New to Forum - How much can be built before engine goes in?

[tundra2050]

Hi all,
I'm hoping to realize a childhood dream and build a Cobra Roadster upon retirement in a few years and finally take advantage of my 401K. I've been doing research and the FFR MKIV looks to be the best and safest built, and closest to original Cobra roadster out there. Anyway, I may consider starting early to have my kids help. The only real issue is the wife of course. In retirement, I can go the route of Complete Kit, but have to go "cheap" before then. I'm hoping to afford the base kit after selling my boat. Also, I'm not sure if I want to go the Coyote route or 351W. Sorry for rambling, but my big question is: how much can I build before the engine has to go in? Are there significant issues? Is it less expensive to wait and purchase the Complete Kit? Another thought was purchasing a salvaged Mustang 5.0 and having the engine bored and long blocked, but that may be cost prohibited?

Thank you very much! I love the forum and all the build pics and vids. I hope to post a build thread of my MKIV one day.

James

[Jim1855]

Pretty much everything. People pull and change motors once the car is complete, don't see why putting the motor in last would be that much of a problem. But then all of my experience is Windsor based, the Coyote adds a lot of wiring.

Jim

[Sigurd]

From a person just starting to build a Type 65, I don’t think it is a problem to finish about everything before the engine and transmission goes in.

I have test fitted mine to better see where I put fuel lines and electrical wiring to the engine, a 347 with FiTec fuel injection. Nice, but most likely not needed. Perhaps more beneficial if using a Cayote due to size, computer, etc.

I ordered a full kit as I wanted to build the car with new parts, not spending time cleaning and overhauling. It is also my understanding that several builders that have based their car on a Mustang have not made much of a saving when everything is done.

[GoDadGo]

You can pretty much build the entire car before you stuff in your drive-line.
Also, check out Edwardb's two MK-4 build thread, shown below, before you decide if you are going Push Rod or Modern V/8.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showthread.php?8296-Mk4-7750-Build-Progress-Update

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showthread.php?18591-EdwardB%92s-Mk4-8674-20th-Anniversary-Build

Welcome Aboard & Welcome To The Factory Five Family!

[edwardb]

Thanks Steve for posting my build threads. I've become a big fan of the Coyote, but I completely understand they're not for everyone. To the OP, two responses. Briefly (for me). Don't look at the difference between base and complete kit as only a cost issue. It is, of course, but you won't be able to build a base kit without adding a bunch of parts. So unless you're planning to source your own parts or use a donor, you might want to stay with the complete kit. The decision is a little more complicated than that, but based on your question, how I would respond now. As already stated, you can wait until pretty late in the build to add the engine/trans. But I'd also say it may depend on your experience. If you've done something like this before and have a general idea where everything goes, OK. But if this is new you may want to have the engine a little earlier so you can visualize where everything goes, how to most effectively route things, etc.

For any build though, I'd recommend starting with how are you going to use the car, what are your expectations, what is your experience, and what is your budget. From that develop a build plan.

[Jeff Kleiner]

You can build the entire car...just need to do some advance planning for where you'll need to land wires, fuel and coolant (kinda' need to do this anyway, even if your engine is sitting in the garage ;)).

Jeff

[tundra2050]

WOW! Thanks for all the comments and advice! This gives me a lot of great perspective. I'll check out those builds.

Thanks again!

[Derald Rice]

Another option is to buy or borrow a junkyard motor to use for mocking up the placement of all of the bits.

[mike223]

You can build the entire car...just need to do some advance planning for where you'll need to land wires, fuel and coolant (kinda' need to do this anyway, even if your engine is sitting in the garage ;)).

Jeff


+1 (I think... lol).

Fit + test everything (thoroughly) early + often.


- my best advice, good luck

[Fixit]

I was convinced to go Coyote from the beginning. After swapping a late-model EFI LT-1, 4L60 combo into my '65 El Camino I will never go back to a carburetor. The driveability and economy cannot be beat.

I hemmed & hawed about a "base kit/ala-carte" build with a donor car, or the complete kit with a new powertrain for a few months. This is what swayed me to go "complete"...

I joined several online auction outfits, and watched for gently wrecked or flood damaged Mustangs for a few months...
What I learned:
- There is no such thing as a "gently wrecked" Mustang. They seem to all be whacked HARD.
- Anything with low miles goes for 2x what a crate motor & new trans costs.
- Anything that looks decent and is in the crate/trans range has 50k+ miles on the clock.
Why bite the bullet on the unknown? Who knows the maintenance history, how it was treated, then there's the problem of pulling parts off a hulk, and then getting rid of what's left over.

I went with a Coyote engine/trans package from Forte's Performance, and sourced a 1000 mile "take-out" IRS setup from Midway Mustang... The engine is brand new, trans brand new, and the IRS nearly so.
As things worked out I waited for FFR's fall sale event, bought the kit and most of my wanted options at a good discount.
Buying the complete kit (with the Coyote and/or IRS adds) you honestly get every piece to build a turn-key automobile. Any extra items or expense is because you chose some options or made changes.

The complete kit is a big lump of cash to part with... then knowing there's another big pile-o-cash needed for the powertrain... then for purchase of some tools you may not have... then another for body & paint (if you're not doing it yourself). This is a major undertaking... but there's so much information here that building the car without everything on-hand is possible. Most everything could be mocked up "close", waiting for the engine/trans or other components to arrive.

This is my 1st FFR kit, but not my first rodeo with building/modifying cars. What I might consider duck-soup might make a noobie yell OMG!
Surf around the forum, look through some build threads. Here's a link to mine.
(https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showthread.php?27544-The-40-Watt-Garage-9365-Show-N-Tell&p=314752&viewfull=1#post314752)