Gasdoc's ERA build - #813

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by Gasdoc

Thanks Patrickt. Where did you put the manual override switch?

The manual override switch is on the dash. I modified the wiring so that the switch, when on, turns on all the fans (pushers and puller), but when off the puller alone comes on thermostatically. There's a lengthy thread on the ERA forum here on how I did it.

[patrickt]

Here's that thread: Cool Modification - For Pusher Fans Only, Though

[lippy]

Originally Posted by Gasdoc

Lippy - tell me about the wool carpet. Peter kinda steered me away from it and said the regular carpet would blend better overtime and the wool tends to fade a bit in the sunlight.

I compared samples of the wool with the synthetic. Believe me, the wool is far nicer. It just has such a great feel with the leather. I had a heater core leak and some of my carpet was soaked with coolant, and it cleaned up fine. I'm not too worried about fading and it seems to be holding up great so far.

I bought the wool from a guy in LA (it's Wilton wool) and he shipped it to Peter. Since I didn't use Peter's raw materials, it wasn't that much more. About $400-600 if I remember right. I'm glad I did it.

[patrickt]

You know, having the pushers come on only when the manual override switch is on really should be the default configuration from ERA. The current in-rush when the thermostatic switch is configured to operate all three fans is pretty high. Unnecessarily high. It's all going through that one Bosch relay and all pegging the ammeter from the rush. I think it's a flaw in the wiring scheme -- but it's easily fixed. It was a pretty easy job when I did it to mine, so it's a piece of cake for them to do it for you up front on the build. Remember, they'll do just about anything you ask them to... you just have to throw some money at them.

[DanEC]

[quote=Gasdoc;1393582] I also asked Peter about a HD radiator and he didn't seem to know what I was talking about. Heavy duty fan maybe? /QUOTE]

I think that is my fault. Mental age tripping me up - yes the HD fan and not radiator.

I would be kind of worried about anything that triggers all three fans on at once - when my single HD fan kick on it drops the amp gage all the way over to the left momentarily.

[patrickt]

Two other wiring mods that I've installed, and that you might consider inquiring with ERA about now, are 1) Four Way Emergency Flasher Circuit, and 2) TKO Neutral Safety Switch. Adding them in to your harness now is always cheaper and easier than doing it after the fact. All of these mods were less than fifty bucks in parts, and all of them are afternoon jobs -- weekend jobs at the most.

[olddog]

I rarely drive on an Interstate highway. Yes the .64 is great when you do, but the huge step between 4th and 5th is annoying to me. There will always be a road condition where 4th has the RPM too high and 5th makes the engine unhappy, if you have a performance cam. If you have a large displacement truck engine, with low end stump pulling torque, it would make a great cruiser.

I would go with .82 5th. If I wanted the rpm to come down at highway speeds I would step the rear end ratio down. If that will kill too much low end, then go to a 6 speed with a .82 5th and a .64 6th. I doubt a big block would need low gears.

[Gasdoc]

OK, you guys are killing me! Just when I thought I was happy over all the decisions I agonized over before I ordered the car, now I'm rethinking half of them! I guess I'll call Peter again on Monday and get a sample of his synthetic carpet and see if I can get a sample of Wilton wool sent to me from some where. I just spent way too much time reading that 5 page thread where you guys had this discussion before Lippy settled on the wool. I even spent 2 minutes watching the video Patrickt put up of the girl with the purple nails showing how bugs were eating the wool rug!

I think I'm leaving the gearbox/rear end ratios the way they are. If it's really not working out, I'll swap a gear down the road.

I saw where some folks are installing Cool It or Dynamat under their carpet. Is this worth it for heat or noise?

Patrickt - I like your electric mods, I may try them, especially the radiator fan mod. Do you think the TKO Neutral Safety Switch is worthwhile? Many others do this?

[Bernica]

Originally Posted by Gasdoc

I guess I'll call Peter again on Monday and get a sample of his synthetic carpet and see if I can get a sample of Wilton wool sent to me from some where. I just spent way too much time reading that 5 page thread where you guys had this discussion before Lippy settled on the wool. I even spent 2 minutes watching the video Patrickt put up of the girl with the purple nails showing how bugs were eating the wool rug!

I saw where some folks are installing Cool It or Dynamat under their carpet. Is this worth it for heat or noise?

Patrickt - I like your electric mods, I may try them, especially the radiator fan mod. Do you think the TKO Neutral Safety Switch is worthwhile? Many others do this?

I almost went with the Wilton wool when I re-carpeted, but opted for a high-end Mercedes carpet instead. Very nice and you can bend it in half and still not see the backing. Did not use the Dynamat...didn't see the point. Maybe if it was an enclosed car...

And yes, Patrick is correct about the re-wiring. When all those fans kick on it's a BIG slam-surge that can be hard on even big wires, parts and fuses.

[DanEC]

[quote=Gasdoc;1393795]
I saw where some folks are installing Cool It or Dynamat under their carpet. Is this worth it for heat or noise?
QUOTE]

It all can be a little maddening. People love to help you spend your money. I think we live vicariously through it since we don't get to build a car every year.

With side exhaust you don't really need insulation underfloor. You may want to add some to the top of the foot box since it isn't insulated on the engine side. Possibly the outboard side of the fool box also for the same reason. You will need some insulation for the transmission tunnel. I would use something like this for lightness and insulation value.

