Commissioning a Turn Key ERA 427 Cobra

[Flygirl]

Originally Posted by strictlypersonl

The Sunburst wheels are all the same: 7.5" wide. When we use them on the rear, we use longer control arms to increase the flange-to-flange distance by about 3". I'm not sure whether that's possible with the ERA rear. I'd have to check whether there's any new interference.

Thanks for the info. The setup would be the Salisbury/Jag rear end, not the ERA version with the outboard discs. I'd imagine that'd work better with the under car exhaust, too, which is also my preference.

[tkb289]

Originally Posted by 428street

I'd be more then happy to share any details about my car and/or all the things that I would do differently on a new build...I spent countless hours, days, road trips figuring out all the specifics on the Cobra Street car...I'm on here every once in a while but best to email me at fzabski@trmacs.com for quicker response...

Flygirl,

When I visited ERA a few years ago, I also met with 428street and looked at his street ERA ... the level of detail is amazing and the car is simply stunning. A fine example for you to look at and a great person to talk to about your project.

[Flygirl]

Originally Posted by ERA Chas

Enjoy your brand-new ERA.

Thank you.

I've always had commitment issues, I'm taking it one (slow) step at a time.

[cscobra]

Originally Posted by Flygirl

Thanks for the info. The setup would be the Salisbury/Jag rear end, not the ERA version with the outboard discs. I'd imagine that'd work better with the under car exhaust, too, which is also my preference.

You are correct - the undercar exhaust does require the Jag rear end assembly.

[kgs365]

I was just there on Monday...and I think i saw a 427 on the lift with the outboard brakes that is having an undercar exhaust fitted

Originally Posted by cscobra

You are correct - the undercar exhaust does require the Jag rear end assembly.

[Flygirl]

I think the Jag rear end components are sexy, it's really as simple as that. Cheaper, too, and I think to the average person it adds a bit of an exotic nature to the car.

Is that vain, or what?
:-)

[JWheaton]

Flygirl -

ERA has 2 under car exhaust options that will work. There is enough clearance. The side pipes hang lower than the frame rails so you should be all good with an under car exhaust. Maybe that is moot now and you are going with pipes..... I admit to skipping the last 3 pages of this thread.

The inboard brakes work well and save you a bunch on the budget for other items. As Peter told me when I was asking about converting mine to outboard brakes.... the rear brakes are not as important as the front. Get the larger front brakes. They are the ones that are going to stop you anyway.

Love the sunburst wheels. If (when) I build one it will have sunburst... I guess I could get a second set for the current cobra..

#677, street-style, with undercar exhaust

#677, street-style, with undercar exhaust

#592 With undercar exhaust, front exit

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by JWheaton

The inboard brakes work well and save you a bunch on the budget for other items.

Are you sure? The options list page Options list shows the Jag Rear at $4500 and the ERA Rear at $5200, if I'm reading that right. The larger brakes, on the other hand, are $1400.

Now back years ago, when I was spec'ing out my car, I'm pretty sure I remember Peter telling me that you wanted to keep the front and back brakes "consistent." Meaning, if you went to the larger on one, you went to the larger on the other, but you didn't want larger on one and smaller on the other (either way around). I also see that ERA has discontinued a larger brake option for Jag based rears. Big brakes And, if I remember correctly, you either did it all, or none; there was no "in between." Things may have changed, though.

Now, if all that is true, an "upgrade" to the bigger brakes and better rear is a $2100 option.

[JWheaton]

Originally Posted by patrickt

Are you sure? The options list page Options list shows the Jag Rear at $4500 and the ERA Rear at $5200, if I'm reading that right. The larger brakes, on the other hand, are $1400.

Now back years ago, when I was spec'ing out my car, I'm pretty sure I remember Peter telling me that you wanted to keep the front and back brakes "consistent." Meaning, if you went to the larger on one, you went to the larger on the other, but you didn't want larger on one and smaller on the other (either way around). I also see that ERA has discontinued a larger brake option for Jag based rears. Big brakes And, if I remember correctly, you either did it all, or none; there was no "in between." Things may have changed, though.

