Chapter 13 - An On Again - Off Again Relationship

[nolastyankee]

The Spence Car was built in 1991 in Alabama and sold to it's new owner in Kentucky. Some time later, it briefly moved back to Alabama with its second owner before we came along and moved it back to Wisconsin, then relocated with my employer to Arkansas. The car checked off another state on the U.S. Atlas this weekend as we trailered it to the painter who happens to be in Oklahoma.

As I started this chapter I realized I have been away for a while. You see, we have been very busy making this build much harder than it needs to be. This is in keeping with all of the family projects, but it is all worth the work whenever we see the car because the smiles just won't stop.

When we bought the car the body was on, and in fact it had never been removed since the Weavers first installed it back when George H. was in the White House. We have made up for this ten fold by making the body installation and removal a regular event, and to date it has made the move either on or off the chassis no fewer than 6 times. Hence our on-again-off-again relationship.

Most recently, the body install and removal process has occurred to address a slight shifter issue that we found when the body just wouldn't sit right after one install...Because it was sitting on the transmission linkage arm. So, out came the Sawzall and after a little prayer, we again had clearance, but a little fiberglass work to do.



But our problems were just beginning. There is no such thing as a performance shifter for a Ford 4R70W automatic transmission, so we did the next best thing...Bought an AOD shifter and started modifying. After a little file work on the tranny housing the shifter installed like it was made for the location, but the resultant linkage geometry was just plain awful. Most people would have installed a cable and called it good, but give two engineers a McMaster Carr catalog and things start to get a bit more technical... We fabbed a remote bellcrank and used left-right threaded rod and teflon coated rod ends. Overkill? Sure, but damn does it shift sweet...Lokar would be proud.





Feeling good about our terminal overkill job on the shifter, we searched the garage for something else to modify. We were never really happy with the Rube Goldberg gas pedal that was installed on our car (it is not the standard Unique pedal) so a resto-mod on that object became the next logical step. Other than upsizing and improving the bearing surfaces, this is pretty much a cosmetic exercise with the paint and AC pedal.



We did come up with our own through-the-footbox bellcrank that should really give nice alingment to the throttle linkage. Did I mention we made that too? Buying a ready to go unit just seemed awfully simple after the shifter exercise.



Those of you with finished cars, know how challenging it is to find places to mount all the stuff that needs mounted without resorting to drilling the firewall or inner fender. Clean builds like Brent's, Rick's, Ralph's, and Butch's don't happen without a lot of effort, and a little custom work. Like this coil bracket that Dad whipped up to mount on the cylinder head.



I picked up an aluminum splash guard on eBay only to find that it was about the size of a small billboard. With a little shaping and drilling, it found its way to the waiting body...



With the body off for final shifter fitting, we did the final bending of our brake lines. Yes, we had to bend brake lines. Given the vintage of our car, the lines were a little rusty, and there was a nice yellow sludge in the master cylinder that undoubtedly cemented the lines closed. Tubing is cheap, and we were already making this build into an adventure, so Dad re-bent and re-located all the lines

[Brent]

Great craftsmanship.
Everything looks top notch.
lucky car!



Brent
427 SC Chassis #4279401
Candy Apple Red/White
402 FE/Toploader/3.54

[pgermond]

Lucky car is right! You guys are definitely doing it justice and doing it right. I'm looking forward to seeing it up close and personal when it is completed [^]

Phil

427 Roadster, #4279436
Southern Automotive FE
3:31 and Toploader

Roseville (N.Cal)

[juanone]

You guys have demonstrated an incredible amount of patience in getting the car to the stage you are in. I am looking forward to seeing your next series of pictures of your painted body. It is going to look sweet.

I believe that you guys have truly enjoyed the process so much that makes me think I would have enjoyed building mine as well. I just don't have the space nor the skill you guys are demonstrating. You truly have elevated the kit car building process to a very high level. Congrats on what promises to be truly a piece of sculpture.

Juan

Juan Lopez-Bonilla
Kentucky Cobra Club
2432 Crittenden Drive
Suite 201
Louisville, KY 40217
502-635-5711
juanlb@lbrllc.net

http://www.kentuckycobraclub.com

[Naumoff]

Brian,
The "legendary Spence Car" is going to be a Legend for another reason That I think will over shadow the former.
Great craftsmanship!
That car is the "ol' Yellor" of the Cobra Replicas.
Given a second chance to show how great it can be with good owners.[^]

Tony

Unique 427 #4279480 427s/o Nascar toploader 3.31 Jag IRS

[Slither]

Nice work Brian! It is great that you and your dad can do this together. I can't wait to see it in paint !

Paul

289 FIA

2899464

408 Windsor

Toploader (wide)

3.07 rear

[ralphscott]

Brian, you and your Dad are doing a great job of thinking through the re-build and the quality really shows. Can't wait to see the finished product.

Ralph

[clayfoushee]

Great, as usual Brian!

Clay

'98 Unique #9299, 427FE side oiler (452.1-stroker), top-loader (close), 3.31 rear

Annapolis, MD

[gasman]

Yep, Can't wait to see this bad boy. You and your Dad have certainly raised the bar!

Steve Foushee
Unique #4279389

[eliminator]

Brian,

The light is at the end of the tunnel!!!

Good work, everything is looking really good, very neat and clean[^]. Yep, the body on and off is part of the process, after a few times its like changing a tire.

Next May looks like the debut to the Cobra Bunch at Homecoming.

Rick
#4279405

[Mike Geddes]

Brian
That Lokar shifter looks great.
I used a B&M cable set up for my 4 speed Ford AOD.
I had to cut down the actual shift lever, re-thread
the top and screw on an B&M 'T' bar knob.
Works great.
The re-build looks great.....keep it up.
If Dad has some spare time...send him up here to Canada, he
can rebuild my 427.
Cheers....Mike

Mike Geddes

[will butterworth]

Brian--some more good patience, my son Zach has taken 18 mo. easily to restore a 67 chevelle, fired it off sat. last. And you will know where each part and piece is and it,s quality.Evermore good work, i just gotta see it .Will-alabama

[Russ Dickey]

Brian:
As the kid's say: "You got mad skillz, yo" when it comes to fabbing stuff. This is turning out to be one of the greatest Cobra replica stories ever.

Russ

Unique 289FIA - Chassis #9229 - Viking Blue

[bittentoo]

I see next years "Peoples Choice" award in the makin[^]

Great job! Keep it up!!!

Kelly