78 Miles

[razerwire]

csx is inferior product? Chose the right engine builder and shop to assemble won't have any problems. CSX41xx was put together by former nascar crew chief. Engine built by Kroyer racing engines. Engine put on dyno before put in car, then car on chassis dyno to tune under load. Corner weighted, roll center, ride height, alignment, set by former crew chief. Transmission set on transmission dyno before install to measure drag, set up and pump, 4 speed nascar by tex racing. Car run around track to check and then back to shop to check all bolts, look for leaks,ect. Less trouble if you use general contractor to oversee project, In the case of CSX41xx former crew chief . Having one person in charge they will check all subs work and help pick combo's that work together.

[csx4910]

Not taking anything away from your car but from all accounts and my own experience, build quality of the compenes that come from the factory is far inferior to those made by the kirkhams and even SPF. CSx have been built in at least 3 differnt factories over the last 10 years, i suspect due to the cost of labor and it going to the cheapest. I owned a spf as well and the overall fit and finsih(not the performance) was far superior in the spf. Now my csx would blow it away in terms of performance (when I can get my Roush 511 running correctly) and I have no doubt your Nascar pit crew cheif can set up a race car like nobody's business, but I am talking about the quality of the parts that came from Shelby

I have a fuel cell that came in my csx that is only 3 years old with the foam already breaking down and clogging the fuel filter foam and bladder from fuel safe but tank made by shelby in south africa or mexico that is far inferior in design to the tank design by fuel safe and others. It is rated to last 5-8 years depending on who you talk to and after 3 years I have to think about replacing it?!? You call that good quality?

[Karl Bebout]

But Tinner, they were just SMALL trees. 3"-5" diameter, and a bunch of assorted desert flora and fauna. I did miss the light pole.

[ItBites]

Tinner,

I'll offer to shake-down your car. I can be your experienced hot-shoe who has an auto equipped Cobra - and - I have not put my Cobra off the road far enough to do damage (sorry Karlos). Mine is also EFI equipped like yours, so my familiarity with 'puters should put your car at ease with me in the saddle... I promise to take it easy for the first at least 5 seconds!

[DSM351]

Congrats! Patience and calm coolness paid off. I just drove 80 miles tonight in the SPF just to get a tank of gas, of course I could have gone to the station 2miles away, but what's the fun in that?? Your car will be everything you dream of, just have a little more patience and make sure Lance and family puts 500-1000 miles on it. Mine has 28,500 and nothing wrong with the roller at all!!!

[tkb289]

tin-man ...

Sounds like everyone involved is working hard to resolve the issues and getting your bleck beauty fully sorted and ready to roll.

Thanks for the update, soon you will be back behind the wheel

[Avmaviator]

That is great news John! Must be a big relieve (well, probably even more when you'll be driving it )

[rodneym]

Good news so far tin-man!

[csx4910]

Good News for sure. I would still ask them to put 100 miles on or more driving it before you take delivery

[SkipB]

Just general question:

Has anyone ever had a Cobra (real or replica) that did not require at least some sorting out before it truly ran right?

I know my Backdraft was a "challenge" for awhile, but ended up being incredible, reliable, and a real hoot once everything was fixed, adjusted and tuned.

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by SkipB

Has anyone ever had a Cobra (real or replica) that did not require at least some sorting out before it truly ran right?

I think a fair rule is that if you're spending six figures on a turnkey Cobra toy, it has to run well for at least a couple of months. Yes, almost all of our cars require constant attention (and if you're not capable of doing that maintenance yourself I think you're missing out on one of the "joys" of Cobra ownership). That said, upon delivery the car has to run well for at least a few hundred miles and a month or two before it can start falling apart and breaking down all the time.

[SkipB]

Patrick,

You are correct about spending that much and expecting good results. I don't want it to seem that I was covering for the manufacturers or shops involved. If I was the TInman, I would be equally as upset about this whole situation. I hope it is resolved to his total satisfaction. If he wasn't out of the country, it might be even more frustrating. The people on the other end should be very happy they have the time to make it right. I just hope they don't drag their feet knowing that the owner is gone for several months!

