EdwardB’s 35 Hot Rod Truck Build - Well Traveled [Archive] - Page 2

edwardb

11-05-2021, 05:04 PM

Big day today. Completed the first start. But a few things before that. While waiting the past few days for parts to arrive, I've worked on the truck bed quite a bit. First up was fitting the sides. Those things are heavy and bit clumsy to handle. Decided to attach with three bolts along the front, one in the middle (there’s a tab on the frame just for that purpose), and two in the back. For each, installed 1/4-20 nutserts in the frame. The front bolts require spacers between the side piece and frame. Included with the hardware. I used some instant glue and attached them to the inside of the sides. Nearly impossible to assembly otherwise. Just not enough hands. Really important to take your time to get the positioning just right. I lost track of how many times I had them off and on. But pleased with how they turned out. Then worked on the rear rollpan. This piece attaches to the bed sides from the top all the around to underneath. Again, lots of checking and fitting. It was quite a bit oversize and took more than the usual trimming. I have three bolts on each side on the underside. There are flat head screws included for the back, which need to be flush to not interfere with the tailgate. I haven’t installed those yet. Will wait until the tailgate is installed. Which I’ve started but not finished yet. Put the wood (aka aluminum/vinyl) bed pieces back in to check the look. I like it. Also put the taillights together and mounted those and started mocking up the running boards. Looking more and more like a truck.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=155689&d=1636144529

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=155690&d=1636144529

One remaining detail was the lower radiator hose. I’ve used Bob Boig’s Cool Tubes before. He has one for the truck on his website. But doesn’t say what engine it’s for. So contacted Bob, and he didn’t have one for my specific LS setup. After some discussion, I sent pictures and dimensions. Earlier this week, I received parts from Bob with several possibilities. With just a little trimming on each end, this one fit perfectly.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=155691&d=1636144577

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=155692&d=1636144577

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=155693&d=1636144577

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=155694&d=1636144577

Maybe looks a little low in the picture. But it’s well above the lowest point of the grille. And also above the chassis bottom from the firewall back. Note that I’m using my usual Gates Power Grip clamps. Except on the radiator connections where I used T-bolt hose clamps. I like the Gates heat shrink clamps. But they’ve apparently gotten caught up in all the supply chain issues. The right sizes were really hard to find and the prices have gone way up. Stayed with them. But not without second thoughts. If you’re interested in Bob’s Cool Tubes, including for this combination, don’t hesitate to contact him. They work great.

Finally, in anticipation of my first start, made a checklist of the items to complete. Gas in the tank. Check. Put in 5 gallons to make sure to have plenty plus wanted to see where that hit on the gas gauge. About where I expected but most importantly it worked. Antifreeze in the radiator. Check. Used Dex-Cool as recommended in the LS instructions. Wally World had Prestone on sale. Used pre-mix since I don’t want our well water in the coolant. Took just under 2-1/2 gallons. Finally, primed the engine oil using the Allstar Performance primer tank mentioned previously. Since I had already put oil in the engine, I drained 4-5 quarts back out into a clean container. Put that into the tank and followed the instructions. Other than making a mess (which I’m inclined to do) it was easy enough. Confirmed the oil pressure gauge was showing about 25 PSI as the oil was going in through the port. Also happy to see the gauge working. Tried to set the fuel pressure regulator. But like the Coyote, the LS only runs the pump briefly when you turn the key on. Not enough to set anything. But unlike the Coyote, the instructions say to set it while running. 60 PSI. So took a chance that where it was would be enough to start and then come back and set while running. (Spoiler alert: Came back after it was running. It was at 55 PSI. Set to 60 and locked it down.)

With that, out of excuses. So, with my wife on the iPhone for the video, and my buddy Greg to watch and help as needed, climbed in and hit the key. Started almost instantly as you can see in the video. Can’t complain about that. Gauges all worked except the tach. Oil pressure showed 25-30 at idle and jumped to 40-50 with some acceleration. Voltage gauge seems stuck on 12 volts. Hmmm. Ran it long enough for the fan to kick on, which it did around 180/190 or so. Initially thought we had a small leak at the thermostat housing. But turned out not to be the case. No other signs of any leaks anywhere. On a subsequent start, did put it in gear and confirmed the rear wheels turned, with RPM the transmission shifted, and the speedo needle was swinging. Although not close but not unexpected since it’s not been calibrated. The FF mufflers aren’t super quiet. But they’re not bad. Certainly not nearly as loud as either the Roadsters or Coupe. Should be OK. Haven't scanned the ODB2 port yet. But the MIL didn't light, so not expecting to find anything. It does light when the key is first turned on, and stays on until the engine starts. Just how it's supposed to work. Not much else to say. Very happy in general with how it’s running. Here are two videos.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eonK0l0RnX4&t=2s&ab_channel=PaulBorror

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dk4wU9hwU68&ab_channel=PaulBorror

So, I have these issues to address. Wouldn’t be a build if we didn’t have things to troubleshoot, right?

1. Tach not working. Hooked it up exactly like the instructions said. It’s to the tach wire in the LS harness. The LS instructions say a “pull up resistor” might be required in some cases. Looks like I might be one of those cases. Will try that first. Pretty sure I have the setting in the Autometer gauge in the right position. But will check that too.

2. I’m not getting any output out of the alternator. Never saw more than 12 volts on the gauge, and the more we started and stopped, the slower the cranking and lower the reading. Checked the output at the post on the alternator and it’s reading no more than battery voltage. No jump when the engine starts. Check the 12 volt exciter wire, and it’s getting 12 volts with the key on like it’s supposed to. Eventually, I wasn’t able to start the engine. Everything was done on the battery only and it was tapped out. The alternator is a 1-wire Mechman 170 AMP piece included with the Vintage Air frontrunner system. I’ll contact Vintage Air and see what’s next. I know 1-wires aren't the favorite of some on the forum. But it’s what came with the frontrunner setup and the mounts are all tailored to that specific one. So will stick with it. I’ve used them before without issue.

3. While the transmission went into drive, turned the rear wheels, shifted, etc. (all normal) I wasn’t able to get it to go into reverse. Not sure if something with the Lokar shifter, the controller, or the transmission itself. Hopefully something minor. Was just starting to look at it when the battery died. The HGM controller has Bluetooth and an app on my phone. So will start there.

4. Finally, and not sure this an issue, but we were a little mystified. The coolant flow on the LS3 is the heated coolant goes into the top of the radiator, cooled, and back out the bottom of the radiator to the thermostat and into the water pump when the thermostat opens. We ran the engine long enough for the fan to start. It was at 180/190/200 for some minutes. The fan clearly made a difference and lowered the temp indication on the gauge. But what seemed strange was the top radiator hose and top of the radiator itself was hot to the touch as expected. But the lower half of the radiator and the lower radiator hose never seemed to get warm. In fact almost cold. Super efficient radiator or something wrong? Maybe hadn’t run long enough? But sure seemed like the thermostat wasn’t open. It’s a new thermostat that I bought along with the Vintage Air water neck. I didn’t test it. Probably should have. Based on the configuration, not possible to put it in backwards. At least I don’t think so. Will dig into this more. Hopefully nothing is wrong. Just seemed a little strange.

That’s it. And probably more than enough. Next week I’m going tire shopping so maybe can go-kart before the snow flies. Also want to get the truck on its own four feet so it can share the lift. Want to get the Coupe serviced and winterized.

wareaglescott

11-05-2021, 06:28 PM

Congrats on the first start. Will be watching to see what the resolution to the mentioned issues is. Luckily for me I am sure you will have them all worked out by the time I approach first start on my LS3!

cgundermann

11-05-2021, 08:03 PM

Congratulations on another first start Paul. Just saw that your Father passed to the other side - truly sorry for your loss Paul.

Chris

Jeff33Ford

11-05-2021, 09:31 PM

Lookin good and soundin good! Looking forward to seeing the go karting.

JohnK

11-05-2021, 09:55 PM

Congratulations on the first start. Sounds great!

jiriza84641

11-08-2021, 01:43 PM

Congratulations on another stunner Paul, always checking to see your progress.

edwardb

11-08-2021, 04:01 PM

During my first start, detected four issues. Pretty happy to report all are solved. I least I think so... :rolleyes:

Alternator not working: In hindsight this was an obvious problem and one I should have prevented. The Vintage Air 175011 frontrunner system I used (the source of the alternator) included detailed instructions for the Mechman alternator. Included were instructions for checking proper wiring including ground. Which unfortunately I didn't do at time of installation. (How hard is to hook up an alternator???) So went ahead and did it now. The test showed no ground path for the alternator. Oops. To confirm, I clipped a lead from the body of the alternator to chassis ground. Started the engine, and immediately the voltage gauge jumped from 12 volts to 14+ volts. Alternator working. The Vintage Air system I selected has all black anodized brackets, including the one holding the alternator. Clearly insulating the alternator from the engine block or heads where there are several ground connections. I made up a short piece of 8 gauge wire with crimped lugs on each end. Put one end under one of the alternator mounting bolts which fully contacts the bare case. The other end bolted to the block. Voltage gauge jumps from 12 volts (battery voltage) to 14+ volts (charging voltage) immediately when the engine starts. Fixed.

Tach not working: Both the Chevrolet Performance and Autometer instructions describe that the tach output wire from the ECU may be too weak for analog gauges. The easiest first solution is to install a “pull-up resistor” between the tach wire and +12 volts at the gauge. The recommended value is a 10k ohm 1/2 watt. Didn’t have any on hand, but next day from Amazon had some. Pulled the dash and clipped the resistor in temporarily. Success! A little more work and the resistor was soldered between the two leads on the gauge harness. Confirmed the proper 4-cylinder setting in the gauge (interestingly that’s the setting used for the LS) and confirmed the indicated RPM on the gauge matched with the data stream from the ODB2 port. Fixed.

Cold lower radiator tube: With some searching, confirmed this was a symptom of air still in the system. Basically, trapped behind the thermostat. So, it wasn’t getting the heated coolant and not opening. The LS3 is different than the Ford engines I’ve worked on to date. The thermostat is on the lower radiator hose. So, coolant flows from the top hose into the radiator and only returns to the engine from the lower radiator hose when the thermostat opens. So as the engine reached operating temperature, the top hose and top half of the radiator were hot. But the lower half and lower hose were cold because the coolant was dead-headed against the closed thermostat. As part of this system, there are a series of steam vents in the heads including one that I routed to the radiator cap location. I was under the impression this would make the system self-burping. After reading multiple instances on-line of LS installations and swaps having the exact symptoms as me, realized this isn’t the case. At least not for the initial fluid fill. I tried several suggestions I found with no success. Still a cold radiator lower half and lower hose. Even with the engine showing full operating temp and the cooling fan running. One of the suggestions was to run the heater because the coolant for the heater is off the back side of the thermostat so air there could be contributing to the problem. After a couple cycles, the heater started working (very well!) but still the lower hose was cold. I was just about convinced maybe I had a bad thermostat even though it was brand new. But before tearing into things, and making a mess with coolant everywhere, tried two more suggestions from on-line. First was to raise the front of the car to move air forward and hopefully find its way out more easily. Second involved getting the engine to temp, and then running it at a higher RPM including some throttle hits. This to open the bypass valve that’s part of the LS thermostat and releasing the trapped air. Did a little extended running at 4,000 RPM and then added some hits. One or both suggestions worked. The thermostat opened. Radiator completely hot. Lower hose hot. I will run a few more cycles to purge any remaining air. But this one I consider fixed too. Interesting learning experience.

One other quick comment on the same subject. The lower radiator tube I'm using and showed previously is a prototype piece from Bob Boig at https://boigmotorsports.com/. It fits perfectly and I'm really happy with. Highly recommended. If this is something you could use for your build, don't hesitate to contact him. He'd like to add it to his offerings. But isn't economical to only make one or two.

Transmission not shifting into reverse: The truck is still on the lift with only wheels on the back (no tires) so can run in gear and exercise the entire drivetrain. Forward gears all worked. And I can see on the HGM app that it’s shifting and going into torque converter lockup. But reverse didn’t seem to do anything. Including most importantly spinning the driveshaft the other direction. My first thought was something with the HGM controller. So sent a message to HGM. Within minutes, received a phone call and they walked me through everything. Fantastic customer service from HGM. Doesn't get better than that. Stayed on the phone while I tried things, started the engine, etc. Bottom line, the reverse function isn’t in the controller. It’s 100% in the transmission itself. (Explains why the controller showed I was in neutral even though I was in reverse.) After confirming there didn’t seem to be anything wrong, went a little higher on the RPM than I was trying before and guess what? Reverse driveshaft rotation. So what I thought was a problem isn’t. (Just remember, this is my first ever automatic transmission installation. So be kind…) Need to check the fluid level now that I can run it and get to temp. Might be low which would affect this. But bottom line, I consider this fixed to. Even though it was never broken.

