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If you are thinking of building a 427 Cobra replica you are rather spoilt for choice. Apart from the Caterham Super Seven there has been no other car replicated to such a fever pitch. At present there are probably just shy of a dozen manufacturers faithfully recreating the 60s muscle car. So why did I choose the DAX Tojeiro? Even more importantly, after investing over 1000 hours plus in my garage was it all worthwhile?
Turn the clock back to mid 2004 and I was in the same position as many kit car builders and possibly yourself. Which Cobra replica should I build? Numerous offerings had staggering credentials and in many ways I was spoilt for choice. To compound the conundrum I knew my final selection would be scrutinised by the industry and builders alike. After much deliberation I opted for the Tojeiro. Apart from being renowned for its quality, two additional factors tipped the balance. Firstly, DAX had just launched the new camber compensating and De dion suspension based chassis for its fake snake. The configuration had already been proven on the Rush and its sheer ability was about to send shock waves through the Cobra replica fraternity. Secondly, I was after the 427 replica with the most menacing road presence. Sod authenticity - I was after 18 inch rims, massive side pipes and bodywork which left other road users quaking in their boots. In short, the Tojeiro was the car for me, promising sensational handling, quality components and a stance like no other replica out there!
Rolling chassis as received from D.J.Sportscars Which engine? Before I could order the rolling chassis I had to make a few important choices. These included the number of roll hoops, the option of having the chassis powdercoated, and oh yes, what engine and box I was going to use! The option of two single roll bars with rear stays occupied my mind for little more than ten milliseconds and the powdercoating was a must to ensure chassis protection in years to come. This left only one other major decision, which engine? To make life easy for myself I should have chosen the Chevy small block. This is the engine of choice for DAX and practically all other 427 replica manufacturers. There are lots of advantages in following this route: reconditioned units are aplenty, horsepower is cheap and DAX hold components in stock for the entire installation. Many ask why a Ford unit is not more popular. Chevy units have been historically more plentiful in the UK, however this has changed in recent years. DAX can accommodate Ford small and big blocks, but you have to pay a little extra for the privilege. So what do I go and do? As if not opting for a Chevy was bad enough, I go and purchase a Cleveland, a Ford small block. These are fairly rare and guess what? DAX had never tooled-up to fit one in their chassis! My joy at purchasing a fairly inexpensive engine soon diminished when I received the tooling bill from DAX for the fabrication of new engine mounts, gearbox mounts, propshaft and headers. The moral of this story is stick with the standard options unless you are both very patient and have deep pockets. Before I move on I must mention the final state of tune of my trusty Cleveland. Once rebuilt, by yours truly, the estimated bhp at the flywheel is 350. Switch the nitrous oxide injection on and 600 horses are at one’s disposal! Enough said!
5.8 litre Ford V8 before and after... notice the difference?
The TKO500 by Tremec is the gearbox of choice in the Cobra scene and who am I to argue? A new unit, including bell housing, slave cylinder, clutch assembly etcetera, will set you back around £2,000. I’m afraid there is no avoiding this type of expenditure unless you source a manual gearbox worth reconditioning. The problem is that nearly all American cars run autos, so manuals are like locating rocking horse sh*t! Purchased from RePower, a recommended supplier to DAX, the unit is relatively light, fits snugly in the transmission tunnel, has five nicely spaced forward gears (and a reverse of course!) and can cope with 500 ponies without breaking into a sweat.
I opted for a rolling chassis to be built by DAX for a few very good reasons: 1. Having built six cars in the past, skipping this spanner portion
of the build sounded rather appealing.
As I opted for the rolling chassis, my first main job was to prepare the body for fitment. Initially I painted all the inner panels with satin black paint avoiding those areas requiring glue at a later date. Such an example is the cockpit. I also panelled the engine bay with stainless steel sheet. This was purely for aesthetic effect and the panels were purpose-made for my car. DAX can provide polished aluminium panels which do the same job, but they require a little more after-care once the car is complete. With the body fully prepped it was lifted onto the chassis with the help of three friends. Exact positioning was best achieved by lining the arches up with the wheels and tyres. Purchasing these items fairly early on in the build is a big outlay but ensures there are no misalignment issues, and is something I would recommend regardless of the kit type you are building. While on the subject of wheels, ensure you don’t skimp on quality. DAX use Hallibrand replicas by Image - hard to beat for quality even though you may have to wait a month (or two!) for delivery.
Fitting body shell onto chassis for first time
Fitting the fuel tank and line is relatively straightforward and as with many other stages of the build I’m using DAX components. Rest assured, this is not just one big ad for the stores department at Harlow, it just makes sense to follow the quickest and safest route to build a Tojeiro. Apart from everything being compatible, any problems you encounter (and there will be some) can be sorted out over the phone. The fuel supply line was specified at the largest diameter possible. Since my Tojeiro was going to be equipped with a rather large NOS system I needed to ensure that once the juice was switched on there would be no fuel starvation problems.
