Arizona Hot Rod

[rapidray]

Hello to all! We received our 33 Hot Rod kit on the 14th and have spent approx. 5 days on the build. We have a well equipped shop and I have done the majority of the assembly by myself. I have been a automotive/airplane mechanic for over 40 years and built a all steel 32 Ford sedan years ago. I have found the manual to be helpful and thanks to you all I have only used it as a guide. I have encountered numerous problems but nothing that I have found to be catastrophic so far. This is the progress I have made so far. 119396119398119397

[rapidray]

Sorry for the lousy post hopefully I will get better. Let me also say that working with the guys and gals at Factory Five including the delivery guy has been nothing short of fantastic! Cheers Ray

[wallace18]

Looks like you are making great progress!:cool:

[FF33rod]

Welcome, congrats on the great start. You're moving quickly...

So I guess you're another Gen2 guy, maybe you can post your build details - what options you went for and other relevant details, any thoughts on special features to "make it your own"?

Another question - before you get too far have you thought about doing some of the body work sooner than later?

Steve

[Gordon Levy]

Where are you located? We have a coupe 33's around here as well as a host of other cars.

[rapidray]

Thank you for all of your responses. The kit is a gen 2 with a 32 nose and 3 link rear, I am running a mild 6.0 LS with a 4L60E trans. My goal is to build a fair weather fun car without all of the bells and whistles. I am not building a race car just something simple and fun and above all dependable. I have run into numerous assembly problems such as the steering rack bolt holes do not line up with the supplied bracket and right now I am fighting with the pinon angle but I will figure it out eventually. I worked in a body shop for 12 years so am familiar with the process, I just want to get everything mocked up before I started fitting panels and adjusting gaps. I am sure I will have the body on and off numerous times. We are located in Tucson. I am keeping an open mind with the build and am sure I will change directions several times, but hey isn't this supposed to be fun! Cheers Ray

[Straversi]

Welcome aboard. Thanks for including us. We all miss the build process as soon as we finish so it’s fun to follow along with others. Keep sending photos and having fun.
-Steve

[NAZ]

Ray, you're making fast work of your build and with your auto body experience I expect that won't slow you down like many of us when we got to that part of the build.

If you have that thing on the road by MAR, bring it out to your hometown strip. I'll be at the Arizona Shootout at Tucson Dragway in MAR, stop by and say hello. Not sure of the date yet, last year was on the 19th. Mine will likely be the only FFR 33HR out there.

[rapidray]

119491119492Well another day. Things went relatively smooth today, got the front brakes installed and the rear suspension setup including the pinion angle. Also received the correct trans mount so will install next week. Will have to move fuse box from current location in order to install the drive by wire gas pedal. I am sure it is going to require the fabrication of a mount to equal the pedals correctly. Cheers Ray

[rapidray]

119863Happy New Year all! Worked a few hours today. Ran into problems with the pinion angle discovered that the driveshaft hit the cross member with the pinion angle set to the correct angle. Thought of raising the rear transmission mount but then the exhaust hit the frame. Also the pinion angle rod was adjusted all the way out with 3 threads engaged in the tube. Decided to lengthen the adjustment rod 2" and set the angle. After all that the driveshaft clears the frame rail by about an 1/8 of an inch when unloaded and the exhaust is also good (plenty of clearance when loaded). Also had to remove the material on the rear shock mount on the Moser rear end for the springs to clear. Noticed that the radiator supplied with the kit for the 32 nose has no transmission cooler or bung for the fan sensor. Has anyone else run into this with the Gen 2 or did I just get the wrong radiator. I did use the Tremec angle finder for the final adjustment with the lower control arms leveled. I also measured the rear to front wheelbase in an X to make sure the car would track correctly when done. Cheers Ray

[peterh226]

Sounds familiar. I put limiter straps so the driveshaft does not hit when raising the chassis. Still working on the ride height/pinion angle/coil clearance. I'm a bit concerned about the thread engagement on the Pinion upper link as well.

[rapidray]

Peter, I thought about the limiter straps but did not like the idea. I lengthened the upper link by cutting it in the middle and then welding a section in. I then inserted the whole rod in another tube and welded it again. Trust me it is stout! I was uncomfortable with the supplied tube as it seemed too thin. My supplied adjustment tube was 12" and I added approximately 2" and it worked perfect. I now have 3/4 of the heim joint in the tube. (You never want less than half of the heim joint threads engaged, just a tidbit from my aircraft days) Ray

[cob427sc]

You have the same radiator as me, and I was suprised there was not transmission cooler tank or temp sensor bung. I purchased a trans cooler from Summit for around $30 which came with all the brackets to mount in front of the radiator. I haven't decided where to locate the mp sensor yet, but in a previous roadster build back in 98 I remember buying a fitting that was installed in the radiator hose adjacent to the radiator.

[peterh226]

With my setup (Tremec) the Driveshaft will hit the frame when I jack up the frame without the straps. So, I really didn't have much choice.

I'll check on the upper tube. I agree it seems a bit too short.

[sethmark]

The limit strap thing really is unnecessary.

Just put the shocks in the top hole. That 1 inch is just enough. I have about 100 miles on my car and it goes on the rack regularly. The driveshaft does not hit the frame with the shocks in the top hole.

[rapidray]

Looked at the car today and wow how am I going to build a lower radiator hose. I installed the horns according to the manual and there is no way I will have room for the lower radiator hose so removed the horns and will find another place to put them but the hose is still a nightmare. I refuse to run the lower rad hose below the frame. I also purchased the rear end from FFR but did not get any rear caliper brackets. I have the calipers, rotors, pads and planned on purchasing the lines and all from a different supplier. I am in need of the 2 brackets per side (the ones pictured in the FFR rear brake instructions). Anyone know where I can purchase them? I called Moser but they do not sell them. Thanks Ray

[sethmark]

Check my thread.
https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showthread.php?32289-Seth%92s-build-thread-%97-happy-holidays!&p=380539&viewfull=1#post380539

I snaked the lower radiator hose through the coil overs. Bent a piece of stainless pipe and
used 2 silicon 90s.


not the best picture but I’m not near the car.

[rapidray]

Sethmark, I really like the way you built those hoses and had followed your posts before, you are really doing a great job and we both used a Cadillac as a donor. I like the way you built the steam hose also. I just ran the tubes to the throttle body and intended to drill and tap a bleeder in it if I have problem. I use a vacuum filler for radiator servicing here at the shop and that will usually eliminate any bubbles in the system so don't know if the bleeder is necessary. Thanks for the reply! Ray

[sethmark]

I tried to emulate the relative height of the steam port as if it were still in the truck. Bleeding was a nonissue. I know the LS can be finicky, but I had one burp after startup out of the filler and it runs 180-195. I love this motor in the car.

[RBBJ 32 HOTROD]

As far as the pinion angle, I ended up using on of the truck holes for the lower control arms. I have a SBC with a 700r4 transmission. But now I have received the new adjustable upper control arms but still need to install, then I will return the lowers to their original holes. Have you received your new upper control arms?