I was just curious if anyone had a 100% trouble free experience with their new car. I assume not, but there may be lots of them out there?

The problems I had were minor (malfunctioning carb, leaking headers) in comparison to Tinman. But, I remember being very frustrated until things were made right. I can only imagine his anger and frustration.

SkipB

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by SkipB

I was just curious if anyone had a 100% trouble free experience with their new car. I assume not, but there may be lots of them out there?

There's bound to be somebody, but I've never met them. I think the build job by ERA and my engine maker was absolutely top notch. BUT, it's taken me close to five years to get it to where I could even think about driving for, say, a couple of days straight without it breaking down. And all of the bugs that left me stranded (with exception of the harmonic balancer flying apart), were teeny, weeny, eensy little things, like a set screw backing out of the clutch linkage, or a bolt coming loose on the transmision linkage, or a fuse holder melting on the fans. Those were really little things to fix -- but they all resulted in me either being towed home, or limping, just barely with my fingers crossed, home. Now I've been following Tin-Man's journey, and he and I chat via email a good bit as well. It sounds like the non-start issue (distributor/rotor bolt) was pretty minor (just like my clutch linkage hanging on the ground from one backed out screw). It could very well turn out that all of the other stuff is equally minor, but tricky to find. Only time will tell -- and I think, for most of us, that it takes years to get our Cobras anywhere remotely as reliable as, say, my daughter's POS Toyota.

[BDR879]

Good news Tin Man! It took a year to get mine sorted...all part of the process...I've become more patient as a result

[Buzz]

Originally Posted by patrickt

I think the build job by ERA and my engine maker was absolutely top notch. BUT, it's taken me close to five years to get it to where I could even think about driving for, say, a couple of days straight without it breaking down.

I wonder why that is so commonly accepted in Cobra circles. If your car is some clunker kit assembled from rusty, greasy junkyard donor components, I can see that; but a top notch build from a top notch company with a top notch drivetrain?

The very simplicity of (most of) these cars alone should make them less prone to gremlins and the hand-built nature I would think should guarantee some measure of quality control. Our pushrod V8's and manual gearboxes are hardly new tech - the stuff's been around for generations. None of my old hi-po muscle cars were especially unreliable or prone to breakdowns.

My Cobra was a quality brand amateurishly assembled and neglected for years by the time I got it, and then I set about rebuilding it with new parts, wiring and components. It's had its issues as a result and I've learned as I went, but at this stage I expect my car to be reliable and driveable to a reasonable extent - given the heat, vibration and g-forces that come with the Cobra territory.

I would have the same expectation if I had purchased a high dollar turnkey with brand new components from big name suppliers. Yes/no?

[kayakjack]

Originally Posted by SkipB

Patrick,

I was just curious if anyone had a 100% trouble free experience with their new car. I assume not, but there may be lots of them out there?


SkipB

Skip,

I have had a trouble free experience with a USED Superformance. The car had 13k miles or so when I bought it. Maybe it was not bulletproof when new. I don't know. But whatever teething problems it may have had were ironed out during cars tenure with the original owner.

I flew to Richmond, VA with my wife to buy the car from the original owner. We drove it home to Atlanta on the Blue Ridge Parkway. If it crapped out en route home I would not have been too happy. The nice man selling the car said I would have no problem. He was right.

It has over 19k miles now. Almost all trouble free. The worst thing that happened was the clutch slave started packing up when I was driving through North Georgia with my wife. Nursed it home, replaced it. No big deal.

If you have a good first owner, life can be real good. The car cost less than a new one too!!

Jack

[Great Asp]

Originally Posted by SkipB

Just general question:

Has anyone ever had a Cobra (real or replica) that did not require at least some sorting out before it truly ran right?

no

E

[601HP]

I always take a cell phone with me when I drive the Cobra, because...........

David

[STL Mark]

I have the local flatbed tow service on speed dial.
They know me by name.