2Blue2's 1977 Cobra2 Driveway Build

[7991LXnSHO]

Kid did his first Mod on his own!
Without telling me. Yes!
That means after a couple thousand miles, him and the car are truly bonding!
Just a pair of LED strips by arm rests, changes color, etc.

When we were young we called em dope lights or whore lights, right!?!

Got to get him a rebuild kit for the 4 bbl carb and manifold we got for this CobraII.

When some of us were younger, LED stip lights did not exist. Red, Yellow Green and Orange were the color choices in individual lights. (Inset Get off my lawn! icon.)
Have you updated the radio for Bluetooth and better speakers? If not, I bet that’s soon on his list.

 

[Enzio]

Got to get him a rebuild kit for the 4 bbl carb and manifold we got for this CobraII.

What? Kind of left this to the end to see if we read all of your posts. What size and brand of carb? And what manifold? AND! Jeez. Do I need to ask?

 

[2Blue2]

Have you updated the radio for Bluetooth

Has a bluetooth amp speaker box in back seat so he is rocking but he plugs it in the garage to charge so not a real mod.

And what manifold?

Eldelbrock performer 289 and its so old school its got the rear water passage still.
The RPM one was too tall to fit under hood, don’t know if this one will.
Will have to dig thur the carb pile to see what we can make work.

Of course it runs great the way it is...

 

[IICrew]

Hey! Thats my intake. Oh nevermind. It just looks as bad as mine did. I wire brushed it then hit it with wheel paint. I choose the wheel paint after carefull considera...... It's what I had on hand. Looks good. Have run the engine and test driven and paint held up so far. I used the same color as my wheels.

 

[2Blue2]

Tragedy ~ glove box door hinge failed finally,
just ripped down fold.

Bummer

 

[IICrew]

Looks like a great time to upgrade to a piano hinge. A dremel, rivet gun and a an hour or two should do the trick. Always hated plastic hinges on car parts. They are doomed to failure at some point.

 

[2Blue2]

Glove Box Door and Lock Replacement

New 2me part showed up.
Kind of looks 45 yrs old but lucky to get it.


Taking lock apart required reaching between upper and lower halves of glove box door
and pushing angled locking ring with pocket knife and then chrome knob fell off.


I took support arm rubber bumper off and inserted arm into dash and replaced rubber baby bumper.
Then screwed hinge on.

if the armor all dont bring it back we might paint it black or swap door back and replace melted plastic ‘riveter with some screws.
At least it looks doable
Still a little crooked though replacement has extra ribs and a another pair of screws by hinge ends,
probably as a factory fix just for this problem.
Knob mounts a little crooked too because of angled ring spring.



First Generation drink holder back in action!
Can clips against opening to keep from spilling on speed bumps.

We had a beer while fixing not while driving!

 

[2Blue2]

Looks like a great time to upgrade to a piano hinge. A dremel, rivet gun and a an hour or two should do the trick. Always hated plastic hinges on car parts. They are doomed to failure at some point.

I think this hinge will fail quick so piano hinge next time, but for now still as stock as I can muster on a budget.

Plastic hinges suck!

 

[IICrew]

I used back to black on the black trim of my sisters golf cart when I wrapped it. It was about 15 years old and the black plastic was grey. Looked great afterwards. I saw it again a couple years later and it still looked pretty good.

Amazon product ASIN B00GZLMEN4View: https://www.amazon.com/Mothers-06112-Black-Plastic-Restorer/dp/B00GZLMEN4

 

[Enzio]

Glove Box Door and Lock Replacement

if the armor all dont bring it back we might paint it black or swap door back and replace melted plastic ‘riveter with some screws.
At least it looks doable

After sitting for 30 plus years all the black interior plastic was that color. I found that some time and determination and simple green sprayed on and scrubbed with a small stiff brush, rinsed off, dryed, then armor all did the trick. It all looks almost new except for the scratches.

