Finaly get to build a FFR [Archive]

GFX2043mtu

10-24-2016, 06:07 PM

I've been watching the Cobra replica market since the late 90's and I have always had some gripes about some of kits and rollers that where on the market. I think Factory five has finally come out on top of this game. They by far have the best chassis backed by real world racing and feedback from some good drivers. Now they made the car period correct with things like hidden trunk hinges, rivet on hood scoop, round front "X" member and body lines nearly the same as the original cars I just can't see any thing wrong with their car. I had the privilege of visiting FFR 3 years ago with my family when in Massachusetts and I met Dave Smith in person. It was this meeting and the factory tour that set them far apart from some other manufacturers. Being an avid track driver/instructor with many days spent on track every year and with many years of past wheel to wheel kart racing has made me very anxious to build a FFR track / Street car.

Knowing that FFR usually does a spring 50/50 sale, I have decided to start with the power train while waiting for the sale. Originally I was going to go with a big block but after looking into the weight issues I finally make the choice to go with a 351W based dart stroker block. To date I have Purchased the following in hopes to complete the drive train prior to the cars arrival, and keep me busy this winter.

Keith Craft 460ci 351W stroker motor built to my specifications.
MMR TKO 900
McLeod twin disk clutch
All other accessory parts needed for the motor (starter, pulleys, alternator, etc)
MSD6AL-2 ignition box

After browsing the forums and looking into the fine details I do have a few questions however for the Guru's in the form as I’m getting ready to order some more parts.

1) I live in Michigan so I must have wipers on the car. I have been reading about the FFR wiper kit and I’m not sure if I would be better served to get the kit from Finish line as it's all Lucas parts, or is getting the FFR kit with the finish line wheel boxes the way to go.

2) Does the finish line center cobra steering wheel badges fit the FFR wheel and hub? https://www.**********accessories.com/p-32-cobra-center-cap.aspx

3) I like the original style ffr wheels but I can’t get sport cup2 or super sport tires for them. Are there any other recommendations for tires that fit the ffr wheels 17” or 18” that are a good dual purpose for a 650-700 hp car with 75% track use? If not I will go with a separate set of wheels with a good set of Hoosiers.

4) Suspension set up; FFR now sells a sway bar for the front but not the rear. Vintage Performance Motor cars sells a front and rear kit that looks good as it's adjustable so in theory depending on the final bias of the car I can tune it in for how I like it. The problem is I can't find much info on their parts.

Here are some pictures to date.
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GFX2043mtu

10-25-2016, 02:11 PM

I received the accessories for the motor today from Summit Racing. I couldn't help but call Keith Craft to get a status update on the motor. I guess dart is in backlog with the sportsman block so it will be another 3 weeks before they can get going on completing the motor. 6012860129

David Hodgkins

10-25-2016, 02:26 PM

You are off to a good start! Sounds like you are going full beast mode with that motor!

:)

EDIT: PS I upgraded your account so you can update your profile, use the galleries, etc.

lewicki

10-25-2016, 02:42 PM

I purchased the red, white, and blue cap from finish line and it fits perfectly:
https://www.**********accessories.com/p-31-cobra-cap-red-white-blue.aspx

lewicki

10-25-2016, 02:44 PM

As for #1: Depending on your local laws, you may be able to go to a marine store and purchase magnetic wipers to pass state inspection, then take them off afterwards. Something to think about.

Straversi

10-25-2016, 05:58 PM

Congratulations. look forward to watching this one come together

-Steve

GFX2043mtu

10-25-2016, 10:12 PM

Yep, I'm going full ON with the motor. I had the block upgraded from the standard Dart SHP to the sportsman and the bottom end is set up to take an easy 1000hp so no worries about if I want to turn up the power in the future. At this point the weak link will be transmission that MMR rates for up to for 900 HP. Call it over kill but I want the room to grow in the future without changing out engines, transmissions etc. if the need arises for more power. I'm poring over assembly manual and the wealth of knowledge in the forum to see what I can find in the way of quirks for the car so that I get the right parts the first time. I also placed an order with Mike Forte today for the transmission spacer, manual throttle linkage kit, clutch fork, and throw out bearing. I may order a few things from finish line coming up such as the steering wheel cap since Lewiciki verified the fitment, but I'm thinking it may be best to wait on most of those parts for when I get the kit.

