Owner built on a budget;

[48ford]

Now I understand why you have 19 cars. You can't put that much Love into a car and then sell them. Looks really good. I am impressed. I hope you can feel the pat on the back from here.
Rip

[Double Venom]

I stand and applaud you both !!!

Buddy, you and Craig (?) did everything right, and it certainly shows it.
Just so you know it takes me at least 8 hours just to mask off a Cobra with pin stripes. And I have dozens if not hundreds of them under my belt.

Not to worry EVERY can of paint has at least one run built into it!
DV

PS. My major critic just looked at your photo's and PASSED it with an A+ !

[Hray]

Hey Everyone: Thanks a ton for the comments, that makes this trip worth the ride so to speak.

Gotta get cracking today, took yesterday off, just did not have much energy, plus most likely good to let the paint cure for a day before sanding it.

stay tuned and catch ya later.

Ray

[Hray]

tuesday nite update:

750 hours over the last 75 days, 15 days to finish.

For the last two days we have been sanding and polishing the body. the body is now done, and tonite I covered the dash with vinyl and began to reinstall the switches and guages.

We first sanded with 1000 grit, then went to 1500 grit, then with 2000 grit by hand, Then we used my air Dual action foam padded sander with 2000 grit first then sanded with 4000 grit, after that has all been done craig then began to polish with the air buffer foam pad on larger areas. i put the hook-it foam pad on my DA and got the front nose and rear and other corners and places were more care was needed.

The other parts are ready for air polishing. Craig will get those tomorrow and i will finishe up the carpet padding and carpet and install the dash. With a little luck we might get some bright work reinstalled.

there will have been about 75 hours invested in the paint sanding and polishing after the paint was on the car. We already have 40 hours in that activity. Can hardly wait to see some of the chrome up against the paint.

Criag and I agreed today that this paint job is the best job that either of us have produced, all metalic laid down perfect, no major imperfection so far anywhere.

Will have some pictures hopefully tomorrow nite, just too tired to take time up load tonite.

[James Stern]

Ray, Cn understand the too tired. I was surprised that you posted at all. Those of us following your build have an idea as to how much effort you and your crew are putting into this project. You're close now so try not to wear yourself out. Thanks for all the updates.

Jim

[rustyBob]

Ray...


when this is all over with you will look back on it and be very proud of what you and the "crew" have done over the last few mounths.....
you set a goal and you have reached that goal.....
with all the opinions and advice taken under consideration......
your Cobra has a piece of all of us in it......
congrats.....it looks awesome........

[Hray]

Wed evening update: 765 hours; 76 days down, 14 days to go

Today for me was a little fustrating, I was going to chase parts, but since sun came out nice I thought I should take the sidepipes outside and media blast them and get them painted. I had three different media blasting machines and none of them worked good. finally took them inside the shop. put one end in the media blasting cabinet, duct tapes some cardborad over the door way and blasted them, I will clean up the escaped media another day. Finally got them done and painted them tonite, they are hanging to dry. That was basically my entire day.

Then one of the needles on the gauages fell off, I called west sac speedo shop, they can take the front off and put it back on. That will tomorrows project. along with running to get a few parts.

Craig got doors, hood, trunk all buffed out and ready for reinstall.

Here is dash, nearly ready to reinstall.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4054/...7e189065_b.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2700/...6e2b54eb_b.jpg

Here is a pix of nose without flash, and after sanding and buffing note color

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2712/...52bccfe7_b.jpg

Here is the nose with flash, seems to be different color

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4009/...e621f19e_b.jpg

Here is close up of nose, can not see much except the reflection of the lights in the ceiling. I try to get these smooth enough that you could hold a newspaper up against the paint and read it in the reflection. if you can do that then it is pretty flat with no orange peel and somewhat glossy.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2781/...8016c45c_b.jpg

Tomorrow will be getting the temp guage fixed and ordering the sign for the display, then hopefully install the floor insulations and carpeting, then windshield,, wiper hardware, doors, latches, dash, and the list goes on.

I surely do hope to have a pretty well assembled car by the time I go to bed on sunday nite.

And as Bob says this has been a group effort, and I do have to thanks everyone on this site for being so helpful. but it aint over yet, later Ray

PS: I guess I have blown the heck out of that time estimate, we are now at 940 total hours and will be knocking on the door of 1100 real quick. But I have still stayed real close to budget, I need to add everything up, if I do go over it will positively not be much more than 12K for total build and I just might be under that. Then again I never figured to bring the car to this level, the paint would have been but all the undercarriage would not have been as well as some accessories would have been closer to driver quality.

But, "it will be worth it" that has been my night time chant to myself every nite.. Craigs chant is, "it is a Cobra, it is worthy".

[Hray]

hey look here, already done, looks great doesn't it.

this has to be nearly identicl color as mine. what a coincidence

http://www.clubcobra.com/classifieds...=P10106021.JPG

[James Stern]

.....and as busy as you and the crew are, you managed to put a new window in the garage. I was wondering how the budget was. You can add up the pennies when it is all said and done.

[Double Venom]

May I?
Never add up a tally sheet on a Cobra Build! Honestly, you don't want to know!
DV

[*13*]

I'll third that!

[rustyBob]

if you start to add things up you may change your mind about building the other car
"sticker shock" can make you crazy........
I stopped counting when i hit the $40k mark........

[Hray]

update; 783 hours; 77 days down, 13 to go:

The side pipes looked real good this morning, was sort of wondering since I painted them standing on my head and in a somewhat dim lite room.

A good day today I think, bumpers are on, side emblems on, rear view fender mirrors on, motor and firewall area got detailed again. carpet is in the trunk, rest of the insulation is on in the cockpit, some carpet is glued down. the sign for autorama is ordered. the temp guage is at repair shop getting fixed.

Tomorrow should be rest of carpet installed, doors, hood and trunk reinstalled, and all the lights installed.

Just maybe we will be 99% done on Sunday, about 10 days early. Of course we will be checking and rechecking, and retouching stuff until set up day. but just maybe the long hours and days are behind us.

My wife does not think the hood badge goes with the rest of the car, guess i have to somewhat agree. but I aint gonna paint it.

Here is latest pix.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4048/...cefe3ac1_b.jpg

[James Stern]

Wow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[rustyBob]

that looks like a Cobra i would be proud to drive...........
looks good Ray......

[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!