Newbie with Backdraft Interest

[lovehamr]

Ace, I bought my first BDR from Jay and can vouch for he and Brian's customer service ethic. I'm now in the process of building my second BDR and I'd do it again as well. Here's BDR 1311 coming to life.

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXyc-mpd2Io&list=UUovvy8VHl8DVnjvNWB0GGtA"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXyc-mpd2Io&list=UUovvy8VHl8DVnjvNWB0GGtA[/ame]

[hammer0191]

Originally Posted by lovehamr

Ace, I bought my first BDR from Jay and can vouch for he and Brian's customer service ethic. I'm now in the process of building my second BDR and I'd do it again as well. Here's BDR 1311 coming to life.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXyc...8DVnjvNWB0GGtA

Thats sounds incredible. What engine did you drop in there?

[chucks1]

When I was looking for my first Cobra several years ago I accumulated as much information as I could on all of the major manufacturers. Finally narrowed it down to BDR and SPF as being the two that most closely fit what I wanted.

I ultimately bought an SPF over the BDR because the SPF price included a heater, soft top and tonneau cover, which were expensive add-ons for the BDR. The SPF also had the 90" wheelbase and original look.

Bottom line though, both cars are very nice, not sure how you could go wrong with either one.

[lovehamr]

Thanks Hammer, still getting things sorted though. It's a 462" 428 with a hydro-roller cam, ebock heads and Streetmaster intake with TB FI.

[Ace23]

Does anyone have any comparison of driving a SBF vs a FI Mod motor such as something like the Coyote? In NA form the Coyote would be providing quite a bit less torque and HP. With the car being so light I'm sure that may almost be a benefit just wasn't sure. Seems like the power may be more usable. I'm sure Cashburn has the most experience since they are doing the majority of swaps.

[Cashburn]

Originally Posted by Ace23

Does anyone have any comparison of driving a SBF vs a FI Mod motor such as something like the Coyote? In NA form the Coyote would be providing quite a bit less torque and HP. With the car being so light I'm sure that may almost be a benefit just wasn't sure. Seems like the power may be more usable. I'm sure Cashburn has the most experience since they are doing the majority of swaps.

You summed it up pretty good I love the lighter feel up front myself and it makes everything feel more nimble. I do find myself driving "faster" when I'm in a Coyote powered car with the RPMs up an extra 1.5 - 2k.

Now pulling into a car gathering with a big cam 427 SBF coughing away is another angle.

[Grey 65]

Originally Posted by Cashburn

You summed it up pretty good I love the lighter feel up front myself and it makes everything feel more nimble. I do find myself driving "faster" when I'm in a Coyote powered car with the RPMs up an extra 1.5 - 2k.

Now pulling into a car gathering with a big cam 427 SBF coughing away is another angle.

And this is exactly why I went with a Keith Craft 408 rather than the Coyote....

Kevin.....

[Cashburn]

Originally Posted by Grey 65

And this is exactly why I went with a Keith Craft 408 rather than the Coyote....

Kevin.....

Oh, but you should hear the difference when you get on it The Coyotes piss our neighbors off the most on the Dynojet.

[Ace23]

Originally Posted by Cashburn

You summed it up pretty good I love the lighter feel up front myself and it makes everything feel more nimble. I do find myself driving "faster" when I'm in a Coyote powered car with the RPMs up an extra 1.5 - 2k.

Now pulling into a car gathering with a big cam 427 SBF coughing away is another angle.

Did Ford or Jon Lund every re-establish the ghost tunes or are they still not suppose to be doing those? I hear and see a lot of coyotes with that being done. The cars sound like normal mod motors when cruising in your Youtube videos I just am curious to see how they sound idling......something about not having an H-pipe or traditional mustang exhaust makes you imagine that would sound funny. Are you doing Coyote swaps only or have you done any swaps using 03-04 terminator 4.6 4V's. With either mod motor I'm thinking the end game would be to have a blower but the terminator engines may make more tq down low than would be desired

[Cashburn]

