Trophy Snake

Rich Anderson is not a man to do things halfway. A few years ago, he was looking for something to keep him occupied instead of retiring to the golf course. He had always liked fast cars, so he bought Shell Valley Companies (SVC), which had been building Cobra replica bodies as well as other fiberglass products for some time. Going from armchair enthusiast to owning your own car company is quite a step, but Rich pulled it off, and Shell Valley is growing in size and profitability.

One of the perks of owning your own specialty-car company is getting to drive your product. Two years ago, Rich had a blue-and-white demonstrator built to take to kit car shows (“Shell Game,” Jan. ’99, p. 62). It was a clean—if conventional—snake with small-block power. Last year he showed a black beauty that trophied at the Knott’s Berry Farm kit car show, but for the new decade, Rich wanted something more extreme. And he wanted it to be far-out in more ways than one. A super engine, a super paint job, and a super interior were all requisites.

For starters, the small-block had to go. Although the 351 is a fine, practical street-car motor, Rich wanted to make a splash at the shows—and it would take more inches to do that. At the same time, he didn’t want to get into the engine-building business. So he set his sights on the biggest, baddest crate motor he could find—which also simplified building similar cars for customers. He settled on a Ford Racing Performance Parts bracket-race motor, sporting 514 inches and pumping a muscular 635 horses at 6,250 rpm on the dyno. Coupled with 590 lb-ft of torque at 4,750 rpm, this monster will pull a freight train down the tracks! The engine was developed for bracket racing in the 8.90/9.90 classes, so this would be one potent Cobra replica.

A 4.3-inch stroker crank brings the old Ford 460 out to 514 inches. It uses FRPP Cobra Jet aluminum heads with 72cc combustion chambers, which flow better than conventional 460 iron heads. An FRPP solid-roller mechanical cam provides significant top-end power, yet retains low-end punch for getting off the line. Lift is 0.640 inch for both intake and exhaust, and duration at 0.050 inch is 254 degrees intake and 258 degrees exhaust. Aluminum roller rockers have a 1.73:1 ratio, and dual valvesprings on premium stainless steel, swirl-polished valves help it breathe. Intake valves are 2.20 inches in diameter, while the exhausts measure 1.76 inches.

The cast-iron 460 blocks are remanufactured and have been decked, align-honed, and had new bearings installed. Ford/TRW forged-aluminum, dish-top pistons give a 9.8:1 compression ratio, which will usually work with premium pump gas, and they are mounted on heavy-duty marine connecting rods with ARP bolts. An Edelbrock Victor Jr. intake manifold is matched to a Holley 1,150-cfm Dominator carb. A Moroso oil pan is bolted down under. An aluminum front cover and water pump help keep the weight down. MSD ignition supplies the spark, and standard Shell Valley headers and sidepipes are fitted.

Backing it all up is a ’72 Ford C6 automatic with a modified manual-shift body and an aluminum cooler. The engine is also treated to an oil cooler and a Griffin aluminum radiator. The hoses are stainless steel–wrapped, while chrome FRPP valve covers complete the package. A special air cleaner seals to the hoodscoop.

This monster is packaged in a Shell Valley 427 SC replica kit with a ladder frame made from 2x4-inch structural-steel tubing. A ’72 Ford 9-inch rearend with 3.00:1 gears is equipped with Moser axles and a Detroit Locker limited-slip unit. Jounce is controlled by SVC Silver Bullet II adjustable-height aluminum coilover shocks. Shell Valley is the only kit car company making its own shocks, which it also sells individually. The company uses urethane bushings and sleeves for more precise action.

SVC makes most of the parts used in its kits, in fact. The company believes these new parts are superior to used, donor-car parts, and it reduces dependency on outside suppliers. Another SVC product is the aluminum, four-bar, triangulated rear suspension designed to emulate NASCAR practice.

Up front, a Mustang rack-and-pinion power-steering assembly is used, along with 11-inch GM disc brakes all around (the rears use Cadillac calipers). The SVC dual master-cylinder brake system uses an adjustable bias bar for fine-tuning the front-to-rear balance. Tubular front A-arms are also made by SVC and are stronger and lighter than the Mustang II pieces used on many kits (they are a lower-cost option on SVC kits as well). American Racing 15-inch Thrust II wheels (8 inches front/10 inches rear) give a classic stance and mount Cooper Cobra tires (235/60 front, 295/50 rear).

The SVC body resembles most other Cobra replicas, with a few differences. Many kit manufacturers have increased the length of their wheelbases, but SVC retains the 90-inch wheelbase used on the original Cobra. The body is a mixture of fiberglass and Kevlar for extra strength and less weight, and an optional taller hood is used to gain more room for the high-rise manifold. Rich also opted for a removable hardtop for all-weather use. Dan Cerney at Phil Spady Dodge in Columbus, North Carolina, applied four shimmering coats of DuPont Platinum Chroma Base paint, followed by twin gold stripes in DuPont Chroma Lussion and clear. DuPont Chroma Lussion is a so-called color-change paint that varies from deep gold to pinkish red to purple depending on the angle of the light. It is spectacular—though quite pricey—stuff. Rich also had his racing helmet squirted to match!

Once the drivetrain and paint were in good shape, it was time to install a killer interior. Black leather SVC buckets were used with nylon carpets. The dash was painted a matching Platinum and sports VDO Gold Classic instruments. A Grant 15-inch wood-rimmed steering wheel looks right at home and is complemented by a wood glovebox door. A Painless wiring harness hooks it all together.

So how did the car turn out? Well, when the judges at the Knott’s Berry Farm kit car show first laid eyes on it, they awarded it the Best Interior, Best Paint, and Best 427 Cobra Replica trophies! The triple-crown of kit show awards, so to speak. And with that killer mill up front, Rich can’t resist taking it drag racing from time to time, where it has a personal best of 9.8 seconds at 142 mph. Very impressive, especially considering the tall gearing it uses, which gives a top speed of around 155 mph. And how is the bad-boy motor? Quick, natch, but not the thing for an everyday commute. This is a great powerhouse for a weekend toy and part-time track car, but we would opt for more tractability for a daily driver. And be aware that this engine is not emissions-legal everywhere. But if drag racing and car shows are part of your anticipated kit usage, this is one hot setup. The best part is that SVC can build you one like it for around $38,000 turnkey, or sell you the parts to build your own beginning at $6,490. What are you waiting for?