Assembling an ERA Cobra

Tongue Pirate · #1 (**permalink**) 11-13-2002, 09:38 AM

I would like to hear from those of you who have done most or all of the assembly yourselves.

If you bonded & riveted the body yourself . Do you wish you would have had them do it? What did it entail?

Were all the aftermarket parts(steering, gear, column,brake parts, etc.) easy to find & install? Keep in mind that I have assembled a car from pieces so I'm not a comlete novice.

Finally what suggestions would you have if you were to build another.

Thanks a Bunch!!!

ERA-FIA · #2 (**permalink**) 11-13-2002, 09:59 AM

Hi,
I am on my 2nd ERA, and have done it both ways...body bonding that is. Diffently glad I had ERA do the body bonding the second time. I believe that it is easier to do on the big block car which I had first. Re parts...if you use those specified in the manual it's all a bolt together, anything you can't find ERA can provide.

SSSnake · #3 (**permalink**) 11-13-2002, 12:49 PM

You are probably better off having them bond the body and rivet the panels in. It will save you a lot of time and work. You can also avoid the pinched fingers while trying to rivet a panel way back in the rear fender well.

Although, if you want the satisfaction of putting the ENTIRE car together, bond and rivet yourself. This way you can get pictures of the bare frame without the body.

Definitely get the frame and suspension powder coated!!!

Glenn

Tongue Pirate · #4 (**permalink**) 11-13-2002, 02:26 PM

What sort of tools would one need for the bonding process?

mr0077 · #5 (**permalink**) 11-13-2002, 03:28 PM

TP, I'd do it the same way if I did it again...Do an ERA, and have them bond body to frame. I got most of their parts (steering column, etc.), and it only took 45 days from getting it from the paint shop to getting it registered, 2-3 nights a week and 1-1/2 days per weekend. MUCH better than my first kit (Brand X). VERY satisfied with the results!
Good luck!

Bob Putnam · #6 (**permalink**) 11-13-2002, 03:45 PM

"What sort of tools would one need for the bonding process?">>

A drill, a pop-rivet gun and a strong arm. If you have to remove the body for chassis powdercoating or paint, have 3 friends too.

Don't forget that our bond-body option also includes riveting and bonding the floor, rear bulkhead, firewall and footboxes.

And... The chassis powdercoating also includes door, hood and trunk hinges, and probably a few things that I've forgotten.

Slide · #7 (**permalink**) 11-13-2002, 06:41 PM

As you know I had ERA do the powder coat and bond option. The only real problems I've had involved those things I tried to engineer myself. Been twice to Willow Springs and going to Buttonwillow this weekend. I could not be more satisfied with how this car handles.

Chaplin · #8 (**permalink**) 11-13-2002, 08:29 PM

While we're on this topic, can someone tell me how difficult it was to install the interior? I am toying with the idea of having ERA install the interior for me- not because I don't want to do it- it's just that I don't want to screw it up. After all, if I'm spending all the $$ already, might as well spend a little more and have it be perfect. Is it possible to do an "expert" looking job your first time out??

Thanks,
Mike

Turk · #9 (**permalink**) 11-13-2002, 08:49 PM

Chaplin,
Doing the interior yourself is easy enough. That is if ERA is painting the car for you. If you are having it painted locally, do NOT install the interior first.
Everything comes precut, bound and marked. The intructions are superb.

I would NOT want to tackle the bonding process. The part about needing 3 friends got me rattled. Where am I going to find three friends?
This is one process best left to ERA.

TURK

Chaplin · #10 (**permalink**) 11-13-2002, 08:57 PM

Turk-
ERA is painting the car for me. Did you install the interior in your ERA because I remember looking at the pictures of your ERA and thinking that it looked perfect? I'm good with the mechanical stuff, but have never been good with the small finishing details and making things look pretty- I just don't want to screw it up.

Thanks,
Mike

ERA 626 · #11 (**permalink**) 11-13-2002, 09:53 PM

Chaplin,
Which painter are you using? Peter uses two different painters.
Tony & Walt who are you using?

I am in the middle of my interior now and so far it seems fairly easy... I just finished the trunk... Start on the trunk so you can learn in the trunk...

RICK LAKE · #12 (**permalink**) 11-13-2002, 10:16 PM

Chaplin Let Tony paint the car. He knows what he's doing. Have Doug do the interior with the rugs. Everything is straight and perfect. everything is trimed to fit. Doug will make sure the tunnel is centered before the seats are put in. It's worth the price to not have to mess with this.

