Sam, What a great way to start 2015. Very happy for you as she looks fantastic. More detailed photos please. I'm very interested in seeing changes (if any) CAV made to the car over earlier models. Believe it or not I think I can see a few things that look slightly different already. Don't forget the GT 40's Motto.......DRIVE IT LIKE YOU STOLE IT! ENJOY!
Thanks all!
John, not this time .. I have all the registration hoops to negotiate. ASE inspector is scheduled for Monday. I'm having it done at a hot rod shop by an actual mechanic as opposed to a state inspection station that will do a less conscientious review.
Today I got a temporary tag so I could drive to the weight and inspection stations. I got a certified weight: 2640 lbs wet, no driver. Maybe 2500 lbs dry, then. Seems a bit pudgy .. it does have an iron block and the ~200 lb RBT/ZF transaxle. However, the MSO shows 1200 (kilos), which is 2645 lbs, soooo ... maybe it's right on the money
The counter staff at the truck stop all came outside to ogle the car .. sweet bunch of folks! Drove past a road paving crew .. work stopped .. the flaggers with the stop/slow signs gave me thumbs up.
Did about 50 miles .. mixed road course and freeway. Feels odd after 7 years and 9K mi in the Cobra. More like my Lola open wheel cars, or a sports racer. A real velvet hammer
Handles great. Dennis did a magical job setting the car up. And the sound ... love the 347 small block sound. I had Dennis make a set of trumpets ... that is gonna be nice! I'll probably make a stereo video later.
Jimmy, I'll schedule a full undress photo shoot for you as I have time. Going to be going through the car this weekend looking at everything. So far a few issues with panel alignment to fiddle with. The upper door to roof leading edges don't seal, providing a welcome fresh air inlet to the cockpit. Some fiddling with the door hinges may affect that. No mechanical issues that I can detect, other than the clutch and shifter stiffness.
Sam
John, not this time .. I have all the registration hoops to negotiate. ASE inspector is scheduled for Monday. I'm having it done at a hot rod shop by an actual mechanic as opposed to a state inspection station that will do a less conscientious review.
Today I got a temporary tag so I could drive to the weight and inspection stations. I got a certified weight: 2640 lbs wet, no driver. Maybe 2500 lbs dry, then. Seems a bit pudgy .. it does have an iron block and the ~200 lb RBT/ZF transaxle. However, the MSO shows 1200 (kilos), which is 2645 lbs, soooo ... maybe it's right on the money
The counter staff at the truck stop all came outside to ogle the car .. sweet bunch of folks! Drove past a road paving crew .. work stopped .. the flaggers with the stop/slow signs gave me thumbs up.Did about 50 miles .. mixed road course and freeway. Feels odd after 7 years and 9K mi in the Cobra. More like my Lola open wheel cars, or a sports racer. A real velvet hammer
Handles great. Dennis did a magical job setting the car up. And the sound ... love the 347 small block sound. I had Dennis make a set of trumpets ... that is gonna be nice! I'll probably make a stereo video later.Jimmy, I'll schedule a full undress photo shoot for you as I have time. Going to be going through the car this weekend looking at everything. So far a few issues with panel alignment to fiddle with. The upper door to roof leading edges don't seal, providing a welcome fresh air inlet to the cockpit. Some fiddling with the door hinges may affect that. No mechanical issues that I can detect, other than the clutch and shifter stiffness.
Sam
Pat
Supporter
Thanks so much for sharing your new baby with us Sam. It looks to be truly amazing. I can't wait for the video walk around.
If your doors are like those of my early CAV the hinge adjustment will allow you to align the door to resolve your cabin air leak. It's something you probably want to address before you drive in the rain. One caution, mark the current hinge placement (there is horizontal and vertical) adjustment so keep a base set of reference points. You can also adjust the "swing angle" of the door. After any adjustment, check the front and back of the roof cutout for clearance as it is very easy to drop the front of the door and then find it rubs in the back. Getting mine the way I wanted it was a couple of fun filled afternoons that directly affected my hairline.
I also ordered weatherstrip with a slightly bigger bulb on it from McMaster Carr which resolved the air I was getting from the lower front of the door at 70+ mph.
Some have ordered helicopter vents for ventilation which looks like a great idea. I simply haven't gotten up the nerve yet to put a hole saw on my LEXAN.
Thanks again for sharing your experience with us and it great to see such a beautiful car on the road.
If your doors are like those of my early CAV the hinge adjustment will allow you to align the door to resolve your cabin air leak. It's something you probably want to address before you drive in the rain. One caution, mark the current hinge placement (there is horizontal and vertical) adjustment so keep a base set of reference points. You can also adjust the "swing angle" of the door. After any adjustment, check the front and back of the roof cutout for clearance as it is very easy to drop the front of the door and then find it rubs in the back. Getting mine the way I wanted it was a couple of fun filled afternoons that directly affected my hairline.
I also ordered weatherstrip with a slightly bigger bulb on it from McMaster Carr which resolved the air I was getting from the lower front of the door at 70+ mph.
Some have ordered helicopter vents for ventilation which looks like a great idea. I simply haven't gotten up the nerve yet to put a hole saw on my LEXAN.
