ASSEMBLY

AND
SERVICE MANUAL
FOR THE
Era Replica Automobiles
427 ROADSTER
Chassis 758 on

Revision 11E
3/2016

Copyright 2017, Era Replica Automobiles

1
Updates/Addenda

We try to keep the manual current with the state of the kit, but there may be kit changes not already noted. If the
error is significant, please drop me a note. Thanks for your patience.

Significant updates, corrections and supplements to the manual will be sent to you if required. Lesser partial
updates and helpful hints will be posted to our web site at
www.erareplicas.com/427man/

The latest entire manual in PDF format is posted on the web.

Use the e-mail below for the location.

Thanks,
Bob Putnam -ERA-
e-mail: eracars@sbcglobal.net

Please direct your parts inquiries to:

eraparts@sbcglobal.net

The Manual
The text and layout of this manual was done with MSWord XP. Some of the illustrations were hand drawn and
scanned, and some were done in DesignCad 2D and 3D. Images were translated to GIF and JPEG format, and
linked to this file.

The Legal Stuff

Information in this manual is correct to the fullest extent of our abilities. Era Replica Automobiles assumes no
liability for any direct, indirect, incidental or consequential damage resulting from the information within..

2
 Contents BODY REMOVAL..............................55
CHASSIS PAINT................................57
HAND BRAKE LEVER COVER........122
SHIFT BOOT...................................123
SEAT BELT/SHOULDER HARNESS....123
This manual is arranged by SECTION D: SEAT MOUNTING............................124
assembly sequence, not topic. BODY/CHASSIS ASSEMBLY DOOR INSTALLATION.....................125
For information on a specific SEAT BELT/SHOULDER HARNESS....126
.......................................................58
topic - assembly or service, see BUMPERS, JACK-PADS....................126
the index. FASTENER NOTES............................59 FRESH AIR INLET DUCTS...............127
BODY MOUNTED PRE-MOUNTED ON FUEL FILLER CAP...........................127
CHASSIS OPTION..............................59 LIGHTS..........................................128
READ ME FIRST..................................4 BRAKE AND FUEL LINES..................60 REAR REFLECTOR (BOTTOM).........129
HORNS.............................................60 LICENSE PLATE LIGHT...................129
SECTION A PARTS FLOORS...........................................60 BACK-UP LIGHT (OPTIONAL).........130
NEEDED.......................................5 FOOT BOXES....................................60 MIRRORS.......................................130
BODY MOUNTING............................65 TOP SNAPS....................................131
PICKING UP YOUR KIT........................6 EMBLEMS......................................132
SPECIAL NOTES.................................7 SECTION E BODY LICENSE PLATE(S)..........................132
ENGINE..............................................8
CLUTCH...........................................10
PREPARATION.......................68 SIDE PIPES.....................................133
CONVERTIBLE TOP.........................136
BELLHOUSING.................................10 FITTING THE ROLL BAR...................69 SIDE CURTAINS..............................138
ALTERNATOR...................................10 BODY PREPARATION AND PAINT.....69 FITTING THE TONNEAU COVER......138
IGNITION NOTES..............................10 HOOD..............................................72
TRANSMISSION................................11 DETAIL UNDERCOATING..................75 SECTION H FINAL
SPEEDOMETER DRIVE GEARS...........13 WINDSHIELD WIPERS......................75
SHIFT LINKAGE................................14
OPERATIONS........................139
TRUNK LID......................................76
REAR DRIVE/SUSPENSION ASSEMBLY HOOD GASKET.................................77 CLUTCH HYDRAULICS....................140
........................................................15 FRESH AIR HOSES............................77 BRAKE HYDRAULICS.....................141
STEERING GEAR..............................15 TONNEAU SNAPS.............................77 BOLT-ON WHEEL NOTES................141
FRONT ROTORS AND CALIPERS.......16 WIRING AND ELECTRICAL...............78 PIN DRIVE WHEEL NOTES...............141
DRIVE SHAFT..................................16 WIRING AND ELECTRICAL...............78 INSTALL WIPER ARMS....................142
OIL COOLER SYSTEM......................16 REAR HARNESS................................80 SUSPENSION ADJUSTMENTS...........142
STEERING COLUMN (UPPER)...........16 INTERIOR PANELS............................81 BRAKE BALANCE ADJUSTMENT.....145
STEERING WHEEL...........................16 ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION ADD FLUIDS..................................146
SEAT BELTS.....................................16 INSTALLATION..................................81 COOLING SYSTEM..........................147
WIPER MOTOR AND COMPONENTS. .17 DRIVE SHAFT..................................82 HEADLIGHT ADJUSTMENT..............148
FRONT SHOCK ABSORBERS.............17 DOORS.............................................83 YOUR FIRST DRIVE.......................149
FRONT COIL SPRINGS:.....................17 ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND LINKAGE84 BREAKING IN BRAKE PADS............149
EXHAUST SYSTEM...........................17 EXHAUST HEAT SHIELDS..................85 DRIVING/CONTROLS......................150
WHEELS, BOLT-ON...........................18 ROLL BAR.......................................86 FUSES............................................150
WHEELS, PIN-DRIVE........................18 RADIATOR AND FANS......................87 RECOMMENDED SERVICE...............151
TIRES...............................................19 GRILLE AIR FOIL.............................89 STARTING A CARBURETOR CAR......151
RADIATOR HOSES............................19 OIL COOLER (OPTIONAL).................89 MAINTENANCE/PARTS...................152
EXPANSION TANK............................19 FUEL TANK.....................................91 INSPECTION AND REGISTRATION....156
JACK, ETC........................................19 FUEL FILLER CAP............................91 Insurance......................................157
PART NUMBERS AND SOURCES.........20
SOURCE MASTER LIST......................26 SECTION F: SUSPENSION
TOOLS NEEDED................................27 ASSEMBLY..............................93
SHIPPING COMPANIES (PARTIAL LIST)
........................................................27 FRONT SUSPENSION.........................95
LOWER STEERING COLUMN............95
SECTION B: PARTS REAR SUSPENSION, JAGUAR-BASED. 98
PREPARATION.......................29 REAR SUSPENSION, E.R.A. DESIGN 101
BRAKE AND CLUTCH PEDAL.........102
ENGINE/COMPONENTS.....................30
ALTERNATOR MOUNTING:...............31 SECTION G:
REAR SUSPENSION, JAGUAR:...........39 BODY/INTERIOR.................105
REAR SUSPENSION, E.R.A. DESIGN..42
SHIFT LEVER (FORD).......................46 WINDSHIELD WASHER...................106
DRIVE SHAFT..................................48 WINDWINGS AND SUNVISORS........106
STEERING GEAR...............................48 WINDSHIELD.................................107
STEERING COLUMN (UPPER)...........48 HEATER/DEFROSTER.....................108
WIPERS...........................................49 DASHBOARD..................................108
DAMPERS AND SPRINGS:.................52 SPEEDOMETER CABLE...................110
REAR HUBS, BOLT-ON WHEELS:.....52 BATTERY AND CABLES..................111
STEERING COLUMN AND WHEEL...112
SECTION C: CHASSIS SHIFT LEVER.................................113
PREPARATION.......................53 TUNNEL.........................................113
CARPETS........................................115
 SECTION A - PARTS NEEDED

READ ME FIRST
Congratulations on your selection of the E.R.A. 427SC! We at E.R.A. hope that assembling your kit
will be a pleasant experience. We share your goal of creating a great automobile.
Our objective, when we started on the design and production of this kit was to create a Cobra replica
better than all the rest. To keep quality consistently high, we have designed-in almost everything, making
this kit one of the easiest to build.
Even though the E.R.A. 427SC kit is extremely complete, we realized that it is your labor that puts the
final quality into the product that bears our name.
If you have problems, E.R.A. will help you as much as possible to complete your kit. After all, you are
really an extension of our production line. And please, feel free to offer suggestions that might improve
the end product or the process of construction.

Remember, the E.R.A. 427SC Cobra replica is usually a very good investment! Of course you are free
to make "improvements" to the design but be aware. Changes from the original Cobra concept may not
increase the value of your car, and may even decrease it. E.R.A. has spent many years perfecting the
details of the 427SC.

We would love to hear from you, but.... Please, if you have a problem, use the index first! We have
tried to include all the information necessary for you to complete this project in a timely fashion.
Information on the parts required starts on page 7, parts preparation on page 31, and the actual process of
assembling the kit begins on page 54.

Please insert any addenda before you start.

Some of our electrical equipment may vary, depending upon the supplier. Therefore, the wiring
instructions are included with the wiring harness, not in this manual.

This manual is organized in the assembly sequence that E.R.A. normally uses with
their turnkey cars, not by subject. You may change the sequence to your own
preference - within reason. We prefer to install all the mechanical parts after the car
is painted. That way, the mechanical bits stay clean, and it is easier for the painter to
get any “hidden” areas.
Please use the index to find a specific topic.

Have fun!
 SECTION A - PARTS NEEDED

SECTION A
PARTS NEEDED

This section describes the components necessary to complete your E.R.A. 427
SC, together with part numbers and sources. Normal wearing parts that may
need replacement after use are also listed on page 152..
Read this section thoroughly before purchasing any parts. Don't waste your
time and money on stuff you don't need or can't use.
 SECTION A - PARTS NEEDED

PICKING UP YOUR KIT

The kit can be transported from our factory in an enclosed trailer, standard automobile trailer or rampback hauler. Shipping
space for the parts in cartons will also be required, although most will fit inside the kit. We have used several shipping
commercial companies with excellent results. See page 28 for names.
DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHTS
Weight: 800 lb. bare kit + 200 lb. of boxes + 600 lb. for roller

TRAILER REQUIREMENTS
If you didn't buy a "roller" from us, the kit is usually shipped on the dolly wheels that we use for assembly if your trailer is well
sprung. The dolly wheels require a $300 refundable deposit. Many people keep the wheels until their kit is completed - it's very
convenient for the kit to be mobile (and at a comfortable height) during construction.
The track of the Cobra dolly wheels is only about 20". Your trailer may require additional boards to support the dolly wheels.
Without tires or dolly wheels, you can put tires as buffer between the chassis and the trailer. The kit will have to be lifted on and
off the trailer manually. Have 3 strong friends to unload! If you’re coming on a weekend to pick up your kit, please warn us if
you aren’t coming with extra people too. Don’t tie down the dolly wheels to secure the kit. Tie to the chassis or suspension.
In the absence of suspension pieces to tie to, wrap soft tie straps around the front crossmember and the upper mounting bolts for
the rear subframe.
TIE-DOWNS
You or your shipping agent will require ratchet tie-downs, come-alongs and/or strong straps. We recommend either 4 diagonal
connections or 2 longitudinal and 4 lateral ones for a total of 6. Don’t forget that the trailer must have anchor points to tie to.
To avoid scratching the paint on the chassis, use 2" wide loops (or double 1" wide loops) or ratchet straps, 5000 lb. minimum
rating. Make sure that your trailer has places to tie to. If you use chains or a come-along, bring padding or nylon straps for
intermediate connections to the chassis.
INCLEMENT WEATHER:
A plastic cover will quickly shred at highway speeds. A high quality cloth car cover can be used to cover up the plastic, but it must
be held down with rope all over. Looseness will allow any cover to quickly beat itself (and your paint job) to death.
 SECTION A - PARTS NEEDED

SPECIAL NOTES
The ERA 427SC chassis and body follow the dimensions of the original Cobra very closely. Therefore, your mechanical
components must conform to similar space limitations as the original car. Some configurations fit together better than others,
and some cannot be done without major surgery.
Be careful when selecting and building your components. The information on the following pages shows the recommended parts
for many possible drive-train combinations.

WHEN YOU BUY PARTS, KEEP THE RECIEPTS!

They are frequently necessary for inspection and/or registration

The following items are critical to the proper assembly of the E.R.A. 427SC. Details for selecting each component
are listed in this section. Any special component preparations are detailed in Section B.

Engine Front brake rotors and calipers

Engine accessories Front coil -over shock absorbers
Oil cooler system (optional) Exhaust system, side or under-car
Transmission - Ford 4-speed or automatic, Richmond Gear Speedometer cable
5-speed Wheels and tires
Transmission shift linkage and lever Radiator expansion tank and hoses
Drive-shaft Windshield wiper motor and drive components
Jaguar XKE or XJ Sedan rear drive/suspension unit Emblems
Hand brake lever and cable Spare tire
Rack and pinion steering gear Jack and lug wrench (or knock-off hammer)
Steering wheel, column and hub

Remember! The more exotic you get, the more likely you are to have problems.
There is a maxim in engineering practice:
Keep It Simple, Stupid!

PLEASE! READ THE ALL THE INFORMATION THAT FOLLOWS BEFORE YOU PURCHASE
PARTS THAT YOU MIGHT BE UNABLE TO USE.
ENGINE

Remember! All piston engines have a limited torque spread. If FORD FE SERIES
you decide to build a fire-breathing monster, expect to suffer
at the lower RPMs. Because the E.R.A. 427SC is light, every CID Bore Stroke BHP Torque
hiccup is felt. net net lb-ft
390 4.05" 3.78" 320up 427
Very high octane gasoline is becoming scarce, and octane 427 4.23" 3.78" 410 up 480
boosters can be a pain to deal with. If you're going to do a lot 428 4.13" 3.98 325+ 475
of street driving, use a conservative compression ratio: E.R.A.
The original Cobra used the 427 CID "Side Oiler" engine in
turnkey cars are usually built with 9.5:1 or 10:1, maximum.
the first cars intended for competition. The remaining cars
COOLING were equipped with a mix of 427s and 428 "Police
Interceptor" engines. Both engines are logical for use in an
Always use a thermostat in your system for street use. If the "authentic" car. TheE.R.A. was designed around these
engine fails to reach normal operating temperature, it may engines.
affect driveability and lubrication. In warm climates, a
165F to 180F thermostat works the best. Use a restrictor The Ford FE series is not especially heavy, with the all-iron
plate for racing conditions only. version weighing only slightly more than 600 lbs. We have
seen complete engines with aluminum heads, intake
The thermostat should be modified as shown on page 37. manifold (w/ 2 x 4bbl carbs) and water pump scale at 522
EMISSIONS lbs. Simply adding an aluminum intake will bring the
weight on a stock 428 to 585 lbs.
Requirements vary from state to state. Most states require
that your car meet the specifications of the year of your The best engine depends on your driving style and your
engine. Check with your local authorities. Side pipes with budget. If you are not experienced in the FE series engine,
catalytic converters are available but we have no experience be wary of building your own "exotic" engine. The FE
with them. series is a bit quirky and you may make some very
expensive mistakes. Before you buy anything, get a good
Ford engine building book, available from Autobooks, etc.
Ford production of major 427 and 428 parts ceased in the
1980s. Fortunately, most FE engine parts are being
reproduced. You can still find original 428 cores that were
used in many full sized Fords. Using a vintage engine may
have an advantage when registering your car. When you
buy parts, keep the receipts. See Inspection, page 157.
In general, the 428 is much cheaper and easier to find than
the 427. The later vintage 428 Cobra Jet (CJ) or 428 Super
Cobra Jet (SCJ) engine is fine for all-around street use,
offering from 325HP to 425HP with very good low RPM
response and tractability. Most 428 cores can have their
performance “updated” by the addition of new heads from
Edelbrock and Shelby at reasonable cost. With an
appropriate intake manifold and carburetor, a 428 will put
out over 400 streetable bhp.
The 427 "Side Oiler" is the legendary Cobra engine. Its Inglese Induction (now part of Total Performance,
cross-bolted main bearings, improved oiling system and Wallingford, Connecticut) has developed a 4 carburetor
shorter stroke are modifications made for racing. It is more Weber 48IDA configuration for the FE block. While this
reliable above 5500 RPMs, with somewhat better high RPM really looks impressive, it takes a lot of tuning and a
power than the 428 (and a little less torque at low RPMs.) perfectly-set-up linkage for a minimal gain of power – not to
Many of our customers have built 427CID engines of more mention being expensive.
than 550BHP. We have found that the extra money spent on FUEL PUMP
a 427CID engine will usually be returned in a higher resale
value for the finished car. We use a heavy-duty mechanical fuel pumps (Carter
M6905) on both 427 and 428 engines with no problems. If
The 427CID Center Oiler is now found mostly in boats. It you don't need the extra capacity of an electric pump, avoid
lacks the exotic oiling system of the Side Oiler while the complication and noise. (Wiring for an electric pump is
retaining its bore and stroke. Since it was never found in the built into the standard wiring harness.)
original Cobra, it lacks some internal authenticity, but it does
look correct. There are a few problems associated with OIL FILTER
converting boat engines to car use. Many boat engines Any standard block mounted oil filter equivalent to the
rotated in the reverse direction, with counter- camshafts, Motorcraft FL1 HP may be used. The same Ford part can be
incorrect crankshaft sealing, and oddball distributors, among used on the remote filter supplied with the oil cooler with
other things. Use caution. remote filter. The optional remote filter mount (usually
A hybrid 454(+)CID engine may be created by the use of a integrated with an oil cooler) uses a Transdapt 1015 block
428 crankshaft in a 427 block, using Chevrolet pistons and adapter.
other special efforts. This is not an engine for the OIL PAN
inexperienced to build, but it's great fun to drive, with good There is a limited distance between the engine and the
horsepower and flexibility. ground. Use a pan with a maximum depth of 6.5 inches.
Aluminum blocks are available from Carroll Shelby For more oil capacity, there are pans available that are wider.
Enterprises, Genesis, Pond, and Dove Engineering. Shelby, Canton and Aviaid make good designs. E.R.A. normally
Edlebrock and Dove make aluminum cylinder heads. stocks Canton pans both in a high capacity street design and
For the more adventurous, E.R.A. has modified footboxes the Road Race design. Part numbers are on page 23. Some
and steering column to fit the Ford 427 SOHC. With its Aviaid pans have two additional fittings at the right front: A
huge ports, this engine produces a lot of horsepower, but has large tube that’s intended to connect to a breather tank and a
poor low speed flexibility. Because of the width of the smaller tube that can be used for a dipstick. Plug them with
heads, there is a significant loss of foot room. Primary metal if not used.
exhaust pipes must be custom made. ALTERNATOR AND PULLEYS
Alternately, you may also build an economical variation to ERA supplies the alternator mounting bracket to shift the
the 427/428 FE using a 390 block. Externally, this engine is alternator up and in from the original location. An adjusting
identical to the 427/428, and it accepts most of the same bracket (to replace the stock one) is optional.
performance parts. You may use a single groove pulley system for the crank,
FLYWHEEL water pump and alternator. Aluminum pulleys from March
The FE flywheel should use a ring gear with 184 teeth, not Performance work well. For street use, we don’t
153. recommend underdriving either the alternator or water
pump.
INTAKE MANIFOLD:
Low and medium-riser intake manifolds (including the FORD 289/302/351
Edlebrock Performer) can be used on the E.R.A. 427SC Pre-serpentine belt engines are easily adapted to the 427SC,
without modification. although primary exhaust pipes must be specially fabricated.
The manifold may have to be tapped for the temperature The chassis mounts are the same as for the FE block. You
gage fitting. See notes on page 31. may retrofit the FE engine without modification, which
comes in handy if you update later. E.R.A. supplies a
CARBURETORS special alternator adjusting bracket and clutch slave cylinder
A single 4-barrel Holley carburetor will connect directly to bracket.
the linkage supplied with the kit. Since the carburetors are Use the alternator as listed for the FE block (page 21).
turned 180° in the dual 4-barrel carburetor installation, you Install the alternator as shown.
must either use the factory Ford linkage (which crosses the
intake manifold between the carbs) or fabricate new linkage. If you have a late engine with a serpentine belt, it may be
All 4 bbl carburetors can be run without chokes with only converted by changing the lower pulley, water pump and
slight driveability limitations. If the choke plate is removed, pump pulley. Preparation is on page 32.
the choke housing should also be removed for extra OIL PAN
clearance to the air cleaner. Street hoods (without scoop) Maximim oil pan depth with the small block is 8”. The
require this extra clearance with some intake manifolds. sump should not extend past the front mounting flange.
 OIL FILTER ALTERNATOR
If you are using an oil cooler and sandwich adapter with
block-mounted filter, you must use a Fram PH16. To keep that original look, most engines in an E.R.A. are
“Equivalent” filters may not work. The Fram’s shape is designed to use an old style Ford alternator with an external
slightly different. voltage regulator. 50-60 amps capacity is adequate. See
page 21 for part numbers.
A 90 degree adapter (Ford M-6880-A50) may allow a larger
filter but we have not had a chance to check fit. If you wish to use a later alternator with integral regulator,
you must modify the wiring harness to use a 10 ohm resistor
FORD 429/460 CID in a trigger wire from fuse 4.
E.R.A. has engine mount pedestals, special foot-boxes and a Generally, a high amperage alternator is not necessary, but if
steering column for the Wedge and Boss engines. This you use one its output may excede the ammeter’s capacity.
engine, even with the narrow heads, is considerably wider A small shunt wire can be installed to increase the
and somewhat taller than the FE. Consequently, the foot- ammeter’s capacity.
boxes are made narrower, leaving you with reduced leg
room. The primary pipes to fit this engine currently must IGNITION NOTES
be custom made, although we will try to have them for the
Ford Power Products 460 soon. The standard hood scoop More details are included in the separate wiring instructions
may have to be changed. and at http://www.erareplicas.com/427man/index.htm.
Use the lowest intake manifold available to eliminate the
need for an extra-large hood scoop. Note! If you are using the reproduction expansion tank, you
The hemi-headed Boss 429 is not recommended, due to its must use a small-diameter distributor cap. Both MSD and
large size. Unilite have appropriate setups available.

CHEVROLET MSD SYSTEMS

Engine mounts that fit both small and big block Chevrolet Neither our current Smith tachometer (Caerbont) nor the
engines are available. While this seems like low-dollar Stewart Warner require an adapter, but some other Smith
horsepower, our experience has been that resale value is tachs may. Inquire. See page 79 for special wiring routing
adversely affected. In the long term, this decision is a net notes and the wiring instructions for hookup instructions.
financial loss.
UNILITE DISTRIBUTOR
The standard Ford side-pipes will be work, but custom
primary pipes must be custom fabricated. Always use a ballast resistor (0.8ohm-1.2 ohm) with the
Unilite system. Also, disconnect and tape the wire at the "I"
The 427/454 CID engine requires a special alternator (see
terminal of the starter solenoid. Details are with the wiring
page 21) and bracket which mounts the alternator at the
instructions.
bottom right of the block..
When combined with an MSD ignition system, a special
CLUTCH resistor is required. Call Unilite for details.

No matter what engine, E.R.A. recommends using a clutch TRANSMISSION

with stock pressure for street use. Because the car is very
light, extra pressure is not necessary. Be careful to match The original 427 Cobra used the Ford Top Loader
the bolt pattern of your flywheel to the pressure plate. Ford transmission in both NASCAR (close ratio) and street (wide
has used several variations. E.R.A. has used standard ratio) configurations. It was (and is) a great transmission,
pressure Brute Power replacements with good luck. with excellent strength and good ratios. The disadvantage
with the 4-speeds is that neither offers particularly good
We have found that removing the weights from any
“turnpike cruising”. Because of the high first gears, you are
centrifugally-assisted pressure plate prevents release
forced to use a 3:31 or 3:54 differential ratio. In this modern
problems without making the clutch less efficient.
age, most of us are used to more relaxed cruising.
FE Note: Small spline throw-out forks for the Ford FE bell- Fortunately, there are now several other good 5-speed
housing are no longer available from the dealer. Custom transmissions that can be used with small block and FE Ford
forks and pivots for all Ford transmissions are available engines, all of which will fit in an ERA without chassis
from E.R.A.. changes.
Ford T5: Rated at only 300 lbft, this is only useful with a
BELLHOUSING
mild 302 engine. Overdrive 5th gear.
E.R.A. recommends a blow-shield type bell-housing such as Tremec 3550, TKO and TKO II: The 3550 is good for
the Lakewood 15210 (Ford FE). We trim the bottom flange tweaked 302s and mild 351 engines. The TKO can be used
so that is does not extend below the chassis. See page 34. with mild 427s and 428s. Gear spread is very wide, making
it a marginal performance box. The 3550 and TKO have a
deep overdrive 5th gear, the TKO II has a tighter .82:1 5th
gear.
 Tremec 500 and 600: This is a new, stouter TKO, with a As a rule of thumb, if you do much stop-and-go driving, 10
gear spread similar to the Richmond Gear 5-speed. MPH/1000 RPM is the longest 1st gear that can be driven
Overdrive 5th gear. The .82:1 5th gear ratio is recommended smoothly with a fairly mild engine. This means that a wide
for engines that don’t run well below 2000 rpm. See further ratio Top Loader will be OK with a 3.31:1 differential ratio,
notes on page 12 and 33. a close ratio Top Loader requires a 3.54:1 ratio. The
Richmond Gear 5-speed: A close gear spread with a 1:1 5th Richmond Gear 5 speed is much more flexible, allowing a
gear that requires a numerically low differential gear. looong 2.88:1 differential. The T-5 and Tremec have an
overdrive 5th and can coexist with a 3.31:1 and numerically
higher ratio.
TRANSMISSION GEARING
(WITH 26” OD TIRE)

4-SPEED TOP LOADER, WIDE RATIO TREMEC 3550/TKO/500 5-SPEED

1st 2nd 3rd 4th 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th
Ratios: 2.78:1 1.93:1 1.36:1 1:1 Ratios: 3.27:1 1.98:1 1.34:1 1:1 .68:1
Dif. Speed@ 1000RPM
Dif. Speed@ 1000RPM
3.07 9.1 13.1 18.5 25.2
3.31:1 7.1 11.8 17.4 23.4 34.4
3.31 8.4 12.1 17.2 23.4
3.54:1 6.7 11.0 16.3 21.8 32.1
3.54 7.9 11.3 16.1 21.8
TREMEC TKO II 5-SPEED
4-SPEED TOP LOADER, CLOSE RATIO
1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th
1st 2nd 3rd 4th
3.27:1 1.98:1 1.34:1 1:1 .83:1
Ratios: 2.32:1 1.69:1 1.29:1 1:1
Dif. Speed@ 1000RPM Dif. Speed @ 1000rpm
3.07 10.9 14.9 19.5 25.2 3.07:1 7.7 12.7 18.8 25.2 30.4
3.31 10.1 13.8 18.1 23.4 3.31:1 7.1 11.8 17.4 23.4 28.2
3.54 9.4 12.9 16.9 21.8 3.54:1 6.7 11.0 16.3 21.8 26.3
T-5 5-SPEED TREMEC 600
Some T-5's are geared like the Tremec 3550 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th Alt 5th
1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th Ratios 2.87 1.89 1.28 1:1 .82:1 .64:1
DIF: Speed@ 1000RPM
Ratios: 2.95:1 1.94:1 1.34:1 1:1 .63:1
Dif. Speed@ 1000RPM 3.07:1 8.8 13.3 19.7 25.2 30.7 39.4
3.31:1 7.9 12.0 17.4 23.4 37.1 3.31:1 8.1 12.4 18.3 23.4 28.5 36.5
3.54:1 7.4 11.3 16.3 21.8 34.7 3.54:1 7.6 11.6 17.1 21.8 26.6 34.1
RICHMOND GEAR 5-SPEED RATIOS
1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th
Ratios: 3.27:1 2.13:1 1.57:1 1.23:1 1:1
DIF: Speed@ 1000RPM
2.88:1 8.2 12.6 17.1 21.8 26.9
3.07:1 7.7 11.8 16.0 20.5 25.2
3.31:1 7.1 11.0 14.9 19.0 23.4
 FORD C-6 AUTOMATIC
FOUR SPEED TOP LOADER Use the C-6 appropriate to your engine. Because there isn't
Rebuilt transmissions are available. See the list of resources a transmission oil cooler built into the radiator, you must fit
an auxiliary one, either in place of the engine oil cooler or in
or ask E.R.A.
front of the radiator.
Transmissions come in several combinations of long and
Mount: Ford C9AZ-6068H, Republic 31-2375 or equivalent
short tail-shafts, with large and small splined input and
output shafts. Unless you expect to subject the drive-train to RICHMOND GEAR (DOUG NASH) 5 SPEED.
extremely severe loads (drag racing tires) it is not necessary
to use the large spline input shaft. We recommend a short This transmission is loosely based on Chevrolet gears. The
tail-shaft case, 24" from the mounting flange to the end of 5 speed has a direct (1:1) fifth speed. First and second gears
the tail-shaft housing. This will enable a longer drive shaft. are shorter than the Ford 4 speed so you may numerically
lower your differential ratio without fear of bogging down in
SPECIFICATIONS AND APPLICATIONS: first gear. See the chart of speed in gears on page 11 for
Most Ford cars from 1964 to 1973 used the Top-loader. particulars. The R.G. 6 speed is too big to fit without major
However, in 1964 and 1965 the transmission had a four-hole modifications.
mounting face and a 25-spline output shaft. This early There is also a competition version of the 5 speed, using
transmission should be avoided. Drive-shaft parts are straight cut gears and no synchromesh. Bulletproof for
unobtainable. competition use, but very noisy for street use.
From mid 1965 to 1973, Ford changed to a universal eight- Rear Mount: GM 3870184, Republic 31-2224
hole front mounting pattern. Also during this time, the Pressure plate: Standard Ford
output shaft was upgraded to a larger 28-spline output shaft
for the 200 to 390 cubic inch engines and 31-spline shaft for Clutch disc: Ram 4148 (11" x 1 1/8-26 spl)
the 427, 428, and 429 engines. Because the E.R.A. 427SC is Clutch throw-out bearing, arm:
very light, stress on the transmission is low. We have found  Same as small spline top-loader
that the small input and output shafts are fine for street use. Speedometer drive parts (see page 13 for gear #):
Input shafts were also upgraded to 1 1/16" diameter for use  Cable Champ 400020
with 200 to 390 cubic inch engines and 1 3/8" diameter for  Gear Holder (Bullet) GM 345215
HD 427, 428, and 429 engines. The larger spline size was  Retainer 3708148
only available with close ratio gears.  O Ring GM 10054241
The Top-loader gearbox was built in three case lengths  90 deg. adapter AA1052
measured from the mounting flange to the end of the tail- Gear 39879XX (XX=No. of Teeth)
shaft housing: 24", 25.5" and 27". If at all possible use the See driven-gear part numbers on page 13.
short tail-shaft transmission. It allows a longer driveshaft.
FORD MUSTANG T-5
If your differential ratio is 3.31:1 or taller, consider the
wide ratio transmission. It will allow easier starts. This 5-speed transmission and its Tremec variations can be
used with the smaller Ford engines. Its overdrive 5th gear
SPEEDOMETER DRIVE GEARS gives excellent highway cruising, even with a 3.77:1
Most Top-loader transmissions come with a right-hand differential ratio. Don't expect high top speeds in 5th gear,
thread drive gear on the output shaft. The driven gear on the however. The small block engine may not have the torque
speedometer cable must match. See page 13 for part to exceed 4000RPM in 5th. Because the shift linkage is
numbers. integral, the shifter cannot duplicate the original orientation.
CLUTCH THROW-OUT FORK A special clutch release system is required.
Part numbers are on page 25. TREMEC 3550, TKO AND 500/600
MOUNTS Some Tremec transmissions require a Chevy splined driven
There are 3 common bolt-hole configurations for the rear disc, some use a Ford spline. The pressure plate can be
transmission mount: standard Ford. A McLeod spacer (8607) between the bell
 Two holes in the transmission, arranged front to housing and transmission may be required with FE engines
back: Use Ford C8ZZ-6068A or its equivalents, i.e. unless the transmission is equipped with a special short input
Republic or Parts Master 31-2284 shaft (available from Fortes Parts Connection), A portion of
 Two holes arranged side to side, and having 5 5/8" the case must be removed for clearance. See page 33. The
between centers. Same mount as above. TKO mount requires an adapter plate used with a Chevy
 Two holes arranged side to side, and with 6 1/4" center mount. See page 25 for part numbers.
to center distance. This very rare transmission Before you install the speedometer driven gear, check that
requires chassis modifications (done on special its spiral meshes properly with the drive gear.
order only.) Use Ford C9AZ-6080E, Republic 31- Transmissions have come through with both the LH and RH
2250 or equivalent.
drive gears. See page 13 for calculations and page 13 for
part numbers.
SPEEDOMETER DRIVE GEARS
Ford transmissions used a variety of drive gears. The Mustangs Unlimited catalog is a good reference. The gears are
illustrated and detail specifications listed.

Note! The Ford Top-Loader drive gear may come with right or left hand threads. The driven gear must match.

You can calculate the number of teeth on the speedometer drive gears (part #s on page 25) using the formula:
(Dif. Ratio) x (Tire revs/mile) x (Teeth on drive gear) = (Teeth on driven gear)

(Speedometer revolutions/mile)

A 295-50-15 tire rolls 760 revs per mile. Both the Stewart Warner and Smiths speedometers are usually geared at 1000
revolutions/mile.
Usually the Ford Top-Loader, T-5 use a 7 tooth driving gear requiring a LH driven gear. Teeth = (Dif.Ratio) x 5.3.
Usually the Tremec uses a 7 tooth driving gear requiring a RH driven gear. So: Teeth = (Dif.Ratio) x 5.3.
The Richmond Gear transmission uses an 8 tooth driving gear. So: Teeth = (Dif. Ratio) x 6.06. See page 12 for gear selection.

DRIVEN GEAR SELECTION AND PART NUMBERS

Ford Top-loader, T-5 and Tremec Richmond Gear 5 Speed
Diff. App. Toploader/T-5 Tremec Diff. App. Part Number
Ratio Teeth Left-hand Right-hand Ratio Teeth
2.88:1 18 3987918 (Brown)
3.07:1 16 Orange tip Burgundy 3.07:1 19 3987919 (White)
17 C2DZ-17271G C3DZ-17271C 3.31:1 20 3987920 (Blue)
(Purple tip) (White) 21 3987921 (Red)
3.31:1 18 C2DZ-17271K C0DD-17271B 3.54:1 22 3987922 (Gray)
(Green tip) (Yellow)
3.54:1 19 C4DZ-17271A C0DZ-17271B
Pink tip (Pink)
3.77:1 20 C2DZ-17271H C1DZ-17271A
Blue tip (Black)
C8SZ-17271A
(Orange)
4.10 21 C4OZ-17271A
(Red)
Retainer for all C1DZ-17292A

SHIFT LINKAGE

All shift linkage (modified Hurst) is available from E.R.A.

TOP LOADER
SHIFT LINKAGE
Both the original Ford 4-speed shift linkage and Hurst linkage
(391-3180) work well. Some modifications to the rod link
lengths will be necessary to move the lever back to the original
position. If your transmission does not have the shifter
mounting bosses in the correct position, adapters are available
from E.R.A. See page 48 for shift lever placement.
 LEVER

If you don't want to modify the Mustang lever yourself (see

page 47), E.R.A. manufactures a duplicate the original shift
lever to fit the Top-Loader (with stock or Hurst linkages) or
Richmond gear transmissions with the Long shifter.

