Please Graduate MKIV #7693

[bansheekev]

Please Graduate MKIV #7693

Three days from now it will be exactly 3 years since the Stewart truck dropped off my MKIV. I am truly amazed at what I have created with the help of Factory Five, a litany of forum vendors, the advice / guidance / helpfulness of this forum, and my incredible understanding suportive wife and kids. Special thanks to the local FFR guru SJDave who is my local go to guy and has been incredibly generous in time and effort helping me along the way.

Being a Mustang guy for 25 years I was looking to build a car from scratch but was struggling with the time and expense of doing a pro-touring style 67 fastback. With 4 kids ranging from 6-16 both budget wise and time wise it simply was not going to happen. Then one day my friend gave me a ride in his continuation Shelby CSX and it all fell into place from there. I was hooked on the Cobra concept in about 30 seconds. I still wanted to build it from scratch so I started researching replica makes, going to local events, and talking to local people and the FFR idea was born. Just as a side note, keep in mind 90% of this car was build between 8pm and 3am - job, family, kids schedules, volunteering, and taking care of 3 acres takes precendent for daylight hours around here. People ask where I found the time to build the car. My answer was that I didn't have the time, I made the time. My oldest son who is now 16 spent many a Friday / Saturday night with me in the garage which also makes the experience memorable for both of us.

My overall goal was a simple, clean, somewhat traditional understated look from the outside, and all modern everywhere else.

Here are the basics of my build:

Kit:

MKIV base kit w/ standard width IRS


Drivetrain:

Coyote 5.0L tuned by JMS
4:1:4 stainless headers by Stainless Headers in South Dakota
FFR stainless side pipes
KRC power steering setup for the Coyote
Billet steel flywheel / Centerforce dual friction clutch / QuickTime bellhousing
Forte hydraulic clutch setup
Tremec TKO600
Custom driveshaft by Denny's
Aluminum IRS case with Eaton Trutrac and Ford Racing 3.55 gears



Wheels / Brakes:

FFR standard width front lower control arms and spindles
FFR standard width IRS
FFR 17x9 and 17x10.5 Halibrand style wheels
Kuhmo 255/40 and 315/35 Ecsta XS tires
Wilwood 12.88 front and 12.2 rear brakes from FFR
Wilwood pedal box with remote bias adjuster



Interior/Exterior:

FFR leather low back seats with seat heaters
FFR classic style gauges from Speedhut with SC layout
Glovebox
FFR heater
Removeable tunnel cover with e-brake relocated
Lots of chrome and polished stainless
Hood louvers
Paint by DaBat - Jeff Miller in Lamborghini titanium and silver stripes



Thank you to Dave Smith and FFR for producing such a great product. It was a pleasure building it - now it is time to drive it. Its first day out was to Mike Hennesy's annual New Years Eve Day BBQ in Santa Clara, California. It gained a lot of attention and will be featured in an upcoming episode of his 'Car Guy Channel' (Home Page) - keep an eye out!

37281
37282
37283
37284
37285
37286
37287

Oh, and can't forget the selfie that my oldest son took with the GoPro he got for Christmas!

FFR #7693 Maiden Voyage (http://youtu.be/4Rc8uzQpoTA)

Kevin

[bansheekev]

Interior pictures...

37288
37289
37290
37291
37292

[rmiller64]

Nicely finished looks great Kevin. I'm a couple months into my build of 8442 which I'm leaning towards Silver. I'll be down in Morgan Hill on Business in Feb. would love to stop by and visit. Would like to see the youtube link but it's not working....

Congrats on the completion

[bansheekev]

And under the hood - sorry for the first two as the site kept erroring when they were oriented vertically for some reason.

37295
37296
37293
37294
37297
37298
37299

[bansheekev]

Nicely finished looks great Kevin. I'm a couple to my build of 8442 which I'm leaning towards Silver. I'll be down in Morgan Hill on Business in Feb. would love to stop by and visit. Would like to see the youtube link but it's not working....

Congrats on the completion

Try the YouTube link again.... Just fixed it. Opps - can you say fat finger!

Also, sent you a PM regarding coming to see the car when you are in town...

