SUPPORT OUR SPONSOR

Go Back   Club Cobra > Club Cobra Tech Areas > Shop Talk

Welcome to Club Cobra!  The World's largest non biased Shelby Cobra related site!

  •  » Representation from nearly all Cobra/Daytona/GT40 manufacturers
  •  » Help from all over the world for your questions
  •  » Build logs for you and all members
  •  » Blogs
  •  » Image Gallery
  •  » Many thousands of members and nearly 1 million posts! 

YES! I want to register an account for free right now!  p.s.: For registered members this ad will NOT show

MMG Superformance
Nevada Classics
MMG Superformance
Main Menu
Nevada Classics
Nevada Classics
Keith Craft Racing
Advertise at CC
Banner Ad Rates
Keith Craft Racing
MMG Superformance
MMG Superformance
December 2025
S M T W T F S
  1 2 3 4 5 6
7 8 9 10 11 12 13
14 15 16 17 18 19 20
21 22 23 24 25 26 27
28 29 30 31      

Kirkham Motorsports

Like Tree1Likes

Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1 (permalink)  
Old 04-20-2014, 02:59 PM
CC Member
Visit my Photo Gallery

 
Join Date: Apr 2014
Cobra Make, Engine: ERA 289 FIA 351Windsor
Posts: 150
Not Ranked     
Default

Strictlypersonal , thank you for posting the illustration on the hood prop rod! It confirmed that I was headed in the right direction but was afraid that mounting the rod so close to the hood hinge would put too much strain on the mounting points. With Wayne's photos and instructions, soon to come I hope, I'll feel confident in drilling holes in my hood for mounting points. Any idea how far from the front of the hood the prop rod bracket mounts?

Seajet2 and Redmt, I have heard some very nice comments about the customer service at F L and will continue to do business with them. I'm sorry if my frustration sounded harsh...not sure I would call it a "trashing" though. Jackie kindly returned my cry for help email this morning with as much help as she could but her main suggestion was to search the Internet for answers or call Bryan at B & B, which isn't going to help much because its the weekend (the only time I get to work on the car) as well as Bryan sold B & B and is no longer there. AND it's not his part, it's Finished Line's part and I believe, their responsibility to supply as much info as possible BEFORE the install. The illustration that Strictlypersonal posted is a clear example of what could have been included with the rod. Larry's comment about the differences between cars is a good one...it would be difficult to be exact on operation and placement for all vehicles...but not impossible to include some kind of generic guidance. It appears that they have been selling this rod for several years and I'm sure they've gotten feedback of customer's experiences. To include an illustration and learned guidance with the product will most assuredly cut down on customer frustration, frequent customer service calls and the situation I faced which was no ability to install at a time that F L was closed without hours of online research. This should of been a 30 min install with proper guidance.
Customer support is not just about helping with problems customers encounter after-the-fact but mostly about supplying what the customer needs before hand so there is little need for help later.

Kim
Reply With Quote
  #2 (permalink)  
Old 04-20-2014, 03:17 PM
CC Member
Visit my Photo Gallery

 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: San Antonio Valley Ca, ca
Cobra Make, Engine:
Posts: 1,275
Not Ranked     
Default

Not to be a smart ass but what are you going to do when you run into a real problem that you don't have the knowledge to solve? Are you going to blame your inability to figure out a problem on the supplier of the part? There's a certain level of mechanical ability and the correct application of force required to build and repair these cars. Your going to find that the majority of the parts for these cars are not model specific but rather a one size fits all if you can figure out how to make it fit.
Reply With Quote
  #3 (permalink)  
Old 04-20-2014, 03:59 PM
ramjet1's Avatar
CC Member
Visit my Photo Gallery

 
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Bonita Springs, fl
Cobra Make, Engine: CRII
Posts: 5
Not Ranked     
Default

Just what I was thinking
Reply With Quote
  #4 (permalink)  
Old 04-20-2014, 05:05 PM
Wbulk's Avatar
CC Member
Visit my Photo Gallery

 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: American Fork, Ut
Cobra Make, Engine: 66 Cobra
Posts: 930
Not Ranked     
Default Installing Finish Lines Stainless Hood Prop on a B&B

Sorry I took so long, Windows 8 is a real challenge. lnfletcher (Larry) on this forum was the first to do this on a B&B that I know of, so he gets the credit.

