What little custom touches have you done to your cars?

[Cashburn]

Originally Posted by Blas

I believe is was Backdraft that has a nice screened assembly at the bottom/rear of the front wheel wells to allow some additional airflow to the exhaust header collector area. I'm not sure if its unique to BDR's or a detail lifted from another mfr. I'm working from memory here cause its SNOWING outside....anyone add this detail to their car and sourced the screened covers? Maybe have a photo or two?

Not on BDRs that I've seen, seen a few of 'em

But interesting concept.

[Silverback51]

I cut off the fake reverse lock out grips on the shift lever.

I was always hitting the back of my hand on it and cutting it open. Then I have read a couple stories of people being in an accident and the drivers leg coming up and hitting it. First they get a puncture wound, and then it opens them up like a gaff.

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by Blas

I believe is was Backdraft that has a nice screened assembly at the bottom/rear of the front wheel wells to allow some additional airflow to the exhaust header collector area. I'm not sure if its unique to BDR's or a detail lifted from another mfr. I'm working from memory here cause its SNOWING outside....anyone add this detail to their car and sourced the screened covers? Maybe have a photo or two?

Uhh, would you be thinking of this shot of my wheel well?

[Randy Rosenberg]

Originally Posted by Blas

Superformance Related:
The brake lines run along the top of the chassis on the drivers side just below the exhaust header. I also have my fuel line relocated in this same area.
The tubing in this area can easily recieve a heat-soak from the exhaust header, heating both the tubing and its contents and occasionally causing vapor lock in the fuel line after a long ride on a hot day and spongy brakes if the brake fluid boils. This would most likely occure after parking the car for a short periods when hot. (like stopping for gas, etc)
It's easy to install a heatshield in this area before the engine is installed but a tough area to access after engine installation. Here is my solution; all installed from below the car without even taking off the tire. Tapping the 4 holes for the mounting screws was the hardest part because two of them go thru a double section of steel. Pop rivits would make for an easier installation. I think the total cost for the modification was $10 without the addition of the heat tape. Made a big difference on hot days after a long ride after stopping and restarting the car. I think the photos tell the story best.

Wow! What a great solution! The clearance I have with my 460 block is like an inch (maybe 2 at the most), and I think this heat shield would have huge positive affect on problem. I tried making a shield myself a couple of years ago, but custom fablication is not my forte, so I gave up. I imagine that every SPF owner with a BB could benefit from a shield like this, especially one that can be installed without pulling the engine.

[DanEC]

Originally Posted by Blas

I believe is was Backdraft that has a nice screened assembly at the bottom/rear of the front wheel wells to allow some additional airflow to the exhaust header collector area. I'm not sure if its unique to BDR's or a detail lifted from another mfr. I'm working from memory here cause its SNOWING outside....anyone add this detail to their car and sourced the screened covers? Maybe have a photo or two?

You may be thinking of ERA although maybe Backdraft has the vents too.

Dan

[601HP]

Originally Posted by Silverback51

I cut off the fake reverse lock out grips on the shift lever.

I was always hitting the back of my hand on it and cutting it open. Then I have read a couple stories of people being in an accident and the drivers leg coming up and hitting it. First they get a puncture wound, and then it opens them up like a gaff.

This year I removed my fake reverse lock-out, too. I just removed the ball, lifted out a pin and spring, then slid the lever out side-ways, and re-installed the ball.

That thing hurt my hand too many times. Much more comfortable now.

David

[bobcowan]

Lets see. Quite a few small things that make me happy. Here's a short list off the top of my head, in no particular order.

1. Screens on the front wheel wells kinda like those pictured above. That really helps keep the foot boxes cool.

2. Welded in a drive shaft safety loop.

3. Made a polished billit alum hosing for a gauge warning light and shift light LED under the mirror


4. Trying to keep the oil at the proper temp has been a challange. On a cold day on the highway, it was tough to get it above 140* or so. But I need the cooler on the track. So I tapped directly into the pan and installed a seperate electric pump. When the oil's hot I flip the switch and it cools off. On the street I leave, and it gets to normal operating temp regardless of air temp.

Here you can see the pump on the left frame rail


5. I used red powdercoat on polished aluminum to make "red chrome". Looks good on a lot of trim and enigine parts.

6. I have an 8 stack EFI system - 4 seperate throttle bodies. Like Webers, getting the throttle bodies balanced is a very delicate procedure. It has to be exactly right at all throttle levels, or it just doesn't feel right. I'v been struggeling with this issue for a while. At the moment, I'm completly re-engineering the linkage and throttle cable connections for greater accuracy. Not overly difficult, but tedious and time consuming.

7. I made a left foot rest out of angle iron, muffler clamp, and some rubber padding.

8. Fed my valve cover breathers through an air/oil seprater, and down to a single tank. I had to make the connections for the valve covers, and make a bracket for the seperater tank.

9. Modified Cobra Earls dropped trunk kit to fit with IRS and a sway bar from VPM. That was actually pretty easy.

10. Remote mounted the oil pressure sender so it would be insulated from engine viobrations.

12. Built a diffuser plate for the hood scoop opening. That was actually worth about 6-8 mph on the top end.


13. Use SS mesh and plywood edge trim to make a screen cover for the radiater.

14. Made the brake and clutch pedals easily adjustable for height. I used an adjustable brake push rod, and made adjustable return stops for both.

