History of all Viper models

[Iain]

Also, I found this link which may be of some use to people reading this thread...

http://www.cobrettiviperv8.com/aboutviperbob.html

[osgood]

Originally Posted by Miket

Where's Osgood when we need him.

Hello Mike yes I am here . Hello Ken and welcome long time no speaky :thumb:. Yes I have got a few words to say in defense of my favorite mark and I shall return latter today with my comments, WATCH THIS SPACE!

Osgood High Wycombe

[dave]

Slightly off topic.
Did Tim Dutton get a payout from Ford for the Sierra name?

[kevchard]

Hi Ken
I would like to thankyou for the history lesson, that we found interesting and informative .
Regarding the kit / 100% replicas of your kit where can we start?
Helen and I both love the look of the flared arches, hence buying a part started 'Cobretti' Viper.
After a bit of rooting about, we found it is probably a DMS Venom Viper (cortina running gear, round fibreglass tunnel, fibreglass floor).

i) The gelcoat is crazed to hell
i) Passenger front wheel is not in centre of the arch (so arch needed mods)
i) Bootlid is too thick on some edges and too thin on others
i) Doors are too thick on some edges, too thin on others, too big gaps in some places, too much fibreglass in others (eg c##p fit)
i) Bonnet too thick / thin c##p gaps
i) All brackets need making from scratch
i) Door hinges are dreadful design from 'malaysian monkey metal'
i) Floorpan does not rest on all parts of the metal chassis
i) Door reveals are not deep enough, so needed mods
i) Bonnet / boot reveals are un uniform depth, so needed mods

Don't get me wrong, i am not saying it is a bad marque. The design looks strong, i am not engineer, but speaking from commom sense the car looks solid.
I find it offensive that you say that it is the builders fault that the builds are awkward. These kits are not bolt together jobs, with bits available off the shelf. We have to design, build, fit, modify, refit every bracket that goes on the car.
I am not saying either that the DAX, Pilgrim, AK, GD etc brigade are not proper kit car makers, but us viperites (is that a word?), have an uphill struggle.
Thankyou for dessigning the kit, as i have learnt metal work skills, fibreglass skills, body filling skills, welding skills, wiring skills and patience since starting this beast 3 1/2 years ago :thumb: .
I sometimes regret buying it, but am overall well chuffed with the result :thumb: .

[Kenco]

Well well we do have some bitter and twisted individuals out there!!!
I am generally only prepared to answer questions on whether someone has actually got a Viper or a copy. I cannot spend endless time answering technical questions especially as the person may not have a Viper at all.
This time I will answer some of the 'comments' made in order to clear the decks on some points brought up.
Firstly I must say I am not prepared to engage in conversation with individuals who haven' even got Vipers, and here I refer to three AK owners who feel obliged to put their pennyworths in. I learnt very early in the 20 years in the kitcar industry that many owners of other Cobra makes, were insanely scathing about other makes of Cobra. Slagging them off in all directions. They were all instant 'experts' in other marques which they did not even own. These individuals should stick to commenting on AK's only, as they lay themselves open to being accused of being 'biased'. The only retort I will make is that as far as V12's go, I have personally built 15, 12 of which went to a Japanese Jag dealer.and they were good enough for him and Japs are extremely fussy buyers. I will not have it that the V12 chassis will not take a V12!!!
To Digger...."Good on ya Mate" nice to hear some nice remaks for a change!!
To the self confessed EXPERT Iain I say this. Firstly your name and location does not bring to my memory any recognition that you bought the kit (what model of kit you do not say) off me. Nor do you say when you bought your kit.
You strike me as being exceeding bitter and twisted and the way you comment would not really elicit responses from a lot of people. Reading between the lines of your comments it is clear to me that you are out of your depth in trying to build a Cobra, as you seem to have found fault in absolutely everything. I know from experience that people who make many such complaints, really don't know what they are doing and lack the real experience needed to build what is one of the harder kitcar models to build. All Cobras I mean. All your comments about chassis, body fitment and bonnet/boot and door fitments, fiberglass, shoks and springs, mould, etc etc all show that you had difficulties due to lack of experience, to put the car together and I know that in all the areas you mention, you are wrong.
As i said in my story,I personally have made probably more fully built Cobra replicas than anyone in the UK. So my kits that I sold had been made into cars by me or people employed by me. So I know that everything fitted. Be it onto the chassis or fiberglass panels and bonnet/boots and doors. Similarly all the hinges and brackets etc were more than upto the job and your comments about the steel are just laughable. Steel is steel,and never before has anyone said that the steel used in the making of the chassis and other components was 'monkey steel' whatever that is.
If you had a Viper you would have had a build manual, and if you followed that implicitly, you would not have had any problems. However judging by your comments and the way you made them I would say that if you had a manual you probably didn't read it as you already knew in advance how to do everything, as your an expert and you'd do it your way and without referring to a manual.
Re your reference to maybe talking to me ? if you did and I told you you were mistaken as the problem you were complaining about was not a legitimate complaint as I in my builds did not have this problem, I guess that would send you into a rage. being as your never wrong. Over the years I had only a handful of customers who made such complaints as your making, and I sold many kits to professionals and engineers. Most were quite satisfied and went onto building good cars. I wonder just how many Cobras you have built (or any other kits) I retired in Feb 2001 and we are now in late 2006 and it seems you are still building. I think that says it all really. I will say this though I will not make any further comments on whatever you may now say,as these are the only comments I will make on build matters. All future comments as I said will strictly be only on identifications.

