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Projects DRAG SNAKE "Vintage Terror!"

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Deuced Up!, Oct 13, 2017.

  1. DDDenny
    Joined: Feb 6, 2015
    Posts: 19,132

    DDDenny
    Member
    from oregon

    Those struts really are the greatest invention aren't they!
    If you are lucky the first ones will work for you, It took three different length attempts when I did the (heavy) trunk lid on my 67 Nova, in your case with such a light top; finding some that aren't too stiff might be the bigger issue.
    Having a NAPA warehouse in town and a counter guy (patient) really helped, he even loaned me one of his books showing the different lengths, weight ratings and end attachment styles.
     
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  2. Peanut 1959
    Joined: Oct 11, 2008
    Posts: 2,179

    Peanut 1959
    Member

    Can you adapt the VW turn signal lever to the aftermarket column? A little bit of fakery to maintain the spirit...!
     
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  3. Deuced Up!
    Joined: Feb 8, 2008
    Posts: 4,206

    Deuced Up!
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Thought asbout it...would have to drill it out as it is .25" smaller.

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  4. saltflats
    Joined: Aug 14, 2007
    Posts: 12,592

    saltflats
    Member
    from Missouri

    I have a 71 MGB if you need.
     
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  5. Deuced Up!
    Joined: Feb 8, 2008
    Posts: 4,206

    Deuced Up!
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    After going through all the boxes and gathering the pieces up to mount the steering wheel, I noticed I was missing something....the horn button. I thought for sure I had ordered an AC horn button for the steering wheel a long time ago but could find no evidence. So this morning I popped online and tracked it down again. While I was there, I found several other little housekeeping badges and plates etc. that I needed so I snagged them as well.
    Cobra Badging.jpg
    The VIN plates from both Shelby and AC plus the nose and deck emblems. I want to have some fun with the VIN plates like ENGINE No. BOSS363 or something like that...
     
  6. Man I love this build! Not sure how I missed it all this time??? Sports car class is my fave!

    I loved watching the Austin at the Hamb drags the last couple of years! I'm think I missed something though? Did it get stolen?...
    So at the rate you're going I will assume I will get to see the Drag Snake in August?!
     
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  9. Deuced Up!
    Joined: Feb 8, 2008
    Posts: 4,206

    Deuced Up!
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Well we have been working on the dash (photos coming later). But while the fiber glass patch work from a misplaced gauge (surprise, surprise! LOL) was drying out we went ahead and installed the hood hinges.

    We learned our lesson well from the trunk debacle. First try (well okay second try) and check out the opening hood...lmao!

    New taller scoop in place just to measure the cut out needed for the Webers... 20180615_104544.jpeg 20180615_104648.jpeg 20180615_104640.jpeg

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    Last edited: Jun 15, 2018
  10. squirrel
    Joined: Sep 23, 2004
    Posts: 55,933

    squirrel
    Member

    wow, 1000 posts already, and you're not driving yet :)

    looking good!
     
  11. Deuced Up!
    Joined: Feb 8, 2008
    Posts: 4,206

    Deuced Up!
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Jim there was a lot of hot air and parts gathering going on from October to January! We didn't really get started fabricating until February...LOL! I have been following your little toy as well. I cannot wait to see that thing on the strip!
     
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  12. Deuced Up!
    Joined: Feb 8, 2008
    Posts: 4,206

    Deuced Up!
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Well it has been a pretty good day in the shop and it has been a pretty long while since I could say that at the end of the day. LOL Well, I mean the build obviously comes with frustrating moments but all and all how bad could your day really be when your working on a Cobra? Right! I can think of much worse things to be working on and frustrated with so honestly I shouldn't really complain! ....much!

    But today things went pretty smoothly and I can not wait to show you how it ended! I went to the local Auto Parts store a few days ago and looked through their lift strut book. I was looking for the highest lift and lowest pressure I could find (not an easy task). After pouring through the catalog we finally found one that went up 8" and lifted 30 lbs. So I was hoping for a total between both shocks of about 50 pounds but 60 was as close as I could get. I was also hoping for a bit more lift but 8" was the max etc. So they ordered them from the warehouse and I picked them up this morning. That was the plan for the day, get the struts installed on the top and working.

    Resized_20180616_105635.jpeg
    The first issue of the day was how to mount them. I mean they came with the little ball in socket quick release hardware but that is all you get, a ball with threads on it, a washer and a nut! Sort of looks like a Chess pawn there on my home made aluminum bracket.

