79 cobra build

[2nd chance cobra]

Thanks Dave! I'm as excited as a ten peckered puppy right now! Too bad there's not much time in the schedule for the car for the next couple weeks, with planting and a couple of apartment turnovers added to the already too busy workload

[84StangSVT]

Congrats bud! Getting one step closer to making a coffee, or Coke, cruise!

[2nd chance cobra]

I pulled a bunch of nearly perfect black interior out of one of my junkers, how it was in that good of condition is absolutely amazing given the rest of the car. But now I'm starting to miss my red interior already... what to do, what to do. Most of my red is so far gone, meaning pink and flaky. The dash hull is junk. I just don't think it's save able. The reality is black is so much easier.

[Davedacarpainter]

I pulled a bunch of nearly perfect black interior out of one of my junkers, how it was in that good of condition is absolutely amazing given the rest of the car. But now I'm starting to miss my red interior already... what to do, what to do. Most of my red is so far gone, meaning pink and flaky. The dash hull is junk. I just don't think it's save able. The reality is black is so much easier.

AND it looks really bit*hin' too! Though, admittedly, my red car will have the porno color all over the interior. My blue car though, back in black.

[2nd chance cobra]

Odd question again. As I bolt up the factory sn exhaust to the sn Motor in the sn k member, it would seem that the engine sits too far to the pass side. The converter is a c-hair from touching the k member. I will loosen motor mounts and jockey stuff around to get it right. Just doesn't seem right to me. OK less question and more statement. Anyone run into this? Am I on the right track?

[2nd chance cobra]

Starts and runs with key finally. Been pulling black stuff from other cobra, still need the dash. Cleaning and scrubbing to go back together, nowhere near Dave quality, but who does? Hope to have her off the stands and mobile in a week or two for alignment and shakedown. And then ice cream for the kids and a Coke with Brock!

[84StangSVT]

Starts and runs with key finally. Been pulling black stuff from other cobra, still need the dash. Cleaning and scrubbing to go back together, nowhere near Dave quality, but who does? Hope to have her off the stands and mobile in a week or two for alignment and shakedown. And then ice cream for the kids and a Coke with Brock!

Sweet progress! Can't wait to see it hopefully here soon. I guess I need to get my timing issue sorted out so hopefully we can make a quick cruise.

[5.0 notchback]

Looking great, Shane. Nice progress! I haven't touched mine since February, been busy working on a new house I bought. Oversize two car garage, no more storage units!!? Seeing your progress makes me eager to get back at it. Keep up the good work, man!

[2nd chance cobra]

Looking for a sem black to paint my interior panels. I have found people claiming "landau black".

[wraithracing]

Looking for a sem black to paint my interior panels. I have found people claiming "landau black".

That is a standard SEM black and it works pretty well. Has a bit more sheen than I like for some of the panels, but overall it works pretty well.

I personally have been doing A LOT of interior repaint/recolors recently and I have been using Color Bond as often as possible. https://www.colorbondpaint.com/

You can buy directly from their website or thru Summit Racing if you prefer. They don't really offer correct colors for the Four Eyed generations, but they do have a ton of colors that might work, especially blacks! I ordered their color charts before hand and used their paint to restore my wife's 03 Navigator before selling it and I will say the seats were leather and looked almost brand new when I was done and the truck had 210K miles on it. I have used some of their paints in an Aero Mustang I had as well as my daughter's vehicles and never been disappointed. My Road Racer is getting a two tone red and black interior right now and I have been using one of the Ford black colors (I forget the name right now) it has a bit of grey tone to it rather than full on black, but it's cool anyway. Bottom line the stuff works very well with excellent coverage. I ordered 6 cans of paint for the Navigator, I did all 3 rows of seating and the leather wrapped steering wheel and still have 2+ cans left over!

[2nd chance cobra]

And that's what I'm worried about, too much gloss. But I don't know what it looked like new. I was 4. But that said this isn't a restoration, and I hate the shiny look of armour all. I'd like something a bit more flat as it looks now. I really don't want to paint it at all but with dash repairs and nearly 40 years of use I may be forced to do something. Maybe I'll wait till tomorrow, my carpet,headliner, cowl replacement and weatherstrip will come off the big Brown truck to get some perspective on what may look the best

[2nd chance cobra]

big Brown Santa came over! I know, but it helps with morale. My new cowl trim looks nice but I think it needs a good coat of sem. It's too shiny

[wraithracing]

big Brown Santa came over! I know, but it helps with morale. My new cowl trim looks nice but I think it needs a good coat of sem. It's too shiny

Why is it all still in boxes!

Just make sure to pull the carpet out and let it sit outside in the sun for several hours or more before attempting the actual install including cutting, etc.

