78 Miles

[tin-man]

Originally Posted by Car Nut

Wow.

Based upon your description(s) when we talked, I am very surprised at the simplicity of the problem, a loose screw in the distributor. And if that is all that it really is, I wouldn't be concerned with pump/thrust bearing issues. A good tune on the transmission controller should resolve the problems we talked about specific to the transmission before and after.

Anyway, it sounds as everyone is stepping up big time to make it right. That in itself should be very comforting. My hat is off to Voss and others.

You do realize I will have to test drive it when you get it back to Phoenix.

Car Nut, well I am guessing everyone in the AZ club will want to take a test drive and render an opinon, no issues really, well perhaps all 'cept DWRAT, I got good lookin' seats that I want to stay that way. Sorry DWRAT you have a bed rep for soling seats. tin-man

[mikiec]

Hey, Tinny...

Any new update?

Mike

[tin-man]

Originally Posted by mikiec

Hey, Tinny...

Any new update?

Mike

Mike, sent you a pm.

[dave from mesa]

Originally Posted by tin-man

Car Nut, well I am guessing everyone in the AZ club will want to take a test drive and render an opinon, tin-man

You got that right.

Here's wishing you well for a very happy X-mas. Hopefully all you will have to worry about your car is gas and tickets.

[Karl Bebout]

I should be selected to do the test driving since I have the automatic transmissioned car. Everyone else would be trying to push in the non existant clutch pedal and would probably be hitting the brake, in stead.

[razerwire]

csx is inferior product? Chose the right engine builder and shop to assemble won't have any problems. CSX41xx was put together by former nascar crew chief. Engine built by Kroyer racing engines. Engine put on dyno before put in car, then car on chassis dyno to tune under load. Corner weighted, roll center, ride height, alignment, set by former crew chief. Transmission set on transmission dyno before install to measure drag, set up and pump, 4 speed nascar by tex racing. Car run around track to check and then back to shop to check all bolts, look for leaks,ect. Less trouble if you use general contractor to oversee project, In the case of CSX41xx former crew chief . Having one person in charge they will check all subs work and help pick combo's that work together.

[csx4910]

Not taking anything away from your car but from all accounts and my own experience, build quality of the compenes that come from the factory is far inferior to those made by the kirkhams and even SPF. CSx have been built in at least 3 differnt factories over the last 10 years, i suspect due to the cost of labor and it going to the cheapest. I owned a spf as well and the overall fit and finsih(not the performance) was far superior in the spf. Now my csx would blow it away in terms of performance (when I can get my Roush 511 running correctly) and I have no doubt your Nascar pit crew cheif can set up a race car like nobody's business, but I am talking about the quality of the parts that came from Shelby

I have a fuel cell that came in my csx that is only 3 years old with the foam already breaking down and clogging the fuel filter foam and bladder from fuel safe but tank made by shelby in south africa or mexico that is far inferior in design to the tank design by fuel safe and others. It is rated to last 5-8 years depending on who you talk to and after 3 years I have to think about replacing it?!? You call that good quality?

[tin-man]

Originally Posted by Karl Bebout

I should be selected to do the test driving since I have the automatic transmissioned car. Everyone else would be trying to push in the non existant clutch pedal and would probably be hitting the brake, in stead.

Karl, nobody told me about breaks, does Arizona require them as standard equipment and installed? When I ordered power breaks they sold me on a TRD parawind airborne braking system that works on wind power, when I want to stop I press a button and out shoots this TRD, sorta like an umberella. Trouble is I have not had a chance to test it yet, never really had a need to stop.

Does everyone agree with Karl? Somehow I am inclined to support Karl, but didn't Karl drive his car into a tree, or is that another story for another time? tin-man

[Karl Bebout]

But Tinner, they were just SMALL trees. 3"-5" diameter, and a bunch of assorted desert flora and fauna. I did miss the light pole.

[ItBites]

Tinner,

I'll offer to shake-down your car. I can be your experienced hot-shoe who has an auto equipped Cobra - and - I have not put my Cobra off the road far enough to do damage (sorry Karlos). Mine is also EFI equipped like yours, so my familiarity with 'puters should put your car at ease with me in the saddle... I promise to take it easy for the first at least 5 seconds!

[tin-man]

Hi guys, I am happy to report that all the players involved in my original ordeal have stepped up and are making a lot of fine progress in the resolutions and corrective actions that were required to sort out what happened to my car after 78 miles.

Erick Voss of Voss performance correctly diagnosed the no start issue being derivative of a loose screw on the rotor, made the corrections and drove the car, this I have reported previously.