Jazzman

10-25-2016, 11:37 PM

FFR sells sway bars for both front and rear. I have them both on my car. Believe it or not, they are originally for a Miata! Contact FFR for more info on them. They were easy to install, and very substantial. Congratulations on beginning the journey.

edwardb

10-26-2016, 06:34 AM

Welcome. I'm just a few hours away from you in SE Michigan. You're welcome to drop over any time if you want to make the drive. I have two Mk4's in the garage right now. A completed one and another ready for paint in December. I have the DART SHP block in my completed build as a 347. My engine builder (Fordstrokers in Chicago) said that block was good for up to 1000 hp. I'm nowhere near that (maybe half...) so no danger there. It's way more power than I can use for my street cruising. The Sportsman block obviously would allow even move. I can't imagine you'd outrun its capabilities. IMO you're going to find traction and setup are just as important if not more than raw HP. It's one thing to make the power, it's a whole other thing on these cars to get it to the ground properly.

Regarding wipers, I've used the Factory Five kit with ********** wheelboxes on my first two builds and they were fine. Agreed the wheelboxes they used to supply are really marginal. But a lot of the information about this is dated. On my current build, delivered in August 2015 with the Factory Five supplied wiper kit, they've obviously changed suppliers and I found the wheelboxes are much improved and work fine out of the box. They are similar if not the same as the ones from **********. So IMO you could use the latest kit from Factory Five as is. Another option if you wanted to go full-on Lucas would be the kit from Mark at Breeze: http://www.breezeautomotive.com/details.php?prod_id=1100. Looks like he has it on sale right now, so might be a good choice. It's true for Michigan once you get past the initial safety inspection the wipers will never be a question again. So something temporary or clip-on would likely pass. But I prefer to have them built-in plus it helps a little with resale should that happen.

Regarding sway bars, all Mk4's built for the past year or so have the necessary mounting on the front of the frame for the front sway bar. But the rear sway bar offered by Factory Five is only for the newer 2015 Mustang based IRS setup. I'm not aware they sell sway bars for any of the other rear suspensions. You don't mention which one you're going to use. But they are available from other vendors. Jazzman is right. The actual sway bars sold by Factory Five are from the company Flyin' Miata and Factory Five adds the necessary mounting hardware.

Good luck with your build, and keep us posted!

bluse

10-26-2016, 05:34 PM

I toured Factory Five a few weeks ago. I inquired about the timing of the 50/50 sale. I was told that FFR will not be offering the 50/50 sale again, ever! I too was waiting for the sale before I pull the trigger on my kit. I am sitting tight for the time being.

GFX2043mtu

10-26-2016, 08:49 PM

edwardb

10-26-2016, 09:41 PM

Thanks Edwardb for the pointers. I figured the bars where tailored for a car in the Miata range as the weight matches up closely. I will more than likely want a rear bar so I can increase the total roll stiffness with out taking to much grip from the front. I'm a bit disappointed that they told you bluse that there won't be another 50/50 sale. Im still going to hold tight for the spring before I get the kit as the wife wants to make the pick up a vacation. I just hope they have another sale wether they call it 50/50 or some thing else.

Just be aware I've read on the forum several times now, so seems to be a reality, that Factory Five is now required to collect 6.25 percent Massachusetts sales tax for kits picked up in person. Not the case for out of state deliveries. Kind of wipes out the savings for avoiding the shipping charges. Perhaps there's a way to get it refunded or credited when titling in Michigan because they're going to want their cut too. But I don't know. Something to check.

GFX2043mtu

10-27-2016, 02:48 PM

That's an easy one, I already delt with it in the past. In Michigan the tax due for an assembled vehicle equals the components cost minus any that the tax was paid at the time of purchase. This means it will cost me 6.25% -6.00% = .25% more in tax as long as the ffr bill of sales shows the tax charged, which it should. How ever the wife will be happy with the vacation, and I can get some photo book pics of picking it up at the plant. I consider this a good trade.

