Owner built on a budget;

[Hray]

James, you just never know, i may be coming to washington DC for some meetings in the future. Would be glad to come by and wrench for you.

UPDATE: Well she wanted to dance some more today, after getting the door seals on the latch release mechanism I built did not have enough umph to open the door, so i spent a few hours making a lever with pivot point to increase leverage. works just fine now, wife got in and let herself out easily. that is the test if she can manage then all is good.

installed the last cowl close off panel, and took some more pictures, I was surely disappointed with those from this morning. Just maybe I have some that are a little better, I waited till sun was almost setting and tried it again.

And I drove it a couple hundred yards down the road and back, just could not resist.

Here are the pics from this evening:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/belair5...7623305052183/


or you can go here and then click on the feb 13 evening pics
http://www.flickr.com/photos/belair567/

[Krewton]

Ray,

Great job. Great pictures.

Krewton

[James Stern]

Ray, The evening pics turned out much better. The light really changes the car color. DC is about 2 hours from Wilmington. Sounds like cheese steaks or crab melts and beer. If you do find yourself out here better be prepared to bring lots of pics. I'm really blown away by your approach to car building.

Jim

[MaSnaka]

Yes Ray nice job.

About all I have to offer is a pat on the back. The car has come 180* and then some. You should be proud as we are proud of you for creating another quality CR. Keep your posts and pictures coming.

John

[Hray]

No work on car today, spent morning with family, and then mowed the field, might go out shortly and clean shop some and just sit and look at the beauty.

I am thinking of the display for autorama and trying to figure out how the relay the story. RustyBob way back suggested i print out these posts, I do like the idea, but no one will really take time to read them but I will want a printed record to keep with the car just in case someone is interested.
Can anyone on this site gell me how to get all the posts printed using the least amount of paper possible. So far i have not even attempted.

So here is my possible quick version:
Welcome to
MISSION IMPOSSIBLE, (or should it be) Mission Improbable.

Mission Definition: Build a quality car in 5 months for under $12K

Mission History: In 2007 this abandoned project was purchased for $8.5K and all the parts were brought home in boxes and stored until a future build date. Target to fund remainder of build is another $3K

Mission Timing: The owner was scheduled to retire mid October 2009, He began on Sep 16, 2009 to organize the parts, and finish the raw assembly by Mid Nov 2009. That was accomplished and then car totally dissambled.

Mission Final Phase: In 12 weeks perform all cosmetic work on chassis and body, complete total assembly by mid February, 2010 for entry in Sacramento Autorama.

Mission Resources: the owner, 2 eleven year old Grand Kids, 1 six year old grand son, and friend Craig Oliveria to complete the car 100% in owners barn at home. Main resource is a very understanding wife.

Mission Success: We did it, with approximately 1,100 hours in the build, within the 12 week timeframe and just barely under $12K for total build.

Mission Lessons: Dreams do come true if you do not oversleep.

I think I can put the above in large enough print on a single sheet of paper and lay them around on the floor near edge of display that way anyone can read it without going thru the photo album. I am open to suggestions on changes and or a totally different direction. Last year I typed up a complete page story for my Rambler, a few took time to read it, most just passed it by. I want something that can be read quickly and still get the main story across.

[*13*]

I think you're right to take the A.D.D approach. Maybe have it painted on a nice looking stand sign & maybe reserve part of the sign for the top 30 or so build photos in sequence. Focus is usually the car itself, the story will add to the "wow factor" if it's short & sweet enough for people to take in in a few moments.

[Hray]

Hyde: what is a.d.d, most likely a cousin of K.I.S.S.

I did think of the sign, and maybe taking 12 or 24 photos, one or two for each of the 12 weeks in the final build. of course using the ones of the grandkids someplace. If I try hard enough I may be able to cut about a third of the words in the previous mission statements.

Thanks for feed back, Ray

[Larry Spillman]

From the looks of your brake setup I would wrap the headers so you dont boil the brake fluid even with the brake booster boiling fluid will cause extreme brake fade.You have a hell of a lot of work to do the finish for Sacto event. Wher do you live I live near SF Airport?

[Hray]

Larry: Thanks for observation,

I was considering wraping the headers, or I have a high grade heat shield that I was going to place between the headers and brake system. it would not look the best but would also save some heat getting on the foot box.
I will deal with that after the show.


10-4 on all that work to get ready for opening day, most of the next 4 days and some friday morning will be needed to detail it to the nineth degree.

I live out near the jackson highway, near the Sac drag strip. Let me know you make it to the show.

Ray

[*13*]

A.D.D is an excuse for kids not to get good grades these days.

[rustyBob]

Ray........
I still think a printed copy of these postings would be a good idea to have and keep with the car.........maybe one good pic. of the "crew" all standing behind the car would be the best way to show who all had a hand in the project and list them by name and job description/work performed.........as for the sign to display with the car.......


cost to purchase abandoned "kit" Cobra.....$8.5k
time to complete project......1,100 hours
completeing abandoned "kit" Cobra with help
from grandkids and good friend.....priceless


just a my 2 cents......
you and the "crew" did an awesome job Ray......congrats...