Rick Lake

ERA 626 · #13 (**permalink**) 11-13-2002, 10:26 PM

Chaplin,
Have Walt of Conn. Custom car do the paint... A little more than Tony but WELL worth it.
Send me a private e-mail and I will give you the details.

ERA 626 · #14 (**permalink**) 11-13-2002, 10:29 PM

Rick,
I am about to start my carpet. Can you tell me more about the tunnel & the seats?? Is there somthing I should know about centering the tunnel before the seats??

Turk · #15 (**permalink**) 11-14-2002, 12:27 AM

Chaplin,
I did NOT do the interior myself. I had it done locally at an upholstery shop who does all our work for the dealership. He told me he had done a few Cobras before. So I let him do it.

When I went to pick it up, he charged me less than I had agreed to pay.
He said, when I told him I had a Cobra interior to do, he thought it would be like the others he had done. He was pleasantly surprised how acurate the carpets were cut and how well it all went together and charged me less.

Believe me it is well done.I just didn't want to mess with it, but you can do it if you wanted to.

TURK

ERA535 · #16 (**permalink**) 11-14-2002, 07:32 AM

Mike,

The tunnel only fits one way so you don't have to do any "figuring".

As to the interior/carpeting. Sure you could do it - as Turk said everything is pre-cut and fits well, but you have to ask yourself this question...how much are you spending on the car? Is it worth having someone who does this for a living do it for just a couple of hundred dollars extra? Do you think your first attempt will be as good as someone who has done thousands?

I would advise spending extra time NOW on the heat shielding. I did and must say that it was worth it - I drove my car in 110 degree temps and the interior was (obviously) warm but not uncomfortable.

Are you putting the battery in the trunk?

Chaplin · #17 (**permalink**) 11-14-2002, 08:04 AM

In reverse order . . .

Pat-
That is exactly my point. At this point, so much $$ is going into this car, what's a little more to have it come out perfectly. Like I said, I don't want to screw it up.

What heat shielding are you referring to? You mean there is an ERA option that I haven't ordered yet????

And yes, the battery is going in the trunk. Does that change things??

Turk-
Thanks. I am starting to think I don't want to deal with it also. I installed a carpet in another car I owned, and it was always a little off. No one else ever noticed, but I did and it drove me crazy (still does as a matter of fact).

Mr. Mike/Rick-
I was planning on using Tony. I saw a couple of cars that he painted last time I was at ERA and they looked pretty nice. Mr. Mike check your email . . .

As always, thanks guys for your help.

Mike

Turk · #18 (**permalink**) 11-14-2002, 08:19 AM

Chaplin,
ERA does not offer heat shielding or insulation (that i know of) for the tunnel.

As a matter of fact the flexible heat shielding that they offer, which is glued on the footboxes is not particulary the best available.
Because of it's accordion shape crinkle texture and the fact that it is a stick on, it must be easier for them to use that material.
What I did was to remove the flexible heat shield that was on the foot boxes and apply the High Temmperature 2000 degree shielding that you can find in Summit etc.

This is the stuff that is shiny on one side and looks like fiberglas matting in the back. I believe there are different grades of it. What looks like fiberglass I believe is ceramic fibers woven and is very effective.

Besides covering the footboxes with it, I lined up the entire tunnel with it. It makes a lot of difference. It makes the car quieter in the inside as well.
If you install carpets over some sort of carpet padding that too will make the insides of the car cooler and quieter.

It is so effective, my only complaint while I owned it was that I did not have enough warmth inside the car while driving on cooler days.
Ended up disconnecting the fresh air hoses just to pick up some engine heat in the cockpit.

TURK

Tongue Pirate · #19 (**permalink**) 11-14-2002, 08:23 AM

Sounds like I'll go with the bonding option, & definately having the frame powdered & getting the rear assembly.
Does anyone have any strong opinions about the Standard rear assembly vs. the ERA Custom rear option? This will more than likely be a 99% street car.

We'll see what other options I can afford after that...

Slide, What colors did you end up painting yours?

Chaplin · #20 (**permalink**) 11-14-2002, 08:27 AM

Turk-
I was following you right up until the last paragraph. Did you say that there were cool days?? Didn't I see a thread some where around here going on about the virtues of the weather on the left coast? I thought you always wore shorts??

All kidding aside, that is actually a good idea. Did you just glue the insulation on the under side of the tunnell??

Thanks,
Mike