Originally Posted by Ace23

Did Ford or Jon Lund every re-establish the ghost tunes or are they still not suppose to be doing those? I hear and see a lot of coyotes with that being done. The cars sound like normal mod motors when cruising in your Youtube videos I just am curious to see how they sound idling......something about not having an H-pipe or traditional mustang exhaust makes you imagine that would sound funny. Are you doing Coyote swaps only or have you done any swaps using 03-04 terminator 4.6 4V's. With either mod motor I'm thinking the end game would be to have a blower but the terminator engines may make more tq down low than would be desired

The Terminator motors use a lot of unique parts and are becoming costly to build. The Coyote can put out the same power with a blower. Our tuning is all done by Lund now, we have the Ghost Cam in every handheld but you give up power and drive ability with it so we do not set the cars up that way for delivery.

There's atleast one post on this forum with video of the ghost cam tune running on a Backdraft...

[anthonyL]

Originally Posted by Ace23

Hey guys I'm brand new to the forum. Ended up meeting a group of guys a few weeks ago that are mostly Superformance owners with the exception of a few FFR cars. Had the pleasure of riding in one of the Superformance cars with a KC427 and obviously I caught the bug. I've made my mind up I absolutely have to buy one of these things but I do not want to make an impulsive decision. Currently I have a 03 Mustang Cobra coupe making 595RWHP and I just sold my turbo charged hayabusa that made over 600RWHP. I am 29.....a youngster by Cobra standards but I have been looking a them on an off for a year or so I just never had the chance to see any in person. I still have not had a chance to see a Backdraft car but it seems to be a very legitimate roller option and the Vintage Motorsports videos on youtube have given me a perspective of both carbureted and modular motor applications. Below is just an initial take on the only 3 companies I have looked at and what my initial thoughts have been. I would never track the car it would be used as a 100% street car.....look forward to any input and discussion related to what I'm getting myself into

FFR-great price and probably hands down the way to go if you want to build your own car. I do not have the facility or the time to go this route. I'm not sure what purchasing a FFR package and hiring a certified FFR builder would achieve compared to purchasing a Backdraft

Superformance- so far the only car I have ridden in. Very tight ride with no rattles, left with a feeling of very high quality and fit/finish. Very expensive.....I would be buying a used Superformance as I do not think a new one is a smart financial decision at this point in life.

Backdraft- The only negative comments have come from Superformance owners and it was related to the extra 2" of wheelbase or what was described as the "European" look as well as the fitment not being as exact as expected with a roller....I do keep in mind this is coming from owners of a competitive kit. I have not seen a Backdraft yet but I like the idea of having a 2inch longer wheelbase and more interior room as one would think it may be a bit more stable or have a slightly better ride.......I am not a huge guy but I'm 5'10 225lb. The price point on a used Backdraft has been very appealing as long as I was comfortable in that I was not making sacrifices.

I'm 36 and I'm on my second Backdraft..you're making the right choice. good luck with your search. I strongly recommend you either build a car with Vintage or buy a preowned car that they have built.

[Ace23]

Originally Posted by anthonyL

I'm 36 and I'm on my second Backdraft..you're making the right choice. good luck with your search. I strongly recommend you either build a car with Vintage or buy a preowned car that they have built.

Anthony,
Good talking to you. Let me know if you are going to attend the London event. I'm looking at going.

[pjmoore2003]

Still on my first BDR. One day I will do a second one. I have an SBF roush 402 SR/TW. I love the torque mid range. Having driven a 99 mustang cobra (4v aluminum), I know you will miss that resonance you get when you wind up those engines. Many things I thought it wanted in a car I will do differently next time. I would go with a mostly blacked out car for ease of maintenance, ie thought I wanted polished wheels and pipes, turns out I think I'd prefer black. I thought I'd want a wooden steering wheel, and I still like it a lot, but I think a blacked out car with leather wrapped wheel would absorb some of the minor harshness transmitted to your hands (maybe my imagination). I think only engine for me would be a coyote xs type engine that I can make scream.