The B&B is ideally suited to install Finish Lines stainless steel prop on because the B&B has a strong wide glass section all around the inside hood opening to mount the rod catch. This system mounts low and is out of the way so you can work on the car. If the hood rod bracket is located in the right place you may get lucky and hit steel to tap the lower screw for a machine screw. So do not drill these holes too big until you know if you hit steel. Then drill for the proper tap.
I really like this system but reasonable accuracy counts as there are issues to consider that I will explain.



Note I decided to cut the lower section off of my prop rod catch as I didn't like it hanging down. I had a friend tig weld the inside of the bracket to give it strength. This is not necessary. There is also another hole added to the left.

There are three issues to consider on the B&B. The rod catch cannot be too high or the inside of the hood bulge that gives the hood strength will hit it. Note how mine is located about 1/8" down and the upper left outside corner is very slightly trimmed down. So you cannot angle it up much or you risk the hood hitting it. Another issue to consider is height of the hood angle mounting bracket which I reversed from the way it came. If you put it too high you will bind the rod at the top of the end rod latch slot and the rod lock ramp tab. Mine is very close. I think if I was to do it again I would drop the hood bracket 1/2" more.

This picture shows how when the rod is lifted it must have room to clear the hump on the bracket and room to slide down the ramp.




The other issue to consider is the max hood opening. If you mount this so the hood is maxed out in the open position you cannot open the hood further to raise the rod and clear the latch tab. I mounted mine with another 1/2" to 3/4" movement, just enough so the rod moves back and can be lifted to clear the tab and slide down the ramp. This works good as wind can only move the hood slightly and it cannot fall unless the rod is lifted over the tab. I also removed the spring washer and left it off as the rod needs more movement to swing in the angle of the hood opening. I also bent the hood bracket out slightly so the rod could more easily follow the angle of the hood as the rod slides through the latch hole.

I suggest you remove the inner wheel well panel if it is just bolted in, remove the tire and mock the brackets up with tape and then test it out before you drill any holes. The rod needs to slide easily through the whole range of motion. You can bend the end down on the ramp slightly if you have to. I used stainless steel screws and bolts.

Accuracy really counts so take your time. You can slightly angle the latch bracket as long as the hood cannot hit it when closed, and if you have room to drill the rear hole.

Added:
I also added a 1/8" piece of aluminum behind the latch bracket so when the hood is closed it moves the rod slightly away from the inside edge of the hood opening. I also drilled some clearance holes in the wheel well inner panel to clear the back side nuts that hold the latch bracket.
__________________
Wayne

"Everything is alive. If you get angry at a vehicle or the trans, it won't fix until you apologize and say you are sorry." "The vehicle always knows what it is doing and what the cause of it's bad feeling is. If you ask it humbly what the problem is, it will tell you. Then you and it will both be happy."

Gil Younger
Reply With Quote
  #5 (permalink)  
Old 04-20-2014, 10:24 PM
spf645's Avatar
CC Member
Visit my Photo Gallery

 
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Wilkesboro,,,, area, NC
Cobra Make, Engine: Superformance, 351w
Posts: 72
Not Ranked     
Default Thanks redmt

Quote:
Originally Posted by redmt View Post
Not to be a smart ass but what are you going to do when you run into a real problem that you don't have the knowledge to solve? Are you going to blame your inability to figure out a problem on the supplier of the part? There's a certain level of mechanical ability and the correct application of force required to build and repair these cars. Your going to find that the majority of the parts for these cars are not model specific but rather a one size fits all if you can figure out how to make it fit.
After reading through to post #9, I just had to step out and have a break. And have only began to read these post tonight. Thanks again redmt for your reply in post #10. Scrolled down when I sat back down to read more, and there it was. What a blessing, Don't think I could have been as humble as you.
Reply With Quote
  #6 (permalink)  
Old 04-21-2014, 11:36 AM
BAsque1's Avatar
CC Member
Visit my Photo Gallery