Many builders get worried when it comes to electrics, but providing you purchase the correct loom and electrical components there should be no issues. The loom from DAX came complete with comprehensive instructions describing the start and termination of each circuit. Looms vary between Ford and Chevy installations so this has to be considered when ordering. Also opting for the standard lighting kit ensured a stress free installation since all terminals matched the wiring circuits. Side repeaters and a fog light are SVA and MOT requirements and therefore had to be fitted, even though they annoy builders who wish to replicate the original as closely as possible.
The doors, boot and bonnet all needed to be hung on the hinges provided. This process required a little patience but as my Tojeiro was being painted, fine shut line adjustment could be left for the paintshop. Out of all the panels the doors offered up the biggest challenge, requiring a multitude of accurate measurements while fixing the locks. The instruction manual provided guide measurements, but it turned out to be a trial and error exercise.
Items such as the bumpers, roll bars, windscreen, side vents etcetera were all trial fitted prior to the body going for paint. As with the locks, this meant any errors could be vanished away using a tub of P45. This is an expensive stage during any Cobra build. Body furniture can cost a couple of thousand pounds, but as it can either make or break a replica my advice is not to skimp in this area.
Roll bars and rear lighting in place
The Ford Cleveland is a particularly wide block and fitting it in the Tojeiro engine bay is a tight squeeze. DAX recommended the box be attached to the engine outside the car. This made aligning the clutch far easier but meant I had to hire a huge lifter. This was the only time throughout the build I did not have a tool to do a job, but the lifter was only required for a day’s hire and cost less than £30. Once the engine and gearbox mounts were aligned, high tensile bolts were slotted home and secured. The propshaft, no more than 10 inches long, slotted into the diff and gearbox without any problems.
Cobra builders have the option of either side exit or underslung exhaust systems. By far the most popular are the side pipes fitted to my Tojeiro. Many companies offer these systems, but again I think the DAX items are best. Made from polished stainless steel they are large in diameter and the 4 into 1 collectors look sensational. Cutting holes in the bodywork takes some time and it’s a job you don’t want to get wrong. Prior to fitting the exhausts onto the chassis, escutcheon plates cut from 2mm stainless steel were bonded to the body. This covered the exposed raw edge around each exit hole.
To complete the engine installation a modicum of components were required. Fuel and coolant systems demand a network of pipes and in my Cleveland installation I forked out on Aeroquip braided hosing. Costing up to £40 a metre it did not take long to run up a three figure bill. However, look at the pics and in my opinion the investment has been worthwhile. As for the coolant pipes, I used Samco silicon hoses - again rather expensive but they add that little something. To finish the installation off I had a header tank purpose-made to my requirements. For once I didn’t install the DAX item, simply because I preferred a stainless steel finish rather than polished aluminium.
Painting is probably the one job all builders outsource, myself included. Finding a decent paint shop can be difficult and many come from personal recommendation. In my case I used Berkshire Bodyshop based in Newbury who do all the paintwork for Sovereign Cars of Whitchurch (Cobra specialists). Taking a staggering four weeks and nearly £4,500, the end result is sensational. The reason for the rather lengthy timescale is due mainly to preparation, and my shut lines pay testimony to the skills of Andy who did all the work on my Tojeiro. The colour is my very own, based on a Maseratti blue, the exact mix being a trade secret!
Body preperation prior to painting
The final throws of the build, apart from refitting everything after spraying, is the interior. I used the luxury trim kit from DAX which I must admit was a nightmare to fit. My colour scheme as you can see is cream leather with blue piping and carpets - probably the most popular combination.
Finished interior
The SVA test went without drama, though she did fail first time. In my defence only three items upset the men in white coats: 1. The speedo needle was oscillating at 60mph. The first issue was quickly resolved by recalibrating the sensor. The self-centering steering was corrected by replacing a faulty rack. Finally, the handbrake was adjusted and the compensator lubricated to ensure an even pull on both wheel hubs. A retest was booked and she passed with flying colours. A point worth adding is that since my Cleveland engine is dated 1971 it only had to undergo a visual emissions test. This is something to consider when sourcing an engine, as all pre-1972 blocks fall into this category.
Tuned 5.8 litre Ford V8, Nitrous Oxide Injected - enough said!
Using the services of Paul Jepson of Kit Car Registrations, all I had to do was sign a few forms, pay the road funds licence and wait for the plates. Paul’s service is superb and dispenses with all the paperwork hassle for just £35! As the Tojeiro was built from new components, bar the engine of course, I received a ‘05’ plate a week later. Once the number plates were made it was time to hit the road.
