My first build: Kobra

[clinkadink]

Originally Posted by 306craig

Check it out here - http://www.madabout-kitcars.com/foru...ead.php?t=6025

Just read the thread. So you bought off it off Gumtree for £1500, had it delivered from Portsmouth to Belfast, dropped a recon engine for £500? That's a steal for that price. Well done.

[306craig]

I thought so. It should be coming home in a couple of weeks.

[clinkadink]

I thought if I am going to install a vintage custom dash, gauges, buttons, etc ... I should also have a vintage radio. I bought this off ebay for £8 thinking its of the era.





When I received it, it was in worse state than in the pictures. I think I was slightly off on the era. It was made by Philips (Canada) around 1950(?) I believe. The 101st of the production line by the looks of things.

Using the air gun, I blew about 70 years of dust out of it



Cleaned it up with some wire wool, reseated the bulb, renewed a couple of connections.





And "its alive!"

[clinkadink]

Just collected the Kobra from the spray shop. A beautiful colour, fair dinkum. Really pleased the way its turned out.



























I have to go back in a couple of weeks and sort out a few issues, but over all, very pleased.

Tomorrow, I am looking to fit the wire wheels.

[Barber]

Nice, very ��

[IanA]

Just - wow!!!

[clinkadink]

Thanks chaps! It was worth the wait

[molleur]

Fantastic!

[Piguin]

Wow!

Have to admit I wasn't sure that they'd make the Friday delivery judging by the state the car was a couple days back, but I am seriously impressed not only with the turnaround time but with the work they did.

Great colour choice!

[DaveP]

Chris,

Top job and that is a very very tidy motor.

Congrats and welcome to the Kobra fold

Dave 😀

[clinkadink]

Piguin - you and me both! At one point I recall telling them "Keep it until next week", as I thought there was way too much work to do in so little time - and obviously, I didn't want a 'rush job'.

Dave - thanks. Yes, turned out nice. Really happy about the colour, especially considering I left the type of blue to the spray shop to choose. A little nerve racking during the 1 week wait.

Just waiting for the tyre shop to open, so I can get these fitted ...

[casamolino]

Good morning car looks excellent , cant wait to see it with the wires on , Geoff .

[peterux]

Very smart indeed!

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Had the wire wheels fitted today. Took longer than expected. First, the tyre shop couldn't get my tyres onto my wheels, Nangkang R215/75R15. It was tight, but they managed. Then there was a redundant bracket under each front wheel arch that needed grinding off - as it was catching the tyre on full lock. I was in there for 2 1/2 hours in total.

I drove it home, about 2 miles, and I could hear the tyres catching on the front right and rear left. Mainly when I turned the wheel and went over bumps. It was a horrible noise - and I could smell rubber

After a drive, the body had settled on the tyres. Too much for my liking. I filed down the inner arch a little where it was catching. The weather was rubbish today, sun, then rain, a bit of sun, then hail. I managed to get a few photos of the wheels in between.

[clinkadink]

I will be changing the tyres from 215/75R15 to 205/70/R15. This will reduce the overal diameter of the tyres by 36mm, and width by 10mm. This should solve the clearance issue.

[DaveP]

Those wheels set it off nicely. Glad you going down a size as they certainly filled the arches.

Looking forward to seeing on the reduced size.

Dave

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Started work on the front grill today.

• 3m of 16mm steel rod
• 3m of aluminium 30x2mm bar

It still needs to be fixed in place. The 2 centre horizontal bars will slide through holes on the left and right of the grill opening. I have asked how much it would cost to get chrome plated. This and the side louvre vents. Waiting to hear back.

[oxford1360]

Originally Posted by IanA

Just - wow!!!

+1

[Jaguartvr]

I tried 215/75x15 on my 250 and they were too large, I then tried a 215/70x15 with the same result.
Went to 215/65x15 and they were perfect.
75 profile will catch the front suspension spring pan. 70's were marginal but looked wrong and caught the trailing edge of front wheel arch when opening the bonnet.

Your wires look as if they have more offset than mine. I did fit a set with more offset but they were going to hit the wheel arches and damage the paint. I think you might have to go to a 195/65x15 to stand any chance of getting them to clear the arches.

Grill looks great but very hard to find anyone who will chrome plate aluminium. You may be best to have it polished, a good polisher will get it looking almost like chrome but for a fraction of the price of having it plated.

[Barber]

For weight and longetivity, wouldn't allyalloy tubeing be better than steel rod?