Fasterpatricks Custom Cobra - Page 5

stangden · #81 (**permalink**) 10-19-2006, 01:08 PM

Pat, thanks for posting pics of your build and challanges. Helps the rest of us that are not as far along as you, especially with what to watch for(smashing oil filters and squeezing in starters). I'm getting ready to bolt up rear to frame, front suspension is bolted up (maybe done). Yours is looking really great. Keep us posted with what you do to the 4.6. Mines in the garage waiting for me to get that far.

stangden

fasterpatrick · #82 (**permalink**) 11-05-2006, 08:12 PM

The last of the wooden supports came out of the body today. Meaning that I have finished the Major body support system of the bird cage. What fun it is to work in a fiber glass cave fitting tubing to the underside of a body that has been twisted by time and temp. But enough whining and here are some shots of the progress of the last couple of weeks. A few more tubes to fit and the door sills to do(those will be oh so fun, not) and we should be good for more parts to mount. Patrick

stangden · #83 (**permalink**) 11-06-2006, 11:45 AM

Patrick, looking good

hope to be ready for the cage soon.yours is really nice and clean looking, what size tubing did you use,and what material? dont suppose that now thyat you are experienced building yours ,you would considering building another

I thought not

anyway keep up the good work -- later
stangden

Three Peaks · #84 (**permalink**) 11-06-2006, 02:46 PM

Patrick,
Your work looks great. You must have some pretty good bending tools to get it so nice and concentric. I'm sure you'll have a great time like I did doing the door sills, door, hood, and trunk hoops, and the other little items that still need to be installed. I'm still trying to figure out how to make my hinges work.....

I noticed your chassis only seems to have 2 crossmembers? Are you planning on adding some crossmembers to stiffen the chassis as the originals, Shelbys, and Kirkhams do or are you planning on some other type of chassis stiffening support system?

fasterpatrick · #85 (**permalink**) 11-06-2006, 05:42 PM

Stangden, tube for bird cage is 1" .095 wall 1025 DOM, yes thats not original spec. They don't call me king overkill for nothing.

Three Peaks, yes I spent the big dough on a real race car tubing bender. but most of the swoopy bends are done with my homemade roll bender. They complement each other well, but still doesn't make it any easier. cross members, well lets see just kinda waiting to finish that. Will have to change the rear trany mount anyway, I have to make it removable. will add one under the oil pan also but have to put the new pan on first. Just keep plugging away. Patrick

fasterpatrick · #86 (**permalink**) 12-14-2006, 08:34 PM

Sorry guys haven't posted for a month, Wow work slowdown due to parts supply (or lack of) been gathering more stuff and should be getting going again soon lots of thing to complain about (crappy venders and general stuff)
Here is a photo taken during our club meeting at my shop of where the car stands now. Patrick

fastraxsg · #87 (**permalink**) 12-15-2006, 06:43 AM

Its going to be a shame to cover this all up with the body and not see the art work underneath....what type of finish are you considering when you are all done?

fasterpatrick · #88 (**permalink**) 12-17-2006, 02:47 PM

Well,
I said previously that I had some complaining to do so here. Went though FFR to provide my exhaust parts because of the Mod 4.6 and their development. figured that it should work with little modification (hey come on this isn't a stock build), I was ready for that. But what I got was aggravation and a whole lot of rework,and

I hate rework! some parts came right away some took two phone calls and a few e-mails to even get an answer when they would ship. One side pipe was crooked, had to cut it apart and re-weld it strait, not only person thats happened to. J-pipes, well lets just say these I knew I would be modifying but not to this extent. But after two weeks and lot of work we have side pipes mounted on the car and they look as good as I could get them. There are lots of new pics in the gallery take a look.

Patrick

stangden · #89 (**permalink**) 12-17-2006, 03:13 PM

Patrick, I know what you mean about f5r, parts will get there when they get there.

As usual you have done an excellent job with what you are working with. I was considering using their headers and pipes

how much moding and rework did you have to do? I'm really behind ,I haven't been working on mine for about 5 or 6 weeks now. to many things going on.

Hopefully after first of year things will be back to normal and i can get back to working on something i really enjoy instead of something i have to do. Anyway yours is coming along very nice,and you will be out enjoying yours while im still fitting parts.Wanted to have mine done to get it to Carlisle Kit meet in july but thats not going to happen unless the cobra fairy shows up in my garage one night and zaps it.