[Kenco]

If Iain can state when he bought his kit,and what kit model it is (Jag,Cortina, Granada or Sierra,) and when he he tried to get technical help and was ellegedly told he did not have a problem, this would help to identify if it is a real Viper.
I say this as the long list of complaints he has are not faults I have come accross in my Viper models. and had they been a recurring and common fault of my Vipers then I would have suffered the same problems thus making all the builds I did a nightmare and therefore making me being unable to build a car and make any money on the exercise. Ken

[Kenco]

Re Kevcards reply. If you bought a Cobretti Viper or a DMS ( see my remarks on them) then I cannot comment on all the problems you listas none of them existed on any of the Viper models I sold. It sounds as if the model of Cobra you have is a Cortina based kit. So it could be DMS but not a Cobretti copy as they did not copy my Cortina with the F/G floors. Their copy had the same chassis but with metal floors. I sold the last Cortina MK1's in 1989, so if it was one of mine it is pretty old. and if a kit lies around for years and is abused you will get crazing on gel coats.If it has a Sierra back end it could be one of my Sierra Mk1's. kenco

[robert]

Ken

If you are going to insult our members, then you are not welcome on here.

Please refer to the forum rules.

[Purple AK]

Originally Posted by Kenco

If Iain can state when he bought his kit,and what kit model it is (Jag,Cortina, Granada or Sierra,) and when he he tried to get technical help and was ellegedly told he did not have a problem, this would help to identify if it is a real Viper.
I say this as the long list of complaints he has are not faults I have come accross in my Viper models. and had they been a recurring and common fault of my Vipers then I would have suffered the same problems thus making all the builds I did a nightmare and therefore making me being unable to build a car and make any money on the exercise. Ken

Ken. Which part of "I bought it from you" is a problem??

[steamyrotter]

Ken

Hi

I too have the same type as Kevchard.
I got it from someone who got it from someone etc etc. All in all I think I am the 6th owner but first builder.. See other threads for definitions of "Builder" as you infer ( I believe) that some kits are akin to lego, these certainly are not.

There was no manual supplied, so if you have a copy of one it would be appreciated if you could pass one on.

Mine has a fibre glass floor, with a rounded transmission tunnel.
Bob said he never did round tunnels so have ruled out it being cobretti.
Were any of your sold as kits comprising of these rounded transmission tunnels?? It would be nice to finally identify it for sure.

Like Kev I have learnt a lot of new skills in my endeavours and am enjoying the challenges therein.

I have not got many quibbles about it and went into it with my eyes open so will only have myself to blame (plus trying to put a rover v8 in a ford v6 chassis is less than ideal!!)
I am modifying things to suit my taste and plans so do not have cause for major complaint. I know the components I have are in no way the most perfect ones but this is accountable for from the age and technology (I believe it is mid 80's?) however there is nothing that cannot be sorted one way or another. As has been said elsewhere there are no engineering challenges that cannot be overcome with a suitably sized hammer!

I have resolved myself to not having a manufacturers support but have gained a lot of very useful information and assistance from a lot of very knowledgeable people on this site so please do not attack them for offering help, support and banter.

Regards