Mark Bowler Of Bowler Transmissions has done one outstanding job of forensic diagnostics along with his team at Compushift. The cause for the surging was attributed to a pinched wire that occurred during the installation process, the transmission surging effect has been eliminated completely.

Mark Yagelo of Roush Industries has identified a Cobra in Michigan that has the same set up as mine and will be using that car to determine what electronic and hardware changes will be required to resolve the high idle issues that are associated with my car. As was stated by Mark:

What we learn on that vehicle may or may not transfer 100% to your car which is why we'll need access to it at some point, either on site or back here in Michigan so we can sort out all the details once and for all. The plan is to have a robust solution implemented before you're ready to start using and enjoying your car again. We're working towards that end.

So all things considered, while what happened should not have happened, the very people who stand behind the products they offer stepped up to the plate in an admirable fashion, resolved what issues that could be resolved at the time and are working towards finding and making whatever corrective actions that are necessary and will apply these changes directly to my car as indicated.

Final comment, Lance Stander of Hillbank Motors in Costa Mesa California has graciously agreed to store my car in his showroom until Roush has come up with the fix.

Given these events I can say my previous angst has dissipated and I look forward with anticipation to Christmas when I can drive my life long dream once more.

Cheers, John AKA tin-man

[DSM351]

Congrats! Patience and calm coolness paid off. I just drove 80 miles tonight in the SPF just to get a tank of gas, of course I could have gone to the station 2miles away, but what's the fun in that?? Your car will be everything you dream of, just have a little more patience and make sure Lance and family puts 500-1000 miles on it. Mine has 28,500 and nothing wrong with the roller at all!!!

[tkb289]

tin-man ...

Sounds like everyone involved is working hard to resolve the issues and getting your bleck beauty fully sorted and ready to roll.

Thanks for the update, soon you will be back behind the wheel

[Avmaviator]

That is great news John! Must be a big relieve (well, probably even more when you'll be driving it )

[rodneym]

Good news so far tin-man!

[csx4910]

Good News for sure. I would still ask them to put 100 miles on or more driving it before you take delivery

[SkipB]

Just general question:

Has anyone ever had a Cobra (real or replica) that did not require at least some sorting out before it truly ran right?

I know my Backdraft was a "challenge" for awhile, but ended up being incredible, reliable, and a real hoot once everything was fixed, adjusted and tuned.

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by SkipB

Has anyone ever had a Cobra (real or replica) that did not require at least some sorting out before it truly ran right?

I think a fair rule is that if you're spending six figures on a turnkey Cobra toy, it has to run well for at least a couple of months. Yes, almost all of our cars require constant attention (and if you're not capable of doing that maintenance yourself I think you're missing out on one of the "joys" of Cobra ownership). That said, upon delivery the car has to run well for at least a few hundred miles and a month or two before it can start falling apart and breaking down all the time.

[SkipB]

Patrick,

You are correct about spending that much and expecting good results. I don't want it to seem that I was covering for the manufacturers or shops involved. If I was the TInman, I would be equally as upset about this whole situation. I hope it is resolved to his total satisfaction. If he wasn't out of the country, it might be even more frustrating. The people on the other end should be very happy they have the time to make it right. I just hope they don't drag their feet knowing that the owner is gone for several months!

I was just curious if anyone had a 100% trouble free experience with their new car. I assume not, but there may be lots of them out there?

The problems I had were minor (malfunctioning carb, leaking headers) in comparison to Tinman. But, I remember being very frustrated until things were made right. I can only imagine his anger and frustration.

SkipB

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by SkipB

I was just curious if anyone had a 100% trouble free experience with their new car. I assume not, but there may be lots of them out there?

There's bound to be somebody, but I've never met them. I think the build job by ERA and my engine maker was absolutely top notch. BUT, it's taken me close to five years to get it to where I could even think about driving for, say, a couple of days straight without it breaking down. And all of the bugs that left me stranded (with exception of the harmonic balancer flying apart), were teeny, weeny, eensy little things, like a set screw backing out of the clutch linkage, or a bolt coming loose on the transmision linkage, or a fuse holder melting on the fans. Those were really little things to fix -- but they all resulted in me either being towed home, or limping, just barely with my fingers crossed, home. Now I've been following Tin-Man's journey, and he and I chat via email a good bit as well. It sounds like the non-start issue (distributor/rotor bolt) was pretty minor (just like my clutch linkage hanging on the ground from one backed out screw). It could very well turn out that all of the other stuff is equally minor, but tricky to find. Only time will tell -- and I think, for most of us, that it takes years to get our Cobras anywhere remotely as reliable as, say, my daughter's POS Toyota.