What is your best build tip?

[CRAZYBOB]

When looking back on your builds, what would be the one tip you tell someone just starting out on theirs?

[Bill_VA]

Go with power steering right off the bat. The difference is night and day.

[efnfast]

Don't polish the aluminum - just powdercoat it and call it a day!

[Someday I Suppose]

Mine is to research every step of the build before hand. Look at all the options on a given topic, such as running brake lines, see how other people did it, then come up with a plan on how to attack that part of the build, make sure you have the parts on hand, and then tackle the job.

[Sergio]

Here's mine:

Never, EVER give up !

[Gordon Levy]

Tighten as you go.

[Scott Meyer]

Install all of your brake and fuel lines before dropping the engine in...and for that matter get the electrical as complete as possible too.

[sharkx]

Lots of excellent suggestions here. Mine is simple. Drill and cleco to your heart's content but never, ever rivet anything until you have to.

Bruce

[Howard]

My tip is to build it the way you really want to from the start. I did, and don't regret it for a second.

[1HotSC]

Most Important: "Read this thread".
I'll add Heated Seats and second powder coat over polish.

[LuckyWinner]

Read about what other people are doing, before you start. Tell your wife you love her and give her a hug before you step into the garage, or buy something new....it will make life easier on you.

[frankeeski]

Tighten as you go. And check again later to make sure you tightened it as you went.


Install all of your brake and fuel lines before dropping the engine in...and for that matter get the electrical as complete as possible too.
This is most important. Installing lines and wiring after really sucks!

[t d]

Figure out what it will cost you, then add 1/2 of that to the total.

[Mustang Man]

I tend to disagree on the wiring/lines comment. We installed all fuel/brake lines and wiring AFTER the drivetrain was in and most of the aluminum in place and had zero issue. Furthermore, you don't have wiring or a line mounted, holes drilled, etc. and then find it is inaccessible after the drivetrain is in.

I preferred having the drivetrain and major components in place first, this way I knew that when I mount that fuel pressure regular, starter solenoid, or whatever, it wouldn't be in the way of the engine install and/or be able to access it after the fact for fuel pressure adjustment, wiring, etc.

I think one of the best tips is make a punch list and work methodically, read up on the particular sub-section you are working on and see the various options of how to accomplish it, and don't totally ignore the build manual. Yes, it's slow to be updated and some of it is irrelevant with a non-donor build, but there's still very good info in it.

HTH....
Mark

[Marty Prario]

I found this to be the best single thing I did during my build.


Mine is to research every step of the build before hand. Look at all the options on a given topic, such as running brake lines, see how other people did it, then come up with a plan on how to attack that part of the build, make sure you have the parts on hand, and then tackle the job.

[dallas_]

Don't have a deadline. Just take your time and enjoy the process.

[Sapper 3]

Make a plan and check list (budgets are a waste of time:) , Read read read first then do, use a crate motor unless you absolutely want to build the motor, wire as much as possible before engine, trans and body install, side pipe heat shields are a must, power steering is great and the two places I went most of research and advice were: FFCars.com and http://mk3build.com.

[Marty Prario]

When your having a hard time with something on the build, Walk away and come back another day. Its amazing how that hard problem is not so hard when you are not pissed off.

[DMW]

Keep the work area neat, use safety equipment all the time - especially eye protection. When you use a tool, put it away where it belongs. This will save you lots of time wondering where you left the 1/2 drive or 3/8th" socket.

[Bob Cowan]

As your build progresses, you'll find things that don't fit. You'll find areas that are not engineered well, and you'll have to make some significant mods to get it together right. When that happens, STOP!

The FFR is a very well engineered product. If you start thinking it needs a major modification, you're probably doing something wrong. Step away from the garage, and think about it for a while. You'll most likely discover that you made a mistake in your assembly.

[cheap]

Don't worry about rivets every inch. Or even every two inches.

Don't let one section of the build intimidate you into putting it off for a year. Baby steps are key - find something small you can do to start (ie unrolling the spool of wiring or brake lines) and then just take it one step at a time.

