The aluminum Shelby CSX 8000 roller finally arrived at my house on March 23 after 844 days from placing my order and circumnavigating the earth. The car is KMP 1010 transformed into CSX 8057. Differentiating this car are custom fabrications that depart from both a Kirkham 289 and a “standard issue” CSX 8000, all in the interest of originality. The reference car for my build is CSX 2190, an early 289 street roadster that is highly original.
Several (smaller) items were missing when the roller was first delivered. A couple of later deliveries from Hillbank included the missing parts. But I am still missing as of this date some items (seat belts, correct side curtain ferrules, correct door latches and strikers). The bonnet latches and door hardware installed are Kirkham billet CNC items. Nice but not particularly original and bearing Kirkham logos which is not desired.
One of the first things I did with the build was to attempt to replace the Salisbury 4HU diff rear cover. The reason for this is to use an original cover instead, along with an original vent configuration. After much research I did not want to use the cover (from a Jeep) on the Kirkham supplied diff that has the fill hole too high and has internal contours that promote
oil escaping from the vent hole and thereby requiring a catch can. Thus, I opted to use an original cover (sourced via Ebay) and an original type vent instead. This original configuration historically worked fine on the 60’s cars without any catch can. I was told the reason for using the Jeep cover is that original ones could not readily be sourced. Kirkham also now makes a billet version but I believe that it also requires a catch can and may not have a baffle over the vent hole. You can refer to numerous other posts on this forum that go into the Kirkham diff vent issue at length.
Jeep cover on left. Original on right
I found that I could not remove the diff cover in situ thus requiring removal of the entire diff. (How many people get a new car and immediately drop the differential?) Upon removing the existing Jeep cover I found, to my horror, an errant rivet lying inside at the bottom of the case. A mystery how the rivet got in there but just as glad to have discovered this and not have this chewing around the gears and bearings.
I also discovered that the front mount threads had been over torqued and were stripped and compromised. David Kirkham was gracious enough to supply me with a new front mount insert at no cost even though it was not caused by him or his responsibility (I purchased the car from Shelby). Kudos to David and his well-deserved reputation for stellar customer support (even when you are not a direct customer). Also, the nylocks on the upper diff mount bolts were over torqued thereby shredding the nylon inserts. Easy to replace with new nuts. The Kirkham diff was installed at Hillbank not at Hi Tech/Shelby in South Africa or Kirkham.
My reinstallation of the diff was a real pain. I thought I might have finally met my match but got it in the end. Since I had removed the differential, I went ahead and painted it an original type red. Lots of posts on the forum as to the “correct” red and the usual amazing information from Dan Case. I ended up using red Glyptal enamel which is notionally close.
I installed an Odyssey group 75 battery with an Autolite Staful cover. This battery allowed for adhering to the original orientation of the posts with the negative ground toward the inside. The battery is also a bit smaller allowing for easier installation, though I had to use a spacer to raise it in height. The Autolite 24F repro batteries (for Mustangs) have these posts reversed. The 24F is also too big to fit in the supplied battery box on the CSX 8000. I also chose to put in a remote cutoff latching relay (push button to be in the glove box) as I like to have the battery disconnected when parked. Also provides a form of theft switch as well. I further replaced the 50 amp main fuse with a 50 amp circuit breaker.
I found that the factory (HiTech/Shelby) modified the standard wiring to accommodate my original Lucas ammeter that I had told them I was going to use. This was another pleasant surprise as I had expected to have to modify the wiring myself. I will be relocating the supplied voltmeter hidden in the glove box along with a Smiths fuel pressure gauge.
Also installing an original dated 1963 Rotunda tachometer, correct for this car. I am fabricating an adapter plate as per Dan Case as the Rotunda is slightly smaller than the Smiths tach - as per original.
I had complained vociferously to the Factory about the standard CSX 8000 dashboard being quite incorrect (glove box size, overall dimensions, exposed glove box hinge, gauge locations, etc.). It was also revealed that the Kirkham dash supplied with my KMP 1010 was just a scrap placeholder and was never intended by Kirkham to remain on the car.
I found to my pleasant surprise that the factory had fabricated a correct custom dash based upon the photos of originals that I had supplied them. I had expected that I was going to have to replace the dash in toto myself, so I am very pleased. The factory did this customization on their own without telling me and at no extra charge. I don’t know why they don’t supply this correct dash going forward for the CSX cars, at least the alloy ones. But they only make one or two CSX 8000 alloy cars a year. My car is just one of twenty-seven in existence to date. It should be noted that Kirkham does make a correct 289 dash but Shelby had not ordered one for my car.
I have an excellent large wiring diagram from Blas that has been invaluable. We will be updating this to accommodate the custom work done at the factory (ammeter wiring – which is a departure from standard). Also, I am replacing the entire Superformance based fuse block and relays with a mini Bussman RTMR hidden within a hollowed out original Ford voltage regulator. This requires rerouting the harness but I am retaining the overall modern electrical design intact. I had instructed the factory to not affix anything to the footboxes or the firewall to allow me to emulate an original car with correct components- voltage regulator, relays, DR3 wiper motor, etc. in the correct locations.
Other customizations at the factory that were done:
- Fabrication of a correct T10 transmission chassis bracket. I supplied them with the dimensions of the original mount as they did not have access to one.
- Modification of the standard CSX 8000 radiator for an upturned radiator outlet to allow use of an original type 289 Otter switch and housing
- Installation of a narrower rear bumper. The standard CSX 8000 bumper is from a 427 and too wide. Apparently this narrower, more correct, 289 rear bumper is what is used in the Australian market (probably some kind of safety regulation – avoiding the overhang).
As previously noted, the car being constructed is an early 289 (pre CSX 2200) with CSX 2190 being my reference car. As such, these cars had a generator. I am using an alternator disguised as a generator. This requires a cove to be cut into the passenger side front engine bay panel for clearance as was pointed out to me by Drew Serb (I didn’t realize this at first). An original generator cove template was graciously supplied by the owner of CSX 2073 (Bob Beede). The cove is being fabricated by Jere Kirkpatrick, an original Shelby crew member, as well as a factory Dragonsnake driver/mechanic along with his partner Tony Stoer (who I recently met at a local car show). A nice touch having one of the original Shelby crew contribute a part to my car. Jere probably had his hands on every CSX 2000 car made. Here is what the cove template looks like. Jere plans on posting the fabrication and installation of the cove on his YouTube channel.
Other details. I have installed an original “key hole” Ceandess gas cap. The factory obliged me by providing a pilot hole for the cap. The standard CSX 8000 cap supplied is not particularly original. With some trepidation I drilled the large hole for the filler neck. I had to remove the seats and rear bulkhead to gain access to the fuel tank. Still to be done is to plumb for the Aeromotive fuel pump/filters. This will feed the original Carter mechanical fuel pump that now only serves as a secondary filter.
Note: the black factory assembly line Rotunda
oil filter (my creation). The original ones were usually discarded at the first
oil change. You can find an original one on Ebay for $850.
I have a lot of work to do but taking it carefully. It is a labor of love with no real schedule although I would like to take the car to the next Cobra Day at the Cobra Experience in a year. It might not be painted at that point but hopefully fully functional and registered.