What Did You Get Done On Your Cobra Today?

[cycleguy55]

Re-installed power steering pump, this time using the CVF bracket ( https://www.cvfracing.com/Ford-Big-B...0-psbrkt-s.htm ) and billet pulley ( https://www.cvfracing.com/Power-Stee...l-p/bbf2ps.htm ). There was some minor interference between the steering shaft bearing mounts and the hose fittings on the rear of the PS pump, and I solved that by raising the inner mount point on the PS pump bracket by 1 3/8".

After discovering the alternator had been wired with 10 gauge wire I replaced the positive cable from the alternator to the starter solenoid (mounted under the dash!?!) with 4 gauge cable. I'm a bit baffled how that circuit sustained the load (100A alternator) until now, but I'm feeling better about it with the heavier cable.

[rodneym]

Originally Posted by cycleguy55

Re-installed power steering pump, this time using the CVF bracket ( https://www.cvfracing.com/Ford-Big-B...0-psbrkt-s.htm ) and billet pulley ( https://www.cvfracing.com/Power-Stee...l-p/bbf2ps.htm ).

CVF makes some nice stuff. They make the smallest WP pulley you can put on an FE.

[cycleguy55]

Originally Posted by rodneym

CVF makes some nice stuff. They make the smallest WP pulley you can put on an FE.

I like their stuff, but I had problems with both of the bracket kits I bought:

1. The fittings on the PS pump interfered with the bearing mount on the steering shaft. Part of that was, of course, where the steering shaft was mounted. A compounding factor was the configuration of the return line on the back of the Saginaw pump. I ended up fabricating a short bracket to raise the inner mount point on the bracket - that made the pump more vertical and moved the lower portion up and in to clear the steering shaft bearing.
2. The low mount alternator bracket would have worked on most Cobras, but the West Coast Cobra has an additional frame member that gets in the way. I tried a smaller alternator but still no-go. I had to abandon the idea and go with my old alternator mount. I may go with the CVF high mount (and matching pulley) at a later date - most likely along with a switch to a 3G alternator. FWIW, the mounting instructions were confusing as the two sheets seemed to conflict with each other. Referring to the spacer references on the photo helped - a LOT!

YMMV

[moore_rb]

Running two electric fans on the car finally fried the el-cheapo 45 amp chrome Ebay alternator that was on the car when I bought it; and I never liked the fact that it was mounted down low (in the Falcon/Mustang position)- There was literally only 1/4 inch of clearance between the alternator and the frame rail. So I replaced it with a bling-free, old school grey Tuffstuff 120amp one-wire alternator, and re-did the brackets to mount it up high (in the 289 Cobra position)

Then, I got a wild hair up my butt, and I pulled my Scott Drake valve covers and stripped the black paint off, and peeled the 289 sticker off my air cleaner. Then, I added a period-correct oil-change sticker on my filler cap...

and lastly, I went full-retard. That's a 45,000 volt MSD Blaster II high-vibration coil, and yes: I did peel the MSD sticker off it, and painted the top of it tan to look like an old mid-60's motorcraft coil...

I'm such a dork.

Before:




After:

[1795]

Nice job Robert, looks great! That is where the alternator is supposed to be. Nice attention to detail, for a "dork"