XC Bathurst Cobra - 170MPH???

[XBGTFGGTP]

Group C engine completely different to road going 351 due to engine mods allowed. I think the race 351's still put out around 400-420hp so 159/160mph would be feasible on conrod. Stock 120 maybe with change.

[superyob]

Originally Posted by SSVPom

Interesting comparison between XB and forthcoming XC power outputs, apples for apples

image

My sedate 302W in my ZD is listed at 220 hp according to the factory manual. Does this mean that all these engines were less powerful than mine or has a different hp scale been used???

If not, they must have choked the life out them more than I imagined...

[ozpacman]

Originally Posted by SSVPom

Interesting comparison between XB and forthcoming XC power outputs, apples for apples

image

The Ford reps used to do a tour of the country dealers to speak with the service staff about model changes and so on. They may still do, I don't know.

I used to really look forward to these visits because you felt pretty important getting the info straight from the horses mouth so to speak. These blokes were always immaculately dressed as well and they would generally waltz in wearing a white long sleeve shirt and a tie and so on - very flash when you're a young apprentice in a country dealership!

I can well remember sitting in on one such visit when the XC's had just been released. There had been a lot of talk in car circles that ADR27A was going to strangle these cars so badly that they were barely going to run, so no doubt all of the manufacturers were keen to talk up their new models and Ford were no exception.

Our rep was very keen to impress upon us how the XC models were ADR27A compliant and that they had done a great deal of work to ensure that they all had a higher power output than the equivalent engines in the XB's.

He pointed to the 3.3 and 4.1 engines now featuring cross-flow heads and better carburation etc, and when it came to the 4.9 and 5.8 engines it was all about the 4BBL Carter Thermoquad carb and electronic ignition.

He'd brought along a sniffer gadget that he poked up the exhaust of a XC 5.8 S Pack sedan and got one of the boys to start it up and he then took a measurement of the exhaust, subsequently declaring it to be much cleaner than that of the XB it replaced.

One of the boys there, who was just finished his apprenticeship and was one of the biggest petrol heads you'd ever hope to meet, then went and grabbed his XT sedan. This thing was running a pretty decent 351 with nary a scrap of ADR 27A componentry to be seen.

Al fires up his beast and up goes the sniffer. The Ford boffin checked and re-checked his gadget, scratched his head and looked genuinely uncomfortable as it became obvious that Al's hot-rod XT actually had lower exhaust emissions than the new XC.

He muttered something about an incorrectly adjusted auto choke or some other such excuse and we then adjourned for a beer and snag. It was bloody priceless!

[Sprint]

Originally Posted by ljf12

So how did they check the speedometers accuracy back then ?

Measuring the wheels and rolling diameter, it will tell you the revs and everything if you know the gear ratios and final drive ratios with mathematics.

Some cars I had pull over the clock so with revs you can work out the speed when this happens.

[Tassie f100]

Originally Posted by Sprint

Measuring the wheels and rolling diameter, it will tell you the revs and everything if you know the gear ratios and final drive ratios with mathematics.

Some cars I had pull over the clock so with revs you can work out the speed when this happens.

Yeah but who says the old factory fitted electric rev counters were any more accurate than the speedo,s.At the end of the day they were just an instrument stuck in the dash to give a rough idea of RPM.It' a pity so many people believed they were accurate to the last rev

[sprintman1]

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

[marlin351]

Read years ago about a tired old stock xa gt salt lake racer. Was good for 164 mph. Owner recond an overdrive would have been interesting. With a 2.7 diff ratio and a bit of work I could beleive a xc hitting 170mph.

[Stefan]

Originally Posted by XR6WGN

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????

I read the story in AMC, no mention of 170MPH anywhere, read it three times.

WTF?

[stevefreestyle]

Originally Posted by mik

I remember the old G pak, they where a bit average in the handling department,
rode pretty good with the the Dunlop aqua jets, I don't think I'd want to do more than 120 kph in one though, my step father had one,
fit and finish was utterly despicable, brand new came with blown up diff, door trims that vinyl covering did not have enough material to cover the cardboard in the trims, and somehow they left k of the GPak sticker, even the paint was different shades around the car.
A bit of a low point in Holden's history.

That's when the really knew how to make a Holden! Downhill from there......

[nuthin' fancy]

Originally Posted by superyob

What does this word mean?

I got my fingers mixed up.

I meant anemic.

[XR6WGN]

Originally Posted by Stefan

I read the story in AMC, no mention of 170MPH anywhere, read it three times.

WTF?

OK I have the page open - top right there are two photos, start reading from below them - talks about his cobra's heyday at Marino, brings back memories and that's where he mentions about stretching it's legs to 170mph!!

Sorry but that's how its written.

[castellan]

Originally Posted by 4vxc

dont forget they were rated SAE net, not gross like earlier models
there wasn't as much difference as you might believe, like someone else said we used to block the EGR valves with a plate, advance the timing, change the air cleaner or if were broke flip the lid and they were just as quick as XBGT's

Here now post 96 with the DIN figures shows bugger all difference to the XC 5.8L to the XB GT.

if you block off the EGR and all I don't see much in it, as when your foot is flat to the floor the EGR does not enter into the engine.

All I can say is that all the XC ZH 5.8L I was in did not perform that well I thought, I could hose off them with my XB 351 2barrel auto ute and my XB GT 4sp went better than a XC GXL 4sp.

What I did see with my XC 5.8L P Van was 195KM/H flat out as was all the ZH Fairlane's as well and a XC GXL 5.8L 4sp may of just touched 200KM/H once.
I have heard people claim 210KM/H from a ZH XC but never seen it.

[pottery beige]

Originally Posted by XR6WGN

OK I have the page open - top right there are two photos, start reading from below them - talks about his cobra's heyday at Marino, brings back memories and that's where he mentions about stretching it's legs to 170mph!!

Sorry but that's how its written.

mustangs on front cover??

i may be a little behind, my local deli puts an issue aside and sends me a txt is closed for chinese new year

bless their hearts

[XR6WGN]

Hi Buddy,

Latest one has Moffat's Monza and Capri on the cover. It's edition number 86.

[Stefan]

Originally Posted by XR6WGN

OK I have the page open - top right there are two photos, start reading from below them - talks about his cobra's heyday at Marino, brings back memories and that's where he mentions about stretching it's legs to 170mph!!

Sorry but that's how its written.

Getting my eye prescription checked...

XC had km/h speedo anyway, betting he meant km/h.

Damn, I read that a few times, too early in the morning it was.

[XR6WGN]

I was thinking that maybe I had a different magazine for a while When I type up minutes from our meetings - I sometimes get someone else to proof read them as you can read away but don't always pick up your own mistakes.

And a funny thing was that I didn't even make the connection with KM/H until I read it here!! A few on here have now mentioned that - it does make more sense when you think of it.