New Classic Roadster Owner

[Jim Barnett]

Well, I got one) I am picking up my 1956 Classic Roadster Cobra replica in downtown San Diego tomorrow. It is a 302/5 spd, light blue with white stripes and black interior. It is an AWESOME looking car and I am SURE that it will be fun to own and drive. I decided on buying it after reading as many of the posts about the Classic Roadsters as I could on this Forum. TREMENDOUS HELP and THANKS to EVERYONE!! I have phoned Don and am still waiting on a return call. I DO have a few questions about the Classic Roadster that I'd like to ask since my car lacks a few of the appearance things that I want to add myself (along with a driver's side rollbar).

About the rollbar: will ANY manufacture's rollbar fit OR do I have to get one specifically made for the CR?? How difficult is it to install a rollbar on a "finished" car??

My car has two small chrome "racing mirrors" mounted on each front fender approximately 6-8" from the windshield. They look fine, BUT is that an acceptable location (this MAY be a real stupid question since the car is not an original - I WISH) - and I know that most owners of replicas set the car up to their own preferences anyway, but I thought I'd ask).

The hood and trunk lid on the car does NOT have the traditional latches and I want to add them for appearance sake only. What company should I buy all the latches from (and everything else I want to add)??

It also does not have a wood steering wheel and I want one)

My gas filler is of the "flip up" type, BUT it is near the trunk lid and is smaller in diameter than the one on the other Cobra that the dealership is selling (that one has a hugh "flip up" type filler AND it is mounted on top of the right fender - or so it seems). I would prefer to have the larger "flip up" filler IF it wouldn't be too much af a hassle to change to it EVEN though the LOCATION would have to stay the same since the HOLE has already been made in the body to access the tank filler tube. Any suggestions??

The shifter on my car is NOT the angled type that most replicas have. AFTER I get the car home and figure out EXACTLY which transmission I have, CAN I switch the shifter handle and, if necessary, the shifter mechanism, to an original looking one (I THINK it is a T5 Tranny, but I'm not sure.... by the way, since I'm more of a MOPAR fanatic, WHERE do I find the tranny identifying numbers/ID??).

Concerning performance: I was told the 302 was a "crate motor" and had between 275-300 HP. Is that about right?? I'd like to increase that to around 400 and would appreciate knowing the best way to do that (i.e. maybe swapping on 351W heads later on down the road or possibly just buying a built 351W and changing the engine.

I know this has been a LONG POST, but I am new to all this and I will probably have a multitude of questions in the next several weeks. I certainly APPRECIATE any assitance and recommendations that you fine folks give me. I am VERY excited about the car. Should be a ton of fun to own and drive) THANKS!!!