HM 1081 NorJak Hurricane

[Paul Proefrock]

Fuzzy,
The flat area on the rear of the Hurricane body is the correct shape for the street cars. I've attached three different photos of street cars, CSX3235 (momma), CSX3254 and CSX3301

All of them have the flat area around the lights and no fairing between them. The Hurricane build is actually incorrect in it's usage of the single light. Those were used on the lower number bodies and not on the street cars, which the Hurricane mold was pulled from.

If you want to be "more correct" the lights should be a little closer to each other. I have access to two street cars if you need a different view.

Hope this helps

Paul

[Fuzzy]

Thank you Paul, that answered my question in more ways than one.  I'm not really sure I need to be period correct as no one has seen a Cobra up close over here other than one or two and those would think the rectangular lights were probably correct anyway.  when I looked on Club Cobra, I found about 20 different cars with round lights and almost all of them were different either in the spacing or the rounding between the lights.  I really don't care personally for the flat surface as it looks like someone forgot to finish the area as all the rest of the body is so wonderfully rounded.  I would imagine the flat surface was a result of the body being aluminum and no one wanting to spend the extra time to work that small area.  I had to add material inside to be able to get the right width, adding outside and trying to keep the correct curves would have been beyond my ability.  I appreciate your taking the time to source these for me, I'm going to mull over this for a bit before I do anything.  I might just do a small amount of rounding in and not go whole hog on it, just to add a visual curve in for the eye to follow to avoid it looking like some one forgot to deal with it.....I could put '57 Chevy lights on it over here and no one would know any difference. 
thanks again,
ken

[Fuzzy]

Mine also came with four red tail lights, no red reflector for the bottom so mine for sure won't be 100% correct.  A lot of UK and Aust cobras all run with a yellow  top light on the rear, probably for compliance for legal issues.  No one cares over here, particularly as I am using a Toyota Crown registration here  .   I have just turn signals on top,  with running lights and brake lights on the bottom.  Both tail lights can be wired for dual function.  May still wire running lights into the top one also just for safety..  Easy enough to do with the Haywire Kit.
thanks,
ken

[Fuzzy]

I have my Rinsey Mills books back from loan so got a chance to look at what was original as far as the UK side. He has photos of COB 6101, COX 6127, CSX 3288 and a couple of un numbered cars with twin rear lights and they sometimes look different in the spacing.  I would think mine are about 1/8" to far apart from what I have seen and I don't think it makes any difference to me.  I have seen a couple on Club Cobra even wider spaced. It was mentioned that these were on "a few" of the AC 289"s, no mention of the US market ones.    The AutoKraft models had twin lights with the top one being  yellow / orange.    Ah well.....while I was skimming through the books, I was looking a quick jacks and it would seem there was no real right way to mount them though these cars:  CSX2431, CSX 2494, 2301, 2345 and 2260 2137, 2128, generally had them mounted the same way, the open side closest to the body, I have sure seen a heap of  them with open side pointing out, but in the books, you see a few like that too.  I guess it would be tough to be a purist with a replica, would need to have the real thing and have photos of it back in the day to restore it correctly.
ken

[Paul Proefrock]

If I understand it correctly, the small block cars (CSX2xxx) originated the quick jack and they installed with the notch closest to the body. With advent of the big block cars (CSX3xxx), they added an oil cooler. The jacks were then turned to the outside to get clearance for the oil cooler bump

The discussion will then turn to whether the vertical part of the jack plate should be on the inside or outside of the mounting bolts. 

Paul

[Fuzzy]

A never ending discussion for sure, like a lot of things with the originals.  As they were all hand built, it was easy enough to change tack any time. As with all things racing, if it don't work the way you want it, you modify until it works for you.
I'm more worried about convincing a policeman I made it from a " Toyota Crown" like it says on the registration.  😉

[Fuzzy]

Finally got the body on for a second trail fit, will try to fit everything before  taking it off one more time then back together.  Looks like it will be painted with the body mounted, not so sure it will survive over here with being painted then fitted again.  My helpers are a bit rough and we sometimes have a bit of a language barrier so will have to take that into allowance. 
When 1081 was shipped overseas, it was all apart so no idea about how it will fit.  It was pretty rough the first time with front mounting bars for the quick jacks miss aligned when welded and took awhile to figure that out. This time it fits better and I made some little plates to help give the side mounting screws a bit better clamping power as shown in the photo.  Just a pc. of mild steel from a short piece of shelving angle iron. The mounting was already determined and cut, pretty rough but guess it lines up ok.