    Resized_20180616_105018.jpeg
    I am not sure where I got all of these little aluminum "L" shaped brackets but I have a ton of them. I did some grinding on one end to shape the side that would take the Chess Pawn and drilled the hole....

    Resized_20180616_105056 (1).jpeg
    Then I clamped them to the edge of the welding table with a piece of 9/16 square stock.

    Resized_20180616_105139.jpeg
    ...and then carefully tapped the worked over end around the stock to create nifty little mounting brackets.

    Resized_20180616_105635.jpeg

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    The plan is to get them in place with rivets (from the inside out) drilled and installed through the top. Then when we are happy, we will fiberglass the large flange to the inside of the roof (where they are pop riveted) and then grind the stumps off the rivets and smooth the outside of the roof etc.

    Resized_20180616_120218.jpeg
    We fabricated a similar lower mounting bracket for the struts and installed them through the cockpit lip. Then we clamped the top brackets in place and tested the struts. They held just fine but as some of you might have expected. The single hinge in the middle made the top very unstable. Especially when you tried to pull it closed. The single hinge had to go and of course that means back to an already extremely full and messy drawing board!
     
    Last edited: Jun 18, 2018
  13. squirrel
    Joined: Sep 23, 2004
    Posts: 55,933

    squirrel
    Member

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  14. Deuced Up!
    Joined: Feb 8, 2008
    Posts: 4,206

    Deuced Up!
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    I really liked how the original single hing looked and worked. So we took a break for lunch and went barn door hinge shopping. LOL. Since we planned to used two of them we could step down in the bulkiness of the single, but we did the same cut and re-weld reversing them like we did the large single. But here is the deal with dual hinges. The car's deck where they mount is arched. If you just mount them to the deck they sort of lean opposite each other and they will bind almost instantly when activated.

    Part two of this issue is the back of the top is curved not only left to right as it wraps around from side to side but up and down as it rolls over the top towards the windshield. If you just mount a hinges to it with out adjusting them, they sort of turn out away from each other and same as above, bind the second you activate them. To over come both issues takes very carefully thought out hinge edits.

    We started with one problem at a time and worked to simply get the lower hinge portions, where it mounts to the deck, level and straight. I started by creating a wedge shaped pad for them to set on which totally leveled them. Then I bolted the hinges to the pads and (off the car) with the grinder cleaned up the wedges of the pads until they exactly matched the shape of the mounting portion of the hinges

    Resized_20180616_214827.jpeg

    Resized_20180616_214840.jpeg
    They are very clean looking, almost factory like, if I say so myself...(and I just did!) LOL! The bases are made from white PVC, a simulated wood product for framing the exterior of windows on your house.

    Resized_20180617_101706.jpeg
    It is paintable and very workable with a grinder and sanding disk etc. We had some scrap left over from when we used this as the planking for Dad's Model "A" truck bed. They are painted black and look awesome. Of course in this application we are not interested in the simulated wood grain...LOL

    Part two was shaping the top of the hinge, the part that connects to the roof. We first struck a line at an angle across the face just aft of he hinge. Then we carefully cut into the hinge with the plasma cutter bout a 1/16 of an inch or so to give a breakline to easily bend it up. After we got them the angle we need to match the slope of the roof we welded the plasma cut back together and ground it smooth. So this took care of the both angles we needed to attach it to the roof etc.

    As you can see we have some holes to fill on the top part of the hinges as we quickly decided it would take more than just a couple of bolts in the lower roof area to really give the top the kind of stability it needed.

    Resized_20180616_214815.jpeg
    That cross bar you see there running between the hinges and then a bit past them on each side is a steel bar stock 1.25" wide and just over a .25" thick. We cold bent it to fit the contour of the roof, added an upright contour fit piece to the split window area, drilled the support bar and mounted it in place. Then we put the roof back on, slid the hinges in place and when we were happy tacked the hinges to the support bar. Then we unbolted the hold thing, finished the welding and reinstalled it with hinges secure. Next we added the wedge mounting pads to them and bolted the hinges through them to the deck.

    Resized_20180616_214806.jpeg
    This is all you see from the rear and just wait to till the trim/rubbers get back in place, you will be hard pressed to see them at all.

