Best/Worst decision when ordering SPF MKIII - Page 2

jmorganw · #21 (**permalink**) 10-04-2006, 12:09 PM

I believe the roller now lists for $41,900. Chalk it up to inflation, exchange rates, demand for the product.

427SnakeSC · #22 (**permalink**) 10-04-2006, 01:18 PM

jmorganw IMHO, if absoulute "correctness" isn't an issue with you and you are concerned about the noise of running a BB at highway speeds, then I agree with Flyin Freddie. A TKO 600 coupled with a 3.31 or 3.46 final drive and a .82 5th gear, will give you some long legs in 1st and 2nd, making for some nice, plant your eyeballs to the back of your skull, hole shots and a nice workable rpm at highway speeds. You can work through the numbers and all the variables at www.secondstrike.com/Technical/GearCalc.asp or www.368s.com and use the RPM Tool. Great stuff to help you figure out the combination that works best for you.

Flyin_Freddie · #23 (**permalink**) 10-04-2006, 01:42 PM

Yepper....what he said. Second Strike's gear calculator will help you figure out your RPM at speed, etc. Well worth he visit.

Thieleng · #24 (**permalink**) 10-04-2006, 01:53 PM

I have SPF 2378 with the Roush 427 IR, I went with the Tremec trans with the .6 overdrive. I have heard that using the Roush 427R motor that the cars do not run as well at cruise speeds in 5th, with the fuel injection the car runs extremely smooth at 70mph in 5th without loading up. The polished motor was probably overkill and expensive but I like the way it looks sitting in the all black (no stripe) car. The car dyno'd at 564HP and 550 Ft Lbs of torque. If I would have known at the time I would have changed out the exhaust system as the mufflers are fairly restrictive. My next project is to change out the headers and exhaust, order the 17" wheels for the track only, and possibly some suspension mods. Anyhow if I would of known that what I do now about the exhaust system I would have done it at the time. Go with the Fuel Injection.

jeffrey jackson · #25 (**permalink**) 10-04-2006, 02:03 PM

Thieleng Go to www.classicchambered.com i just bought a set of the new chambered mufflers that have smooth body versus the dimpled type they measure 4" dia body 20" long body length only and a true 3" center. i paid $62.00 each plus shipping talk to eric at classic.P.S.they have a sound bite of cobra with a big block and 26" mufflers.Thanks Jeff

Thieleng · #26 (**permalink**) 10-04-2006, 02:17 PM

Jeffrey Jackson-just looked it up, that is what I am looking for thanks for the advice

Poolw · #27 (**permalink**) 10-04-2006, 02:19 PM

Why not look at a 6 speed trans. Better gear ratios all the way around.

jeffrey jackson · #28 (**permalink**) 10-04-2006, 02:31 PM

One last thing on exhaust if you want to set your sidepipes up so you can remove the mufflers and install a shorty race pipe go to www.spdexhaust.com they make a kit that has 2flanges and a v clamp that can be installed by cutting the muffler off and welding on the flanges and using the v clamp great system. Jeff

Excaliber · #29 (**permalink**) 10-04-2006, 06:33 PM

Can you get the 'correct' gear shift for the various 6 speeds around? Sounds like a piece of cake for some 5 speeds.

Not sure I'd want a 6 speed, I guess depends on gear ratio's. Some have 5th AND 6th as overdrive. Don't think I'll be pushing 200 mph in a Cobra roadster.

427SnakeSC · #30 (**permalink**) 10-05-2006, 03:26 AM

"Don't think I'll be pushing 200 mph in a Cobra roadster."

Now that would be one white knuckle, scary ride!

Messy too! (a much needed change of shorts, I would think)

T E Lewis · #31 (**permalink**) 10-08-2006, 08:48 PM

Just picked up SPF 2459 a few weeks ago from Olthoff. Called them up, told them what I wanted to order, and they had one sitting on the showroom floor.

Went down a couple of days later and loaded it up and brought it home!!!

Like a lot of other people here, I can't say enough great things about Mark Ray, Dennis Olthoff, and the entire staff. As I am installing the powertrain myself, they have been as helpful after the sale as they were before the sale.

Pick your options, pick your colors, suit yourself, but after my last car (Everett-Morrision) I will not run another Toploader. Putting a TKO 600 behind the 460 this time, need more liveable RPM's at highway speeds.

Should have the car on the road in a few weeks, as long as I'm not interupted too much by work.

Thom

mike knight · #32 (**permalink**) 10-11-2006, 07:51 PM

I went a totally different way. I put in the t56 6 spd with the 6th at .50. I also installed a 93mm intercooled turbo. I have what I consider a pretty unique car. I get great gas mileage on the road. My sixth lets the car run at 1350 rpm at 70mph. This allows me to extend my range considerably on the road. A down shift to 5th or 4th provides a very useable rpm range for acceleration at highway speeds. The turbo allows me to drive around town in a very streetable cobra when i am running 8 lbs of boost. There aren't too many street cars that can run me down. Push the boost up to 25 lbs and it gets to be a real handful on the street but it is still manageable as long as you don't light up the turbo and keep pushing it. there isn't what is known as turbo lag but there is a lot of snap in it over 4000rpm. Power shifting 1st to
2nd or 2nd to 3rd the car will get away from you real quick if your not on your game.All in all I prefer driving it with the boost at 8 lbs. Negatives with this setup is the engine runs a little warm (about 215f ) in city traffic on a hot day. What ever you choose this little car will be an 'E' ticket for every mile you drive.