So, for now, moving on to other things. Ordered tires today. Should have them in about a week. No surprise. A number of tire brands and sizes are in short supply. Showed them my wire wheels and they promised me they could mount and balance with no issues. I will report what I went with once received and hopefully the weather will hold so I can do my go-kart.

edwardb

11-11-2021, 11:11 AM

Tweaked a couple things on my first start issues list. So thought I would share. Might be some learning in there that took me a little while to figure out.

Transmission shifting: When I picked up my transmission from Gearstar (the supplier of my 4L65E) I could tell it had fluid in it because it was leaking until a I put a driveshaft yoke in the back. I have a spare that I keep around just for that purpose. They also told me they had pre-filled the torque converter. Fast forward to the engine/trans installation and the Lokar transmission dipstick I added. When adding all the fluids, checked the dipstick and it showed well over the full mark. Not unusual for cold and not having pumped fluid everywhere. OK I thought for the first start. One of the early things I checked once it was running was the transmission fluid level. Showed between the marks so moved on. Couple days later, when talking to the guy at HGM, I mentioned the Lokar dipstick. He cautioned me that those were often too long and that I needed to check if it was measuring the fluid level full slightly above the pan rail. Yesterday I did that. Ideal method would be to remove the pan and take a direct measurement. But I didn’t want to dump the fluid, probably tear up the gasket, etc. So very carefully used a micrometer and measured by eye against the side of the case. Conclusion? My Lokar dipstick was nearly 1” too long. That’s a lot. Fortunately, the dipstick cable is held in by a setscrew in the handle. So easy enough to remove, shorten, and replace. Checked the measurement multiple times again and was satisfied the length was where it needed to be. With that, started the engine, warmed things up, and checked the level. No fluid on the stick. Added fluid and took three quarts to fill. The capacity is somewhere in the 12-13 quart range. So, I wasn’t likely in danger of hurting anything with very limited running at this stage. But would have been potentially damaging if I drove it that way. I can also report it shifts much better out of neutral. Nice and solid. Totally fixed the hesitancy going into reverse. I said this was fixed before. But now I can report it’s really fixed.

Air in cooling system: I ran the engine through several more heat cycles and I’m mostly confident the thermostat is opening properly and the air is purged. Checked for fluid out of the steam tubes on both heads and they’re flowing freely. Another place air can get trapped. But two things were happening that didn’t seem quite right. I had zero leaks out of the upper and lower radiator hoses when running. I have T-bar clamps on each and they’re as tight as I want to make them. But once shut off, as the engine cooled I would get a slight amount of coolant weeping out the bottom of each. Not a lot. But I don’t like leaks and obviously shouldn’t do that. Also, I wasn’t getting any fluid in or out of the overflow tank. After thinking about this some, decided I might have too high of a pressure cap on my Moroso T-filler. I was using the 20lb one that come the kit supplied Gates plastic T-filler. So picked up a 16lb cap. Swapped caps and yesterday ran another couple heat cycles. No leaks and about 1-2 inches of fluid movement in the overflow tank. Clearly the overflow wasn’t working and the system was building up excess pressure when cooling. Will continue to keep an eye on it. But I think this is really fixed too. As a side note, for yesterday’s run I kept a scanner on the ODB2 port for the runs and compared the engine reported temp to the reading on the Autometer gauge. In general tracked very closely. Good to know.

I’m now at zero issues based on first start (as far as I know!) so moving on for good. Completed the external wiring on the rear lights and assembled them to the mounting brackets. Thought quite a bit on how to connect them to the rear chassis harness. The wires go through a small hole in the body so no way to pass the usual Weatherpack connector through. Could just hard wire them to the chassis harness using a butt connector or something similar. But generally, not a fan of those and rarely use them. (Just my opinion and build style…). What I ended up doing was installing the Weatherpack seals, pins, and housings on the chassis harness. Then I installed only the seals and pins on the light fixture wires. Those I could feed through the hole in the body. Then temporarily plugged just the pins into the chassis connector. Enough friction for now and nothing around to short against. Later, during final assembly, can install the Weatherpack shrouds on the light fixture wires once through the body. I’d have to de-pin the shrouds to remove the light fixtures if ever necessary. But easier (I think) than a permanent connection that would require cutting wires.

Next up finished mounting the rear tailgate. Followed the directions in the manual and all went OK. Did make a minor change orienting the U-bolt for the straps front-to-back rather than upright. Felt like it worked a little better. But would have been fine the other way too. I’m surprised to see how many truck builds do something different with the back other than the tailgate. Like mounting it permanently and even some cases blending it into the bed. I agree with the depth of the bed it’s not too useful. But I still like it. Looks truck like. Still need to add a few countersunk screws. But mostly done.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=155967&d=1636645789

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=155968&d=1636645789

Received word from the tire dealer that my tires arrived and I have an appointment tomorrow to install them. Cool! Next post will hopefully be about a go-kart. Depending on weather I guess. At least it will be on all fours for the first time.

edwardb

11-15-2021, 03:56 PM

In spite of our first measurable snow yesterday, the sun came out today and with a balmy 36 degrees, melted the snow and dried the street enough to drive the truck around the neighborhood just a bit. First though, a few steps to get there since my last update.

Looked at a number of tire options and narrowed down to Nitto 555 G2’s or something from my former employer Continental. I had the Nittos on my 7750 Roadster build and liked them. But a call by my local tire dealer to Nitto found they were on national backorder with no ETA. Scratch that. Liked the idea of using Conti tires so looked at options. Went with four Contisportcontact 2 performance summer tires, size 245/45ZR18. No stagger on this build. The tires were available, have decent reviews, and somewhat reasonably priced. Used on Porsche, BMW, Jaguar, so in pretty good company. Treadwear is rated at 280. Not the softest around. But many are higher. Should be an OK match for how I plan to drive the truck. The local Discount Tire did the installation. I watched closely and they treated my rims fine with zero issues or damage. Overall, a decent experience.

With the tires mounted, installed them on the truck. Felt good to get to that stage. First up set the ride height after adjusting the tire pressures to 25 psi. The manual says 5.5” front, 6.0” rear when using the lower suspension holes. Always a good idea to set the initial ride height a little on the high side because it will settle. Ended up at 6.5” in the rear, and just over 6.0” in the front. Might like it a bit lower in the front. We’ll see how much it settles. The bottom of the radiator grille is already lower than that. Plus, it doesn’t seem there’s a lot of suspension travel left when set much lower. Will monitor. One other comment about ride height. In the early part of my build thread I noted that the driveshaft just barely touched the chassis when at full droop. Based on the suggestion of another builder, moved the rear shocks to the upper hole on the chassis. This limited the travel perfectly and prevented the interference. But that also affected how the coilovers were adjusted for ride height. Instead of being adjusted to the point that the spring is loose as has always been the case for me, it was necessary to crank the adjuster about two turns tight on the springs. Don’t think it’s an issue. Just different.

Next up was alignment. Over several builds, I’ve accumulated a decent set of tools so always do this myself. First centered the rear axle using the panhard bar. Used a laser line to establish a center line on the chassis and adjusted to that. Then checked the offset of the rear hubs to the front hubs. It was within less than 1/16” on four corners. Happy with that. Well inside the tolerance of the tools/method I was using. Then started on the front alignment. Used the power steering specs from the manual. The first time is always the hardest because you have to make pretty large moves and they all interact. So round and round between camber, caster, and toe and pretty soon they start getting close and finally where you want them. This front suspension has the adjusters on the bottom control arms versus the top like on the Roadster and Coupe. But other than that about the same. Was struggling just a bit dialing the 15 degrees back and forth on the turn plates for the caster measurement. Then (bolt of lightening…) realized I could switch on the ignition and get the electric power assist. Boy did that make it easier. Wrapped up the alignment this morning. Happy with how the numbers dialed in. I’ll check it again during final assembly. Might need to be tweaked a bit. But it’s really close now. Picture of the front alignment underway.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=156347&d=1637007926

With that, nothing left to do but roll it out onto the driveway. First time off the lift and out of the garage since Stewart put it there on January 5, 2021. Just over 10 months ago. Not the fastest build in history by any means. Not even close. But for me, each one seems to go a little faster. I guess that makes sense. Snapped these pictures. It's going to look different once I get the doors, hood, fenders, engine sides, and running boards installed. But like how it looks now too.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=156353&d=1637008280

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=156351&d=1637008280

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=156352&d=1637008280

Coaxed my videographer to come out into the cold, climbed in, and drove it up and down the driveway and street a few times. Still haven’t decided about seats. Right now have the Roadster seats that came with the kit and they’re sitting on 2x4 blocks. Still way too low. But good enough for now. A couple neighbors waved, but other than that no other cars, issues, or incidents.

https://youtu.be/78kqPeApobM

https://youtu.be/KWbJYncLfAo

My speedo isn’t calibrated. In fact winds all the way around with not too much speed. So I’m now showing six miles on the odometer even though didn’t go anywhere near that much. Had a speed app going on my phone. Maxed at about 30 mph. Enough to feel it shift a couple times. So that’s good. The higher than typical stall torque converter seems fine. Easy to hold the truck at idle with the brakes. Only minor issue I noted was the brakes make a little bit of a shuddering sound when coming to a full stop. But still wearing the coating off that Wilwood has on the rotors. So hopefully that will change. Power brakes feel good. Power steering seems fine too. I’m pleased so far with the noise level. Hard to tell too much with no windows, doors, or interior insulation. But I’m thinking it’s going to be way quieter than what we’re used to. Which is what we want in this case. The LS3 seems to be running fine. No codes or anything. But again, it’s very early. Tried the cruise control briefly. But nothing happened. Suspect it has a minimum speed and I wasn’t going very fast. We’ll see. Really nothing else to say. All good. Don’t plan on driving it anymore until it’s finished. Really no point. I'm personally very conservative with the whole go-kart step. No title, no license, no insurance, and in this case no doors or seatbelts. You get the idea. Back into the garage to continue the build.

JohnK

11-15-2021, 04:21 PM

Congratulations. No matter how many you've built, first go-kart must still be a great feeling of accomplishment. It looks and sounds great so far.

I have the Contisportcontact 5p's on my daily driver and am pretty pleased with them. Good all-around tires for anything other than snow.

Jeff33Ford

11-15-2021, 04:30 PM

Looks great! Man all excited to get going now but seems like forever before my kit shows up. I know, I know patience....

Papa

11-15-2021, 04:32 PM

Looking great, as always, Paul!

Straversi

11-15-2021, 05:15 PM

Congratulations. Looks like you have the right driveway, long and flat, for those running boards.
-Steve

Jeff_J.

11-15-2021, 05:19 PM

Congratulations! Another excellent build with the attention to detail I've come to expect from your build threads..
Jeff J.

460.465USMC

11-17-2021, 11:58 PM

Congrats, Paul! Wow! I didn't realize how low it sits. If I hadn't read your ride height, would have guessed it's just as low as the Roadster. With the body on, it really looks like a vehicle, at least compared to the typical Roadster go-carts I see. Also, cool to hear and see a build with a LS3. Thanks for sharing.

frankeeski

11-18-2021, 12:30 AM

Really like the exhaust note on this one Paul. It's coming right along.

edwardb

11-18-2021, 06:46 AM

Really like the exhaust note on this one Paul. It's coming right along.

Thanks. I'm happy with it too. Wasn't sure what to expect with the kit supplied exhaust parts. Some have replaced/updated with more name brand parts and I considered that myself. But decided to mount the kit parts and see if I was Ok with it. So far I am. The good part is with everything open on the bottom, it wouldn't be very hard to change it out in the future.

Russwood

11-18-2021, 12:56 PM

I'm surprised too by how low it sits, but she's a sweet ride!

Caddy Dad

11-19-2021, 09:58 AM

edwardb

11-19-2021, 10:12 AM

Paul,
Great looking build as usual. I've been following all your build threads (roadster, coupe, truck) and at this point, how would you rank your builds in terms of body work required to bring it to your show level standard? I only have experience with my roadster build, but I totally underestimated the amount of effort to get a great looking result.

Thanks!

