New MkIV Complete Kit heading Down Under to New Zealand

Hi everyone,
I just thought that I would introduce myself and say thank you for all of the great posts in the forums - they were really helpful in making my decision to take the plunge and buy from FFR.

Like many I am fulfilling a life long dream of purchasing a C replica, but being on the other side of the world I approached the FFR with some trepidation. We do not have any of the standard donor models in New Zealand, the only T-Birds and Mustangs are private imports and so the additional parts for the kit seemed something of a problem, and frankly I don't have the time to chase obscure parts all over the place. This combined with the fact that I have to convert this car to right hand drive were issues for me in this decision. We have several excellent New Zealand built replicas that are very well engineered and perform well, but they are a collection of parts from all sorts of cars and so again it was all a bit difficult and surprisingly worked out significantly more expensive even taking account of shipping costs.

So I have purchased a FFR MkIV complete kit with pin drive IRS and a number of the optional extras selected as well. Joe Scott at FFR has been a huge help and very obliging. I have bought a package of parts from DiscBrakesRUs to complete the IRS, and a set of 17" rims and tires from Vintage Wheels to fit around the massive Wilwood optional brakes. Some goodies from Finish Line and PTP sidepipe sleeves (we are required to have heat protection in NZ) and I am starting to look pretty good. All of the extra items are being delivered to FFR and will be packed by them with the kit into a 20ft shipping container ready for the trip to NZ sometime after Sept 19th.

I have to say that to date my dealings with the US based suppliers has been nothing short of fabulous! Helpful, generous and very patient and polite. An enjoyable experience to date.

I have ordered an extra set of alloy panels for the cockpit from FFR. These are unfolded so hopefully we can mirror many of these to create the RHD version once we have made changes to the chassis/frame. There isn't a great deal of info about converting the kit on the forums so I intend to post some notes and pictures along the way so that future crazies from RHD countries might have some reference to at least one way of doing things. Luckily for me there is a New Zealand kitcar/hotrod manufacturer close by to me and they have converted both a MkIII and MkIV FFR so they have worked out a few of the wrinkles ahead of my project. Have got to find a suitable steering rack yet.

The major item left for me to purchase is of course the heart of the car, but it will have to wait for the wallet to regenerate and hopefully the exchange rate will not deteriorate to much in the meantime. I have my eyes on a 427 stroker coupled to a Tremec TKO600 from Keith Craft with an 8 stack EFI system.

Anyway, I just thought I would warn you that there is a crazy Kiwi boat designer on the pages, and to thank you all for your collective knowledge and your generosity of thought. Very much appreciated and acknowledged.

cheers,
Brett.

Have forwarded PM re Steering Rack

Welcome Brett, looking forward to following your right-hand build. Love your avatar; so true.

Cheers, Dale

Thanks Neil, I have replied to your PM. Cheers.

Great first post Brett, and welcome to the forum!

It will be fun to watch you convert the car to RHD. I didn't know you could get additional sets of unbent panels from FFR; nice work-around.

We'll be here to give you plenty of feedback and I look forward to watching your progress.

:)

Best of Luck. We'd love the opportunity to get you an engine.
Have some nice 427w options. www.fordcobraengines.com
Have shipped a couple down to NZ recently.

Thanks for your encouragement Dale. You live in a lovely part of the US, you would need a good supply of sunblock driving a Roadster there though!
Hopefully I wont make too many mistakes during the build, but as my Dad used to say "The only person who never made a mistake, never made anything"

Thanks for your note too Dave. Yes the guys at FFR are very obliging and have been most understanding regarding my conversion and so have been happy to leave some items out and add in extras to suit my requirements. I am sure that I will get plenty of feedback from here so looking forward to it - just remember that everything will be back to front with this build........maybe even upside down as well, given I am at the bottom of the world.

Thanks for the note Christian, I have dropped you a PM.

Brett,

I used to live in Christchurch.

Do a search on the other forum. There are a couple guys that have done the right hand drive conversion already. I am sure they can give you some pointers. I think I remember them mentioning what steering rack they used.

The exchange rate is really good in your direction right now, so it is a great time to buy.

