Bought another Cobra II

Project 77 · Feb 15, 2004

Friend called Saturday, Seems he found a Cobra II for sale in our back yard. 76, white with blue stripes, roller 302 with an E-303 cam. C4 auto, with 2500 stall speed converter, posi 8" rear with 3.80 gears. I think the wrong inbalance weight is on the flexplate, has a slight vibration. I have almost all the parts to do a T-5 swap which I am really considering since the rear end is geared so high. Interior is blue, needs carpet and a dash pad otherwise thats in real nice shape, the original 8 track player still works. 16" centerline warrior wheels with low profile tires. 3" flowmaster 2 chamber exhaust which I thought was kinda quiet. Guy was asking $3500 and I got it for $2800...COming home next Saturday.

Power Surge · Feb 15, 2004

Project 77 said:
Friend called Saturday, Seems he found a Cobra II for sale in our back yard. 76, white with blue stripes, roller 302 with an E-303 cam. C4 auto, with 2500 stall speed converter, posi 8" rear with 3.80 gears. I think the wrong inbalance weight is on the flexplate, has a slight vibration. I have almost all the parts to do a T-5 swap which I am really considering since the rear end is geared so high. Interior is blue, needs carpet and a dash pad otherwise thats in real nice shape, the original 8 track player still works. 16" centerline warrior wheels with low profile tires. 3" flowmaster 2 chamber exhaust which I thought was kinda quiet. Guy was asking $3500 and I got it for $2800...COming home next Saturday.

That's awesome, congrats! Please snap some pics for us. I'd especially love to see the interior, as you may know my 76 is a blue interior car.

Project 77 · Feb 15, 2004

CobraIILover said:
That's awesome, congrats! Please snap some pics for us. I'd especially love to see the interior, as you may know my 76 is a blue interior car.[/QUOTE

Is the Blue interior a rare option?? I've only ever seen one other CObra II with the Blue interior, all the ones i have seen were white or black.

Power Surge · Feb 15, 2004

I don't think it was "rare" but it was probably the least common. It's just been a very difficult road for me trying to find factory original blue interior parts for my 76. So when I hear of original blue interior cars, it's peaks my interest .

Project 77 · Feb 16, 2004

Hey fella's I got some serious reservations now....How bad can the wrong inbalance weight be? I was told unless you catch it almost right away it can damage the motor, and I know this guy put like 1200 miles on since the roller motor swap. I don;t want to have to tear something down before i even get to drive it

78CobraII · Feb 16, 2004

I've never done this myself, but the person that I know of that had it done to them (by a mechanic!) said that the engine had a visible shake at idle. So with the wrong dampner and flywheel the engine should pretty much shake your fillings out. It may be that you would have less shake if only the flywheel was wrong.

If your vibration is barely noticible, I wonder if there is an imbalance problem at all? Maybe you have a cylinder with low compression, a valve burned, or a lifter collapsing. Maybe a spark plug gapped wrong or a plug wire damaged?

Project 77 · Feb 16, 2004

78CobraII said:
I've never done this myself, but the person that I know of that had it done to them (by a mechanic!) said that the engine had a visible shake at idle. So with the wrong dampner and flywheel the engine should pretty much shake your fillings out. It may be that you would have less shake if only the flywheel was wrong.

If your vibration is barely noticible, I wonder if there is an imbalance problem at all? Maybe you have a cylinder with low compression, a valve burned, or a lifter collapsing. Maybe a spark plug gapped wrong or a plug wire damaged?

It's weird when it is sitting at idle like every 5-10 seconds it stumbles a little bit but never stalls, just makes the front end shake

1badII · Feb 16, 2004

I had a 28 oz flywheel and balancer on a 50 oz balanced engine once for about 200 miles. I changed them out, the engine hasn't shown any signs of damage yet, at about 20k miles.

cobra_2_76 · Feb 17, 2004

Project 77 said:
It's weird when it is sitting at idle like every 5-10 seconds it stumbles a little bit but never stalls, just makes the front end shake

If it's a wrong balance, it will be noticeable all the time, not every 5-10 seconds. Sounds like some problem with the fuel or ignition.

Wart · Feb 17, 2004

Project 77 said:
It's weird when it is sitting at idle like every 5-10 seconds it stumbles a little bit but never stalls, just makes the front end shake

Makes the front end shake? ?? ??? Or vibrate? Same thing just a difference in degree.

How fast is it idling?

Hows the oil pressure?

Project 77 · Feb 17, 2004

Wart said:
Makes the front end shake? ?? ??? Or vibrate? Same thing just a difference in degree.

How fast is it idling?

Hows the oil pressure?

Oil pressure is good, idle is about 900 RPM...when it idles it is fine then the idle drops off and you can visably SEE the front end shake ( I know this sounds NUTS but if youve ever seen the movie Christine, in one sceen, after he kills the fat kid he pulls into Darnells garage and as it's backing in it shakes, well like that only not as violent). It does it for maybe 2-3 seconds then the idle picks back up again. WHen drivng it you can feel a slight vibration, you can more hear a buzzing sound, but I noticed the steering wheel had some vibration feel too it too. The more I think about it the more I might just pass this one up, I know its close to home but all this stuff makes me wonder

Project 77 · Feb 20, 2004

After wondering all week I got my answer today. The guy I am supposed to buy the car from told me this morning that the car has the 28 oz weight. So now what do I do? can I buy one with a 50 oz weight or do I have to have a speed shop weld a new weight on?

Wart · Feb 20, 2004

Call Summit, hace them send you the right flex plate, a pan gasket set and main bearings.