[Ace23]

Originally Posted by pjmoore2003

Still on my first BDR. One day I will do a second one. I have an SBF roush 402 SR/TW. I love the torque mid range. Having driven a 99 mustang cobra (4v aluminum), I know you will miss that resonance you get when you wind up those engines. Many things I thought it wanted in a car I will do differently next time. I would go with a mostly blacked out car for ease of maintenance, ie thought I wanted polished wheels and pipes, turns out I think I'd prefer black. I thought I'd want a wooden steering wheel, and I still like it a lot, but I think a blacked out car with leather wrapped wheel would absorb some of the minor harshness transmitted to your hands (maybe my imagination). I think only engine for me would be a coyote xs type engine that I can make scream.

Thanks for your input. It's great to hear both sides of the story when it comes to SBF vs Mod motors. The industry I'm in is driven on technology and change. As much as I appreciate what the SBF offers it seem the coyote offer so many more possibilities. I would be happy with either setup but long term if I really enjoyed the car I know getting 25mpg+ with the potential for a supercharger would be hard to beat. I really enjoy the way my current 03 cobra sounds but I know it would be completely different in BDR due to the different exhaust routing

[Ace23]

Any advice on a specific car build number or range of build numbers to start looking at when looking at used cars? For example does a builder keep their own numbers or is the car serialized based on the actual number of BDR cars that have been produced? I have heard from a few BDR customers and a few have had multiple cars and say that these cars have continued to approve. I was advised to look into cars after 2009 but that is personal opinion and I was not provided with any facts on why the cars 2009+ may have been improved.

[TexasCobras65]

I bought a second hand 2009 BDR with a Roush 342r while I was strongly considering a Coyote. It had 7000 miles on it when I bought it.

Not one complaint on car.

[RangerMac]

For what it's worth, I have had my BDR next to Superformances at shows and I get a lot more attention. Fit and finish are very similar, no paint differences, and the quality is subjective at best. There are plenty of posts on here from BDR and SPF owners who have had their fair share of issues. Some get lucky and some not so lucky is what is boils down to. The BDRs have a much more aggressive stance, and the SPFs are more tailored towards the "I want an exact replica" if that even exists (and since you are only asking about these two builds). Not to mention for either build, you can pick just about every component imaginable to make it your own. I bought my BDR and I'm not looking back. My next will be a BDR. AND, I will deal with no one other than Jay and Brian at Vintage. Oh, and the motor question, keep in mind these cars weight in at a about 2500 lbs give or take a bit. Stop light to stop light you are something to be reckoned with.

[jeffnolan]

For me it was the tail lights... every time I see a SP cobra I can't help but think about how ugly the tail lights are.

It may seem like a small thing but it is a reflection on the overall thoughtfulness that went into the Backdraft design. I simply don't understand the motivation to have an exact copy of a car that had in it's original form imperfections that were the result of the generation of technology and manufacturing capability they had at the time.

PS- I've lurked here for a while, never posted anything until now. I have #1333.

[Mark IV]

Originally Posted by jeffnolan

For me it was the tail lights... every time I see a SP cobra I can't help but think about how ugly the tail lights are.

It may seem like a small thing but it is a reflection on the overall thoughtfulness that went into the Backdraft design. I simply don't understand the motivation to have an exact copy of a car that had in it's original form imperfections that were the result of the generation of technology and manufacturing capability they had at the time.

PS- I've lurked here for a while, never posted anything until now. I have #1333.

So you like the stacked round lamps? Superformance offers them at no cost, it's just that most people are looking to replicate the "S/C" models that had the rectangular Hillman tail lamps.

Different strokes.....

[jeffnolan]

Yes, the round stacked lights bring the quarter panels to a finish while the rectangular lights look like afterthought. As you say, different strokes.... and I am pretty particular about small details (I had backdraft build the dash with the switches mounted under dash in order clean it up, who needs to look at switches i won't using, like wipers?)

More to the point, I didn't want a replica. I wanted a better car than the original while being thematically consistent with the original. Longer wheelbase, the aggressive stance, and modern suspension was a winner for me. Who knows, in a year or so I'll be bored and looking for something else... lately I have been looking for vintage Broncos but my wife really wants a DB9, much to my dismay.

Originally Posted by Mark IV

So you like the stacked round lamps? Superformance offers them at no cost, it's just that most people are looking to replicate the "S/C" models that had the rectangular Hillman tail lamps.

Different strokes.....