[rapidray]

True the LS steam ports are a controversial subject! Some guys block them off and some add another to the rear of the intake all depends who you talk too. Also a sore subject when you talk about blocking the heater hose outlets I connected one to the other on my build as I am not running a heater. I don't anticipate a problem with the setup I am using and will address if the time comes. On the rear control arm subject I used the upper lower control arm bolt hole and did not even bother FFR with the upper adjustment rod (however I cant imagine that other people have not run into this problem) just built my own as it was a simple fix. I am running the 3 link setup. Ray

[sethmark]

Ray, with regard to the three link, ride height and loaded weight made a big difference. I spent a bunch of time with Jim at FFR only to figure out it all works when it’s at ride height my pinion angle is 1.5* below output shaft with better than .75"of thread engagement in the 3 link upper.

i did add the heater delete hose. Doesn’t fit long term, but for now it’s fine....

[rapidray]

I am mystified at all the things people have had to do on the pinion angle deal. I disconnected my rear shocks and used 2 pole jacks on the rear housing to position the lower control arm at the loaded weight and had a 7 degree pinion angle and did not have enough adjustment to correct it. I wonder if maybe its the way the rear bracket was positioned by Moser? After I lengthened the upper link it worked perfectly with 2 degree angle. I could set it with the supplied link and the transmission mount but then my right exhaust pipe hit the frame. So I did the simple fix. Ray

[rapidray]

Sethmark I just went back and looked at your thread again and now I see the difference. You stacked a spacer on your right side exhaust and that would have probably also fixed my problem (raising the trans mount) So apparently we did experience the same problem we just corrected it in a different way. I did what I thought we be the easiest. Works either way. Thanks for your input! Ray

[sethmark]

You bet. I got the chassis built pretty quickly but am totally intimidated by the body work. I’m a fabricator and welder.

Always something new to learn.

[rapidray]

Sethmark, I could tell you were a welder when I looked at your exhaust work! most excellent! I have been welding most of my adult life and have all the welders Tig, Mig etc. But no way am I as good as you! I would love to see how you mounted your accelerator pedal (I am assuming you used the Cadillac one) if you could shoot me a couple of pictures of it I would appreciate it. I did not see a picture of it on your build thread. Thanks Ray

[sethmark]

I cut the factory pedal assembly in half and used the FFR supplied pedal end., which I disassembled.

I drilled a hole in the gm piece and dropped a bolt in it so the angle was adjustable. When the car is done and the seat position finalized I’ll weld up,the two halves.

Ill be at 90% complete for quite a while. Until the body and paint is done I’m driving it as is. It’s fun...

[rapidray]

Sethmark, my pedal assembly is completely different than yours. The one I have is a huge plastic one. My donor car was a 2006 Cadillac ESV. I will send you a picture of it Monday. What year was your donor car? Thanks Ray

[sethmark]

I used a 2003 Escalade pedal. It was huge. I cut the linkage off.

[rapidray]

Sethmark, from 2002-2005 they did use the metal one. I wonder if it would work on my 2006. What year did you say your motor and trans was? Thanks Ray

[sethmark]

My computer setup is gen 3. The pedals ARE different depending on year and computer. The plugs and resistance can be different. Don’t know what the break is. Sorry....

[rapidray]

Ok finally figured out what to do with the drive by wire accelerator pedal, cut the big old plastic thing off and installed the FFR supplied pedal. Went to install the battery and could not understand why you would put the battery in the suggested position? What if you need to change it or jump start! What a terrible idea! I relocated mine to the trunk after building a tray and new wires. Also built a body stand out of some scrap steel I had laying around. Worked out real well. Sturdy enough to start the basic body work while I am working on other things. Also mocked up all the exterior lights and everything worked! (headlights, turn signals, brake lights and starter) Enjoy Ray

[sethmark]

Ray,
The need to relocate to the trunk is kind of odd. My GEN two kit came with a bracket and hold down for mounting it in the trunk specifically and the manual called it out.

[rapidray]

Sethmark, you are absolutely correct! I am laughing at myself. I think I received a old manual because my paper copy and my online copy are different. Either way I am glad I built a little tray and the upper mount would not have fit my battery, so again it seems I went out of my way! Thanks for keeping me straight! You are running a standard transmission if I remember correctly? Cheers Ray

[rapidray]

Sethmark, another question. Was your rear aluminum 2 pieces? Mine is one solid piece. Looks like yours is 2 in the picture.

[sethmark]

You’re welcome. We need to watch each other’s backs. CRS is a *****. :o

[rapidray]

I am still curious as if anyone has Gen2 trunk aluminum that is 1 piece most of the pictures I have seen are at least 2 pieces while the 1 I received is a solid piece. Here is a picture of mine. Sethmark looking at your picture your fuel tank opening is on the opposite side as mine. I don't think the one I received is going to work without cutting a hole for the fuel tank filler, here we go I guess another call to FFR is in my future. LOL Thanks Ray

[sethmark]

I like it. It’s better.

[rapidray]

I also would prefer to have the 1 solid piece. I think i will just cut a hole in the piece i have and patch the other side as it is covered anyway.

[sethmark]

Have you look at the fuel tank? Maybe they change that too?

[rapidray]

I was just looking at the pictures because I thought that about that also however I did slide the fuel tank in the opening when I built the battery tray.(you can see it in my picture) I also noticed that I received a big hose in the fuel tank box maybe that has something to do with it however there is no way that the fuel tank will fit without that hole. Thanks Ray

[rapidray]

This weeks progress! Installed rear brakes and built all the brake lines. Bled them all and it went real well, no problems. Coated lower aluminum floor and installed passenger side. Changed toggle switch high beam switch to early Chevy push type. Installed lower radiator hose, after going through local parts store inventory and finding one that fit! Cheers Ray

[rapidray]

Well had a pretty good week. Installed the Wilwood emergency brake system, it fit and worked perfect. Installed transmission cooler, drilled and riveted more holes than I care to talk about! For anybody that used a hand riveter my hat is off to you! Hope to install the fuel system, program computer and start engine next week! Cheers Ray

[rapidray]

Sethmark, I am confused on how the FFR furnished seats bolt to the floor. My seat mounts do not line up with the square steel frame tubes. Do the seats bolt to the aluminum floor? If you have a picture of how you mounted yours I would appreciate it. Thanks Ray

[sethmark]

Ray,
‘I’ll look. Car is at my shop....might need to be tomorrow....

[FF33rod]

Sethmark, I am confused on how the FFR furnished seats bolt to the floor. My seat mounts do not line up with the square steel frame tubes. Do the seats bolt to the aluminum floor? If you have a picture of how you mounted yours I would appreciate it. Thanks Ray

How the seats bolt to the floor and/or frame are totally up to you (in the same way that where you put rivets and how many are up to you). Some put adjusters under the seats and others bolt them direct.