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Thermo-Tec-14100-24-Cool-Mat/dp/B00029KCW0?ie=UTF8&*Version*=1&*entries*=0"]Amazon.com: Thermo-Tec 14100 24" X 48" Cool-It Mat: Automotive@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51jLlxmoutL.@@AMEPARAM@@51jLlxmoutL[/ame]

Only issue is it isn't self-adhesive so you have to use contact cement.

Another option is to simply go to Lowes or Home Depot and buy a roll of Frost King duct wrap. This is what ERA uses to insulate the engine side of the foot boxes and it is self adhesive and inexpensive. It does weight a little more but not as heavy as something like Dynamat.

As Bernica pointed out, it is an open car with a loud engine and exhaust so how much sound dampening material do you really want to weigh it down with and for how much good. Because my car has undercar exhaust and is a street car I went a little overboard on mine. I will say it's tight and rattle free. Sound deadner does not need to be applied over the entire car to get benefit from it. You may want to apply a few square feet on the bigger aluminum panels just to dampen some vibration/resonance - say a piece under the seats on the floor board. Also between the trunk floor panel and the gas tank is a good idea because there isn't much separation between them. The panel behind the seats is the other big one that a couple squares could be put on the trunk side if you decide to carpet the trunk. But, I wouldn't go overboard with it.

Good luck.

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by Gasdoc

Patrickt - I like your electric mods, I may try them, especially the radiator fan mod. Do you think the TKO Neutral Safety Switch is worthwhile? Many others do this?

I went many years before getting around to installing this one. And I would say that most Cobra owners with a TKO don't bother hooking up the switch in to the starter motor circuit, even though it is already installed in the transmission by Tremec. Top loaders don't have the switch to begin with.

The reasons I installed it are that 1) I have become a little lazy about just reaching in and starting the car up while standing outside the car during engine tune up and tweaking; and 2) I saw a scary video of a guy doing just that and the car started right up in gear and drove off without him. Yes, he was "positive" that he had left it in neutral. I also, from time to time, leave the key in the ignition at car shows. Yes, I know that's dumb.

[lippy]

I used Cool-it everywhere and am glad I did. There is a weight penalty, but it makes the car feel more solid and keeps the interior cooler.

[Dimis]

I used Dynamat not for the sound, more for the cooling as lippy mentioned.
FWIW the weight penalty is meh... not even a handful of pounds.

Enjoy agonising over those decisions... Its a rite of passage

[RockBit]

GasDoc - ERA offers optional heat shields between the headers and the front of the foot boxes. Pretty cheap, and should cut down on radiation heat transfer from the headers. You may want to look at that. I also sent some high end heat insulation to ERA and asked them to use it on my footboxes instead of the usual (FrostKing) stuff they use. If you are interested in looking at that, I'll dig up the info on what I sent them.

I also had them include the front wheel well vents to allow some heat to get out of the engine compartment. They offer that as an option.

[Gasdoc]

OK, looks like more research for me today. Seems like there are a lot of options from ERA that are available that really aren't advertised.

DanEC - I quit adding up the bill on this car a long time ago, lol ! Thanks for the recommendations!

Patrickt - That sounds exactly like the kind of bonehead maneuver that would "happen" to me! I guess I'll add that TKO Neutral Safety Switch to the list !

Rockbit - I'll ask Peter today about the heat shields and the front wheel vents. If you have a link on the heat insulation you used, that'd be great. Thanks !

In the end, I may actually use dynamat or Cool-It. I have some experience with that kind of insulation when I used dynamat on my 370Z floors. When I first got it, little rocks pinging the underside of the car really bugged me. After I installed that, it was a ton better and it did make the car feel more solid. I didn't think about the possible heat insulation benefits at the time.

[Bernica]

Originally Posted by Gasdoc

DanEC - I quit adding up the bill on this car a long time ago, lol ! Thanks for the recommendations!

There is a big note taped to the top of my binder full of receipts that reads "DON'T COUNT!"

Also, you might want to check some of the threads about insulating or lining the front inner wheel wells which will help protect from rock chips and quiet down the "popcorn" noise as the sticky tyres tend to throw the little rocks and gravel.

[kevins2]

Bernica,

Good idea on not adding up the final cost...wish I'd thought of that.

As for protecting against rock chips, etc., ERA has that covered with Coremat embedded in the body.

Assembly jig

[DanEC]

[quote=Bernica;1393946]There is a big note taped to the top of my binder full of receipts that reads "DON'T COUNT!"
QUOTE]

Back in the 90s I did a body off restoration of my 66 427 Corvette - turned nearly every nut and bolt in it. It took me about 6 years and when I was done I added up all the receipts and thought - sh!!!t, and I know there are a lot of raw materials and supplies and tools I didn't have in that figure. Better not mention this to the wife.

So, now comes Cobra time and I have another big fat file of receipts - but have I ever added them up - oh heck no. And I know my total is not nearly as high as many other builders/owners.

[Bernica]

No, never try to add up all the receipts. I see no upside to it and it will only cause you to end up walking around in the back yard in circles and talking to yourself! And ALWAYS keep that binder in a safe place. You never know when someone else might want to do the math!!

[lippy]

Definitely get the heat shields and engine insulation from ERA. They don't cost much and they are effective. But as I mentioned before I'd also recommend adding your own CoolIt inside on the tunnel, floors, footboxes, and the back of the dash.