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Surely the beauty of a tribute style kit is a straightforward build that can be accomplished by an enthusiastic amateur without a worship and a couple of thousand hours to spare.
This simple approach will always be a compromise but does end up with a quick build and a fully usable daily driver.
Bit of research suggests that the Z3 screen frame has a built in roll bar. Couldn't find whether it contributes to the structural integrity of the shell though.
Some interesting pics on this site promoting roll cages for adventurous drivers who don't seem capable of keeping the wheels pointing downwards -
And none of their customers that sent in these pictures sustained life threatening injuries. Presumably the ones that did couldn't be bothered to write in.
As for keeping the build really simple, that's fine if you lack the mechanical skills to complete a more challenging build, but you will end up with a Z3 with a bodykit rather than something that looks convincingly like a fifties/sixties race car or classic. Each to their own
I think the screen is structural but could possibly be cut and re-welded.
For What it is Worth - I would have loved to lose the screen on mine, fit a much smaller one further back, shorten and reduce the size of the doors etc.
That would massively increase the looks however it would have the same effects on the costs and practicality. I use mine as a daily driver a lot of the time and need to travel on motorways in a suit and tie, take client to lunch etc. I don't think they would appreciate the rain and need to wear goggles much.
You live your lives and make compromises where necessary. I am happy with what I have
I really like the compromise that WCA has with his car: a practical but more charismatic daily. Personally this type of conversion holds a great deal of appeal since the finished vehicle usually has a greater depth of abilities thanks to it's production car underpinnings. A kit that requires me to start from near scratch holds no appeal at all.
Surprisingly (as I have never really liked Cobras) I like that a lot. The only thing that Im not keen on is the BMW soft top although I can see that it would be great for practicality. I have always preferred the look of cobras with hard tops fitted, maybe a removable hard top would work on this?
what do people think of stripes. specially with this being a kobra kit. body coloured wheels or contrasting painted wheels. some porsche rs's have grey body work and red wheels. seen some mercedes a series with red and grey stripes on white. also anyone know of alarm fitting companys.
The screen on any modern convertable is very definately a structural part, in most cases, roll over protection. Cutting it off would definately create structural issues, and paperwork nightmares. Most old sportscars, and many american cars still, have seperate chassies (like a landrover..!) so you can do pretty much what you want with the body without affecting strength. On the other hand, keeping the screen gives you proper, non-buffeting, open top motoring. (If you have ever been in a cobra at speed, the buffeting is dreadfull..) You also get proper wipers, de-mist, windows that fit, and a top quality hood that doesn't leak.....
This car will not please the purists, but there are plenty for them...
If i had the chance to build this Kobra, i would do it with a modern twist, with big modern wheels, LED lights, etc... And it could be parked outside and used 365 days of the year no worries..!
I like it, and i want one...!
There's my tuppence worth, hope some of it helps someone....
I really like the look of this Z3 Kobra kit. Once you have sorted out all the little details I,m sure you will have a winner there. It,s nice to see all these new Z3 specials appearing lately.
As for the modified windscreen, here is a video of a modified Z3 with a chopped screen.
No-one said you CAN'T chop the screen, the question was more to do with whether it was safe and would pass UK rules. Not sure they were the top concerns when modding that Z3
The thing with SVA/IVA is that it can restrict various details when building classic replicas. I remember when I built my Cobra that I had to fit various items like steering wheel, mirrors, windscreen, etc to get it through the test. Once it's passed than you get them changed to what you really want to do. It's ironic and even the IVA tester said to me, now that you passed you can go and put the proper stuff on. So it might be an idea to build it to a stage to get it tested and passed and then finish the build without any restrictions.
I really like the look of this Z3 Kobra kit. Once you have sorted out all the little details I,m sure you will have a winner there. It,s nice to see all these new Z3 specials appearing lately.
As for the modified windscreen, here is a video of a modified Z3 with a chopped screen.
[url]www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvogriMH6V8[/url]
By Jove that's exactly what a Z3 based Maserati 300S needs. A chopped screen and no hood or side windows, perfect!
I do wonder about some of our rules and regs where IVA is concerned. Why on Earth do you need to fit rounded bezels on the instruments? If my face ever hits the instrument panel on the far side of the steering wheel I don't think a cut from the bezel is going to make much difference to the outcome.
By Jove that's exactly what a Z3 based Maserati 300S needs. A chopped screen and no hood or side windows, perfect!
I do wonder about some of our rules and regs where IVA is concerned. Why on Earth do you need to fit rounded bezels on the instruments? If my face ever hits the instrument panel on the far side of the steering wheel I don't think a cut from the bezel is going to make much difference to the outcome.
