Follow up on ERA717

[fdjake]

The guy who originally built the car had a 60's T-bird with a 428 in it that he had owned since the 1970's. He used that engine for the ERA. He told me he rebuilt it himself (enough said?) He said his old 428 T-Bird sat for YEARS because he always dreamed of building a Cobra and he kept what was left of it's rotting carcus for the engine in the ERA. He bought 717 and by his account, it took him YEARS to finish the car.

Same old story.....My guess is he tried to save a few bucks or convinced himself the pitting wasn't that bad.... Or he missed it like Bill and his "expert" did. My guy spotted it, another shop CONFIRMED IT a week later, and ERA nailed it from the get go. I honestly believe the guy just ran out of money on the project....He was visibly sick when talking about the money he had poured into the car. He wanted to retire and he had a chunk of his nest egg in 4 wheels and fiberglass. So, after paying ERA for the car and a boat load of options, THEN paying ERA's painter to do a show quality METALLIC paint job WITH stripes on the car.....WHERE WAS HE GONNA SAVE MONEY$$$$???? ERA had already been paid, the painter had already been paid....So he cut costs on the only thing left......THE ENGINE!!! This is how it plays out.....He takes the engine to a good shop and gets told....$12-15K to build it right.....But the guy says....BULLSH*T.....I've got a degree....I'm an engineer....I'll build it myself for a FRACTION of that cost.

The guy who built 717 was a Mechanical Engineer but he worked on Sewage Treatment Plants NOT motors. We all know Engineers....They think they can fix anything.

The guy was BURIED in this car to the tune of $70K +++. I've seen this story a thousand times....Spend the money for the SHINY stuff and CUT COSTS on the engine. Case in point...The guy ordered the OUT BOARD Disk rear end for the car which is THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS EXTRA, but didn't spend a grand or so to have the engine sleeved while it was out of the T-bird...WHY??? HE WAS OUT OF MONEY!!! When I picked up the Cobra he had a Harley, a boat, a camper, and his HOUSE for sale. Can YOU say TAPPED OUT???

So.......Bill's got a R E B U I L D in his future.

There are NO FREE LUNCHES in AMERICA folks!!!

And that's why I sold 717. FULLY DISCLOSED that the engine needed to be rebuilt... I had seen this movie before....It's the "While We're In There" movie.....While we're in there means......BU$T OUT ANOTHER GRAND!!!!!

I'm going to drive my SMALL BLOCK GT40 now.....With the A/C on!!!

Sellers remorse???

Are freakin' kidding me???? I did an Irish Jig when that car rolled out of my driveway!!!!!