Our SSNK4US Begins.....

[SSNK4US]

My mom and dad took me with them to a Ford dealer (Ralph Williams Ford for you old SoCal people) when I was 6 years old. First I pointed to “that one” , Cobra, “no” then I pointed to “that one” , 66 fastback, I got another “no” lol They settled on a 66 Mustang coupe sage gold (ugly) wth pony interior, 289 and a C4. It eventually became mine after going thru my older sister, my older brother (2 accidents and a high tide incident in Newport or Huntington I think lol) I turned it into a high 10 second pro street daily driver before anyone knew what pro street was....so my real hands on experience started then but actually earlier, I helped change the timing belt on my brother in laws 71? Pinto when I was about 12.
So at 6 I got my first taste of a real Cobra. That’s when it all started... I built models of it, watched ABC’s Wide World of Sports... I definitely knew who Carroll Shelby was and what he was all about.

I (we’ve, my wife and I) have been lurking (and dreaming) around the forum for a few years and signed up a couple of years ago. I’ve read sooo many builds, some many times lol, and have thrown my 2 cents in on things once in a while. Then someone else in town I found ordered a kit. It nudged us a little closer (Thanks Rodney!) to buying a kit. We’ve been to a few HB shows and the last one at the end we stopped and talked to Dave Smith and I actually shook Jeff Kleiner’s hand lol I posted in another thread how fast and easy it went down....

It’s just my wonderful wife and I, of almost 36 years, and our two 10 year old golden retrievers and she is probably more excited than I am about it all. She’ll be right there next to me wrenching on everything too.

So we pulled the trigger on a Mk4 this morning!!!!

Sorry for being so long winded, and excuse any typos, this is A LOT to type on an iphone and there’s A LOT OF ADRENALINE FLOWING right now! LOL!!!
But the forum is like a family... and we were kind of stepchildren lol
Now we are part of the family... if that makes any sense.
Of course NOT discounting any lurkers or dreamers out here... we were one of those too... and probably pretty much everybody else was also.

My wife and I are very fortunate to soon becoming part of the Factory Five owners family!!!!

Kurt & Cathy

[Clover]

Congratulation Kurt and Cathy. Welcome to the family. I think it is terrific that Cathy will be there wrenching too. I thought I was lucky with how supportive my wife has been about me buying my kit and her parking outside. However, when I mentioned that I was going to need a hand at times, she got real quite and grumpy real quick. I am going to tread carefully with regards to asking her for help now. I guess Kurt must be more pleasant to work with then I am. Also, I have a feeling that the little tremble I see from my wife when I talk about the kit getting here has more to do with stress then excitement.

[Yama-Bro]

Congrats! And welcome to the club!

[SSNK4US]

Kit Details....Complete kit, pretty basic but lots of small details planned....

Carbureted 347 BluePrint engine / TKO 600 combo
Powder coated chassis
Ceramic Headers
Body cut outs
Stock Vinyl seats (going to try some mods to the frames for big and tallness lol and just use the vinyl for a pattern to put my sewing skills to some custom leather touches) they are included so worst case we spend $200 more than the low back Kirkey’s at full price. I gotta try! Lol
Power steering... no clue on pump yet
3 link with new Moser, stay with 3.55 gears
Vintage Gauges
17” staggered Halibrands and tire package
Stainless pipes
Wind wings
Sun visors
Chrome DS and PS roll bars w/grommets
Assembled Louvers
Leather steering wheel
Stock GT brakes
Front sway bar
Rear nudge bar w/over-riders
Nothing for the front
Blank dash, Built or bought glove box
Of course lots of Breeze, Fortes, FFR Metal parts etc etc etc etc .......
And the brightest, truest, redest red lol that da Bat can come up with and white stripes!

Any thoughts much appreciated !

Kurt and Cathy

[Straversi]

Congratulations and welcome aboard. Looking forward to following your journey.
-Steve

[bil1024]

Congrats welcome to the family

[slpro1207]

Congratulations and welcome to the family. My wife also was a huge help on both my builds. The hard part now is the wait for arrival.

[DadofThree]

Congratulations!

[Redlinejoev]

Congratulations guys! I remember that high tide incident and pretty sure it was Newport, too bad about that Mustang but I guess you've "stepped it up" withe MK4. Good luck!

[WIS89]

Kurt and Cathy-

Welcome to the family; I think you made a great choice! I appreciated the story behind your decision also. We all have a story about what turned us into car guys/gals, and I think it is fun to hear those stories.

I look forward to watching your build, and I hope you are going to share your progress! Best of luck.

Regards,

Steve

[SSNK4US]

Thanks for all your warm wishes and welcomes everyone!!! Have been busy busy busy trying to get our garage ready!!!!
(Pictures to follow) It’s been a real mess for a few years.... but the clock is ticking and there is no choice in the matter now lol. Talk about motivation!!!! 89092

[SSNK4US]

Oh and the rear end showed up last week...just out of the blue!!!! Good thing I was home lol
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[SSNK4US]

Stewart Transpotation called me today! They picked up our kit!
ETA 7/31
She said a kit is going to Sunland Ca too....
Anybody know who or what it is?