Always carry tools with the dangerous end in your hand (to protect the body from clumsiness).

Most importantly, have a clear idea of what you want to use the car for when it's finished and stick with the plan.

[Cobra Cory]

Besides wearing safety glasses, my best tip is that once you are done with something have someone else look at it. And the same goes when your are done with the car. Have a bunch of eyes all over it before taking it down the road.
On another project I did, I forgot to put the rear end fluid in. Someone else asked me if I had and I am glad he did. Little things like that, can mess you up. A lot of people are too prideful to ask. I never am.:D

Oh and never hook up that positive cable to the battery...until you are positive it is good to go.:D

[CoryB]

Run EVERY SINGLE WIRE before you loom any of them. I can't count how much time I spent trying to fish/force "one more wire" through the loom to keep it looking neat.

Rivets don't have to be perfectly spaced or straight. You can't see most of them once the car is complete anyway.

[DMW]

If you live in a snowy climate or during the rainy season, a heavy bead of Great Stuff expanding foam on the garage floor will keep the water runoff from the daily driver away from your build area

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v678/acton/Cobra%20Build/000_0044.jpg


Build yourself a pair of these: 8"x8"x2' pressure treated timbers spiked together. Keep one on either side of you when under the FFR or the donor. They will not roll, or break apart and can easily support the weight of a car if a jack stand fails.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v678/acton/Cobra%20Build/100_1528.jpg

[03SC]

Don't be in a hurry and the Dremel is your best friend.

[Jeff Kleiner]

Before touching the first tool do a COMPLETE inventory. Make a copy of each packing sheet then go line by line through every sheet, every box. After you have completed a box tape a copy of the packing sheet to it then label the outside of the box with the major items it contains such as "front suspension components", etc. Keep the other copies of the packing sheet on a clipboard with your boxes so you can refer to them when you are searching for a part (believe me you will end up searching!).
Doing the inventory will greatly help familiarize you with all of the parts and of course verify that everything that is supposed to be there actually is. I think I was missing a shifter ball on my Mk3 and rack extenders & rear LCA bolts on the complete Mk4---pretty darn good considering the number of parts they have to pack and ship!

Cheers,
Jeff

[dhungerf]

Make the foot boxes as big as you can

[F5RSN8K]

Larger foot boxes,power steering, power brakes,AC/Heat and MORE HORSE POWER....

[Kevin Davis]

Here's something that just happened to me. The donor T5 I have had just been rebuilt when I bought my kit 2nd hand, and it was drained. I took the time to do a thorough cleaning and paint so it looked good, but it hadn't had fluid in it for a while. I wanted it empty when I put it in the car so it wouldn't spill during install. This turned out to be a mistake since I now have a small leak that needs to be addressed. So, I'd suggest you fill all engine and tranny fluid while on the bench/stand and let it sit for a while to check for leaks, then drain and install.

Eddie also suggested being cautious about gloss paint on the dash area over light stripes due to the glare issue.

[luvaz]

To help relieve some of the monotony of laying out the holes for the panel rivets, I took a roll of 1/2" masking tape and drilled through it w/a 1/8" bit every 2" or so. Then simply unroll the length of tape you need and lay it on the panel. No measuring is needed. Your rivet layout work is all done! Don't forget to use bees wax on the drill bit to extend the life of the bit.

HTH,
Will

[Kevin Davis]

To help relieve some of the monotony of laying out the holes for the panel rivets, I took a roll of 1/2" masking tape and drilled through it w/a 1/8" bit every 2" or so. Then simply unroll the length of tape you need and lay it on the panel. No measuring is needed. Your rivet layout work is all done! Don't forget to use bees wax on the drill bit to extend the life of the bit.

HTH,
Will

Wow Will, this ranks in my top 5 tips I think. Just about to do a bunch of panels, and this will save some time. Never heard the bee's wax trick either.

[luvaz]

You're welcome. Glad I could offer up something useful to a fellow FFR builder. It's been 5 years since I built mine, but if anything else worthwhile comes to mind, I'll post it, too.

Will

[AJuergens]

Make sure you have enough room under the car to move around. I got this stupid idea to build it with the frame being close to finished ride height.... it gains you nothing.

