Lots of Little Things

Well now the body is temporally fitted its time to start doing lots of little jobs that all add up, such as the handbrake fitting with the cable. I made this harder for myself as when i fitted the body i didn't pay attention to where i had laid the handbrake cable and consequently jammed it between the body and the chassis (right under the floor pan) so this was a bit of a sod to free as i had to lift the body again and pull the cable out the offside rear wheel arch.

However with that done i was able to locate the handbrake bracket and secure into place, this uses one of the body tub securing bolts (back) and a new hole drilled for the front bolt through into the chassis leg. With all that done all seems to be working and doing what it should do. I'm still awaiting a delivery of springs which attach to the handbrake calipers and chassis to aid the release of the handbrake and stop it sticking.

 After a visit to a fellow Cobra builder/enthusiast (Ian Cogdon) i saw he had printed out faces of his gauges to allow some idea of layout on the dash. This idea has been quickly stolen and i am now doing the same. This is raising some concerns over on the Cobraclub forum, as some people feel so emotional to the dash layout and despise anything that vary from the build manual or the thousands of other replica cobras. One member said it will affect the resale value of my car.... but considering I'm building this for me and not for anyone else, and that if i ever do have/need to sell i sure as hell don't give a shit if someone is bothered about the dash layout. Personally i quite like this layout so far, and when i trial fitted the dash i still like it. Maby I'll change the spacing a little to allow for further switches

and warning lights. But overall I'm pleased with how it looks..... I'm not pleased with the £700 odd pounds i have to find to order the bloody gauges, but this is what is required so "needs must"

You will also notice in the picture the lack of steering column and wheel, this is because i went and got the incorrect donor parts way back before the chassis order was placed and so has left me up poo creek as trying to now find a BMW E34 column, lower column, steering wheel, ignition key without an airbag is like trying to find rocking horse poo. However i think i have got one (I'm just awaiting confirmation of the extraction and that its correct)

So progress is being made little by little, however now the body and exhausts are on space is very very tight in the garage. I find myself going to bed in the evening and dreaming of double garages with electric roller doors and inspection pits, roofs that don't leak and smooth plastered walls which you cant see daylight through. But balls to it, got to make the best of what i have, and its certainly isn't taking any of the fun away from the build.