ERA #783 - with questions

[elmariachi]

Originally Posted by patrickt

Have you given any thought to a solid flat tappet cam?

Mooch, you should liken this question to the one asked by the young men in white shirts/black trousers and riding bicycles who knock on your door wanting to know if you have taken Jesus as your personal savior.......he's on a mission from a higher authority.

I don't think anyone is questioning your wrenching skills, Pat's just trying to convert you to our lifter clattering ways. Come on, you know you want to....

[Excaliber]

ZOERA, good! I'm going to stay on track with a heater and a 5 speed with .8 OD.

Flat tappet? Amen brother, I'm a believer, it's what "real men" run.

[Excaliber]

Hey, at least Pat has square tail lights,,,, I'm jealous...

[Mooch]

Chas-

Points taken and yes I do appreciate and take the advice. I know exactly what I'm getting myself into, as I've been in a Pontiac racing family for years. They are allowing me to do a Ford build only because it is a Cobra. I don't have any delusions regarding the loud, smelling of gas, feeling every bump, I'm about to crap my pants type of experience these cars are about.

Funny thing is my wife could care less about a roll bar on her side, but the seat heaters are becoming a sticking point. Sort of a "I'm letting you do this, so at least give me one thing I want" type of thing. I know that she'll want them for anything below 65F(yes we have thin blood after living in FL for 5 years). I'll probably use them as well at 65F deg. Even if we never use them, I'd rather put them in when it is easier then not getting them and wishing they were there. Even so, I still might delete them just because somewhere in the back of my head I just think - "these are wrong". Oh well

I definitely read through your post regarding engine temps and when I get to driving the car in cooler temps I'll watch the dash and garage it if it is not getting up to temp. I agree, the car is more important than the temp of my rear end, in the end. pun intended. Enough of the heaters though.

I've decided to go against the glovebox because the comp cars didn't have them and I actually like the look more without them. I may regret that decision in the end, but we'll see.

[ERA Chas]

Mooch,
Well put and thanks for expanding your situation-it helps guys to help you.

It is definitely a more positive and economical experience to build one of these just as you and only you, want it.
I guess that's really all Pat and I are hammering away at.

But most of us on here wind up advising 'do it the way I did it 'cause I found it best and baddest'. All have a definitive idea of how a Cobra 'should be'.

I think that anybody that answers a request for help/experiences/advice does mean well and you probably will too. You can see however that one can't be too 'thin-skinned' or the underlying information and advice is sometimes overlooked. The guys on here are great for sharing experiences and help. We just all ain't poets of the keyboard when doing so.

Starting with an ERA is a very rewarding first step in the process and a smart move since you have the resources to do so.

Do it your way and best luck. Show us the car when built.

[jeffy]

Mooch-

You won't be "feeling every bump", the ERA ride is very smooth and the seats are surprisingly comfortable. I don't need a heater or heated seats because my wife said she'll never ride in it and I don't plan to drive it much below 60*, but if I were you I wouldn't hesitate to get both: build it the way you want it!

BTW, if you skip the glove box, Peter P. will probably advise you (as he did me) to get the side pockets: you are going to have stuff you'll want a place for. Jim Holden went 100% comp car authentic, with no glove box or side pockets, and told me that he misses not having a place to put things.

Jeff

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by jeffy

Peter P. will probably advise you (as he did me) to get the side pockets: you are going to have stuff you'll want a place for.

Get the side pockets. With the four point belts on it's hard to reach over to the glove box. I keep my wallet and cell phone in the side pocket -- it's pretty darn convenient.

[DanEC]

Looks like we are neighbors - car wise anyway. I'm chassis no. 782. Good luck with your car.

Dan

[Mooch]

Spoke with my builder and here are some figures:

Idle around 900-1000rpm
Cruise at 1800-2000rpm

Torque:
500 ft-lb @ 2500rpm
~600 @ 4000rpm

HP:
300's @ 2000-3000rpm
600+ @ 5700rpm

Now I just have to figure out how I'm going to drive this thing.

