1965 Shelby Cobra 427SC Replica
Details and Specifications
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The chassis is a CMC custom square-tube steel frame design and is really beefy. Yes, it does
therefore weigh a bit more than a lot of other frames, but I'll make up for that in horsepower. :-)
Plus I'll any bit of safety I can get in this car.
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Front: Independent A-Arm configuration. JPL M-II tubular upper and lower control arms with
Carrera adjustable coil-over shocks.
Rear: Live axle configuration. Currently FMS HD upper control arms with high-durometer rubber
bushings, and Fox-Mustang lower control arms. This is being modified to a custom 4-link
setup with poly rod-ends and 1" DOM for the upper control arms, custom axle brackets for
all 4 links, and Steeda lower control arms with 3-piece bushings. The rear axle is an
FMS live axle with an 8.8" posi-trac differential, and 3.08:1 gears. After experiments
with 3.27:1 and 3:55:1 gear ratios, I decided that the 3.08's were best, since I had
more than enough horsepower/torque from the engine, and I could now cruise at 70mph in
5th gear at approx 1850rpm...sweet!!!
Wheels: This car uses split-sized wheels with 205-50-15 Yokohama AVS Intermediates on
the front and 265-50-15 BFG Euro Radials on the rear. All wheels are super-lightweight
Centerline Billet Stars. After the coming suspension mods, I'll planning on some wider
tires all around, and hopefully fit some Michelin Pilot 335-35-17's on the rear.
Steering is handled by a M-II manual rack and pinion using a steering column from a Vette.
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FRPP T5-Z World-Class spec 5-speed manual transmission mated to the engine with a
Centerforce dual-friction clutch disc and an FRPP HD pressure plate. This combo
was recommended to me by Punisher automotive and it works awesome!
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Engine: FMS 302 block (4.000" bore and 3.000" stroke) with forged pistons and cast
steel crankshaft. A TFS Stage 1 cam controls the valves and this is driven by an FRPP
double-roller timing chain. Probe steel girdle and Melling hi-volume oil pump driven by an
ARP pump driveshaft. All of this is covered by a Canton 7-qt low-profile T-style oil pan,
and FMS steel-core gasket. The top end is a pair of TFS TW street heads (2.08" intake
valves, and 1.60" exhaust valves) fed by a Edelbrock RPM port-matched upper-lower
intake pair. Estimated output is 530 fwhp at 4900 rpm. Sweet!
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From the K&N filter at the intake, air flows through a Pro-M Bullet 75mm mass-air
meter (calibrated for 42lbs SC conical), then thru a Vortech supercharger where it is
forced into an Accufab 65mm throttle-body and then to the intake plenum.
The Vortech supercharger is a V-2 SQ-Trim unit with a 2.95" 10-rib pulley/belt
system and generates approx 11 psi.
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At the moment the car has 2 fuel pumps: a 155-lph in-tank pump and a T-Rex inline
pump. This goes thru aluminium fuel lines and Aeroquip custom hi-pressure flex
hoses into a set of stock fuel rails which feed 8 42-lb fuel injectors, and the whole
system is regulated with a Kirban adjustable fuel-pressure regulator.
But that's now. I am having a bit of fuel starvation at the top end, so the
aluminium tank is being re-built from scratch and will house dual Walbro 255-lph
hi-output (GSS340) pumps fed in a Y configuration to aluminium fuel lines, the
same flex hoses, and then to a pair of Cartech 1/2" ID fuel rails. This
new system will certainly feed the monster!
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Here's a monster of an exhaust system for ya, and it certainly sounds like it too.
From the heads, 8 individual mandrel-bent 1.75" tubes collect into a 2.5"
collector at on the outside of the vehicle, just behind the front wheels. That's
34" after they start at the heads! At this point, they flow into custom-built
sidepipes that Miami Racing built to my specs, using baffle mufflers custom-built
for me by Stainless Specialties. Nope, no glasspacks in here... sweet!
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The engine is controlled by an FMS A9L EFI ECU. Though it is a pretty cool unit, and
very adaptable, I've exceeded its capacity and need to start considering some form
of specialized engine control. First order of business will be to build a datalogger
and determine what really can be tweaked, and then I can start tweaking fuel and
timing curves.
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At this point, I'm still running a M-II copper-brass radiator with a Stewart pump and
a 16" pusher fan. I say 'still' cause with the new supercharger on there generating
a lot more power, I've noticed the temps rise past the 200-deg-F mark when I really stomp
on it. So I'm envisioning an aluminium 2- or 3-core radiator in the near future and/or
better fans.
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Braking is left to a Fox-Mustang power booster with a 1" master cylinder and
modified proportioning valve. Custom brake lines drive the fluid into 4-wheel
discs.
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The body is a 1-piece fiberglass unit that's quite well built but a bit thicker than
others, so it's a tad bit heavier. But again, I really appreciate the extra safety
it provides. More interesting though are the longitudinal the steel beams that run
through the doors. Very unique for a car like this. Add the chassis-mounted roll
bar, and the car is much safer than most others.
The interior is custom carpeted and seats were hand-built to mimic the originals.
Seat belts are RJS 5-point harnesses.
The dashboard is very custom and very unlike the original Cobras. Holding a speedo,
tach, 8 accessory gauges to monitor vital engine functions, and a stereo, I had to
modify the center section for 2 purposes ... so I could angle the gauges where I
could see them better, and so I had room back there for an AC evaporator. Yep, this
puppy has a Vintage Air AC system. The net result of the custom dashboard is really
awesome though.
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Other than the steel frame, thicker fiberglass body, steel bars thru the doors, and
5-point harnesses, I've added a Halon fire-suppression system feeding directly to the
engine bay....cause with a high-output supercharger, you just never know.
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All mirrors, windshield, gas filler cap, latches/handles, and wind-wings are aftermarket
copies of the original. Windshield wipers are modified MGB units...remember they had 3
wiper blades?.
The trunk lock is electronic with a super-powerful solenoid.
Now here's a quandry...
So it's a race car, that's totally street legal, and totally street driven... for now.
So should I strip it? Nah!... I've got enough horsepower to make up for some creature
comforts. Those being the already-mentioned air-conditioning, and a kickin' stereo
system. Pioneer AM/FM/cassette head unit with a 12-disc trunk-mounted CD changer.
The audio is amplified by an external Kenwood amplifier driving KEF separates with
integral crossovers, and a Kicker Solobaric 10" subwoofer. I can way outdrive
the engine with this system ... if I wanted to.
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