Now, if all that is true, an "upgrade" to the bigger brakes and better rear is a $2100 option.

Not sure of the optioning now. Back then for me was 8 years ago. I ended up buying instead of building. Had larger front and inboard rear. I remember asking the guys in the shop about the options that they recommended. Almost all of the said larger front brakes, but said nothing regarding the "larger" inboards. Either way the brakes are good all the way around at the base level if the car is just going to be used on the street. And $700 dollars is $700 towards other things.

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by JWheaton

Either way the brakes are good all the way around at the base level if the car is just going to be used on the street. And $700 dollars is $700 towards other things.

I'll agree with that. And if she's watching the cost, the standard brakes and Jag rear is the way to go. Chances are the back pads, with street driving, will never need replacing in our lifetime anyway.

[B.M.B.C]

Flygirl
SSBC front calipers and Std Jag rear, and maybe some upgraded pads all round. Most Jaguar shops can fit rear pads in 1 hour, even pads/calipers are seized when fitted in there natural 2 ton surroundings.......

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by B.M.B.C

Flygirl
SSBC front calipers and Std Jag rear, and maybe some upgraded pads all round. Most Jaguar shops can fit rear pads in 1 hour, even pads/calipers are seized when fitted in there natural 2 ton surroundings.......

Somewhere around here there's a pic of the trapdoor that is behind the seats that you use to get to the inboard brakes. It might be in Ernie's photos (Excaliber). If they've indeed figured a way to squeeze the ERA rear in to a street, under-car exhaust, car then before deciding on the Jag rear she needs to find out whether the hand brake on the Jag-rear ERA cars really works or not.

[B.M.B.C]

Patrick
I have a `84 Xjs and a `65 xke , both handbrakes work exceptionally well.The Jaguar handbrake calipers are prone poor performance because of years of poor maintence while fitted in the big heavy sedans they was designed for. Regular application of grease and lube to prevent this certainly helps even in a car as light as a Cobra, where the holding loads are significantly lower.

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by B.M.B.C

I have a `84 Xjs and a `65 xke , both handbrakes work exceptionally well.The Jaguar handbrake calipers are prone poor performance because of years of poor maintence while fitted in the big heavy sedans they was designed for. Regular application of grease and lube to prevent this certainly helps even in a car as light as a Cobra, where the holding loads are significantly lower.

That makes sense. The poor reports I remember from years ago were probably the result of using older units that had not been thoroughly rebuilt properly. For what it's worth, the ERA page Jaguuar caliper service

[Flygirl]

Originally Posted by patrickt

Are you sure? The options list page Options list shows the Jag Rear at $4500 and the ERA Rear at $5200, if I'm reading that right. The larger brakes, on the other hand, are $1400.

Now back years ago, when I was spec'ing out my car, I'm pretty sure I remember Peter telling me that you wanted to keep the front and back brakes "consistent." Meaning, if you went to the larger on one, you went to the larger on the other, but you didn't want larger on one and smaller on the other (either way around). I also see that ERA has discontinued a larger brake option for Jag based rears. Big brakes And, if I remember correctly, you either did it all, or none; there was no "in between." Things may have changed, though.

Now, if all that is true, an "upgrade" to the bigger brakes and better rear is a $2100 option.

This is what I understand, as well.

__________

As far as the hand brake goes, that's important. Not only for those "we're on a steep hill, why did you pull so close to the rear end of a special car that clearly has a manual transmission?" clutch engagements, but because I really got sick of carrying a 4x6 block of wood in my Mustang, opening the door, setting it on the ground, then slowly rolling the car forward until the left rear tire was against it.

Especially in San Francisco, where I lived at the time.

Parking on an uphill slope made the process even more difficult; I avoided it when at all possible.

To get underway (on a downhill slope), I'd back up, hold the brakes, retrieve the block of wood, toss it behind the driver's seat, then I was off. It was kind of a pain, and I was always afraid that some jerk would kick it free and the car would roll forward.

