'65 Cobra: Exterior correction (D300 MF)

[RaskyR1]

'65 Cobra: Exterior correction (D300 MF)





This is another classic car that my mentor just picked up. He's running it at the auction this week and he called me up last minute to see if I could give the paint a little help. The catch being that the car was already at the auction sitting in lane one, cleanliness and speed were an important factor, and I had one evening to get it done. I normally don't detail during the week as I have a full time job too, but for a good friend I didn't mind making an exception...plus it was a cool car.



Detailing off site, especially at a place were a bunch of car jockeys can come by and interrupt your work is not something I like doing. I also don't like packing up all my stuff and it seems like you always find a need something you didn't pack.



I left work a little early to pack up all my gear. I got started on the car around 4:30 and finished at about 10:30.



Process:



-ONR wash

-Light claying

-D300 via PCXP with 5" MF pads, tight areas with the 3"

-M205 via rotary with white LC pads

-Gtechniq P2 via PCXP with Cyan LC pads.

-Blackfire Wet-Diamond via PCXP blue LC pad





This paint was actually a nightmare to work on. The D300 left a very noticeable haze/marring but it was the only product I had that cut remove the defects without generating a lot of dust. I had to clear up the haze with M205 on a polishing pad, and then I followed up with P2 to ensure there were no holograms and to amp up the gloss. The paint was very scratch sensitive and new DI Great White towels were used on the finishing steps and wax removal.



Because of time pics are very limited, I was also exhausted and hungry so the last thing I wanted to do was take pics.





Before condition:

These were his main concern...D300 knocked them out after a couple passes.

After

Thanks for looking,



Rasky

 

[kaotikdt]

One of my favorite cars! Awesome result! Especially being out of your comfort zone.



-Jerry

 

[JohnKleven]

Nice work. You should sell them a wetsand, would make a world of difference.

 

[RaskyR1]

One of my favorite cars! Awesome result! Especially being out of your comfort zone.



-Jerry

Thanks Jerry

Nice work. You should sell them a wetsand, would make a world of difference.

I totally agree, but given the time frame it was not an option. If it doesn't sell I'm sure he'll have me do it though. It was originally sanded very unevenly, as you obviously saw in a few of the pics. Some of the areas weren't too bad though.

 

[maxepr1]

Nice work Chad! When you said auction I thought you were going to be outside! Inside with light not bad.

 

[N8Dogg98]

Wow, just wow... she looks freaking awesome buddy...

 

[Pats300zx]

Beautiful work Chad...

 

[Scottwax]

Looks awesome in the afters. :bow



Love those cars, one of my favorites since high school.

 

[Thomas Dekany]

Fantastic work as always. One question. Why not use P1 instead of 205?

 

[RaskyR1]

Thanks guys!

Fantastic work as always. One question. Why not use P1 instead of 205?

I'm comfortable with M205, and I didn't bring P1 with, nor have I had a chance to play around with it yet.





Edit: I had a typo on the write up...it was a "crimson" pad that I finished with, not a cyan.

 

[rdorman]

I sure do miss mine!

 

[Thrillseeker]

Nice results on a bitchin' old ride.

 

[Marj]

I curious, what did the car sell for?

 

[David Fermani]

Another great job! Sweet Cobra. Who's kit is it? Did it sell?

 

[RaskyR1]

Another great job! Sweet Cobra. Who's kit is it? Did it sell?

Thanks David! The car did sell, in the low 20's believe, and the owner made a nice profit. Sorry, I'm not sure who the kit was made buy as I did not see any insignia on it while I was working.



I wouldn't mind building a FFR kit myself, the wife seem to really like the car too.

 

[slick61]

Thanks David! The car did sell, in the low 20's believe, and the owner made a nice profit. Sorry, I'm not sure who the kit was made buy as I did not see any insignia on it while I was working.



I wouldn't mind building a FFR kit myself, the wife seem to really like the car too.

The turn signals & perky butt have me thinking Factory Five, but would have to see the frame & engine compartment to be sure. I have several friends who have built Factory Fives... all went with big blocks. My one friend dropped a 552 ci monster into his, putting out north of 900 hp... it's a beast... tho he still says that my Backdraft, with its piddly little aluminum 427 small block stroker sounds meaner (it's all in the pipes)... mines got a nasty cam, & only puts out about 615 hp/tq. Factory Fives are great cars tho... easily customized to whatever you want (and whatever your wallet allows). These cars are traction-limited... beyond a certain point, the power is meaningless (other than bragging rights), as you just cannot put the power to the pavement efficiently. Great fun tho... every time I'm out for a drive, there's always someone in a Z06 chasin me down, wantin to race... as if... not doin it on the street... no way... no how. The newer performance cars have the advantage of superior aerodynamics and ergonomics... they're much easier to drive faster... tho they don't offer the visceral sensations that the Cobra does.

