Thread on Tin-Man's Cobra

[mikiec]

Tinny... You want to trade? At 60,000 miles mine should be broken in by now. LOL

[Danr55]

Thanks Patrickt. Guess I'll stick with my old fashion Contemporary. I got lock nuts and lock washers and in some places, even safety wire. I guess I should feel lucky.

[tin-man]

I received some very good advice from Randy Thomas at SCOFF and discovered the cause of the issue:

on the left front wheel brake caliper there are supposed to be four bolts that should have been secured by locktite by the installer, guess what when I checked last night there were only three, apparently they was no locktite and thus one vibrated loose, as a result the entire assembly could move vertically and thus when braking the assembly would move and sound like metal to metal and make a loud clunking noise. After driving back and forth several times to get video of the motion and noise the wheel well was heavily scraped.

Long story short I sent a video of the breaking motion to Lance of Superformance and he got Charlie of Hot Rods by Dean in Phoenix to pick up my car, it will be fixed tomorrow. Also on the fix list is the turn signals, they never worked from the very first time I got the car and after I returned the car I was subsequently assured by the installer they would be fixed. I am also guessing the power booster brake pump will need replacing since it was acting up on the very first day I went to test drive my car six months ago.

Not sure about you guys who are skilled in the art of automotive sciences, but when I saw this picture it sure didn’t look right, even if it works well.

You guys be the judge. tin-man

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by tin-man

After driving back and forth several times to get video of the motion and noise the wheel well was heavily scraped.

How do you replace a wheel well on a SPF car?

[tin-man]

Originally Posted by patrickt

How do you replace a wheel well on a SPF car?

It was a incorrect description of what I saw, it was the inside of the wheel rim that got scoured, me bad. That said, I accept the fact that every now and then I will make some type of dumbass remark since I is an inexperienced car enthusiasts, but you can bet your bippy I will absolutely become an expert over time on all the issues associated with owning a Cobra. That's what's going to keep the adrenalin pumping for me in in my retirement, along with tinkering, fixing, polishing, and driving the car in a very sedate manner, and on rainy days going into the garage and just sitting in my car shouting as loud as I can, varroom, varoom. . Oh and along with chasing my wifey and doing all the stuff retired folks do.

Cheers, John,AKA, tin-man

[Buzz]

Originally Posted by tin-man

...on the left front wheel brake caliper there are supposed to be four bolts that should have been secured by locktite by the installer, guess what when I checked last night there were only three, apparently they was no locktite and thus one vibrated loose, as a result the entire assembly could move vertically and thus when braking the assembly would move and sound like metal to metal and make a loud clunking noise. After driving back and forth several times to get video of the motion and noise the wheel well was heavily scraped.

John, if the brake caliper was loose and moving, is it actually the inside of the wheel itself that's scraped as opposed to the wheelwell?

Re: the transmission pan angle, let's hope it was deliberately canted that way for clearance or some other purpose and does not present any sort of problem.

With a relatively bare bones hotrod like a Cobra, some ongoing tweaking, tightening and vibration related issues can be expected. These early problems you're experiencing though, are more typical of what an amateur home builder/assembler might expect and cheerfully accept on a car he built in his own garage but DEFINITELY NOT from a $100K plus turnkey the second time around from an all-star cast of names like SPF/Hillbank/Roush et al.

But don't lose faith in Cobras buddy - they really aren't that bad. Get your remaining issues sorted so you can get out there and really feel the joys of Cobra ownership.

[madmaxx]

What a fuking crime, joke, fuking turn signal doesnt work? If that is the transmission pan and it is cocked, I am beyond words and must leave this thread.

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by madmaxx

What a fuking crime, joke, fuking turn signal doesnt work? If that is the transmission pan and it is cocked, I am beyond words and must leave this thread.

The situation was a little bit humorous back in June when it all started 78 Miles -- but there is no humor in this anymore. It's actually turning in to a sad thread. Anyone with an autotrans SPF should step up and post some pics so we can see what the right way looks like. Maybe it's not as bad as it seems.

