Mark III Build - Page 6

Detroit Bill · #1 (**permalink**) 07-08-2015, 11:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blykins

Good idea to put the thermostat on....otherwise the engine would probably run too cool. I've never seen a street Cobra that needed an oil cooler.

I had read that. With as much as I have in this the extra couple hundred won't make a dent.

jeffgrice · #2 (**permalink**) 07-09-2015, 05:31 AM

Bill - great progress - Congrats!! Jeff

Detroit Bill · #3 (**permalink**) 07-19-2015, 02:25 PM

I think I will through bolt with a plate,thanks.

Mark IV · #4 (**permalink**) 07-19-2015, 02:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Detroit Bill

I think I will through bolt with a plate,thanks.

Best way to do it Bill.

Be careful as you get the miles so you do not get "complacent" with the power level on a 90" wheelbase car........it can and will bite you! The guy who owns the company that does my local installs was taking a car to a garage for storage when he cranked second gear a little too much and suddenly he was looking at me through the windshield (I was following him) and caused a "fresh shorts" moment!

Detroit Bill · #5 (**permalink**) 07-20-2015, 05:51 AM

I think I had a best traction possible scenario. As the temp drops so does the grip.

patrickt · #6 (**permalink**) 07-20-2015, 12:45 PM

Regarding your oil leak, the most common spot for FEs to leak a little oil is on the passenger side, inside corner (towards the firewall), where the head, manifold, and valve cover all meet up. All FE oil leaks tend to migrate back, drip off the bell housing, and look like rear seal leaks. Just use a white dinner napkin to wipe along the valve cover, and where the intake manifold meets at the head, and see if you don't have an oil stain on the napkin. If you see anything, then that's where it's leaking. You know, Ford had a policy at the dealership that a few drops from an FE was "commercially reasonable." So, if you brought your car back to them because it leaked a drop or two you were basically SOL. The fact that you have your DD underneath your Cobra makes it a little tougher -- you might have to rig up a diaper or what not.

Detroit Bill · #7 (**permalink**) 07-20-2015, 12:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by patrickt

Regarding your oil leak, the most common spot for FEs to leak a little oil is on the passenger side, inside corner (towards the firewall), where the head, manifold, and valve cover all meet up. All FE oil leaks tend to migrate back, drip off the bell housing, and look like rear seal leaks. Just use a white dinner napkin to wipe along the valve cover, and where the intake manifold meets at the head, and see if you don't have an oil stain on the napkin. If you see anything, then that's where it's leaking. You know, Ford had a policy at the dealership that a few drops from an FE was "commercially reasonable." So, if you brought your car back to them because it leaked a drop or two you were basically SOL. The fact that you have your DD underneath your Cobra makes it a little tougher -- you might have to rig up a diaper or what not.

This is more than a few drops. I will give it a good look tonight. I believe it is coming from the front of the left valve cover (left if sitting in the drivers seat). One valve cover bolt was removed to hold a bracket during engine install maybe that caused it. I snugged the bolts yesterday morning. I have chrome Pentroofs on it. If they continue to leak I may go to Blue Thunder Competition covers.

Detroit Bill · #8 (**permalink**) 07-21-2015, 06:33 AM

The light was not right and the car was not clean but I took what I could get.

Not sure about the spinners yet. I think I want to make them mostly black.

66gtk · #9 (**permalink**) 07-21-2015, 07:01 AM

Your spinners look perfect to me. I love the contrast. Nice car, and I'm glad you are enjoying it. I have about 1000 miles under my belt between 3 Cobras I've driven in the last year. If you want to live through the fun, always be mindful that they want to kill you. I never did find the floor behind the gas pedal in either of them, and 5K RPM was always "enough" for me, too. With more and more seat time, confidence and skill improve quickly. I never did have a "pucker" moment yet, and am happy about that. Plenty of fun to have in these cars under 60 MPH, unlike my late model supercharged Shelby.

Detroit Bill · #10 (**permalink**) 07-25-2015, 02:52 PM

I am thoroughly enjoying the Cobra. One of this things I am enjoying the most is owning a car I can work on. The last time I owned a car I could work on I was ~22 and it was a SS396 Camaro I bought when I was 17. I have a list of things I want to accomplish.

I have thoughly enjoyed driving the car. I Have never owned a convertible. I guess I still don't, I did not buy a top. Open air adds to the experience for sure.

I have limited my antics to a straight line for now. I have driven a lot of fast cars and motorcycles and I am limiting the potential for crazy. Today I did pull a gear to redline for sure. The power curve is amazingly linear. It feels like it pulls from 2500 to 6000 without pause. I am not used to that kind of power curve. It makes it hard to know when to shift by sound. Day One and two I shifted by sound and when I finally looked down I realized I was shifting at 4,500 rpm! LOL..

Today I sprayed on fender splats with Plastic Dip. A spray coating that can be peeled off. Pretty easy stuff to work with the difficult parts is that you can't tape it off and spray 4 coats. You have to spray a coat wait a few minutes and peel the spray line. It is a PIA but knowing it is temporary make it a bit less of a pressure thing. I did flat black and it looks good with my color scheme.

Anyhow I have some video going I am experimenting with the best camera and microphone position. When I get it dialed in I will share.