GFX2043mtu

12-01-2016, 01:08 AM

Made a tiny bit of progress as I wait for Keith Craft to finish the motor. I guess getting the Dart Sportsman block was a bit of a pain. In the mean time I got the throttle pedal from Russ. I ended up taking to the powder coater so that it will match the Willwood pedals. I think it turned out good. I also polished the manual throttle linkage parts from Mike Forte. Im going to be dropping them off tomorrow for clear powder coat.6155861559 I also have a set of custom MK4 engine mounts for a 385 big block that I got from Mike Forte before I decided to go with a small block Dart stroker motor. I had them semi gloss black powder coated, and now I can't use them. If any one needs or wants them let me know. I have $200 into them and would let them go for $150 shipped. 61560

GFX2043mtu

12-31-2016, 12:50 PM

It's been a while since I posted last. Since last time I think I ordered every thing Finish Line has that I could want for my car (stainless quick jacks, badging, floor mats, etc). I also got all the coolant pipes, radiator shroud, and lower radiator support from Breeze. The best part how ever is I got a call from Lance at Craft Performance Engines. He told me that the motor was done and it made some good power to boot, 645.5 hp and 654.8 ft/lbs. I guess some magazine editor call him during the build and he sent him pictures of my motor for a article he is writing on high powered small blocks. I should have the motor some time next week. I can't wait to get all the accessories on it and the transmission mounted up. 6241462415624166241762418624196242062421

wareaglescott

12-31-2016, 02:03 PM

Wow those HP and Torque numbers are impressive! Looking forward to following this build and seeing some videos down the road of this beast!

GFX2043mtu

01-10-2017, 11:43 PM

I finally had some time to get most of the drive train parts bolted up. I Should have the new March pulleys tomorrow so that I can just about finish it up :)6266362664626656266662667

Jim1855

01-11-2017, 02:07 PM

GFX2043mtu,

Interesting build, looks like it will move you down the road.

I'm in Grand Rapids as well and will be assisting on a new Coupe build this summer. We're building an aluminum 427w for street and HPDE.

Keith Craft is well known and respected as an engine builder, good choice. What carb, manifold and heads are you using? Any cam specs? The dyno numbers are impressive.

Also, I have no knowledge of your transmission source. Never heard of MMR but it sounds like they offer serious improvements at a good price. I had my old, 2004 vintage, TKO-600 redone by Liberty in Detroit.

Good luck on your build, will be fun.

Jim

GFX2043mtu

01-12-2017, 10:05 PM

Well Jim1855 the motor is using a Quick fuel 780 pro street carb, afr renegade 220 heads that where ported on top of AFR's in house CNC port work, the intake is a port matched victor jr, and lastly the cam is a Comp Cams custom grind hydraulic roller with 254 / 262 duration with a gross lift of .609" and a 108 deg lobe separation. I'm also using scorpion roller rockers, and ford Motorsport high revving hydraulic roller rockers. The cam is fairly mild for the displacement so I can always upgrade later if I want more power.
Are you planning on using the new ford Motorsport 427 aluminum short blocks or a Pond FE? I have heard some good things about both of them.
The transmission is from Modular Motorsports Racing. They take a TKO 600 and give it a work over with heat treated gears, hand debuting of the gear set, reinforcement plates, and a few other things to bring it up to a 900 hp rating. I have a friend running one in a turbo fox body with just over 780 whp and it has worked great for over 3 seasons so far.
It's nice to know I'm not the only one in Grand Rapids doing a FFR.

Jim1855

01-12-2017, 11:43 PM

Thanks for the info, sounds like a great combo.

The block is the Ford Windsor 351Z aluminum with Eagle and Mahle rotating assembly but not the Ford short block ***'y. We expect to have a cam similar to yours but 110-112 LSA, most likely a custom grind. AFR 220s and Borla 8-Stack injection. More info is on the coupe forum "A friend just ordered a coupe".

You've obviously put a lot of work and thought into your build. The 220 exhaust ports are big, what are you planning for headers? 1-7/8" tubes or larger would be best if the ports are similar to the older AFR 225s. I ran 2" tubes on my 427w with AFR 225s, a bit large but really turned on at 6,500 and up. I switched back to 1-7/8 headers and gained power under 6,500. 2" headers might be just the ticket for your 460.

We think that custom headers may be needed for the heads, c.i. and rpm. I'd really like to see the 351w headers available from FFR.

There are a few Cobras in the GR area but not sure on FFRs. Did see an older FFR Daytona at a local show this past summer but it was for sale.

