Cabinets fitted in garage

Before I started work on the Cobra again, I wanted to have a tidy garage. This is the empty garage that I started with.

Garage as we moved in, tidy but bare

I painted the garage walls with vinyl silk emulsion - white at the top and the same RAL colour as the house at the bottom - 1st coat watered down by 50%. I then installed Storewall storage from Garage Pride, which you can see behind the Cobra. Ken Evans advised here.

Wall storage.

Nick Tite from PAF Systems was really helpful in getting a design for the cabinets that I was happy with. Not only that but the price and service were good too. PAF can powder coat in any RAL colour, so you could even match your Cobra! The cabinet bodies were in black.

The electrics in the garage were moved to accommodate the cabinets and to feed the sockets and lights. There is a bank of sockets above the workbench - very handy.

The cabinets and floor tiles took a day to install by the PAF professional fitters and here is the finished product - really pleased!

The hard working PAF fitting team - Alex, Karl and Roger

Cabinets and bench fitted

Cobra in it's new home!

Cobra emerges from the boxes!

We are now in the new house!

The part built Cobra stayed at the old house for three weeks, before we took possession of the new house (and garage).  I brought the car to the new house a few days after we moved in, using a car trailer borrowed from my friend Mike. There was just enough room for it in the garage amongst the boxes and junk. The Cobra was certainly a good talking point with the new neighbours - a great way to get to know people.

Once the stuff was cleared up and some of it thrown out, it started to look more like a garage than a tip. I have put up some Storewall (wall storage, what else?), to get things out of the way and off the floor. I had almost forgotten how good the car looked until it emerged from the boxes!

The Cobra in it's new home

We have been here nearly four weeks now and the garage is finally getting organised. Cabinets, floor tiles and a work bench are being fitted next week, so there will be no excuses after that to get on with the remainder of the build.

Visit to the factory

Went to GD on Tuesday.

Parked car at Keith Akerman's house. Collected some bits for GD made by Keith's company first. Also got a few bits that he had surplus from his build that I was after.

Met up with Mark Turnbull and friend John, who collected me from Keith's on their way to GD. Good old chat whilst going down and back.

Mark has just ordered a 427, so is at a very early stage. I meant to give him some magazines about car building, that I had been given by Simon Smith early in my build, to keep him occupied while he waits for his car, but forgot!

John will help Mark build the car. He has a garage and is competant with the mechanics. Mark is in engineering, so it should all go well.

The purpose of my visit was to collect a few parts (important bits) including the fuel tank, the roll over bars, escutcheons, seat runners (seats and other leather parts have been ordered via GD from the trimmers), battery and tray, door mirrors, side vents, gear shifter, undertray etc. Also I wanted to ask Andy some build related questions.

Mark wanted to clarify some elements of his project.

On arrival we were greeted by Andy and Meena. They were just back from the London Classic Car Show. One of the show cars, a Mk 4, was at the factory, a metalic maroon with grey trim. The car was built in Australia and is now for sale. Lovely car!

Questions answered and bits stowed in Mark's car, we headed home.

All safely home now. Just need to fix the parts in the car!

Cobra chassis here

Today I collected the rolling Euro chassis and various other parts related to the engine from GD. It was over a month later than I expected, partly due to supplier issues. However, I still had a few things to do on the body, so time was not wasted.

I have had AP brakes fitted, along with Pagid brake pads, as I wanted the thing to stop. I know it will go, with 480 bhp it should! My previous experience with Pagid Blue pads was brilliant. They are not cheap, but they worked from cold, on track and on the road. Worth the investment.

Chassis being strapped on to trailer at GD

Chassis on trailer outside GD

I collected the radiator, headers (manifolds to us English), the exhaust, the air intake, various fuel system parts, engine mounts, hoses, steering shaft, drive belt etc. So a big bill (it also included the wheels and carpets).

Some other cars/shells that were at the works today. The red one in particular looked awesome. Black base, maroon red, with a glitter lacquer on top and silver stripes. Yummy!

Collected the Cobra body

Meena at GD Sports Cars had sent an email late last week to say that the body was ready for collection, along with the invoice for the parts that I had previously ordered. The bill was paid by bank transfer. Yikes! Have I spent that already?