Kevin

[Al_C]

Kevin - Looks great! Sounds great! I loved the video. A perfect use for the "selfie stick"...

[2FAST4U]

Gorgeous! Absolutely gorgeous!

[68GT500MAN]

Great looking build! Bring it to HB later this year so that we can see it in person.
Doug

[bansheekev]

Great looking build! Bring it to HB later this year so that we can see it in person.
Doug

At this point, that is the plan unless family obligations prevent it. It's within a week of my birthday so I have that excuse going for me... :cool:

Kevin

[clancypm]

wow fantastic build

[bansheekev]

You wind this motor up and above 6000 rpm it changes from the healthy V8 sound to a Lamborghini style V10 screaming banshee. BTW - no this is not where my forum name comes from. That is for my twin cylinder 2 strike stage 3 Yamaha Banshee quad. Yet another very distinct sounding motor.

I'm still getting used to all the car alarms I set off in this car - it's entertaining...

Kevin

[ckrueger]

Nicely done!!!!

[rwantin]

Oh man, beautifully turned out, sounds glorious. Congrats on the build!

[beetlespin]

Outstanding build !!!!

[MeadTec]

Great job on this build! This is the exact setup my son and I will be starting soon. Do you have any recommendations for a first time builder? What was the most difficult part of the build?

[bansheekev]

Great job on this build! This is the exact setup my son and I will be starting soon. Do you have any recommendations for a first time builder? What was the most difficult part of the build?

Thank you for the compliments.

I guess my feedback would be on your mechanical and electrical comfort level. I have been around building Mustangs and 4x4's for 25 years as well as having an electrical engineering and software background. Nothing in this build was something that I hadn't done before. Just had to learn the FFR ins and outs from local FFR guys and the forums (I.e. What not to do). You can turnkey some things to a higher degree if you don't want to do it yourself. Tangible example is the clutch lever pivot ball height has caused multiple Coyote builders headaches where the engine had to come out of the car multiple times (sorry Dale, threw you under the bus). Some are frustrated by these setbacks and some are not phased by it - Dale is one who takes it as a challenge. You could source the drivetrain with known parts combinations and assembled by a professional. When it arrives drop it in. I was on the other end of the spectrum wanting to hand choose every part and build it all myself.

Other considerstion is budget. My build was fairly high end non-donor starting with a base kit and an IRS and choosing my own parts but absolutely no labor costs outside of paint. The same drivetrain in a 3 link complete kit and sticking fairly close to what's provided in the complete kit would be significantly less expensive.

I wouldnt say the most difficult but the most challenging part was wiring. What went where wasn't too bad but organizing it and keeping it neat and serviceable (like dash quick disconnect Molex plugs for the dash for instance) just took a lot of time. I think I spent 3-4 months on this part of the build. The fact that you look under the hood and you don't notice any wiring speaks for itself...

Just my $.02

Kevin

[thumper24]

Man... that is a beaut! Fantastic build, very sharp, very clean!

[Dave Howard]

Great Job Kevin. I have a very similar set up. Upgraded the Coyote with the BOSS 302 intake. I too found the wiring was the part I had to concentrate on the most. But, I followed the instructions from FFR. Used their suggested parts for the clutch and bellhousing. No issues. I see you installed the de-gas tank. The FFR instructions didnt call for one so I left it out. No issues. I find it makes the engine compartment that much less cluttered.

[NICK C]

Kevin where did you get the louvers? They look great and should help air flow in engine compartment. Excellent build. Nick

[DaleG]

(sorry Dale, threw you under the bus).
Kevin

No problem at all, a lesson I learned well; hope others don't have to go through that:cool:.

[WIS89]

Kevin-

Looks awesome! Engine bay is immaculate, and the paint is perfect. The coyote really looks great in these cars, although it sure is a tight squeeze.

Thanks for sharing your pics. Now, go enjoy your ride!

Regards,

Steve

[skullandbones]

Nicely done, Kevin, especially the engine bay!

Enjoy,

WEK.

