What little custom touches have you done to your cars?

[Dan Stryffeler]

A lot of modifications to the original suspension were made, but the main custom touches were the valve covers and overflow tank.

For the valve covers, I machined up my own patterns and had aluminum castings made, then machined the raw castings for final fit and finish; two piece units w/no mounting flange - socket head cap screws bolt down through the side wall and then the top plate bolts down to seal everything up.

Ended up using the valve cover patterns one more time to cast up a set of covers for my 66 Mustang, so I recouped a little bit of effort, but I don't think I'll ever try something like this again. The Ford logo was probably the most difficult part to make; drew out the logo on a sheet of rubber that was glued to a block of wood and cut it out with a razor knife, then sandblasted the wood and bandsawed out the logo... little cleanup work to the piece then had it cast in aluminum and worked the heck out of that to get the final pattern.

Too much like work, and if I wanted to work I would get a real job

For the tank, I bought a standard big block overflow tank from Dove and cut the bottom off, then machined up a new small block thermostat cover and welded it all back together.

All I really wanted to do was kinda replicate the look of the air cleaner cover, but stupidity takes real committment!

- Dan

[cobrajeff]

Dan - those valve covers are beautiful! Nice job!

Hyde and Blas -

IIRC (it was over 12 years ago), I think that I slotted the holes in the windshield frame a bit more to get some extra "rake" to the windshiled.



That did, however, present some problems when I went to install my convertible top. I had to cut and modify the top bows to get the top to fit with the raked windshield.



Never have completed the unique side curtains I started to make.

Couple more mods I did during the build:

I sectioned the foot-boxes in order to make room for the 351C:



I think I took nearly two inches out on each side, so that I had room for the headers.

I also made some custom steel valve covers, stripping some stock 351C covers, having additional breathers welded on, and then having them plated cad gold to match my Canton "T" pan. I would have like to put taller "R" Model breather tubes on it, but, with valve cover spacers to clear the roller rockers, I didn't think I had hood clearance for them.



In this pic, you can also see my "big-block" expansion tank that I modified to fit my Cleveland, and the remote oil-filter adapter that I modified to fit on the left cylinder head.

Then there were wheels - I ordered my FIA style Halibrands from Phil Schmidt - two 8.0" for the front, two 10.0" for the rear, and one 5.0" for the spare.





I painted in the GoodYear lettering on all of the tires, and painted on a blue stripe to make them look like BlueStreaks. The lettering and painted stripes held up pretty good, but, since I never got around to a front end alignment, I tore up the front tires in less than 1,000 miles (the rear ones were suffering from lead-foot-itis, I think). The Gatorbacks were hard as rocks, and didn't provide much traction. I replaced them with BFG Euro T/A's, and was able to increase the tire size significantly - going from 225/60x15 on front to 265/50x15, and the rear from 255/60x15 to 305/50x15.

Jeff

[Dan Stryffeler]

Jeff - thanks for the compliment, was happy with the outcome (other than the weight - they are HEAVY!)

Here are the semi-finished covers before the engine went in... was thinking about going with a black krinkle finish but went with plain grey (should have done the black...)

Also was fooling around with a gates-style belt system but couldn't get the courage to try it out in the real world - thought it would be too much weight on the water pump and alternator bushings (still have the pulleys we made stored in a box though, so maybe one day... or remake from aluminum instead of steel blanks).

- Dan

[IMG][/IMG]

[KVenom]

I created these billet wing mirrors that are a big hit.
[IMG]
[IMG]

[Blas]

KVenom,
Really nice. I saw them at the London event on a few cars...killer design and execution. Really filled a need...

[D-CEL]

Well lets see:
Rebuilt the fuel system:
• All -8 stainless hard line from the pick-up to the fire wall
• Aeromotive ORB-08 fuel pump
Rebuilt ignition system:
• Fully redundant MSD HVC6 boxes and coils
• Cockpit selectable
Rebuilt brake system:
• Dual Manual Wilwood master cylinders (1/2 and 7/8) on 60deg mount with balance bar and a cockpit adjuster.
• Changed pedal ratio to 6.5-1
• Firewall mounted remote reservoirs, stainless hard lined
• Wilwood billet front hubs
• Superlite 6R calipers
• 12.75x1.25 rotors with alum. Hats
Deans exhaust mod:
• Stainless steel specialties 3” mufflers

[Bernica]

Well, I have a few that have already been mentioned, but here's one.....

How many of you have had your car up on jacks or in my case, a KwikLift, and spent time rolling around under the car on a creeper just to finish, roll out, sit up, and BANG!!, hit your head on the quickjack? Hit it right and you're a real bleeder. It hangs out there like a talon just waiting to gouge you.

