Winter FIA upgrades

[mrmustang]

Now that fate has dealt it's hand once again, and ERA 2080 (FIA) will be staying in the family, I'm thinking after 20 years, and over 20,000 miles, it's time to make some proactive updates to the car. Have already been through the suspension, brakes, and basic undercarriage "tech"

Now, since the car will remain a 99% street driven car, I've ordered new Cooper Cobra tires (arrive tomorrow) to replace my 11 year old Avon units.
235/60/15 for the front
295/50/15 for the rear

Have a new carpet set and DEI heat shielding for underneath sitting on my work bench, those will get installed in the fall, or over the winter.

Thinking about urethane motor and transmission mounts, but have yet to find the stock equivalents.

Maybe pull the exhaust system and send it out to be jet-hot coated.

Just starting to figure things out in my head, thought I'd put it down on paper (so to speak) and get some other people to chime in to see what they would do if they were in my shoes.

Bill S.

[seatra]

Bill,
Sorry, I don’t have any insight or good ideas for what to refresh. However, I am very interested in what you do because my FIA will be the next one built at ERA and I am still working out some of the finer details! Maybe I’ll be doing the original install the same time you do your refit!

R/Sean

[mrmustang]

Originally Posted by seatra

Bill,
Sorry, I don’t have any insight or good ideas for what to refresh. However, I am very interested in what you do because my FIA will be the next one built at ERA and I am still working out some of the finer details! Maybe I’ll be doing the original install the same time you do your refit!

R/Sean

2080 was a turn key, all options car from ERA, Bob still suggests the stock small block Ford engine/transmission mounts, and quite frankly, after 20,000 miles, they really have held up well. I'm just trying to be pro-active, and if there is a bolt in upgrade, why not do them now. Otherwise, I'll leave the originals alone. The heat shielding under the carpet is the biggest upgrade right now, as the carpet is glued directly down to the aluminum. There is heat absorption material on the footboxes in the engine compartment, and in the transmission tunnel, but I'm uncertain why Grumpy choose to do that and not add additional heat shielding in the passenger compartment at the time of build. Not a big deal, I'll get it sorted and done the way I want to as the current owner, just personal taste I guess. The rest, I'm just curious to see and read what others may have done after their builds.

Bill S.

[strictlypersonl]

We usually glue any additional insulation to the bottom (underneath) the floor panels. Definitely with undercar exhaust.
Hopefully there's insulation glued to the inside of the tunnel too.

[cobrajeff]

I’d be interested in your opinion of the Cooper Cobra tires compared to the Avons. My ERA is overdue for new tires, and I was leaning toward Avons, until I saw complaints about wet weather performance. Short sprinkles are not uncommon here in FL.

Jeff

[mrmustang]

Originally Posted by cobrajeff

I’d be interested in your opinion of the Cooper Cobra tires compared to the Avons. My ERA is overdue for new tires, and I was leaning toward Avons, until I saw complaints about wet weather performance. Short sprinkles are not uncommon here in FL.

Jeff

I've had Avons before, love them when they are new, especially for the occasional track day. Now that I'm pretty much done with track time, I'm switching to the coopers, have had them before as well. Takes about 200 hot miles to get them where they need to be. Handle much better than the BFG's, which I'll never go back to if I can help it.. Even put a set on my 70 Shelby vs the polyglas OEM's.

Bill S.

[strictlypersonl]

Originally Posted by mrmustang

...have had them before as well. Takes about 200 hot miles to get them where they need to be. Handle much better than the BFG's, which I'll never go back to if I can help it.. Even put a set on my 70 Shelby vs the polyglas OEM's.
Bill S.

That reminds me of an experience that I had about 50(!) years ago. I bought some European Uniroyals for my Saab. I drove like a maniac back then, and they absolutely scared the sh*t out of me. I was ready to replace them, but after they were broken in they turned out to be one of the best tires I've ever driven on, wet or dry.