Owner built on a budget;

[James Stern]

Ray, Are you OK out there? I guess you and the crew are putting in lots of hours. At least you aren't getting the weather we got last weekend and are scheduled to get tonight.

[Hray]

Update: tuesday nite;

we have slacked up some, so still a few things to do.

The exhaust is on, seats are in, dash is in, wind wings are on, rims are almost polished ready for install.
lights are all on, motor runs again.


Got my acceptance letter yesterday for autorama, I guess we are in.
Tomorrow we will install steering column and shaft. Ordered a new review mirror from finishline, they shipped it yesterday, I think that is the last piece and the car will be totally assembled.

Our punch list is this; spot paint underside where jacks and stands may have scratched paint. One last final buffing on car. Install review mirror when it arrives.

the roll bar went on great, the model A rubber trim worked perfect around the body I will post pics tomorrow of that. We went out back and removed the hood support assembly from the 69 vette and installed it on the cobra. looks great and works like a dream, will get you pictures tomorrow.

I will carpet the side walls of trunk next also. While car is stil up on jack stands we will go around the entire car and retorque all the bolts that are accessible.

Tomorrow should be the last full day on the car, craig is coming down to assist in these final details.

We have 8 more days to setup for autorama. I will most likely be tinkering right up to the last minute. We have two other cars to set up along with mine. A black 55 chevy, and 65 split window big block vette. The 3 cars should make a nice display.


later Ray

[James Stern]

Thanks for the update Ray. Kind of thought you were thrashing at this point but it sure sounds like you are going to make your target date. Try to rest up so you can have some fun at autorama.

[rustyBob]

take lots of pics.....

[*13*]

Have an aspiring photographer take a few rolls for you! Maybe you'll get away with just buying the film!, Or better yet if they have a digital, nothing!

[Hray]

got some pics coming soon, and for sure will get pics of the car at autorama.

today had a little set back, found out I hooked up the lines to the power steering rack backwards, it did this funny shakey thing. but after about an hour got it straightened out.

glue is setting on glove box door now, will install it in a few.

pics will be posted prior to bed tonite.

[James Stern]

Great. I'll have something to look at tomorrow besides large mounds of white snow where my driveway used to be.

[rustyBob]

Ray........trouphy or not in our eyes you have a winner.......its FANTASTIC.

[*13*]

Damn close! I like the Roll bar!

[Hray]

update: thursday nite: 84 days down, 6 days to setup day.

Craig polished the car again twice, once with the polish, and then with final glazing. it is looking good, we got trunk painted, installed license plate lite and holder, I went over entire car checking torque on all bolts. then installed a few more wire holders to wires will stay nice and neat under the car. then I touched up most all the paint on underside.

My last crew member finally showed up, actually she has been out to help a few other times but I did not have the camera. jillian my 11 year old granddaughter came out to help for a few hours. I put her in trunk to make last adjustment to deck lid and secure the bolts. then she spent some quality time getting to know my wheel buffing machine.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4011/...ed3ce2ba_b.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2778/...26d4cc12_b.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4027/...e7b67aed_b.jpg

I then got all the tires on the car and took it off the jack stands, first time sitting on ground with the correct tires and as a complete car.

it seems to be sitting about an inch too low in rear as compared to the front. I think the screws jacks will take care of that and still have plenty of tire under the wheel well.

We managed to get almost the entire punch list gone thru. Tomorrow should be last day on the car except installing the review mirror when it arrives.

Just maybe the sun will shine tomorrow and we can get an outside pix.

[*13*]

Where'd ya find that antique wheel buffing stand?

[Hray]

Hyde; as you may be able to tell, I throw nothing away, last year my wife got new dining room set, nothing wrong with old one, just only sat 12 people, she wanted to seat 16 to 20. so we now have the lords table in our dining room.

I kept most of the chairs for my shop rather than get 10 bucks each. they are great assistants, and when I get visitors they can sit and have a beer in comfort, "once we get the dirt and grease wiped off'.

there has been a minimum of four hours on each wheel, the wheels are about 15 or more years old, even though not used the elements got to them, had to do some considerable sanding to get the pits out, needless to say scratches from being thrown around over the years by other owners.

But, I do have to say that all the parts for the car have faired well, considering they have been stored for almost 20 years, and no one really knows how many different owners had them. I know of at least three different people that owned this car.

Hey everybody thanks for taking the journey with me on this build, it ain't over yet. Ray

[James Stern]

The trip is definitely not over. I still want to see pics of this beauty in the sun. Now that you are down to putting on the rear view mirror you will have plenty of time to shoot the pics. Also when you get the car staged at Autorama there will be time for more pics with your trophy.

Jim

[rustyBob]

Yeah...........what James said........

[Hray]

Yeh guys it aint over,

85 days down, 5 days till load it in the trailer time.

she wanted to dance again today, we got it out in the sun and stood back to check things out, the front end was just way too high. we watched closely and when on jack and the letting front end down it only came down about an inch. and no suspension at all, way too stiff. so what to do. we can not take it to autorama looking like a 4 by 4 jeep. do we cut the springs to lower it just for now and then deal with it later or what.

I called american mustangs for leads on springs, then called american pastimes. Ron had springs from 275 spring rate up to 375 in stock, 99$ a pair take your pick for rates.

This was at 1pm our time. I jumped in car and drove up to get a set of 275 pound rate. Got home and then began to tear down front suspension, The spring I took out was huge in the wire diamater most like half inch and it had 7.5 coils in it. the new spring was a size down in wire diameter and had 9.5 coils in it and was inch and half taller. I am guessing some already cut the one down that I had.

I installed the new springs, sat the car back on ground with wheels installed, still about 4 inches of wheel well showing. took them back off and sawed off one complete coil. Reinstalled and this brought the wheel well opening about 1.5 inches above the tire. I know these springs will settle some over time so I can live with this, Actually, if it doesn't settle I can live with it just fine. With car on ground and without shock installed we get several inches of travel up and down, I do not think too much, I reinstalled shocks and got about half the easy travel. I will run with these shocks for now, but will most likely get some adjustable shocks this way I can soften them up for long rides and if I want I can adjust them down for mountains or a road course.

now the car is sitting nearly level if anything the rear is just barely higher than the front.

so maybe sunshine tomorrow and I can get some outside pictures. but now I also gotta repaint some of the suspension from all this redo.

O well, mama said there would be days like this.

and you certainly can count on photos of the setup at autorama. I will post them next thursday nite as the show opens at noon on friday. so far we did not have any disappointments in the sun.

you know if the car had a straight axle in front for drag racing it would have had the correct stance from back in the day.

[James Stern]

Ray, The stance is/was always a big part of how "agressive" the car looks. It sounds like you have whipped the big problem. Is it Miller time?

Jim

[rustyBob]

come on Ray your killing us here........post a couple of pics. of it sitting in the sun....please.........

[*13*]

Ray got his car on the road & we never heard from him again...

[Hray]

Photos outside; the camera does not do the car justice in the sun. Just maybe the silver metalic in the red reflects too much in sun, in a few shots where there is not direct sun you get a truer idea.

this color changes lots in sun, or shade, or under lights, it looks quite different in each setting.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/belair5...th/4354346646/

not sure the other link was working try this one then the group is feb 13 outside pics


http://www.flickr.com/photos/belair567/
no trees with leaves now for a shade shot,
well better stop playing and get back to work.

[rustyBob]

Ray.........

thats one fine looking Cobra...........

what about the other car ?????
are you ready to start on it yet ?????
are you open for suggestions ?????