I’ve heard horror stories about registering a kit car. Wanting to head them off at the pass, I visited Troop C in Chesterfield, MO to discuss the requirements. I’ve learned so far:   Note: these steps apply to a ground-up build. There are shortcuts available to those using a donor car. ♦ When purchasing your car, SAVE EVERY RECEIPT – you will need it later. Ask for notarized receipts on all major components (Engine and transmission) ♦You need to start with a Form 551 which is available from the Drivers License offices. There is a $50 charge to initiate the form and there is a timeRead More →

Spindle Replacement The tapered joints of the balljoint are pulled into the spindle with 100 ft/lbs of torque. These joints are tight! To remove or replace parts, some recommend putting a pickle fork tool between the ball joint and hit it with the biggest hammer you can find. I was concerned this would destroy the rubber boot that surrounds the balljoint. A jacking screw generates the necessary forces to safely take the joint apart without destroying anything. I made the screw using a 3″ piece of 1/2-13 threaded rod and two coupling nuts. I cut a couple 1/4″ pieces of the rod and threaded themRead More →

Wheel alignment “Stringing” a car is the way racer’s do wheel alignment. You don’t need a fancy (expensive) computer aligner if you are willing to do some setup and understand basic measurements. Setup: Prior to starting the alignment process, you need to determine the desired ride height of the vehicle. Adjust your coil-overs to the height you want and the vehicle is setting at the desired ride height. You should know the rolling radius of your tires. (It is not the diameter of the tire divided in half). To do the alignment, the frame should be setting level. I cut up some 2 x 6Read More →

FE References As I searched for info on my build, I have come across a number of articles and references for the FE afficianado. I have taken the liberty to combine some of the pages into one downloadable PDF, giving credit where due. Did this, just in case the webservers ever decide to go off-line. Bauxite Bomber, Super Ford, Nov, 1996 FE Insights, by Jim Dove FE Build, Hot Rod Magazine, 2003 Ford FE, Engine Builder, 2006 More FE Stuff, Engine Builder, 2014 Oiling Mods by Jerry Pitt, Mustangs & Fords Distributor Gear Position Ford BulletinRead More →

How long and do I need a shop? I know people who have assembled a kit in as short as four months while working a normal 8-5 job. It can be done. My build took me three years to complete but I took my time and made a lot of modifications along the way. I was working a normal job and rarely did I work on the car except on the weekends. I didn’t keep track but I estimate around 2,000 hours. As far as space, I did it in one half of a two car garage. With rare exception, my wife parked her carRead More →

When I began the initial investigation into building a replica, I quickly learned the market fell into four tiers; Entry Level / builds that emulate the cobra appearance Mid Tier / builds that replicate the original very faithfully Kirkhams Shelby Continuation series And I was given very astute advice – look closely at the prices the various manufacturers display and don’t let the initial web price figure alarm you. Do the math, adding all the accessories to your build and you’ll see the cars within a given tier are very close in price, Factory FIve is the best marketed kit available. But they have taken someRead More →

A young college student picks up a brochure from a nearby car dealership in Champaign, IL. A 1966 Ford Cobra. Man, do I want one of these. But then life surrounds you and the dream gets stored away in the “Book of Don’t Forgets”. The racing and car bug slowly gives way to the pressures of raising a family and a career. Every once and a while, the dream surfaces but is again tucked away in the back of the mind. Life goes on. Fast forward 39 years – my daughter moves her family to Westlake, OH. The next door neighbor has a blue CobraRead More →

Sources for the Cobra research are many and varied. Hopefully, one of these will help you find the detail you are seeking: Pictorial References CobraCars.be    The site was shut down sometime around 2017, but if you know how to use Google’s Wayback Machine, take a look at the early 2017 captures. Although the original site is Belgium, Google can translate any pages as required.  CSX3282     Brooke Clarke’s 427 Cobra Books A list of books from the library of Art Gumbus. Pretty good list but doesn’t include books since 2007 Cobra Books On-Line Documents Years ago, the Kirkham site included an excellent article of theRead More →

Choosing a kit supplierThis is probably the 2nd hardest thing to do in building your dream. (First is selecting a color). It is wise to do a little belly button gazing and determine what you are trying to accomplish. Different kits are designed to fulfill different objectives. Got lots of money, want as close to original as possible, like aluminum body. Kirkham is the only supplier to my knowledge, supplying an aluminum body. But be prepared to shell out $$$$ Got a wrecked Mustang in your family that you can get the motor and drivetrain from and on a very tight budget, FFR (Factory Five)Read More →

Vendor IssuesI am reminded of an old axiom, “if it has wheels, you’re gonna have problems with it” As I researched for my build, I kept looking for the negatives or problems. I felt everyone was going to say their car was the greatest, who wants to admit they bought a lemon. But if enough problems showed up, it might help me determine which manufacturer was going to get my hard earned dollars. I didn’t find any publicly posted problems with the Hurricane kit. I did find all kinds of raves on how attentive the company and employees are to any form of problem. AfterRead More →