I'd rank them in the order you listed. Roadster is the simplest in terms of body work and to take to whatever level you're going for. The Coupe adds complexity with the larger doors and especially the hood (cowl) fit to the body and pontoons. The Gen 3 Coupe body also has some mold "challenges" around the upper rear of the door openings. Mismatched mold pieces, fiberglass voids, etc. My understanding is the mold has been reworked to improve this area so should be better going forward. Mine wasn't terrible but I've seen some that were much worse. The same shop did two Roadsters for me and then the Coupe. Roughly twice the amount of hours were required for the Coupe. That's probably on the high end. But gives an idea. The truck is a work in progress for me so can't comment too much. Many have challenges getting the doors to fit properly. Based on some preliminary work I've done, looks like mine might be decent. But too early to say for sure. One of the big variables with the truck, much like the hot rod, is it depends on how many body parts you go with. Mine will be full fenders, running boards, hood, engine sides, etc. So a lot of pieces when it comes time for paint. My plan for the truck is I want a decent paint job. But don't want or need to have a full on show quality paint job. If I wanted a similar paint job as the Coupe, no doubt it would exceed the hours spent yet again. But not planning for that and likely will not be the same shop.

edwardb

11-21-2021, 08:29 AM

Busy week and not a lot of build time. So, this is a minor update. I’ve had more issues with coolant leaks on this build than any other. Two have been bugging me since I filled the system. Not gushers. But slow drips that I just couldn’t get stopped. But finally, success.

The kit supplied overflow tank dripped coolant out of the drain side. Even though coolant wasn’t near the top of the tube inside the tank. Didn't make any sense. Additionally, often belched some coolant every time I started the engine. The DEX orange coolant is hard to miss. Checked the fitting in the bottom of the tank, which I installed with the proper sealant, and it looked OK. This week drained the tank and took it apart. Found the problem. The tube that extends inside to near the top of the tank is threaded into the drain fitting in the bottom of the tank. But only about 1/4" of somewhat roughly cut threads, not very tight, and no sign of any sealant. Highly suspect and clearly would be easy for coolant to leak past it. Cleaned things up and set the tube back into the fitting using JB Weld on the threads and a filet around the top. JB Weld makes a good sealant if you don’t want it back apart. Ever. Now back together and confirmed no longer leaking. Something other builders may want to check with that tank.

The lower radiator hose connection also dripped coolant occasionally. I have Gates heat shrink PowerGrip hose clamps on all the upper and lower radiator hose connections except the actual connections to the radiator. There I chose to use T-bolt clamps for serviceability since the Gates clamps are one-time use. But no amount of adjusting or tightening would prevent a slight leak from the lower radiator hose connection. So drained fluid and replaced the T-bold clamp with another Gates PowerGrip clamp. No more leaks. Can’t explain why the T-bolt clamp didn’t work. They're usually very reliable. But the heat shrink clamp certainly does. In addition to the cleaner look, they work well. Highly recommended.

Finally, I’ve used charcoal filters on the gas tank vent line for each of my builds. This is to prevent gasoline odors in the garage. Some report no gasoline odors without a filter. Some report gasoline odors even with a filter. I only know I’ve used them on each of my builds and have never had any odors. For my first build, I used a Mustang charcoal filter with the purge valve disabled. They’re not particularly cheap and also not serviceable. Several years ago there were a bunch of forum posts about making your own using aquarium filter charcoal and various containers. Jeff Kleiner showed making a container from PVC pieces, which I patterned mine after. These are standard plumbing pieces from HD or Lowes and dirt cheap.

Here are all the pieces I used to make and mount the filter.

http://i867.photobucket.com/albums/ab234/edwardb123/Factory%20Five%2020th%20Anniversary%20Mark%204%20R oadster/Update%2005162016/IMG_4237_zpsf62dhqzq.jpg (http://s867.photobucket.com/user/edwardb123/media/Factory%20Five%2020th%20Anniversary%20Mark%204%20R oadster/Update%2005162016/IMG_4237_zpsf62dhqzq.jpg.html)

The mounting bracket isn’t necessary, but I like how it mounts the filter with hose clamps and looks somewhat professional. The three PVC pieces are the main body of the filter. The one I use is actually a 2-inch coupler, and then caps for each end with a 3/4-inch hole. One end gets the hose barb glued in for the vent hose, the other end is left open. Two circles of Scotch Brite go in each cap to keep the charcoal pieces inside. The charcoal is from the pet section at Walmart. I glue on one end cap and leave the other end loose. It’s a tight fit also held in place by the large hose clamp. Would be very easy to remove the assembly from the mounting bracket and put in new charcoal if necessary. This is the fourth build I’ve used this exact setup and, in all cases, haven’t noticed any odor afterwards.

For the other builds, typically installed in the area of the tank filler. For the truck, not really a good place to mount there and have the hose routed the way I wanted. I’m using the Breeze 70648 Big Bore Vent Check Valve Kit. Taking a cue from Mark’s instructions, I routed the hose along a chassis brace and mounted the filter on the LH side.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=156655&d=1637468390

With the weather changing, unfortunately I’ve decided the driving season is over. So, off the lift with the truck and replaced with the Coupe. Will do the usual annual maintenance. Oil/filter change, chassis lube, Stabil 360 in the nearly full tank, and general look over, clean up, etc. Initial review including brakes looks really good. Should be a quick and easy process. Then back on the truck build. I do have one small spot under the nose to touch up. I’ve managed to rub the underside of the nose on the Coupe several times now. It’s longer and lower than I seem to be able to get used to. Even after two driving seasons.

Also, if you look closely at the Coupe windshield on the LH side, right above the London Cobra Show sticker, you can see a glint or shiny line. Yup, a broken windshield. My son and I were out cruising and we took a rock (or something...) off the windshield. Started off as a pretty deep star near the top and several inches of crack. Now has spread and of course needs to be replaced. Have had a windshield on order with Factory Five for some months now. They are in stock, but apparently waiting for a suitable box or packaging method. Trying to remain patient... Not looking forward to getting the old one out and going through the installation process again. But thankful it didn't hit the body. It was a hard hit and would have done serious damage.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=156656&d=1637468512

wareaglescott

11-21-2021, 12:36 PM

Paul that picture should be an advertisement for Factory Five! Awesome!

cgundermann

11-22-2021, 10:01 AM

edwardb

11-22-2021, 04:52 PM

Paul, I have mostly Gates and have T-bolt clamps in the same locations. As soon as the temp drops, I also get small leaks that no amount of tightening can stop. I’ve been procrastinating going to Gates in these locations, but now you’ve sold me.

I’ve finally pulled the trigger on a Daytona, so I’ve been reviewing your build thread. Sorry to hear about your windshield...

Chris

Too funny. Walked out into the garage this AM to find my favorite drops of orange antifreeze on the ground from the one remaining T-bolt clamp in my entire installation. The top radiator connection. I'm so done with this. Changing it over to a Gates clamp and hopefully that's the last of that. Your comment about temperature is interesting. Very well could be what I'm experiencing. It's turned cold here, and even though my garage is limited to 50 degrees by my heater, definitely cooler than it's been recently.

Congrats on the Coupe! We sure like ours. Good luck with it.

PNWTim

11-23-2021, 08:58 PM

Hi Paul -

I know I am a little late to the party but LS's are notorious for trapping air in the PS cylinder head which eventually blocks flow to the thermostat, preventing it from opening. The typical fix for the a Gen 1 Camaro is to get the front end up in the air, remove the radiator cap and massage (read squeeze over and over until your hands cramp) the upper radiator hose which will eventually burp the air out of the system. I had the exact same issue and the guys from the Camaro forum saved me. Sounds like you have it figured out though, so no worries. Also, you may see the LS runs a little hotter than other engines - this is normal. Otherwise, nice looking ride and great build thread as always.

460.465USMC

11-24-2021, 10:42 PM

Finally, I’ve used charcoal filters on the gas tank vent line for each of my builds. This is to prevent gasoline odors in the garage. Some report no gasoline odors without a filter. Some report gasoline odors even with a filter. I only know I’ve used them on each of my builds and have never had any odors. For my first build, I used a Mustang charcoal filter with the purge valve disabled. They’re not particularly cheap and also not serviceable. Several years ago there were a bunch of forum posts about making your own using aquarium filter charcoal and various containers. Jeff Kleiner showed making a container from PVC pieces, which I patterned mine after. These are standard plumbing pieces from HD or Lowes and dirt cheap.

Also, if you look closely at the Coupe windshield on the LH side, right above the London Cobra Show sticker, you can see a glint or shiny line. Yup, a broken windshield.

Huge bummer about your windshield, Paul. Sorry to hear it.

Thanks for the charcoal filter post. I hadn't seen this approach yet: looks like a good one.

Iziks

12-01-2021, 06:10 PM

edwardb

12-01-2021, 08:54 PM

Hi Paul,

I am new here, but I looked back through the thread. I could not find an answer as to why you chose a 3 link vs IRS on this build. I have found some of your posts that talk very highly of IRS. Just planning a build myself and was curious on the reason for your choice on this build. Thanks

Welcome! Yes, I'm a big fan of IRS. However, the truck is only offered in the solid axle/3-link configuration. That's it. So that's why you're seeing a 3-link. :o The 33 hot rod has the IRS option, in addition to solid axle 3-link and 4-link. But from the firewall back, the chassis of the truck and hot rod are quite different. If you closely study Factory Five's website you can see what's available. The order forms are very specific.

edwardb

12-01-2021, 11:18 PM

Have the truck bed completed now. First a quick update about my favorite subject. Coolant leaks. Mentioned in a previous update that my upper radiator hose was still occasionally leaking coolant at the radiator connection. A few drops occasionally is one thing. But also with all the congestion up there, dripping onto the cooling fan, shocks, my crossover wiring harness, etc. Just not something very desirable. I also mentioned before I had a T-bar clamp in that position. For serviceability. But nothing I did would make it stop occasionally dripping. So I ordered another shrink clamp and as of today after several days and several engine runs, no more leaking. I’ve said several times I was done with that subject. Now I’m really done with that subject. Clean sweep. All radiator upper and lower connections have the shrink clamps and I've yet to have a single one leak a drop. Note I’ve found the Gates Power Grip clamps are getting hard to find in certain sizes. This 2-inch size, which is likely very common, was one of them. Turns out Edelbrock also sells a similar product. They appear to be the same including how they’re packaged with a cardboard core. But no Gates marking. Found this one on Amazon. None of the other usual shopping places I use had the branded Gates 2-inch in stock. Supply chain again? Who knows. But this Edelbrock piece looks and installs exactly the same and seems to be doing the job.

Back to the build. Factory Five includes a large piece of 16 gauge (.060") SS sheet for the truck bed floor. The build manual is somewhat vague about it. There is no mention of attaching it to the frame. Just placing it. Also says if installing a wood floor the base can be the SS sheet or plywood. Suggesting it’s optional? I reviewed several build threads and also started a separate thread on the subject. Received a mixed response on whether to use it or not. Some don't. Gave it some thought and decided I’m going to use it. At 2.52 lbs/ft, based on several on-line metal sites, it’s a bit over 50 lbs. Seems heavier because it’s cumbersome to handle. But not too worried about the weight. Most trucks can use a little extra weight over the rear tires and I'm not building a racer here. Plus, the underside looks much more finished with the sheet in place IMO. It has a slightly polished finish that is surprisingly close to the color of my powder coated frame. With that decision made, outlined the underlying frame structure on top. Then planned for where I could attach the four wood (aka aluminum w/vinyl) support pieces and some additional 3/16” SS rivets so all attachments went into the frame.

Which brought me to another issue. Some builders cut holes in the SS sheet for access to the tank sending unit and fuel pickup/pump. I wasn’t planning to do that because it’s not that hard to drop a tank with a lift. Support the tank and lift the chassis off. Have done that numerous times during previous builds although never on a finished build. And hope to keep it that way... But for the truck, realized for the first time that with the rollpan installed, which covers about half of the tank underneath, it would very difficult to drop the tank out the bottom. Removing the rollpan isn’t a great option since it’s trapped between the bed sides. And in my case also by the rear fenders. A lot of disassembly that wouldn’t be desirable on a finished/painted body plus a lot of work. So, joined the club and cut holes over the two tank locations. Found out that SS sheet is tough. At least for the tools I have. Best turned out to be metal cutting jigsaw blades with lots of cutting lube and letting it cool every inch or two. Still burned through a few blades but got it done. Then smoothed with sanding drums. Note some also cut an access hole in the front where the battery is located. I decided against that. I agree the battery location is cumbersome. But it is reachable from the bottom and having on the lift does help a little.

