David's Mk4 Build Thread [Archive]

David

02-12-2011, 12:51 PM

This will be the thread documenting the build of my newly ordered Mk4 Roadster. It should be FULL of pictures with an extensive build log similar to my GTM Build hear: http://www.ffcars.com/forums/showthread.php?t=86384

We made the decision to sell the Mistress(FFR 1046) which we have owned for 14 years and was built into a purpose built Autocross car. It was the first running/driving FFR in Ca! It went to a new home in Michigan and will be used for the purpose it was built. The Changes to the Mk4 put me over the edge from converting FFR1046 back to road duty so we decided to just starting fresh and let our old girl keep doing what she does best... go fast between the cones. :D

We are very excited about this build... WOOT!

The details of the car will be:

Complete Kit
IRS
Vintage Guages
Leather Seats
Bumpers and Overiders
427 Windsor
(need to figure out what tranny to run)
FFR 17 inch Halibrand style wheels
Paint by Ken Pike, Street Rod Painter!
Transported by Stewart Transport

I'll get started on the thread once she arrives.. but just had to post...

David

David

02-12-2011, 12:52 PM

Here are a couple photos of Dave & Mary's new arrival:
http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s173/CobraDon/Dave%20Bordens%20Mk-IV/DSC_0257.jpg
Inventory:
http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s173/CobraDon/Dave%20Bordens%20Mk-IV/DSC_0260.jpg
And off with the prom dress:
http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s173/CobraDon/Dave%20Bordens%20Mk-IV/DSC_0268.jpg

David

02-12-2011, 12:55 PM

Firstly I just wanted to thank all the folks for the nice compliments regarding the “Mistress” and its evolution. As suggested earlier in the post, I thought it appropriate to take a few minutes and create a small tribute to the old car and reminisce about some of her history.

We purchased FFR1046 back in 1996 when Dave and Mark were doing a good part of the Assembly itself and even back then Mark Smith was actually welding some of the parts on the cars.

I had been looking for a Cobra replica for a few years, and ran across the FFR ad in kitcar mag. Once I saw the frame and found out it wasn’t a fiberglass tub bolted to a flat frame, like pretty much all the replicas I had seen… and that it wasn’t a cobra body put on a mustang frame, I was hooked.

This was back in 1996 and Mary and I had been married for a couple years and recently bought our first house. Previous to building the car, I done the normal car guy stuff… suspension upgrades, motor and clutch changes, mini restores etc. Funny thing is, the most powerful car I had to this point was probably 150 hp.

We had to scrape to even afford the $9999 kit. Sold some of the precious few shares of stock and re-financed a car. Probably not the smartest financial decision, but maybe one of the best for us! When we purchased the kit, it was the 2nd car shipped to CA.

http://norcal-cobras.com/1046Build/Picture22.jpg

We built the car on a shoe string using a donor pallet from Cypress in Oakland. the cutup stock mustang gauges and the provided FFR bezels. (Im sure very few on this board even remember that’s the way you did gauges that long ago)

One thing I wasn’t willing to compromise on was deep dish wheels out back, so I set about having a rear end narrowed. This was the first FFR with deep dish wheels.

We had the kit and donor pallet delivered to a friend’s shop in Half Moon Bay and friends Steve, Steve, Kat and wife Mary spent a weekend and got the car to a rolling chassis with Motor and Trans installed!

http://norcal-cobras.com/1046Build/Picture1.jpg

http://norcal-cobras.com/1046Build/Picture5.jpg

http://norcal-cobras.com/1046Build/Picture10.jpg

David

02-12-2011, 12:56 PM

http://norcal-cobras.com/1046Build/Picture11.jpg

http://norcal-cobras.com/1046Build/Picture15.jpg

http://norcal-cobras.com/1046Build/Picture17.jpg

Back then the kit used the mustang springs right from the donor!

http://norcal-cobras.com/1046Build/Picture20.jpg

David

02-12-2011, 12:57 PM

http://norcal-cobras.com/1046Build/Picture27.jpg

Friend Steve doing a bit of wiring!

http://norcal-cobras.com/1046Build/Picture29.jpg

http://norcal-cobras.com/1046Build/Picture31.jpg

A few pics near completion

http://norcal-cobras.com/1046Build/Picture32.jpg

After the switch to 16 inch Compomotive Wheels in search of better tires.

We had the goal to get the car legal driving and registered for road rally at Mary’s work. That was a 3 short months after receiving the kit. We did it minus paint and were crowned the first complete running, driving FFR in California.

David

02-12-2011, 12:57 PM

http://norcal-cobras.com/1046Build/Picture36.jpg

The mods begin.. in search of better brakes but clearance for 15 inch wheels. Fitting Cobra calipers on 11 inch rotors.

http://norcal-cobras.com/1046Build/Picture53.jpg

Finally painted after 2 years!

Mary and I loved to autocross and do track events, and we started running a few with the car. It was pretty funny.. pretty much everybody would come up and say.. these cars(cobra replicas) don’t do well on the track… for the most part, they were right! We wanted to prove them wrong!

The car went through significant modifications over the next few years. IRS was added, 2nd retrofit after Wayne Presley, same as the swaybars using Speedway parts. I added a backbone to the car before the cobras had them, something that originated in the coupes.

David

02-12-2011, 12:58 PM

http://norcal-cobras.com/projects/grape-ffr/grape-ffr_files/image002.jpg

http://norcal-cobras.com/projects/grape-ffr/grape-ffr_files/image005.jpg

With the assistance of James Creasy, we used a shareware program called Grape to do FEA analysis on the FFR chassis and test mods to the frame in search of torsional rigidity.

A Vortech Blower was added as well as heads intake etc… to the tune of ~424rwhp.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fyu6oSy2J0I&feature=related

After about 4 years we developed the car to be pretty fast and became reasonable drivers as well as winning many Bay Area and Sac cup OSP championships.

I got my first sabbatical at work and took the car to Run and Gun and we earned an overall Top Dog award. I remember getting on that oval for the first time and thinking to myself… why did I drive 2000 miles to do this.. It cold and slick and that’s a solid concrete wall .. Im nuts! A few videos from Run and Gun

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bc3nOyTWB8A

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TI6lkCGB6zw&feature=related

David

02-12-2011, 12:58 PM

Before:
http://norcal-cobras.com/FFR1046History/content/bin/images/large/Dcp00545.jpg

After:
http://norcal-cobras.com/FFR1046History/content/bin/images/large/P4181032m.jpg

http://norcal-cobras.com/FFR1046History/content/bin/images/large/mary1.jpg

http://norcal-cobras.com/FFR1046History/content/bin/images/large/david_solo2sm.jpg

We decided to graduate to slicks and the car didn’t get any faster. That’s when I started to study suspension design and theory with a more intense interest and the SAI mod was born.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qODs_GR3r_0

We started a writing campaign, fought hard and eventually got the FFR Roaster accepted in AP and BP to run in SCCA Solo II National competition like the original Cobras. 2002, Mary and I made the commitment to run at the nationals, while the weather was not nice to us one of the days…

David

02-12-2011, 12:59 PM

http://norcal-cobras.com/FFR1046History/content/bin/images/large/Scan45.jpg

http://norcal-cobras.com/FFR1046History/content/bin/images/large/Mary_David.jpg

http://norcal-cobras.com/FFR1046History/content/bin/images/large/rain_cover.jpg
We both scored podium finishes and were the first and only FFR to trophy at the SCCA Solo II nationals to this day.

I could go on for hours, but it’s really been an amazing journey, and Im pleased to know the Mistress has gone to a new home and she will be used for the purpose it was built… Going fast on the track!

More pics:
http://norcal-cobras.com/FFR1046History/index_3.html

http://norcal-cobras.com/FFR1046History/

Ohhh… and some may be asking, whats this “Mistress” business.. or “Whining Mistress” You can imagine how much time I spent in the garage completing the first car in 3 months…. She became the “other woman” and Mary coined the name :D. The blower contributed the whining part. There’s lots more ‘history’ as well with the West Coast Spec Series, and the GTM build.. but I digress.

Most importantly, in this whole journey have been the very dear friends we have made over the years. My friendship with Dave Smith, Jim and others at FFR... and the support and trust they have put in me has been remarkable.

As I’ve said many times, the cars are a ticket to a family and club that has no equal. You won’t find finer people than those associated with these cars. Something about a person who has the desire and spirit to build their own car from a pile of parts. Whatever it is, it’s the kind of person I want to be around.

So it begins again....

David

JGPierce

02-12-2011, 01:08 PM

Hi Dave,

I've been following the build at the FFCars forum and its a great thread. It's great to see how you're figuring out how to make the Coyote work. Not to confuse matters: will you be updating both forums now?

John

jabm

02-12-2011, 01:36 PM

Dave - Glad to see you've already made you way over to this forum with the MK4 build! I've been following it closely as you're providing significant inspiration for my planned Coyote-powered MK4

David

02-12-2011, 02:11 PM

Mk4 was delivered on Saturday! Jo and Denis from Stewart were just awesome to deal with. Just really good people... thanks guys for the good service!

Big thanks to Dan Pellow, Tracy Work, Don DePonte, Brad, and Dan for coming over and helping get the kit loaded on and off the trailer and into the shop. Really appreciate the help guys!

http://norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build1/content/bin/images/large/IMG_0094.jpg
Stewart just pulling up...

Tracy was kind enough to loan me his trailer which made it sooo easy to get the kit and boxes up the steep drive. Thanks man...

http://norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build1/content/bin/images/large/IMG_0097.jpg

Don, Dan, and myself heading down to meet the drivers.

http://norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build1/content/bin/images/large/IMG_0102.jpg

http://norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build1/content/bin/images/large/IMG_0120.jpg

David

02-12-2011, 02:12 PM

http://norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build1/content/bin/images/large/IMG_0126.jpg

Kit safely in the shop. I really really love the shape of this body!! Those beautiful new hips... IMHO the FFR guys really got it right making the 198 car fit the FFR chassis.

http://norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build1/content/bin/images/large/IMG_0127.jpg

Hard to believe nearly an entire car of parts in these boxes.

http://norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build1/content/bin/images/large/IMG_0129.jpg

Mary showing off her new toy... Ipad.

David

02-12-2011, 02:13 PM

http://norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build1/content/bin/images/large/IMG_0131.jpg

New Massive footboxes. A number of the guys commented how big the new footboxes are.

http://norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build1/content/bin/images/large/IMG_0135.jpg

Very large trunk!

http://norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build1/content/bin/images/large/hinge_drawing.jpg

Found the first part Im going to make... The kit comes with some very beefy steel trunk hinges. Im going to make some nice light Aluminum ones with machined recesses. Let me know what you think!

We took a complete inventory and very few items where back ordered and I think one bolt package wasnt packed.

After going through the complete kit and seeing all the parts and line items, the quality of the alum and how well everything fits, to be frank, Im blown away. The fact they get this many line items with so few mistakes is really remarkable from such a small company in such a niche market.

They have come such a long way in the 14+ years Ive known this company. I just wish the guys who complain about a bolt that might be a quarter inch short, or shipping mistakes etc wouldnt throw the baby out with the bath water and not sweat the small stuff. FFR works really hard to bring us a quality product and in my opinion does a very very good job considering.

More pics here: http://norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build1/index.html

David

David

02-12-2011, 02:14 PM

Im so stoked I found these pictures!!

http://norcal-cobras.com/stooges/content/bin/images/large/StoogesShirt.jpg

http://norcal-cobras.com/stooges/content/bin/images/large/StoogesPlaques.jpg

http://norcal-cobras.com/stooges/content/bin/images/large/party1.jpg

Here's all the stooges picture!
http://norcal-cobras.com/stooges/index.html

I'll respond to the other ? soon :)

David

David

02-12-2011, 02:15 PM

Now that my motor decision is finally made, its time to make a post on the planned chassis mods.

Before I get started, I want to make sure you guys know I dont think these chassis mods are needed, even remotely. This is more of an excercise on seeing how stiff I can get the chassis using FEA and seeing if the finished product will have a qualifiable effect on the cars ride and handling. Shoot, our Mk1 was very nice on the road and the new Mk3/4 are a good 2X stiffer than the Mk1. James Creasy is still racing his Mk1 in Solo II and getting close to top time of day overall in a very competive region...

With that said, here's what I have been up to over the last few months in the evenings... First needed to measure and model the stock chassis and created a 3D scetch in SW. Thanks to Dan Pellow for his help doing this. Funny how you 'think' you have all the measurements and you end up running back to the shop 20 times for a new dimesion here and there.

First, here’s a model of the stock FFR frame:
http://norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build/chassis-mods/content/bin/images/large/stock_frame.jpg

This was measured off a Mk4 frame but a MK2 or 3 would be similar. I measured out the frame and once the model was close, double checked a number of measurements to make sure it was fairly accurate trying to get better than .5 inch for any joint. Should be close enough for what I’m attempting to accomplish. I left out a few tubes/members that I don’t believe will have a bearing on the results.

To give you an idea how many changes I tried, here’s an image of the 3D sketch I created over the last month or so as I’ve been working on it:
http://norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build/chassis-mods/content/bin/images/large/3d_sketch.jpg

This isn’t all the iterations I attempted. I’ve deleted a number of them to keep the sketch from getting too busy. :D

David

02-12-2011, 02:16 PM

Continued..

This is an image of what should be close to the final product:
http://norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build/chassis-mods/content/bin/images/large/modified_frame.jpg

http://norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build/chassis-mods/content/bin/images/large/modified_frame_highlight.jpg

Changes highlighted

The FEA was run using SW2010 Simulation. Luckily we have a seat at work that I am allowed to use when others aren’t using it. I chose to use 2010 since it now allows for curved/arced weldmentS. While the vast majority of the tubes are straight, there are a couple that are bent.

Restraints: one rear coilover is held in a ‘fixed’ restraint which doesn’t allow movement in the XYZ planes but does allow rotation. The other front and rear coilover mount are only constrained vertically allowing for displacement as the chassis bends.

Load: I applied a 5000lb static load vertically at the opposite front coilover mount.

Results for stock frame:
http://norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build/chassis-mods/content/bin/images/large/stock_frame_stock_shock_results.jpg

Front coilover mount displaced a total of 1.15” with a 5000lb load. This in itself is pretty amazing if you think about it! You can put an SUV on one corner of your Mk3/4 and it will only deflect about an inch!!! Thats pretty insane to me... I deleted the tubes to make the frame equal to a Mk1 frame and the deflection is about 2 inchs... so the Mk3/4 frames are 2X the Mk1 frame in torsional stiffness.

Im convinced FFR hasnt made the changes Im proposing, mostly for clearance challences thay may arise from all the different motors and exhaust options available on the car.

Here are the results for modified frame and slightly different rear coilover location. Rear coliover location makes a pretty small change torsionally but the motion ratio change on top of this should be worth the effort:
http://norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build/chassis-mods/content/bin/images/large/modified_frame_results.jpg

Front coilover mount displaced a total of .625” with a 5000lb load resulting in just under 2X improvement in torsional stiffness!

Once I get the new 5.0 in house(suspect about a month) I will get the motor in the chassis and start double checking my model with the chassis and motor to make sure everything will clear.

The funny thing about this whole process is the changes almost look obvious to me after they were all done and verified... but it took me a couple months of work and thought and probably over 40 hours of time to arrive at the changes...(it could be Im a bit slow as well) Stuff that you would think would make big changes did nothing, or very little. Just removing one tube may really kill the results. The whole process was very enlightenig to me.

Let me know what you all think!

David

David

02-12-2011, 02:17 PM

Coyote Crate Engine is in the house!

http://norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build/coyote/content/bin/images/large/DSC_1974.jpg

How it arrived

http://norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build/coyote/content/bin/images/large/DSC_1976.jpg

Fully wrapped

http://norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build/coyote/content/bin/images/large/DSC_1978.jpg

http://norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build/coyote/content/bin/images/large/DSC_1981.jpg

David

02-12-2011, 02:18 PM

continued...

http://norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build/coyote/content/bin/images/large/DSC_1982.jpg

http://norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build/coyote/content/bin/images/large/DSC_1984.jpg

Misc pictures.. From a quick look, the engine came with headers, flywheel, oil filter and filled with oil.

http://norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build/coyote/content/bin/images/large/DSC_1996.jpg

Its missing the rubber pieces that allow the engine cover to snap over the intake, tensioner, and fuel rails. Ive heard there was a recall on these so assume thats why its missing.

More images here: http://norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build/coyote/index.html

If you have any questions about the motor, or need measurements, let me know.

David

David

02-12-2011, 02:19 PM

Motor mounts and headers are on the way and should be here tomorrow. Russ Thompson is coming up this weekend to pick up the shortblock he purchased from me and I think he is going to help me install the Coyote in the chassis so I can start mocking up the chassis mods. If anyone in the area is interested in coming up, let me know.

I put a deposit on a new 2005+ Tremec TR-3650 trans for a great price. This will allow for an OEM quality hydraulic clutch and shifter position is customizable.

I just spoke to these guys: http://coastdriveline.com/Contact.htm They said they can do a new driveshaft for a 2005+ trans to IRS with the slip yoke integrated into the driveshaft and balanced for $325. Ive heard this company is really good so if you are thinking of going with the 05+ trans this is another driveshaft option for you.(cross posted in the Modular forum)

If anyone needs a new driveshaft for an earlier car, I can sell mine. Brand new 31 spline 10.375 driveshaft from FFR. Shoot me a PM if interested.

David

David

02-12-2011, 02:24 PM

http://norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build1/content/bin/images/large/IMG_0980.jpg

http://norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build1/content/bin/images/large/IMG_0954.jpg

http://norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build1/content/bin/images/large/IMG_1007.jpg

http://norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build1/content/bin/images/large/IMG_0993.jpg

The engine sitting in place.... It fits surprisingly well, with plenty of clearance from the footbox aluminum.

David

02-12-2011, 02:25 PM

http://norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build1/content/bin/images/large/IMG_1012.jpg

http://norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build1/content/bin/images/large/IMG_0979.jpg

Issues we need to work though are an oil pan that sits about 2 inches below the frame rails
and the stock 4.6 motor mounts that are going to need some spacers. The motor mounts are a
bit narrow for the FFR frame so its sits to low and the studs hang in the slots before
touching the pads.

