The Brew City Cobra has been Ordered!

[BrewCityCobra]

Let the games begin.

Finally pulled the trigger on the Brew City Cobra. I wanted to thank everybody on the forum - the insight I was able to get on here was beyond helpful. General goal of this build is a car that can be used both as a near daily driver during the summer months while still being able to swiftly and safely take to the track/autocross events multiple times a summer.

Build plan is as follows:

Complete Kit Specs:
- Powder Coated Chassis
- Hydraulic Clutch Master Cylinder Kit
- Body Cutouts
- Black Vinyl Roadster Seats (considering upgrading to leather)
- Power Steering Kit
- Gauge Delete
- Exhaust Delete
- IRS

FFR Options:
- 17" Halibrand (with 10.5" rears)
- Chrome Drive and Passenger roll bars
- Willwood Front and Rear Brakes

Drivetrain:
- Forte 427W w/ Dart Block
- TKO 600 w/ .64 5th gear.
- Hydraulic Clutch
- Quicktime Bell Housing (Possibly - still looking into this)
- Midshift Kit (Possibly - still torn on the classic rear look vs. ease of the midshift)
- 3.55:1 Torsen IRS Rear End (already purchased)

Other Options:
- Wind Wings
- Breeze Radiator Shroud
- Gas-N Side Pipes
- Driveshaft Loop
- Dropped Trunk Floor
- Footbox Air Vents
- Relocated Battery (still trying to determine if trunk or front is best)
- Russ Thompson Turn Signal Kit
- Detachable Steering Wheel (to swap between wood for daily and something a bit grippier for race).
- Upgrade to Legacy Speedhut Gauges for built-in shift light on tach.

Looks like the kit should be ready to go in late November. Absolutely can't wait.

I'd be curious to hear anybody's comments on the build or suggestions regarding battery location, the detachable steering wheel, and shifter location.

Time to get the garage ready!

[Papa]

Congratulations! Your build looks like a well thought out plan. I can offer a recommendation on the battery location for you. With IRS, I don't think the trunk mounted battery box from FFMetal will work, but check if that's the direction you want to go. Others have fabricated different trunk mounting configurations that seem to work, so look at other options as well.

Edit: If I were doing it again, I'd seriously consider the Breeze front-mount battery box.

Have fun!

[nuhale]

Welcome Brew! I think we traded notes a while back. I'm just south of you in Gurnee if you want to connect. I had a dolly (JUST BROKE IT DOWN AN HOUR AGO) and a buck (STILL HAVE) if you want for FREE.

I have a bunch of materials you may want to sort thru before I go to my garage sale as I recently finished my build. Give me a PM and we can connect.

Coupe Notes:

1. Member Cruizin' is selling a pair of leather seats already with seat heaters installed. I know him so can connect you two if interested. These are a steal.
2. I did the detachable steering wheel. I love it as I'm a bigger guy and it helps. Other than that was a simple mod and IMO is just kinda cool. (note: spoke with Russ recently and he is looking into offering this as a option on his signal soon...)
3. I did the breeze battery forward mod for my coyote build. I like it. I have the bigger trunk version from waaaaaay back but still every inch counts in the boot.
4. Period Correct Vent kit worked out really well for me. Paul is good to work with too. Maybe on the $$ side but what the hell....
5. Gasn' pipes are plain out awesome. I had the FFR pipes on for all of a day with thought to get the gas'n ones on after paint to keep them clean. The FFR ones gave me a splitting headache.

Again, welcome... the forum is great and very supportive. Be careful as this forum can remove money from your wallet quickly!!. :)

[FLPBFoot]

Welcome from south of the cheddar curtain.

I like nuhale went with the front battery mount. These cars are heavier in the back than front so a bit of extra weight Up front helps a bit to balance. It’s low on the 4” tube so that is good too.

As for shifter location I too was thinking of going with a mid-shift and decided to stay with the traditional rear location. Glad I did. My hand falls right off the wheel down to the shift knob. I am glad I stayed with the rear location.

Steve

[Rdone585]

Good to know there will be a new FFR around. I'm just a stones throw away from you being about 6 miles W of Milwaukee. If you need a hand let me know. I also have a body buck if you need one. It's not the high one that some use to store the body above the chassis. It is the right height for body work and safe body storage. Mine is a MK II so different from the MK4s. I'd like to see how the MK4s go together.
Robert

[Sdonnel]

I have the battery in front using the Breeze battery mount. Well built item that fits nicely in front of a 351 block. I have the detachable steering wheel from NRG. It works flawlessly. I have my TKO in the midshift position and like it more than my previous car with the T5 and the long handle. I took the shifter stem that was 4 inches tall from MGW and had a 2 inch unit made. This thing is short, but flips right into place, as Liberty Gear did the syncro upgrade for me. Your list of planned options will give you an amazing car that will keep you smiling for years. As cool as it is right now, when you start building, it's like an addiction. You will find yourself sneaking into the garage to do "just one more thing". Before you know it, you'll have a car sitting right there in the garage.

Keep us posted how your build goes. We can also help you spend your money, but you have the right boxes already checked.

Scott

[timmil]

Welcome to the madness! Looks like a solid plan but I am curious, why IRS and not a 3-link?

Tim

[RBachman]

Congratulations!

