For Cobra Lovers

[Don Garrett]

Rick, I'm sure you are biting your lip and being a gentleman when it comes to our membership responding to this thread. We have over 1,000 members on this forum and I can only assume that most either just don't give a **** or feel that we are just blowing smoke at them. Whatever.

I've been with SMC since day one and will continue to do so. Our first member was Rob, followed by Jeff. Large scale modeling isn't for everyone and in my mind SMC is the best game in town.

I'm not going to go into a long winded song and dance about what goes on behind the scenes at TDR but that small group of dedicated to the hobby guys are doing what many have tried and failed at.

Now to prove a point and hopefully convince you guys sitting on the fence and those members that think the next episode of "Looney tunes" has more merit...here's what WILL
HAPPEN! Keep in mind that the ONLY reason for these items is based on those few wish lists we have gotten from you guys.

Rob....there will be a VW engine and transaxle...maybe even something to put it in.

*'49 Merc is in the game plan.
*C-cab body for the R/M T kit with a C-cab pick-up option.
*Jag engine and goodies
*Big Al....yes it's back on the table!
*Blue Oval engines
*More glass bodies from M.F. (can't elaborate on that)
*426 Drag ski boat w/trailer
*Mystery Truck
and much more.

Chas....your burning desire for a coconut car is going to take some more head scratching.

So there you have it guys...if none of your wish list items materialized guess who didn't speak up! This thread is still open and TDR is planning for the rest of this and the upcoming year. Nuff said?

[robjos32]

I am with Jeff, a bullet nose studebaker would be awesome, like the one in The Muppet Movie, without the physcadelic paint of course.

[Don Garrett]

You're crackin' me up Rob....how 'bout an AMC Pacer "ala" Wayne's World. Groovy Man.
Or perhaps we could "Shag" a Jag? Yeah, I love those old movie and TV icons too.
Nothing I'd like better than a 1/8th "African Queen" with Bogart kickin' (I mean sweet talkin') the boiler.

[Daytonatim]

I know it is probably the engineering geek in me coming out........but I find great beauty in any well designed and assembled mechanical item. With that in mind...... I would think even just a model of the 427 coconut chassis complete with engine, tranny, rearend, suspension, tires....etc would be a great model to build.

I would not think the chassis model would bring out the trademark wolves, would it?

The 427 roadster body could always come later and be displayed next to it. The body could be built as a curbside model and you could see all details of the car, inside and out.

NOW THAT WOULD BE COOL!!!!

Tim

[sydeem]

While you are discussing chassis, what about the lateral strength? With the 9" rear end we will put a styrene tube between the three "clumps" of RP . I would worry about an axel stretching the same distance. Clumps are strong but thin things stretching any distance are weak. I would particularly worry about the space frame pictured somewhere earlier. Do you think it should be sectioned for styrene tubing between selected features?

[Don Garrett]

Tim......your idea is definitely something that should be brought up at the TDR table for scrutiny. I like!

Syd...the old gray matter sparks sure seem to be firing in the proper order in your mind. Rick mentioned Morrison type frames etc. in his post and in some cases that's the way to go, however like you I think a front clip with IFS components and the same for the rear w/IRS leaving the builder to supply side rails etc. In other words a universal or as Tim likes to say modular kit that could be assembled by the builder to suit his own needs for a number of different builds. As you suggested, plug basic round or rectangular tubing into the provided sockets for a suit yourself frame.

[Don Garrett]

Syd the strength issue you mentioned about the 9" is understandable, Keep in mind that the way it's designed the pumpkin and the tubes don't carry the entire weight of the model, the metal rod or brass tubing that runs through it should go through the tubes into the wheels. If you have an unusally heavy model simply cut the nubs off the pumpkin, enlarge the holes to fit a single axle tube and run it through the center section in one piece and put your metal axle inside it.

[ERA Chas]

Chas....your burning desire for a coconut car is going to take some more head scratching.

Don, To clarify; although I crave a scale Cobra, that is not to the exclusion of many of the wish-list selections named by others (and me too!). Rods, classics, race cars, bad motors of any type-fine by me.

I think the key is to support TDR with product choice for our admittedly narrow-focus market. Gotta walk before running and so some time down the line would be fine for a Cobra -hopefully when TDR is a viable producer of the quality stuff we crave.