The two ways I see tackling this. One is to design an adapter/saddle over the original motor mounts and raise the motor a full 2 inches. The other is to compromise and raise the motor approx 1 inch with alum shims between the motor mounts and the chassis coupled with a roadrace pan (either the champ, or Canton) that's an inch shallower than the stock pan. Still dont know if the 4.6 pans can be adapted, but I assume a compatible pan will be available in the near future. I think the 2nd option will offer the best compromise.

http://norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build1/content/bin/images/large/IMG_1014.jpg

Mocked up drivers side headers. Appears to be plenty of clearance here. Not sure if I'm going to created an adapter flange or cut the existing flange off and use a new Coyote specific flange only. I wont get to that until the chassis mods are done.

http://norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build1/content/bin/images/large/IMG_0996.jpg
Proud papa

Overall a great day and we met some really neat folks. Thanks all that came up to visit and those who assisted with the engine install. It was a great meeting ASTGlenn and his wife as well after a long time chatting on line.

Special thanks to Dan LePage for taking pics... I was so excited to getting the engine in, I kinda spaced.

David

David

02-12-2011, 02:27 PM

Spoke to Bryan at FF5, was told that although they have the Coyote motor there and actually have been selling it to customers, he has not heard of them making any changes to the frame or aluminum panels. I was told to order the 4.6 kit from them and the motor should fit fine. Which is obviously confirmed by David's build...

Only issue apparently are the headers will have to be modified or custom made I guess.

The areas that need to be worked through to put a 5.0 in the FFR Mk4

-Some sort of spacer for the stock 4.6 motor mounts.(this should be pretty easy to do) to raise the motor .5 inch.

-A shallow Sump Oil Pan.(should be at least 1.5 inch shallower) I spoke to Canton and this is in the works with them. (Not sure if Champ pan Richard sells is working on this as well)

-Until FFR makes a compatible header, Modify the stock 4.6 headers. This should be pretty easy to do. Either cutting the flange off and welding on a new 5.0 flange, or making an adapter plate. The spacing and fit of the 4.6 headers seems pretty good, so this isnt a big deal if you have some fab skills or are willing to sub it out. Should be pretty easy and not any where near as complex as makiing new headers.

-Steering shaft may need to be tweaked very slightly. Its pretty close but raising the motor .5 inch might do it. Otherwise adding another joint would do it I think.

-Overall, its a great fit.... as far as I can see at this time, its not very complicated to adapt and it will only get easier as these parts are created for the specifc application.

David

David

02-12-2011, 02:28 PM

I thought the new 5.0L, like the 3V motor, was drive-by-wire and had to use it's own special pedal?

Correct. The 5.0 is throttle by wire and comes with a throttle pedal and harness as part of the engine control pack.

David

David

02-12-2011, 02:29 PM

Dave,
I might have missed it where you answered this, but what motor did you tell FF5 you were using when you ordered the kit?

In other words, are those the 4.6 specific motor mounts welded onto the frame?

You order a kit for the 4.6. The motor mounts on the frame are the same, but the motor mounts you get for the kit are different. There is also some different aluminum included for the drivers side footbox as Sergio pointed out earlier in the thread.

The headers you would want to get to modify for the 5.0 would be the standard 4.6 Headers. Same spacing but different flange. Still some work but definately doable.

David

David

02-12-2011, 02:30 PM

David -

FF claims the MK4 body will require less body work to complete/paint.

Would you agree?

Thanks!

Im not a body man, but I think the body does look much better. I really like the hidden body fasteners, hinges, rounded cockpit etc.

Mostly I love the new shape very much!!

David

David

02-12-2011, 02:31 PM

I got the custom engine harness, computer and TBW pedal.

I spent some time playing with the harness after work, laying it out to see possible routing solutions and found if I extend the passenger side cam position sensor wiring and a few others(a total of about 10 wires) I can easily get the computers plug back behind the firewall if I decide to put it there. I may consider putting it back up above the pass footbox as well. I'll know better once I see how the AC and heat fits in under the dash.

Im just glad I wont be forced to hack up the harness to much to get the clean look Im shooting for.

David

David

02-12-2011, 02:34 PM

Had a chance to pull the pan and compare it to the 4.6 pan that Chet sent to me(thanks Chet!) and the Coyote Pan.

The 4.6 Pan is definitely not adaptable. They appear to have lengthened the pan at the shallow side. The deep side appears to be the same, or very very close.

Heres some pics:

http://norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build/pan/content/bin/images/large/IMG_0017.jpg

http://norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build/pan/content/bin/images/large/IMG_0030.jpg

http://norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build/pan/content/bin/images/large/IMG_0038.jpg
The oil level sender ports are on opposite sides.

http://norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build/pan/content/bin/images/large/IMG_0021.jpg
The windage tray and integrated pan gasket.

David

David

02-12-2011, 02:35 PM

Will do Joe. My guess is it will be a month or two but will keep you and the rest of folks posted as I learn more.

How do you plan on mating the 5.0L engine management electronics with the rest of the car?

It looks like I'm jumping in the Coyote game as well, but i'm going to build the car first, and wait on a donor motor. Going to try and wait out a junkyard motor.

Depending, you may be well served to purchase the control pack engine intended for the motor for hotrod applications. There may be a whole host of issues to overcome that might save you a ton of time just getting the hotrod harness and ECU/TBW pedal.

Thats what I did and it appears there are just a handful of wires to hook up and splice into the chassis harness.

I'll try to cover that when I get there. Its going to be some time though as I will doing chassis mods first.

David

David

02-12-2011, 02:37 PM

Spent a reasonable part of the weekend working on the chassis modifications and took the sawzall to the frame :D, officially starting the chassis mods I plan.(covered earlier in the thread)

I was able to fit three of the six 1.5 " primary chassis tubes and the fourth will be complete in about 30 minutes and all will be tac welded in place. It takes considerable time to hand fit these tubes as there are compound angles fitting round to flat, and round to round fitting with fish mouths.

Once I get them tacked to the chassis I'll take and post some photos and post them.

This week, I'll check with Canton and see if they received the oil pan I sent them and get an idea what they think the timeline will be.

David

David

02-12-2011, 02:37 PM

A quick update with pics to follow late this week.

Over the last couple weekends, I finished fitting the main chassis tubes. Mike Downs, GTM builder came up to corner weight his GTM and check out the build. Once we finished up with his car he helped me hold the new tubes while I tacked them in place. Now that the 4 main perimeter tubes are in place I can fit the tubes that run next to the engine to see how much room I have to play with.

So far the only clearance issues I have are with the steering shaft between the rack and footbox and possibly a diagonal tube. It doesnt appear that I'll have trouble getting a power steering pump to work with AC on the passenger side if I decide to go that route. Should be plenty of clearance! The diagonal I may make removeable to help get the headers in and out without the having the body off

Other than that, I made it over to ASTGlenn's shop to pick up my transmission(it was shipped there). Man what a great shop they have. HUGE waterjet cutter which they have been making great looking 427 Comp dashes with. They have a Fadal Mill and every other tool you can imagine. Glenn and his son are just really cool people. I hung out for a couple hours and am stoked I was able to meet these guys... and they are only 10 minutes from my house! Thanks again Glenn for letting me come visit!

Hoping another good weekend or two and the chassis mods will be done and they on to making the brackets for AC and PS.

David

David

02-12-2011, 02:38 PM

Raising the motor was for oil pan clearance only. The shallow pans that are made for the 4.6 and what the new pan the canton should be making for us should be 1.5 shorter than the stock pan.(where the additional .5 inch comes from). Personally Im not interested in dry sump. Dont want to deal with the expense or complexity. I went with a Coyote for OEM reliability and simplicity. :) A skid would help if the pan hangs a small amount below after the new pan but 1.5" is way to much IMHO ;).

As far as the chassis goes, from what solidworks FEA is telling me, stiffening the back of the car doesnt net any appreciable gains. The backbone is a pretty big reason for this. The backbone and a few other small additions nearly doubled the chassis stiffness from the MKI way back when.

As I mentioned earlier, I dont see the current FFR frame as having any deficits. This is an exercise for me to see how good I am able to make it using a modern analysis tool(sw cosmos) given the HUGE Coyote motor sitting up front. Based on the latest modifications Ive made and simulations Ive run, the frame should be better than 2X in torsion.

Updates coming tomorrow Hank :D Ive spend several days in the shop this last week while on vacation.

Happy New Year!

David

David

02-12-2011, 02:38 PM

Im nearly done with the chassis mods. I found the tube fitting to be pretty time consuming but a bit fun as well. It took a great deal of time but suspect mostly because I have not done a great much of it and I don’t have some of the custom tools that make the job easier.

For all the round tubes, I used paper templates from this website http://www.cycle-frames.com/bicycle-frame-tubing/Tabbed-Tube-Notcher.html I found this to be very useful as I was able to grab the angles from my SW 3D sketch and plug them into the tool. I still had to do some fitting after using the template but it helped a great deal in getting it close. The rough notching was done on my bandsaw and then used a 12 inch disk and/or a flapper wheel on a grinder to close in on it.

Here are a few of my better notches.
http://norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build/content/bin/images/large/20110102IMG_0052.jpg

http://norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build/content/bin/images/large/20110102IMG_0053.jpg

Some images of the nearly completed project.
http://norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build/content/bin/images/large/20110102IMG_0048.jpg

http://norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build/content/bin/images/large/20110102IMG_0049.jpg

David

02-12-2011, 02:39 PM

continued...

http://norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build/content/bin/images/large/20110102IMG_0051.jpg

http://norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build/content/bin/images/large/20110102IMG_0047.jpg

The blue tape shows where there will be 4 more tubes. Just not sure if I will need to make them removable or not. I think the two tubes in the front will be OK with putting the motor in, but not 100% sure. I think I will tack them in and try to remove and re-install the motor. I know I can do it with just the motor, just not sure with the transmission bolted up.

http://norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build/content/bin/images/large/20110102IMG_0056.jpg

http://norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build/content/bin/images/large/20110102IMG_0054.jpg

I’m concerned with the diagonal tubes on the side when installing and removing the headers. I’m thinking I will need to make them removable.

Overall, Im pleased with what I got done while off from work this last week. While it was time consuming, I enjoyed the tube fitting and look forward to doing a bit more of it in the future.

Let me know what you think.

David

David

02-12-2011, 02:40 PM

One more thing... I did get the Alternator kit for the motor and loosely installed it to check for clearance. Nice looking piece and fits tight up against the block and shouldn’t have any issues with header clearance.

http://norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build/content/bin/images/large/20110102IMG_0047_Copy.jpg

David

David

02-12-2011, 02:40 PM

Very Nice Work!! I can't tell by the pictures but is the steering shaft going to interfere with the alternator? Also did you did decided to go manual steer over P/S or is the manual rack just for mock up??

Still plan on power steering. Thats just there for mock up. Need to find a good power rack still. If anyone has a good GT rack, they are not using, let me know.

The steering shaft will run right on top of the long tube that runs from the cowl forward. I will need to re-configure the linkage but Ive mapped it out and it should work well.

Much of the time doing these mods was spend on figuring that stuff out.

David

David

02-12-2011, 02:41 PM

David, I never gave the steering shaft/alternator situation a thought until I read it here. Is there any interference? Did you notice that the alternator fit is really sloppy? I think it will require a sleeve to take up the space in the block mount. Also, the belt that comes with the alternator "kit" is about 2 feet too long. As soon as I figure out the routing, I'll shop for the correct length belt.

No clearance issues with the steering shaft. I need to re-route due to the chassis mods.

Yeah I had the same intial problem with the alternator. Definately something missing. Sounds like a thing to bring up with Jesse? Did you happen to send him a note?

David

David

02-12-2011, 02:42 PM

Quick update.

Yep 05 Tremec 3650.

I got my SPCN(SB100) number first day the DMV was open this year. #128! Im just glad to get that behind me.

We mounted the body and found that the diagonal tubes Im planning to install wont interfere with the header install and removal with the body on. Also, it appears the headers will work fine as-is by welding on a new flange.

I do need a favor.... Can those with more recent Mk3 and Mk4's check and see how much clearance you have between your body and the side pipe? I will loose about .375" in header length bringing the headers closer to the body and would like to find out how much room I have to work with. Any help here would be greatly appreciated.

I need to work on getting some new flanges cut out of 3/8th steel. I may end up doing it on my mill but hoping a friend can help out ;)

The engine looks really good in there with the body on. I'll take some pics and post soon.

Sorry for the delay in updates. Work has been so busy lately that I just havent had much time/energy for the car stuff. It should lighten up some in the next few weeks so hope to make a bit quicker progress.

David

David

02-12-2011, 02:44 PM

A quick update.

Ive been working with Glenn to come up with a solution for making the 2V 4.6 headers work with the Coyote. After looking at my headers again, I just wasn’t comfortable hacking the flange off the headers. I was concerned it may not be as strong as an alternative so decided to try something different first. This is what Ive come up with.

http://norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build/content/bin/images/large/20110201exhaust_flange_adapter.jpg

It’s a flange that will interface with the existing header flange. Take this part and lay it over the existing flange and scribe the ID of the new flange on it. Trim what is outside of the scribe line, slip new flange over so the sealing surface is flush and tack in place and check on the car.

My assumption is if this works out, that it would be best to TIG weld it to recess/control the bead on the back side. Let me know if this seems like a good solution.

Here are a few more pics of the engine with the body one. Lots of hood clearance. The Coyote looks great in the engine bay!

http://norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build/content/bin/images/large/20110201IMG_0007.jpg

http://norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build/content/bin/images/large/20110201IMG_0002.jpg

http://norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build/content/bin/images/large/20110201IMG_0006.jpg

David

David

02-12-2011, 09:16 PM

I finally got some time in the shop today and was able to test my idea for adapting the FFR 4.6 2V headers to the Coyote.

It started with this design I created

http://www.norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build/content/bin/images/large/20110201exhaust_flange_adapter.jpg

Glenn (ASTGlenn) was kind enough to cut one out to test fit it. Thanks Glenn!!!

http://www.norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build/content/bin/images/large/20110212IMG_0008.jpg

http://www.norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build/content/bin/images/large/20110212IMG_0009.jpg

Here's the flange from Glenn laid over the 2V headers. I took a sharpie and marked the inside perimeter of the adapter on the headers to find out where I needed to cut.

I used a plasma cutter to knock off most of what I needed to remove, then used an 40 grit flapper wheel and carbide bur to get the cut to the line I marked.

http://www.norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build/content/bin/images/large/20110212IMG_0015.jpg

http://www.norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build/content/bin/images/large/20110212IMG_0020.jpg

This is what I ended up with.

I have a small concern about getting the sealing surface flat but am guesing if Im really careful TIG welding it it should be OK. Im going to have Glenn make the final ones a bit different to assist in fitting.

Let me know what you guys think and if it appears to be a good solution.

David

otis

02-13-2011, 09:38 AM

Awesome exhaust flange solution. I wish I had thought of that for my dart pro 1 heads. I am still waiting for custom exhaust headers to be made.

Rob

FFinisher

02-13-2011, 10:02 AM

Wow, That is some really creative and smart thinking. I am impressed. Not sure what direction my personal next build will take, but I am very interested in how thesey Coyote engines play out.

I spoke with Joe Leone at the open house........err moochfest rather..... and he explained your solution , Nice work.

Terminator? or Coyote??? HMMM decisions decisons. I am leaning toward new technology and brand new parts with the Coyote.. Since I won't likely do my own build now until next fall, I have time and this will allow for more development of these type parts.

Larry N. Johnson

02-13-2011, 06:42 PM

David,

Did you get a shallower pan yet?
If not try Farra Snook at SoFast Racing in Oregon.
He has maybe more mod-motor experience than anyone else installing in FFR cars.
His business number is 541-928-5858.

Regards,
LNJ

David

02-13-2011, 11:11 PM

I have been contemplating fabricating rocker arm suspension for my MK4 build so spent some time today checking to see if I could get it packaged so that it all would work without cutting the frame and still get the motion ratios I want. The goal is to get around 1:1 motion ratio (wheel to shock travel).

It appears from what I did today that I should be able to get the packaging and motion ratios I need and it should be 100% bolt on!

http://www.norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build/content/bin/images/large/20110213IMG_0027.jpg

http://www.norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build/content/bin/images/large/20110213IMG_0029.jpg

Pictures at full droop. I have a rough scale on the cardboard to check the travel of the spindle/hub compared to the shock travel.

http://www.norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build/content/bin/images/large/20110213IMG_0027.jpg

http://www.norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build/content/bin/images/large/20110213IMG_0031.jpg

http://www.norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build/content/bin/images/large/20110213IMG_0032.jpg

With 5 inches of hub travel, shows 5 inches of shock travel and from my rough test
today, the travel is pretty linear.

http://www.norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build/content/bin/images/large/20110213IMG_0033.jpg

This is the approx location and angle of the shock mounting. I would make a billet alum saddle that will clamp on the X to support the lower shock mount.

Im still somewhat torn on doing this but am leaning towards it. I think it would be pretty freaking cool looking and it has some benefit of getting the motion ratio to approx 1:1.

The rocker would be shaped somewhat like an L with a large fillet and be machined out of aluminum and have bearings pressed into it for the pivot.

The pivot bracket would be made from steel and bolt to the top of the upper control arm mount. It would most likely require the SAI mod or the new FFR spindles to work.

Most likely would be doing something similar to the rear suspension as well.

I’d definitely appreciate folks giving my feedback on whether I should go for it or not. Let me know what you all think!

David

Someday I Suppose

02-14-2011, 08:39 AM

I think it would certainly be different, but since everything else on this car is so stock why the heck not :-)

A quick thought that popped into my mind on the pivot, are you going to keep them that circular shape? Couldn't it be more of a triangle and keep the ratio as you have it?

My only real concern I think I would have in the bearing area is just doing it in such a way that the pivot can't twist at all, but I am sure your going to throw it into Solidworks and do that fancy stuff with it anyhow.

The last question I had is where the shock end mounts? I think your going to basically the center of the X brace, but when I first looked at it, I thought you were going to the opposite side which would cause an criss cross issue when you do the other side.