 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Rockland County, NY
Cobra Make, Engine: West Coast Cobra/427
Posts: 853
Not Ranked     
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Akimbeau View Post
Strictlypersonal , thank you for posting the illustration on the hood prop rod! It confirmed that I was headed in the right direction but was afraid that mounting the rod so close to the hood hinge would put too much strain on the mounting points. With Wayne's photos and instructions, soon to come I hope, I'll feel confident in drilling holes in my hood for mounting points. Any idea how far from the front of the hood the prop rod bracket mounts?

Seajet2 and Redmt, I have heard some very nice comments about the customer service at F L and will continue to do business with them. I'm sorry if my frustration sounded harsh...not sure I would call it a "trashing" though. Jackie kindly returned my cry for help email this morning with as much help as she could but her main suggestion was to search the Internet for answers or call Bryan at B & B, which isn't going to help much because its the weekend (the only time I get to work on the car) as well as Bryan sold B & B and is no longer there. AND it's not his part, it's Finished Line's part and I believe, their responsibility to supply as much info as possible BEFORE the install. The illustration that Strictlypersonal posted is a clear example of what could have been included with the rod. Larry's comment about the differences between cars is a good one...it would be difficult to be exact on operation and placement for all vehicles...but not impossible to include some kind of generic guidance. It appears that they have been selling this rod for several years and I'm sure they've gotten feedback of customer's experiences. To include an illustration and learned guidance with the product will most assuredly cut down on customer frustration, frequent customer service calls and the situation I faced which was no ability to install at a time that F L was closed without hours of online research. This should of been a 30 min install with proper guidance.
Customer support is not just about helping with problems customers encounter after-the-fact but mostly about supplying what the customer needs before hand so there is little need for help later.

Kim
Kim:
I must agree with you, some parts suppliers assume that the installer has full knowledge of all these procedures to install, replace these items.

While there is a level of knowledge that is expected that does not mean we all have it all. God bless if you do.

I did to experience a bit of a problem, albeit corrected by FL, with the license plate bracket in stainless steel. The fabrication was all wrong on how it was tooled the cuts allowed for the frame to bend and split broken risking loosing your license plate. I had it replaced but eventually had to get mig weld a plate at the seam to avoid future problems.

When it comes to customer service I must agree wholeheartedly, prevention of problems with customers and service are "non-plus-ultra" you must provide that in order to retain customers.

I have never had any other issues with FL and they are an excellent supplier.
Basque 1
__________________
Basque1
"Cobra--Because life is too short to drive a boring car"
Reply With Quote
Reply



Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On



All times are GMT -7. The time now is 09:23 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.0
Copyright ©2000 - 2025, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Search Engine Friendly URLs by vBSEO 3.6.0
The representations expressed are the representations and opinions of the clubcobra.com forum members and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and viewpoints of the site owners, moderators, Shelby American, any other replica manufacturer, Ford Motor Company. This website has been planned and developed by clubcobra.com and its forum members and should not be construed as being endorsed by Ford Motor Company, or Shelby American or any other manufacturer unless expressly noted by that entity. "Cobra" and the Cobra logo are registered trademarks for Ford Motor Co., Inc. clubcobra.com forum members agree not to post any copyrighted material unless the copyrighted material is owned by you. Although we do not and cannot review the messages posted and are not responsible for the content of any of these messages, we reserve the right to delete any message for any reason whatsoever. You remain solely responsible for the content of your messages, and you agree to indemnify and hold us harmless with respect to any claim based upon transmission of your message(s). Thank you for visiting clubcobra.com. For full policy documentation refer to the following link: CC Policy