[MaSnaka]

Another approach might be to print a colored flyer to pass out at the show. I bet folks will take them and read later. Include some before, during and after photos with your project outline. Include a contact number and you could draw some business if your looking for some. If you hand them to folks they can't resist taking them, you just don't want to see them scattered on the ground afterwards.

John

[Hray]

john; that is a good idea, only problem is that the folks that put on autorama do not want the owners staying near their cars. a person can occasionally walk by to chat, or meet with friends at the car and chat, but if they just see you hanging out all day with the car they will come ask you to leave. Last year I printed a couple hunderd one page stories of the rambler and left them laying in the display with a sign saying take one. less than a hundred were taken.

As for work, I don't want any, I have been down that road before, people expect way too much for way too little. and we all know that things can just go wrong at the drop of a hat and then the customer thinks I should fix it for free. I reverted to buying project cars, fixing them and selling them to support my hobby, then if there were flaws the person purchased the flaws with the car.

I did think about renting myself, my tools, and shop for a certain dollar per hour rate, and the owner would be on site and participating in the work and they could decide when good was good enough and take it home to do what they could there.

Hey, thanks for taking interest and participating in my build. Ray

[Hray]

UPDATE:

made new door handles this morning, cut them from aluminum plate and then sanded and polished them.

new mirror came in just about 2 hours ago, got it installed and bolted the windshield on.

made an adapter for a jack stand that could be bolted to two front lug nuts to support the car. we are going to remove a front tire to expose the suspension and frame. sanded it all down and put on fresh coat of paint.

still gotta touch up some paint, have to get all the pictures on a flash drive and take it to drug store for prints, and make poster board and photo album.

SUPRISE SUPRISE SUPRISE; is coming, I am getting an accessory that every Cobra owner should have, and I doubt many will have one just like this one. It will be displayed with the car at autorama, and should ad a real touch of class.

You will see pictures of the wheel stand and custom door latches and the suprise once the display is set up.

[rustyBob]

I like surprises.........what is it .........I cant waite........

[Hray]

Update: Wednesday Jan 17, 2010.

We are ready and loaded into the car trailer, we installed wiper blades, last nite I did touch up paint on exhaust and roll bar. today we began to detail it some.

before I could load in trailer I had to unload last years autorama entry, my 64 rambler, the car had been sitting on a farm for 28 years outside, it was a two owner and never really abused but of course need total restoration. I was going to rat rod it, but never got the motor running, so out comes the stock 6 and in goes a 350 chevy, with 700r4, new rear end and then total cosmetics to the car. It was another one that we built in about 90 days,

for something different to look at here is a pic as it came out of trailer, notice the ghost A on the hood, since they do not make many rambler parts I painted in the A instead of the orginal chrome one. also had to make the chrome trim both above the grill and below the grill, we removed other stainless and welded up holes.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4047/...cf781e70_b.jpg


Here is a picture of interior, it came with a 50/50 split bench seat. I had a console and arm rest from a marlin that I took out about 18 years ago and wanted to use it in the car. I took the seat apart and remade it into two bucket seats and installed marlin console. we kept the original interior design only change colors from gray and black to green and black to match my new paint. You should have seen all those rambler professionals scratching their heads at last summers AMC norcal car show, they knew it was all rambler stuff but had never seen buckets like those. I did get a nice trophy at that show.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2794/...37410ffc_b.jpg

hope no one minds some non cobra stuff in this thread, after all it is part of my journey to autorama.

Here is cobra in the trailer straped down and ready to head out shortly.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4039/...5ddf1da1_b.jpg

by the way, all those photos I took the other morning in the sun, they came out perfect from walgreens, not washed looking at all. now gotta make the photo album. still about 5 more hours in today and tomorrow will be a long day setting up the display, detailing every aspect and getting ready for opening friday at noon.

and that SURPRPSE is coming along great.

Ray

[rustyBob]

Good luck Ray.........we're rooting for you.........

[James Stern]

Go Ray Go. The passenger in the Rambler looked like one of my grandkids.

[Hray]

Well. folks I have let you down just a little, forgot to take camera with me today. But, I will take the camera and laptop tomorrow and will post pics once display is done. the car is basically done, mirrors underneath, tire off with special plate to bolt onto the studs on spindle, have to finish build book tonite, that special surprise is almost done, maybe I will post pic of it later tonite.

looks to be a great show this year, tons of high dollar show cars, so far we are getting lots of attention. We are the only cobra on the premises that I know of so far and I walked all the buildings to see what my competition might be.

We have already gotten some special recognition, a guy from the Redding Cool April Nites car show gave us a special invitation to attend with placement in one of the inside buildings, those slots for the inside buildings are by special invitation only, everyone else goes outside during the show. I thought that was a pretty good compliment.

Getting good compliments on the color combination, and they cannot believe it is a do-it-at-home paint job. So far I do not even have any signs up providing the story behind the car.

It will all be in place right at the opening bell.

[onefastmustang]

Ill be up to check it out. Its on my calendar. Good luck Ray.