I am sure you will have to do a 3rd brake light. There are some interesting versions of that.

427 and $8/gallon. Whoohoo!!!

Thanks for the tip. I already have the 3rd tail light sitting here waiting, a few other items as well, some which I am working around like the requirement for head restraints if I have full harness seat belts, heat shields on the side pipes, 3 rear view mirrors, a front license plate, and a minimum 3mm radius on anything protruding from the vehicle (an issue with quick jacks).
Yep I am really pushing the wallet to get as much purchased and into the container to reduce shipping costs and the exchange rate is slowly deteriorating. Would love to get the engine as well but it will have to wait.

The cost of fuel.......well I currently run a 420hp Audi RS4 and before that a 4.2V8 Touareg and a 425hp twin turbo Nissan.....so kind of used to the cost of filling the tank although well aware that this will be another league! I work from home now so I don't do that many kms (miles) in a year so I don't see it as a major issue.

Off to the other forum to find those threads! Barrel who messaged above in the thread has a spare RHD rack so it may do the job, but worth chasing the options.

Many thanks for your comments. Christchurch has changed a great deal following the earthquakes.

Congrats on making one of your dreams come true and good luck with the build.

Please do post lots of pics of your project as you make progress.

Thanks Dan. I will post as I go.

My frustration at the moment is that I have made the decisions, paid the money......................and now I sit and wait while the kit is completed and then while it sits on a ship on its way here. I figure that I wont see it before November. Plenty of time to think and worry about all the unknowns, but looking forward to the challenge.

Well Joe from FFR sent me some teaser photos today. Chassis number F5R1008419RD exists and is almost ready for shipping - very exciting! So far I have had nothing but brilliant service and helpful advice from all of the suppliers that I have dealt with. Sitting on a pallet at FFR is also the parts to finish my IRS from BrakesRUs, a stunning set of wheels and tires from Vintage Wheels, side pipe blankets from PTP, and a host of goodies from Finish Line.
However, I spoke with my shipping agent yesterday who told me that the container wont arrive in New Zealand for 60days and more likely will be 70days! Must be paddling the ship as it usually only takes 3 weeks. But I guess I will have it before Christmas.
In the meantime I have collected all the tools that I need, a high stop brake light, some RHD Lucas P700 Tripod headlights, and Barrel has sold me a Unisteer RHD steering rack. So all that is left is for me to sit on my hands and save some pennies for that 427 stroker and Tremec transmission.
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I was living in Christchurch when the earthquakes hit. It was not a fun way to wake up! After months of aftershocks and the second big quake, we headed for the airport.

I may end up back there in a few years, possibly on the north island. ChCh is just too cold not to mention still looking like a war zone. I am going to check out Mt. Maunganui the next time I come down there. I am wondering about importing my FFR. It is titled here as a 1965. I wonder if that would stick.

Do you mean headrests on the roll bars? I'll bet that is a on for WOF and off the rest of the time item. I never saw a Cobra running around down there with them. I noticed on Wheeler Dealers (similar rules in England) when they did the Cobra, they had some big side mirror rigged up. That sucker was gone as soon as the papers got signed.

Keep us informed on your build.

60-70 days? Fly over here and get on that ship; think of the progress you could make during the trip home.

Welcome to a life changing event. We will all help any way we can. Good thing is there have been a few FFRs done in England and your country too, I think, so right hand drive is somewhat rare but has definitely been done. Keep searching and you will find the info.

Hey Dale that is a bloody great idea!!! I could have it finished by the time it arrived...............