Stay in touch, this will be fun.

Jim

GFX2043mtu

01-13-2017, 08:12 AM

For the headers I'm useing Stainless Headers Mfg. when talked with them they knew exactly what I wanted and they have made headers for FFR's before with AFR 220 Renegade heads. According to the guy I placed the order with they should be done before months end, and yes I went with the 1 7/8" tubes. My motor on the dyno starts to fall off at 6k so there is no point to go larger.
Also nice choice on the Mahle pistons, as I am one of their engineers here in town. Good luck with the motor, and coup build. Perhaps some time in the spring you can swing by after it gets warmer and all this ice goes away and see the build ��

Jim1855

01-13-2017, 08:42 AM

Cool, thanks for the header info. I hope you'll post photos of the headers.

Would be great to meet and compare builds. Most anytime is good. PM if you wish.

Jim

GFX2043mtu

02-10-2017, 01:24 PM

Well I finally did it! I. I just couldn't wait any longer since they posted the winter sale. Courtney took my order today for my complete mk4 kit and it will be done on the 25th of next month. With the complete kit I also ordered the wiper kit, wind wings, leather seats, powder coated chassis, chrome roll bar, wilwood front brakes, battery cut- off, roll bar grommets, upgraded louver kit, center dash support, oil cooler kit, driver seat tracks, 18" Halibrand wheels, and the brake duct mesh kit. I feel like a kid before Christmas. ��

Hottrodder427

02-10-2017, 06:54 PM

I have nitto nto1 on the rear 315 30 I think, nitto nt05 on the front 275 I believe

GFX2043mtu

02-10-2017, 10:36 PM

For the tires im not sure what I'm going with yet. Drag radials like the nt01's are great straight line tires but sacrafoce some cornering grip and feel/response due to there softer side walls. The good thing is tires are not like wine so I have some time to figure it out. I will say tho that the nt01's will defiantly be in the running for what tires I use for street use.

One question I do have for those that have came before me is, how did you guys unload your body/chassis from your trailer? Did you remove the body from the chassis on the trailer then remove the chassis? Or is it possible to remove it as one piece? I want to make sure I don't hurt the body when I go to unload it.

Hottrodder427

02-18-2017, 06:10 PM

The body is mounted to the chassis with the quick jack bolts I would leave it together get three or four friends. You should be able to lift it Use furniture dollies

GFX2043mtu

03-09-2017, 07:34 AM

I ordered a Moser m88 rear end last week and it arrived yesterday. I have to say I'm very impressed with it. I had them build it with 33 splined axles, Eaton truetrak diff, 3.31 gears, aluminum griddle, and Wilwood dynalite parking brake kit. When you get one it's complete minus the axle and brake install. Only bad thing was the Wilwood packaged had two right rotors in the kit;,so I have to call them today to sort that out.
6484264842 6484364843

Courtnie Provencher

03-09-2017, 10:50 AM

Glad to see you have your build so well planned out! Let me know if you need anything. I look forward to seeing your build :)

GFX2043mtu

03-09-2017, 12:48 PM

Thanks Courtnie, hopefully I see you at factory five when I pick up the kit on the 1st.

GFX2043mtu

03-19-2017, 11:46 AM

The other day I received my headers, fuel system from Glann's Performance, and I was told by George at Gas-n that my side pipes where shipped. Everything looks great but I noticed one thing with the fuel tank that might be a bit of a issue. The tank is Glenns 03-04 Cobra 1000hp system with extra baffling for road racing, and I was told that it will fit all 99-04 mustangs. My concern is the fill neck size on the tank. I know the mustangs had a change to fill neck in the mid 90's but if this is a problem I'm not sure of. Can any one tell me what size the fill neck is that comes in the new MK4 complete kit? If it is the wrong size neck in the kit, does any one know where get the correct one? Or what the diameter is for the correct one so that I can make one. The hole size in the tank for the fill tube grommet measures 2.270".

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edwardb

03-19-2017, 02:05 PM

Can any one tell me what size the fill neck is that comes in the new MK4 complete kit? If it is the wrong size neck in the kit, does any one know where get the correct one? Or what the diameter is for the correct one so that I can make one. The hole size in the tank for the fill tube grommet measures 2.270".