TOP-LOADER
Originally, AC modified the 1965-66 Mustang shift lever
by turning the handle about 180 degrees on its mount.
This placed the lever forward. While it looked a bit
strange, it worked quite well.
On the short tail-shaft transmission, the shifter mounting
bracket should be mounted within the last couple of inches
of the tailstock end. This places the shift lever in the same
spot as on the original Cobra. If your transmission locates
the bracket further forward, an E.R.A. adapter plate can be
used to move the shifter back.
RICHMOND GEAR
E.R.A. modifies a Long shifter and rods for the 5 speed,
using the Ford reversed lever for control. The lockout "T"
handle is there, but no longer is functional. Inquire about
available parts.
TREMEC
The lever bolts to the transmission’s stub. Ask about
available “original look” levers.
REAR DRIVE/SUSPENSION ASSEMBLY

Jaguar-based Suspension Custom ERA Rear Suspension

The E.R.A. 427SC is designed to use either the Jaguar rear  Gear ratio - There should be a tag on one of the rear
suspension (in an E.R.A. subframe) or a custom E.R.A. cover bolts (for example, 43/13 on the tag = 3.31
suspension unit with outboard brakes. The E.R.A. unit is ratio). If there is no tag, mark the input shaft flange
available as a kit with with all our conversion parts ready for and the half-shaft or brake disc for reference and
rotate the axles by turning the input shaft. For every
your differential and brake parts, or as a complete assembly. time the axles and brake disc turns over once, the
See page 43 for details. input flange should rotate approximately 3 1/3 turns
(3.31:1 ratio) or 3 1/2 times (3.54:1 ratio). See the
JAG PARTS SELECTION chart on page 11 for the best ratio for your
engine/transmission combination.
See page 23 for application list.
 Dampers (coil-over shocks): All E.R.A. rear
See page 40 for an exploded view of the lower control arm suspensions require 4 dampers and coil springs (coil
parts with part numbers. over shock absorbers). Specifications are the same as
for stock Series II Jaguar XKE. XJ dampers cannot
The Jaguar differential is the same Salisbury unit that was be used. See page 23 for part numbers and page 53
used in the original Cobra with only some casting changes. It for length specifications. Dampers with adjustable
is adequate for 500+ BHP, and can be made even stronger by spring seats and externally adjustable damping are
using stub axle parts from Concours West. Gears wear is not available from E.R.A.
normally a problem even in well-used assemblies, but always USING THE E.R.A./JAG SUBFRAME:
replace seals.
The stock Jaguar XJ control arms and half-shafts will be
The vintage of the Jaguar differential is punched in the casting exchanged for shortened pieces when you buy the subframe
at the lower right corner of the cover. The top number is the from us. Series II XKE parts will not have to be modified,
year-of-manufacture, the bottom number is a special code. although Series III parts will.
(Translation: we don't know what it's used for.). A simple way
to determine whether a post-1980 unit will work is the All XKE lower control arm mounting brackets (that bolt to
presents of inboard brakes. The later (inappropriate) the sides of the differential) must be exchanged for XJ units.
assemblies have brakes mounted on the hub carriers. All mounting bushings and hardware are included with the
When selecting and buying a used rear end, look for: E.R.A. subframe.
 Completeness - You don't need the Jag trailing arms, Do NOT replace the control arm roller and needle bearings
but you do need everything else. with aftermarket urethane bushings! The net result will be
 Limited Slip Differential - Many XJ differentials wheel hop and generally sloppy handling.
were open. A new limited slip may be retrofitted for
about $700. The E.R.A. subframe requires XKE style coil-over dampers.
 Brakes - Try to get serviceable hydraulic and While not necessary, special height and damping-adjustable
emergency brakes. There were no major changes in units are available from E.R.A. Springs can be changed to
XKE rear brake until 1968 when both the calipers ones of higher rate. See page 53.
and rotors were updated. The later units are cheaper
and easier to rebuild than the early units.
STEERING GEAR
Starting with chassis 759, the car requires a Flaming River
gear, FR1502-3x3, with modified tie-rod adapters. This is
similar to a Mustang II unit, but shortened by 3”.
Modifications are shown on page , and complete units are
available from ERA.
FRONT ROTORS AND CALIPERS TRIUMPH COLUMN
The preferred parts are from a Spitfire or GT-6, vintage 1972
WITH BOLT-ON WHEELS to mid 1977. Get the upper column and housing, upper and
Most mid-sized GM cars from 1970-1978 used the correct lower clamps and both switches.
pieces, with 2 3/8" piston calipers. Station wagons may use See page 50 for bushing remove and replacement,
different parts. Chevrolet lists the same rotor and calipers preparation and rebuilding of the Triumph column.
for all sedans.
Before purchasing the rotors and bearings, measure the size STEERING WHEEL
of the outer wheel bearings. Your rotor and bearings must The original Cobra used a 16" laminated wood rimmed
be compatible with the smaller (more common) diameter aluminum-framed steering wheel. We have found that a 15"
(.655) at the outer end. The wagons used a .750" diameter wheel allows more knuckle room between the wheel and the
spindle. cowl, while still offering reasonable steering effort.
WITH PIN DRIVE WHEELS: E.R.A. offers both diameters in a reproduction of the
The E.R.A. pin-drive wheel conversion includes the hub and original wheel. A hub center button with either a AC or
rotor, both compatible with the caliper and bearings listed Cobra logo is also available.
above. If you are using a Triumph column, you also need to adapt
the Triumph hub to the reproduction wheel.
OPTIONAL COMPETITION BRAKES
E.R.A. offers a conversion to 12 1/8" (by 1 1/4" wide) rotors and SEAT BELTS
fixed 4 piston calipers for heavy duty street or track use.
These require modifications to the steering knuckle. E.R.A. offers custom competition belts, identical to the
original cars. Inquire.
DRIVE SHAFT
Standard seat belts can be installed in the threaded chassis
E.R.A. has drive-shafts for most applications in stock. bosses.
Separate left and right straps are required for dual shoulder
This is a project for a shop specializing in power harnesses. The length of an off-the-shelf shoulder harness
-transmission equipment or shafting. See page 49 for design strap may need changing.
details.

OIL COOLER SYSTEM

The optional E.R.A. oil cooler and adapter system comes
with or without a remote oil filter. Layouts for both
configurations begin on page 89.
The remote oil filter is a reproduction of the original race
option and mounts on the front of the block through an
intermediate steel bracket (available from ERA). See the
picture on page 90 for mounting on an FE engine.
If you decide to build your own system, the specifications
below may be helpful but should not substitute for good
design practices.
 Oil cooler - approximately 13" x 4"h or 6"h with AN
10 male fittings. (The 6"h unit requires a special
aluminum housing (included with the ERA option).)
 #10 stainless braided hose -
 Oil cooler adapter or block-off plate- bolts to the
block or oil filter housing.

STEERING COLUMN (UPPER)

You may use a Triumph unit (see page 50) as described
below or the custom E.R.A. reproduction column. The
E.R.A. column includes the hub and requires no
preparation.
WIPER MOTOR AND COMPONENTS FRONT SHOCK ABSORBERS
Modified and rebuilt wiper motors and hardware are
E.R.A. offers custom made Spax dampers with springs. Konis
available from E.R.A.
are available on special order. Also available are spring
The best wiper components are found in the 1969-1976 collar wrenches to adjust your ride height.
Triumph Spitfire, GT-6, or TR-6. Get the entire set-up
The coil-over dampers should be adjustable for ride height.
including: wiper motor, wheel boxes, spacers, gaskets,
See the length specifications on page 53 and part numbers
chrome bezels, and the connecting tube between the wiper
on page 23.
motor and right wheel box. See the wiper motor illustrations
on page 51 to help you identify the parts. Both Koni and Spax are adjustable for damping. The Spax
is externally adjustable for combined jounce and rebound
Many times, the wheel-boxes available are not correct.
damping. The Koni has separate external damping
Measure across the teeth of your gear to the theoretical
adjustments for jounce and rebound.
center of the cable. (Some of the gears are flat, some are
concave.) If your dimension "A" is 1.45", not 1.25", the
wiper drive must be modified to compensate. See page 51
FRONT COIL SPRINGS:
for details. Front Spax and Koni dampers require 12" long by 250
lb/inch or 275 lb/inch springs for most engines. Other
dampers may require a different spring length. Some
spring/shock combinations may require spacers. Check with
us for details.

EXHAUST SYSTEM
SIDE PIPES
Side pipes were used on the original competition cars and
are very popular on the 427SC. However, because we have
lengthened the footboxes for more leg room, exact
duplicates of the primary pipes will not fit. Primary pipes
for the Ford FE engines are available from E.R.A.
Exact reproductions of the original side pipes, and the
appropriate primary pipes are available from E.R.A. in
various coatings and materials, including polished stainless
a\whlbox
steel.
CHECKING THE CABLE/GEAR WHEELBOX
UNDER-CAR EXHAUST
CLEARANCE
The E.R.A. 427SC has provisions for an original style
Before you install the wheelboxes, it's a good idea to check
under-car system. This is a mellower, dual exhaust system
that the cable engages the gear properly. Unfortunately, the
for those wishing to duplicate an original street car. There is
quality of the wheelboxes has not been consistent lately.
a small horsepower penalty, however. A complete system
Make sure that the tubes line up properly with the gear so
for the FE engine is available from E.R.A. The system is
that there is no binding, and that the cable is held close to
shown on page 135.
the gear, but not so close to make excessive drag.
WHEELS, BOLT-ON
Bolt-on wheels require a 4 3/4" bolt circle (Chevrolet pattern).
7" wide wheels for the front, 8 1/2" or 10" rear with 3
5
/16"back spacing will result in the "right look." Using wider
wheels on the rear requires a change in the wheel offset and
may prevent use of the under-car exhaust system.
Custom bolt-on wheels will fit with the same offsets as the
pin-drive wheels shown here. If your wheel and/or tire
widths are significantly different, call us for advice.
Note! The front GM hubs use 7/16"-20 lug nuts, the rear
Jaguar hubs have 1/2"-20 thread.

Definitions:
BACKSPACING - The distance from the inside edge of the
wheel to the mounting face
OFFSET - The distance from the centerline of the wheel to
the mounting face. Positive offset is where the wheel
centerline is outside the mounting face. Negative offset moves
the wheel in toward the center of the car. (Some wheel
companies may define the offset differently. Check!).
Rear Wheel Offset
WHEELS, PIN-DRIVE See page 141 for special notes.
Six-Pin (as original) 15" wheels (7 /2" and 9 /2" wide are
1 1
“Five-Pin” pin drive wheels are also available from E.R.A.,
available from E.R.A., Vintage Wheels, Trigo and Trigo and Halibrand. These wheels look exact from the
Halibrand. The front E.R.A. hubs require non-original outside, but use bolt-on hubs with adapters and special lug
backspacing. Several manufacturers make 17" bolt-on and nuts to drive the wheels.
pin-drive wheels that are up to 9.5" wide front, 11.5" rear.

Front Wheel Offset

Note t hat if you machine the back side of the wheel for fit,
you must maintain the pin hole depth.
TIRES RADIATOR HOSES
(rim size appropriate for tires)
The 427SC requires several standard molded hoses,
Diameter Front Rear depending on your equipment. FE and small block hoses
Max. 26.3" 27.0" are listed on page 24. In some configurations, the hoses
must be trimmed to length. See page 39. Installation layout
Min. 24.5" 25.5" is on page 147.
Max. Width 275mm 335mm If you are using the steel upper connecting tube, your
The original Cobra used 8.15 x 15 tires on the Sunburst radiator must have a special top fitting. Specify when you
street wheels (7½" wide front and rear). 9.90x15 and 11.90 order your kit.
x 15 were used on the original Halibrand “GT40”wheels
(7½" front, 9½" rear). These were pre-50, 60 and 70 series Hhose kits are available from E.R.A.
tires with a different profile than contemporary tires. A
spreadsheet of tire sizes is posted on the ERA web site at EXPANSION TANK
http://www.erareplicas.com/427man/. The latest notes on
tires are posted on the ERA web site: FE ENGINE
www.erareplicas.com/427man/tires/index.htm
Lower profile tires increase the clearance between the top of New reproduction tanks are available from E.R.A.
the tire and the fender, giving the illusion that the car is
The used expansion tanks that are commonly available (see
higher than it actually is. If the car is lowered to
page 24) must be modified because the outlet faces the
compensate, the ground clearance will be reduced
wrong way. Unfortunately, most of the original tanks are
somewhat. In most of the pictures you have seen of our car,
fatigued badly and frequently develop stress cracks and
the tires used were B.F. Goodrich radial T/A's, sizes 265-50
pinholes. Most tanks are also too high, and must be
x 15 or 235-60 x 15 front and 295-50 x 15 in the rear.
shortened. If you wish to modify an old piece, see below
Inquire about current tires that fit properly.
and page 38 for details.
For Reference: Revolutions/Mile=20168/(Tire OD in inches)

Some people like the look of the Goodyear Sports Car

Specials, which are a vintage race tire. The proper sizes are
26.5 x 8.0-15 and 26.5 x 10-15, front and rear. These tires
are not legal for street use in many states. They also tend to
pick up and throw rocks, and flat-spot after being parked.
Their sidewalls are also very thin and intolerant of curb
parking. We don’t recommend them.
Avon CR66ZZ tires are available in 15” sizes now, and
have gotten rave reviews. They are the only streetable 15”
tires that are V speed rated. To use Avons in the front, use Recommended pressure cap: Motorcraft RS512A
225-65-15 instead of the 235-60 size.
For 17" wheels, tires in 35 and 40 series will fit. Ask for FORD SMALL BLOCK
current recommendations.
A Harrison tank can be modified for use. Inquire.
Before mounting on pin-drive wheels, see page 141.
JACK, ETC.
SPARE A screw or hydraulic scissors jack (available from E.R.A.)
With bolt-on wheels, you may use a "Space Saver" spare tire works well for wheel changing, etc. Don't skimp on quality.
as used on Camaros and other GM models. If you buy the With pin drive wheels, use a lead or plastic "dead blow"
tire with the wheel, make sure it has uses the 4 3/4" bolt hammer to remove the aluminum knock-off wing nuts.
pattern. This unit gives an increase in trunk room and Removing them with a steel hammer will mar the wing nut
mounts very nicely on the upper trunk shelf between the edges.
hinges.
Hydraulic jacks, knock-off hammers, safety wire pliers and
other tools are available from E.R.A.
 SECTION A -PARTS NEEDED-

PART NUMBERS AND SOURCES

Source addresses, etc. are found on page 27.

PART PART NUMBER SOURCE

Alternator
Ford Small Block, FE and 429 Delco 321-147 (rebuilt) or any '70's Ford with Most Fords, 1971-1980
separate regulator.
A 100A unit is not necessary but will fit: Delco
334-2000 (’83 Ford Crown Vic Commercial/Police
Ford SOHC Lucas A8806 (85-89 Chev. Sprint) GM, aftermarket
Chevrolet 283/350 Chevy w/integral regulator
Chevrolet 427/454 Same as Ford SOHC
Alternator Adjusting Bracket
FE Ford C6AZ-10145-B E.R.A.
Small block Ford Comes with kit
Fan belt 289/302 Ford Gates 7450 XL(most app's)
351 Ford
FE Ford Gates 7445 XL (most pulleys)
Ballast resistor Nieh FF-109 / Borg RU-6 / SMP RU-4 / Wells F795 Aftermarket
(0.8-1.2 ohm)
Brakes, Bearings, Front
Brake Rotor/Hub (bolt-on wheels) GM 334348 GM dealer or many (Front)
GM cars 1970-78 (see page
Bendix 141040
17)
Brake Calipers (Front) GM 18002421, 18003761 GM dealer
Rebuilts: Bendix L55001, L55002 (Includes pads) Local parts place
Pads Bendix D52S or equivalent (Semi-metallic for
street use)
Mounting pin kit
Banjo bolt GM 487293
Brake reservoir, standard BMW 3432 1 112 399 E.R.A., BMW dealer
E.R.A.
Optional (3) cans
Bearings-Front Wheel
Outer Bower/BCA A-6 or Timken LM11910/LM11949 GM or local auto parts
Inner Bower/BCA A-2 or Timken LM67010/LM67048 "
Seal, inner GM 3966202, National 8871 "
Spindle nut GM 387137 "
Spindle washer GM 457707 "
Battery, front mount Group 47 (Must have hold-downs on both ends)
Trunk mount (optional) Optima (Through Midstate Battery) SC34A
See erareplicas.com/427man/ for installation
details.
 SECTION A -PARTS NEEDED-

Bell-housing FE (390/427/428): Lakewood 15210 for.

Various, E.R.A.
Ford small block:
Lakewood 15200: Top-loader, Richmond Gear, TKO with
short input shaft
Lakewood 15202: Tremec (May need spacer. See page 12)
Lakewood 15203: T-5
See mod's necessary on page 34.
Clutch arm pivot, FE Ford C8AZ-7522B (Small spline T.L. part must be custom Dealer, E.R.A.
Clutch throwout bearing (Used with fork, not concentric throwout system)
Toploader small spline, Federal Mogul 614038
Tremec (all), Richmond Gear
Toploader Big Spline Ram 486, Weber 16042
Cables, Battery, Front
Mount
Engine ground to battery 16" long, eye/terminal clamp E.R.A., parts supplier
Battery to starter solenoid 32" long, eye/terminal clamp
Starter solenoid to starter 24" long, eye/eye
Rear Battery Cables
Engine/Trans ground
Battery ground
Battery to starter solenoid
With cutoff switch
Battery to switch
Switch to starter solenoid

Cooling system Radiator Hoses: Pge 24

Pressure cap Motorcraft RS512A (Because of space limitations, don’t use
the lever type.)
Dampers, Springs, Front
Coil Spring 12" x 250 lbs/in (For Spax) E.R.A., AFFCO,
Eibach
Damper Spax G135 PAS 200 E.R.A.
Koni 8212-1126SPA1 (Double external damping adjustment Special order only
w/aluminum body)
Dampers, Springs, Jag rear
Coil Spring 10" x 350 lbs/in E.R.A., AFFCO,
with ht. adjst Spax 8" x 350 lbs/in Eibach
Damper, w/o ht adjst Spax S200/415 (Externally adjustable damping) E.R.A.(Std XKE Ser.2)
w/ height adjustment Spax G640 S200
ERA rear
Coil spring 9” x 500-550 lbs/in (Must be 2.25” ID)
Damper, w/height adj Spax G297
Drive Shaft Components (see page 49 for parts reference)
 SECTION A -PARTS NEEDED-

ENGINES AND ENGINE Complete rebuilt Ford units are available from several Ask us
PARTS suppliers
Mounts C9LY-6038-A, C9LY-6038-B (‘69 Mercury) Ford Dealer
31-3058 (L), 31-3059 (R) Republic
429/460
Ford 427, 428 63-64 Ford w/390-428 cid, Ford C3AZ-6038A,B E.R.A. or local parts
Republic 31-2222 (right), 31-2223 (left)
Ford 260, 289, 302, 351 63-65 Mustang w/260-289 cid, Ford C4DZ-6038A,B
Republic 31-2221 (right), 31-2220 (left)
MityMount (HD) FM132
Oil Pan, Extra Capacity Windage trays are recommended for constant running at high E.R.A., Canton Racing
rpm. Products
FE Canton:High capacity front sump - 15-810 , pickup 15-811,
Road race (with trap doors) –15-820, pickup 15-821
Aviaid Road race (with windage tray) - 55410
289-302 High capacity front sump – Canton 15-610 and pickup 15-611
Road race (with trap doors) – Canton 15-630 and pickup 15-
611
351W High capacity front sump – Canton 15-660 and pickup 15-661
Road race (with trap doors)– Canton 15-680 and pickup 15-
611
351 Cleveland Canton 15-710 pan, 15-711 pickup
Exhaust System Under-car-complete E.R.A.
Side pipes w/primaries: E.R.A.
Emblems Original type, front, rear and side E.R.A., Cobra Restorers
Fuel Filter In-line between tank and steel line on chassis (3/8") local auto parts store
Hand Brake Lever Jaguar XKE Series I - II(1961-1970) Jaguar Dealer
or E.R.A. Reproduction Lever E.R.A.
Hand Brake Lever Cable Custom for E.R.A. subframe E.R.A.
Heater Hoses Gates 28472 or equivalent (must be trimmed)
Horn Button, (dash Lucas 31872 (Jag XKE 1961-64 starter button) Jaguar, E.R.A., Lucas
mounted) supplier
SUSPENSION, REAR
Jaguar Rear Suspension 1964-1974 Jaguar XKE, Series 2, 1965-1983 Jaguar XJ-6 Wrecking yard or E.R.A.
Assembly
Sub-frame Custom E.R.A. E.R.A.
Rebuilding Parts for rear bearings, brake parts, etc., see page 152 SICP, E.R.A., Jag Dealer
suspension
Differential/LSD rebuilding Various ratios of Dana 44 gears Michigan Driveline

Steering gear Modified Flaming River, FR1502-3X3 E.R.A., Flaming River

See page for modifications.
 SECTION A -PARTS NEEDED-

Radiator hoses, FE engine See trimming instructions on page 39, layout on page
147.
See http://www.erareplicas.com/427man/cooling/hose_interchange.htm for part number application information
Upper w/o connecting tube Gates 20819 Local auto part supplier
Upper, w/connecting tube Gates 21236 or equivalent
and 1-3/4" ID x 4-1/2"L straight
Lower, cast iron water pump Gates 21047 or equivalent
Lower, aluminum pump Goodyear 62107, NAPA NBH8683, CarQuest 21993 or
equivalent
Connecting tube to radiator Gates 20620 or equivalent
Radiator hoses, small Block See trimming instructions on page 39.
Lower hoses Gates 20620 or equivalent (Connecting tube to radiator)
Gates 20390 or equivalent (Pump to connecting tube)
Upper Depends on expansion tank
Ford 429/460, Lower Same as FE
Upper Gates 20869 (trimmed)
Chevrolet, 427, Lower Gates 20620 (trimmed 2" off end)
Radiator expansion tank 1964 T-Bird big block E.R.A.
Thermostat See page 8 for hints

Starter (FE engine) Delco 323-217 (OEM type), Powermaster 9406 (gear All FE engined Fords, 1964-
drive style) 69
The Shelby aluminum block requires a Powermaster
(9406) or CVR (5049 or 503\49M) starter.
Starter solenoid Ford B6A2-11450 A, or C9AZ-11450 A, or C7AF-11450 Dealer or auto parts store
A (used on Ford products 1956-1980)
Steering column, upper E.R.A. Reproduction or Triumph Spitfire, GT-6 (1972- E.R.A., wrecking yard
mid 1977)
Steering column Bushings Triumph E.R.A., dealer, Moss Motors
Steering wheel Moto-Lita E.R.A.
Wheel hub Triumph Moto-Lita E.R.A.
column
E.R.A. column Comes with E.R.A. column
Steering wheel Center Reproduction of original either "AC" or "Cobra" motif E.R.A.
button
 SECTION A -PARTS NEEDED-

Speedometer Cable AC 11589234 (1967 Mustang) E.R.A., dealer, auto parts

Ford Top Loader store
Richmond Gear Champ 400020
See page 12 for other parts.
Cable drive gears, etc. E.R.A., Dan Williams Ent
Top Loader, T-5, Tremec
Speedo drive gear C4DZ-17285A (LH, 7 tooth, black) Ford dealer
C8AZ-17285A (RH, 7 tooth, yellow) RH driven gear
Speedo driven gears See parts and selection notes on page 13.
Retaining clip C1DZ-17292A

Cable drive - Richmond See parts on page 12 and 13.

Gear

Spare Wheel/Tire Space Saver w/ 4 3/4" bolt circle (Non 6-pin only) G.M. cars
Pin Drive Trigo
Transmission: Ford Top Loader Dan Williams, GT
Performance, David Kee
Richmond Gear 5-spd for FE Ford E.R.A., Richmond Gear
Tremec TKO 5 speed (See notes on page 12.) E.R.A, Summit, Fortes
Transmission mounts:
Ford Top-loader w/ 2 holes Ford C8ZZ-6068A, or Republic 31-2258 Ford dealer, E.R.A., auto
along centerline or 2 parts supplier
transverse holes 5.6" apart
Ford Top-loader Ford C9AZ-6068E or Republic 31-2242
w/ holes 6.25" apart
Ford C-6 Automatic Ford C9AZ-6068H, or Republic 31-2345
Richmond Gear 5 speed and Pioneer 622378 (72-73 Camaro w/MT).
Tremec TKO 3550, II Pioneer 622378 plus an adapter from ERA
TKO 500, 600, standard Pioneer 622378. See notes on page
input
Tremec 500, 600 with short Same as above with offset spacer. Auto parts supplier
input

Throw-out fork *Note! Both forks listed below

Big spline T.L., Richmond Ford C8OZ-7515D (May be hard to find – As a David Kee, E.R.A., Tony
Gear 5sp substitute, ERA widens the small-spline. Branda
(The edge must still be modified per page 33.)
Small spline T.L., Tremec D0TZ-7515A or Pioneer CF-101 (Hole added) David Kee, E.R.A., Tony
TKO including 500, 600 (Must be modified per page 33.) Branda
Pivot bracket for above Ford C8AZ-7522B (NLA from Ford) David Kee, E.R.A.,
T.Branda
 SECTION A -PARTS NEEDED-

Shift Linkage Mid-sixties Ford

4-spd. Top-loader Modified Hurst (391-3180) recommended. The rod
lengths must be modified when the shifter is moved to
the correct location. (See page 14) Inquire about a plate
that may be necessary.
Richmond Gear 5 speed Long shifter. E.R.A.
Shift Lever: Curved Ford See page 47 for modifying the Mustang lever, or contact E.R.A., 1965-67 Mustang
unit to duplicate original ERA for finished units. and other period Fords
Cobra

Shift boot 1967 Mustang E.R.A., various

Voltage Regulator Ford Regulator D4TZ-10316A, D9PZ-10316A or Ford dealer, E.R.A.
aftermarket equivalent. (Fits early ‘70s Ford with
external regulator.) Aftermarket electronic: Standard
Motor Products VR166, AC Delco F609
Windshield Wipers
Motor and Drive Parts From 1969-1976 Triumph Spitfire, GT-6 or TR-6
Arms Lucas BHA-520l E.R.A., Lucas parts dealer
Blades Lucas GWB-164 E.R.A.,
Chrome Bezels (Bush Kit) Lucas 60600 429 E.R.A., Lucas dealer
Wheels :
Bolt-on wheel, Front 7"-8” x 15", 43/4" bolt circle with 3.3”-3.5” backspacing
Rear 8½"-10” x 15", 4 3/4" Bolt circle, 3.3”-3.8” backspacing
(with the wider wheel having more backspacing.)
Reproduction Halibrand 7½ x 15 and 9½ x 15 E.R.A., Trigo, Vintage
GT40 style aluminum, pin Various widths in 17" Wheels
drive Vintage Wheels
Reproduction Sunburst street 7½ x 15 Only OEM take-offs
type aluminum, pin drive,
Spare Tire/Wheel Bolt-on GM (Camaro) space saver *See note on page 141.
Pin Drive PS Engineering or Trigo
 SECTION A -PARTS NEEDED-

SOURCE MASTER LIST

Because of rapid changes in area codes, these phone numbers may be out of date.
BUSlNESS NAME SPECIALTY ADDRESS
Arthur Allen Mfg. Speedo reducers, angle 235 E. O’Connor Drive, Elkhorn, WI 53121
arthurallen.com drives (800)683-500
Aviaid Oil Systems Oil pans and pickups 10041 Canoga Ave., Chatsworth, CA (818)988-8991
aviaid.com
Branda Performance Ford parts 1434 Pleasant Valley Blvd, Altoona, PA 16602, 814-942-1869
cobranda.com
Canton Racing Products Oil pans and pickups 9 Tipping La., Branford, CT 06405 (203) 481-9460
cantonracing.com
Carroll Shelby Ent. Engines/parts 19021 S Figueroa St., Gardena, CA 90248 (310)538-2914
carrollshelbyent.com
Cobra Restorers Ltd. Reproduction Cobra 3099 Carter Circle, Kennesaw, GA 30144, (770)427-0020
cobrarestorers.com hardware
Dan Williams Enterprises Transmissions and 205 E. Dogwood Dr., Franklin, NC (828)524-9085
toploadertransmissions.com shifter parts
David Kee Transmissions Top Loader San Antonio, TX (210)967-4161
4speedtoploaders.com transmissions, parts
Ford Motorsport Ford parts Clinton Twp, MI 48036, (810)468-1356
Performance Equipment
Fortes Parts Connection Transmissions, parts 376 Cambridge St, Burlington, MA (781)273-9900
Genesis Performance Engines and parts P.O. Box 19449, Indianapolis, IN 46219 (317).357.8767
genesis427.com
March Performance Pulleys Engine pulleys 32413 Park Lane, Garden City, MI 48135 (888)729-9070
marchperformance.com
McMaster-Carr Almost everything 732-329-3200
mcmaster.com hardware!
Mustangs Unlimited Shelby/Mustang parts 185 Adams St., Manchester, CT 06040
mustangsunlimited.com (800)243-7278
Reider Racing Jag differential 12351 Universal Dr., Taylor, MI 48180, 800-522-2707
reiderracing.com rebuilding
Richmond Gear 5 speed transmissions 1208 Old Norris Rd., Liberty, SC 29657, 864-843-9231
richmondgear.com
Summit Racing Equipment Misc. parts at low 580 Kennedy Rd., Akron, OH 44305 (800)230-3030
summitracing.com prices
Trigo, Inc. Pin drive wheels 3933 Foothill Blvd, La Cresenta, CA 91011 (818)248-7446
trigowheels.com
TrueChoice Racing parts, fire 40 Industrial Park Place, Powell OH 43026 (800)388-8783
truechoice.com extinguisher systems
Vintage Wheels Pin drive and bolt-on 14805 Fisher Cove, Del Mar, CA 92014 (619)952-4717
vintagewheels.com wheels
 SECTION A -PARTS NEEDED-

TOOLS NEEDED
Tool List
Most of the tools required for assembly of the E.R.A.
Body Installation
427SC are found in the average car person's home
workshop.  Pop rivet gun with adapters for 1/8" and 3/16" rivets
Major components like the engine and transmission  Electric drill with bit assortment
require some specialized tools and skills. If you are not  Utility (razor) knife
experienced, the engine and transmission may not be a  Paintbrush 1"-1.5" (buy a cheap natural bristle
good time for your first project, but assembly of the rest of brush)
the kit is very straightforward.  Shears or large scissors
Rebuilding the Jag rear suspension assembly can be done  Caulking gun - (cartridge type)
at home if you are well equipped. A micrometer, dial
indicator and standard mechanics tools are required. No Mechanical Bits
matter what your experience, this operation requires a  Ratchet wrench and sockets
good manual.  Open-end and box wrenches 1/4"-1"
Heat and bend a wrench for the left upper exhaust  Screwdrivers (Phillips and flat bladed) 3 or 4 sizes
header flange bolt. of each
 Jack, preferably a hydraulic floor type
 Small needle nose pliers
 Engine hoist or chain fall
 Oxy-acetylene or small MIG welder (for side pipe
brackets)
 Rubber mallet
 Saber saw (if you are fitting side pipes)
 Socket head (Allen) wrenches
 Jack stands (4)
 Special wrench for exhaust headers (see picture at
left)

SHIPPING COMPANIES (PARTIAL LIST)

Horseless Carriage Intercity Lines (www.intercitylines.com)
Phone: (800)631-7796 Phone: (800)343-0802
Fax: (413)436-9422
 SECTION A -PARTS NEEDED-
SUPPLIES NEEDED
The following list covers most of the materials you will need to complete your kit.
* Not necessary with bonded-body option
*Caulking to seal body to Urethane or Silicone, 5 For caulking gun
chassis cartridges min.
*Adhesive for bonding rear body Polyester resins thickened Corvette body repair boat shops and Chevrolet
bonding strip with fillers and binders are dealers, body shop suppliers or specialty houses
available for boat repair Regular polyester body filler and the stronger
fiberglass strand fillers such as "Tiger Hair" or "Rot
Out" can also be used but these fillers have the
disadvantage of setting-up rather quickly making the
completion time of the bonding operation critical.
*Blind rivets (400) /8" dia. x /4- /16”
1 1 5
McMaster Carr 97524A025
Aluminum panels to chassis or material thickness, sealing
fiberglass type, aluminum body/steel
mandrel
Trunk and tunnel: (200) 1/8" dia. x 1/16”-1/8" McMaster Carr 97524A020
Aluminum to aluminum material thickness, sealing
type, aluminum/steel
Body to chassis (150) 1/8” diam. x 3/8”-1/2” McMaster Carr 97519A140
material thickness, sealing
type, steel/steel
Hood scoop (50) 1/8" dia. X 1/4" long,
aluminum mandrel
Chassis lubricant (grease for
universal and ball joints)
Wheel bearing grease (disc
brake high temp. type)
Contact cement (fast dry type) 1 qt. Auto upholstery shop or supplier
Weather-strip adhesive (or use
contact cement)
Foil faced foam or insulation Frost King duct insulation, Building supply, heating and air conditioning supply,
mat'l: FV516 hardware store
 SECTION B:
PARTS PREPARATION

Restrictions or modifications to the donor parts for the 427SC

This section does not cover engine, transmission or rear suspension rebuilding. Use dedicated rebuilding
manuals for your specific equipment.
 Special Note!

During the time you spend while building your kit, you should protect the following items
from moisture, dirt and aging:

 Brake and clutch master cylinders

 Clutch slave cylinder
 All brake lines and fittings
 Fuel lines
 Brake pedals and throttle linkage
 Front and rear shock absorber seals: Spray with rubber lube, silicone or cover with
silicone grease

ENGINE/COMPONENTS

We cannot give complete rebuilding instructions here. What

follows are the E.R.A.-specific requirements for your
engine. General torque specifications for typical bolts are
found on page 155. Good reference books for Ford engines
are listed on page 159.

BASIC PREPARATION
Remove cooling fan from engine water pump pulley.
Install the fitting for the water temperature gage in the
intake manifold adjacent to the distributor. Note that some
manifolds must be tapped 1/2"NPT. If your manifold is
tapped 3/8" NPT, you may be able to adapt with a
Weatherhead fitting, 3200 x 8 x 6 available at your local
jobber.
Install the mounts onto the Ford small block as shown
below
Install the engine mounts onto the FE block as shown
below.