Al

[289FIA_Cobra]

First Tip: try avoid drilling near a weld joint. The steel in the immediate area get's "hardened" and is a ***** to drill through. I broke two bits doing this before I realized why the area was eating up my carbide and cobalt bits. I moved the rivet hole 1" over and drill went right on through with no issues.

Second Tip: Think about servicing things as you place them. Things that look "convenient" to mount something for the sake of space, may NOT be convenient or even accessible for maintenance. For example, keeping the in tank fuel pump, always put a removable access plate right over it in the trunk; if your "remote" electric fuel pump is way up over the diff, you might need to replace the commutator brushes and NOT be able to do so unless you remove the entire pump (but you found it easy to mount BEFORE all the aluminum went into place! :D In short, think of how you will service a part before you actually mount it.

[Someday I Suppose]

My second one, get a Step Bit or Uni Bit, whatever you want to call it. Roll Bars, Windsheild posts, anyplace you need to drill a larger hole, the step bit will make life 100 times easier. It is amazing how well they work. Also, on my step bit, I would use a marker to color in the hole size I was drilling out to, it makes it easy to know when you are at the size your targeting.

-Scott

[cheap]

Wear shoes, not sandals. I had to learn that one about four times the hard way.

[SunshineGarage]

Enjoy the journey.
My Mk3.1, #6759, was destroyed in the Fourmile Fire on Sept. 6th, 2010, in Boulder County. I knew little about cars or automechanics before the build started and I used the build as an opportunity to learn. We lost everything that we owned in the fire but many neighbors asked about the car. I had about 300 hours into the build and almost had a rolling chassis (no engine, thankfully). Insurance paid for the loss (I had a separate policy on the kit: a good idea in retrospect).

Everyone who knew about the Mk3.1 asked how I felt about losing the car, given the amount of work that I'd put into it. My reply is that while I'm sorry that the car is gone I enjoyed every minute of the build and I'll build another (probably more quickly, too!). If I had just been wanting to get through to the end, the loss would have been a disaster in a sense. But I loved the process-- the learning and the creation. Maybe the build is an allegory for life: enjoy the process because you just never know.

-Bruce (BDHoneyman on ffcobra)

[prophet]

Bruce... Sorry to hear about your loss. I worked with the Boulder County Sheriff's Department in restoring emergency communications on Gold Hill and still have those images imprinted very vividly in my memory.

My tip...
Do your homework and plan out your build. Nothing stinks more than having to buy the same part only different more than once. Spend the money where it makes sense and on things that would be difficult to do on a completed car.

[Mr Goodwrench]

In you planning stage... put your money into things that will be hard to change out later. IE upgrading wheels later is easy.

Put in an access panel over the drivers foot box. Can't imagine FFR hasn't included this in the newer kits... or maybe they have?

[Glory Bound]

Make the foot boxes as big as you can

Ditto!! It was way hard doing it after the build was done.

[cobrajj]

Think about installing lots of access panels for future servicing and repair needs. Trunk floor-fuel gauge and elec fuel pump. Passenger side transmission fill hole panel, etc. Drill and tap or riv-nut extra attachment points on the frame tubes around the engine side, for placing grounds, wire harness clamps, solenoids, and other electrical items. Very difficult to get to these places after the engine is in. Jim

[Big-Foot]

Unless you have access to a donor with the exact driveline you want - skip it and buy the individual parts...

I've built a couple from Donors and spent (wasted) so much time in deconstruction, cleaning, rebuilding - not to mention the PITB factor of getting rid of the shell....

Another one is - if you're going with a carb, skip the wiring harness altogether and use a Ron Francis or Painless.. Heck - even if I was going with EFI, I'd probably skip it now and use the Ford Motorsports harness..

Want 5 lug wheels? Don't bother with the pre 94 donor (my opinion)...