On my build, first I riveted and used silicone to reinforce the floor area under each seat wtih a small steel sheet. On the passenger side, I used Summit universal fixed seat brackets G1150 giving minimal rise and a small recline. On the drivers side I used the same (cut down to minimize height) along with MasterCraft sliding seat bracket 620030. With the use of the fixed seat bracket on the bottom, I was able to have 6 bolts per seat with 4 of them attaching to the frame and the other 2 per side (the front of each) were attached to the steel/aluminum floor sheeting only.

Steve

[sethmark]

Damn Steve.....6 bolts? :p

[rapidray]

Sethmark, thank you for your suggestions! I think you led me in the right direction. I also was looking at the way you mounted your fuel pump. I was going to do the same thing as we both have the same donor motor. I was wondering however how noisy it is and can you access it in case of failure or to change the filter? Would you or have you built an access panel? Cheers Ray

[sethmark]

I didn’t help!

[sethmark]

WithRegard to the fuel pump, it’s pretty quiet. Once it’s primed, it’s really not bad at all. I expect a waterfall to be removable in case I need to service it. Honestly, I’m not concerned about it in the slightest.

[rapidray]

Sorry should have thanked Steve. But you have also really been helpful so thanks to you all! Ray

[rapidray]

This weeks progress! Installed fuel tank, after grinding and reworking upper welds. The mounting tabs were very uneven and could not slide the gas tank into the frame. Built a bracket that I mounted on top of the I'm guessing Gen I battery tray that holds the fuel pump and filter. Started the wiring for the computer controls and added all of the fluids and mounted the tires and wheels. Unfortunately I received one bent rear wheel and a tire that had a blemish on the bead but replacements are on the way. Mounted the drivers seat after building brackets that went through the frame rails. Cheers Ray

[rapidray]

I also ran into this problem. Looking at the driveshaft yoke engagement after getting the weight on wheels I was not happy with the fit. The yoke is way to far from the rear of the trans. I think the driveshaft is too short. Here are some pictures. Talked to Dave B. and he is checking with the research and development guys. I could possibly move the engine back by flipping the LS brackets but don't think that would be enough. Opinion's? Picture is of the passenger side mount. Ray

[JimLev]

That yoke isn't in far enough.

[HVACMAN]

Jim is right it's not in near far enough. I may be wrong but from the picture it appears the motor mounts are in the wrong holes. With that said, it took FFR two tries to get me the right driveshaft.

[rapidray]

You are correct! After going through the LS installment directions again I definitely do have them installed wrong. However moving them only gains me 3/4 of an inch and I need almost 2 inches. Thanks for your inputs. I will probably move it Monday and see what I have. Its an easy process. Ray

[rapidray]

Hello all! After moving the engine back I gained about 5/8" and FFR was going to send me a 3/4" longer driveshaft, however I would still lack about a 1/2" so to stop the bleeding I just had one built. I would have been on my 3rd FFR driveshaft and my fun meter was pegged! Really its no big deal and saves a lot of time and trouble for everyone. I found a good place to mount my overflow bottle and just had to laugh when I found the radiator neck outlet was 3/8 and the tank inlet was 3/16. Wired the computer in not too bad and engine started right up with no codes! Still waiting for the mufflers from FFR. I also received the wrong rear cockpit corner panels but the right ones are on the way. Plan on moving it over to the front end rack Monday for alignment and to set the final pinion angle. Then on to the body work. Cheers Ray

[rapidray]

So after going through the manual and looking at the interior aluminum that I received I noticed some discrepancies. The rear cockpit corners are incorrect, the corners I received were for the Gen 1 I think. Also are there supposed to be front cockpit corners like depicted in the manual? Are door hinge templates supposed to be furnished with the kit? I also noticed that I installed the rear bulkhead before I installed the floor, however I don't think it matters either way. One other thing since I am not running a top should I have received a rear cockpit trim piece that is shown on page 599 of the online manual? Thanks Ray

[cob427sc]

Looks like you have the wrong panel if I remember properly and yes, you should have recieved the upholstered trim piece that goes along the top of the body/warefall interface.

[shmelty]

This weeks progress! Installed rear brakes and built all the brake lines. Bled them all and it went real well, no problems. Coated lower aluminum floor and installed passenger side. Changed toggle switch high beam switch to early Chevy push type. Installed lower radiator hose, after going through local parts store inventory and finding one that fit! Cheers Ray

Hi Ray,

What did you coat your panels with? The car is coming along great! I am a few weeks away from pulling the trigger on a kit.


/Sean

[sethmark]

I powder coated my bottom panels. The gen 2 sandwich floors do an excellent job on insulating from heat.

[rapidray]

Well, had a good week! Finally tackled the transmission tunnel, I knew it was not going to be easy with the drive by wire and Lokar rod shifter. I got so frustrated with it that I finally just cut the whole side of it out! I then mocked up the opening with sheet metal and glassed it all in. What a chore. It came out really nice and the fit and function is great. I did finish up the overflow bottle mount and then finally moved it to our front end machine to check the track and set the alignment. It went real well and then just could not resist going for a little drive. There is only one thing to say about the performance and that is awesome. It is so fast and handles like a dream. The manual steering is absolutely positive and effortless along with the brakes. I coated the lower panels with a product called body Schultz, I have been using it for years on the many SS Chevelle's that I have built and found it to be durable, easy to maintain along with excellent sound deadening. Figured it took me 125 hours from the start of the build to the first drive. FFR shipped my mufflers and after figuring out that I received Gen I instead of Gen 2 sheet metal its all on the way. Next week body work. Ray

[rapidray]

I was looking at the rear trunk aluminum when I had the car on the front end rack and I noticed that the banana bar is rubbing on the trunk aluminum. Unfortunately I don't have a picture but I noticed on other build threads that there is a box in the trunk for the upper control arm clearance. The trunk aluminum I got does not have the cutout or the box. I am just wondering if anyone else had this problem with the 3 link rear setup. Thanks Ray

[peterh226]

Welcome to my world. 122619
Also needed a longer upper link (13 in) that FFR sent me. It’s at 17 center to center now but I will be adjusting.
Lower control arms are 17.75 center to center and I think they should be shorter.
The angle of the shocks (not vertical in the side view) is the other concern.
I have droop limit straps so the driveshaft does not hit the frame as well.

[rapidray]

Here is what I did this week. Installed doors and taillights, installed seat belts. Went to the DMV to start the registration process. I was told the car has to be inspected so decided to mock the whole car up (less hood) and get the registration complete. The doors were a challenge! I found that in this case all of my prior experience actually was a hindrance. Could not get it through my head that there is no adjustment at the pillar side of the door (up and down). Spent 3 hours on the drivers door and went away frustrated. Came back to it the next day and figured out what I was doing wrong. Finished the door in a hour or so and then went to the passenger side which took me about 45 minutes. The learning curve was huge. Will do the final fitment (gap etc.) after the inspection process is complete. Was told by FFR that the box in the trunk for the upper 3 member bar is no longer needed by the way. Cheers Ray

[sethmark]

Looks great. I have to admit. The doors suck the life out of this project for me. I’m a mechanic and a fabricator. I’m seriously considering paying someone for bodywork.