With that done and our oldest grandson in town for Thanksgiving, used his young muscles to help me lower the sheet onto the chassis after putting a bead of silicone on the top of the frame rails. Then riveted. Drilling for the rivets wasn’t quite as challenging as cutting the access holes. But again, that SS sheet is tough and fights back. Sharp drill bits and cutting oil are the order of the day. Also, no way I could have pulled the 3/16 SS rivets by hand. My Milwaukee cordless rivet puller even growled a bit.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=158154&d=1638411183

Next up, laid out the cross pieces for the Smokey Road Rod Shop aluminum bed wood system. Explained previously as an alternative Factory Five offered me since the original wood floor option I ordered was no longer available. Note they are now listing this on the truck order form. Part number 35115 - Hot Rod Truck Aluminum Bed Kit. My plan was to use #12 x 3/4" long Teks style self-drilling screws to attach the cross pieces. I knew they wouldn’t drill through the SS sheet so drilled pilot holes first. But found out the hard way that the pilot had to be the full diameter of the threads. Otherwise, the SS sheet strips the threads right off. In hindsight, should have figured that out first before stripping a couple and breaking another. But got it done and the cross pieces aren't going anywhere. The chrome strips that go between the boards was used to get the right front-to-back spacing of the cross pieces. Side-to-side is adjustable as the T-nuts slide in the channel. Quick word about that gas cap. The kit comes with a very nice looking aluminum gas cap. But I sometimes attend indoor car shows that require a locking gas cap. Plus I like the added security. So I’ve used the Breeze locking cap on every build. https://www.breezeautomotive.com/shop/aero-fuel-cap-locking-3-25-flange/. It’s not cheap. But super high quality and looks nice. This is the first time it hasn’t been hidden under a LeMans cap. I installed nutserts in the aluminum floor and did have to slightly enlarge the cutout in the SS floor. Otherwise, the kit supplied silicone connector tube was rubbing the edge based on the pre-cut hole in the aluminum floor. Not a good long term idea. The ground strap is attached to one of the mounting bolts and frame underneath.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=158155&d=1638411183

With that, temporarily installed the aluminum wood pieces and chrome trim. Very happy with it overall. I especially like the angle piece supplied for the end by the tailgate. Gives a high quality finished look when closed and open. You don’t see the end of the boards. This will come out for body and paint. But not hard now that everything is mocked up and fitting.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=158157&d=1638411183

The last thing I did today was install the backup/reverse light. Not required by MI state regulations for assembled vehicles. But I installed them on the Coupe and decided it’s a good safety feature. My HGM transmission controller has a lead that’s +12V when in reverse. But, per the instructions, cannot be used to directly light the light. Has to go through a relay. So installed a relay behind the dash as part of my electrical plan. Used the RF radio circuit to power the light itself and added the wire into the rear harness before installing. I went back and forth on what fixture to use and where to place it. Ended up with a Maxxima 14 LED M42206 White Surface Mount Backup/Courtesy Light placed in the center below the tailgate. I would have liked something with a less modern style. More in keeping with the old truck theme. But just didn’t find anything I liked better. Since the inside at this location is basically inaccessible with the bed installed, made a plate with nutserts and bonded on the inside. Could have used the supplied self-tapping screws. But for this purpose, prefer the machine screws and nutserts and something more than just into fiberglass. Used a 2-wire Weatherpack connector. Tested and working. It’s very bright and I’m pretty Ok with how it looks. There are covers that go over the mounting screws that I'll add at final assembly. That's it for today. Need to get back to winterizing the Coupe. With snow on the ground and salt on the roads the local driving season is officially over.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=158156&d=1638411183

cgundermann

12-02-2021, 11:07 AM

Beautiful, almost a crime to place anything on it...

Chris

edwardb

12-09-2021, 11:25 PM

Mainly working on finishing up the wiper and washer installation this week. Among a few other things. The Coupe is all winterized and up on the RaceRamps FlatStoppers. Couple of things to address during the winter. But otherwise done for now and out of the way as much as possible. Other than usual maintenance items and clean-up, all looked good with no issues underneath. Fixed the little "oops" scratch under the nose. Just short of 4,000 miles now.

For the truck build, described in previous updates that I’m installing the Specialty Power Windows WWK2 Complete Universal Wiper Drive Kit. Same one I used on the Coupe. Also showed how I borrowed an idea from another truck builder and tucked the drive motor in the outside wall of the RH footbox in front of the door. Fits nicely and out of the way there. Plus saves valuable space elsewhere. Now to mount the wipers and assemble the drive mechanism. The SPW wipers are somewhat similar to the usual Lucas replica wipers, e.g. a drive cable running in a tube turning wheelboxes at the wipers, parking, etc. But it’s much more robust, completely adjustable, and a little cheaper. Have only had to run it a couple times in the Coupe (that’s a good thing…) but works fine. It is a bit bulkier, so wouldn’t say it’s a direct replacement for the Lucas style system. Plus probably a bit more work to initially install. But is a good fit for the truck.

First up bent the aluminum tube from the drive motor to the first wheel box and flared the ends. Than added the piece between the two wheelboxes and the one at the end. Also with flares. Then cut down the threaded portion and driveshafts on the wheelboxes. They’re quite long to be universal. Then trial fit the Specialty Power Windows WAB-01BR Billet Aluminum Wiper Arms, RH Bend I’m using. Note these aren’t included with the basic power window kit. Greased things up (kinda messy process…), assembled the drive cable, and adjusted the sweep. Took a couple tries to get the right settings. The instructions are very thorough with multiple sweep combinations and directions possible depending on the position of the drive wheel and hole used. Mine ended up on the 120 degree setting. Looks like this inside. Like I said. Kind of messy with the required grease.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=158456&d=1639106179

These are the brackets I added to mount in the footbox.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=158457&d=1639106179

Then the cable routing.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=158459&d=1639106179

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=158460&d=1639106179

Finally, from the front with the wiper arms loosely positioned. I’ll hit them with some satin black rattle can at final assembly. Did the same on the Coupe and although not the same wipers, they’re holding up well.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=158458&d=1639106179

Next up was the washers. This was pretty simple. I described the Chase Bays Compact Windshield Washer Reservoir I’m using previously. For washer nozzles, I’m again using the same ones I found worked well on the Coupe. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07C4T2HHP/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1. These are crazy cheap and I was skeptical but gave them a try. Actually don’t look bad and work very well. The nozzles are adjustable. Note washers are supposedly required for Michigan. I’ve talked my way out of them for a couple builds. But have just put them on the last two. Especially maybe useful for the truck since it’s more of a cruiser and might actually be needed. I put the washers on the same mounting surface by the wipers. I was able to adjust the spray to hit the center of the windshield. I'm using the switch that came with the SPW wiper system. Changed the knob so it matches the headlight switch. Shown previously. It's a pretty low tech switch with two speeds and a push to spray. Not fancy like the Cole Hersee 75600-04 in the Coupe -- with intermittent, automatic wipe with spray, etc. But it's bulky and a bit pricey. So kept it simple for the truck.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=158461&d=1639106201

These parts will all be removed when it’s time for body and paint. But the detail work is done and will go back on with minimal effort. I spent some additional time on the cruise control. During my brief go-kart drives, I did try to engage the cruise control. I was kind of fumbling around with a lot going on, not going very fast (25-30 mph) and wasn’t convinced I worked the controls properly. But never did engage. So I got the idea maybe I could test them more extensively with the truck on the lift and the rear wheels off the ground. Could get a little more indicated speed and confirm I was working it properly. Still no love though. Didn’t engage. I went through the table of troubleshooting steps in the instructions. Mostly all was OK. But had a couple questions so called Dakota Digital tech support. Answered my questions and had a couple more things for me to check and test. No change. Called back again and he suggested moving the ground for the control module from regular chassis ground to the ground wire in the Chevrolet Performance control harness. He said it was critical for the cruise control system to have the same exact ground as the rest of the engine control system. Interestingly referred to in the Chevrolet wiring diagram as “Low Reference.” I found with a little more research that this is the same unit sold by Rostra (maybe they’re the actual mfg?) and their instructions show the ground to low reference from the start. Anyway, changed the wire as described. Not too fun on the completed wiring. But not bad. But, still no love. The tech also warned me, when I described how I was testing, that the system may not engage with the rear tires free wheeling on the lift. Said it was likely they needed to be under load. He wasn’t positive. But for now out of ideas and so am I. So will wait for further testing until I can actually drive it. I’m positive all the wiring is correct. So the only thing left is the module itself. We’ll see. If anyone has any insight on this, would appreciate hearing about it.

One more little tidbit while I'm updating. I hadn't put the door hinge brackets on the chassis before mounting the cab. I assumed they would be in the way when dropping the body into place, so left them off. Well we all know about assume. I was looking for something in the build manual and ran across the part showing them being installed before the cab was dropped into place. Now I know why. What a pain that was. Had to remove a few cab mounting bolts to spread things a bit to get the top ones positioned. Then like building a ship in a bottle to get the bolts in place. Bottom ones weren't as bad. But still would have been way easier without the cab in place. Don't do what I did on this one. At this point, I don't know if the body will come off for paint. My preference would be not since all the alignments including the yet to be finalized doors are especially critical. Everything else, yes, but maybe not the cab.

One more shameless tool story. A couple builds ago I noted how I’d started using a headlamp at certain times. My garage shop is reasonably well lit. But for real close work, including underneath when out of direct lighting, having a bright light shining from your forehead is a huge help and keeps your hands free. Notwithstanding my aging eyes and ever stronger reading glasses. The headlamp I bought back then was somewhat bulky and battery life between charges getting shorter and shorter. So started looking for a replacement. Between light and battery technology, plenty of much better options available. I ended up selecting this Coast XPH30R model. Super compact, bright, and runs for hours. Even fits under my bump cap. An important feature. I also like how one side of the light fixture has a magnet. So I can just stick it on the overhead cabinet above my workbench when not using. Pretty cool.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=158462&d=1639106240

That’s it for this week. Next up is getting the rest of the body parts mounted. They need a little bit of cutting and sanding to be cleaned up, and I strongly prefer that to be outside to cut down on the mess. But it’s been cold and snowy. So cramping my style a little. We’ll figure it out.

Nigel Allen

12-10-2021, 08:45 AM

J R Jones

12-10-2021, 09:45 AM

Chris Wingardh

12-10-2021, 10:15 AM

Thanks EdwardB. Great info as I will install the same on my truck build. Your postings is a true God send. Thank you.

edwardb

12-10-2021, 02:46 PM

A couple of suggestions for the cruise control:
- make sure the brake sense wire is connected to the load side of the brake switch. Otherwise the controller will receive 12volts continuously, signalling it that the brake pedal is depressed.

- some controllers need to sense a path to ground through the brake lamps when the pedal is released. If the brake lights are not connected, or are LED, there may not be a path to ground. Try connecting a standard globe temporarily in the bra circuit to give a ground connection through its to filament

Thanks for your post and for following my build. Have both of these points covered I think. Per the instructions, this unit has one of the controller wires connected to the hot side of the brake light switch. Then another wire to the cold side of the switch (only has +12V when the brake pedal is pushed) has to be grounded for the system to work as you said. And yes this build is 100% LED. Dakota Digital has that covered in their instructions and shows installing a relay to ground which is broken when the brake pedal is pushed. The proper operation of that relay was one of the things their tech support had me confirm. This could easily be user error (wouldn't be the first) but everything we've checked is wired and working as it's supposed to and exactly per the instructions. All the voltages on the various pins are what they're supposed to be. But on hold now until it's a driver and see what happens then.

edwardb

12-10-2021, 02:54 PM

Paul, Interesting information on windshield wipers, I had not known of Specialty Power Windows or the Wiper Drive Kit.
I am faced with a wiper delema on my 1928 Mercedes SSK replica street rod. It was an Excalibur Phaeton originally, (Studebaker & Chevy parts) now it is a step-over roadster with Lexus running gear. The original Lucas wiper system was electrically DOA, who'da thunk it. I am running the Lexus electricals and found a way to integrate the Lexus motor and gear to the Lucas transmission. I still need wiper arms. SPW lists their arm/blade as 10".
What is your wiper arm length and how tall is your windscreen? Do the blades (male/female) slide-latch to the arms or snap in place?
jim

The SPW wipers I'm using on this build are 10" arms and 10" blades. The windscreen on the truck is just under 12". So a decent fit. The instructions say the blade length can be adjusted, but I won't need to. The blades fit onto 1/2" knurled drum with a set screw. FWIW, I used ANCO Adjustable Wiper Arms 44-01 on my Coupe build with ANCO 5215 wiper blades on this same SPW system. Those arms use the same drum style attachment. Different blade lengths are available too.