    Resized_20180616_214852.jpeg
    So after finishing up the hinges we lifted the struts back up in place, clamped them to the roof again and removed the pole support we had holding the top in place. The struts held it perfectly open and the dual hinges kept it in check. Then Dad gave a pull in the middle up front and she came right down. I said hang on let me get it on video. I snagged my camera (for posterity) and here is what she did!

     
    Last edited: Jun 18, 2018
  15. Peanut 1959
    Joined: Oct 11, 2008
    Posts: 2,179

    Peanut 1959
    Member

    Sweet! Are there cabinetry lifts that might be closer to your preferred pressure range?
     
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  16. Deuced Up!
    Joined: Feb 8, 2008
    Posts: 4,206

    Deuced Up!
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    This weekend we also decided to install the steering column. To do so we have to have the dash in place as the column passes through it. So we popped it in place, drilled the hole for the column and with the steering wheel installed and me in the driver's seat, experimented with the angle and placement. While I was sitting there it seemed like a good time to make decisions on gauge placement.

    Now I know the stock orientation was tach on the left of the wheel and speedo on the right and then the smaller gauges in the center console. But that is not very useful. The tach (the one gauge I would be watching the most) is going to be nearly impossible to see, stuck over to the left half hidden by the curve of the dash not to mention the steering wheel. But then I "Googled" Cobra cockpit and saw several (likely 427 cars) that had the tack in the center...I liked it!

    Resized_20180616_095547 (1).jpeg
    Dad liked the idea of breaking out the spray can of 1964 Ford Viking Blue Metallic the paint shop mixed up for me and shooting the dash! We will likely cover the dash in black vinyl with a thin pad but for now nothing wrong with shooting some blue!

    As eluded to earlier however, he would have to wait as after drilling all the holes (even though we checked to make sure they would clear) there was an issue. As we slid the gauges in for a quick trial fit, the stupid speedo clipped the roll cage upright that connects the tunnel area to the cowl hoop. We messed around with it for a while but alas took it back out, laid the drilled out circle piece back in its hole and glassed it all back in from the back side. A little Bondo and some elbow grease and we were back where we started earlier in the day.

    By night fall Saturday, the dash was painted, had cured for a bit in the sun and was back in the shop.

    Resized_20180616_224133.jpeg
    We rolled the Cobra out to catch some rays this afternoon. While it was out we decided to install the dash for a little sneak preview etc. of the Holman Moody gauges in place.

    Resized_20180617_135413.jpeg

    Resized_20180617_135345.jpeg

    20180617_144540.jpg
    Plenty of room left for the ignition, starter button and a few toggles across the bottom under the tach...
     
    Last edited: Jun 17, 2018
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  17. Deuced Up!
    Joined: Feb 8, 2008
    Posts: 4,206

    Deuced Up!
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    While we had her out I snapped a few shots for your viewing pleasure (LOL)...enjoy. (I know I did! LOL)

    Resized_20180617_143840.jpeg

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    Resized_20180617_144612.jpeg

    Resized_20180617_144646.jpeg
     
    Last edited: Jun 17, 2018
  18. 0NE BAD 51 MERC
    Joined: Nov 12, 2010
    Posts: 1,782

    0NE BAD 51 MERC
    Member

    The profile and stance are awesome! But shouldn't the front wheels be at least a foot OFF the ground!:rolleyes: This is becoming one of my favorite build's on here. Larry
     
  19. Deuced Up!
    Joined: Feb 8, 2008
    Posts: 4,206

    Deuced Up!
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Man, just noticing how many failed hinge holes we have in the roof! The crazy thing is starting to look like a wiffle ball....LMAO!

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    Last edited: Jun 17, 2018
  20. saltflats
    Joined: Aug 14, 2007
    Posts: 12,592

    saltflats
    Member
    from Missouri

    Junior flip top. :D
    I like it. :)
     
  21. Deuced Up!
    Joined: Feb 8, 2008
    Posts: 4,206

    Deuced Up!
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    We took the afternoon off and headed to the Drag strip to catch the Rocky Mountain Race Week as they passed through Southwest Missouri. Having a hard time staying awake out here!

