My 77 Cobra II thread.

I just realized I haven't actually started a thread about the "new" Cobra II, so it may take a few posts to catch up. Barely started, but things are already progressing VERY well, especially considering that there have been a few setbacks.

Here's what started my current project (and has actually helped me get restarted on the 78 T-top as well)

http://www.vancouvermustangs.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=42900.0

The Cobra is actually not in as nice a condition as the pics make it look, but so far I haven't run into any SERIOUS issues...

So far, I have gotten a gastank (missing when I bought the car), a hatch (discovered that the Cobra II hatch was more iron oxide than steel...LITERALLY), may have a line on a dashpad (I don't like the top-to-bottom crack in the middle. Almost an inch wide), and I am in the process of arranging shipping on some inner fenders and a rad support.

The engine is not seized, but I want to get the gastank in and replace a bunch of fluids and wiring before I even THINK of trying to fire it up. The brake master was seized when I brought the car home, but I got it freed up. Probably going to just replace it anyway

According to the door and buck tags, it IS an original 77 Cobra II V8 auto, assembled in Dearborn, built specifically for Pacific Region of Canada (there is a second buck tag that is just stamped "CANADIAN", and the door codes confirm), white with red interior. Only about half of the options the car has are coded on the bucktag, though.

It has the rear defrost, intermittant wipers, dual remote mirrors, console, 4-way driver's seat, flip out quarter windows, and rear louvre (side louvres long gone...gotta find a set cheap)

I'll try to update things and maybe get progress pics as I go. I'm no professional, and I often do things a bit like a redneck, but it should be at least a little entertaining if anyone wants to tag along on my midlife crisis as it happens:cool:

At least the rotten hatch will still be useful. I think I'm going to use it as a template to rough out my vertical rear window in a 2+2 (grande-style) idea...
 
  • Sponsors (?)


Still figuring out the gastank. I've located a 78 tank for my 77, and I'm hoping it will fit. Not afraid to "massage" it if needed:D

There's a small skidplate rivetted to the pass. side tank strap, but there was a second one sitting in the back seat of the car. It has a bolt-eyelet at each end. Not sure if its supposed to go below the main tank, between the tank and the muffler, or if it guards the aux. tank in the fender. I'll be crawling under again some time Saturday to see if I can puzzle it out and get the tank installed.

After that I think I'll want to replace a few wires, charge the battery, and maybe see if by some miracle it will fire up. I truly pity my neighbours if it does fire up tomorrow (as I type this, I'm an hour and 13 minutes away from my 40th B-day)

Unrelated, but cool....On my ride home from work today, I stopped for a smoke (green and brown) and a drink in a wooded park, and ended up finding a young squirrel with an injured leg. The little bugger is WAY too young to be out on his own, too. Didn't even flinch as I walked up to check him/her out, even when I reached out to it. Ended up trying to follow me, so I picked him/her up and into the front pocket of my hoodie went the squirrel. Slept there all the way home, been sleeping ever since, but seems relatively calm. I just hope the little bugger will be okay....
 
Blue coyote said:
There's a small skidplate rivetted to the pass. side tank strap, but there was a second one sitting in the back seat of the car. It has a bolt-eyelet at each end. Not sure if its supposed to go below the main tank, between the tank and the muffler, or if it guards the aux. tank in the fender. I'll be crawling under again some time Saturday to see if I can puzzle it out and get the tank installed.

There was a plastic skidplate that came from Ford on my II. It was weaved into the tank strap rather than riveted. The only purpose for it is to prevent a spark if somebody rearends you and pushes the tank into the diff.

Blue coyote said:
Unrelated, but cool....On my ride home from work today, I stopped for a smoke (green and brown) and a drink in a wooded park, and ended up finding a young squirrel with an injured leg. The little bugger is WAY too young to be out on his own, too. Didn't even flinch as I walked up to check him/her out, even when I reached out to it. Ended up trying to follow me, so I picked him/her up and into the front pocket of my hoodie went the squirrel. Slept there all the way home, been sleeping ever since, but seems relatively calm. I just hope the little bugger will be okay....

