The Team Limer Coupe: A New Mystery!

[Gbeck]

FIRST START DONE!!! And it was great!

After getting some last minute tips from The Travelling Builder we set a target date for the first start. I finished loading in the fluids being careful to follow Mark's tips on filling the cooling system. Mark and a few friends showed up for the big day. We reviewed things, finished the final fuel line connections and changed the fuel pump wiring so that the fuel pump is controlled directly by the Coyote PCM. This bypasses the relay in the RF fuse panel. We fixed a fuel leak that came up as we brought up the fuel pressure. It was time to give it a try ...

First attempt:
https://youtu.be/KHkuZDfqH1I

The actuator arm on my home made clutch safety switch wasn't aligned with the switch. Easy fix ... but the loaner battery didn't have enough juice for the job. Ugh!

Second attempt:
https://youtu.be/nBqNcPyLQ7M

We broke out the jumper cables and gave it another go. It started! The oil pressure was good but it sounded just a little rough with a little uneven rhythm at the left tailpipe. After a few minutes we could tell that the header pipe on #7 was not bluing up like the rest. I had wired up the tachometer adapter to the #7 coil by carefully following the wrong set of directions. It only took a few minutes to undo my mistake and give it another try.

Third attempt:

https://youtu.be/nymHdB79Je8

Beautiful! It started easily and quickly settled down to a nice smooth idle. As the engine warmed up the coolant started to flow. It purged a bit of air and took in the excess coolant from the reservoir. The oil pressure held, the volt meter indicated that the charging system was working, and the water temperature held as the fan came on. Awesome!

I have a few things to work on. My fuel lines are way too close to the header. I'll re-do the hard lines to run high in the tunnel. But first I need to install a drive shaft loop, some seats, and take another try at the tachometer adapter. Then it will be time to install a seat and do a neighborhood go kart!

Woo Hoo!

[Logan]

Saw this on FaceBook. Awesome watching it come alive. And fixing the dead cylinder and having it come alive again running on ALL EIGHT, it was even better. Congrats!

[GoDadGo]

Congratulations From The Dark Dart Side!
Hearing our machines come to life for the first time is always a memorable milestone!

[Gbeck]

I made a few changes, some of which were suggested by friends who helped with the first start.

I added a drive shaft loop, re routed the rear brake line and fuel lines through the tunnel, and tidied up some wiring and plumbing. After checking for leaks I was pretty anxious to fire it up.

It still runs!


https://youtu.be/u8tCeB7Xpic

[Gbeck]

I'm close to wrapping up all of the To Do items to prepare for go kart. A few of these are fixes for issues that came up at the first start.


I rerouted the fuel lines. They now run high in the transmission tunnel. Originally I ran them under the floor on the passenger side. But things got too close to the exhaust manifold and the battery at the front of the passenger foot box. The fuel lines are -8AN braided hose at the rear, -6AN braided hose at the front, and 3/8" hard line between. In retrospect it would have been a lot easier ... and probably cheaper ... to use braided hoses throughout.
While I was at it I rerouted the rear brake line through the tunnel too. There was nothing really wrong with running it under the floor on the driver side. But this cleans things up a bit.
I added a drive shaft loop. With the fuel and brake lines running through the tunnel it seemed like a good idea.
I relocated the eBrake lever because it interfered with the drive shaft loop. I used the drive shaft loop brackets as a mount for the eBrake lever. In the end this was a net plus; the eBrake lever location is better and the mounting is neater and much stronger.
I mounted the seats. With some modification the seat tracks mounted nicely in the area where I dropped the floor and gave plenty of fore and aft movement with the seats at just a tick above floor level.
I corrected my installation of the Autometer tachometer adapter. After reading what others have done I realized that I had misinterpreted the manufacturer's wiring diagram. I tied it in to the correct wire in the Coyote Control Pack harness near the firewall. I was anxious about cutting in to that big bundle, but it went back together nicely. It works!
I removed some unused wiring from the chassis wiring harness. My Coyote is from a 2015 Mustang and it came with most of the cables for the charging circuit. So I merged these cables with the chassis harness. The first start proved that I could remove the charging circuit from the chassis harness.
I decided to put off mounting the heater/AC box under the dash. I've proven that I can install it with the body on the chassis, and it will really be in the way when I neaten up the wiring behind the dash at some point ... I made some pretty dumb decisions a while ago! I capped the ports on the compressor to keep any debris out.
I relocated the master cutoff switch to be inboard near the switch panel ... which is not mounted yet. I fabricated a panel for the pass through connectors and used proper insulators. It makes for a much neater and safer installation.
I disconnected the front and rear lighting circuits and removed the temporary mounting panels. They were just held on with zip ties ... no sense in risking them falling off in the street!

There are still a few items on my list, bit it's starting to look like it's ready for a short run in the neighborhood!