J R Jones

12-10-2021, 04:19 PM

edwardb

12-10-2021, 04:38 PM

Paul,
Researching parts is complicated by simplistic "application" specs and not dimensions.
My windshield is flat and 12" high. I have the 1/2 inch knurled drive shafts and they are a bit worn, a set screw would help.
I do not recognize the SPW blade to arm attachment on your 33. I have 10" Mini Cooper blades with a standard M/F slide latch coupling.
What is the length of your Coupe ANCO 44-01 arms? I find only application data on them, not dimensions.
jim

The ANCO 44-01 arms on my Coupe are adjustable from 10.8 to 15.5 in. long, with 15 in. blades. As I recall I have them set as short as they go. Pictured below. The attachment between the SPW blade and arm on the ones for the 35 Truck is just a small flat head machine screw into an aluminum machined pivot. Something custom and not standard at all. The wiper has a channel for the rubber to slide into place.

https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/ab234/edwardb123/IMG_1822.jpg?width=590&height=370&fit=bounds (https://app.photobucket.com/u/edwardb123/a/186cc666-68d0-4881-b53c-af005ffe3552/p/5cf470a7-8a7d-46c3-963f-631c7b2ba7ce)

edwardb

12-21-2021, 11:54 PM

This week I finally finished installing the fiberglass transmission tunnel cover. Took way longer than I expected. Lost track of how many times I had it in and out in the process. But it’s done and I’m satisfied with how it turned out. But sure a lot of fiddling around. The manual says you can cut it down in some cases. Specifically to make it narrower. I’m assuming with a much smaller manual shift transmission. But for the GM 4L65E automatic I’m using, it must stay full size as provided and just clears. But still requires some trimming and adjusting for the best fit. Plus the cutouts for the shifter and e-brake. One of the decisions is whether to make it removable or not. I decided it needs to be for future serviceability. I used 10-32 screws around the perimeter on the floor and firewall. Most are open on the other side for a lock nut. But for several along the back and the top front, they are blind holes. So there I installed nutserts. For the fill piece on the top, I bonded and riveted nut plates on the underside of the main cover and the fill piece is held in place with six screws. I’ll install insulation and carpet later and leave it loose in the areas where there are mounting screws. Wouldn’t be easy to take everything out, and hope I never have to because it wouldn't be particularly easy (or fun). But the option will be there if needed.

Before wrapping things up and attaching the cover for hopefully the last time, had a couple small wiring tasks to complete. One was to wire the Lokar ES4L60EFMP Electronic Sport Shifter. I think I mentioned this before. But I had contacted HGM, the supplier of my transmission controller, and they provided the wires and installation instructions. Installed into the controller previously. Same setup as used for a paddle shifter. But had never actually hooked them up to the shifter. Completed through a 4-cavity Weather Pack connector. Once done, did a brief test and confirmed operation. The HGM controller has a Bluetooth connection and an app on my iPhone. The app dashboard shows the gear the transmission is in. With the rear wheels elevated, started and ran through the gears. When in “sport mode" with the shifter pushed to the right while in drive, the shift lever bumps the gears up and down just like it’s supposed to. Cool. Also permanently wired the starter safety switch. I only had it temporarily wired previously. The switch is also part of the Lokar shifter and I have the RF blue solenoid start wire routed through it. Only completes the start circuit if in park or neutral. Tested and works the way it’s supposed to.

Another open item was all the cables and hoses I had routed through the transmission area. Early in the build decided to go that way and had my doubts a few times. Posted a separate thread asking how others had done it. Didn’t get a lot of feedback. Some routed on the underside of the chassis. But that was too late for me and didn’t want to go back anyway. Got everything routed and tied off and I’m OK with how it turned out. Mainly the only thing touching the trans is the vent tube. And by design it has to touch. With everything in this build, lots going on through those cables. Main battery power, rear harness (with added wires for the transmission cooler and back-up light), transmission control harness, power window wires (to switches between the seats), and the sport shifter wires mentioned previously. Hoses include the transmission vent and transmission cooler lines going to the powered cooler under the truck bed.

Pictures of all the above. Still need to fit a boot around the e-brake. The kit provides the Roadster style boot and says to cut to fit. Same as they did with the Coupe.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=159013&d=1640143841

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=159014&d=1640143841

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=159015&d=1640143905

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=159018&d=1640144994

Another item of note this week is I had another leaker. I’ve never had this much trouble with leaking in previous builds. Nearly every fluid on the build has leaked at some point. Good grief. Several days ago, noticed some brake fluid on the frame and floor from the area of the master cylinder and related connections. Found the issue was the brake pressure switch. It was leaking fluid between the main switch housing and the insulator out the front where the wires attach to terminals. Everybody knows how corrosive brake fluid is (it's evil) and sitting on powder coat for several days at least left some marks on my frame. I’d be really upset if I wasn’t going to install the engine side covers. But with those installed, won’t be noticeable or probably even visible. But still don't like messing up that very nice powder coat. I ordered a new Wilwood switch. It arrived and it’s slightly different than the one that came on the assembly, including having an engraved part number and a date code. The original part didn’t. Guessing it’s a knock-off and maybe not great quality. Wilwood parts can fail too. But I'll still take my chances with those versus what appears to be a lower quality generic part. Installed the new part and watched for a couple days including exercising the brakes repeatedly. No leaks. I've had nothing but trouble with that master cylinder and booster assembly purchased for this build. I've talked about it several times. Could we please stop with the leaking action? This pic is the new part installed and a catch rag in case needed. It wasn't.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=159016&d=1640144031

Made a pretty big decision this week. I’ve been going back and forth on what to do with seats. Trying to find something that fits and also that I can elevate to improve visibility and legroom. Hadn't found any better options IMO, so basically decided to go with the Roadster seats and adding headrests. Something I also consider mandatory since the back wall of the cab is right behind your head. In another recent thread, forum members were discussing seating options for the truck, and one member cited experience with https://www.wiseguys-seats.com/. Upon further review, their 16-inch buckets seemed very interesting. Based on the dimensions, looked like a good fit. Plus look great and should be very comfortable. After several back and forths with Nicole, who was very helpful to answer my questions, decided to go with them. So, my order is placed. Will be black vinyl matching the kit provided door cards, a rolled design that is quite attractive, headrests, sliders, and 4-inch risers. Leadtime is 12-14 weeks, so can’t be in a big hurry. But works with my build schedule. Not cheap (there’s that again) but this is a huge part of the finished product and these are exactly what I was looking for. Should give the interior a higher end more custom look. I’ll sell the NIB Roadster seats which will offset the cost some. The headrest options I was looking at weren't cheap either. Related to this, and also to the transmission tunnel cover discussion above, I’m planning to fabricate a center console that takes in the shifter, the window switches, some cup holders, and an armrest between the seats with a hinged cover and storage inside. Important since there's no glovebox. Won’t start on that until the seats arrive.

Finally, I was able to get outside and finish up the rough clean-up of all my fiberglass parts before winter got a little more serious. We now have snow on the ground and temps are mostly below freezing. Got it done just in time. There are 19 fiberglass parts on this build when you count everything (!!!) so it adds up when doing the full boat with fenders, hood, etc. Next up I’ll be working on the front grille surround, hood, and engine side covers. Just barely started. First up have to figure out how to manipulate those side covers around the front suspension. Some kind of puzzle, right?

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=159012&d=1640143798

That’s it. Merry Christmas everyone.

Lew

12-22-2021, 11:30 AM

I really appreciate the quality of your photos. How do you get the lighting so professional looking?

Thanks Lewis

edwardb

12-22-2021, 12:13 PM

I really appreciate the quality of your photos. How do you get the lighting so professional looking?

Thanks Lewis

Thanks! Appreciate the comments. Posting decent pictures is important to me. Thanks for noticing. I'm not doing anything special though. My garage shop has light colored walls and ceiling and is decently lit. Plus I have a couple of large windows. So normally lots of light. I'm using an iPhone 11 Pro Max phone with default photo settings. Nothing particularly special. Typically I just point and shoot without any effects or whatever. I don't use the flash. I download them in full size (12 megapixels) where I save locally for my personal files. Then downsize to 1280 x 960 so the file size (around 300 KB) can be uploaded to this forum's picture gallery. Then link from there. It's a relatively easy/quick process and I agree the quality is surprisingly good. For my first build threads, I was using a Canon Rebel digital SLR. In theory, a decent camera. Certainly a much larger sensor and lens. I was just commenting to someone the other day how far cell phone cameras have progressed. I'm getting consistently better pictures now than before with much less effort. At least for this purpose.

Interestingly, the inside of the cab looked a little dark for the two pictures in this last update of the transmission without the cover. So I set my cordless LED shop light on the floor of the cab before snapping the pics. Talk about pro lighting equipment. The two pictures with the cover on were just with natural light. In hindsight, maybe could have used a little added light too. A little dark under the dash.

wareaglescott

12-22-2021, 05:15 PM

Looking great Paul. Merry Christmas.

David Hodgkins

12-22-2021, 05:26 PM

Paul,

The leadership you show in documenting your builds is truly inspiring and is THE gold standard. 5 builds already. Absolutely one of the legends of our hobby.

Happy holidays brother!

:)

edwardb

12-22-2021, 05:31 PM

Looking great Paul. Merry Christmas.

Thanks Scott. Your Camaro is looking pretty awesome yourself. Merry Christmas to you too.

Paul,

The leadership you show in documenting your builds is truly inspiring and is THE gold standard. 5 builds already. Absolutely one of the legends of our hobby.

Happy holidays brother!

:)

You're very generous David. Just doing what I enjoy. But your comments are appreciated. Happy Holidays your direction as well.

Russwood

12-24-2021, 08:27 AM

I second David’s compliment. Reading your build threads is the reason I’m documenting mine on here, and I’m shamelessly walking the trail you’ve blazed. I’ve also gone to the extreme of copying and pasting all your updates from your anniversary roadster build into a Word document and printing them out. Sits along side the build manual, and to be fair, it’s consulted probably more than the FFR manual. Your details go to the depths that the manual misses. When I pull the trigger on a coupe, I’ll do the same for that!

Have a great Christmas and try to stay warm up there!

edwardb

01-01-2022, 11:46 PM

Happy New Year everyone. We stayed home and had a quiet holiday with just the two of us. Happy to have technology to visit with our out-of-state sons and families via video chat. Our youngest son officially announced the pending arrival of grandchild number five. Their second. As they said, daughter Hannah (soon to be two) just graduated to big sister. They're excited and so are we. Due in July. Able to keep inching along with the build. Coming up to the one year anniversary of the kit delivery – Jan 5, 2021. About where I expected to be at this point I guess. Finished preliminary fitting of the grille cowl and fit the two aluminum lower cowl mounts that fill the area below the radiator. Not finalizing anything until all the surrounding pieces are also fitted. That’s one of the lessons I’ve learned from previous builds.

So next up was the hood and engine side covers. For the hood, assembled and placed the hood hinges. Found the manual a bit confusing as some of the pictures don’t match the drawing. So had them apart and together at least three or four times before everything was oriented properly. Can't blame the manual for all of that... Need to put nutserts into the hood to mount the hinge brackets. The factory trim on the hood seems pretty close. But want to get the engine side covers in place first. With that, hit the wall. I was unable to figure a way to fit the engine side covers over the front suspension. Addressed in at least one other build thread. But for whatever reason, my usual Google searches didn’t find it. The hot rod side side covers have the opening at the bottom and just drop into place. But the truck covers have the opening in the front and no amount of twisting or contortions will fit them into place around the front suspension. Posted a separate thread to see what others have done. https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showthread.php?41708-How-to-Install-Truck-Engine-Side-Covers-(also-Hot-Rod-). Thanks to those who responded and Ron E who also posted and messaged me. Turns out I’m not crazy (no comments…) and it’s necessary to remove the front LCA each time the covers go on or off. Or cut something, which is what I’m going to do. I will cut in the area of the red line shown below and build up a bridge on the back side so the piece can be removed and replaced when necessary. Need some HSRF to do it how I’m planning and I ran out. I’m waiting for some to arrive next week. So, no further work in this area for now.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=159162&d=1640382200