[shmelty]

Are those 20x10s on the rear?

[rapidray]

Sethmark, it was not really that hard after figuring out what needed to done. Before installing anything fit the doors to the opening. Does not have to be perfect. The 45 1/2 opening between the dash and the rear is not going to be exact. I installed my firewall and then had a 200 lbs. guy sit on the rear of the trunk to spread the body while I drilled and put the rear trunk mount bolts in. It finally measured at 45 5/8 when I was done but the doors fit better in the opening. After I did that I installed the interior door bracket and connected the hinges but did not drill the 4 holes in it as is stated in the manual (page 373) make sure you leave the bar that goes to the latch (2 big bolts) loose when you are doing this I then taped the door back in position and put 4 short self tappers in the interior hinge bracket where the 4 holes go (this sets the height of the door to body). I then removed the door and drilled the holes where I put the self tappers one at a time and installed 1/4 inch round head bolts. After that I tightened the bar that goes to the latch and installed the door and adjusted as necessary. Make sure you grind out where the door meets the upper body line (page 374). Those 4 bolts set the height of the door which is not otherwise adjustable. I just could not get that through my head and that is why it was such a struggle for me at first. The rest is easy. Also that is the size of the rear tires. Ray

[peterh226]

I have a small interference between the 3Bar link and the sheet metal. So I dont need a big box, but more like a 1" high rounded bubble. The whole rear suspension has just been off about an inch through the whole process.

[rapidray]

Peter, this is what I found. If the transmission mount was good I ran into a problem. I have a LS motor and 4l60E. My problem was when I was satisfied with everything my right exhaust pipe had clearance issues so I did the 2 spacer deal on the right exhaust down pipe. This allowed me to leave the transmission mount slightly higher and it solved everything. I put 1 washer at a time between the transmission and rubber mount until I got everything adjusted (pinion angle) and then built the transmission spacers as needed. The clearance between the driveshaft and cross member is really close but it does clear even with the shocks in the lower bolt hole and no weight on wheels. Ray

[sethmark]

The interdependencies are the trick....

[rapidray]

Peter, I was just looking at your pictures on Sethmarks page and I noticed you had your lower control arm mounted to the lower front hole. I mounted mine to the upper for my pinion angle final settings. You might try that. Ray

[peterh226]

Peter, I was just looking at your pictures on Sethmarks page and I noticed you had your lower control arm mounted to the lower front hole. I mounted mine to the upper for my pinion angle final settings. You might try that. Ray

Did you use the upper holes at both ends on the lower control arm?

[rapidray]

Peter, I used the lower hole on the differential end and the upper on the frame. I think it helped with the pinion angle. I do not have a lot of driveshaft to frame clearance with the suspension fully extended about an 1/8 of an inch. Actually the clearance does not really change that much with the weight on wheels as the car is so light. My final ride height is about 5.5 on the front and 6.25 on the rear. I used the supplied spacers on the transmission mount but had to put 2 exhaust spacers on the right exhaust down pipe for the collector to have frame clearance. With this combination I was able to use the lower upper shock mount hole as well. Hope this helps as I see a lot of people having issues with this. I have driven the car and I do not have any vibration or other incorrect pinion angle symptoms. By the way my final angle was just about 2 degrees and the rear trunk aluminum barely clears the banana bar. Ray

[rapidray]

Hi all! This week I took care of a lot of little items. Fitted trunk, wrapped mufflers, rear view mirrors and started on the hood and windshield. The windshield was a chore. I cannot get it to fit no matter what I do. I tried moving it from side to side, tilting, forward backwards and grinding the frame. Also when you look through the glass from an angle the view is distorted and looks wavy. I have contacted Dave B. at FFR and hope that its possible I received a poorly manufactured one. Wonder if anyone else has had this problem? I also had to add the V8 emblem that is on the stock 32 Ford headlight bar! LOL Ray

[sethmark]

Yes, the windshield required a great deal of scooping from underneath to get it to fit the cowl. I used a 3/8" belt sander to get it to contour to the body better. I’m interested that you chose to mount the mirrors on the doors. I was thinking on the body. No concern of it cracking the fiberglass long-term opening and closing the doors?

As for the glass, it had terrible parallax when I was sitting too high. Changing the seats out and sitting much lower has taken away the waviness.

Have you fit the waterfall yet? That’s a real joy also.

[rapidray]

I ground so much out of the left side of the frame (the fit is still terrible) and the right side fit pretty well with minimal modifications that I am afraid the window will look crooked when mounted. I knew there was going to be a problem when I saw where the window was made. As for the mirrors the door shell is pretty thick where they mount but be careful as I first mounted the left side to close to the front edge and I could not get the nut on. I actually drilled 3 holes in the door before I got them where I wanted but hey hole repair is easy stuff. They actually function pretty well where mounted. My trunk fit well but the latch is a real pain and will pull it out of adjustment if not adjusted perfectly. I also noticed that the doors tend to require adjustment after you drive the car hard so glad I mocked everything up before paint so the body will hopefully settle in place. I just set my waterfall in temporarily and the fit did not appear bad but appearances are always deceiving! Ray

[sethmark]

I’m not sure how you could possibly install the waterfall without cutting the holes for the rollbar. It needed the slots.

I also did all of the windshield fit on the driver side. The passenger fit nicely. I have measured substantially and I don’t see where it wasn’t level when I was done.

On my car, the body had a pretty good deviation on the Cowl on the driver side.

[rapidray]

Wow that's weird! Mine dropped right in and appeared too fit at the rear door posts. The roll bar mounts did not interfere at all but I really didn't eyeball it good as I was worried about the fuel lines when I was messing with it. I do not intend to run a roll bar by the way. What did you do with your exhaust? I did not want to run them out the rear as I don't want all that heat around. I intended to run oblong square tips at the rear of the body like Nascar does but liked the way they looked when I just cut them.

[sethmark]

I think they’re evolving the gen 2. I’ve had some body oddities.

[rapidray]

Good for you such a nice polite way to put it! (oddities) LOL

[sethmark]

I have a VERY different view of the kit than many. I don’t have expectations of things going together easily or fitting. Too many variables.
Good for you such a nice polite way to put it! (oddities) LOL

[rapidray]

I have to agree with you on that! Its not like a model. There are a lot of things you have to figure out for yourself. It is definitely not a project for a beginner. The small irritating things are started to pile up on me though. Seems every time I open a parts bag its missing a nut or washer. Fortunately our shop is less that 25 yards from a Ace Hardware. Bet I have spent over 500 dollars on the little miscellaneous stuff. I anticipated it when I was going over the costs of the build, so no surprise. I still laugh when I read the instructions! Here is what you need to provide: motor, transmission, wheels, tires, battery etc.

[sethmark]

Yeah. I think for a neophyte, the broad stroke marketing would be misleading. Additionally, people hang from the manual like it’s the Bible. Unfortunately, it doesn’t address every engine option, every transmission option and every generational change as they go.