-Scott

THE ITALIAN

02-14-2011, 09:13 AM

I think ,due to the frame mods that have already been thought out and done ..
DONT STOP THERE!
THIS CAN BE THE NEXT standard IN GOING all the way ! Since I have an early and rare D BORDEN
" modded "frame , I for one want to see it. Q >> how many more will you do?
You may regret not doing it after it is finished,besides it will LOOK TRICK and let's face it, we want to watch.
There is a build in my future and I need tips and besides this will be the flagship in power and most important ,handling.
Mike

John F

02-14-2011, 11:23 AM

Nice work, David. I've been sporadically following this on Corner Carvers, but it's nice to see it here where the pics are already opened

David

02-20-2011, 01:40 PM

Glenn was kind enough to cut me a revised part in steel the other day and I was able tack them on the on the headers and do test fit. I opened up the tolerances about .040" around the perimeter to give a bit of room for adjustment and make it easier to fit.

http://www.norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build/content/bin/images/large/20110219IMG_0042.jpg

http://www.norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build/content/bin/images/large/20110219IMG_0043.jpg

http://www.norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build/content/bin/images/large/20110219IMG_0046.jpg

It was a bit of a challenge to get the coating off, but was able to do so with some silicone carbide material in my bead blaster. Once complete I tacked them in place. Im pretty happy with the outcome.

http://www.norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build/content/bin/images/large/20110219IMG_0040.jpg

http://www.norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build/content/bin/images/large/20110219IMG_0036.jpg

Not sure how the headers fit with the stock 4.6, but Im pretty happy with the outcome with the test fit. The headers are back a bit, but nothing trimming the hole for headers wont fix.

http://www.norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build/content/bin/images/large/20110219IMG_0038.jpg

I spoke to Glenn and he said he would be willing to make these adapters for folks if needed. Shoot him a PM if interested.

Let me know what you all think.

David

Hankl

02-20-2011, 03:00 PM

David,

Off the wall! I love it!! :cool:

Hank

Someday I Suppose

02-21-2011, 08:04 AM

jabm

02-21-2011, 12:53 PM

Looks great David! Given the proximity of the headers to your footbox, are you planning to wrap them or use some sort of additional heat shielding?

riptide motorsport

02-21-2011, 01:24 PM

Fantasic work! steven

David

02-21-2011, 01:30 PM

David, awesome solution buddy, love it. Those pics really make you realize how close the headers are to the footbox as well. I know you said the headers are back just a bit, do you foresee any issues with them hitting the footboxes once the sheet metal is in place?

-Scott

There appears to be plenty or room Scott but good question though.

Anyone willing to measure the distance between the front of their footbox and the header tubes?

David

oldguy668

02-23-2011, 11:55 PM

MikeMcKena

02-24-2011, 04:29 PM

David

02-24-2011, 04:39 PM

Just a quick FYI on the pan. Champ got it back from the plater and discovered a glitch when they mocked up the pickup and pump. They had to reweld something and it's got to go back to the plater. So, I'm going to lose another week before I get it and mount it up.

Now for a question: Can I mount the power distribution box and the computer on the passenger footbox so I can reserve the space behind the dash for my 3 ISIS modules? I can't seem to get my hands on a control package to check it for myself.

Joe, sounds good on the champ pan! This stuff takes time...

There should be room for it there and from what I understand, they are designed for underhood environment. Actually a great place for it is mounted to the upper 3/4 tube around the pass footbox area with a custom bracket. You'll barely see it and wont need to splice any wires either(already mocked it up to test) I could probably figure something out to make for folks to make mounting easy. If its 2D, Glenn may be willing to cut them and sell. I have the harness so I can get measurements.

David

David

03-15-2011, 12:52 PM

Im starting to get a bit more weekend time as Mary is feeling better and work has gotten back to normal…

Cutting down the flange on the first set of headers took quite a bit of work as I worked through a process. The 2nd set went much quicker. I created a simple template that is clamped onto the face of the flange and is used as a guide for a plasma cutter. I was able to get much closer without fear or cutting to far making the cleanup much much quicker.

http://www.norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build/content/bin/images/large/20110221IMG_0048.jpg

After centering the adapter flange over the header flange and marking the area that needed to be cut away with a sharpie…

http://www.norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build/content/bin/images/large/20110221IMG_0047.jpg

http://www.norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build/content/bin/images/large/20110221IMG_0061.jpg

I tool my little guide plate and vise gripped it centered in the mark and started making my cuts.

http://www.norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build/content/bin/images/large/20110221IMG_0067.jpg

http://www.norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build/content/bin/images/large/20110219IMG_0043.jpg

After cleaning up the existing flange with a flapper wheel so the adapter flange slipped easily over it, I was ready to chamfer. Using a carbide burr, I ground a heavy chamfer on the adapter flange that went down about .25 inch with each of the top stud holes. I ran about a 1/8” chamfer around the rest of the adapter flange and I was ready to weld.

http://www.norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build/content/bin/images/large/20110313IMG_0070.jpg

http://www.norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build/content/bin/images/large/20110313IMG_0072.jpg

Glenn hooked my up with a freaking cool table with drilled and tapped holes that made bolting the flange down cake… I couldn’t have been easier.(thanks Glenn!) I went around and did some reasonable tacks around the joint and then went to town. I used filler rod for the large chamfers and just fusion welded the rest of it.

Its not done yet, but close. Just need to close up the areas close to the hold down bolts and a few other tight spots and I will be ready to fully weld the other one.

Thanks again to Glenn for helping us out and cutting these parts and selling them to the guys who need them. I know running that water jet is not cheap with the time it takes to cut 3/8 plate and the garnet costs… He probably makes just enough to buy lunch with every set he sends out.(no kidding)

Hopefully I can get the other set finished up this weekend and start making some forward progress. 

David

astglenn

03-15-2011, 02:17 PM

I saw the work this morning. It looks really good. Dave has shown great craftsmanship and mad design abilities. If he gets tired of being a professional, really smart guy, I could use him in the shop. We can't tell anyone though. He would be a pariah here. His parents were married.

Someday I Suppose

03-15-2011, 03:23 PM

David, looks awesome man, congrats on a job well done and one small step in the Coyote build :-)

_Scott

David

03-15-2011, 10:33 PM

Thanks guys appreciate it! :D

David

cozmacozmy

03-16-2011, 02:44 AM

How did the "flatness" of the header flange hold up to the welding? Do you need to mill them flat for the gaskets to hold up?

By the way nice work too!

David

03-17-2011, 05:37 PM

How did the "flatness" of the header flange hold up to the welding? Do you need to mill them flat for the gaskets to hold up?

By the way nice work too!

It held up very well by bolting to the table and came out virtually flat. Just a few thou off from what I can tell so far. I still have a bit more to weld, but so far its looking really good. I have a feeling it will end up flatter than it started. I def dont think I will need to mill them.

Glenn used really high quality steel on the adapters, so I think that has something to do with it.

David

Rome

03-17-2011, 06:24 PM

impressive thread. wow

Art Totten

03-18-2011, 09:52 AM

Richard Oben

03-23-2011, 08:00 AM

David, it appears you blasted the flange just enough to get a good weld, is that correct?
If so do you plan to recoat of just paint that part of the header? Let me know, Richard.

David

03-23-2011, 10:58 AM

David, it appears you blasted the flange just enough to get a good weld, is that correct?
If so do you plan to recoat of just paint that part of the header? Let me know, Richard.

Yep, you got it.. Ive heard that if you dont get that coating completely off you can have problems welding so I just blasted it with silicone carbide to be sure. It was tough stuff. I do plan to re coat the headers. I should have wrapped some some of that heat shield around the header tubes when I used the plasma. It ended up messing up the coating on the tubes so needed to blast that clean as well. If one was careful, they wouldnt even need to get into the coating on the tubes, but not sure its worth being careful since re coating will protect the whole header.

David

David

03-23-2011, 11:01 AM

Hi David,

Were the flanges water jet or laser cut? And I am not suprised that your parents were married. As to engineering............I hope you are not too well learnned. Cause if you were all you would know is what won't work. What we need in this country is more people that want to invent new and better things and ways. Like Kelly Johnson, who was in charge of the P-38, P/F 80 and SR-71 and much moore although not an Aeronotical Engineer.

Sorry for the delay Art! Hahaha, you funny dude :D Im barely learned.... maybe thats my problem! They were cut with a water jet by Glenn Evans. (ASTGlenn) I think you'd love that guy! Stupid smart like you and a kick to hear his stories.

David

astglenn

03-23-2011, 11:10 AM

Sorry for the delay Art! Hahaha, you funny dude :D Im barely learned.... maybe thats my problem! They were cut with a water jet by Glenn Evans. (ASTGlenn) I think you'd love that guy! Stupid smart like you and a kick to hear his stories.

David

HA! My problem is that I seem to select Stupid from the bucket of available options, when I need smart. The adverse is proportionally true. Err wait...

Richard Oben

03-23-2011, 12:12 PM

astglenn

03-23-2011, 12:16 PM

Our plan is VHT paint the flange area and save the coating on the tubes. It has been our exprience that the tubes and flange turn sort of grey from the heat anyway so painting them should be fine. Seems a shame to have to recoat for something that will never be seen. JMHO, Richard.

This seems sensible. To be honest, if the high heat rattle can work is well executed with a heated part and warm paint, I see little long term difference, other than the price.

Richard Oben

03-30-2011, 09:31 AM

astglenn

03-30-2011, 10:30 AM

Had the fab shop guys so the work. Had the edge of the flanges blasted just the edge, masked the pipes, cut the flange with the ubercool template and then welded it all up. Shot the flange with VHT and it looks great, I will see if I can get a pic. The customer was in a hurry to get them so they left without me snapping one.

Also, the oil pan button is up and working. We will have pans in about a month. HTH, Richard.

Cool. Seems like they are working well for everyone so far. David and I really tried to revise the thing so it was as user friendly as possible. Joe Leone (Oldguy688) actually had the idea of the full sized template. I just run the waterjet. I let the smart guys work out the details!

doughboy

03-30-2011, 01:45 PM

I would like to know the answer to MikeMckena's question about DMV #'s too.

doughboy

03-30-2011, 01:51 PM

I will be following along to see how the a/c install goes. It gets hot here in Sacramento as you know. My buddies drive vettes and they all have a/c so I don't want to be left out in the HEAT.

David

03-30-2011, 04:11 PM

do you have to have the car before you get a # from dmv? how long do you have to get it built after you get a #? I'm in Freestone, CA by the coast and i'm trying to get all the details before i start building my dream car. I'll be following your build. Thank you

Mike M
Freestone, CA

Mike, sorry for the delay. I missed this questions... :(

At the very least, you need the Certificate of Origin from FFR, which generally means you need the car to get that. If you need it asap once you order, make sure to request it. It can take a few to get it after the car is ordered if not due to processing time at FFR.

David

David

03-30-2011, 04:13 PM

I will be following along to see how the a/c install goes. It gets hot here in Sacramento as you know. My buddies drive vettes and they all have a/c so I don't want to be left out in the HEAT.

Agreed 100%. Im near sac as well and it does get hot here... thats why I plan to install AC. I hope to get started on the bracketry fairly soon. Working on getting some models that should help making the brackets. I'll post as I know more.

David

Someday I Suppose

04-01-2011, 01:54 PM

David,

Was watch some Top Gear today and they had a Pagani Zonda R on it, I happened to notice the suspension on it, and I thought of what your trying to do. I found a couple images on the net, I thought it was interesting that they are using two sections with the heim of the shock sandwhiched between the two halves of the pivot arm.

Rear Suspension

http://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=1313&d=1301683742

On the front though it is interesting as the pivot arm is mounted directly to the upper a-arm which eliminates the need for a shaft where the shock would have been but also removes two pivot points.

http://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=1314&d=1301683742

Not sure if you could do something similar as a retrofit to the a-arms on the MKIV but thought I would share.

_Scott

JGPierce

04-01-2011, 02:37 PM

David,

The 4.6L 3V is close in design to the Coyote. I've got A/C and P/S on the front of my 2010 Mustang engine and the only mod I had to do (so far) was cut the steering shaft and move the lower u-joint back to clear the P/S pulley. Is the front of the Coyote that different?

The problem I'm now trying figure out is how to fit the Ford Racing air filter/MAF assembly into the engine bay. It's too big and angles far left. I imagine finding some shorter pieces will work, but then does that mess up what the computer expects from the MAF?

John

chrisarella

04-11-2011, 08:49 PM

JGP got me thinking...

Will you be getting this thing tuned after the build. I'd imagine there would be good gains from tuning considering the off-the-shelf mapping from Ford isn't really appropriate for the roadster (different exhaust and intake config, no cats, probably more air flow, etc.). And we all know the factory makes compromises for fuel economy and emissions so I'm sure there is room in the ceiling for more gains. ;)

The Stig

04-26-2011, 07:27 AM

Hi Dave,

I thought I would "stop in" and see what kind of magic you've been stirring up lately. I'm always amazed at the ingenuity and just plain smart thinking that you consistently demonstrate. Great job on the build. I was also glad to read that Mary is feeling better, and I hope you are too Buddy!

Did you get a chance to attend the Huntington Beach Cruise In?

Congrats on the sweet build Dave. I can't wait to see it completed! :cool:

E-Ticket Ride

05-03-2011, 04:53 PM

Howdy Dave!
I have been following this thread with great interest. As part of my own planning and research I was wondering if you were planning on an oil cooler? There was a great article on the Coyote in the March 2010 5.0 Mustang & Super Ford magazine:

http://www.mustang50magazine.com/techarticles/m5lp_1003_2011_ford_mustang_gt_50_coyote_engine/index.html

About mid article they had the following:

"Consideration was given to an external oil cooler, but ultimately it was decided not to penalize all Coyote buyers for the occasional antics of a miniscule fraction of owners. Oil temperature rises precipitously when the Coyote is revved more than 4,500 rpm for extended periods, and then an external oil-to-air cooler is vital. But those conditions can only be reached on a road-racing track, so the expensive cooler was ditched and engine management strategies were used to protect the engine during hot idles. However, the mounting area for the cooler was "protected" during the 2011 Mustang's development. That makes it easier for the open-trackers among us to fit a cooler (highly recommended by Coyote engine designers), and tells you something about Ford's intentions for special editions of the Coyote-powered Mustangs.
And don't worry about the occasional open-track without an oil cooler. The engineers say the oil cools quickly as soon as you take your foot out of it, and the engine management will limit the torque output if the oil gets too hot."

Would you think it would be necessary for occasional Autocross? I'm not planning on road racing.
Also - I know you listed a TR-3650 for a tranny, but what rear gears are you planning? 3.55's or 3.27's?

TIA
Chris Lewis

Richard Oben

05-04-2011, 06:50 AM

Not to speak for David but for an occasional autocross you will never get the oil hot enough to be a problem. HTH, Richard.

Mustang Man

05-04-2011, 01:54 PM

But remember Richard, these engines use a thinner oil, 5W20 in the case of the new Coyote...

Mark

ClemsonS197

05-07-2011, 06:15 PM

Got any pictures of the brake/clutch pedal? Curious if you used a 05+ Mustang box or got wilwoods to work with the hydraulic throw out? Thanks.

Presto51

08-11-2011, 12:54 PM

Is David alright??

Looks like his last post on this thread was about five months ago. I know that he has had serious life challenges this year.

I just hope everything is alright

Dave Smith

08-11-2011, 01:46 PM

I spoke to Dave recently and its been a rough road this year for him with family, friends, his buddy Tim and other stuff. Life is ebb and flow and I would simply say to Dave Borden, that while there has been difficulty, all of us are your friends and appreciate everything youve done for the community. I, for one, cant wait to see his completed Mk4!!!!

David

08-11-2011, 03:33 PM

Hey Guys... Dave pretty much nailed it. Mary and I are doing well, but work has been really busy and other things out of our control this year have been pretty tough. Other than that, we are great and feel very blessed. I really appreciate the concern, and apologize for my absence and lack of response.

With that said, I have been making some progress on the roadster and will provide my typical update and pictures in the near future.

A quick summary:

Quiet Ride came and templated the entire roadster for their complete insulation kit. After speaking with Tim, meeting him and his son and seeing how they put the kit together, Im really looking forward to having their kit in my car... I believe the visit will be covered in a future magazine article.

Russ Thompson came up a few weeks ago and we completed the planned chassis mods in the front outlined earlier. This includes a couple new tubes as well. Im really happy with the finished product. We also, finished the plan for the re-routed steering and made the changes to the footbox to make that happen and did a partial test fit. I just need a few couplers and a bit of fab to complete it, but the heavy lifting is over.

We also planned out and templated all the changes to the aluminum for the new mods, along with fitting existing panels where possible. Russ took the templates, and in typical Russ Thompson fashion fabbed up some beautiful panels that fit great. Im really really happy with the outcome on this and huge thanks to Russ for his help. It was the kick start I needed. It had taken significant head scratching and thought to plan it out.

One of the more exciting things for me recently was designing the AC and Alternator assembly on the passenger side of the motor. Initially I was going to put PS on the pass side with the AC, but Im not sure I can make that work due the belt routing and a few other issues. Still a chance but I wont know till I get the ac compressor mounted and can map it out. Current plan is PS where the alt normally goes. This should really help with PS line routing as well.

I was able to obtain a model of the Coyote block and design my assembly directly on that in Solidworks. I measured and modeled the AC compressor, Alternator and front pulley and then built my bracketry to mount it all. While it may be second nature to some folks in the business, it was really fun and challenging on my first go at it. The first base plate I machined was dead nuts accurate and bolted up perfectly. As I progressed, I made a number of design changes and I am hopeful this last one should do it or be very close.

Im in the process of creating the CAM files for machining the pieces(time consuming as well) as I need to make a few fixture plates for a couple of the pieces. I hope to machine some of it this weekend for a test fit. If this ends up really working out, I may talk to somebody about having these parts made if there is a need for it.

I'll try and post some pictures of all this in the near future... again, thanks for checking in with me, its greatly appreciated!

Chris, regarding the oil temp issue, I wouldn’t worry about it for autocross. I would think even the occasional track day shouldn’t be an issue... I guess time will tell, but I don’t plan to add a cooler at this time.

David

The Stig

08-11-2011, 06:31 PM

Hi Dave. Welcome back. Glad to hear that you've been able to make some progress on the Roadster.

It's even better to hear that you guys are doing well, and coming out of the back side of all the craziness of the year.

Take care,

Mike

Presto51

08-12-2011, 08:53 AM

David thanks for the update. Glad everything is alright.

Can’t speak for every forum member, but I for one, marvel at your craftsmanship and ingenuity, I really learn a lot though your builds and experience.

