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Old 02-15-2011, 03:53 AM   #76
TheGnome
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Can't wait for this to be released!
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Old 02-15-2011, 06:41 AM   #77
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Obviously in early development... give it an optional hardtop and count me in!
+1
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Old 02-15-2011, 07:30 AM   #78
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Originally Posted by bbjones121 View Post
I agree with you, but there is less than 1% of the population that would know what a sweet car you had. The other 99% of the people on the road would think you were crazy for putting a body kit on a Miata.
Guess I'm the type of guy that cares more about what I drive than what people see me driving. Wow, how lame am I...
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Old 02-15-2011, 09:08 AM   #79
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Originally Posted by chimchimm5 View Post
Awesome.

are kit cars like this crash tested? It'd be a shame to have one of these and not drive it on the track.
FFR builds a spec racer Cobra kit. They have a race series dedicated just to the spec Cobra cars. FFR knows how to build safe cars and race cars. They aren't just some junk kit thrown on a VW bug frame, they are custom built tube space frames and it sure seems like they know what they are doing.
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Old 02-15-2011, 10:51 AM   #80
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Originally Posted by TyrannoSullyRex View Post
http://www.bremarauto.com/products/s...onversion-kit/

No slip, because no center diff. Getting a front diff that works well wouldn't be tough (which you might as well do since the trans is apart).

Awesome, I was looking around and found a few different 5mt conversion kits but didn't find that one.

I did see a couple kits that reverse the output of the 5MT for rear-engine AWD applications

But yeah, you could even throw a cheap $350 OBX front LSD in the 5MT and not be too worried about it given the 1800 lb curbweight and 2wd. You'd spend less than 1k converting the 5mt tranny into a perfect transaxle... Too bad the ratios will be too short for such a light car. The turbo will need more engine load to spool..

About the body style, I would really really appreciate having the option to choose from multiple designs. IMHO, FFR should offer multiple designs for each of their cars. The inital casting of the moulds is a time-consuming process and with each of their cars they make multiple prototypes for the design but then only offer 1 final option.

The way FFR casts their bodywork, they could make multiple variants of several key body-panels. The unfinished GTM body pictured below shows that they could offer options for front facia/headlights, fender size variants or fender design variants, hood-styles, etc.

Granted they go through several prototype designs through development, if those prototype molds are for panels that still match to the rest of the body, they could use them interchangeably with no problem.


http://www.thmotorsports.net/images/...%20gtm%201.jpg
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Old 02-15-2011, 11:47 AM   #81
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if they went with the stratos style, they probably could use the macpherson suspension. Honestly, I think the stratos is an excellent choice.

But personally, my tastes run more along the lines of tiny 1950's roadsters like this Maserati 3500 re-creation:

http://www.race-cars.com/carsold/oth...56279434lg.htm

they won't need an H6 if the weight is under 2k. In a car like this, 300-400 whp would be plenty. They might even be able to get away with wrx brakes due to the light weight. Some customers will surely do high-hp versions with bigger brakes of course.

Honestly, I can't wait. This is the car I've wanted for a long time.
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Old 02-15-2011, 01:54 PM   #82
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MDRex View Post
FFR builds a spec racer Cobra kit. They have a race series dedicated just to the spec Cobra cars. FFR knows how to build safe cars and race cars. They aren't just some junk kit thrown on a VW bug frame, they are custom built tube space frames and it sure seems like they know what they are doing.
They're space frame kit cars. Yes, they're quality.. but they aren't crash tested and shouldn't be used as daily drivers. They're safe in a racing environment given you've built the proper cage into them and use all the other racetrack safety equipment in conjunction. They are not a substitute for a unibody production car.
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Old 02-15-2011, 03:24 PM   #83
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True, but they also won't crumple like a number of kit cars and classic replicas on the market. That's just the point I was making.
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Old 02-15-2011, 03:33 PM   #84
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Beaverboy View Post
They're space frame kit cars. Yes, they're quality.. but they aren't crash tested and shouldn't be used as daily drivers. They're safe in a racing environment given you've built the proper cage into them and use all the other racetrack safety equipment in conjunction. They are not a substitute for a unibody production car.
wait, are you saying a unibody production car is safer? I am not sure Beaverboy. I have seen roll cage cars survive crashes and impacts that would kill passenger cars. I know you have as well. If it is safe enough for the track, I would wager it is okay for the streets, where speeds and regulations keep things pretty tame. If I am off base, please enlighten me.
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Old 02-15-2011, 03:58 PM   #85
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They aren't tested and rated by the NHTSA, or any other regulatory body, so they can't claim that sort of safety rating... but if it is well constructed, with bumpers and roll bars, maybe side-intrusion beams, and planned crush-zones in the chassis, it could be pretty safe in actuality.