[csx4910]

Tinner,
My sympathies to your plight. I anyone on this thread can feel your pain when it comes to things happening (Roush or otherwise) it is Myself, Sandy and Spooky. I am no expert but maybe they were under the influence when they installed your transmission? That can't be correct. Hopefully they get you back on the road soon.
Ron

[392cobra]

Maybe just me but the bell housing flange/engine appears to be cocked as well.

[Danr55]

I'm going to withhold comment as I have nothing good to say about Hillbank right now. That's amazing that for that much money, you get that badly screwed and never kissed.

[Mark IV]

Originally Posted by Danr55

I'm going to withhold comment as I have nothing good to say about Hillbank right now. That's amazing that for that much money, you get that badly screwed and never kissed.

Hillbank did not do the install on this car.

The engine and transmission were done by a third party (as is legally required on a component vehicle unlike one brand that sell 'em complete) and the transission is "clocked" on purpose. It is needed to fit a GM transmission to the FORD engine! That is what Bowler and Roush need to do to make it fit and work.

The problems with turn signals, etc. are normally checked by the install compltion shop. At our shop we prep the chassis and then re-check all after the installer is done.

While Tinny has several problems with the car most are not related to it being a Superformance, a Backdraft or GASP, even an ERA!!!!

[Car Nut]

It sure looks like a 4R70 transmission, granted I can only see the pan.

[Mark IV]

Originally Posted by Car Nut

It sure looks like a 4R70 transmission, granted I can only see the pan.

Correct, I was wrong. I was told it was a GM automatic and had not looked cloesly at the picture. Mea Culpa.

Still boils down to an installer/powertrain combination issue, not the chassis brand or desgn.

[tin-man]

The roller I purchased from Superformance is a fine piece of workmanship and I have no issues with Superformance, Hillbank Motors or Lance Stander, Lance is doing one hell of a job in getting all these current issues sorted out for me with Charlie of Hot Rods by Dean, here in Phoenix. I am informed I will have my car no later than this Friday. I am satisfied with the level of service and responsiveness I have received from Superformance Hillbank Motors. and in particular Lance Stander.

I originally had an issue with the transmission sticking in first as I previously reported and Mark Bowler of Bowler Transmission jumped on this with a passion and resolved the issues of sticking in first as a result of it not being calibrated correctly. I found out the Compushift device that controls the transmission had not been sorted out by the installer, I have previously posted the conversation between Bowler transmission and the installer and the results you can judge by yourselves. I am satisfied with the level of service and the responsiveness I received from Mark Bowler of Bowler Transmissions.

I had an issue with the Roush engine since it caused the tranny to grab badly and Mark Yagalo of Roush jumped on this too with an equal amount of zest and modified the high idle that was the root cause of the issue. I am satisfied with the level of service and the responsiveness I received from Mark Yagelo of Roush.

The transmission and engine now perform very well and I am satisfied, even though I has to wait six months for resolution.

I also had an issue with the engine since the rotor came loose and the car stopped after 78 miles, as Rodneym stated chit happens, but this chit was the progenitor of finding out all the above issues that were latent that could and should have come to light during the final stages and run in during the install process.

The current issue of missing a bolt on the left wheel caliper and the fact that the turn signal did not work after I had explicitly asked the installer to check and correct it is indicative of lack of attention to detail during the install process. I am informed it’s the installer’s job to make sure there is loctite on the brake caliper bolts on specific serial number of rollers coming from the factory. Subsequent rollers have this task being performed as SOP. Apparently mine was on the serial number cusp and did not get the factory fix and it would appear that it was not done by the installer as back-up to support factory generated instructions.

So this brings me up to the installers role in this nightmare, I am not satisfied with the results US18,000 bought me for the installation. Granted the engine looks awesome where it sits and the installer told Charlie the angle I showed of the tranny in yesterdays post is such that it is in spec with the current Bowler design. However from my take it just does not look right as I previously stated even though it may not impair the drive train abilities of the car. Oh, and just so everyone knows there was adapter plates installed between the engine and transmission.

