Cobra Make, Engine: ERA Street Roadster #782 with 459 cu in FE KC engine, toploader, 3.31
Posts: 4,527
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I'm not sure the seal failure is a symptom unique of the inboard brakes - I may be wrong. Both rear suspension set ups utilize rebuilt parts and sourced parts and fabricated parts and on occassion things just fail - stuff happens. This is not criticism of ERA - their design and engineering of the chassis/suspension in this car is second to none.
You can probably scan over the history of posts under the ERA section and find several rear seal and rear bearing failures invovling the rebuilt differentials and I think they will be shot gunned across both the original and ERA rear suspension systems. That said, if you do your own work, access to the outboard brakes for bleeding and maintenance is much better. I can bleed my inboard brakes from under the car after installing speed bleeder units but a change of pads will involve pulling the seats and rear differential cover panel. It is much easier to just pull a wheel.
If the extra $700 or what ever (I thought it was more) is not that significant in you overall budget then it's really not an agonizing decision. For most of us that built with the standard Jag suspension, we either just couldn't afford to check every last option box or also in my case, I wanted to run undercar 2-1/2 inch tailpipes for exhaust.
I'm not sure the seal failure is a symptom unique of the inboard brakes - I may be wrong. Both rear suspension set ups utilize rebuilt parts and sourced parts and fabricated parts and on occassion things just fail - stuff happens. This is not criticism of ERA - their design and engineering of the chassis/suspension in this car is second to none.
You can probably scan over the history of posts under the ERA section and find several rear seal and rear bearing failures invovling the rebuilt differentials and I think they will be shot gunned across both the original and ERA rear suspension systems. That said, if you do your own work, access to the outboard brakes for bleeding and maintenance is much better. I can bleed my inboard brakes from under the car after installing speed bleeder units but a change of pads will involve pulling the seats and rear differential cover panel. It is much easier to just pull a wheel.
If the extra $700 or what ever (I thought it was more) is not that significant in you overall budget then it's really not an agonizing decision. For most of us that built with the standard Jag suspension, we either just couldn't afford to check every last option box or also in my case, I wanted to run undercar 2-1/2 inch tailpipes for exhaust.
Cobra Make, Engine: ERA #732, 428FE (447 CID), TKO600, Solid Flat Tappet Cam, Tons of Aluminum
Posts: 22,014
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The way the Jag rear is designed is kind of funky in that it uses the half-shafts as the upper control arms. And I would venture to guess that the stress that we put on our Cobras is even harder than the average Jag driver. The bearings and seals can end up taking a pounding. At a minimum, Jag rear owners (and really outboard rear owners as well) should change the lube in a timely fashion. See this Coventry West tech tip: Dealing with your Jaguar Differential
Cobra Make, Engine: ERA Street Roadster #782 with 459 cu in FE KC engine, toploader, 3.31
Posts: 4,527
Not Ranked
Quote:
Originally Posted by patrickt
The way the Jag rear is designed is kind of funky in that it uses the half-shafts as the upper control arms. And I would venture to guess that the stress that we put on our Cobras is even harder than the average Jag driver. The bearings and seals can end up taking a pounding. At a minimum, Jag rear owners (and really outboard rear owners as well) should change the lube in a timely fashion. See this Coventry West tech tip: Dealing with your Jaguar Differential
Patrick,
There may be something to what you say but remember Kevin2 had a bearing go almost before he got out of the driveway - something less that 100 miles I think. I doubt his Jag rear end suffered this failure due to wear and tear. Literally, well over a million or two Jags and 63 - 83 Corvettes got by with the same arrangement just fine for decades. Probably a lot of other cars too. Corvettes have never had any issues with differential side bearings - it's always the outer spindle bearings that go first.
Cobra Make, Engine: ERA #795 427 S/C completed Jan. '14 - '68 FE 427 side oiler
Posts: 1,052
Not Ranked
My Jag failure was a faulty bearing. Doug said it looked like one of the ball bearings was a size larger than the others. Regardless, ERA replaced it for me.
__________________
"Anyone who drives faster than you is a maniac and anyone who drives slower than you is an idiot" - George Carlin
Cobra Make, Engine: ERA #732, 428FE (447 CID), TKO600, Solid Flat Tappet Cam, Tons of Aluminum
Posts: 22,014
Not Ranked
Hmmmm, well, ok, regardless, or "irregardless," as Bernica's father-in-law would say, the outboard rear still goes better with a nice Walnut burl shift knob.