But people don't build cars like that because they have a 5-star crash test rating from the NHTSA.
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Old 02-15-2011, 05:03 PM   #86
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Just make sure you wear a helmet and hans device on your drive to the office.
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Old 02-16-2011, 01:14 AM   #87
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A person could be daily driving the worst death trap kit car available and still much better off than on a motorcycle. Yeah, daily driving a kit car is not as safe as a Volvo, but you're having a lot more fun in the kit car. Whether that fun is worth the increased risk is up to you.
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Old 02-16-2011, 03:00 AM   #88
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speaking as someone who daily drives a motorcycle half the year, I think there's a whole aspect of safety that improves when you're on a high performance vehicle: crash avoidance. As long as I'm awake and alert, I've avoided crashes on my motorcycle that were impossible to avoid in a camry.

Unfortunately, you wouldn't have to avoid so many crashes if drivers didn't get brainfarts when they see motorcycles, so it's not exactly an advantage.

Maybe with an 1800lb nimble and fast car you could get the crash avoidance benefit without inducing crash causing brainfarts in other drivers because you still look like a car.

I've never seen a collision between a unibody car and tubular framed car. I wonder how that plays out.
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Old 02-16-2011, 10:09 AM   #89
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SCRAPPYDO View Post
wait, are you saying a unibody production car is safer? I am not sure Beaverboy. I have seen roll cage cars survive crashes and impacts that would kill passenger cars. I know you have as well. If it is safe enough for the track, I would wager it is okay for the streets, where speeds and regulations keep things pretty tame. If I am off base, please enlighten me.
Street and tracks will always require different safety. Key is different not more or less. On the track you need that cage/shell but there's a massive trade off. That cage can hurt you as well if you are not protected from it i.e helmet, 5/6pt belts etc. There's also the energy dispersion factor, in a caged car more energy is going to be transmitted to you where a unibody crumples to absorb it.

Also take into consideration that rarely do you get massive collisions with other cars at the track and typically they are going to be at a similar low height going similar speeds/directions. On the street you got SUVs, trucks, semis, etc. going opposite, adjacent and with you. It's just a whole different world.
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Old 02-16-2011, 10:11 AM   #90
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I'll be keeping an eye on this. I am looking forward for some more info.
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Old 02-16-2011, 11:31 AM   #91
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Highly interested and will watch with anticipation. Could be awesome. Love what Factory Five have done with the Cobra and Daytona...
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Old 02-16-2011, 01:05 PM   #92
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Originally Posted by EtoS View Post
Street and tracks will always require different safety. Key is different not more or less.

more stuff here.


similar low height going similar speeds/directions. On the street you got SUVs, trucks, semis, etc. going opposite, adjacent and with you. It's just a whole different world.
I have an Fmod that I autocross now. My first thought would be that it would be a blast to make street legal (would need lights and a "windshield" and mufflers). Small, fast, great gas mileage, and badass.

After my first autocross I never wanted to try it. Sitting in grid, my face was even (more or less) with the exhaust of the cars in front of me (WRX, C63 AMG, etc). There's no way anyone would see me unless I added huge brightly colored wings. If someone hit me, they'd be more likely to lauch over me, take off my head, and be done.

