Messages

I bid against Chuck Maddox for CF-7 in April or May, 1976. It was owned by an upper management fellow from Foote, Cone & Belding's London office. I would have got it if I hadn't asked the seller to drive it out to Thames Ditton and have the factory report its condition: Chuck Maddox bought it sight unseen for $8K USD. It was the very car, I believe, in the 1968 Autocar road test. I, however, distinctly recall it as painted blue. I visited Maddox at his home in St.Charles, ILL perhaps 10 years later and was dazzled by his excellent car collection (including a '57 F-type Thunderbird he'd gotten in 1957 new from the factory.)
   Rheinubung

Hello, Emmanuel:
   Will you be using anti-sway bars? What are you using for brake pads?
   Best Wishes,
   Rheinubung

Hello, Emmanuel:
   
   You may recall I built a rather similar 427 for CF-21. I used the 428 SCJ crank, the Chevy bearing & pin sizes in Jahns pistons at about 9.5:1 compression. I chose a Crane solid (but mild for auto trans) cam. I, too, have the Edelbrock heads but elected to go with 406 Tri-Power carbs.(The look is cooly excellent.)
   
   This is a slow project thus far, but I expect dyno numbers very close to yours.
   
   Thank you very much for sorting out ring/pinion and coil spring specs. I shall plagerize. Did you convert the rear suspension trailing arm to Cobra (i.e., adjustable) type? Which pin-drive conversion did you use for Halibrand mag wheels?
   
   Best Regards,
   Rheinubung

The car in this article is almost certainly CF-8 now owned by Chuck Maddox; it's color at the time was a medium blue.
   
   I doubt there is a spoiler on this car, but the factory had developed a neat little scoop which reached down from the radiator and made a 90-degree bend to face forward. It was perhaps a 2-inch opening and perhaps 10-inches wide and could be described as a sort of schnorkel. I saw one at Thames Ditton when I went to pick up CF-21 in 1976. I'm skeptical of its efficiency.
   
   The factory also had machined aluminum spacers to fit at the top of each corner's coil-over-shock which would raise the car about 2 inches for slightly better ground clearance. Four of them were given to me by Mr. F. Laremore, the service manager.

Photo #4 sure looks like a Montverdi vs. the one-off AC 429...

Hi Emmanueld
   
   Halibrand is making these wheels again as NOS; you can find them at Halibrand.com
   
   Shelby is also selling them out of his Las Vegas operation.
   
   Regards,
   Mike Reed
   Rheinubung/CF-21

Hi Chuck:
   
   CF-21 has an AC emblem exactly as shown in the magazine photos of CF-7. Because I bought CF-21 very soon after your dad bought CF-7 (and from the same seller), your car most likely suffered the fate of mine during shipment from the UK to USA: all the badging was methodically removed by the third-world sailors who crewed the transport ship (they were Greek in my case). When I got the car in San Francisco, the front emblem, the two emblems in the vents by the two gas-filler doors and the large AC emblem on the rear fascia near the tailight were ALL gone.
   
   I wrote to AC and they were supremely helpful; months later a smallish cardboard box showed up in my mail from Thames Ditton and inside were all my missing emblems... no charge! Not even postage!
   
   Those guys were great.
   
   I don't know how to insert digital photos with this reply, but I'll send you a photo by e-mail.
   
   Best Regards,
   Mike Reed

Hi Emmanueld
   
   Is it certain that the windscreen for Mistrals or Montverdis will not work??
   
   Regards,
   Mike Reed
   Rheinubung/CF-21

Hi Chuck:
   
   This is almost certainly the drophead owned by Jim Feldman of Beaverton, OR, a former head of the American chapter of the AC Owners Club. At one time, he owned two 428s (the other a fastback) and he once drove all the way from Beaverton to my house (Seattle) because I was willing to sell him my factory cast-iron exhaust manifolds (I have converted to tubular headers) and my slightly used Avon spare tire (but not the Dunlop rim). He was ecstatic and paid my not-cheap price with no whining.
   
   I've not talked with him for 10 years (at least) but his telephone in Beaverton used to be (503) 643-3225.
   
   I do remember hearing he sold the fastback but kept and restored the drophead... which was red.
   
   Best Regards,
   Mike Reed
   Rheinubung/ CF-21

[http://public.fotki.com/Kaz43/cars/ac/427frua_vert_1968/]

quote:Originally posted by cmaddox3
   
Howdy,
   
   During one of my periodic searches for AC 428 Frua information on the web I located this webpage:
   
   http://public.fotki.com/Kaz43/cars/ac/427frua_vert_1968/
   
   According to the tags Bellevue Washington is involved...
   
   
   
   
   The title of the page implies a 427 plant...  With a C6 Transmission, I guess that's possible, but I wouldn't think it was likely.  It has the older pattern 8-Gauge Instrument cluster, but inverted "U" shaped automatic transmission which was post CF 7 [for sure].  It also looks like an Alpine Cassette deck possibly with AC vents [I'm guessing that is what that is] above it.
   
   
   
   So does anyone wish to claim credit/ownership?
   
   Inquiring minds want to know!
   
   --  Chuck
   
   

Hello Chuck:
   
   It was an amazing deja vu experience to read your detailed report of your history with CF 7; thank you very much.
   
   Yes I am the very same guy from Seattle who visited your home in St. Charles... the very same guy trying to buy CF 7 from Mr. Whitlam in London. In fact, when I flew over there, he was kind enough to meet me, drive me out to AC in Thames Ditton, then buy me an excellent tandoori chicken.
   
   I am listed in the phone book for Bothell, WA (suburb of Seattle) as Michael S. Reed on 53rd Ave. S.E. My e-mail is Rheinubung@msn.com. I hope you'll contact me and we can have an interesting conversation.
   
   Best Regards,
   Mike

Hello Runt
   
   If the car you remember was blue, it was CF 8 which I attempted to buy in London from an advertising executive in 1976. The car was featured in a number of Brit car mag road tests in 1968. It was snatched out from under me by an eclectic American investor from a Chicago suburb called St. Charles, Illinois. I regret that I do not have his name at hand, but I managed to visit him some years later (late '80's, I think) when I was in his area. He was a contractor who built golf courses. One of his other cars was an original F-code '57 T-Bird which I examined in close detail. CF 8 was alive and well at that time.
   
   Best Regards,
   Mike Reed/Rheinubung

Hello Emmanuel:
   
   Thank you for a most informative response; my 427 does have a 428 CJ crank = 454 c.i. Compression is 9.5/1 so pump gas is no problem.
   
   To aid cooling I have elected to wrap the headers with so-called header tape. Radiant heat is eliminated and cost is significantly less than high-tech coatings. Of course, hood louvers would make a substantial improvement... but I kinda hate to put holes in Pietro's pretty bonnet, y'know?
   
   By the way, the surge tank is primarily brass so if you remove the black paint it can be polished to a very satisfying shine.
   
   Best Regards,
   Mike Reed ("Rheinubung")

Hello Clifford:
   
   What is your source for the aluminum radiator replacement?
   
   Regards,
   Rheinubung

Hello Peter:
   
   I was saddened to hear the state into which CF-64 had fallen, but happy it is being rehabilitated Down Under.
   
   I found the rebuilding of the OEM Dunlop wire wheels to be easy; modern stainless spokes can be quite durable regardless of torque loads. Tell me about your Halibrands; are you converting to pin drive or using a steel drive sleeve in the center of the alloy? May I assume you're using the Cobra pattern wheel? I have noted recently that Halibrand themselves are back manufacturing magnesium & aluminum wheels.
   
   Best Regards,
   Mike