Cobra Make, Engine: ERA Street Roadster #782 with 459 cu in FE KC engine, toploader, 3.31
Posts: 4,527
Not Ranked
Quote:
Originally Posted by patrickt
Hmmmm, well, ok, regardless, or "irregardless," as Bernica's father-in-law would say, the outboard rear still goes better with a nice Walnut burl shift knob.
Cobra Make, Engine: Unique 427 S/C, FE 440, top-loader, 3.31
Posts: 130
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To the OP, the Unique Motorcars pallet kit is a good bang for the buck IMO. The Weavers can paint in house very reasonably also. They will probably do anything you ask. All Jag rear as well. Mine is tight and no cracks 11k miles. Make an appointment and take a drive. You won't be sorry even if you do not choose them. I would be tempted to check out the Unique 289 in the CC classifieds. The cars are a blast. A lot of folks don't get it though.
Cobra Make, Engine: Some polish thing... With some old engine
Posts: 2,286
Not Ranked
Quote:
Originally Posted by patrickt
Hmmmm, well, ok, regardless, or "irregardless," as Bernica's father-in-law would say, the outboard rear still goes better with a nice Walnut burl shift knob.
Hey' who'd have thought... my father in law says that too
To the OP, the Unique Motorcars pallet kit is a good bang for the buck IMO. The Weavers can paint in house very reasonably also. They will probably do anything you ask. All Jag rear as well. Mine is tight and no cracks 11k miles. Make an appointment and take a drive. You won't be sorry even if you do not choose them. I would be tempted to check out the Unique 289 in the CC classifieds. The cars are a blast. A lot of folks don't get it though.
Yup, spoke with them today over the phone. they are sending packet. Unique and ERA are really my only two "real" considerations, both seem equally good.
This is great info guys!
Last edited by willtwallace; 12-18-2014 at 11:00 PM..
First off welcome to Club Cobra! You are off to a great start and the guys here have a lot of good advice. Six pages in three days on your third thread … that's pretty good.
As mentioned there are a lot of good and reputable Cobra suppliers to choose from and they all have their supporters here on CC. ERA can build you a truly custom Cobra with as much or a little work on your part as you like. The costs can add up quickly, so keep that in mind. I would recommend having ERA partially or even fully bond the body to the frame and have Connecticut Custom do the body work and paint. The rest is pretty much bolt on from there.
I ordered a painted roller with the dash wired & installed, along with some of the carpet installed. There was still lots for me to do with the motor, transmission and interior bits. The biggest down side for me was the wait, but I knew that going in and that's just the way it is.
Bottom line is ERA makes a top notch product, that is well engineered and well supported.
No matter which way you go, three things to keep in mind, which have been said more or less in the previous posts …
- Build the car of your dreams, not someone else's
- Build the best car you can afford to finish
- Do your homework, so in the end your 'do over' list has few if any items on it.
If you what another ERA build log to click through … here you go!
Yes I have learned a lot and re-hashed some old stuff I knew, both of which have been nothing but beneficial.
Short list of things I would like to have done out the gate aka at pick up:
Manufacturer: (ERA or UA)
Body either partially of fully bonded
Dual front fans (must have!!!)
427 riveted hood scoop
Powder coated chassis
Powder coated louvers and gas cap (Black)
Powder coated roll bar (80% decided on this one)
Paint (fingers crossed on this one)
That is the way I would like to pick her up. Also, I already have some hooks in the water for a big block ford. The rest will have to be done, piece by piece.
Other great ideas / advice I have picked up here:
Have passenger side frame prepped for roll bar (just in case).
Replace steel screws with stainless steel screws.
Place the battery in the trunk.
Lastly, don’t put no stinking Chevy motor in a Cobra!
After looking at almost EVERY photo of a 427 Cobra on flickr I am about blind! But, wow, what a car! No matter how many times I see one, I like it! I mean it’s almost hard to not like something about everyone one you see, even it has items I don’t like.
Good stuff guys, keep it coming! I absolutely love all the different opinions and lessons learned!
William “For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus” Philippians 1:6
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