New Type 65 Owner in South FL.

[aarivers]

Hey Guys,

I'm the new owner of the FFR Type 65 that used to belong to a fellow in SC, I picked it up from him after he had a slight meeting with the pit wall at Roebling Road.

It'll take a bit of work to get back together but nothing that can't be done her at the One Guy Garage (just me in my garage).

I don't have a huge budget set aside for the rebuild so I'll be keeping costs to a minimum wherever possible. I have the estimate the former owner got for just the damage repairs and it's a little over 8 grand for just the FFR supplied parts. I hope to keep it closer to 6, with about 2k for the drive train. But as things usually go over budget, who knows where it'll end up.

I'm going tomorrow to pick up the donor vehicle which will supply the engine/trans and other odds and ends i may need in the rebuild.

I'll start a rebuild thread in a little bit. I'm still getting power setup in my new garage and once I have that I'll be able to get started.

Here's the car after I unloaded it today.

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-w-8UhA4yQEM/VR3wul9FxdI/AAAAAAAAQsM/5EEq4aq49sI/s1024/_DSC0230.JPG

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-eL7XpQcD_Dw/VR3wuIOyTLI/AAAAAAAAQsI/Ue4o1oSuLCw/s1024/_DSC0231.JPG

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-f0bVTSjJK_4/VR3wtzjYV8I/AAAAAAAAQsA/7yAR2lPntdk/s1024/_DSC0232.JPG

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-wDAxmerAXdk/VR3wyOnPuNI/AAAAAAAAQsU/uJrXK6m_G38/s1024/_DSC0233.JPG

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-UehHL_NBiw4/VR3wzfVW7wI/AAAAAAAAQsc/3ZCd85Ski5g/s1024/_DSC0234.JPG

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-aymbehZQ0JA/VR3w0HGX0bI/AAAAAAAAQsk/ySucdjNuptU/s1024/_DSC0235.JPG

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/--Dwu2dE-fkk/VR3w1z-tLUI/AAAAAAAAQss/YnMIYbHleR0/s1024/_DSC0238.JPG

[aarivers]

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-tfJhFp0VTss/VR3w5YA5npI/AAAAAAAAQs8/rxyy9iPE0Hw/s1024/_DSC0242.JPG

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-PI5tSwhvDYY/VR3w7g70WuI/AAAAAAAAQtE/X-9LhOACHGk/s1024/_DSC0243.JPG

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-mOxVLm2sYak/VR3w9SjxHEI/AAAAAAAAQtU/5W5rdpAMkIc/s1024/_DSC0245.JPG

[Garry Bopp]

Wow,

You've taken on a challenge. It will be great to see this coupe resurrected. Please post lots of progress pics.

Garry

[vnmsss]

Wow!! That's the worst damage I've ever seen on the main tubes and cross brace supports. Even my 120 mph crash at Mid-Ohio didn't have that level of frame damage. I hope the owner/driver fared well.

You have taken on a mighty task, but these coupes are worth it. They are meant to be driven, and in my opinion, driven on track, so to me, it's awesome that this car has come into your hands. These guys on the Forum are an amazing group, and I know will be here to support your build in any way possible.

Best wishes, and thanks for keeping the faith!

Karen

[gtaroger]

Great project. Roger

[Jacob McCrea]

If you need any chassis measurements or templates, let me know. I am still, for the most part, working with a bare frame and I have a tram gauge at my shop, which is a little better than a tape measure for some chassis measurements. As for templates for aluminum panels, it wouldn't be hard for me to lay a panel on some construction paper and cut a template with a razor blade, and throw it in the mail. Phone is 412, six five one, four six three four. Good luck and welcome!

[68GT500MAN]

That will be quite a project, getting the right front main tube and associated framework looks doable.
Doug

[aarivers]

Thanks for the well wishes guys. I got the estimate back from FFR and will be getting the parts bought soon so I can start in on the fun part.

[skullandbones]

I'm looking forward to see the frame work. Your work should be all down hill after that!

Good luck,

WEK.

[aarivers]

Well it's been over a year and lots of other projects took over including selling the old house and moving to the new one, and renovating this place only to now list it for sale so we can move back to Tennessee. But I digress. In an effort to get the car into a rolling state to make moving it a lot easier I started working on the car again this week. Lots of progress has been made and should go pretty fast from here to get it to a rolling car again.

I guess I do need to go back a few months though, back to when I ordered the parts for the car. I spoke with the FFR guys and we went back over the quote they gave Rob, I made a few adjustments and ordered them up. It took another 3 weeks for them to show up. While I was waiting for the parts to show up I also sent off the one bent Koni to a certified rebuilder in Cali.

Then one day I came home and found all this!

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-qnnA_S-lzAU/VbwevtUWuII/AAAAAAAASPg/Q1LN8PqRIQ4FTQiUpsPwcvEB8VopykunwCCo/s1024/_DSC0543.JPG

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-yuO8Tf-jVCA/VbwexX9FLXI/AAAAAAAASPo/Q8y7GQBcx3EckHZYt0Q8iPkZsmgjsN7MwCCo/s1024/_DSC0546.JPG

Since I had the parts I got to chopping! I cut off the real mangled section first to get a better look at the rest of the frame and take some measurements.

