The Cobra Rock Damage Repair Project

[twobjshelbys]

So, this is the "put it back together" topic. This is totally separate from whipping the 427 into submission. A week ago tonight I was on the way home from taking the Cobra to get the Mandatory Emissions Inspection (yes, even a 1965 registered in Colorado as a Collector Car has to have one - but no more).

On the way home some little twit sprayed rocks on the Cobra. Mostly sand but enough to (1) break the windshield, (2) break the rest of the wind wing (which was already "broken"), the remainder of which (a) scratched the drivers door and (2b) dented the heat shield on the pipe.

There was some minor scratching on the hood and snout which was worked out with some detailing materials - Maguiars scratch stuff, but I still need to get a buffer and just get it done.

Just to introduce this, this really is a 1965 car. I'm totally comfortable horsing around with the engine (like I said, the other topic) but even this stuff is "do it yourself".

[twobjshelbys]

So unlike Grabber, I neglected to document this entire process until I just had the revelation about 1/2 hour ago. Like I said, this isn't a complex car. The Cobra is basically a shell (of fiberglass, aluminum, or in this case, carbon fiber) around a frame that looks, naked, like a go-cart, with a rocket mounted in the front, and four wheels on the side). Not technically complex.

The winsdhield, visible in this picture:



is basically mounted in an chromed brass frame attached to two side elements with 4 screws on each side. The contact to the front is a rubber "sweep" that faces to the front that is integrated with the frame. So 8 screws and the thing is falling on your lap. Attached to the frame with teeny-tiny screws are the wind wings (on right and left) and the visors (on the top).

One of my wings was already cracked, but the other half died in this incident and whacked the door and hit the heat shield on the pipe. I was never a fan of the shields - but I think they may have been applied due to a minor ding in one of the pipes that I found while doing a careful inventory. In any case, I found some nicer shields at SAI that are arriving this week, along with the apparently sacrifical (based on price) wind wings. My guess is that at $26 each these are broken often.

So I got the windshield out without it breaking all over the passenger compartment and carried it into the basement. Co-pilot and I laid out about 2 acres of paper on the floor and I proceeded to disassemble the frame. I was warned by about 200 Cobra nuts that this was doomed to failure. Bah humbug.

(Just a side note. Fortunately, during the whole process the glass didn't crumble. I'm going to do a ceremonial whack when all of this is done.)

The frame is a chrome plated brass piece. It is true that some assemblers, and some glass companies, will glue the whole thing together, but most original glass assemblies, from what I am told, are only "tacked" so should be easy to R/R the glass. So I tried....

First this whole thing is held together by 8 of the smallest screws you will ever see. There frame is in two pieces - the top "U" or "C" piece and the bottom part with the sweep. The corners have a brass right angle that screws from the frame contact. The upright screws are longer than the bottom screws, but both are very short.

Here is what it looked like on the basement floor (sorry, this isn't a studio shot)

I tucked the pieces of the frame under the glass. The cracks are barely visible due to the flash.



This thing is small - a little over 4' across.




Next installment: Putting the glass back in the frame, or, Some Assembly Required.

[Darkside]

Tony - Even with the damage, your Cobra is one beautiful car. I love the black and yellow color combo.

[twobjshelbys]

Originally Posted by Darkside

Tony - Even with the damage, your Cobra is one beautiful car. I love the black and yellow color combo.

You don't realize how little the Cobra is until you see it next to something. Comparing it to my SGT in those pictures was quite startling. I didn't even realize it until after I was putting the pictures up on Photobucket.

[Carnut]

When putting the screws back in the frame, (for the visors) make absolutely sure the are not too long and contact the glass. A few of the guys I know have ended up with nice crack on a new windshield because they did not double check.

In fact one if them is waiting for windshield number 3. Funny, but not to him.

[Joe G]

Originally Posted by Darkside

I love the black and yellow color combo.

It's Green and yellow.











-

[twobjshelbys]

Originally Posted by Carnut

When putting the screws back in the frame, (for the visors) make absolutely sure the are not too long and contact the glass. A few of the guys I know have ended up with nice crack on a new windshield because they did not double check.

In fact one if them is waiting for windshield number 3. Funny, but not to him.

I noticed that. The screws on the brackets that hold the frame together are longer on the side than the bottom. Would have been easy to miss. I had one bracket out and the other 1/2 out when I noticed different length screws in the container I was using. Fortunately two of the screws on the side were still lodged in the frame so I was able to figure out which ones went where.

[twobjshelbys]

Originally Posted by Carnut

When putting the screws back in the frame, (for the visors) make absolutely sure the are not too long and contact the glass. A few of the guys I know have ended up with nice crack on a new windshield because they did not double check.

In fact one if them is waiting for windshield number 3. Funny, but not to him.

That is the argument everyone used of just buying the glass in the frame.

[gr8snkbite]

Originally Posted by Joe G

It's Green and yellow.






-

he was tired....obviously needs color vision test done....

[Darkside]

Originally Posted by gr8snkbite

he was tired....obviously needs color vision test done....

Everything looks darker in the new and improved "Cave del Darkside" in AZ

[Boston Mike]

our friends here, C&S Motorsports (formerly known as Keithcraft Motorsports) as some rolling Cobra bodies that are dropdead gorgeous (I forget who the producer is). Just need an engine and tranny and it's ready to go.......

[HSURB]

Originally Posted by Boston Mike

our friends here, C&S Motorsports (formerly known as Keithcraft Motorsports) as some rolling Cobra bodies that are dropdead gorgeous (I forget who the producer is). Just need an engine and tranny and it's ready to go.......

What kind of money are you looking at for a rolling Cobra body?

HSURB®

[twobjshelbys]

Got the windshield yesterday and had a friend help me assemble it. Sorry no pictures. It's simple - put the strip around the windshield glass, notch out around corners so no doubling, and put the frame back on. It goes on kind of tough - some sort of lubricant might have helped but also might have ultimately led to squeaking etc. 4 screws on each side and it is reattached to the car.

There is just a rubber sweep at the bottom. With the windshield off the body is one continuous piece from front to the instrument cluster. In fact, it looks like a good "wax and polish" job would include removing the windshield. Certainly would want to do it if buffing.

[gr8snkbite]

good job Tony...

[twobjshelbys]

Door removed and sent to HST for repairs and repainting. I thought it would be better to let them do it since (1) it is carbon fiber and (2) they have the right paint.

[Johnny Dangerously]

Originally Posted by twobjshelbys

Door removed and sent to HST for repairs and repainting. I thought it would be better to let them do it since (1) it is carbon fiber and (2) they have the right paint.

Good move. Not sure if you have to keep the door grounded to keep a static charge from building up.



`

[twobjshelbys]

Originally Posted by twobjshelbys

Door removed and sent to HST for repairs and repainting. I thought it would be better to let them do it since (1) it is carbon fiber and (2) they have the right paint.

It's done, shipping back on Monday.

Think about it. When I took the door to UPS to ship it the real UPS truck depot customer center couldn't package it so I asked them to weight it before it to the "store around the corner" that had boxes and stuff. It weighed just a RCH less than 10 pounds.

How much does my CSX 427 weight? 2630lb.

[gr8snkbite]

wow...a 10lb door....whoda thought.....

[frydguy79]

Originally Posted by HSURB

What kind of money are you looking at for a rolling Cobra body?

HSURB®

depends on whether its a fiberglass about 20,000 or so and alum about 100,000 and carbonfiber 130,000
and it depends on whether it is a true shelby or factory five or backdraft

[Carnut]

I think you can get a top of the line Superperformance for about 40 K.