Park Place....Bellevue Wa

Bartruff1 · #1 (**permalink**) 11-29-2007, 08:30 AM

I am considering a turnkey MK3 small block. Has anyone had any experience (good or bad) with Park Place Motors. Thanks in advance for your help.

Steve Cassani · #2 (**permalink**) 11-29-2007, 09:23 AM

Since the car is turn-key, I'm assuming its used or Park Place has completed the build. Either way, have the car checked-out by a member of the Northwest Cobra Club. This includes a few miles behind the wheel with soemone who is familiar with how the car should handle and perform.

Silverback51 · #3 (**permalink**) 11-29-2007, 09:39 AM

I bought mine from Park Place and was satisfied. The salesman I dealt with was David Bruski.

Bartruff1 · #4 (**permalink**) 11-29-2007, 10:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve Cassani

Since the car is turn-key, I'm assuming its used or Park Place has completed the build. Either way, have the car checked-out by a member of the Northwest Cobra Club. This includes a few miles behind the wheel with soemone who is familiar with how the car should handle and perform.

Steve, I am just getting started...I am most interested in a car that is trouble free...a sunday driver....I am thinking about a Ford Racing 302 with fuel injection and a top loader transmission...any coment or concerns would be much appreciated..larry

Bill Wells · #5 (**permalink**) 11-29-2007, 11:31 AM

do not put a 302 into a superformance .....351 or higher , and might as well go with as much power ( motor) as you can afford at the outset . a 302 as a used spf will be very hard to sell . if ya go a 302 , you will be wanting more power later and it will cost more $ the second time around . also, put a tremec 5 spd in it at the same time . car is set up for 600 and more hp, 5 spd gives great city and cruising range/performance . there are a multitude of engine choices and builders/suppliers ....take your time to choose the right one for you .

i lived in seattle ( bellevue ) not far from park place for 5 yrs , but never dealt with them . a 5 spd is a perfect trans for any area, especially the terrain in washington state . bill.

Powershift1038 · #6 (**permalink**) 11-29-2007, 05:36 PM

Both my SuperFormance Cobra and my 2003 Cobra came from Park Place. Tim Mills is the guy I dealt with. They know their Cobras. Tim also owns a Boss 302.

G.R. · #7 (**permalink**) 11-29-2007, 07:31 PM

Good people to deal with...now.... back in '01 they were a real pain in the you know what. They were a new Superformance dealership back then and were "very proud" of their product $$wise. I eventually bought mine out of Reno and avoided the high WA dealership markup. Evidentaly word got back to Superformance and Park Place came into line with the rest of the dealership re: pricing and service. Even though I bought mine out of Reno they took care of the very few problems I had with it.

Randy Rosenberg · #8 (**permalink**) 11-29-2007, 08:35 PM

If Park Place sells SPF rollers, then who does the install?

G.R. · #9 (**permalink**) 11-29-2007, 08:38 PM

They have an engine builder/shop that they use. I don't remember their name but they are highly thought of by car guys/builders in the Seattle area.

Randy Rosenberg · #10 (**permalink**) 11-29-2007, 09:20 PM

I assume the roller purchase and engine/installation are separate transactions (with separate receipts)...right?

G.R. · #11 (**permalink**) 11-29-2007, 09:24 PM

Yes it is a seperate trancaction, you pay PP for the car and the builder for the engine/trans...seperate companies, seperate reciepts. Same as I didin Reno

Randy Rosenberg · #12 (**permalink**) 11-30-2007, 08:51 AM

Thanks G.R. for the clarification. I would not want a novice, unsuspecting, new buyer to get caught with a titling problem due to having a single receipt vehicle.

Bartruff1 · #13 (**permalink**) 11-30-2007, 11:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill Wells

do not put a 302 into a superformance .....351 or higher , and might as well go with as much power ( motor) as you can afford at the outset . a 302 as a used spf will be very hard to sell . if ya go a 302 , you will be wanting more power later and it will cost more $ the second time around . also, put a tremec 5 spd in it at the same time . car is set up for 600 and more hp, 5 spd gives great city and cruising range/performance . there are a multitude of engine choices and builders/suppliers ....take your time to choose the right one for you .

i lived in seattle ( bellevue ) not far from park place for 5 yrs , but never dealt with them . a 5 spd is a perfect trans for any area, especially the terrain in washington state . bill.

...Thanks for the tip, I see used sp's with big blocks are selling for 50 and small blocks for 35. I should probably mention that I am a 68 yearold poser and the car will never be driven in anger. There is a Ford Racing 351 M-6007-58 with 250hp and 350 lbft of torque and that will be more than enough for me...

Randy Rosenberg · #14 (**permalink**) 11-30-2007, 11:54 AM

Hi Bartruff1,

Welcome to Club Cobra!