[2nd chance cobra]

Back to work. And I know weve had this talk before, but I'm having trouble with the heater ac box. Someone said sure the sn box will work, but I'm not so sure. The main problem is the plenum to dash vents isn't the same (picture)they have different angles on them. Is this a 79 thing that is fixed by me pulling one of my newer boxes, 83 87 or 91 and Frankensteining one together. Make sense?

[Davedacarpainter]

I can't really tell you the differences. Sorry. If you're going to rebuild, I'll help you out.

Show a picture of the defrost/windshield duct. Obviously you have a difference in the foot ducting as well.

[2nd chance cobra]

I've done some more searching and it looks like, maybe, I can pull a later one out and switch evaporator and heater cores from the sn then go back together, I think. They are so close but just not exactly. I can't wait to pull another box! Feel free to chime in if I'm way off

[Davedacarpainter]

It's really easy if you have the dash out of the way first

[wraithracing]

I don't believe the SN95 HVAC box will work in the Fox without modifications. I have never made the attempt as I see no real benefit to it in the first place.

The early 4 Eyed HVAC setup is different than the later model 4 Eyes and the Aero cars. The 79 model used an H valve expansion valve rather than an orifice tube/line and didn't use an accumulator, but a receiver/dryer unit. Basically the engine bay side for the 79 model is very different than say the more standard 83-86 models.

I swapped my 79 PC from Non A/C to OEM A/C using an 83-86 box and control unit with the required engine bay parts from the same 83-86 years. I had to cut out the correct hole for the Evap core to fit thru and drill out the correct holes for the heat hoses to fit properly.

The 87-93 box is similar to the 83-86, but there are some differences, you can make it work as long as you have the 4 Eyed dash ducts, etc. I have no idea what it would take to make the SN95 setup work, but I doubt it would be worth the headaches, IMHO. Good Luck!

[2nd chance cobra]

Thanks that's what I was looking for. The sn box was chosen just because it would be easier to get parts for than the 79 plus, no hybrid hoses/fittings.. too bad I cut the hole to the 79 opening. I guess I'll just stich back in a patch and fix/ paint it when the motor comes out next time. Back to my junk yard to dig through mouse poo

[wraithracing]

You could always give it a shot! I know the firewall is similar between the SN95 and the Fox, but not sure how much. The issue will be the fitment of the box under the dash and getting all the duct work connected. The only way I would attempt would be with the dash removed and stripped from the car. That way you can mount the HVAC box to the firewall and then verify how the dash fits over it and what would need to be modified from there.

If you can make it fit and work, that would be great! Again just not sure its worth all the extra work compared to having a couple of lines made to connect to the compressor, etc. Good Luck!

[2nd chance cobra]

It does fit, it's almost the same but the difference is really in the slant on the box where the ducting mates to it. It could be made to work with some work. Someone else claimed to have used one in there Car that's why I went that way . I'll probably pull an 87 box it will be the easiest to get to.

[2nd chance cobra]

Side note, I did use the sn 3rd pedal, however it is not an exact fit for 79. The shaft is about 1 inch longer. I will just cut a spacer off my auto set. The quadrant brushes the dash brace that is welded to the floor. Again easy enough to add a bit of clearance there too. If you compare the 79 and sn pedal the 79 has a bend in it where the sn does not therefore putting the pedal pad in the same location. The sn bracket would NOT work if anyone was to think about it. Well, not easy anyhow.

[2nd chance cobra]

I found a build sheet under the driver seat. Unfortunately it is not able to be removed from the floor so I took some pics. I did get the pedal bracket squared away. I just had to loosen up the bracket and lean on it to the left a bit and now the quadrant clears the floor brace. Also I cut about an 1.125 piece from the sn bracket to use as a spacer so the shaft is tight and everything but the mismatched pedal rubber looks great. I have been using a tip from someone else who found roof flashing, available at Lowe's, as a poormans dynamat. It works real well it messages into the creases real well and is sticky like crazy. I'm not putting it anywhere I will have floor patching to do. Also found the crack at the rear seat bolt... awesome.im taking a day off this week to get the crossmember in. One final thing, the sn 5 speed has no Speedo cable but has the sensor with the "cable" hole blocked. I'll be dammed if I didn't pick that plug out and plug the cable right in! Who would have thought!

[2nd chance cobra]

I also bought this stuff. It is duct insulation I got from the local hvacc company. I got it to replace the stinky worn it mouse food jute stuff. It is about .5 inch thick and lightweight fiberglass with a cloth layer on it. It comes in various widths( 4, 5 and 6 foot). I think it may be a good under hood insulation too. The trusty 3m spray adhesive should keep it where it belongs

[DadBox]

One final thing, the sn 5 speed has no Speedo cable but has the sensor with the "cable" hole blocked. I'll be dammed if I didn't pick that plug out and plug the cable right in! Who would have thought!

If you're talking about the transmission, peek inside to ensure there is a gear for your speedo cable to engage. There might be only a pickup for the sensor to read.