The Garage

[Nathan]

Nah I have the base model with spoiler, cd changer, and sill extensions. Gonna get some pimp accessories, but I'll wait a bit since I bought a netbook today. I use the tripometer and do the division.

Well, you can get it (I think it should work on the 5, it works on the 3)...

[PANatsFan]

Well, you can get it (I think it should work on the 5, it works on the 3)...

Will the dealer figure it out during scheduled maintenance?

[Nathan]

Will the dealer figure it out during scheduled maintenance?

I don't see why they would care.  I've had mine for 3 years now.  Just looked up the instructions:

Turn your radio on, turn the key off.
Hold FM/AM and CD button, while holding these buttons, turn the key to ACC.
Watch the display, it should say "DIS ON", as soon as you see this, turn the key to OFF, then start the car. Use the SET button to toggle through the options. Press the CLOCK button to get the clock back

[PANatsFan]

I don't see why they would care.  I've had mine for 3 years now.  Just looked up the instructions:

Turn your radio on, turn the key off.
Hold FM/AM and CD button, while holding these buttons, turn the key to ACC.
Watch the display, it should say "DIS ON", as soon as you see this, turn the key to OFF, then start the car. Use the SET button to toggle through the options. Press the CLOCK button to get the clock back

Easily changed back then. I wondered what I would use the panel for when I eventually update the stereo beyond CD-RW capacity

[Nathan]

Easily changed back then. I wondered what I would use the panel for when I eventually update the stereo beyond CD-RW capacity

Yeah, pressing "Set" toggles through the read outs, it shows in place of the clock.  Pressing the clock button brings the clock back.  I looked at pics, your little display looks exactly like mine except for color.

[blue911]

I don't trust those things at all, based on the inaccuracy of my BMW's.  It consistently reads 2 MPG higher than what I really get, based on tracking the trip mileage and actual gas consumption.  It usually is around 29.5, but I'm getting 27.5 typically.

If you drive my Porsche properly, you get around 16. Drive it the wrong way and it gets 25.

[Nathan]

If you drive my Porsche properly, you get around 16. Drive it the wrong way and it gets 25.

[The Chief]

I've never driven my car "properly" (not blue's definition), so I don't know if it's actually capable of getting the EPA highway or not.

[PANatsFan]

I don't have the tape deck , but the MP3 cd would be nice. I need to get a bluetooth ipod plug to share the aux in and work as a handsfree. Even the best of them don't pause the ipod though

[PANatsFan]

I don't see why they would care.  I've had mine for 3 years now.  Just looked up the instructions:

Turn your radio on, turn the key off.
Hold FM/AM and CD button, while holding these buttons, turn the key to ACC.
Watch the display, it should say "DIS ON", as soon as you see this, turn the key to OFF, then start the car. Use the SET button to toggle through the options. Press the CLOCK button to get the clock back

This does nothing, and there's no set or clock buttons I doubt the chip is there./

[Nathan]

This does nothing, and there's no set or clock buttons I doubt the chip is there./

Hmm, I thought the post I read said it worked on the 5 as well, but now that I search, it seems that most people say the same button combo does not work on the 5.

[PANatsFan]

If you hold in the tripometer, you get a weirdass diagnostic mode that among other things test the dashboard indicator lights. I also erased my tripometer which I was using to calculate my own MPG

[PANatsFan]

Can someone explain why Ford would sell off Mazda when it seems all the great new cars like the Escape and the new Focus are based on Mazdas? Did they wring all the knowledge out and then sell them off?

[tomterp]

Can someone explain why Ford would sell off Mazda when it seems all the great new cars like the Escape and the new Focus are based on Mazdas? Did they wring all the knowledge out and then sell them off?

Maybe they need the cash to restructure Ford operations, retool for new models, whatever.

[HalfSmokes]

Can someone explain why Ford would sell off Mazda when it seems all the great new cars like the Escape and the new Focus are based on Mazdas? Did they wring all the knowledge out and then sell them off?

How often do any of Detroit's business decisions make any sense?