[SSNK4US]

9395 is home now and tucked in and safe and sound!!!
90560905619056290563

[SSNK4US]

Slow going on inventory as life interuptus always happens lol but the boxes are finally done! (Body is STILL on the chassis)
Inventory is pretty straight forward and actually simple. Grab a box from the garage, probably 110 degrees in there most of the time, set it down on the u-haul type blanket on the dinning room table. My wife with the packing list reading stuff off and I say “yes” lol Every once in a while I’d look something up in the build manual on my phone (bought it years ago) But I’ve been around cars and stuff for a really really really long time so it was easy. Ruler helps too for bolt lengths. Also a sharpie to write subassembly part numbers on the bags. My wife is going to be fully involved in this build so her sitting there with the packing list she can kind of see what things really are. Finish a box, tape it back up, WITH MINIMAL OR NO PAPER IN IT and take it into the spare bedroom lol Took heavy things like brake rotors and sidepipes seperate etc out to make things easier to handle instead big awkward boxes. I’ll move the boxes back out the the garage soon.
FF did a great job on everything. Missing steering wheel hub, broken interior mirror (I can’t believe they didn’t cut down enough trees to protect it from the Koni box that looks like hit it) and our rear nudge bar was never shipped or invoiced. Motor mounts were on my POL and they shipped us two sets at two different times. I sent the list to Dave at FF on Monday night and he sent a new order back to me on Thursday. Also on it, it had a note that looked like make sure to include a call tag for the engine mounts so I won’t have to pay for shipping them back. That’s my two cents for now....and we haven’t even started building yet. I hope everybody likes reading long random babbling LOL

Kurt

[SSNK4US]

Oh forgot to add.... POL was actually only about maybe 3/4 of a page but still waiting for gas tank and cover, rear pads, and the radiator I think is all that is left.

Kurt

[SSNK4US]

Oh again lol

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[wltrmtty]

Congratulations! I look forward to watching your progress and learning. I'll be right there with you ion a couple pf years - keeping my fingers crossed.

[Duck62]

Congrats. It is like Christmas!!!

[SSNK4US]

On a roll.....lol uncrated our new Moser last week....perfect angle to replace the chrome cover with the cast and girdled cover my wife gave me for our anniversary 8/14. Build is going with lightning speed as you can see.

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Also bought supplies for our body buck today...moving right along ;)

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[GoDadGo]

96892



Smart Move Ditching The Chrome Differential Cover!

Like a silver teapot chrome goodies hold the heat in nearly as well.

Heck, a chrome oil pans are even worse unless you've got a cooler.

Again, Smart Move For Sure!

[SSNK4US]

Thanks Steve!
And just to let you know, I believe in the dark side..... we have one of those big block Chevy things in our boat lol

[SSNK4US]

A little more happening..... bought an oven yesterday, $35, to hopefully start powdercoating some stuff....

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AND I started body buck this evening

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[SSNK4US]

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:d

[SSNK4US]

Hi all, I figured I should update our build, or not lol as there isn’t anything to update. Body is still on the chassis :( I changed jobs 30 days after the delivery of “SSNK4US” so that kind of put a damper on things. We were hoping to have it in Huntington Beach on a trailer this year but it looks like that’s not going to happen because it looks like HB isn’t going to “officially” happen this year either so there’s a reprieve there too. I guess the biggest damper is I’ve been battling end stage arthritis in my right knee for years. I went in for replacement surgery on Tuesday! Right now I wouldn’t recommend it lol But like all the people I know who have gone through this they wouldn’t have either a few days out from surgery. But all have said it’s well worth it in the long run. LOTS of pain!! I tried to get the surgeon to shave off a few extra inches to get my tall a$$ butt to fit better in the car without mods but he wasn’t having that LOL
So be on the look out for my useless 2¢ I throw out all time. That should increase with my laying around for the next 4-6 weeks lol
After that I can’t wait to really dig into our build with my wife and actually get something done!!!!

Kurt

[BadAsp427]

There is no rush.... But I will tell you, my father has now had 3 knee replacement surgeries (and a hip) and at 91 years young, he get's around great... He says that the trick is to put yourself through the pain, the PT and do EVERYTHING they tell you to do. If you don't, it will never feel right... Best of luck... SSNK4US will be waiting...

[SSNK4US]

Thanks man!! I appreciate the thoughts. Long slow process on both lol
It’s just a little blip.... gives me more time to read build threads 10 more times and change my mind on stuff 20 more times LOL!!!!

Kurt

[SSNK4US]

Hi everybody!!!! I’m back from the dead!!! (But on a walker lol) My wife and I actually started doing some build stuff!!!! Pictures to follow.....

Question though... Is there ANY valid reason why I can’t put my 3 link rear end in without the brakes attached? I don’t see why I couldn’t? I guess I just need a little confirmation lol

Thanks, Kurt

[Blitzboy54]

Hi everybody!!!! I’m back from the dead!!! (But on a walker lol) My wife and I actually started doing some build stuff!!!! Pictures to follow.....

Question though... Is there ANY valid reason why I can’t put my 3 link rear end in without the brakes attached? I don’t see why I couldn’t? I guess I just need a little confirmation lol

Thanks, Kurt


Welcome Back! Yes, you absolutely can I just did it. Just be aware you may need to remove your axles depending on what brakes your putting in. I found it not that difficult, but you have to lay flat to get in there.

[GoDadGo]

Welcome Back From The Dead!

[Big Blocker]

Welcome back Kurt . . .

I'm sure you won't be in that walker for long. But do whatever your PT person tells you to do. As a 2x open heart patient, PT IS the way back to being normal again.

In answer to your questions about the rear, and as mentioned above, you can absolutely install the 3-link rear without the brakes on it but depending on your brake setup, may need to pull axles later to install a few of the brake parts like caliper mount bracket, splash shields if you are running them. Axles are easy to pull as long as the rear isn't filled yet with gear oil, otherwise, kinda messy. IF this is the case with the caliper brackets, go ahead and mount them now while the rear end is out of the car. Then mount your brakes (rotors and calipers) at a later time.

HTH

Doc

[SSNK4US]

Thanks guys! Just wanted to make sure. I got lucky (I think) our brackets are cut out so I don’t have to pull the axles.
Now I just have research the forums to figure out the configuration.

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