Excaliber · #33 (**permalink**) 10-11-2006, 10:19 PM

.50 over drive? WHOA!

I didn't know they made one that high. Now THERES a '200 mph' machine.

mike knight · #34 (**permalink**) 10-12-2006, 06:17 AM

the tremec t56 "viper" transmission has a .50 6th and a .72 5th and I believe a 1.14 4th. there used to be a gearing calculator available on line which would give you the projected top speed based upon horsepower and gear ratios. the top speed suggested for this combination is well in excess of 200 mph. that would assume that the aerodynamics would allow such an attempt. I will never see that speed in this car I am enjoying life way too much. I do know it gets to 140 real quick and is still pulling hard.

Madmiles442 · #35 (**permalink**) 10-13-2006, 11:22 PM

jmorganw,
Definitely get the 17" wheels, definitely get the Olthoff shocks upgrade and definitely get the 3M film protectant on the entire nose below headlights and on the rear fender fronts. After that, you can't go wrong.
My 392 hooks up to the TKO with .62 5th gear, 3.73 and I love it. Haven't tried anything else, though. True, first gear is a brief encounter, but from redlight to redlight, the pop of the 3.73 is a blast. On a 3 hour trip to Austin, I got 20.02 mpg. At 80 mph, I'm at 2100 rpm, at 150 mph I'm at 5800 rpm and by then the small block is about tapped out.
I put 335 Michelin Pilots on the rear too. Awesome big meats.
One roll bar is enough. Glovebox is handy. Wood steering wheel.
You can add chrome goodies later. Get the important stuff now and drive it for a while. You'll learn within a year of several $1000 projects that will find their way on your wish list.
Enjoy! This is an exciting time! Soak it in and take photos, you'll grin all over again every time you look at them.

RNT · #36 (**permalink**) 10-14-2006, 12:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mike knight

...there used to be a gearing calculator available on line which would give you the projected top speed based upon horsepower and gear ratios. ...

Go here for gear calculator: Scroll down to tech tips..

http://www.secondstrike.com/SecondStrikeHome.htm

mike knight · #37 (**permalink**) 10-14-2006, 07:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RNT

Go here for gear calculator: Scroll down to tech tips..

http://www.secondstrike.com/SecondStrikeHome.htm

Thanks RNT that's the one. Jmorganw listen to what madmiles is saying that cuts through to the issues.good luck in getting what you want.
mike

jmorganw · #38 (**permalink**) 10-14-2006, 06:37 PM

I do appreciate the advice. Had not given much thought to gearing but I can see it is important. I am confident the people at Olthoff will help much there. My thought is that I would like to get at least 50 mph out of first gear and that would come up really fast at full throttle. Also a semi quiet/low RPM top gear.

Don't know anything about upgrades to shocks/suspension or brakes offered by Olthoff. Will certainly ask when the time comes. Any info would be appreciated.

I do not aspire to have a "totally correct" look, but the 15 inch wheels seem to look right. The look of the 17's is great and I could go there with no problem. The tires available in 17 inch are much better than the ones available in the smaller size. I do not plan to race or autocross and may never even do any runs on a track at an event. I'm getting old and that might not be too smart but having good rubber on the street is not a bad idea and the 17's may be the answer. I would like some opinions on this.

Am strongly considering injected small block 427 from Rousch and would really like to hear the different sides of that argument. Seems that the carburetor version is less drivable at normal street revs. It is a lot of money to go from 427 R to 427 IR.

The chase is lots of fun for me.

Lowell W · #39 (**permalink**) 10-14-2006, 06:49 PM

I can't help you with the gearing or the tires, but you raise an interesting point with the carb vs. injection question.

I have a mild (530HP) 427W with a carb and really don't have any driveability issues once the motor is warm enough to idle, which only takes a couple of minutes. Part of the Cobra's appeal for me is its simplicity and the fact that it is more "owner serviceable" than a modern car. It would lose some of that appeal with FI, simply because a problem would be more difficult to isolate and rectify, especially on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere. On the other hand, once it's set up and running, a motor with FI might run trouble-free forever.

Lowell

cobrasnake · #40 (**permalink**) 10-16-2006, 09:02 PM

I ordered mine with no fender mount mirror as they are pretty much useless. I mounted my Raydots on the windscreen with a bracket similar to what Finishline sells.

I like my smaller leather wrapped wheel - easier on the hands and turning - not as authentic looking however.

I have a Roush 427R - almost 10K miles. Cam sounds great but terrible mileage (10± mpg). Had a Holley 750 but changed to an 870, mileage went down (duh) but eliminated a stumble around 2K RPM. Dual plane manifold. I understand Roush is working on a 427SR which is suppose to be more streetable - you may want to look into that if you aren't looking for maximum HP/TQ.

Seat heaters if you want to keep your co-pilot a little warmer or go for an electric blanket.

Great car!