[aspenbubba]

Aspenbubba is a modest guy and hasn't tooted his own horn  here but I will - he's got an incredible classic car.  Rare as all get out, terrific styling, powerful engine, the type of collectible that increases in value over time.  Looks great, sounds great, runs great, nothing not to like.  Just wow.

Tom notified me that he posted something on this thread. My weekend car is a replica 65 Shelby Cobra 427 made by Backdraft Racing in South Africa. It is not an original with those outlandish prices you see for sale at the Mecum and Russo  and Steele and the other popular auction houses on Discovery and the Speed channels . It has a mild 351 W,  slightly bored and a single Holley 4 barrel. , 5 speed Tremec tranny and great sounding side pipes. It has been dynoed at 375 HP. My Cobra club is at the Vienna Inn every Sat morning around 7:30 - 9:30 rain or shine . The best weather brings out about 15-20 cars (no originals) by virtually every manufacturer of Cobra cars. Drop on by , the guys love to talk about their cars.

[Nathan]

Can someone explain why Ford would sell off Mazda when it seems all the great new cars like the Escape and the new Focus are based on Mazdas? Did they wring all the knowledge out and then sell them off?

They needed the cash and didn't take the government loan.  I don't think they ever wholly owned Mazda anyway, I think it was a controlling stake like 34% or something.  I'm pretty sure they didn't sell off all their stake either, I think they still own something like 12% if I remember correctly.

The partnership is also still intact for the sharing of platforms and engine tech too.  Your 5 and my 3 have the C1 platform co-developed by Ford, Mazda, and Volvo (also used in the Euro Ford Focus and Kuga, and Volvo S40, V50, C70, and C30).  The 2.3 engine is a Mazda design that is also used on Fords re-branded as Duratec.

The Ford-Mazda partnership has been going since 1979, just because Ford no longer owns a controlling stake doesn't mean they won't continue to work together.

[CJames0569]

Tom notified me that he posted something on this thread. My weekend car is a replica 65 Shelby Cobra 427 made by Backdraft Racing in South Africa. It is not an original with those outlandish prices you see for sale at the Mecum and Russo  and Steele and the other popular auction houses on Discovery and the Speed channels . It has a mild 351 W,  slightly bored and a single Holley 4 barrel. , 5 speed Tremec tranny and great sounding side pipes. It has been dynoed at 375 HP. My Cobra club is at the Vienna Inn every Sat morning around 7:30 - 9:30 rain or shine . The best weather brings out about 15-20 cars (no originals) by virtually every manufacturer of Cobra cars. Drop on by , the guys love to talk about their cars.

Nice ride, I'm truly jealous also if I'm not mistaken I think there are much more than 20 different companies that currently make or have made replicas of the Shelby Cobra though they are all usually very high quality and only differ slightly from one another.

Also I have to ask since you said it was from South Africa I'm assuming you paid to have it shipped over here or did they actually assemble it here in the U.S.?

[Nathan]

Tom notified me that he posted something on this thread. My weekend car is a replica 65 Shelby Cobra 427 made by Backdraft Racing in South Africa. It is not an original with those outlandish prices you see for sale at the Mecum and Russo  and Steele and the other popular auction houses on Discovery and the Speed channels . It has a mild 351 W,  slightly bored and a single Holley 4 barrel. , 5 speed Tremec tranny and great sounding side pipes. It has been dynoed at 375 HP. My Cobra club is at the Vienna Inn every Sat morning around 7:30 - 9:30 rain or shine . The best weather brings out about 15-20 cars (no originals) by virtually every manufacturer of Cobra cars. Drop on by , the guys love to talk about their cars.

:drool:  I'd love to have one, even a replica.  Great looking cars.

[aspenbubba]

Nice ride, I'm truly jealous also if I'm not mistaken I think there are much more than 20 different companies that currently make or have made replicas of the Shelby Cobra though they are all usually very high quality and only differ slightly from one another.

Also I have to ask since you said it was from South Africa I'm assuming you paid to have it shipped over here or did they actually assemble it here in the U.S.?

