Me... A Texas Hopeful kit builder

[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.

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by Hntr2506

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.

If you are trying to save money, buying a car that's already been built is clearly the way to go, as opposed to building it yourself or having ERA build it to your specifications. The benefit of the latter is that you get the car exactly the way you want, not the way somebody else wanted it. But you will pay a premium for that luxury. On the other hand, the longer you drag out the process lends itself to an appearance that you are not paying as much as you really are. Kind of like the old days when you paid Ma Bell a small monthly fee for your telephone, but you paid it forever. But be cautious on the price of these cars. They are more expensive than you think, they always cost more than the good faith estimate somebody gives you and when you see the good stuff next to the alternative, you will always want the good stuff. And the good stuff always costs more.

[Hntr2506]

Originally Posted by patrickt

If you are trying to save money, buying a car that's already been built is clearly the way to go, as opposed to building it yourself or having ERA build it to your specifications. The benefit of the latter is that you get the car exactly the way you want, not the way somebody else wanted it. But you will pay a premium for that luxury. On the other hand, the longer you drag out the process lends itself to an appearance that you are not paying as much as you really are. Kind of like the old days when you paid Ma Bell a small monthly fee for your telephone, but you paid it forever. But be cautious on the price of these cars. They are more expensive than you think, they always cost more than the good faith estimate somebody gives you and when you see the good stuff next to the alternative, you will always want the good stuff. And the good stuff always costs more.

Seriously, I've been planning this a long time. The cost of these kits has gone way up since I first saw them. I have no illusion on what its going to cost in real dollars. There are things I can save money on that I can live with.

That 390FE will probably be stock, just dressed up. The Top loader was rebuilt and bought them for $1700 combined. That's also why I asked about the 6 pin hubs, quoted $2000 for that over the 5 pin. There's money that can be saved on this build.

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by Hntr2506

Seriously, I've been planning this a long time. The cost of these kits has gone way up since I first saw them. I have no illusion on what its going to cost in real dollars. There are things I can save money on that I can live with.

Good enough. And a 390FE will do just fine. We had a thread not too long ago where one well respected engine builder was outlining how it can easily put out well over 500HP with reliability. Of course, it'll still drip from time to time, but that's to be expected from an FE.