Ford Small Block

b\sbengmt

The FE mounts look similar but they cannot be exchanged

from side to side. Note that the stud surface is angled
slightly from the engine side.
Ford FE Engine
b\engmt

Note: If you have excessive engine motion or a very high-

torque engine, go to
www.erareplicas.com/427man/engine/mountmod/ for mount
modification details.
ALTERNATOR MOUNTING: ALTERNATOR MOUNTING, FE BLOCK:

FORD SMALL BLOCK:

Serpentine belt engines must change to the following

components:

1980 lower pulley - modify by removing the outside groove.

1980 upper pulley

1979 water pump

The alternator pivots in the outer Mounting hole in the

head. Some aftermarket heads require a threaded insert to
reduce threads to 7/16"USS (Ford # F4ZZ-6E086-A). An
adjusting strap between the alternator and the upper right
water pump bolt is optional. Also included is a reinforcing
bracket from the water pump to the outer end of the pivot
bolt.

Ford FE Engine Alternator Mounting

b\Altbrk2

If you have a pressed in pin at D replace it with a threaded-

in stud. Use a 7/16" bolt to secure the bracket to the block at
A. Use a 3/8" bolt at B. If there is no hole at (b), slide the
short strap to the base of stud E. Connect the other end to
the water pump bolt C. (We frequently use the strap in
lieu of the second bolt.)
Two different length spacers plus washers are provided to
shim the alternator for aligning the pulleys.. Slide the
longer of the two spacers onto the stud.

b\sbalt
Slide the alternator on the stud, and then install the long
strap to the water pump at F – use sealer on both sides of
Install the long bolt through the reinforcing bracket, the the strap to prevent water seapage. It may be necessary
alternator and spacer tube. to remove the water pump pulley for installation.
Bolt the assembly onto the cylinder head. Replace the pulley. Use a straight edge across the pulleys
Install the top adjusting bracket as shown. to determine whether they are in line. If not, use the other
Loosely secure the inner end of the reinforcing strap to the spacer and/or washers in any combination to achieve
water pump bolt as indicated. alignment. Install an original adjusting strap (C6AZ-
10145B) or the E.R.A. replacement between the alternator
Tighten the alternator pivot bolt. and stud D on the water pump.
Tighten the reinforcing strap bolt.
Check the alignment of the pulley grooves with a straight-
edge. Add washers or shorten the spacer as needed.
CLUTCH
Before you install the clutch, always check the
concentricity of the bell housing to the flywheel. See
http://www.erareplicas.com/427man/clutch/trouble.htm.
Install the clutch pilot bearing,, driven disk and pressure
plate.
CLUTCH THROW-OUT FORK
Forks for small and large spline transmissions are available
from E.R.A.

The standard Ford fork (see page 25 for the part number)
should be modified as shown.
Drill (remember that the part is hardened) the indentation to
5
/8” id.

TKO 3550, TKO II

TKO 500/600

Fork (not modified) installed in TKO 600

TRANSMISSION
TREMEC
The Tremec TKO series has a boss on the right side that
must be trimmed back flush in order to clear the chassis X
brace.
 TKO 3550, 500 AND 600 (STANDARD-LENGTH- Elongate the holes as shown above. The mount is installed
INPUT) NOTES onto the transmission with washers as shown below. Note
that the hole elongation is toward the front.
Note that the transmission mounting boss is metric-threaded
(10 x .1.5) on the inner holes, ½-13 on the outer holes.

Install the spacer between the mount and the mounting

boss. The offset (standard length input shaft) goes toward
the rear.

BELL-HOUSING
Many blow-shield type bell-housings have a large bottom
flange that will extend below the chassis. Trim the engine
plate as shown and use it as a template to trim the bell-
housing flange. This dimension applies to all engines,
although the trimming operation may not be necessary for
some.
TKO 3550 with spacer
The 500 and 600 with standard (long) input do not use
the spacer. Instead, shims are used between the mount and
the chassis. Some of the GM-style mounts may require
some trimming on the passenger’s side back edge to clear
the X member. short-input tKO – mount modifications and
installation

b\belltrim

For other engines, trim the bell-housings similarly, using

the distance from the centerline of the crankshaft to the
bottom edge of the flange.
The optional E.R.A./Lakewood blow-shield is already FE ENGINE
trimmed on the bottom edge. The adapter bracket and slave cylinder are installed with a
single bolt on the front side of the left rear engine block
Note that every bell-housing should be checked for bell-housing flange. The slave cylinder points toward the
alignment/concentricity! Use a dial indicator on the rear, and the locating strip on the adapter bracket goes
flywheel to indicate the inside diameter of the transmission beneath the engine block machined surface.
hole of the bell-housing. Offset bushings to shift the
centering are available from Lakewood and Ford. *Note! On some aluminum blocks the hole does not go all
CLUTCH SLAVE CYLINDER (EXTERNAL) the way through the casting. You must drill through (3/8”)
and tap the hole (7/16-14) from the transmission side.
See page 140 for hose installation.

SMALL BLOCK:

Note! When the slave cylinder is installed in the bracket,

the bleeder must be at the top.

The part number for the slave cylinder is on page 152.

The bracket and slave cylinder assembly is fastened in
three places:
 The tapped hole on the left side of the block bell-
housing flange (where the original clutch shaft
pivot ball went).
 The rear bolt of the left engine mount..
 The left rear oil pan tapped hole.

IRON FE BLOCK

Note 2! Most clutch pressure plates won't require the spacer

shown below. Some, however, have tall fingers that move
the fork connection forward. The spacer moves the slave
assembly forward and inward, correcting the alignment.
If the alignment is still off, the corner of the aluminum block
can be ground so that the slave bracket can be rotated
slightly.

clslave (part 1)

BLOWSHIELD MOUNT:
USE THE APPROPRIATE HOLES TO LINE UP THE
SLAVE CYLINDER AXIS WITH THE THROWOUT
FORK.
SHELBY 427 BLOCK CLUTCH THROWOUT ROD
The bracket for the Ford FE block must be modified to fit. E.R.A. supplies two threaded rods between the clutch slave
Remove the locating tab and drill two new holes. Note the cylinder and the throw-out fork in the bell-housing. If
shims under the bottom bolt to square up the bracket to the your throw-out lever has a hole in it, use the long threaded
block face. rod. If there is just a socket, use the short rod. See page
140 for assembly.
Install the correct link either by shortening the adjustment
or loosening the adapter bracket from the block. A return
spring is optional.
SLAVE CYLINDER, INTERNAL
Some clutch/transmission combinations work best with an
internal (concentric) clutch slave cylinder. This type of
clutch release is self-adjusting, but requires careful initial
adjustment to compensate for different clutch finger
heights. It is very sensitive to proper setup.

429/460 FORD
We typically use Weber brand, and have found them to
The slave cylinder is mounted on the bell-housing as be reliable if properly done. When you assemble your car,
shown. it is essential to follow the installation guidelines. Pictures
and procedures shown here are particular to Weber - yours
may be different. Always read and follow the instructions
for your setup.
Weber brand cylinders (and most others) have no system
to keep the "piston" from being pushed too far out of the
cylinder - and puking fluid all over the floor (requiring
complete removal of the transmission). The ERA requires
a pedal stop on the inside of the footbox so that the master
cylinder stroke is limited to about 1”. If the pedal stop is
mounted in front of the pedal face, the movement-ratio
(pedal-to-master cylinder) is about 5:1.

b\clslv460
 OIL PAN:
There are several aftermarket pans and OEM Ford designs
listed on page 23. If the pan does not have a oil
temperature bung, weld the oil temperature adapter fitting
(packed with the auxiliary instrument pieces) onto the left
side.
With a Ford small block, keep the full-length pan depth
Typical pedal stop to prevent over-stroke less than 8.3" to prevent the pan from hanging below the
chassis. If your pan kicks up in the back, you can go to
NOTE! 8.7" depth.
McLeod recommends that you remove any centrifigul
STARTER
weights on the clutch pressure plate when you use a
concentric throwout bearing. Any standard or aftermarket starter may be used. Note
that some gear-drive starters may have to be rotated on
their mounting flange. See the wiring instructions for
ADJUSTMENTS hookup changes.
"Permantly" install all the clutch components onto the THERMOSTAT
flywheel, using an alignment tool for the driven disc.
We recommend that you drill 3/16” bleed hole in the
thermostat as shown below. This will allow a small
amount of water to pass all the time, plus facilitate air
bleeding. Install into the manifold with the hole up.

EXPANSION TANK (FE BLOCK)

Used Ford tanks can be reversed so that the outlet exits on
the left side as shown. Unfortunately, our experience has
shown that most original tanks (20+ years old by now)
have corrosion and fatigue problems, even after close
scrutiny and careful rebuilding. Fortunately, new
expansion tanks are now available from E.R.A.
Install the bell housing. Place a straight-edge across the If you don't wish to do this job yourself any radiator shop
bell housing opening to measure the height of the fingers can handle it
below the opening. Make sure that the cylinder piston is
pushed all the way into the housing.
Adjust the height of the bearing on the transmission by
screwing the threaded adjusting sleeve in or out of the
slave cylinder so that when the transmission is installed,
there will be the indicated clearance.
After the transmission is installed permantly, recheck the
clearance and connect the pressure hose to the clutch
master cylinder.
Attach the bleed hose to the bellhousing flange at a
conveniently accessible location.
 RADIATOR HOSES:
The installation layout is also shown on page 147.

FE (390/427/428 ENGINE)

B/HEADTANK

STANDARD UPPER HOSE

21047: Standard cast-iron water pump, others with 2” inlet

62107: Some aluminum water pumps with 2 ¼” inlet
21258: Ford Small block

WITH OPTIONAL CONNECTING TUBE

HOSE TRIMMING INSTRUCTIONS SMALL BLOCK FORD
The two lower radiator hoses must be modified to fit. Use the center portion from the radiator to the lower
After checking fit, cut and trim the hoses as shown. connecting tube. (You must tell us that you’re using a
small block when you order.)
Upper hose

The long leg of the aluminum connecting tube goes toward

the radiator.
Lower Hose, Ford small block

Connecting hose for aluminum water pump.

This substitutes for the 21047 shown above.

429/460 FORD
Lower hoses are the same as the FE Ford.
You must use an in-line filler cap (i.e. Moroso) or an
expansion tank. If you are using an in-line filler only, you
must use an overflow system that replenishes the system
automatically.

Pad the "X" member if the upper hose touches it.

REAR SUSPENSION, JAGUAR: Replace any corroded or damaged brake lines. Be sure to
use lines with the proper end flare and fittings. Note that
some British fittings have a convex (bubble) flare that
DISASSEMBLY
mates with a concave receptacle in the caliper. While this
See the exploded view of the lower control arm on page is similar to some metric fittings, the threads are SAE. It is
40. The following Jaguar core/parts should be thoroughly not possible to make these flares with a conventional
checked and rebuilt if necessary: brake calipers, flaring tool. Aftermarket suppliers and Jaguar dealers have
emergency brake pads and linkage, universal joints on these British style lines.
half-shafts, hub carrier and lower control arm bearings.
Mount the brass junction block on the left front of the
Bearings, etc. are listed on page 152. We have found that
cage, with the fitting for the flex hose up. If your rear
the Spicer U-joints listed are the only brand that suspension core has the junction block pointing forward,
consistently meets the standards required of the Jaguar fabricate a small bracket from 1/8" steel strap. Install the
half-shafts (and we've tried quite a few). hose (mounted on the chassis, originally) onto the junction
with a copper "0" ring.
JAGUAR LOWER CONTROL ARM LAYOUT
AND PARTS
(Jaguar OEM part numbers)
ASSEMBLY
The description below is a supplement to a good Jaguar
manual, not a substitute. Refer to the Jaguar instructions
for a detailed breakdown of the assembly sequence and
parts.

For hints on assembling the Jaguar hub carriers (except for

the lower pivot) see page 44.

E.R.A. does not recommend that urethane bushsing be

substituted for the roller bearings in the bottom of the hub
carrier. Their excessive flex will cause wheel hop.

JAGUAR/ERA SUSPENSION SUBFRAME

Build the differential, installing the brake rotors and
calipers outside the subframe. Note: If you are using the
competition 12" vented rotors and aluminum calipers, the b\jagcage
rotor and caliper must be installed after the differential is
in place. TRAILING END ROD ENDS:
Find the brake-hose mounting tab on the front of the Install the trailing arm rod ends onto the lower control
subframe. See page 99. Lower the subframe over the arms in place of the original trailing arms. Use the spacers
differential while rotating, so that the front of the subframe provided to center the rod end on the bolt.
goes around the pinion first. Use ½” USS bolts to loosely On late rears the securing bolt screws in from the inside of
attach the upper mounting plate to the differential casting. the brackets. On earlier cars the bolts are inserted from the
Turn the subframe/differential upside down on a padded outside (hub side). If the bolt head protrudes from the
surface, with the differential mounting plate down. recess on the control arm, grind it flush with the outer edge
of the recess. Otherwise, it will contact the hub carrier.
Loosely install the side brackets onto the differential case.
Slide the fulcrum shafts through the subframe and
brackets. Add shims between the brackets and the
differential to take up any side clearance. Tighten the bolts
holding the brackets to the case.
If there is a gap between the top of the differential and the
mounting plate, shim to zero clearance.
Tighten the top bolts.

On the E.R.A. subframe, toe-in is determined by the location

of the holes in the subframe which are not adjustable. If
your toe-in is incorrect, your control arms may be bent.

Install the lower control arm with bearings, etc., into the
subframe, using the same parts and procedure with the
E.R.A. subframe as the Jaguar subframe.

Do NOT replace the control arm roller and needle bearings b\tralarm
with aftermarket urethane bushings! The net result will be
Reinstall the hub carrier onto the half shaft and lower
wheel hop and generally sloppy handling.
control arm. The trailing arms should be installed onto the
Install the junction block and hose (using a copper washer) rod ends when the suspension assembly is installed into
onto the bracket on the subframe. the chassis.
Connect the hard brake lines from the bracket to each See page 154 for lubricants and capacities.
caliper. HAND BRAKE LINKAGE
XKE EMERGENCY BRAKE SYSTEM
If you started with an XKE core, the linkage system will
be similar to the picture below. Rearrange your
compensator parts as shown.
 STIFFER COIL-OVER SPRINGS:
You may use slightly stiffer springs in the rear to decrease
squat on heavy acceleration.
 All springs listed below are 2 1/2" ID.
 If you have stock XKE springs on stock (or their
equivalent) XKE dampers, replace one stock spring
on each side with a 10" long x 400 lb/in spring.
Alternately, replace all 4 springs with a new 10” x
350 lb/in spring.
 If you have the ERA-supplied Spax damper with
adjustable collar, use 8" x 400 lb/in springs for all
four springs.
REAR HUBS
BOLT-ON WHEELS:
EB_JAG
XJ sedan rear suspension units with original bolt-on
Remove the clevis pins securing the brake levers (a) to the wheels have a flange with a 5 x 4 3/4" pattern, matching the
compensator links (B + D). front Chevrolet hubs. If you are using an XKE rear drive
Remove the bolts securing the compensator bracket (c) with splined hubs for wire wheels, they must be changed
onto the rear end cage and remove. Remove the cotter pin to the sedan pieces. Call E.R.A. for the hubs. We've got
and the washer securing the bell crank assembly (e) onto take-offs in stock.
bracket (c).
PIN DRIVE WHEELS
Reassemble the bell crank assembly upside down and onto
bracket (c) with washer and cotter pin. Six-Pin hubs are available as a direct replcacement for the
Jaguar hubs mentioned above. They will fit Trigo,
Install the unit onto the cage and replace the clevis and Halibrand and P.S. Engineering wheels.
cotter pin securing the links (b and d) onto the levers (a).
XJ6 OR XJ12 REAR SUSPENSION CORE
If you have a block on either brake actuating lever, it must
be removed. Pry the lever apart to remove, then squeeze
together again. Use a 3/8" bolt at (A), a 5/16" bolt at (B).

\B\EB_ERA
REAR SUSPENSION, E.R.A. DESIGN

The E.R.A. rear suspension is carried in an aluminum subframe, using a Salisbury differential driving special cast aluminum
uprights with outboard brakes. Most of the axle and bearing parts are from the Jaguar XJ. Brake calipers are late-model
Camaro. Rotors are Wilwood on E.R.A. adapters.
The subframe is mounted to the chassis at the top and at the bottom cross-member through urethane bushings.
Replacement parts are listed on page 152.
You will need the following parts for a complete assembly:
Qt. Description Part number
1 E.R.A. conversion assembly, with subframe, lower radius arms,
upper and lower trailing arms, hub carrier, all bushings, axle
spacers, and all rod ends and fasteners.
Also included: brake hat, rotor
Optional: Emergency brake cables with balance assembly.
2 Coil-over dampers (Carrera requires coil conversion kit) Carrera 3356 or 3257
14.5" extended length, 10.5" compressed length Koni: Ask
Spax: G452-AS200
2 Springs 9"L x 450lb/in. (2.25” ID
only)
1 Differential, w/o brakes
2 Stub axle w/washer and nut

2 Axle flange, bolt-on Jag CBC1784

6-pin drive E.R.A.
2 Bearings and seals, hub carrier See page 152.
Half-shafts and U-joints See page 49
2 Brake caliper
ASSEMBLY
AXLE ASSEMBLY

The stock Jaguar XJ inner axle must be shortened to XKE

Series I/II length. Alternately, you may build the axle from
scratch. Specifications are available from us. Complete
assemblies and parts are available from E.R.A.

Clean and deburr the axle splines.

Assemble the stub and inner axle together, replacing the
universal joints with genuine Spicer units (5-160X).
Hub Carrier
Some of the lower pivot shafts are a shrink fit into the
aluminum casting. It may be removed by heating the
assembly or, less preferably, by using a press. Generally,
removal is not necessary. Later pins are threaded into the
casting and retained by a setscrew and Loctite®

Pin-drive
cob\man2\b\rerahbpd

Clean the hub carrier casting of any machining debris,

especially on the inside.
Press the inner and outer bearing races and outer seal only
into the carrier.
Install the seal race and the outer bearing onto the hub.
Make sure that both are completely seated.
Install the seal race onto the stub axle.
ADJUSTING HUB END FLOAT
When the hub carrier is assembled, the end float of the
axle/bearing assembly should be .adjusted with shims to
Bolt-on between 002” preload to .004” float. Aim for zero. You
cob\man2\b\rerahbbo
can change the end float with the correct size of spacer
from Jaguar, SICP, Concours West, or E.R.A. See the list
below.
Pack the inner and outer bearings with good wheel bearing
grease. Also fill (about half-way) the cavity in the hub
carrier. Install the inner oil seal.
Technique One
Insert the hub with outer bearing into the hub carrier.
Moderately press the outer bearing onto the small end of
the hub so that the bearing seats into the bearing cup.
Check that there is no axial play of the hub, but it still
rotates freely.
Measure the distance from the hub end to the bearing
surface with an accurate dial indicator.
Find the next size larger spacer in the chart.
Assemble the spacer onto the stub axle, install the axle
assembly into the hub, lining up the cotter pin holes in
each. Install a flat washer and nut. Tighten the nut to 140
lb-ft.
Check the end-play with a dial indicator. If it is correct,
tighten the nut to the next near hole and install the cotter
pin.
Available shims:
Jag part # Thickness
CAC3818/10 0.110"
CAC3818/12 0.112"
CAC3818/14 0.114"
CAC3818/16 0.116"
CAC3818/18 0.118"
CAC3818/20 0.120"
CAC3818/22 0.122"
CAC3818/24 0.124"
CAC3818/26 0.126"
CAC3818/28 0.128"
CAC3818/30 0.130"
CAC3818/32 0.132"
CAC3818/34 0.134"
CAC3818/36 0.136"
b\erahubc
CAC3818/38 0.138"
Install the upper bracket onto each hub carrier and torque
Technique Two
the bolts to 75 lb-ft. Note the orientation below.
Hold the hub carrier vertically in a vise with the inner end
of the hub uppermost. Place the special collar tool (Jag SUBFRAME
tool No. J15) on the hub end. Place the inner bearing inner Rebuild the differential as necessary. Some units have a
race on the hub and press the race onto the hub until the separate caliper mounting bridge on the side bearing
inner face is flush with the special collar. This will provide housing. This bracket and the original Jaguar rotor can be
end flat bearings. The end float should then be measured left off.
with a dial test indicator. A spacer should then be fitted in
Place the differential on the bench, right-side-up. Raise
place of the Special collar to give end float of .002"-006".
the back up about 3/4" with a block of wood, etc. Place the
Spacers are supplied in the thicknesses shown below.
the top section of the subframe over the differential, lining
For example, assume the end float measured to be .025". up the 4 holes. Loosely bolt the top of the subframe to the
Subtract the nominal end float of .004" from the measured top of the differential with (4) 1/2"USS x 11/4"L bolts, flat
end float giving .021". Since the Special Collar is .150" washers and lock washers.
thick, the thickness of the spacer to be fitted will be
0.150"- 0.021" i.e. .129". The nearest spacer is 0.128" or
0.130". For competition, use the spacer yielding more end
float.
When the axle shaft has been fitted and nut tightened
(140 lb.ft.), check the end float with a dial indicator. If it
is correct, tighten the nut to the next near hole and install
the cotter pin.
Install both the seals into the hub carrier.
Re-assemble the hub carrier with hub and axle.
Install the washer and retaining nut. Tighten the nut to 225
lbft. Without an air wrench, you may want to wait until
the car is on the ground for final torqueing.

cob\man\d\rsasblyu

Turn the assembly upside-down. Install the bottom

section of the subframe by inserting the rear ears just in
front of the rear flanges of the top. Rotate down in the
front to match the front holes and loosely attach the front
with 5/16"USS x 3/4”L hex cap screws and flat washers.
Align the rear flanges of the upper and lower sections with
the 5/8" lower radius arm bolts. Insert the 5/16"USS x 3/4"
bolts (flat washers on both sides) and secure with stover
nuts.
 Use Grade 5 torque specs on page 155 for all fasteners

Loosely fasten the bottom of the subframe to the

differential using 1/2"USS x 11/4" bolts, flat and lock
washers. Shims may be necessary between the channel
and the casting, so don't tighten the bolts yet.
Tighten (in sequence) the top differential bolts, the bolts
between the top and bottom subframe pieces. If the
clearance between the differential and the bottom section
of the subframe is greater than .040”, insert shims to fill
the gap. Use a medium grade threadlocker on the bolts.
Install the bushings and side brackets on the front mount
tube. Tighten one castle nut to 5 lb-ft and back off so that
the slot aligns with the nearest hole in the shaft. Tighten
the second nut to 15 lb-ft and back off to the nearest hole.

fiat\man\d\rsasblyt

Insert the bushings into the radius arms and lightly

lubricate the inside with heavy grease (silicone or moly
base is best). Install the hub carrier onto the front radius
arm. Loosely install the washer and castle nut.
Install the rear radius arm onto the hub carrier in the same
manner. Slide the other (inside) end into the bracket on
the subframe and temporarily secure with a bolt. Insert the
3
/8"USS x 5/8"L bolts through the connecting plates.
Tighten each castle nut to 15 lb-ft and back off to the
nearest hole. Secure with a cotter pin.
B\rsasblyf
Bolt the half-shaft inner ends and spacer onto each
differential output flange. If you wish, install Jaguar shims
CONTROL ARMS with about .060" total thickness between the half-shaft and
the spacer. This will make minor camber adjustments
easier after basic alignment has been done.
Install a male (right-hand-thread) rod end and jam nut onto
each front lower radius arm so that the bushing center to
rod end center distance is 16". Leave the jam nuts loose.
Assemble the rear radius arm as shown.

fiat\man\d\rradarm

Install the front radius arms onto the lower differential fia\man\d\hsaxlflg
bracket as shown.
Install the coil-over damper onto the upper mount using a
1
/2" x 2 3/4"L bolt with flat washers and stover nut.
Connect the lower end of the damper to the front radius
arm with 1/2" x 2 1/4"L bolt. Use spacers on either side of
the damper if necessary.
Install the anti-sway bar onto the rear of the subframe with
5
/16"-USS nuts, flat and lock washers as illustrated above.
 Install the brake calipers, using M12 x 30mm Allen cap
screws and wave washers. Bolt-on wheel hubs require
spacers between the caliper and the upright. Pin-drive
hubs need no spacer.
Attach the emergency brake cable as shown. You may
have to make a slot in the bracket in which to insert the
cable. See page 46. The cable is routed through the
internal holes in the subframe and out the front to the
balance bar assembly (page 102).
Connect the brake hose to the caliper.

SHIFT1

Remove the knob and rubber mounting grommets from the

lever.
Use an oxy-acetylene torch to apply as little heat as
possible to melt the braze or silver solder attaching the
actuating cable to the lock-out dog. When the braze or
solder melts, a spring will pop the dog out.
Cob\man\b\caliper.jpg

After the suspension assembly is installed, fill the

differential as described on page 154.
REAR HUBS
BOLT-ON WHEELS:
XJ sedan rear suspension units with original bolt-on
wheels have a flange with a 5 x 4 3/4" pattern, matching the
front Chevrolet hubs. If you are using an XKE rear drive
with splined hubs for wire wheels, they must be changed
to the sedan pieces. Call E.R.A. for the hubs. We've got
take-offs in stock.
See page 143 for alignment specifications and procedure.
PIN-DRIVE WHEELS:
One-piece drive hubs (6 pin) are part of our E.R.A. pin Cob\man\b\shift2
drive option or available separately. They are installed in
Save the dog, spring, and washer. Push the cable back up
place of either style Jaguar hub.
into the lever about 4 inches, but don't remove it
completely.
SHIFT LEVER (FORD)
Cut the lever as shown, removing approximately 2" where
E.R.A. has complete reproduction shift levers and linkage indicated. Chamfer both ends for welding.
for those who don't want to do the modifications described
The inside of the original tube was stepped for a washer that
below.
created a seat for the spring. When the lever was cut, that
To duplicate the original Cobra's reversed shift lever, the stepped section was removed.
Ford shift lever listed in Section A must be modified as
To create a spring seat:
shown below.
  Extend the cable through the end of the tube and Trim the cable close to the dog and grind down the brass
slide a washer over it. Tack weld the washer in and cable flush to the end of the dog. Grease the
place centered on the tube. Be careful not to mechanism when cooled and replace the rubber grommets.
overheat the cable. For a more positive feel when shifting, replace the rubber
grommets with pressed in steel sleeves.
Install the lever onto the transmission linkage.
SHIFT LEVER PLACEMENT
The shift lever should end up (relative to the bell housing)
as shown below. E.R.A. has adapter plates to position a
Hurst unit correctly on the Top-Loader and the
Richmond Gear 5 speed. See also page 14 for linkage
locations on the Top-Loader trans.

b\shift3

Clamp the base of the lever in a vise. Holding the lever in

an 11 o'clock position, tack weld the lever to its base.
Hold the lever so that it points forward as shown above.
B\shiftmt
Make sure the slot for the lock-out dog in the base of the
lever is on the right side with the lever pointing forward. RICHMOND GEAR 5 SPEED
Weld the unit together using minimum heat. Don't let the The Richmond gearbox uses an adapter and special handle
cable slip down and out of the washer. (available from ERA) to move the shift lever to the proper
Place the lock-out dog in a vise and cut off the top portion location. The linkage shown is from Long.
as shown in "B". Remove any burrs in the cable hole.
The original spring must be replaced with one that is 1 1/2"
long and approximately 8 coils per inch. Find one with the
same tension as the original.
Cut the tip of the cable off the dog so that the cable can
pass through the hole.
Slip the spring over the cable and into the lever. Insert the
dog over the cable and into place in the lever.
Pull the cable tight through the dog. With a pair of vise
grips, hold the dog in place approximately 1/16" below the
surface of its receptacle as shown. If necessary, have
someone hold it for you. Braze or silver solder the cable
to the dog.. Silver soldering is less likely to weaken the
cable.
If brazing, use as small a flame as possible, holding the Richmond Gear 5 speed
end of the brazing rod against the cable and dog. Direct
the flame onto the end of the brazing rod, away from the TREMEC TKO SERIES
cable. Avoid playing the flame directly on the cable.. All Tremec transmissions keep the lever in the stock (full
The heat necessary to melt the brazing rod will be directed back) location to use the bent-forward shift lever available
onto the cable, allowing the brass to adhere to the cable. from ERA.
The lump of brass now on the cable will act as a heat
shield while you now direct the flame against the dog until
it is hot enough to cause the brass on the cable to flow and
adhere.
 STEERING GEAR
See page 24 for part numbers.

The E.R.A. supplied steering gear does not require the

preparation below. It is modified from a Flaming River
gear. Parts to complete the modification are available
from E.R.A.
Remove the tie-rod boots.
Cut off the threaded end.
Weld (MIG is preferred) the ERA adapter to the remaining
DRIVE SHAFT inner tie-rod.
E.R.A. stocks drive shafts for most Top Loader, Tremec Paint
and Richmond Gear transmissions. Alternately, you may Replace the boot and fasten with tie-wraps.
have a shop specializing in power transmission equipment
make one to your specifications. You must supply them
with the appropriate transmission slip yoke and the
distance from the differential flange to the tail shaft of the
transmission.
Measure and check the distance from the face of the
differential flange to the end of the transmission, including
the seal extension. Subtract about 3/4" for movement (note
that some seals are accordion-like and designed to ride b\fr_gear_mod
against the flange of the output yoke).
Drawings for the units E.R.A. supplies are available from STEERING COLUMN (UPPER)
E.R.A. Inquire.
You may use the E.R.A. reproduction column or the
Triumph column listed on page 17.
BUSHING REPLACEMENT (EARLY)
(Based on a Triumph Spitfire bushing)

The bushing consists of two parts: an outer

rubber/steel insulator and a nylon sleeve.
 Make sure that the nylon sleeve is seated inside the
insulator.
 Put a little grease on the inside of the housing to
reduce the friction.
 Line up the retaining lugs and the hole, and push
the pieces fully home.
Remove the bushing by pushing the lugs in and toward the
housing end.
BUSHING REPLACEMENT (ERA COLUMN,  Using a dowel just small enough to fit inside the
LATE) housing, drive the upper bushing out through the
upper end of the column from the bottom.
Part number, page 154.  Replace the upper bushing using the drift you used
for removal. Lubricate the outside of the bushing
The one-piece nylon bushing is staked into the housing. If with silicon, waterless hand soap, etc., before
the bushing needs replacement, it must be split and pried pushing into place.
out. After pressing in the new bushing, it may need reaming  Slide the column back in place.
or hand fitting. The column should fit with zero clearance or  Replace the lower bushing.
a slight interference.  Replace the horn plate if necessary.
When inserting the column through the assembly, be very Canceling cam
careful that you don't push the bottom sleeve out.. Before the Triumph steering column can be permanently
E.R.A. COLUMN installed, check that the signal canceling cam on the
steering column shaft points toward the left when mated
The E.R.A. column is ready for installation. No with the steering gear and middle column. Normally the
preparation is necessary. cam will be oriented correctly if the flat on the column
TRIUMPH COLUMN (where it mates to the intermediate column) is up.

b\stcoltri

Remove the ignition switch/column lock. Two bolts hold

the ignition switch unit onto the column, but their heads b\canclcam
automatically snap off in assembly for theft proofing.
They now look like large pins or dowels. Use a prick WIPERS
punch and small hammer to turn the bolts out, or cut a slot
in them and use a screwdriver. E.R.A. has wiper assemblies that can be purchased outright,
Replace the bushings if there is any side play in the or, if necessary, will modify your pieces on an exchange
housing. The column bushings are plastic within a steel basis.
and rubber collar. They have 2 nubs that lock into holes in
the column housing. OVERVIEW
 Remove the horn plate located inside the The original-style Lucas wiper motor and drive uses a
switch/hub housing by straightening the two metal spiral-wound drive cable that engages gears at each wiper
tabs holding it in place. The plate may be discarded arm. By driving the cable back and forth in a rigid
if you are going to use the dash mounted horn housing, the gears and wiper arms rotate. The amount of
button.
rotation is determined by the stroke of the drive cable and
 Remove the nylon washer and aluminum cap from
the lower end of the column housing. the diameter of the wheelbox gears.
 Slide the column up and out of the upper (steering A switch in the motor that remains closed during 350
wheel) end of the housing as far as it will go. degrees of the rotation of the drive gear, automatically
 Trim most of the old upper and lower bushing nubs parks the wiper arms on the right side of the windshield
off with a razor or utility knife. Work the lower after the dash switch is shut off. Some motors have the
bushing out with a screwdriver by pushing in and switch cam oriented incorrectly. Check the Stroke
down on the locking nubs in the side of the Changes section below for the correct orientation
housing.
 Remove the column from the housing.
 Unfortunately, the best wheel boxes (listed on page 26) are MOTOR PREPARATION
rarely available. If your wheelboxes do not match the
specifications on page 18, the crankshaft in the wiper
motor may be modified to compensate. See Stroke
Changes below.
For electrical testing, see the electrical troubleshooting
guide.
CONNECTING TUBES

b\wiper3

Undo the large nut and remove the cable tube/wheelbox If you are sure that the wiper motor functions correctly and
assembly from the motor. don't want to disassemble the wiper motor itself, skip steps
Remove the wheelbox backing plates and remove the tubes 4 through 8.
from the wheelboxes. Take out the 4 screws holding the cover to the gearbox,
Using a tubing cutter or hacksaw, cut off approximately 2 and remove the cover.
3
/4" from one end of the original tube between the right Remove the circlip and washer from the connecting rod
wheelbox and the motor. Save the nut and the piece of big end, and remove the connecting rod. Note the bottom
tubing. Use the short tube for the guide at the end of the washer.
second wheelbox.
Remove the circlip and washer from the back side of the
Slide the nut onto tube shorter tube supplied (the one with crankshaft, and push out the crankshaft from the housing.
just one end flared). Retain all the parts! Note the thrust washer on the inside
Flare the end of the tube with the nut. Slide the drive of the crankpin.
cable through the tube. If the cable is tight at the new Mark the relative position of the round motor housing to
flare, use a 1/4" drill bit to "clean" the inside of the tube. the aluminum gear reduction housing. Remove the two
long screws holding the motor housing to the frame.
CHECKING THE WHEELBOX/CABLE Separate the two (with gentle soft hammer taps if
FUNCTION necessary). Do not lose the felt washer and thrust washer
Because of manufacturing variations, it’s a good practice in the bearing cup at the bottom of the housing.
to check for the correct mesh between the cable, gear and Inspect the brushes for wear or sticking, the commutator
the wheelbox housing. for excess wear and arcing, and the lower bearing. Clean
the parts with a solvent if necessary. Work the brushes in
and out to insure free motion.
Install the armature carefully into the gear housing until it
contacts the sides of the brushes. Using a hook shaped
wire or other appropriate tool, retract each brush in turn so
that the commutator can slide past the edges of both
brushes and continue into the gear case
Put 1 or 2 drops of oil in the lower bearing of the armature
housing. Excess oil will contaminate the brushes later on.
Install the armature housing, aligning the marks on the
housing and the frame. Reinstall the long retaining
screws.
STROKE CHANGES
Remove the plastic gear from the crankshaft by supporting
the edge of the gear and tapping the shaft with a soft
hammer. Be careful not to damage the circlip groove.
The position of the crankpin must be changed in order to
increase the stroke of the cable: Punch the underside of
the crank plate exactly opposite the center of the crankpin.
Use a 3/8" Blair spotweld cutter to cut the pin from the
plate, drilling from the back side at the punch mark. The
pin will be removed, together with a small piece of the
plate.