I once tried to save two baby wild bunnies after finding them abandoned in a small nest close to a tree I was sawing down. I couldn't get them to eat anything. I even tried nursing them with a syringe. Anyhow I felt terrible for days after my failure. I'm not sure if they would have faced a different fate had I left them alone, however I feel it is part of our role on earth to take care of other animals. I applaud your efforts.

Congrats on your birthday, I hope you had a happy 40th!

d
 
That 77 looks like it has a lot of potential! I just went through a pretty much enitre restore process so feel free to ask questions :)

How is the poor squirrel doing? It just pains me to see something like that... Should I leave it to nature or should I try to help! Inner struggle each time I am confronted with the situation!
Chad
 
I'll start with the squirrel update. He's not doing well at the moment, but he seemed pretty good all weekend. My wife is trying to convince him not to give up just yet.

Figured out that the other plate I have is to cover the aux. tank in the fender. I think I'm going to sand the rust off the tank, prime it, and shoot it with rubbereized rockerguard before putting it in. Same with that fender shield and the tank straps...

Fortunately, most of the rust on the car fits into one of two categories: minor (a few seams and edges starting to bubble a bit but not rotten, a few areas of surface rust on areas that didn't get a "finish coat" of paint) or peripheral (the hatch itself totally shot, inner fenders rough or gone along the top edge, rear bumper starting to go from the inside)
 
Jon,

Congrats on the new Cobra!:nice:

Boy it has been a long time since I've posted here! (been very caught up with work and IIs). Send me an email at [email protected] if you need anything for it, I'm picking up a '78 Cobra parts car this week and I'm sure I can hook you up with almost anything.

Francis
 
Damn, I haven't updated for a while now...

I've picked up another II to get me through until the Cobra is ready, but then things went out the window...gotta move in a few months.

The "for now" II is a 78 coupe, V6/C4/3.40's, with a few rusted areas. An excellent beater, and I'm still into it for less than $500.

AND: I've found another 78 coupe as well. Hoping to put the deposit on it Monday evening. 302/C4, ALL original (except maintenance parts and a Brazilian flag painted on the hood...) with under 50k miles on it. $750 and I can drive it away. I've got a spare hood that just happens to be the same colour, too:D Only downside to the car is that its that faded aquamarine with aquamarine interior. Well, that and it'll be the first car I've EVER owned that will get ZERO modification after the hood replacement (its eligible for Collector status)

And to update a bit on the Cobra: I've managed to collect almost everything needed to complete it...except the time. :hail2: Turbo II is THE MAN! :hail2:

I've also found that the side skirts from the late 80's/early 90's Mustang LX/GT are almost a PERFECT fit for the II, and the 91-93 may BE a perfect fit. Preliminary test fitting indicates that it does wonders for the lines of the whole car, giving it a sportier look. If I get time, I'll slip one into place on my coupe and take a pic to give a peek at the general look...
 
You know, that would be an awesome platform for the new boss 302 create motor, that would be a cobra with some bite !!!!

I'm not much familiar with the newer stuff available, but if its based on the 4.6 then it would be a LOT of effort to shoehorn it into a II. even a 5.0 is a tight squeeze into a chassis designed around the 2.8 V6...I think it would be easier to drop a 5.7 with a blower in there, which is what I'd like to try.
 
{img} direct url/link to picture {/img}

(replace } and { with ] and [ )

OR:

Above the text box used for replies there are several icons. Clicking on the icon that is a small yellow square with a triangle opens a field to enter the graphics URL. It enters the tags for you.

With tags this : http://stangnet.stang2.com/NICE_01.jpg

becomes this:

NICE_01.jpg


Open two browser windows, one is already open for Stangnet (ie). In the second browser open the graphic. The direct URL will be in the location bar. Then it's right click copy, go back to the 'stangnet' window, click on the yellow icon, right click paste.

With sites like photobucket one has to open the picture then right click to get the menue to choose view picture. That opens the graphic by itself and the direct link will be in the location bar, then it's right click copy ....

Easy stuff.