Ultimately, I spoke to Tony a fair amount early on, and there was a number of things which were probably attritibed to an early gen 2 car. But it went together in all of eight weeks with little real difficulty. I probably could’ve done it in a week and a half if I had all the parts at once.

However, like most projects with this scope, the devil is in the details. I have more time in fitting the doors, trunk lid, waterfall than any mechanical component. The fiberglass is new to me and a time killer.

[rapidray]

I do use the manual occasionally if I run into something that I cannot figure out. When I first started I used it exclusively until I figured out it is just really a guide. Oh and by the way Dave B. sent me a new windshield today! What a nice guy!

[rapidray]

Had a tough week with all the body alignment stuff! After 2 days on the doors and trunk it finally all came together. I ended up making some modifications. First the trunk I finally decided to add a couple of brackets to the package tray and the lower hinge mount. I just could not get the hinge bracket to stay in a solid position with the lower part attached to a 1/16" piece of aluminum. I also ended up shortening the drivers striker. The bracket I built for the trunk latch allowed me to roll the rear body slightly which positioned the trunk in exactly the right position. The fit was almost perfect when installed. My partner also wanted the side panels to be removable so after careful consideration I made a slot in the upper headlight, radiator bracket which allows me to remove the headlights without cutting the wires. I added weather pack connectors to all of the exterior lights. Both of the doors and the trunk close and open just perfect. One of the trunk pictures shows the fit prior to the bracket install. Forgot to post this lousy picture of the door installed. Cheers Ray

[sethmark]

Looks great. I’m glad I’m not the only nut job that weather packed everything.

To get an even seam along the firewall vertical parallel to the body, I had to kick in the pontoons and put a bracket between the body and frame. Pinches in the pontoons a little bit but at least the line is straight. My doors suffered at the bottom a little bit which I need to figure out..

[rapidray]

I think I dodged a bullet on the lower door fitment deal as I have read a lot about people fighting that problem. I think I read somewhere where it helped if you put washers between the big bracket that goes to the latch to twist the door. It at first appeared that I was going to have the issue but after sanding the door to fit the opening it went away. I don't know where you stand on your trunk lid but if you have a problem with the lower corners sticking up just take a ratchet strap and go from the top of the latch to the differential and put a little pressure on it. It did not take much for me and after adding the bracket my latch is really rock solid and fitment is incredible. I got the idea actually from a pickup lower rear quarter stiffener. (LOL) Lousy idea to mount the hinge to glass and thin aluminum. Ray

[rapidray]

Another week and more progress. Finally satisfied with door and trunk alignment. Received new windshield and decided to glass the edges of the cowl instead of grinding on the windshield frame for fitment which worked great. Went to install side and lower panels after preliminary hood install and ran into a problem. Got with Tony at FFR and he advised me that you have to start with the lower panel and work your way up which is contradictory to the way we did things when I worked in the body shop but it worked (however it did create a little chaos). I also towed it to the DMV and had it inspected and registered what a pleasant experience. I imagined it was going to be a nightmare but it actually took less that 2 hours and cost $125.00 for the inspection and 2 years of registration (no annual smog check as it is registered as a 33). I was going to get personalized license plates but decided not to throw a wrench in the process at the time as I can always do it later (online) for a small fee. What a great state AZ is when it comes to vehicle registration! Less than 90 days from receipt of kit to driving not bad for a little old man. Of course it started raining on the way to the DMV. LOL cheers Ray

[sethmark]

So cool..... did you drive it?

[rapidray]

Just between you and me have gone on some previous little jaunts it is so hard to resist! It was rainy today and it is miserable to drive with no fenders so no cruising today! Hopefully will go for a full out test drive early next week! Ray

[sethmark]

I get it. I did 140 miles before plates..... 60 more the Day I got the,

[rapidray]

Well here is what happened this week. Calibrated speedometer on a 2 mile marked off road, so easy and accuracy is great. Installed hood what a pain in the neck. After hood install could not get the front of the hood to line up with the grill shell. After much consideration came to the conclusion that the only way to drop the front was to slot the brackets or cut and weld the hinge to hood attachment plate. Decided to call Tony at FFR to get his opinion and he agreed with my thought process. Decided to try the slot the hole idea first and it worked out fine. So finally after a week of final adjustments am finally satisfied with the operation of the doors, hood and deck lid. As my body shop manager used to say they open and close like a refrigerator door. LOL! So next week will final up all my gaps and then disassemble the body for paint. I also noticed that when I put the car on the lift the body fitment changes so I now open all the panels before I rack it. Here are some pictures and really happy this part of the build is over. Cheers Ray

[sethmark]

I keep fighting door sag. Can’t figure out why.... any thoughts?

[rapidray]

I also fought it. Here is what I did. I ditched the little bolt retainers (the rectangular square plates) as shown on page 383 of the online manual and used large washers for supporting the door shell with just slotted flat head 1/4" bolts. After I had the door height adjusted and had the 4 bolts tight I took a large screwdriver and put a little pressure on the slotted holes on the large bracket (page 384) that goes to the latch to slightly spread the door shell. I found that this puts just enough force to retain the integrity of the shell. Believe it or not I had to put so much pressure on the left door that I ended up shortening the striker but it worked great. Both of the doors open and close effortlessly. The right door took very little pressure go figure. I quit trying to figure out why and just did what worked. I sweat the details so much that sometimes I miss the goal. LOL Ray

[sethmark]

Thx. Could I trouble you for a picture.

[rapidray]

No problem I plan on taking the body off next week so will take a shot of the back side of the door for you. It was a pretty easy process once I decided what needed to be done. You can see by this picture if you look on the left side of how much of the slot on the bracket is visible, the left door took the most force. I am assuming of course that the front of the door sagging is your problem. If that is the case then it is definitely the four bolts that attach the shell to the bracket as that is the only thing that would cause the problem. I honestly thought about building a plate on the outer side of the shell to sandwich the door but found that the washers worked fine. Ray

[BC Huselton]

Had the same issue, and discovered that both the nylock nuts on the shoulder bolts were loosening when I opened the door. Even when I really tightened them, there was enough friction on the brass bushing to cause them to loosen. It does not take much to make the 4 foot door move at the striker end. It was enough to put a little up and down play in the door, and then it would sag. The solution I chose was to tack weld the nut. Door is solid now. I have a permanent Hardtop and have made the waterfall into three separate pieces so I have access to the entire rear door structures. I can adjust and / or remove door parts with the top and the body on. Three piece waterfall also gave me easy access to items behind it and in front of the tank.