[bansheekev]

Kevin where did you get the louvers? They look great and should help air flow in engine compartment. Excellent build. Nick

Louvers are from Shane at Vraptor Speedworks. They are CNC plasma cut from .080" aluminum and you form them yourself then add the stiffening rib down the middle. Da Bat did the hood openings, body work, and installation of them. He mounted them to the under side of the hood with 6 short #6 screws - picture below. He wound up powder coating them, roughing up the powder coat, then painting them the base body color.

3740237403

I went with them at first for function wanting to vent heat out from under the hood after hearing of some hood paint blistering from other local builders and due to the Coyote computer being in the engine compartment. They certainly seem to do their job with temps but they sure do look good too.

Kevin

[bansheekev]

Great Job Kevin. I have a very similar set up. Upgraded the Coyote with the BOSS 302 intake. I too found the wiring was the part I had to concentrate on the most. But, I followed the instructions from FFR. Used their suggested parts for the clutch and bellhousing. No issues. I see you installed the de-gas tank. The FFR instructions didnt call for one so I left it out. No issues. I find it makes the engine compartment that much less cluttered.

I went the route of doing the cooling system exactly the same as a new Mustang. Personal preference as different approaches seem to work fine with no issues. When I bought the parts an aluminum tank wasn't yet available for the 2011+ Coyote so I used the factory plastic one. Eventually I will swap it out for an aluminum one - have to leave something for later right?. Got the callback yesterday and my CHP appointment is on Monday. More progress.

I have had a lot of Mustangs from old to new with the last one a blown Saleen convertible and the fun factor on this car is in another league completely.

BTW - I like the Boss intake... Very cool.

Kevin

[bansheekev]

BTW - anyone considering power steering for the Coyote should look at the KRC setup for the Coyote. It runs off the water pump with proper pulley ratios (4.25" water pump side and 6" pump side) so it is under-driven accounting for the high revving Coyote. You don't want to rev a cast iron power steering pump to 7000+ RPM unless you shell out a ton of money for an aluminum one designed for racing. They have different flow rate fittings built into to the o-ring output AN fitting on the pump to adjust boost. I went with their smallest / lowest flow rate one and I like it. Easy at low speed and good road feel and feedback when you are up to speed. Only challenge is that the inlet to the pump is high on the motor and gravity fed so reservoir placement options are limited. Mine is behind the radiator next to the coolant tank. Clears the hood by 1/2" and the 90 degree AN fitting is about 1/2" above the pump inlet.

37407

Kevin

[bansheekev]

The coyote really looks great in these cars, although it sure is a tight squeeze.

Regards,

Steve

Installing the stage 8 locking header bolts and standoff heat shield between the gas pedal footbox mod I did the header was epic. Luckily it was done late a night when kids were sleeping - certainly not G rated entertainment. Maybe I should have recruited one my 7 year old twin daughters to help...

Kevin

[jerry5544]

Nicely Done!! Beautiful car!

[chrisarella]

Congratulations!! I'm happy to see you finally got it on the road. Enjoy the ride as often as possible :D

[bansheekev]

200 miles so far - no issues other than me having to show restraint. Drove it to the CHP office today to get my VIN number assigned. Easy - next stop is the smog referee at the BAR.

Oh, and my 16 year old son says I have to pick him up at school in it this Friday. He put a lot of Friday and Saturday nights in with me so who am I to say no? This should be interesting...

Kevin




Congratulations!! I'm happy to see you finally got it on the road. Enjoy the ride as often as possible :D

[Jacob McCrea]

"Just as a side note, keep in mind 90% of this car was build between 8pm and 3am - job, family, kids schedules, volunteering, and taking care of 3 acres takes precendent for daylight hours around here."

I'm not sure which is more impressive ... the car itself or competing it in a timely manner while managing a full plate of adult responsibilities. Regardless, congratulations on completing an excellent build!

[bansheekev]

"Just as a side note, keep in mind 90% of this car was build between 8pm and 3am - job, family, kids schedules, volunteering, and taking care of 3 acres takes precendent for daylight hours around here."

I'm not sure which is more impressive ... the car itself or competing it in a timely manner while managing a full plate of adult responsibilities. Regardless, congratulations on completing an excellent build!

