• Welcome to the new B.I.R.D. Forum. Please be sure to read the "New Member / New Registered ? Please Read" thread in the Coffee Shop. This contains some important information. To become a full member ( £5.90 a year ) simply click on your user name near the top on the right I hope you enjoy the new site ................ Jaws ( John )

My Tribute Cobra build

DLN1965

Moderator
Staff member
Moderator
Club Sponsor
My dream car has always been an AC Cobra, and I have always dreamed about riding, driving, owning one ever since I was........... well a very very long time ago !

I sat in one once and thought it was fantastic, the driver took me for a little ride and the sound, power and acceleration had me hooked!!
Alas when I got into the drivers seat .... I found a major problem ..... I am too tall !
My feet rested beyond the pedals and I couldn’t get me knees behind the steering wheel !
Looks like my dream had been shattered
However a few years later self indulgent trip to the Pilgrim factory in Small Dole, had sparked my interest once more ...... I explained my plight and the salesman suggested I sit in the demonstrator, to my surprise ... I fit .... just !
It had a lowered pan AND a seat mod ... could this be the way forward?


Fast forward many many years ....
I spotted a BMW Z3 Cobra lookalike kit in a magazine Mmmm. Looks interesting !
Watched several YouTube videos and followed several builds on the web... this sparked my interest once more

The deciding factor was the Mrs when she said you should get yourself a hobby ...why don’t you build a car like you have wanted to do for years?
Didn’t need telling twice .... I didn’t really have the time or the finances for a full on build AC Cobra .... AND all the technicalities involved !
So the BMW Z3 route was my way forward...

I tried a couple of Z3’s for size and although a squeeze I can fit !!
So I searched the local adverts and bought one which needed a hell of a lot of work .... In hindsight ... too much work as it had been rear ended at some point, bodged and put back on the road with quite a few faults and shouldn’t have ever passed a MOT ..... so much so I ended up selling it to a breaker and I broke even !
Next one was a well sorted 3.0 which looked excellent and had all the major underside suspension and brake overhaul work completed already .... It is so good it would be a shame to strip it ..... But I’m wanting an AC Cobra kit not a z3 sports car ...
The Z3 advantages over a self build kit car is that million £££ have been spent on R and D already, everything works as it should including A/C, heating, electric moving and heated seats, the roof is waterproof and the doors close properly
Not to mention parts are relatively cheap and easy to get hold of !

Kit ordered and sourcing the other parts (delivery companies have been busy at my house recently!)
The kit is basically 5 panels which bolt on using all the bolt holes from the panels you have bolted off on the Z3 (so simple!), a few simple tasks of wiring lights and routing cables and the job is done ... almost !!

The kit is available from Classic Coachworks and is a Kobra (Can’t use Cobra as it’s trademarked ?)
It’s close to the genuine car, styling wise BUT purists will hate it .. !

It’s going to be a long build .... almost as long as this post ?? ....
 

Attachments

  • D9A4E248-2EAC-4C45-AA0D-AAC7638B2548.jpeg
    D9A4E248-2EAC-4C45-AA0D-AAC7638B2548.jpeg
    62.1 KB · Views: 48
  • B0C5932A-4AD8-46ED-9CFB-77918F804806.jpeg
    B0C5932A-4AD8-46ED-9CFB-77918F804806.jpeg
    130.6 KB · Views: 43
  • F9BBFF32-0EAA-461A-97C4-E1AF6C8345C6.jpeg
    F9BBFF32-0EAA-461A-97C4-E1AF6C8345C6.jpeg
    112.2 KB · Views: 41
  • 1C41D481-FAB7-4BDE-A480-A9AE870B5391.jpeg
    1C41D481-FAB7-4BDE-A480-A9AE870B5391.jpeg
    126.2 KB · Views: 43
  • AA5DABFD-1088-46AA-A42A-1F8B031CBC85.jpeg
    AA5DABFD-1088-46AA-A42A-1F8B031CBC85.jpeg
    135.6 KB · Views: 41
  • A081EB13-BD32-495D-8122-348E1B7EE939.jpeg
    A081EB13-BD32-495D-8122-348E1B7EE939.jpeg
    138.1 KB · Views: 43
  • A743F5EA-3ADF-4FD3-967A-E33A4FFD2157.jpeg
    A743F5EA-3ADF-4FD3-967A-E33A4FFD2157.jpeg
    48.1 KB · Views: 43

DLN1965

Moderator
Staff member
Moderator
Club Sponsor
Badges bought and a key ring !!

it’s the finishing touches !!
 

