brand new guy - Page 2

daverascal · #21 (**permalink**) 09-03-2011, 05:07 PM

Picked up car today. Wow the gel coat looks great. I had a ton of parts and will start the build this weekend. Ordered the engine this past week 2 to 3 months should be done just in time. I plan to have the rolling chassis ready by then. Didn't go with the 427 too many isues. Did go with a 408 should be real close to the same horse power, but much more reliable.
Thanks,
Dave

PNJSNAK · #22 (**permalink**) 09-06-2011, 05:13 PM

Great news.
Post some pics of the experience picking up the parts from A & C.
Jim

daverascal · #23 (**permalink**) 09-08-2011, 04:44 AM

Will do we took a few pics. Dave

jbcobra67 · #24 (**permalink**) 09-10-2011, 05:43 PM

I'm a little jealous. I do miss the build process sometimes. It was fun building the car. Have fun and take lots of pics.

Congrats again.
Joey

daverascal · #25 (**permalink**) 10-29-2011, 08:14 PM

Ok update, been working a ton 7 days a week, not much time for building car. Front and rear suspensions are done. Running brake lines wow is that fun LOL!!! Picked up motor and trans this week, boy he does nice work. Haven't taken any pics yet, but my sons wife is coming over, she wants to make me a scrap book of the build. The plan is to hit it hard over Thanksgiving and have the chassis ready to set the body by Christmas. does anyone have the measurements for the radiator I'm ordering one in the next few days and want to make sure my measurements are correct. Dave

jbcobra67 · #26 (**permalink**) 10-30-2011, 04:25 PM

I think there have been a number of different sizes used, I used and aluminum radiator that measures 19" x 26" x 3". It came with a top fill so I took it to our local high school and had the shop teacher cut the filler off and cap the whole. I then used the inline filler. I have a 347 engine and my car has never gotten over 185 in south louisiana heat. And I used a elec. fan from a Lincoln Mark8.

sspano01 · #27 (**permalink**) 10-30-2011, 06:25 PM

I used the radiator that factory five sells for big block fords. I also bought a universal aluminum radiator mount and run a pair of 5000 cfm slim line puller fans. I mounted the radiator tilted back towards the engine. Scrapped the weird mount that a&c gives you. The factory five radiator was pretty cheap at only around $200 and it holds my 521 at about 185-200. I can post a pic of the mount setup if you need

jbcobra67 · #28 (**permalink**) 10-30-2011, 08:55 PM

Sspano,

I would like to see the mount. The A&C works but I'm not a big fan of the forward mount. Did you have to carve up the fiberglass coming from the front opening to get the backward lean?

Thanks
Joey

sspano01 · #29 (**permalink**) 11-01-2011, 05:24 PM

Flickr: sspano01's Photostream

i just posted a set of pics to flickr
this shows my radiator setup. its a tight fit and I had to cut some of the glass out of the "mouth" at the front, but it works pretty well

sspano01 · #30 (**permalink**) 11-01-2011, 05:26 PM

Flickr: sspano01's Photostream

i just posted a set of pics to flickr
this shows my radiator setup. its a tight fit and I had to cut some of the glass out of the "mouth" at the front, but it works pretty well

saltshaker · #31 (**permalink**) 11-03-2011, 04:08 AM

I bought a radiator from Howe Racing 19x26 part #342anf no filler for $210 from "carhop" on eBay and for a fan get one from a 1996 Tauras with a 3.8 motor not the 3.0 it comes with a shroud, 2 speed 3000 and 4000 cfm do a search on this site for it....best improvement I did. By the way, I was at A&C yesterday picking up another Cobra Body.
Jon

daverascal · #32 (**permalink**) 11-05-2011, 05:17 PM

Thanks I can get that Howe at Summit racing. Gives me another reason to go up and look around, only 90 minutes from my house.
Dave

kevins2 · #33 (**permalink**) 12-13-2011, 12:07 PM

I've been researching Cobra replicas for a week - had settled on a Factory Five and then heard about Antique & Collectible - hard to find any reference to them. Anyway, I'm intrigued about the gelcoat body as the body work is extensive on the others I've looked at.