[weendoggy]

Do all your body work first. Yeah, sounds dumb, but you won't have dust and bondo on everything you don't want it on. I've done the last two this way and it is great. Put the necessary panels on (trunk sides) and then fit everything, doors, hood, trunk, roll bar, w/shield etc. Once you have the basics done and blocked out once or twice and primered, take the body off and do the rest of your build. The body can cure while you build. You can always do "test fits" during the build to insure the body goes on like a glove.

[Ralph P]

Wear long pants. The sidepipes are HOT.

[Scott L]

Drill bits - Don't buy 1/8" bits. Use a #30 and you will have a couple of hundredths of wiggle room, and all your rivets will press right in.
Use a Unibit for nearly everything bigger then 1/8.
Forget about flaring lines and expensive tools. Buy straight, prefinished lines for you brake and fuel hardlines. Plan and bend carefully and you will never be able to tell. I only have one connecter between lines under the drivers seat. I have everything from 8" - 60" lines and it works great with no leaks.
Buy a good floor jack up front, and make sure it will fit (No taller than 3.5" to get under the rail on a finished car).
Consider a ratcheting, mechanical crimp tool if you are installing a new harness. Some swear by solder, but aviation connections are crimped to resist vibration. The ratcheting tool insures you make a good crimp.
Take your time. Think (and forum search) two and three steps ahead.
Accept that you will assemble and disassemble sub assemblies several times. Nothing is simply installed.

[Steven K]

Buy as you go. I bought a lot of stuff that I thought I'd need but by the time I got to it I had changed my plans and had to sell parts at a loss. Not a big deal, but everything is readily available so buying way in advance really serves no purpose IMO.

[mike forte]

Hi,
I think getting the engine to run and to go-cart stage is the driving force to get it done. To hear that engine rumble is awesome!!!!

[HIPO289]

Quality workmanship shows thru... so do shabby shortcuts.

[Shuttle Tech]

Buy as you go. I bought a lot of stuff that I thought I'd need but by the time I got to it I had changed my plans and had to sell parts at a loss. Not a big deal, but everything is readily available so buying way in advance really serves no purpose IMO.

Good advise!

[toolerwayne]

Bailey's and Dunkin donuts decafe. I have been a mechanic for 35 years. During the build I could not wait to get home, kick back and spend some quality time with my wife enjoying the build. It is about attitude for me. I decided early on that this was going to be fun no matter what. When it was done,I missed that part of it. Another thing, run wires for anything you might even consider later on. It is really time consuming after.
Wayne

[gwnorth]

I've just about finished (after about 10 hours work) making patterns and cutting Eastwood insulation pieces to line the inside of the cockpit. A truly far-sighted person could quickly make tracings of the aluminum panels as they are being removed from the newly-delivered kit. Estimated time saving: 8 hours minimum.
Hard to believe anyone would be that farsighted on a first build but I'd sure do it if I was doing another one.

[Chris Young]

Heater & Seat heaters. Girl-friend or Wife will be more likely to ride along.
Buy as you go(x3). Your plan may change.
No Radio. That side pipe 18"s from your left ear is sweet music.
Beer. Wait to drink the Beer 'til after you're working on your build for the day.
Build it the way you want. If that other guy doesn't like your wheels or paint or what-not, who cares, it's your car. I think they're all cool.

[steamerbill]

READ THE BOOK. Then do your own thinking to make it fit.

[Arch]

Have a very clear idea of what you want from the car before you start. I went so far as to write a mission statement for the car. Unless you are a super fast builder, you will get pulled in different directions as you go along. Vintage look, carbon fiber, racer, cruiser, great handling, drag racer, etc. Every time you change the direction of the build, it will cost you time and $$.

2x on tighten as you go.
2x on keeping maintenance in mind as you install things. You are installing from the top but will be maintaining from the bottom.

and never forget to have fun! Your Roadster will make you lots of new friends if you let it.

Arch

[LuckyWinner]

I've just about finished (after about 10 hours work) making patterns and cutting Eastwood insulation pieces to line the inside of the cockpit. A truly far-sighted person could quickly make tracings of the aluminum panels as they are being removed from the newly-delivered kit. Estimated time saving: 8 hours minimum.
Hard to believe anyone would be that farsighted on a first build but I'd sure do it if I was doing another one.