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49732693251_5fdf8aafc0_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2iLH43t)Untitled (https://flic.kr/p/2iLH43t) by Team Limer (https://www.flickr.com/photos/75061943@N06/), on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49732147428_ef6466bcc4_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2iLEfMJ)Untitled (https://flic.kr/p/2iLEfMJ) by Team Limer (https://www.flickr.com/photos/75061943@N06/), on Flickr

[GSides9]

Glenn has made numerous modifications to his car because he is looking forward to the Coupe being his replacement for the “Team Limer” Mustang. Check out the link at the bottom. The rallies usually find participants on the West Coast, or close to it. That is why you see things like the under car exhaust and dropped floor.

Carry on sir

[Gbeck]

Go Kart day arrived. After finishing up my post-first-start punch list I dropped it off the dollies and shot this little video.


https://youtu.be/DJ4b8SfWwEI

[Gbeck]

And here's the first go kart ...


https://youtu.be/RS4I7Sch1I8

As you can tell by the title it didn't go very well. One simple oversight. When I decided to go to a hydraulic clutch I was told that I should add an appropriate pedal stop. I wish I'd remembered that before I overextended the hydraulic throw out bearing. A rebuild kit is on order. Ugh!

It was a day of "One step forward, two steps back."

[Gbeck]

After a thorough inspection and some repairs by The Traveling Builder it was time to Go Kart! After Mark delivered the car back to my home I took my good friend Bob ... who has been an indispensable part of my build ... for a little run down the street.


https://youtu.be/kImw2mH4HnU

What a moment!

[Gbeck]

And the view from the passenger's seat!


https://youtu.be/L2iWes3nDgg

[P100DHG]

If you got a bump in views on your YouTube it’s because I must have watched your video a half dozen times! Love it!!

Also Gen 2 frame looks so much nicer than Gen 3

[Gbeck]

This is an exciting time in my build! It's soon time to cover up all this chassis work by setting on the body, closing this chapter of the build and opening a new one. But first it's time to get to all those little things that are so much easier to access now. Here's what I've been up to lately ...

This version of the dashboard is Done Done! I say "this version" because there are a few things that could be improved upon. But I've laid that foundation that will allow those to be addressed later.

Here's the view from the front It's inspired by the GT40 dashboard, gauges high and vertical with switches low and on a bit of an angle. Instead of toggle switches I chose to use Conturas for a more modern look. The dash face is in primer for now. The final finish will be part of the interior work that will come later. Any suggestions?
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50016891508_196e37b61b_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2jcPDhq)

I tried to keep the wiring neat! But it's a bit of a mess behind the indicator lights.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50017679222_4856cb449e_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2jcTFrG)

The view from the seat.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50017435841_62d4158f80_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2jcSr6t)

I knew that I wasn't going to like the angle of the steering wheel.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50016891503_b575c6a447_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2jcPDhk)

I read about a fix in this forum several years ago ... move the lower steering shaft bearing. Tacked in place for now.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50017362493_b23365b601_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2jcS4hR)

A plate of pretty aluminum to cover up the mess.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50016891408_788f142555_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2jcPDfG)

[Gbeck]

The trunk floor is dropped about six inches! I finished access panels for the fuel tank. The enclosure for the fuel fill will be figured out with the body on.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50017697337_ed263235bd_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2jcTLQ2)
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50017436361_85197abeda_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2jcSrfr)

The view of the cockpit. The passenger side, tunnel cover and lower dash still need work.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50017436351_b5c1a3ffc3_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2jcSrfg)

I finished up the Dynamat Extreme, taped all the seams, painted the floor, and stepped back for a look. Happy!
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50016891403_fb46e8ca15_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2jcPDfB)

[P100DHG]

Holy crap I love your dash! Love love love it! I might take some design inspiration from this.

[Logan]

I agree, that dash design is awesome!! Yesterday I committed to a different direction with my own dash, just looking for someone with a 50” sheet metal brake now.

Also it’s incredible how much extra trunk space you have with your dropped floor. Looks like way more room than my Gen3 Coupe, even with my added cargo box.

[Gbeck]

Thanks guys. My grandson really likes it too!
130353

[Gbeck]

Delving into the mysteries of AC systems!
I have the Vintage Air AC system that Factory Five sold for the Gen 2 Coupe and I'm trying to mate it to a Coyote from a 2015 Mustang. Fortunately the engine came with the AC compressor and the suction and pressure hoses that attach to it. And I harvested the compressor clutch connector from the original engine harness. That's about a thousand buck in parts!
The plumbing is pretty straight forward but control of the fan is a mystery to me at the moment. I wired the radiator fan so as to be controlled by Coyote Control Pack. But it has no provision for air conditioning. There's the Vintage Air trinary switch. Then there's the pressure switch in the hose from the compressor to the condenser (with no mating connector, pigtail or pin out). Do I use the trinary switch, the pressure switch, or both? Do I wire the AC stuff to provide an alternate power source to the fan? Or do I wire it to provide an alternate ground to the Control Pack fan relay?
I guess I'll figure something out sooner or later. But if anybody's been down this road I'd appreciate some insight!

[David Williamson]

Mine is totally different but it should work the same way. I use the Fitech to control the rad fan based on temperature and the trinary switch controls the compressor and rad fan. The trinary switch is 2 pressure switches in one unit.
David W