Wiper mounted on the passenger’s footbox.

The pin is adjacent to the parking cam.
b\wipgear

b\wiper2
Drill a 17/64" hole in the opposite side of the crankplate at
the position indicated in the illustration. Countersink
from the crankpin side just enough that the crankpin will
be flat on the plate after insertion into the hole.
Weld or braze the pin in the new hole from the back. Wiper motor mounted on driver’s footbox.
Clean and deburr the crankshaft.
The pin is opposite the parking cam.
Install the plastic gear onto the crankshaft, engaging the
tangs of the gear into the crankshaft notches. The Grease the shaft lightly, install the conical thrust washer,
orientation of the plastic cam is dependant on which and insert it into the housing. Install the outer thrust
footbox your wiper motor is mounted. washer and circlip.
Trim the cable so that it measures 38” from crankpin hole
to the end. Since the wire material is very hard, it must be
done with an abrasive wheel or bolt cutter.
Partially fill the gear housing with grease, and place the
cable into the guide. Some guides are integral; others have
separate plastic liners. Install the connecting rod with its
thrust washers, and the connecting rod circlip.
Install the cover plate with 4 screws.
Instructions for wiper motor installation are on page 77.
DAMPERS AND SPRINGS:

If the car seems too high when first lowered to the floor, don't panic. The car will settle a bit after driving.. The spring
specifications below have worked for us consistantly.

The E.R.A.-Jaguar subframe requires XKE Series I or II dampers. Height adjustable dampers are available from E.R.A.
DAMPERS
SPECIFICATIONS
Position Damper Compressed Spring Spring
Extended Length (with length Rate *
Length rubber (lbs/inch)
(eye to eye) compr'sed)
Front 17.5" 12.1" 12" (Spax) 250
Rear (Jag) Stock XKE 13.3" 10.1" 10" 250
Spax w/o height adj. 13.3" 10.1" 10" 350
Spax with height adj. 13.3" 10.1" 8" 350
Rear (ERA Design)
Spax with height adj. 14.5” 10.5” 9” x 2.25”ID 450
*The spring rate is either on a tag or etched on the end of the spring.
If you use a different brand coil-over, do not exceed the extended length by more than 1/4".

FRONT SPRINGS PRELOAD

Because of small variations in the free length of new APPLICATION LEFT RIGHT
springs the installed height in the damper may vary Big Block
slightly. Use the preloads at the right to calculate the
spring installed height. 275lbs/in. .9" 1.1"
250 lbs/in 1.1" 1.3"
Small Block
250 lbs/in .5" .7"
225 lbs/in .8" 1.0"
Dimensions above apply to Spax dampers only.
Because component weight may vary from car to car, final
adjustments to determine the correct ride height should be
made after the car has been driven a short distance to settle
the springs. See page 142.

b\spring REAR HUBS, BOLT-ON WHEELS:

Measure each spring and subtract the values below for the
installed height in a fully extended damper. To accept bolt-on wheels, Jaguar XJ hubs must be used.
They have a flange with (5) ½-20 studs.
 SECTION C:
CHASSIS PREPARATION

Assembling the chassis and preparation for paint

 Body pre-mounted on chassis option
Most of the time-consuming items listed in this section are
already done, although it couldn’t hurt to check critical
fasteners. You can skip all the Section C items except
removing the windshield, bumpers, lights and fuel filler
cap in preparation for paint.

BODY REMOVAL

The body must be removed to paint the chassis, but is not

necessary to remove the body from the chassis to paint the
body. All E.R.A. turn-key cars are painted with the body
already bonded to the chassis, but without mechanicals
installed. This requires careful masking to minimize
overspray, but guarantees good body panel fit. Installation
of all the mechanical components is easy with the body
on the chassis. It is, in fact, much harder to install the
body over the mechanical components.

When doing any disassembly, note any adjusting shims

and their location. Mark each for reassembly.
DOORS, HOOD AND TRUNK LID
Note the location of the hinges and the number of shims for
all pieces.
Remove the door hinge covers.
Remove the doors, hood, and trunk lid from their hinges.
Note that the basice kit is shipped with short pieces of half- ROLL BAR:
round rubber taped to the door openings. This is put there Remove the center access panel from the rear bulkhead.
to prevent rattles and wear when the car is shipped. You See page 82.
may discard the rubber, etc. Lengths of new gasket are
included in the parts boxes shipped with the kit. Remove the bolts from roll bar brace, one at each leg, and
at the top and bottom end of the rear brace.
Remove the door hinges and metal closing panels behind
door hinges. Remove the shim washers from the lower end of the brace
and slide the brace down to disengage the upper slip joint.
Remove the hood and trunk hinges, noting their location.
“L” and “R” are stamped into the hood hinges. The trunk Pull the roll bar hoop up and out from the chassis.
hinges are the same from left to right and are stamped with Remove the rubber grommets from the body.Doors, etc:
“T”. Remove the filler panel below the door opening.
BUMPERS, BUMPER BRACKETS: Remove latching hardware from the main body, including
Front: If you have the optional nudge bar(s), detach them the hood firewall latches..
from the overriders. Remove the aluminum interior panels that are below the
Remove both fresh air inlet ducts and screen from the front door openings and the aluminum firewall.
body. RADIATOR AND SHROUDING:
Remove each bumper/tube assembly from its mounting Remove the (optional) oil cooler and shrouding. See page
point. The upper nut is accessible from inside the nose. 89.
The lower nut is accessed through a hole in the inner
splash panel. Remove the (optional front fan assembly. See page 88.
Rear: Unbolt the bumpers from their mounting brackets Remove the rear fan on its bracket. See page 87.
(upper bolt) and chassis (lower bolt). The nuts on lower Remove the side and lower shrouding (3 pcs.) from inside
bolt are reached through the access holes on the bottom of the grill opening.
the rear chassis cross member. If nudge bar is fitted,
Remove the upper radiator mounting tab and gently lay the
remove as a unit.
radiator back against the chassis. Soft paddling will help
insure that nothing is damaged.
Remove the top radiator shroud. See page 87.
 SECTION C -CHASSIS PREPARATION-
Remove any cotter pins and washers from the bottom
radiator pins and carefully slide the radiator up and out of
the car through the hood opening. The radiator can also be
removed from the bottom in unit with the bottom
mounting bracket.
FRONT INNER PANEL REMOVAL
Remove the fresh air hose from the front intake manifold.
Disengage the retaining clamps and pull the hose rearward
into the engine compartment.
Remove the wheelhouse access panel at the rear.

Attachment points are circled

Remove the screws that attach the middle panel to the
chassis and the bonded tube at the hood-opening return
edge.

Remove the front wheelhouse panel. It’s attached with

screws or rivets to the main chassis rail as shown below to
the vertical support, fiberglass inner panel (top) and where
it meets the middle panel.

The following panels are held in place with screws

(standard kit) or are bonded and riveted with the Bonded-
body option.

DASHBOARD AND GLOVE BOX:

Remove steering column if fit, page 112.
 SECTION C -CHASSIS PREPARATION-
Remove the 5 chrome screws and trim washers securing LIFTING THE BODY OFF
the dash panel. If the dashboard wiring is already
connected to the main harness, disconnect the multi-plug Two people per side are required to remove or replace the
connectors and the connection at the ammeter. Remove body from the chassis.
the dashboard and store on a soft surface.
Gently spread the body sides out, working the rocker over
If the car is already assembled, also disconnect the air
the sill tube and the door hinge mounts.
control cables, the water and temperature bulbs, and the oil
pressure line going to the cngine. For simpler operations, After removal, support the body on a flat surface so that
you can pull the dash rearward without disconnecting there is no stress on the rocker panel area under doors.
those things.
CHASSIS PAINT
Remove the screws securing the glove box to the firewall.
WINDSHIELD: If chassis is not already powder coated from E.R.A.
(optional), all the remaining parts on chassis must be
Don't lose the screws for the center bracket, windwings or removed:
sun visors. They have special British Whitworth threads,  Brake cylinder/ pedal cover box and pedal assembly.
and are hand-trimmed to length. You can't get them at your Cover or remove the pedal shaft needle bearings in
local hardware store (unless you live in England, anyway.) chassis before priming or sand-blasting chassis.
Refer to page 102 for pedal assembly details.
(See page 107 for details) Before removing windshield,
mark the location of the center windshield bracket on the  Brake master cylinder cover, floors, , footboxes and
body with a sharpened piece of stiff wire or a scribe. brake lines
Remove the two small screws from the windshield post  Radiator lower support bracket. Remove the nuts on
trim plates on both sides of the windshield. the bottom of the front chassis extension. See page
From under the cowl, remove the 4 bolts holding the 87.
windshield to the car, make note of any shims. The footboxes, floors, transmission tunnel and rear
Slide the windshield up and out. Store it in a protected bulkhead panel are temporarily located and secured with
place. For installation, see page 107. sheet metal screws. Save the screws for use later in
aligning parts for installation.
GAS CAP, FILLER PIPE
 Remove the accelerator pedal assembly, fresh air
See page 92 for diagram.
control valves, brackets, etc. from the foot boxes.
Loosen the hose clamps on the rubber connector between Coat the chassis, brackets, pedals and brake cover,
the tank and the filler flange. Remove the hose. suspension components, etc. It is not necessary to paint the
Unscrew the cap from its mounting flange. Keep the aluminum panels.
shims and/or gaskets found between cap and mounting Clean all parts with wax and grease remover.
flange. The threads are coated with anti-seize grease. If
you have to remove the coating, it must be replaced before Etch metal with "Metal Prep", or by sandblasting.
reassembly. Without it, the parts may gall together Apply a primer coat appropriate for your paint. If possible
permanently. use non-sanding epoxy primer.
Slip the lower ends of the vent and drain hoses (attached to Paint the chassis and other parts with epoxy or a two-part
the mounting adapter) out of the holes in the lower polyurethane paint such as Dupont Imron or Ditzler
trunk/fender closing panel. Deltron.
Remove the screws holding the cap and mounting adapter When the paint is properly cured, support the chassis on
on the underside of the fender. Remove the flange and padded jack stands at least 18" off the ground at the rear
hoses. cross member. This is the minimum height required for
installing the rear suspension
Final fastener removal
Locate and remove the screws (save them please!) holding
the body to the chassis from the:
 Bottom edge of the rocker panel
 The interior side of the firewall where the firewall
attaches to the steel cross member.
 Also remove rear wheelhouse closing panels from
inside both rear wheel wells. These panels are the
ones that close off the wheel area from the passenger
compartment.
 SECTION C -CHASSIS PREPARATION-

SECTION D:
BODY/CHASSIS ASSEMBLY

Assembly of the body and basic mechanical components.

 SECTION D - BODY/CHASSIS ASSEMBLY

FASTENER NOTES
Almost all the locking nuts in the kit are Stover style.
Stovers are re-useable several times, unlike the nylon
locking type. However, you must use light oil on the
threads when assembling.
General fastener torque specifications are listed on page
155.

BODY MOUNTED PRE-MOUNTED ON

CHASSIS OPTION
Many items listed in this section are already installed,
although it couldn’t hurt to check critical fasteners. You
can skip the following items:
 Brake and fuel lines
 Horns
 Floors
 Footboxes
 Bonding strips
 Footbox components
 Battery mount
 SECTION D - BODY/CHASSIS ASSEMBLY

BRAKE AND FUEL LINES FOOT BOXES

Replace the brake and fuel lines on the chassis, securing
Before permanently installing the footboxes into the
the lines in place with the plastic clips and Tek screws.
chassis, apply the supplied insulation as shown. The edge
Seal the thread holes with silicone to prevent rusting.
strips are not absolutely needed but make the installation
Bolt the brake master cylinders in place as shown below. neater and keep the edges from curling back over the long
The feed lines will be installed later. term.

d\mastcyl
The clutch master cylinder is shown on page 140. The
balance bar assembly is shown on page 146.

HORNS
Bolt the horns to the front side of the front "X" member.
See locations on page 95.
Front - Passenger Footbox
FLOORS
Place the floor panels in position and hold them in place
with the screws used for shipping.
Using the holes in the aluminum for a pattern, drill 9/64"
holes through the chassis rails. Also, drill holes through
the flanges where the floor rests on the "X" member.
Remove the floors and remove the drilling chips.
Using a caulking gun and high quality auto body seam
sealer or a silicone base sealant, run a bead of sealant on
all the frame surfaces the floor will contact. Don't skimp,
you don't want any gaps where water and dirt can
accumulate.
Place floor panels into place and rivet with 1/8"x 3/8"
aluminum or stainless steel rivets. Press the floor down
while riveting to ensure a tight fit.
Check for gaps between the floor and the chassis and fill
them with more sealant if necessary. From under the car,
smooth out any excess sealant that has squeezed out. Inner – Passenger Footbox
 SECTION D - BODY/CHASSIS ASSEMBLY

Side – Driver’s Footbox

Front – Driver’s Footbox

D\footbox

Use a small amount of sealer under the areas with rivet FRESH AIR CONTROL VALVES
holes. Lift each footbox up and slip in from the center of
the car towards the outside. Match the holes in the
fiberglass to those in the chassis
BONDING STRIPS
Special fiberglass angles are used between the inner panels
and the latteral steel tubes (see above). Attach with sealant
and rivets. The short strips attach to the upper side cowl
support tubes and the longer strip to the top of the rear
cowl support tube.
Position the short bonding strips at least 3/4" back from the
front cowl transverse tube (leaving room for the firewall
that will be bonded later.) Rivet through the sides of the
strips only.
 SECTION D - BODY/CHASSIS ASSEMBLY
THROTTLE LINKAGE
Mount the pedal assembly onto the footbox. See page 85
for details.
ID PLATE
Install the ID plate on the driver’s footbox with 1/8"diam. x
3
/8"L aluminum blind rivets as shown.

d\idplate
d\lftair

Screw on top of the foot box after putting a bead of caulk

on the bottom flange.
Clamp the duct hose onto the valve. The actuating cable
will be attached later.
Use a wire tie to secure the hose to the bracket on the
inside top of the fender.
 SECTION D - BODY/CHASSIS ASSEMBLY

More chassis and body ID numbers VOLTAGE REGULATOR

The regulator (part number on page 26) installs with #10
The chassis is stamped with the ID number in three places: sheet metal screws bolts on top of the left foot box into
captive speed-nuts.
 The left front X member, inside the top shock mount.

 On the transverse tube behind the engine(usually

covered by the aluminum firewall panel. On the
outside of the frame just inside the right rear tire.

The body is marked inside the hood opening, on the left

return lip about a foot from the front of the opening.

BATTERY TRAY
(Pre-installed) The standard front-mounted battery is
bolted in place onto the front of the right foot box and to
the top of the front outrigger. It’s pre-installed on every
chassis, so the holes are already in place. d\voltreg

d\battery_mount

BATTERY REMOVE AND REPLACE

The engine-compartment-mounted battery is accessed by
removing an access panel at the rear of the right front
wheel.
 Remove the hose from the fresh-air valve.
 Note that the top panel screw and the three lower
screws are removed from the engine-compartment
side and the lower screws from inside the wheel
well. The bottom edge is secured to the chassis
outrigger with sheet metal screws.
 SECTION D - BODY/CHASSIS ASSEMBLY
BRAKE/CLUTCH FLUID RESERVOIR
Note: The rubber hose supplied by E.R.A. is compatible
with brake fluid, but most other types are not. Use caution if
you choose to replace the hose.

Bolt the BMW reservoir and its mounting bracket to the

driver’s wheelwell as shown. Connect the reservoir to the
hardlines with the hose supplied. Use clamps to secure.
 SECTION D - BODY/CHASSIS ASSEMBLY

BODY MOUNTING

Preparation Is Everything! Before starting, have all tools  The bonding strips
and materials ready and read the text below.  The rocker panel longitudinal mounting tubes

All the aluminum splash and trunk panels must be  Edges of the upper trunk panel that the body will
removed before the body shell is installed. Once the body contact.
is bonded at the areas indicated (except for the nose Apply the bonding adhesive between the surfaces
opening), the front inner panels must be installed in the indicated on the diagram.
pre-drilled holes to locate the nose support bar. Remove the spacer blocks between the body and chassis,
Clean and rough the tops of the chassis at the areas lining up the original screw holes used for shipping.
indicated. Refasten the rocker panels, firewall, front cowl and nose-
Remove the front body mount. opening supports and the intermediate support on the rear
crossmember.
With assistance, raise the body over the chassis. Lower the
front so that the bottom lip goes over the front chassis While the adhesive is still soft, install the front inner splash
horns. panels with a few rivets or screws to establish the front
body height. See page 57 for details.
Carefully spread the body sides while slipping the lower
body edges over the cowl support side tubes. Lower the Install the nose support to establish the left/right location
body down over the cowl supports and onto the chassis. for front body
Use small blocks of wood, etc. to keep the body at least 2" Smooth out any excess sealant, at the same time sealing
above the bonding strips and chassis. gaps where water and dirt could accumulate. Wipe off
Loosely install the front body mount. excess bonding material from all joints, and clean up with
lacquer thinner or acetone, taking extra care near painted
Attach the aluminum front wheelhouse panels to the body surfaces.
tube, either with several Clecos©, rivets or small screws.
When the body is lowered, the bottom holes in the Use 1/8" aluminum or stainless steel blind rivets to
aluminum must line up with the holes in the chassis. complete the body attachment. Drill 9/64" holes through the
guide holes in the following panels into the chassis, and
Mix a trial batch of bonding adhesive (see “Supplies and rivet body to the chassis:
Materials" on page 29) to check the set-up time before you
start. You must have enough time to apply the adhesive  Front inner wheel house panels (1/8" rivets) and the
and carry out the all the subsequent installation steps triangulated sections at the rear of these panels.
before hardening. Use less catalyst or hardener to increase  The firewall where it mounts onto the steel
working time. crossmember.
Use a caulking gun to apply body sealant (also used on the  The overlapping joint between the upper and lower
floors and foot boxes) to the chassis and corresponding trunk panels.
body parts except:
 SECTION D - BODY/CHASSIS ASSEMBLY
 The lower trunk panel where it rests on top of the HOOD
rear crossmember and along the slopped frame rails
on each side, 3/16" holes only. See above. (Pre-installed) Bolt the hinges loosely into the body from
inside the grille opening. The hood hinges are marked L
With the door shut, the rear edge must be adjusted parallel and R. The trunk hinges are similar but cannot be
to the body opening `from top to bottom. Hold the door so exchanged for the hood hinges and are marked with a T.
that the top edge matches the body. If the bottom edge of Fit any shims found earlier.
the door does not match, adjust the rocker panel by
shifting it in or out on the tube. Attach the latching hardware onto the hood and firewall as
shown.
When the doors fit well, permanently attach the rocker
panels. Run a bead of sealant in between the flange and
the rocker edge with a caulking gun. Rivet the rocker
panels to the ¾” bottom tube.
REAR CLOSING PANELS
Install the panels that seal the rear wheel area from inside
the wheel well with sealant and rivets.
Hold the panels in place with the original screws and drill
(9/64" holes) for 1/8" rivets into the chassis. The closing
panel should not contact the outer body.

ebod\HOODHNDL

The hood is held off the body flange with 5 pieces of half-
round weather-stripping. (Extra engine compartment
ventilation is gained by leaving gaps in the rubber).
Temporarily attach some pieces to locate the hood for
bodywork. Use contact cement to attach the strips onto the
hood flange after the car is painted.

Once the panel is in place, smooth silicone or urethane

sealant over the outer fender/filler joint, covering the foam
gasket all the way to the bottom corner.
Hoodgask

Lay the hood carefully onto the body, centering with

cardboard or wooden shims inserted between the sides of
the hood and hood opening. Leave a gap at the front edge
so that the hood doesn't chip the paint when opened.
From inside the grille opening or engine compartment, lift
the hinges assemblies into place. Align and bolt to the
body and hood with the shims used earlier. Tighten all
bolts.
 SECTION D - BODY/CHASSIS ASSEMBLY
Carefully lift the hood, checking the front edge clearance.
Adjust and/or change shims if needed.
Adjust the hood strikers on the firewall so that the hood is
flush with the body. The hood seal will be compressed
slightly, eliminating rattles.
HOOD PROP
(Pre-installed)
The upper and lower stay brackets are (factory) attached as
shown.

ebod\trnkstay

TRUNK LATCH
(Pre-installed) Attach the trunk handle and latch to the
trunk lid as shown. Don't forget the gasket under the
handle.
Attach the latch striker and bracket to the trunk floor.
Adjust the striker on the bracket so that when latched the
lid slightly compresses the gasket and sits flush and
centered on the surrounding body.

HOODPROP

Note the orientation of the keyhole slot and the bend in the
rod.
TRUNK LID
Tape the gasket to the main body as shown on page 77 for
bodywork alignment prior to painting.
Bolt the trunk hinges (they are marked with a T on the lid
side) loosely onto the body with any shims found earlier.
Loosely bolt the trunk lid (with factory shims) onto the
hinges. Carefully close the lid, not letting the front edge
contact the body. Center the lid in the opening. Slowly lift
the lid just enough to get your arm (and a wrench) inside
and snug the bolts on the lid part of the hinges. Remember
to check the front edge while lifting lid.
The lid can be adjusted further by moving the lid and ebod\trnkltch
hinges in unit at the connection on the inner panel.
Tighten bolts and recheck fit.
TRUNK STAY
(Pre-installed) Attach the trunk stay to the trunk lid as
shown, using the sheet metal screws at the bottom,
stainless steel dome head screws at the top.
 SECTION E
BODY PREPARATION
 SECTION E -BODY PREPARATION-

BODY PREPARATION AND PAINT

FITTING THE ROLL BAR
The mold seam lines are the only areas that need a light coat
of body filler, but the body should be blocked out all over for
a show-quality paint job.
Body preparation and painting of FRP is not much different
than steel, but it does require the same special skills. If you
have no previous experience, it's probably better to have a
professional body-shop do the work.
While E.R.A. doesn't do the exterior painting in-house, we
have found a very reliable and competent local company that
does all our turn-key cars at a fair price. Inquire.

GENERAL HINTS
The body is easier to prepare if it is on the chassis. We
always permanently attached the body to the chassis before
any body preparation is done. This avoids doing damage
to the paint when the body is installed onto the chassis.
The kit is designed so that the engine and transmission can
E\ROLLBAR
be easily installed later.
RETROFIT INSTALLATION If the body is painted on the chassis, carefully mask so
MAIN HOOP, that overspray is kept off the chassis and mechanical parts.
If the roll bar is not already fit, initially drill the holes for Remove any clay that remains on the mold break lines. Be
the hoop no bigger than the diameter of the bar. Call ERA very thorough. The clay has an oil base.
for the approximate location of the holes. This will allow Wash the body with soap and water to remove any mold
final adjustment of the holes to exactly fit the grommets. release still present, then use wax and grease remover.
Install the roll-bar hoop into the chassis and adjust the For the show-quality body, we recommend that the entire
holes in the body if necessary. Leave the bar in place. body be covered with a thin coat of polyester or epoxy
REAR BRACE filler. The body can then be blocked out to perfection
without using excess primer. Don't lose the holes for the
The spacer/shims are necessary at the brace's lower end to tonneau snaps, cowl mirror, defroster vents or windshield
make installation possible. center bracket in the process of filling. Once the body is
painted, chase the holes with a .149” (#25) drill. Using a
After making a preliminary body hole, the upper brace 9
/64” drill will work sometimes, but the tight fit will
mount must be welded to the top of the main hoop: sometimes cause the brass shank to break.
Loosely bolt the lower end of the brace to the bracket on
the chassis. Hold the upper end against the top of the hoop
(you will have to experiment with the thickness of shims at
the bottom) and tack-weld (MIG is preferred) in several
places.
Remove the brace and the main hoop, and finish welding
the upper mount. We use a TIG welder for the neatest job.
FINAL FITTING
Reinstall the roll bar and mark the body around the tubes
allowing for the grommet thickness.

Note: Use the grommet groove diameter and not the overall
grommet diameter when marking. See below.

Remove the bar and enlarge the holes. Install the

grommets and reinstall bar for a final check. Silicone will
make installing the tubes through the grommets easier.
The rear support grommet is a piece of rubber hose slit
lengthwise. Its ends should butt tightly together.
 SECTION E -BODY PREPARATION-

TRIM FOR 245-60 TIRES

Our standard 235-50-15 tire fits well within the standard
flare but you might want to trim the bottom-inside of the
rear section of the front flare a bit to fit a 245-width tire.
The driver’s side is tighter than the passenger’s side.

SIDE PIPE HOLES

Use the template on the following page to cut the holes in
the fenders.
SECTION E -BODY PREPARATION-
 SECTION E -BODY PREPARATION-

HOOD RIVET-ON SCOOP

Locate the hood scoop, inlet hole, and rivet spacing and
INNER PANEL MODIFICATIONS number as shown below. Note that he hole is normally
The "Turkey pan" or single round air cleaner does not offset to the passenger’s side to match the engine.
require inner panel modifications. However, if you are However, if you are using a Sidewinder intake manifold,
using an oval air-cleaner, the inner panel must also be the hole is centered.
trimmed, whether using an integral or rivet-on scoop. See
the notes below for the Ford 429/460 engine.

E\hoodriv2

Hoodriv1 Use small screws or Cleco fasteners to hold the scoop in

position while drilling all the holes. Wait until the parts
are painted with color before final riveting.
To avoid panel distortion, use blind rivets with aluminum
mandrels only.
The rivets used on the original competition cars to keep the
front edge of the hood from peeling back at speed are also
illustrated.
*Ford 429/460
If you use dual 4 Bbl carburetors, the rivet-on scoop may
have to be positioned further back on the hood than shown
above. Cut the hole first and check clearances.

Optional: Finish and paint the rough fiberglass inside the

hood so that it looks like the original aluminum.
 SECTION E -BODY PREPARATION-

COWL EDGES
PAINTING
You may round the edges of the front and back cowl to
The E.R.A. body requires only the standard techniques for
give the original aluminum-wrapped-around-tubes look.
fiberglass preparation, nothing special. Because of our
Sculpt the existing glass with a grinder or coarse
methodical production rates, bodies are “seasoned” fairly
sandpaper.
well right from the factory.
You may use one-part color for economy or a 2 or 3-part
clear-coat system for a show quality job.
Paint all panels, including the inner portions of the doors,
hood and trunk lid.
COLORS
For reference, some of the more popular color schemes
and contemporary equivalents are listed below. Visit us or
your local paint supplier to look at color chips. Colors are
also available (subject to the limitations of your monitor)
at autocolorlibrary.com.
Guardsman Blue (B7)
Equivalent: (Evening Blue Met.)
(Deltron DBU3344)
Night Watch Blue (non-metallic)
(1987 Chrysler) DB9
Red (slight orange tint like original)
Equivalent: Honda R51
British Racing Green
eint\Doorfill
1971 Lincoln code G (R&M A2426)
Twilight Blue Poly Non-original, but nice
Use body filler to blend the areas where the inner panel
(From 1990 Lincoln, PPG 4246)
meets the front edge of the door openings as shown above.
STRIPES
CHECK DOOR FIT
The "official" competition stripe layout and dimensions are
Check and adjust the fit of the doors as described on page shown on page 75. Extend the stripes around the edges of
67. the body openings where indicated.
CHIP GUARD
Your painter can add a special material to the front of the
rear fenders to prevent paint chipping from stones thrown
from the front tires. Alternately, a clear plastic film (like
3M 84911, from your local body shop supply) can be
added after the car is painted.
SECTION E -BODY PREPARATION-

ebod\stripe

DETAIL UNDERCOATING
 SECTION E -BODY PREPARATION-

It’s not necessay to protect the outside body from stones

WINDSHIELD WIPERS
thrown by the tires. That protection is built into an extra
layer of material added when the fiberglass is laid up. Prepare the wiper motor and other components as
described on page 51.
For sound-supression (from sand/stones kicked up by the
tires) and/or cosmetic reasons you may wish to undercoat INSTALLATION
or paint (flat black) the inside of the fender panels. Use Before you install the wiper wheelboxes, mock up the
spray or brush-on undercoating to cover all areas including assembly off the car to check whether the cable properly
the weather seals. From inside the front and rear wheel engages the drive gear. Tighten the cover against the guide
wells, brush on a coat of undercoating to seal the seams tubes. If the fit is too loose or too tight, bend the guide
and the pores in the weather-stripping. Silicone will also above the gear up or down as necessary. There are two
seal the seams very effectively. typical designs that are currently available:
The shaft end-play of the second design can be adjusted by
bending the tang on the cover.

ebod\caulk

Check the body and chassis seams from underneath and

seal openings with either the brush-on undercoating or the ----------------------------or-----------------------------
caulking used to mount the body. Pay particular attention
to the rear closing panels where they overlap onto the
upper trunk panel and the junction at the upper front
corner of these panels.
If you wish to rustproof the inside of the chassis main rails,
drill holes in the bottom of the chassis at the front and rear
of the bottom rails. You may then spray a wax type
material into the chassis, even up above the rear
suspension. Close the holes with plastic or metal plugs.

Insert the wiper wheelboxes ( up through the holes in the

cowl with the cable guides down and forward. It may be
necessary to cut about 1/8" from the drive spindle spacer
sleeve to compensate for the extra thickness of the
fiberglass body. Install the gaskets, bezels and nuts but
don't tighten the retaining nuts.
Loosen the nuts holding the cable retaining plates to the
wheelboxes.
From the engine side of the firewall, push the tube from
the wiper motor to the right wheelbox through the
grommet.
 SECTION E -BODY PREPARATION-

TRUNK LID
Install the trunk lid liner (the fuzzy stuff that was with the
carpet kit) onto the inside of the trunk lid with contact
cement. Trim the material so that it can be pushed just
under edge of the fiberglass inner panel.
Glue the half-round weatherseal provided with the kit
E\wiper2
onto the trunk opening flange of the body, leaving about
1
/8”-3/16” distance between the edge of the seal and the up-
Fit the cable tubes to the wheelboxes so that the flared curve of the outer lip. To keep from making a mess with
cable tube ends lock into the slots on the wheelbox the contact cement, you can use masking tape to border the
housing and back plates. Leave the retaining plates where the weatherseal will be placed.
slightly loose so that the tube orientation may be adjusted.
The short tube on the left gearbox is to support the surplus
cable outside the left wheelbox.
If necessary, gently bend the tubes to create a continuous
curve from the motor through each wheelbox. Be careful
not to kink the tubes. Check by sliding the drive cable
through each tube after bending.
Loosely attach the nut on the right cable to the wiper
motor. See the illustration on page 51.
Coat the wiper drive cable with lithium grease and slide
the wiper drive cable into the tube. Secure the wiper
motor in the receptacle with the clamp and insulators
provided.
Tighten all the wheelbox nuts and the tube nut to the
motor.
Install the wiring harness plug.
Do not stretch the seal while installing. Start the process at
Don't install the wiper arms to the splined drive spindles the center of the bottom lip, in front of the latch. Continue
until the motor has been run and the park (resting) position over the top and back down to the center. Trim the excess
has been found. The wipers will park on the right so that the ends meet tightly.
(passenger’s side). Installation and removal is described on
page 142.

ebod\TRNKSEAL
 SECTION E -BODY PREPARATION-

HOOD GASKET
Permanently install the gaskets to the underside of the
hood as described on page 67.
Door gasket installation is described on page 84.

FRESH AIR HOSES

After putting edge protector on the aluminum, carefully
feed the fresh air duct hoses through the hole in the back
panel of the front inner wheelhouse panels. Drape over the
upper control arm. Final fitting will be completed later.

TONNEAU SNAPS
Chase the holes with a #25 drill (.150”). Install the
tonneau snaps with the fiber washers. Don't force! The
snap screws may twist off, leaving you with a broken
screw in the body. For extra safety and ease, you can use a
#10 steel screw to “chase” the threads into the fiberglass
before you install the snaps.
 SECTION E -BODY PREPARATION-

WIRING AND ELECTRICAL Use the layout diagrams below and the wiring instructions
to find reference points in the harnesses.
This section presents general outlook on the layout of the
various harness components. All individual connections are FRONT WIRING HARNESS
detailed in a separate list that comes with the harness. A There are 2 primary branches and a grommet about 18
wiring diagram is also included. inches from the two large and two smaller multi-
connectors. These branches separate just in front of the
The wiring system is divided into three modules, held in
firewall.
place with the clamps provided:
 The front harness makes connections from the From the engine compartment, pass the multi-connector
front lights to the firewall. blocks (one at a time) through the large hole in the center
 The dash harness makes all the dashboard and of the firewall.
column connections. If you are using an MSD ignition module, do not route the
 The third harness runs from the left side of the tachometer trigger wire next to the coil wires. Cross-
dashboard area to the rear components. induction may create erratic tachometer readings.
Install the electrical components on the firewall and foot- Typically, we pass the trigger wires down the right side of
boxes into the pre-drilled holes as shown below and in the the intake manifold, then across the front of the engine to
wiring instructions. the left wheel well. The coil wires pass down the left side
Install the ballast resistor (if you are using one) after of the intake to the coil.
laying out the front harness in the car. See the diagram in Note: Attach the radiator ground to the upper fan frame
the wiring list. bolt. See the picture at the right.

FIREWALL

ebod\fwwire

FRONT ENGINE COMPARTMENT

Attach the branch of wires to the ballast resistor, alternator
and front lights to the left edge of the hood opening with
the clamps provided.
 SECTION E -BODY PREPARATION-

X-MEMBER

ebod\fwire

ebod\engwire
DASHBOARD HARNESS
The brakes light switch wire passes down the corner of the
wheelwell and is attached to the brake line with tie-wraps, Wire the dashboard off the car. See the separate wiring
and into the brake box through the notch on the inside instructions for individual connections. Make the final
front edge. The brake cover can be re-installed now. Be connections to the dash and steering column after
very careful installing the sheetmetal screws into the everything is installed in the car,.
chassis rail. Don’t overtorque. GROUNDING THE ENGINE
FRONT-MOUNTED BATTERY
Run the cable directly from the cylinder head to the negative
battery terminal. Don’t forget to also run the harness-kit
ground wire from the cylinder head to the firewall.
REAR MOUNTED BATTERY
It’s usually easiest to ground the transmission to the X-
member.

PARKING LIGHTS

REAR HARNESS

The multi-connector block for the front end of the harness is

with the dashboard module. Don’t install it until after the
rear harness has been passed through the hole in the side of
the footbox.
e\fparkwir
The rear harness is installed at the factory. The following
shows the technique we use.
 SECTION E -BODY PREPARATION-

Install the harness from inside the trunk as shown. Tape a

stiff wire to the harness, then pass the stiff wire through the
passage, dragging the electrical harness behind.