stangden

fasterpatrick · #90 (**permalink**) 12-17-2006, 06:53 PM

Well Stang,
If you decide to go with the 4 into 4 headers with the 2 valve you should be alright, now I would wait to mount the engine until you have fit the headers and pipes to it. Mine was definitely a special case, With the engine moved forward it was definitely off when all bolted together like in the wheel well off. J-pipes were junk so I cut them completely a part bought a new U-bend and fabbed new ones from all the parts I had. There was a large pile of grinding dust on the floor of the shop believe me. Don't panic; Patrick

fasterpatrick · #91 (**permalink**) 12-23-2006, 05:47 PM

Well, this step was refreshing. After the PITA of the exhaust we went on to mounting the fuelcell in the car. This was a piece of cake and went together without any problems. It fit right where I wanted it to go and did exactly what is supose to. Tied the upper suspention mounts together nicely. Too bad I can only carry about 12 gallons, but my clubs will still fit in the trunk (or chairs and cooler). Now we are moving on to the seats they are not going in so quietly. Patrick

fasterpatrick · #92 (**permalink**) 12-30-2006, 01:53 PM

Now I didn't spend big money, for seats that may need to be modified to fit, but these weren't all that bad. Now finding room in this car for them, well thats a whole other thing. after figuring what angle and how far back they needed to be we set out to fab up brackets to do so. decided not to use the adjusters they only raised the seats up higher and they felt high enough just bolted to the floor. Have come up with a solution for different heights of drivers, I'm going to make the pedals adjustable. Now that should make for some serious headscratching when the time comes.
Now second, I know that a lot of people are following this build. Well I'm not just posting this for enjoyment. I want feed back So please try to interject some of your thoughts. I have incredibly thick skin so don't be afraid. Oh and Mick sorry still no vroom-vroom shot but my spouse caught me sitting in the car, Yes she gave me a hard time. Patrick

hssss · #93 (**permalink**) 12-30-2006, 04:05 PM

I'm not home so I can't take a pic right now but it looks like a set of Porsche 914 seat tracks would be just about right for those seats, or at least the driver side. That might save some head scratching.

mickmate · #94 (**permalink**) 12-30-2006, 05:36 PM

Looking good Pat, I'm sending the missus an e-mail for a photo next time she catches you he he......

Dominik · #95 (**permalink**) 12-30-2006, 10:10 PM

morning,

when it comes to seat position tall drivers like me (6,4") tend to adapt quite easily in sliding forward in the seat - at the cost of our back and spine...

In fact in my daily driver a valet who is about 5.8" doesn't even move the seat to park the car.

However, with the leg support used on your seats I would not be able to slide forward with my bum.

There are seat runners available in England
http://www.europaspares.com/
look for seat runner or directly
https://secure.visav.co.uk/avshop/products.asp

about 25mm high, that can be cleverly recessed in the seat, like I saw on CAV/Carcraft new GT40 seats.

Adjusting pedals is a possibility, but quite a headache. I saw various at Lotus Super 7 replicas. You may find them at Nascar or other racing cars as well.

Transmission crossmember:
Do you think your your chassis is not tending to flex too much with your tiny trans cm?
You may add another between that one and the rear. Just a thought.
For the removable CSX4000 trans crossmember Shelby SA went to great lenghts to keep it reinforcing the chassis.

all the best for 2007,

dominik

fasterpatrick · #96 (**permalink**) 12-31-2006, 09:33 AM

Short people like me 5'7", well we fit in just fine but I felt that with the seats as far to the rear as I could push them, that it still was awfully close to the dash and sliding the seat forward would cause more problems than not. Pedal adjust, yes it's difficult but its better than having a steering wheel in your chest.
Cross member , What part of 3"x1 1/4", 3/16" boxed channel seams light to you. Patrick

fasterpatrick · #97 (**permalink**) 01-07-2007, 08:31 PM

Well let's start with a casualty report. Thurs. angle grinder died bought new cheap one (with the abuse they get from me good ones don't last much longer). Fri. belt sander blew a bearing, fixed it with parts from broken angle grinder

. Sun. melted hole in air hose will fix at work.

With everything going wrong I was still able to get my removable backbone finished and in the car. 12 bolts, tight fit, told ya I could it. I don't think I need to worry about another cross member with that cage bolted to the frame. Kind of ties the rear suspension together also should cut down on twist as well.

Patrick

There are lots of new pics in my gallery. I'm also going to post this on the trany cage thread as well.

swedencobra · #98 (**permalink**) 01-08-2007, 12:28 AM

Looks good.

One question thou, wouldent it have been bether if all the horisontal pipes would have meet on the same point on the vertical pipes.

I gues it dosent really mather but just asking, it could increase the stiffnes in the trany cage too.

Thanks for the drawings.

Regards Johan

fasterpatrick · #99 (**permalink**) 01-08-2007, 07:20 PM

Ya would have been nice to line up all the horizontal bits but they would cause interference with things like the fill plug and speedometer connections. This really is an exercise for fitting ten pounds of sh*t in a five pound bag, compromise is key. Time to buy more parts. Johan did you get that thing I sent you. Patrick

swedencobra · #**100** (**permalink**) 01-09-2007, 12:46 AM

Okay i see. compromisse is relly the key yes.

Looks goog.

Exept for the PDF file with drawings i cant say that i have goten anyrhing ellse.

Regards Johan