2152 The Build - Page 2

marcalan · #21 (**permalink**) 03-03-2014, 06:42 PM

I am running the ford shifter linkage with the standard ford shifter. If I had to do it again I would get the hurst shifter. Good choice

cscobra · #22 (**permalink**) 03-06-2014, 02:11 PM

Be sure to paint the underside of the car body as long as you're removing it from the frame. I used 500 degree satin black engine paint. According to ERA, it helps to seal the fiberglass and protects it. According to me, no pink fiberglass shows anywhere.

You don't even have to worry about masking it.

xb-60 · #23 (**permalink**) 03-06-2014, 03:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by prp289

....Looking at a running 331 with Webers, I have a Toploader with close ratio gears. I would say I'm 90% sure of going with the Viking Blue with out the front stripe. If I do a Hurst linkage for the Toploader, what mods are needed to run the Ford/Cobra shifter.

What rear end ratio are you thinking of with a close-ratio Toploader?
Viking Blue, no stripe....sounds great.
Cheers,
Glen

prp289 · #24 (**permalink**) 03-10-2014, 08:19 AM

CSCOBRA what paint brand did you use to spray under side of body. I found a color called Dull Aluminum that I would like to paint the under body with. xb-60 I am running 3:77 gears. I had 3:89 on my Clone GT350, liked how it all hooked up at Sonoma Raceway (Sears Point). On my progress, only have the passenger side of the interior holes left to drill then disassembly and removal of the body...

Caldon · #25 (**permalink**) 03-10-2014, 01:41 PM

prp289, Congrats! I know how you feel, although, I found my ERA 289 FIA sitting for 12 years in a barn just south of Boston with less than 500 miles on it. It was factory built with a powder coated frame. I'm going for a "street" version and this winter has been busy addressing the E. coast surface rust on the aluminum panels. The engine actually fired right up with no leaks. I ripped out the MSD stuff and installed a one wire alternator, ready to run Distributor, etc., etc., and now has front + back bumpers in place of quick jacks. Pictures of my ERA 289 FIA Street car are in my profile if you care to view. Anyway, have fun!

prp289 · #26 (**permalink**) 03-20-2014, 11:14 AM

Finally finished drilling all the holes for the rivets. Going to take a bunch of pics before I start disassembling the car for painting chassis, under body , and then bonding. Those of you that have done the bonding yourself, what adhesive did you use and how did you like the product? Also thinking of going with the Quick Time bell housing over the Lakewood unit. Any thoughts on that?

1985 CCX · #27 (**permalink**) 03-20-2014, 01:30 PM

Very cool build.........

ERA 778 · #28 (**permalink**) 03-20-2014, 06:32 PM

I used an epoxy called GelMagic from System 3. It is specifically designed for this kind of application and worked great. As I recall, they have two different blends for different ambient temperatures (summer or winter). I used the one that cures more slowly, which allows you plenty of time to correct any mistakes.

Go with the Quicktime bellhousing. It is lighter and much more accurately machined. You probably won't have to do any centering with it, at least I didn't.

Good luck!

DanEC · #29 (**permalink**) 03-21-2014, 07:11 AM

I used TAP 2-part epoxy. A picture of it is in post #17 of my build thread for ERA 782. I bought fillable caulking tubes from West Marine products to fill with the mixed epoxy and then used a caulking gun to apply it.

Agree on the Quick Time bellhousing. My was right on when I checked it with a dial indicator. It's also dimensionally a little smaller and makes for a better installation.

ERA 778 · #30 (**permalink**) 03-21-2014, 07:53 AM

Yes, Dan, the QuickTime is smaller, meaning that it does not have to be trimmed the way ERA tells you to trim the Lakewood unit on the bottom.

DanEC · #31 (**permalink**) 03-21-2014, 09:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ERA 778

I used an epoxy called GelMagic from System 3. It is specifically designed for this kind of application and worked great. As I recall, they have two different blends for different ambient temperatures (summer or winter). I used the one that cures more slowly, which allows you plenty of time to correct any mistakes.

Good luck!