Great advise!!! I wouldnt have thought of it till it was to late.

[Fifty-Two]

Accept the fact that the McMaster-Carr catalog will become your new best friend for finding ANY little misc oddity you may need along the way. :D
www.mcmaster.com

Same goes true for Aircraft Spruce, where you can buy aircraft-grade AN hardware for the same price as the local "big box" hardware store charges for sketchy quality GR8 stuff. Plus, you can buy in small quantities too.
www.aircraftspruce.com

And if you need to fab some misc brackets/parts/etc up (which you will), these places are great for small quantities of steel, stainless, & aluminum (sheet, angle, flat, etc).
www.onlinemetals.com
www.speedymetals.com

- John

[xlr8or]

A good way to layout rivet patterns is to cut the elastic off a pair of your bvd's and mark them every inch. Then you just stretch it across the panel and center punch the marks and you always have evenly spaced rivets.

[MHCobra]

Go with power steering right off the bat. The difference is night and day.

Amen!

Mike

[Kevin Davis]

Amen!

Mike

This is assuming we're comparing PS to depowered rack, right? Or are we grouping all non-powered together? I have a flaming river 18:1, and really like it. I'm not on the road yet, but have moved the thing in very tight spaces in and out of the shop, and have driven in the driveway a bit. So far, I'm happy without PS myself. I've only experienced a depowered rack after having a hose blow up and spray fluid all down the side of my Chevelle. I wouldn't have the depowered rack, but some of the manual racks are actually pretty nice.

[MHCobra]

This is assuming we're comparing PS to depowered rack, right? Or are we grouping all non-powered together? I have a flaming river 18:1, and really like it. I'm not on the road yet, but have moved the thing in very tight spaces in and out of the shop, and have driven in the driveway a bit. So far, I'm happy without PS myself. I've only experienced a depowered rack after having a hose blow up and spray fluid all down the side of my Chevelle. I wouldn't have the depowered rack, but some of the manual racks are actually pretty nice.

No, I had a Flaming River 18:1 rack for 3500 miles. It worked great. I got talked onto power steering & I love it so much more! Power is great when your going through the gears and cornering at the same time- much more comfortable to have only one hand on the wheel. 9000 miles now, and I think power is the way to go.

Mike

[shooter]

READ THE BOOK. Then do your own thinking to make it fit.

READ THE BOOK MULTIPLE TIMES....shake head....then go consult the forums and see what other people did. Perhaps the new Mk4 book is better, but without pictures....I was lost.

[Don]

Research, research, research! Read up on the project you will be tackling next until you think you know it like the back of your hand, then ask questions on the forum as you go along. Don't ever think that you are the only person to every come across a particular snag in the build process. The forum is a valuable resource, harness that knowledge base.

If you can afford it, buy all new parts. The trade off of frustration for a little more money may not be in your favor.

When completing a component of the car...make sure it is COMPLETE before moving on.

[Randy Jones]

Do something every day. Even if it's a very small item or research some facet of the build. You will turn around one day soon and it will be done!

R :)

[FRANKRAT]

Before touching the first tool do a COMPLETE inventory. Make a copy of each packing sheet then go line by line through every sheet, every box. After you have completed a box tape a copy of the packing sheet to it then label the outside of the box with the major items it contains such as "front suspension components", etc. Keep the other copies of the packing sheet on a clipboard with your boxes so you can refer to them when you are searching for a part (believe me you will end up searching!).
Doing the inventory will greatly help familiarize you with all of the parts and of course verify that everything that is supposed to be there actually is. I think I was missing a shifter ball on my Mk3 and rack extenders & rear LCA bolts on the complete Mk4---pretty darn good considering the number of parts they have to pack and ship!

Cheers,
Jeff

X2 that is what I found

[BigLeo69]

use polyurethene sealant instead of clear silicone. the only place i used the silicone was up front around the hot areas' of the engine bay.
less clean-up for painting

[mrmustang]

My advice keep it simple, take things one step at a time and do not let yourself get overwhelmed. If you cannot figure something out the first time, take a step away from the car for a half hour or so, clear your mind and get right back to it. Sometimes a second, fresh look is all that is needed to accomplish what you could not before. Again the key here is to take things one step at a time.


