They say experience is the best teacher. Having graduated with honors from the school of hard knocks, we believe that adage to be true.
James Peirce of Escondido, California, decided to build a Shell Valley 427 SC Cobra replica for two reasons: 1) He's not one to sit at home and watch television, and 2) James wanted a father/son project that would teach his son more about cars. Though James Jr. was a 24-year-old graduate of the University of Washington with a Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics, he was a neophyte when it came to the automobile. James Sr. knew his son had the smarts to learn firsthand about the engineering and mathematics involved in building a car. And he hoped that by constructing one of the most aesthetically pleasing automobiles of all time, Jr. would develop an appreciation for the artistry and ingenuity that's inherent in every great automotive design.
James Sr. selected the Shell Valley product to start with based upon its reputation for authenticity and quality. In the early '00s, he purchased a Shell Valley frame with a rear Ford 9-inch axle, front A-arms, and a complete body kit with the hood, trunk, and door panels for $8,390.
Shell Valley provides four different stages of Cobra kits. In order of completeness starting from the most fundamental to the most elaborate is: 1) The Basic (what father and son Peirce selected), 2) The Roller, 3) The Driver, and 4) The Ultimate. To illustrate how complete even The Basic kit is, here's what's included:
* Fiberglass 427 body, all seam lines filled and sanded, with black primer coat, only finish and block sanding required before painting
* Cockpit, trunk compartment, and inner fenders bonded in place
* Underside and wheelwells painted gloss black
* Hood and trunk hinges installed on the body
* Transmission tunnel reinforced with steel plate
* Dash panel molded into the body
* Stress points reinforced with Kevlar
* Rectangular tube frame with all suspension mounts included
* Frame painted gloss black enamel
* Motor mount bracket of your choice welded in place
* Transmission mount, universal type, included
* Cowl hoop with door hinges included
* Body mounted to frame* Body mounting kit and weatherstrip included
Father and son Peirce spent another $2,100 on the Trigo knock-off wheels that replicate the Halibrand pin-drive rims used on the original Cobras. Another $10,000 went to pay for the 514ci stroker engine and Tremec TKO-500 five-speed trans. For a period of over 2.5 years, the men worked 20 hours a week on the car and reckon they invested a total of 600 to 700 hours of labor. Exclusive of their labor, between $35,000 to $40,000 altogether went toward crafting the Cobra. When you consider that $13,000 of that total went to the professional painter, Fisk Design, for the show-quality topcoats, that's not too much money to spend for an education in automotive fabrication and artistry.
James Sr. now boasts of his son's impressive automotive mechanical and fabrication prowess. Not too long ago, James Jr. received his Doctorate in Mathematics from the University of California at Davis. As a graduation gift, you'll never guess what his dad gave him. Well, maybe you will. The catch is, Jr. is now a professor in mathematics at the University of Wisconsin La Crosse. So Dad keeps the Cobra at home in nice and warm Escondido. The car's exercised while the son's away. Finished in '04, there are 4,500 miles showing on the odometer.
A few of those miles came at the first ever KIT CAR Performance Day. James Sr. piloted his son's Shell Valley 427 SC Cobra. James had so much fun, he volunteered to be part of all the upcoming Performance Day events. Hopefully we'll see Sr. and Jr. taking turns behind the wheel when we hold the next KIT CAR Performance Day.
Vehicle Manufacturer
Name: Shell Valley
Phone: (888) 246-0900
Web address: www.shellvalley.com
Car Owner: James Peirce Sr. & James Peirce Jr. of Escondido, California, and La Crosse, Wisconsin (respectively)
Pricing
Price of Kit: $8,390 (The Basic)
Price of Completed Kit (less drivetrain): $30,000 approximately
Price as tested: $40,000 approximately
Estimated hours to build: 600 to 700
Components Included In Kit
Chassis
Frame: Shell Valley-powdercoated gloss black
Wheelbase: 90 in
Rearend: Pro Gear, San Diego-Ford 9-in. positraction
Rear Suspension: Shell Valley-coilover shocks
Front Suspension: Shell Valley-tubular A-arms and coilover shocks
Steering: Shell Valley-rack-and-pinion
Rear Brakes: 11.5-in. Wilwood-rotors drilled and slotted
Front Brakes: 11.5-in. Wilwood-rotors drilled and slotted
Brake Lines: Shell Valley and braided stainless lines
Master Cylinder: CNC
Steering: Flaming River
Front Wheel Make: Trigo
Rear Wheel Make: Trigo
Front Tire Make & Size: P235/60R15, Eagle GTII, Goodyear
Rear Tire Make & Size: P295/50R15, Eagle GT II, Goodyear
Body
Paint: Fisk Design, El Cajon, California
Paint Type: Ford 2002 Blue (5830) and White (4833)Windshield/Glass: Shell Valley
Roll Bar: Shell Valley
Bumpers: California Cobra
Lights: Finish Line
Mirrors: Finish Line
Emblems & Trim: Shell Valley
Fuel System: Edelbrock mechanical fuel pump
Fuel Tank: Shell Valley 14 gal.
Interior
Gauges: Stewart Warner Instruments
Wiring: E-Z Wiring, installed by James Sr. and son
Steering Wheel: MotoLita-mahogany and birch
laminated, dished polished spokes
Seating: Superformance leather seats
Upholstery: Shell Valley
Material: Leather
Drivetrain Installed In Kit
Engine Brand: Ford
Engine Type: 460ci/514ci stroked
Cylinder Heads: Edelbrock 460 aluminum
Carburetor: Quick Fuel 850cfm double pumper
Intake Manifold: Edelbrock aluminum
Camshaft: Engle with 318 lift and 238 duration
intake, 329 lift and 244 duration exhaust
Engine machine work: Mesa Machine, Escondido, CaliforniaWater Pump: EdelbrockRadiator: Finish Line-aluminumAir Cleaner: K&NIgnition: MSD 6ALHeaders: Shell ValleyExhaust System: Shell ValleyTransmission Type: Tremec TKO-500Shifter: Tremec
Performance Acceleration
0-60 mph: 4.81 seconds
Braking
Minimum stopping distance from 60 mph: 152.94 feet
Handling
Lateral acceleration: .50g (rookie driver)
Balance: Oversteer
Slalom speed (420-foot slalom): 43.4 mph
Lateral seat support: Good
Test Conditions
Temperature: 75 degrees Fahrenheit
Humidity: 30 percent
Elevation: 52 feet above sea level
Wind: Less than 5 mph
Location: El Toro, California
Fisk Design in El Cajon, CA,...
Fisk Design in El Cajon, CA, prepped and painted the pristine Shell Valley 427SC fiberglass body Ford 2002 Blue (5830) and White (4833).
Mesa Machine in Escondido,...
Mesa Machine in Escondido, CA, massaged the Ford 460ci big-block with a 514ci stroker kit, which included a 4.140-inch-stroke steel crankshaft and Eagle 3-D steel rods.
Stewart Warner instruments...
Stewart Warner instruments fill the sports car dash.
Launching from rest, James...
Launching from rest, James smoked the tires on his first attempt at 0-60.
All emblems and exterior trim...
All emblems and exterior trim pieces came from Shell Valley.
James didn't lock his brakes...
James didn't lock his brakes up for either of the two braking runs he made, which was good.
Since James' first experience...
Since James' first experience at driving a slalom course was on KIT CAR's Performance Day, he had Nick Licata, Bondurant School of High Performance Driving graduate and Camaro Performers editor, drive the slalom course after making the first run himself (photo by Eric Geisert).