 

[2Blue2]

Early morning light is the only time I see this car now.
My goal of daily driver status is a reality.
Need to start thinking how I’m getting this car a paint job.

 

[IICrew]

If you have any luck with that plan let me know. I have been to 5 or 6 local shops who would even talk about it. They either want to blow it apart for 15k or do an Earl Scheid job where I bring it in ready to paint. Maaco doesn't want the responsibility and prefers insurance work. Restoration shops want to do a full on resto.

My car is wearing the original paint. You can see there is only a couple spots with minor surface rust. The only welding would be where the battery tray used to be. I don't need a frame off restoration. I have done all that work. I just need a good paint job. I want a daily driver. Not a trailer queen.

The most reasonable quote I received was 9k and eta of 2 years. Yeah, reasonable is relative.

 

[2Blue2]

The most reasonable quote I received was 9k and eta of 2 years. Yeah, reasonable is relative.

Holy Cow!
Really!?!

Might have to resign myself to a driveway Paintjob...

 

[Enzio]

I also ran into a wall. The wall of a bank.

 

[IICrew]

I called close to 20 body shops and dropped by a few I had sent work to as a service advisor. No one wanted to deal with it. Insurance work is too lucrative. Restoration shops charge insane prices and want to do it their way. Several asked why I would even restore a II.

One shop I had a huge role in getting him off the ground. Years ago I gave him all our used car work when he was transitioning from a detail shop to a body shop. We had 300+ used cars and I sent him one a week at minimum. He said he makes too much off insurance and used car work to do any long term work. He does not do customer pay work any more.

I only found two shops who would even entertain doing it. The first was 15K and 2 years. He wanted to acid dip any removable panels. Full rewire. Complete new suspension, the works. He does great work but he only does it his way. This car doesn't need intensive care. It just needs some tlc and fresh paint. He only does full on blown apart or nothing.

Other guy said he could start on it in a year and be done in about another year. He quoted 9k. Again he would only do it if he could go to bare metal. They do not want their reputation harmed by something hidden not being found.

I will probably end up learning to paint. I should't be breathing the dust and fumes but I cannot afford a real paint job.

 

[LILCBRA]

This is one of the reasons I want my garage built....

 

[2Blue2]

2023 New Years update.
Daily Driver status - Heck Yeah! Son drives it all the time everywhere!
His friends think its better than sliced bread.
So it meets peer pressure without being a 'tune-er’ car.

Happy New Year

May 12 2021 51906.3 - - - - - Jan 6 2023 54909.4 for a total of 3003.1 miles ( Hey the island is only about 40x30 ).

 

[2Blue2]

So Son says Do we have a extra tire for the Cobra?
I laugh and know were this going?

New Years Eve Burn outs with his friends ( Hey its a thing out here ) and His Cobra does the best.
Easily the clear winner thanks to the line loc or so the story goes.
No rubber on fender cues we washed the fire works burn marks off New Years Day ( they go a little nutty out hear for fireworks ).
But is that a cord showing?

We had a good look, and down to on the wear bars but OK so swapped em side to side.
Good for another month
Told him get 320$ together gonna have to buy new soon.
Smooth one was drivers side.

 

[2Blue2]

Hot Rod Buddy came by
I digs that ’34!

 

[LILCBRA]

So Son says Do we have a extra tire for the Cobra?
I laugh and know were this going?

New Years Eve Burn outs with his friends ( Hey its a thing out here ) and His Cobra does the best.
Easily the clear winner thanks to the line loc or so the story goes.
No rubber on fender cues we washed the fire works burn marks off New Years Day ( they go a little nutty out hear for fireworks ).
But is that a cord showing?

We had a good look, and down to on the wear bars but OK so swapped em side to side.
Good for another month
Told him get 320$ together gonna have to buy new soon.
Smooth one was drivers side.

Gonna need one of these now:

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/pwt-ls108028/make/ford/model/mustang-ii/year/1977