Beschreibung
Real Cobras came in two flavours, restrained and outrageous. Most replicas copy the latter, with bulging wheelarches and vast chromed exhausts along the side.
My Hawk replica is based on the earlier, more subtle Cobra, scarcely indistinguishable from the dainty AC Ace that car was based on.
Put the Hawk alongside the real thing and you can’t tell the difference. I’ve done just that in the paddock at Silverstone and the Hawk is the real deal cosmetically, right down to the tiniest detail; instruments, switches, gearlever, steering wheel… the lot.
It’s the same when you lift the bonnet. The engine is a proper 289 cubic inch (4. 7 litres) small block American Ford V8, not the Rover unit found in most eight cylinder Cobra replicas.
Today, a 289 block is a rare as hen’s teeth, with even ‘accurate’ Cobra copies using the much more plentiful 302 cu. ins. unit. You can’t tell the difference from the outside, but this car had to be as close to the real thing as possible.
I commissioned my car (number 17 in the Hawk 289 line) in 1992 and it was built over a fascinating two year stretch by Bernard Brown, who was Hawk’s official build agent. Bernard had such a passion for small block Cobras he actually formed a business called Ad Lib to build nothing else.
The car is impeccably finished in mirror-like dark green metallic paint (actually Goodwood Green from Toyota) and looks black on a dull day but comes alive with a subtle sparkle when the sun shines. I chose a dark colour to offset the chrome features on the car, from the wheels (with proper knock-off AC-branded spinners), to the cosmetically correct front and rear bumpers and over-riders.
The interior is in black Bridge of Weir leather from Scotland, right down to the door pockets. Bernard’s eye for detail means you’ll find a discrete, and easily missed, arc under the leather on the glovebox lid, because the real cars had that feature too.
The hood, side screens and tonneau are covered in black canvas, like the real thing. The hood was custom fitted to the actual car by an experienced trimmer and looks great erected, unlike non-bespoke units bought over the counter, which never fit properly.
Both engine and boot compartments have been lined in aluminium for the authentic touch.
The engine was rebuilt from the ground up before installation and kept in a mild state of tune. The work was carried out by American car specialist Kar Kraft Mustang Corral at Horsford near Norwich and includes a gentle performance cam and a 600 cu. ft. Holley carburettor.
Sorry, but I’ve never checked the fuel consumption! A brief run on a dynamometer some years ago showed a little over 200 horsepower at the back wheels. The torque was not measured, but is considerable.
The gearbox was a brand new T5 Borg Warner unit, exactly as fitted in Mustangs of the day and still in use in lots of today’s new cars. The clutch is operated with the help of a McLeod hydraulic release bearing, which results in a firm pedal that’s beautifully smooth to operate.
Over the years I’ve been tempted into some useful upgrades. The latest, last year, was the fitting of a bespoke alloy radiator, made for the car by a company at Silverstone which usually deals in racing cars.
Some years into the Cobra’s life in my garage it was treated to a complete front suspension upgrade from Hawk, which ditched the original MGB parts in favour of proper tubular double wishbones. Adjustable Spax dampers are fitted all round and the front brakes are large ventilated units with four pot calipers.
Retaining the drum brakes at the rear, which anyway do little to stop the car, means the handbrake works well. The handbrake lever was specially built in chromed steel to mimic the real thing ¬– not the plastic coated refugee from a Cortina you often find in otherwise convincing replicas.
At the rear you’ll find an MGB back axle, tied down with radius arms and a lateral link. The halfshafts were changed last year to an upgraded specification.
My car has covered less than 22, 000 miles and enjoyed annual outings to France, Spain and Belgium in the company of other classic vehicles.
All four tyres have been changed in the last two years for period-looking Vredestein Sprint Classic radials, not because the were low on rubber but because tyre experts advise ten years is about the maximum time you should trust a tyre.
The original spare sits unused in the boot (in a white glass fibre well, just like the original car). It keeps company with a fire extinguisher and alloy fuel tank.
Why am I selling? Well, I’m getting soft in my late middle age and have just bought a 911 convertible. More practical than the Cobra, of course, but I’ll miss the V8 woofle when I put my foot down.
Oh yes, and it's classed as an historic vehicle so you don't pay any road tax.
Hawk Cobra 289 FACTFILE
Build date 1992 to 1994 by Ad Lib
Engine: 289 Ford V8 (block number indicates 1966 manufacture).
Rebuilt in 1993 by Kar Kraft Mustang Corral to following specification: flat top cast pistons, reground crankshaft, high performance oil pump, Speed Pro Performance camshaft, ARP rod bolts, Holley Contender intake manifold, Holley 600 cu ft carburettor with vacuum secondary and manual choke, McCleod clutch, all new valves, pushrods and rockers. Alloy ‘Cobra’ rocker covers.
Transmission: Borg Warner Heavy Duty T5, new from Real Steel
