Newbie Question - Everett Morrison

TyS · #1 (**permalink**) 09-15-2006, 04:39 AM

Guys & gals,

Thinking about taking the plunge with E&M on a Cobra kit. Seen some pro and con posts as folks have built their kits.

I would like to ask folks who have gone through the experience (and emerged out the other side) to summarize the things to keep in mind when dealing with E&M.

Also, what was your result in terms of quality and fun.

Thanks - Ty

Dan Stryffeler · #2 (**permalink**) 09-15-2006, 06:21 AM

TY,

EM used to build a very solid car, but it probably had too many options to produce profitably, especially with the influx of less expensive kits on the market - EM suddenly became a relatively costly car to put together. They did have some problems with back orders on parts, but in this industry that is not all that uncommon, and the issues were always resolved to my satisfaction.

They have since changed course and gone after a niche market with a stretched wheelbase, stainless steel frame and a single source suspension, hoping to recapture some sales, but still a relatively expensive car.

I have not seen the new car in person, but I'm sure it's very nice - EM is known for the quality of their bodies and frames.

They also have a very good assembly manual and any questions I had during assembly were quickly answered.

As for my car; after seeing a few ERA's and then some Shelbys, I found that I really didn't like the stance on my car - EM's sit very high with 2 to 3 inches of clearance between the tire and upper wheel-well. I spent some pretty serious cash to get the car lowered to get that "look". When all was done, I could have spent less and got an ERA to begin with. But again, the stance issue was a personal choice for me.

But the car is a blast to drive, except on harsh pavement when my panhard bar sometimes hits the trunk floor, (design error is my fault - not theirs).

An airplane ticket is a cheap investment against the cost of any of these cars - fly down there, see if they are building anything, ask to see their stock of parts, drive the car, etc.

- Dan

Tom Wells · #3 (**permalink**) 09-15-2006, 06:48 AM

Hey Ty,

Talk to Fred Gimbel, 717-382-4312. He's been doing E-Ms forever, and just delivered one of their new ones.

He built mine, and I'm enjoying it immensely - over 16K miles so far and going to the Sebring track with it again in about two weeks.

Tom

Dan Stryffeler · #4 (**permalink**) 09-15-2006, 07:27 AM

"enjoying it immensely"

- other than the broken wrist, that is

Dan

Tom Wells · #5 (**permalink**) 09-15-2006, 09:00 AM

Quote:

- other than the broken wrist, that is

Errr....

Welll...

There is that too.

The wrist is healed as much as it's going to, and the car has a new body. We ran the full six sessions on the track at Sebring in May and had an absolute ball!

My eldest has volunteered to co-drive on Oct 5 & 6. Nice of him don'tcha think ?

TyS · #6 (**permalink**) 09-18-2006, 04:56 AM

I'm going to see them tomorrow!

Dan Stryffeler · #7 (**permalink**) 09-25-2006, 08:24 AM

TY,

How did it go with the EM tour?

Tom - good to hear that you and the car are back in one piece.

- Dan

priobe · #8 (**permalink**) 09-25-2006, 09:01 AM

Dan,

I am in the process of finishing my EM. You mention that you had to spend alot of money in order to get your EM to look like a ERA ???????

Well just out of curiousity it sounds like you are running a live axle and not coil overs.

I am runnng the coil-overs system with independent rear and it should not cost me any thing to lower or higher my car.

Please explain

Thanks

Dan Stryffeler · #9 (**permalink**) 09-25-2006, 09:15 AM

I didn't like the high stance of my car, or the ride quality when I first got it together - I was using Granada leaf springs and had them de-arched a little bit per the assembly manual. The front springs had a couple coils cut out, also per the manual. I was running drum brakes on the back also - really went the low cost entry way into the kit.

At the time I did the car, there were only a few other replicas around at the car shows. When I saw an ERA up close, I really liked the stance. So I wasn't trying to make my car look like an ERA per se - just wanted to drop it down.

I bought the EM kits to convert the front end to coil overs and tubular arms, and also the rear 4 bar w/panhard setup. While we were doing the conversion, we also narrowed the rear to get the tires tucked in and moved it about an inch+ forward in the wheel well so that the tire arc wasn't centered in the wheel well arc. We had to cut the wheel tubs a little bit for clearance. I also changed over to a disk brake kit in the rear.

There is a decent picture of the car (pre roll bar) on the EM site - the rear 3/4 view kinda shows how tucked in everything is now.

http://www.everett-morrison.com/cust...felercobra.htm

- Dan