Delivery Inspection

[STL Mark]

Well - my car should be about halfway across the ocean by now - and making it's way (slowly) to Ross, Ohio. I'm hoping for a completed car by September, and will probably have it delivered to me via Rich's Classic Transport. As I may not be able to inspect to vehicle prior to delivery - I would like some help from those in the know - What sort of things should I pay close attention to upon delivery. Meaning - should I search for leaks (where?), check brake bias (how?), shifting smoothness - what should I look for? and what sort of issues pop up? which are normal? which need immediate attention? Any advise is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[SPF2245]

Well, in my experience, the cars come complete with no imediate problems. I had a coolant leak and oil leak in the first 500 miles. All fixed by just re-tighting the offending clamps. My TKO-600 was a little stiff for the first 1000 miles, but has broken in nicely. You may or may not have to tune the motor for your area...if you have a carb. Other then that, just have fun and watch the garage for the leaks if they appear.

[STL Mark]

Thanks so much for the reply - and the good information.

I'm so stoked! I'm about to jump out of my skin! I'm driving my family crazy. Finally - my wife is excited as well. She keeps talking about the cool trips we can take.

[BDHE]

Hi Mark;

So, give with the goods, already! What color combination did you order, who's doing your engine, how many cubic inches, what options, etc, etc.


Bryon

[Bill Wells]

It is always best to inspect before accepting delivery ....should be only about a 5 hr drive from St Louis to Ross Oh - overnight at local hotel and return next day .

Check the car out before install , or after - makes no difference . If after install, then test drive the car or have the installer put some miles on it to check for early leakage etc .

I am sure you will have to pay for the balance of the car/roller before it goes to the installer, if so, you might want to check the car / paint/ fit / trim before you make the final payment . I have been to Dynamic many times and have looked at close to 100 cars over time in their back end , ready for installs or shipping and the cars looked great on my casual inspections . Any imperfections ,depending on pickiness , would be easily addressed/performed by DMS . I am sure they inspect the cars carefully too . You were most likely there and did the same thing - so your comfort level is up to you.

There is always some debugging to do , slight leaks typically and other misc (usually minor ) issues that crop up in first several hundred miles > Alot of that is dependent on the quality of your installer , how many have they done etc . Also, dependent on a tried and true crate motor vs a custom build - then you are at the mercy of the integrity of the engine builder giving you what you paid for and producing a quality product .

Alignments should be done before shipped to you, brake bias has not come up in any discussions I have had with new owners . Chances are your debugging will be to items other than SPF specific items , ie , engine, trans, driveline - installer .

Rich's hauled a 57 Bird for me from Denver to Detroit - great service and timely delivery . Pricier than the big name folks, but then they could not gurantee delivery timing . The fast dely was worth the extra bucks for me , and I will use them again .

Good luck with your purchase ...alot of SPF owners in your area , seek them out and let them give you advice on where to get things taken care of when needed . Bill

[CBattaglia]

I bought my car from Dynamic and just took delivery a couple weeks ago. I live in NY and planned on driving out to see the car but got caught up with work. I took delivery sight unseen. You have to really inspect for scratches, etc. that the delivery may have caused. The rest of the inspection will happen as you drive the car which will happen days after the delivery. I had a leak after 200 miles that was simply a clamp.

You have a 1 year warranty so no need to sweat the inspection process.

[Madmiles442]

One of the favorite places for a scratch or chip is on top of the roll bar(s). It's such a handy place from which to push the car!
If you want to maximize your power, have your carb tuned/jetted by an expert. Rob at Keith Craft got 49 rwhp out of my 392 from just this.
Coolant leaks and tranny leaks around the speedo cable have also been common.
Check the parking brake adjustment and the throttle cable linkage. The parking brake can sometimes be too loose. The throttle cables also have a history of being loose. You push the pedal and depress 1 1/2" before it moves the carb linkage.
The fit and finish are usually top notch-check the spacing between body and doors, you'll see.
The paint is usually quite good, although I've seen some with slight runs or orange peel.
After a couple of months or 500 miles or so, do a once-over underneath the car and check every bolt/nut you can find for tightness. It's surprising the things that work themselves loose.
Mark, I truly hope your wife remains interested in going for a drive. Mine was so stoked until that first stiff ride and pop of the throttle. She still thinks it's the most beautiful car on the planet, as long as she doesn't have to ride in it!
Enjoy and take lots of pics! This is a magical time and you'll look back on this like a birth.

[STL Mark]

Alright Bryon

Indigo Blue with Titanium stripes
dual roll bars
full bumpers front and rear
ceramic coated pipes with heat shields
4 point harness and seat sliders
leather wheel and glove box
front license mount
15" wheels
cobra badging
and more!

Performance Eng. built and installed 460BB
(New Block - 4-bolt main)
bored and stroked to 588 cu. in
dual plane air gap intake
Ford Super Cobra Jet Heads
Aeromotive fuel pump and regulator
Mighty Demon Carb
custom cam grind
oil cooler upgrade
side pipe service
TKO600 trans with .82 5th gear.

Aiming for 650hp with 700 ft/lbs of tq.

Hoping for Sept/Oct delivery.

BTW - we'll have to get together eventually - Rolla is only about an hour or so from me.

Bill
Yes - I have been to DMS on 3 occasions, and trust they'll produce a fantastic car. The do perform 100 break in miles after the install, and before the delivery. I'm sure that they'll take care of all issues. And - yes I will be using Rich's Classic Transport - their bid was excellent. However, I was hoping to get to DMS before final delivery - but it probably won't be possible.

To the rest - thanks for the info.
So - here's what I should check:
Tire balance and alignment
Various leaks, clamps, etc.
Throttle linkage, cable, and pedal response
Nut & bolt check once home
E-brake
Take lots of pics!

I think I can do it. A year and a half ago - I had no idea - but I've read and learned so much here - I confident and excited at the prospect.

[Got the Bug]

Mark - Best of luck! I bet you can't wait! The overall build quality is excellent. I went over my car with a fine tooth comb and still found a couple of minor paint flaws after taking delivery. For all of the raw power, I'm still amazed at how well the car rides. 650 HP? You should be able to get by on that .