Flying Cobra's Build Thread

[FlyingCobra]

Yesterday Stewart Transport showed up with my MK 4, and it's now found its place in my garage. So it's time to start my build thread.

I ordered a base kit with a few options.

- Sun visors and wind wings
- Front lower control arms
- Windshield wipers
- Passenger side roll bar/hoop
- 3-link rear
- Opted for 351W so I got the headers (although I'm going back and forth on this some more, whether to stay 351-based or go 302-based)
- Body cut-outs
- Aluminum radiator
- Powdercoated frame

I'd originally planned on painting the frame myself, but with the sale it made sense to buy the powdercoating as it got me to the next discount level and became free. Plus one less thing to do, not a bad thing.

I started inventory last night and noted a few missing things aside from what they told me wasn't ready to ship on the build manifest. They forgot to do the cutouts (but a phone call got them to agree to pay a body shop to do them for me), sent me a chromed right side hoop instead of the powdercoated one I'd ordered, forgot the lower control arms, and a couple other minor things. On the whole, though, I was very impressed with just how complete the kit is, far more than I expected (I realize they say "Buy the kit and a donor car and you have everything you need", but I'm always skeptical of such statements).

The main problem I found was that a number of parts weren't labeled with part numbers, and so that makes inventorying harder for the first time builder since I can't look at a bracket and say "Oh, right, that's the aft flux capacitor mount."

The months leading up to the build had a lot of garage work leading up to them. My garage is a 3-car and only has 6 outlets in it and 3 standard bulbs in the ceiling. Yeah, not going to work for anything serious. We've been here 3 years and I never had the motivation to turn it into the garage-ma-hal like I had at our previous house. This helped me at least get started on the necessary changes. So, a 125A subpanel, wiring from the main panel to the subpanel, added about 40 110V outlets (I'm around 50 total), added 220 for my infrared heaters and 60-gallon Ingersoll compressor, mounted the vice and bench grinder, etc. etc. I still have to improve the ceiling lighting but that's a lot easier than all the extra work. I also had to finish up my Ford 9N which was getting an overhauled engine. I wasn't fully successful in that, but I did manage to roll it out of the garage with the engine attached so I could put the Cobra directly into its new home. I also have to mount the lift, but figured since I hadn't put the anchors in yet I'd wait until the kit showed up so I could make the best decision on where to put said anchors.

I can say I was very pleased with Stewart and frankly don't understand the negative reviews I've read about them, but to each his own. I thought the price and service was very good and would use them again and recommend them to others.

Because my driveway is about 700 ft, I just took my trailer to the end of the driveway and let them unload the car onto it. That evening a few friends showed up and helped me get the body off the car and then the frame in the garage.

A lot of people spend the time waiting for the car doing tons of research on all the little details. I'm doing this more linearly on the whole as I know this won't be a particularly fast build and I had a lot of other projects going on. Mainly I've been looking for the big components and I'll need to go pick up some new tools soon (rivet gun, paint gun, drill bits).

truck.jpg

kids.jpg

The kids already have decided that it's their car.

trailer.jpg

garage.jpg

It's going to be stuck here for a while...

[SSNK4US]

Congratulations!!!!! Welcome to the family!!! Sounds like your garage is getting ready to go Mine was a real mess... my wife said it needs to be CLEANED up before we buy anything!!! Lol Ours was delivered Jul 31. Inventory is finally done (boxes) but the body is still on the chassis. So not particularly fast either. Very pleased with Stewart too.
Looking forward to watching your build, and as you probably already know, don’t hesitate to reach out to your new “family”
out here.

Kurt

[FlyingCobra]

I did an initial inventory immediately to check for things and will do a more detailed one. My intent is to dive straight into the build pretty quickly, especially with cooler weather coming up. I've got some other projects so I know I won't get to work on it as much as I'd like. Ideally I'll get it go-karting by Spring but I'll be pretty surprised if I'm successful at that.

I bought one donor car and I might buy another if I can get the right buy.

[FlyingCobra]

Today I picked up donor car #2. My first donor car was an '88 Mustang (rust free but ugly rattle can paint). I picked it up because the engine had some money put into it, and most notably were the Edelbrock Performer aluminum heads. In the end I basically sold enough parts off the car that it cost me -$50 to buy, and I still have the heads. So a free set of nice heads for my build.

Donor car #2 I think will be what I keep to get me through the rest of the build, although I'll be selling some parts out of it. It's a '94 SN95 with 3.73s and a limited slip rear end (that's the main reason why I bought it). That was verified. The engine is still a 302 that's supposedly been rebuilt and has GT40P heads, E303 cam, new rings/pistons/rods, BBK intake and throttle body, some other things. There's a problem with the flywheel/clutch starter, it's grinding and the clutch doesn't feel quite right. Transmission has a very short throw shifter in it, but not sure if anything else was done to it.

I'll expect that I'll sell the engine and transmission (first dibs go to anyone building a FFR who would benefit from all the harnesses/computer etc.) unless the transmission turns out to be something special, and then keep the car itself for some of the little bits that I'll need during the build.

[FlyingCobra]

Today I picked up donor car #2. My first donor car was an '88 Mustang (rust free but ugly rattle can paint). I picked it up because the engine had some money put into it, and most notably were the Edelbrock Performer aluminum heads. In the end I basically sold enough parts off the car that it cost me -$50 to buy, and I still have the heads. So a free set of nice heads for my build.

Donor car #2 I think will be what I keep to get me through the rest of the build, although I'll be selling some parts out of it. It's a '94 SN95 with 3.73s and a limited slip rear end (that's the main reason why I bought it). That was verified. The engine is still a 302 that's supposedly been rebuilt and has GT40P heads, E303 cam, new rings/pistons/rods, BBK intake and throttle body, some other things. There's a problem with the flywheel/clutch starter, it's grinding and the clutch doesn't feel quite right. Transmission has a very short throw shifter in it, but not sure if anything else was done to it.

I'll expect that I'll sell the engine and transmission (first dibs go to anyone building a FFR who would benefit from all the harnesses/computer etc.) unless the transmission turns out to be something special, and then keep the car itself for some of the little bits that I'll need during the build.

[Yama-Bro]

Congrats! And welcome to the club! It sounds like you may be building at the same pace I am. I'm doing one step at a time in between other projects and activities. Not the fastest, but it's still fun!

[FlyingCobra]

Congrats! And welcome to the club! It sounds like you may be building at the same pace I am. I'm doing one step at a time in between other projects and activities. Not the fastest, but it's still fun!

Good luck on your build! Definitely not going for speed, we'll get it done when we get it done.

[FlyingCobra]

Congrats! And welcome to the club! It sounds like you may be building at the same pace I am. I'm doing one step at a time in between other projects and activities. Not the fastest, but it's still fun!

Good luck on your build! Definitely not going for speed, we'll get it done when we get it done.