verc

iTrader: (12)

Yeah the new one, which has an 800 hp V10 which is the Cobra V8 + 2 cylinders.

This guy named Andy Lane who worked on the suspension and brake design for the GT40 and Shelby Cobra, as well as the NEW '06 Cobra came and talked to me and my friends (we have a car club going)

Basically we got to view this powerpoint presentation documenting all the confidential performance specs of the Shelby Cobra (with benchmarks vs. the Ferrari F360, the Viper and the Corvette). I mean the kind of stuff the layman doesn't even care about.

What was amazing was that they had to do it is 8 monthes, so they basically took most of the components from the GT40 and stuck it in the Cobra.

One HELLA cool thing though was this "torque tube thing". Basically instead of a driveshaft they have one huge input shaft that goes front to rear. So the engine is in front but the transmission/transaxle is actually in the rear of the car. Clutch is in front. It's a heavily modified T56 transmission with the clutch housing replaced with the transaxle.

First gear goes to 71 mph... 1/4 mile trap speed was measured to be 136mph...4th gear goes to 140+ mph so that fits nicely.

Only real challenge is that the brake and suspension from the GT40 was meant for a rear-engined car, and the Shelby Cobra was front engined, so the distribution of brake fluid pressure, and suspension stiffness/dampening was adjusted.

They also managed to cram the engine behind the front axle. The target skidpad is 1.1+Gs (!)

Of course I asked him if there were problems carrying over the GT40 coupe suspension and chassis components over to the open-top Cobra, although he said the GT40 roof contributes nominally to the rigidity since it has those wierdass glass doors.




Yeah that car is SWEET.

blue blurr

iTrader: (3)

awsome, but whts the price

bassplayrr

iTrader: (9)

I have read in more than one publication that they will unfortunatly not be bringing the Cobra to market. That's the bad news. The good news is that they do plan on bringing the GR-1 to market in some form. It is basically the cobra with different skin and a coupe design. Below is a picture of the GR-1.

-Chris

willow

iTrader: (3)

V8+2 cylinders means V10 or is it something else?

verc

iTrader: (12)

O whoops, Typo I meant 600 horsepower.

Yeah 800 horsepower would be a little too whack lol.

Well from what he told me they are still debating the production feasibility of the vehicle, or if there is enough motivation to do it. It would be a shame if such a monster as this never made it into at least limited production, though

The Mirror

iTrader: (1)

Porsche 928s have a torque tube setup as well.

verc

iTrader: (12)

Exactly. For the design, the Ford engineers bought a 928 and tracked down a few retired Porsche engineers and called them at their homes to ask themhow the torque tube setup workded!

deyes

I read somewhere that the motor is based on the DOHC v8 in the Navigator but cast in aluminum. Is that right?

Greystar

Corvette's have the transmission mounted on the rear end also.

thebankman

iTrader: (7)

Like the dude said above, the T56 is the Borg Warner 6-speed that's in the C5 corvette (maybe C6 i dunno). that's an excellent transmission, very heavy duty and a good choice for that much power. and the C5 also used a torque tube, it works really well but is easy to damage during repairs (but who cares)

Greystar

So did the C5 Corvette, C6 Corvette and the Cadillac XLR (which is a C6 Vette with caddy body panels and a caddy motor).

1sicwrx

iTrader: (5)

My 1990 944 S2 has the same set up as well.