Attachments

  • 19AE32A8-FA26-4F2F-B096-9CD39DA5CF02.jpeg
    19AE32A8-FA26-4F2F-B096-9CD39DA5CF02.jpeg
    250.1 KB · Views: 38
  • B67B24A7-D647-44DB-9BB9-CD667F245154.jpeg
    B67B24A7-D647-44DB-9BB9-CD667F245154.jpeg
    114 KB · Views: 40
  • 01E866C5-2B66-40DF-A193-26B070D5D3C4.jpeg
    01E866C5-2B66-40DF-A193-26B070D5D3C4.jpeg
    135.2 KB · Views: 40

Dangerous Brian

Been there, and had one
Club Sponsor
Nice, hope it turns out to be all you hoped..... and doesn’t bankrupt you.

I might be getting a Jago geep. It is a restoration job, been sat in my friends garden for “years”. Now that the trike is finished it could keep me from drink and dirty women.
 

DLN1965

Moderator
Staff member
Moderator
Club Sponsor
Nice, hope it turns out to be all you hoped..... and doesn’t bankrupt you.

I might be getting a Jago geep. It is a restoration job, been sat in my friends garden for “years”. Now that the trike is finished it could keep me from drink and dirty women.

I set myself a target limit and contingency and won’t spend any more ! (If I have to wait for a year or two to save up for ... but the car will be up And running by late spring /early summer !!

I remember the Jago Geep (trademarks again?) ..... friend had one in the late 80’s ...... super fun !!

Another friend had a Jago Samurai .... never liked the look of these but for a late 80’s build it was very nice indeed !!
I had a VW Baja bug ... glad tastes change with age !!
 

Lee337

Confused Poster
Club Sponsor
Always fancied a Cobra but never had the money when I had the time. Was looking at a Pilgrim at one point. Ended up with a Spartan, built mostly from an old Ford Corrina. I used a Sierra 5speedbox mated to the 711 crossflow engine as the original box was only 4 speed.

Now I find again I have the time but not the inclination.
 

andyBeaker

Moderator
Staff member
Moderator
Club Sponsor
I have always fancied building a Caterham but bizarrely have zero interest in owning one.
 

DLN1965

Moderator
Staff member
Moderator
Club Sponsor
I have always fancied building a Caterham but bizarrely have zero interest in owning one.

A friend of mine has a caterham .... great cars but I’m too tall to fit in ..... my friend isn’t as tall ..... but he is much much wider !!!!
I often wonder how he gets in !
AND he keeps trying to make the car lighter to go faster ...... surely the easiest and cheapest thing to do would be to make himself lighter ??
 

DLN1965

Moderator
Staff member
Moderator
Club Sponsor
A little update ....
Not much done on the bodywork as the weather is awful ! (Working outside !!)

delivery of some goodies tho !!

Rear lights and indicators, wanted original looking lights so went for a land rover set (wiring should be relatively easy!) the white will be used as reversing lights .... just need to find a fog light to suite
The bulbs will be LED with variable relay for correct flash speed

the Headlight is slightly updated LED version with integral sidelight, dip and main beam, indicator and halo ring ....

Also bought bullet door mirrors, to replace the obvious Z3 door mirrors

Getting there slowly !!!
 

Attachments

  • 7838A466-A66C-452F-9584-554B2FB6F59D.jpg
    7838A466-A66C-452F-9584-554B2FB6F59D.jpg
    79.8 KB · Views: 28
  • 2BF70835-08EA-4595-BDBE-EAE6564F1363.jpeg
    2BF70835-08EA-4595-BDBE-EAE6564F1363.jpeg
    80.5 KB · Views: 30
  • 7F6C0948-36D6-4541-AF9C-CD2BAA6E875E.jpeg
    7F6C0948-36D6-4541-AF9C-CD2BAA6E875E.jpeg
    76.2 KB · Views: 30

Jaws

Corporal CockUp
Staff member
Moderator
Club Sponsor
A little update ....
Not much done on the bodywork as the weather is awful ! (Working outside !!)

delivery of some goodies tho !!

