I bought One

[BDRCobra]

After 7 weeks of negotiations I got one!!!! It is flawless. Equiped with a Keith Craft Motorsports 302 and Tremec 3550. I has exceeded my wildest expectation not only in appearance but drivability. I sure I did not get the best deal or the worst deal but what I wanted. As one member said if you like the car you do not car how much you spend if you do not like the car you do not care how much you saved!!! Now for the questions:

1) I can get my Headlight high beams to work but not my low beams. If I pull out the switch to halfway and push the flasher on the turnsignal the low beams will come on if I hold the switch down. If I pull it all the way out only the high beams will come on and when I click to low beams nothing. Anyone have any ideas?

2) There is a yellow light on the dash. Does anyone know what it is for, is comes on when I flip the auxilary fan on. Is it just an indication the auxliary fan is running?

3) There is a red square button under the dash. I cannot figure out what it is for any ideas?

The owner knew nothing about the car, a very very wealthy individual that bought it on a whim I think.

Once again thrilled, just need to work out some little tiny bugs!!!!

Is there an instruction manual? I guess I will have to backdraft and see what documentation is available.

[NICE ASP]

BDRCobra,

First of all congrats on the new purchase! Secondly, I wish I would have spoken to you earlier as my BDR is now up for sale. Not sure about your headlight issue but it is possible that you have a bad turn signal arm as the elctronics for the high/low beams are in the arm. The orange light is an indicator for the electric fans running. This is thermostatically controlled and will come on when the water temp reaches 80-90 degrees Celsius. It will also come on when you manually turn the fans on. Not sure about the button under the dash either. Just give Reg and call and I'm sure he'll send you a copy of the owner's manual.

Good Luck!

Jason

[JayBar]

The red button under the dash is for the windshield washer.
The high beam problem is the same thing I had. It was a bad
relay. The relay is on the fuse pannel, it is from a VW just pull it and take it to NAPA they will match it up with some after market product, think it costs about 15.00.
BTW what is the number of your car?

[BDRCobra]

Thanks for the replies!!!!!! My car is number 126. Thanks for the update on the button!! The car only has 150 miles and not a flaw. It took 7 weeks before I could document the history and would go through with the purchase. A definite high point is it is titled as a 1965 which was a HUGE benefit.

[Jim Barnett]

CONGRATULATIONS!! Those BDRs are GREAT cars!! I'd have bought a new one from Armond at California Cobra if I'd had another $13K to spend!

[hp/weight]

Great job researching and taking your time. I'm glad you got one that was right for you. Congratulations and have fun!

[SkipB]

BDRCobra,

Congratulations on buying a Backdraft. I hope you enjoy it as much as I have enjoyed mine. I think all your questions were answered, so I have one for you.

Without telling us exactly how much (unless you want to), what did you have to pay for your car? Just curious!

Just a hint. I don't know how many miles are on the car, but if it is pretty new, you might want to put a couple of hundred miles on it, then take it to a Backdraft dealer (if available within a reasonable difference) and have it checked out for loose nuts, bolts, connections, etc. If a dealer is not available, then take it to a garage where it can be put on a lift and check the whole undercarriage yourself. You may find as I did that some of the factory fasteners had loosened up with driving. so tighten away. Remember, this is not a high production car, is made by hand half a world away, and may need a little attention from time to time.

Keep it tight and you will love it. Also, check your header bolts as they have a tendency to come loose too until they seat themselves. Do this when the car is cold.

Have fun.

[BDRCobra]

It only has about 150 miles. I agree with checking the car out, i have been under it for about 2 hours. It has some little bugs, #6 spark plug wire laying on header, Conduit (wiring) not secured as I would like it secured, Carburator vacuum port cap torn causing vacuum link. I had to fix my headlight relay. (I know it cost $10.00 but why not just fix it). Other than that all the bolts are tight. The last thing I have is to adjust the slip joint connection for the headers. The passenger side is pretty bad. As far as the price, I paid what backdraft would have charged for a turnkey with the middle power engine (without comming out and saying the price). The key to this was the titling fiasco was already done and titled as a 1965. That was worth an easy $1500 for me.

