*** SOLD ***

Yesterday marks the end of an era. I sold my unfinished Cobra replica kit car. It was a marvelously fun project that started back in 2007. I learned an incredible amount about cars by building one myself. I regret not finishing it, but my health would never be good enough to allow me to bend over and work on the car. In all honesty, my interest in working on the car waned once I got Dan Dog. Anyway, it is best to let somebody else finish it and enjoy it from here on out. I lost a bit of money on the deal, but over a 10 year period, I got plenty of enjoyment and education with it. The new owner seems like a good guy, and he is going to work on it as a project with his 85 yr old father, so that is especially nice.

HM1107 is a half finished kit now up for sale.

A little over 7 years ago, I decided to buy the last Hurricane Cobra replica kit produced out of Kansas City. For me, a complete car novice who never so much as changed his own car's oil, it would be a fantastic opportunity to learn all about this fantastic car hobby. Most people, I think, choose to build their replica out of the desire for the end product, but for me it was always about the learning process and the journey of doing the build.

That journey is now ending as I have been diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer that has unfortunately grown at a "rip-roaring" pace and has spread into my lymph nodes, ribs, and lower spine. The longer term prognosis is not too great but treatment is now underway. I just cannot ever foresee the Cobra getting high enough up on my priority list to ever get much of my waning attention and energy. So it is time to let someone else take over this car and enjoy it from here on out.

Details about the car...

My kit was configured for a small block Ford and automatic transmission. The rear end is limited slip differential, and the car was configured for power steering. The other options I chose with the kit purchase included the aluminum firewall, Hurricane's 15 inch Hallibrand replica wheels, the windshield wiper assembly, the passenger side rollbar, heated seats, and the fully adjustable coilover shocks. In 2008, that basic kit would all set you back $18,215.

I ended up purchasing an engine made by Keith Craft Performance Engines down in Arkansas. The engine is a 306 and dyno'd around 370 hp and torque. The cost on that was $6223. I also ended up purchasing from a guy locally, a used AOD transmission that had been pulled from a 1991 Ford pickup. There are various other parts that have been added along the way--shifter, driveshaft, tires, hoses, ignition box, starter, oil cooler, etc. and the costs of those added up to about $2170.

Condition of the car...

I have about 275 hours of work into this project. For a complete novice like myself, that gets you to the start of the wiring stage. I thought that would be an easy task for me given my background, but it turned out to be an easy stopping point instead. I have always had to take things quite slowly and cautiously since every step along the way was a completely new and fun learning experience. Human hands have not really touched the car in a couple of years.

Anybody taking over this project should probably be quite vigilant in checking the previous work. For instance, I am not particularly happy with the flexplate connection. The mechanical fuel pump may have been overtorqued at some point and should be checked for cracks. The power steering pump is mounted with a custom-made plate that has never really been tested. That sort of thing.

I have every receipt for every part, supply, etc. fading away in a folder which the new owner may have. I also have a lot of pictures taken over the years as the build proceeded, many of which made their way to the build website, http://gmoosecobra.blogspot.com. And the build manual was followed pretty religiously with accomplished steps being marked with a highlighter and some notes taken. The body is resting on a nice body buck which can go as well, I suppose, but may be awkward to transport.

The Cobra and I live in St. Louis, MO, not too far from Hurricane afficianado, Paul Proefrock who has some knowledge of the car from its beginning. Anyone with questions or looking to make an offer can email me at charley_fuchs@att.net.

Thanks for reading,

Charley Fuchs

Still on hiatus

I am still on hiatus with this project. It's hard to believe 3 years have almost past since I worked on the Cobra. So many other things in life have come up. I will get back to it someday.

Nope...

Nothing.

Maybe this week...

I've somehow managed to be very busy lately and still haven't found time to work on the Cobra.

No work

Apparently, I am getting so slothful, that not only have I not been working on the Cobra, but I am delinquent in posting about my slothfullness. Sorry. Maybe this week.

Another busy week...

that prevented me from working on the Cobra. I did however work on the Passat. Its headlight went out, this time on the driver side. Two years ago, the passenger side went out and I replaced it. This time, it was even easier as there was less stuff in the way. $15 for the light and 15 minutes and the job was done. The hardest part was figuring out how to work around the fact that the rod that holds the hood up so you can work on the engine is broken. Maybe I will buy one of those for $25 bucks and fix that too someday, but a big board I had laying around seemed to do the trick just fine.