Avalanche, the headrests are only required if you have the 5 point harness, so I have the option of using a 3 point seat belt and no headrest. The bizarre thing is that the rules say that if he headrest is of a removable type, then it MUST remain removable, so you are correct once every 2 years the headrests will be dusted off and put in place for the WOF inspection (they recently increased the Warrant of Fitness period). Again the 3 rear view mirror requirement is only if you have the 5 point harness, but I figure its not a bad idea anyway - I have had 3 mirrors on every car that I have ever owned and those little traditional bullet mirrors look just fine. These rules are all relatively new so there are plenty of replicas running around without any of the items so Mr Plod has no chance of knowing whether the rules apply to my Roadster or not. They are pretty casual with the rules when it comes to a 427 anyway as they are just as interested as anybody else in the car and so tend to over look the requirement for things like a front licence plate etc. So long as you don't drive like an idiot and force their hand. The other rule is the noise limits - 95dB for most cars, but the Cbra roadster is allowed a further 5dB as it is a replica of a classic, and another 2dB because the sound is measured within 5ft of the engine block, so that lifts it to a limit of 102dB measured at 3000rpm 18inches from the exit of the side pipe.............I know what you are all thinking here, but the local certifier told me that a removable baffle would fix it, so long as nobody told him it was there. Again something that will only be inserted once every 2 years.
Christchurch is slowly recovering and is really booming economically because of the rebuild, but the city centre is just a waste land at the moment. My wife went to school and University there and it brings tears to her eyes every time that we pass through there. Mt Maunganui seems like the New Zealand ground zero for Cbra replicas - I think they must all be petrol heads there. The agent for the Backdraft cars is there, and lots of the Kiwi built Almac/Berry cars there.

Craig, there is a local race car builder just down the road from where I live and they have converted a MkIII and a MkIV Roadster so they have figured most of the wrinkles.

That's good. I have a friend w/ a Backdraft who needed power steering to run autocrosses. Backdrafts use mostly BMW suspension stuff and he had a real hard time getting good info on what model etc they used so he could come up w/ a PS rack. BD kept promising they were working on an upgrade but....He finally took the car to a local respected race car builder w/ a Mustang rack that would be normal use in an FFR and said, figure a way to make this work. I would hate to know what that cost him. So I am glad you have a local w/ experience. Best wishes on the mod.

I have an Uncle who lives in Wanaka part time. Went to visit him on our honeymoon. I envy you being able to drive those beautiful roads down there. My Aunt has a convertible mini, but that's just not the same. Good luck with your build!!!

My Roadster is already piling on the mileage and I haven't even seen it yet! Just about to enter the Panama Canal in the next few hours. Another 18days until it lands in New Zealand.
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Hey that map is cool. I have seen that for airlplanes but not ships. It will be interesting to see how long after it shows the ship dock do you get to pick up your crate. BTW how ill you move a 20 foot crate?

I forgot to ask, are you involved in America's Cup racing?

Looking forward to following your posts and progress.
Hope you enjoy your build and driving it as much as I've enjoyed my FFR, they are a blast!


btw, what is a "side pipe blankets from PTP"?

ok, nm, found them (here's a link for anyone interested): Eliminate Cobra "Snake Bites" With A PTP Cobra Sleeve


http://photos.motoiq.com/MotoIQ/Indu...bra%20mini.jpg

http://photos.motoiq.com/MotoIQ/Indu...bra%20full.jpg

Never saw those before.
If you'd like something a little more show, hit up DrummerMike for a set of his SS Sidepipe Covers, they are beautiful.

The ship tracking site is called www.marinetraffic.com. You just log in the ships name and it gives you voyage details and tracks its speed an position by the AIS system which identifies vessels and warns others of their positions to help prevent collisions.
Craig I was involved in previous Americas Cup events including the last one where I was the Technical Director and lead designer for Team Korea - unfortunately there wer insufficient funds for us to complete our AC72 and so although entered in the LVC we never made it to the start line which was a shame as we had done very well in the AC45 Americas Cup World Series.
Starting to get excited about the Roadster now. It arrives here October 28th and then it has to go through Customs clearance and be checked out for nasty US varments that might be stowing away in the box - bugs, spiders and snakes! I should have it by mid November. I haven't figured out how I am going to move the crate around yet, but probably just have it delivered to the driveway and then dismantled the crate and carry everything inside? Joe at FFR said that they managed to pack everything into the wooden crate - so body and chassis, all the cartons + the wheels and IRS that I bought elsewhere.
It was kinda cool to see them actually packing my car on the day they had a photo shoot at FFR - even has my name on it!Attachment 34510

I chose the pipe sleeves (the upper photo) because I am having black pipes and I don't like the look of the usual metal shields that stand out off the pipes. We will see how they go? I need something to pass certification and I have two little daughters so I don't want them getting burned!