Last attached photo is my 14 year old taken right after she helped me put in the motor, April of 2009.  She is still optimistic that I will let her learn to drive with the Hurricane.  Ahhhh, to be young again, hope springs eternal.

[s_reynolds]

Fuzzy, I did something similar regarding the mounting holes/slots. I just thought a little bit of backing would be helpful. It might not be a bad idea to leave the body on after you get everything aligned. I found things tend to move a bit every time you put the body on. Not much, but some. I had a hood alignment issue after I put the body on after paint and had tightened every thing and then installed the hood and found it to be off set by about 1/4" so had to mod the hinges to get it to line up. Good progress though!!

Sam

[Fuzzy]

I'm a pessimist by nature and figured there would be things that go wrong after I put the body on and would have to take it off again.  I'm having a nightmare trying to line up the holes in the body with the holes for the rear bumper, did not buy quick jacks as am sure I would be stopped over here without a bumper.  I did not get spacers for the rear bolts and am having trouble finding thick wall tubing to make my own.  Once I get the body aligned and most things done for the body, am thinking to take if off, recheck the whole works, then put the body back on and do doors, trunk and hood at that time and paint while attached.  Having a street car with right hand drive and a SBC has really complicated the whole works and put some unusual stumbling blocks in my way, so far have managed to overcome most of them but sure slows down the process, that and all the dumb mistakes I have made.  It sure has been a learning experience and generally a good time.  I still think Hurricane was the best to buy for Stateside, I might have been better to buy from Australia or New Zealand having a right hand drive car and saved some headaches but that's hindsight.  At least it drives and is starting to look like a car instead of a bunch of steel with a motor.  Thanks for all the encouragement along the way.  I'm getting there.
ken

[Fuzzy]

Was having a problem with the car over heating and puking coolant. Talked to an old racer friend of mine and he told me to take out the thermostat and run without one,  plus I finally got my coolant reservoir attached. Used a stainless steel one from Speedway Motors. I also put on a generic radiator cap made by Denso. Ran the car for an hour, mostly 30 mph around the neighborhood, including stopping twice. Never got over 185 and no more leaking on the floor. Outside temp is 85 plus most days, 78 or so most nites so it needs to run cool. Not sure what made the difference but it ran great the whole time.
Now need to see what difference having the hood on will make. Don't have any cars guys or Cobras
close by so it's reading and trail and error.

[Kruse]

not having a thermostat is a good temporary fix. done it a few times to get home when the thermostat went bad. but I don't think I'd trust leaving it out permanently.

[Fuzzy]

I'm not exactly "Mr Mechanic" so I'm always open to any advice I can get. This was my reasoning. I always thought the purpose of a thermostat was to help the motor get up to operating temperature before opening to keep from low temperature problems with metal to metal or expansion when it's cold. Help me out here if my reasoning is flawed. However, here in Jakarta, the coldest it's ever been is 72 degrees Fahrenheit and that was after 4 days of non stop monsoon rain and flooding. During the day time our usual temperatures are between 85-95 and humid. Even if we go out for a cruise in the evening, it is rarely below 82 F.  In my mind I thought having a limited, crowded engine bay, often stuck in stop and go traffic and plenty of outside warm air, my poor old motor could use all the cooling it could get.  If I am off, please help me out, it would cost me a fortune to get my motor rebuilt here. Also, given the fantastic array of potholes here and constant traffic, we don't go too fast nor will the car ever see track days. Please help me out if I'm off target.

[Fuzzy]

Light weight hood prop overkill. On my old Cobra wannabe.
Light weight hold down for hood prop from the dollar store.

[Kruse]

yeah, I didn't consider those temps. it may have been sticking. the thermostat regulates the temp so I don't know if it will run too cool. one way to find out I guess.

[Fuzzy]

I had considered it being stuck so about 3 months ago I put in a new 185 degree Stant thermostat. Motor would run about 215 degrees constantly or occasionally start to creep up higher. Sure didn't want to get stuck somewhere. I'll have to constantly monitor it I guess. Wouldn't be my first trail and error to end up going sour. Can't buy a cap here for a American V8 so will pick up a 165 degree when I get back, maybe two. Thanks for your help, Lord knows I can use all I can get.
Ken