Ron

Russ Thompson

08-12-2011, 07:52 PM

Dave, you know I always love coming up to vist You and Mary, AND it's always fun helping out on a friends project. Making some patterns and fabing some panels is sorta like comfort food! :-) See you at Snakes!

chrisarella

08-15-2011, 10:56 PM

David

09-04-2011, 08:11 PM

Hi Dave. Glad to hear things are going well. I'm still lurking in the winds waiting to see how this turns out. Also wating for FFR to make this motor choice a little simpler for us later this year (hoping/praying) since I am sure this will become the gold-standard for motor choices going forward.

As for some earlier comments regarding an oil cooler, I for one WILL be going with one. I live in FL and won't rely upon the ECU alone. I'll also be looking into some form of custom CAI setup since under-hood temps also pose challenges here in the deep South. Nevermind the heat coming off the motor, the heat coming off the road is hot enough in the summer months to fry an egg. LOL

And if Dave, Glen, or anyone else steps up up and starts offering parts to make the Coyote a drop-in/bolt-on install I'm game. I sold my car this past week and have the cash in the bank waiting for to pull the trigger.

Hey Chris,

I agree 100% this motor will be that standard for those who want a modern drivetrain!

Honestly, no reason why you shouldnt pull the trigger now. All the pieces are available now. Wayne offers a CAI, so thats covered. He was going to send me one to test fit, so I need to check on that... but Im sure he is ready or almost ready to sell them.

There is a solution for the headers right now with the adapter flanges. Richard Oben could probably have them modded for you. Regardless, I have no doubt that FFR will offer headers for the car and Id guess they are working on them now or will be in the near future.

Just do it man... :D

David

David

09-04-2011, 08:26 PM

A quick update... Spent yesterday machining some updated parts for the AC and Alternator mounts. Today I did a test fit and its perfect so I am set there.

Also, after getting the new parts machined and installed, I did some more experimenting with the PS pumps I have on the drivers side with AC locked in place, and it appears I can make that work as well. Its really tight, like .5 -.375 of an inch in all directions with my chassis mods... but it should be fine. I took some measurements modelled up the 4.6 PS pump and threw it in the assembly to get some perspective and did some rough mock ups in the shop this morning, and it looks like I have two options. One with a mini alternator and the AC on the pass side and the PS on the drivers side... or PS and AC on the pass side and the stock Ford Alt on the drivers side.

The good news is I have a few options and the design is close enough that I can move forward with some other stuff now.

David

chrisarella

09-09-2011, 10:31 PM

I think FFR is going to be putting a Coyote in the cars they are building for Spike TV so I'm holding out for a little bit longer. I'll probably place an order in the coming weeks and tell them not to ship any supporting parts until they're ready. It's going to take me a little while getting the rolling chassis done so I won't need to have the motor in the car until some time early 2012.

I plan on prefitting all of the aluminum panels with clecos and powder coating everything before rivoting them so that is going to add time. Any idea where to get colored blind rivots (not to be confused with the color-blind plain rivots LOL)? I want the rivots to be practically invisible when installed. I know, no one will see them but I will. :cool:

I'm also doing some other upgrades like IRS. I'm on the fence about a tranny though. I know the TKO500/600 are okay and would do the job but I'm considering a Tremec TR-6060. I know I don't want to inherit the headaches that come with the MT-80, and I'm pretty sure the Tremec TR-3650 you got is rated at 360 ft-lbs of TQ which doesn't make me feel all warm and fuzzy with Coyote's 390 ft-lb TQ estimates. I've blown tranny's before and don't want to take any chances. Any thoughts on here?

One more question: If I don't mod the chassis how should I be setting up the Alt, pwer steering, and AC? I know you're working through different issues but wanted to make sure I'm looking at this right.

Thanks for taking the lead. ;)

F-5-R

09-30-2011, 04:13 PM

Looks great, cant wait to see the go-cart!

Jester

10-31-2011, 11:14 AM

Hi Dave

I am up in Canada and I am building a Mk4 with a Coyote. I test fitted the engine yesterday and I was looking for a PS & AC set up for this engine.

Are you selling the brackets etc for this? If so an you let me know what PS pump & AC compressor are required - and timing etc.

Thx

Matt

chrisarella

11-20-2011, 12:59 AM

David

01-17-2012, 01:01 AM

Long overdue update!

After a long delay, Ive gotten some momentum back on the car. My good friend Russ Thompson and Dan LePage have come over to help and that gave me the kick in the butt I needed to get moving again.

http://norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build/content/bin/images/large/20110703_IMG_0363.jpg
Russ after a long day of tube fitting and panel making… Russ Rocks

First a few things that were done quite a while ago but have not posted details of.

Tim Cox from Quiet Ride Systems came out and last year and they took photos of the templating and install process for the Feb 2012 Kit Car builder magazine. The had a nice article about Tims company and products and the process used to install it. Its incredible the amount of time it takes just to template the car. They were here the entire day, and still plan to come one more time before finalizing the kit. Once I was able to see these guys lay it all out and what it takes to build a kit out, I was really impressed. Very high quality products. They don’t add much weight but really reduce the cockpit noise and heat. While the kit costs money it’s a big time saver for sure. That’s what I am looking forward to the most.

http://norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build/content/bin/images/large/20110703IMG_0354.jpg
Got the diagonals in the side of the chassis along with a new addition I didn’t post about. The diagonals are critical to the chassis stiffness I did.

http://norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build/content/bin/images/large/20110703IMG_0360.jpg
After some more experimentation Solidworks FEA reports the addition from the center of the X to the tubes alongside of the engine increased the torsional stiffness another 7 or so percent if I remember correctly. It was significant and just couldn’t go that far without taking advantage of it. Some may not like the looks, personally I think it looks pretty cool. Especially once its all welded and powder coated.

http://norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build/content/bin/images/large/20110703IMG_0356.jpg
An example of one of our templates. Russ made this panel and a few more as well. The dudes a craftsman…

http://norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build/content/bin/images/large/20110703IMG_0358.jpg
Modifying the stock panels to create a template for a new panel, also something Russ created.

http://norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build/content/bin/images/large/20110821_IMG_0655.jpg

http://norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build/content/bin/images/large/20111229_IMG_0763.jpg

David

01-17-2012, 01:03 AM

http://norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build/content/bin/images/large/20111229_IMG_0764.jpg
New panels… Im pleased with how they look. Its different, but not so different that it will throw people familiar with the car.

http://norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build/content/bin/images/large/20111229_IMG_0766.jpg
Rest of the panels drilled and fitted.

I have been mulling over how to do the steering. I had to route the steering differently from stock due to the chassis mods. I also wanted to move the steering in board 1 inch like my original Mark I to give a bit more hand clearance.

http://norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build/content/bin/images/large/20120115_IMG_0003.jpg
In order to make it work, I had to create a bearing carrier that would allow me to run the steering right above a chassis tube I installed. I knew how I wanted to make the bearing carrier, I just wasn’t sure how to make it compact to avoid motor clearance issues. Russ had the idea of creating the saddle separate so that it could be through bolted. It was the final piece of the puzzle.. and again, thanks Russ!

I spent this last weekend making the part. I was originally going to use a needle bearing, however, the shaft was .005” larger than ¾ inch and the needle bearing I bought would not work, so I created one out of Delrin. The Delrin worked perfectly. It’s incredibly tight but also very smooth action. The saddle bolts to the chassis and the bearing carrier bolts to the saddle.

http://norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build/content/bin/images/large/20120115_IMG_0005.jpg

http://norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build/content/bin/images/large/20120115_IMG_0007.jpg

http://norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build/content/bin/images/large/20120115_IMG_0009.jpg

Here are a few pics of the finished product. One added benefit is that I have the option of changing the angle and the height of the steering wheel by moving a joint closer to the wheel.

Overall, Ive been really pleased with the progress… Let me know what you think!

David

kabacj

01-17-2012, 06:30 AM

Nice design on the steering shaft bearing David. I need a CNC at home. It opens up worlds of fabrication options. Of course its not easy even with the right tools.

Just thinking about welding up that bearing. Might be good to make a steel bearing to use when you weld up the setup. The tight tolerances you have are not going to be very tolerant of any misalignment as a result of the welds cooling.

With the steel bearing your steering shaft becomes a jig that locates the mount. Then after everything is cool you can press out the steel and press in the delrin.

Just an idea. Love the build.

John

Jacob McCrea

01-17-2012, 11:37 AM

That's really cool, David. I also moved my steering shaft inboard by 1" to accommodate frame stiffening mods. It sure takes a lot of thought to make everything fit!

I've incorporated your "lower footbox to base of front suspension" bars into my coupe frame and added accompanying diagonal bars, although mine run upward from the front suspension to the bar above, rather than downward. My guess is that the diagonal bar as you've run it would make the chassis stiffer than how I've run it since it does a better job of bracing against flex induced by the upper control arm. I don't see my diagonal bar doing that as effectively, and I may make the diagonal bars a full "X." Thanks for sharing your designs and work.

Someday I Suppose

01-18-2012, 04:16 PM

David, very cool build for sure, the pillow block is great, love moving the wheel in an inch, notes for the next build (as if). Keep it up!!

Tpa65cpe

01-19-2012, 12:04 AM

WOW!! Just wen't through the whole post and am very impressed with this build so far!! Keep up the great work David. Hope to see more pic's soon, thanks!! P.S. Glad to hear that everything is better on the home front and hope it stays that way for all of you!!

David

04-30-2012, 11:59 PM

Long overdue update.

We had family from out of town this weekend, but took monday off to relax and get some work done on the car.

I finished the AC and PS mount today. It feels like Ive been working on this forever, but Ive had to make several changes the further in to it.

Initially, I was going to use the ford pump, but decided that the Saginaw/LS1 pump would be a better fit since one can be obtained to support the needed 7000+ rpm and also has options to tune the flow and pressure along with being considerably lighter. You can source these pumps from either Turn One, or KRC Pumps among others.

While it was felt the LS1 pump was a better fit, the pulley is huge at 6.5 inches and created some serious clearance challenges which has taken quite a bit of time to work through.(the 6.5 inch pulley is needed for the higher RPM)

There are fractions of an inch clearance with pretty much everything in the area... The block, timing cover, AC pump, PS pump, all three pulleys along with the frame in several areas.

I re-designed the upper and lower AC pump mounts a few times to fix clearance issues. The last change lowered and rotated the AC pump to provide needed space between the PS and AC pulley.

Once the AC pump was in the desired location, a plate was machined with a grid of holes allowing me to try different PS pivot locations to get a good throw for belt adjustment along with keeping clear of stuff. I had to clear two tubes of the frame, the AC pulley and allow for belt routing around a idler pulley without the belt touching... its close.

http://norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build/content/bin/images/large/IMG_1776.jpg
(didnt have wide enough material, so I welded a couple pieces together and machined the bead off. :))

Once the best location was found, I marked it and then transferred the hole locations and marks to the finished model and machined the part this afternoon.

http://norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build/content/bin/images/large/IMG_1746.jpg

The slot was machined on the the back with a pocket allowing the bolt head to be captured so a single wrench could be used to tighten the pump in place once adjusted.

After it was all bolted up, I went about locating the idler pulley by putting the PS pump at both adjustment extremes and centering the pulley to obtain the best belt clearance. Should be good where it is now.

http://norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build/content/bin/images/large/IMG_1768.jpg

http://norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build/content/bin/images/large/IMG_1769.jpg

http://norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build/content/bin/images/large/IMG_1773.jpg

Here it is all mocked up. You can also see the frame changes that were made to make the clearance needed for the PS pump and pulley.

There has been progress on several other fronts as well with the brakes and integrating the hydroboost which I will post on later.

On another note, Ive been thinking of making a mount just for the LS1 pump and no AC tucked close into the block. Possibly one for the Ford pump as well... Ive done 90% of the work, so it would be a pretty light project... we'll see.

David

Hammink Performance

05-02-2012, 07:57 AM

that looks realy good !

Someday I Suppose

05-02-2012, 12:46 PM

David, looks good, dang on close tolerance for sure. I would think for sure with the popularity of this motor that the additional pump mounts would be something people are interesed in. It just seems wrong to me to go with a Coyote and manual steering!

David

05-06-2012, 02:45 PM

Thanks Scott, agreed. Im suprised that no-one else has commented on it.

On another note, had a productive day in the shop yesterday working on parts for the re-worked brakes.

I want this car to be as production like as possible, so that meant going with power brakes. With that said, its very important to me that the brakes modulate well and have a decent pedal feel. Due to all the chassis mods, I was unable to use the regular vacuum booster, so decided to go with the hydroboost.

For several reasons the goal was to use the wilwood pedal box. The trans I am using is from a 2005+ mustang and comes stock with a hydraulic clutch and the wilwood unit supports that. My end goal is to use the hydroboost in addition to the dual masters on the wilwood pedal assembly. Ive got the solid models worked out for that, so its just a matter of time before I get to it. As it sits, I can use the stock master for the hydroboost as well.

As implemented, one of the issues with using the wilwood pedal box in the FFR and coverting it to power brakes, is the pedal ratio is wrong wrong wrong at around 6 - 6.5:1. This is a ratio for manual brakes and with a booster designed for a car that is well over a 1000lbs heavier than the FFR would make for very touchy brakes that would be hard to modulate.

I designed and machined a mount for the hydroboost that corrects the pedal ratio and puts is around 3.5 - 4:1. This should make a big difference in pedal feel and modulation.

http://norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build/content/bin/images/large/IMG_1778.jpg

http://norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build/content/bin/images/large/IMG_1781.jpg

The back, where the large nut is threaded to hold the hydroboost to the adapter.

http://norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build/content/bin/images/large/IMG_1791.jpg

Mocked up with the hydroboost on the FFR chassis.

David

05-06-2012, 02:45 PM

http://norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build/content/bin/images/large/IMG_1787.jpg

http://norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build/content/bin/images/large/IMG_1786.jpg

A view from under the drivers footwell showing the alignment of the hydroboost with the wilwood pedal and the new pedal ratio.

http://norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build/content/bin/images/large/IMG_1789.jpg

Looking straight down from the top of the footbox. Alignment is great.

I still havent decided if I am going to machine a new pedal or modify the wilwood unit. A new pedal has been modeled up and nearly complete though, so that option shouldnt be too challenging to finish.

http://norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build/content/bin/images/large/IMG_1796.jpg

As mentioned before, the trans comes with a hydraulic clutch. It also has a different type of shifting mechanism as can be seen at the back of the trans. Ive been working on a solution so have a pretty decent idea on what is going to be done for that.

The trans mount is different as well, so I needed to design an adapter. I did this several months ago, but neglected to post on it.

http://norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build/content/bin/images/large/IMG_1795.jpg

http://norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build/content/bin/images/large/IMG_1794.jpg

It appears to be a simple bar, but there is significant clearancing on the top of the part to clear a large rib in the transmission case. I'll post pics once I pull the motor and trans.

I was able to use the stock trans mount provided by FFR and I didnt need to modify the V support under the chassis. The adapter I have pictured is my first prototype and is not bolted up in these pics. The adapter will bolt to the trans, and then the mount will be bolted to the adapter.

Let me know what you think.

David

Hankl

05-06-2012, 05:08 PM

Nice work David, glad to see you "Back At It".

Hank :cool:

Austria

07-25-2012, 11:54 PM

Hi Dave!
real nice work! especially changes on the frame stiffness. Did you do anything more to the safty and on the back?
I am stripping my MK3.1 that winter and would do such changes, but I can not develope these...

David

11-12-2012, 01:15 AM

Here's a long overdue update. :)

I recently learned that Whitby is now selling the AC system that I designed my Coyote and PS mounts for! I called Jeff up and ordered it. I had been worried in the back of my mind that the gentleman who was selling it before may stop selling it and I would not have a source for it. Now that Whitby is selling the kit, I feel much better about using it since the support will be there in the future.

http://norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build/content/bin/images/large/IMG_0001.jpg

http://norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build/content/bin/images/large/IMG_0002.jpg

http://norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build/content/bin/images/large/IMG_0010.jpg

Unpacking the box was a bit like an early Christmas. Everything was well packed and arrived in good shape.

http://norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build/content/bin/images/large/IMG_0006.jpg

I was pleasantly surprised to see that the hoses are not premade to length. I wanted my hoses to be routed cleanly and pre-made hoses would have been an issue, at least in my situation with a different motor.

You simply plan your routing, cut to length, press in the proper fittings and mark the fitting and the line for the proper angle. Once complete, take the lines to a local AC shop and have them crimped.

David

11-12-2012, 01:16 AM

http://norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build/content/bin/images/large/IMG_0007_1.jpg

http://norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build/content/bin/images/large/IMG_0008_1.jpg

http://norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build/content/bin/images/large/IMG_0009_1.jpg

http://norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build/content/bin/images/large/IMG_0012.jpg

Dan LePage came over a few weeks ago and we worked on mounting the evaporator. No issues with clearance. Actually it all fits really really well. Much better than I anticipated.

Despite all the stuff in the engine bay its fitting well and I think once in for good, it will all look like its meant to be.

David

11-12-2012, 01:17 AM

http://norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build/content/bin/images/large/IMG_0154.jpg

Here's an example of a couple tabs I machined today to finish mounting the ECU. The slot allowed me to bend it to the proper angle. After getting that correct, it was TIG welded it in place.

http://norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build/content/bin/images/large/IMG_0156.jpg

I finally decided where I am going to mount it. I was going to splice the harness and mount it under the passenger footbox, but decided to leave the it intact and mount it just in front of the passenger footbox on the .75" tube.

http://norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build/content/bin/images/large/IMG_0158.jpg

http://norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build/content/bin/images/large/IMG_0159.jpg

http://norcal-cobras.com/Mk4Build/content/bin/images/large/IMG_0164.jpg

This location keeps the harness way up high and out of site and allows for great routing along the top of the 2x2 dash tubing over to the drivers footbox.

Let me know what you think of it. I was talking to Jeff Collins from Whitby and he said he was interested in making them if there was an interest.

David

CraigS

11-13-2012, 08:15 AM

Dave, are you going to build some sort of insulating box for the ECU? Sitting right over the headers it will be hot especially in traffic. Since you are doing AC maybe a hose like Earl's footbox fresh air system feeding from the brake inlet would work.

David

11-14-2012, 04:27 PM

Craig, not sure at this point. Im going to have a friend of mine log some temp reading for me with his car to see what kind of temps we are talking. IF they are higher than what ford recommends, then I will created a shield or get some air flowing to them.

