GD side protection........

[165]

Rob...I have looked at GD cobras.Body & chassis seperate...And i`m wondering if you would be kind enough to enlighten me as to what the GD has in terms of side protection,With the chassis being centralized
And in the event of a side intrusion from another vehicle in the event of a accident.....Is there anything that serves as a buffer and is solidly built to the chassis.....?.** {-} {-} {-} ** Kev

[robert]

I have also questioned this aspect but in terms of the other manufacturers. Lets first consider the actual door height on a standard replica. The bottom door height on a standard replica is approximately 5 or 6 inches. Now consider the height of the bumper on a generic production car, which is approximately 12". This means that the bumper will actually impact approximately half way up the body or door.

With a standard replica bodyshell, which is only a single skin there is very little side impact protection and a reliance on a door pillar which carries the hinges and in some cases leads to a form of bar link into the door latch. There will also be a floor bulkhead for pedal boxes etc but in that respect you will get a folding motion.

The GD bodyshell in comparison uses different fibreglass materials (such as woven rovings in the side sills) and techniques (such as Cormat sandwiching in the footwell areas) which provide the GD with strength and high levels of occupant protection. This is further enhanced with foam filled side sills and substantial anti-intrusion beams in the doors. The front and rear bulkhead comprises of an inner and outer moulding bonded together in the manufacturing process, which in turn is bonded to the floor section completely encloses the occupants. This provides a very strong enclosure for the driver and passenger which will both absorbe an impact whilst ensuring the passenger or driver eclosure is not compromised.

This has been proven by an owner in to concrete pit entrance side on at Donnington, she had minor injuries which were attributed to the standard 3 point lap belt. If she had been wearing a 4 point harness, she wouldn't have had the same injuries. Although the car was not in a very good shape. x(

HTH

[165]

Thank you rob......Question answered.........Kev.

[TonyD]

The question is whether its better to sit in a plastic bathtub with a steel floor and metal bulkheads etc or sit in the same bathtub with some builders foam attached to the sides. Ever seen a plastic pig after an accident!!

Eitherway if youre broadsided with anything taller than a skateboard in any Cobra you are going to be in trouble, a decent size 4x4 will probably just ride up over you.......a proper triangulated rollcage a la Rally style is the only thing that will really protect you.

Driving defensively is one way to improve your chances. Lots of people talk on the forum about taking a driving course on Trackdays, how many of us have taken the IAM course which is what is really needed for day to day driving ? I did years ago as a rep for an oil company and the awareness training really does help even now.

Cheers,

Tony

[robert]

Done it, the stats for the chances of being involved in a fatal accident are scary when you do over 40,000 miles per year.

I have also done a couple of HPC courses etc.

[dave]

For all cobras your best defence is those huge rear wheels and tyres.

[PAULGD]

I liken driving a low sportscar to a motorcycle; you have to drive for others as well as yourself; as an ex Police Advanced driving instructor on bikes as well as cars I would recommend that any person driving a high speed car such as a cobra have at least completed an "Advanced driving course".
It may be comforting to say "It wasn`t my fault Officer" from your Hospital Bed, but its the other person that normally walks away from the RTA.
So the safest maxim is all the other drivers are idiots and drive accordingly.
Paul

[Adegould]

On this subject, I have been thinking about doing an advanced driving course myself because I do about 25k miles a year. Always better to be safe than sorry I reckon.

Which ones have people done? How much were they and how did you rate them? Also, I am from the Bath area so one in west country would be ideal for me.

Cheers
Ade

[robert]

Ade

There are the Generic Advanced Driving courses, normally run in conjunction with the police that deals with awareness. You have a number of courses in your car and over time, you provide a running commentary of what you see and the implications and potential risks involved.

Then there are the High Performance Courses, run by poeple such as the High Performance Club, you have to be serious to do these.

There are also a number of people who do car control courses, such as Don Palmer, who is very good. They take you out and let you understand what is happening to the car and what cause and effect is involved in understeer, oversteer and how you can control and use those effects to the best advantage.

http://www.drivingdevelopment.co.uk/

HTH

[Ian XII COB]

Another thing to point out is that most of the chassis superstructure used to support the body shell on most replica Cobras is not much more then a 'bird cage' and has very little real strength to absorb any side impact, and as Rob pointed out the body shell is single skinned and also has no real impact strength.

The GD shell is very rigid and the floor which is boded into the shell and the bulkheads is over 5/8" thick. Also in a side impact it can only move inwards by about 1/2" before it comes into contact with the lower chassis rail and would stop moving any further. The floors on most other replicas that I have seen are thin sheet steel and so would have virtually no resistance to a side impact. They would simply fold up. I think that people seem to think that if its metal it will be stronger then a composite material. I have many years aerospace engineering at the Royal Aircraft Establishment, and have been involved in composite material testing for much of this time. I can assure you that the way the GD shell is constructed is very strong.


Ian
XII COB - GD Euro, 383ci, Tremec TKO