Hey Guys.
Chris,
Hello! I saw your BBM short block built on the stand and took photos. Brought a buddy by to come back and see it while I was there for pickup. I did not realize that was yours. Very nice. Really like it. I wanna touch base with you after you get the new motor in the ERA. I was thinking... down the road I may sell my matching 428CJ/DK Bull Nose Nascar Toploader trans pair (together) to a future Shelby or Drag pack car owner looking to put an original car back together if the right person and situation comes along. It has more value in a proper restore situation - where it should be vs my ERA. I already mentioned to Tom about building me a BBM long block then. May take a few years for the right person to come along and I know that's where it truly belongs. Ron Bulter's son wanted it years ago for a former GT500 restore project, but I could not let it go then.I'd let it go to fund the BBM build and to get mine in the right car. Sorry I lost touch with all after the last year Cobra Bash. Those were the good times. Hope all is well. Glad you still have your car too.
RodneyM,
Cool. Was there a number of times when the twin Paxton FE motor build project was coming together. Glad that all worked out too, kinda wondered how that all went once you got in your car.
Ron,
Had no idea he did your motor in the GT40 or I just forgot, very Cool. Good to know. Was hoping you could bring it to the Toy Run. See ya soon, oh, that's two days from now.
Phil,
Glad to hear yours is still doing well since. Hope to see it again Saturday if you bring it to the Toy Run.
According to Tom, back in 2001-2002 my engine was the very first FE Cobra motor he did in a car like ours. The block was from Tom's personal block stash, he was saving it for himself. Had extra thick cylinder walls, stashed away. We finally agreed we'd do the motor and I'd put it in my next Cobra. Boy, It was fun to hear the engine stand the first time with the original cam, that was nuts. Wackaa, Wackaa... Once I got it in the car, kinda felt it was a too much for the street and 15" radials but I gave it a go for a while. Made a 2nd cam change later to calm it down some, and that was my doing. Tom could tuned it down but I was a happy wannabe cam designer on a computer back then...hahaha. Funny thing is, David Crower still uses my specs as one of his "Cobra Cams". It was a merge of three cam profiles for three different left coast race tracks in one cam validated by software and averaging of three former cams used. I use to spend more time there at Tom's place when the Drag car was coming together at the former shop. He did some fun work for buddy JMarsey on BossJBL Cobra making those Yates heads and valvetrain sing. That little motor went 8,500rpm, it's sound is featured in the first Cobra Bash - end of video. I was at the first few outings of FordDay at Sac Raceway for Tom's drag car unveiling. If any of you saw that customer group signed Photo we gave Tom on the wall by his front desk with the two (West Coast vs. East Coast) Mustangs, that was at Sears Pt / Infineon Raceway at SAAC35. Both cars lifted the front wheels off at launch. Tom' s car made a great showing. That was a fun day. I hope to go out to the drag track again with Tom next to see the new motor run. Even without the trans-brake its a beast for a normally aspirated full interior FE iron block street car.
428CJ/Big TopLoader:
If any of you come across a restorer trying to put a Shelby GT500 or original Drag Pack Mustang car back together, and they need a motor/trans to finish the car - keep it in mind? Some of those cars go for ridiculous money at auction now. That eng/trans combo is sitting in my ERA. If I sold it, I can just replace it with an aftermarket block and let these go to someone who needs original iron. The only thing not original is I had David Kee convert the big nose top loader to a wide ratio, which I prefer and even better for a heavy car on the street IMO. Keep an eye out would ya, thx