David

David

12-14-2012, 01:59 AM

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20121202xIMG_0223.jpg

Happy... loaded up ready to take the frame to the powder coaters. Frame was dropped off a almost 2 weeks ago, and I am picking it up tomorrow along with the aluminum panels!

After all this time, I will actually be able to bolt parts up for good! Ive had the Coyote in and out of the car at least 5 time. My hope is to get the car in a roller by the end of the weekend.

Goal before new years is rolling chassis, brakes with all aluminum mounted, engine in as well. Russ Thompson is coming up between Christmas and New Years and has offered a hand which I am really excited about. We work well together and get lots done.

David

David

12-17-2012, 01:52 AM

Had a very productive weekend on the car.

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20121216xIMG_0246.jpg

Frame looks freaking awesome…

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20121215xIMG_0228.jpg

Whitby Spherical bearings for the rear spindles. The Spherical bearing kit uses monoballs as the bushing which offer no resistance, but also have no deflection.

Friends Matt and Uwe took on the project of installing the bearings which originally had Urethane bushings installed, they were brand new. Ive never really been a fan of them as every set Ive seen installed seize up and really mess up the rear suspension making it way tighter than it should be. These were no different. Mine were brand new and never had been on a car. Despite this, it took a press to get the metal sleeve out of the bushing… and a fair amount of force at that. They had been lubricated as well. Not sure what the deal is with the rear knuckles and these bushings. The front FFR control arm bushings made urethane were nice and smooth.

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20121215xIMG_0229.jpg

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20121215xIMG_0230.jpg

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20121216xIMG_0232.jpg

Rear control arms and shocks installed with the Whitby Spherical bearings installed.

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20121216xIMG_0235.jpg

Rear camber adjusters.

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20121216xIMG_0244.jpg

Front suspension, spindles and shocks installed.

David

12-17-2012, 02:04 AM

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20121216xIMG_0253.jpg

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20121216xIMG_0254.jpg

Wilwood 6 Piston calipers and 2 piece rotors installed.

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20121216xIMG_0258.jpg

Damn those brakes look good! I purchased the Kit from my friend Jeff Collins at Whitby as I had some credit with him. Its the same Kit that FFR sells. Everything came well packed with good instrucitons. All the hardware comes packaged direct from Wilwood. Im pretty sure this is a FFR specific kit only. Absolutely no wheel clearance issues at all. I really didn't think I was going to go this route honestly... but couldn't help myself:D.

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20121216xIMG_0255.jpg

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20121216xIMG_0256.jpg

She’s on her wheels!

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20121216xIMG_0260.jpg

Needed to modify the pedal box to clear the steering shafts new location.

David

12-17-2012, 02:05 AM

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20121216xIMG_0266.jpg

Cut the clutch cable end off of the pedal box and made a new stop for the pivot shaft.

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20121216xIMG_0263.jpg

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20121216xIMG_0265.jpg

This is going to be the new location of the clutch slave.

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20121216xIMG_0261.jpg

Clutch pedal machined for clutch slave clevis I’ll end up making.

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20121216xIMG_0245.jpg

New routing of steering.

At least from my perspective, I/we got a great amount done. Really happy with the progress... and as my Friend Russ Thompson has said, this is the fun part of the build! Im really fired up about making progress on the project... woo hoo!

David

BULLITT428

12-19-2012, 12:02 PM

David:

I read your site here twice just to make sure I got everything your doing to your build. I'm so impressed with your workmanship and the time and skill your putting into your build.If I didn't live so far away I would love to come buy and look at the work you have done. I have got some great Ideas form you and what your doing hope you don't mind if I use some of the modes you have added to your chassis. Just wondering if I have any questions would you be Okay to answer back if I run into any problems. The first one I would like to ask is on your IRS, your upper control arm looks like it has been machined to adjust your camber? Where did you get these or where can I get a set or did you do this yourself. I would really be keen on knowing more on this. Keep up the work David I'm enjoying what your doing!

Ed.

David

12-31-2012, 10:03 PM

Pretty massive update from the last couple weeks. My goal between Christmas and New Years was to get a bunch done on the car. With the help of some good friends we logged approx. 60 man hours and were able to make it happen.

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20121225xIMG_0267.jpg

I wanted to get the car on its wheels with everything torqued and done. For the most part that was accomplished just before Christmas. I’ve never run safety wire before, so that was a new experience. Its pretty fun once getting the hang of it.

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20121231xthumb.jpg

Besides driving a piece of safety wire through the edge of my nail bed and out of the side of my thumb about an inch from the entry point… it went pretty well. Man that hurt like a mother.

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20121225xIMG_0269.jpg

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20121225xIMG_0270.jpg

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20121225xIMG_0271.jpg

Im running an 05 mustang GT trans in the car which has a hydraulic clutch, and since I decided to go back to the later model mustang pedal box I needed to convert it to work with the trans. I was able to work it out so that the clutch pedal drives the master cyl right off of the clutch pedal and get the same motion ratio of the wildwood pedals. As with everything with this build Im dealing with tight clearances.

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20121227xIMG_0275.jpg

This is the final version of the clutch clevis for the master I machined us. Im using bronze bushings and a SS shoulder bolt. Really pleased with how this turned out and how smooth the operation is.

David

12-31-2012, 10:04 PM

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20121227xIMG_0279.jpg

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20121227xIMG_0280.jpg

Getting ready to lay down the passenger area floors. Adhesive, then hand placing the rivets and going to town with the air riveter.

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20121227xIMG_0281.jpg

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20121227xIMG_0282.jpg

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20121227xIMG_0286.jpg

Most of the aluminum was drilled before having it powder coated. Even so, since there are so many intersecting panels, you need to dry fit them all and carefully mark them to make sure all panels will land where you want them. Once they are all fit, we went about drilling all the holes into the chassis. I didn’t do this previously to several areas to prevent getting sand in the tubes from the sand blaster.

I need to get some more pictures up, but Russ Thompson and I we were able to complete probably better than 90% of the alum panels!

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20121229xIMG_0298.jpg

This pic of Russ working on the rear aluminum shows how much we got done. Pretty much everything with the exception of a few in the back and some that I wanted to leave off the car to give better access to plumbing or installing.

David

12-31-2012, 10:04 PM

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20121229xIMG_0289.jpg

Aluminum protected for dropping in the engine.

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20121229xIMG_0288.jpg

Russ and I ready to drop the engine in the car, for what we thought would be the last time… More on that later.

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20121229xIMG_0290.jpg

Good friend Dan LePage and Russ guiding the Coyote in.
http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20121229xIMG_0294.jpg

I really dig the charcoal color panels, black frame and rivets along with the Coyote colors.

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20121229xIMG_0292.jpg

…Finally with the motor in the car it brings us close to the end of a very productive week… or so I thought.

If you look closely at the clearance between the passenger side of the engine and the footbox… you can see its crazy tight. I have approx. .375” between the valve cover and the footbox. On the drivers side, I had a bit more clearance, maybe .5”.

After sleeping on it, I just wasn’t happy with it. For whatever reason, it just didn’t seem that bad during mock up… butt seeing it all together, I was really concerned with the clearances, so decide to pull the engine again and see what we could do to make more room.

We drilled out and removed the top of the passenger footbox and determined we could get things closer to the 1.5” tube I installed previously. After lots of blue tape, a jig saw and flat files, we were able cut back the top of the footbox get between .375 and .5” additional clearance without screwing up the powder coating… not easy to do.

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20121231xclearance.jpg

A new cardboard template was made and transferred to aluminum and fitted. I’ll need to get that part powder coated and installed in the next week or so.

On the drivers side, I was able to use a button head screw through a frame member to get an additional .5” of clearance on the drivers side as well, so should be good to go. Hope to have the engine back in the car in the next couple weeks.

David

CraigS

01-01-2013, 06:31 PM

Erik W. Treves

01-01-2013, 09:16 PM

:D Lookin good!!

David

01-04-2013, 01:05 AM

I am just catching up on your thread and great progress. It's looking really good even w/ that monster of an engine. Back to the plastic bushings in the irs spindles. I am betting that the bores in the spindles are not parallel. Especially the two lower ones. Ford wouldn't worry since the rubber will accomodate it. But plastic bushings are usually machined so the od is parallel to the center bore and so they bind up when the suspension moves. Of course the sphericals accomodate it fine also.

Craig, yeah that could be part of it for sure. Part of it is they steel shafts seem to get frozen in the bushing as well, at least from the ones Ive seen. the ones in the spindles I have had even been run, and it tool significant pressure to get them out. Weird..

Eric, thanks man, appreciate it!

David

WIS89

01-04-2013, 10:46 AM

David-
You all made some serious progress, and that HUGE motor should move that car along at a pretty good clip!

I really like your work and attention to detail! After all it is the little things that make the big ones look their best. Keep up the good work, as I know you will.

Please keep us updated!! Really fantastic job!

Regards,

Steve

David

01-12-2013, 01:13 AM

Thanks Steve! I'll be making another update soon. Spent lost of time on the car in the last couple weeks and hope to get some time on the car this weekend.

David

The Stig

01-12-2013, 10:29 PM

Hi Dave,

The build looks great. Looks like you guys mave been able to make some real progress. This is going to be a sweet cobra.

Looking forward to the updates.

Take Care Buddy.

Mike

kgkeys

01-14-2013, 02:13 PM

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20121231xthumb.jpg

Besides driving a piece of safety wire through the edge of my nail bed and out of the side of my thumb about an inch from the entry point… it went pretty well. Man that hurt like a mother.

I feel your pain. I broke a 1/16" drill bit, a little over a year ago. My left hand was too close and it stabbed through the nail and out the tip of my thumb. I got lucky that it came out the tip and missed the bone!
http://zeys.zapto.org:8080/thumb.jpg

-Kyle

David

01-15-2013, 01:08 AM

Kyle.... damn..... ouch!

Thanks Mike :)

David

02-20-2013, 03:47 PM

We’ve put a huge amount of time in the car since the last update.

A significant amount of the wiring has been completed. I stripped back a fair amount of the Coyote and FFR harness to neaten things up, re-run several wires so the harness didn’t look like a birds nest when combining both and it turned out pretty nice. I still have to wire up a couple sensors, the starter O2 sensors once I figure out how Im going to deal with them etc.

On that note, has anyone spoken to Ford on the O2 sensor locations with long tube headers? I have the option of putting them in the collector, at about ~30 inches from the heads, or the single cylinders of 4 and 7. They appear to be 5 wire sensors. The location will impact the wiring for the sensors.

I pleasantly surprised how easy it was to wire the FFR harness to the Control Pack harness for the Coyote. Yesper at FFR did a really good job documenting it all for those interesting in going with this engine. That and the included harness with the complete kit and its really quite painless to wire the car. These kits have come a long way since my last build.

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20130120xIMG_0324.jpg

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20130218xIMG_0365.jpg

Didn’t want to put any holes in the firewall, to mount anything behind the dash so I designed and machined a bracket that would hold the relay and fuse box for the Coyote control pack. It turned out pretty good and is super sturdy.

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20130218xIMG_0366.jpg

There are several hot leads that that need to come together between the dash and the starter. Found this lug at Summit and mounted it behind the dash on the 2x2.

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20130106xIMG_0300.jpg

The alternator kit comes with a mounting bolt that is quite sloppy, so I cut a quick bronze bushing to take up the slack.

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20130119xIMG_0319.jpg

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20130119xIMG_0316.jpg

Wanted to try measuring bump steer with a laser to see if there was improvement after adding the rack extenders. It did make it better for sure. Before the extenders, the bump steer created an decent S shaped curve. After, there was a very slight arc. I measured the change at about 3-4 ft out, so the change was amplified quite a bit. I may try it again once the alignment is set.

David

02-20-2013, 03:48 PM

Couple weeks ago, a good friends Danny Fong and Matt Menning came up over a couple different days and we spent some time brainstorming how to run the fuel and brake lines and came up with a rough plan for the hard lines. Thanks for your help guys!

I took some vacation last week to get some good time in on the car. Matt came up for several days and we got a ton done. Thanks again Matt!

After roughing in the brake and fuel lines, I wasn’t happy with how it would look using the regular folding clips as I wanted to run the lines parallel and fairly close together. The only way to make that happen with regular fold over clips was to drill twice the holes.

I used billet pieces on the GTM that I purchased at a local hotrod shop. They are expensive, so decided to design and machine some up to better match was I wanted. I made ones for the 4 inch tubes, flats and an additional part for the 1.5 inch tubes I added. The final operation determines what type of mount they are for.

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20130217xIMG_0329.jpg

Drilling the holes for the brake lines.

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20130217xIMG_0326.jpg

Parts finished and ready to pull from the vice.

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20130217xIMG_0328.jpg

Thought I would throw up a pic of what I started with and give an idea the steps taken to machine them.

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20130218xIMG_0363.jpg

Close up of how the ones made for the 4 inch tubes. The holes were drilled and tapped 10-32 directly in the frame.

David

02-20-2013, 03:52 PM

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20130218xIMG_0332.jpg

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20130218xIMG_0335.jpg

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20130218xIMG_0336.jpg

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20130218xIMG_0340.jpg

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20130218xIMG_0341.jpg

A few more pics of the routing to the back. You may be asking why the two lines? I have ABS planned, just not going to install it right away. Will wire for it and account for line routing.

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20130218xIMG_0353.jpg

Routing to the front of the chassis.

David

02-20-2013, 03:52 PM

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20130218xIMG_0350.jpg

There was just enough room to mount the pressure regulator between the AC unit and one of the tubes that was added. I decided to run Aeroquip push lock hose amd AN fittings for all unions with the exception of the fuel filter. Lines are 3/8 line for both feed and return.

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20130119xIMG_0323.jpg

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20130218xIMG_0342.jpg

Fuel line and fittings for feed and return. Also filter location. The factory style elbows on the filter are about $5 each. Doing that with AN fittings would have cost ~$70-80. This is the only location I didn’t use AN fittings. Couldn’t justify the cost difference.

I still need to machine the hard fuel line mounts. They will look very similar to the brake line brackets I machined only larger. Need to order some material for these.

Once we got the lines all buttoned up and tightened, we poured a few gallons in the tank and energized the pump. NO LEAKS... woot! We also set the pressure to the prescribed 55 psi.

Also spend a lot of time on the dash layout. Im going with a modified 427 layout. My wheel will be 1 inch inboard, and approx. 1 inch higher than stock. I measured the wheel position of our Z06 and 911s and used that too rough in the wheel placement with respect to height. This means I have to move some gauges around and sill avoid the hoop.

Will do a quick mounting of the body to make sure I don’t have dash clearance issues before finalizing it. Im close though.

Pretty close to starting the car. Figuring a month out is possible working on weekends and maybe a few evenings.

That’s it for now, let me know your thoughts.

David

CraigS

02-20-2013, 05:50 PM

Pls tell me a little more about that laser used for bump steer check. Does the beam shoot out of the left end (as viewed in your pic)? I had thought of a laser w/ the beam aimed forward but thought that would not work as the wheel may move in and out during travel and that would affect the toe change reading.

289FIA_Cobra

02-20-2013, 11:20 PM

Dave, aside from the safety wire poke, I've enjoyed this build of yours. I sort of miss this part; many of us can't do the "if I could do this again..." like you're doing. Will keep dropping in from time to time to see how you're doing.

bwwooster

02-20-2013, 11:59 PM

That looks so good, it's no wonder Pierre Scerri is jealous.

Someday I Suppose

03-06-2013, 07:25 AM

David, car looks great, finally got a chance to read through the whole thread from home. Work must be blocking your photos dang them!! :-)

Look forward to that first start.

Scott

48prerunner

03-17-2013, 02:21 PM

Wow what a great build and documented so well with all the photos, thanks for taking the time to take the photos. The pics of the oil pan was so helpful for me with my coyote swap. Did anybody ever put your ac power steering bracket into production? I know there are options out there now but yours is one of the best looking I've seen.

The Stig

03-19-2013, 11:15 AM

Hi Dave,

It's good to see that you're digging in and getting it done. I've been trying to do the same with mine... I really feel that this is going to be the Factory Five benchmark Mk4 Roadster. Everything is so "over the top". You've really made sure that every component it perfect in execution: not that I'm surprised. I can't wait to see it finished up.

Gary Cheney and some of his Moto-X cross buddies are coming in to do some riding this weekend. You should pack a bag and head on out to Charlotte. There's plenty of room.

Take care,

Mike

CraigS

03-31-2013, 12:11 PM

David where are you?

David

06-13-2013, 03:45 AM

Craig, Mike... sorry for going silent.

Finally have some time for a long overdue build update. While work and personal commitments have been challenging, Ive had a decent amount of time to work on the car on handful of weekends. Most of my time has been spent working on getting the foot box, brakes and hydraulic clutch conversion sorted out.

As I have reported earlier, Ive been through several iterations on how I was going to implement a hydraulic master cylinder using the stock mustang pedal box. The last iteration involved a Wilwood master cylinder attached to the clutch pedal with a custom clevis. I finally decided that the clearances were too tight with the hydroboost installation and a possible future project of mounting dual master cylinders to the brakes. I was also a bit concerned with using a Wilwood master cylinder on a car that I may do some longer distance tours with. If I had a failure, there would be no way to get a quick replacement away from home.

The stock Mustang clutch master cylinder which also is a good match for the factory slave cylinder on the 2005+ Mustang GT transmission Im running seemed like the logical choice.

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20130527xIMG_0411.jpg

Before I was able to do anything, I needed to get the brake and clutch pedal to the right shape which would allow for my longer legs, and decent pedal placement. I measured the pedal height and distance of our Z06 and 911s and both were pretty close to each other with a pedal height of around ~7.5-8 inches to the center of the pedal pad. The stock length mustang pedals were around 6 inches from the floor in the FFR, a significant difference. I assumed that GM and Porsche put a bit of thought into the pedal height so just went with 8 inches. In order to get there, it was required to cut 2 inches out of stock pedals along with straightening them quite a bit for the needed leg room. Above is the final result. I still need to straighten the brake pedal pad, but that should be pretty easy. I also added a dog leg to the brake pedal which allows for more leg room and a better pushrod stroke/alignment. The pedal motion ratio was reduced as well which I hope is going to help improve the pedal feel with the hydroboost. We'll see how it works.