Thanks for that. In reality it served as my escape from all that stuff. Some people pay a therapist, I built a car. I also learned to plan ahead. I work at home a lot so what I would do is spend my lunch staging parts, materials, and tools when I was going to be working on it that night. That way no setup time - get straight to it. It's amazing how much that process helped in efficiency.

It also helped that I have been a Mustang freak since I was a teenager. I sold my supercharged Saleen Speedster to start this car. It had been the longest period of time since I graduated from college without a muscle car. Being without was a great motivator!

Kevin

[soaringDude]

Absolutely beautiful build... Amazing job.

[Jester]

WOW - Very Nice!! - Great attention to detail and care in your build. Good to see another Coyote on the road and complete. The Coyote is a great choice for these cars (over 5k mi on mine with absolutely no issues). Color is one of the most difficult things for these builds - I was originally going to go with a silver combo similar to your choice (wanted polished aluminum look) however I finally went with a Ferrari blue (has some pearl) and white (a throwback color that is a twist to the original colors). Your color combo is outstanding! (quite modern color choice).

My Coyote build uses the Moser 3 link - the car tracks fantastic (build came in at around ~$65-75k labor not included).

Can you provide some details - as follows:

------ Dash layout looks great - what glove box did you use?

------ What did you used for the engine bay hood-body rubber seal and how it is fastened? It looks great and functional (like factory) and is much better than the supplied FFR grommets.

------ Power steering set-up - the parts, pump & details? Did you use a Heidts valve? I am considering changing to PS (at some point). I have a new AGR rack but need the pump and lines etc and plan to use a Heidts valve to regulate the pressure & sensitivity.

Thanks for posting - great work!

[j.miller]

It's a hoax,,,,a sham,,,,a true misdirection......This car is nowhere near as good as it looks in the pics.............IT'S BETTER, CLEANER, TIGHTER. A lot of very well built cars come through my shop....THIS ONE IS A "BENCHMARK" Kevin did a most awesome job!...da Bat

[bansheekev]

Thank you everyone for the continuing compliments - I sometimes sit back an amazed at my own creation. I cannot emphasize enough what having an overall build plan, taking your time, and always thinking 3 steps head means when building these cars. Its something that $ cannot compensate for. I appear to have that 'gift' to visualize it. The forums are incredible as well... I have been into Mustangs for 25 years and have never run into people as helpful and willing to go out of their way for you. I also met some very talented and helpful FFR owners near my home all of which would drop everything to come help or make something for you with their cool tools that I don't have.

Jester, here is some of the info you were looking for...

Glove box - I used one from Alex's Custom Cobra Interiors (http://acroadsterinteriors.com). Since I have the FFR heater installed without a firewall modification I used the shallowest one he offers. It doesn't have any hinges but rather two 'pins' that locate the bottom with the lock at the top. You unlock it and basically remove the entire door to gain access. There is only about 3/4" of usable depth inside the glove box. The kit came with a roll of vinyl to match the glove box door which I used to cover the dash. I ordered an extra roll of the vinyl to use for the transmission tunnel, shifter boot, and ebrake boot. I simply wanted something to keep the paperwork for the car, a garage door opener (a very small keychain size one), and maybe my cell phone so it works for me.

Hood rubber seal - This is a product I picked up from Mike Everson at Replicaparts (http://www.replicaparts.com/weather%20stripping%20page.htm). It is an adhesive backed D shaped seal. You are right, it gives the opening a finished look. It is small things like this that give the car an overall production car type complete car look.

Power steering - I used the setup from the guys at KRC Power Steering - see pictures here (Coyote KRC Aluminum Pump PS (http://www.krcpower.com/ecommerce/complete-ford-boss-302-coyote-block-mounted-power-steering-pump-and-pulley-kit.asp)). This one is expensive (~$1000 but I believe its the aluminum pump model) but it has pictures the part number I used with the cast iron pump is here - with no pictures (Coyote KRC Cast Iron Pump PS (http://www.krcpower.com/ecommerce/complete-ford-boss-302-coyote-block-mounted-cast-iron-p-s-pump-and-pulley-kit.asp)). See post #25 in this thread for a write-up of my impressions of the setup. The pump itself is a KRC 100% in-house design - they are not using modified Ford or GM OEM pumps. Short answer is that I like it but I did not add a heidts valve which means that it isn't adjustable but I am not planning much track time so I don't much care.