Thanks again for sharing your experience with us and it great to see such a beautiful car on the road.
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Thanks, Pat! I see what you mean with the hinges. They have marked them already. I will get on that this week, after I am done with the title and registration: clowns, barking dogs, and flaming hoops to jump through, you know, the usual :laugh:
Do you happen to have the McMaster Carr gasket part number or description?
Sam
Do you happen to have the McMaster Carr gasket part number or description?
Sam
Pat
Supporter
Hi Sam,
It's been 10 years so unfortunately I've lost the exact one I ordered. But if you look on the McMaster site under Bulb Seals, you should be able to find what you are looking for. I used style 2 or 3. They look interchangeable to me if you turn them upside down.
I'd measure the size of your air gap and grip edge and at $2.00 a foot purchase a couple of different sizes to see what works. The good news is that I've driven my car in really heavy rain and never had a door leak. (The toll windows are little weepy but nothing serious).
Here's the catalog page. Click on Edge-Grip Seals and you'll see what I have.
McMaster-Carr
One other thing on adjusting the doors. A little adjustment goes a long way. So make any adjustments in teeny increments. As you've probably noticed, they also adjust inboard and outboard to the chassis. I "entertained" myself for hours tinkering with it only to end up a fraction off the original settings. But a little adjustment can make a big difference. On my car (after a few thousand miles), I also readjusted the driver door a bit. I'm not sure if it moved from all of the opening and closing or things were just "settling in". It normally has a nice and satisfying "thunk" when you close it. When it started to sound a little differently, that's when I tidied up the adjustment a bit. Fortunately, I don't think I've had to mess with it in years though.
It's been 10 years so unfortunately I've lost the exact one I ordered. But if you look on the McMaster site under Bulb Seals, you should be able to find what you are looking for. I used style 2 or 3. They look interchangeable to me if you turn them upside down.
I'd measure the size of your air gap and grip edge and at $2.00 a foot purchase a couple of different sizes to see what works. The good news is that I've driven my car in really heavy rain and never had a door leak. (The toll windows are little weepy but nothing serious).
Here's the catalog page. Click on Edge-Grip Seals and you'll see what I have.
McMaster-Carr
One other thing on adjusting the doors. A little adjustment goes a long way. So make any adjustments in teeny increments. As you've probably noticed, they also adjust inboard and outboard to the chassis. I "entertained" myself for hours tinkering with it only to end up a fraction off the original settings. But a little adjustment can make a big difference. On my car (after a few thousand miles), I also readjusted the driver door a bit. I'm not sure if it moved from all of the opening and closing or things were just "settling in". It normally has a nice and satisfying "thunk" when you close it. When it started to sound a little differently, that's when I tidied up the adjustment a bit. Fortunately, I don't think I've had to mess with it in years though.
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Title and registration complete today. It took 45 minutes after I spent hours and hours preparing all the exhibits, getting weighed, and being inspected by an ASE Master Tech. 
Pat, thanks for providing that gasket info. I worked on door alignment some more today and I see some progress.
Sam
Pat, thanks for providing that gasket info. I worked on door alignment some more today and I see some progress.
Sam
Thanks, good to see the group and show off a little! Weather hit the 70's (F) in Dallas today, so the Cobra's needed some adult supervision
Note the correct way to park a GT40 in a crowded lot is being observed here ...Sam
Attachments
Dave Hood
Lifetime Supporter
Sam:
Your car looks very nice. Glad your Texas registration went through okay. I didn't know how easy I had it in South Carolina. I just walked into the DMV with my Manufacturer's Certificate of Origin from South Africa, and walked out five minutes later. Nobody inspected my car, looked at my car, or even asked to see a photo of my car.
Dave
Your car looks very nice. Glad your Texas registration went through okay. I didn't know how easy I had it in South Carolina. I just walked into the DMV with my Manufacturer's Certificate of Origin from South Africa, and walked out five minutes later. Nobody inspected my car, looked at my car, or even asked to see a photo of my car.
Dave
That's got to be a record, Dave. We in TX were "assisted" by the SEMA model legislation a few years ago. There is now a requirement to employ a currently qualified ASE Master Technician to certify the car is roadworthy. This is the only call for the ASE license I have ever heard of. The OEM dealers and chain garages (Firestone, Goodyear) sometimes use this as a hiring requirement, but they don't require that it be maintained. So finding one of these guys who is current on all eight qualifications is nearly impossible. That is the biggest hurdle here, the rest is just paperwork.
If anyone needs to title a new replica in Texas, send me a PM and I will send you the checklist I used.
Sam
Bill Kearley
Supporter
Hi Sam, I'd like to send you a message but your box is full, ??????????????
Bill Kearley
Supporter
Should add I just took del. of # 193 last week.
Congrats Bill.........
Tell us about it bill
Bill Kearley
Supporter
All is good, but missing some parts. am expecting all four hub asy, tail and front marker lights,door strikers,wiper pivots and some other small stuff. from CAV, not shr why all the parts didn't show up. i'm also looking for 2 in. exhaust headers and collectors for a 351 w . More to ask and talk about soon
