This is my first rear project car besides the car I had in high school. I saved money and bought parts from VSE as I went along. At some point I had ordered a steel chassis and was being made. Then I get a call from Herb saying he had made an Aluminum chassis for the Aluminum Association for display at the Monterey car show (Pebble Beach, etc.). But they didn’t like the looks of the welds. They were not pretty enough so they flew out a ringer welder that made a new one. The welds were fine just not pretty and for a few bucks more he would sell me the aluminum chassis. OK, in for a dime in for a dollar… Over a few years collected parts, and finally got it together. Matt Adams built a lot of the mechanical, mounted the body, and finally had the paint and body done, Did I say I’m not a huge fan of the Cobra? Why do I have one? Well at the time I was looking for an ENGINEERED chassis and Herb’s chassis and components were very good. Just happend to fit under a Cobra. Sorry Shel’

VSE = Very Special Engineering (I didn’t make that up)

VSE Cobra Specs

Motor

• Chevrolet 468 Aluminum Block (Possibly Chevy CanAm motor??)
• Chevrolet Pro-Sock Aluminum Heads with old school Norris Stainless Steel Rockers and Jomar Stud Girdle
• Crower Mechanical Roller Cam
• Jessel Belt Drive
• Forged Crank
• Crower Billet Rods
• 12:1 CR Ross Pistons
• AccuSump
• RaceMate Alternator Water Pump
• Custom Canton Oil Pan
• MSD 6D Digital

Transmission and Driveline

• Doug Nash 5 Speed
• Tilton Aluminum bell housing
• 7.25″ Dual disc ceramic clutch pack
• Tilton lightweight flywheel
• Stock Car Products floating 9″ rear end housing
• Strange Aluminum carrier with 3:89″ clutch type locking differential

Chassis

• Herb Adam’s VSE Aluminum Backbone frame (Monocoque)
• Entire front clip as a single cast aluminum structure
• ATL 22 gallon Aluminum Fuel Cell

Suspension

• Custom independent front geometry, Stainless Knuckels
• Coil over shocks on 4 corners
• 4 Wheel Disks with Sierra Racing Calipers
• Front and rear sway bars

Other

• Custom wiring and gauge panel
• Barry Grant Fuel Pump
• Odyssey PC980 Battery
• Custom VSE Pedal box assembly
• VSE Seats
• VDO Gauges
• 17″ Compomotive Rims 8″ Front, 10″ Rear

Image Gallery Below

Click images for larger size (If available)

VSE Monocoque Cobra Chassis

The first three picture show the chassis being at Herb’s shop.

The chassis was test fitted with the All Aluminum Big Block Chevrolet that ultimately gets completed and installed.

You can see a good bit of the aluminum monocoque chassis and the coil over suspension.

This is a very rigid and at the same time light weight chassis. The aluminum boxed ATL 22 gallon fuel cell is also fitted.

If you have the Chassis Engineering Book from Herb Adams I think you can seem some of the design discussion around the chassis.

VSE Cobra Construction

The next few photos show some of the major components of the car. Sorry I don’t have a lot of pics of this phase.

Interior Gauge panel was some vinyl contact cemented to the dash board. Gauge holes were pre-cut prior to the glue job and then cut open with an Xacto knife.

Gauges were VDO cockpit series and the switches are General Electric industrial with a bunch of Texas Instrument aircraft breakers that is visible next to the big ‘T’ battery cut off switch. The big GREEN button is a lighted starter switch.

And last in this bunch of pictures is the ATL Fuel Cell with the Fire Sleeve over the braided steel lines. I like the Stratoflex sleeve vs. Aeroquip, as the Stratoflex has a glossier look and seems to not attract dirt as much.

VSE Cobra Engine

Only have a few shots of the engine. The background of this engine is a bit unknown. I have been told that it may have been a Chevrolet Can Am aluminum block, but unclear.

Bob Lambeck (and at the time Brad Lagman now owner of QMP Racing) built the engine. The cylinder heads are Chevrolet aluminum pro-stock heads with a HUGE port. These were hand ported by a shop in the Canoga park area.

Engine mad 701 Hp at about 7000 Rpm. Will get the job done.

Paint Job

After sending the assembled car back to Matt Adams in Monterey, I had him finish off the body work and paint the car. Silver with a maroon strip, then clear coat. Paint is very nicely done.

Top Gear Pilot

Adam Carolla, Eric Strommer, Tanner Foust sitting in front of the VSE Cobra and Adam’s now sold Ferrari Stradale. Car is still around, show never made it.