Can anyone tell me why they are not mentioned in most of the lists of replicas? I've seen lists of "top Cobra replica companies" and they don't appear.

Just spoke with Sonny and am collecting information. Any references, other places to read, etc. would be helpful.

I'm in West Chester, PA just west of Philly.

Thanks,

Kevin

PNJSNAK · #34 (**permalink**) 12-13-2011, 01:52 PM

Kevin:
Back in 2000 when I was making the jump to this madness, I was going to go with FF until I was told to stop by their shop (A&C) in Buffalo and was sold on the body, the thickness of the fiberglass and the Gel Coat. They fill the mold lines with putty so there are no "Mold Lines", they correct any issues they find when it comes out of the mold and buff and polish it before you take delivery.
I have been running the car since 2001 and only have buffed it when I got it and put a synthetic wax on it every year. What was the best was no body work except to put holes in where they needed to be? No seams to sand down and body filler prep and prep and prep then paint etc. Now mind you it is not a $10,000 professional paint job, but a car shows, people do not believe it is not paint. There are some fiberglass waves you can see under certain light conditions but again, if that really mattered to me to a point where I didn't like it, maybe then if I got tired of the Chrome Yellow color or I wanted stripes, I would take the body to a professional and get it down. But, the most fun is driving it.
I would scan thru the A & C Forum here to read about what others have said.
Good luck with the decision.
Jim

daverascal · #35 (**permalink**) 12-13-2011, 04:45 PM

I got the gel coat very nice. They were running a special so it only cost me $875. Plus I checked with FF they said 40 to 50 hours of body work to get ready for paint. I also like the floor and fire wall all part the body.

sspano01 · #36 (**permalink**) 12-13-2011, 06:21 PM

you cannot go wrong with the gel-coat. for about $800, you get a 'finished' body. that shaves at least $5k off the initial build price. in the future, you can get it painted if you like.

for me, i had it wet sanded, put stripes, and clear coat on it. polish/buff - looks really nice now. i dont see why i would get it 'painted'

daverascal · #37 (**permalink**) 04-10-2012, 04:55 PM

Ok update time. I'm in the process of hanging the doors. Pass. door went right on, the drivers side not so good. the brackets weren't welded straight had to heat up and tweak to fit. Then had to move the holes a bit to line up. No fun at all!! So what's left, mount gas tank, wire and interior. Doesn't sound like much but seems like it's taking forever to get anything complete. Got the dash back from Hydrocoating, WOW does it look sick!!! The die hard cobra people won't like it, but it looks fantastic....
Dave & Rascal

daverascal · #38 (**permalink**) 05-03-2012, 07:25 PM

Started the wiring today. I didn't glue plywood to the body. I made a bracket and mounted it to the cowl bar.I mounted the fuse block with rubber bushings for the vibration. So far the wiring seems straight forward... We'll see
Dave

daverascal · #39 (**permalink**) 05-18-2012, 10:36 PM

Most of wiring is done. Takes a long time trying to hide as much as I can. Had problems with the MSD system but finally got it figured out. Started the motor, WOW does it sound good very healthy!! Hope to have it ready for a local cruise in on June 9th we'll see bunch to do.
Dave & Rascal

daverascal · #40 (**permalink**) 05-22-2012, 04:44 AM

Had a bunch of problems with the 6al msd box. Sometimes it would start other times not. Changed out box checked all wiring and grounds, problem still there. So I pulled out the entire system and put in a Mallory Unilite works great. So next I tried out the trans set up. I adjusted the clutch until there was no slack left. Not enough I could not get trans into gear. The throw out bearing arm hits the bell housing, plus the throwout bearing has not slack between the bearing and pressure plate. So I think I'll change out and go to a hyd. throwout bearing. Seems I figure out one problem another surfaces.
Dave