[Jim Barnett]

Where do you live?? I hope it's NOT the Repubilc of Kalifornia!!

[BDRCobra]

I live in Texas. It is a fiasco even here beleive it or not.

[Excaliber]

I guess 1965 as year of title is a good thing in Texas, in several other places it don't mean squat and can actually HURT your ability to get the car registered. '65 would be a problem in Calif.

[BDRCobra]

In texas is works out great. All you get is a safety inspection, headlights etc. No emmisions.

[SkipB]

BDRCobra,

Sounds like you got a good deal. Of course no one I have ever known has bought a "bad deal" car! Ha!

Just be glad you don't live in California. Heavy rains this winter, earthquakes, Michael Jackson, high taxes, irresponsible liberal legistature, too many signs in foreign languages, and all kinds of other problems. Stay where you are. Visit sometimes, spend your vacation dollars then head home. Sorry, I had to vent.

If you find a permanent fix for the header slipjoint, let me know. I've had tried several and after awhile they all start leaking and then the backfiring begins again. If any other Backdraft owners out there are reading this, chime in with your solution to the slipjoint problem.

[sp1410]

Congratulations! Enjoy your car!

[Cashburn]

Originally posted by SkipB


If you find a permanent fix for the header slipjoint, let me know. I've had tried several and after awhile they all start leaking and then the backfiring begins again. If any other Backdraft owners out there are reading this, chime in with your solution to the slipjoint problem.

Have you tried using a tail pipe expander to enlarge the pipes to fit tighter?

[DC COBRA]

The only true way to fix that slip joint leak problem is to cut that mess off and weld on flanges similar to superformance set up, bolt together with a gasket between, not all that tough to do. No leaks, no problems.

DON

[SkipB]

Cashburn,

I haven't tried the tailpipe expander, but I know a couple guys who did and they couldn't get the pipe expanded. Maybe a cheap tool or something? I should look into this!

DC Cobra,

I think your solution is the best. I am not sure why they didn' t build it that way in the first place. I heard it was because of the dimensional differences in engines and the ease of installing slip joint pipes. In any case this style leaks and gets pretty irritating with lots of backfiring.

It sounds like you already have done the welded flange method. Do you mind telling us what it cost?

[DC COBRA]

SkipB

I think the flanges were like $20-$30 for the pair. Now here is the tricky part, I had custom headers made, 2 inch from head, that way the flanges fit boyh pipes nice sinc the sidepipes had 2 inch individual tubes. If you are still using the factory (junky) joke of a header, cut about 1 inch off the sidepipe tubes, weld them on to the header tubes, you can only slide them up on the header tubes about 1/16 to 1/8 at the most. Weld the tubes solid on the outside on the spacer tubes. Reinstall the headers and slide the plates on the dges ot the header tubes and sidepipe tubes, I used jackstands to hold them at the right height and lines them up with the flanges bolted together, I tacked both sides of the plates in place, disassembled and removed carefully and proceeded to weld the flanges up with full perimeter welds around the pipes. Do a little at a time and let cool as to not warp anything. A little trick is to weld a 3/8 nut on the plate on the header at each of the four holes to assemble them and use 1 inch capscrews with no washers, mine have not loosened yet. Also get some thick gasket material I believe it MR GASKET for header gaskets, come in 12 inch by 12inch sheets, full 1/16 thick, cut your gaskets out with using the plates for templates before tacking or welding in place, promise you won't reget that!! I believe the gasket material was $8 fo two sheets. Also you can use a mig welder to weld the plates to the headers and thestainless sidepipes with no problems, mine nine so far. Let's see that's about$40 max and few hours, but no stinking exhaust leaks PRICELESS


DON

[Dens]

BDRcobra

I too hated the backfiring, I ordered the side pipe flanges from www.cobraaccessories.com and welded the flanges on. It took about 4-5 hour to install the flanges. We made the gaskets ourselves, though I see cobra accessories now carries the gaskets. We welded the flanges on the out side as best we could and the inside all around. I was suprised how much noise came for the slip joint. The sidepipes sound sweeeeeet now.

Brad

[BDRCobra]

I