Need help repairing accident damaged differential housing

[Prof]

Doug,

I'm a teacher also (college professor), so no sermons or lectures from me. I get what you're doing here, and I thought I'd throw in my two cents.

First: To get the rear end right,
In Houston, call Glen at Rosehillperformanceparts 713-742-3673
Rosehillperformanceparts
He's in Tomball and does A LOT of work for the Houston Cobra guys. Excellent welder, fabricator. Very very competent. He's built all of my racing T-5s. Recently-retired and has the ability to get the Cobra to his shop for repairs.

The frame: In Dallas, call my street rod restoration guy, Andy Krause, in Garland.
972-597-5436
At $50-$60 an hour, he's not cheap, but he is the best. High-end custom car builder. Builds lots of spectacular SEMA cars. Has a heart for teachers in the car hobby. He's done my '67 Shelby, my '50 Chevy half-ton, painted my mini-me Cobra 427 go cart, and soon to start my '70 Boss 302.

Since specialties like this create a semi-"closed" network of referrals only, tell either guy that Paul May referred you to them with the highest praise.

I'm in Dallas. I have three perfect Ford 9" housings/axles of varying widths, a new Lone Star 4-link on a Versailles Ford 9", and an 8.8" with new Explorer 3.73 posi. You're welcome to look. Or I can deliver to Houston.

Keep posting the progress of your repairs. Even if shops say, "Um like, no, thank you...", we can still use our other contacts to help you get back on the road. And I hope others will chime in with HELPFUL assistance.

Best,
Paul

[YerDugliness]

Thanks for the info, Paul!

I'm a couple of months away from being able to get down that way again, maybe only 6 weeks, but until I can get the car examined I won't know if it is even worth fixing or not...the body shop guy I had look at it suggested it would be a great donor car if I wanted to start all over, but I'm not sure I want to do that if I can get the car going. Everyone who has ever worked on the car just marvels at the way the chassis is constructed (it is not a tube frame, actually looks more like a production vehicle) and they all believe the car was constructed to be a race car...little (?) things like heavy gauge aluminum fuel cell with foam blocks inside, pro-quality electric fuel pump and filter, 4-wheel Dynalite disc brakes, and a very compliant parallel 4-bar rear suspension with coilovers. It deserves to be resurected, if at all possible.

I will certainly start in the Houston area, since the car is only about 30 miles from the south end of Houston...and your recommendations are all close enough that once I get a differential in it that will allow me to bolt on wheels I should be able to get it on a dolly or car-hauler trailer and up to the Tomball area.

Again, Paul, thanks SO much for the referrals, and I will be sure to mention your name when I call them. Another TCC member has contacted me with recommendations near Austin, too...so I'm sure there will be a way to get it fixed...but first things first...I may be in touch with you regarding your spare parts. Since I just spent so much rebuilding the Traction-Loc 9" pumpkin I'd like to use it if at all possible. That Versailles rear-end is interesting, for sure!

I do have a pickup and so I can transport things, but thanks for the offer to deliver to the Houston area if I need it. I recall the Versaille also had 4-wheel discs, too...once I get the housing out of the "wreck" I will know more about brackets, etc...I figure if the pumpkin is OK I'll keep it in storage while I send my current differential housing to whichever business I choose to transfer all the brackets, etc., so that they can make their own measurements.

It all sounds so expensive...especially on a teacher's salary, but it is important enough that I am dedicated to getting it back on the road as soon as I can (which, given all the damage and perhaps other damages I don't know about yet, will be a LONG time, I think).

Cheers!

Dugly