 

[RaskyR1]

The turn signals & perky butt have me thinking Factory Five, but would have to see the frame & engine compartment to be sure. I have several friends who have built Factory Fives... all went with big blocks. My one friend dropped a 552 ci monster into his, putting out north of 900 hp... it's a beast... tho he still says that my Backdraft, with its piddly little aluminum 427 small block stroker sounds meaner (it's all in the pipes)... mines got a nasty cam, & only puts out about 615 hp/tq. Factory Fives are great cars tho... easily customized to whatever you want (and whatever your wallet allows). These cars are traction-limited... beyond a certain point, the power is meaningless (other than bragging rights), as you just cannot put the power to the pavement efficiently. Great fun tho... every time I'm out for a drive, there's always someone in a Z06 chasin me down, wantin to race... as if... not doin it on the street... no way... no how. The newer performance cars have the advantage of superior aerodynamics and ergonomics... they're much easier to drive faster... tho they don't offer the visceral sensations that the Cobra does.

Cool! Thanks for the info.



This one had a 383 stroker and an auto trans. The interior had a center stack coming down from the dash too with a CD player in it.



Mind if I ask how much you have into your kit? Wouldn't mind see a few pics either as your color combo is awesome!

 

[slick61]

Cool! Thanks for the info.



This one had a 383 stroker and an auto trans. The interior had a center stack coming down from the dash too with a CD player in it.



Mind if I ask how much you have into your kit? Wouldn't mind see a few pics either as your color combo is awesome!

That engine/trans combo pretty much explains the selling price... automatics kill re-sale value. But, that's the beauty of the kits... you can make them whatever you want. Mine isn't really a kit per se... Backdraft's are sold as rollers... everything's complete, painted, & ready to go... you just drop in the engine & trans of your choice. Suspension is all BMW (e36). Costs vary wildly, depending on manufacturer & options... you CAN build a Factory Five for under $30k using a donor mustang for most of the parts, but I also know guys who have WELL over $50k into their Factory Fives (no donor parts)... paint & bodywork alone can run $5k to well over $10k. Most guys do it for the love of the build. I knew I didn't have the patience to build one, so I just wrote a check for a completed car, & started having fun. Would easily cost me $60k to duplicate my car... I have significantly less into it... Most Backdrafts fetch mid 30s to mid 50s, depending on options & powertrain. Mine's a bit rowdy for driving around town... the cam does NOT like slogging through traffic... nor do I, as the clutch is QUITE stiff... but it's a hoot.

 

[RaskyR1]

Awesome Thanks!



Yeah, not sure why you'd want an auto in a car like this, but if it's going to get driven a lot guess it makes sense....sitting in that thing I can imagine a manual requiring a lot more effort to drive as there is not a lot of room in their.





My father does classic car restoration, so paint and body would be no problem for me on a kit, but I do also like the idea of buying on complete, built by people who know exactly what they are doing.





Cheers,

Rasky

 

[slick61]

ease-of-driving all depends on setup... I know they make slave cylinders that can give a buttery-soft clutch pedal. The driving position is quite awkward in most replicas... you sit somewhat sideways because the engine & trans are set so far back to give you better weight distribution. Again, it varies depending on the particular manufacturer. People put automatics in for a number of reasons... usually to make it easier to drive because of back/leg problems, tho it does sap some of the fun from the driving experience. It pays dividends when you're stuck in traffic tho. I know that for me, I zeroed in pretty quickly on what I wanted after looking at, and riding in, a few different replicas. (most owners will not let you test drive- which I completely understand & support) The first time I actually drove mine was 3 days after I bought it. I knew I wanted IRS for the ride quality & handling, tho I had looked at several solid axle cars which rode & handled very well. Each has their high & low points. Quality also varies quite a bit, tho the "rollers" are typically a bit more consistent since they're factory-built except for the powertrain. It's usually pretty clear whether the builder knew what he was doing or not... but be forewarned... no two are alike... each car has to be judged on its own merits/demerits. Then you have to play cost against equipment/setup/condition/build quality. You may find exactly what you want, but hate the color. You may love the color, but hate the engine, trans, or chassis setup. Financially, there's usually no advantage to building your own. It'll cost you more to do so, but you'll get exactly what you want. Otherwise, be prepared to make a few compromises. Originally, I was not crazy about the color of mine... but the engine/trans combo were irresistible to me... WAY more power than I wanted, but you get used to it pretty quickly. Just don't get TOO comfortable in the car... the day THAT happens is when you can get into trouble. (the color has grown on me over time, LOL) These cars can get out of control in the blink of an eye, and demand a healthy dose of respect for what the car can and cannot do- it goes a long way to keeping you out of a YouTube video showing someone wadding-up their pride & joy.