Rear lights and indicators, wanted original looking lights so went for a land rover set (wiring should be relatively easy!) the white will be used as reversing lights .... just need to find a fog light to suite
The bulbs will be LED with variable relay for correct flash speed

the Headlight is slightly updated LED version with integral sidelight, dip and main beam, indicator and halo ring ....

Also bought bullet door mirrors, to replace the obvious Z3 door mirrors

Getting there slowly !!!
Realy like those headlights... and the mirrors to as it happens....

Do not need a variable winker box.. Just one of these :) ( bottom left )

https://www.jaws-motorcycles.co.uk/oldsite/bird2.htm#cap
 

DLN1965

Moderator
Staff member
Moderator
Club Sponsor
Realy like those headlights... and the mirrors to as it happens....

Do not need a variable winker box.. Just one of these :) ( bottom left )

https://www.jaws-motorcycles.co.uk/oldsite/bird2.htm#cap

THANKYOU John
The headlights are 7” LED replacements for Land Rover, jeeps and some other vehicles ... available at all good (and bad) auction sites
The mirrors are in keeping with the style of the car .... so the electric BMW mirrors (too modern) will have to go ....

the variable flasher relay on the evil bay is approx £8, and if I ever needed to put an ordinary bulb in, I could alter the flash rate accordingly ...
The LED really on Jaws has one setting and if I needed to put a spare ordinary bulb in.... the flash rate couldn’t be altered ...
Fortunately I would carry spare LED bulbs (except a headlight as that’s a sealed unit)

there’s a nice pile of goodies building up.... ready to fit on the car ..... Pity the weather has turned !!
 

Me!

Utterly retired
Club Sponsor
I have always fancied building a Caterham but bizarrely have zero interest in owning one.
I did this Andy. Thoroughly enjoyed the build. The novelty of the car wore off v quickly mind.
 

Jaws

Corporal CockUp
Staff member
Moderator
Club Sponsor
The LED really on Jaws has one setting and if I needed to put a spare ordinary bulb in.... the flash rate couldn’t be altered ...
Fortunately I would carry spare LED bulbs (except a headlight as that’s a sealed unit)
The Jaws relay works wth ANY bulbs automatically ! No fiddling about at all :)
 

andyBeaker

Moderator
Staff member
Moderator
Club Sponsor
A little update ....
Not much done on the bodywork as the weather is awful ! (Working outside !!)

delivery of some goodies tho !!

Rear lights and indicators, wanted original looking lights so went for a land rover set (wiring should be relatively easy!) the white will be used as reversing lights .... just need to find a fog light to suite
The bulbs will be LED with variable relay for correct flash speed

the Headlight is slightly updated LED version with integral sidelight, dip and main beam, indicator and halo ring ....

Also bought bullet door mirrors, to replace the obvious Z3 door mirrors

Getting there slowly !!!
Just a small query on the headlights - will they pass MOT with built in indicators?

Hopefully you've got this covered but it would be a bummer to find out later on.
 

Me!

Utterly retired
Club Sponsor
Just a small query on the headlights - will they pass MOT with built in indicators?

Hopefully you've got this covered but it would be a bummer to find out later on.
Yes they will. A bit like Mk4 Golfs.
 

DLN1965

Moderator
Staff member
Moderator
Club Sponsor
Just a small query on the headlights - will they pass MOT with built in indicators?

Hopefully you've got this covered but it would be a bummer to find out later on.

Cheers Andy .... I’m probably using the landy indicators in the front and not using the ones in the headlight .... to be slightly authentic looking ...
AND there is a ready made placement for the indicator lights in the fibreglass moulding .... so unless I did a bit of remodelling
 

Attachments

  • BE21E12D-C13C-4A65-B5A2-E0EACD36CE55.jpeg
    BE21E12D-C13C-4A65-B5A2-E0EACD36CE55.jpeg
    40.9 KB · Views: 14
Top