Egchewy79's first time MK4 build

[egchewy79]

This is my first foray into the world of automotive stuff. I've always wanted to build a Cobra and decided that it would be a nice 40th birthday gift to myself. I did a minor restoration project last year on a 1985 mercedes 350SL that I gifted to my parents for their 45th wedding anniversary.
Received the complete MK4 kit last week and have already done inventory. Missing only 4 parts that were supposed to be included which isn't bad considering all the parts included.
I have a rebuilt 1966 289 Hipo FSB engine that I got from a friend who ended up using a 4.6L in his build. I also have a T5Z tremec trans. Both need to be torn apart and inspected.
I've gotten all the body panels marked and removed and started drilling driver side F panel and cockpit panels. I'll post pics once I figure out how to get them on.
I'm hoping to get tons of useful info from this forum and am sure that I'll get stuck multiple times and will need to ask for advice.
Cheers

[Cruzzz]

Congratulations and welcome! This a great community and source of information. Look forward to your updates. Have fun and enjoy the journey.

[Straversi]

Congratulations and welcome. Sounds like you are off to a great start. Keep us posted.
-Steve

[egchewy79]

This is my first foray into the world of automotive stuff. I've always wanted to build a Cobra and decided that it would be a nice 40th birthday gift to myself. I did a minor restoration project last year on a 1985 mercedes 350SL that I gifted to my parents for their 45th wedding anniversary.
Received the complete MK4 kit last week and have already done inventory. Missing only 4 parts that were supposed to be included which isn't bad considering all the parts included.
I have a rebuilt 1966 289 Hipo FSB engine that I got from a friend who ended up using a 4.6L in his build. I also have a T5Z tremec trans. Both need to be torn apart and inspected.
I've gotten all the body panels marked and removed and started drilling driver side F panel and cockpit panels. I'll post pics once I figure out how to get them on.
I'm hoping to get tons of useful info from this forum and am sure that I'll get stuck multiple times and will need to ask for advice.
Cheers


any way to post photos other than photobucket? I'm not interested in paying $5/mo to store my photos.

[Mark Eaton]

Yes, you can post photos without photobucket. I don't use photobucket. I take the photos with my iPhone then I export them to a Dropbox folder. Then, using my MacBook I Upload the photos into one of my albums under the "Gallery" tab. I then copy the BB code to the photo and paste it into my build thread. It is really easy once you get the hang of it. Good luck!

-Mark

[egchewy79]

thanks. I think I need to be a member of this forum for some time before I'm allowed to use the photo gallery.

[egchewy79]

F panels and driver/passenger foot boxes drilled. planning on painting all the wheel well panels with bed liner on the wheel side and all the engine side panels with rustoleum hammered silver. prepped the F panels by roughing up with scotchbrite pads, acetone and primer before paint. going to rivet/caulk these and then start on upper control arms. installed lower arms already. bought a 36mm socket for wheel hubs today.

[Higgybulin]

thanks. I think I need to be a member of this forum for some time before I'm allowed to use the photo gallery.

I believe you need 20 posts before you can post pics....but if you PM David Hodgkins, since you already have a kit, you might get the green light!!
Higgy

[egchewy79]

UCA help!
when installing the ball joints on the upper control arms, the picture showed the nuts of the control arm on top, so that's how I installed them.
as it turns out, they were upside down in the picture in the manual as the zerk fittings should have all been on top.
I had a lot of trouble getting the ball joints fully seated and really and to torque on them in a bench clamp to get them down. in fact one of them still has a couple of threads showing. well since I've recognized that the ball joints were installed upside down, I'm having difficulty getting them removed so I can switch them.
any issues with the ball joints installed upside down? any recommendations on how to get these off if there is a problem with the prior question?

