ERA FIA2108: Final assembly dumb questions thread
 

Despite my focus on getting my son successfully through his Leukemia treatment, and managing my way through my own health crisis, work on the Cobra continues. I'm really close to firing it up. The engine and transmission are in, and I've got a few final, final, things to putz around with before I can fire it up. This'll likely take me a couple of months (for as in the middle of all the chaos, wifey decided she couldn't live without hardwood floors in the house...now I'm Baseboards 'R Us...).

That being said, my first dumb question:

When installing the headers, I use Cu Permatex Si sealer between the gasket and the header flange, but do I also use it between the head and the gasket (i.e. both sides of the gasket?)?:JEKYLHYDE

DD

DD:

Having traveled a road similar to yours, I can say that thrashing on a car build has been a wonderful restorative activity. You deal with what you have to deal with, do what you can do... but, there is something about the constructive, restorative aspect of wrenching on a car when so much of what you otherwise are confronted with is so potentially destructive.

May things go well for you and your son.

While this web-site is a wonderful source of opinions, I would give Doug a call at the ERA shop. He is a great source of information, literally having built hundreds of these cars.

Jim

I've been going to the Doug @ ERA well fairly frequently. Though I'm sure I haven't worn out my welcome, I keep picturing the guy needing to crawl out from underneath someone else's Cobra to come answer the phone...

Thanks for the well-wishes. We're getting through it, and wrenching on what I consider car art is constructive and compensatory to other of life's predicaments.

DD

We put the silicone on both sides of the gasket and let it set up for quite a while before installing.

And don't forget to re-torque after the car has been warmed up.

Thanks, Bob!

DD

Doug,

Great to hear that you are almost ready to fire up the Cobra for the first time ... a real milestone to be sure. I know that your family, health, work and house are all top priorities, but glad that you also have a chance to squeeze in a little time for a project of your own.

- Tim

Thanks, Tim. I'll have you up as I get closer (and need somebody to stand by with the fire extinguisher...).

DD

Doug,
Sounds like a great plan ... I'll leave the ear plugs at home ... want to hear those pipes ... :D

- Tim

ERA FIA2108: Final assembly, more dumb questions...
 

Another dumb question... imagine that...

Okay, so the alternator brackets I have for mounting the alternator "low" don't seem to work with the alternator "high". This is because I have to add addition spacers to keep the connetions on the back of the alternator from touching the valve cover and/or the oil dipstick. (That wouldn't be a good thing).

What alternator brackets do I use for mounting the alternator "high"?

DD

The adjusting bracket that Peter forgot to pack? :o

I still haven't figured out whether it's a standard kit part or not...

Check your supplied parts...mine was in there and I didn't know it. Look at your build manual for assy instructions.

The FE and small block use different mounting systems. The small block pivots the alternator right on the head and uses a special adjusting strap on the top, with the alternator rotated up. The adjusting strap is what may be missing.

Thanks, Bob (& ZOERA...).

Let me check my box of goodies. I'll let you know if I don't find the suspected part.

Dangerous "so close I can hardly stand it" Doug

Doug, Scotts Valley is rignt on the coast just above Monterey correct? Man you have some nice roads and scenic views to take in with that FIA. I would love to take that drive in mine!! No "hills" in Miami, flat flat flat. Our house is in a "non flood zone" because we're at 9 feet above sea level, as opposed to 4 blocks away - in the "flood zone" at 6 feet above sea level. Glad you're able to spend some time on the cobra with all that you're going through. Be good and keep at it - all of it!! Rick

Hey Doug and Rick,
I'm putting my FIA back together and about to drop the motor back in for the last time, I hope. Were you able to put the motor in the car with or without the bell housing on the motor? I'm so close it's getting painful now! I'm getting so parts from Bob as we speak to get the rear end in and after that the drive train will be done. Hey Doug, I used a ford alternator bracket. I will try and get the number off tonight if you need it. Thanks, Matt.