Now that the pedals are sorted, I was able to move forward with the clutch master mount design and work out the throws etc. Thanks to Clemson for the general blueprint and numbers to get this done! After a few iterations using thin sheet metal to sort out the pedal position and the correct stroke/alignment I drew up the parts in SW and machined the pieces.

The system is comprised of a master cylinder mount and an pushrod adapter plate that mounts to the clutch pedal.

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20130608xIMG_0418.jpg

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20130608xIMG_0422.jpg

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20130608xIMG_0426.jpg

This is the adapter that was made to give the correct motion ratio and reversing the throw for the clutch master cylinder.

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20130608xIMG_0434.jpg

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20130608xIMG_0437.jpg

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20130608xIMG_0440.jpg

The master cylinder mount will bolt to the top of the foot box. It took a bit of time to work on the angles and position. The last two images show the pedal and master stroke and resulting angles. I may re-design and machine a new master cylinder mount that spreads the load a bit wider on the pedal box. Shouldn't be much work, and would provide a bit of peace of mind. I'll post an update if I do.

David

06-13-2013, 03:53 AM

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20130525xIMG_0403.jpg

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20130525xIMG_0405.jpg

Once complete, I went about machining a hydroboost mount and spacer. Again, lots of work went into getting it so everything lined up correctly. In the end, Im happy with how it turned out.

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20130608xIMG_0428.jpg

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20130608xIMG_0431.jpg

A few images of the final product bolted up. I decided to go with a 4 bolt design that used the foot box mounting holes to mount the pedal box and the hydroboost vs the commonly available 2 bolt adapter design which means you would have 4 additional exposed fasteners required to mount the pedal box to the bulkhead. Doing it the way I did required that I use some small button heads to locate and hold the pedalbox in place while changing or servicing the hydroboost. Without them the pedals would fall once the adapter was removed with the booster.

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20130608xIMG_0441.jpg

I was also able to located a great solution for a upper radiator hose. Several folks had been using the new mustang GT hose, which required splicing in tubing etc to make it work. I ended up trying the new Coyote powered F150 upper hose and it worked out great. The only required change was to trim some off the radiator end.

We mounted up the body, so the gauge layout could be locked down. Since the steering was moved an inch in and up, the stock 427 layout would not work. In addition, this allowed me to align the gauges for full view without the steering wheel getting in the way. My good friend Glenn offered to cut a new dash on his waterjet and I should be getting that back any day now. Thanks Glenn!

Before removing the body, I thought it was a good idea to check the exhaust alignment.... good thing I did. Ugh... The side pipes were WAY to high Early in the build I made spacers to raise the motor to deal with some other clearance issue and just didn’t comprehend the other issues it would cause. This ended up being a bit of a mess which required raising the motor, pulling and machining the spacers to nearly half the original height.. It appears it should be ok now… we’ll see.

Next, will come sorting out the coolant expansion tank, cold air intake, final engine wiring and getting the O2 bungs installed in the sidepipes and I should be ready to start it.

David

David

07-25-2013, 11:26 PM

Wanted to put a quick post about what I came up with for a solution for the lower radiator hose and an expansion tank. I just got the parts from Summit today and Im super pumped about how they are both going to work out. Ive spent a bunch of time looking around for something I would be happy with so its great to find a solution.

First the lower radiator hose… I used a single radiator hose cut in two(part number pictured below) about $15 and a 1.5” mandrel bend for about $13. I did steel since I wasn’t sure if it would work so didn’t want to invest in stainless up front. Stainless is about $18-26 for the bend/strait. I can get the part number I used if anyone wants it.

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20130725xIMG_0444.jpg

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20130725xIMG_0446.jpg

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20130725xIMG_0447.jpg

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20130725xIMG_0449.jpg

The expansion tank I chose is by Moroso and for a 2011 and newer GT mustang. The good news is it has all the correct ports and is properly sized. That and I really like the way it looks. The welds are beautiful!

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20130725xIMG_0453.jpg

Let me know your thoughts…

David

CraigS

07-26-2013, 06:55 AM

Great find on that tank. It may be the viewing angle of the pic, but it looks like the angle of the bottom is an exact match for the chassis "X" brace. It could have been custom built for an FFR.

David

11-10-2013, 11:15 PM

I’ve made some good progress on the car over the last couple months. Cooling system is now complete and ready to fill.

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20130728xIMG_0465.jpg

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20130728xIMG_0463.jpg

The expansion tank mount is complete. I welded a steel bracket that bolts to the upper radiator mount tube, and designed and machined a mount out of aluminum that would support the entire tank and prevent any fatigue to it from the weight of the water.

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20130728xIMG_0471.jpg

Here it is bolted up.

It took some time to figure out how to route the heater hoses. I started with a plan to use the quick connect hose ends which I found difficult to source, then thought I would try 90 degree molded hoses with .625” and .750” hose ends. I was unable to find these that had the correct size ends and were long enough not to have additional splices.

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20130928-IMG_0602.jpg

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20130928-IMG_0603.jpg

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20130928-IMG_0605.jpg

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20130928-IMG_0613.jpg

In the end I decided to modify the existing heater fittings on the engine so they were both .625”. I modified fittings that were barbed on one side and pipe thread on the other by turning the threaded end down to fit the tube from the block.

David

11-10-2013, 11:16 PM

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20130928-IMG_0611.jpg

I used standard .625” heater hose with a .5” spring in the hose to keep it from collapsing from the bend. The bend doesn’t need to be very sharp so should work pretty well.

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20130922-IMG_0598.jpg

New home for the heater valve. There was just enough room for it to hide nicely under the engine cover.

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20130928-IMG_0616.jpg

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20130928-IMG_0620.jpg

Cooling system complete and ready to fill!

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20130728xIMG_0482.jpg

I’ve made a few variations of the hydraulic clutch setup to get the motion ratio, stroke and pedal height correct.

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20131106-IMG_0645.jpg

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20131106-IMG_0646.jpg

Final design including the reservoir. I need to change some of the hardware, but it’s completely bled and functional and has good pedal feel.

David

11-10-2013, 11:17 PM

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20131103-IMG_0641.jpg

I didn’t want to use the suggested MAF adapter as the diameter is not the same as the factory MAF of 3.5 inches. Making a MAF with the same diameter should reduce the chances a tune would be required. The mount was reverse engineered from the plastic intake that came with the crate motor and then machined. Mods like these are so time consuming…

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20131110-IMG_0647.jpg

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20131110-IMG_0650.jpg

Was a bit nervous about welding this up due to the thick adapter and thin tube and my lack of time behind the TIG torch. Ended up turning out decent considering. The tube had some sort of clear coat that needed to be removed and is the reason for the halo around the welded part.

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20131110-IMG_0654.jpg

Intake is now complete. Not sure if this is the final intake setup, but it’s good enough for now and will allow me to start the car.

The next stuff I need to do is mark and pull the headers to weld up the O2 bungs and extend the O2 wiring harness and re-install. I will probably have the pipes re-coated as well while they are off.

I have some wiring to tidy up and complete, but not too much. After that, prime and fill the engine and trans with oil, add coolant and start her up…

David

Presto51

11-11-2013, 07:46 AM

Man I really love reading David's thread, input. He shows such a high level of craftsmanship, ingenuity, makes my mouth water, and makes us lesser talented wannabes strive to a higher plane.

Now with that said.......Hey David you know the saying about first start ups......No video, it just didn't......:rolleyes:

David

12-01-2013, 08:45 PM

Spend this friday and saturday working towards the first start...

The previous weekend's time was spent on the exhaust locating and welding bungs in the headers for the wideband O2 sensors used by the Coyote. I also prepped and painted the flanges which were bare steel from the conversion mentioned previously.

Friday I installed the headers, and extended the wiring for the drivers side 02 sensor and working on various things like adding a ground wire between the engine and chassis and chassis to battery.

Saturday was a bit more of the same including mounting the alternator, making my pre-oiler out of oil pump and remote filter mount. I'll post some pictures later, but its a pretty trick little setup. I was a bit concerned with how much pressure a garden sprayer could product and figured that an actual oil pump with a 1/2 inch drill would be my best bet. With all the talk of ticking valve trains on these motors, I didn't want to take a chance.

It was great... my dad came over to hang out, and my good friend Dan LePage came over around 2 to assist getting things ready. A bit later, friends Uwe, Matt, Lisa, Karen came by as well.

The pressure was on....

http://youtu.be/Hql2H1jPu-U

I super pumped to reach this milestone... its been a long time coming. Overall, I'm very pleased with how clean the engine compartment has turned out.

David

wesmantoothAZ

12-01-2013, 09:25 PM

Really impressive. Congrats!

Presto51

12-02-2013, 07:23 AM

Nicely Done Mr. David :cool:. Thanks for the video, and the great craftsmenship. Of course have to ask........

When's the first drive/go-karting? :rolleyes:

Ron

David

12-23-2013, 04:36 PM

Firstly, just a huge thanks for all the positive comments. It really makes the effort worth while and I definately appreciate it. :)

Some folks have expressed and interest in what i did for my pre-oiler so here is a pic.

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/pre-oiler.JPG

Its a ford 302 oil pump, a spare remote oil filter mount and some misc hose and clamps. We drove it with a 1/2 corded drill. It seemed to work well and were able to see the oil flowing in the heads after pumping 6+ quarts through it. It emptied those jugs pretty fast...

David
Let me know if you have questions.

David

howling-cobra

12-28-2013, 12:36 PM

David,
excellent build you certainly have an eye for design and detail!. A quick question for you... I'm building a "stock" FFR roadster using the coyote motor as well and I'm at the point in the build that I need to order the fuel pump and fuel system parts. I'm looking at using an in tank pump and I'm pretty sure that I'm going with an Aeromotive Stealth 340, model 11142 and I was wondering what are you using on this build.

Keep up the excellent work!!! Looking forward to your next update.

Thanks!

Rich

David

12-30-2013, 01:46 AM

Rich, I just used a 255 Walbro in tank pump with 3/8 inch lines. Fairly quite, reliable and reasonably priced. :) Thanks for the comments, I really appreciate it!!

I'm due for an update. As well Russ Thompson was up today helping and built me a beautiful glove box!

Lots of progress as well on several fronts. Will post more later...

David

David

05-05-2014, 11:52 PM

Took last week off and spent quite a bit of time on the car and this is the result: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cuWALRovYLk&sns=em

I have a bunch to update on the build but this is a good summary of the result :D

David

CraigS

05-07-2014, 06:08 AM

Really glad to see this update. It has got to feel great to get the car out on the road. Congratulations.

Mark Dougherty

05-07-2014, 06:40 AM

thanks for the update Dave
I have loved this build since it started.
Later
Mark D

Mike N

05-07-2014, 07:26 AM

Love the sound of the Coyote motor. Congrats on the milestone.

David

05-07-2014, 06:24 PM

Hey thanks guys, really appreciate it!

I have a ton to update in the thread... just have been super busy with work... and well... working on the car :D

I'll get it done eventually.

David

David

09-14-2014, 11:14 PM

An update is a very long time coming. We have made some significant progress on the car thanks to my good friend Dan LePage coming up one to two weekday evenings a week.

IVe been traveling quite a bit for work so thats gotten in the way a bit but overall we are happy with the progress.

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20131229-IMG_0684.jpg

Came up with a design for the Lokar throttle pedal mount and machined it out.

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20131230-IMG_0689.jpg

Looks great and mounts to the FFR frame.

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20131230-IMG_0686.jpg

I was able to fabricate a little tab and fitting to use the FFR throttle pedal! Didnt have to spend another $75 on the lokar pedal.

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20131129-IMG_0679.jpg

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20131129-IMG_0680.jpg

I extended the O2 harness on the drivers side about 2ft in order to route the harness where I wanted it.(I didnt lengthen the O2 sensor wiring itself) Used crimps, then

soldered and shrink wrapped.

David

09-14-2014, 11:15 PM

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20140106-IMG_0693.jpg

Example how the O2 wires will route and O2 placement. The O2s are put in the tubes Ford says will give the most accurate reading #4 and #7 if I remember correctly.

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20140104-IMG_0690.jpg

Needed to figure out a way to make a shifter for the trans. Decided to mount to the trans itself as it would lessen the risk of missing a shift due to engine and trans

movement under acceleration. Designed up a bracket setup and machined and welded it up.

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20140104-IMG_0692.jpg

Cut the original linkage up and welded it to threaded section of a bolt. This is passed through a heim joint which acts as a pivot.

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20140106-20140106-IMG_0701.jpg

Here it is complete. It really works well, super stoked how it turned out.

David

09-14-2014, 11:15 PM

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20140106-20140106-IMG_0707.jpg

Finished up the brake plumbing.

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20140106-IMG_0697.jpg

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20140106-IMG_0698.jpg

This is where we put the heat and AC control. All the relays are mounted on top of the bracket and it acts as a dash support as well.

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20140315-20140315-IMG_0712.jpg

Machined and welded some brackets on the back of the dash so it will be easily removed, and there will be no exposed hardware. Spend a ton of time on the dash and wire mgmt

as well but will update on that more later.

David

09-14-2014, 11:18 PM

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20140427-20140427-IMG_0714.jpg

Machined some center section bushings for the diff out of delrin. Also machined a couple spacers to get the pinion angle right on.

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20140428-20140428-IMG_0718.jpg

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20140428-20140428-IMG_0720.jpg

Designed and machined a transmission mount that works with the FFR supplied rear mount.

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20140428-20140428-IMG_0719.jpg

Drive shaft installed.

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20140428-20140428-IMG_0722.jpg

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20140608-20140608-IMG_0740.jpg

Russ Thompson designed some ABS sensor brackets for the FFR spindles. He sent a pair up so that I could create it in solidworks so that he could have them machined. We

made a few small tweaks to the design and they turned out awesome! Plenty of adjustment.

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20140608-20140608-IMG_0738.jpg

Russ and I designed up new trunk aluminum to take advantage of the space over the trunk.

... thats it for now, still a ton more to post on though.

David

09-14-2014, 11:19 PM

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20140502-20140502-IMG_0725.jpg

I had read that the version of transmission Im running (2005-2010 Mustang GT) outputs a speed signal compatible with the Coyote PCM. Unfortunately, the the speed signal wires were not pinned out in the PCM connector.

What I did was disassemble the connector and pull pins specific to the AIM dash connection and move them to the appropriate connections for the speed sensors and route new wires. My hope is running it this way will eliminate the need for the speed dial and allow using the output from the PCM to drive the electronic speedo.

It was important to me that I was able to run 275 wide front tires and had purchased them before mounting the body, so was committed to making them work :)
Dan and I mounted up the body and saw that the edge of the tire stuck out about about .7" on each side.

I chose to re-drill the lower control arm inner pivots. This presented a challenging problem as the cars chassis was mostly complete and access was limited and the holes needed to be drilled precisely at both sides of the lower control arm mount tabs.

I put the car at the desired ride height of 3.5" and measure all the suspension pickup points and enter them into Susprog, a 3D suspension modelling program that Ive used for several years to get the roll center, camber curves etc where I like them.

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20140527-20140527-IMG_0727.jpg

Came up with was a 'jig' that referenced off of the two existing holes locating the new holes with a provision for bushings that allowed stepping up drill sizes to get to the .625" final dimension.(stepped through these drills 3/16, 3/8, 1/2, 5/8)

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20140527-20140527-IMG_0728.jpg

[img]http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20140601-20140601-IMG_0735.jpg

Here Ive stepped up to .the final size on the outer tab. What is not shown is a machined slug that fit tightly between the two tabs and was used to drill through to the other side using similar bushings.

I checked the control arms and the two arms were pretty concentric so used them to drill out to the final size. The whole process worked well...

Over the last few weekends and evenings I was able to finish up installing the power steering pump mount and pump. Also the associated plumbing for it and the hydroboost. Designed and machined up mounts for the AN braided hose for running across the top of the 4 inch tube and along the drives side chassis tubes.

They are similar to the mounts used for the fuel and brake lines. Will post pics once I get some.

http://static.summitracing.com/global/images/prod/large/mor-63490_w.jpg
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/mor-63490/overview/

Although a bit expensive, decided to go with the Moroso PS pump remote reservoir as it matched the expansion tank used for the cooling system. Will post images of the installation once it arrives and is installed. Toying with mounting it to the passenger side head or near the f-panel.

http://w.ivenue.com/static/ecommerce/153/153976/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/5e06319eda06f020e43594a9c230972d/k/i/kit_66302000.1pop.jpg

Although there was significant time spent on the PS pump and AC compressor mount, I came across a PS mount by KRC that is designed to mount an LS1 style Sagnaw pump(of their design) to the front of the Coyote with a custom waterpump pulley. The whole kit is pretty pricey but they will sell just the bracket and pulley at a reasonable price. I already had a pump off a C5 corvette that I purchased a new pulley for so wanted to see if that would work. When I called KRC didnt think the alignment would work.(it didnt out of the box) However, if you either make new spacers, or cut down the supplied ones approx .14" and pressed the stock pulley on just a few thou more, the pump lined up perfectly.

What I really like about this setup, is that it drives the pump much slower than running it off of the crank pulley which should reduce heat and HP loss.

David

09-14-2014, 11:20 PM

Quick update... long time with no posts, but work has been done on the car pretty regularly.

Over the last few weeks, Ive been getting the car ready to go to paint by mounting the body checking clearances and where we wanted to trim the alum ect to fine tune how the body sat. Had the body on and off a few times but we are finally there.

Today my great friend Dan LePage and awesome wife Mary helped me get the body on the final time before going to paint. After that, we hinged the trunk, and doors and honestly pretty happy about how it all fits for a pretty small investment in time. We still need to hinge the hood and Im debating whether or not to attach the hood, door and trunk latches etc.

The trip to Kens will be happening shortly!

Overall Im pretty stoked... Here are a few pics:

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20140914-IMG_0781.jpg

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20140914-IMG_0785.jpg

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20140914-IMG_0783.jpg

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20140914-IMG_0782.jpg

David

chrisarella

09-15-2014, 07:06 PM

David, hope you've been well.

After a long 2yr hiatus I am finally getting back to my own coyote build. I've loved watching your build these fast few years.

A few questions...

Any special considerations to run Hydroboost with the Wilwoods?
Do you think you need the ABS because of the additional stopping power of the Wilwoods or can I get away with not running ABS?
I was also looking for details for your ABS system and haven't seen any. How did you manage to get it set up with the IRS and Hydroboost?

The car looks and sounds fantastic. Congratulations!