Hope some of you find this helpful.

Sincerely,

Bill S.

[UpstateCobraGuy]

Again the key here is to take things one step at a time.



X2 An analogy to the build is "How do you eat an elephant? One bit at a time" :p

Also, make friends on on the forums and in your area with guys building these cars. 1000 questions can be answered by looking at a buddy's Roadster.

HIH, Pat

[al r]

If you can....get to the build school...it's priceless. Not just in information but also the instructors & classmates.
Search the forums for topics and answers...ask questions. The knowledge of those who have gone before us is immense.
Patience and perserverence always....know when to take a break but also keep the momentum going.
No deadline....it will be ready when it's ready....but never 100% finished.
Photograph every step....keep lots of notes in a binder plus all of your product sheets and instructions.
Involve your spouse, kids, friends
Enjoy every challenge and accomplishment.
Build it they way you want it.
Enjoy the beast!
A

[Someday I Suppose]

One I haven't seen posted, contact your state Motor Vehicle comission and see if they have a packet available for the titling of kit or replica cars. Read through it and get to know what the challanges are going to be upfront as it may have a major impact on the engine and trans you decide to put in the car. It may also impact the wheels you choose, and even some of the electrical such as wipers and or heaters / defrosters.

_Scott

[Scalded-Dog]

Body work, paint and polish is more than 50% of the total build time. If you are frustrated with something or waiting on a part go do some body work.

[Scalded-Dog]

Do all your body work first. Yeah, sounds dumb, but you won't have dust and bondo on everything you don't want it on. I've done the last two this way and it is great. Put the necessary panels on (trunk sides) and then fit everything, doors, hood, trunk, roll bar, w/shield etc. Once you have the basics done and blocked out once or twice and primered, take the body off and do the rest of your build. The body can cure while you build. You can always do "test fits" during the build to insure the body goes on like a glove.

This is excellent advice and is exactly what at least one of the professional builders I know does.

[Mslone]

Wow, stumbled onto this thread doing a search for build tips, there are some really great time saving advice in here! I feel more confident already to get going on this Project when she arrives! So To the Top for all the fellow newbies!!!!

[LuckyWinner]

If you have an ACE Hardware near you....Use it. When looking for hardware, they have never let me down.
Use the forum and pick all the brains on here.

[skullandbones]

I guess it's OK to add on to an old thread. I didn't see the rotisserie suggestion here but have seen it in other threads. I have two HF engine stands that I would probably add plates to in order to connect the chassis in order to rotate for brake lines, wiring, and even some of the aluminum panels and various underneath tasks early in the build. A clear plan to organize those tasks would be most helpful to completely utilize this too. It would be several factors easier to organize this on a second build after you have done some of the things the hard way. Also, using the same tool to work on the body for some of the clean up and wheel well shaping as well as easy access for undercoating. WEK.

[ruckus racing]

There Iis some fantastic advise here. Thanks

[bill3422]

Mine is to research every step of the build before hand. Look at all the options on a given topic, such as running brake lines, see how other people did it, then come up with a plan on how to attack that part of the build, make sure you have the parts on hand, and then tackle the job.

This would be mine as well. Took the extra time. collected the parts needed. Dreamed about the build in my sleep. Took two week vacation from work, and with a buddies help had it to go cart stage in that two weeks. Never felt rushed, just fully prepared.

[Gumball]

- Never work tired.
- It's just a car... don't let it beat you.
- Don't be afraid to experiment to learn new skills... the second side will look much better than the first, but you can always go back and correct your work.
- If lots of other builders suggest doing something a certain way (especially if they have either a really high post count or if they've built more than one FFR), it's probably a good idea to listen to them.

[chopthebass]

Don't worry about asking what might seem 'dumb' questions. People here are great and I have learned a lot at the planning stage.

[VdubJoe]

Read,read,read. Make notes, hang tags on stuff to be comp. Inventory very important. Stay organized I'm still looking for my steering wheel which no one has seen.
Good chance to buy new tools.

