BDR Doors

[Bulldogger]

My car just arrived today and when looking at the doors when they're open, they are obviously rubbing on the top of the body, you can see where the paint has chipped off. Secondly you can see day light around the doors when they're closed but they already have weather stripping on them. They look like they're perfectly aligned when closed from the outside view, is this more of a standard type problem in cobra's or is there something wrong with this one. Dave

[CSCHWER]

I think it's more or less a standard problem with the fiberglass bodies. I have yet to see anyone who will let you "lean" on their open door.

Chet

[Cashburn]

There's a bumper that has been installed from car #320 or so that lifts the door up and also keeps it from rattling while you drive. I have had no success getting my hands on some to retrofit.

All gaps have been narrowed quite a bit over the years. Around #250 or so things seemed to get much tighter.

[Want1Bad]

When mine (#293) was delivered, I could see the street when sitting in the driver's seat. One of Armond's guys (Miguel) fixed it. They pulled the leather cover off the hinge and made adjustments to pull the whole door into the car some more. Then, they had to readjust the alignment of the door. Some of it required drilling out some holes to allow an adjustment. Miguel said it was a major pain in the butt.

[davidlee]

I have # 123. I added another piece of weather stripping on top of the factory one and adjusted the latch pin on the body a little further in and stopped almost all of my door rattle.I had to use my dremmel tool to enlarge the hole slightly to make the adjustment.
David

[SkipB]

Want1Bad and others,

Your example is one reason why Calfornia Cobra/Armond is getting out of the Backdraft business. Brand new car, several hours to fix it, and I may be wrong, but I believe no compensation from Backdraft!

If I am wrong, perhaps the other remaining Backdraft dealers can explain how they get compensated for warranty work.

Skip B

[Cashburn]

Pretty simple. Submit an invoice and get a check. I think there's more to it than this. But I understand both sides frustration. The business is tiring, you gotta do it because you love it. You will not get rich doing this, unless you count wealth in a different denomination.

The difficulty operating in the West is the additional cost of shipping vehicles, on a less expensive car as the BDR (vs. SPF or KMP, etc.) that expense is a greater percentage. If your sole operation is in that environment it is tough to do. We can serve that territory from afar and absorb some of the additional transport costs --- extend them over the other sales, so it can work.

I could use a tan. Vintage Motorsports West coming soon...

[Blittleton]

I can not speak for Jay, but we eat alot of the warranty work. It is part of the business. It may not be right, but we love doing this type of work. Most of you customers don't see everything that we do, it isn't just sticking a motor and tranny in and off you go with your car. Backdraft Dealers are always making changes to suite the needs of our customers, making these cars better than they were 10 cars ago. I'm rambling, so I'm done. We are not getting rich off these cars but we are making a living. Backdraft demands us to give you the best and that is what we are doing. Yes you will find something that you don't like on the car but we will make every attempt to make it right.

Jay, truck is stopping by here tomorrow to drop one off, coming up there with several for you. You have a lot of work to do.

Bill

[SkipB]

OK you Backdraft Dealers, we could use an authorized dealer in California. So, Vintage Motorsports West may be the way to go. One warning though. Getting cars legal for Calfornia driving is no picnic and can only be done with much limitation of time and equipment (SB100 and other fun stuff). In any case, we may be contacting you for parts and information until someone opens up out here. There are a bunch of us out here, so be prepared!

Skip B

[Bulldogger]

To update, the doors show daylight through the bottom and a touch out of alignment, but I will correct them shortly after I pull things apart. First problem was no brake lights, which has been corrected by making a bracket and using a normally closed brakelight switch inside the car. $10 dollars and two hours of my time, results priceless. I bought my cobra used so don't take these issues as complaints just curious questions because I don't have another car for comparison's sake. What I can tell you apart from the minor issues I see, is that this is a very high quality reproduction, frame, welding, fit and finish are defintely excellent quality. Reg in Fla has been great and so far and I am totally happy with the car. Other then that, I would like some one to give me the second roll bar measurements for proper placement, because I'm to fat to really fit in the trunk to take them myself, and my back still hurts from mounting my brakelight bracket under the dash!
Dave

[Trueoo7]

Jay
Any luck getting your hands on those little bumpers for retrofit? As a dealer can't Backdraft tell you where they get them so we can go out and buy them ourselves.

[Cashburn]

Kevin,
I think we had this discussion before... the doors have a new provision for this bumper. There is extra material below the latch (or above it, I'm not looking at one at the moment) that this snubber mounts too.

[Dave Grabowski]

An old hot rod trick. Put some black electrical tape around the groove of the post where the door latches. This will take most of the rattle out of the door. You will not even notice the tape. You will have to replace it every month or two but the cost and time is nothing. This is at least a good fix until the stoppers are available. This should make the doors fit tighter to the latch and stop the doors from rattling while you drive.

[rhawkins]

Bull Dogger
What's your advice to get Reg to respond (email?/call?/talk to someone else?)
Thanks
Ron #221

[Trueoo7]

Thats correct Jay, about 1" up and down and my car has it. Thats why I'm asking.

[Dinobyte]

Originally Posted by SkipB

Want1Bad and others,

Your example is one reason why Calfornia Cobra/Armond is getting out of the Backdraft business. Brand new car, several hours to fix it, and I may be wrong, but I believe no compensation from Backdraft!

If I am wrong, perhaps the other remaining Backdraft dealers can explain how they get compensated for warranty work.

Skip B

I think something that Armond did that the other dealers should seriously consider is he would keep the cars for the first 200 miles. This would allow him to sort out the issues. For example Len turned his windshield wipers on and they spun around and scratched the paint on the car. Now obviously things come loose in transit, but common. I am having similar issues with my Clutch needing more tuning and ajustments than would have been necessary with the 200 mile break in period. Just some advice to the dealers. It might save some pissed off customers and money on your part.

[Bulldogger]

rhawkins,
Reg will not return calls if he decides he doesn't want to deal with you. I've left several messages in the past by phone, no re-contact. When someone decides not to answer your questions or give you an explanation to a question, that just pisses me off. My suggestion would be to try another dealer. Jay at vintage maybe, I wouldn't mind another Backdraft and will give Jay a shot. If it doesn't work out I'll own a Superformance next.

[Cashburn]

Dave,
BTW I did not forget about you. Writing it up. I am down a car now for AC, so we will orchestrate something. Keep an eye out for email with quote/agreement.

On the Florida situation, when I was down there in October, Reg had mentioned his wife was expecting around this time. I don't know if that plays out here for current communication situation or not.

Have some understanding if it does. I know it gets crazy sometimes, we do 1/10th the business of those guys down there and they are only working with 6 employees to our 2.5

[trs900]

Bulldogger ..Reg is not just another dealer He is one of the owners of Backdraft, he does sell cars through his dealership ( Custom Cars) located in Boynton Beach, Fl I would hope he is "just" not getting the messages you are leaving.. I know he is very busy with importing the cars into the Country and getting them out to the dealership network, including his own, they do a lot of turn key cars themselves .. I sure hope you can get some satisfaction from Backdraft, I am very close to Boynton Beach so I can just drive down if I need anything, so far nothing major..

[Bulldogger]

Cashburn,
No problem take your time too cold to be driving anyway.
TRS,
I know I met them both in person when I was down in Fla. in August. I'm sure they are busy, but I believe the lack of responce was by choice.