Final comment in response to "what purpose does it serve for me to post the travails I have encountered with this purchase" simply put, a) its to notify the readers of Club Cobra that no matter how much you spend on a Cobra there will be issues and I have leaned this in a very hard and painful manner, and b) select an installer who has walked the walk on the specific install you are contracting him to build. Eric Voss of Voss Performance indicated to me several months after we had agreed for him to perform the install this was the first time he had ever attempted such a task of installing an auto tranny with a BB511 IRFE motor. The elapsed time for the install and the several "upgrade" financial add ons to the original price are indicative of why people should do their due diligence better than I did.

And not to put a fine point on this, I am mindful of the potential consequences that a loose caliper assembly could have on the operation of the wheel of a Cobra when travelling at high speed.

OK so that’s it. I get my car back Friday and will be putting a few hundred miles on it before I return to China so here’s hoping Charlie of Hot Rods by Dean can weave his magic one more time as he has done for other Arizona Cobra Club members and deliver a car in the correct condition that I should have received it in the first place.

Cheers, John, AKA, tin-man

[twobjshelbys]

Is the entire engine/trans at the angle or just the trans? Check the oil pan. Mine was slightly off center too and it was due to engine mounts.

[Bob Broberg SPF667 460BB]

Tinny, I know you will think this is easy for me to say, but, I agree. Hang in there. It took me a long time to iron out all the little intricacies of your unique toy. Once on this side of working out the bugs I haven't had any problems for years. Outside of replacing rear tires frequently. You will learn ALL about your car and the more you know, the easier it gets to fix yourself, and the more you fix youself the more you know.
See how that works?
Eventually "one" with your cobra you will become.

AZ Yoda Bob

[STL Mark]

X2 on that. I have been in your shoes x3 and it will test your patience. Hang in there.

[ACademic]

Some perspective seems to be in order with so many opinions:

- Superformance built the rolling chassis and body. Does not appear to be any issues with that (the car is gorgeous and structurally sound). Verdict = Positive.
- Hillbank sold the turn-key-minus car and is clearly standing behind their product (and supplementing the installer they may have referred the buyer to). Verdict = Positive.
- Eric Voss installed what might be a one-off combination for any prior replica Cobra build (BIG INCH Roush injected motor with auto trans). Fraught with issues, some which clearly could have been avoided, but still more complex then your typical build. Not sure why this project, after countless others, went so far south either. Maybe even this one-off install was out of their league? Verdict = Negative.

A chain is only as strong as its weakest link. And the weakest link is clearly evident. I hope this owner gets his car sorted out...sometimes it takes a while but once it's set (as others have pointed out), it's set for good with just routine maintenance thereafter.

[madmaxx]

Superformance installed the brake calipers and turn signal both of which have problems = negative

Hillbank = I assume knew of loose calipers issues since there was a TSB. I assume a dealer would run a shake down on the car. Maybe they never had to stop or use a turn signal prior to both deliveries . = Negative

I have no idea about the transpan with missing paint but it met expectations on someone list

Originally Posted by ACademic

Some perspective seems to be in order with so many opinions:

- Superformance built the rolling chassis and body. Does not appear to be any issues with that (the car is gorgeous and structurally sound). Verdict = Positive.
- Hillbank sold the turn-key-minus car and is clearly standing behind their product (and supplementing the installer they may have referred the buyer to). Verdict = Positive.
- Eric Voss installed what might be a one-off combination for any prior replica Cobra build (BIG INCH Roush injected motor with auto trans). Fraught with issues, some which clearly could have been avoided, but still more complex then your typical build. Not sure why this project, after countless others, went so far south either. Maybe even this one-off install was out of their league? Verdict = Negative.

A chain is only as strong as its weakest link. And the weakest link is clearly evident. I hope this owner gets his car sorted out...sometimes it takes a while but once it's set (as others have pointed out), it's set for good with just routine maintenance thereafter.