Want to hear more from 428 Frua Owners! [?]

[Emmanueld]

Owners and past owners of 428 Fruas, please come on over and tell us your experience with the car, good or bad!  [?]
   Emmanuel

[Rheinubung]

Originally posted by Emmanueld
   
Owners and past owners of 428 Fruas, please come on over and tell us your experience with the car, good or bad!  [?]
   Emmanuel
   
   Hello Emmanuel
   
   I own CF 21. I love the car but it has ideosyncracies. I've replaced the sills and had a new rear bumper installed because of excessively mediocre steel used by Frua. The engine compartment is blazing hot on warm days, so the foot boxes become painful. I shall insulate them. Aerodynamics are obsolete, so speeds above 140 mph (indicated) in a crosswind make for a more interesting ride; the front end gets light, thus a subtle front airdam may be appropriate.
   
   I have removed the original totally stock 428 and replaced it with a side-oiler 427 + tube headers which must be at least 150 lbs lighter than the 428 (427 has aluminum heads and intake). I am replacing the brass 4-row radiator with an aluminum 3-row design to save another 40 lbs. and increase cooling (with new elec. fans). Cooling is also helped by Cobra remote oil cooler and finned aluminum 7-qt sump pan.
   
   Future plans are to replace 2.88 Hardy-Spicer differential with 3.56
   and torsen limited slip. Andy Sheppard will see me coming...
   
   Sincerely,
   Mike Reed

[Emmanueld]

Mike,
   
   You have done exactly what I am in the process of doing; By the way, I have installed a Torsen differential on my Kirkham 427 with a 3.31 rear, a TKO 600 with a .82 5th gear. The car had a 3.54 previously installed with a Tremec 3550 “Rock Crawler” box. It was way too short! I LOVE the Quaife Diff! The car has so much more traction and it is so smooth!!!!!!!. Handling is much more linear than before with much less over steer.
   I am planning to do the same to the Frua! I am still debating in my head if I am going to install that Toploader that I just purchased or if I am going to install a TKO 600 with a .82 5th like my other car. both ar bolt on. With the TKO the 3.31 rear end is probably best, with the Toploader, the AC manual says 3.08 rear was standard. You know by the way, a manual box generates a lot less heat that an auto box. The Toploader is also half the weight of the C6 and a lot skinnier, maybe it will help the hot air escape.
   
   Emmanuel []

[Englishman]

Good luck with your engine modifications but how about my spherical bearings, surely some one out there has had to change these out in the past.
   As the 428 is basically a Cobra does the Cobra use the same Trailing Link set up and if so where do you source the darn bearings.
   I am putting an airconditioner in my Fastback and will be insulting the floors.
   
   Englishman

[Emmanueld]

quote:Originally posted by Englishman
   
Good luck with your engine modifications but how about my spherical bearings, surely some one out there has had to change these out in the past.
   As the 428 is basically a Cobra does the Cobra use the same Trailing Link set up and if so where do you source the darn bearings.
   I am putting an airconditioner in my Fastback and will be insulting the floors.
   
   Englishman
   

   
   No, I have not changed them as yet, but if you Email me the specs and a photo I am pretty sure I can find them over here! Sorry, I made a mistake the MK III has a heim joint. Looking at my car's rear, it looks different.
   
   Emmanuel

[nikbj68]

quote:Originally posted by Englishman
   ..I will be insulting the floors.
   Englishman
   

   Yeah, you tell those floors. I hate them too! [)]

[cobham cobra]

As there is a lot of talk about heat being a problem in the 428 I thought a link to these two websites may be of interest. My car before the current MKIV was a TVR with a much modified 5 litre engine. The car/engine was hot before the mods and the changes made it even worse. My engine builder recommended ceramic coating applied to both the inside and outside of the exhaust manifolds (headers) and the downpipes, this made a significant difference to the under bonnet temperatures and efficiency of the engine. The coatings have now also also been applied to the manifolds of my MKIV. Camcoat is the company in the UK and I think their website gives a better explanation of the technology than the Techline site which is the US company.
   John.
   http://www.camcoat.u-net.com/
   http://www.techlinecoatings.com/articles/Coating_Exhaust_Manifolds_Article.htm

[terry3000me]

John, This ceramic coating looks very interesting, ME's and especially ME Turbos get very hot and driving in slow moving city traffic is something you avoid. I've had a look at the web site you mentioned, which coating have you chosen?
   Terry

[Max Allan]

I'm very impressed with the ceramic coated stainless steel headers/exhaust manifolds supplied by Ford Racing. They look like chrome, but have neither discoloured nor rusted and definately radiate less heat - well worth the extra cost.

[cobham cobra]

Hi Terry,
   I have spoken with Peter Carter of Camcoat this morning and suggested he contribute his view to this topic. I have met Peter a couple of times at the Stoneliegh historic car show, this year called Race Retro ( www.historicmotorsportshow.com ), Peter is very approachable and I suggest you call him and talk through what they can do for you Tel: 01925 445688. The company has a new website at www.camcoat.com  or go straight to the right page at
    http://www.camcoat.com/1.Thermal%20Barriers/Thermal_barriers.html
   I had three coating applied to my manifolds, one inside and two external. On my TVR I had the black satin finish and on the MKIV I had the Cermakrome external finish. The finish is like a dull chrome or aluminium. It's been on for two years now and has not cracked, flaked, chipped or stained.
   Cheers - John.
   
   NB: If you think this sounds like an advert, I have no connection with the company other than as a happy client.

[camcoat]

After his appreciated entry re ceramic coating exhausts and a phone call from Cobham Cobra I have taken up John's kind offer to contribute to your thread. The ceramic coating treatment we carry out at Camcoat is to first of all sandblast all surfaces back to bare metal using controlled processes. We then apply a smooth, hard ceramic called TLHB to the insides of manifolds, pipes and repackable silencers (obviously not to catalytic converters). On the outside we apply a base ceramic(HHBK) followed by either Black Satin (for competition cars and maximum thermal insulation)or Cermakrome (a highly polished finish which has excellent anti-corrosion properties). It has taken several years to develop these coating processes which provide excellent insulation,stay looking good and do not damage the components. We have a new website www.camcoat.com on which you can see details of the whole range of coatings and still link to the earlier site. Please feel free to post any questions or contact me (Peter Carter) directly.

[Gus Meyjes]

Did anyone check out Jet hot ceramic coating? and regarding parts to fit a regular 427 how about cobra restorers?
   
   Gus

[Emmanueld]

Yes Gus, My headers are Jet Hot Coated inside and out! Emmanuel

[Edd]

I have cf80 a few years and following a cracked manifold are now rebuilding and have all the parts apart from the bonnet badge which I will need to copy and have made up.  A photo with dimensions is all I seek or a spare but I suspect this does not exist.  The car is great with the removal of a huge amount of weight having converted to unleaded with a new aluminium head and manual gearbox which should help the spring issue.

[Emmanueld]

You want a photo of the small vertical badge in front or the one above it?
   
   Emmanuel