Was the GelMagic a fairly heavy bodied, stiff epoxy kind of like fiberglass bonding agent (if you are familiar with it)? If so, then that may well be a distinct advantage over the TAP epoxy. It had a consistency not much stiffer than regular epoxy like JB Weld after mixed. It worked fine but in open joints I had to tool it a couple times while setting when it started to slump a little or put masking tape over it to keep it from slowly sagging out.

prp289 · #32 (**permalink**) 04-15-2014, 09:06 PM

Alright, finally.... In a week in a half I will be re-moving the body from the frame. My question to you all. What tips/advice, do you have on the removal of the body, and bonding body to frame. I cannot wait to do this. The disassembly of the car felt like I was going in reverse in the building process... I have body parts in the house and garage.... all for a good reason... Thats what I tell the wife at least..... Goodtimes.. I will post pics when we start the process.....Cheers....

DanEC · #33 (**permalink**) 04-15-2014, 09:17 PM

Did you get my PM from about ten days ago on this? I can never tell if they send OK.

Dan

Jim Holden · #34 (**permalink**) 04-17-2014, 04:04 PM

"I have body parts in the house and garage.... all for a good reason... Thats what I tell the wife at least..... "

I experienced a similar "matrimonial; moment" on one of my early ERAs when I told my wife I wanted to store the dashboard on the guest room bed for awhile...

We recovered...

Jim

prp289 · #35 (**permalink**) 04-17-2014, 10:21 PM

DanEC, Yes I have recieved all of your PM's and Pics. I thank you for all you information you have given.. They help alot in the process thants for sure. I have built many Mustangs in the past, this is a little different thats for sure..

prp289 · #36 (**permalink**) 04-29-2014, 09:02 PM

Last weekend I removed the body, called ERA the week before and they gave me some tips on the removal and bonding of the body. The next few weeks I will prep and under body to paint. I have a question, the manual says to drill holes steel tube bonded to hood opening flange. I think I missed it. also that bar that you can remove in nose for oil cooler opening with the one screw in it, does that get riveted and bonded also? Will post pics this weekend..

tkb289 · #37 (**permalink**) 04-30-2014, 12:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Holden

"I have body parts in the house and garage.... all for a good reason... Thats what I tell the wife at least..... "

I experienced a similar "matrimonial; moment" on one of my early ERAs when I told my wife I wanted to store the dashboard on the guest room bed for awhile...

We recovered...

Jim

I had a similar experience ... my ERA came as a painted roller and I had the hood very carefully wrapped up, and on the bed in our guest room. Great minds must think alike ... it pays to have a patient spouse

DanEC · #38 (**permalink**) 04-30-2014, 06:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by prp289

Last weekend I removed the body, called ERA the week before and they gave me some tips on the removal and bonding of the body. The next few weeks I will prep and under body to paint. I have a question, the manual says to drill holes steel tube bonded to hood opening flange. I think I missed it. also that bar that you can remove in nose for oil cooler opening with the one screw in it, does that get riveted and bonded also? Will post pics this weekend..

I bonded both areas. On the oil cooler opening I used 3 rivets - one in the shipping screw location and another either side of it a few inches away. I seems like in front of the hood opening, I replaced the shipping screw or installed a rivet after bonding. I can't remember if I added any additional ones there or not. I will look later today.

DanEC · #39 (**permalink**) 04-30-2014, 04:26 PM

I looked at my car to refresh my memory.

There is one rivet in the top of the inside of the radiator opening. But, I think it was a body assembly rivet by ERA. There isn't any frame member there. It might have had a screw in it originally and I removed it and installed a rivet. It probably could have just been filled and painted over.

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In front of the hood opening, I just reinstalled the screw that ERA had installed to make sure that I retained the alignment with the frame. Because that was a square tube frame member, I believed I would be able to get a really strong epoxy bond to the body and I didn't think a couple more screws or rivets was going to do anything further for it. You can just see it in on the underside of the tube member.

At the oil cooler opening, because that was a round tube frame piece I wasn't sure how much good of a contact area I was going to get with the body to epoxy. So I installed three rivets just to be a little safer.

I guess I need to get a tooth brush and clean the polish off of the rivet heads. Of course the best answer would probably be to talk with ERA and see how they have been doing it.

prp289 · #40 (**permalink**) 05-29-2014, 10:37 PM

Well, I finally painted frame and underbody. We bonded the car two weeks ago and now I feel like I am making some progress. I used GelMagic for bonding agent and and pleased how easy it was to apply, clean up, and the amount of working time we had before it set up.