To keep making progress, decided to work on the door cards. The kit came with a set but needed some TLC plus some assembly. They’re pretty substantial. The panels are aluminum versus the usual hardboard. Bent to fit the opening on the inside of the doors. Come with armrests and a small pouch with an elastic opening. My guess is they come from the same supplier as the seats. If not, someone who uses the same glue on the vinyl that doesn’t stick too well. Vinyl was loose around the edges of the panels. Plus loose over major parts of the armrests. Used some DAP Weldwood contact cement to stick things back down. On the armrests, added upholstery staples around the back perimeter. The provided screws for the armrests were too short. How does that happen? They’re metric (M6 x 1.0) so a trip to the hardware store for longer ones. Put fender washers under the heads of the screws. Probably not necessary, but I felt better. The manual shows using self-tapping panel screws around the perimeter to attach the door cards to the doors. The kind with the integral countersunk washers. I’m just not a fan of self-tapping screws for something that probably would be on-off multiple times. Especially into somewhat thin fiberglass. Plus, these doors are HEAVY (each weighs 46 pounds with the skins, steel frame, windows, power lift, etc.) and the arm rest has an integral pull to close the door. Needs to be solid. So I decided to put 1/4-20 nutserts in the doors and use that size hardware. No doubt massive overkill. But easy enough to do and will be plenty strong. Then attached the storage pouches. The manual doesn’t give any direction on how to attach them. I put five 6-32 T-nuts on the inside of the wood frame that forms the pouch and flat head screws through the back of the panel. Final assembled door cards installed on the doors pictured below. I’ll probably switch the exposed screws to something else. Maybe black them out. But they’re ready for final assembly and look decent I think.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=159569&d=1641094679

In yet still another chapter in every fluid in this build leaks… I’ve had a few drips of transmission fluid on the ground and upon review and monitoring, found the edge around the 4L65E transmission pan almost always wet with fluid. Is there no end to this? Checked the bolts but they were all tight. Overtightening these stamped pans can make it worse. Looked like a pretty generic cork or fiber gasket. Ordered a Moroso rubber/steel gasket. Thought about changing the pan too in case this one was warped or deformed in some way. Plus most replacement pans have a drain plug. Unlike this one. But drew the line at yet another couple hundred bucks and decided to try re-using this one. Removed the pan doing the best I could to catch the still new fluid in a clean container. Made a mess (of course) but got it done. One minor benefit of taking the pan off was I got to confirm the length of the Lokar dipstick. The full mark is supposed to be 1/4 inch above the bottom of the housing. I had estimated that previously. Now I could actually measure it. I was about 1/8 inch off. Not bad but now it’s just right. Checked the pan for flatness. It was OK. Put the new Moroso gasket in and torqued all the bolts to 10 ft-lbs as specified. No leaks and all dry for about a week now. Is this the last leaker? Who knows. I don’t think there are any left that I haven’t had to fix.

I’m going to cut the openings in the cab for the door hinges and start fitting the doors while waiting to finish up the engine covers, hood, etc. I’ve trimmed the doors just enough to fit into the openings. Will not do any further trimming and set gaps until all the other panels are installed. That was one of my biggest regrets on the Coupe build. I fit the doors too early. They should have been last. After everything else was fitted.

Off topic for the build, but a quick shout-out to Russ Thompson. I have two things to fix on the Coupe while in winter hibernation. The broken windshield if Factory Five will ever ship the replacement (mild rant…) and my RT turn signal. Last season the RH direction stopped latching in the turn position. I took it apart and tried to adjust/fix. But no luck. After talking to Russ, sent it to him and he tried to fix it. He said he’s done over a thousand of these things (!!!) and usually can fix them. He returned it and it worked for a little while. But then back to its old ways. Talked to Russ again and he’s got a new shipment of switches so we’re going to replace it. He’s giving it to me for a very fair price considering it’s over three years old. He’s a gentlemen and a real pleasure to work with.

That’s it. We’re supposed to get 5-7 inches of snow overnight. Snow blower is gassed and ready to go.

edwardb

01-16-2022, 12:06 AM

Lots going on since my last update, some not build related, so not too much to report. Our main home office computer crashed. A Windows file was corrupted and nothing I could do to get it back or to reboot. I do regular backups, so didn’t lose anything. But major hours spent on a complete rebuild. What a pain. Plus, now I’m doing fiberglass body work which for me seems to take forever. But making some progress.

I received the can of HSRF so put the break in the engine side covers as discussed in my last update. I don’t have pictures of every step, but this is what I did. Cut a piece of 1/8” aluminum 5” x 1-1/4”. The idea was to have one side bonded to the cut-off pieces and the other side mounted to the covers with 5/16-18 cap screws. I put the cap screws on one side of the aluminum pieces with T-Nuts on the other side. Then with a piece of plastic over the underside, used the aluminum pieces and clamps to mold HSRF into roughed-up sections in the covers. Took a pretty good amount to fill, but that was the plan. The T-Nuts are buried and completely solid. Then removed the aluminum pieces and cut the engine covers apart. Done this way the alignment between the two pieces was exact. Then bonded the aluminum onto the fixed sides. Happy with how it turned out. Goes on solid and lines up well. Checked and (surprise) now I can get the engine covers over the suspension.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=160276&d=1642306782

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=160275&d=1642306782

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=160274&d=1642306782

While waiting for the HSRF to arrive, decided to start working on the doors. I know I said this would be last. But I decided I could mount the hinges and get the doors onto the body. No fiberglass cutting or gaps set. Was able to get it mainly done, and I’m reasonably happy with how they fit. Too early to say for sure, but mostly just 1/4-3/8” proud at the bottom rear corners. Interestingly, both sides are off nearly the same mount. Will see what happens when I final fit them and get serious about the hinge alignment and gaps. But I can pull out the bottom rear corners of the cab if I have to. But FWIW I did learn some things in the process of setting the hinges and the doors in the openings. I see now first hand why some consider mounting these doors to be a pain. The hinge access on the body is challenging to say the least. The dash must be dropped to reach the top hinges. Major gymnastics are necessary to get the bolts and nuts into their proper locations. Expect to be dropping stuff multiple times… The instructions show tapping 5/16-18 threads in the outside top body hinges because there isn’t enough room for the nuts on the other side. I found this was true for the bottom hinges as well. Plus I changed the supplied 3/8” long hex screws with 1/2" long hex drive round headed screws for those holes. Uses all the threads better plus (maybe) a bit easier to install/tighten. Mounting the doors and adjusting the hinges will be even harder once the windshield is installed. For final assembly, it will be best to get everything done first and hopefully won't have to get back in there again.

In general, I was impressed with how everything lined up. But did have one problem. Previously, I cut all the hinge locations and slots in the doors using the supplied templates. What I didn’t notice at the time was the lower hinge mount on the left side was over 1/4" different than all the others. Now noticed and it's a problem. Visible in this picture.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=160277&d=1642306782

If left this way, the body side of the hinge would be outside the offset in the opening and likely outside the adjustment range of the hinge mount on the frame. So I made a spacer out of stacked scrap pieces of fiberglass and bonded to the door at the hinge location. It’s sanded smooth and dead flat on the outside. So should disappear when painted. Looks like this now and moving back to the engine covers and hood.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=160278&d=1642306782

One other important update. I’ve been eyeing the Traxxas version of the truck. Factory Five made their supply available to order so decided I needed one. Chose red. Imagine that. It’s pretty cool. Don't know how much I'll actually drive it. Maybe when the grandkids are around. For now, it has a prominent display location in my man cave and could be interesting to take to shows with the full size version. We'll see.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=160281&d=1642309048

WIS89

01-16-2022, 10:00 AM

Paul-

Everything looks amazing as always. I do have one small criticism though -- I just wish that your posts had a little more detail in them. :cool: HAHA

In all sincerity, all your threads are wonderfully done and provide the level of detail that really helps when we get stuck. I won't tell you how many times I have looked through your roadster threads!

I look forward to seeing your truck all done; I bet she looks better than the Traxxas!!

Thanks for letting us come along on your builds Paul, I am grateful for your hard work!!

Regards,

Steve

edwardb

01-26-2022, 07:25 AM

I’m plodding along slowly. But making some progress getting body parts mounted. Feeling a little burned out with them, to be honest. Amazed how many hours I manage to spend. But will try to keep moving forward. The end is in sight.

With the engine side covers mounted in their proper positions, and the lower edge of the hood trimmed, set the hood in place. Did an initial pass at getting the front and rear gaps where they should be, then marked the hinge locations from underneath. The manual shows to attach the hinge brackets with the kit supplied 1/4-20 nutserts. They’re nice parts, and I’ve used a bunch of them. But they are primarily for metal and a relatively small “roll” on the underside holding them in place. For high strength into plastic (or in this case fiberglass) I feel better using nutserts intended for that application like these. https://www.mcmaster.com/97217A393/. The "wings" spread out wide on four sides. I’ve used these in several other locations in different sizes. Like the dash and the firewall. With the hinges attached and adjusted, the hood now opens and closes. Waiting to install the prop rod and latch until later when everything is set. I like that the hood kit latch, a bear claw style like the doors, comes with an inside release. So that, along with the door handles that come with locks, means the truck can be locked and secured. Nice.

Next up finished fitting the engine side covers around the front suspension including the small piece that I made removeable as shown previously. Since I’m installing fenders, appearance isn’t super critical. But still tried to keep everything neat. After fitting the sides to the radiator cowl, checked all the clearances with the suspension at ride height and full hang. Several adjustments to the molded cutouts were necessary. Including one that was my fault because of where I mounted the front brake flex hoses. Now done.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=161281&d=1643200863

With everything getting finalized, my radiator/grille/cowl position has to remain exactly where it is now. Any movement in height or angle would make a mess of things. The assembly is held in place by very robust brackets underneath the front UCA bolts. The brackets are slotted for adjustment but held once the UCA bolts are tightened. However, could theoretically move if the bolts were loosened. Not good. The brackets have a 1/4" hole in the area of the frame tabs. Although not mentioned in the manual, maybe these are intended to pin the radiator mount brackets in location? Whether that’s the intent or not, I used them for that. Drilled through the frame tabs and installed grade 8 1/4" bolts on both sides. Ignore all the messy looking tape on the suspension parts. Was trying to keep from scratching them up with all the on and off of the engine side covers.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=161280&d=1643200863

Discovered an “oops” after installing the engine side covers. One of my A/C connections is only about one inch away from the side and pointed right at it. I struggled a bit with fittings and hose installation back when I was setting all that up. Totally miscalculated and missed how close it would be. Not sure what to do now. Really don’t want to reconfigure hoses and go through that again. But may be the best choice. There are right angle fittings I can get for my manifold set. But not sure there’s room for that either. Could drill a hole through the side cover. Not liking that idea much. Or remove the fender and engine cover each time a connection is needed. Not liking that idea too much either. Anyone have any suggestions? The system isn't charged yet.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=161279&d=1643200863

Another issue I discovered, and to honest was suspecting it, is that the top of the radiator cowl isn’t level. It’s low at the back. This is partly a function of the height and angle of the radiator/grille assembly. But I have mine in the only location/angle possible to prevent interference with everything around it, e.g. the frame, shocks, etc. including the A/C condenser. It’s all very tight fit, and at least in my case, not a lot of adjustment possible. But the engine side covers matched up pretty closely. So I’m thinking the location and angle I have is very close to what’s intended and it's just a function of the cowl piece itself and how it was shaped and molded. With the hood in place, the top of the cowl isn’t on the same plane as the top of the hood. If I align the hood with the lip on the cowl, then it’s not a straight line. Every picture I’ve seen of the truck with a hood this is a straight line and agree that’s how it should be. Wouldn't look right otherwise. So I set the hood hinge location for a straight line to the front of the radiator cowl. Whoever does my body work will need to do some filling on the radiator cowl to fill the gap. Don't think it's a big deal.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=161282&d=1643200863

One thing I’ve gone back on forth on this build is whether to install vents in the side of the engine covers. I know some do this on their builds. Some don’t. I’ve looked at a bunch of different products, and so far haven’t found any that I’m super excited about. Adds a little complexity and cost, and I think I prefer the clean look anyway. I’d be more than happy to not have them. My pretty mild all aluminum LS3 isn’t super tight in the engine compartment so I’m thinking (hoping?) cooling isn’t an issue. Suggestions or comments?

Next is fenders and running boards. What that, I’ll be officially out of loose fiberglass parts. Set them in place just for inspiration. Not remotely aligned or at the proper height. But this is what I’m going for.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=161278&d=1643200691

Namrups

01-26-2022, 08:43 AM

Awesome build as always!

