RE: AC MkVI Goes Gullwinged
Discussion
cableguy said:
AdvocatusD said:
Hasn't this hardtop (sans gullwing bits) already been done?
Gullwing Hardtop has been done before, however it is a bespoke piece according to this ad. 
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/206877.htm
C.
Stevie Mojo said:
You'd struggle to buy anything more beautiful than that!
You`d struggle more to buy THAT. It will NEVER happen. Just look at the disaster that is the MkV that AC (that British car maker
) tried to make in Malta. They only made a couple, and they are unsaleable. I feel sorry for Clive Sutton! And then the stillborn project in the US...and now they`ve found a sucker in Germany.
Unbelieveable...just unbelieveable.
Keep your hands on your wallet, and walk away AS FAST AS YOU CAN!
Now, now. The kit car scene (PS - am not the scene!) has been doing teardrop hardtops for a long time. Some of them even have Aircraft filler caps built into the roof like the original racers. Bit of a hassle when you come to take the top off...no five minute job.
This gives you an idea of how the boot opens. Yes, it's a little double effort, but think of this as less of a tintop car and more of a removable hardtop and it makes more sense. Either way it looks stunning and you're unlikely to use it for daily commuting when it's shelling down with rain:
http://www.v8cobra.com/images/h_top/IMG_1728.jpg
Some of them have had fixed roofs and bottom hingeing two piece arrangements. So the bottom half opens with the roof on, both open with the roof off but it's very ugly with a big shut line right across that pretty boot.
The kit cars have always had removeable window frames, some hydraulic. For those that wanted opening windows it was a case of two windows sliding against each other like the old race cars or even Perspex windows with little slidey ones inside.
This brings me to the same argument as ever though and one I've even had with a friend in the AC club who owned an original AC Ace but also one of the MK V (I think) Cobras with the Carbon Fibre body and the Mustang 5.0 Litre engine. These 'Cobra's are Cobra's in name and really nothing to do with the original Thames Ditton firm. The company has changed hands and re-started so many times. Those Mk V Cobra's look very budget kit car with Ford switch gear.
Some Replica makers, Hawk for example will offer you a hand beaten aluminium body mounted on an identical ladder chassis to the original. You then buy a recon 289 or 472, build it up with all the proper kit, there are companies that will sell you the original dials, Gear shifter, handbrake handle, blah, blah and there you have it, an identical, albeit probably better built 'original' AC Cobra for about £65-75,000, a huge amount less than the £250,000 ++ that you would need for an original.
In my mind both the Hawk Ali and the AC Carbon cars are both replicas but the Ali is by far the more flattering recreation and certainly the one I would have. In fact the only reason I know about these is it's something that I've even looked into myself. Still holding out for one of the Ali Aston Martin DBR1 recreations with an Aston straight Six.
Anyway, can of worms should now be considered open. Lovely pictures of the Cob' though!!
Tom
This gives you an idea of how the boot opens. Yes, it's a little double effort, but think of this as less of a tintop car and more of a removable hardtop and it makes more sense. Either way it looks stunning and you're unlikely to use it for daily commuting when it's shelling down with rain:
http://www.v8cobra.com/images/h_top/IMG_1728.jpg
Some of them have had fixed roofs and bottom hingeing two piece arrangements. So the bottom half opens with the roof on, both open with the roof off but it's very ugly with a big shut line right across that pretty boot.
The kit cars have always had removeable window frames, some hydraulic. For those that wanted opening windows it was a case of two windows sliding against each other like the old race cars or even Perspex windows with little slidey ones inside.
This brings me to the same argument as ever though and one I've even had with a friend in the AC club who owned an original AC Ace but also one of the MK V (I think) Cobras with the Carbon Fibre body and the Mustang 5.0 Litre engine. These 'Cobra's are Cobra's in name and really nothing to do with the original Thames Ditton firm. The company has changed hands and re-started so many times. Those Mk V Cobra's look very budget kit car with Ford switch gear.
Some Replica makers, Hawk for example will offer you a hand beaten aluminium body mounted on an identical ladder chassis to the original. You then buy a recon 289 or 472, build it up with all the proper kit, there are companies that will sell you the original dials, Gear shifter, handbrake handle, blah, blah and there you have it, an identical, albeit probably better built 'original' AC Cobra for about £65-75,000, a huge amount less than the £250,000 ++ that you would need for an original.
In my mind both the Hawk Ali and the AC Carbon cars are both replicas but the Ali is by far the more flattering recreation and certainly the one I would have. In fact the only reason I know about these is it's something that I've even looked into myself. Still holding out for one of the Ali Aston Martin DBR1 recreations with an Aston straight Six.
Anyway, can of worms should now be considered open. Lovely pictures of the Cob' though!!
Tom
I like it, the roof however looks very similar to this one for the kit cars. http://cobratops.co.uk/default.htm especially with those rear quarter windows. Edited to add, and of course the rather distinct lack of gullwing doors on that cobra tops one!
Lovely looking machine though.
(P.S. - that website only doesn't appear to work in firefox for some reason, it's fine in Internet Explorer.)
Lovely looking machine though.
(P.S. - that website only doesn't appear to work in firefox for some reason, it's fine in Internet Explorer.)
Edited by I Am Milk on Tuesday 14th April 15:16
Toma500 said:
Ditto that ill have mine in black 
So something like mine then?????
Dax built by Dave Brookes V8 Cobra Replicas, hard top a variation of V8 Cobra Replicas' modified, adapted and fitted by me. Nitrous also fitted by myself.
top car and going to be much cheaper than the 'rich folks-wagen' here.
Mark
Edited by skid on Tuesday 14th April 16:56
stephen300o said:
I thought the "real" Cobras had centre nut hubs, it was one of my replica spotting references.
Sad to say that my replica spotting refererence is just to assume they all are! But then I cosider any Cobra made since decimal currency is not a real one.That said this hardtop does look great even if it doesn't get the 'gullwings'. About time the Aeromax got some competition.
king love them. 
tch911 said:
...These 'Cobra's are Cobra's in name and really nothing to do with the original Thames Ditton firm. The company has changed hands and re-started so many times. Those Mk V Cobra's look very budget kit car with Ford switch gear...Tom
These Cobras are not even Cobras in name. They cannot use the name Cobra, they are AC MkV or in this case, MkVI. It is a very sad state of affairs, and if a single, half-decent car actually gets made, I`ll be VERY VERY surprised.
Oh and to those worried that the workmanship of this AC might be bad...remember that any kit car (and that's really what these are) is subject first and foremost to the skill of the builder - and that builder could just as easily be yourself. There's no time limit, no hindrance of any sort to how much effort and love you wished to put into the task. Even if AC never produces a single gullwing hardtop...*you* could if motivated to do so. They can't trademark or patent the idea as others have already thought of it. I've seen dozens of Cobra replicas over the years and the quality has ranged from garbage (not even 'rubbish') to far better than the originals. It's all in how much labor you wish to invest - and how dedicated you are to getting it right. Any home mechanic with a dream can start with tubing and work his or her way up from there. Don't lose hope and don't lose sight of your dreams. Every PH'er with a place to work could eventually, over the span of years perhaps, build their dream Cobra replica. And yes, that includes those with ten thumbs.
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