Birddog0347 rescues a Fox

[4bangen]

if you part out the SN, can I have dibs on that front clip?

[Rick Modena]

Damn, that guy has connections. That's an awesome score on that back glass.

If I ever buy something that needs the kind of work you are getting done, I would take it to his shop. His attention to detail and quality of work is very, very hard to find these days.
My friend that has his own shop in Tyler doesn't do that kind of resto work anymore, he's all about that insurance, but he's good. I can go up there and use his shop to do any work I need on my own personal vehicles, but I retired back in '13 for a reason.

[bird_dog0347]

Exactly, in Kevin's video of it after finding it he said the old "technique" was called "cave and pave"... and yeah, it was a shortcut likely due to insurance, but that doesn't make me like it any more. Honestly I always wondered why the rear tire looked more tucked into the fender well on the passenger side even though I had the IRS in there and it should have been even... now we know why.

Speaking of rear glass and hoping you don't break it, my old glass had many deep scratches around the edges from sandpaper where they "repaired" the driver's rear quarter. Kevin managed to score a nice clean non-defrost piece yesterday for $200 and trading my old scratched glass.

[Rick Modena]

I went back and was looking through the original pictures and it looks like the passenger side quarter panel was fixed pretty well. Even though it had waaaay to much filler but, whomever fixed it did a good job. It was probably fixed like that right after it was bought new. It is the only part that doesn't look damaged, but it is being done correct now, of course.

I'm only bringing this up because back in the day during the 80's & 90's insurance companies didn't pay to replace quarter panels or any welded on parts for that matter. They gave you enough hours to metal work it and fill with filler rather than to replace it. A good body man would ask for half of replacing the qtr pnl in labor hours to fix it. If they didn't agree than it was replaced and even then if it was supposed to be replaced, if a collision repair place a had a good bondo body guy, they would pay him enough to fix it to almost perfection.

It happened like the latter most times rather than not, reason is, it's easier to do that then to replace or section a qtr pnl. You're guy is right to an extent, that car has the rear and side glass out and all torn apart. A car like that back in the day, has to wait for the insurance company to come out and if you are not in a rental, they take their time getting to that shop to estimated it, tiktok-tiktok. The entire the time the customer wants his car back, taking the trunk off, tearing the interior apart and removing both glass', the rear by a glass guy and lets hope he doesn't break it and that takes a lot of time and then cut out the qtr and re-weld the new one and lets not forget if the dealership has to have one in stock, has to order it or get one from a recycler (tiktok-tiktok), a job like that especially when they don't want to pay and everyone is rushing the car to get done makes taking shortcuts that much more affordable and lucrative.

Also looking back at the car it was in decent shape, but as you and the guy thats working on it now know, lots of piss poor work, but it is getting done right now, especially having the Donar car for irreplaceable straight factory parts.

[bird_dog0347]

We also decided that the passenger side rear fender will get replaced with the one from the donor as well... we aren't trying to fix this bullshit. Once that is done it's time to fix the driver's side rocker and door mount points.

[bird_dog0347]

Coming along nicely. Looks like you have a everything you need on the swap and that SVT 4v is looks like it singing very well.

For the most part yes, I will need to upgrade my fuel system and get the Holley for the Engine Management still, as well as the Stiffler's T56 cross-member and the MM Hydroboost conversion kit. I also know I'll need to get the MM bumpsteer kit as well.

[Rick Modena]

Coming along nicely. Looks like you have a everything you need on the swap and that SVT 4v is looks like it singing very well.

[bird_dog0347]

So this was a big week for my three cars I have at Kevin's... First off the 97 Cobra has a buyer, and he's not in a huge hurry so we don't have to be on a time crunch to pull the engine and he will give us a deposit. Between the prices for my 5.0 drive train and the sale price for the Cobra roller, it means I have the 4.6 DOCH, aftercooled Vortech supercharger, built T56 and accessories to put in my coupe for about $3,000 out of pocket, but I will still need to buy the Holley EFI as well as the fuel system (I don't know about or trust the fuel system in the Cobra so it will start fresh), so likely another $3500-4k for all that but that isn't bad AT ALL.


Kevin gave the Cobra one final shakedown on the Dragon to make sure we don't have to worry about anything mechanically.




This week's plan was to get the driver's rear fender and inner structure fully installed and welded in, and have it in epoxy. As Kevin said in his text to me this morning, the best things in life need no explanation.










And here's how it compares to his reef coupe that has not been repaired. Some fantastic work here and a huge milestone for the car.












Unfortunately, the passenger side rear fender which we *thought* was good and straight... well, ummm, let's just say it belongs on this car and isn't surprising. It too will be getting replaced, luckily we have the other from the donor car, but we don't expect anything more than a reskin as the inner structure seems to be ok, at least we think so at the moment.

[bird_dog0347]

Oh, well then glws.

I'd probably cut that quarter panel out if you have a clean replacement.

We do, on the donor the quarter is very straight except for a 6" crease behind the wheel under the trim (where all the burnout shit sticks) so it could be cut under the trim and welded to my good lower portion there with all the filler under the trim when finished. It's really about the hours and which will be easier, but I told Kevin to handle it how he would if it was his car.

[Rick Modena]

Oh, well then glws.

I'd probably cut that quarter panel out if you have a clean replacement.

[bird_dog0347]

If you decide to part it out, i'm in for several parts.

The Cobra? After we get the engine and trans and parts needed I'm selling the roller as a whole not a part out. That said, if you want it, it's available but it's 12.5 hours away now and we have a potential buyer for the roller coming to look at it this afternoon.

In other news, Kevin was sanding the back passenger fender down and found tons of bondo hiding some decent dents near the wheel well... currently trying to decide if we want to replace that one from the donor as well or get all to metal and pull the dents. Kevin is working on the driver's fender and rear inner structure this week though hoping to have it all welded back on and get it in primer, after that is done we will decide on the passenger rear.

[Rick Modena]

If you decide to part it out, i'm in for several parts.

[bird_dog0347]

This was last week when I shipped the Cobra to Kevin, nice healthy 4.6, just needs a good cleaning, detailing, and a few new gaskets to make sure it stays nice. The car had previously been tuned at Gear Heads and showed 447/403 to the wheels, but the dumbass previous owner also wanted to "pop flames".

Anyway, car arrived safely, and I've already got my old 302/T5 setup sold and have an offer on the Cobra roller so I should make out pretty good on this drive train deal.

I am planning to buy the Holley system and a fuel system from Glenn's that should support up to 1k HP even though I never intend to go that far... it'll never be a fuel issue. Plus with the Holley it will get a full tune and not "pop flames" so I'm guessing as is about 500ish to the wheels is the plan.

Also it's nice to see under the Cobra and notice that there's no nuts holding the exhaust together, ANYWHERE.

[scootro]

nice!!!

[bird_dog0347]

Over the last few months Kevin (the devil on my shoulder) has been trying to convince me that I need to Terminator swap the car as well. Unfortunately, that's an expensive proposition that basically means I'd be in Coyote swap territory money wise with very little available to recoup the costs.


So ummm, I kinda did a thing today....


This past Sunday I found this 97 Cobra Vert for sale from Whiteboy, already has a built T56, upgraded clutch, COP conversion, Vortech V1 with Aftercooler, supposedly dyno'd at 475 to the wheels (feels right). The price was right, so I made my move and picked it up this afternoon. I drove it across town in traffic with no plates so I didn't get on it much at all, but whatever.


This engine, trans, supercharger is going in my fox and we will sell off the vert roller as well as my engine/trans setup so that my cost overall for the power train upgrade is pretty low, especially compared to a Terminator setup.