Even though the clutch didn't slip, on very steep hills that was a possibility, even in first or reverse if I didn't set the block of wood. Don't ask how I found out! Let's just say, if I hadn't angled my tires and parked firmly against the curb, it would have been a lot worse. Thank God the curb was as tall as it was.

[decooney]

Flygirl,

FYI: If you go with an authentic style handbrake on your ERA, when belted into the seat, unless you have pretty long arms, it might not be feasible to reach over across the tunnel over/and down and pull it up on a hill check in S.F., etc. Just in case you were wondering about that, just wanted to mention it. I've seen a few people sneak in a shorter handbrake lever over on the drivers side between the seat and the outer rail with non-standard width leather seats, and one handbrake to the inside might be tight if you tried to mount in on the floor on the drivers side instead of the tunnel. I've messed with e-Brake setup a bit on both of my Cobras with Jag rears. They work okay, but I would not trust my Jag e-Brake alone on my car on a semi-steep hill in S.F. I'd probably opt for some sort of a driveline lock if I had to go there. Incidentally, i've driven both of my past and current FE powered Cobras through downtown S.F, all over the hills there a few times (unplanned)... better have that bellhousing bottom shaved off too, or watch out for that manhole cover! It can be done, but probably not the quietest or most stress free place to be with a heavy duty clutch and rumbling FE. Most of the people look at you like our are from Mars when you come rolling through. Could not wait to get the #%^& outta there after a few steep hills and stops waiting for lights, etc

[ZOERA-SC7XX]

As far as the front GM brakes that are standard for ERA, You can buy single-piston aftermarket (several manufacturers make them) Stock Car Racing aluminum calipers that fit the stock mounting locations and Impala rotors to comply with track rules. Also, Hawk make several grades of high performance and racing pads that will fit these calipers. These calipers and pads stop/slow 3500 lb race cars running at race speeds without fading. The good news is they only cost about 100-150 bucks each. The may not be as pretty as the big buck set, but work almost as well as they do.
As for the Jag rear brakes, the rebuild kit and piston costs are cheap, and if you want, you can get vented rotors for the Jags (but need different calipers). Once again, if you don't intend to race your ERA, this stock setup is more than adequate.

[ZOERA-SC7XX]

And with my handbrake set, the car won't move under power.

[Flygirl]

Thanks, guys. I'm 5'11" and fairly strong I suppose, so I'm not too worried about the physical location of the parking brake handle, although to be honest I haven't really fully considered that question.

The good/bad news (I say it with very mixed feelings) is that I no longer live in SF proper, and would do my best to avoid at least some/most areas of the City for potential carjacking issues as much as anything.

I just don't think I'd feel safe sitting in such a completely open car, a single woman in such an attention magnet of a machine. On more open roads I feel like I control my destiny to some degree; stuck in traffic or creeping along in a very congested area, not so much.

Also, I want the car to have a bit of dropped front rake and sit as low as is reasonably possible, so yes, avoiding opportunities to high center it would be good.

Considering the build of a new car, I'd really do my best to avoid mission creep. Although I'm a perfectionist, I've also spent a lot of years driving beat up older cars and am still relatively adaptable to mechanical imperfections, although obviously I'd like to minimize them wherever possible. If the brakes have good pedal feel and stop the car reliably in 8/10ths driving, maximum, that's fine with me.

I just don't feel like this would be a good car to crash. Not only would it break my heart, but it might break the rest of me, too.

[ZOERA-SC7XX]

Yes, you would want to be careful driving your Cobra, much the same as you would any small sports car. As for security, a Doberman or German Shepherd would be a fine bodyguard. I don't think many carjack-types would even be able to drive it with a toploader and no power anything. They wouldn't even be able to start it (I use a dash button), much less steer it. I, too, stay away from inner city driving just because city driving behavior is likened to Day-after-Thankgiving shopping at Walmart. Good luck with your project.
PS. The front is low enough not to want to drop it any more than stock.