Project 77 · Feb 20, 2004

Wart said:
Call Summit, hace them send you the right flex plate, a pan gasket set and main bearings.

Ok...call me retarded but why do I need a pan gasket and main bearing???

Wart · Feb 20, 2004

Project 77 said:
...why do I need a pan gasket and main bearing???

To drop the main caps and do a visual on the crank and bearings, and to replace #5 main bearing because it more than likely needs replaced after 1500 miles with an improper ballance. You'll already have the transmissionout to do the flexplate so lowering the crank 1/8" or so to pull the upper(s) would be easy.

cobra_2_76 · Feb 21, 2004

You'll also need a matching harmonic balancer for the front of the crank.

The improper imbalance has probably created greater than acceptable clearances between the crank and the main bearings....leading to lower oil pressures and eventual short block failure.

You can drop the rack and oil pan and do a bearing check/replacement with the engine and transmission in the car. It will be tight but can be done.

Sure you want to get into that much work?

Dave

Project 77 · Feb 21, 2004

cobra_2_76 said:
You'll also need a matching harmonic balancer for the front of the crank.

The improper imbalance has probably created greater than acceptable clearances between the crank and the main bearings....leading to lower oil pressures and eventual short block failure.

You can drop the rack and oil pan and do a bearing check/replacement with the engine and transmission in the car. It will be tight but can be done.

Sure you want to get into that much work?

Dave

Thanks to everyone who replied to my questions. I just don't think it's in my best interest to even get into such a headache...I passed on the car. I called this moring and told the owner i wasn't interested and why and he got rather pi$$ed, ranting about how he knows how to build a motor and that i'm wrong he put it together right....And so the search continues LOL

Thanks guys

Wart · Feb 21, 2004

Project 77 said:
Thanks to everyone who replied to my questions. I just don't think it's in my best interest to even get into such a headache...I passed on the car. I called this moring and told the owner i wasn't interested and why and he got rather pi$$ed, ranting about how he knows how to build a motor and that i'm wrong he put it together right....And so the search continues LOL

Thanks guys

You can write pissed.

It can be debated if the kid knows how to "build a SBF" but there is no question he doesn't know what's needed to be stuck on the front and back to go with what's inside to make it all work.

Fact , he probably want's to sell the car because he can't figure out what he did to screw it up.

A little friendly advice: If the frame/ unitbody is solid and not twisted, if there is no rot or rust, no pin holes in the floor or AC rot in the passenger foot well it would probably be a good idea to buy this car. When you buy a II body condition is much more important than drive train. Engines, transmissions and rear ends are everywhere and redily available, or at least improvements on the componants are available. I wish I could say that ablout fenders, hoods, floor pans, spoilers, ......

I don't think you'll have much success finding a turn key II, a car with no problems. Least not for a realistic price. And even the Encyclopedia II I (may still) know of would take work to make it a car that can be driven anywhere without worry.

I'll take a solid chassis with no engine over a pretty car with body problems. You just need to make your choice of which problems you wish to handle. I would rather replace bearings than do body work. Hell, I would rather pull the engine apart and have the crank fluxed than do body work. Double Hell, I would almost rather have my nuts nailed to a board than do body work ....

Anyhow, dropping the pan and replacing the mains isn't that hard, it's more a PITA.

I would use the vibration to get the guy to drop the price lower, no one is going to want the car withh that type of vibration even though it's not that hard to fix.

Project 77 · Feb 21, 2004

Wart said:
You can write pissed.

It can be debated if the kid knows how to "build a SBF" but there is no question he doesn't know what's needed to be stuck on the front and back to go with what's inside to make it all work.

Fact , he probably want's to sell the car because he can't figure out what he did to screw it up.

A little friendly advice: If the frame/ unitbody is solid and not twisted, if there is no rot or rust, no pin holes in the floor or AC rot in the passenger foot well it would probably be a good idea to buy this car. When you buy a II body condition is much more important than drive train. Engines, transmissions and rear ends are everywhere and redily available, or at least improvements on the componants are available. I wish I could say that ablout fenders, hoods, floor pans, spoilers, ......

I don't think you'll have much success finding a turn key II, a car with no problems. Least not for a realistic price. And even the Encyclopedia II I (may still) know of would take work to make it a car that can be driven anywhere without worry.

I'll take a solid chassis with no engine over a pretty car with body problems. You just need to make your choice of which problems you wish to handle. I would rather replace bearings than do body work. Hell, I would rather pull the engine apart and have the crank fluxed than do body work. Double Hell, I would almost rather have my nuts nailed to a board than do body work ....

Anyhow, dropping the pan and replacing the mains isn't that hard, it's more a PITA.

I would use the vibration to get the guy to drop the price lower, no one is going to want the car withh that type of vibration even though it's not that hard to fix.

Mark, I will have to agree with you...A good solid no rust M II is hard to find but where my problems lie is the "how to" I don't know how to pull a motor, or change bearings or any of that, and the friends I have, while I am grateful for them, have lives besides helping dumbass here fix stuff. I've learned alot since owning an M II but i'm more afraid of screwing something up than anything else

cobra_2_76 · Feb 21, 2004

Is the body in good condition? I think I mentioned before looking under the car at the inside of the rocker panels. Also look at where the unibody fits together. If it's starting to go the seams will have started to expand from rust. Look inside the rear fender wells, another starting place, usually right behind the wheels. I know you said the paint looked good, but those areas are usually places that are not fixed up.

Mark's right, fixing the drivetrain is much easier than fixing a rusty body.

Dave

Bought another Cobra II

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