I made some soft covers for the quickjacks that slip on and off just for this purpose. Will post pics later. Christmas Eve now. Merry Christmas all!

[bobcowan]

Originally Posted by Bernica

I made some soft covers for the quickjacks that slip on and off just for this purpose. Will post pics later. Christmas Eve now. Merry Christmas all!

That's a good idea. I might do the same thing. I also shortened the posts for the quick jacks, tucking them in a lot closer to the body. I don't bark my shins on them very often.

[Blas]

Anyone try flipping the quickjacks so they extend towards the car? Many originals had them that way I believe. Someone could confirm that...

[Excaliber]

I had mine flipped for a little while, mostly to get them out of the way while the car was being worked on and shipped to the mainland. I don't particularly care for that look though.

[RedBarchetta]

Originally Posted by Bernica

How many of you have...sit up, and BANG!!, hit your head on the quickjack?

Been there, done that, too. 4 stitches right in the middle of my left eyebrow. The covers are a great idea. I now treat the quickjacks like a hot sidepipe.

Originally Posted by Excaliber

I had mine flipped for a little while...I don't particularly care for that look though.

I observed the same thing in one of my Cobra pictoral books. But I too don't care for the look so I'm just going to leave well enough alone.

-Dean

[Bernica]

Originally Posted by Blas

Anyone try flipping the quickjacks so they extend towards the car? Many originals had them that way I believe. Someone could confirm that...

Here is a pic of CSX2431 with the jacks flipped....

[MFE III]

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.

Bobcowan:
that's a very interesting alternative to running a thermostat for the cooler. For me, it would be much easier plumbing to run a line up one frame rail through the pump, cooler then back to the oil filter adapter plate on the other side of the motor.
What kind of pump did you use?

[bobcowan]

I used this Tilton pump. Specifically designed for oil cooling - like gear boxes and diffs


I put two bungs into the oil pan. They're not welded in, they're Russel bulkhead fittings. They don't leak.


And the pump is mounted to the frame rail here


I had a thermostat sandwich fitting. But it still had trouble getting the oil warm while cruising down the highway. Even when the thermostat is closed, about 10% of the oil moves through the cooler. That's to keep all of the oil in the system at the same temp. That was enough to keep the oil temps down around 130-140*.

Another advantage is that the engine oiling system and the oil cooling system are completly seperate. No additional strain on the SV/SP engine oil pump. And no pressure drop through the system.

[MFE III]

I like it alot. Since I've got a 4-port oil filter adapter with one return port plugged, I'd run the return to that port and only need one bulkhead fitting into the pan. And, like you said, you don't get the drop in oil pressure associated with adding a cooler.
Great idea, thanks.
Matt

[Bernica]

Originally Posted by RedBarchetta

Been there, done that, too. 4 stitches right in the middle of my left eyebrow. The covers are a great idea. I now treat the quickjacks like a hot sidepipe.




I observed the same thing in one of my Cobra pictoral books. But I too don't care for the look so I'm just going to leave well enough alone.

-Dean

Here are the pics of the quickjack covers. Simple but effective. No more bloody head or shins!!

["Q"]

Stainless boot and bonnet lining, stainless scuff plates, stainless clad engine bay, stainless grille set, curved sun visors and wind deflectors, etc.


Above pic of custom painted Cobra with Stainless Grille set.

This might not be to the taste of a purist, but the question was about "custom touches". This was all done by a friend here in South Africa (Hennie Greeff) that calls his bussiness "Custom Cobras". The link attached shows more close ups of stainless customizing on Cobras.
http://www.clubcobra.com/forums/album.php?albumid=189

[Buzz]

Nice work!

[CSXDreamer]

I completely re-did my dash to the conventional "street car" layout and added a few specialties: 1. Powered the headlights and parking lights through a relay so they only work when the key is "on." 2. Added a green light next to my coolant temperature gage that comes on with the electric radiator fan. 3. Added a red idiot light next to the voltage gage when the voltage drops. 4. Added a "racy" guarded toggle switch to start the engine. 5. Wired the front amber "parking" lights to come on with the engine. They function as daylight running lights for better visability.

I also added a windshield center rod that holds the whole windshield assembly to the cowl and the top w/s frame piece to the bottom. Rod was 5/32" nickel welding rod mirror polished. It has a polished aluminum block neer the top that mounts a radar detector and the r/v mirror higher so I can see over the rear cowl.

[Jamo]

I had folks unhitch the gas cap a few times while at car shows or events.

It ain't what it seems...