In the beginning

In 1994 I was looking for a new project having just sold a Cobra replica I had built the previous year.With my contacts in the motor trade......I'm a car sprayer by profession......I knew a guy who had an unused Covin bodyshell on a VW Beetle floorpan and Alfa Romeo flat 4 engine.Now,I had no interest in the chassis or engine so looking for an alternative chassis I remembered an old friend of mine had designed his own chassis for a Cobra replica business he was planning.I contacted him and discovered he still had a chassis and also a couple of V8 engines that were surplus to requirements.Out came the tape measure and I reckoned I could make the body fit the chassis with a few modifications so a deal was struck.

The bodyshell as purchased                                                                            trial fitting over chassis

The work begins

Firstly the chassis was shortened by 6" ahead of the rear suspension and the inner arches,floor etc were removed from the body so the 2 physically mated up.An 8 point rollcage was then welded in,boot floor and bulhead fabricated the latter of which will be modified shortly to accept a Mk2 Ford Escort bias pedal box

Next step was to get a rolling chasssis.
The suspension is mainly Jaguar XJ6. Spax coilovers all round,2 on rear in place of jags 4,modified lower front wishbones,shortened rear drive shafts & lower arms.Future plans include poly bushes throughout.
Steering consists of a Ford Sierra steering rack (non pas)  Capri column and fabricated steering coupling.
Brakes are again XJ with 4-pot front calipers,inboard rear discs and the aformentioned bias pedal box.No servos.

 

What sets this covin apart from most others you will see is the engine .Whereas most use 4 cylinder versions of vw or ford or occassionally a real porsche motor in the rear,this one is sporting a V8,and not just any V8,we're talking 7.5ltrs of big-block ford here.This came out of a 1973 Lincoln Continental.
Mounted behind the front axle this should give fairly good weight distribution.
All the low emission crap has been ditched and replaced with a 750cfm holley carb,tubular exhaust headers and electronic ignition.In the future I plan to rebuild it with high compression pistons,bigger valves etc with a target figure of 500bhp,funds permitting. Gearbox is a 3 -speed auto C6 ford operated by a jag shifter.I would have preferred a manual but there just isn't space for a clutch pedal.Differential is a powerlok from V12 jag with a 3.07:1 ratio.

Ancillaries The cooling system comprises of a modified XJ12 radiator with twin fans,a combination of silicon and stainless hoses and a Mini Metro expansion tank mounted beneath the fuel filler cap in the n/s wing.A stainless fuel tank is mounted in the boot which also houses the battery.Exhaust is mostly Jetex,2.5" diameter with straight thru' silencers mounted under the boot floor.
Interior is 2 bucket seats,3-point harnesses and that monster rollcage.An ETB digital instrument display is likely to be installed.

In the above pictures we have a fully driveable rollling chassis.It is clear that with the engine set so far back there would be issues with access to the engine for servicing and maintenance and indeed it would be impossible to remove the engine with the body in situ,so a solution was needed......hence.....

To prevent the body from twisting as it is raised an internal metal frame connects the hinging mechanism to the gas rams under the sills and forward to the windscreen scuttle.
To raise the body the bonnet must be removed,2 handles attached and then 8 fixing bolts undone.This takes about 5 mins and makes the car much easier to work on.