The filler neck provided by Factory Five in the complete kit is just like this one from Breeze: http://www.breezeautomotive.com/details.php?prod_id=774. I've used this one plus the one directly from Factory Five. In both cases, a 2-inch ID hose fit over them perfectly.

GFX2043mtu

04-06-2017, 12:12 PM

Well, I picked up my kit on Saturday from Factory Five and I have to so far my experience with them is a 11 out of 10 ��. Dan was there and helped me and my two friends pack the kit which was a tight fit in the f-150. In the end he even let me have a t-shirt for my wife and I on the house. I'll have to post pics later but I'm crushing along at a much faster pace then expected. The front suspension with sway bar is installed. The rear end is in and only the panhard bar needs to be adjusted. The aluminum panels are all fitted with the exception of the foot boxes. I was impressed at the figment of the aluminum also. I had to clearance about a third of the panels mainly to clear welds.

GFX2043mtu

04-10-2017, 10:19 PM

Finally some pics :) I also dropped off all the steel brackets and aluminum panels for powder coat. I was amazed a the reasonable rate for it and the turn around. It looks like I might get to mount some of the panels this weekend if all goes to plan. If you are in the Grand Rapids area I found Custom Fab and Powder is super reasonable and fast on turn around. I was also able to run the fuel lines out to the engine bay. Due to fuel requirements of the motor I had to use -8 AN lines to and from the tank. To prevent them from being the lowest point on the car I ran them up the transmission tunnel since I plan on using a drive shaft loop I don't see any real risk. I was also able to get the rear stainless lines in the car and the feed line run up near the front of the drivers foot box. Now my only problem is waiting on the panels to return from powder coat and for the billet battery tray and fuel pump relay to arrive so I can finish up that end of the car. I'm amazed how fast this build is going compared to what I thought it was going to be. Which is a big testament to FFR's quality. All the parts so far are great that I have had to deal with but the thing that surprised me the most was the sheet metal work on the panels. I was half expecting to fab completely new panels. To my surprise they all only took minor trimming with the exception of the tunnel cover. The cover took a bit of work as it was bent 3/8" to wide to fit correctly.

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GFX2043mtu

04-16-2017, 04:48 PM

quick question for those that have been here before. I have all my panels back from powder coating and I have the truck buttoned up and I was wondering if it is worth it to spray lizard skin in the trunk for sound? I don't plan on having a radio in the car and I have custom Gas-N 3" core pipes which are loud. At this point i'm just not sure if applying it any where but the cockpit and under the body in the wheel arches is worth it.

GFX2043mtu

04-24-2017, 03:58 PM

Well the panels are in the car with the exception of FFR top of the drivers foot box. I also have the engine installed in it's home for good. I had to open up the slot in the chassis motor mounts that fit the energy suspension mounts where the guide pin goes. Mine was not cut up enough. Once that was clearances the motor fit perfectly. I have about 3/8" where the I'll pan sits above the frame rails. I was also able to Lizard Skin the trunk. Next is to do the cockpit. One question for everyone, I went to the dealer to get the fluid I needed for the Eaton Trutrak and the transmission. The OEM Ford 80-90 gear lube was $21 as seamed fair for 3 quarts. The GM dealer however charged me $78 for 3 quarts of synchromesh transmission fluid. I in fact asked the lady at the counter if she was trying to charge me for cases not quarts. I feel like they way over charged me. Am I wrong, or is this stuff mainly made from platinum or gold?

edwardb

04-24-2017, 05:06 PM

The GM dealer however charged me $78 for 3 quarts of synchromesh transmission fluid. I in fact asked the lady at the counter if she was trying to charge me for cases not quarts. I feel like they way over charged me. Am I wrong, or is this stuff mainly made from platinum or gold?

That's high. Summit has it for around $18 quart. Amazon about $16. https://www.amazon.com/Genuine-Fluid-88900333-Synchromesh-Transmission/dp/B007TYSYNU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1493071456&sr=8-1&keywords=88900333. Some will suggest other fluids, but I've stuck with this one per recommendation from my local Tremec dealer. The good news it lasts a long time.

