HG's Dream Car Build - Shelby Cobra Kit

[hgs_notes]

First night drive...

[hgs_notes]

Work, the holidays, other projects, helping someone else with their project and some illness (damn colds!) have kept me from making any progress on the cobra. There is a ton left to do to finish this car. There's a short list of mechanical issues found during my drives this fall such as:
Backfiring and stalling while coasting
Gauge lights not working
Coolant leak on heater bypass connector
Tire rubbing rear fender wells
Transmission casing leak
Probably more I can't recall at the moment

Then there is the body work. Honestly not a ton when compared to fixing rust and 50 years of wear, tear, abuse on most of what I work on. Sand down the seams, add some filler, sand. Primer, sand, primer, sand, etc. The doors, hood and trunk are a tight gap fit at the moment.

Then there is the rest of the stuff that needs to be done to "finish" the car. Interior (carpet, dash, etc), painting/coating the last bits and pieces including the side pipes. Clean up wiring, etc.

Then there are the changes/improvements like rear coilovers, bump stops, shorter axle shafts, some front inner wheel well protection, changing rear gears.

I don't know how much I'll get done this winter. Based on progress of the past couple months, little to nothing LOL. A start was made though, after one last drive for 2023, where I was actually in the passenger seat and let my buddy drive it, and the body was pulled off. It was 30 something degrees with a little wind. The helmets worked great for keeping the cold off our faces and ears. He drove it like it was his daily squarebody 1 ton with 4 speed and I had to remind him that it needs a little more rpm and he needs to downshift from 5th when going into town.

[Dieselwrencher]

That is awesome you were able to drive it one more time before yanking the body off to do body work etc. It sounds like you have a lot left to do but at least you've already driven it. That's a really great start towards the 2024 cruising season.

I hope you and your family had a very Merry Christmas and happy new year!

[hgs_notes]

Check this out, I was contacted a while ago by Factory Five about using my build on their social media and website. It finally happened. One of the rare unfinished cars they posted.

https://www.factoryfive.com/whats-ne...l-w-dream-car/

[fatbass]

Congrats on the Factory Five spotlight! I'm hoping for an early spring and you having more time to spend in your garage.

[hgs_notes]

Originally Posted by fatbass

Congrats on the Factory Five spotlight! I'm hoping for an early spring and you having more time to spend in your garage.

The garage is heated. The problem is time.

Yesterday I picked up a coolant tank from a 2014 mustang.

[hgs_notes]

It's a start. 36 grit wheel on a die grinder cleaning up the seams. A few spots had bubbles or voids. One I chased all the way through. I need to pick up some wax and grease remover and mix up some resin to pour into some of the spots. Then I'll us the DA to scuff the whole thing and spray it with epoxy primer. Can start mudding from there.

[hgs_notes]

And so it begins. I sat and stared at it for a bit, then, well, it's not going to sand itself.

Yesterday I mixed up some fiberglass resin, started filling in the seams I cleaned out. Used some fabric in the deeper spots but figured I was grinding out mostly gel coat and resin so I'm starting with that. I need to do some more of that in the back end. It can be done as I scuff the body down with 180 grit. I'm going to spray the body with epoxy primer before I use any body filler.

[LS short box]

Your project is looking good. I help at a body shop a couple days a week and mostly do block and color sanding on hot rod projects. I can tell you know one is standing in line to do block sanding.

[fatbass]

Sanding requires a day of psyching myself up beforehand, especially for that nasty fiberglass.

I catch your sig line every time you post and then I ran across this LOL...

[hgs_notes]

Originally Posted by LS short box

Your project is looking good. I help at a body shop a couple days a week and mostly do block and color sanding on hot rod projects. I can tell you know one is standing in line to do block sanding.

Thanks, exactly. That's OK, it's my project, my responsibility.

Originally Posted by fatbass

Sanding requires a day of psyching myself up beforehand, especially for that nasty fiberglass.

I catch your sig line every time you post and then I ran across this LOL...

Something like that lol.

Not much to report, scuffed a door. Need to find out if the seam on the upper inside is supposed to be sanded smooth. Nothing in the manual. I bought the shifter ball I wanted and it has different threads than the shift lever, which isn't really a problem because I need a shorter one anyway. I might just machine this one and put the correct threads on it.

This basic style is the first one I really remember seeing as a kid. My dad had a 67 GTO with a 4 speed when I was in like 1st grade and had that regular white ball with the black etched in pattern. Perfect. Always wanted that and here it is.

Also got a couple samples of paint to try out. I'll share that once I spray something to test it on. Something round with a light and darker base or sealer under it so I can see if it matters. Lots of flake in them. Not like bass boat flake, small. Just a LOT in it.

[72c20customcamper]

Car is coming out beautiful sanding is the worst part of the job but the most important.

Can I ask as to why you’re going to use epoxy primer ? When we did fiberglass cars we used polyester primer /filler as a base then a good sealer prior to paint . This Avanti we painted 30 some odd years ago and it still looked great when I sold it .

[hgs_notes]

Originally Posted by 72c20customcamper

Car is coming out beautiful sanding is the worst part of the job but the most important.

Can I ask as to why you’re going to use epoxy primer ? When we did fiberglass cars we used polyester primer /filler as a base then a good sealer prior to paint . This Avanti we painted 30 some odd years ago and it still looked great when I sold it .

I'm far from an expert on this or any bodywork really. It's recommended on various sources. I think the epoxy acts as a sealer over the body which can have a couple different resin types. It bonds very good and any fillers you use bond well with the epoxy. I'm sure the way you did it works fine too. In part I'm using it because I have some. Lol

Cool car, top choice for the salt flats racers

[LS short box]

Again far from an expert but at the body shop I help at after body work to get everything straight two coats of epoxy primer. Then a block with 180 grit dry. Then 320 on a block dry. Then 320 on a soft pad DA. Then sealer and base coat/clear coat.
In regards to paint colors many moons ago a body guy gave me some I think was good advice. He said drive thru local car dealerships and pick out a color you like. Do this because if you have to repair the paint in the future matching the paint is much easier.

[Grounded63]

If you go to the HOK website. You can go to explore colors, search based on color and effect. Which will bring up examples shown on speedforms, with the corresponding hok paint code.

https://www.houseofkolor.com/kolors/?ref=topnav