33. Interior

So I decided to go with AK for the interior as i have seen their work and its good - so at least I can see what I get.

I chose black and I want a very minimal colour scheme - black and red with bits of Chrome but as minimal a possible as I'm not a huge chrome fan (wrong car to build then hey!!!).

So order was placed in Jan as soon as they were open....as I write this it is mid way through April and looks like its going to be may  - so 5 months!  so be aware....I think the trimmer has been ill so hasn't helped but till plan in advance - mine should just be ok but isn't far off holding me up!.

I went for perforated leather and apparently this looked better - but it does mean that you need to buy the deluxe interior as this comes with two hides so they get one solid and one perforated....more dosh!  as usual!!!

So as the interior was taking ages to arrive and asked for the carpet to be sent in advance - a tip from another blog....

Carpeting isnt that bad but is tricky around the many corners and edges - the glue is rather sticky also so you have to be pretty accurate when you make contact - I found the bulkhead really really hard to do on my own but managed - there is a slight crease in the rear of the bulkhead but as I have the leather bulkhead cover this isn't an issue.

Looks way way better with some carpet on!!1

So after nearly 6 months - yes 6!  so order early....the interior is here....didnt take me long to fit as I got AK to send the carpet early so I fitted that before the rest of it arrived.

Looks great - very happy with it......now on to the last bits and bobs to get it all ready!!!

After putting it all back together I thought I would start it and see how it felt to be in a seat for a change.....but it wouldn't start!  what the hell......

So after a small amount of cursing I was thinking what it could be - everything powered and the pump primed but when starting all I got was the starter solenoid chattering and everything switched off and reset - thus low voltage.

Battery wasn't changed long ago so tried boosting it from my car but still not luck so that can't be it...

All I had done is remove the dash and replace it and also loosen the earth at the back when tidying the battery cabled up.  All the dash etc all seemed to work so couldn't see it being that as some other function would also have not worked so the earth?  Looks ok - but i loosened it off and realised that the carpet was stuck between the earth and the chassis -thus very poor ground and obviously couldn't supply the current required for starting - so its back running again!  thanks go for that.

32. Wheels

So I looked to see who people use...AK recommend Image wheels but people also use Vinage Wheels in the USA.

I contacted both....Bob at Vintage are back with a long description and prices offsets (he knew all of them) etc, very comprehensive.

I then spoke to Image wheels...and what a strange convorsation this was - i asked about offsets and before I knew it I was pretty much accused of stealing Ak designs....I did state that AK had just told me to call him but he said he couldn't give out off set information.  I then said i didn't care about the offsets as long as they fit!  he thanks said ok and seemed to calm down and said "look at the website and choose then Ill give you a price"....didnt really seem bothered and after a few more toys to engage it wasn't happening so I ended the call saying ill look at the website.....they aren't getting my money.

So back to Bob it was  - very very helpful and the wheels are the ones I preferred as they are Shelby branded etc and look the business.  After parting with a few pennies I have placed an order - i will await to see when they arrive - about 3 weeks apparently.

I chose 17" 407's Chrome with black centres....should look great with my red black and chrome colour scheme.

So for now I have not fitted the spinners as they are not IVA approved so they will stay off.  I must say after visiting AK to pick up my interior these are much much nicer (in my opinion) than the Image ones that they use so for me the correct decision!


Got some matching conti sport contacts on them 255/50/17 and 225/45/17 front - even saved a few hundred quid as I know someone who works for conti!..

31. Engine Start!

So after all this time it was finally here - I was in a position to start the car.  I had not done what most people seemed to do and started it as a rolling chassis I just left it right until the end.

As my dash was still at AK (3 months and counting) to be trimmed I made a quick ply one to hold the gauges and mount my wiring that was already made - so I had to make the dash layout the same-ish so it would fit!

I then made all the water connections to the heater and the brake booster - I used the small out let next to the big 10mm port - I then blocked off the big port - seems to work fine(comment from the future here!) , the big port was just too big to connect to.

...and here it is in all its Glory.....so time to crank...

Connected up the laptop, after buying a USB to serial adaptor who has a serial port now a days!

Up it all came and ..........

NOTHIGN....cranke yes.....start no.....checked everything...

Pump was priming and working, had a spark but couldn't read anything on the injector +12V  -hmmm...couldnt think what it could be .....spark seemed weak, no power to injectors but pum and ECH all ran fine?....

at about 3:30am I have a eureka moment - the pump works and so does the ECU, these are both grounded to the chassis - all the engine sensors are grounded to the engine....and don't work properly.

I haven't grounded the engine the chassis! DOH!  I did know I had to do this but as AK had put the engine wiring in while the body was off I hadn't really thought about it. So  made up a lead using battery cable and hey presto the engine coughed a little - we are getting fuel!

~No still nothing properly....

I spoke to Jon as I couldn't get any reading on the throttle , he suggested switching is around 180deg as it only wrks for a 90deg angle and could be back to front....

NOPE.....

So now our guess was the TPS sensor itself - so new one on its way from Ak...

Bugger.....

Here it is new sensor - 5 mins to fit AND!!!!

NOTHING!!! AGAIN!!!

FFS!!!!

What os going on still nothing from it.  So as its easter and AK is closed I had nowhere to go - so checked out the harness, downloaded the Omex manual and managed to find the drawing for the TPS sensor on the internet....

From my workings it was wired incorrectly!  the signal and power back to front....so after trying to de-pin the connector which proved impossible as it has round terminals so you need a special tool i cut the harness and spliced it back again with the two wires switched..

