Lumpys Kobra Build project.
 

Hello Everyone,

As some may know I have been lurking about on here, with a huge interest in the Kobra project. Hoarding information and ideas gained from all of your hard work.
I have had all manner of vehicles, from kit cars to monster trucks and before I stumbled on this thread, I was thinking about buying an Aston Martin DB7.
As with most indulgent purchases, I know that with ownership of something exotic or just plain different, always comes a price, be it servicing costs or some minor form of unreliability.
I cannot explain just how ingenious this idea is, something reliable, head turning and exciting to look at.

I personally do not however, have the time, space or inclination to build something like this, for as much as I love "tinkering" I know first hand that space and tools for the job are nearly as important as the skills to do it.

So after travelling to Stoneleigh to have a look at the kit and meeting Richard from Newbodi, I was so impressed with the quality of his work, making fibreglass look as good as his car did in the short amount of time given seemed near on impossible.
The next bonus was that he lived and worked about fifteen miles from where I live.
With permission from the Female chief of staff, a new relationship has begun and I am now in the process of working with Richard to create something very special.

So with no more waffle, here is a little start to the car "porn" with a picture of a sweet bottom.
Attachment 1424

Great to see another build thread starting. What engine is in the donor? and that rear look lower than the usual!

Have fun with your build.

Great to see another build thread starting. What engine is in the donor? and that rear look lower than the usual-


Its just a 2.8, but the panel is not fixed down properly yet. It is on the lowest setting on the coilovers i have, and hopefully Richard from Newbodi will be removing the bottom spring perch to make it 10mm lower!

Dan and myself always like to make all Tribute Automotive designed kits as simple (and ingenious!) to build as possible to help customers get on the road and enjoying their cars as soon as possible. (See Ian's Z300S build as an example: http://www.madabout-kitcars.com/foru...?t=4941&page=2 )

The idea of the Kobra all started with the Z300S. By the time we had put the final panels on WCA's Z3, last October, we had purchased a Cobra shell before going to the final Exeter Kit Show, which is where we first meet Richard. Workload unfortunately didn't allow us to start on our idea until January this year, had we done it sooner I am sure we would be well into the 30's of kits sold by now, but 11 since May isn't bad though!

Great to see your build has begun, please keep us updated. I am sure that Richard will do a cracking job of putting it together for you.

Popped into Newbodi today,
Car is hitting the paint shop on Monday so Richard and crew have a busy weekend ahead.
Very excited to think I will have a car I never thought I could own any time soon, as my daily driver.
He also managed to get my "weekend toy" going as it threw a fit last week.
Clever guy all round.

+1 to that. Just got to replace the current low profile front indicators on my Z300S with something a little more prominent and mine will be a daily driver too. Unpainted white gelcoat/primer as yet but the red stripes over a white body is still what I'm aiming for.

She is back
 

Got the car back today, looking forward to the tinkering, more photos tomorrow.

Looking good! love the tyre choice on the rear, really fills the arches well.

The only 15 inch wheel I could get that suited, Image wanted £265 plus vat EACH. But i quite fancy 295 60 15 cooper cobra's though.

Hi who did your paint it looks amazing and where did you get your wheels and spinners/knock offs from?

Hi,
Newbodi did all the prep and used a local guy to do the paint work. Not sure if they will use him again though as he struggled with this job by the sound of it.

oh, and knock off were from ebay, just the plastic ones. I believe there are some nice alloy chromed ones for under £50 for VW's.

Thanks .I know the vw ones I wasn't sure which ones would fit

Hi what wheels and tyres are you sporting.Do they have the same rolling radius as the originals or are they a wider diameter. I like the fat retro look tyre wall rather than the low profile

Hi MrP

Wolfrace slotmags, 7x15 et15 at the back et25 front with 15mm spacers.
225 60 15 tires nice cheap set of wheels that have a stainless lip. very retro and cheap.

They were blanks and drilled to BMW spec. I also looked at revolution 5 spokes blanks. Very nice wheel.

Regards,

Lumpy.

Interior pic

Thanks

All ready for winter.

Well 'sic'... not sure if you put a 'k' on the end? Very smart, you've done a great job.

Hard Top ?
 

Lumpy - Which hardtop are you using?

Your build looks great!

LG

Just the standard BMW one.

Cheers for the complements.

Update
 

Hello All,


I thought I would provide an update as I see some half prepped cars going cheap on ebay.

