Messages

1

Build Pictures / Re: HM2017 Build

« on: February 17, 2025, 08:19:05 PM »

Jeff,
What track dimension did you set your suspension to? Try screwing the rod ends out to increase the effective length of the control arm. Also check your axle nut ends, where they go into the hub. Make sure there isn't an extra spacer in there.

There was an issue years ago, with the axles being made too short and they were pulling apart on Factory Five installs. DriveShaft Shop lengthened all of them and then got into issues on other suspensions that used the same axle (Hurricane did). There is a fix to this by re-assembling the axles to shorten them effectively. Take a read of this thread on the issue

https://forum.hurricane-motorsports.com/forum/index.php?topic=2301.msg22524#msg22524

Paul

2

Important Information / News, and better news regarding Hurricane

« on: November 26, 2024, 09:55:24 PM »

In October, I was put in touch with a gentleman named Shane Williams. I learned he was negotiating to purchase Hurricane Motorsports from the guys in Indiana.  The short version: The deal is done, and Hurricane has a new owner and will be located in the Greater Phoenix, AZ area. The purchase has been consummated and the tooling, materials and intellectual property is being transferred to him. He is hopeful that this will all be completed by late-December.

Shane is not new to this business. He and his son operate several companies dedicated to the hot rod and motorcycle industry.

• All American Billet
• All American Chassis
• Accutronix
• Headwinds
• Ilium Works
• Wam Bumpers

He has the organization, facilities, personnel, and equipment to produce the product. I believe we are truly in good hands; his facilities and equipment exceed those used by Hurricane-Iowa. Nate (Hurricane-Indiana) has worked thru some of the fixturing and documentation issues. This is all being passed to Shane, giving him a head start to bring the product back into availability. He is currently trying to obtain display space at the upcoming Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale event. He admits he knew little about the cobra prior to this, but I can attest, he has quickly caught the bug of a lot of horsepower in an iconic vehicle.

Many were distraught when the brand moved to Lafayette, IN and learned they did not plan to continue the kits, just Rollers and Complete Vehicles. Shane does not agree with this approach and is committed to make the product available in all three forms, Kit, Roller or Turn-Key. In his initial research into the tooling and design, he believes his equipment and processes will allow them to do this at the same current pricing level.

He has registered the new company as “Hurricane Motorsports, LLC” and plans to continue the brand as we have come to know and love it. His enthusiasm is contagious, and I truly think the brand is in an excellent position. The forum and the website addresses will remain the same. Look for more information in the near future

Paul

3

Build Pictures / Re: HM-2037 Build Thread

« on: July 21, 2024, 08:47:53 PM »

Ben
Positioning the cockpit tub and the trunk tub has a HUGE bearing on where the body sits. And the pieces that Hurricane supplied are not correct. They've been wrong since the Lees Summit days. You would have had to do major surgery on the pieces to make them right and you probably were totally unaware of this.

Hope the new owners are able to redo these parts to make them correct. For you to correct it now, you would have to totally remove all the pieces and start over. Easier to 'make it work'

Paul

4

Build Pictures / Re: HM-2037 Build Thread

« on: July 19, 2024, 07:19:44 PM »

Ben,
I used fiberglass to replicate the tube of the original style door frame above the strike and aluminum molding below the strike. The strike is mounted on a formed channel, again, like the original was. The way Hurricane did it was just unacceptable.

For the door sill, I used MD Products A813 molding

Paul

5

Build Pictures / Re: HM2017 Build

« on: June 21, 2024, 07:36:37 PM »

The half shafts came from The Driveshaft Shop.

Many guys buy aftermarket T-Bird half shafts, disassemble them and then re-assemble using the shorter inner shaft. But you have to know how to rebuild half shafts to be successful. There are some tricks to taking them apart.

Paul

6

Build Pictures / Re: HM2017 Build

« on: December 04, 2023, 08:26:03 PM »

Jeff,
What did you use for insulation? i had tried stickyback aluminum foil on my first build and it didn't hold up. Looking for a good solution

Paul

7

Important Information / Re: Hurricane Update

« on: November 29, 2023, 08:38:46 PM »

The new owners bought all the assets, intellectual property, fixtures and molds, inventory, everything.

The issue began when they got the pieces back to their shop and learned some of the main fixtures weren't usable. Jason had talked about the main fixture problems for the past 5 years - and he worked around it by hand-building certain parts. But those issues weren't communicated to the new owners. SURPRISE!

It's like getting married only to learn she squeezes the toothpaste tube in the middle. It can be fixed but will take some work and time.

Not a big issue but adds considerable time and expense to getting fully operational.

8

General Questions / Re: Noisy swedge tubes...(trailing arms)

« on: October 18, 2023, 06:59:54 PM »

Pete,
Grease is not your friend with Heim joints. The grease will retain dirt/sand which will accelerate the failure of the heim joint.

