nice tribute to the iconic qualities of the AC Cobra. It sure is shiney!
   
   I hope it works well. It would be interesting to find out.

[J Jones]

The answer to the finished weight question is: 2034 pounds