The Stig

09-15-2014, 08:55 PM

Hi Dave,

I am really glad to see you here again. The work that you guys have done on this car is just Beautiful!

I love the way you have the body mounted to the chassis. It looks like you got the front 275's tucked in nicely. Did making that mod cause any interference with the tires & frame?

You set the standard for the GTM's, and it looks like you'll be doing so again for the Mk-IV.

I can't wait to see it when Ken gets it back to you.

Congrats! And take care Buddy! (Hi Mary!!)

Mike

rwantin

09-16-2014, 03:26 PM

I just read this in its entirety. I am simply blown away by the work, truly amazing (I practically cheered in the quiet of my den for the first start video).

Keep up the fantastic work, it has been a blast to follow.

-Robert

DaleG

09-16-2014, 08:22 PM

A few questions...

Any special considerations to run Hydroboost with the Wilwoods?
Do you think you need the ABS because of the additional stopping power of the Wilwoods or can I get away with not running ABS?
I was also looking for details for your ABS system and haven't seen any. How did you manage to get it set up with the IRS and Hydroboost?

Chris, until Dave chimes-in, here's a primer from Greg_M on ABS. I'd say most do not use it, but those who do like it; keeps you from locking-up on a "panic" stop: Whoops, file too big; PM e-mail address and I'll send some links.

Cheers, Dale

chrisarella

09-17-2014, 05:42 AM

Thanks Dale. Always a life-saver. Sending PM now :)

David

09-24-2014, 12:50 AM

Sorry for the delay guys, didnt realize my thread got posted in.

Thanks Mike!!! Really appreciate the words man... very much. Re the front tires, I will have a bit more limited lock to lock, but thats a compromise I was willing to make. I'll probably need to make some limiters for the rack when I start driving the car.

Robert, thanks! I really appreciate the comments, means allot and these types of posts makes it worth the effort to keep this thread up.

Chris, re wilwood and hydroboost... YES YES...IMHO you definitely need to be careful here. What I did was to make sure to use a HB from a mustang, not a heavier vehicle. I make sure to change the motion ratio of the pedal so that it was around 3:1 I think. Dont remember exactly but its pretty low. I also made sure to limit my pump pressure as low as I reasonably could to around 900-1000psi. You also want to investigate using the largest master you can. With this, my brakes still appear a bit touchy but havent actually driven the car on the open road yet.

Re ABS, my intention is to use a C5 ABS unit since the car is lighter, closer to the F/R balance and CG.(I have one from my GTM build). If that doesnt work, I will try to find a Porsche 993 or M3 ABS unit. I think they can be run stand alone but not certain.

One of the most important things to pay attn too is front rear brake balance.

I wanted PB, and wanted the challenge... but most say the wilwood setup doesnt need PB.

chrisarella

09-24-2014, 06:51 AM

Thanks David. Why not use one of the newer mustang ABS units? Is there a reason they're not up for consideration? I'd think the European parts would start becoming over-pricey.

Brendan

10-15-2014, 04:39 PM

If that doesnt work, I will try to find a Porsche 993 or M3 ABS unit. I think they can be run stand alone but not certain.

Been out of the FFR world for awhile, but thinking about getting back in at some point, and came across this. (Same username on ffcars...)

The Teves Mk60 out of certain E46 M3s can be used standalone - it is a full 4 channel unit and you can even get Motorsport versions with different programming (I have one in boxes intended for a race car project, but may hold onto it for a potential roadster). I can see if I can dig up extra details if you're interested.

chrisarella

10-15-2014, 04:43 PM

I ended up picking up a 98 Mustang Cobra ABS unit last week.

I found this page for technical reference: http://www.veryuseful.com/mustang/tech/brakes/abs98Diag.html

I'll let you know how it goes.

David

02-25-2015, 01:15 PM

Wow, time flys... I cant believe how long it has been since making my last post.

My sincere apologies for the long delay in updating my thread. The last 5 months have been a thrash at work, but have been making steady progress with the car. As a matter of fact, its at Ken Pike, Street Rod Painters right now!

All the body work has been complete, and its just had its 2nd coat of primer applied. Hoping to have the body back in a month or so which will hopefully give me enough time to complete the car.

We have been working on all the little detail stuff that takes a lot of time to work through with all the changes that are made to the car. Ive made a commitment to Ken to make Huntington Beach with the car... YIKES! Talk about a forcing function!

I will try to post some pictures here in a bit, but wanted to just check in an let folks know that Im still alive and progress is being made. :D

David

David

02-25-2015, 01:18 PM

Been out of the FFR world for awhile, but thinking about getting back in at some point, and came across this. (Same username on ffcars...)

The Teves Mk60 out of certain E46 M3s can be used standalone - it is a full 4 channel unit and you can even get Motorsport versions with different programming (I have one in boxes intended for a race car project, but may hold onto it for a potential roadster). I can see if I can dig up extra details if you're interested.

Brendan,

Yes, I would love to know more about this. The E46 controller may be a great option as well. The more we know about what can be wired stand alone, the better! I know its been a crazy long time since you posted, but if you ever come back, keep us updated on what you learn. My sincere apologies for the ridiculous delay in responding.

Brendan

02-26-2015, 08:25 AM

Brendan,

Yes, I would love to know more about this. The E46 controller may be a great option as well. The more we know about what can be wired stand alone, the better! I know its been a crazy long time since you posted, but if you ever come back, keep us updated on what you learn. My sincere apologies for the ridiculous delay in responding.

David - no worries on delay. I'd forgotten about this, but apparently I'd subscribed because I got the email notification to tell me to check in.

I'll pull together what I have, it's a collection of documentation, threads and links across a whole bunch of different bmw boards, so might be better suited to it's own thread. I need to do this anyways to get myself organized so I'm ready to get back this project at some point.

Brendan

David

02-27-2015, 01:22 AM

Cool... Yeah a new thread would be good I think. When you post it, let us know, or post a link in this thread. Thanks! David

CraigS

02-27-2015, 08:09 AM

David, would you mind sharing more info on your front suspension? I am curious to know why you lowered the LCA pickup points. I got a Performance Trends software this winter and have been playing around w/ it a bit. What are your preferences for RC height, instant center distance, camber gain per inch etc.

CHOTIS BILL

02-27-2015, 09:11 AM

THINK FAST by Neil Roberts covers his list of geometry parameters that produces the foundation of a
decent handling car. He found that this set of parameters seems to work well through the entire race
car size and spectrum and with either bias ply or radial tires. Some of the parameters are a bit
different for very high down force ground effect aero cars, but he didn't cover them.

GEOMETRY GOALS

Front and rear wishbone lengths as long as can be packaged

Front force based roll center height +/- .030 of ground plane and stable relative to the chassis within
0.01" through the full suspension stroke. The roll center crossing the ground plane is not a problem.

Rear force based roll center height including tire deflection adjustable between 1.1"and 2.6" above the
ground plane and stable relative to the chassis within 0.01" through the full suspension stroke.

Front static virtual swing arm length between 100" and 150".

Rear static virtual swing arm length between 80" and 120".

Front and rear bump steer within 0.1 deg of constant toe through the full suspension stroke.

Minimal anti-anything, minimum variation of the anti-whatever that there is through the full suspension
stroke.

Minimal rising of falling rate.

Front and rear motion ratios that use up all of the damper stroke through the design suspension stroke.

Front caster between 3 deg and 5 deg for bias ply tires or between 6 deg and 9 deg for radial tires.

Front kingpin offset between 1" and 2".

Front kingpin angle as close to zero as the brake rotor location and wheel offset will allow.

Front trail adjustable between -0.3" and + 0.3".

Constant anti-roll bar motion ratio through the full suspension stroke, front and rear.

Front Akermann somewhere around 100% based on the old zero slip angle definition.

Steering ratio between 8:1 and 12:1 depending on minimum turn radius.

The plane passing through the 3 rear outboard pivot points should also pass through the center of the
contact patch, or as close to it as the brake rotor location and wheel offset will allow.

Diff location that produces inboard and outboard tripod joint angles between 1 deg and 8 deg through
the full suspension stroke. CV joints are reasonable efficient up to about 12 deg.

Bill Lomenick

chrisarella

02-27-2015, 10:37 AM

Steering ratio between 8:1 and 12:1 depending on minimum turn radius.

That sounds scary at high speeds. Talk about white-knuckling it. :eek:

CraigS

03-03-2015, 07:35 AM

Bill, "force based RC" means what?

CHOTIS BILL

03-03-2015, 09:55 AM

Craig,

There are 2 ways to calculate roll centers. One is by drawing extended lines from the top and bottom suspension links and from their intersection draw one back to the tire contact patch. Where the lines from the left and right tire contact patch cross that is the roll center. The other way is "force based RC" which I would have to go back and check exactly how that is calculated because it has been a long time since I read about it and I never used it in any of my designs. The actual position of the roll center is close to being the same but is calculated from actual lines of force if I remember correctly. I am sure David could give you a correct explanation and I would hate to give you a wrong one. I would think if you Googled it there would be many accurate explanations.

Bill Lomenick

David

03-04-2015, 02:41 AM

Craig,

Just spent 30 minutes writing up a big long reply and fat fingered a key and lost it all. Ughh...

First, anything I say are just hunches based on a bunch of reading and experimentation. The car really needs nothing, and I only ran into limitations on the Mistress when bolting on 11 inch slicks when it was no longer a street car... As the car sits from FFR, I think they have it right for 99% of the owners(and maybe all of em) :D

I intend to run the car pretty low and lowering the car does things to the geometry which I wanted to change.. Also, I wanted experiment some based on many years of geeking out on this stuff.

Most importantly, the lower the roll center, the more bar and spring rate you need to keep the contact patch on the road which may not be good for a street car depending on the goals.

A higher roll center(say around ~4”) on the FFR gives a bit better camber curves and doesnt require big swaybars or high ride frequencies to make it work well. Close to a degree per inch of travel. A lower RC, in my case(around ~2”) will have less camber gain, maybe around .7 degree per inch.

I think ultimate grip may go to a lower roll center, but again you need several changes to control the chassis and you may never realize it without running VERY sticky tires. Thats just a hunch on my part honestly. BTW, you can go too low with your RC, (below ground).. this commonly happens when you lower a strut based car.

The higher the roll center, causes more geometric roll resistance which allows one to run lower roll resistance provided by the springs and bars. The closer your RC is to CG, the more resistance that comes from the geometry alone... another word for it is jacking.. Think of it like anti dive for brakes. Most Ive read says you want to limit most jacking on a lighter low CG car.

A higher CG and weight of a car, may call for a higher RC. Lower the RC the opposite may be the case. You definitely need some roll couple though(distance between CG and RC) for the suspension to work.

Another thing that you need to pay attn to, is RC migration both vertically and horizontally. Most of what Ive read calls for a more steady vertical migration and allows more horizontal movement if given a choice… also the IC’s length and movement… You change one and it changes another...oh bother…

Re forced based RC… I dont know much about it other than what Bill stated. Ive read about it for years but there is very little about it online. Mark Ortiz has a video called “Mind your Anti’s” which walks you though what this is and how to calculate it. I guess Ive been to cheap to spend $50 to learn the secrets. :D Mark has a great newsletter that you can subscribe too. Ive been reading them for the better part of 10 years. Very heady stuff.

I also understand that the way most software calculates RC is useful for a hack like me. I would like to learn about it, so if anyone runs into a good tutorial, please let me know. Here is some good late night reading for you on another forum. :) http://www.eng-tips.com/viewthread.cfm?qid=76824

CraigS

03-04-2015, 08:00 AM

Thanks for your thoughts David. About 3 months ago I came a cross a forum called LateralG and have been reading a lot there. In particular the stickys by Ron Sutton. He likes Performance Trends software so I got the RollCenter Plus version and have modeled my front and rear suspensions. Turns out mine is not as bad as I would have thought. Fox spindles w/ the SAI spindle adapter but not the SAI frame mount adapter. As is the RC is 2.1 and camber gain is .45*. Also realized the ride height has crept up to 4.25. If I lower it to 3.75 RC goes to 1.8 and camber gain to .6* so that is all I am going to do for now. I found that roll really kills static camber and increasing camber gain to combat that gives really short swing arms. Also the RC moves around a bunch under roll and dive. So I am going to limit roll by going from a 7/8 to a 1 inch front bar. I will look into the Ortiz newsletter and the link you provided. I will also order the book that Bill recommended. Thank you both for the info.

CraigS

03-05-2015, 05:18 PM

Wow, I found the Ortiz newsletter. It starts in year 2000 and has something like 568 pages. Saved it in my favorites but not sure about reading it. Maybe I can pick and choose from the Table of Contents.

David

03-11-2015, 12:48 AM

Way to long for an update on this build. I dont have much to post other than I have been working like mad on the car the last month. My entire weekends along with several days over the week have been spent working on the car.

Ive been doing a ton of little detail work that has taken crazy time for what seems like little stuff. To the point that someone who didnt know what I had been up to would think I hadnt worked on it much at all. So goes building a car.

The body has been at Ken Pikes(Kens Custom Autobody) up in Yuba City for about 4 weeks or so and should be in color next week. Ive made a change in the direction re the color but will hold off sharing till I can post pics of the finished product. :D

Ive had to pull the brakes and steering/ pedal box completely apart to add some alum panels not previously installed. They had to be drilled and clearanced to fit which took a significant amount of time.

Ive installed most of the AC and mounted the condenser on the radiator, and figured out the clearance issues with the compressor and line routing.

Ive also completed 90% of the sound and heat insulation in the drivers compartment, and starting working out the carpet install. Also figured out the seat track setup tonight.

Sorry no pics posted as of yet. I've literally been putting alll my time towards this, and keeping my job and marriage intact :D

David

The Stig

03-11-2015, 07:24 AM

Sorry no pics posted as of yet. I've literally been putting alll my time towards this, and keeping my job and marriage intact :D

David

Sound like smart choices to me! Can't wait to see your car when it's done! We hope to see you guys at HB!

Take Care,

Mike

David

03-16-2015, 12:38 AM

So much has been done before this picture, but after putting a couple hours every night and the entire weekend, here is a teaser shot.

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20150315-IMG_0811.jpg

Huge thanks to good friend Russ Thompson for coming up for the weekend and helping me get a ton done!

Will update with some of the details when I have some time. This look to be on track for HB... knock on wood!

David

David

03-21-2015, 11:28 AM

She's in color!

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/IMG950515.jpg

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/IMG953793.jpg

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/IMG957163.jpg

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/IMG959815.jpg

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/IMG_2735.jpg

Its Ford Deep Impact Blue... I love it! Its dark until it gets in the direct sun where it pops to a bright royal blue.

HUGE thanks to Ken Pike, Street Rod Painter at Kens Custom Autobody in Yuba City. If all goes well, I should make HB. We should be picking up the body next Wed.

Let me know what you think!

David

CraigS

03-21-2015, 05:21 PM

Excellent choice. We just picked up my wife's 2015 Mustang GT in that color last night. As we got down to the wire where we are debating colors vs what they have on hand and I was ready to push for a dealer exchange to get the ruby red. Wife looked at both (red on a 4 cylinder which was no way a consideration) and said she liked the deep impact blue better. Brought it home late last night. Funny aside. We slept in this AM. Wife got up first to feed the cats. I heard her cancel the alarm and then heard a chime indicating a door had been opened. I got up and asked her if she had gone out to the garage to look at her Mustang. She smiled a huge smile and said "YEP". You guys will LOVE that color.

smithbks

03-23-2015, 07:33 AM

Love the color. I've been searching for the right blue and this is now at the top of the list!

ATOLightning

03-23-2015, 08:24 AM

Love the color. I've been searching for the right blue and this is now at the top of the list!

DIB has been my choice for a while now. I'm still up in the air about the stripe color, though. I was always leaning towards Kona Blue, then Ford came out with Deep Impact, and my decision was made

David

03-23-2015, 02:24 PM

Great story Craig! I love it... Congrats on the new ride. That 15 GT looks like a pretty incredible car! smithbks and Michael, thanks... as said before, I was really nervous before seeing it. So far Im thrilled!

Despite only being able to work on it one day this weekend due to a family commitment, we got a lot done.

Good friend Dan Pellow came up and helped on Sunday and was able to nut and bolt the entire car and mark each fastener with few exceptions. He also fabricated a really nice lower radiator mount which will do a great job carrying the weight of the radiator.

I worked on wiring in new Molex connectors on the dash, connecting a 3 position switch that finally arrived and doing some fitting of the carpeting.

Trevor, another Coyote/MK4 owner stopped by as well, so it was great to get to meet him and hear about his build and he shared a few good tips as well that will be helpful with the Lokar DBW throttle.

Ken says he is on track for picking up the body this Thursday so super stoked about that!

David

David

03-28-2015, 01:39 AM

3-27-15

On Tues evening, Dan Lepage came up to assist getting some must-do’s complete before our Thursday appt to pick up the body. It was a night where things that should have taken a short time took hours. Just installing a couple heater/AC vent hoses took nearly 2 hours. What I figured I could get to, we simply couldnt, so had to pull a bunch of stuff out to access them and get them properly locked in with zip ties.

Wed night, Dan came up again with sealing up the drivers food box, installing some insulation, wiring, and several details that should be done before installing the body. Closing up the footbox, had to install the steering and some bearing set screws, etc. Also got all the AC lines put in place. Im missing a ton, but we didnt finish till about midnight before getting the go-cart on trailer and all the parts and hardware we needed to bring loaded up in the truck.

I cant thank Dan enought for his help. I simply could not have made it without his help... Also a big thanks to my sweetie Mary for coming out later in the evening and helping get stuff loaded up.

Man, what a day it was Thursday… Drove down to Dan’s house fairly early and picked him and Danny Fong up. We went out to breakfast and headed up to Ken Pikes to mate the freshly painted body with the chassis.

We arrived, and Ken’s team was just finishing up the final buff on the car. We worked on unloading the chassis and hardware and getting it ready to pop the body on.

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20150326-IMG_20150326_120426788.jpg

Minutes before lowering the body on the chassis.

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20150326-IMG_20150326_135802709.jpg

Ken installing the doors…

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20150326-IMG_20150326_135818751_HDR.jpg

Starting to take shape… oh gawd I am loving the color choice. It looks great in pictures but it doesnt compare to seeing it in person.

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20150326-IMG_20150326_180419490.jpg[//img]

Dan and Danny worked together installing the head lights and front marker lights along with the rear bumper. I wasnt sure if I would like the rear bumper, but now seeing it on the car, I LOVE the way they look.

