Hello From Australia - Cobra Owner

[templarian]

Hi everyone,

I’m about to take delivery of a Cobra which would appear to have a c.1971 Stormer engine fitted, based on the engine number, and it running a Concentric. I’ve not been able to verify that it has a visible frame number but will be able to have a look when it arrives. The seller bought it from a museum in Launceston, Tasmania around twenty years ago, raced it for a year or two, then put it into storage with his collection of 11, yes eleven, Greeves bikes, which he now has up for sale as a job lot. He had replica vinyl side covers made up and the suspension appears to be original Armstrong front and rear. I’ll be on the lookout for a replacement tank in aluminum or steel to better cope with the damaging E10 fuel. I’m very much looking forward to seeing it in the flesh!

Attachments:

[cottonjo]

Keep us informed and we’ll see how we can help.
Paul

[CPR]

Hi.
From the pictures you posted the bike has a Starmaker engine. It has wider fins than the Stormer. The Stormer also has 2 extra head studs to hold the cylinder head down. There are other differences. A list of them can be found on Nick Brown’s AJS Ltd web site. Well worth looking at, especially if you intend racing it. A popular mod was to replace the monobloc with a concentric carb. The frame number is usually stamped on the headstock. My Cobra has a fibreglass petrol tank and I have had no trouble with ethanol. When I raced it I just drained the fuel (Super grade E5) out of the tank after each meeting, but I understand that some fibreglass tanks cope with it better than others.
Hope this helps

Chris

[templarian]

Thanks Chris, all good, useful information and well received. Looks like the crankcases might be the replacements then, plus the concentric. I'll have a better idea once I get my hands on it.