Fed up -

[big_daddy_tone]

Why, oh, why is even the simplest task designed to send you mad. Feeling quite disconsolate. Friday evening, can't ring manufactures for advice.. looking forward to a wasted weekend when I should be cracking on with the Cobra.

Its not as if Cobras had just appeared on the market and this is the 1st time fitting anything to it had been attempted. Problems with anything that has to be "fitted" should be well recognised and overcome many years ago.

I guess most of us are not engineers, electricians, plumbers or car mechanics.
So if you buy the correct bonnet and boot locks (not cheap at over £100) , you would be forgiven in thinking that you would have everything that's needed to fit them. Not so, - it seems the boot lock has nothing to engage to and lock onto and the bonnet cams need some other fitting (not supplied) - apparently each different make has a different way of fixing them. Ok, that I understand - but when you order whatever saying they are needed for my GD, Dax, Ak, SR or whatever, why can't they say that XWZ is needed also. Every person who built a Cobra in the last 10 years or so, would have had the same problem....in any event where do you get XYZ....where can you buy drills that exactly fit 3.2mm rivets.....what's the chance that trying to insert a rivet into a "blind" part of the GRP bonnet will crack the GRP.........what alternatives?

Simple bits turn out to be a nightmare. Instructions say 'use a piece of waste pipe - like the pipe under the sink'.... Mr Jewson says 'this is a sink waste pipe fitting - ok? - I say I'll try it.
Get back- cut holes in heater cover, fix waste pipes by using fibreglass. Fix cover over heater and silicone all gaps. Now to flexible ducting. Manual says 1 3/4 inches. Get nearest at 44mm. Now find that it won't fit over the waste pipes fitted earlier. It seems that waste pipes come in a variety of diameters and mine is 2mm too big for ducting...
Have resolved this issue but could have been avoided by instructions to buy waste pipe 40mm in diameter.

Am looking at fitting the gas rams to the bonnet and boot. Instructions say "measure closed length, approx 11 inches"...well are they 11 inches or not? .. how is one to compress the ram safely without bending the rod, just to see how long it is when closed.

Why does this server log you off before you can preview or submit your posting?
Why does this server delete pictures from older postings that would have helped resolve your query?

Just needed to let off steam.

[Paul B]

Oh dear , have a beer and calm down.

Building these beasts is a test of ingenuity and resolve. Usually, if you sit down and think these things through before you start a particular job, then you can see what problems might arise and plan for it. Having said that, it doesn't always work !

It is fun, honestly

Paul

[robert]

Originally Posted by big_daddy_tone

Why does this server log you off before you can preview or submit your posting?

It doesn't, make sure you check the remember me button and you will remained logged in, if you have done that the either you have a corrupt cookie or your firewall id blocking the cookie, so delete all cookies and try again, and if that doesn't work, ad cobraclub.com as a trusted host.

Originally Posted by big_daddy_tone

Why does this server delete pictures from older postings that would have helped resolve your query?

I have never deleted images, some images may have become corrupt during an upgrade or if the posts are very very old, they may have been deleted when we changed forum software way back when.

HTH

[Nobby]

What kit are you building? There are several of us owner/builders in your area if you need help/counselling

Don't let it get you down. It gets easier

[chedz]

Tone,

don't worry, we've all been there, wondering why oh why they don't supply all the bits you need and drill the holes you need. Things like a fixing point for the boot lock, the latches for the bonnet or the boot/bonnet stay. These things take hours the first time, but the second time would be easy, so why don't the manufactures do them. However....once the cars finished and you look back over all the toil and swearing you get a nice feeling that you conquered it. I remember that episode of Top Gear where the 3 muppets built a caterham in a day, every part was there, pre-drilled and it all fitted, but it didn't appeal to me, just a lego set really, where as we can say we built our cars...sort of

Anyway, as Nobby says, there's plenty of people around who've done it, and we did it with help in person and on the forum, so if want any help just shout. A drive to woking is nice from here

cheers
G

[Clive]

Hi Tone,
I don't understand why your kit manufacturer isn't available at weekends, Saturday mornings especially as that is when most of us builders are building and when we are looking for advice.
Perhaps I was lucky choosing a Hawk, as all the parts I needed were there when I needed them.
(Incidentally 3.2mm is 1/8")

[big_daddy_tone]

Thanks for the replies - great encouragement and many thanks for offers to help.

Much of this is "tongue in cheek" but still feel that a "lock set" should be all that's needed to "lock". After all, if you order 2 headlights and all you get is 2 bulbs, would it be reasonable to be told that you " fabricate" the reflector and lens because each kit has different requirements? Perhaps what is needed is more transparency... ie this is the outside brightwork but you need to fabricate XYZ to make it work. Then no one should feel upset that the lock set dosen't lock.

Or as another example... a stainless steel roll bar to fit XYZ Cobra.... Stainless steel is a hard and expensive material to cut and why do you have to cut so much off? Having it the right size in the first place would obviate the need to cut say 4 or 5 inches off each end so that it would clear a hard or soft top. If it were the right length, you would not be paying up to say around 25% of the tubing cost just to throw it away.

I am building an AK Cobra and I have to say that the service / help / advice I have received from the Freeman family has been outstanding and, in my estimation, second to none.

I agree that building a complex machine is never going to be without problems and these will differ from builder to builder.

I just needed to let off steam as it seems that most things that are not made by the Cobra kit supplier, that all the builders need to source elsewhere, are missing something to make them fit or require modification. To me, only the more masochistic people ( or probably those with more skills, resources and equipment) enjoy paying for something that is never going to "work out of the box" but find it great fun planning for a weekend to manufacture a widget to do the job.... however, each to his own.....

[Big A]

Hi Tone

I know exactly how you feel had similar issues, but I was very fortunate to have a Mick, without who's help it would have been very difficult and taken much longer to build.

Regards Alan

[craggle]

I thought al the fun was in finding little issues then working out my own way to overcome them.
I am a (design) engineer by trade though so have similar tasks every working day.

Dax supply one of these for the boot. Not sure if that will fit in your car.

Reason the roll bars are longer is because the bending machine needs a length of straight pipe to hold onto when bending. There will be a minimum length for the machine so if this is longer than you need you have no alternative but to cut them off.

Craig.

[Richard Gibbs]

Ah, yes. The trials and tribulations. I have said to my wife before now "I'm just going into the garage to fit x onto the chassis". A seemingly simple task. Why then am I still there 2 Hrs later.

Just a word on the drills for specific tasks. I found a great website/company for getting hold of obscure drill sizes ("TapsandDies"-TAPS DIES DIENUTS,tap sets tap die sets,tap holders die holders,lefthand HSS Taps+Dies CSTaps&Dies BSW tapdie BSF tapsdies BA tap die, BSCycle taps_dies, Model Engineer taps&dies UNC taps+dies UNF tap_die,Brass tap&die BSP tapanddie BSP). Not only do they have the size you want. They also have sizes you didn't think you needed. EG. If you want to tap a thread for a 5/16th UNF the tell you that you need a 6.9mm drill for that particular tap. And yes, they have them, taps and drills. Just look at the technical section (Tapping Drills for Taps-Drills for tapping).

Keep up the good work.