That's about all I can think of at the moment.

[Excaliber]

Actually I find the "little things" more interesting than the big things.

Like the hole drilled in the inside of cockpit interior to access the rear spark plug. I did that mode and was kind of surprised to see someone else figured that out and did it as well.

I've tried a bunch of different cup holders, like the front of a tennis shoe stuck under the leading edge of the front seat. Then use the heel portion to hold your drink. Works OK, but it's not great, maybe you need just the right tennis shoe? I finally just gave up and went to Walmart and bought one of those engine hump organizers with cup holders. Totally non original, I hide it in the trunk if I'm at a cruise in. Works out nice though, I like having a place to put my coffee in the morning, throw my wallet in or just a general catch all.

[madmaxx]

The billet remote clutch reservoirs are currently listed in the for sale section of this forumn. They are pretty but pricey.

If you just want to stop the leaking, take your old one off and take the resvoir off the base, clean everything, then get some SEALALL and apply to the o-ring between the reservoir and base, reinstall reservoir, tighten clamp, let dry, reinstall. You will not have anymore leaks and seal all is acceptable for brake fluid.

[Buzz]

Louvered hood vents - not so much for engine cooling, but to protect underhood components from excessive heat, particularly when parked after a long drive. Not exactly an original touch but period correct as at least one original car had hood vents. More importantly to me - they really work!

[Excaliber]

Kei, CSX8000 from Hawaii, but the car "lives" on the mainland, also run's a hood vent. I think it's mostly to get rid of some engine cockpit heat (351W out to 427 cid). Last I heard Kei had over 70,000 miles on that car (Roush motor). Blew a head gasket at about that mileage, never heard back what the cause was...

[Dwight]

I made a aluminum reservoir for my master brake cyclinder out of a piece of 2" aluminum conduit and a Mag Lite.
Dwight

[PHM]

A bunch of stuff but mainly an Custom Billet air cleaner, billet oil breathers and radiator cap. Also the billet wing nuts for the air cleaner.







Check out my Gallery

[*13*]

I like em!

Originally Posted by Buzz

Louvered hood vents - not so much for engine cooling, but to protect underhood components from excessive heat, particularly when parked after a long drive. Not exactly an original touch but period correct as at least one original car had hood vents. More importantly to me - they really work!

[cobrajeff]

I can't leave anything alone - I've always got some crazy idea how I could "improve" my stuff....

I'll break these down to things I did during the build, and then things I modified later. I have added a bunch of pics to Gallery, so you can see some details and alternate views there.
For starters, I knew I was going to put a Cleveland in my FIA, and I knew I wanted it to breath through 427-style side pipes. Fortunately, I made about three trips to New Britain during the cars construction. Early on I determined that some frame mods would be required to accomdate my side pipes through the body:




The outer frame rail had to be cut back, and unique braces added.







I planned to open track the car, so I took it to my old friend Stu Galbraith at Weldcraft Welding to have the tunnel brace modified, a forward leg added to the roll bar (I originally ordered the car from ERA with a 427-style rear-braced roll bar specified), and side impact braces (copied off Frannie Kress's Cobra) added in:







I'm pretty sure the finished product added a lot of stiffness, and it helps insure that I step high enough over the side braces that I clear the hot pipes, too.

I also copied Fran's racing mirror mounts on the windscreen:



Since I used a rivet-on 427 style hood scoop (I liked the looks better than the FIA-unique scoop), I had to make my own scoop insert...



And I finished off the inside of the oil cooler scoop with aluminium, so the raw 'glass doesn't show up:



That's enough for now. Will post later with other mods.

regards,

Jeff

[Snakebit]

Custom drive shaft hoop
Wire looms on valve covers
Remote oil filter bracket
Tail light bulb reflectors
Weber linkage
Windshield miror brackets
Bypass hose on dual outlet Weber manifold

Everything else was supplied by ERA.

[Blas]

Starting to see some nice stuff here...

CobraJeff, your windshield appears to have a substantial amount of additional rake to it...is that just the photo?

Dwight...Maglight Flashlight? I bet you used it for the filler and cap?

As to the vent screen in the front wheel-wells...Could I have seen it on one of the CSX Fiberglass replica cars maybe?

[*13*]

CobraJeff, Great to see early pics of your car! Very Nostalgic for you, I'm sure! Added to the above...Did you mod your car to get extra rake on your windshield? I couldn't get mine too much further than I have it.

[PANAVIA]

Little In Car Dealies. --

1976 Jaguar XJS rotary headlight switch moved to left side of collumn.
1960's industrial military on-off switches for fog lights and fans (found at surplus store)
ignition switch moved to center of dash like SB/289 car
MGA british horn push for horn button
Downward fake Tubes removed from bottom of dash to tunnel
XM Radio cradle and Sony Remote





Small Metal tabs welded on back of lower front bumper hoop for Marchal fog lamps
Lucas Glass Lights for front signals

[Buzz]

Great looking car Steve!