Pass the harness through the gap in the aluminum filler and
up through the hole in the side of the footbox.

If you are carpeting the trunk, the fuel sender wire goes
under the carpet.

INTERIOR PANELS
The inner door sills and the rear bulkhead panels behind
the seats are attached with rivets and sealant. If you had
E.R.A. bond the body, these panels are already attached
permanently (with the rear harness pre-installed, too.) If
not, leave the temporary fasteners in place while you drill
through the holes in the panels with a 9/64" bit.

Before the door sill aluminum is installed, pass the harness

under the door sill and secure the harness to the fiberglass
under the door sill.
 SECTION E -BODY PREPARATION-

REAR BULKHEAD PANELS It's easiest to install the engine and transmission separately.
If you have a stationary engine lift, have the dolly wheels
Blind rivet the top and side panels as shown, using the
or the suspension installed so that the chassis can move
factory locating holes and drilling new holes in the chassis
under the engine.
where needed.
The engine/bellhousing is then installed in the chassis.
The seats and tunnel must not be in place for installation
or removal of the engine or transmission.
 If it’s installed, remove the hood from the hood
hinges, recording the number of shims at each hinge.
Store in a safe padded place.
 Wrap rags or towels around the front "X" brace and
over the transmission tunnel to prevent paint
scratches.
 With the engine on a hoist and tilted slightly down at
the clutch end, carefully lower it onto the engine
mounts, engaging the studs on the engine mounts
into the slots in the mounting perches,
RPANELS  Loosely install the washers and nuts onto the engine
SILL PANELS mount studs.
 Raise the back of the engine, either by changing the
The rear wiring harness must be in place before installing tilt of the adjustable engine lift or with a jack
the sill panels. underneath the rear of the engine. It must be high
enough for the transmission to clear the X member
Secure in place with the screws used for shipping. Drill during installation.
holes for 1/8" pop rivets every 2" or 3" on the bottom
flange, door opening, rear steel support rail and through  Install the clutch and bell-housing on the engine.
the front flange that rests against the vertical support rail. See the notes on page 34.
Align the edges of the front flange with the side of the Carefully install the transmission onto the back of the
vertical rail. engine. We use long studs threaded into the top bolt holes
Note: Seal between the front horizontal flange and the to help guide the transmission.
body with caulking or foam rubber. You may have to rotate the transmission input shaft to
engage the clutch disk. Immediately install the top bolts to
ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION prevent clutch disk damage from the transmission hanging
INSTALLATION free.
Install the starter and the balance of the bell-housing bolts.
If you are using a blow shield, check the concentricity of
Lower the back of the engine, engaging the transmission
the hole that locates the transmission. Put a dial indicator on
mount studs into the chassis.
the flywheel and indicate the hole ID. If the eccentricity
exceeds the recommendations (generally about 0.010"), you Removal is done in the reverse order.
must use offset dowels to locate the bell housing on the  Top Loader - Front holes of trans adapter
engine block.  Borg Warner - Front holes of adapter
 T-5 / Tremec 3550 - Rear holes of adapter
Install the engine mounts as shown on page 31.
 Tremec TKO Series, including the 500 and 600
Refer to page 31 for engine and transmission preparation. All require an aluminum adapter available from
To check compatibility, trial fit the transmission to the ERA. Depending upon whether you have a
engine before any attempt to install either into the chassis. standard-length transmission (with spacer) or a
short-input-shaft the spacer may offset the holes to
Here at E.R.A. we first assemble the engine, clutch, the front or back.
bellhousing and transmission on the floor, just as it would Trim the GM mount at the rear diagonal where it
function in the car. The primary pipes will be installed comes close to the chassis X-member. The mount
is secured to the transmission with 10mm bolts. If
once the engine and transmission are installed. the bosses on the tailshaft are within 1/8” of the
Once everything is checked, we remove the transmission chassis, use washers or shims to raise the
from the engine/bellhousing assembly. transmission.
 Richmond gear - No adapter necessary
 C-6 Automatic - Special chassis mount, no adapter
necessary
 SECTION E -BODY PREPARATION-

DOORS
DRILL HOLES FOR SNAP FASTENERS (IF NOT
DONE ALREADY)
Use the aluminum banana strips (note that the left and
right are different) as a template to drill ¼” holes into the
fiberglass door inner panel.
INSTALLING POCKETS
cob\man\d\transmt Lay the doors on a soft surface, outside surface down.
Check that the engine is level side-to-side in the chassis. Snap the foam-covered metal door pocket attachment
Adjust if necessary. plates into the holes along the lower edge of the door. The
plates are marked left (L) and right (R).
Tighten all mounting bolts.
Position each door pocket on the door with the rear corner
Removal is accomplished in the reverse order. completely under the door latch with 1/8" to 1/4" of the
pocket showing at the top and rear sides of the latch.
Special Note for Automatic Transmissions Locate the screw holes with an awl and screw down the
There is no transmission oil cooler built into the radiator. latch. See the illustration on page 83.
To avoid transmission overheating you must mount an
auxiliary cooler in the system. It can be mounted in place of
the engine oil cooler or in front of the radiator.

DRIVE SHAFT
The drive-shaft is a special fabrication that may be
purchased from E.R.A. or built by a local driveshaft shop.
Driveshaft detail hints are on page 49
INSTALLATION
Use grade 8 bolts and washers, and stover nuts if possible.
Lubricate the inside and outside of the slip yoke with a
light oil. If your transmission tail-shaft uses a leather seal,
lubricate the seal with light oil also. Use EP grease to
lubricate each universal joint.

eint\doorpnl2

Stretch the door pocket into place with its forward edge
even or slightly past the front edge of the door frame and
2
/3 of the way up from the hinge bottom mounting holes.
Hold the top of the pocket in place with masking tape.
Attach the hinge loosely with the two upper bolts. Mark
and punch holes for the two lower bolts through the door
pocket. Attach the bottom of the hinge and snug the bolts.
Gently and evenly pull the bottom edge of the door pocket
down over the bottom edge of the door. Stretch only
enough to eliminate any wrinkles. Hold in place with
several pieces of tape. With a temporary marker, trace the
profile of the lower edge of the attaching plate onto the
pocket. Also, mark where both ends of the plate fall.
 SECTION E -BODY PREPARATION-

DOOR WEATHERSEALS
Lay the doors, outer surfaces down, on a soft surface.
Clean the door edge and rubber with a mild solvent. Glue
the door weatherseal (start with about 60" - trim the ends
later) provided onto door lip about 1/8" from the door edge
using contact cement or weather-strip adhesive. Don't
stretch the weather-stripping: If you do, it will eventually
shrink to its original length, pulling away from the corners.
Trim the ends of the weather-stripping as shown.

eint\doorpnl3

Remove the door pocket from the door and trim the edge
of the door pocket approximately 1" outside the marked
line. Cut wedges out of the edge of the material almost up
to the marked line.

E\DOORGASKET

SIDE CURTAIN FERRULES

eint\DOORPANL1

Re-install the pocket onto the door. Apply contact cement

to the edge and backside only of the attachment plate and
the back side of the pocket material. Let dry to a tack-free FERRULE
condition.
Slip the ferrules into the holes on the top of the doors and
Carefully stretch the material over and partially around the note the length that each extends past the inner panel.
attachment plate.
Mark each ferrule so there are no more than 2 or 3 threads
Remove the attaching plate from the door. Tape or clamp showing between the mark and the door surface on its
the upper edge to a flat surface and finish gluing the edge. shortest side,
Before attaching the pocket to the door, glue the rug to the Cut off the excess at the mark, and slightly round off the
inside of the door with contact cement. Install the door edges with a file or sander.
pocket and the latch onto each door.
Hold the ferrules in place with the retaining rings
provided. Seat the retaining rings against the door surface
tightly.
 SECTION E -BODY PREPARATION-

DOOR PULL STRAP (OPTIONAL)

All components are pre-installed on every kit.
Drill a hole (#30 bit) just to the rear of the side curtain
ferrule. Loop the strap over the latch ball and use the
screw and countersunk washer at the front.

DOOR INSTALLATION
The doors can be installed now, but to make other
operations easier, it’s best to wait until near the end. See
page 125 for installation details.

ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND LINKAGE

e\throtlnk

Fit the rod end (C) through the footbox using a large
washer on either side of the hole.

Install the pedal assembly (A) with the linkage bracket (B)
onto the foot box. At the back, secure to the fiberglass
with bolts through the brace bracket and spacers. At the
front, secure with the front steering flange bearing bolts.
Loosely bolt the bracket (D) onto the engine using the
rear-most intake manifold bolt. The final object is to have
the cross-shaft as parallel to the firewall as possible, so the
orientation of the bracket may be changed so that the
vertical and rod-end support are toward the firewall.
Adjust the placement of the rod end in the bracket so that
the cross-shaft is roughly horizontal.
Fit the left end of the transverse link (F) to the rod end on
bracket (B). Secure with a cotter pin. Slide a rod end (E)
onto the transverse link and bolt to the bracket (D).

Important! Do NOT trim the engine-end of the cross-shaft

excessively. When the engine torques over under load, the
support can move quite a bit. Leave at least 2” of shaft past
the supporting rod end.

Note: This linkage can be adapted to most engines. If

yours requires something different, please call us. The FE
dual-quad setup requires an additional linkage assembly.
 SECTION E -BODY PREPARATION-

ADJUSTING THE LINKAGE

Wire the carburetor linkage fully open.
Install the cross-shaft engine support bracket so that the
shaft will end up as parallel to the firewall as possible and
fairly horizontal.
Install the link from the carb to the cross-shaft, adjusting
the length to have the cross-shaft bellcrank angled about
30 degrees back toward the firewall.
Adjust the bellcrank on the pedal shaft so that it is angled
back toward the firewall about 20 degrees when the pedal
is bottomed out on the floor.
Install the link from the pedal to the cross-shaft so that the
pedal just hits the floor.
Remove the wire holding the carburetor linkage open and
check whether the pedal is at a convenient height. If it is
too high, change the link footbox link to a lower hole on LEFT SIDE INSTALLATION
the cross-shaft. If it is too low, change the engine link to a
lower hole on the cross-shaft. Right and left pieces are marked L and R!
Install the return springs as shown below and confirm that
you're still getting full throttle.
Tighten all bolts and jam nuts, check for interference, and
grease all the pivot points.
If you want the "smooth look" shown below, cut some 5/16"
brake line to length to cover the middle section of the
threaded rods.

d\htshld2

Hold the vertical shield against the bottom of the tube at

the front of the footbox.
 Left: the inner edge about 1/2" from the main frame
EXHAUST HEAT SHIELDS rail.
 Right: the inner edge about 2" from the frame rail.
E.R.A. offers a set of heat shields that help to contain heat
of the primary exhaust pipes where they are close to the Mark and drill for the Tek screws supplied.Attach the top
foot-boxes. They can be fit before the engine is in place to the vertical shield. Mark and drill the wheel-house for
and are easily removed for primary pipe installation. the sheet metal screws provided.
RIGHT SIDE INSTALLATION
These shields are only used when the battery is moved to
the rear.
Install like the left side.
 SECTION E -BODY PREPARATION-

RADIATOR AND FANS

All pieces are pre-installed on every kit.

Install the upper shroud on the bottom side of the cowl

inner panel as shown.

ROLL BAR
Insert the 3 roll bar grommets into the rear body cut-outs. E\upradmt

Lubricate the inside of the grommets with silicone spray or Insert the rubber radiator grommets into the holes in the
Armor-All and install the roll bar hoop and support brace radiator support tray and install the tray onto the studs in
as described on page 70. the chassis.

Drop the radiator into place from inside the engine

compartment. Fit the rubber grommet to the upper
radiator tab, and install the upper tab from the shroud to
the radiator stud. Secure with large flat washer and cotter
pin. Install washers and cotter pins onto the bottom pins
too.
Install the fan and bracket assembly as shown above.
If you have the optional E.R.A. oil cooler (see page 89),
the support straps from the oil cooler mount are to the
outside of the support straps.
 SECTION E -BODY PREPARATION-

OPTIONAL FANS Lay several pieces of cardboard 16" x 14" (stacked at least
3
/8" thick) on the front face of the radiator.
15" REAR MOUNTED
Rest the fan assembly on the cardboard, supporting the fan
cross tube by placing the wood between the front of the
bottom shroud and the tube.
Center the fan blades on the radiator and shift the cross
tube so that it is horizontal.
Move each end bracket out, flush with the fiberglass panel.
Mark the fiberglass panel through the holes in the bracket.
Remove the fan assembly and carefully drill the fiberglass
panel, first with a 1/8" drill, then with a 5/16" drill.
Install the assembly with the bolts and washers provided.
Check that the clearance between the fan and the radiator
is at least 1/4".
Wiring is covered in the separate instructions.
RADIATOR SHROUDING
Attach the bottom radiator shroud to the 2 middle holes in
the front edge of the radiator tray as shown. Install the left
and right shrouds on top of the bottom, using the same
ebod\optfan3 lower screws. Note: If you are installing your own (not
E.R.A.) oil cooler, the shrouding panels must be modified.
TWIN 10" FRONT MOUNTED
The E.R.A. oil cooler comes with pre-drilled shrouding.

e\ffans2

RETROFIT INSTALLATION
Install the blades on the motor shafts with the concave side ebod\radduct
of the blade facing away from the motor (toward the The shrouding for the optional 6” oil cooler is assembled
radiator). Line up the setscrew with the flat in the shaft. as shown. See page 90 for the hose layout.
Tighten the setscrew with the shaft end flush with the fan
hub.
Install the end plates as shown. The end plates are
handed. The top is angled in slightly and there is a drain
hole in the bottom corner. Don't tighten the nuts until after
the brackets are fastened to the inner panels.
Remove the grill splitter if you have one.
Cut a 1" x 4" piece of wood, about 13 1/4" long.
 SECTION E -BODY PREPARATION-

GRILLE AIR FOIL

Using the "Splitter" is a personal choice. It was originally

on the street cars, but not the competition ones.

When fitting the airfoil take special care not to chip or

scratch the paint on the body.
Attach the plastic (chrome) molding to the airfoil after
painting, but before installation into the body. The
molding is shipped from E.R.A. taped to a flat surface.
Remove any contaminants from the front edge of the
airfoil. Peal off the protective strip from the back side of
the molding and carefully apply the molding to the front
edge of the airfoil. Once on, it cannot be removed without
E\oc6lay
damage.

ebod\splitter

OIL COOLER (OPTIONAL)

See below for shrouding hole locations and sizes to retrofit

an E.R.A. oil cooler to your car. If you buy the oil cooler
with the kit, the holes will be pre-drilled.
If you use your own oil cooler, your hole pattern may be
different.
ALWAYS flush and clean the hoses, adapters and fittings
before you add oil to the system.
It may take some time to fill the lines and cooler with oil.
You might want to get initial oil pressure with an oil pump
driver through the distributor hole.

ebod\fradfill
 SECTION E -BODY PREPARATION-

4” COOLER WITHOUT REMOTE FILTER The shorter line runs along the left side of the radiator.
Since the fitting is quite large, pass it initially by the
See page 89 for 6” Cooler shroud layout. bottom corner of the radiator, then slide it up a bit. Tie-
Hose connections are the described below. wrap it to the control arm pivot shaft, then back below the
steering shaft and to the left fitting.
Mount the cooler on the shroud:
COOLER WITH REMOTE FILTER
Mount the remote filter on the water pump with the E.R.A.
adapter bracket. Some modifications to the pump might
be necessary.

Use a grinder to remove 3/8” from the boss.

ebod\oilclr4
Assemble the other components as shown. The water
Connect the hoses to the adapter and cooler as shown. Use pump may require modifications to the bottom mounting
Teflon tape or pipe joint compound on the threads where boss (instructions included with cooler kit).
the fittings attach to the cooler and adapter. Note that the lines run over the diagonal tube (that goes
from the front suspension tower to the cowl) and between
the coil-over and the top of the control arm inner pivot
shaft.

ebod\oilclr6

The adapter housing mounts onto the engine filter housing

using the substitute fitting included. The oil filter mounts
on the adapter as shown.
Fit the rubber grommets onto the lines first. Then, with the
shroud removed, pass the lines through the shrouding,
tweeking the grommets into the holes with a screwdriver,
etc.
The longer oil cooler line runs from the right side of the
cooler alongside the radiator and is tie-wrapped to the
bottom of the upper control arm inner pivot, then through
a clamp on the front of the oil pan to the right fitting on the
adapter housing.
 SECTION E -BODY PREPARATION-

FUEL TANK
The 19-gallon aluminum fuel tank is baffled, with one-way
doors separating the volume into four sections, capturing
the fuel toward the front/center of the tank during
cornering and acceleration.
A drain plug is at the right front of the tank bottom.
The fuel sender is in the center-front section of the tank,
and installed at E.R.A. If you find it necessary to remove
the sender, use a fuel-resistant sealant like Versachem
Gasket Sealant #3 Aviation. A jumper wire is taped to the
top of the tank that mates with the connection to the rear
harness.
The fuel feed to the engine is pre-plumbed but you must
install your own filter between the tank and the line and
the tank. See below.
A fitting (1/4” fnpt) for a return line (not standard) is
welded into the top of the tank to the right of the feed
fitting.

INSTALLATION
There should be a jumper (white and pink wires) already
connect to the sender at the center of the tank. Tape the
jumper in place so that it comes out at the left-front corner
of the tank.
Raise the tank between the frame rails, guiding the filler
neck through the body hole in the right side of the trunk
ebod\oilclr5
panel. Hold in place with one (5/16" USS) bolt per side.
Install the rest of the bolts and washers.
WITH IN-LINE THERMOSTAT

oilclr7

Ebod\Fueltank

Connect the fuel outlet on the center rear of the tank to the
steel line on the chassis (both 3/8" OD) with a length of
rubber fuel line. An in-line fuel filter can be conveniently
installed within this section of line. Use clamps on all
connections.
Slide the seal plate over the fuel tank neck and secure with
the screws. See the filler cap illustration.
Connect the fuel tank jumper to the main wiring harness.
 SECTION E -BODY PREPARATION-

FUEL FILLER CAP Remove excess RTV and clear the drain hole with a wire,
etc. Install the vent and drain hoses to the lower flange as
The cap and outside flange are indexed with punch marks shown. Run the drain hose through the hole in the bottom
(or a common number} on the outside edge of the upper corner of the well at the side of the trunk.
mounting flange. The mark corresponds to where the latch Pass the vent hose through the seal plate and connect to the
of the filler cap falls when the cap is fully screwed onto the aluminum tube that comes through the hole in the tank’s
flange. mounting flange.
Note the odd hole falling just outside the upper flange on the
body and lower flange. A water drain for the filler well is
integrated into the bottom flange of the filler cap. The tube
in the lower mounting flange channels water out of the well ,
through a hole in the trunk.

FLANGE
Put a generous amount of RTV silicone gasket sealer on
the top surface of the flange.
Line up the drain hole on the flange and the body. Hold
the lower mounting flange in place on the underside of the
fender.
INSTALLATION

ebod\fuelfill

Place the gasket and upper flange on top of the fender,

with the flange markings toward the right side (at 3
O'clock as viewed from above). Hold everything together
with the stainless steel screws provided.
 SECTION F:
SUSPENSION ASSEMBLY
 SECTION F -CHASSIS ASSEMBLY-

FASTENER NOTES
We include Grade 5 fasteners throughout our kit. They are quite strong enough for any abuse you can put your car
through - and offer a bit more ductility than Grade 8 - which means they will bend before they snap.
Almost all the locking nuts in the kit are Stover style. Stovers are reuseable several times, unlike the nylon locking
type. However, you must use light oil on the threads when assembling.
TORQUE SPECIFICATIONS
Use figures below only if unspecified in the relevant instructions. The torques listed are for lubricated threads or
threads with liquid thread locker. All stover nut threads should be lubricated with light oil. The ¼” diameter stainless
fasteners used to secure many of the body parts (hood, trunk, doors, etc.) should be torqued to a maximum of 8 lbft.

Bolt size Grade 5 Grade 8

1
/4" 9 lbft 13 lbft
5
/16" 18 28
3
/8" 31 46
7
/16" 50 75
1
/2" 75 115
5
/8" 150 225

Metric Grade 10.9 Grade 12.9

M8 25 lbft 29 lbft
M10 47 58
M12 83 100
 SECTION F -SUSPENSION ASSEMBLY-

FRONT SUSPENSION COIL-OVER DAMPER

See page 53 for installing the spring onto the damper. Final
LOWER CONTROL ARM
height adjustment is described on page 142.
Lubricate the chassis receptacles and the sides of the
control arm bushings with silicone or petroleum jelly. Use Spacers for the lower mounts are provided with the
a gentle oscillating motion when inserting the control arm dampers. Use a washer on either side of the top mount.
into the mounts. Sometimes a plastic dead-blow mallet Secure the top with a 2 3/4" long bolt in from the back. A 2
helps. l
/2" bolt is supplied for the bottom attachment. Again, slide
Insert the 5 1/2" x 5/8" bolt with a heavy washer through the the bolt in from the back. The damping adjusting screw on
front bushing into the chassis. Use a flat washer under the the Spax unit goes toward the centerline of the car.
locknut.
LOWER STEERING COLUMN
Use the 3" x 5/8" bolt through the rear mount with flat
washers and locknut. Torque to 50 ft-lb. INSTALLATION
UPPER CONTROL ARM ERA STEERING GEAR (MODIFIED MUSTANG II)
Because the connection is splined, the intermediate column
will fit no matter what the shaft orientation.

d\fsusp

The upper control arms are installed with the ball joint
hole offset towards the front of the car. The inner pivot
axis is offset to the outside of the chassis mount. See
above.
Install the upper ball joint as shown, sandwiching the
control arm between the ball joint and the dust
shield/boot/retainer. Torque to 16 lbft.
Install the arms with 3 shims front and rear for a
preliminary camber setting. Leave the pivot shaft end nuts
slightly loose. Tighten to 60 lbft after the suspension is at
normal ride height.
 SECTION F -SUSPENSION ASSEMBLY-
STEERING GEAR 12” BRAKES: HUB AND ROTOR MOUNTING

F\fjfq1

b\steeringgearmt

Prepare the rack and pinion assembly for as described on

page 49.
The assembly is held in place with 5/8”-18 x 4.5”L bolts.
Degrease the threads on the bolt and in the chassis. Use a
small amount of low-strength thread locker (i.e. Locktite
Blue) on the threads.
Torque the bolts to 50 lbft.
Install the tie-rod ends onto the steering gear with a jam
nut. Leave loose until the car has been aligned.
STEERING KNUCKLE
Also see the illustration on page 95.
Install the knuckle on the lower ball joint with a washer (if
needed to space nut for the cotter pin) and nut. Torque to Note that the rotors have directional vanes which must be
60 lb-ft. Tighten further to where the cotter pin can be installed on the appropriate side.
inserted.
Rotate the upper control arm down, engaging the ball joint ROTOR/HUB
stud into the knuckle.
Install washer (if needed to space nut for the cotter pin)
and nuts, torque to 40 lb-ft and install cotter pin at the next
line-up.
Insert the tie rod stud into the steering arm from the
bottom. Fit the washer and nut, torquing to 20 lb-ft
minimum. Install the cotter pin.

If you have trouble greasing the ball joint, loosen the Zerk
fitting one turn.
f\jfz1

GM-based Upright (through chassis 2086)

d\fhubasb
 SECTION F -SUSPENSION ASSEMBLY-
LATE DESIGN WITH CUSTOM UPRIGHTS

GM Rotor Cleanup
Clean off the grinding dust thoroughly before putting
Camaro Brake Caliper grease in the hub and installing the bearings and inner
seals.
____________________________________________ Install the hub onto the stub axle with a special (tanged)
washer and castle nut.
With new wheel bearings, torque the axle nut to 20 lbft.
Loosen the nut and re-torque to 15 lb-inches., then tighten
to the nearest cotter pin hole. Install the cotter pin through
the access hole in the side of the pin-drive hub.
Install the brake calipers and pads using new hardware
kits. Use silicone grease on all sliding surfaces.

Note that the calipers are handed. Install them with their
bleeder nipple at the top.

Connect the brake line to the caliper, using the supplied

banjo bolt and copper washer. If you still get seepage past
the copper washer, but the seat is not too bad, you may use
a special sealing washer available from Earls or E.R.A.

Optional 4-piston Caliper

GENERAL INSTALLATION

Parts are listed on page 21.

Pin drive: If the rotor is not already installed on the pin

drive hub, torque the drive pins to 35 lb-ft (with high-
strength thread locking compound, i.e. Locktite red) and
the nuts to 35 lb-ft.

If you ever need to remove the pins, they will have to be

heated to 300 deg. to weaken the bond. Excessive heat will
weaken the pins.

Always grind the rotor after installing the wheel bearing

races. If you don't have a special driver for the races, let
the auto machine shop install them. Note that replacement
rotors for the GM brakes/pin-drive combination require
additional attention: remove the ridge at the base of the
outside face of the rotor as shown below.
 SECTION F -SUSPENSION ASSEMBLY-
GM FRONT CALIPER ASSEMBLY REAR SUSPENSION, JAGUAR-BASED
More installation details are posted at
erareplicas.com/427man/ under GM pad replacement. XJ COMPONENTS IN E.R.A. SUBFRAME
Thread the trailing arms onto the rod ends (with jam nuts)
already installed on the lower control arms. Thread on
until one or two threads show. Leave the jam nuts loose.

ANTI-SWAY BAR
Studs are already on the chassis. Clean any paint off the
threads before installing the washers and nuts. The 15/16"
front bar is mounted under the front frame extensions, just
behind the radiator.
 Bolt the bar in place with the rubber/urethane f\rearsusp
bushes and clamps. The link holes slant up toward Raise the rear suspension assembly into position with a
the outside. floor jack, guiding the forward ends of both trailing arms
 Install the connecting links between the tab on the into the brackets on the sides of the frame. Don’t install
lower control arm and the pads on the ends of the the bolts yet.
sway bar.
 Tighten the link bolts so that the rubber bush
expands to the diameter of the cupped washer. Do
not over-tighten.

e\fswayb f\tralarm
 SECTION F -SUSPENSION ASSEMBLY-
Lubricate the insides of the upper chassis brackets with
lithium grease so that the sides of the rubber bushing will
slide into them. Guide the suspension assembly into the
chassis brackets. Using a little light oil on the threads,
install the 5/8" bolts with flat washers, but don't tighten yet.

XKE COMPENSATOR
Modify the Jaguar handbrake compensator linkage on the
differential as described on page 42.

d\eracage

Note that the trailing arm bushing is angled slightly

relative to the trailing arm tube. See the bottom of the
illustration on page 98.
On one side of the car: Rotate the trailing arm so that the
bushing angle matches the chassis bracket. Hold the
bushing against the inside of the chassis bracket and sight
through from the outside hole. Use a large screwdriver to
move the assembly so that the sight is straight into the
threaded portion of the chassis bracket.
Slip the aluminum spacer between the outside of the
trailing arm bushing and the chassis bracket. See the
illustration above. Slide the 1/2" x 3" bolt through the flat
washer, upper hole in the bracket, spacer and trailing arm
bush, engaging the (locking) threads in the chassis. No ERA COMPENSATOR
lock-washer is necessary.
Attach the front end of the cable to the handle by slipping
Move to the trailing arm on the other side of the car. Sight the cable up into the slot in the protruding boss and
through the hole in the chassis and determine whether the attaching the bracket on the end to the bottom of the
length of the trailing arm will have to be adjusted. Screw operating lever with a clevis and cotter pin.
the trailing arm in or out on the rod-end as necessary.
Bolt the handbrake lever to the bracket on the chassis.
If the assembly does not line up perfectly, pry or pull on
the hub carrier to shift things around while installing the
spacer and bolt. If the holes do not exactly line up,
grinding a taper on the bolt may make it easier to get the
threads to start. Torque the bolts on both sides to 45 lb-ft.
Tighten the upper pivot bolts to 90 lb-ft.
Connect the brake flex-line to the bracket on the chassis.
XKE HANDBRAKE LEVER AND CABLE
You can use then entire XKE handbrake cable linkage as
shown below.
 SECTION F -SUSPENSION ASSEMBLY-
The cable passes through the right block and connects to
the left lever. See page 42.
Adjustment
Fully release the handbrake lever. Adjust the cable length
by screwing the threaded end out of the block to a point
just short of where the handbrake operating levers on the
calipers begin to move. If the handbrake lever movement
is excessive, adjust the cable at the right block fitting.
ANTI-SWAY BAR
The 3/4" rear anti-sway bar mounts on the rear face of the
crossmember just in front of the rear subframe

Attach the other end of the cable to the compensator lever

on the suspension cage:
Slip the cable into the slot in the block attached to the
lower lever of the compensator.
Screw the threaded end of the cable into the hole in the
block.
Attach the bracket on the cable end to the other lever of
the compensator. Do not tighten the lock nut.
Secure the cable to the outside of the driveshaft hoop with
a tie-wrap.

d\rswayb

The chassis is threaded for 5/16" USS bolts. If you meet

resistance when installing the bolts, chase the threads in
the chassis. A broken bolt inside the frame is difficult to
fix.
Bolt the anti-sway bar to the chassis crossmember using
the rubber bushings and clamps. If there is a jog in the bar,
the center offset is to the rear and down with the arms
extended under the suspension control arms.
Clamp the axle brackets around the Jaguar control arms.
Position them behind or just to the inside of the trailing
arm rod ends as shown.
Adjustment Install the links between the axle brackets and the ends of
the anti-sway bar. Tighten the link bolts so that the rubber
Fully release the handbrake lever. Adjust the cable length
bush expands to the diameter of the cupped washer.
by screwing the threaded end into the block to a point just
short of where the handbrake operating levers on the
calipers begin to move. Check the adjustment by pressing
each operating lever at the same time towards the calipers.
While doing this, observe the levers of the compensator on
the cage - if they move noticeably, then the cable is too
tight. To prevent binding, some slack should be obvious.
Check that the cable will not come in contact with the
driveshaft at any time.
 SECTION F -SUSPENSION ASSEMBLY-
REAR SUSPENSION, E.R.A. DESIGN Support the chassis with jack-stands so that there is at least
19”-20” between the spare tire well bottom and the floor.
This will allow you to fit the assembly on the jack and still
slide it under the car from the back.
Carefully jack the assembly so that the upper mounts
engage into the chassis brackets. Slide the 5/8” x 4.5” HCS
with a flat washer through the chassis and rear subframe
bushing. See page 99.
Start the threads with an air wrench or a ratchet. There is a
welded-in stover nut on the inside of the chassis bracket,
so no lock washer is necessary.
Rotate the subframe forward until the front mounts (see
page 46) line up horizontally with the holes in the chassis
crossmember. Start a couple of the allen-head cap screws
(1/2"-13 x 1 1/4") to confirm the alignment. If there is a gap,
use shims fill it. Tighten the front mount bolts and the
cross-shaft nuts.
Attach the lower trailing arm (bushing end) to the lower
holes on the chassis brackets. Note the slight angle of the
bushing. Tighten upper bolts.
See page 98 for trailing arm installation.
ANTI-SWAY BAR
See the other assembly information starting on page 43 for
more diagrams! Set the slider about 1.5” from the end of the bar as a
prelimary adjustment.
INSTALLATION
Adjust the upper trailing arm length to 10.3" between rod
end centers, leaving on of the jam nuts loose. Insert a 1/2" x
2" HCS from the outside of each vertical chassis rail
through the lock and flat washer and left hand threaded rod
end. For extra safety, use a medium strength (i.e. blue
Locktite) thread locker. The chassis sleeve is internally
threaded. Tighten to approximately 60 lb-ft.

D\rerasbmt

f\rs2asbt

Adjust both lower trailing arms to 15.3" between the

centerline of the front bushing and the center of the rod
end, leaving the jam nut loose.
Attach the upper trailing arms to the upright extensions.
 SECTION F -SUSPENSION ASSEMBLY-
EMERGENCY BRAKE BRAKE AND CLUTCH PEDAL
Attach the emergency brake cables and balance bracket as
shown. The front cable is attached to the handle as shown
on page 99.

f\eraeblay
d\brpedal

SAFETY STRAP: INSTALLATION

If necessary, clean and grease the needle bearings in the
chassis and in the brake pedal.
Slide the pivot shaft through the chassis bearings with the
splined end toward the inside. If the engine is installed,
the shaft must be installed from the outside of the chassis.
Install the thrust washer(s), brake pedal, and clutch pedal
onto the shaft. Secure the clutch pedal with the shoulder
screw.
Install the clutch throw-out arm onto the splined end of the
shaft. Orient the throw-out arm approximately opposite
the pedal. See the illustration on page 140.
d\drvhoop
To adjust the orientation of the clutch arm, change the
Install the strap into the holes on the chassis support below length of the connecting rod between the clutch pedal
the driveshaft and bolt into place. If you have the ERA throw-out arm and the clutch master cylinder:
rear suspension and are using the emergency brake, see
the diagram on page 102. Remove the retaining clip and the clevis pin.
Loosen the jam nut at the clevis. Turn the threaded rod to
change the length as necessary.. When finished, tighten the
arm set screw.
For balance bar parts installation, see page 145.

Clutch height adjustment is covered on page 103.

BRAKE PEDAL HEIGHT

Master cylinder installation is described on page 61.

For people of average height, set the distance from the rear
of the pedal face to the forward part of the foot-box to
about 7". If you are much taller or shorter, you may move
the pedal up to 3/4" forward or backward as needed.
 SECTION F -SUSPENSION ASSEMBLY-
If even more adjustment is required, a 7/8" bore Tilton
cylinder can be substituted for the BMW clutch master
cylinder. A new clutch hose is also required. Special
Order Only.
ADJUSTMENT

d\braklink

Because the front brake wheel cylinders require more fluid

than the rears, the balance bar is always set up with the
outside push-rod 1/4" longer than the inside one. There are
flats machined on the one side of each connecting rod end.
Install the rod ends on the balance bar with the flats
toward the balance bar housing. See above and page 146.

NOTE ON THE BRAKE BALANCE ADJUSTMENT

The rod length has no effect on the front/rear brake bias

(which brakes lock first). If necessary, the bias can be To change the brake pedal height, turn both threaded rods
adjusted as described on page 145. equally in or out.
Check the tightness of the brake lines and switch fittings.
For a preliminary setting, adjust the outer rod so that there
You can temporarily Install the brake cover box.
are 3/4" of threads showing on the outer master cylinder
rod, 1/2" on the inner rod (with the jam nuts against the rod The brake or clutch pedal face angle can be changed with
end.) the top stop screw. See page 102.

