How many people work on their own Cobra?

[Tim7139]

If it's mechanical, will do it, have done it on a variety of old/new cars and motorcycles.
Got lots of scars all over my hands for fond memories down the line.

[RodKnock]

I check the Battery Tender from time-to-time, which requires me to lift up the car cover and then I get some dust on my hands. That's pretty dirty work.

I also have to use tools to R&R the license plate frame when I get my new registration sticker from the State of CA. Phew!

That's gotta count.

[G-Pete]

Yeah, my hand is up too....

[eschaider]

I bought an SPF roller so I didn't do any of the original chassis or body build work, SPF did. However, I do all of the engine, transmission and rear end / suspension work including removal of the Australian Dana and installation of a Ford Explorer IRS.

The engine work and build is entirely my own efforts including numerous one off pieces that I design and cut out of billet aluminum and sometimes steel. Mechanicals and engine building I am good at, the rest would make a grown man cry when he saw the carnage I wrought. Like Flint Beastwood said a man's gotta know his limits — or something like that.


Ed

[YerDugliness]

I bought mine running, but since then I have done everything that did not require a lift. Routine maintenance pays off!!

I would like to get myself some sort of drive-over lift...that would make tedious jobs like rotating the tires easier.

Other items that require special machinery (balancing tires, machine work, rebuilding the Traction-Loc, that sort of thing) I leave up to the shops...but I do provide all parts. I buy premium quality parts and want the warranties in my name.

I must say that I do enjoy building engines...and rebuilding them.

Cheers!!

Dugly

[era cobra]

I do all my own work except for paint.

[ct clint]

Was going to wash mine but not sure how to get water out of hose or what makes foamy stuff in bucket lmfao

[rms427]

I have done most of the work on my cobra since I purchased it in 1968. Car now has 80,000 miles on it. I have rebuilt the suspension, brakes and pulled the engine, trans and rear end. I rebuilt the engine once and then replaced it with a side oiler 427 which I rebuilt and then years later had someone rebuild it. I have also done body and paint twice.

[DanEC]

Originally Posted by rms427

I have done most of the work on my cobra since I purchased it in 1968. Car now has 80,000 miles on it. I have rebuilt the suspension, brakes and pulled the engine, trans and rear end. I rebuilt the engine once and then replaced it with a side oiler 427 which I rebuilt and then years later had someone rebuild it. I have also done body and paint twice.

You win - keeping a 48 year-old original on the road with your own hands would be hard to top.

[RET_COP]

Everything but body work. When I can't do it anymore I'll buy a Viper acr

[Ron61]

Not nearly as much as I used to. I used to work on all of my cars but now with chronic back problems and health issues I have really cut way back on doing much work myself.

Ron

[Dirty Harry]

I did most of it myself. A friend glassed in the trunk floor and fabbed a crossmember. I farmed out the paint and upholstery. I did the assembly, plumbing, wiring, the drivetrain and made about a wheelbarrow load of brackets. I set up the front suspension and drove it for 18 years before I had the front end professionally aligned.

I've learned a lot. I always been tempted to build another car and eliminate all the mistakes and do-overs from the first one.

[wouter37]

Just pulled my engine out of my Cobra 😁

[jhv48]

Originally Posted by wouter37

Just pulled my engine out of my Cobra 😁

Does blowing the engine out of my cobra count?

If so, count me in.

[*13*]

Built mine from kit form, body work & paint, engine work, Webers etc etc. had some help along the way, as well from other "hands on" cobra guys.

[joyridin']

Lots of great replies! After reading so many posts on here over the years, you sometimes get the impression a lot of people just drop their car off somewhere when it needs repaired and tell the technician to fix it. Nothing against doing that if all you want to do is hop in the car and drive it.

[jhv48]

Originally Posted by joyridin'

Lots of great replies! After reading so many posts on here over the years, you sometimes get the impression a lot of people just drop their car off somewhere when it needs repaired and tell the technician to fix it. Nothing against doing that if all you want to do is hop in the car and drive it.

Don't know about you guys, but it's getting harder and harder to find a shop that is capable of working on these relics. Thus, the necessity of relearning how to turn a wrench.
Sure is embarrassing to have your car towed to a shop so they could fix what you screwed up.

[olddog]

I'm the third owner.

Intake was sucking oil in. Found heads were not tapped deep enough on the end holes, and bolts were bottoming out. A 0.005 feeler would slide under the bolt heads. Tapped heads, port matched intake while it was off, installed studs with stainless nut capped with Acorn nuts.

Removed oil pan and welded a factory pin hole. Added a wind-age tray while it was off.

Converted headers/side pipes from a slip joint to flanges.

Made adjustable links and replaced originals, so I could adjust pinion angle.

Rebuilt center section on 9" rear end, changed ratio, and replace wheel bearings. Short sentence for a lot of work and time.

Changed fuel gauge and mounting - old leaked fumes. Found tank rusty. Acid cleaned it and coated the inside. I drew up plans to make a new tank if the coating doesn't hold. Next tank will be welded aluminum.

Battery in trunk, was grounded to frame at rear. Engine grounded to frame in front. This put 500 amp through the frame, when starter was engaged. Ran a ground cable from the battery to the engine. Voltage was dropping under 10 when cranking, now it is above 10.5.

Presently working on tuning EFI, after changing Filter, ducting, and Mass Flow Meter and its location.

[joyridin']

Originally Posted by jhv48

Don't know about you guys, but it's getting harder and harder to find a shop that is capable of working on these relics. Thus, the necessity of relearning how to turn a wrench.
Sure is embarrassing to have your car towed to a shop so they could fix what you screwed up.

We have quite a few specialty shops and Rod Shops that will gladly work on them. I do not know how good they are or anything, but they will fix them (make that attempt to fix them) if you want them to try.

I saw a BackDraft at a GM dealership a while back. It was getting the distributor gear replaced with just a few hundred miles on a brand new crate engine.

[Blue66]

I cleaned the fuel filter today !!! Thats it for me hopefully for a while