[rapidray]

I have not run into that problem although I can see where it could happen. I have only had the car together for a few weeks so probably have not used the door enough for it to occur wonder if there is room to double nut them. Thanks for the heads up I will keep an eye on it. One other thing I ran into was not being able to tighten the 1/2" nylon lock nuts very easily on the hinge swing brackets so I replaced mine with regular nuts and star washers and have not had a problem since and its a lot easier to adjust the door. Ray

[colsen23153]

I am mystified at all the things people have had to do on the pinion angle deal. I disconnected my rear shocks and used 2 pole jacks on the rear housing to position the lower control arm at the loaded weight and had a 7 degree pinion angle and did not have enough adjustment to correct it. I wonder if maybe its the way the rear bracket was positioned by Moser? After I lengthened the upper link it worked perfectly with 2 degree angle. I could set it with the supplied link and the transmission mount but then my right exhaust pipe hit the frame. So I did the simple fix. Ray

rapidray I too had a 3 link rear suspension. I also didn't like the length of the upper control arm (too short). I was trying to set the rear pinion angle to 3* up as my trans angle was 3* down. I ordered the 4 link option thinking that would solve my pinion problem, and installed that which is not adjustable, and it gave me a 3* angle down. I had asked FFR what it should be and I got two different answers. One said 3 up the other at another time said after I installed the 4 link, that 3 down was good. I thought the angles had to be the same or close but opposite. Can you please clarify your perfect 2 degree angle? It would be a great help to me to understand that.

[sethmark]

The Pinion gear tries to climb the ring gear when you get on the gas....So ideally, your pinion angle is underneath the transmission angle so that when you stand on the gas it rises to neutral. Assume that your transmission output angle is 1° down. Your rear end should be 3° below parallel to the ground. That way when you get the 2° Pinyan rise, the angles are equal and offsetting.

[rapidray]

Could not have explained it any better than Sethmark. Found this picture somewhere on this forum. Hope it helps. Ray

[colsen23153]

Thank you both.

So I was trying to get 3*up on the rear and that could be the reason my 3 link adjustment bar seamed short. It should be 3* down like I get with the 4 link now. Feel better about that now.

Cliff

[peterh226]

Thank you both.

So I was trying to get 3*up on the rear and that could be the reason my 3 link adjustment bar seamed short. It should be 3* down like I get with the 4 link now. Feel better about that now.

Cliff
I talked with FFR and they said some of the Moser rear ends seemed to have the brackets welded on in the wrong place rotationally. They sent me a new top bar for the 3-link and now I can get things better aligned. It also messes up the shock spacers a bit, but we can adapt.

[Roger Pugh]

Ray,
It's looking really good! Can I ask - what product did you use to coat the metal?
Roger

[wrp]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLjLAZCysHw

[wrp]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Mqv0Qjdclg

[JOP33]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Mqv0Qjdclg

That a great perspective Bill!

[rapidray]

Stayed on the bodywork this week. Used 80 grit on a orbital sander on all the seams and then used body filler or spot putty on the imperfections. Plan on using 220 on the entire car followed by a lacquer primer and then a quality sealer before paint. Was setting the panel gaps when I noticed I had a problem with the right side engine cover. The panel was bowed in the middle and stuck out about a 1/4 of an inch. Had to think about the fix for awhile. Decided to let the car do the work. I just set the panel underneath a rear wheel while on the lift and put pressure on the center of it for a few hours. Took the bow right out of it decided to let it sit for a few days to make sure it stayed in position, if not will heat it next time before applying pressure. The lower panels for the 32 nose leading edge fit just awful so will build my own with fiberglass. I coated my floor pan with body Schultz have found it works well on the numerous SS Chevelle's I have restored. Hope everyone well! Ray

[AJT '33]

Stayed on the bodywork this week. Used 80 grit on a orbital sander on all the seams and then used body filler or spot putty on the imperfections. Plan on using 220 on the entire car followed by a lacquer primer and then a quality sealer before paint. Was setting the panel gaps when I noticed I had a problem with the right side engine cover. The panel was bowed in the middle and stuck out about a 1/4 of an inch. Had to think about the fix for awhile. Decided to let the car do the work. I just set the panel underneath a rear wheel while on the lift and put pressure on the center of it for a few hours. Took the bow right out of it decided to let it sit for a few days to make sure it stayed in position, if not will heat it next time before applying pressure. The lower panels for the 32 nose leading edge fit just awful so will build my own with fiberglass. I coated my floor pan with body Schultz have found it works well on the numerous SS Chevelle's I have restored. Hope everyone well! Ray

If you do the same thing but prior to putting the pressure on it, heat it up over that area with a heat gun until hot to the touch, then apply the pressure until cooled or overnight, this will impose memory on the resin as its relaxed and it should maintain the shape. If you don't the first time the sun hits it and warms it up it will relax back into the original remembered shape. We have done this on sailboats on various parts exposed to the sun, works well. Have fun!

[Roger Pugh]

Very cool, the undermount camera was fun!

[rapidray]

Hope everything well! Worked all week to finalize the body prior to disassembly for paint. Honestly thought I would be done last week but problem after problem, I'm sure you understand! After the final mockup found that had to make some major adjustments. The lower panels to the 32 nose fit is terrible. I also did not want to attach the side panels with visible exterior screws so worked hard to come up with a solution. Decided to do this. Make some brackets that attach from the lower panel to the frame to pull the side panels close to the radiator shroud and also to stiffen the whole assembly. It worked great! Then went to install the waterfall and it sat to high for the top trim to fit flush with the body. So removed the vinyl from the trim and cut it down and reattached with spray adhesive. I also was totally uncomfortable with the hood hinge to hood rivnuts. I had one inner aluminum stiffener that was not securely glassed in so I cut a slot in the hood and slipped a steel retainer with nuts welded to it now no worries and it is stout. Finally finished it all and ready for disassembly and paint prep. Stay Safe! Ray

[rapidray]

Went to the shop today and took several more pictures as I felt my post was not very informative. The lower panels supplied with the kit for the deluxe nose are the same as the ones supplied for the 33 grille shell. You need to cut them down to fit. I have no idea what others have done but here is what I decided to do. As you can see by the cut I made I decided to eliminate the little strip that fits in into the shell and just fill it. (the area where I mistakenly drilled a large hole), I will just glass that area in. When I fabricated the patch for the nose assembly I glassed in 2 studs to attach it (lower panel) to the shell thereby eliminating the need for any exterior screws. Hope this makes the process easier to understand. Cheers Ray

[rapidray]

Spent 30 hours on the body fitment and panel gap adjustment this week. Really went well. The only thing left now is the engine side panels which should be pretty easy (I hope about 4 hours). Plan on removing the body for paint late next week. Honestly the body work was much harder than the mechanical part. Plan on painting the door jambs, underside of the hood and trunk with a single stage acrylic enamel (so I don't have to flip or hang them in the booth. I used red lacquer primer as I plan on painting the car a GM color called Pull me over Red (how appropriate). Prior to paint I will seal the entire car with a red tinted sealer to minimize the visible rock chips that I know are going to occur. The finish paint will probably be a DuPont base and a really good quality clear. The waterfall (no roll bar planned at this point) was a challenge and I plan on removing the padding from the body to trim moulding and installing snaps for final attachment. Hope all well! Ray

[sethmark]

Please move to Virginia and finish mine!