Regarding pockets, I think I am going to do them. I'm also planning on doing a small strapped down cargo box in the trunk for emergency supplies, tools, registration, etc.

Good luck Dan, good to hear from a close build.

[ERA Chas]

Originally Posted by Mooch

Now I just have to figure out how I'm going to drive this thing.

If you've got Poncho race history it's a start. You're just 1000 pounds lighter than anything else you drove.

Just work your way up to the car's limits gradually and only apply power in a straight line. Learning the brakes is as important as the power.

[RodKnock]

As an alternative to side pockets and a glove box, there was a great thread here on CC about center arm rests/consoles recently. You do need somewhere to put items such a your registration and insurance paperwork as well as some other basic items.

[ERA Chas]

Richmonds work very well with 3.08's or 3.31's if you have 6800+ RPM to use.
They're generally hard to shift however.

[jeffy]

I did the research and opted for the Richmond. Jim Holden had one with a 3.08 rear and thought it was fine. The 2.88 rear would be better for cruising, but Rick Lake steered me away from it because his experience was that particular set of gears was too weak.

I'm told that the Long shifter works well, particularly if you grease it up. I'll let everyone know how it works.

[Excaliber]

cobred I currently have my seat belts and rear bulkhead carpeting out and was considering my options. I'm not sure I like the look of the roll bar mount for the shoulder belts. I'm not a 100% sure but will probably just go back to the stock ERA confirguration.

[CJ428CJ]

I have my ERA on the road 4 years now, 6000 miles. I have driven it from high 90 degree temps down to low teens and never once did I wish it had heated seats.

Low teens and you didn't want heated seats? What were you wearing? A snow suit? I live in Northern California, have had mine on the road for 6 years and have nearly 30,000 miles on it. I've driven in 110 weather and lows in probably the 20's. I added seat heaters about 3 years ago and it's about the best $100 I ever spent. I use them regularly.

Regarding transmission, I have the Richmond 5 speed with 2.88 gears and I love the gear spacing. First gear is quite useable and I cruise at about 2700 RPMs at about 70-75 MPH. That's actually a great RPM range for the types of cams most of us run. My cam is designed for 2500-6500 rpms. As far as shifting goes, the Richmond is not the best shifting transmission I've ever owned. With the Long shifter, it does take a bit more time than you'd like to get it from gear to gear. Of course, I'm comparing it to an Muncie 4 spd with a short Hearst shifter that I use to have in a Chevelle. I'm guessing non of the TKOs will shift as well as that old 4 spd did. If I had it to do over again, I'd go with the same transmission and gearing.

Chris

[Chaplin]

Everyone complains about heat in the footboxes, but I've never noticed that that my feet were too hot on the summer days or that my feet were kept warm on cold winter days, and I have driven in temps as high as the upper 90 and below freezing in the winter.

As for the seat heaters, I can honestly say that I have never wished I had them, even on the coldest of days. Once I'm in the seat, it is not my butt or my back that gets cold, but rather my thighs. The heater does a pretty good keeping the feet and lower legs warm, but the wind always makes the top of my thighs cold. If I could figure out how to wire up a set of heated long johns that would be about perfect.

[strictlypersonl]

Seek (that is, Google...) and you shall find.

Thermal Underwear

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by strictlypersonl

Seek (that is, Google...) and you shall find.

Thermal Underwear

I thought you were "shootin' the rapids" again?

[strictlypersonl]

I'm back, having used up all my allotted yearly vacation days. (That would be 7...)

[Mooch]

I'm heading up to ERA next Thursday, the 17th, to say hello to the guys and see the shop. I'll also be heading to CT Custom Car as my paint should be finishing up right about then.

I'll be taking my camera, so if anybody is looking for an update on their build let me know and I'll see what I can do.

Any advice before my visit?

Updates on this thread:
Going with 3.31 rear and 0.82 OD
Leaving interior and trunk bare. Will figure what to do with it in a few months.
Added Canton Oil Thermostat
GM White Diamond Tricoat stripes
Decided to have heated seats