Yes agreed, but rules is rules. I do wonder if some of this is counter-productive. We have a Fiat Grande Punto, and the A pillars are IMHO far too big and restrict vision (and they are small compared to a lot of cars!). Is this in the pursuit of roll-over safety? I suspect a lot more crashes/injuries are caused (by these thick A pillars) compared to the relatively small risk of roll-over injury.
It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, the instrument bezel thing is only applicable if the instruments aren't behind the steering wheel, for example. My car would fail on the following issues though:
Single circuit brakes;
No visible/audible warning of brake fluid loss;
Unpadded steering wheel manufactured from hard materials that could splinter;
Seats with no head restraints;
Wheel spinners protrude beyond 30mm from bodywork;
Flyscreen top edges not blunted;
Lower seat belt mounts - spreader plate not integral with floor but externally mounted;
No rear fog light;
No side repeater lamps;
Only one rear brake light;
No reversing light;
Perspex flyscreen would fail rigidity test.
I'm sure there'd be a few more points that would need addressing, but overall, it wouldn't have been too difficult to make it IVA compliant if I'd started the build with the manual in mind. I do believe the test is rather expensive though at £450 plus £90 per (inevitable?) retest -
And what are the EU regulations on home-constructed methanol injectors? Being a bit nerdy, that is probably my single favourite part of your build. Why did you do it? Because you wanted to, and because you could. Perfect reasons. Take that Brussels.
And why not a Z3 Kobra with a modern twist to it as Ollie mentioned in an earlier post. Big wheels, LED headlights, ViperStyle side exhaust, just for starters. Just make it slightly different to all the other Cobra kits.
And why not a Z3 Kobra with a modern twist to it as Ollie mentioned in an earlier post. Big wheels, LED headlights, ViperStyle side exhaust, just for starters. Just make it slightly different to all the other Cobra kits.
And why not a Z3 Kobra with a modern twist to it as Ollie mentioned in an earlier post. Big wheels, LED headlights, ViperStyle side exhaust, just for starters. Just make it slightly different to all the other Cobra kits.
Something like this...
Wheels yes, exhaust yes, headlights i personally think are an absoute horror as are those bumpery things, but those wheels and pipe with the normal cobra front and you'd be onto a winner.
Agreed, headlights are a bit too guppy for my taste.
Bumpery things could be quite handy for cracking the caps off a few beers or scooping up small children that fail to penetrate WCA's windscreen and fall off the bonnet...
I drive a Marlin Kit - as much as I love my Marlin, I yearn for a Cobra. My Marlin isn't an authentic reproduction of the Alpha Romeo 6C, but it has elements of the 1930's Alpha styling. When people say "Nice Morgan" I love telling them it's just a Sierra in a pretty frock;-) (and it is a very pretty frock).
I would love to build a Kit, but I don't have the cash, the facilities, the time or (if I'm to be honest) the talent - so realistically I know that if I do buy a donor and a kit, it'll end up on eBay in a few years as another disappointing unfinished project with several thousand burnt away and all for nothing. Even if I did, would I trust my kids in a car that I've built form the ground up? Well, nope, probably not.
As far as I know all the Cobra self-builds are hardcore automotive projects that are beyond my reach. This Z3 Kobra, however, appears to be a potential *novice* project requiring some panel swaps and no IVA and which should retain the structural integrity and mechanical/electrical reliability benefits of the original (BMW Z3).
Why even bother to compete with the DAX/Sumo's/BRA/Gardener Douglas/RAM/ Cobras that mostly sit in a garage only to be driven on a perfect day? My Marlin is my only car, I drive it every day (about 12,000 miles per year) and in all weather: snow, ice, wind, rain and occasionally even on sunny days. It cost me £5K and I love it, but it does leak which is annoying and it is pure comedy watching me get in/out of it. If it were a £45K Morgan it would live in a garage (which I don't own) only to come out on beautiful sunny days.
So "Tribute Automotive", please, produce a Cobra body kit that I can just nail onto a Z3, please don't chop the windscreen so I can't drive it every day or replace the leaking hood with a standard Z3 soft top, please don't require me to make chassis mods so that I need to IVA it and then drive it nervously until my crappy welds finally fail and kill me while hurtling down the motorway on a wet Monday morning on the way to work.
I am *Madabout kitcars*, but I'm not hardcore and I am a mechanical moron. Woodwork, plastering, home electrics, plumbing, tiling - yes. Car mechanics, no. But I would love to *have a go* and while the Dax/Gardener Douglas owner/builder/drivers will no doubt look down on my Z3 Kobra with slightly unauthentic lines, I will be enjoying driving my Kobra most days while their dogmatic authentic copies fester in a garage only to be driven two or three times a year on sunny days and the wind blows in just the right direction.
what do people think of stripes. specially with this being a kobra kit. body coloured wheels or contrasting painted wheels. some porsche rs's have grey body work and red wheels. seen some mercedes a series with red and grey stripes on white. also anyone know of alarm fitting companys. 