They make a special lube for the joints that is like a WD40 but has teflon in it. It lubricates but keeps the joint 'dry'

9

Important Information / Hurricane Update

« on: October 11, 2023, 10:25:22 AM »

Hurricane progress – you may have seen the recent post by Hurricane of their first frame on Facebook. You can see the post here

Have to hand it to these guys. Everyone knows there are some issues with the fixture for the frame that cause some build issues. They built a frame on a fixture table to verify the drawings and make the necessary corrections rather than continue on with the same old problems. Not the easiest path but they have addressed the problems. I am inspired by the way they are attacking this ‘move’.

They are also completing a car as a roller for one of the previous customers. What better way to learn of the issues and satisfy a customer at the same time?
 
I had an opportunity to visit them and the new facility last month and was duly impressed. I think our brand is in good hands – let me correct that – Better hands. Look forward to the future.

Paul

ps: don't be alarmed, the front tube cross-braces haven't been installed yet and the cross-tube in front of the X frame is sole for handling rigidity until the frame is finished. This particular frame was built for a small block

10

Build Pictures / Re: HM-2037 Build Thread

« on: September 09, 2023, 08:42:06 PM »

sat for an extended period of time with some ethanol fuel in the bowls

11

Build Pictures / Re: HM2017 Build

« on: September 05, 2023, 09:41:30 PM »

Jeff,
Pictures are hard to come by that actually show what's going on. The bung needs to be in the lower quadrant of the collector and ponting up. Sounds complicated but it can be done

The attached picture shows the passenger side, comng out of the collector and how the wire side almost touches the bottom of the dropbox area. The second shows a similar view except from the top

12

Build Pictures / Re: HM2017 Build

« on: September 04, 2023, 07:24:28 PM »

Jeff,
You might want to revisit your O2 sensor installation. They recommend they be installed between 10 and 90 degrees, yours looks to be about -20 which will make it prone to early failure due to moisture accumulation. Most all manufacturers are now using the Bosch 4.9 sensor which is prone to this issue.

When the engine first starts and before it is up to temperature, it makes a fair amount of moisture/condensate. This will accumulate on an O2 sensor and cause it to crack. This is a good article on the failure:

https://www.nzefi.com/bosch-lsu-wide-band-airfuel-ratio-lambda-sensors-fail-often-aftermarket-performance-applications/

Looks like it is on the passenger side. You can put a bung tangent to the collector and angled up a few degrees which would make it a lot better. I was able to get mine to where the wire output points to the bottom of the footbox.

This is a sketch of how mine was installed - it's still in the exhaust stream yet angles up under the body. Mine system uses two sensors, the drivers side is a little more difficult because of the extra drop in the footbox:

Paul

13

Build Pictures / Re: HM2017 Build

« on: August 03, 2023, 07:04:42 PM »

Word to the wise, make the crossbar two pieces with a nut welded onto one of them, putting the bolt up thru the flat bar that forms the cowl support so you can put the bolt in from the bottom, capture one of the tube bars then into the bar with the nut welded on the upper edge. (Clear as mud?)

There are times you need to remove the crosstubes and with them bolted in as a whole piece, you can't get them out.

Please don't ask how I know this

I ran some wiring thru one of the tubes and put the speedometer cable thru the other. Depending on the size of the tubing you used, you may have to separate the head of the speedo cable to get it thru the tube.

Paul

14

Build Pictures / Re: HM-2040 Build

« on: July 26, 2023, 07:54:09 PM »

Kamal
Be careful with the new steering rack. Part of the suspension geometry is the pivot point of the tie rod that comes from the end of the rack. If that point in relation to the other pivot point changes, you're going to introduce bumpsteer along with the potential for other issues.

If the centerline of the rack in relation to the mounting holes and the pivot to pivot point of the tie rods where they hook to the rack is exactly the same, you're in tall cotton. If it is different, you will have to re-engineer the front suspension.

Regarding the Turn to Turn amount, the only time it comes into play is when you're parking the car. I have tracked a number of cobra's and you don't need that much steering authority. 1/4 turn of the wheel makes a HUGE difference in the steering angles needed to correct any 'looseness'

Paul

15

Build Pictures / Re: HM-2037 Build Thread

« on: July 19, 2023, 09:48:14 PM »

Ben
Ours are .125 head height - what height are the ones you used?

If you used #10 screws, the height heights vary between .125" and .218" - .093" difference. If you used 1/4" screws, the height varies between .156" and .328"

I'd say put a micrometer on the head height to determine the next step.

Another issue is the placing of the screws in relation to the hinge, regardless of the size. The need to be placed in positions that will allow the hinge to clear the head when it rotates. If you've already drilled the base, you may have committed yourself to using countersunk screws. It will take a little deeper analysis to find the correct solution.

This is a picture of them on my car, with the same cap supplied by Hurricane.

Paul