1970 King Cobra project and molds

New as of today here and I wanted to post and show a project I have under taken and will see it through till done and is my current project.
Got wind of a unfinished strange 1970 Torino 8 miles from me. This is what I found.



Story goes and the sellers were very informed on the cars. This front end was pulled from the same mold the Bud Moore car was made from and even have photo's of the molds. This was about 12-15 years ago. It looks as if the molds were getting worn out. The front end (complete) was sitting on a beautiful Georgia nearly 100% rust free 1970 sports roof Torino. It has a 1970 Mercury Spoiler II dash in it with the tach and sport gauges, AC, PS, PB, Bucket seats and already rebuilt suspension setup for a big block with boxed control arms and 9 inch and upgrade springs. Even had the rare prototype head light covers and a front bumper included so it had to come from a very strong back ground connected to the original cars.
He was a mechanical person and not a body man. I am a fiberglass specialist. He had a history very complete on the King Cobra's and I know this was not a try at someones stab at free hand making this front end, It had to come from the source. I am 2 weeks into the build and have already mounted and removed the bad mold areas and corrected. It is matched at the front doors and bolted down. I am working the areas around the front lights now and installing and make sure the trim rings and buckets fit well. The hood has no enforcement underneath and I will fab this up. The (3) original cars were all different of each other. With the detailed photo's that came with this car, I will create and cross between all of them to complete this car. I have done several rotisserie cars and this was my last one as of last year. I will make this happen!

My goal is and if any interest on the Forum here, Is to finish car and just before paint, Have a complete mold of this front end. This will ensure this front survives for future cars. After a mold is used so many times it wears and needs reworked again to bring out the details as the original plug. I will do this on this car.
Anyway, I will be in and out of here and show progress if any interest here. Hope to chat in the near future!
Steven W Stull

Now that's something you don't see every day. Cool project!

Way cool project and I can't wait to see the finished product. Is there any metal reinforcement under the nose? I thought I read somewhere that the front bumper was a rear bumper from a torino or maybe that was the Talledega. Keep us up to date on the project!!!

jeffgfg wrote:Way cool project and I can't wait to see the finished product. Is there any metal reinforcement under the nose? I thought I read somewhere that the front bumper was a rear bumper from a torino or maybe that was the Talledega. Keep us up to date on the project!!!

Hello, I am guessing right now just by looking at the bumper, It looks like a 1969 or 1970 Mustang front bumper turned upside down. When turned upside down the top middle of the bumper runs under the hood like on the original cars. There is steel braces behind the frontend for support and for safety. The seller gave me blueprints that were made up that is the inner panels used on the yellow car and the Vermillion car.
I will do this car in Vermillion with white interior and the black stripes. All will hate me in here for the next bit of news, I happen to have sitting ready to put in this car, This setup, It is meant for another project and I will need it back, But for now I will use it. 351 Windsor built to 550 HP with webbers and C6. I have a 429 Cobra Jet but needs rebuilt. I figure I can break in the small block and dial in the webbers and show the car and ready it to sell. With this setup I cover the PS, AC, and alt all in one deal. This engine and setup should do a wow factor when the hood is opened and would match the look of the rest of the car.

SWS out

I would think that the car would sell better with the 429 CJ even if it was just rebuilt to stock. While the 351 with Webbers is nice it really doesn't go with the body I feel. But what ever, it is very nice and I will follow it regardless. Make sure to add lots of pictures!! Would be interested in pics of the metal reinforcements for the nose. Thanks again for sharing!!!

Nice project. If the Areo cars did not get banned by NASCAR, they would have a 351/358 anyway. You could tell everyone this is the third Ford Xperimental/Phototype model, and most would believe it, I bet. That Windsor looks very nice also. What were you planning to use it for before this project?

supervel45 wrote:Nice project. If the Areo cars did not get banned by NASCAR, they would have a 351/358 anyway. You could tell everyone this is the third Ford Xperimental/Phototype model, and most would believe it, I bet. That Windsor looks very nice also. What were you planning to use it for before this project?

I am building this car as well and the engine is for this car,
Dean Jeffries Mantaray one seater coupe


This is the "buck" and from here it will be molded into a fiberglass mold for the body. I have made a 2 seat spyder and keeping the original inspiration of the Jeffries car. Car is much further along than shown. But on hold while I make the Torino.
SWS out

Love the 60's Retro Concept look. Cool project.

Subscribing. I would love to be able to make fiberglass body parts.

I look forward to your progress and pictures.

Jess

Very cool projects, looking forward to your updates

That's damn interesting. The front end kinda looks like a cross between a Torino and a Datsun 240-260-280Z.

DILLIGASDAVE wrote:That's damn interesting. The front end kinda looks like a cross between a Torino and a Datsun 240-260-280Z.

X2 I was thinking the same thing

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dean_Jeffries Bikini Beach 1963 Mantaray featured, wild.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zo-FhBQ9yCU Original Mantaray at car show.

Are those headlight covers on the Torino fiberglass?? The two street cars have clear headlight covers. Maybe the fiberglass ones were for NASCAR racing?? be sure to post lots of pictures. I would still stick the big block in it. Lol !!

jeffgfg wrote:Are those headlight covers on the Torino fiberglass?? The two street cars have clear headlight covers. Maybe the fiberglass ones were for NASCAR racing?? be sure to post lots of pictures. I would still stick the big block in it. Lol !!

They are fiberglass and just before the project was abandon, Ford approached NASCAR and was going to offer the covers for the cars for racing to reduce drag. The two yellow cars have no covers, There never was a clear set made for them. It is a much better looking car with the covers. There was never a Ford design that held them in place either. I need to make it up on the fly as I build them into the car.

SWS out.....