I have fully committed to this project as I no longer have any storage space. The car is used daily, has no rattles or bumps and now has as much, if not more than a Z3M.

Enjoy.

Supercharger?....nice

How is living with the Kobra?
 

Hi there,

In the spirit of Grand Designs revisited how has it been living with the Kobra over the winter?

Would be great to get an update if possible

Dave

Hi Dave,

I drive my car daily and have a hard top, so the winter has been nothing more than the usual Z3 dribble from the side window.
With a decent base car, its just like a Z3 but so much prettier.

The kit has very few issues, no nocks or squeak's.

The only negative issues with the whole process is some of the chrome has started to pit a little. This will be a summer polishing exercise.

I have had the kit side by side with other cobra's and all kits are slightly different there is no "real" cobra other than a Shelby/AC. If I had to do it all again, I think I would either get it painted in Plasti Dip or not spend out on paint until everything had settled.

I cannot fault the design in any way.

Regards,

Lumpy.

Lumpy
Thanks very much for the speedy response. Glad to hear you are still enjoying the car - especially considering it is a daily driver.

This is where the tribute models come into their own I assume. Not forcing us to use them at weekends

Happy polishing in the summer

Dave

Hi Lumpy,

I have been reading your thread with interest......

A couple of questions:

• Is the supercharger worth it? What was price and implication on insurance?
  
• You mention either waiting to paint or plastic dip if you did it again due to settling, what has to settle?

Thanks in advance.

Hi Ericholm,

If you have the funds, the supercharger is awesome.
I have had to completely re-learn how to drive it.

Taking into consideration that a Z3M goes for around 10-12k, I have more power and torque. I paid £2500 for an all be it tatty Z3, but it had only done 49k miles.
The cost of the conversion was roughly £5500 from Regal Autosport in Southampton.

As for letting the fiberglass settle, I now have a few bits that could do with a little tinkering. the weight of the fiberglass, plus driving at speed, I guess have moved things slightly.
Also over the winter, the fiberglassed parts on one side, where the old mirror used to be are showing slightly. All small things that only I would notice, but will eventually need a respray.

The cost of the insurance was no different as it is classed as a kit car, and therefore unique.

I hope this information is of some help.

Regards,

Lumpy.

Thanks Lumpy!

£5.5k wow that is some investment, you must have really been sold on that.

Great news on the insurance front too.

Yes very helpful :dance:

Hi Lumpy,

You still on here from time to time ? How's the supercharged Kobra going these days ?

Dave

Sorry, not been on for a while. The supercharger is awsome. It gives the car the power to match its looks.
No complaints at all. What I will say is getting Regal Autosport to answer an email is another issue. I quite fancied a pulley change when I get the supercharger oil changed.

Money well spent.

Thanks Lumpy,

Good to see that the ownership continues too. I will have to keep a keen eye out for your copper monster as I'm not that far away.

..... did I just say copper monster ? ....

Debating on selling.
 

It still makes me smile every time I drive it.

But I keep looking at new toys....

It still gets more looks than a Ferrari.

But I am debating a change.

A full set of drilled and grooves disks and pads front and rear only cost me £145

Yet I would probably buy something that costs more to run.

Nearly all the cars I like the look of are slower!

But I think I need a change.

Anyone else have the same issues?

You could always fit a 250swbc kit to it. Same but different, just need to find somewhere to store the cobra panels, shouldn't be to hard to hang them from the garage ceiling. Shame to waste such a good donor with the engine mods.

Here goes:

http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/710-53...g&toolid=11111

Priced for someone who can’t be arsed to do the work themselves.

That’s very nice

Wow. Good luck with the sale Lumpy :) that will be a record price too. Mind you it’s the only supercharged one I know of.

Hope you get what you need for it. I really liked that build. In fact it showed the seed of banded steels with spinners in my mind. I didn’t get the same wheels but close in concept.

You still have the motorbike-trike (can’t recall exactly) in the same colour ?

Dave

Thanks Dave,

Big price, but quite a bit less than I have spent and it’s been done right. Only thing left it could possibly need is an under seal. Not sure how to approach it with the fibreglass though.

Trike has been sold, it really needed a garage for winter storage.

There is a Z3M roadster up at the moment for 19k, that would have been the ultimate starting point.........

Mechanically I would much rather have what I have built than one of the jag based kits.

Wow that's a serious price tag there!

Best of luck with the sale.