[Fixit]

Here's a pic of what your UCA's should look like when correctly assembled... the picture is the passenger side.
A couple of tips:
- You'll have to disassemble them and flip the upper BJ plate for the correct angle
- The driver's side will have the fixed/welded shaft forward
- Lube up the adjuster sleeves with anti-seize or chassis grease while it's apart
- If you're running power steering, take a look here (https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showthread.php?27544-The-40-Watt-Garage-9365-Wheel-Alignment&p=354022&viewfull=1#post354022) about possibly needing to cut the sleeves & shafts for more adjustment travel

101688

Pay attention when attaching the steer arms to the spindles. They go on the "wrong" side of the car as from marked... PS on driver's side, DS on passenger side. The large side of the tapered tie-rod end hole is down.

[egchewy79]

thanks john
looking at my ball joints again, they are assembled correctly. the rest of the UCA was assembled upside down. i'll switch everything else, including the bolts and nuts. are the ball joints supposed to be fully seated against the UCAs? on one side, i can't see any threads but it's also not all the way down and on the other side, i can still see 2 lines of the threads. should i put a torch to the UCA to see if i could tighten it more? i've almost ripped the top off my workbench trying to tighten it with my bench clamp.

[Jeff Kleiner]

thanks john
looking at my ball joints again, they are assembled correctly. the rest of the UCA was assembled upside down. i'll switch everything else, including the bolts and nuts. are the ball joints supposed to be fully seated against the UCAs? on one side, i can't see any threads but it's also not all the way down and on the other side, i can still see 2 lines of the threads. should i put a torch to the UCA to see if i could tighten it more? i've almost ripped the top off my workbench trying to tighten it with my bench clamp.

As has been said many times on both forums; the upper control arms are not a Factory Five specific part and can be assembled in various configurations depending on the application. The orientation that they are in when shipped from the vendor are not the proper configuration for our cars. It's up to the end used to do the "mix & match, flip & turn" of the components to wind up in the proper configuration. So, looking at your photo we can see that you have installed the ball joint in the correct direction however it is not seated:

https://www.ffcars.com/forums/attachments/factory-five-roadsters/329508d1549219612-first-roadster-build-20190203_134435_1549219572744.jpg

You can't leave it like this and yeah, since you used the red thread locker it's probably going to be difficult to move without heat. Sorry :( Although some builders may feel otherwise---after having installed a bunch of them I've personally never had problems with the FFR supplied ball joints BUT (and this is a big but) you must remove the thick rust preventative coating from the threads before attempting to install them or they are likely to bind up much like yours did. Run them across a wire wheel to get get that stuff off and once you have them down to clean bare metal threads they'll turn in with very little effort and seat with a healthy "OOMPH".

As for spreading the tabs you can make a homebrewed tool with a section of threaded rod a few inches long, a couple of nuts and flat washers. The threaded rod goes through the holes in the tabs with nuts threaded on as shown here:

https://scontent-ort2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/51090845_1896323187157047_1707251085002932224_n.jp g?_nc_cat=105&_nc_ht=scontent-ort2-1.xx&oh=340f7a4986c7a84728962f4c63340030&oe=5CB79D69

Turning the nuts opposite each other will spread the tabs. Easy peasey!

Cheers,
Jeff

[Yama-Bro]

Welcome to the club! I'm using Flickr to post my photos. Unfortunately, they started charging if you have over 1000. I'm at 300 right now so I have awhile until I have to worry about it.

[egchewy79]

It's been a while. Primarily posting on the other forum. I've got the front suspension and steering rack done. Passenger side foot box riveted. Pedal box and master cylinders done. Assembled RT drop trunk and need to cut the stock trunk aluminum. Don't have a rear end yet. What should I do next? Finish trunk and install fuel tank?

[egchewy79]

PS cockpit floor installed tonight. They say not to rivet the vertical part and just silicone it. I'm assuming the trans tunnel cover gets riveted together. Am I supposed to rivet the lower portion of the vertical part of this panel?

[cv2065]

I would avoid installing the cockpit floors until you have run your fuel and brake lines. It can be done afterwards, just easier without the panels in the way. I'm not sure what vertical parts you are referring to. Might want to post some pics. You can go to photobucket and get their free account. Plenty of room to document a build without having to pay anything.