    Edit: Addition: Well I will say a bad day at the Drag Strip is always better than a good day at work (but in this case not much better). I was pretty disappointed and fairly unimpressed with the Rocky Mountain Drag Week Event. About 75 percent of the cars were show room fresh just out there attempting to void their warranties and then honestly a lot of junk. There were a handful of cool cars but certainly no where near worth the entrance fee to watch. In fact, honestly not even worth the effort to get out to the track regardless of the entrance amount. As far as HAMB friendly units on hand (if you know what I mean) I would estimate out of the 125 or so cars at the event, maybe 10.

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    Last edited: Jun 20, 2018
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  22. Flip top? What are ya trying to do? Convert him?


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  23. Doctorterry
    Joined: Sep 12, 2015
    Posts: 686

    Doctorterry
    Member

  24. Deuced Up!
    Joined: Feb 8, 2008
    Posts: 4,206

    Deuced Up!
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

  25. Deuced Up!
    Joined: Feb 8, 2008
    Posts: 4,206

    Deuced Up!
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Well somebody breathed...a little. lol. No actually the hood came out pretty good. We still have to do the final trim work on its new outer skin...as we have been sneaking up on that those "finished" lines very slowly!

    20180623_221628.jpeg 20180623_221637.jpeg

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  26. Deuced Up!
    Joined: Feb 8, 2008
    Posts: 4,206

    Deuced Up!
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    So our bonding apoxy had a 30 minute work time, required a 2 hour clamp time and takes 24 hours to cure fully.

    Funny story when I was purchasing it the guy behind the desk at Colorvision, a large locaL PPG affiliate hands it to me and starts to ring it up etc.

    I was trying to read the directions on the small two part tubes through the plastic which was impossible. I finally asked if he had a spec sheet on it. I wanted to confirm the work time etc. He said sure. Reading from his computer he says, "...looks like the work time is 53 seconds."

    I was like WHAT?!!! He confirmed it like it was just an everyday fact. I said what in the wide world could you go with this in 53 seconds. It finally hit him and he said that can't be right. But I confirmed it on Google while he continued yo type.

    I said can you maybe contact one of your customers that uses it a lot and get the real story. He typed a bit more and then said...actually we have never sold any....hhhmmm...wonder why.

    He snagged the resident fiberglass specialist from the back and he hooked me up with the proper adhesive.

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  27. saltflats
    Joined: Aug 14, 2007
    Posts: 12,592

    saltflats
    Member
    from Missouri

    That must be for gluing those Buick port holes on your Chevette.
     
  28. Deuced Up!
    Joined: Feb 8, 2008
    Posts: 4,206

    Deuced Up!
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Anyway I started that last post to simply say, we had some time on our hands yesterday while the hood cured.

    So we move on to the door. Now you have seen the passenger door inner skin in place but it was not perfect. It was clamped there pending further adjustments.

    It opened but it still had a slight rub at the front area. So calling on our vast library of hinge installation knowledge (lmao) we set about to fix it.

    The issue with the rub can only be fixed by pushing the hing point deeper into the fender area in front of the door sill. Current it is too shallow so instead of opening freely it opens into the front fender etc.

    The only issue is where the hing has to go is no man's land in there...nothing to mount it or clamp it to etc. So we basically had to hold the hinge in the air, clamp a perpendicular plate to the cowl hoop and Mark the hinge mount plate to know how to weld the clamped plate

    20180624_082044.jpeg

    That was complicated enough to try and explain let alone accomplish...but when complete the hinge and door were in place and can easily be remove by two very accessible bolts.




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    Attached Files:

    Last edited: Jun 24, 2018
  29. Deuced Up!
    Joined: Feb 8, 2008
    Posts: 4,206

    Deuced Up!
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Sorry having issues with mobile app placing photos...can't get the close up shot in there...will fix it later.

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  30. Deuced Up!
    Joined: Feb 8, 2008
    Posts: 4,206

    Deuced Up!
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Anyway...after getting the door opening perfectly, we turned our attention to closing. We started by mounting the door latch mechanism from Shell Vally Cobra Parts.

    20180623_221717.jpeg

    20180624_085823.jpeg

    I know, I know...the mechanism is upside down. Yes, I did see the clearly marked left and right side stamps on the bottom of each one...lol

    But here is the deal...

    20180623_221644.jpeg

    Most Cobras do not have to contend with down drop roll cage bars...so we simple swapped them around and now they activate from the top. Which i think I would have preferred anyway.

    20180623_221713.jpeg

    Now that latch or catch above was another drama but let's just say for now that it is installed...






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    Last edited: Jun 24, 2018
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