[rapidray]

Eureka, its a wrap! Finally am satisfied with all the panel fitment and gaps. I thought it would take 4 hours to finish but spent about 3 times that. Will disassemble next week and finish the cowl area and underneath the body. Hope to final sand and paint in the next few weeks. Was really happy with the removable headlight idea, its so simple and can remove all the engine side panels in 20 minutes or so. Feels good to finally make some progress felt as though I have been spinning my wheels for the last several weeks. Notice also that the front of the drivers door does not seem to line up, I am having a hard time with the pivot bolts coming loose after opening and closing the door several times the fit is perfect after I tighten the bolts. Will address the problem further when I do the final assembly. Anyone else experience this problem and solve it? Cheers Ray

[AJT '33]

Eureka, its a wrap! Finally am satisfied with all the panel fitment and gaps. I thought it would take 4 hours to finish but spent about 3 times that. Will disassemble next week and finish the cowl area and underneath the body. Hope to final sand and paint in the next few weeks. Was really happy with the removable headlight idea, its so simple and can remove all the engine side panels in 20 minutes or so. Feels good to finally make some progress felt as though I have been spinning my wheels for the last several weeks. Notice also that the front of the drivers door does not seem to line up, I am having a hard time with the pivot bolts coming loose after opening and closing the door several times the fit is perfect after I tighten the bolts. Will address the problem further when I do the final assembly. Anyone else experience this problem and solve it? Cheers Ray

Just remember that if you want a 3/16" gap you need to have it pre-gapped before paint to close to a 1/4". This will also provide additional play should you need it. HAVE FUN!!!!

[rapidray]

This week removed the body, was surprised it only took 2 hours! Then decided to take a break from the body work and finish the interior. Installed the dynamat and carpeting thought it would be easy but was pretty difficult need to put it out in the sun and remove some wrinkles around the transmission tunnel other than that pretty happy. When I removed the hood and trunk lid I disconnected the hinge arms instead of the hinge mounts to ease reassembly. On the doors I just removed the pivot bolts for the same reason. I found that the doors will come off easily once the door open limit bolt is removed but the nut on the bolt is hard to get to so after removal I tacked the nut to the door hinge bracket. I also drilled 2 holes in the rear aluminum that covers the lower door pivot bolts in case I need to access them later. Just installed some plugs to hide the holes. Sethmark I also finally took the pictures of the washers I used on the rear of the 4 door mounting bolts for stiffness. Take care Ray

[rapidray]

Mocked up a template of the dash layout and brought it home to clean up the wiring bird nest mess. Wanted it to easily plug in and out. Took several hours but sure is nicer. Still have to remove the ignition switch for removal but much better. Before and after pictures. Ray

[FF33rod]

Look good. As a side note, I swear that's the same ugly green towel that I use in my shop....

Steve

[rapidray]

Well I am finally satisfied with the chassis portion of the build. Finished the final wiring installation and trunk carpeting. Could not decide what to do with the dash finish so decided to see what it looked like just covered like the waterfall. Have a guy that does work for us at the shop, so asked him what he thought, great guy picked it up covered it and delivered for free. Cannot complain about that and was happy with the look. Found the dash to be really flexible however so put my template behind it to stiffened it up. Also removed the covering for the rear pad that fits above the waterfall and installed snaps to hold it down worked real well. Made the windshield final adjustments and am finally satisfied with it. Now on the final body prep and paint. Here is the color I am going with. Also found these plastic wire grommets at my local ace hardware found they work much better than the rubber ones will just waterproof with silicone or some left over dyna-mat. Also covered the upper firewall with these decals that I found. Stay well Ray

[rapidray]

Thought I would post a small update! A little off the hot rod subject. I have also been for the last few years working on this 4 door 1966 Lincoln. We got it out of a backyard about 4 years ago in really bad shape. I installed a rebuilt stock motor and transmission and made sure the rest of the running gear was safe. I spent about 9 months on the body as it was really rough. I finally had a guy shoot it for me as I do not have access to a paint booth. It surprised me how well it came out. I am waiting for the air bag kit now and then will have the interior guy out so needless to say the hot rod is on hold. (You can see it in the background on the lift). The body work is almost done on it however and still hope to paint soon. Ray

[rapidray]

Finally finished the 66 Lincoln and resumed the hot rod project last Monday! Prepped the hood, trunk, doors and side panel for paint. Ended up sanding and priming numerous times along with spot putty to repair all the pin holes I found. Some panels were repaired six times until I was satisfied. I also flipped the body (don't laugh it worked) so I could repair the lower joints. I took care to use the minimum amount of filler in the wheel well areas to prevent the inevitable rock chips from appearing unusually large. I also removed the windshield from the frame for polish and drilled and tapped several more holes for mounting. I eliminated the angled studs from the window to prevent the cowl from cracking due to the movement of the window. The corner windshield studs were at such a angle that it is impossible to tighten the nuts without bending the studs as I discovered during the test fitting stage. After adding several more studs along with a metal reinforcing rod the windshield is nice and snug to the cowl. Hope to finish the prep Monday and then off to the booth for the final (Pull me over red) paint. I also tinted the paint sealer red to hide the rock chips as much as possible! Ray

[AJT '33]

Nice work on the car, like the front end! May I ask what door popper Solenoid or Actuator that you are using? I have Autoloc 35# solenoids that I am going to trash as one came completely apart (passenger door) and the other (driver side door) nearly caught fire when it seized and acted like an induction coil! Unfortunately the latter happened during the inspection at the DMV! (but they were cool and passed it anyways). Will not risk my car for that, I am looking at Actuators instead of solenoids to hopefully alleviate the fire issue, not sure how that will work out. I will also be adding a hidden manual release in case of catastrophic failure as a safeguard. Would appreciate knowing what your using, TY.

[rapidray]

Did not quite finish up the body as I was swamped with customer work this week. Just a little left to do prior to paint. I did however finally disassemble the windshield so I could polish the frame, what a difference! I never liked the way it came and did not desire to paint it so really glad I took the time to polish it. Took about 4 hours total so not to bad. Ty I am not running any solenoid door switches just the ones supplied with the kit. The enclosed pictures do not really reflect how well the frame polished so will take a few some other time. Ray

[sethmark]

Looks great. Sandpaper only?

[rapidray]

Sethmark, I actually tried to just water sand it at first but found that there were too many deep scratches. Ended up taking 400 on a orbital sander and then water sanding starting with 400 ending with 2000 grit. Then finished with Mothers aluminum polish. Ray

[JOP33]

Sethmark, I actually tried to just water sand it at first but found that there were too many deep scratches. Ended up taking 400 on a orbital sander and then water sanding starting with 400 ending with 2000 grit. Then finished with Mothers aluminum polish. Ray

Looks great! I did something similar on mine...I started with 180 (I had some pretty good scratches in it), then 320 and 600 dry. From there I went wet (with wd-40 in lieu of water) 1000, then 3000 & finished with Meguiar's Motorcycle Polish and 5000 (3k & 5K were soft pads). I continue to use the 5k when I clean weekly.

135336

135337

135338

[JimLev]

Thanks for the polishing tips, I need to do it to my grille too.
Bet the last seconds of the Cowboys game put a smile on your face.

