NJ Fiberglass repair for BDR hood? and some other questions...

[Mattnshilp]

Hi all,

I finally joined the club!

I had been saving up for a build from Jay at Vintage (which will still happen) but I realized that I truly didn't know what options or engine to chose. I figured the best way to decide is to buy an affordable pre-owned vehicle with a decent engine and just drive the thing.

I found an older BDR (2005) #348 built by Greater Cincinatti Performance with a Mark Howell 351W, 6 speed Tremec TKO 600, Mass Flo fuel injection, Ceramic coated exhaust with just over 4K miles in great shape and local. I have a Dyno which shows 460HP but it indicated Holly Carbs on the paper, so I'm not sure how accurate that is. I was surprised to see a 351W putting out 460HP (even at the crank), but who knows...

The car's interior is a beautiful beige but the exterior color is not my first choice. It's Prism Red, with bronze mist stripes. She's gorgeous, but I just like the blue with white/silver stripe better. Since it's a car I'm learning on and plan on selling, I was OK with the color...

My intention is to drive this for the summer, enjoy it and learn as much as I can about the car and the engine it has. I'll sell her towards the end of the summer (or beginning of next year) and then start building my keeper with Jay when I actually have a fund of knowledge to build a car.

So, here's my questions:

1) The hood has a small 1 inch by 3 inch chip where the hood top hit the garage door track when it was raised on a lift. Is there anyone in central NJ who I can get the car to who can fix this up right?

2) Can I get touch up paint for these cars, and from whom?

3) The car drove well for the first hour of my drive home. But I was underwhelmed by the power the car showed. It never gave me that throw you back experience I was expecting. Even from a smaller V8. I have driven an Audi RS4 (420HP V8) and a Ferrari 360 (400HP V8) and they both gave grunt at whatever gear you where in, whenever you wanted it.

After an hours drive, the car started to choke (meaning that even with the throttle engaged, it lunged and failed repeatedly) and eventually stalled. It felt like the fuel pump wasn't providing enough fuel, or something like that.

It's currently at my local mechanic (who I really trust) and I am sure he will find the problem.

My question is, do you guys think there was a problem all along and the car has way more to give and I just never got her full power? Or was the first hour pretty typical for a 351W and did I learn my first lesson - that I need a bigger engine?

Thanks everyone!

-Matt