Only prob is now Tim seems entranced by my original Cobra dreams, invested screen time and research and actually has a viable idea to produce 427 stuff sooner rather than later.

From a TDR standpoint the question becomes "can we find enough of a market [B]on SMC [I]and elsewhere[/I] [/B]to support the business case for such an effort?" Putting money where mouth is, I'm a buyer of any Cobra stuff TDR produces. At least they can count on [I]one[/I] as#%&!&. :<)

They can only answer when guys on here chime in.

[strevo]

To add to my previous post, I would love to see any muscle car era stuff, or some more modern muscle too, done large scale. 1st or 2nd gen Chargers, 2nd gen Camaros, Cudas, modern Porsches or Ferraris, the new Camaro or Challenger would all be really cool. My main problem is the cash output for these things. As much as I'd love just about anything large scale, I simply don't have the $$$ to afford it, hence why I still have yet to get a Pocher kit, other than the testarossa motor I bought at a show several years ago for $20.
Don't get me wrong, I fully support TDR and by no means are they overcharging for this stuff. In fact they're doing it cheaper than most would out of support for the hobby. I'm an industrial designer and I can tell you that at work we regularly charge customers in the hundreds or even thousands of dollars for prototypes similar to what TDR produces. I would really love to see advances in RP technology to bring the price down, and the quality up. There are some things on the horizon, but they're not here yet. Hopefully, as TDR continues, (and prospers) the technology will catch up and make this great resource available to many more modelers out there. Keep up the great work guys!
-Steve

[Daytonatim]

Only prob is now Tim seems entranced by my original Cobra dreams, invested screen time and research and actually has a viable idea to produce 427 stuff sooner rather than later.

Chas.......lol.....I have been obsessed by all stuff Cobra for 30 years..... That's what lead to my building a scratch built Daytona Coupe back about 10 years ago..... 1:1 scale.......Hence my screen name.

LOL...... as a matter of fact my daughter's first name is Shelby!!!!!


Thanks for the kind words Steve.


Now, as far as the 427 chassis goes, I would think that supplying everything except the 1/2 inch diam tubing, for the 4" main frame rails, in RP and letting the modeler supply the 1/2 inch tubing himself would make this chassis strong and inexpensive. Do they make 1/2 inch styrene tubing?

Tim

[ERA Chas]

Chas.......lol.....I have been obsessed by all stuff Cobra for 30 years..... That's what lead to my building a scratch built Daytona Coupe back about 10 years ago..... 1:1 scale.......Hence my screen name.
LOL...... as a matter of fact my daughter's first name is Shelby!!!!!
Do they make 1/2 inch styrene tubing?
Tim

Dude!
I am the boob-I thought that's where you live! Now I see WVA-just shoot me. I love Cobras man but I'm glad I didn't name my son Carroll-and he is too! 'Shelby's' excellent for a girl. As a favor PM me a shot of the Coupe you built?-Not to hi-jak the thread.

Don't know if they make styrene but mebbe 1/2" PVC pipe? I'll race down to Lowes tomorrow if it makes the project work.

[Don Garrett]

Check the potable water stuff, I think it's half inch.

[hot ford coupe]

Hey Tim, Evergreen makes the 1/2 " tubes. That's the same stuff I use for the cylinders inside the scratchbuilt engines I've started. They also make 1/2 " tubes in brass. That would make a much stronger frame and can easily be soldered up.

[Daytonatim]

The one thing that would concern me is the attachment of some of the smaller brackets for the suspension mounts. On the original they were just welded onto the 4 inch tubes. Just glueing a .020 thick RP bracket edgewise onto a tube (metal or plastic) does not seem like it would produce a strong reliable joint.

I guess you could have the two brackets connected with some RP material. Like the bracket was prefabed before it was weded onto the tubes. The material connecting the two brackets would provide more of a surface area for the glue to bond to, but it would not look exactly correct.

Such are the things we always run into when designing these models. Sometimes you have to sacarfice accuracy inorder to achieve a workable product.

Oh, one thing that I do need. If anyone has any good pictures or plans of the front and rear spindle/brake assembly for a real 427 roadster please pass them on. This is about the only main chassis component that I do not have good detail on.

Tim

[ERA Chas]

Best I could find were these from Cobra Restorers and they ain't great. Sorry pal-whole day search but this is all. Want a jillion shots of interiors?