When my wife and I decided she was going to be working from home for some time and the idea of being in the hot bed of the Massachusetts outbreak of COVID-19, we decided to head back to our house in Wisconsin. Its just across the IL border but in the country among summer homes owned primarily by people in IL. So this time of the year there are few homes even occupied. We feel safer in that the population is about a10th of what was around us in MA.
When we go here, I proceeded to tackle my long awaiting "honey do" list for the house here. I finally got the "honey do" list whittled down. So I turned my hands toward my untouched CR I project here.
It was Classic Roadsters 427 Cobra kit started in 1990. The 1st owner in the suburbs of Chicago acquired a complete kit and the complete drive train from a totaled 1990 Mustang HO GT. He seemed to be one of the lucky ones that got a "complete" kit shipped to him. Many horror stories abound over the subsequent purchasers not getting all of the parts shipped to them.
He assembled the frame using all new front suspension parts for a Mustang II. He installed the drivetrain and then started to mount the body. Once the body was sitting on the frame he discovered that using the EFI from the donor car created a problem with the hood not fitting over the taller intake runners. He then took the body back off and there sat the car foe some time in his garage unfinished.
He finally gave up on the project since factory support was now non-existent with its financial problems and he was an a atty by education. So he sold it to another guy in the Chicago area.
The 2nd owner was excited that what appeared to be the "hard part" was done. Plus he was getting a complete kit at a significant discount. What was not disclosed to him was the issue with the motor, as configured, being too tall for the hood to clear. The 2nd owner mounted the body (the manual was not bad and all the hardware and shim, spacers, sealant, etc. was there) and discovered the issue. Now the original company and its subsequent iterations were truly out of business. So the 2nd owner reached out to body shops that specialized in Corvettes and was shocked that they all wanted $7k-$10k to modify the hood and paint the car. Since he had his 1st kid going off to college and he had just purchased a fixer-upper home, he, as the 1st owner did, let the car sit in his garage. There is sat in a rather rustic, unheated, garage for several years. He determined that he was not going to get it completed. So he listed it on craigslist where I discovered it.
Having at one time lived in Milwaukee when Excalibur had been in business, I was drawn to the longer wheelbase where I could fit comfortably. I also was in the middle of major renovation of the WI home and living full time in downtown Chicago in a condo. So I knew I was acquiring a "future" project. And since the car had sat for so long in an unheated garage, an engine sitting in the cold without being protected can spell disaster! As a result I got an even bigger bargain then the 2nd owner.
So now I have had time to review the "go fast" parts and plan I had slowly built over the years. I took a close look at the fitment of the hood and saw that w/o major surgery there is no way the hood would clear the EFI system. But I was OK with modifying the hood since I wanted to add a Kenne Bell supercharger intake system that I had purchased some time back. It is almost 1 1/2" even taller. But adding 100HP to the motor was a good thing! It does add 30lbs to the motor weight, but well worth it IMHO. In fact, Kenne Bell is making the S/C for the new Shelby Mustangs!
So now I needed to assemble the parts amassed and mock up the fitment. First was the new Aluminum TFS Twisted Wedge heads with the Stage 2 porting I have had on the shelf since 2004. The also have the Crane Cams forged roller rockers & guides. I also had picked up on craigslist a set of new "Cobra" valve covers for the late model Windsor 5.0 Mustang. The will clear the roller rockers since they are taller then the stock covers plus the 1/2" taller rail height for the valve cover seat. These heads are 20lbs ea. lighter then the stock heads and really flow! On a stock motor w/o the porting they typically add 70 HP!
Next was the Extrude honed stock lower intake manifold. The ports are opened up to the size of the discharge of the supercharger and the intake runner size of the heads. It is really stealth in that it looks completely stock on the exterior. But it flows like the best of the aftermarket lower intakes!
I added a complete set of Aeromotive fuel rails and pressure regulator with steel braided fuel lines. Again a craigslist prize from a race car that had been totaled on a track.
Next came the supercharger. It fits with all of the parts. I initially used the stock heads and valve covers for a test fit. But since the front drive nose requires a support designed around the stock brackets for AC & power steering I knew I would need to do some fabrication in this area to support the mount.
One of the previous owner of the Cobra had taken off the original mounts to do away with the smog pump and AC/Power steering pumps. They used the simple March Alternator and serpentine tensioner mount combo. Sa I looked at the assembly I noticed the tensioner mount on the drivers side of the motor did not look right. I discovered he had miss-mounted it and only used 2 of the 3 pickup points on the water pump and head locations. I also noticed that it looked like the water pump may have lost its seals. So I ordered a new high flow pump and started to dig thru my "take off" parts that came with the car as well as the other parts from my past Ford projects.
I determined that if I reinstalled the original Alt mount it would allow the tensioner to be mounted back to its original position on that mount. I then used the March tensioner mount plate as a template for the mount points on the water pump. I had a piece of 1/4" Alum 6061 T6 for the plate. I cut out a carboard template for fitment and then transferred it to the alum plate. Using all three mount points I could now support the nose support plate on the supercharger.
Just a "guestimate" but I think with the extrude honed lower, new heads, S/C and collector headers and side pipes I will be north of 400HP. More than enough for a 2500lb car!
I will finish the plate today and reassembled the top end to finish the mock up.
Next will come figuring out how to modify the hood to clear it all.
I finished the mount plate for the S/C. It will be the support that the folks at Kenne Bell told me the snout needs.
I also had picked up an MSD distributor. Should allow more accurate ignition under pressure.
I'm going to move the fuel pressure regulator to the other side to make room for the 80mm C&L MAS air meter. It is calibrated for the 40lb injectors I am installing.
I ordered a 94-95 Edelbrock elbow to lower the TB to clear the hood. Should be here in a couple of days.
I also ordered Mustang convertible motor mounts. That will lower the motor1.2"- 1". Plus I will remove the 2" of washers the last owner inserted at the trans cross member to lower it trying to improve the hood clearance problem. He must have not taken geometry in school! If the front motor mounts are centered in the middle of the block and you lower the tail of the trans by 2 1/2" it will raise the front of the motor to cause more interference with the hood!
Next I started surgery on the hood. I realized Classic Roadster had made the hood in two pieces, an inner and outer piece to add strength and give the inside of the hood a "finished" look. But it lowered the clearance from 1/2" to 3/4". I cut away the inner inner in the center of the hood. But it should not suffer, the glass is very thick, Just like a boat hull!
But until I receive the new motor mounts and remount the trans cross mount, I still have a clearance problem of about 1 1/2".
Not sure I will yet have enough room.
I will start tomorrow removing all of the mocked up top end to get ready to pull the short block and trans. I have a heavier duty T5Z trans from a Cobra Mustang to install along with a Quick Time scatter shield. The shield is "out of date" for racing but better then the stock bell housing to contain the clutch in case it decides to let loose and go thru the fiberglass trans tunnel and then thru my legs. Both were again craigslist purchases made over the years at incredibly low prices.
The T5Z handles an additional 50 ft/lbs of torque over the stock WC/T5. I think I will need it for the added S/C output.
The T5Z also came with a Steeda short throw shifter. It should make the shifts very quick!
All of you continue to stay safe and healthy!
Thom
5.0 Motor mounts on CR I
So I will use the stock rubber elbow to get the 80mm C&L MAF meter down low to fit under the hood and tuck under the alternator.
Linear Mode