Hope this helps!


WOW - Very Nice!! - Great attention to detail and care in your build. Good to see another Coyote on the road and complete. The Coyote is a great choice for these cars (over 5k mi on mine with absolutely no issues). Color is one of the most difficult things for these builds - I was originally going to go with a silver combo similar to your choice (wanted polished aluminum look) however I finally went with a Ferrari blue (has some pearl) and white (a throwback color that is a twist to the original colors). Your color combo is outstanding! (quite modern color choice).

My Coyote build uses the Moser 3 link - the car tracks fantastic (build came in at around ~$65-75k labor not included).

Can you provide some details - as follows:

------ Dash layout looks great - what glove box did you use?

------ What did you used for the engine bay hood-body rubber seal and how it is fastened? It looks great and functional (like factory) and is much better than the supplied FFR grommets.

------ Power steering set-up - the parts, pump & details? Did you use a Heidts valve? I am considering changing to PS (at some point). I have a new AGR rack but need the pump and lines etc and plan to use a Heidts valve to regulate the pressure & sensitivity.

Thanks for posting - great work!

[bansheekev]

It's a hoax,,,,a sham,,,,a true misdirection......This car is nowhere near as good as it looks in the pics.............IT'S BETTER, CLEANER, TIGHTER. A lot of very well built cars come through my shop....THIS ONE IS A "BENCHMARK" Kevin did a most awesome job!...da Bat

Thanks Jeff, coming from you that means a lot on this end... Benchmark may be a little over the top (have you ever seen GarageFriek's car?) - but I'll take the compliment. You did a spectacular job on the paint - its flawless and I'm getting inquiries from several of my muscle car buddies about you. Not to mention at least 15 inquiries about the louvers... At least they are not GT500 louvers right?

Now if the DMV would only get in gear and get me my SB100 info so I can finish the registration and get a license plate I'd be happy...

Kevin

[Jester]

Thanks for thin info.

I have posted a pic of my engine bay (FFR supplied grommets used for hood spacers)38531. I will order the D shape seal from Mike.

I see that you opted not to install the defroster vents or wipers - looks clean. I guess no need where you are - as the song says it never rains in California.

Thx

[bansheekev]

Jester, take a look here for more pictures...

https://myffr7693.shutterfly.com

Kevin

[Jester]

Thx - Those Louvers are killer - I will keep these in mind for my next build

Fantastic!


Jester, take a look here for more pictures...

https://myffr7693.shutterfly.com

Kevin

[Kpt112]

Hello Kevin,

My name is Kevin as well and I am really new here to the forum site. First of all your car is spectacular! I hope my car turns out 1/2 as well as yours did. I did have a question regarding the gear shift location. On most cars I see this long shifter with the point where it enters the gear box behind the drivers knee. How did you get your shifter up further? I am guessing it is a factor from the transmission you purchased and where the motor is mounted. I would like mine to be closer to the drivers knee rather than back further. I plan on using a Tremec HD T-5 transmission which seems to be a really popular trans. Any guidance you can provide would be much appreciated.


Thanks
Kevin

See an example below.


38542

[bansheekev]

Hello Kevin,

My name is Kevin as well and I am really new here to the forum site. First of all your car is spectacular! I hope my car turns out 1/2 as well as yours did. I did have a question regarding the gear shift location. On most cars I see this long shifter with the point where it enters the gear box behind the drivers knee. How did you get your shifter up further? I am guessing it is a factor from the transmission you purchased and where the motor is mounted. I would like mine to be closer to the drivers knee rather than back further. I plan on using a Tremec HD T-5 transmission which seems to be a really popular trans. Any guidance you can provide would be much appreciated.


Thanks
Kevin

See an example below.