Chop

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-VikQpqh8KL4/Vr0ONFuZe5I/AAAAAAAAULg/Cq9fA_oeFYkuzcg-aJEGzXcqdBgZ4947wCCo/s1024/_DSC0662.JPG

Then a couple more chops I had this.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ZXZxmaNl9_E/Vr0PFGiRgKI/AAAAAAAAUL0/JEY8xE3fBfA6TYu7pFp1SiyuhAKtzJHdQCCo/s1024/_DSC1000.JPG

I had to tear out the drivers side foot box panels to get to this brace to allow me to chop it out and then get tot he frame easier.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-4zfwzXSHmKA/Vr0OWFCOE3I/AAAAAAAAULg/04eNCwiT3BUdU1IclnR6r3uwTEkmAM3rACCo/s1024/_DSC0987.JPG

[aarivers]

Fast forward to about 6 months later, and I finally started chopping the frame up for the final cuts and getting ready to weld it all up.

So today I worked on chopping off the rest of the front end and squaring it up to get ready to install the new unit. I measured 20 inches back from the crossmember on the old car and the new piece to mark my cuts and hopefully get things to line up once all the metal dust has settled.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-dZa9IgRJXWk/V32R3gmjJ7I/AAAAAAAAU24/rht6poXlD7ow3bNKZF5Vh-wnqCicOjccwCCo/s1024/_DSC1568.JPG

Then I took the new front and trimmed off the excess tubing to make my sleeves.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-_dtuRXTY86w/V32R040tvyI/AAAAAAAAU24/GVVaok4RFvkF3Q2MczL_gOy21casOT_7wCCo/s1024/_DSC1565.JPG

One of the sleeves before I cut a 1.5 inch section out of it to allow me to shrink it down to slide into the frame.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-0fhabuCtiws/V32R1qb2-HI/AAAAAAAAU24/Rbb5UZa9pI02zcPf2lQj9Qp3xgGAMRI1QCCo/s1024/_DSC1566.JPG

First sleeve installed. I tacked these in place to keep them from sliding up into the frame when I put the front section on.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-IefNRtAGang/V32R12_KtjI/AAAAAAAAU24/eexNqaIET6gebrM8P16GxrkLkxw8dmXlwCCo/s1024/_DSC1567.JPG

The new front end slid on pretty easy, just needed a few whacks with the mini sledge to get it fully seated.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-9d-OL-CIJpU/V32R60B0WkI/AAAAAAAAU24/m1vWeWLmNbYQaj1jM1vmc4TTL1WzM5vqgCCo/s1024/_DSC1570.JPG

It came together pretty well. The drivers side has no game and will weld up good.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-IyHa6K6k8U4/V32R-8NtiNI/AAAAAAAAU3A/qNsVttttIIEgnml4HvpLOeo8_Yp2O0Z-wCCo/s1024/_DSC1573.JPG

The passenger side will need a little more weld than the drivers. But that's why it's sleeved, so it doesn't rely on the butt weld solely for it's strength.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-WRuQJQXYODU/V32R8xgZN0I/AAAAAAAAU3I/9UWQFS8Ahp0CXK7BKaRlSmMKnlnwsK8MgCCo/s1024/_DSC1572.JPG

[aarivers]

I burned all the big stuff in today. Things went well, I gave my little flux core welder a workout though, had to stop and let it rest a couple times as it was nearing it's peak duty cycle. I also picked up an auto-darkening mask from Harbor Freight this morning and man is it nice to not have to get things line up and then hope you are in the same spot when you flip your mask down.

On to the welds. They may not be as pretty as the FFR ones, but they have good penetration and will grind down nice and smooth for painting.

This is the drivers side.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-WpiEJHANkbA/V37ANaVRYhI/AAAAAAAAU38/CM0-OTSrFTY9mhhbl5djD6MNC9Q5OJMHgCCo/s1024/_DSC1578.JPG

The side bar welded up nice.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/--7Nw_CeylPI/V37ARTJ8SNI/AAAAAAAAU4E/MHeAJ62pRXMrI3RUWwkuKUJC-luycRfBACCo/s1024/_DSC1580.JPG

The passenger side needed a little more filler so I can grind it down later, but it turned out good also.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-hiwNBNS0qpI/V37ARzlWotI/AAAAAAAAU4E/pUstps7pMXs_xfmdeFO13y6XTYker2BRQCCo/s1024/_DSC1581.JPG

Then pretty soon I had full frame again!

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-GxhC6bimwU4/V37AWJcoHXI/AAAAAAAAU4E/4KydcmwimPMrD8PUNR5oHC3rSJckOYiIgCCo/s1024/_DSC1584.JPG

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-q6bs9xdfins/V37AXkqRZvI/AAAAAAAAU4E/Fi6BndAoli0KCER9o-EbqgR5TEsgCvEJgCCo/s1024/_DSC1585.JPG

Here's where I need some help though. I need to know how high up these upper braces are on the front shock towers here.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-jwHsBtjC5So/V37AVWQRBXI/AAAAAAAAU4E/ZxG6VLxdlGki78glQxXk_rT-im2rtp6qwCCo/s1024/_DSC1583.JPG

If someone can measure the distance from the frame to the bottom of the brace bar I would appreciate it! Then I can get those cut to length and burned in. Then it's time to install the front suspension to get it rolling again.

Oh and can i get a mod to move this to the Coupe forums. Rather than start a new thread.

[ricobrafan]

Hello,
I just picked up my Coupe on June 18th. The measurement you are looking for is 6 1/2 inches. Enjoy!55886
Chris

[aarivers]

Awesome! Your a life saver Chris.

[ricobrafan]

Glad I could help! Good luck with the project.
Chris