No updates?

Doug and I are going to go get the car, but it will not happen until May due to my schedule.

Okay guys, we are trying to nail down a date in late May to go get this car with DougM. DCDoug can you please contact DougM ASAP to discuss our plans?

Thanks,

Jim

I wish I could do something to help out.

Never take your health for granted! I broke my neck at c5-6 in 1984 when I was a senior at University of Arkansas. From age 21 I have used a wheelchair. My shoulders wore out and I had to use an electric power chair from 2007 on.

I retired at 59 due to health reasons but retirement is driving me crazy. I am getting a new IV antibiotic tomorrow. I would like to help out even it is something small.

I wish I could write you a big check but just had a $5,200 repair bill on my reclining wheelchair.

If the car is gonna have a CD player, maybe I could burn some CD's if somebody will tell me what to put on them. Maybe iTunes or PayPal would be better.

Please let me know. God bless all if you!

Russell

All the FE engines are internally balanced exceed 410" Mercury and 428" Fords.

I am sure your cadre of buddies knew that. My 1968 Cobra with the 427" hydraulic lifter W code had two alternator belts. I always wondered if it do any good. If one belt let go, there went the other, too.


Best wishes,

Russell

What's the status? How's it coming?

The car is in my garage where Doug and I have been slowwwwly working on getting the wiring done. I say slowly because firstly its hotter than hell in the summer here (100F in my garage) and secondly Doug and I both have been traveling quite a bit on business. Once things cool off in late August and early September we'll make some good progress.

In the meantime Doug and I have been spending quite of bit of brain time together as he has become my chief engine consultant on my newest project, a 1969 Mustang Boss 302 Trans Am race car. Doug has been schooling me on the Cleveland and Windsor engine families, and doing an excellent job of spending my money. He stands in one bay of my garage cussing his Cobra wiring while I stand next to him ripping the guts out of my Mustang. Its chop/cut/rebuild/cuss heaven. Doug has also been dabbling around in some FE stuff trying to decide how to power his car once he finalizes the roller build.

He may have a different perspective but that's where things stand from my POV.....


p.s. I got the better end of this deal. He got his car to Texas, but I got a new friend that tells me what I want to hear. :LOL:

Glad to hear it's moving forward. Interested to hear more about the Boss 302 T/A and glad to hear that Doug is getting some good cuss time in with his baby. Maybe he needs to spend some of your $$ on A/C for the garage....just sayin' :cool:

How is he feeling?


.

I'll post up a new thread about the TA car when I make a bit more progress. Your AC idea is stellar but the head of my accounting department has closed for the season following the submission of the TA build sheets :3DSMILE:

I'll let Doug answer that one.

Hey, guys - sorry about the lack of posting. That’s my fault. :o

The really good news is that the car is in Houston, and it’ll be completed down there. Right now, I’m trying to get the wiring harness installed and finished. If I were to list my level of expertise in the different areas needed to complete the car, engines would definitely be at the top, and electrical would absolutely be way down at the bottom. Given that, it’s extremely frustrating tying to get this electrical work done. As I’ve said on other occasions, electrical is voodoo science to me. I have a Ron Francis harness in the car that is supposed to be a generic harness, however while progressing through the installation process it’s becoming very obvious that the harness is heavily weighted toward using his headlight switch and ignition switch. Trying to use the Lucas toggles for lights and dimmer is posing all sorts of problems with the addition of multiple light relays, etc. This has quickly spiraled way over my head, so progress is extremely slow. It’ll get there; it’s just another challenge to overcome.

After the harness is done, I have to install the radiator, fans, oil cooler and all the associated aluminum ductwork and shrouding needs to be fabricated. Jim has a metal bending tool, so I’ll try my hand at that. Way back when, I had Nick Acton make up a really neat bracket system that takes the upright Contemporary radiator out, and accepts a Fluidyne Cobra type radiator in the proper laid back position with the pusher fans, etc. After that’s all done, the floor mounted pedal box and lines, also a Nick Acton custom piece, need to be installed. Hopefully that’ll be a straight forward installation. Next comes the emergency brake installation. Jim had a spare handle lying around that we swapped a part for, so I’ll use that one. As far as the hookup goes, that’s a mystery at this point how it’s going to be done. After the electrical, that’s the one job that I think is going to be very difficult.

After that a fuel line and pump need to be run and installed, and some odds and ends sorted out. Then it’s on to powertrain and interior, and hopefully on the road. How long this will all take is anyone’s guess.

Health wise, I’m holding up ok. I just take it day by day. So far everything is going ok. Given the circumstances, that's the best I could ask for, and I'm thankful for what I have.

Getting the car here was a marathon, with Jim and Bill taking me along on a Houston to Michigan and back in 48 hours non-stop run. Whew, what a whirlwind that was. Perhaps the biggest trooper in all this is Jim’s wonderful wife. Her car has been relegated to the driveway to make room for mine, and she has to put up with me inhabiting her garage when I can get there. She and Jim, Bill, Rick Lake, DC Doug, Cobra Ed, FatBoy (Paul), and so, so many others have been absolutely incredible with all this. The car wouldn’t be in Houston without them and all of you who have done so much. Now it’s my job to get this car done, and it WILL get done. I absolutely want to have a chance to drive it, and I WILL drive it. Of that I have no doubt. Now, if I could just get through this darned electrical……….:CRY::eek:**)

I promise to make every attempt to do a better job of posting and keeping those of you who are interested up to date on the progress of the car. Thanks so much, once again and always, to each and every one of you.

Doug

great news, good to hear about the progress
Doug, electrical circuits are just like rivers of water with some dampers in between, large lakes, waterfalls, eventually it flows in to the ocean, becomes clouds, and the circle starts again very easy :LOL:

Have no fear guys, if sweetie wanted her spot back she'd be rolling Doug's junk out in the street. When we get back from Monterey we are gonna have a gang bang wiring party and we'll get it wired up.

ERAChas has a lot of time on his hands now.... Maybe we could fly him out there and let him tackle that little wiring issue, huh?%/

Please check your inbox for a P.M.

Cheers!

Doug

Updates?

Right after my previous post I contacted ElMariachi by PM...he said he'd get in touch with me when they decided to work on the car. I haven't heard from him yet, so I assume there is some holdup. A lot seemed to depend on parts acquistion issues (heads, IIRC) and Doug's health...maybe he will chime in and let us know where this project stands.

Sorry I can't tell you more....hoping for good news so that this gentleman can get to drive his Cobra!

Cheers!

Dugly :cool:

Is there anything I can do from Arkansas?

Thanks guys for the offers. A couple of the local guys have been helping Doug get the wiring done. We should have that complete by early October, as well as the steering and cooling system installed. After that, Doug needs to sort out the powertrain plans.

Checking in to see how the build is progressing.

How is Doug and how is the car coming along?