Erik W. Treves

01-26-2022, 09:27 AM

Paul - on your AC line - I had a similar situation in the Coupe - I ended up with something like this... yes , I suppose this another potential leak point - but mine has never leaked

This would basically allow you to "rotate" that hose 90* ; or redo the line and buy 2 fittings... this fitting is only $50 and might be something to consider.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=161284&d=1643207031

J R Jones

01-26-2022, 10:44 AM

edwardb

01-26-2022, 11:54 AM

Paul, I do not have a lot of history with rivnuts, FFR changed that. Previously I designed thread bosses and used weld nuts. When it comes to FRP I am concerned that the squeeze is too high and could damage the plastic structure. I bought aluminum rivnuts for my plastic panels.
On hood venting, my street rod experience with open roadsters is that heat exhausts the louvers and finds it's way into the cockpit. Sides may not be quite so bad but top louver heat comes over the windshield.
jim

A little late with making a change on the rivnuts since 90% of them are installed. But I wouldn't change anything anyway. I agree you could probably damage the fiberglass by over squeezing. That's something I'm pretty careful about. But also a positive of the ones I'm using for plastic/fiberglass. The ears are wide and make a lot of contact. The feedback when they are pulled far enough is very distinct. Plus I've learned the hard way after installing a bunch of rivnuts (aka nutserts) in these builds into various materials is if you over torque them (e.g. pull too hard) they can distort, go off-center, go crooked, etc. No matter the type, when they're snug stop. I've tried multiple installation tools as well. The hand squeeze type, which often require more force than I can provide. The lever type (like Astro Pneumatic), which works well but at least for me isn't easy to control. I find these wrench driven ones from McMaster give me the most consistent results and it's very easy to feel when you've squeezed far enough. https://www.mcmaster.com/rivet-nut-installation-tools/wrench-driven-rivet-nut-tools/

Thanks for the feedback on the vents. My inclination at this moment is to not install any. The bottom of the engine bay is wide open and with the engine I'm using, how I plan to drive it, plus what I hope is an efficient cooling system, not anticipating excess heat issues. It is something I could cut in and add in the future. But still have a (somewhat...) open mind on the topic.

Erik W. Treves

01-26-2022, 12:31 PM

edwardb

01-26-2022, 12:54 PM

Paul - while the bottom of the engine bay is open - I can tell you (for me) riding around in the HOT ROD during the power tour that heat does tend to get "stuck" in the engine compartment since the air going through the rad - also hot.... it got bad enough for the boys 100+ out for 4-5 hours - that they put the hot rod in the trailer and jumped in the roadster.... my 427W truck was pretty warm as well.... again might ask over on the HOTROD forum and see what people think over there - since most people don't run full fenders the pool of info is quite small.... more food for thought.

Good input. Thanks. Mine does have the double insulated floor, which I think was a later add. And I do have what I hope is a good functioning Vintage Air setup. But your point is valid. Probably I could be swayed if I found some vents I liked. It would be best if I'm going to install to do so before body and paint. Don't like cutting on a finished car. Plus the vents might need paint as well. Will keep looking.

Jeff33Ford

01-26-2022, 02:03 PM

Right now what I am thinking is create a shape I like for the side vents. Create a wood plywood die and use perforated steel sheets. No idea which I like but something like these. https://www.mcmaster.com/wire-mesh/ This would press them into a pleasing shape that would fit in the cutout and not just look like they were glued in from the back. You could include other shapes in the die for something a little different. I was even thinking of including 33 in the middle of mine. But who knows I am a long way from that!

Papa

01-26-2022, 02:26 PM

Paul,

What do you think of something like these? You might even be able to just create the full side panels from them.

https://twistedroadcustoms.com/collections/frontpage/products/hot-rod-louvered-hood-side-34-x-24-panels-steel-louvered-pair-set

Dave

McGuyver

01-27-2022, 05:49 PM

edwardb

01-27-2022, 11:41 PM

Paul, On your a/c line the high side tap does not have to be at the compressor. They make in-line tap fittings that you may be able to splice into your existing discharge line. Another thought is if the system is charged and leak free you don’t absolutely have to have a readily accessible high side tap.

Thanks for the post. Thinking along the same lines. I didn't know Vintage Air (and others...) sell an in-line fitting with the tap. But found 35826-VUG on their website a couple days after I posted the update. Unless a better idea comes along, will probably cut one of those into the existing line and orient the tap so it's not an issue. Will likely replace the existing 90 degree end with one without a tap. Pretty easy fix. I vacuumed out the system to confirm no leaks (still holding) but haven't charged it yet.

wallace18

01-29-2022, 12:03 PM

edwardb

01-29-2022, 02:12 PM

All I can ad is after building 3-33's and a 35 if you run fully enclosed sides your vehicle will overheat in weather above 80 degrees. Especially using the A/C. Most hot rod guys here in FL take their sides off in warm weather to avoid overheat problems. Michigan is much cooler than FL so maybe not the same. Not sure how many days above 80 you get up there. Best of luck.

Thanks for your message. I've spent quite a bit of time in Florida. Your winter temps aren't much lower than our summer temps. :p Well, OK, that's a slight exaggeration. But not too much... But message received from you and others. Will plan to vent the engine covers. I did actually find some I liked. Pictures at the top of this page: http://www.streetdreamsbyross.com/vents.php. They are custom made and can be in the length I want. Will probably order when I'm a little further along and decide where to place them and the space available.

FFinisher

01-30-2022, 07:45 PM

Phil has not had any overheat problems with his Coyote driving in the summer with the A/c On. He has about 2000 miles on it from last summer.

Phil's is the black full fendered pickup I built.

edwardb

02-02-2022, 04:40 PM

Have the four fenders and two running boards mocked up and in position. Which officially means I have all the fiberglass body parts accounted for and out of the basement. Still some more tweaking to get the fit exactly how I want. Then will start anchoring down with 1/4" bolts, washers, and some nutserts where appropriate. But happy so far with how it’s turning out. I really dig the hood, engine sides, and full fender/running board look. But I know the much more stripped down fenderless rat rod look is very popular too. Probably more so. I posted these same pictures on the Factory Five Builder Facebook group site. With the caption "Why would anybody not do the full fender and running board treatment?" With a smiley of course. :o Received some interesting responses. But that’s what’s cool about these. Make it they way you want. No wrong ways to do it.

Before showing the pictures, will comment about the directions in the manual. Not optimal IMO. The installation sequence in the manual is running boards -> rear fenders -> front fenders. A dimension is given for placing the rear of the running boards 13” from the back of the cab. Then install the rear fenders. Then install the front fenders. The location of the running boards are going to dictate exactly where the front fenders are located. Well, basically the only really critical alignment on this assembly of three parts on each side is where the front fenders wrap around the front cowl. Unfortunately, the 13” dimension puts the front fenders too far back and the alignment to the cowl is poor. At least in my case. So highly recommend to mockup all three parts on each side to find the optimal location for everything before drilling holes and locking everything down. In my case, that 13” dimension turns about to be about 1-1/4” too long.

Here are pictures of where I’m at right now. As you can see, it’s up on the lift so the front and rear suspensions are fully drooped. This gives access behind the tires to drill and install the fasteners. I used enough blocks on each tire to get the parts in their proper positions. Also adjusted the running board mounts (they’re adjustable on the frame underneath) to match the height of everything. The tires look well centered in the openings. The 1” spacers along with the offset on the wheels looks like they’re going to align to the edge of the openings just right as well.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=161342&d=1643342194

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=161343&d=1643342194

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=161344&d=1643342194

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=161338&d=1643342166

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=161339&d=1643342166

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=161340&d=1643342166

One other decision point I have is where to mount the headlights. The manual shows mounting them on the cowl if not installing fenders. Then on the fenders if installing those. But I’ve seen some builds, including my Traxxas mini-me, where they mount them on the cowl even with fenders. One of the reasons cited is that the fenders aren’t 100% rigid, so you get some vibration. Not a good look for you as the driver or for approaching traffic. Comments from other builders?

That’s it for now. I’m away from the build for a few weeks right now. So won’t be any more updates for a bit. But I’ll still be checking and posting here and elsewhere when I can.

cgundermann

02-02-2022, 05:36 PM

Not building one, but personally I like the look of the fender mount lights. What about a laminate reinforcement on the inside of the fender to disperse the load and create a more rigid mounting platform?

Par for course, - the truck is looking simply fantastic Paul. Interested to hear your thoughts on the LS compared to your previous Coyotes! Can't wait to see her finished...

Chris

wareaglescott

02-02-2022, 06:52 PM

Looks great Paul!
Does the Coyote ever shout any nasty words across the garage at that LS? I'm keeping mine separated for now! haha

progmgr1

02-02-2022, 07:26 PM

I'm mounting the headlights on the cowl of my Gen 1 Hot Rod. Will be using a small aluminum insert with the fiberglass cut out around it so I can remove the glass parts without disturbing headlight alignment or wiring. I've seen others build up the front end this way, but unfortunately didn't save any photo links.
Keith HR #894

GoDadGo

02-02-2022, 07:50 PM

Sir Paul,

This Is Going To Be The Most Elegant Factory-5 Hot Rod Truck Ever!
I still wish I had your patience and eye for the micro details.
We all love watching you put your spin on these vehicles.

Steve

Pat Landymore

02-02-2022, 08:40 PM

Hi Paul:

What I did is weld some 1/4” x 2” flatbar to the inner supports for the radiator so they sat nice and flush to the inside of the fibreglass radiator shell …then drilled through the entire works to mount the headlights.

Yes…they sit a bit high compared to an original ‘35 pickup. The plus side is I can run with or without front fenders and there are zero changes to the headlights. And they don't flop around like a hound dogs ears no matter how I drive it. 👍🏼

That’s my 2 cents (Canadian no less… Ha 😁 ) for what they’re worth.

Cheers

edwardb

03-04-2022, 11:03 PM

Back on the build this past week. Most of the time was on the front fenders. finalizing the engine side covers, and running boards. Spent way more time than probably should have getting the fenders to fit the way I wanted. But happy with how they turned out. Once they were located at the right height and symmetrical side-to-side and front-to-back, I established the mounting locations. I used more attachments than shown in the manual. Felt like it closed the gap better and maybe slightly more rigid. I used 1/4" nutserts in all but two locations. One at the very bottom front because it’s slightly visible plus very easy access. The other for the metal tab on the radiator mounts. This is a very important point and one I don't see mentioned in the manual. The fenders are big and relatively heavy. Most of the mounting points end up being into the engine cover and cowl surround. Which aren't particularly strong or stiff. But with one through bolt into the tab on the radiator mount, the fenders I think are rigid enough. Makes a huge difference. This is what I’m talking about:

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=163409&d=1646451045

I know not everyone mounts fenders and I don’t think that tab has any other purpose. I remember a build thread where the builder was questioning the purpose of those tabs and was going to cut them off. Hopefully he’s not planning fenders! I still have to decide where I'm going to mount the headlights. I'd prefer them on the fenders and I'm pretty sure that's what I'm going to do.

This is how it looks now. I know looks nearly identical to the last pictures I posted. But this is a very big difference. The fenders are not being held up by blocks on the tires. A lot of work between those last pictures and these. I should have taken a picture directly from the side. Doesn't look like it in these pictures, but the tires center in the opening just right. I dropped it down to ride height and the overall fit to the openings on both sides is just right.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=163405&d=1646450252

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=163406&d=1646450252

Next up rear fenders. I think they will be a bit simpler. Then doors and I’ll be nearing the end of the body work. At least I hope so.

An open topic from a previous post was my high pressure tap for the A/C. Through bad planning on my part, I had it pointed right at the engine side cover without enough room to attach anything to it. Looked at several options. But decided the easiest and simplest was to replace the existing tap with an in-line tap. Of course, pointed in a more logical direction. Completed that today. Was pretty easy. Drew a vacuum on the system when done and confirmed no leaks. I'll wait until near the end of the build to charge the system. I know it’s not for everyone, but glad I made the decision to buy my own A/C hose crimper, gauge set, and vacuum pump during my last build. Easy to make a change like this without taking to a shop or whatever. Also useful of course when it comes time to charge the system. Only thing I can't do is evacuate the system once it's charged. There I would need to take it to a shop. Illegal (and just plain a bad idea) to release a charged system to the atmosphere.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=163407&d=1646450284

Another open item is my seats. As mentioned previously, placed an order back in December for custom seats from Wise Guy Seats in Elkhart, Indiana. They promised 12-14 weeks. Which means around the end of this month. Reached out to them to see if this date still looks good and they confirmed it does. They’re sort of local for me (about 3-1/2 hours away) so planning to drive over and pick them up myself. Looking forward to getting those and making some progress on the interior.