Probably the best way to describe what it’s like behind the wheel of my Tojeiro is to use the words printed in Kit Car magazine……. ‘I’m an advocate of the Tojeiro driving position. It’s low, reclined and offers loads of space for my 6 foot 2 frame. Footwear, however, takes a little planning and deck shoes seem to be the perfect solution for my size 11s. For readers who are surprised such considerations are important, the reason behind the tight footwells is the American V8 powerplant. Big horsepower means big flywheel bell housing and therefore a large centre tunnel. Unfortunately, pedal spacing comes last in the list of priorities. With the door closed I adjust the massive 3 inch Sabelt harnesses. I opted out of the crutch strap thinking it was a little over the top and the Missus didn’t like the idea much. Turning the ignition key results in an immediate eruption of V8 muscle from under the now firmly closed bonnet. A slightly high idle tells me the electric choke is in operation which slowly releases as the bi-metallic strip heats. Watching the rev counter, the Cleveland settles to an 800rpm throb, and I mean a throb. The Ford firing order produces a sound like no other V8, it almost sounds out of balance. However, blip the throttle and the note morphs into a thunderous bellow. Even before I select a cog the car feels alive. Again blipping the throttle I feel the torque being transferred through the chassis, rocking the suspension. This is one mean mother. Depressing the clutch requires considerable effort but that’s to be expected. The Tremec cogs are engaged and off I go. Pulling away gently is not a problem and low down grunt is in abundance. As I go up through the gears the gauges climb in unison and 60mph is achieved in seconds without even trying. The engine note is mesmerising and the sight over the Hilborn Scoop sucking in great gulps of air is astonishing. Even above the exhaust note I can hear the induction roar from the massive four barrel Holley. I have set the coil over dampers as instructed by Peter Walker at D.J. and they feel spot on. Turn in is sharp, roll is minimal and lateral grip is staggering for a Cobra. What I admire about this latest chassis is how soft you can set the suspension without any compromise in handling. The more miles I do, the more amazed I am. There is no doubt in my mind the additional cost for the De-Dion chassis was a sound investment. Braking is seriously impressive as it should be with the huge ventilated front discs and 4 pot calipers. This is one of the huge advantages of using Jaguar running gear, unlike other kits that have to splash out £2000 or more for AP equivalents. For general road use they arguably offer no real advantage.
As my confidence grows, the 300 or so horses at the rear wheels definitely deliver. If I plant my foot the secondaries open, the cam kicks in, and she’s off. Actually, this is without question the fastest Cleveland powered car I have ever driven, and that’s before the NOS is activated. Now this is a new engine so I’m only going to try this once to see what happens. In reality the engine needs to be run in for a few hundred, if not thousand, miles before I unleash 250 extra horses in an instant. However, here goes… Finding a nice piece of straight road across Salisbury plain is not difficult. Dodging the odd tank, however, can be. With no military hardware in sight I drop a cog and flick the NOS switch on the dash. This means all safeties are off and all systems are ready for launch, Huston. With the engine at a steady 2500 rpm I plant the throttle deep into the Wilton carpet activating the nitrous micro switch. Whoosh..! The rear wheels scrabble for grip and I’m literally slammed into the back of the seat. Fighting for control I manage to keep the Tojeiro pointing forward even though the rear feels like it’s on ice. Glancing at the rev counter I decide to halt the burn. 6000 rpm is more than enough for today, thank you. To be honest everything happened so fast it’s hard to explain what happened. I’m proud to say, however, on a quiet B road in Wiltshire there is a 50 foot long number 11, and I’m responsible…..’
It’s taken me over 1000 hours to build this car which far exceeds the usual build time of 300 to 400 hours. The reason it has taken so long is that this Tojeiro is more than just a road going replica, it was built as a show car. The attention to detail goes beyond a joke and the 300 hours I spent in the engine compartment alone pays testimony to this! So what I’m saying is, don’t let the four figure build time put you off. If you go steady and source most of the components from DAX there is no reason why you can’t build one of these cars in a year of spare time. Work weekends (if her indoors will let you) and the build time could come down to four months. The rule of thumb when building a kit car is, if you try and save money it will take you longer. For example, purchase a turnkey motor for £5,000 and it can be dropped in the chassis in an afternoon. Rebuild one like my Cleveland, and it will cost £2,500, but swallow up 100 hours of your life.
Readers of Kit Car and Cobra magazines who know me will understand second best will simply not do in my projects. I have accurately kept track of the costs involved during this build and included everything, even the SVA test, trailer hire and petrol to visit DAX on numerous occasions. My total outgoings have been just short of £35,000. However, this is a rather special car and a top flight Tojeiro could be on the road for mid to high £20,000s if you are careful. Compare this to other high specification 427 replicas and it’s neither expensive nor cheap. In fact, it’s right on the button. Where did the extra £5,000 go? Well, £1,000 on stainless steel panelling and £1,000 on Aeroquip hosing and anodised fasteners to start with. Then add £350ish for the NOS, an additional £250 for 18 inch rims and tyres, £1,000 above normal for a concours paint job…..you can see it doesn’t take much for your budget to run away!
If this insight into my Tojeiro build has whetted your appetite it may be an idea to contact the back issue department of Kit Car magazine and order the entire build series. Starting in October 2004 the build is covered over twelve issues and runs to almost sixty pages in total. Covering many tips and hints, it’s a must for any Cobra builder, particularly if the project is a Tojeiro. If you would like the entire series Kit Car magazine is offering a special deal of £30 for all 12 issues including postage. If you are interested visit the kit car website www.kit-cars.com for details. If you are interested in the D.J.Sportcars range of self assembly supercars click on the DAX logo below:
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