A phone call to the van hire company and one to Andy at GD and the collection was arranged. I picked up the Mercedes Sprinter Luton (internal body size 13' x 6' 6" (6' rear door)) with a tail lift. I collected the van at the start of business on Wednesday, to avoid a two day rental. Ideally I would have taken it the night before, so that I could get an early start. I arrived at the Practical hire company's office in Ilkley at around 8.45am, where Chris handed over the van and then I set off to collect a body from the GD Sports Cars factory near Newark! Well to be precise, the body for my GD 427 Mk4 (Cobra), plus a few thousand pounds worth of GD parts for the car.

To the Luton van I had added gloves, straps, plenty of sheets and some cheap duvets from ASDA. And of course the camera. I wanted to protect my new toy from any scratches, hence the sheets and duvets - not for me to have a snooze! After a two and a half hour trip, I arrived at the factory and was greeted by the sight of my pure white (colour ref RAL 9010) GD427 Mk4 body. Wow! Excited? I was like a kid on Christmas morning.

The body outside GD Cars

After being welcomed by Andy and Meena and of course being offered a cup of real coffee, the body was loaded in to the Luton, with the help of a few willing hands and the assistance of the van's tail lift.

Body loaded in to the Luton van (that is Andy strapping it in!)

The other parts were checked off and loaded too. I had ordered - lights, hinges, locks, dash board, windscreen, heater, wiring loom etc. In total around a quarter of the cars total cost! Not much spare space in the van, especially once the other parts and plenty of soft packing was added.

While I was there I took the opportunity of picking Andy's brains. I had various questions on the body prep. and the next order. The next order questions mainly surrounded the rolling chassis. However, the immediate points covered the techniques for removing the flash lines and polishing the body.

Then it was a careful drive home, mainly up the A1. The body and parts were unloaded in to the garage, with the help of my wife Carol, Matthew (son in law) and my daughter Sarah, plus of course the youngsters, Cameron and Ava.

More tools to build Cobra

A quick visit to Machine Mart today. Bought a car creeper (wheeled thing to get under the car), a 90 degree drill chuck attachment and a new soldering iron. Reasonable prices at Machine Mart too. The Dremel also arrived today by post. So great service from Amazon again. More boys toys!

Following another chat with Kyle at Tim Adams Racing Engines, I need to decide if I am really likely to use the car for track days or not. It will affect the engine and possibly the gearbox specification and costs e.g. do I need a baffled sump, one piece push rods, copper bearings, stronger rods, stronger bolts etc.

Other tools for Cobra build

I have just ordered a Dremel with the hole cutter (especially useful for the front lights on the Cobra replica I have read) and the quick release chuck via Amazon!


Dremel 4000 1/65, with hole cutter

So my list of outstanding tools has just reduced. Now for a trip to Machine Mart for the other bits.

I've been corresponding with and talking to the engine builder and I think that I am getting closer to knowing what I want. It is looking like a 460 bhp and 450 ft lb of torque 5.7 litre Chevy LS6 engine because it produces a little more power than the LS3 (even though the stock LS3 is a 6.2 litre) it delivers it a bit better and is a little less in terms of cost than a new LS3. I think it will suit me better than the Chevy 383 small block engine, because I like its looks, it is newer technology and should, in my opinion, be a little less temperamental and I am not trying to build a period replica. The LS6 engine is no longer produced, but with a new reg car, I can have one major used/refreshed part, so this could be the engine.


Chevy LS6 engine

For the gearbox I think it will be a Tremec T56 Magnum (a 6 speed). Looking at the ratios of the 'box with the 3.23:1 diff, the T56 Magnum seems to offer better spaced gearing than the TKOs and in theory 270 mph in 6th at the red line (lol)! However, it will cost more than the other options.


Tremec T56 Magnum gearbox

Tools for Cobra build

Treated myself to some new tools, using my Christmas money (for my Cobra build) and a bit I had put to one side - a big socket and spanner set, screwdrivers and trolley jack (all Halfords deals).


Decent tool set finally!

Still need a Dremel, a 90 deg chuck for my drill, a car creeper (easy way to get under car) and a new soldering iron.

So far I have the following, which I think I need reading other blogs:

• Tool chest on wheels (brill)
• Electric drill and bits
• Torque wrench
• Selection of pliers, crimpers and cutters
• Selection of sockets and spanners (great stuff and good boys toys)
• Pop rivet gun
• Axle stands
• Trolley jack
• Engine hoist
• Various other hand tools e.g. hammers, files etc

I will post if I require any others.

So all I need now is a clear garage and a Cobra to build!  GD can expect a call on Monday morning ;)