Projects DRAG SNAKE "Vintage Terror!"

I was not sure but there is a '57 TR3 under a tarp in my shop so I was about to have a look myself.

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Those parts would be good.
I find it very hard to work on BMC stuff by myself.
This would make a fun project for you and dad.

 

Yep not sure what that Posies Boy was talking about, I uncovered the TR3 last night and no transverse leaf there. I did some research later on (inquiring minds you know)... There were a couple of websites that mentioned early triumphs with Transverse front spring but Google couldn't find any...oh well.

Which brings up a questions that needs to be asked again, why in the world was AC still using that front end on the Bristol through the 1960s. All of their competition, MG, Triumph, Austin, etc. etc. had already been double wishbone and coil springs for more than a decade! Makes you wonder because Shelby actually converted the AC cars to that style after dropping the big blocks in them etc.

Sort of makes me wonder if I am not simply creating more work for myself for no real reason other than to be different. Maybe I should just forget the whole upper transverse gig, put coil overs on it and move on! Honestly there would only be an extremely small handful of folks that would even understand or appreciate the effort! Food for thought.

 

Have you heard of these guys? http://www.saintlouisspring.com/ My little bro needed a special spring made and they did it to his specs. Came fast and easy. Maybe they could help you too?

 

The TR1800/2000 (1946-49) was the roadster with the transverse leaf spring.
My web ninja skills deserted me, so I only have a couple of mediocre pics:

 

Interesting that they incorporated the Ford tear drop hood scoop into the Cobra hood.

 

Since you brought it up, it was never clear to me why you wanted to get away from the way Shelby American did in 1963.

So I went back and looked up where you explained your thinking, about re-thinking, the front suspension:

They did it that way because like everything else on the AC (and Cobra), it was simple, lightweight, and effective. The leaf spring functionally doubles as the upper control arm because it locates the top of the spindle and allows the suspension to articulate within its arc. This design became inadequate once they added another 300hp, doubled the tire widths all around, and started slinging the cars around turns. But for your straight-line car, IMO, the simple transverse leaf and LCA design makes sense for the same reasons now as it did then.

Your pic:

 

An alternative to the shackle arrangement, is a slider. Two ways to do that, both use a plate for the bottom of the leaf tip to slide on. One could use a plastic puck - like ford did in the leaf spring pack tips, which IIRC, Posie copied. The other version could use a circle-track-style rear leaf shackle-replacement-slider. Uses roller bearings. Either would adapt to the composite spring tip. May, or may not, want/need a spring-tip-capture devise, as the spring would almost always be under some kind of load. Might be worth looking at?

Now all you've got to do, is to convince Steve @ ET to do the wheels in genuine Mag... .

Love the Snakes. Original or not... .

Marcus...

 

If you can pull off the Corvette style front with the composite spring you could have a light front end.

 

Well I may have answered this little dilemma for myself. Studying closely photos of original Cobra front suspensions it appears at the point in the nose slope etc. where the spring sits there is not a lot of clearance. I would estimate no more than about 3" or less from where the transverse leaf mounts to the pedestal and the body. That was more than enough clearance on the originals since as we know the spring itself was the upper "A" arm. However in my case trying to attach a spring to an upper "A" arm, my pedestal mount, even with a spring engineered as nearly flat will exceed that spacing margin. When you consider the new "A" arm, some kind of mount on it, and at least a 2" shackle which is what both companies (composite boys and Posies) recommended I don't believe we will clear the body.

So knowing my luck...not to mention my prowess in thinking out of the box suspension mods (NOT)...I am going to forget the whole thing and just do something proven. No math, no geometry, no prayer, just weld in some quality pieces from Art Morrison and move on to more important things.

 

Well here is the cool thing I have not mentioned yet, but earlier @DDDenny referred me to Russ Meeks from Finish Line Coatings in Portland. I probably didn't spit out 5 or 6 words trying to describe the finish I was after before he took over the conversation. What he confirmed I was looking for was the Dow 7 look which was a chemical Halibrand dipped their wheels in to prevent corrosion. If they just dipped them and pulled them right out they had sort of a gold color to them. If they left them in longer they turned more greenish/gray. After the wheels are complete at ET they are going straight to Russ for this finish.

