Progress Thread The next "big" project for my Cobra

[LILCBRA]

Tomorrow's the day! Doublechecked my fuel pressure and confirmed and reset my IAC and TPS to make sure that that's been taken care of before I'm online with him. Then I moved my laptop out to the garage and got it set up. I'm sure I'll need something more, but at least that stuff is done and out of the way.

 

[Blackhawkxx]

I'm very interested to hear about it. I hope it goes well and may you gain 200 hp.

 

[LILCBRA]

Well.....

So we were just getting started and Bryant was working on whatever he was working on on my laptop and asked me to start the car. So I reach in, hit the key, the car cranked for a second or so, then stopped. So I released and hit the key again - nothing but a click. Long story short, I checked and found a couple loose connections and corrected them, brought the Scion in and ran jumper cables to ensure the battery was giving enough juice, checked the wire connections and cleaned the battery terminals, swapped the solenoid, checked for power at the ignition trigger wire, checked continuity for the jumper and 12V cable going from the solenoid to the starter, and I'm sure more that I'm forgetting at the moment. I pulled the starter and bench tested it with the Cobra's battery and some jumper cables, the starter spun like it should, so I hooked it back up to the car's wiring and none of that did anything. I checked the Megafuse from the starter to the battery, it gave 0 ohms, but I wasn't getting power to the starter side cable so I bridged the fuse with a 4 gage cable and still got nothing but a click. I may have some of this out of chronological order, but in the end I believe that one or all of my battery cables have gone bad. I don't think there's anything else left to check. I mean it just cranked, then stopped.

So I believe I'll go ahead and spend some money on new cables and a new Megafuse, and probably a new solenoid as well since the one that was in the car to begin with ended up having a loose terminal. After all of that, though, I'll have to reschedule with him. I couldn't keep him on the phone while I chased this down - it wouldn't be fair to him as I'm sure he could get to someone else. So we ended the call after about an hour total and I'll have to get ahold of him when I get the car back up and running again..... Tell me again why we mess with these things?!

 

[Blackhawkxx]

 

[Bronco2fan]

Because Mustang II's need love too. My neighbor has 2 Cobras he's been fixing on and they both run and drive, stock though, so it's a little easier for him.

Good luck to you.

 

[LILCBRA]

I'm still waiting on the new Megafuses I ordered, but everything else arrived today. I installed rivnuts in place of the self tapping screws for the starter solenoid and made new 2 gauge battery cables. The ground side is installed and the alternator side is hooked up, otherwise everything else is mocked in place until the fuses arrive. I would like to think that this would eliminate any voltage problems I may have....

 

[LILCBRA]

New fuses with new holders have arrived, but I'm not home to install them. Look for that update on Sunday!

 

[extra_stout]

I can feel your problem so much right now: I was at the supermarket buying stuff. Wanted to leaf. Hit the key and it turned 1 or 2 seconds and than was completely dead.
So there is no lights, no cluster...

 

[extra_stout]

Just a dead battery 12,4V without load. 4,x with load. Jumped ist with second car. Put 1/2 Turn in udle mixture and idle RPM and drove Home. Now i need to Take a walk to Pick Up my second car.
I'm Happy that i do Not rewire my Car in the parking Lot.
And i'm supprised that IT was Not my electrical work that failed.

 

[LILCBRA]

I got home earlier this evening, took a nap for a few hours, then out to the garage to get the wiring buttoned up. The starter is still just hooked up without being bolted in. But once I finished connecting everything back up the starter engaged like it's supposed to. So, later today, I'll reinstall the starter, bolt the rack and pinion back up and give it a whirl. It had better start this time! I'm sure it will - after that I'll be sending an email off to Bryant at Nomadic Dyno to get that remote tune taken care of.

My wiring isn't the prettiest - I don't think it ever was - but I'm thinking that I'll be doing something with that over the winter, as well as a few other things. I'm probably being overly optimistic about what I'll get done as the list just seems to keep growing.

 

[LILCBRA]

Starter's reinstalled and it wants to start but won't. I sent that email off, we'll see when we can get this done!

 

[extra_stout]

My wiring isn't the prettiest - I don't think it ever was - but I'm thinking that I'll be doing something with that over the winter,

Do you have still the plastic cover that guides air to the battery? Thats how I have hidden additional wiring for a "clean" look.

Starter's reinstalled and it wants to start

That sound like a big step to success.

 

[LILCBRA]

Do you have still the plastic cover that guides air to the battery? Thats how I have hidden additional wiring for a "clean" look.

Unfortunately I do not. I'm honestly not sure this car had it when I bought it back in the early 1990s.

 

[welder4956]

Unfortunately I do not. I'm honestly not sure this car had it when I bought it back in the early 1990s.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/2060938975...pid=5335821607&customid=&toolid=10001&mkevt=1

 

[LILCBRA]

Well.... I'm ironing out the logistics now, but there will be a major project coming.

78 T-top car in Superior, Wisconsin, asking $2500.

1978 ford mustang cobra II for parts or fix - auto parts - by owner - vehicle automotive sale - craigslist

15 to 20 years ago someone wanted this, but I didn't want to sell it. I'm ready now if you're still interested. It was still stored in the shed since you looked at it until last fall. Underside is...

www.craigslist.org

15 to 20 years ago someone wanted this, but I didn't want to sell it. I'm ready now if you're still interested. It was still stored in the shed since you looked at it until last fall. Underside is quite rusty, and I'm sure it didn't improve since you saw it and motor seems stuck. 302 4 speed manual. Not selling individual parts at this time. Brake lines are rusted off too. Clean title in hand. Cobra 2 with factory ttops t tops.

Edit: it is in the Duluth, Minnesota Craigslist so I mistakenly assumed it was Superior, Minnesota. I corrected the post to reflect it's location.

Well....

Guess I'm buying a parts car....

The roof with glass, rear louvers, rear sway bar, Cobra door panels, the hood, the dash shell as long as it's in good shape, and possibly the hatch and the right front fender. The only thing it's missing is AC, so I'll be on the lookout for that now. I mean it's the perfect time if I'm going to rip the dash back out.

There might be more, but that's pretty much everything that I could think of while looking at the pics.

An AI preview :

Edit: After reading my post I don't know if it's clear. I'm going to harvest all of that to use on my existing car.

 

[LILCBRA]

Picking it up the weekend of August 21, just sent a down payment to secure it. I guess is getting real now, huh?