Now this FFR car, I'd DD it with a helmet since it'd be bigger (more like a lotus Elise) and not nearly as much of a death trap.
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Old 02-16-2011, 08:44 PM   #93
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I don't see why you would need a helmet for daily driving. It will presumably have a windshield, airbag, and seatbelts at least. Only thing I can see being an issue is the noise with the engine being next to your head.
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Old 02-16-2011, 09:05 PM   #94
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Airbags?
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Old 02-16-2011, 09:48 PM   #95
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Ah, sorry, apparently no airbags. Perhaps a helmet makes sense then. I'm not sure if I could DD a car that required a helmet, but I think they're intending this as more of a fun weekend/track car anyways.

Honestly if it has a roll cage and 5-point harness I'm not even sure I'd feel the need to wear a helmet for my regular commute. I'm not sure what the law is about that, though.

Last edited by spaceywilly; 02-16-2011 at 09:54 PM.
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Old 02-16-2011, 10:39 PM   #96
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Quote:
Originally Posted by spaceywilly
Ah, sorry, apparently no airbags. Perhaps a helmet makes sense then. I'm not sure if I could DD a car that required a helmet, but I think they're intending this as more of a fun weekend/track car anyways.

Honestly if it has a roll cage and 5-point harness I'm not even sure I'd feel the need to wear a helmet for my regular commute. I'm not sure what the law is about that, though.
Less law and more not splitting your skull into two hemispheres.
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Old 02-16-2011, 11:04 PM   #97
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SCRAPPYDO View Post
wait, are you saying a unibody production car is safer? I am not sure Beaverboy. I have seen roll cage cars survive crashes and impacts that would kill passenger cars. I know you have as well. If it is safe enough for the track, I would wager it is okay for the streets, where speeds and regulations keep things pretty tame. If I am off base, please enlighten me.
Unibody production cars have very complex crush zones engineered into them. Space frames do not. Sure, the frame might survive but your innards will not. On a race track there are far fewer solid objects to hit and there is never oncoming traffic. Frame survivability is not the same thing as safety.
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Old 02-18-2011, 10:42 AM   #98
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funny, I was just getting ready to post about this. I am a HUGE factory five fan. The ENTIRE reason I have a Subaru is to purchase a Cobra. About 6 months ago I sold a 2005 S4 which was paid off. My thought was how can I get the audi performance, awd, and fun factor for less $... The solution was a 2006 used WRX with only 32k miles bone stock.

Paid Cash for the wrx, and now am ready to buy a cobra (completed no time for assembly)... But wait, are the gods telling me something? Should I take the WRX I have and use it as a donor car? This is all to interesting. The randomness of selling the Audi for a WRX, the randomness of wanting a factory five cobra.. Hmmm.... so odd, but very cool at the same time.
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Old 02-18-2011, 10:54 AM   #99
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Quote:
Originally Posted by spaceywilly View Post
Honestly if it has a roll cage and 5-point harness I'm not even sure I'd feel the need to wear a helmet for my regular commute. I'm not sure what the law is about that, though.
Honestly, after Earnhardt's death, I'm rather reluctant to drive anything with a roll cage and a five-point harness without wearing a HANS-device.

Frank
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Old 02-18-2011, 12:00 PM   #100
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Unibody production cars have very complex crush zones engineered into them. Space frames do not. Sure, the frame might survive but your innards will not. On a race track there are far fewer solid objects to hit and there is never oncoming traffic. Frame survivability is not the same thing as safety.
It depends on the space-frame.

An OE space-frame like a Fiero, or more recently an NSX probably has as much crumple zone as a similar-era unibody.

The only difference is that the body is removable from the space frame, where a unibody has the skin welded on, for one less layer, and a little bit of additional surface rigidity in the metal skin.

A Space-frame, however, is much easier to re-body and repair minor damage, or offer multiple styling options, and also easier to build in a garage by bolting the body on. A space frame can be anything from a tube-frame chassis, to something very similar to a unibody, minus the outer skin surfaces. A Monocoque is similar, except that it is made out of fewer pieces, and highly unitized under the body, like a structural 'tub.'

The amount of crush zone in the space-frame depends on on how it is designed and implemented.
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