MrTowed - That list is why I worry for MickyMo's BMW engined Ribble every seeing tarmac.

And what are the EU regulations on home-constructed methanol injectors? Being a bit nerdy, that is probably my single favourite part of your build. Why did you do it? Because you wanted to, and because you could. Perfect reasons. Take that Brussels.

Take that Brussels

home-constructed methanol injectors


I just got a flash back to that post Christmas dinner feeling ;-)

And why not a Z3 Kobra with a modern twist to it as Ollie mentioned in an earlier post. Big wheels, LED headlights, ViperStyle side exhaust, just for starters. Just make it slightly different to all the other Cobra kits.

Something like this...

http://oi44.tinypic.com/v6lyfb.jpg

I want 1 of these!

Wing mirrors need major attention though!

I would probably slightly widen the grill to balance the larger headlights. mirrors,yep probaly change those. maybe smaller and rounder.

Wheels yes, exhaust yes, headlights i personally think are an absoute horror as are those bumpery things, but those wheels and pipe with the normal cobra front and you'd be onto a winner.

Agreed, headlights are a bit too guppy for my taste.

Bumpery things could be quite handy for cracking the caps off a few beers or scooping up small children that fail to penetrate WCA's windscreen and fall off the bonnet...

Authentic reproduction Cobra v Cobra'esqe Tribute
 

I drive a Marlin Kit - as much as I love my Marlin, I yearn for a Cobra. My Marlin isn't an authentic reproduction of the Alpha Romeo 6C, but it has elements of the 1930's Alpha styling. When people say "Nice Morgan" I love telling them it's just a Sierra in a pretty frock;-) (and it is a very pretty frock).

I would love to build a Kit, but I don't have the cash, the facilities, the time or (if I'm to be honest) the talent - so realistically I know that if I do buy a donor and a kit, it'll end up on eBay in a few years as another disappointing unfinished project with several thousand burnt away and all for nothing. Even if I did, would I trust my kids in a car that I've built form the ground up? Well, nope, probably not.

As far as I know all the Cobra self-builds are hardcore automotive projects that are beyond my reach. This Z3 Kobra, however, appears to be a potential *novice* project requiring some panel swaps and no IVA and which should retain the structural integrity and mechanical/electrical reliability benefits of the original (BMW Z3).

Why even bother to compete with the DAX/Sumo's/BRA/Gardener Douglas/RAM/ Cobras that mostly sit in a garage only to be driven on a perfect day? My Marlin is my only car, I drive it every day (about 12,000 miles per year) and in all weather: snow, ice, wind, rain and occasionally even on sunny days. It cost me £5K and I love it, but it does leak which is annoying and it is pure comedy watching me get in/out of it. If it were a £45K Morgan it would live in a garage (which I don't own) only to come out on beautiful sunny days.

So "Tribute Automotive", please, produce a Cobra body kit that I can just nail onto a Z3, please don't chop the windscreen so I can't drive it every day or replace the leaking hood with a standard Z3 soft top, please don't require me to make chassis mods so that I need to IVA it and then drive it nervously until my crappy welds finally fail and kill me while hurtling down the motorway on a wet Monday morning on the way to work.

I am *Madabout kitcars*, but I'm not hardcore and I am a mechanical moron. Woodwork, plastering, home electrics, plumbing, tiling - yes. Car mechanics, no. But I would love to *have a go* and while the Dax/Gardener Douglas owner/builder/drivers will no doubt look down on my Z3 Kobra with slightly unauthentic lines, I will be enjoying driving my Kobra most days while their dogmatic authentic copies fester in a garage only to be driven two or three times a year on sunny days and the wind blows in just the right direction.

You tell em... it reminded me of 'I have a dream' not about cars, though.

@garyh, Thanks for the kind words - a less *enlightened* forum might regard such a newbie post as good flaming troll fodder...

naw - what you described there is almost exactly how I felt. Check out my thread to see my lack of ability.

I am now using my Z300S Barchetta more often than my 600bhp SLK. I get let out at junctions, I get camera phoned, I get thumbs up and I get the back end sliding wide at any excuse ;-), so much better in the wet than the over cautious mercedes traction control that cant be turned off.

Save your pennies and make sure you get a 6 cylinder Z3 as the 4 cylinder 1.9 is a hateful lump.

If you are ever near Southampton then give me a shout and I will take you out for a blast

Good point well made. You don't need to say please, Chris has already started advertising it on ebay...

Just looked on eBay and my car is there as the show car for the kit.

He could have used a better picture :-(

I think if you can do plastering, you can do anything!

@landmannn - hey thx - thats where I saw it (eBay) and I already contacted Chris to express my interest - I think it shows a lot of promise...
@world class accident - I may just take you up on that. Yeah the 'nice car mister / mate' is a heart warming event that Ford / Vauxhall / VW drivers will sadly never experience. We drove to Lake Garda in the Marlin and must have been photographed a hundred times. Even got asked to borrow the car for wedding photos when we arrived :-)
Thx all

Nick, please send better pictures, and/or I can take some next week when we have the car back in the workshop : )

Simple answer: 100% AGREE.

Chris - This should be the link to my album of all photos of the car since I got it back from you. Take what you like and feel free to use them for publicity.

I like this one best

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-D...207_134058.jpg

Thanks Nick and congratulations on getting a picture of your car onto yet another tread!! :icon_lol: