What upgrades are you planning this winter

[James460]

The cobra was a good boy this summer, it ran great with little issues (in fact only one: the return line on the power steering pump burst, fortunately in my garage).

Other then normal winterizing, I plan to upgrade the brake pads & call it good.

How about you?

[UrQ]

Here is my list:

1) New body wire harness
2) Swap out 3/8 rocker studs and rockers for 5/16
3) Exhaust work to get it below 95db
4) New tire and new Carbotech XP10 pads (all around)
5) Change caster from 8.5 to 8
6) Corner weigh and balance car

[Don C]

Amazingly (for me) no major projects for this winter. Pretty much the standard stuff.
Wheels over to Wheel Werks in Beaverton to be polished. (Some minor staining I want removed)
Change the engine, tranny and rear end oil.
Bleed the clutch and brakes.
Take the injectors in to be cleaned and checked for flow and pulse.
Change the coolant.
R&R the anti chaffing material on all the lines.
Spend at least a day on my back wiping down the underside of the car.
Front end alignment.
Fill and smooth stone chips in the paint.
Whatever else I see that needs attention as I work through the above.
DonC

[Steve Powell]

Tony............Hey buddy......I think you mean 3/8" to 7/16" on those rocker studs.

I'm going to:

Replace headers. Mine keep cracking in variuos places. I think they have seen too many heat cycles and too much vibration. I think they are getting "work hardened" and brittle.

Work on DB level. Cut the exhaust tips off, install some cones and turn the tips down toward the ground. I was very close to over limint a couple of time last year. Don't want to get disqualified.

Do a compression test and a leak down test on the engine.

Work on the transmission. Dis-assemble and inspect. May put a "road race ratio" in
5th for those long straights where I run out of RPM's.

Possibly rebuild the track-lok in the rear end. I will inspect and determine the condition.

Already rebuilt the front brakes. New rotors, Carbortech XP10's, and rebuilt the calipers.
Back brakes were pretty fresh at the end of last race and they look fine.

I need to figure out how to let the enging breath better. Too much crank case pressure. Will likely put some big breather lines and catch tanks hooked to the valve covers.

Change all fluids.

Going to paint some spats on the front of the fenders with bead liner. They really take a beating. General clean up for the rest of the car.

Get at least one set of new tires.

Check all the alignment specs to see if they are still where I want them.

Re-number the car with my new permanent numbers. New number will be 133 for next year.

Try to stay ahead of Tony.

Car has been pretty durable. No DNF's in 3 seasons.

That's all just on the race car. 3904 probably needs some attention too....oh well!

[Butch B]

OK, my turn.(lol)

1. Change fluids(DONE12/1/2012)
2. Probably a new clutch& cable? (Clutch has been on 3 motors now & with Mel doing most of the driving) lol
3. New rubber all the way around.(Anyone need a full set of "old" BFG T/As?cheap?)
4. Maybe disconnect oil cooler & add 90deg. oilfilter adp.(DONE12/1/2012!)
5. Have rad. ck'ed for leak(rock hit over in Idaho this summer)(DONE 12/27/2012!)
6. New" Breeze Alternator Bracket" to delete unnessasry pully's.(DONE12/12/2012!)
7. Replace 4 gauge wiring with 2 gauge for easier hot starting.(DONE1/26/2013!)
8. Hopfully this will happen early next spring, after Steve, Eric, and others have a chance to get their roadsters sorted out & my good buddy Steve lets me use his lift for a day or two. Hint Hint! (lol)

Butch

[SwiftDB4]

1. New rotors to cure vibration with race pads on trackdays.
2. Thicker rear window and better radiator ducting to help A/C in stop and go traffic. Or trade cars with James so he can enjoy the heat.

[James460]

anytime you want the wind in your face I will hand you the keys..will need yours in exchange of course.

;-)

[gswartz]

I have about half a dozen things to do to my cobra to make it truely finished:

Rear quick jacks installed.

Re-do rear carpet, need stronger glue

Hook up foot box fan

Hook up horn

Re route fan wiring so it doesn't show as easy

My bigger issue now is my 65 mustang. After putting 500 or so miles on the cobra my mustang seems so dated. My real winter project will be updating the following on the mustang:

Yank out the old 289 for a 302 5.0 GT 40 aluminum head fuel injected motor.

Yank out the C4 for a T-5.

Update the front suspension to coil over and disk brakes.

Change out the rear end to a ford explorer rear end with posi traction and disk brakes, four link and coil overs.

Convert over to rack and pinion steering.

Hook up the AC (actually thats the wifes request)

New fuel system for the fuel injected motor.

New wiring for fuel injected motor.

New exhaust system so you at least know the mustang is turned on while the cobra is on at the same time.

Oh and paint the new shelby gt350 style hood.

Hey at least with this to do list the wife will know where I am every weekend this winter.

[xsive]

I plan to keep the work minor, so the car will be ready to go next sunshine. Change oil
Change coolant
Flush and bleed brakes (still have soft pedal issues)
Clean the wheels while they're off

Don H

[James460]

had the same problem,
changed to 5.1 high temp brake fluid (this is NOT the 5.0 silicone fluid which is highly attractive to moisture) Get it thru Baxters Auto Parts.

I have a power bleeder if you are into that method of changing fluid.

J.

[Don C]

Don:
I'm with James on the pressure bleeder for your brakes. I started using one several years ago and the job couldn't be easier. Takes about 20 minutes to do the whole system (all 4 brakes and clutch) and I can do it solo. Don't need anyone to pump the pedals for me.
DonC

[xsive]

James,
Thanks for the offer. Be on vacation till after Thanksgiving. I'll be in touch.

Don H

[SIZE-O]

My upgrades are;

1. Install DWC trunk boxes. Almost done.
2. Dump the FAST EFI system and go back to carb. Already have the Quickfuel SS750, fuel pump, fuel lines and filters.
3. Take my stainless steel pipes off and get them professionally polished.
4. I don't like the pipe support bracket. So I'm going to come up with something different.
5. Custom shifter handle and ring plate.
6. I'm considering using low expanding foam in my doors.
7. Dual oil filter relocation.

Perry

[ndpace]

Perry, why Dump the FAST EFI system? I was thinking of going that way
jim

[Edward B]

I'm with Jim, why dump the FAST system? I want to toss my A9L down the freeway at full tilt and go to something like FAST.

Ed

[keezling]

After adding Edelbrock heads, Comp solid lifter cam and lower 1st and 2nd gearing in my C-6 last winter, found there is a penalty. Now I need; new clutches in my traction lock diff (did a "one wheel peel" last drag strip run)
Drag radials so I can... well, you know
Duchman axle shafts (splines trashed on mine)
Oh ya, that body and paint thing

[Butch B]

Just started some upgrades yesterday!
Butch

PS
Gerald,
Where will you beable to run your Cobra? Gonna be way too fast for "open wheel car" at drag strip unless you do alot of mods?

[keezling]

Butch: Medffords stop light drags is about the only chance to run 'em. Woodburn has a all Ford day with car show and last year they let car show entrys run one time. No brain bucket or anything (go figure) I entered my junk in the car show and just waited to see if they repeated. They did. They asked if I had a helmut (yes) and said wear it and don't spin your tires. I spun bad in 1st, let off and nailed it in 2nd and smoked 'em till I realized it was one tire spinning. Let off at half track and coasted thru. Had molten rubber coated rear body panels to clean up. Oh well...

[Butch B]

Gerald,
I'm kinda heading other way(mainly street car) with my cobra. Selling my Drag Lites,probably MT/Et's,ect? Just run street tires down @ Medford & call It good!? That "All Ford Show" @ Woodburn sounds really good, even for one run!!(lol) I(Mel) put almost 7,000miles on my ETs last season & I'm trying to decide if I want new MT/ETs or just MT/STs for driving season next summer? Couldn't get ETs to hook-up down @ Medford, so STs would be useless @ strip with new motor!! Still looking for a honest 11sec run!? Maybe not in the cards now?

[keezling]

Right you are, must be street friendly and mild. Still want all preformance possible. Oh, and bullet proof!

[Butch B]

Gerald,
You guys with those BBFs need Heavy Duty parts with all that hp/tq!!!
Us guys with those 'lil SBFs don't need HD parts! (lol)
Butch

PS
HD parts are always BETTER!!

[John Grant]

Tear into the top of the engine... Finally and try to find that knock. Already installed the new radiator

[bsnyder]

James,

I wasn't planning anything big. But after reading this I guess I'll be installing a new pedal box for my Factory Five.

Willwood clutch pedal fix update?

I just thank my lucky stars my clutch pedal didn't break on one of the past extended rides.

Bruce

[Butch B]

SWEET!!
Almost all "Winter Upgrades" are done already thanks to Don C. & Steve P. for help and guidence!!
Ck-out earlier post on my upgrades--
hth
Butch

[ehodger]

Working on a 10.5 to 1 Dart block 363 with a fully forged rotating assembly. Levy stage 5.5 cam, RHS 200 cc heads, victor jr. intake with a 750 dp. Also upgrading to 4 into 1 headers from J-pipes and new March brackets. Hope to have it ready for the road by April.

[Don N]

As posted earlier my car has been on jack stands for 2 months. I removed all 4 wheels and cleaned/polished them. Checked all brakes and shocks everything ok. Except both front tires were wore thru to the metal wire! Yikes!! So 2 new tires. Drained the radiator and found the thermostat housing leaking(again). Removed it and found it to be bent so I replaced it, along with a new thermostat. Had Tom reweld the passenger side muffler bracket. Next is to buy some auger muffler inerds and have Tom weld a rear flange to match exisisting flange so they can be removable. Enough for now---Don