I got up early yesterday morning and hit the road for McDonough. I towed the rolling chassis on an open trailer with an F-350 Dually Powerstroke Diesel (one DAMN FINE truck). The trip to GA went completely without incident and no rain. A few drivers were interested in my cargo and one person in particular paced me for severeal miles before finally passing with a big thumbs-up and a smile. I stopped at a Burger King along the way and drew a small crowd of men who were interested in what I was building.
I arrived at Southern Automotive near lunch and left the rig there. Susan suggested I borrow their van & trailer to bring the body over from Bruce's. That way, some of the SA guys could help me set the body onto the chassis (a relatively fast and straight-forward process). So, I drove their van and trailer over to Bruce's shop to get the car. The car looked fantastic! Man, he did a beautiful job. It was a Kodak moment. The red looked terric out in the sun and I was quite happy about my decision to not have stripes (makes the car appear wider). Bruce did a great job and he is truly a fine gentleman to do business with. Bruce and others helped me to remount the hood, trunk lid, and doors for the ride to back to SA. Soon, the body was loaded and I was on my way.
The guys at Southern Automotive were a fantastic help (thanks guys) with setting the body back on the chassis. It certainly helps that Unique designs it to be an easy process to begin with. I spent the next half-hour installing a few bolts, taping the doors and trunk lid shut, installing the hood latches, and disassembling the wooden body buck for the ride home. The guys came out once again to help push the car onto the trailer (I've learned that two people are not enough). Soon, it was strapped in and ready to go. I must say, the car looked fantastic. What a beauty. Another Kodak moment. Unfortunately, the coaters weren't done with the sidepiepes yet, so it had to go home sans pipes.
It's amazing I didn't cause an accident pulling this thing through traffic. If you ever wanna cause a riot, try pulling into your local McDonald's with a Cobra in tow. Or any gas station. It's crazy. And the best part is hearing all the comments and whistles when I open the hood to reveal the big-block and two fours. Some guys just laugh and shake their heads in disbelief saying, "Oh my God." What a blast.
Well, remember those clear skies I was talking about? Forget about 'em. Upon entering Columbia, SC, the bottom dropped out
. It finally stopped by the time I pulled into the driveway. My neighbor and three of his buddies had been waiting all evening for me to arrive. They were a great help with unloading the car. I knew I wouldn't sleep knowing it was covered with road grime, so I sprayed it down with a hose and dried it off before parking it for the night. What a pleasure it is to look into the garage and see a beautiful red Cobra sitting there!
Now I need to get my butt down to the local parts store and start getting busy!
Keith
P.S. - Before you guys have a coniption fit, I'll post photos next week when they get back from developing, so just be patient.