 

Damn Randall, I'm going to be going right by Russ's tonight, I'm less than a half hour from there. Going to watch the Christmas ships on the Willamette river turnaround at Riverfront park in Milwaukie and head back to downtown Portland.
I need to talk to Russ about doing the exhaust for my roadster and I'd love to go check out those wheels before they are shipped back to you.

 

I will let you know when he gets them etc. I was very impressed with his knowledge. I told him I would be in touch when I had a timeline for the rims etc. I am pretty excited about the process.

 

Cool
Doesn't sound like you will have too much spare time for a while Randall but if you Google Russ Meeks, you'll find his "body of work" will explain the depth of his knowledge.

 

WOW! I had no idea! Thanks @DDDenny....that was a pretty cool read.

I assumed he had been around a bit just from talking with him. I had no idea
of his prowess in the custom car world etc. That is crazy! To be honest I was
just excited to find someone who knew what the hell I was looking for....NOW
I am going to be excited to say he even touched any part of the car.

DragonSnake COBRA Powered by Holman Moody with Russ Meeks' Rims....Nice ring to it! LOL

 

Randall his products will stand the test of time I can say for certain they hold up he had coated our pistons and even done the cylinder head combustion chambers on out bonneville car and when we had a massive lean condition as a result of a ruptured fuel line the coatings kept the pistons from coming apart


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Maybe I missed it but are you going with black steel rear wheels?

 

Well Here is my thought. I going with a full set of the FIA 289 Cobra Rims. Up front on the 6" FIA rims I am going to run the Coker Pro-Trac 560-15 as seen below.


And then on the rear 9.5" FIA rims I will run a good set of Pie Crusts....Still have not decided on the brand...probably Radir. Then I am going to get a real set of slicks maybe M/H etc. and put them on a black powdercoated steel 10" wheel that when we want, we can remove the knock off stuff out back and install the steelie etc.

 

Just so you know; I'm no restoration minded kind of guy let alone a Cobra expert.
I've looked at a LOT of photos of old Halibrands and don't recall seeing this wheel done in Dow 7, not saying it wasnt done or won't look great, just haven't seen it.
I gotta say, Russ sure did a good job on Cory Taulberts kidney bean wheels.

I think this is the only Dow 7 looking FIA style wheel I've ever seen.
Yes, I know this is a 427 car.
Repro wheels on a "continuation" car.
Hopefully not too offensive to the traditionalists.

 

Real Dow 7 coating applied to Halibrands never looked as solid gold as on that red Cobra. It was always more washed out and grayer.

 

As stated, a fresh recreation.
I achieved nearly the same look on my Ansens with Krylon in the 70's.
I've been told that Dow 7 would look different from batch to batch also.

 

This is what I am looking for... I understood it was the dow7 color if the wheels were left in much longer. I could be wrong maybe just ran hard and put up wet Magnesium wheels...lol

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. I could be wrong maybe just ran hard and put up wet Magnesium wheels...lol


Isn't that what mag wheels are for mine are not showroom finish of course it depends whose looking at them I guess lol



Chrome don't get ya home

 

I hate to say it...but I am having very evil engine thoughts that will get this little Cobra kicked right off the H.A.M.B.!
But it could have some "extremely" H.A.M.B friendly functional valve covers....Just thinking, do not panic! LMAO!

 

I see this coming

 

It has a hood, im cool with the modern motor.

 

I know...I hate to do it though. But it is so hard when I can snag a killer proven engine that would simply eat up and spit out the "Road Runner" if you know what I mean for more than a 1/3 off the price of building a 302. I have found some guys making one off adapters for it to bolt on genuine SOHC 427 Cammer valve covers which would look pretty darn cool with the borla stacks all crammed in that tight little hole etc.

But if not, I am leaning toward the Boss 363 block with 8 stacks etc. But again that thing is going to cost me 40% more to build etc. Decisions, decisions....again do not panic anyone....just thinking out loud! LOL

 

Just have to ask yourself how much motor can you afford to grenade down the strip.

 

Focus my son and stay the course.

 

May the Force Be With You...lol

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