Unfortunately for Charlie, with FoMoCo’s best engineers all busy trying to cope with the flurry of onerous safety, emissions and fuel economy mandates spewing out of Washington D.C., Henry Ford II was no longer interested in factory-sponsored racing efforts. Not ready to take “no” for an answer, Charlie began searching for investors who might be interested in funding an independent racing effort. As luck would have it, Charlie found enthusiastic sponsors in Armor All and Dobbs Ford in Memphis, Tennessee. Charlie subsequently hired race car designer Bob Riley, and engine builder Jack Roush, to create an endurance racer of the highest order – based on Ford’s fast-selling Mustang II.
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Six years earlier, John Bishop (having spent 12 years with the SCCA), had collaborated with NASCAR President Bill France Sr., to launch the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA). Ever since its first race at Pocono International Raceway on October 19, 1969, the IMSA had been increasing in popularity. So, with his finger always on the pulse of the sport’s most enthusiastic fan base, Kemp guided his growing team as they worked toward the common goal of prepping the new foal to stretch her legs in the IMSA’s new All-American GT class. Having been conceived to encourage the design, construction and subsequent competition of GT-type cars based on high-volume American products, AAGT appeared to be the perfect fit for Kemp’s soon-to-be hot to trot Mustang II. But, upon the Cobra II’s arrival for its big debut at the 24 Hours of Daytona on January 2, 1976, Charlie was in for an unpleasant surprise.
Construction of the Cobra II hadn’t begun until November 1975. Between then and the car’s public debut (just two months later), Kemp and Riley’s vision for the vehicle had been executed at a breakneck pace. To cope with the nearly-nonexistent timeframe, Jimmy Dobbs provided a stock Mustang II from his dealership’s inventory. Fournier used Dobbs’ car as a template to craft custom steel panels that would soon be used to develop molds for the race car’s fiberglass body pieces. The race car’s floorpan would become a stressed member, riveted and epoxied to the space frame (which itself tied into the roof, doors and pillars) to form an exceptionally strong shell onto which the suspension and other components could be installed.
By the time Riley and Fournier’s work was completed, the car measured 171 inches long and 74.5 inches wide. It sat on a 96.8-inch wheelbase and (with just 2.9 inches of ground clearance) stood no more than 43 inches off the ground. Compared to its street-legal namesake’s specifications, the Kemp Cobra II was 4 inches shorter, 4.3 inches wider, sat on a 0.6-of-an-inch longer wheelbase, and stood a full 7 inches lower than what buyers found in dealer showrooms. As per IMSA rules, the Cobra II’s suspension was based on the road car’s basic design. Unequal length A-arms up front and a solid axle out back were mandated. Adjustable Gabriel shocks, coil springs and adjustable stabilizer bars were employed at all four corners, as were large 12.2-inch vented disc brakes – while upper and lower trailing arms held the big nine-inch axle in place.