Butch Capps

[bomelia]

Any way to get in touch with Butch up in Knoxville?

mike

[ralphscott]

Hi Mike, I'm Ralph Scott I'm one of Butch's friends If you need to call him direct his work # is 865-524-4800.

If I can be of some assistance let me know

Ralph

[bomelia]

Well, first is it Kapps or Capps? I have seen it both ways!

I have a Jag XJ6 IRS that I am going to fit...but the gear ratio is 2.88. I understand Butch can do the change (to 3.31)? I am trying to get a cost estimate.

Thanks!

Mike

[eliminator]

It's Capps.

Rick
#4279405

[nolastyankee]

Mike,
Butch (Capps - with a "C") will obviously have the final say here, but just as reference he rebuilt our rear end earlier this year and a baseline job starts around $500 for Unique owners. This includes the re-use of all your geared parts and he replaces the seals, etc. A ring and pinion is and extra $150 or so. The Auburn limited slip adds $400. Shipping each way will cost $75-$100.

If you are going to have the entire carrier out anyway (needs to be to replace the ring and pinion) then you will want to rebuild as well. If I were Butch (which I am clearly not) I wouldn't mess with a ring and pinion without doing the rebuild...

Brian Carlson

Unique 9122 - 289 FIA Cobra - The Legendary "Spence" Car

[bomelia]

Brian,

Did you go with the limited slip? If so, was it worth it?

This is something, I assume, you would NOT want to do later, in other words do it all now or forget it, correct?

Mike

[Brent]

Butch's last name is spelled "Showdog"

Make sure you tell him that, it will get you a special discount (-:



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

[nolastyankee]

Mike,
Butch actually does not recommend limited slip for these cars because of the weight and the short wheelbase. His feeling is that the performance is better with the open differential. That said, we had to go limited slip because our spider gears were trashed and there are no replacements available short of scrapping the whole rear end.

As for the all-or-nothing question, it is certainly something you can do later. However, there is no way that I would want to take that rear end out of a finished car unless I really had to. It's a pain on an open chassis, let alone a completed car. If you want it, do it now. However, I would not have put it in if we weren't forced to.

Brian Carlson

Unique 9122 - 289 FIA Cobra - The Legendary "Spence" Car

[bomelia]

Brian,

Thanks for the tip...I think I will pass on the limited slip.

Why were you "forced" to do it? Why couldn't you replace that bad gears with new ones?

Sorry for my ignorance ....

Mike

[Poorboy]

With some of the center sections you have to replace everything as ring & pinons are not available in some gear ratios.

[Slither]

I am interested in hearing from both camps (limited vs. open) on this issue.

How do you feel about the performance of your car based on what you have; starts, handling, safety etc.?

Would you do it differently (limited vs. open) if you knew then what you know now about your car's performance?


Paul

289 FIA

2899464

408 Windsor

Toploader (wide)

3.07 rear

[bomelia]

Yes, that is a great idea. Any comments please on limited vs open?

[Brent]

I do not think a high horsepower motor in a light car with 1 crappy street radial drive tire would be too much fun. I guess it depends on how you are going to use the car. I REALLY enjoy 0-60 blasts with the rearend floating sideways. I am not sure the car would even move with one tire up in flames. 2 in flames is bad enough.

Just my .02 cents worth

Have fun!!


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

[eliminator]

I know Butch "Showdog Capps" personally and I can tell you his 289 FIA car has a "locker" rear end and his 427 S/C with the 2-4V 427 Tunnel Wedge engine has Auburn unit I beleive, so go figure[^]. Sure the open rear end will turn better but I am not on the road course.
Personally I have an Auburn Unit, I like it and would not do it any other way. Because I run the car, I don't abuse it but I don't baby it either. One wheel "smokin" wont work for me.

Rick
#4279405

[ralphscott]

I have a 3:31 Dana limited slip I add two tubes of TransX Positraction Lube to my Superflo GX 80/90 (GL5)and it works just fine.

Ralph

[Russ Dickey]

I recently switched from the open rear end to the limited slip. I've had the opportunity to do a little autocrossing and open-tracking, and I have found that my car is now cornering better than before. With the open rear end, the car had a tendency to start lighting up the tire as I exited a corner and began to accelerate. But now, it just seems to hook up and go (and I'm not being any lighter on the throttle).

Is this not typical?

Unique 289FIA - Chassis #9229 - Viking Blue

[twanita]

i labored over that decision even more than the paint color because it's obviously not a simple change once car is together. i polled a lot of unique owners and the vote was about 3 to 1 in favor of posi when a big block is used. i went with the 3.53 posi but i can't really speak from experience because my kit is not here yet. that being said ,no one was unhappy with their open rear ends and there was an interesting thread on club cobra last week showing an open rear laying down 2 long patches. claim was that good weight distribution put even force on both wheels. who knows?

Jim O.
Unique 427 S/C #4279479
SA 402FE,Toploader,
3.53 Posi

[bomelia]

Does Butch have an e-mail address? If so, may I have it?

Thanks,

Mike

[ralphscott]

No Mike, Butch does not use the internet just call him on the number I posted earlier.

Ralph

[bomelia]

Thanks, will do.

Mike