GFX2043mtu

04-24-2017, 05:12 PM

I don't think I will go back to any of the Fox dealers in Grand Rapids again. The last time I was in one they tried to charge me twice the price that Kool Chevrolet quoted me for a alternator. Need less to say I drove over to Kool to get it. This time I got stuck because the dealer I usually go to for parts was out of the synchromesh ��.

GFX2043mtu

05-15-2017, 12:33 PM

It's been a while since the last update, and a lot has gotten done since then. The dash is done, all the pedals work, trunk is carpeted and done. And the best part is the engine runs ��. I ordered a set of Toyo R888R tires and with any luck I can do a go kart run this weekend. I would post more often but I can help but to keep building. This has been by far the best engineered set of components out there. I have built a few cars in my time to say the least and bar none this is the best. So much so I found it a complete pleasure to build every step thus far. 67878678796788067881

GFX2043mtu

05-18-2017, 01:38 PM

I went to get tires the other day since I'm now to the point where I can quickly go kart it around the block. I was suprised to find that we only have 2 real options for 18" tires beyond slicks. One is the Yokohama A052 and the other is the Toyo R888R. I was torn between the two tires and in the end I went with the R888R's after Googling reviews. The big hurdle that I found was with them being so new in the US they are tough to get in the size we need at the moment. Tire Rack didnt have them, nor did they want to look into getting them for me. So I called Toyo and found a local race shop (Venom Motorsports) that is licensed to get them and verified that they are the R888 replacement. A quick stop in to the shop and $1,200 later and they where on order. I dropped off the wheels today when they called and told me that the tires where in. They look great and I hope they stick to the ground as well as they look. I'll post some pics tomorrow when I pick them up.

GFX2043mtu

05-19-2017, 04:21 PM

I picked up the wheels and tires today. I have to say you don't get a true sense of how wide they are untill they are mounted. These are very wide and although the tread is not good for rain these should be just what I need for the dry. I can't wait to try them out. To bad the weather is going to be bad this weekend. ��6799867999

RoadRacer

05-19-2017, 04:25 PM

Looks nice what size did you get?

GFX2043mtu

05-19-2017, 04:30 PM

315/30 r18 rears and 255/35 r18 up front. This is the size factory five recommends, since I didn't want to deal with tire rub I used their suggested sizes.

GFX2043mtu

05-22-2017, 06:53 AM

Finally the weatherman was wrong in my favor. On Saturday it was sunny and nice out in the morning so I ran the car around the block a couple times. I found that I love the motor that Craft Racing built. It sounds grea,t runs very civilized if just cruising and it's fully warmed (surges a bit when cold), and it will liquefy the tires on command in at least the first 3 gears. �� 68102

Yama-Bro

05-22-2017, 12:42 PM

Those tires look wicked!

GFX2043mtu

05-23-2017, 07:35 PM

Thanks, they are the Toyo R888 replacements. Same rubber compound but revised cording and sidewalls for better response and stability. I haven't had a chance obviously to run them at the track yet so I can't give you my thoughts on how they do when warmed up.

David Hodgkins

05-24-2017, 11:19 AM

Those are some MEATY tires! If you don't mind the tip, it looks like you need some help with pics and such.

Here are some links with tips...

...about managing a build thread title:
http://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showthread.php?19402-Changing-The-Thread-Title-Guidelines

Embedding pics using our gallery:
http://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showthread.php?18962-How-to-use-the-Image-Gallery-to-embed-pictures-in-posts

More about offsite pics:
http://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showthread.php?1420-How-to-post-pictures

:)

PS I gotta hand it to you BIG HP guys. I'm very happy with my little 302. At least I can put my foot into it without too many surprises...

GFX2043mtu

05-24-2017, 06:42 PM

Cool, thanks for the help with the pics. I would post more often, but every time the pics don't want to work.

squareback

07-07-2017, 09:52 PM

Any updates?