38542

I am using a TKO-600 and got a little creative with the provided shifter instead of removing it and replacing it with a mid-shifter. The mid-shifters are expensive and move the stick forward about 6-7 inches. The stock TKO-600 shifter can be reversed (see picture below) which moves the shifter forward about 2 3/4". I then bought a shift stick from Forte's for a 1999-2004 Mustang GT which is a 5" tall 2 1/2" dogleg shifter. On a Mustang the dogleg moves the shift ball toward the driver - I reversed it to move it away from the driver. After a mock-up I wanted to move the shifter forward about one more inch. I had a friend of mine machine a billet aluminum bracket to move the stick forward that one last inch to make it perfect. It turns out that the Coyote is also about 1" further forward in the chassis than 302 or 351 based engines so you put all them together and you get a mid-shifter without buying and installing a mid-shifter.

38543
38545
38544
38546

If you are going to use a T5Z, you may not have the ability to do this and may have to go to a mid-shifter for a T5Z to move the shift point toward the front of the car.

Kevin

[soaringDude]

This is a great idea Kevin. Thanks! I think this is the first time I read a thread that didn't cost money but saved a few bucks :)

I was going to order a TKO600 with mid-shifter but looking at your picture, I think this is a perfect solution.


I am using a TKO-600 and got a little creative with the provided shifter instead of removing it and replacing it with a mid-shifter. The mid-shifters are expensive and move the stick forward about 6-7 inches. The stock TKO-600 shifter can be reversed (see picture below) which moves the shifter forward about 2 3/4". I then bought a shift stick from Forte's for a 1999-2004 Mustang GT which is a 5" tall 2 1/2" dogleg shifter. On a Mustang the dogleg moves the shift ball toward the driver - I reversed it to move it away from the driver. After a mock-up I wanted to move the shifter forward about one more inch. I had a friend of mine machine a billet aluminum bracket to move the stick forward that one last inch to make it perfect. It turns out that the Coyote is also about 1" further forward in the chassis than 302 or 351 based engines so you put all them together and you get a mid-shifter without buying and installing a mid-shifter.

38543
38545
38544
38546

If you are going to use a T5Z, you may not have the ability to do this and may have to go to a mid-shifter for a T5Z to move the shift point toward the front of the car.

Kevin

[bansheekev]

This is a great idea Kevin. Thanks! I think this is the first time I read a thread that didn't cost money but saved a few bucks :)

I was going to order a TKO600 with mid-shifter but looking at your picture, I think this is a perfect solution.

Hot rodding at its best... Mix and match parts to find creative solutions without breaking the bank.

Kevin

[JNC]

Fabulous looking build! I'm really starting to regret my sbf engine choice after seeing your Coyote...:(

[Kpt112]

Hello Kevin,

My name is Kevin as well and I am really new here to the forum site. First of all your car is spectacular! I hope my car turns out 1/2 as well as yours did. I did have a question regarding the gear shift location. On most cars I see this long shifter with the point where it enters the gear box behind the drivers knee. How did you get your shifter up further? I am guessing it is a factor from the transmission you purchased and where the motor is mounted. I would like mine to be closer to the drivers knee rather than back further. I plan on using a Tremec HD T-5 transmission which seems to be a really popular trans. Any guidance you can provide would be much appreciated.


Thanks
Kevin

See an example below.


38542



Thanks for the advice, just ordered my kit today! Can't wait.

[FormulaGod]

What a fantastic thread. What a fantastic job. I can only dream that my build will come close to this. Bravo, my friend.

[bansheekev]

What a fantastic thread. What a fantastic job. I can only dream that my build will come close to this. Bravo, my friend.

Uhhh, 518rwhp Marauder? That sounds interesting...

[geebang]

Hi Kev, can you pls advise how you installed your fuel pump and fuel sender removeable panels. Realise you probably used rivnuts, but did you just cut out the carpet slightly smaller and use the carpet edge to provide the seal through the trunk floor, or is there something else? I'm doing my trunk carpet now and like the way you did this.

[bansheekev]

Hi Kev, can you pls advise how you installed your fuel pump and fuel sender removeable panels. Realise you probably used rivnuts, but did you just cut out the carpet slightly smaller and use the carpet edge to provide the seal through the trunk floor, or is there something else? I'm doing my trunk carpet now and like the way you did this.

Exactly as you describe. Rivnuts in the floor aluminum and sandwich the carpet between the trunk aluminum and access cover. I trimmed the carpet with small 'V' cuts about the rivnuts.

Kevin