Question about your Replicar? What would you redo?

[Fitz]

Thought I would ask this question?
If you could do it over again and know what you know now what would you have done differently regarding your build or builder.

Different Motor set up.
Different tire set up.
Different builder.
Different model / maker.
Different color.
Different Painter.
Instead of building maybe just buy turn key.

I think I would have had someone build me a coupe.
Plus put in automatic so wifey could drive it!

What say you guys?

[Fitz]

So much for that stupid question. I throught it would be funny to see what people said.

[RICK LAKE]

Fitz Same color, same painter, but Tony died a couple of years ago
Tires I love the 17" pindrives with Kummo tires. The 15" are great for the street and give an extra 1.5" of clearance.
The build was worth the squeeze. Wouldn't give up a busted knuckle, bleeding, of *****en at the car at 2:30 am. Sleeping under the car, is a new way to hide from the other half in the garage.
Different motor build, I have done this with starting with a 452 paxton motor and was too much when it came on boost. It was stupid power and blew up the 15" tires. Never again buy a set of BFG tires. Blower was a pain in the butt. I didn't have the paxton twin blower hood made until 7 years ago and went to a 482 stroker. This is a great motor with again too must torque in the bottom of the rpm range. Would change the camshaft timing to kill some of the bottom end and move the range up about 500 rpm for power but HP and torque. Have not givin up on a cammer motor yet. Something in the 498 range. I have a 2nd shelby block with stage 3 MR heads. This should put the power in the 600/600 club. A TWM 58 mm throttle body setup and custom side pipes for more power and noise.
Motor builder, Neil at gessford machine shop in Hastings NEB. 1 of the best running under radar. This would be with either aluminum rods or titanium. 4.280X4.375. Big power can be made with running a lower rpm range.
Changes to my ERA, I had 1 of the first P/S racks installed and think this is the best thing to add to a cobra for street or racing. It's makes driving alot easier. My car is heavy, 2705. Like to loss about 200 pounds. That"s not going to happen. Suspension would be the only other change with having better geometery. Different "A" arms and maybe 13" rotors for the 17" wheels. The 15" would be gone. The only other thing might be a quick change rearend. A guy in NJ did this many years ago. It's cool and a ton of different rearend ratios can be done in 20 minutes. That's it, whos next??? Rick L.

[Tom Wells]

Fitz,

My car is somewhat the same as it was when it was originally built. There were some "learning experiences" along the way:

- finally found a torque converter builder (FTI) who actually listened to what I was doing with the car and built me the correct spec one - took three converters to get there. It took a lot of boiled trans fluid in between.
- finally found a Ford C6 builder (Rossler) who listened and knew C6s. Took four transmissions to get the one that works and works...
- added an Accusump; fortuitously no engine parts were destroyed in the meantime.
- switched to Holley MPFI from a carb - not going back ;-)
- had some mechanical Smiths gauge failures, so considering going to the new electric versions.
- went with Michelin Sport tires at first. I have come to like Kumhos and Nittos much better, and they cost less.
- Went to EBC Redstuff brake pads for combination street/track day use. Great stopping power and almost no dust.
- Had to rebuild the undercar exhaust twice. Now it's all stainless and works well.
- I think if I did the trans again there's a new 385-series adapter available for a GM trans (350? 400?) that i would use - it has an overdrive.

I have the brakes, the steering, the paint, the leather seats, the correct number of roll bars that actually work (don't ask) and so on. I've really enjoyed the car and plan to use it on the track again soon.

Other than maintenance for well over 30,000 miles, including bunches of on-track miles, not much else.

I'm sure I forgot something but those seem to stand out for me.

Tom

[Dirty Harry]

I would not have chopped a hole in the dash and mounted an AM/FM CD player. If I ever take the dash back out, I'll glass that hole back shut.

[dallas_]

I can't think of a whole lot of things I would do differently. Now if I hadn't spent a bunch of time here and on other forums I would not have ended up with modifications that I made, so I would have a pretty long list if not for that. I started out thinking street car only, but ended up building a track car, so I went with big brakes, Fuel Safe tank, fire system, full width rollbar, high back seats, Accusump and a tilt front so I can get to everything easily.

I would like a quick release windshield and have purchased the parts for that so I can easily swap out to a track windshield, so maybe that.

[Fast289]

Let's see, I would have kept my 289 and beefed it up instead of going with the 347 stroker.

I might have put vents in her to cool her down.

I would have gone with a prime number instead of 8. Maybe 17 61 or 71.

Other than that. I am happy.

PS, it's bad to change a number.....

Dave from Chandler.