AND....

IT BLOODY WORKED - I now have TPS signal!  thanks god...

I did have a coolant temp issue also but after speaking to John previously this was sorted as I had removed the CTS from the engine to put the one in for the dials but you need both - so i replaced this and added my dial one at the opposite corner as there is a capped port - not easy with the engine in but i managed after making a speaking snanner/allen key tool!

So now to try to start..

Tried cracking and it coughed into life - briefly and then conked out...retarded the IGN slightly and ROAR it starts and blipped the throttle and away it ran....not sure why i have to retard the timing so much but will speak to Ak about that!

BUT it started - and kept running -after checking around the engine all looked good so how about driving - power steering works and the brakes etc had all been bled so good to go...

So managed to pull it out of the garage (thank got it had PS!)

Seems VERY odd seeing it outside!

So after looking more at what I had to do to keep the engine running and retarding it so much something was not right - obviously it ran so it can't be anything not connected so all i can think of is the timing of the engine and thus the map in the ECU???  seems odd as AK must have downloaded this.

So called Jon and he said he had never hear of an OMEX harness being wrong and never had the engine not run first time....but said he would send me his map and I could try that, as he couldn't lay his hands on it straight away I had to wait and the family wanted to go to the Sea life centre so even more waiting argh!!!

So back from the day out the map was waiting in my inbox....downloaded it to the ECU and.


It fecking ran! first time....idled nicely and that was that - its finally all working and running as it should be....

I reversed out of the garage and sat there satisfied running - put the hand brake on and promptly rolled backwards!  with it FULL on - still rolled backwards....that will be the next job then to try for the 17th time!  BUT IR RUNS AHAHAHAHAHAH!!!

Well until that was that i realised there was an open port on the throttle - this clearly isn't right and thus needs to be capped off (checked with Ak and this is the case).

So after capping it off - it doesn't run properly any longer....wtf!

So after speaking with another cobra builder (Hello Andy) and getting a contact in Omex i got the following instructions to set the throttle...

Basically involves changing a few settings on the Map4000 programme and then monitoring the lambda feedback whilst altering the mechanical throttle cable - now all good and it runs properly again!

-          Ensure the engine is at normal operating temperature

-          Go to tab 3: Sensor Setup. Set TPS AutoZero Gain and TPS AutoZero Offset to 0

-          Now set TPS min to 30 higher than TPS raw (at closed throttle)

-          Go to Tab 8: Air Bypass

-          Adjust the main idle screw on the linkage whilst looking at the scopes, you are aiming for the following –

a.       Idle Speed Error to be at 0rpm 

b.      Spark Feedback to be at 0˚

c.       Valve Feedback to be hovering at 0%

d.      Both Fuel Feedbacks to be hovering at -5%

-          Once you have set the throttle go back to tab 3: Sensor Setup and set TPS min to the current TPS raw value, if the parameter Throttle reads anything other than 0.00% (for example 0.13%) add one to TPS min.

-          Cycle the power off and on to the ECU and recheck the scopes are showing as expected and Throttle always returns back to 0.00%.

Then....

Another issue - bloody hell - will this car ever run???

The car keeps failing to crank - basically it will crank and then seemingly get stuck in a position and you just get a mechanical clunk.

i spoke to AK and to Roadcraft and they both said i will need to add a few shims to alter the starter a little further away from the flywheel so it doesn't engage so tightly.  After receiving the shims and trying 1 right up to 4 it made no difference and after looking at the starter engaging it clearly is not meshing too tightly so must be something else.

Removed the starter and tested it on it own - no issue so part seems ok.

I fed a battery feed onto the starter solenoid and it cranks every time, so its the wiring??? This is from AK so seems odd to have some sort of high resistance/bad ground etc...  After mulling this over i realised that the immo was in this circuit and thus tried it without the immo - hey presto the car starts every time!!!!  So need to find a new home for the immo circuit. Ahh well no worries there but at least it starts every time now!!!

At last!  seems like this has taken a lot to get the blinking thing running.!!!!

30. Build up after paint.

So its all painted and now to build back up - I'm struggling for time as usual but a few early (4am) starts and I got on with it.

The paint is REALLY easy to scratch - i.e. ever wiping off some dust can scratch it as its still very soft...so within 2 days I had a number a scuffs and chips - nightmare - but thats how it goes.

The stuff all goes back on quite easily and much faster than the first time obviously.....

Lights, wipers (what a bugger the wiper motor is to fit - and it went the wrong way again so I had to strip it and alter the park location again like i did the first time - I don't get this as it was working correctly so I am obviously altering where it park via some way that I am not realising - anyhow an hour or so and it was all sorted again.  Trying to make sure the wiring is tidy takes a while and making everything neat....as I'm sure IVA will look for it but also It would nag me if I knew it wasn't right...

Side vents also needed fitting as these had never been on yet - so here they are,....relatively simple but tricky on one side as they brake servo etc is difficult to get around.

When you only have one pair on hands and need two - you find a way!!!

I also fitted the roll hoop escutcheon plates  - I knew I wasn't happy with the fixings but i carried on fitting them.....the result:

The fixing heads stick proud of the surface and they are hard to counter sink correctly..

So.....off with them all again and start again.

Better!!.........

Then for a scary bit - adding the badge.  I drilled the holes in the body and prayed that they were going to be central and OK!!!!

Luckily t looks fine - just added some silicon underneath to ensure it stays there.