Cobra Car Club of Victoria

Cobra Car Club of Victoria

Feature Car!
CCCV has over one hundred active members, here is some detail on a selection of our rides
Owner: Steve – “Slowy” and Annie
Joined CCCV: Circa 2000 – way too long ago to remember
Lives in: Melbourne
Buy or Build: Build
Year: 2004
First Registered: 2007 then again in 2015 (don’t ask)
Kit: G Force Mk1
Motor: Windsor 5L
Gearbox: 5 speed manual Tremec TKO600
Exhaust: 2 ½” stainless steel undercar
Suspension: Koni 8211 – Eibach springs 500lbs Front / 400lbs Rear Jaguar arms
Wheels: 15 inch Vintage wheel halibrand replicas with Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 - 245/295
Chassis: Steel ladder backbone
Body: Fibreglass
Paint: Rapid Ford Yellow and Honda Dark Blue
Interior: Dark Blue Nappa Leather, dark blue carpet, VDO Smith’s lookalike gauges, Twin chrome roll bars, Dark blue Mercedes clothe tonneau and soft top
Favourite feature of the car: That very different coloured paint job


Why a Cobra?
It’s that slinky timeless shape of the cobra and the attraction of a V8 sportscar, that had always gotten my attention since my apprenticeship days with Repco.

What cemented the build plan was the chance to hire and drive, over a long weekend, the only cobra available in Melbourne in 1999, as a 40th Birthday gift. As well, my wife Annie eventually got a driving turn too and finished her stint with the statement “When we get one of these…” – permission granted!

What have you done to the car?
After the initial rude and rough build, a pole altercation sped up the plans for a rebuild. From then on everything was refurbished or made new, borrowing build ideas from the cobra and hot rod communities alike.

Some little tweaks like the hidden bonnet latch cable system, LED courtesy lights in the footwell and boot, a big amplified doof doof stereo to hear music whilst driving (still trying to mount a sub-woofer), adjustable front top arms. It also has tow bar capability but only a bike has so far been mounted.

Have just completed a suspension upgrade to double adjustable Konis and the car feels alive and reactive. Also planning a swap for the XJ6 rear end to X308 with bigger outboard vented discs and better braking capacity.

Also planning a mild cam and Motec engine repower and eventually stroking to 347! Always a WIP!

What do you like doing with your car and the Cobra Club?
Simply getting out on the road and driving it. I have visited clients in the car even as far Ballarat, lots of social drives with the wife to coffee shops and trying out the many small boutique breweries that are popping up across Melbourne and of course the club’s runs and events.

I’ve also had one go at Winton as a first timer and after the suspension and brake upgrades are done, I’ll be back! Also planning to get involved in charitable kids events with my hot rod mate, whose beautiful Black 34 Chev hot rod can be seen in the shots below.