Finally stopped lurking on forums and put a deposit down

[Ryder]

Hi,

After lots of time looking I finally put down a deposit on a Harrison kit, brand spanking new from the factory! Getting it as a stretched kit. ATM planning on running with an EFI 302, T5 and a R33 diff. Thinking maybe a T56 would be a better option though - guess I've got time to decide! Maybe I'll keep it simple until it's registered.

So yeah, it should be ready come Dec, and I can start driving the wife nuts by spending all my free time working on it, or searching the forums / asking stupid questions when I hit walls and get frustrated!

I've heard that they are pretty good kits with few problems, so now I'm waiting nervous and excited for the next few months!

[Merv and Sharon]

Well done there. The stretched body is a 'must' in my opinion. It just adds so much extra comfort.

The T5 is fine, IF you use a different diff ratio. The standard R32/33 is about 4.1-4.3 and with the T5, that means it is pretty busy on the open road. Great for racing possibly. The low first gear means that it really becomes a 4-speed 'box. You can get second hand Nissan replacement diffs at 3.1-3.7 that fit into the Nissan rear end quite nicely. They are quite cheap ($200-400) and mean that the T5 is just fine in use.

There are several prior threads on this if you search them.

Keep us posted on your progress and there are plenty of folk willing to help who have been along the same or similar route with the Harrison.

[Modena]

Congratulations on the order, welcome to the journey

[Modena]

oops double post. Congrats again anyway!

[byroncobra]

Congrats from a fellow Harrison owner, a great kit, best shape (now watch the others crow) and Warwick's pretty patient with his customers (mostly)

I've a T56 and to be honest that top gear is only good for the freeway, the 5 speed is prob as good.

The trusty Windsor is the go as well, for God's sake who'd put a Holden engine in
a Cobra?

Have fun with it, ask plenty of questions, the blokes on this forum have great knowledge, you just need to sift thru the BS

[Gav]

I'd say your first taste of the BS is in the above reply.

[sambo]

Well done Ryder and good luck with the journey. I haven't seen any photos of the new Harrison body so it would be great to see yours when it arrives.

Have you thought about wheels yet?

[byroncobra]

i'd say your first taste of the bs is in the above reply

:lol::lol:

[Ryder]

Thanks for the welcome already planning what to do first and what to start buying. I don't think my wife will be too happy if parts start arriving at home before the car is even there, so I might have to be patient!

I was thinking the 4.11 seemed quite high - several years ago I used to muck around with the E series falcons (when I was naive enough to think they could be made into a sports car), and I remember they had a T5 coupled with a 3.45 lsd on thier XR options. I remember even with that first gear felt short, 4.11 would be crazy!

Is there much difference between the R32-R33 diffs at all? Cant find a lot of info of them...

About the wheels - my understanding is that standard holden stud pattern rims will fit on it, so I'll probably go for some non replica mags that look appropriate and tasteful - if I can find any in this day and age! I don't know, it's just a thought ATM, guess I've got a lot of time to decide

[ICETOO]

Hey Ryder Congrats, some love their chev plants (good bang for the buck), others love the Windsor set ups (for the show and the go).

My preference is stick with the sound of the ford firing order....on that note check out this donk set up...I know I am thinking about upgrading to something identical with a Masflo EFI for the fitment, cubes and dollars....



http://www.roushyatespart...-p/frp-m-6007-z427aft.htm

[Merv and Sharon]

There are dozens of diffs that Nissan made under the 33/32 designation. This earlier thread may help:

Differential Ratios

Re wheels, Harrisons usually come with GM front hubs and Ford/Nissan rear, unless you change one (e.g., to all Ford, as I did).

[sideshow]

if your going to fit a t56 why not go all the way and fit the ls1 that comes with the t56

fords are not to bad thou just there ecus are fiddly to tune
so we fit ls1 ecus to the ford motors to make it tuner friendly

[Chris L]

Nice work Ryder. Enjoy the experience and I hope it all goes well. There is a wealth of knowledge here so ask plenty of questions if needed. I still do and the cars been on the road for 4 years, never stop learning something from someone !!.
If you dont have an engine, mine is coming out in approx 6-8 weeks and the "giddy up" version should be close to going in. Its a standard HO EFI Windsor, never had a drama with it and its complete with brain.

Cheers
Chris L

[Merv and Sharon]

Interesting Jim. When I got the MasFlo EFI set up, the chip with the kit slipped on to the existing, simple, Ford EEC and performed faultlessly. Maybe the newer Ford motors are more tricky?

