Quote:
Originally Posted by decooney
Natalie,
Not to rattle your brain any more that what you are now, but are you absolutely dead set on a 427 street car with no rollbar?
The reason I ask is based on some of the feedback on some of the prior questions and answers. You indicated you want to do a bit of driving and periodic "trips". When I hear someone wanting to do trips, having a big block 4 speed car starts to fade out of vision a bit for me. Don't get me wrong, I love my BB 4 speed 427 car, but if I was going to do more road trips the first thing that comes to my mind is sweet little FIA car, nice 331 small block setup, 5 speed transmission, nimble, and a little better fuel efficiency. Super fun cars! Kirkham, ERA, either one. If you are patient, you might be able to find one a little closer to your budget and have a little headroom to help take the edge off a bit. Worst case you could try it, drive it for a few years, go all over the place with it, have fun, meet a lot of people and see what you think. If in 2-3 years you still must have a 427 BB car, authentic, you could sell the FIA/SB car and upgrade then after you put some miles on the first car. Just another option. Those little FIA cars are sweet when set up right are the perfect trip and road car for more regular trips. If I could, I'd have one of each. Just posing the question as one other possible option while you are working hard to make sense of it all. Many of us here have owned several iterations of Cobras before settling on any one. The first one makes you appreciate the second one, and vice versa, and so on. Good Luck on the journey.
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Thank you, I appreciate the advice. I'm really considering the FIA car as an option. Previously I thought, I don't want a small block in the 427 S/C body, that doesn't quite work for me. But in the FIA, it would.
At the moment, in an ideal world (and not specifying a manufacturer) the ideal setup would be a big block FE, five speed trans, undercar exhaust, no roll bar, Wimbledon white (or brushed aluminum) with no stripes.
But, being more realistic, here are the options as I see them so far:
1. A 428 CJ and a five speed. That might give me the OD I'd like for longer trips and a bit of that close ratio feeling in the other four gears. This would probably be in a (used) Kirkham 427 SC or new/used ERA. If it happened to be in the ERA, I'd consider having one built new and going with undercar exhaust, no stripes or rollbar, etc. PRICE: $$$
2. A 302/331 small block and five speed (as suggested above). This would probably be in a Superformance or perhaps an ERA, maybe a Kirkham but that seems less likely. In the case of the SPF, could be a new build with undercar exhaust, no roll bar or stripes. PRICE: $$
3. A 427 side oiler and wide ratio Toploader. This would definitely be in a used car, an ERA is what I'd like most in this case, and this option might get me the engine I really, really really want. I'd make some sacrifices on the rest of the car (color, holes in the body from where the roll bar was removed, etc.) but if it was well set up, had proper documentation and came from a conscientious owner—and at a lower relative price than either of the above—that would make a lot of sense too. PRICE: $
That's how it's breaking down for me at the moment, although there are still other manufacturers I haven't researched yet.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jamo
Flygirl...you appear to be someone whose time is worth as much as any financial considerations. I am the same way in my line of business.
So from that basis and as someone who has had a brushed arruminum Kirkham on the road and track on a regular basis for as long as anyone...in fact maybe the longest (outside of the the Kirkham family) if we're talking continuous use...don't worry about the arruminum. This has been the easiest car I've ever owned in terms of body upkeep.
A good wash, some scratch or blemish removal with a Scotchbrite once or twice a year, and Windex with a baby diaper for touchups and fingerprints...and that's it.
I've run all over this State in it, through rain, snow, Death Valley in mid-summer and on the track and autocrossed (hitting more than a few cones)...a few slight depressions in the unsupported cowl area where I put my palm while messing with the engine is it.
Do not make the decision based on any fear you may have with a metal body.
I like Duane's thinking based on your own description of what you want to do with it, but I'd go with full weather gear, radio, heater, etc....go Slabside if you go with La Familia (Kirkhams). But...those are decisions for you to make.
Enjoy the journey.
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Many thanks for your input!
Reality of it is, my budget doesn't give me a lot of wiggle room when it comes to a Kirkham, even a used one. So I'd probably be waiting a long time, and/or going with something that might not have all of what you suggested (heater, radio, weather gear). Which might be okay, actually, because realistically those multi-day trips might only happen once or twice per year.
I know the aluminum is an attention magnet but, dang, I sure like it a lot. And when I decide on something, I do like to know how I'm going to get things done before I dive in head first. As you can probably tell!