CLUTCH PEDAL HEIGHT

See page 102 for parts assembly

The clutch pedal face should be approximately even with

the brake. If your clutch pressure plate requires more
travel than normal, you may need to keep the pedal face
higher, or, alternately, use a larger clutch master cylinder.
A1" Tilton master cylinder can be installed on the stock
bracket, but is rarely necessary. Almost all clutch release
problems are the result of incorrect installation or
incompatible parts. Stock linkage and hydraulics give
approximately 3/4" throw at the outer end of the fork. See
page 140.
ADJUSTMENT
The throw-out arm angle can be changed to raise or lower
the pedal:
 Loosen the retaining bolt and slide the arm off the
spline. It may be necessary to disconnect the clevis
from the arm.
 Have someone hold the clutch pedal at the desired
height and re-install the arm. Tighten the retaining
bolt.
You can make small height changes by changing the length
of the connecting rod.
 SECTION F -SUSPENSION ASSEMBLY-
Clutch bleeding and adjustment are described on page 140.
DEAD PEDAL INSTALLATION
Hold the bracket at the desired height against the side of
the footbox and mark for the holes. Drill through the
footbox and steel tube with a 3/16" bit. Secure the bracket
with a #12 Tek screw.

D\deadped
 SECTION G:
BODY/INTERIOR
WINDSHIELD WASHER WINDWINGS AND SUNVISORS
The optional windshield washer uses a manual pump like
(Pre-installed) The windwings and sunvisors can be
the original Cobra. If ordered with the kit, the fluid
attached to the windshield frame before or after the
container and the pump unit are installed at the factory. If
windshield is mounted on the car.
you are retrofitting your car, the reservoir is mounted on
the right front splash panel as shown below. Caution! Be careful when installing the screws into the
windshield frame. If the screws contact the glass, they will
break the windshield. Check the screw length and clear out
the holes before starting. Install using the diagram below.

WINDWINGS
Remove the bottom and third screws holding the
windshield frame to the windshield.

Washer

Mount the washer jets into the predrilled holes on the

cowl, jet noses aimed toward the right.
If you are retrofitting, drill the holes for the jets 2" inside
and 1/2" forward of the center of each of the wiper holes.
It may be necessary to grind the underside of the body for
thread clearance.
e\windwing

Compare the length of the two new screws provided with

the original screws by inserting into the mounting blocks
on the windwing mounting brackets. Grind off any excess
length. If the screw hits the glass, the windshield will be
cracked. Double Check.
Install the screws with medium strength thread locking
compound.

Mount the pump in the dashboard. The location is shown

on page 108.
Pass the plastic tubing from the fluid container cap through
the 5/16" hole in the firewall.
Cut the tubing supplied into pieces to connect components
as shown above. Leave a little extra length so that the
tubing can be secured to the wiring harness and/or the
wiper tubes with wire or tie-wraps.
SUNVISORS
WINDSHIELD
(Pre-installed) With a small stiff wire, clean out the holes
tapped in the upper windshield frame. Slip the aluminum trim plates onto the windshield posts
Push the wire to the bottom of the hole and mark where it with the convex side up and the screw holes to the outside.
is flush with the windshield frame surface. Check each Fill the underside of the trim plates with sealer or ribbon-
hole to make sure they are all the same. type caulk to make a water tight seal between windshield
Check the hole depth against the length of the chrome 6-32 post and body.
oval head screws used to attach the angle brackets to the Lower the windshield into place. Replace any shims
windshield frame. Shorten the screws if necessary. If the between the posts and the chassis and install the large flat
screw hits the glass, the windshield will crack! Double washers, lock washers and bolts. If you are going to use
Check. side curtains, leave the bolts loose to adjust the windshield
Attach the angle brackets to the windshield. rake to match the front edge of the curtains:
Loosen the sunvisor mounting block set screws. Slip the
blocks onto the angle brackets and tighten the set screws.

e\windshld

WITH SIDE CURTAINS

e\sunvisor

See curtain installation on page 137. Angle the windshield

back so that the front edge of the side curtains slip inside the
windshield posts and are parallel with the windshield. See
the illustration on page 107.

Tighten the outside mounting bolts and fasten the center

bracket with two #8 self-tapping screws.
Trim the bottom channel gasket at both ends as shown.
HEATER/DEFROSTER Install the water shut-off valve in the water outlet of the
intake manifold (3/8 NPT fitting). Use Teflon joint
compound or tape on the threads.
Close the water shut-off valve when the heater is not
required. The heater will radiate some heat even if the fan is Cut the heater hoses to length. Connect the lower tube on
off and the doors shut - definitely not necessary during those the heater (inlet) to the shutoff valve. Connect the upper
hot and hazy days. heater tube (outlet) to the fitting on the water pump.
Connect the blower motor wire to the dashboard harness as
Use two Gates 28472 hoses or their equivalent to connect indicated in the wiring instructions. See the wiring hints
to the engine. The length must be trimmed. above to use the two speed switch.
When ordered with the E.R.A. kit, the optional
heater/defroster system is already mounted as shown DASHBOARD
below.
*Note: With a heater installed, the oil temperature gage
and ammeter are interchanged.

g\heater_hoses

The E.R.A. 427SC uses what would have been the original Larger picture on page 150
heater switch for the radiator fan over-ride function. You
may install another toggle switch at either end of the row Install the wiper relay on the firewall before the dash:
of toggles, or drill a hole in the bottom of the heater case
and mount the two-speed switch supplied with the heater
there (the wires must be re-routed, but this makes a very
clean installation.)

The dashboard wiring connections can be done off the car,

with the dashboard resting face-down on something soft.
Follow the separate wiring instructions for individual
connections.

wiring\heat2sp

TO RETROFIT:
Use the template included with the heater to drill holes in
the firewall.
Bolt the heater in place as shown, using nylon locking
nuts. Connect the motor ground wire to the steering
column mounting bracket or some other ground.
Smiths gage notes: The oil pressure line requires a 1/4"-1/8"
pipe reducer at the filter housing or block adapter. There is
a fiber sealing washer attached to the gage to seal the gage
end fitting.

At the gauge side of the oil pressure line, use Teflon® tape
to seal the threads.

Small block: The line enters the block just in front of the
filter housing. You can use the extension that normally
mounts the electric oil pressure switch or go directly into the g\glovebx
block.
Also glue a strip of material on the underside of the rear
box edge where it meets the dash to prevent it from rattling
INSTALLATION against the transverse dash support.
Remove the tape wrapping the fresh air cables and let the Holding the glove box with its forward edge tilted down
cables lay on the floor. and towards the front of the car, slip its trailing edge up
Attach the (optional) windshield washer tubing to the and under the glove box opening lip of the dash. Be sure
pump. Hold the dashboard in place on the body and that the edge goes under the glove box door mounting
loosely thread in the mounting screws and trim washers. screws.
Don't install the extreme right-hand screw and leave the Raise the rear of the glove box into place and install the
rest of the screws loose so that the glovebox can be final dashboard screw. Tighten all the dash screws to hold
installed. the glove box in place while you attach its rear flange with
KNOBS the self-tapping screws provided. (A 1/4" ratchet with a
Note that the rotary knobs for the wiper and dash lights are long extension makes this job easier).
similar but not necessarily the same. The retaining pin ADJUSTMENT
hole position must match the proper hole in the switch. Move the roller bracket forward or backward so that it
Note that some panel light switch knobs are secured by a engages the spring clip fully. You can adjust the force
small set screw (2.5mm wrench) instead of the spring- required to open the box by opening the clip by bending
loaded retainer. each side.

GLOVE BOX
For theft prevention, you may want to put a kill switch in
the glove box. See the wiring instructions for electrical
details. Drill a hole for the switch in the upper corner of the
vertical section of the box, next to the door.

Use contact cement to line the bottom and sides of the

glove box with the fuzzy material included with the
carpet set.
SPEEDOMETER CABLE CABLE FOR REVERSE-ROTATION
SPEEDOMETER
There are several possible speedometer cable and drive Some cables or right-angle drives have been known to
locations on the transmission. See page 12 for the right have a square drive adapter that’s too long where they go
cable for your application. into the speedometer head. This will either cause the
speedometer to malfunction - or the gear at the
If you are using a counter-rotating speedometer with a Top- transmission to strip. Check clearance by disconnecting
loader or Tremec transmission, a cable reverser must be the cable at the transmission end and insuring that it turns
installed on the speedometeer end of the speedometer cable. freely. If not, either shorten the square drive where it
When installing the 90 degree adapter to the speedometer, enters the speedometer or add shims where the cable
see the notes on page 110. With the Richmond gear housing meets the threaded section on the speedo.
transmission, the reverser is integrated into the right angle
drive adapter at the transmission. The illustration below shows the right angle drive for the
reverse-rotation speedometer. A right angle drive for a
TRANSMISSION INSTALLATION clockwise-read speedometer will be the mirror image.

After installation, the centerline of the transmission

output shaft should be 3.5” +/- 0.25” above the plane
of the X member. This will give the correct drive-
shaft angles. Any variation can be achieved with a
spacer or shims between the mount and the
transmission.
TOP LOADER
From the engine compartment side, slip the smaller
(speedometer) end of the cable through the rubber
grommet in the footbox.

RICHMOND GEAR 5 SPEED

The transmission requires a right-angle-drive adapter
installed as shown. The parts required are listed on page
12.

e\spcable

Feed the other end towards the rear over the bellhousing
and down the right side of the transmission.
From inside the car, pull the small end through the
grommet. Align the square end of the cable and its
receptacle in the gauge, and tighten the retaining nut.
If the transmission drive is on the right side, run the cable
through the hole in the hand brake lever mounting bracket.
If the drive is on the left side (see page 111) , the cable
must be kept from interfering with the shifting mechanism
by attaching the cable to the side of the floor with clamps.
Secure the cable to one of the bellhousing top bolts.
TREMEC TKO/500/600
BATTERY AND CABLES
FRONT MOUNTED BATTERY
See page 22 for battery and battery cable sizes and
information.

The drive cable is also secured to the top of the

transmission case.
e\batcabls

Attach the 24" battery cable to the positive terminal on the

battery. Place the battery onto the tray with the posts
oriented toward the rear of the car (this will put the
positive terminal under the cowl).
Attach the other end of the cable to the right side of the
starter solenoid.
Attach the 16" (ground) cable to the negative terminal of
the battery. Attach the other end to the right rear intake
manifold bolt together with the engine to chassis ground
wire (See the wiring list). Attach the other end of the small
wire to the firewall as shown in the wiring
instructions.After putting grease on the bolt, tighten the
hold down clamp.
Attach the 24" cable with (eyelets on both ends) between
the left side of the starter solenoid and the terminal on the
starter.

Cable routing for TKO600

REAR MOUNTED BATTERY
STEERING COLUMN AND WHEEL
Mounting details are available at
www.erareplicas.com/427man/index.htm. Prepare the triumph steering column as described on page
The battery may be mounted in the trunk for more rear 50.
weight bias. ERA offers panels that close off the front of
the trunk for this purpose. Inquire. Most states require Before the Triumph steering column is installed, check that
that the battery be in a closed container to prevent spills the signal canceling cam on the steering column shaft is
and collect corrosive gases. oriented correctly. See page 50.
Run at least a 2 gage cable from the battery to the starter
ASSEMBLY
solenoid. Secure it with insulated clamps spaced less than
12” apart.. The battery can be grounded directly to the
frame or at the bumper bracket.

Clamp the cable along the inside of the right frame

rail.
Also ground the engine or transmission directly to the g\stcol
chassis with at least a 2 gage cable. The TKO 600 is
illustrated on page 34. The most convenient ground is Lower steering column installation is described on page 95.
usually from the transmission to the threaded insert in
front of the X-member (where the transmission adapter is Insert the upper column and housing through the hole in
used with some transmissions). the dashboard, engaging the lower column as the upper
one is slid in.
Align the flat of the lower column with the notch in the
upper tube and fit the clamp over the column tube. Snug
the bolts slightly but don't tighten.
Fit the bottom half (non-threaded) of the upper column
clamp between the column and the mounting tabs on the
transverse dash support.
With the top half of the upper clamp in place, insert the
bolts from the bottom, through the relay bracket.
E.R.A. column: Install the switch onto the column
housing. Original orientation was toward the passenger
side of the car, but you may install it on the “conventional”
side at your preference.
Bolt the steering wheel to the hub. The pattern is
asymmetric - the parts will only fit one way. If the E.R.A.
switch is too close to the steering wheel rim (which occurs
with some of the flatter wheels), the switch arm may be
bent slightly for extra clearance.
 The shift lever may be mounted in several different
locations, depending on your transmission. If your Top-
loader mounting matches the diagram on page 14 or you
have a Richmond Gear 5 speed, E.R.A. makes adapters to
move the linkage to the proper position. Handles that bolt
onto the linkage stub are available for the Tremec
transmissions.

TUNNEL
BACK-UP LIGHT NOTES
If you are using a back-up light with the Top-loader or
Richmond Gear transmissions, mount a switch on
transmission actuated by the reverse gear lever. The wires
can be attached to either terminal. Tremec transmissions
have a back-up light switch built-in. The (optional)
cob\man\wiring\swbend
harness should be secured to the top of the transmission,
run to the front of the firewall, and back through one of the
With the road wheels straight, install the hub on the grommets for the temperature guage lines. Other details
column with the washer and nut. Torque the nut to 25 lb-ft are on page 130.
only after the suspension is aligned, and the steering
wheel position is determined to be correct. SHIFT LEVER HOLE
With the driver's seat correctly positioned in relationship to See page 14 and 48 for shift linkage details.
the pedals, slide the steering column and housing in or out When the transmission is installed in the car, measure from
to suit your driving position. If you are tall, you may want the side and back to the base of the shift lever.
to add shims (and maybe longer bolts) between the dash
angle bracket and the mounting block. Temporarily remove the lever and mount the tunnel in the
car. Mark the shift lever location on the tunnel. Cut the
Move the steering column in or out relative to the housing hole for the shift lever a little undersize, and refit the
until there is 1/16"- 1/8" clearance between the bottom of the tunnel to check the location.
hub and the top of the column housing or signal switch
(E.R.A. column). Tighten all the clamp bolts. ACCENT TUBE HOLES
Connect the steering column wiring (horn, signal lights, These non-structural tubes duplicate the look of the dash
headlight dimmer) as shown in the wiring instructions. support tubes that were used on the original Cobra. Our
Secure loose wires with cable ties or tape. tubes are held at the top by bolts, at the bottom by the
grommets in the tunnel.
STEERING WHEEL REMOVAL Locate and cut holes in the tunnel for the support tubes.
Carefully pry off the center cap, and remove the nut and Use a hole saw to make the 1 1/16" holes as shown. Paint
washer. the tubes gloss black and install after the dashboard is in
While keeping rearward pressure on the steering place.
wheel/hub, strike the end of the steering column forward
with a brass or lead hammer. Be careful not to damage the
threads. If that does not disengage the taper, use a
steering wheel puller.
CENTER CAP
The optional cap is held in place with 3 clips. Be very
careful not to scratch the back surface of the cap. It will
show on the outside.

SHIFT LEVER
The shift lever boot and chromed trim ring are provided in Eint\tunltube
the kit. A reversed shift lever can be purchased from
E.R.A. or modified from Mustang parts. See page 47.
ASH TRAY Insulate the inside of the tunnel. Use contact cement to
fasten aluminum foil backed jute, foam or high
Note that some transmissions are taller than others, so temperature material (see page 29) on all surfaces except
confirm that you have enough clearance under the tunnel for the areas of overlap at the front edge and the bottom
surface before you perform surgery on the aluminum. flanges. Check for adequate clearance along the left side
of the tunnel adjacent to the shift linkage.
The (optional) ashtray is located on the tunnel with its
Glue low density foam weather-stripping (the same type
rear edge approximately 3” forward of the edge of the
used on edge of the wheelhouses) onto the bottom of the
shifter trim ring and centered from side-to-side on the
tunnel flanges.
tunnel top. Cut the hole slightly smaller than marked and
file to fit. A snug fit is all that holds the ashtray in place. Install carpet (page 121).
Removal (after car is completed)
 Remove shift lever, boot and bezel.
 Remove seats
 Remove dash support tubes
 Remove the rear bulkhead access panel.
 Remove screws along floor flange and lift the
tunnel out.

TUNNEL INSTALLATION
With the tunnel held in place with the shipping screws,
drill 9/64"- holes 4"-5" apart along the length of the bottom
flanges and through the floor. Also drill two holes, one on
either side, through the vertical surfaces at the front of the
tunnel near the top.
Enlarge the holes in the tunnel to 1/4" so that the hold down
screws will drop through.
eint\tunnel
CARPETS
In general, the carpet pieces
should be installed in their
numerical order. Trim any
unfinished carpet edge as
needed.
1 Left footbox, front
2 Right footbox, front
3 Tunnel side, front left
4 Left footbox, left side
5 Tunnel side, front right
6 Right footbox, right side
7 Bulkhead behind seat,
right lower filler
8 Bulkhead behind seat,
left lower filler
9 Splash panel, right rear
10 Splash panel, left rear
11 Bulkhead, center top
12 Under door, left side
13 Under door, right side
14 Trunk, right side upper
15 Trunk, left side upper
16 Trunk, right side lower
17 Trunk, left side lower
18 Trunk, front (back
bulkhead)
19 Trunk, center (bottom)
20 Access panel, vinyl
(bottom bulkhead)
21 Access panel filler, vinyl
22 Tunnel top, rear
23 Tunnel top, front
24 Floor, right side rear
(under seat)
25 Floor, right side front
26 Floor, left side rear
(under seat)
27 Floor, left side front
28 Door insert, left side
29 Door insert, right side

INTERIOR
REAR PANEL
After masking the body, spray or brush contact cement
on the panel areas and the back sides of the vinyl and
carpet.
Install the side carpets, starting by lining up the
corner(s) as shown.

Install the vinyl on the central aluminum side panels.

Trim even with the vertical edges and leave a short
amount at along the floor.
Carefully form the carpet over the wheelhouse bulge
and push into the side and top areas. Trim off the
excess material.
FOOTBOXES

Corner Detail

Spray contact cement on the front and sides. Note

where the dead-pedal mounting holes are.

Glue in the front panel first. When gluing in #2, use

the corner below the door hinge area and the front
vertical edge for reference.
Layout of pieces.
UNDER DOOR Trim around the top socket and locate the holes for the
door striker mounting bracket.

TUNNEL

Before you glue in the rug, take note of the location of

the seat belt hole at the rear bottom corner.
Locate the holes for the dash tube in the aluminum
Remove the door strikers, mounting brackets and any
and trim the carpet back. Use the rubber grommets
shims. The kit is shipped with shims under the hinges
supplied to line the holes.
to compensate for the rug thickness. When the doors
are finally installed, don't use the shims. After locating where the carpet goes on the top, apply
contact cement to the top of the tunnel and the carpet.
Use the front and rear bound edges to line up the raw Glue only the top section first. Apply contact cement to
piece, wrapping the material around the front edge the right (passenger’s side) of the aluminum (let it tack off)
underneath the door hinge area. Trim the material and carefully work the carpet down starting at the crease in
even with the door sill opening and along the floor. front of the emergency brake handle cutout. Leave the
bottom flange unglued, but trim the carpet back to the
edge.

Do the same process on the driver’s side.

At the front edge of the tunnel, cut the carpet about 2” past
the edge of the aluminum, slitting the top corners. Apply
contact cement to the carpet and the back-side of the
Details around the front hinge area (right side). tunnel. After the glue tacks off, roll the carpet around the
edge.
Cut the hole for the shifter and emergency brake cutout
and install grommets for the tunnel tubes. See page 123
for shift boot installation.
 STEP MOLDING
FRONT TOP PANEL Anodized aluminum doorstep moldings are supplied with
the kit. They are pre-drilled but must be shaped to the
door opening.
Note that the short lip side of the molding is to the inside
of the door opening. Hand form the molding to the door
profile. The top edge of the sill should extend about 2 ½”
past the center of the latch.

Install the aluminum between the footbox flanges. The

carpet is secured with Velcro.

Installing the door sill molding.

Apply masking tape to the door opening edge, marking the
position of the rivets. To install, hand-form the molding,
approximately matching its curve to the door opening.
Once close, form it directly on the sill. Watch out for
several rivets holding the sill flange to the body. Don’t
allow your holes to intersect with the rivets.
Drill a 3/32" hole into the door opening flange through the
top hole above the door latch striker.
Attach the molding at the top with one of the screws
provided. Enlarge the hole slightly by running the drill in
and out if the screw does not go in easily.
Press the molding tightly against the sill and carpet. Drill
the next hole and insert the screw. Continue for the entire
length of the molding.
FLOORS

The under-seat pieces can be glued in or simply held

in place with the seat mounting system.
The front pieces are held in place with snaps in the
floor at the front and Velcro at the rear edge.
TRUNK
Note that the wire to the fuel tank (rear harness) must be
installed before the trunk carpeting.

Left Side
Trim the diagonal piece to fit around the roll bar brace
mount.

All the exposed carpet edges are cut and bound. Unless
specifically noted, all pieces are glued into place.
Install the pieces in numerical order.

Rear edge with bumper mount detail

A piece of fuzzy material (1/8" thick) is supplied with the
optional trunk carpet to cover the inside of the trunk.
Carefully trim the piece (leaving extra material around the
Right Side edges) and glue the center part of this on with contact
You can use a scrap of material to hide the fuel filler pipe. cement. Carefully push the excess material under the lip of
Secure with a wire-tie. the fiberglass inner panel.
 A 1/16" thick piece of vinyl to line the glovebox, also
installed with contact cement.
SPECIAL NOTES
The tunnel is upholstered before fastening to the floor.
After gluing on the tunnel carpeting, cut holes for the dash
tube grommets and install the grommets.
Glue in and cut the two seat belt mounting holes under
sections l-C and 8-C. See page 126 for hole locations.
Use an awl to locate the mounting holes for the dead pedal.
Cut small holes for the screws.
Locate the holes in the carpet for the lap and shoulder belts
if necessary. See the rug diagram and page 126.

121
 To make cleaning easier, the two-piece floor carpets are
held in place with snaps and Velcro. Fit the carpets in
place and mark the floor where the snaps are to go. Drill
1
/8" holes and screw the snap bases into place. Remove
carpets to fit seats.
FRESH AIR CABLES
Lubricate the rubber grommet located midway up the front
of the driver’s footbox on the left hand side, with silicone
spray or petroleum jelly.
Push the cable through the grommet and install the cable
loop on the fresh air control valve as shown on page 63.
Attach the cable to the side of the footbox with a cable
clamp.

Also see the illustration on page 122.

eint\doorrug1
HAND BRAKE LEVER COVER
Replace the door strikers as described on page 125. The
added thickness of the carpet should make the rear edge of Using the figure below as a guide, open up the hand brake
the door flush with the body. If not, add or subtract shims. lever cover and align the cut-out section on the inside flap
around the hole in the transmission tunnel behind the lever,
bunching it up as necessary in the center. Attach the front
edge of the boot by drilling holes through the fabric into
the tunnel.
Hold the attaching plate against the cover and tunnel. Drill
four 1/8" holes into the tunnel. Attach the plate and cover to
the tunnel.

The door should latch on the second catch without being

slammed. If it doesn't shut all the way with a solid
"chunk", check for latch/striker misalignment or an
interference fit between the two parts
To check for misalignment, hold the latch lever in the open
position and shut the door without putting any pressure on
it up or down. The door latch should seat into the striker eint\ebtrim1
without resistance or sharp contact sounds. Re-align Re-bolt the hand brake lever in place.
vertically if necessary.
Fold the outer flap of the cover over the lever and attach to
Open and shut the door several times, then check the the inner flap with the Velcro and snap.
striker receptacle of the latch for shiny spots. File these
spots, being careful to hold the file flat. Recheck fit, and
repeat the process if necessary.
Install the dead pedal over the carpet.
Attach the tunnel carpet (#17) with about 1" extending past
the front edge, allowing the carpet to be folded over to the
backside and glued. Cut out for the shifter, ashtray and
hand brake lever. Screw the tunnel into place.
122
 SEAT BELT/SHOULDER HARNESS

E.R.A. offers reproductions of the original competition belts.

Inquire.

eint\ebtrim3

Release the lever to the full down position, fold and tuck in
the rear edges of the cover as shown. Fit the cover up
against the tunnel, drill through into the tunnel through the
holes in the cover and attach with the trim screws.
When the floor carpet is installed, lay it on top of the cover
material extending out onto the floor.

SHIFT BOOT
EINT\SEATBELT
Once the large hole in the tunnel is cut, locate the small Screw the seat belt anchors into the captive nuts provided
holes by using the trim ring as a pattern as shown below. on the lower chassis. Angle them as shown below. If
The adjacent holes are placed parallel to the car centerline. necessary, clean the threads with a 7/16-20 tap to remove
any coating build-up. If you have shoulder harnesses, cut
holes in the carpet and, if necessary, chase those threads
also.

After removing the shift knob, the rubber boot can be

stretched over the “T” of the shift handle.

Slip the ends of the belts in the clip to the eyelets of the
anchors already in place.

123
SHOULDER HARNESSES SEAT MOUNTING
Locate the mounting holes in the chassis with an awl, and
cut holes in the carpet. See page 82. The optional four- Lay the floor carpets in place, and locate the seat mounting
point shoulder harness are installed with the (7/16"-20) holes through the carpet. Mark and cut holes for the bolts
attaching bolts above the belt loops. in the carpet.
If you are not using seat adjusting rails, each seat must be
raised up approximately ½”with spacers.
WITH ADJUSTING TRACKS
The lever for the seat tracks falls on the right side of both
the driver's and passenger's seats.
The seats have captive nuts for the adjusting tracks in the
seat bottom. Install the adjustment tracks, if used, to the
seat base first with 1/4-20 bolts. Make sure they don't stick
up through the base and prevent the cushion from seating.
Put 2 1/8" shims (supplied with the seat tracks) under the
right front holes over the tunnel. Put 3 1/8" shims under the
left front holes. Place the seats so that the studs in the
tracks go through the holes in the floor. Note that large
washers are used under the floor on three studs and a small
washer is used on the inside front.
If the seat does not slide freely, loosen all four bolts, slide
the seat back and forth to align the tracks and re-tighten.
WITHOUT ADJUSTING TRACKS
If seat adjusting tracks are not used, follow the previous
instructions, using the spacers and bolts provided to raise
the seat base.

LAP BELT LAYOUT

Note that the shoulder harness latching pieces angle down
into the lap belt hardware.

124
DOOR INSTALLATION

Generally, the hinge assembly won’t have to be

disassembled. If the bushings have to be renewed, (with
the hinge off the car) loosen the retaining set screws and
drive out the pin. The bushing number is listed on page
152. Lubricate with light grease on assembly. \ebod\drlatch
Bolt the door hinges onto the chassis with the side closing Bolt the latch striker to its mounting plate and install the
plates and original shims that go behind them. The plates assembly loosely to the chassis. Remember to replace any
seal off the cowl area from the engine compartment and shims found earlier. Close and latch the door while
have weather-stripping glued to their outer edges to seal allowing the striker to self-align with the latch on the door.
against the body. See page 82. Don't tighten the hinge
bolts. Tighten the striker bolts. Don't worry about the door
fitting flush at the rear. The latch striker must be refit
Bolt the door to the hinge, lightly snugging the bolts. If when the rugs are installed.
the car is already painted, consider using masking tape
along the door and body edges to prevent damage when
assembling.
The door edge may be aligned with the body opening by
loosening the bolts where the hinge attaches to the door.
To adjust the front edge surface of the door relative to the
body, loosen the hinge where it attaches to the chassis.
Once the door is properly located, tighten the hinge bolts.

125
SEAT BELT/SHOULDER HARNESS BUMPERS, JACK-PADS
E.R.A. offers reproductions of the original competition belts. The bumpers or jackpads are factory fit and installed. The
Inquire. aluminum spacer sleeves can be easily polished with very
fine steel wool and/or car polish.

EINT\SEATBELT

Slip the ends of the belts in the clip to the eyelets of the
anchors already in place.
SHOULDER HARNESSES
Locate the mounting holes in the chassis with an awl, and
cut holes in the carpet. See page 82. The optional four-
point shoulder harness are installed with the (7/16"-20)
attaching bolts above the belt loops.

Ebod\bumpers

INSTALLATION
The lower spacer nut is accessed through a plug in the
inner splash panel. The upper nut is access from the inside
of the nose opening.
Fit the rubber grommets to the body. Be sure the lip is
seated on both side of the fiberglass.
Fit the studs and spacers onto the bumper uprights or
jackpads. Note that the upper spacers and studs are
longer than the lower ones on both front and rear of the
car. Leave the nuts loose if the nudge bars (hoops) are to
be fitted.
Insert the bumper/jackpad assembly through the body
grommets and secure onto the frame/bracket with a lock
washer and nut.
If you have the rear nudge bar, the bar and uprights must
be installed as a unit.
The front nudge bar can be fitted separately or in unit with
the uprights.
Align and tighten nuts and bolts.
RETROFITTING THE FRONT NUDGE BAR
Tape the sides of the front uprights to prevent scratching
and facilitate marking.

126
With the front uprights installed as shown above, hold the
nudge bar between them, aligned with the body opening FRESH AIR INLET DUCTS
and with about 3/4" clearance between it and the body.
The left and right ducts will only fit one way. Use the
Transfer the hole locations from the nudge bar to the diagram below as a guide.
uprights.
Drill 3/8" holes in the uprights and install the threaded
inserts with a special tool or a nut and bolt that is at least
Grade 8 strength.

ebod\rivnut

HINGE COVERS
The fiberglass covers are different from left to right. Don't
over-tighten the screws. ebod\fduct

If you wish, paint the inlet screens.

Slip the inlet ducts over the body flanges and secure each
with 4 Phillips screws from the air-intake side.
Secure each hose to the splash panel with clamps as
shown. The rear clamps have speed nuts and are fastened
from inside the engine compartment.

FUEL FILLER CAP

See the notes on disassembly, page 58. Lubricate!

eint\HINGCVR

127
LIGHTS Two styles of front signal/parking lights are used on the
E.R.A. 427SC. Both are valid duplicates of the original
Cobra:
HEADLIGHTS
 SC style (used on original race cars) Uses a twist-
Extra-bright Lights off lens. Used with the rectangular taillight,
duplicating early (65-66) original 427 Cobras.
The stock E.R.A. headlight wiring harness is adequate for  Street style (used on the last 2/3 of the production
up to 65W bulbs. 100W bulbs require auxiliary relays to run): The lens is held on with two screws. Usually
carry the extra current. used in conjunction with later (66-67) original
round taillights.
All holes for mounting the lights are pre-drilled at the
factory. The headlights can only be installed with the
correct orientation.

e\flights2

When making the wiring connections and inserting the bulb,

use a light electrical grease to prevent corrosion from water
and road salts.
e\flights1
Mount with the supplied #10 stainless nuts and bolts. The
Mount the headlight assembly and gasket with four #10 lights have male and female terminals which mate with the
Phillips pan head tapping screws. harness only one way. Connect the black (ground) wire
Pass the headlight wires (with the parking light wires) (with the eye terminal) to one of the light mounting bolts.
through the rubber grommet in the inner panel and
rearward to the top of the spring perches. Connect to the On some twist-off lights, it is possible to insert the bulb two
wiring harness and ground as shown in the separate wiring ways. If the signal light is dimmer than the parking light,
instructions. Leave the rims off till the headlights are remove the bulb, turn it 180° and reinsert it
adjusted.
TAIL-LIGHTS
SIGNAL LIGHTS
Two types of original style lights are possible:
 Rectangular lights were used on the competition
cars and some early street cars.
 Round lights similar to the screw type lens front
signal/park lights were used on the later street cars.
The rectangular lights are mounted with the lettering on
the lens right side up, and the round lights with the notch
to the bottom.
Taillights with round or rectangular lenses may have
pigtails with female connectors. Otherwise connections are
made directly to the light.

e\fparkwir

Install the harness as shown above, securing it with the

clamps on the inner panel.

128
 REAR REFLECTOR (BOTTOM)
(Used only with round taillights) Mount with the notch to
the bottom. Some reflectors will have mounting studs, the
others require a sheet-metal screw.

ebod\Reflectr

LICENSE PLATE LIGHT

e\tailites

To make the tail light connections:

 Make sure that the rear harness black ground wire
is connected to the light stud or ground receptacle.
 With the parking lights on, the red wire should be
live. Touch the red wire to each pigtail (or
connector loop). Connect that wire to the dimmest
filament.
 Connect the other wire to the remaining receptacle.
ebod\liclite

BULB PROTECTOR/REFLECTOR INSTALLATION

(Optional) Remove the attachment screw, lens and cover.
ERA offers optional reflectors for the rectangular tail- Insert the wires through the larger of the 3 holes in the
lights. Be careful not to pinch the wires when the reflector deck lid, license plate bracket (optional) and the back of
is installed. Install after the light is installed by using a the light gasket.
second set of nuts and washers.
Connect the black wire to the case and the red wire to the
loop on the bulb holder.
Attach the light and bracket to the deck lid and refit the
lens and cover.

129
BACK-UP LIGHT (OPTIONAL) MIRRORS
Back-up lights may be required in some states. The type
and location of the light is the customer's choice, but we DASH
recommend mounting the light on a bumper bracket or the Assemble the mirror as shown. The upper and lower
nudge bar. Partial back-up light wiring is built into the clamps hold the rim against the reflector. Note that the
harness. The wires for the back-up light switch stainless steel reflector is only polished on one side.
connections exit the main harness on the passenger
compartment side of the firewall.

For the obsessive compulsive: The backside of the mirror

and the clamp on the original cars was black wrinkle-finish
paint. The bracket remained chrome

Mount the rearview mirror on top of the dash in the pre-

drilled holes using chrome #8 oval head Phillips tapping
screws.

Optional ERA installation. If you are not using the rear Top View
nudge bar, the assembly can be rotated so that the light falls
inside the bumper or jack-pad.
Much of the required wiring is built into the harness. The
wires for the back-up light switch connections exit the
main harness on the passenger-compartment side of the
firewall. You will need to add a 36’ jumper from the ERA
harness to the transmission (supplied with the ERA
option).

130
SIDE Position mirror pedestal on the fender over the hole
markings and within the gasket outline.
INSTALLATION
Holding the pedestal in position, drill two 1/8" holes where
Follow the instructions included with the mirrors for
marked, making sure to hold the drill at the proper angle.
disassembly. You may have to drill the holes in the base
Be very careful when putting in the screws. If they are too
larger to fit the included screws.
tight in the hole, "adjust" the hole size with the drill.
Have a friend help you locate the mirror on the fender.
Use wide masking tape to protect the fender where the
mirror is to be mounted.
Use the plastic gasket to mark the outline of the gasket and
the mounting holes onto the tape. Make sure the gasket is
facing in the right direction.

ebod\sidemir

TOP SNAPS
The top snaps were trial fit before paint. If the screw holes
have paint in them they should be chased with a 9/64" drill
bit. If the stud goes in with some difficulty, use a similar
sheet-metal screw to “chase” the threads in the fiberglass.
Use a fiber or plastic washer under each snap. Do not
ebod\outmir1
over-torque! The studs are plated brass and break easily.
The mirror is assembled as shown.

