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Welcome to Kirkham Motorsports
For almost 15 years we have been manufacturing the finest aluminum bodied roadsters in an old jet fighter factory in Poland. We have an enviable reputation in the industry for our stunning aluminum bodies and our sophisticated billet suspension made here in-house on the latest CNC equipment and CAD design software. We are dedicated to continually improve our methods, materials, and processes. Our craftsmanship and customer service are first class.
We hope as you explore our web site you will learn what makes our cars the highest quality in the replicar market. While there are many choices in the kit car world, none offer the combination of hand-crafted aluminum bodies with world-class engineering and manufacturing expertise provided by Kirkham Motorsports. We hope you can see our quality vasty exceeds any other kit car company on earth. Our rolling chassis are built with all new parts. We do not mix and match parts from “donor” vehicles and we do not use junk yard mystery parts. The systems on our cars such as brakes and steering are designed and engineered from the ground up with components that work together and are track proven by some of the most talented racing drivers on earth. We have spent many hours with engineers from companies like Penske Racing Shocks and Wilwood Brakes to make sure everything performs as it should. With a Kirkham roadster you will not need to make excuses for unpredictable brake performance, dubious steering geometries, or feeble handling. You are buying a Chariot of Fire; why settle for something that barely even looks like—let alone performs like—the car of your dreams?
Speaking of looks... Other companies that build replicas use phrases like “period correct” and “dimensionally accurate” to describe their cars. When you park some of these cars next to an original AC Shelby Cobra you will find that they have taken a “little” (maybe too much) artistic license. Our competitors' body shapes, cockpits, trunks, wheel-well openings, hood scoops, and other dimensions deviate a surprising amount from the original AC body. We supply Shelby with our aluminum bodies and frames for the the vast majority of their aluminum bodied CSX 4000 series cars. Our cars are so accurate we have provided replacement body panels and chassis parts to many customers to restore their own original Shelby Cobras. Customers have even purchased complete rolling chassis' from us to restore their original cars.
Not only are our cars accurate, they are built to tighter tolerances than the original Cobra with stronger, lighter and better materials. Our suspension control arms have evolved from complex tubular steel units with antiquated bearings and bushings into extremely lightweight CNC machined billet parts with modern sealed bearings and permanently lubricated wear surfaces. Our hubs are a true pin drive “knock off” design that has benefited from Formula 1 technology. The hubs are no longer made of 4340 chromoly but of heat treated 17-4 PH stainless with a tensile strength of 200,000 psi. This exotic alloy is 4 times more expensive to buy than chromoly! 17-4 PH is expensive to machine but it has unsurpassed properties for axles, shafts and hubs. Unlike chromoly or other steel alloys, 17-4 PH is highly resistant to corrosion, and extremely strong so parts can be made thinner—and hence, lighter. We use better materials throughout the entire car. We utilize stainless for our brake lines, fuel tanks, roll bars, exhaust and other applications to eliminate the notorious problem of corrosion as much as possible.
Another example of attention to detail is our leather seats. While other manufacturers have scrimped in this area, we went to great lengths to build great seats. Where others use a cheap fiberglass bucket we use a complex welded tubular frame. This is the only way to build an authentic seat. This frame is covered in beautiful European leather and has authentic tuck and roll stitching. We even invested in the tooling to reproduce the original rubber diaphragm that supports the lower seat cushion. Many who have ridden in our cars--after driving other replicas--comment on how much more comfortable our seats are. Let's face it, when you are not staring at your beautiful car, you are driving it and the seat is the biggest interface between you and the car so it is important that it is done right.
The frame on our car is patterned after the original but made with stronger and better tubing. Depending on which model you buy we manufacture the 3 inch round tube, transverse-leaf spring frame as was used on the original AC 289 Shelby Cobras or the 4 inch round tube frame with coil-over independent suspension that is so famous on the 1965 Shelby 427 SC. Just like the originals, you will not find any inexpensive box tube framing on our chassis.
All of this attention to detail and improved materials and manufacturing adds up to a beautiful, strong, lightweight roadster. In fact, the majority of our cars are never painted. How many other manufacturers build custom aluminum bodies that are straight enough that they can be polished to a mirror finish and then left bare? None. Our cars are also extraordinarily light. They regularly weigh less than 2,150 pounds when completed with an aluminum block 427 and 5 speed transmission. Engine builders are regularly getting 600 horse power with the new aluminum block 427 engines. The beauty of these engines is that they are not peaky with on off switch power bands. They have a broad torque curve that makes them easy to drive and modulate. With this much horsepower available in such a competent chassis, you get truly breathtaking performance.
Unless you were lucky enough to own one of the original cars from the 60's, you could only wistfully dream about the look, feel, and performance of the real thing…until now. Ultimately, owning any car is more than having your name in a book, looking at someone's signature on the dash, or speculating about its collectability. You own a Kirkham for its head-turning beauty and heart-stopping performance; but, the Kirkham ownership experience goes beyond just a car. We regularly sponsor track events, open houses, and other activities where owners can gather and learn to get the most out of their vehicles. Since Larry Miller built the Miller Motorsports Park race track near our facility we have been hosting track days free of charge to owners of our cars. Our customers are like a second family to us and many life-long friendships have been made with our customers. We are still in touch with many of our first customers from 15 years ago.
Whether you want to build a 427 KMS SC, 289 KMS FIA, or a 289 KMS Le Mans car, you know our roadsters are going to accurately replicate the experience of driving an original car—we think they are even a little better. Please browse through our web site and find out for yourself why Peter Brock, designer of the FIA World Championship Daytona Coupe told us, "I admire you guys because you do things right!" Even The Wall Street Journal proclaimed, "The [Kirkham's] attention to detail borders on the fanatical." We think you'll agree. Many CEO's of some of the world's most successful companies--who can easily afford to buy an original car--have bought our car. Larry Ellison, Carroll Shelby, Bobby Rahal, and Larry Miller are all customers of ours. We have many, many more customers with modest budgets who recognize the value of buying a quality product. Some of these customers originally bought “brand x” cars because of the cheap initial purchase price. They ended up spending so much on upgrades, fixes, and extras (to attempt to make the car match their dreams) they could have bought a Kirkham for less--and had what they wanted from the beginning without all the heartburn, headaches, and wasted money.
No other replica company on earth pays attention to the small details like Kirkham Motorsports does—no one even comes close. Life is short. Call us and let us make your dreams come true. So, buckle up, put it in gear, and hang on for the ride of your lifetime.
Forget about keeping up with the Joneses ...PASS THEM!
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Cobra, Shelby, 427 S/C, AC, and 289 FIA are all registered trademarks. Kirkham Motorsports is not connected to the holders of these trademarks.