Joe

[2bking]

From advice on the forums I bought a bare frame and used POR 15. My frame isn't nearly as shinny as the factory powder coated one. The areas I welded around could have easily been touched-up with rattle can paint. The POR 15 process is a lot of time consuming work with no gain and the paint is expensive. My tip is GET THE POWDER COATED FRAME.

[LuckyWinner]

mark all your parts to the front quick jacks....they are not all the same size. The back is no problem, but the fronts need to be marked

[ehansen007]

For all the bolts you plan on taking on and off throughout the build, buy standard nuts for quick mock and up and removal. Nylon lock nuts only take more time. Make sure to go over car on final approach and replace with intended lock-nuts.

For a cheap dolly system, Harbor Freight has wooden wheel dollies that are $15 each and can hold 2000lbs each. Simply put a cinder block with a wooden 4x6 on top at each corner for an easy, moveable system you can wheel around the garage. I've reused mine many times for different cars. More flexible than a fixed dolly that gets used once and dismantled.

To remove Gorilla tape residue, simply ball a new piece up and dab and twist it on on the body for quick pick up. A little hair dryer action helps even more. Cleaner and faster than goo-gone.

For fiberglass in the skin, again use gorilla tape and wrap it inside out around your hand and dab on your forearms and hands to pull out fiberglass splinters.

Spring-loaded, rubber-tipped clamps one of the easiest to use when clamping or holsing body parts together or holding to the frame. Buy a bunch at harbor freight. I still don't have enough. Vice grip are strong but can take forever to adjust and get the right grip.

[Tuck60]

Loctite 242

[carlewms]

1. Keep some of the wrapping paper from the packing boxes; use it as a drop cloth when painting parts or to wrap up parts you do not use;
2. Save the sheet metal screws used to temporarily screw on the aluminum panels; they come in handy if you run out of cleckos or have a spot where you cannot put in a clecko; and
3. Try to use the same size hardware throughout the car even for accessories that may have them included; I am using 1/4-20 screws and bolts wherever I need to attach something I may later need to remove.

Carl

[289FIA_Cobra]

One of the things I did during my build, was to photo document my build, annotated it as needed (photoshop), and keep good schematics of your wiring.
If it's not obvious to the new builders out there, YOU and only YOU know how this machine is built so really, you are relying on yourself to fix what you built. That was the idea behind my journal.

I'm very glad I did as I have on more than one occasion, gone back to my build journal on-line ( http://home.comcast.net/~289fia_cobra ) and look at something for a part number or an AN fitting size.
I've kept every receipt as well so I can go back and see what it was I ordered, the item#, etc.

[cChrisM]

Not sure if this was mentioned. Learn to search the forum with the following format including the quotations followed by the topic you are searching, and put it in the google search bar. "thefactoryfiveforum.com" best build tips

I will also click on images at the top of the search page to see examples of what I am looking to do or learn about.

[Jester]

Build tips:

- use covers on your jack stands to avoids scratching the paint on the frame
- locate rivet holes and drill mounting holes in aluminium panels before removing the panels (as delivered from FFR)
- make sure you lube the break pins and none rotating contact points and use anti squeal brake solution on during brake installation - this will save you redoing the brakes to eliminate squeal after your first driving season
- set aside a few hours per week to work on the project and try to complete a subassembly task each time you work on the project - this will develop into a routine and before you know it the car will be complete- this also gives you time to think through and plan the next steps. I set aside 4 hours nearly every Saturday - took me 18 months to complete including many mods.
- if you run a problem with a particular step, STOP, take a break and review the manual procedure and think it through. It will seem much easier when you return after thinking it through. There is nothing difficult about the entire build if you take your time.
- do not set a completion date as added pressure of a deadline may cause additional stress and take away from the fun.
- build it they way you want it - no regrets

[Avalanche325]

Don't polish the aluminum - just powdercoat it and call it a day!

What do you mean???? I spent hours and hours and hours, sanding, polishing, buffing and putting SharkHide on.

Oh! Now I get it.