131
EMBLEMS
NOSE
Lay out a centerline by projecting the line of the hood
forward and measuring across the headlights. Use masking
tape to protect the paint during marking and drilling of the
hole locations.
Follow the dimensions in the diagram below for the
location of the original type "Cobra" emblems. Drill 1/8"
holes for the emblem studs. Access holes are already in g\emblem3
the inner panel.
The steering wheel center cap (see page 113) is installed
after final suspension alignment.

LICENSE PLATE(S)
FRONT
E.R.A. Plate offers a tilting bracket to mount the front
plate on the optional front grill surround.
REAR
Secure the emblem with the press-on speed-nuts provided. The rear plate may be mounted directly to the trunk lid
using 3/8" (minimum) plastic spacers between the plate and
the body. Alternately, E.R.A. offers a plain bracket that
bolts underneath the license light and a special Carroll
Shelby Motors frame. See the illustration on page 129.

g\emblem1

TRUNK
Follow the same procedure as the nose emblem
installation.

g\emblem2

SIDE
Project directly up 1 5/8" from the 4th louver and measure
forward 1/2" for the rear hole

132
SIDE PIPES Note! Ford numbers the cylinders on the FE engine 1-4 on
the right (passenger’s side) bank, 5-8 on the left side).
For the under-car system see page 135. The E.R.A. supplied primary pipes may differ from standard
Ford practice and be numbered (from the front) 1-4 on the
The E.R.A. 427SC was originally designed using an left bank, 5-8 on the right.
original set of Cobra 427 side pipes. When we lengthened
the drivers-side footbox, we had to change the primary The 4 longer primary pipes are for the left side.
pipes to fit. Exhaust systems are available from E.R.A. or E.R.A. can optionally weld the brackets onto the side and
the suppliers listed on page 27. primary pipes at the factory.
The outside pipes are available in bare steel or stainless
alloy. After the brackets are welded on, the bare steel
can be painted with a VHT type coating (usually must be WELDING THE SUPPORT BRACKETS
re-done every year), ceramic (HPC, Jet-Hot, Airborn
Coatings, etc.) or chrome plated. Stainless pipes will Install the primary pipes on the engine, leaving the bolts
discolor slightly to light gold. Chrome plating will turn slightly loose.
blue only on the hottest sections of pipe.
We recommend that the primary pipes be ceramic coated.
This decreases the heat radiated in the engine compartment
and extends the life of the pipes. Because of the slip fit
into the side pipes, mask the last 1 1/2" of the outside
surface before coating.
While ERA specifies extra heavy flanges, the primary
pipes may have distorted during welding. Use a flat
surface to check their condition. If there is more than .
020" variance from flat, grind, file or mill the surfaces.

ebod\primpipe

Support the pipes as shown, parallel with the bottom edge

of the rocker. Leave about 1 1/2-2" between each side pipe
and the rocker panel. A soft-faced dead-blow hammer
helps get the pipes all the way on.

133
ebod\spipesup

Bolt together the sets of connecting brackets as shown.

ebod\spipebk1

Position the brackets in place, one end of each set on a

primary pipe, the other end on a side pipe. Position each
set of brackets on pipes diagonally opposite each other so
that they are easily reached.
Tack weld each set of brackets in place. Complete the
welding when the pipes are removed from the car.
REAR HANGER BRACKET

ebod\spipebrk

Bolt the rubber hanger to the chassis and the end of the
bracket. Mounting holes are provided on the angle support
welded between the main chassis rail and the outer side
rail.
Fit the brackets in position against the side pipes and tack
weld in place.
Unbolt the front brackets and rear hangers and remove the
side pipes and primary pipes. Weld the tacked brackets in
place.
Coat the pipes as desired.

134
 d\undercarex
FINAL INSTALLATION HINTS
 Glue or rivet 1/8" aluminum or stainless faced
Use gaskets coated with high temperature silicone (such as insulation onto the bottom of the floors.
Permatex Ultra Copper 81878) on both sides. Special Alternately, you may wrap the exhaust pipes and
exhaust-tolerant silicone is available at most automotive mufflers.
supply stores. Loosely bolt the primary pipes to the  Add jute or foam insulation underneath the rugs.
engine. Install both sets of primary pipes as described in the side-
Spread a small amount of silicone or Walker Acousti-seal pipe section. The flange bolts on #8 cylinder may require
on the inside of the collector pipes and install the side the special wrench shown on page 28. Also see the “Final
pipes over the primaries. Installation Hints” for the side pipes.
With the rear of the side pipes propped up, slip the end of Fit the collector pipe onto the primary pipes.
the side pipe through the body. Hold the side pipes up The exhaust hanger mounting holes are on the floor
against the ends of the primaries and start the primaries transverse supports: One in the front support, two in the
into the side pipes one by one. Once all are inserted, push rear.
all the way on. A rubber hammer sometimes helps to get
the pipes fully seated. Mount the muffler with the inlet offset to the outside.
Install the intermediate and tail pipe
Stainless steel side pipes may benefit from Walker Acoustic-
Position the entire system to leave clearance between it
seal exhaust sealant between the primary pipes and the side
and the frame. Tighten all bolts and clamps.
pipes.

Loosely bolt the front brackets together and the rear CONVERTIBLE TOP
brackets to the rubber hanger.
FITTING THE TOP KIT
Tighten the bolts holding the primary pipes to the cylinder
heads. A modified wrench (see special tools on page 28 ) More pictures at
will make tightening the rear drivers side flange much www.erareplicas.com/427man/top/index.htm
easier. Re-torque the bolts after the engine is run and
While it is possible for an individual to fit the top, E.R.A.
periodically thereafter.
recommends that you have the top fit by a professional
EXHAUST SYSTEM, UNDER-CAR upholsterer, especially if you have a roll bar. The following
general guidelines will be of some help. ERA takes no
For side pipe installation, see page 133. responsibility for any damage resulting from installation of
the top by any party
INSTALLATION
If you intend to install side curtains in the future, E.R.A. can
Install insulation on the underside of both the floors to supply a template to duplicate the correct windshield angle,
minimize heat transfer into the passenger compartment: or use an angle gage to set the glass angle at the center of
the windshield to 44 degrees above horizontal – assuming
the car is level of course.

To prevent scratches in the paint, tape heavy paper over

the area of the rear body snap studs. Punch holes so the
studs protrude through the paper.
If you have side curtains, match the angle of the
windshield to their front edge. See the Side curtain
section below.
Install the front channels onto the windshield frame. The
inside portion of each front channel has a stud that fits into
the slot of the frame. See below. Press down to engage,
slide to the outside and down in the windshield frame.
Check that the stud is secure in the windshield frame.
Secure the stationary brackets to the windshield side posts
with the screws provided - Locktite recommended on the
screw threads.
Assemble the rear bow halves together. Turn the knurled
adjusters all the way into the ends of the bows.
Install a ferrule in each of the receptacles adjacent to the
body just outside the seat-backs. Slide the bow assembly
into the sockets with the hinged brace toward the rear.
See page 134 for instructions on welding the tabs
between the collector and privary pipes.
135
Do not try to fit a cold top! Always work at room
temperature or above.

See illustrations that follow.

e\topfit2

Starting on the passenger side of the car, install the balance

of the snaps in the center of the flap, alternating from each
E\topfit1
side towards the center.
Install a snap on each rear flap as close as possible to the If the car has a roll bar, carefully make a slit from the
outside corner: bottom edge of the top to about 1" into the plastic window.
 Punch a center hole in the fabric. Use the snap A small boot can be made from two pieces of fabric sewn
backing plate as a guide to make 4 small slits in the together, sandwiching the top material between them.
fabric with a sharp knife. Glue felt pads to the underside of all snaps to prevent paint
 From the outside, insert the prongs through the small damage..
slits. Install the snap backing plate to the underside Use 2" masking tape to tape each front channel down to
of the material, bending the prongs to secure the the top of the windshield securely at the outer edges. Pull
snap. the top fabric over the top of the channels, beginning at the
Lay the top in place over the rear bow and secure the snaps center and working over to each side, taping the material
to the studs in the body closest to each rear door opening. to the windshield glass as you work.
If the top is too tight for the snaps to reach the studs even Alternately adjust the top over the rear bows and pull and
at the lowest height adjustment, remove some material in re-tape the top material at the front to remove slack from
the where the main bows come together to create some the top and minimize wrinkling. Do not pull hard at any
slack. time. Stress can break the windshield! Make sure the top
If the frame doesn't follow the contour of the fabric, it can material is centered on the front bows and windshield.
be "tweaked" to fit by hand/over-the-knee bending. Keep adjusting the fabric at the rear and front of car until
the top is smooth and sag free.
Beginning at the center, carefully un-tape a portion of the
top fabric from the windshield. Glue a portion of the top
fabric to the front vertical face of the channel with contact
cement. Do not apply the glue to the top of the front bow,
only to the front surface. Work from the center to the sides
until the entire top surface is glued.
Remove both front bows and wrap the front of the fabric
around inside the channel, leaving a couple of inches
hanging at the sides. Trim the excess front fabric and glue
the material into the inner surface. See above.
With the top installed, tape down the edges of the front
bows securely.
136
 Attach the latch "hooks" to the windshield frame using the SIDE CURTAINS
hardware provided. See the diagram below. Determine
where the latches must be installed on the front channel to If your top has not already been fit, the windshield angle
provide proper tension on the front channel when installed may be matched to fit the front edge of the side curtain.
with foam rubber between the channel and top frame. Once the windshield angle has been determined, the top
Mark the holes for the latches on the fabric of the front may installed to fit. If you intend to install side curtains in
channel, then remove the channels from the car to drill the the future, E.R.A. can supply a template to duplicate the
holes for the rivets. Rivet the latches to the front channel. correct angle, or use an angle gage to set the glass angle at
Remove the remainder of the mandrel from the rivets, and the center of the windshield to 43 degrees above
peen the backside of the rivet as flat as possible. horizontal – assuming the car is level of course.
Glue the extra flap of material on the top over the exposed If the top has been fit, the windshield angle may effect the
rivets on the backside of the front channel. fit of the side curtain front glazing. The front edge of the
Glue 1/8" thick foam strips to the inside of the front bow curtain may have to be trimmed. See below.
channels to seal the top of the windshield frame. The door must be open wide to install the side curtain
pins into the door ferrules. Trial fit each curtain to the
door.
If the pins do not match the sockets, it may be
necessary to “tweak” the pins or elongate the fiberglass
holes in the door so that the body ferrules can shift
slightly:
If the pins are not parallel to each other, bend them
with pliers, etc.
If bending the pins doesn’t solve the problem:
Remove the center ferrule by removing the circlips.
This will make checking fit of the outside pins easier.
(The center pin can be fit afterward.)
Use a round file to elongate the holes in the door skin
and inner panel as needed. Don’t make the holes
uniformly larger in diameter. Oval them in-line with
the other pins, so that the curtain frame will not rock.
E\topfit3
Once all the pins fit in the outside ferrules, repeat the
REMOVE AND REPLACE process for the center one. Replace the circlips.
(After fitting) Install each side curtain on the door and close the door
carefully. If the side tilt of the curtain does not match
Cold temperatures make top installation difficult. the side of the windshield frame, carefully bend the
curtain in or out as necessary.
Install the top bows with the hinged frame toward the rear.
See above.
TRIMMING THE FRONT EDGE:
Lay the top in position across the top bows. Install the
header channels on the windshield by engaging the header The top corner of the Plexiglas may have to be
tang into the slot in the top of the windshield. matched to the windshield frame. Peal the fabric back
from the frame as necessary and trim the sides with a
Engage the outside windshield clamps to the header, but hacksaw. (To prevent scratching, mask off the
don't cinch them down. Plexiglas.) Saw the excess material from the top edge
Working toward the center from each side, press the lift-a- of the frame and bend down to match the sides.
dot fasteners onto the body studs. It helps to rock the
fastener back and forth a bit. The Plexiglas can be shaped to match with a bandsaw
or with careful grinding. Finish with a sanding block
When all lift-a-dots are secure, cinch down the windshield and wet 180 or 220 grit paper.
clamps and adjust the height of the bows at the sides.
Trim and re-glue the fabric to the frame.
If the top is too loose, unscrew the knurled ends of the top
bows to raise everything.
Remove in the reverse order.

137
FITTING THE TONNEAU COVER
Stretch the cover over the snaps. Starting in the middle
snap in the front, mark and install the snaps as described
above for the top.

138
 SECTION H
FINAL OPERATIONS
 SECTION H -FINAL OPERATIONS -

CLUTCH HYDRAULICS Attach a small hose to the slave cylinder bleeder nipple,
emersing the other end of the hose in a small cup of fluid.
Loosen the nipple about 2/3 turn with a 9/32" or 7 mm wrench.
PRESSURE HOSE INSTALLATION
Work the arm on the clutch pedal shaft (instead of pushing
See page 35 for an illustration of the slave cylinder. on the clutch pedal itself) until only clear fluid comes out of
the hose.
Close the bleeder nipple and pump the clutch pedal several
times. If there is more than 1" travel at the pedal before
resistance is felt, repeat the bleeding procedure.
ADJUSTMENT
The slave cylinder has an internal spring that keeps a small
amount of pressure to extend the piston at all times. Most
throw-out bearings will operate with the small constant
pressure involved. Those that cannotmust use a return spring
and be adjusted periodically.

If you wish, you can use this preload to automatically keep

the clutch adjustment at “zero” clearance. This will,
however reduce the life of the throwout bearing. Since clutch
wear will be most seen when the driven disc is being broken
in, you may want to keep the “automatic mode” during the
first couple hundred miles and then install a return spring.

See page 103 for clutch pedal height adjustment.

With BMW Master Cylinder WITHOUT RETURN SPRING

Increase the length of the throw rod by unscrewing the ball
end, forcing the piston in the cylinder to just bottom out.
Note that the cylinder is spring loaded to the fully extended
position.
Decrease the length of the adusting rod so that there is
about 1/4" movement when you push the transmission arm
toward the front of the car.

With Tilton Master Cylinder

Check the tightness of all fittings before bleeding.
BLEEDING
The car must be level or with the front end slightly higher for
f\cltchadj
this operation

Fill the brake/clutch reservoir with DOT 3 or DOT 4 fluid.

ATE Blue or Castrol LMA brands are preferred. Silicone-
based fluid is not recommended.
 SECTION H -FINAL OPERATIONS -
WITH SPRING  The feed for the clutch is midway up the reservoir.
Don't let the level fall below the feed hole when you
Remove the spring. Adjust as above, but leave just 1/16" flush the clutch fluid. Have someone depress the
clearance. This should result in about /2" free play at the
1
clutch while you open the bleeder. Close the bleeder
pedal. Lack of free play will result in premature throw-out before they release the pedal. Repeat until the fluid
bearing failure or a slipping clutch. The free play must be is fresh.
adjusted after the first 500 miles and about every 6000
miles thereafter. BOLT-ON WHEEL NOTES
If the stroke of the arm is at least ¾” and the clutch still The standard thread of the front (GM) lug nuts is 7/16"-20.
seems to be dragging, the disk may be sticking to the The rear (Jaguar) studs are 1/2"-20 thread size. If you have a
flywheel or pressure plate. Try turning the engine over space-saver spare, be sure to have lug nuts sized for both.
with the clutch depressed and the car in 4th gear (taking care
not to crash into the garage wall…). The process may PIN DRIVE WHEEL NOTES
disengage the “stick”.

BRAKE HYDRAULICS Some pin-drive wheel castings have been porous, especially
with the real magnesium wheels. We recommend that the rim
BLEEDING be sealed with epoxy paint from bead to bead inside the tire
area. Some tire dealers have a special wheel sealant.
Use DOT 3 or DOT 4 fluid for both the brake and clutch
Wing nuts on the left (driver’s side) of the car are right
systems. We use ATE Blue or Castrol LMA in our rollers.
hand thread. Clockwise rotation tightens the wing nut,
Have the car level or with the rear higher than the front. counter-clockwise loosens.
 The brake hydraulic system is bled like the clutch On the right side (passenger’s side) the wing nuts are left
except that there is a bleeder (or two) at each wheel. hand thread and clockwise rotation loosens the wing nut,
Check the fluid reservoir level periodically. If you counter-clockwise tightens.
run the reservoir and master cylinder dry, you will
have to start over. Remember: Left side – right hand thread,
 Add fluid level to the reservoir if necessary. right side – left hand thread.
 Bleed air consecutively, starting at the right rear and Tighten wing nuts in the direction opposite to forward
right front, then left rear and left front.
The optional 4-Piston calipers have a bleeder on wheel rotation.
both the inside and outside caliper half. Bleed the
inside half first, then the outside within the sequence Use anti-seize on the knock-off threads, drive pins, wheel
above. mounting surface and the area contacting the wing nut to
If you use the hose and jar method, you can bleed prevent long-term seizing of the wheel to the hub.
the brakes without assistance as long as the end of
the hose remains immersed in fluid. When installing the wheel on the hub, make sure the pins
line up with the holes. Use a plastic dead-blow or lead
BEDDING IN THE PADS hammer (3 lbs) to tighten each wing-nut. Don’t over-
The pads react positively to a hard initial break-in. Bring tighten. Strike only until the nut stops rotating..
the car up to approximately 60 mph, put the transmission in For back-up, drill a hole in each wing of the knock-off and
neutral, and bring the car almost to a stop. Do this several use safety wire to secure one wing to a spoke in the wheel
times in sucession to heat the pads up. Allow the pads to (so that it is always being tightened, of course.)
cool slowly.
PERIODIC FLUSHING
The most compatible fluids are Castrol LMA and ATE type
400. Both are DOT 3 or 4. Don't use DOT 5 - it's silicone-
based and may create problems with seals. You will need
about a pint of fluid total.
Since the front and rear brakes are separate systems, it
doesn't matter which you do first. While you can use a
vacuum bleeder, it's not necessary.
 Open the right front bleeder and pump the brake
pedal (slowly) until the reservoir is almost dry or the
fluid runs clear. With Sierra/Wilwood calipers, flush
the inner half, then the outer. Always leave enough
fluid in the reservoir to cover the bottom ports.
 Top off the reservoir.
 Do the same process with the left front caliper.
 Repeat the sequence with the rear calipers, doing the
right one first, then the left.
 SECTION H -FINAL OPERATIONS -
INSTALL WIPER ARMS SUSPENSION ADJUSTMENTS
Without the arms installed, cycle the motor through high
and low speed. When you turn off the switch, check to see CHASSIS HEIGHT
that the drive posts return to the far right (passenger’s side)
position. After setting the springs as described on page 53, the car
should be driven to settle everything in. Don't change the
spring heights before driving the car at least 50 miles.

COIL-OVER
ADJUSTMENT
Front: When you raise both
sides of the coil spring collar
by X (thereby compressing the
spring more), the chassis
Press the arm onto the post so that the blade falls at the base height will change by roughly
of the windshield, just above the frame. See above. 1.4 x X. In other words, to
raise the ride height by 1”,
Check the sweep of the wiper and adjust if necessary. move the spring collar up by
Removal: about 0.7”.
Rear (with Jag): For small
Use a screwdriver to pry between the post base and the
changes, you can adjust only
edge of the arm, opposite to the blade.
one spring per side. The ride
height will change roughly ½
the collar change. For larger
changes, change all four of the
collar positions equally. The
ride height will then change
roughly equal to the collar
height change.
FRONT
The specifications for the standard front spring preload are
on page 53. This will result in about 7-1/2" from the ground
to the bottom of the front crossmember (5 1/4" to the front of
the main rails). The specifications shown below are
predicated on the standard tire sizes: 235-60 and 295-50-15.
You may change the front height to suit personal taste but
be aware that the oil cooler scoop will be the first to
contact pavement if the car is too low.
Once the height is correct, tighten the front upper control
arm pivot bolts. See page 95.

f\ch_hite

REAR
If you have adjustable spring collar shocks, the rear height
can be adjusted to taste. E.R.A. recommends that the main
chassis rails be raked about 1/4" to 1/2" from front to back.
 SECTION H -FINAL OPERATIONS -
ALIGNMENT FRONT
Specifications below are for street driving. Competition Note! Some automated alignment machines require a
settings will differ. specific car to tell the operator how to move shims. The
closest production car is the ’73-’76 Chevrolet Monte Carlo.
See pages 95 for suspension assembly. The chassis height
should be within the specifications given on page 142. Camber 0 deg. +/- 1/4
 Adding a 1/8" shim at each bracket bolt will increase
camber by approximately 1/2 deg. Use standard 1975
Chevrolet Camaro shims or their equivalent.
 All ball joints, outer tie-rod ends and wheel bearings
are Chevrolet. The upper control arm pivot shaft is
an aftermarket part for the same application, but is
offset for more camber adjustment. Replacement
part numbers are on page 152.
Caster 4 1/2 deg. +/- 1/2
 The caster value of the left and right sides of the car
should differ by less than 1/2 deg., and the right
caster should always be equal or greater than the
left to compensate for road crown.
 Shifting a 1/8" shim from the front of the bracket to
the rear will decrease the caster by about 1 1/4 deg.
Toe-in: 1/16"-1/8" (0.1-0.2 deg/side)
 Loosen the jam nut on each tie rod. Rotate the inner
tie rod inside the rack boot to adjust. Each turn of
the tie rod relative to the end will change the toe by
about 3/16". With the ERA steering gear, equalize the
distance between the tie rod center and the end of the
inner sleeve.
 Once the toe is correct, remove the steering
wheel/hub from the splines and re-install so that is
centered. Temporarily install the large washer, wave
washer and nut, torquing to 10 lb-ft. Final
adjustment of the wheel can be done after the car is
test-driven. When the steering wheel orientation is
correct, tighten the column hub nut to 25 lb-ft.
Install the hub center cap as described on page 113.
REAR (JAGUAR)
Camber -3/4 deg. +/- 1/4
Toe-in 0.00 to 1/16" (0 to ¼ deg) toe-in per side
 Adjust Camber by adding or removing shims from
f\camber
between the brake rotor and the inner drive-axle
flange. A 0.020” shim will change camber by ¼
degree. Most setups will require only one shim, less
than is normally used in the original car so you will
have extra ones left over. New shims are available
from us, your local Jaguar dealer, or Special Interest
Car Parts.
 The rear wheel toe-in is not individually adjustable.
If the toe is out of range, the lower control arms must
be bent or replaced. Tracking (longitudinal
alignment of the front and rear suspensions) may be
changed by adjusting the length of the trailing arms
at the rod end to shift the assembly in the chassis.
 SECTION H -FINAL OPERATIONS -
REAR (ERA) DAMPER ADJUSTMENT
Camber: -3/4 deg. +/- 1/4 deg. SPAX
Toe-in: 0-1/16" (0-1/4 deg.) Spax dampers do not have separate bump and rebound
controls, but a reasonable performance compromise can be
made using common sense and a screwdriver. The
bump/rebound ratio is designed for the ERA 427SC and
only detail changes need be made for optimum handling.
We have found that all dampers adjusted 5 clicks from dead
soft (see below) is reasonable for the street. Damping
adjustment is located near the bottom of each unit at the
slotted pin. Rotate the adjustment counter-clockwise until
you can no longer feel the adjustment "clicks." This is
"dead soft." If you wish to experiment with your own
settings, read the instructions below.
Custom Settings: Initially set all front and rear dampers 2
clockwise clicks from dead soft. Drive the car over uneven
surfaces to determine whether the car bounces over bumps
or wheel control is properly maintained. Increase the
damping until side hopping begins, then decrease the
setting until control is regained. Read the instructions
below for Koni rebound damping adjustments for transition
understeer/oversteer adjustment.
Procedure:
KONI (RACING, EXTERNALLY ADJUSTABLE)
 Set the trailing arm lengths as described on page 101.
Bump control: The control knob is located at the bottom of
 Set the height as described on page 142. the damper. Turning the wheel clockwise increases the
bump control damping. Set all four dampers on minimum
 Use the rear tie rod to bring the toe-in into spec, but bump and rebound settings. Drive to get the feel of the car
don’t tighten the jam nuts. The threads on the outer over uneven surfaces. Observe the behavior over bumps,
section of the tie rod are right hand, the threads into the disregarding body roll. Notice if the car walks or side-hops
inner rod end are left hand – so turning the adjuster in a rough turn. Increase bump adjustment 3 clicks on all
forward at the top will decrease toe-in. For each four dampers.
complete turn of the tie rod, toe will change by 0.2” (.75
deg.). Turning the tie-rod 1/6 of a turn (one flat on the Drive the car again over uneven surfaces. Increase the
adjuster) will change the toe-in by 1/32” (1/8 deg.). adjustments until the car starts to feel hard over bumps.
Back off the adjustment 2 clicks. The back off point will
 Measure the camber. probably be reached sooner on one end of the vehicle than
the other. If this occurs, keep increasing the bump
 To change the camber, the front rod end must be adjustment on the soft end until it, too, feels hard. Then
disengaged from the inner bracket. Jack the car up to back it off. Final adjustment can be made after you get
unload the suspension and remove the inner pivot bolt. used to the feel of the car.
For each ¼ degree of camber change needed, turn the
rod end ½ turn in or out. Re-insert the inner pivot bolt Rebound control: The adjustment is made by inserting a
and tighten to 75 lbft. Change the length of the rear tie pin in the wheel at the top of the damper. Turning the
rod the same amount by turning in or out ½ the number toothed control wheel from left to right will increase the
of turns that the rod end was changed by: i.e. you rotated rebound damping. With rebound control set on full soft and
the rod end by ½ turn, rotate the tie-rod by ¼ turn. Too the bump control set from your testing, drive the car,
much negative camber can also be changed by adding paying attention to how the car rolls when entering a turn.
shims between the inner axle flange and the spacer. A Increase the rebound damping three sweeps on all four
0.02” shim will change camber by ¼ degrees. dampers and test drive the car. Continue increasing the
damper setting until the car enters the turns smoothly, with
ANTI-SWAY BAR ADJUSTMENT no drastic attitude changes, and without leaning
If you have the ERA outboard-braked rear suspension, excessively. Any increase beyond this point is unnecessary
the effective stiffness of the rear anti-roll bar can be and may in fact be detrimental.
changed to effect the front/rear balance. Slide the adjuster
(see page 101) toward the front for more understeer/less
oversteer.
 SECTION H -FINAL OPERATIONS -
Final adjustments can be made to effect the "turn-in" of
the car. That is, whether the car has initial understeer or BRAKE BALANCE ADJUSTMENT
oversteer. By increasing the rebound control at one end it
will decrease the initial adhesion at that end. Conversely, Do not change the brake bias until after the brakes have
decreasing the rebound control increases the initial been thoroughly bedded in. The factor- set bias will be fine
adhesion. In general, neutral or slight initial understeer is for most applications. Changes may be necessary because of
most desirable. There should not be a large difference strange pad material and/or different calipers, but none of
between transient and final balance, although slightly less the available E.R.A. options require major changes.
initial understeer will increase responsiveness.
First, check that your link length is correct. See page 102.
TIRE PRESSURES
Use initial settings (cold) of 28psi front, 26psi rear. Note that the brake balance bar must be set up on an angle
Depending upon tire brand and size, these pressures will be as shown below. This is required because the front calipers
a reasonable compromise between ride and responsiveness. require about three times the brake fluid volume as the rear.
Remember, this a light car with large tires. High tire
pressures are not necessary or desirable except for high
speed/competition. Harshness and vibration become a
serious factor at higher pressures. If you are using 17"
wheels with very low profile tires check the manufacturer’s
recommendations.
Steady state under/oversteer may be adjusted significantly
by working with the tire pressures. If your balance is
incorrect, raise the pressures on the axle your want to stick
better by about 2 psi and road test the car. You may,
alternately, reduce the pressures on the opposite axle for a
better ride. Generally, it is the difference in front and rear
tire pressure that determines handling balance. If the car
does not behave the same cornering right and left, check
that the anti-sway bar links are not preloaded, and that the
spring preload follows the preload specifications on page
53.

Generally, on a road with good traction, the front brakes

should lock slightly before the rears.
Front-to-rear bias is adjusted by changing the spacers on
either side of the brake pedal lower balance bar bearing.
Retain the total number of the spacers, shifting them from
one side of the balance bar to the other. Standard spacing
is an equal number of washers on either side of the balance
bearing. If you have special calipers and require more
change than is available at the balance bar, new master
cylinders are available in diameters from 5/8" to 1".
 SECTION H -FINAL OPERATIONS -

f\brkbal

ADD FLUIDS
Top up the proper oils or fluids to the engine, transmission,
rear end, cooling system, and braking system
Engine oil: If the engine has never been run, add oil to the
filter and oil cooler before starting. Build up oil pressure
by cranking the engine over with the spark plugs removed.
Alternately, you may use a drill on an extra long distributor
drive shaft to turn the oil pump. Once the pressure is up,
you may need to add more oil.
See page 154 for Capacities.
 SECTION H -FINAL OPERATIONS -

COOLING SYSTEM SETUP

The optimal operating temperature for most FE engines is
WATER HOSE LAYOUT (FE) about 185F (85C). This will keep water condensation in the
Install the radiator hoses (and optional top tube connector) oil to a minimum and allow adequate oil flow. We do not
and lower hose connector. The hose part numbers and recommend using a restrictor plate in place of a thermostat
instructions for modifying the front lower hose are covered unless the car is used exclusively for track use.
on page 39. See page 155 for your best mix of water and anti-freeze.
The radiator cooling fan thermostatic switch is in the lower With a 15psi pressure cap, the boiling point will be raised to
hose connector. Connect the harness wires as shown on about 240F.
page 80 and detailed in the wiring instructions. (There is Fill the system through the expansion tank, leaving about
also an over-ride switch on the dashboard). 1½” of expansion space above the coolant level.
See the diagrams below for the cooling system circuits. With some engines (especially the FE Ford), air tends to be
Do NOT remove the spring from inside the long lower trapped in the intake manifold and cylinder heads. To
hose. It prevents the hose from collapsing at speed. remove the trapped air:
 Drill the thermostat as shown on page 37.
 Open the bleeder at the upper right of the radiator.
Fill the system with the cooling mixture. Once water
flows bubble free from the radiator bleeder, shut the
valve. Actually, we usually fill the system with water
first and pressure test for leaks, then drain half the
water out. We can also tell the condition of the
cleanliness of the cooling system by the drain water.
 With the expansion tank full, loosen the water
temperature fitting on the intake manifold. Air will
be expelled. When nothing comes out but fluid,
tighten the fitting. If you have a heater, it may be
necessary to bleed air from the system by
disconnecting a hose at the heater nipple.
 Repeat the bleeding process after the car is run.
More air will usually come out.
Standard one-piece upper hose  Check the hoses and retighten all the hose clamps.
OVERHEATING:
Also see the web update information at
http://www.erareplicas.com/427man/index.htm

Use a 165F -180F thermostat for street use. Leaving the

thermostat out will cause overheating. It is not harmful
(and perfectly normal) for the water temperature to rise to
210F - 220F with the car not moving. For reference, a
50/50 mix with a 15psi pressure cap raises the boil-over
point to 265°F. Local hot spots after the engine is shut off
will lower that number a bit, but seeing 230°F is completely
safe.
We do NOT recommend using an underdrive
waterpump pulley on the street. At idle, you are very
likely to overheat when the ambient temperature is
high.

With upper connecting tube

 SECTION H -FINAL OPERATIONS -
AT SPEED Once the temperature drops, the fan will automatically
The E.R.A. 427SC uses an oversized radiator made by cycle off. The fan will run even with the ignition off, but
Griffin, rated for 600 bhp. Overheating at speed is almost will normally stop within 5 minutes. This feature helps
always the result of incorrect engine settings, usually prevent “hot soak” fuel percolation in the carburetor.
retarded ignition timing. Check your dynamic timing at
idle and 3000-3500rpm, or as recommended by your engine  Check for exhaust leaks.
builder. Sometimes an extremely tight (new) engine can
cause overheating.  Re-torque the exhaust manifold bolts.
 Check the hand brake. This disk brake system
AT LOW SPEEDS may require more effort than your "other" car.
Our standard fan is adequate for practically any small block HEADLIGHT ADJUSTMENT
engine under normal conditions – and OK for mild FE
engines under 90F-ambient conditions. If you expect high Most service stations have a standard set of headlight
temperature city driving, or you have a large displacement adjusters. If you have a flat area (at least 40 ft long) you
and/or highly tweaked engine, consider ordering our heavy- can do the job yourself.
duty fan. Alternately, the effectiveness of the heavy-duty  Remove the screw at the bottom of the trim ring, and
fan is approximated by the combination of the standard rear pry off the ring with a flat screwdriver.
fan plus the optional dual front fans. See page 88.
 Change the vertical/horizontal orientation with the
The fan only effects water temperature when the car is below adjusting screws at the top and side of the headlight
15mph. retaining ring. See the diagram below.

Test the fan function:  Replace the trim ring and screw.
The fan thermo-switch is in the aluminum connector
between the radiator and water pump. Because the sensor
is in the coolant return line, the 75 C switch marking will
not correspond to the cylinder head temperature that the
gage indicates because of the cooling that occurs in the
radiator.
After starting and running the car up to operating
temperature (180F min.), use the dash (manual over-ride)
switch to manually turn the radiator fan on. The
temperature should stabilize somewhat under 210F,
depending on your ambient temperature. Shut the over-ride
switch off and allow the fan to come on automatically. This
should happen about 200F -210F. If the fan does not
start, even at 220F, check the electrical circuits involved.

CONGRATULATIONS! You have just assembled a complete automobile from the ground
up! Your E.R.A. will give you the exhilaration and uniqueness of an outstanding, high
performance automobile. Enjoy!
 SECTION H -FINAL OPERATIONS -

YOUR FIRST DRIVE

The E.R.A. 427 is an amazing sports car, but it requires caution and care to drive, especially in the beginning when you’re not
accustomed to the power. The Loud Pedal is your friend and your enemy! If you add throttle, the car will react as you would
expect: with more or less wheelspin. Where people get in trouble is with trailing throttle. If you back off too quickly in a corner
(or if the car is already sideways from over-throttle), the rear end will snap around as much as with excess throttle! Squeeze on,
squeeze off! A good driving reference is at this site: http://www.drivingfast.net/
So – Be Careful Out There, But Always Have Fun!
See page 157 for hints on inspection, insurance and registration.

