Me... A Texas Hopeful kit builder

[Hntr2506]

Originally Posted by patrickt

Send him a deposit tomorrow (it's fully refundable). ERA and Unique are not comparable. Not that a Unique is not a nice car, it's just not in the same league as a properly built ERA.

I wouldn't know first hand why they aren't comparable. The difference seems to be the 4" longer wheelbase or overall length? What am I not seeing?

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by Hntr2506

I wouldn't know first hand why they aren't comparable. The difference seems to be the 4" longer wheelbase or overall length? What am I not seeing?

That's understandable. A lot of us have been playing this stupid game for decades and we forget that most people can't see a difference between any two Cobras, from any two manufacturers, and would not be able to spot something like scuttle shake unless it poked them in the eye. For now, just take my word for it all and start your own learning process. You have time. Start with the earliest posting on Club Cobra and work your way forward to present time. You can speed read over the crap and dribble, but you'll soon catch on to the meat. You'll also get a feel for some of the members that have come and gone; some having died. Go to the ERA site: Era Replica Automobiles - Makers of the 427, 289FIA, and GT40 replicas and read every single page -- there's a ton of information there, and not just about ERAs. Along the way, you'll develop questions, like why you might want six pin hubs, and we'll be here to help you. But it takes time, you can't learn it all overnight and there's an even chance that you come out of it all with the realization that this isn't right for you. If that happens, Peter will give you your money back and you'll be no worse for wear.

[Hntr2506]

Now I got a question for you just because you mentioned the 6 pin hubs. They are more expensive but what's the advantage of them instead of the cheaper 5 pin hubs?

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by Hntr2506

Now I got a question for you just because you mentioned the 6 pin hubs. They are more expensive but what's the advantage of them instead of the cheaper 5 pin hubs?

Six pin hubs are a thing of beauty. They may be a bit stronger, they may be a bit lighter (about four lbs. per wheel), and they may occasionally be easier to mount a wheel on than five pins when the five pins are not true, but for the most part you buy six pin hubs because you know they are there and you get to appreciate them when you are working on the car. Five pin hubs look exactly like the six pin hubs from the outside, but five pins are driven by lug nuts that go on the pin drive adapter. Nobody but you will know they are six pin. Kind of like a side oiler. You can not see down the side of the FE block when looking down from up top, and you can't get under the car and look from down below. In spec'ing out your car, you will be faced with decisions as to what to include and what not to include. Before you can make an informed choice you need to understand all the pluses and minuses. For example, IMO putting a small block in a 427 car is a fatal mistake from the get-go, but people do it all the time. You just don't want to make that decision without a full understanding of the implications. Here's a pic of my six pins, which only I get to see (unless you're in my garage when I'm pulling the wheels off).

[Hntr2506]

Ok, thanks for that. Like I said I have contacted ERA, their car does come highly recommended. So that's who's I've decided to give all my available cash to. I got a rough estimate on total cost and time before I get the Kit.

I've purchased a big block 390FE and a Ford Top loader. The Engine will be rebuilt in the next 6 months. I've started, going to send that deposit very soon, and I have sold my Mustang ,because I was told I couldn't have this toy unless I got rid of the other. It's what it is.

[patrickt]

... and it always costs more than you think it will.

[twobjshelbys]

Originally Posted by Hntr2506

Ok, thanks for that. Like I said I have contacted ERA, their car does come highly recommended. So that's who's I've decided to give all my available cash to. I got a rough estimate on total cost and time before I get the Kit.

I've purchased a big block 390FE and a Ford Top loader. The Engine will be rebuilt in the next 6 months. I've started, going to send that deposit very soon, and I have sold my Mustang ,because I was told I couldn't have this toy unless I got rid of the other. It's what it is.

What motivates you to a kit? If you are doing it because you're a skilled fabricator and love "some assembly required" and have the tools then by all means have at it. If you are doing it because you think you can save money over buying a used sorted out car or a roller and just adding power train you might want to reconsider. Assembling a "kit" of this magnitude will take tools you probably don't have, can't rent, and will use only once, and the most notable being a lift that makes things much easier and saves time.

In the time it will take you to acquire and build a kit to finish things happen, and your interest will quite possibly wane. If you bought a used already sorted out car you'd have at least a year's worth of enjoyment out of it before the kit arrives.

Good luck no matter what you choose.

[Hntr2506]

Originally Posted by twobjshelbys

What motivates you to a kit? If you are doing it because you're a skilled fabricator and love "some assembly required" and have the tools then by all means have at it. If you are doing it because you think you can save money over buying a used sorted out car or a roller and just adding power train you might want to reconsider. Assembling a "kit" of this magnitude will take tools you probably don't have, can't rent, and will use only once, and the most notable being a lift that makes things much easier and saves time.

In the time it will take you to acquire and build a kit to finish things happen, and your interest will quite possibly wane. If you bought a used already sorted out car you'd have at least a year's worth of enjoyment out of it before the kit arrives.

Good luck no matter what you choose.

What I want and what my wife will live with are 2 very different things. I'm slow rolling this operation, not for my benefit, but really for my benefit. I'm going to build some of this car, I'm lucky that my brother manages a garage.
Tools for everything I'll have will be at my disposal.