[BrewCityCobra]

I have to admit, I didn't even think about how the IRS may limit the ability to sink the battery into the trunk floor. With the weight balance considerations for the track and the IRS clearance issues - I think that all but makes my decision for me. Front mount it is.

[BrewCityCobra]

Welcome from south of the cheddar curtain.

I like nuhale went with the front battery mount. These cars are heavier in the back than front so a bit of extra weight Up front helps a bit to balance. It’s low on the 4” tube so that is good too.

As for shifter location I too was thinking of going with a mid-shift and decided to stay with the traditional rear location. Glad I did. My hand falls right off the wheel down to the shift knob. I am glad I stayed with the rear location.

Steve

Did you just stick with the shifter provided by FFR or go with something aftermarket? I have to admit that nostalgia seems to be weighing a bit more for me than shift speed at this point so a good shift lever would be key with that rear location. Plus I figure eventually I'd just get used to it.

[BrewCityCobra]

Welcome Brew! I think we traded notes a while back. I'm just south of you in Gurnee if you want to connect. I had a dolly (JUST BROKE IT DOWN AN HOUR AGO) and a buck (STILL HAVE) if you want for FREE.

I have a bunch of materials you may want to sort thru before I go to my garage sale as I recently finished my build. Give me a PM and we can connect.

Coupe Notes:

1. Member Cruizin' is selling a pair of leather seats already with seat heaters installed. I know him so can connect you two if interested. These are a steal.
2. I did the detachable steering wheel. I love it as I'm a bigger guy and it helps. Other than that was a simple mod and IMO is just kinda cool. (note: spoke with Russ recently and he is looking into offering this as a option on his signal soon...)
3. I did the breeze battery forward mod for my coyote build. I like it. I have the bigger trunk version from waaaaaay back but still every inch counts in the boot.
4. Period Correct Vent kit worked out really well for me. Paul is good to work with too. Maybe on the $$ side but what the hell....
5. Gasn' pipes are plain out awesome. I had the FFR pipes on for all of a day with thought to get the gas'n ones on after paint to keep them clean. The FFR ones gave me a splitting headache.

Again, welcome... the forum is great and very supportive. Be careful as this forum can remove money from your wallet quickly!!. :)

If you don't mind me asking - which kit did you go with for the steering wheel? Maybe I'll have to reach out to Russ and see where that option is in the works to hit two birds with one stone.

DM sent.

[BrewCityCobra]

Great to hear and I'll probably take you up on that once everything gets going. Sounds like there is a nice community of FFs in the greater Milwaukee area.

[nuhale]

The NRG SRK-400. I did the polished silver. Came out great. I believe this is the only option out there for removable wheel when using Russ's turn signal.

[BrewCityCobra]

Welcome to the madness! Looks like a solid plan but I am curious, why IRS and not a 3-link?

Tim

Main point was that it was something I can't do later - so I told myself that if I'm going to regret it later, switch the budget around to do it now. But for the more practical reasons - handling on the track was the main point.

[Rdone585]

I found with the FFR shifter you are basically shifting with an up/down motion. I was offered an opportunity to help prototype a midshift conversion for T-5 trannys. That was 13+ years ago, and I will never go back. I've made an improvement to the original design by adding thrust washers and teflon disks to the mechanical linkage and it now works even better than before. Perhaps you can find someone to try first hand what the difference is to make the choice. Your welcome to come try mine.

[abdw-wcw]

Love my IRS. (older style but similar). I was the same way. Couldn't do it later and i knew the car was 90% cruising with my wife. Such a good ride.
As for the battery.....mine is sunk into the trunk floor. Straight above the differential. It works...again on the old style. Not sure on the new IRS.
That all said.....if i were to re-do it. I'd put the battery in the front. Sounds like you're headed in the right direction.
Come down to Gurnee this Sunday and meet us all. Short trip for you (probably shorter than my trip). Looks like there will be 5 factory fives there.
Craig

[GoDadGo]

Welcome Aboard & 427 Dart Cubes Will Really, Really Scoot!

[BrewCityCobra]

Love my IRS. (older style but similar). I was the same way. Couldn't do it later and i knew the car was 90% cruising with my wife. Such a good ride.
As for the battery.....mine is sunk into the trunk floor. Straight above the differential. It works...again on the old style. Not sure on the new IRS.
That all said.....if i were to re-do it. I'd put the battery in the front. Sounds like you're headed in the right direction.
Come down to Gurnee this Sunday and meet us all. Short trip for you (probably shorter than my trip). Looks like there will be 5 factory fives there.
Craig

Appreciate the offer but I'm out of town. I would definitely be interested in a future event though.

[magicmarto]

Congrats, let the fun begin. PM me if you want. I'm in Lake Mills WI. I'm in the go kart/fitting the body stage of my build. Martin

[BEAR-AvHistory]

The classic stick position works very well. Stick bend looks awkward but it shifts just like a straight one. Mine is a ********** 427 with a custom knob. Trans is a TKO-600.

https://www.ffcars.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,onerror=redirect,width=1920,height=192 0,fit=scale-down//media/boot1.45506/full

https://www.ffcars.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,onerror=redirect,width=1920,height=192 0,fit=scale-down//media/cudtomshiftball.44866/full