BREAKING IN BRAKE PADS

GM Front Brakes
A series of controlled moderate speed stops (15-20 Stops After several cycles of light stops to begin warming the
from 40-mph to 10-mph with 30 sec cool down) is brakes, proceed with a series of medium to firm
required to properly "burnish" or break-in a new set of deceleration stops to continue raising the temperature
pads. During this initial stopping period, the process of level in the brakes.
lining transfer from the disc pads to the rotor surface helps Finish the bedding cycle with a series of 8-10 hard
condition the rotor surface to properly seat the brake pads. decelerations from 55-65 MPH down to 25 MPH while
All pads are cured and all pads need to be burnished. allowing a proportionate release and heat-sinking
Wilwood (Optional) Front Brakes interval between each stop. The pads should now be
providing positive and consistent response.
Once the brake system has been tested and determined
safe to operate the vehicle, follow these steps for the If any amount of brake fade is observed during the bed-
bedding of all new pad materials . These procedures in cycle, immediately begin the cool down cycle.
should only be performed on a race track, or other safe Drive at a moderate cruising speed, with the least amount
location where you can safely and legally obtains speeds of brake contact possible, until most of the heat has
up to 65 MPH, while also being able to rapidly dissipated from the brakes. Avoid sitting stopped with
decelerate. the brake pedal depressed to hold the car in place during
Begin with a series of light decelerations to gradually this time. Park the vehicle and allow the brakes to cool to
build some heat in the brakes. Use an on-and-off the ambient air temperature.
pedal technique by applying the brakes for 3-5 seconds,
and then allow them to fully release for a period roughly
twice as long as the deceleration cycle. If you use a 5
count during the deceleration interval, use a 10 count
during the release to allow the heat to sink into the pads
& rotors.
 SERVICE + MAINTENANCE PARTS

DRIVING/CONTROLS
The dash switches are arranged as follows. All the toggle switches are oriented with off down.
Note that the fresh air is on when the dash knobs are pushed in.
If you have a heater, the positions of the oil temperature gage and ammeter may differ from the diagram below.

Warning lights: Blue (U)=High beam Green (G)=Signal Red (R)=Ignition/Alternator

FUSES There are also two fast-blow 4A fuses under the steering
column that protect the rear signal/brake lights individually.
1. Radiator fan, heater
2. Horns
3. Wipers, Heater
4. Voltage regulator, Fan relay, Signal lights
5. Brake, back-up lights, Fuel pump
6. Parking, panel lights
7. Headlights, high beams
8. Headlights, low beams
 SERVICE + MAINTENANCE PARTS

RECOMMENDED SERVICE

Fluids and capacities are listed on page 146.

EVERY GASOLINE FILL-UP: EVERY 12,000 MILES

 Check engine oil and water  Check transmission oil
FIRST 1000 MILES  Grease rear axle and driveshaft universal joints
 Check the tightness on all chassis bolts.  Grease the inner and outer pivots on the rear
EVERY 3000 MILES lower control arm
 Change engine oil and filter  Grease front upper and lower ball joints and
outer tie rod ends
 Check engine drive belts for wear and tension
 Check rear brakes
 Adjust clutch play (if using a return spring)
EVERY 24 MONTHS OR 2 YEARS
 Grease (silicone preferred) the anti-sway bar
bushings.  Change antifreeze
EVERY 6000 MILES EVERY 24 MONTHS OR 2 YEARS

 Inspect front brakes  Change brake fluid.

STARTING A CARBURETOR CAR

Most of our preferred engine builders use a carburetor Cold start: Pump the accelerator pedal two or three
without a built in choke. This is for simplicity and to times. Take your foot off the pedal while you crank.
increase power. Starting the car when cold requires a litte When the car starts to fire, feather the accelerator pedal.
different procedure than most (even the old-timers) are used Hot start: Crack open the throttle pedal just a bit while
to. you crank. Don’t repeatedly pump or you will flood the
engine! If the car doesn’t start, pump once and open the
throttle half way.
 SERVICE + MAINTENANCE PARTS

MAINTENANCE/PARTS
All pieces listed below are included in the kit but are listed here for reference and long term replacement.
Part numbers listed are typical, but equivalent brands may be substituted unless otherwise stated. Fluids and capacities are
listed on page 146.

BRAKES HYDRAULICS
All pieces listed below are included in the kit but are Brake master cylinders
listed here for reference and long term replacement. (Chassis 220-on) Tilton 74-875U
Front
FRONT Caliper Pads Rotor Rear Tilton 74-750U
thicknes
Line, Flex (GM caliper) EIS SP5753 (modified)
smax/mi
front
n
Rear (chas to subframe) EIS SP1358 or Bendix
With GM 1975 Camaro Bendix D52S 1.040”- 88264
caliper 0.970” Clutch master cyl. (3/4”) Tilton 74-750.
Rotor, bolt-on Bendix 141040
Optional: Tilton 74-875 (7/8”)
Rotor, pin ERA 121.25112.1 Clutch slave cylinder: ** BMW 2152 1104 269
-drive (BMW fits 72-76 (20.5 mm, .81” ID)
2002)
With 4- Early: Pad retained by 1.250”- ** Note that the narrow sealing surface on some
piston Wilwood 160- cotter pin: 1.190” replacement slave cylinders prevent a good seal at the
caliper 3871 (LH) and Wilwood 150- hose. Consequently, we offer an improved hose to fix the
(XL) Wilwood 8856K problem. A drawing of the hose is on the owners section
160-3870 of erareplicas.com. Inquire.
Pad retained by
(RH)
bolt: Wilwood Bearing, shaft /clutch Tor. B1416
Late, with bolt 150-8854K pedal:
retainer, L/R: Thrust washer Tor. TRA1423
120-11136 Bearing, balance bar Heim LSS-8
Rotor, bolt-on Wilwood 160-
and pin-drive 11835
REAR
Jaguar Pad: (1980 XJ- Lucas/Girling 0.500”-
6) GP97 0.470”
Rotor (same Engle Import
origin) C26779
ERA ’93-’97 GM Bendix MKD750, 0.810”-
Outboard “F body” MRD750, 0.770”
brakes (Camaro/ PMD750
Firebird)
 SERVICE + MAINTENANCE PARTS
SUSPENSION, FRONT: SUSPENSION, JAGUAR REAR:
The upper and lower ball joints are from: 73-88 Inner pivot bearing, Tor. B146
Chevelle, 70-96 Camaro and 77-85 Impala. lower wishbone
Ball joint, lower: Moog 6145, Rep. 10277 Outer fulcrum bearing, Timken 03062/03162
Ball joint, upper: Moog 5208, Rep. 10268 lower wishbone
Bushing, lower, TCI 9952 (ERA) or Seal, inner fulcrum Jaguar C17168
inner pivot Energy Susp. 9072G Seal, outer fulcrum National 471652
Tie rod end, outer: Republic ES 425R Bearing, inner hub Timken 18520/18590
Fits Chevy Vega, Moog ES425RL Bearing, outer hub Timken 18620/18690
1972-1979.
Hub seal, inner Beck Arnley 052-0221
Tie rod end, inner: E.R.A. part
Hub seal, outer BeckArnley 052-0643
Sway bar, link: Republic SL18060 (large)
Bushing and bracket Energy Suspension 9.5128 Anti-Sway bar
Wheel Bearings, See page 21. link Republic SL18050
Front inner, outer clamp and bushing Energy Suspension
Seal, inner, F hub National 8871 9.5123
Bushing, upper, TRW 12310 Axle shaft universal jt. Jaguar XJ or Spicer 5-
inner pivot: 160X replacement
Upper control arm MOOG K6148 Subframe pivot bush Moog K8169 or Republic
shaft w/bushes 12292
Bushings only MOOG K6108 Pinion seal (most) AAU3381A
Shafts and bushes are from 1970-73 Chevy Camaro
Steering gear Flaming River FR1502 3X3 SUSPENSION, REAR, OUTBOARD BRAKES
(Tie rods modified) Outer fulcrum bearing, Timken 03062/03162
Rack mounting Energy Suspension lower wishbone
bushing 15.10.199.39 Upper trailing arm, Frnt HMR-8
Tie-rod boot for Flaming River FR1502B Rear HML-8
Mustang based gear Upper radius rod, inner HMR-8
Upper rad. rod, outer HML-8
TRAILING ARM, JAG
Lower rad. rod, Rr in'r HFR-8
(Front) Bushing/sleeve Energy Suspension 9-
set 9105GX Lower rad. rods, out'r Energy Susp. 9-9105
Rear (rod end) HM-10 rod end bushed to Lower rad. rod, F in'r HMR-8
½” ID or one-piece high Lower trailing arm, F Energy Susp. 9-9105
angle equivalent. (Requires Lower trailing arm, Rr HMR-8
different length spacers.) Subframe, top mt. Same as Jaguar 
TRAILING ARM, ERA Subframe, bottom mt. Energy Susp. 9-9107
(Front) Bushing/sleeve Energy Suspension 9-
set 9105GX BEARINGS and SEALS All from 1976 Jag XJ
Rear (rod end) HM-8 rod end, preferably Bearing, inner hub Timken 18520/18590
lined Bearing, outer hub Timken 18620/18690
Hub seal, inner Beck Arnley 052-0221
Hub seal, outer Beck Arnley 052-0643
Sway bar link Republic SL18050
clamp and bushing Energy Suspension
9.5123
Axle shaft universal joint Jaguar XJ or Spicer 5-
160X replacement
Subframe pivot bush Republic 12292
Pinion seal (most) AAU3381A or inquire
for non-leather
replacement
 SERVICE + MAINTENANCE PARTS
BODY Ask your engine builder for viscosity recommendations.
Bushing, Door hinge FB58-5 Oilite® FE engine with Canton pan: 7.5 qts.
COOLING SYSTEM: SEE THE INDEX w/ oil cooler 8 qts.
STEERING COLUMN: Add for remote filter: .5 qt.
Bushing, early Lucas 209423 (Triumph Brakes: Use DOT 3, DOT 4 or DOT 5.1 fluid for both the
column housing Spitfire) brake and clutch systems. We use ATE 200 or Castrol LMA
(with rubber in our rollers. Silicone-based fluid is not recommended.
insulators)
Transmission:
Bushing, late Nylon bush, 1"OD x 3/4"ID x 1"L Ford Top Loader: Fill to hole with 80W-90 GL5 gear oil
column (McMaster Carr 6389K226) Richmond Gear 5 speed: 2 US qts of Redline 75-90 NS
Joint, universal Borgeson U15N 9/16"x //16" Tremec TKO: GM Synchro transmission fluid or Dexron II
(part of E.R.A. assembly) Ford T-5: Ford Automatic transmission fluid
RELAYS, SWITCHES Differential: The filler and drain plugs are ½” square. Fill
Relay (Horn and Bosch/Tyco V23234-A001- to the bottom of the filler hole (total gear lube and additive
radiator fan) X032 or approximately 3.2 pints) with Moroso climbing gear lube,
VW 321 919 505 SAE 90, part number 34800. Mix with 2 tubes of GM
Switch, Ignition Standard US-14 additive 1052358 or MOPAR additive 4318060AB. If the
(unmodified) the Moroso lube is not available, you may use 80W-90 GL5
Switch, fan thermo 1980-1984 VW Rabbit, Jetta: lubricant with the same limited slip additive.
823 959 481/75 Suspension: Use an EP-type grease on all pieces with
Relay (tail-light) Standard Ign. TC-52 grease nipples. Use a silicone grease when lubing the front
Switch, Brake light Ford 100810B, GM 403936, lower control arm inner bushes (only necessary when you
Cole Hersey 8626, Wagner are replacing them).
FC5106
Dampers: Cover the lower Rose joint (spherical bearing)
ERA Column with silicone or other heavy grease. If the car is laid up for
Signal/Dimmer VW (’66-’67 Bug) long periods, put some silicone grease on the shaft so that
Switch 141 953 517F the shaft seal doesn’t dry out.
Dimmer relay VW 111 941 583
411 941 583C *
Airtex 1R1744 *
NAPA ECHAR284
*Requires harness modification
E.R.A. and Trumph
Flasher Buss 180
Bulbs
Headlight 6014
Frt signal/parking 1157
light
Rr signal/parking 1157
light
Instrument lighting Smith: GE, Osram 159
S/W short socket: 1893
S/W long socket: 57
Warning lights Osram 3898, Wagner 11009
(BA7S base, 12V, 2W). Used
on Honda, VW
License plate (2 57
rqd)
FUEL SYSTEM
Filler cap (inner), Stant 10810 (1980 Mustang
std w/3.3L, must be vented)
Filler cap (inner), Stant 10582
locking
Fuel level sender in Stewart Warner 385B-F (33
tank (S/W and full, 240 empty)
Smith gauges
CAPACITIES/LUBRICANTS
Engine Oil
 SERVICE + MAINTENANCE PARTS
Cooling system capacity. REAR
Ford FE engine - 4 gallons Jack up by the differential or the crossmember just in front
Ford small block - 3.5 gallons of the differential. The Jaguar suspension can be jacked on
FREEZING POINTS FOR the outer end of the control arm or the hub carrier, the ERA
SOLUTIONS OF ETHYLENE GLYCOL suspension, just under the hub carrier.

GLYCOL % BY °F °C BOLT TORQUE SPECIFICATIONS

VOLUME
12.5 25 -4
17 20 -7
25 10 -12
32.5 0 -18
38.5 -10 -23
44 -20 -29
49 -30 -34
52.5 -40 -40
For optimum cooling, it's best to use the smallest proportion
of aluminum-compatible anti-freeze commensurate with
your local temperatures. Pure water has the best heat Use figures below only if unspecified in the relevant
transfer rate of all but you must always use coolant or instructions. Torques are listed for lubricated threads or
additive that prevents aluminum corrosion and lubrication threads with liquid thread locker. All stover nut threads
for the water-pum seals. A little anti-freeze also raises the should be lubricated with a light oil.
boiling point a few degrees. For reference, a 50/50 mix
with a 15psi pressure cap raises the boil-over point to Metric Grade 10.9 Grade 12.9
265°F.
We've had good results by adding Red Line Water Wetter M8 25 lb.ft. 29 lb.ft.
too. M10 47 58
M12 83 100
JACKING
FRONT Inch bolt Grade 5 Grade 8
The car can also be jacked up on the lower control arms at shank size
the ball joint (be careful not to damage the grease fitting),
1
/4" 9 lb.ft. 13 lb.ft.
or the front crossmember as shown. The jack will (barely)
5
/16" 18 28
fit by going in diagonally just in front of a front wheel,
3
/8" 31 46
avoiding the oil cooler scoop.
7
/16" 50 75
1
/2" 75 115
5
/8" 150 225

H\fjack
SERVICE + MAINTENANCE PARTS
 SERVICE + MAINTENANCE PARTS
INSPECTION AND REGISTRATION

Without researching and writing an entire book on the subject, it is impossible to give up-to-date information on the process of
inspection and registration in every state. You must call your state Department of Motor Vehicles or its equivalent to get local
procedures and restrictions. Most states have a pamphlet outlining the requirements for composite cars.

E.R.A. has compiled comments from several forums at http://www.erareplicas.com/statereg.htm. Note that most
of the information is quite dated, so it’s best to search the Registration section on clubcobra.com.

All states will require a Certificate of Origin for the kit (supplied by ERA) and reciepts for all major components. Many states
will want to install a new State Identification Plate (in addition to the E.R.A. ID plate).

Most states fall into 4 inspection categories:

1. Inspections are done only by central or regional motor vehicle inspection stations.
2. Inspections may be done by a local state inspection station. That is, a branch of the state Motor Vehicle Department.
3. Inspections may be done by authorized (private) inspection stations.
4. No direct inspection is necessary.

Several companies will give you an Alabama registration by mail. This registration may or may not be valid in your state.
Lately, it seem that, many states are not accepting such paperwork and in fact revolking the registration cars previously registered
in this manner.

POSSIBLE PROBLEM AREAS

Exhaust system: Some states require a heat shield over the side pipes. Call us.
Some states will put a local identification plate on your car. If possible, have them put it on the firewall above the driver’s
footbox.
Lights: Some states require DOT-marked parking and tail lights. See this link for alternative parking lights:
http://www.erareplicas.com/fiaman/lights/index.htm
BE PREPARED!
Check all your systems for proper function.
Don't go to an inspection station ignorant of the local requirements.
Don't expect special favors from motor vehicle inspectors, and treat them with respect. They are just doing their job. If you
have a problem, ask the inspector how it might be fixed. They can be very helpful. If you have to return for a follow-up, try to
get the same inspector.
Do have everything working, properly adjusted, neat and clean. The better your car looks, the easier it is to pass inspection.
Most states require thorough documentation of the origin of your parts. Be sure that you have bills of sale for your engine,
transmission, wheels etc. You will get a Certificate of Origin for the kit from E.R.A. at the time of delivery.
 SERVICE + MAINTENANCE PARTS

INSURANCE

Many insurance companies will allow you to add the 427SC to your present policy. If they won’t, there are a number of
insurance agencies specializing in replicas. Look in issues of Kit Car Illustrated, Specialty Cars and related magazines for the
latest offerings. I try to keep an updated listing at http://www.erareplicas.com/427man/insurance/ too. When dealing with an
insurance agent, say replica, not kit car. Some of them can't translate.
If you use a specialty insurer, there may be some restrictions to your use and the yearly mileage allowed. The cost, however, is
usually quite reasonable. Some insurers will grant you a significant discount if your car has an on-board fire extinguisher in the
engine compartment. See the TrueChoice listing on page 27. Call E.R.A. for the latest system specifications.
Below is a short but not necessarily current, list. A list of kit car clubs that may have more local information starts on page 158.
Aidukas Insurance Agency, Palm Springs, CA, Tel. 619-327-3889 (California Only)
American Collector Insurance, Cherry Hill, NJ, Tel. 800-360-2277
Apollo Insurance, Sonoma CA, Tel. 800-624-5829
Automobile Club of Southern California
Cardiff (Insurance), Rich Dunham. Tel. 818-980-8941
Classic Automobile Insurance, Div. Modern Home Ins., Tel. 800-397-0765. 44 states, limited mileage.
Condon and Skelly, Maple Shade, NJ, Tel 800-257-9496 (in NJ , 800-624-4688). Currently 19 states.
Great American Insurance (Classic Collectors program), 800-252-5233
Grundy Insurance, (grundy.com), Horsham, PA, 800-338-4005
Hagerty Classic Auto Insurance, 800-922-4050
Heacock Ins. Grp, Lakeland, FL, Tel. 800-678-5173
Insurance Alternatives Agency, Bridget Scherb, Forked River, NJ. 609-693-3943
J.C. Taylor Modified Auto Ins. Agency, Upper Darby, PA, 215-748-0567, 610-853-1300
John Young, 310-254-7355
K & K Insurance, Fort Wayne, IN, Tel. 800-540-0858
Metro Agency, 313-522-3900
Northeast Classic Auto Insurance(Div. Steeves, Smith & Assoc.), Monroe, CT, Tel. 203-261-8474 ext. 20
Parrish Insurance, Nashville, TN, Tel.800-274-1804 (www.parishheacock.com)
Sneed, Robinson & Gerber, 901-372-4580
State Farm Insurance has been known to insure replicas as a "Classic Car".
The Specialty Constructed Vehicle Association (310-422-1967) offers insurance through Condon and Skelly
TransNational General Insurance, Dallas TX (Dave Gobel). Tel. 214-980-8941
Tri-State Insurance Co., Luverne, MN, Tel. 800-533-0303 (MN 800-722-9365) Mid-west only.
 SERVICE + MAINTENANCE PARTS
Reference Books How to Rebuild Ford Engines, Steve Christ, HPBooks-708
Ford Performance, Pat Ganahl, S-A Design Publishing
 INDEX

Pedal height...........................................................102
Accent tubes..............................................................113 Rear.........................................................................15
Air cleaner...................................................................72 Rotor installation.....................................................96
Air hoses......................................................................77 Rotors
Alignment, suspension..............................................143 Front GM preparation.........................................97
Alternator....................................................................20 Grinding tolerances...........................................152
Mounting Parts...................................................................152
FE........................................................................31 Bulkhead, Rear............................................................81
Mounting, Small block Ford...................................31 Bumpers....................................................................126
Part numbers...........................................................20 Removal..................................................................55
Selection..................................................................10
Antifreeze..................................................................155 Cable
Anti-sway bar Battery.....................................................................21
Front........................................................................98 Emergency brake.....................................................99
Rear.................................................................46, 100 Speedometer
Ash tray.....................................................................114 Installation.........................................................110
Assembly sequence.......................................................4 Parts.....................................................................24
Automatic transmission...............................................82 Camber......................................................................143
Adjusting.................................................................45
Back-up light.....................................................113, 130 Cap, Fuel filler...................................................See Fuel
Ballast resistor Cap, Radiator pressure................................................21
Installation...............................................................78 Capacities, Lubricants XE "Lubrication:Capacity/Type" and
Part numbers...........................................................20 coolants.................................................................154
Battery Carburetor linkage.......................................................85
Mounting.................................................................63 Carburetor(s).................................................................9
Parts.........................................................................20 Carburetor, starting with...........................................151
Bell-housing Carpet
Modifications..........................................................33 Installation.............................................................123
Parts.........................................................................10 Chassis
Belt, Alternator............................................................20 Height..............................................................52, 142
Blind rivets.....................................................See Rivets Painting...................................................................57
Blow shield..................................................................10 Chassis number...........................................................63
Body Chip guard...................................................................73
Painting...................................................................73 Closing panel, Rear.....................................................66
Preparation........................................................69, 73 Clutch
Removal..................................................................55 Adjustment............................................................140
Side pipe holes........................................................70 Bleeding................................................................140
Bonnet.........................................................................66 Concentric slave throwout......................................35
Books, engine rebuilding..........................................157 Master cylinder........................................................60
Boot, Shift lever Parts...................................................................10, 12
Installation.............................................................123 Return....................................................................141
Part number.............................................................25 Slave cylinder..........................................................34
Brakes Throw-out fork
Bedding in the pads...............................................141 Modifications......................................................32
Bleeding................................................................141 Parts...............................................................10, 24
brake cover..............................................................79 Throw-out fork, rod................................................35
Break-in.................................................................149 Colors, original body...................................................73
F/R balance............................................................102 Column, Steering..........................See Steering Column
Fluid......................................................................154 Compression ratio.........................................................8
Fluid requirement..................................................141 Control arms
Fluid reservoir Front........................................................................95
Parts.....................................................................20 Front........................................................................95
Front inlet duct......................................................127 Cooling system
Front rotors Expansion tank........................................................36
Installation...........................................................97 Fans.........................................................................87
Lights.....................................................................128 Hoses..........................................................See Hoses
Master cylinder installation.....................................60 Pressure cap.............................................................21
Part numbers.........................................................152 Setup......................................................................147
Parts...........................................................16, 20, 152 Thermostat..........................................See Thermostat
Pedal adjustment...................................................102
 INDEX
Exhaust system......................................................17, 22
Dampers Gaskets and sealant...............................................135
Adjustment............................................................142 Heat shield installation............................................85
Fine tuning............................................................144 Leaks.....................................................................135
Front........................................................................21 Primary pipes........................................................133
Installation...............................................................95 Side pipes..............................................................133
Rear.........................................................................21 Undercar................................................................135
Road settings.........................................................143 Expansion tank................................................19, 23, 36
Specifications, front and rear..................................52
Dash tubes.................................................................121 Fan, Radiator...............................................................87
Dashboard.................................................................108 Ferrule, Side curtain....................................................84
Controls.................................................................150 Filler cap............................................................See Fuel
Removal..................................................................57 Filter
Switch knob...........................................................109 Fuel..........................................................................22
Wiring......................................................................79 Oil............................................................................16
Dead pedal.........................................................104, 122 Filter, Oil
Defroster....................................................................108 Remote mounting....................................................90
Differential Fire extinguisher.......................................................157
Lubrication............................................................154 Firewall components...................................................78
Ratio........................................................................15 Firing order...............................................................133
Differential gears.........................................................22 First Drive.................................................................149
Distributors..................................................................10 Floors, Installing.........................................................60
Dolly wheels..................................................................6 Fluid, Brake...............................................................141
Door Fluid, brake and clutch..............................................154
Adjustment............................................................122 Fork, throw-out..............................................See Clutch
Installation.............................................................125 Fresh air vent
Latch adjustment...................................................125 Body inlet..............................................................127
Pocket installation...................................................83 Control cable.................................................109, 122
Pull strap..................................................................84 Front suspension.........................................................95
Removal..................................................................55 Fuel
Step molding.........................................................119 Filler cap
Weatherseal.............................................................84 Inner cap............................................................154
Doug Nash......................................See Richmond Gear Installation...........................................................91
Drive-shaft............................................................48, 82 Removal..............................................................57
Angle.....................................................................110 Fuel return line........................................................91
Driving cautions........................................................149 Pump.........................................................................9
Tank.........................................................................91
Electrical Components................................................78 Tank installation......................................................91
Emblems
Installation.....................................................113, 132 Gas pedal.....................................................................85
Source......................................................................22 Gauges
Emergency brake.........................................................40 Notes, Smith oil pressure......................................109
Adjustment............................................................100 Glove box..................................................................109
ERA rear suspension.............................................102 Grill splitter.................................................................89
Lever parts...............................................................22 Grommets, Firewall.....................................................78
Trim.......................................................................122 Ground clearance......................................................142
Emissions......................................................................8 Ground, Engine...........................................................80
Engine
390.............................................................................9 Handbrake....................................See Emergency brake
427 Center Oiler........................................................9 Handling............................................................144, 145
427 Side Oiler...........................................................9 Headlights.................................................................128
428 Ford....................................................................9 Adjustment............................................................148
429/460....................................................................10 Heat shield, side pipe..................................................85
Availability..............................................................22 Heater........................................................................108
Chevrolet.................................................................10 Hoses.......................................................................22
Firing order...........................................................133 Height................................................See Chassis height
Identifying casting numbers..................................157 Chassis adjusting...................................................142
Installation...............................................................82 Hinge, Door
Mounts.....................................................................22 Covers...................................................................127
Preparation..............................................................30 Hood............................................................................66
SOHC........................................................................9 Installation...............................................................66
Exhaust......................................................................135 Latch........................................................................66
 INDEX
Prop (stay)...............................................................67 Mirror
Scoop Dash mount...........................................................130
Ford FE, small block...........................................72 Fender....................................................................131
Striker......................................................................67 Molding, door-step....................................................119
Horns...........................................................................60 Motor mount modifications........................................30
Hoses, radiator.............................................................19 Mount
Installation.............................................................147 Engine
Layout and parts......................................................37 Installation...........................................................30
Modifications..........................................................38 Modifications......................................................30
Parts.........................................................................23 Parts.....................................................................22
Hub, rear................................................................41, 46 Transmission.....................................................12, 24
MSD
ID plate installation.....................................................62 Tachometer compatibility........................................10
Inspection..................................................................156 Wiring......................................................................78
Insulation
Material...................................................................28 Nuts, Stover...........................................................59, 94
Insurance...................................................................157
Intake manifold.............................................................9 Oil
Sidewinder...............................................................72 Engine...................................................................146
Interior panels.............................................................81 Oil cooler...............................................................16, 88
Introduction...................................................................4 Oil filter.......................................................................16
FE..............................................................................9
Jack..............................................................................19 Remote mounting....................................................90
Jacking.......................................................................155 Oil pan.....................................................................9, 22
Jack-pads...................................................................126 Preparation..............................................................36
Jaguar rear suspension Overheating...............................................................148
Parts layout..............................................................39 Oversteer...................................................................145

Keep it simple, Stupid!..................................................7 Paint

Kill switch.................................................................109 Body preparation.....................................................69
Knob, wiper/dash light switch..................................109 Chip guard...............................................................73
Knuckle, steering........................................................96 Colors......................................................................73
Koni...........................................................................144 Painting, chassis...........................................See Chassis
Pan................................................................See Oil pan
Latch adjustment, door..............................................125 Parts Required...............................................................7
Latch, trunk.................................................................67 Pedal
Lever parts, emergency brake.....................................22 Accelerator..............................................................85
Lever, Shift............................................................25, 46 Brake and Clutch...................................................102
License Plate.............................................................132 Picking up kit................................................................6
License plate light.....................................................129 Pin-drive
Lights Hubs........................................................................46
Back-up Wheels......................................................See Wheels
Installation.........................................................130 Pin-drive wheels, tightening.....................................141
Switch................................................................113 Pop rivets.................................................................28
Headlights.............................................................128 Pressure, Tire.............................................................145
License plate..........................................................129 Primary pipes, exhaust..............................................133
Signal, Front..........................................................128 Prop, Hood..................................................................67
Tail.........................................................................128 Pulley
Limited slip differential...............................................15 Water pump...........................................................147
Linkage Pulley, engine..............................................................26
Emergency brake.....................................................40
Throttle....................................................................85 Rack and Pinion..................................See Steering gear
Transmission shift...................................................25 Radiator
Lubrication Fan
Capacity/Type.......................................................154 Automatic function...........................................148
Lug nuts.......................................................................18 Optional...............................................................87
Standard..............................................................87
Manual updates and errors............................................2 Mounts.....................................................................87
Master cylinder, Brake Shrouding................................................................55
Parts.......................................................................152 Upper connecting tube............................................23
Master cylinder, Clutch Radiator hoses
Parts.......................................................................152 Layout and parts......................................................37
 INDEX
Parts.........................................................................23 Spacer, Transmission mount.......................................12
Read Me First................................................................7 Spare Tire....................................................................19
Rear axles....................................................................39 Spax...........................................................................144
Rear suspension Speedometer
Parts, Jaguar............................................................39 90 degree cable adapter.........................................110
Rebuilding...............................................................39 Cable
Selection..................................................................15 Drive gear
Trailing arms...........................................................40 Parts.................................................................24
Reflector, Rear...........................................................129 Installation.........................................................110
Registration...............................................................156 Richmond Gear...................................................12
Regulator, Voltage.......................................................78 Top Loader..........................................................24
Relay Drive gear
Wiper.....................................................................108 Calculations.........................................................13
Removal, Body............................................................55 Splitter, Grill................................................................89
Replacement Parts.....................................................152 Springs..................................................................17, 21
Required Parts...............................................................7 Height adjustment...................................................52
Reservoir, Brake............................................See Brakes Rear.........................................................................41
Richmond Gear 5 speed..........................................12 Starter....................................................................23, 36
Ratios......................................................................11 Starter solenoid............................................................23
Richmond Gear transmission Starting with a carburetor..........................................151
Shift linkage............................................................14 Steering column
Ride height Bushing R&R..........................................................48
Specifications........................................................142 Cancelling Cam.......................................................49
Wrench....................................................................17 Installation, upper..................................................112
Ring gear, FE engine.....................................................9 Parts...................................................................16, 23
Rivets, Blind................................................................28 Preparation, Triumph..............................................49
Rivets, Hood................................................................72 Steering gear
Rocker flange..............................................................66 Installation...............................................................96
Roll bar........................................................................86 Part number.............................................................22
Installation/Removal...............................................69 Preparation..............................................................48
Rotors, Brake Steering knuckle..........................................................96
GM/Pin-drive preparation.......................................97 Steering wheel
Parts.......................................................................152 Center cap..............................................................113
Rust proofing...............................................................75 Installation.............................................................112
Parts...................................................................16, 23
Safety strap, drive-shaft............................................102 Stover nuts.....................................................59, 94, 155
Scoop, Hood................................................................72 Striker, Hood........................................See Hood striker
Seat belts.....................................................................16 Stripes, Body...............................................................73
Anchors.................................................................123 Subframe
Seats Rear suspension.......................................................15
Installation.............................................................123 Supplies and materials.................................................28
Mounting...............................................................124 Suspension
Sequence, Assembly......................................................4 Alignment..............................................................143
Service, Periodic.......................................................151 Front........................................................................95
Shelby block................................................................35 Part numbers.........................................................153
Shift lever....................................................................14 Rear.........................................................................22
Installation.............................................................113 ERA.....................................................................42
Placement................................................................47 Assembly.........................................................44
Preparation..............................................................46 Trailing arms.................................................101
Shift linkage................................................................14 Hub Carrier
Shipping kit...................................................................6 ERA.................................................................43
Shock absorbers.........................................See Dampers Jaguar parts..........................................................39
Shrouding, Radiator..............................................55, 88 Rebuilding...........................................................39
Side curtains................................................84, 107, 138 Selection..............................................................15
Side pipes..................................................................133 Urethane bushings.............................................40
Signal lights....................................................See Lights Tuning...................................................................143
Slave cylinder Sway bar.........................................................................:
Clutch................................................................34, 35 Switch, Thermostatic.................................................147
Snaps, top/tonneau....................................................131
Soft top................................................................See Top Tail-lights..................................................................128
Solenoid, Starter..........................................................23 Tank
Source List.................................................................26 Expansion................................................................36
 INDEX
Fuel..........................................................................91 Universal joints...........................................................39
Drain plug...........................................................91
Radiator expansion..................................................19 Voltage regulator
Thermostat............................................................8, 147 Installation...............................................................63
Modifications..........................................................36 Parts.........................................................................25
Throttle linkage...........................................................85
Tires Washer, Windshield...................................................109
Pressure.................................................................145 Water pump
Rev's/Mile...............................................................19 Underdrive ulley....................................................147
Size chart.................................................................19 Weatherseals
Spare........................................................................19 Doors.......................................................................84
Toe-in........................................................................143 Hood........................................................................66
Tonneau cover Trunk.......................................................................67
Fitting....................................................................138 Wheel bearing
Snap installation......................................................77 Installation...............................................................97
Tools Needed...............................................................27 Parts.........................................................................20
Top Wheel, Steering................................See Steering wheel
Fitting....................................................................136 Wheels
Remove, replace, adjust........................................137 Backspacing............................................................18
Snaps.....................................................................131 Bolt-on
Torque.......................................................................154 Special notes......................................................141
Torque Values, General.......................................94, 155 Parts and specifications...........................................18
Trailer shipping.............................................................6 Pin-drive............................................................18, 25
Trailing arms...............................................................40 Sealing air leaks................................................141
Lower (ERA).........................................................101 Wing nuts..........................................................141
Transmission Whoopee!..................................................................148
Automatic..........................................................12, 82 Windshield
Installation.............................................................110 Installation.............................................................107
Mount..............................................................12, 110 Removal..................................................................57
Short-input TKO.....................................................33 Windwings................................................................106
Top-Loader..............................................................12 Wing nuts..................................................................141
Tremec...............................................................12, 32 Wiper
Transporting kit.............................................................6 Arm installation and removal................................142
Trunk Linkage, wheelbox installation...............................75
Latch........................................................................67 Modifications..........................................................50
Lid installation........................................................67 Parts...................................................................17, 25
Lid liner...................................................................76 Relay.....................................................................108
Stay..........................................................................67 Wiring..........................................................................78
Weatherseal.............................................................76 Ballast resistor.........................................................78
Weatherseals............................................................67 Dashboard.............................................................108
Turkey pan..................................................................72 Firewall...................................................................78
Front harness...........................................................78
Undercoating...............................................................75 Parking lights..........................................................79
Understeer.................................................................145 rear harness..............................................................80
Unilite..........................................................................10