Detroit Bill · #11 (**permalink**) 07-30-2015, 08:41 AM

The view out of my office window today

cycleguy55 · #12 (**permalink**) 07-30-2015, 12:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Detroit Bill

The view out of my office window today

Yeah, I really hate that look <sarcasm>. The size of a Cobra still floors me when I see one (mine or another) parked next to, quite frankly, pretty much anything. They seem so small from the outside, yet big enough from the inside.

Last week I went to give blood (75th whole blood donation, BTW) and parked it in a visible location on the side of a fairly busy street about a block away. When I was done giving blood and walking back to the car I could see it from about a half block away and reminded again of how low it is - particularly relative to its width. This is the view motorists see when approaching from behind, and I'm sure many see it and wonder WTH is that - though of course the '66COBRA' license plate is a bit of a giveaway once they get close enough to read that.

I'm sure you've already heard it, but I also get a lot of comments about the size of the engine when the hood is open, to which my normal response is: "It's a small car wrapped around a big engine."

Always fun.

MYF · #13 (**permalink**) 07-30-2015, 03:43 PM

Sharp car - congratulations!

Brooklyn-427 · #14 (**permalink**) 07-30-2015, 04:03 PM

Yeah for the physical presence the cobra has its such a small car compared to the large modern cruisers of modern times

Detroit Bill · #15 (**permalink**) 08-19-2015, 08:41 AM

I have a pretty bad vibration in the steering wheel from 60-70. It is intermittent. This tells me there is likely an imbalance in both wheels and when the imbalances align you get a bad shimmy. When they offset each other it goes away or is reduced.

I called the local tire dealer and started asking questions. The answers I got were not satisfactory. The service writer then suggested that they might not be the right place. I then called the Porsche dealer, I have had a couple Porsche's and have a relationship with them. As I discussed it with them they suggested they are also not the right place. They pointed me to Auto Europe. The local Morgan, Lotus dealer. I called them and they picked up on what I was saying immediately and offered a road force balance for $50 a wheel.

This morning I dropped off the wheels and the manager commented that the wheels were "static balanced" There was one string of weights not inside and outside weights. Hopefully this takes care of the problem because that is not a good feeling.

There are two kinds of fast, my Porsche 911 (991) was trust me fast. At any speed you felt in control. The Cobra at this point is far from trust me fast. I might call it hair on fire fast. I have no hair so it is not too painful. But it does not inspire confidence.

buddyg · #16 (**permalink**) 08-20-2015, 02:32 PM

Congrats car looks great. I would make the spinners and quick jacks black to match your pipes.

Detroit Bill · #17 (**permalink**) 08-26-2015, 09:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by buddyg

Congrats car looks great. I would make the spinners and quick jacks black to match your pipes.

I thought about darkening the spinners. Not the quick jacks though.
The windshield and Roll bars are chrome and I like the contrast. I have seen a "blacked out" cobra and did not like the look.

spf645 · #18 (**permalink**) 08-26-2015, 09:53 PM

Let us know how the tire balance turns out. Mine just started the same shake you explained, same speeds.

Guy did the static balance, line of weights all on inside of wheel. I told him didn't matter to me if weights were on outside also, but he said no. Looks much better he said, all on inside. I didn't argue, did it at no cost. Only one short drive since having it done, but not up to speeds where shaking starts.

Brett

Detroit Bill · #19 (**permalink**) 08-27-2015, 02:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spf645

Let us know how the tire balance turns out. Mine just started the same shake you explained, same speeds.

Guy did the static balance, line of weights all on inside of wheel. I told him didn't matter to me if weights were on outside also, but he said no. Looks much better he said, all on inside. I didn't argue, did it at no cost. Only one short drive since having it done, but not up to speeds where shaking starts.

Brett

I was impressed by the Lotus Morgan Dealer. The price was $50 to balance them both not 50 a wheel. The good news is that the shake was significantly reduced.

The bad news is that both tires were out of spec. A Roadforce balancer had a large drum that rides against the tires and measures run out. In my case the two tires measured 47 pounds and 26 pounds. Max spec according to Hunter is 16 so I have a problem. I am trying to resolve it right now with Michelin.
The tires have vibrated since the beginning and now they have 600+ miles on them.

Here is a training video for a road force balance machine. Please take it all with a grain of salt, my experience is limited.

When I get replacement tires I am going to bring it back to them and have them balanced. I am considering getting Cobra Valley Ball joints installed and getting the alignment redone during that visit. I am not sold on the magic of the ball joints but I figure they can't hurt.

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xRAK3mc790"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xRAK3mc790[/ame]

mikeylikesit · #20 (**permalink**) 08-27-2015, 03:08 PM

Bill
I have SPF 2169, had the shake issue at 50 to 70mph.
Put new tires and 4 wheel alignment and proper balancing, and it mostly went away but not all.
Put the CV balljoints in, another 4 wheel alignment and I have NO shake.
Not only that but steering effort is 10 times easier at slower speeds for parking etc.

I believe SPF are still putting in BallJoint out of Chrsyler New Yorker, or at least that's what mine were....when you see whats in there now vs the Cobra Valley BJ you will laugh...

Well worth every penny and single best upgrade I have done so far since I bought the car last fall
Mike