GFX2043mtu

07-19-2017, 03:54 PM

Updates... at this point I'm knee deep in body work and one thing I can say is that the build quality of the chassis and suspension is fantastic, the body how ever the body is defiantly one area where Factory 5 could put some work into. I have had to go about panel alignment and trimming and filling. Trimming it self was not all that bad if you take your time. Panel alignment is another issue. As everyone before expressed the drivers door fitment is rough and the passenger side is a bit better but by no means like a factory production car. The trunk does not roll with the body and required 2 days to get it right. The front and rear cowls were easy to get straight and no major headaches there. The rear quarters and tail of the car is another issue. I have 3 weeks into getting them straight and I probably have another full day to get them done. Now I did add some work as I wanted to eliminate the style line at the rear lights and clean up the fitment so that the lights don't look to big for the mounting surface. I also smoothed out the rear fender lip as it had a rather abrupt transition right at the top of the arch that would be obvious if not taken care of. As of today I have about 150 hrs into it with another 150 or so to go before we get to prime and block it. I'm after as close to perfect as I can get and with what needs to be done to get this body there will take a while. One motivating factor is I paid for the paint and primer the other day. Then again the $2,700 bill for the Sikkens stuff was a bit of a hit on the wallet.

GFX2043mtu

08-10-2017, 11:59 AM

I just found out that Reincarnation magazine did a article on my motor build (page 12). https://www.rcnmag.com/ezines/2017/03

GFX2043mtu

08-28-2017, 11:39 PM

Not sure if there are body guys around the forums. If so I have to ask if any one found as many issue as I am with the body. Very little on the body so far has not required attention to the point where I would call it straight enough to epoxy and primer. The nose of the car doesn't roll the same from one side to the other. I had ripples under the leading edges of the doors. The front fender valley near the hood opening is very bad on the drivers side (goes up and down like a amusement park water slide), the trunk didn't roll to fit the body, and I still haven't touched the hood yet, which looks to be the worst part. I now have 300 hrs into the body and have at least another 150 to go just to get it in the first coat of epoxy. Ive done my share of cars and I have to say this thing is any thing but straight. Perhaps i'm to picky but If I am going to do a car I want it more then flat I want it straight.72941729427294372944 P.S. if there are any body guys in Grand Rapids Mi that are looking for some thing to do for fun give me a shout. lol

Railroad

08-29-2017, 08:33 AM

Great body work, but scaring me a little. I will probably use Whitbys. Will they address all these issues if they are on my body?

edwardb

08-29-2017, 09:50 AM

Great body work, but scaring me a little. I will probably use Whitbys. Will they address all these issues if they are on my body?

These bodies aren't perfect. They are fiberglass which has it's own challenges to get straight. Plus I agree they aren't perfectly symmetrical from side-to-side. Especially the nose around the brake cooling inlets and also the famous DS door. But with all due respect (and I do really mean that) 300 hours and still another 150 for body work alone isn't typical. Shops that have experience with these, including Whitbys, have seen it all and know what to do. Small consolation I guess, but the Mk4 is a way better than previous versions. Especially some of the real early Mk's. I saw a big jump in quality between the Mk3 I did and the two Mk4's.

mia65cobra

08-29-2017, 09:50 AM

That's a lot of sanding! Built mine back in 04 and looks very similar to what I went through ;) Looks like you have your work cut out for you...You're getting closer though :cool:

GFX2043mtu

08-29-2017, 11:02 AM

Ya I'm making progress. It's slow but all body work is like that. I realize the hours sound high but that is a matter of how close to perfect you want to get. When growing up I learned from my father and his friends who owned body shops. And who is a pure perfectionist to this day. He has always told me don't worry about the hours just get it right. I trust him when it comes to this stuff as he has built some truly beautiful cars that are laser straight. In fact he has done a few cars for restoration shop owners. The last one being a 1970 fj. To me my time is free and materials are cheep and if I can get a car to this level why not. For me some parts that have added some decent time that a shop may not spend a lot of time on are the jams. We mudded from the body to the panel cut the mudded jam then mudded the jams to make everything straight then reradioused the edges of the body jams as they where to large in comparison to the radius on the panel edges. Most people wouldn't notice this but to me if I only do it once then I'll do it to where I like it. I have a ton of pics of these types of areas that I will do a write up on after we put the car in the spray booth.for now I'll keep sanding in the garage making a complete dusty mess of everything��.