[sideshow]

I know the chip is easy to fit
But have untried to program it
Does it come with tuning software
Or are they pretuned and that's it
I know u can tune fordmecusmwith quarter horse or something like that
But I'm not sure how hard it is
We just did it as a test
Plus there is many tuners that can do ls1 tuning

[Merv and Sharon]

Originally Posted by sideshow

I know the chip is easy to fit
But have untried to program it
Does it come with tuning software
Or are they pretuned and that's it
I know u can tune fordmecusmwith quarter horse or something like that
But I'm not sure how hard it is
We just did it as a test
Plus there is many tuners that can do ls1 tuning

They are pre-tuned Jim, depending on the spec that you provide them with (Cam, lifters, injector size, etc.) However, the map can be downloaded on to a laptop with suitable software, stored and tweaked without too much of a problem. Peter H here is up to speed (no pun) at that. In most cases the pre-tuned chip is perfect. Others such as Cob07 might comment as well.

[400TT]

Ryder, congrats on the purchase.

The 302w will give you that classic old school sound. Which some guys can't live without. If you want to fit Masflo down the track, think about getting a USA Mustang HO engine as the conversion is far easier compared to doing it on an AU Falcon engine or later USA Explorer Engines.

Can't fault the guys recommending the Holden/Chev engines, they are the best out of the box option. If you priced up the cost of stroking engine with Masflo etc, I reckon you could fund an LS7 for similiar dollars. So Leroy17's suggestion certainly has merit. I just love the LS7's and we have many very happy customers with those engines fitted to our cars.

With the rear end ratio, just make sure you take into account your wheel diameter. There are plenty of good calculators on the net to work it out.

I think the best diff ratio for a street Cobra is 3.5 -> 3.7 depending on gearbox and wheel size.

Just watch those Skyline rears, most of the standard GTST have lower 4.3 ratio. GTR's & GTS's have 4.11 from memory. Do a google search here, but guys like Merv have swapped in taller diff ratios like 3.5 & 3.7. But these are not Skyline diffs, they are Sylvia etc.

With gearbox, if it was me, I would look at a TKO 600. Compare the price of a used T56 to a new TKO 600. TKO 600 is about 15kg+ lighter and I'm a big one to watch the finished weight. Also TKO 600 has a moveable shifter location and out of the box you can move the internal shifter to two positions without spending money on a new shifter. In my experience these two standard positions cater for Cobra's well. A T56 will require modification to move the shifter forward as they are always too far to the rear. The T56 will also be 2nd hand and you run the risk of it requiring recon. work if it has some k's on it. You can order the TKO 600 with taller 5th gear(.64) so it can have the same cruising rpm as the T56 in 6th.

The T5 has the best shift feel out of all these gearboxes in my opinion, but once you get into strokers you are pushing the friendship. And you want a durable drivetrain. That Skyline rear end will be bullet proof.

If you are patient and want to save some money, you regularly see the older 5 speed aftermarket Tremec's come up on ebay, like 3550 and older TKO's. They are not as strong as T56 & TKO 600 but will handly a stroker windsor in a street car fine. Shift quality is same as later TKO boxes.

Hope that helps.

[Ryder]

I'm pretty sure the stroked 5.6L falcons came with a T56 as well, so it shouldn't be too hard to do. I know LS1's are great, but everyone has a ford/holden bias, and mine goes further to the side of ford where it's possible! Lol theres no logical reason for the 302 apart from that...

I was thinking the T56 would be a good box for 2 main reasons, being its got a nice low RPM cruising gear, and everything I've been told so far suggests it's a stronger box than the T5.
Once the car is regoed, I'm thinking an engine rebuild involving stroking it to 5.6L would go down a treat! Plus whatever mods are needed to make a smooth and drivable 400hp - thats my goal, anyway. Doesn't seem to ambitious, doesn't seem like too much for the car either, and the T56 should handle that with no issues at all IMO!

Chris L - hmm interesting... Pity you live so far away, sounds pretty good! But it's probably better if I get one from a donor car anyway, then I can reuse some of the wiring, plugs, random other things that may come in handy for the build... never can tell what you'll need I guess

[Ryder]

Thanks for that link to the info on diffs, very informative!

[dc7531]

I'm with Merv, the stretched Harrison is very comfortable to drive, sits nice and low with plenty of arm and leg room, you'll find Warwick will go out of his way to help with the build. There is another one of warwicks being built here in rockhampton. Hope to catch up some day in the future maybe at the Townsville 400 or the Nationals. Am keen to go on some longer trips now that the soft top is finished. I know its early days and it depends on the colour you choose for build but I have still have a set of Vintage Wheel Works rims available - Ford stud pattern - previously fitted to my Harrison. All the best, Derek