Classic Replicas Viper

[cobra.mad]

I have recently purchased a Classic Replicas Viper part finished/started

I appear to be going backwards at a remarkable rate, dismantling in order to correct bodges, and to ensure the build is up to the highest standards, I am beginning to wish I had stared from scratch, but that’s hindsight, I am committed now.

I am unsure, at present, how good the finished product will be unless I completely dismantle.

This brings me to my current dilemma, when I purchased the car it was kind of a runner but no trim, brightwork, seats, and much more and the worst spray job ever (tiny bubbles everywhere?), after removing the engine and gearbox (V8 rover) and everything in the engine bay with use of crowbar and hammer, I am faced with the decision to remove the body or not.

The body has been glassed on and will need much cutting to get off which I am hopeing to avoid, but has been put on slightly!! lop-sided, 30mm difference across the scuttle, the rest is OK ish i.e. arch gaps rear deck etc.

Any advice?

Will this show in the finished car i.e. lop-sided screen

Am I likely to improve the fit as who ever fitted it probably tried and this might be the best compromise possible

Is the Classic reps’ body normally twisted,

Does it need to be cut, perhaps at the bottom of the door such that the A post can be lifted/dropped without affecting the rest, sounds radical but if needed better now than later such that repairs can be made and spayed when car is re-sprayed.

Here’s hoping

Cobra.mad (That’s - must be mad to attempt this cobra.)

[TINKA]

I have some unpleasant, tough news for you. A friend of mine has a classic replica without as yet the body fitted. Unfortunately if you take the body off you will see that not only is the body not symetrical, but the chassis is just as bad. As far as the quality of their body's go I have never seen such a pile of ---- as the state of his body ( sorry Iain ) but the flash lines are 20mm high and 3mm thick and if that was not bad enough, the moulds weren't even lined up when they were loosely placed next to each other. I have a lot of admiration for any one who can put one of these kits together and make a decent job of it. You will get there, but it will take a lot of work and a good deal of ingenuity.
Wishing you all the best,

Martin.

[cobra.mad]

Thanks for the encouragement, Iain has emailed me and I intend to ring him soon for a chat

[graham]

Yeah I rebuilt one of these(Viper4) in 1995, same problems. I'll send you a photo if you like. I had a similar problem with my SRV8 as the chassis is good and straight the body mould was different by 30mm, ie one side higher than the other, this is with all early SRV8 (Pilgrim Mk1 mould)(also side pipe drops on one side only) so I compensated my lifting the body on side and packing up and you really wouldn't notice now, and ride heights/arch clearances look fine. So its possibly worthwile doing it. My body also is glassed into parts of the chassis.

Good luck

GVM

[cobra.mad]

Thanks for the reply, I would be interested in any photos that might help, The more I look at the lopsided body the more it bugs me so, I am now committed to get it right so I am progressing to release more of the body from the chassis to give me some movement.

I am quite pleased with how rigid it is when glassed up, so when I can get the thing level and reglassed then the whole car will be very rigid.

It seems that I will get some movement up from one side and some down on the other, why this was not done originally, I don't know.

I look forward to the pics, by the way what master cylinder and servo should be used as the Jaguar one is to long and fouls on the inner wing, I am considering using a different one possibly from an 8 series Rover, which is much more of a pancake shape and some inches shorter, any one with any experience of this?

[osgood]

Chris, if you have problems re the body I may be able to help email me Eric.

[maxGD059]

Morning Eric me ol' fruit. How's that splendid engine of yours coming on?

[chesterak]

I started a CR Viper build but sold it as an unfinished project. Regarding the chassis...I cut out the rear top suspension mounting points and rewelded to lower the back end - no other mods. I took the driving chassis to Dave Brooks (DB Replicas) as he offered to help with setting up the geometry. I think its fair to say the chassis was very accurate - slightly out of Dax tolerance for squaring up the rear axle but camber casor etc ok. To me this disproves the comments that the chassis was not jig made. :thumb:
Regarding the body....I had trial fitted and checked for square. The main concern for me was getting the wheels in the centre of the arches - a compromise. The flashlines were rough but there was no great step between each half of the mould. :angry:
I think the greatest challenge with this kit is getting the body to look correct. A number of people have done this very successfully - Hi Eric, hows it hangin' - I've driven Erics car, in fact its the only Cobra I've driven, an its wonderful. :thumb:
There are a lot of horror stories with CR Vipers, no doubt most are true as the owner, now twice removed, IMHO is/was a lying, unhelpful t*at.
There's a lot of experience in the CRC for building this kit successfully....

[cobra.mad]

Hi guys

The original post was about 18 monyths ago just after i bought the car. I was suffering from post purchase blues, you know, 'What Have I bought and what ever possessed me’. Things have moved on somewhat since although progress is slow but steady.

I completely stripped the car, and rebuilt every thing including refitting the body, which is now square and looks Ok. There were compromises to make even then. The most noticeable is the front mouth which is not quite symmetrical, I intend to correct this when the car is painted.

All suspension back and front is finished and engine has been rebuilt and is now fitted and runs Ok. Major work left is wiring and trimming plus loads of minor items. But no hurry I expect this winter will see the SVA done and the car on the road for next summer.

Here’s a couple of recent pics

[cobra.mad]

Opps ment this pic rather than the double.