GFX2043mtu

10-23-2017, 07:11 PM

75829 Finaly got the body and doors in epoxy, now just the hood and the bottom side of the rockers to go.

GFX2043mtu

12-13-2017, 12:35 AM

It's been a while with out posting. But as of recently I just about have the car assembled and ready for disassembly before the primer blocking and color. Every thing is fit up good with the exception of the headers which will require some cutting, replacing some tubes and TIG welding. 77742777437774477745777467774777748

Higgybulin

12-29-2017, 06:34 AM

Looks like all those hours in prep work paid off!! I sent you a PM on your fuel tank
Higgy

GFX2043mtu

01-04-2018, 11:44 PM

Ya I would like to think so. We did a lot of stuff most painters simply can’t do in a reasonable amount of time, and it would take a lot of pictures to show it all. Perhaps I’ll go over it later after the car is completed. I’m just fortunate to have my dad a old body guy to help me out. I actually had to laugh the other day as we talked to a one-off his friends at their body shop about shooting the color and primer. He was ecstatic to see the car as he said “knowing your dad it will be perfect”. I’m hoping to get it to the booth next week for the first of 3 priming sessions.

GFX2043mtu

02-21-2018, 10:17 PM

Finally I have some down time to post some more pics. As I said before I'll do a write up later but here are some current pics of the build. In a few weeks the color should be going on the body if all goes well. We have the second coat of primer on and the undercoating goes on Friday :)

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Higgybulin

02-22-2018, 05:14 AM

Looking good!
Higgy

Yama-Bro

02-22-2018, 01:23 PM

The edging on the carpet looks great. What is that technique called?

GFX2043mtu

02-22-2018, 02:06 PM

It’s a black vinyl or nylon edging stitched with clear and black thread. The loose edging on the spool almost looks likes fabric up close. The technique name I’m not sure of. They roll the sides of the edging over on itself and then around the carpet before stitching it about 1/16” from the edge. It looks awesome and from what I could tell the owner operator takes his work very seriously and was great to deal with. At first I called a few shops including a high end upholstery shop and I was directed to a local carpet shop that only does carpet edge sewing. The center support carpet edging was done on a manual machine by hand and the rest was done with a crazy looking carpet edging machine. That can probably do 100+ feet per minute. All the carpet edged was cheap; I think I have all of $60-$70 into it. They even glued and pressed all of the edges.

GFX2043mtu

04-10-2018, 07:10 PM

Finally in the last coat of primer. It's only a few weeks before color and clear. As of the last primer blocking I can say this should be as straight as you can get one. Now I'm getting excited. :)
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GFX2043mtu

07-31-2018, 10:19 AM

Finally stripes done. Here is some teaser pics. of the final color. Still needs to be wet sanded and 2 more coats of clear before the final cut and buff. But I’m liking the colors.8965789658

GFX2043mtu

07-31-2018, 02:34 PM

I went the classical way of striping the car with block stripes (no outer pin stripes) as I prefer it that way on classic cars, and I used the 1.5” gap as suggested by Whitby so that it nicely matched the badges for the car. The grey color uses a lot of pearl so the color flops from dark to light and it completely pops when it’s in the sun with the viper red stripes.

GFX2043mtu

08-21-2018, 03:59 PM

About done polishing the last of the swirl marks out. I just about forgot how long it takes to color sand down to 2000 grit before polishing. I’ll finally have the body back on the chassis for good tomorrow. Then the fun begans with registering it in Michigan. Does any one know about how long it takes the SOS to get the vin for the car from the time I turn in the inspection paperwork?

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Higgybulin

08-21-2018, 08:14 PM

Lynn, it looks great!! Keep the updates coming!
Higgy

edwardb

08-21-2018, 08:30 PM

Does any one know about how long it takes the SOS to get the vin for the car from the time I turn in the inspection paperwork?

Once you complete the TR-54 Inspection Form and turn it in with all the other paperwork (receipts, MSO, application for title, taxes due, etc.) they officially say to allow 8 to 10 weeks for processing the new title. My #8674 Roadster last year was just short of 8 weeks before they called and brought over the title and VIN tag. Then you can go back to the SOS and complete the registration and get your plate. You need proof of insurance at that point. Then you're legal and can drive. Note they no longer will give you a temporary plate while waiting for the title and VIN. They used to... Note also they don't do these very often so your local SOS may be pretty ignorant about the process. Study the materials on the SOS website (https://www.michigan.gov/documents/BFS-72__09-03__83315_7.pdf) and have everything exactly in order, copies made, and know what you're doing. It helps. Good luck.