Well over 20 current manufacturers in the world. Some are made in Canada, the UK (where the origainal body was built by AC Cars ) Poland (aluminum body only like the original) in an old MIG factory and Australia. My car was assembled here in Conn. by Vintage Motorsports and you can go to their website. There are galleries of cars being built and mine is #334. We probanbly have 20 different manufacturers in the club with the dominant brands being Factory Five and  Superformance . You can go to the club website at capitalareaconraclub.com . There are several manufacturers sites that are extremely informative with the history of the cars like ERAreplicars.com and Kirkhammotorsports.com 

[blue911]

Tom notified me that he posted something on this thread. My weekend car is a replica 65 Shelby Cobra 427 made by Backdraft Racing in South Africa. It is not an original with those outlandish prices you see for sale at the Mecum and Russo  and Steele and the other popular auction houses on Discovery and the Speed channels . It has a mild 351 W,  slightly bored and a single Holley 4 barrel. , 5 speed Tremec tranny and great sounding side pipes. It has been dynoed at 375 HP. My Cobra club is at the Vienna Inn every Sat morning around 7:30 - 9:30 rain or shine . The best weather brings out about 15-20 cars (no originals) by virtually every manufacturer of Cobra cars. Drop on by , the guys love to talk about their cars.

For many of us, the 427 was THE car to own.

[aspenbubba]

There were only 1000 ever built from the early "260" engine (75 built) and then when Ford came out with the 289 Shelby switched over. The 427  (about 300) came with several engines and configurations. The street model eventually had the 428 Police Interceptoror / Cobra Jet and then back to the 427 NASCAR engine for the final run of cars. The S/ C (semi competition  about 50 cars) evenly divided by race prepared and a milder street version ...hence the S/C. Probably no two were ever identical with body styles  , doors ,engines , leaf springs ,street or race , interiors , roll bars ,trunks , hood scoops , paint and amenities all contributing to the differences.

[Terpfan76]

Shelby Cobra's are bad ass! They build the Backdraft Cobra here in Allegany County. http://www.allegany-motor-sport.com/backdraft.html

My Charger R/T currently is getting about 15mpg but much of that is due to city driving. My work travel is only 1.5 miles each way and considering I don't do much running around town, I only put gas in her about every 3 weeks. Now on a trip to Gettysburg, traveling up Sidling Hill and all the other mountains on I68, I got about 23mpg. Not too shabby for 340hp/390lb ft of torque.

When she's paid for, I plan to upgrade to a Charger SRT8 Super Bee, if they are still making them.

[PANatsFan]

Shelby Cobra's are bad ass! They build the Backdraft Cobra here in Allegany County. http://www.allegany-motor-sport.com/backdraft.html

My Charger R/T currently is getting about 15mpg but much of that is due to city driving. My work travel is only 1.5 miles each way and considering I don't do much running around town, I only put gas in her about every 3 weeks. Now on a trip to Gettysburg, traveling up Sidling Hill and all the other mountains on I68, I got about 23mpg. Not too shabby for 340hp/390lb ft of torque.

When she's paid for, I plan to upgrade to a Charger SRT8 Super Bee, if they are still making them.

I REALLY want to take my new car on I68 and really see what she can do. Maybe if I go to a Penn State game in the fall or something.

[tomterp]

Tom notified me that he posted something on this thread. My weekend car is a replica 65 Shelby Cobra 427 made by Backdraft Racing in South Africa. It is not an original with those outlandish prices you see for sale at the Mecum and Russo  and Steele and the other popular auction houses on Discovery and the Speed channels . It has a mild 351 W,  slightly bored and a single Holley 4 barrel. , 5 speed Tremec tranny and great sounding side pipes. It has been dynoed at 375 HP. My Cobra club is at the Vienna Inn every Sat morning around 7:30 - 9:30 rain or shine . The best weather brings out about 15-20 cars (no originals) by virtually every manufacturer of Cobra cars. Drop on by , the guys love to talk about their cars.

Aspenbubba, with his ride: