XC Bathurst Cobra - 170MPH???

XR6WGN · 11-02-2016, 08:17 PM

Just received the latest edition of Australian Muscle Car and in there is a page story on a guy here in Adelaide who was selling a well used Bathurst Cobra (031 is the number - last Bathurst one made)

Read the story and basically 351 with a 750 holley (doesn't mention any other mods - so fairly stock) and this is what made me laugh:

"There were not too many places where you could let the car stretch out its legs to 170MPH!!"

I know he's trying to sell this car but come on?? I'm willing to be convinced of this but the XY GTHO was good for 140MPH but a stock 351 XC Cobra doing 30 MPH more with just a 750Holley Come On????

4vxc · 11-02-2016, 08:21 PM

and thats only in 2nd!

xxx000 · 11-02-2016, 08:23 PM

Without the stripes they do 200mph

XR Martin · 11-02-2016, 08:25 PM

They wouldnt do much more than 140mph due to gearing.
GTHO sat on 6150rpm or so to do that speed.

.:4:. · 11-02-2016, 08:32 PM

Even if it had longer gears in the diff it would run out of steam before 140mph... maybe 170kmh, but that's a bit sad

snopony · 11-02-2016, 08:41 PM

Conrod is only about a mile as the crow flys from here... anyone wanna lend me one I'll do a Mythbusters...

thats 273klms ph yeh?

XR6WGN · 11-02-2016, 08:50 PM

According to the story - it was sold and is heading west (at a great rate of Knots

) he was asking around the 120,000 mark. It was in Unique Cars last month but the link is no longer available.

Stefan · 12-02-2016, 09:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by XR6WGN

According to the story - it was sold and is heading west (at a great rate of Knots

) he was asking around the 120,000 mark. It was in Unique Cars last month but the link is no longer available.

How recent was the sale?

Asking price for Auto 302 cobra is 100K these days.

$120K for a Bathurst model I'd say 170MPH was the speed of potential buyers to this dudes front door.

While the XC Cobra is underpowered compared to a GT, they have become a valuable car..

XR6WGN · 12-02-2016, 11:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stefan

How recent was the sale?

Asking price for Auto 302 cobra is 100K these days.

$120K for a Bathurst model I'd say 170MPH was the speed of potential buyers to this dudes front door.

While the XC Cobra is underpowered compared to a GT, they have become a valuable car..

Sorry Stefan, just saw your question. I originally placed a copy of the for sale article from Unique Cars on 14Jan16. I am unsure of the actual sale date but I received my magazine this week. So I guess the sale was in the last month or so. He said in the article that he had three offers of $125,000 - after he had worked out who he wanted to sell it to, he didn't mention the actual price - I'm guessing it would have been around the offered price!!

XB GS 351 Coupe · 13-02-2016, 11:40 AM

Wanted to buy a 351 manual Cobra back in the late 80's, but thought the $10K asking price was outrageous, should have just bought it back then

Really Cobra's and John Goss Coupes were not seen as anything special back then and were considered under powered compared to the GT's

snopony · 11-02-2016, 08:52 PM

I can only find in statistics of the 1977 race average speed of winning car was 144kmh, or 89mph. thats a big difference.
Anyone know the top speed....?

290GTP · 11-02-2016, 08:57 PM

About 260 maybe 265 klicks down Conrod was all they could manage

snopony · 11-02-2016, 09:17 PM

say 260kph.. thats 161mph.. id say its possible

minheim · 11-02-2016, 09:27 PM

I'm fairly certain that John French reached 156 mph in the 1972 race in his XY GTHO phase 3 which is the record for that race class. I can remember seeing it in a classified ad when the car was up for sale decades ago. Conrod in 1972 didn't have the chicane and the 1972 race was the last series production great race. The chicane was introduced in 1987 from memory.

Ford17 · 11-02-2016, 09:28 PM

Moffat - 159 MPH (255.88 Km/h) on his Hardies Heros lap in 1978:

https://youtu.be/jLk1EiK5R7s

XR6WGN · 11-02-2016, 09:44 PM

Hmm but if it is true (which I seriously doubt) he'd be doing it on the open road - the pictures still show the original 15 x 7 globes too!!!!

Express · 11-02-2016, 10:06 PM

It probably has a lightened flywheel.

2011G6E · 11-02-2016, 10:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Express

It probably has a lightened flywheel.

...and a Hi-Clone under the carby...

Ford17 · 12-02-2016, 10:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ford17

Moffat - 159 MPH (255.88 Km/h) on his Hardies Heros lap in 1978:

https://youtu.be/jLk1EiK5R7s

Just thinking, if Moffat's racing XC 'Cobra' was hitting a maximum speed of 159 MPH at the end of Conrod straight, how much more would it have had, if the straight was much longer?

stevefreestyle · 12-02-2016, 10:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ford17

Just thinking, if Moffat's racing XC 'Cobra' was hitting a maximum speed of 159 MPH at the end of Conrod straight, how much more would it have had, if the straight was much longer?

Moffats XC Cobras started life here (as XBs):

Interesting article here:

http://www.bowdensown.com.au/collect...977-xc-hardtop

**Kingsley** · 12-02-2016, 07:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ford17

Just thinking, if Moffat's racing XC 'Cobra' was hitting a maximum speed of 159 MPH at the end of Conrod straight, how much more would it have had, if the straight was much longer?

Not much more at all. The car was built and geared with the length of Comrod Straight in mind. No point in setting it up to go any faster than needed as it wouldve compromised the car in other parts of the track. Different story if it was set up for something like salt flats.

seven7 · 13-02-2016, 12:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ford17

Just thinking, if Moffat's racing XC 'Cobra' was hitting a maximum speed of 159 MPH at the end of Conrod straight, how much more would it have had, if the straight was much longer?

not sure how true it is but if u listen to the video it says 159 mile an hour at the speed camera half way down conrod

so who can shed some light on where it was????

amiers · 13-02-2016, 02:13 PM

and that was actually a XB GT, just had XC cobra panels and upgrades.

XB GS 351 Coupe · 13-02-2016, 02:29 PM

100% correct, most people don't realise that the 'XC' race cars were actually the old XB race cars with XC panels pop riveted in place, yes pop riveted, not even done properly

ozpacman · 13-02-2016, 03:10 PM

I worked at Ford dealer when the XC's were new and none of them, including the 5.8's could pull the skin off a rice pudding in standard form.

Maybe that 170 mph XC Cobra owner never realised his speedo was actually calibrated in metric . . .

. . . should have gone to spec savers!

snopony · 11-02-2016, 10:18 PM

Just had a read on the cobra statistics, no idea if this is correct, Cobras number 2 thru 31 were fitted with option 97, optional parts fitted to allow for racing but seems limited to twin thermos, engine oil cooler and racing seats.
Maybe those cars had more 'tweaking' than others from factory.
God knows what Ford actually ended up putting in them as they rolled out the 400.(or admitted to on the order.

XR6WGN · 11-02-2016, 11:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by snopony

Just had a read on the cobra statistics, no idea if this is correct, Cobras number 2 thru 31 were fitted with option 97, optional parts fitted to allow for racing but seems limited to twin thermos, engine oil cooler and racing seats.
Maybe those cars had more 'tweaking' than others from factory.
God knows what Ford actually ended up putting in them as they rolled out the 400.(or admitted to on the order.

They called them racing seats but they were really only the Scheel 201s (same as what were fitted in the "Australian" Escort RS2000s and later in the ESPs) The option 97 also included body braces, (stiffer) the reverse bonnet scoop, deeper fibreglass front spoiler and more clearance in the rear wheel arches (to fit the wider rear tyres) They were basically a Homologation special to allow the cars to go racing. They also had no Air conditioning or Power steering fitted but I find it unlikely that they would have received any engine tweeks especially when most of the 30 were destined for the road.

Bushbasher · 12-02-2016, 08:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by XR6WGN

They called them racing seats but they were really only the Scheel 201s (same as what were fitted in the "Australian" Escort RS2000s and later in the ESPs) The option 97 also included body braces, (stiffer) the reverse bonnet scoop, deeper fibreglass front spoiler and more clearance in the rear wheel arches (to fit the wider rear tyres) They were basically a Homologation special to allow the cars to go racing. They also had no Air conditioning or Power steering fitted but I find it unlikely that they would have received any engine tweeks especially when most of the 30 were destined for the road.

I believe it was actually the reverse. The front spoiler was actually a little shorter to allow for the car to be lowered in race trim without wiping the spoiler out.

Tassie f100 · 11-02-2016, 10:39 PM

Well back in the day there were stories of Ph3s being flogged up the Hume at 160mph plus so I guess 170 shouldn't be beyond an XC

sprintman1 · 14-02-2016, 09:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tassie f100

Well back in the day there were stories of Ph3s being flogged up the Hume at 160mph plus so I guess 170 shouldn't be beyond an XC

Phase III 140mph. XC Cobra had less engine so would be slower. 170 down a mineshaft maybe