Mark IV

FYI...those are not the fuel tanks, they are the trunk floor and were fiberglass. The fuel tanks were above them. On the Cobras the fiberglass trunk floors could be off-white gel coat or painted black.

Yeah, because working butterflies were not enough you find "micro spring" and cable to go INSIDE IT to make a throttle cable! We are not worthy!!!!!

Lots of pictures of the 1/1 car here: https://www.google.com/search?q=mercer+cobra+exner&biw=1012&bih=482&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwik27LV8oDSAhXmhFQKHT5sCbsQ_AUIBigB

Yeah...Mr. Google does not seem to know her!

In a magazine long since lost in multiple moves..........

The hardtop AMT modeled is of course neither the "LeMans hardtop" nor the factory option "Berry Plastiglass" unit. It does replicate the top on a touring show car that was shown as the "Queen Cobra". I had a Rod and Custom or one of those period magazines with pictures from an ISCA show with the Cobra featuring the hardtop. I have never found any additional pictures nor what CSX number the car was but pretty sure it was a worm and sector steering chassis.

AMT did some fabulous engraving back in the 60's! While they had some issues with scale size and shapes, their detail molding was second to none!

Absolutely. The comment was not made to reflect on anyone's choice of build, but rather to inform anyone interested as most of the photos available are black and white and do not show the color details. Any information offered is meant to be informational and not critical. And here are those special editions during build. I had some involvement in the sourcing of some of the items needed to properly replicate the cars. We cleaned out all of the warbird parts suppliers out of radium tipped toggle switches! In the 60s Shelby bought electrical components and fasteners, etc. from a military surplus supply business near his operation so many of the parts they used are milspec items.

FYI, just like on a Ford 9" rear end, the Salisbury diff "pig" (the removable ring and pinion gear case) on a Cobra is painted red oxide. They were dipped in the paint and then machined.

You are not the first puppy to get sick.......

JC, You need to fab and add the throttle tower and linkage as seen in these pictures. It is cast aluminum and bolts to the corner of the footbox, the accelerator pedal pivots from it.

Crapola......my eyes hurt from just looking at the pictures much less actually doing such fine work! Could you make me a set of the Webers for one of my projects? I will pay up to $1.97 per carb!

Perhaps you can build this whole series of early comp cars:

Note that the car in 60's form has the lower front "pinched" in so that the turn signal lamps are canted outward!

A little more progress. Three "touch-ups" of the base coat color and I finally got clear on the body. A rough polish out with some Meguirs and it doesn't look too bad. The blue color looks lighter here than it really is, it really is a good match for my actual car. My failing eyesight (have an exam coming up shortly, new glasses will be in order) and tweezers resulted in several of the photo etched parts flying off into the great unknown forcing me to steal another one from my stash. Working on interior details, etc. Back to work so only a few spare minutes here and there.

Got little more done. Primed and blocked the body and got some color on it. I have five touch ups so far, sanded through in spots, got a "glob" on a spot, etc. Getting close to clear. I did clear the hood with one coat so far and it looks promising. Working on the interior. Made up the behind seat storage flap where the side curtains are stored and tweaked the red colors a couple of times. Still not where I want them. Fabbed up the green plexi sun visors as well. Working on the footboxes, chassis, etc. I just realized this will be the first model I have actually finished (if I do finish) in over 8 years! I have started, restarted and worked on a lot, but no completions. I have finally overcome my "painting thing" and have the airbrush working well as I have developed a proper cleaning process and also am using a tank of nitrogen to eliminate the compressor variance and noise.

Yes, Block should be black. Only a very few late 427s had "Ford blue" engines

Yes, the Sunny kit is a "427" body on a "289" chassis. And the kit is based on the AMT 289 Cobra (actually the AMT is a 260 or early 289 with the cam and sector steering and flat spoke steering wheel as opposed to the rack and pinion 289s with a dished wheel) I guess Sunny just flat out copied 90% of the AMT right up to the parts location on the sprues!

Do you mean the "Trumpeter" GT40 Mk II? I am unaware of Taymia doing a GT.

So being laid up with a new knee (thanks Mr. Arthur Ritis) I actually have some bench time to spend. Now that my GT40 is roaming the great outdoors in Montana, I have a Superformance MK II 289 ("Cobra slabside") and decided to replicate it. I have a stash of Monogram 1/43 289 Cobras from their "Ultimates" series that never progressed beyond the Cobra and a C2 Corvette. So I grabbed one of the 5 unbuilt I have in stock (can't resist every time I see one cheap on eBay) So having done a couple of these in the past, I have learned a few tricks and also wanted to improve a few details. The thick posts that mount the bumpers and overiders are gone to be replaced by two wires to replicate the bumper mounts. Other than that just some detailing, etc. I am adding the door pockets on the inside of the body and some other details such as the tubes that run from the footboxes to the front spring tower. The paint is a dark blue metallic so the Testors Ford Pearl Blue lacquer is a close match. Still working on the reds for the seats and carpets, need to fine tune those colors a little better yet. Also trying to sus out how to do the whitewalls but if I can't get them right they will be a casualty. All comments, suggestions, critiques and brickbats are welcome!

Yes, Until recently I owned P2171 but as I sell them there is usually a GT40 around.

You even got the pattern on the back of the Lucas 608 mirror! Outstanding! This was a project I long thought of doing however I sobered up and reality crept in. I know I can't make a pimple on the butt of a model like this! Keep it up and dazzle us some more.

Small point but the shift lever is installed "backwards" on your car....on the 427 the lever points forward and you actually shift more "up and down" than back and forth. The Galaxie shifter used would place the knob well behind your elbow making shifting very difficult so it was reversed on the linkage mount and points forward.