Maintenance Question on fluids & spark plugs

[Spiney]

We have a 96 Cobra that had been very well maintained by the previous owner. We purchased it in July 2011 with 37K miles. It was always garaged, sunny day only, Royal Purple oil.

We've now reached the 50K mark. I've kept with the Royal Purple oil every 3-4K miles.

I want it to last long with minimum parts replacement. I want to flush and fill the coolant. Besides a quality anti-freeze should I use a different fluid or additive to lower the running temperature?

I don't know if the brake fluid has ever been changed. I've read it will extend the life of the seals to flush & replace it. Any suggestions?
Do you drain and replace or use a sealed system to put new in while pushing the old out?

Suggestions for rear & manual transmission lubes? Do I risk creating problems where there are none by replacing the fluids?

A friend uses and swears by Lucas oil additive that supposedly coats the walls to avoid dry starts. You use it in replace of 1 quart. Anyone use this or something similar?

I'm pretty sold on the RP, I use the full synthetic blend. So I don't want to get into an RP VS Amsoil battle. More interested in the other fluids.

2 other things: suggestions for Plugs?

Last like I said it just turned 50K but is 19 years old. Do I need to be concerned with replacing the timing chains? I had a belt go in our DD Volvo, ruined the engine went from a great car to a $500 scrap sale.

Thanks, Dave

 

[96blak54]

All systems are go! No need to replace internal engine parts as they are known for 300, 000miles of service. The secondary butterflies sandwiched between the heads an intake are known to gum up around 80,000miles and Im thinking the controller for them may crap out as well.
As for the royal purple, I would switch to a different brand of oil made for street driving. Not saying the brand is bad, but is a more track specific type of oil. Be sure to use 5w-20/30 oil weight and never anything 10w.

Lucas..... DONT USE IT in your oil. That stuff is known to harden the seals from the inside out. ...not good! If that brand was so great and the other oil companies wanted the edge of better oil, one would think they would be using it with their own oil....not so. The oil companies already make oil superior the way it is. Royal purple is designed to run as royal purple, not royal lucas purple. Stick to one oil from that bottle...dont add.

Replace the exact name, model # of stock plugs.

Spend the most money you can on tranny fluide...get the top o line stuff. Knowing the t45 paper syncros, and mechanics...they function really well on top grade fluide.