Ken really knew how to adjust the rear trunk hinges. I left the trunk aluminum out thinking that I would have to get to the bolts to adjust the trunk. Didnt need to, Ken did it all from the top… Wish I would have asked him ahead of time. Would have been much easier installing the alum in the truck sans body.

We had some trouble getting the hood aligned with the FFR hinges. Turns out that the front ¾” tubes need to be tweaked as we couldnt get the hood to the drivers side as far as it needed. I will be pulling it over at home. Probably tomorrow.

It was a LONG day. Huge thanks to Ken for working with us the entire day.. Massive thanks to Dan and Danny for taking an entire day to hep me… Im so appreciative of the help.

After leaving Ken’s after 6pm, we went to a local restaurant, called the Happy Viking in Yuba City and had a great dinner. Very neat place…

We didnt get everything done that we wanted, but I think we are all happy with the progress we made.

Here are some more pics

[img]http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20150326-IMG_20150326_180459806_HDR.jpg

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20150326-IMG_20150326_181034325.jpg

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20150326-IMG_20150326_181051304.jpg

I cant say enough how freaking stoked I am about the way the car is coming to getting and the color is just insane looking on the car.. First Cobra that Ken has painted this color.

Ken mentioned that the paint will cure much faster if its left in the sun, so this morning I pulled the car out and left it in the sun all day..

This evening after work, I spent several hours cleaning the shop which looked like a bomb went off in it… :D and installed the side pipes as well…

Tomorrow and Sunday I plan to work on the car… Im committed to making it to HB…

Ray W.

03-28-2015, 11:18 PM

That is a beautiful color, and it's obvious that the body and paint work are first class. Wow!

David

03-30-2015, 01:35 AM

Saturday was a tough one. Tried to get the front hoop installed and hood aligned and found the front ¾ tubes were not centered on the chassis which meant I had to pull them with the body on… not fun.

After this was corrected I spent hours trying to get the hoop installed. We were able to get in installed but it was putting stress on the body that I didnt comprehend. After half a day getting to this point, we went to work on some other tasks and found that the stress from the front hoop installed threw off all the other gaps on the car. Dan and I tried to correct the gaps and could not.

Unbolted one side of the hoop which relieved the pressure… and what do you know, we were able to correct the gaps. Looks as though the only way we will be able to get the front hoop installed will be to cut the brackets off the hoop, narrowing them on the hoop about .25” total and re-welding.

Today, was much more productive. Spent the morning working on the trunk aluminum with Dan Lepage’s help. I was surprised we were able to get it installed with the body on. Once all cleco’d in place, my good friend Matt, who stopped by with his wife Lisa, took on the task of drilling and riveting it in place.(thanks guys!!)

Farhad and Trevor with his wife Lynn(sp?) stopped by to visit for a bit. It was great chatting with them and having them meet Dan, Matt, Lisa and my wife… :)

We got the scoop finished drilled and help in place with a few 8/32 SS button heads. the ⅝ “ length was not enough, so need to order some longer ones.

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20150329-IMG_20150329_135146873.jpg

… was a bit nervous doing this operation.

Farhad and I were trying to test fit the dash and after some work, we were able to move some stuff around and get it fitted.

Later in the afternoon, Matt and I worked on installing the windshield. I intended to use the FFR provided trim pieces, but got two of the same side parts. You cant flip them as they are stamped and one side is slightly rounded and the other side has sharp edges which would not have look good.

Ken gave me some cool trim pieces that we tried to use, but they held the windshield up to high, so we cut them to match the FFR pieces and cut some silicone gasket material to match. They ended up working really good.

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20150329-IMG_20150329_181439940.jpg

Here is the finished product next to one of the FFR pieces.

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20150329-IMG_20150329_193027083_HDR.jpg

… installed.

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20150329-IMG_20150329_192958656.jpg

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20150329-IMG_20150329_193016523_HDR.jpg

http://djborden.site.aplus.net/PhotoAlbumsPro/mk4build/20150329-IMG_20150329_193212336_HDR.jpg

Couple shots from the end of the day.

Just really happy today was productive and we made some good progress! I really like the way the car is taking shape. I cant thanks my friends enough for all the help. Just no possible way I would be able to make HB without their help!

David

03-30-2015, 01:52 AM

Thanks Ray.. Yeah Ken does great work!

edwardh80

03-30-2015, 08:54 AM

Wow! That looks amazing! You must be stoked, I can just imagine the excitement and anticipation of turning the last nut and then... being finished! Great job!

David

03-30-2015, 09:46 AM

Thanks Edward... Yeah, its pretty exciting! :D

The Stig

03-30-2015, 08:03 PM

Dude... The stance is incredible.

And it's just amazing to me that the Coyote really does fit in there. It looks like a beast trying to get out.

That color choice is dead on for this car. Ken really does some nice work.

Congrats Dave. I know you're stoked, and who in the world could blame you!

Mike

R Thomas

03-30-2015, 10:53 PM

Taking a look at your chassis mods I was wondering have you had the front wheels on with them and checked for interference?

howling-cobra

03-31-2015, 02:38 PM

David, that color is outstanding!! coyote looks right at home in the engine bay! Looking forward to see it a HB!

David

04-01-2015, 01:14 AM

Mike, thanks!! Yeah it fits.. barely :D.

See you soon

R Thomas. Oops, forget to check... He he ... Yeah I checked that very early on. Tires hit the F panels before anything else. (275's)

Howling... Thanks you... Look forward to meeting you in HB....

Another night til10pm on the car tonight. With help of my g9d friend Matt, we got all the front lights wired. I was able to figure out a socket to use and made some light boxes for my rectangular tail lights out of a highly polished stainless Russ gave me.... Will post pics soon.

David

David

04-14-2015, 01:31 AM

Passed a significant milestone today. Drove 12 miles round trip to get a brake and light inspection. $160 to check the lights and brakes work and adjust the headlights, about 40 minutes... at this point I was happy to pay it and move on.

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-N8BDEyB2yiY/VSvvNGz3WqI/AAAAAAAAJdg/-wkHWiPTLNo/w1418-h798-no/IMG_20150413_093033103.jpg

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-4HuAG01SuJs/VSv4dTBb45I/AAAAAAAAJiU/YwSIRlRxM-Y/w1437-h768-no/IMG_20150413_100848028.jpg

Home safe..

Another week of working in the shop till 10-11pm after work. My friend Dan Pellow came up from the bay area and we logged another 48 hours on the car over Sat and Sun. Friends Dan LePage and Uwe gave a good chunk of their weekend as well helping with various projects.

A short list of things we accomplished:

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-05PTuDkvFQw/VSno5NCMBDI/AAAAAAAAJig/0O48Q5EDgxE/w699-h797-no/IMG_20150411_203854400.jpg

Cut the front hoop apart and narrowed and clocked the mounting tabs on the hoop. It was a good 3/8" too wide for the mounting holes. No way to mount it as it was.

Ive done very little TIG welding of SS and havent been behind the torch for months. Overall Im happy enough with the outcome. I had to fill some 1/8 gaps or better in the back due to required rotation of the mounting tab. It turned out pretty good.

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/--mgJ0tULppY/VSrEJR18HtI/AAAAAAAAJb4/fYuy4751zp0/w1418-h798-no/IMG_20150412_121341882.jpg

We made up a lower rad hose support that mounts to the chassis

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-B1H8rinVqO8/VSrA9ccBWGI/AAAAAAAAJbc/d8IFx2DUznk/w449-h797-no/IMG_20150412_120014816.jpg

Friend Uwe created templates and made some panels to fill the gap between the body and the chassis in front of the rear wheel.

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-ZVmAGnAxK5Y/VSqUcsDi8CI/AAAAAAAAJa8/6_XNWMHte-s/w449-h797-no/IMG_20150412_085022143.jpg

Welded the rear leg support on the roll bar and it caused the bar to draw in about .25" Using a floor jack, we had to spread the bar well over an inch to account for spring back.

Had to re-fabricate the side pipe mounts... massive job. Took my friend Dan P the better part of the entire day to complete it.

Had to re-populate a few pins on the PCM. Not so easy with the body on :) Lower radiator mount was re-fitted and welded after tweaking a few things up front along with fitting the lower radiator aluminum. Mounted the drivers seat and lap belts. Fitted the rear elephant ears. Lowered the fuel tank to get access to one overrider bolt that was not accessible when we installed the body. Installed door panels and some dynamat behind them.

Again, cant thank my friends enough for all the help... Just no possible way I would be able to make this timeline without their assistance.

Tomorrow AM, I will be visiting the CHP for a VIN inspection, and a DMV appt to hopefully get a 30 day permit that I will be able to use to shake the car down further and get passed my BAR appt.

pcww

04-14-2015, 07:05 AM

David,
Wonderful build. Example of what's great about this hobby. Innovation. Love the color. May be leaning this way. BTW still waiting for "
Although a bit expensive, decided to go with the Moroso PS pump remote reservoir as it matched the expansion tank used for the cooling system. Will post images of the installation once it arrives and is installed. Toying with mounting it to the passenger side head or near the f-panel."
Please give us a pic of this mount. Looks like you either have to grind off the rear mounting tab on the reservoir or fab a bracket. Thanks. Henry

skullandbones

04-14-2015, 11:33 AM

Hi David,

Glad to hear you will be at HB. I didn't know you could put a car together that fast! It looks great.

Good luck finishing up the details.

WEK.

Brendan

04-29-2015, 11:42 AM

Cool... Yeah a new thread would be good I think. When you post it, let us know, or post a link in this thread. Thanks! David

Had a note sitting to do this for a while, but just posted the ABS thread in off-topic:

http://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showthread.php?17694-BMW-E46-M3-ABS-System

The Stig

04-29-2015, 02:01 PM

Hi Dave.

Still winning awards, I see! Your car is spectacular. I really hate that I wasn't able to be there.

Congrats on building another high-bar example for the rest of us to strive for!

Take care. Hope to see you guys before long.

Mike

rezell3d

04-29-2015, 02:58 PM

Wow! That's all I can say. Wow!

David

04-30-2015, 09:56 AM

The last 6 weeks has been a literal blur…but… WE MADE OUR GOAL!

It had been a huge thrash to get the car done in time for the HB event, but with a huge amount of help from Dan Lepage, Matt Menning, Dan Pellow and Ken Pike and team for turning on the afterburners to complete the gorgeous paint job, it would not have happened. I am sincerely thankful for all your help. These guys gave weekends and evenings for over a month...

Car looked like this just over a month ago

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-_GHeabqINTc/VQz0uiCqBXI/AAAAAAAAI-g/pdzkDEdvvBE/w865-h649-no/IMG953793.jpg

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-Icv1LPcMReg/VRRzx0VHnaI/AAAAAAAAKgo/ttQw3yNhDQ0/w1169-h649-no/IMG_20150326_135818751_HDR.jpg

Then like this about two - three weeks ago.

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/1bynuA6uPHd-DB7QkXMhK2fP3gjfx0oGmI5TTrwKAuU=w462-h649-no

Then this a week later. She sorta looks complete but there was a TON left to do including the full interior.

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-N8BDEyB2yiY/VSvvNGz3WqI/AAAAAAAAJdg/-wkHWiPTLNo/w1153-h649-no/IMG_20150413_093033103.jpg

Countless hours since were spent on several details covering wiring, interior tasks and several other things that needed attn such as the intake.

The MAF had to be brought closer to the TB and a PCV bung needed to be welded in after the MAF and before the TB per Ford Motorsports. Man I get nervous welding Alum in such a visible place. Turned out OK this time… Per Ford, not having this will throw the mixture way off.

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-PjQdDvL6T7Y/VTBkSw0JoAI/AAAAAAAAJpQ/DfSnWE3yEQ4/w365-h648-no/IMG_20150416_183903899.jpg

After moving the MAF and adding the PCV connection in front of the TB, the engine ran much cleaner.

1am the night before the leaving for HB, Matt and I decided to throw in the towel and felt we got the car close enough to make the trip.

After taking care of some work in the morning, Dan, Farhad and myself headed towards HB and on our way to pick up Dan Pellow at our meeting spot in Patterson CA.

Trying to decompress and hoping nothing goes wrong as we head to LA…

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-WGbBK_z0in4/VTln4P8Q5gI/AAAAAAAAKXc/Ys-Bjkv6Bj4/w1153-h649-no/IMG_20150423_144441181.jpg

David

04-30-2015, 09:59 AM

Ooops… spoke to soon…

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/--DwQCWKSxtE/VTmE49qWXYI/AAAAAAAAKXo/bBVEVfL8i1c/w1153-h649-no/IMG_20150423_164831927.jpg

Only had a couple issues on the road. Failed electrical component and the fuel pump died on a lonely strip of Hwy 156 about 2 hours out. We were able to troubleshoot and fix in about 30 minutes.

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/8Iy5oqh7k9YOXqN4yuS2AvFJvEyTLBBkbcByFYpuqbc=w613-h649-no

Made it out to the PCH we took in the sites and eventually stopped to stretch our legs and took in the view…

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-W09c9rjcFtc/VTrGPxHuTlI/AAAAAAAAKV8/SeXBjW3SnTg/w1153-h649-no/IMG_20150424_153950075.jpg

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-LIkuz32ff5Q/VTqS7pkyefI/AAAAAAAAKY0/5lI9RE38L9U/w1153-h649-no/IMG_20150424_115835232.jpg

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-66EBpQ0Vesc/VTqcxUFrzxI/AAAAAAAAKWs/nG_MwMsLTt8/w1153-h649-no/IMG_20150424_124149332.jpg

Good friend Dan taking on some driving duties

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-AL8wYZ6lKHE/VTrKaq7sP8I/AAAAAAAAKVk/v8n3loamPfw/w1153-h649-no/IMG_20150424_155604447.jpg

After getting to HB a bit late, we got some dinner at Fred’s and went back to the parking garage and removed the “Road Warrior” paint protection. We werent sure what to expect, but were super impressed how easy it came off. After removing, I had one TINY little nick after nearly 600 miles on the road road with fresh fresh paint… Im a believer…

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-JvU-S68ll54/VTshdJwb8JI/AAAAAAAAKVU/JM8MpEqQDdk/w1153-h649-no/IMG_20150424_215604035.jpg

David

04-30-2015, 09:59 AM

The morning of the show, we woke, positioned the cars and then had breakfast on Main Street downtown HB. What a perfect morning…

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-KPEqIV8T4d0/VTvEHovzvpI/AAAAAAAAKVM/GmqVXPfqym8/w1153-h649-no/IMG_20150425_094256590.jpg
Great friends Farhad(Embo), Dan LePage and Dan Pellow…

Here she is… in one piece and looking pretty good IMHO. :D
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-FGF_wgENZ4Y/VTvPTMd0FfI/AAAAAAAAKU4/qrXJ1ps-k_E/w1153-h649-no/IMG_20150425_102953762_HDR.jpg

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-mOaX8ePSa9E/VTvPw6LKRbI/AAAAAAAAKUo/rilFO0sXybw/w1153-h649-no/IMG_20150425_103240543_HDR.jpg

We were presented with the “Best Engine” trophy… It was a big big suprise but very much appreciated..

http://www.factoryfive.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/IMG_7706.jpg

Packed up early Sunday morning and made the over 10 hour 570 mile drive home up 101 and then 5 without an issue. We couldn’t have asked for better weather. It was just incredible…

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-NgUJe9H2DnY/VT0mDJVfXjI/AAAAAAAAKe0/14uOwdLD5pM/w1153-h649-no/IMG_20150426_105247021.jpg

David

CraigS

05-01-2015, 07:14 AM

Great report David. From what I have read your leaving early Sunday made you miss a downpour so that worked out great. Congrats on the car and the trophy!

The Stig

05-01-2015, 08:15 AM

OMG! Fresh built, 0 miles MkIV. Driven 570 miles to Huntington Beach, and 570 miles back home...? That's gutsy Dave.

That must have been A BLAST!!!!! Especially to be able make the trip down with friends!!!

Way to go Buddy! That's what these cars are all about.

Mike

David

05-03-2015, 06:14 PM

Thanks Craig and Mike!

Mike, I did have one earlier shake down ride about a week before when a group of us drove over the hill to Tahoe before the car was nearly complete. Good thing as I learned that the steering system needed some work!

... oh and we got caught in this :D

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-SvxRpzrgf0M/VTRUkOuMQbI/AAAAAAAAJs0/fhLhPJ-DSk8/w1677-h944-no/2015041995150940.jpg

Still need to clean the under side of the car.

David

05-06-2015, 11:33 PM

I had kept the wind wings from the FFR1046 and wanted to use them on the new build. After trying to mount them using the original method of using the windshield screws, it became apparent that it they would not work.

The new design with the pinch clamps looked great so decided to make a set for the car.

Heres a picture of the process and also of the finished part.

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-2CANF7exxPA/VUQju49fC_I/AAAAAAAAKjg/L6Xb9sPQ0RY/w1679-h945-no/IMG_20150501_180804798.jpg

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Whi9HClIxoU/VUbGMgMuyzI/AAAAAAAAKz0/agKHmzAinVc/w533-h945-no/IMG_20150503_190520040.jpg

On the drive home from HB, we started to hear a pretty loud rattling noise that got louder and more frequent with time. Figured that something had come loose. The other day when driving in the neighborhood I started trying to isolate it, and it appears that it is coming from the FFR stainless side pipes I bought with the kit. Both of them appear to have a rattle when tapping on them but will investigate furthure.

I did a search and see that there was a problem with the baffles coming loose them around the time that I purchased the kit and it appeared that FFR was good about replacing them so need to give them a call. Ugh...

David

Jeff Kleiner

05-07-2015, 05:28 AM

David,
RE: Sidepipe rattle. Yes, the loose baffle is a long standing problem in both the stainless as well as mild steel pipes however I have encountered another source of a rattling noise on two different cars with SS pipes. Both had cracked where the hanger tab is welded to the muffler section. Neither had torn completely loose but as the pipes moved the split creaked and rattled. The same has been known to occur with the mild steel pipes as well but I think the stainless is even more prone to it. With either type I ALWAYS recommend to install them with only one bolt rather than 2 at the pipe to hanger connection and to make it snug rather than clamping the hanger tight to the tab. By doing this the weight is supported but the pipes have more freedom of movement rotationally. With both bolts clamped tight it is not uncommon for the tab to fatigue from movement and tear out of the muffler.

Cheers,
Jeff