[sethmark]

Thanks for the info. I have gotten so lazy with the hot rod of late. Driven lots worked on zero. Too many cars and projects getting in the way of last mile stuff. Looking forward to seeing yours complete!

[JOP33]

Thanks for the polishing tips, I need to do it to my grille too.
Bet the last seconds of the Cowboys game put a smile on your face.

Nice ending...shouldn't have put themselves in that position though. I know better, little too earlier to be frustrated or excited - just enjoying having football to watch!

[rapidray]

Banner day! Finally am satisfied with the body work! Now just a final wash and then to paint. Will seal first and then plan on 3 coats of base followed with 5 coats of clear. Had to redesign my body dolly so I could paint the bottom. Again plan on painting the underside of the hood and deck lid with single stage paint prior to painting the rest of the car so I do not have to worry about hanging or flipping them. Cheers Ray

[33fromSD]

looking great

[rapidray]

Had a pretty productive week! Monday I jammed the hood and deck lid with a single stage acrylic enamel so I did not have to worry about flipping them in the booth. Rented the paint booth on DMAFB Wednesday for the rest of the job. Pretty good facility, old but clean although I thought it is small. How much can I complain though for the $55.00 fee! Well worth it, tried to spray it as wet as possible so I would minimize the cut and buff portion of the job. Had so many parts spread all over the place that I found it impossible to do. It came out well however and the total cost will be less than $1500 so nothing to worry about. I like to let the paint cure for at least a week or two before polish so will start the 3 week (hopefully) assembly process Monday. Here are some shots of it. It looks kind of orange in the booth but trust me it is bright red! Cheers Ray

[JOP33]

Had a pretty productive week! Monday I jammed the hood and deck lid with a single stage acrylic enamel so I did not have to worry about flipping them in the booth. Rented the paint booth on DMAFB Wednesday for the rest of the job. Pretty good facility, old but clean although I thought it is small. How much can I complain though for the $55.00 fee! Well worth it, tried to spray it as wet as possible so I would minimize the cut and buff portion of the job. Had so many parts spread all over the place that I found it impossible to do. It came out well however and the total cost will be less than $1500 so nothing to worry about. I like to let the paint cure for at least a week or two before polish so will start the 3 week (hopefully) assembly process Monday. Here are some shots of it. It looks kind of orange in the booth but trust me it is bright red! Cheers Ray

Kudos to ya'll that do ALL the body work and painting yourselves, just truly another level of the build I just didn't want to take on (which is weird because I was a body/paint tech growing up)...you guys ROCK! :cool:

[rapidray]

Had another good week! I was really apprehensive about the reassembly process, carefully marked and photographed every piece during disassembly. Everything went together real well with only slight adjustments here and there. Did not tackle the doors as they both require another coat of base and clear. Seems the way I hung them in the booth was really stupid and I did not get enough paint on the lower inside jam. No real big deal as I can do this at the shop. I redesigned the body stand so I could hang the doors right side up. Live and learn. Still cutting and buffing the car but much easier with it assembled. Had to drive it partially done as its been so long! Cheers Ray

[rapidray]

Sethmark, for your info! Thanks Ray

[sethmark]

Ray, is the bolt for the panhard on the drivers side (frame bolt) hitting the rear end bracket???

[rapidray]

I don't think so. If you look at the second picture above it looks fine. I will definitely look at the car Monday when I get to the shop. I think I will disconnect the shocks and use a couple of pole jacks while the car is lifted to check for any rear suspension binding issues I might have. I will let you know what I find. Thank you Ray

[sethmark]

Ray,
It does look fine at full droop, but if you look closely the bolt through the pan hard on the frame bracket points towards the front of the car. I bet you it’s catching on the axle bracket at ride height. I’d be willing to bet that it’s causing your binding.

I’m sure it seems absurd, but the axle is going to move up in that bracket is going to get in the way when you put the car on its weight. It’s my best guess with two pictures and several thousand miles away.

[rapidray]

I will turn the bolt around tomorrow when I am at the shop and will let you know if it solves the problem. Thanks for your help! It was nice talking to you. Ray

[rapidray]

First a huge shout out to Seth! His suggestion did indeed fix my ride problem. I also repainted the doors and installed them. Cannot believe how easy it all went together! Was very surprised and relieved to say the least. Now just need to finish the cut and buff. Am still waiting for the waterfall upholstery guy. I also was happy with the gaskets I used from the 66 Lincoln door hinges it hid the square holes and made it look finished. Ray

[sethmark]

Man that car looks great. Nice.

[FF33rod]

Looks fantastic, you must be very pleased! thanks for the tip on the Lincoln hinge seals

[33fromSD]

Beautiful....yes, awesome tip on the Lincoln hinge seals

[rapidray]

Thanks all for your comments. I actually am satisfied with the progress so far. Of course it could always be better. Now that I am in the final assembly process I have a few quick questions. Are arm rests furnished with the kit? I have the aluminum pattern and I am assuming that's if you want to get them made? Also there is a piece of aluminum that goes somehow on top of the door hinge area. No matter what I do I cannot get it to fit. I have a gen 2 kit and my frame rail is different that the manual picture shows. Thanks Ray

[JimLev]

My Gen 1 came with arm rests for the doors.

[RoadRacer]

My Gen 1 came with arm rests for the doors.

Me too, fully upholstered.

[rapidray]

Contacted Dave he is going to send me a set. Thanks Ray

[e36m3]

Ray, the car looks great!
Seth and Ray, thanks for pointing out the bolt through the pan hard hitting the frame bracket. Mine is doing the same thing, saved me some head scratching later on when setting the ride height.

[rapidray]

You are most welcome! But trust me Seth deserves all the praise! Ray

[JimLev]

Thanks all for your comments. I actually am satisfied with the progress so far. Of course it could always be better. Now that I am in the final assembly process I have a few quick questions. Are arm rests furnished with the kit? I have the aluminum pattern and I am assuming that's if you want to get them made? Also there is a piece of aluminum that goes somehow on top of the door hinge area. No matter what I do I cannot get it to fit. I have a gen 2 kit and my frame rail is different that the manual picture shows. Thanks Ray


Ray, how much different is your Gen 2 chassis in the door hinge area?
Here's my Gen 1, that aluminum slides right in.
All the black is sound deadening insulation.

139359

[rapidray]

Jim, way different. The Gen 2 hinge bracket is several inches above the down bar as you can see here. Ray

[rapidray]

On another note I did start the cut and buff process this week. What a difference it really makes. The pictures here are not that good but the car looks fantastic. I did the hood, side panels and cowl. Will start on the doors Monday I hope. Ray

[rapidray]

Had a pretty productive week! About 95% complete. However as you all probably know a project like this is never completely done! I estimate that it took me about 8 1/2 to 9 months from start to end. The car is solid and drives like a dream. I can honestly say that I did 99% of the work including the paint and body. Overall I am really happy with the car. Thanks for everybody's advice I really appreciate it. Ray