Dropped the motor in with out the bell housing from the side of the car. The boom on the engine hoist would not reach from the front. Set the bell housing on the floor, between the frame rails just infront of the transmission mount, before you drop the motor in.

What trans are you using? I have a Richmond 5 speed. I bolted the bell housing on the engine (20 or so bolts) and could not figure out why the trans would not seat flush with the bell housing and stuck out a 1/2 inch. Pulled the trans out only to find The 2 small bolts holding the clutch fork bracket to the bell housing were hitting the trans. Lots of choice words! So I had to unbolt the 20 bolts to remove the bell housing in order to tap the holes for the clutch fork bracket so the bolts fit flush. More choice words! Then bolt up the bell housing again (20 bolts) and re install the 95 lb trans. Lots more choice words!

with bell housing/clutch it will go
 

Guys,

My ERA 289 FIA 289 engine, a 289 block complete with bell-housing installed went in from the front of the car using the standard auto parts store "shop crane".

The bell housing/clutch was ALL installed. We attached a chain "sling" of sorts between the intake manifold lifting plate and the front of the cylinder heads...this allowed the engine to just about be vertical to go in...maybe a 60 degree angle...(lost all the photos with my f'n ZIP DRIVE).

There were three of us...one working the crane at the front...he was back and forth moving the headers up and down, watching to see the crane was not bumping the nose...(padded with card board and moving blankets).

The other was under the car using blocks and a floor jack to stop the block as it descended and then help rotate it back...I was running around checking everything and finally sitting in the car pulling the bell housing back as the floor jack moved the rear end of the block/bell housing up/back and the front of the block dropped down.

The firewall had a layer of cardboard box and padding but it wasn't really hit...do NOT leave it off or it will be hit.

OK, a juggling act, but with the crane dropping a controlled 1/2 inch at time no drama...

We did the same thing on my friends ERA 427 with 427 center oiler...bellhousing ON. BUT, we used a "dead fall" chain hoist...PERFECT!

The BEST situation is to find a garage where you can hang a "DEAD FALL CHAIN HOIST"...the engine will then go vertically up and down...NOT swing in an ARC as it will with the a "shop crane" where the boom scribes an arc as it goes up and down. On a rough asphalt driveway like mine the crane can be a bear to move because of the rough surface...do it on smooth cement if possible.

Pete

I installed the engine and transmission in my ERA FIA as a unit (351 Cleveland with a C4 automatic). Just for practice (well, not really, some issues with way too much compression) I pulled it out a year later, and installed it again (again with the tranny attached). I did have to have the boom of the engine hoist pretty well extended to clear the nose of the car.

I bought an "engine tilter" bar assembly at Harbor Freight, that allows you to adjust the angle of the engine installation as you install it. It worked very well. Used the same setup to remove and install a 312 with an automatic in a '57 T'Bird I recently restored. IIRC, the rotator was only around 30 bucks at HF.

regards,

Jeff

FIA-ERA: I put the motor, clutch assembly and bellhousing together, and then installed the assembly in the car. Tried to do it with the transmission on, but couldn't manipulate it in. I came in from the side, as the boom on the cherry picker I had wasn't long enough. (Once you hoist your engine, measure from the motor mount studs to the jack on the picker, then compare that to the holes for the motor mounts and the front of the car).

I used an engine load leveler ($40) and a large ratchet to level the engine. For speed, use an air ratchet on the ELL. Uh, don't use an air impact driver, you may do something stupid and break a bolt loose---of course, you might be lucky and the engine may be within a quarter inch of the motor mounts (uh, like me...). Better just to use an air ratchet.

Bob @ ERA: Checked my box. No alternator bracket. Sent you a PM.

Dash is back in, 80% wired. Column goes back in tonight... More wiring... Cooling system is done... Gotta make a short list...

DD

Word of advice:

It is always wise to trial fit everything out of the car. (ie; make sure that the trans fits w/o interference and the clutch disc is lined up) It's a lot easier than getting everything into the car only to find that you have to pull everything out because of something mis-aligned.

Jim