A friend of mine who is your age had the very same feelings about not needing excessive power. He had a Ford Racing 351 (385HP) installed in his SPF (along with a Tremec 5sp), and he's very, very happy with it. Not too powerful, very driveable/streetable, yet plenty of power without leaving him wanting for more.

If you have not done so already, please go for a drive in a similarly powered SPF in order to judge your performance needs.

Also, an SPF is not a light car, when compared to the aluminum (originals and replicas) and other replicas. It's not the heaviest, but definitely not the lightest. For this reason, I suggest the 385HP 351 motor. This would give you similar power/driveability to a vintage Corvette with a 327, as an example. If you were looking at a Factory Five, for example, then a 302 would be fine, since F5 replicas are much lighter than SPFs. I see no need for you to install a stroked 351.

Hope this helps. Doing the research is 1/2 the fun!

Regards,
Randy R...

Bartruff1 · #15 (**permalink**) 11-30-2007, 08:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by G.R.

Good people to deal with...now.... back in '01 they were a real pain in the you know what. They were a new Superformance dealership back then and were "very proud" of their product $$wise. I eventually bought mine out of Reno and avoided the high WA dealership markup. Evidentaly word got back to Superformance and Park Place came into line with the rest of the dealership re: pricing and service. Even though I bought mine out of Reno they took care of the very few problems I had with it.

Park Place couldn't get it done, I went with Shane Miller of Dynamic Motorsports in Cincy/Reno...the guy knows his stuff and gets things done...should pick it up in April in Reno...

Bartruff1 · #16 (**permalink**) 11-30-2007, 09:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Randy Rosenberg

Hi Bartruff1,

Welcome to Club Cobra!

A friend of mine who is your age had the very same feelings about not needing excessive power. He had a Ford Racing 351 (385HP) installed in his SPF (along with a Tremec 5sp), and he's very, very happy with it. Not too powerful, very driveable/streetable, yet plenty of power without leaving him wanting for more.

If you have not done so already, please go for a drive in a similarly powered SPF in order to judge your performance needs.

Also, an SPF is not a light car, when compared to the aluminum (originals and replicas) and other replicas. It's not the heaviest, but definitely not the lightest. For this reason, I suggest the 385HP 351 motor. This would give you similar power/driveability to a vintage Corvette with a 327, as an example. If you were looking at a Factory Five, for example, then a 302 would be fine, since F5 replicas are much lighter than SPFs. I see no need for you to install a stroked 351.

Hope this helps. Doing the research is 1/2 the fun!

Regards,
Randy R...

I bought the same combo...thanks for the help..

Silverback51 · #17 (**permalink**) 12-01-2007, 05:48 AM

Congratulations on the new car. Now for the hard part. Waiting.

Bartruff1 · #18 (**permalink**) 12-01-2007, 09:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Randy Rosenberg

Hi Bartruff1,

Welcome to Club Cobra!

A friend of mine who is your age had the very same feelings about not needing excessive power. He had a Ford Racing 351 (385HP) installed in his SPF (along with a Tremec 5sp), and he's very, very happy with it. Not too powerful, very driveable/streetable, yet plenty of power without leaving him wanting for more.

If you have not done so already, please go for a drive in a similarly powered SPF in order to judge your performance needs.

Also, an SPF is not a light car, when compared to the aluminum (originals and replicas) and other replicas. It's not the heaviest, but definitely not the lightest. For this reason, I suggest the 385HP 351 motor. This would give you similar power/driveability to a vintage Corvette with a 327, as an example. If you were looking at a Factory Five, for example, then a 302 would be fine, since F5 replicas are much lighter than SPFs. I see no need for you to install a stroked 351.

Hope this helps. Doing the research is 1/2 the fun!

Regards,
Randy R...

I got the same combo, thanks for the advice...

Bartruff1 · #19 (**permalink**) 12-01-2007, 09:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Silverback51

Congratulations on the new car. Now for the hard part. Waiting.

Thanks...waiting 4 months won't be too bad since I have waited nearly 40 years....I live near Mission Ridge Ski Area in Washington State and there are about 10" of snow on the ground and it is snowing pretty hard...I will probably put 10k miles on it before I pick it up. My first trip will be out of Reno thru Tahoe to Laguna Seca and down the coast highway to Santa Barbara and then back to Reno thru Bishop along the top of the Serria's just to do a leak test....this will be fun !! Thanks again....

Silverback51 · #20 (**permalink**) 12-02-2007, 06:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bartruff1

Thanks...waiting 4 months won't be too bad since I have waited nearly 40 years....I live near Mission Ridge Ski Area in Washington State and there are about 10" of snow on the ground and it is snowing pretty hard...I will probably put 10k miles on it before I pick it up. My first trip will be out of Reno thru Tahoe to Laguna Seca and down the coast highway to Santa Barbara and then back to Reno thru Bishop along the top of the Serria's just to do a leak test....this will be fun !! Thanks again....

I waited 39 years for mine, so we are in same boat.

Sounds like you have a nice trip planned. Be sure to post lots of pictures.