Couple of other miscellaneous items. I want to have a fire extinguisher in the truck. For safety plus required in some shows I attend. I’ve been reading about a new type of extinguisher from a company called Element. Has been featured on some of the automotive shows on TV too. Looked interesting, so I’m giving it a try. I chose the Element EL 40050 which is a 50 second discharge. And since I’m hawking new stuff, also ran across some car and airplane builds using portable part/tool holders made from what appears to be silicone. Called Grypmats. Decided to give them a try. Come in a whole bunch of different sizes and shapes. I bought a two piece set, small and medium. I’m impressed. Have been using them all week. Flexible and stay where you put them. I probably wouldn’t put them on a painted surface. But some do.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=163408&d=1646450315

Totally unrelated but received the replacement windshield for my Coupe a couple days ago. Unable to secure an adequate shipping box (apparently they've had several break during shipment) so Dave and crew wrapped it up and put it in a Stewart truck that was going through this area. Thanks guys! Was fun to see the big rig parked in front of our house again. But the delivery wasn't nearly as exciting as previous ones. The same guys that helped me install my Coupe windshield during the build are going to come over and help remove the broken one and install the new one. Within the next couple of weeks. Should be in plenty of time for driving season. We’re getting teased with the occasional warm days already. Need some good rains to get the salt off the roads. Can’t wait to get back out there. Lots of events coming up this season.

wareaglescott

03-07-2022, 06:10 AM

Glad to see you are back at it. Nice work on the fenders!

GoDadGo

03-07-2022, 08:23 AM

Glad to see you are back at it. Nice work on the fenders!

Amen To That!

Regarding the Nice Work, you always do that no matter what.

edwardb

03-11-2022, 10:42 AM

Productive few days. Installed the headlights and have them wired up. Decided to go with fender mount. Takes some care to get the locations for the holes with the curves of the fender. But checked and double checked and OK with how they turned out. The manual shows some trimming of the shell that’s required in order for the light fixture to fit. Works OK. Just take care to level the light in the shell before finalizing where to trim. I’d suggest making the trims a little oversize so you can rotate the fixture a little as needed. The manual says to solder the wires out of the shell to the chassis harness. Maybe, but not very serviceable. I used weatherpacks. Also bonded a base stud to the underside of the fender between the headlight mounting bolt and the chassis. Allows me to tie the harness with connectors up out of the way with a padded clamp. Once all wired up, confirmed all working properly. Don’t have them aimed yet of course. They’ll have to come back off for body and paint. But sure seem bright. The DRL’s are also bright. And cool how they change to amber with either turn signal or hazards.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=163765&d=1647002024

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=163766&d=1647002024

Next mounted the rear fenders and finalized the attachment of the running boards to both the front and rear fenders. Certainly easier than the front fenders. Their locations are determined by the running board and the slots cut into the fenders that match the details on the bed sides. Once again, used nutserts except for the bottom front where there’s an added brace to the chassis. Since the top nutserts are through the SS bed liner, the attachment is very solid. And the front of the fenders are attached to the running boards, so also very solid. My only observation is the rear outside corners do have some “wiggle.” Hard to say whether it’s excessive or not. There are several ways some bracing could be added. Not sure if it’s necessary. Others have any experience or thoughts about this?

With all four fenders mounted in their permanent locations, lowered to check tire clearances and alignment. I had previously set the ride height based on recommendations in the manual. Turned out to be quite a bit too low for the front and slightly too low for the back. Adjusted both accordingly and have things where I want to start. I can see from the gallery pictures on FF’s website they have theirs tighter than this. Looks cool, but my tires would probably rub if that low. Plus, I know things will settle a bit. I’m actually not unhappy to raise the ride height slightly. The overall chassis wasn’t that low. But the bottom of the front grill certainly was. Will see how it goes.

These are pictures of the front and back. The front is centered well. The back is slightly narrower at the rear. But just a little and nothing I can do about it. I mentioned in a previous post how I had to move the running boards and front fenders forward just slightly to get a decent fit on the radiator cowl. I suspect this is the result. Everything is give and take. Every build I've done has had some asymmetry to deal with and needing to spread things around sometimes. This build is no exception. Although maybe a bit better than what I've done before. Still need to put away the micrometer use a tape measure and eyes. I noted another build thread that also commented about have to move things forward a bit for the same reason. Note also I have blocks under the wheels. Otherwise the lift arms don’t release. I have the lift points extended in order for the arms to clear the running boards. No big deal to screw them back down. But for now will still be working on the lift. So was easiest just to throw some blocks under there.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=163783&d=1647011211

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=163785&d=1647011211

Discussed in a previous post about vents in the engine side covers. Leaning towards in installing them and found these that I like. They would be something like where the tape is placed. They're from a place here in Michigan. I’ll leave out the details for now since I haven’t decided for sure. What do you think?

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=163786&d=1647011211

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=163784&d=1647011211

Snowing right now. But supposed to be 60’s next week and long-term forecast shows a general warming. Finally. Still haven’t fixed the windshield on the Coupe. Hopefully in the next couple weeks.

Jeff33Ford

03-11-2022, 01:26 PM

Boy that really is shaping up to a really sweet ride for sure. Nice work for sure.

Sbda4

03-12-2022, 01:18 AM

Your truck is looking great! I did find that there were several ways to make the fenders more rigid (reference Greg’s 35 Hot Rod Truck posts #12 and #13). In addition to bolting the front fenders to the SS radiator support (as you did), I also tapped into the grill shell on the front edge and made an angle bracket off chassis near the motor mount. These all helped to improve fender rigidity. On the rear fender I added a steel tube down from the frame at the rear of the back fenders to give a solid mounting point instead of just the bed side panel. When I ran the engine I still had some fender shake, so added reinforcement bars using weld mount studs on the inside of the fenders. After doing all the items I describe in my posts, I am very happy with the fender rigidity. But, as you might guess, I tend to overbuild things to ensure I’m happy with the results.

wareaglescott

03-13-2022, 06:05 AM

I think those vents will look great!

VIRGIN MIKE

03-14-2022, 01:01 PM

edwardb

03-14-2022, 09:28 PM

Re ride height: tie rod angle (to rack) increases with ride height, increasing lateral force against rack. Too much lateral force on rack will displace bushing at end passenger side of rack resulting in wheel lash (slop between wheels) - from my experience.
End of rack covered by bellows, hiding this issue. At proper height, tie rods will be about parallel with ground and (and rack)

Thanks. At my current ride height (adjusted slightly as I described a couple posts ago) my tie rods are almost exactly parallel to the ground. Good thing I guess. Between the wheels and tires I chose plus the fenders, I didn't have a lot of choices for ride height. It just worked out.

Pat Landymore

03-18-2022, 04:56 PM

I’ve been meaning to chime in about rear fender supports.

Here’s a photo of mine. I cheated…just plopped a pop rivet through from the outside as that idea didn’t bother me; seeing as my build is about 1/2 Factory Five and half PatRod. Ha!

In retrospect it would have been quite easy to fibreglass/glue/silicone a little piece of metal inside the fender to make the attachment point invisible….

164177

edwardb

03-20-2022, 05:07 PM

Good week even with a little bit limited build time. Mostly spent finalizing the door fit. Other than minor adjustment of the gaps, both sides are done. Nearly every truck build cites some challenges with the door fit. I was not an exception. But wasn’t too bad and satisfied with how they turned out. Once I had the edges trimmed to where they fit in the openings, and the hinges mounted, was able to get both sides to fit almost perfectly except at the bottom rear corners. The door stood proud about 3/8" on both sides. I found that if I moved the lower body out, I could get much of that out. So played with various thickness of spacers under the body mount locations inside the bottom edge of the doors. I was able to get the difference down to under 1/8” on the driver side and less on the passenger side. Wedging in any more spacers didn’t help too much because moving the bottom also moved the center where the latch is. Plus, I was pretty much at the max of what the body was willing to move. Bottom line is I’m easily in the range where a little body filler will even things out. Looking back at the build, recall I fitted and bonded the inner frames into the door shells before getting to this point. The kit comes with templates and is very detailed about how the frames are assembled into the doors. Not a lot of wiggle room. Should I have waited until now to do that step and maybe had a slightly better outcome? I don’t know. I’ve seen builds with way bigger issues than what I ended up with. Whatever, it’s done and all will be good.

To complete the door fitting, installed the latches, outside door handles, and latch strikers along with the frame mounts that hold them. I also stuck some extra D-tube weather stripping around the door opening to make sure the alignment took that into account. I had 4-5 issues along the way that I’m not going to detail. None that difficult, but a reminder that these aren’t Lego models or Ikea furniture. Occasionally takes some creativity and finesse. The doors now open and close nicely and latch the way they’re supposed to. I also installed the exterior mirrors. I placed them where shown on the plans and in pictures. But with only the nuts against the fiberglass on the inside were a little wiggly. I bonded a 1 x 3” piece of 16 gauge steel sheet on the inside of the doors for the nuts to tighten against. Huge difference. Speaking of the mirrors, they’re marked on the bottom LH and RH. But in order to be oriented the way they’re shown (and be able to see out of them…) they have to be mounted on the opposite sides.

These pictures aren’t very enlightening. But what it looks like now.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=164289&d=1647813687

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=164283&d=1647810619

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=164284&d=1647810619

With that done, addressed what I considered the too floppy rear fenders. Based on ideas posted here and another build thread, added braces behind the wheels. I bonded perforated base studs to the fenders (https://www.mcmaster.com/97590A586/) and 3” pieces of aluminum angle on the inside edges of the body sides to make the attachments more robust. For the brace itself I used 3/4 x 3/16” steel bar from my local big box store. Probably overkill, but with a 90-degree bend at one end, wanted the added beef at the bend. Once the braces were done and installed, a huge improvement.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=164280&d=1647810619

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=164281&d=1647810619

In my last update I mentioned I had selected and ordered engine cover side vents. They arrived already and the next step will be to cut the openings and install. That will be in my next update including more details about the vents themselves.

WIS89

03-21-2022, 10:53 AM

Paul-

Great work as always! I wanted to weigh in on the vents you have chosen; I think they will look great! A very elegant and refined choice.

I also have been meaning to tell you how much I like your wire wheels! I think they look very classy and reflect back to the original trucks of that era. Another nice choice.

Thanks as always for all the detail, and for allowing us to follow along. I am looking forward to seeing all the finishing touches. Keep up the great work!

Regards,

Steve

edwardb

03-23-2022, 10:07 PM

Today I finished installing the engine cover vents. Required cutting holes in the covers, obviously, and didn’t want to fill the engine compartment with fiberglass dust. Plus much easier working on them off the build. So removed the fenders and then the covers. Took the opportunity to clean up some panel gaps and add some bumpers around the radiator grill. Significantly improved the fit of the cowl piece. Once I had the location and holes laid out, cut the openings with my Milwaukee 2522-20 cut-off tool. Normally I use an air saw to cut/trim fiberglass. But was able to get much straighter lines with the cut-off tool that only needed a little filing and sanding to clean up. Important since the cuts are visible. The vents come with bridge pieces that are bonded to the inside of the covers, then 10-24 bolts hold the vents. I used 3M HSRF for bonding. Same as multiple instances previously. Roughed up the base of the bridge pieces and the spots on the cover with 40 grit sandpaper. Also drilled some holes in the bridge pieces to add additional strength to the bond. Not expecting them to go anywhere. With that, everything back together. I’m happy with the look and should give good ventilation.

I’ll go light on this because the vents didn't come from a forum vendor. Although I’m not aware any forum vendors sell anything similar. They’re from http://www.streetdreamsbyross.com/. A fellow Michigander. I came across his website and these parts by searching. Quickly answered some questions several weeks ago. Then when I ordered, had them in less than a week. Happy with the quality, although I did have to clean up a couple of the welds where the bridge pieces attach for the best fit. He has finish options. But I ordered them unfinished. Probably will have them powder coated the same bright silver metallic as my frame. Or maybe paint the body color. Not sure. Here are some pictures.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=164456&d=1648088282

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=164457&d=1648088282

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=164458&d=1648088282

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=164459&d=1648088282

Taking a brief break here. Going to finally replace the windshield in the coupe. Have some help coming over. Then will get it out of winter hibernation and back on the street. Some events are starting next month. Weather permitting.

Geoff H

03-23-2022, 10:19 PM

Turned out great. Fits right in with the look of the grill and wire wheels. Nicely done!

Namrups

03-24-2022, 08:52 AM

Great pick. It all fits together!

WIS89

03-24-2022, 09:10 AM

Paul-

The vents look great. Although you didn't ask for opinions regarding their finish, I would like to affirm the silver option you mentioned. I think they will blend in nicely with the other shiny bits on the truck, while also allowing some contrast that I think is needed on the side of the engine cover. While body-color works, and I have seen it used before, I think a contrast works well and draws the eye to it. I think that long stretch of the body could use some contrast.

I know whatever you do will look great. However, I wanted to throw my thoughts into the mix for consideration. They are worth a whole lot less than $.02, so value it accordingly!

Thanks as always for allowing us to come along for the ride!

Regards,

Steve

cgundermann

03-24-2022, 11:20 AM

The vents look great, classy! Wish you luck with changing the windshield with your Daytona...

Chris

Jeff Kleiner

03-24-2022, 11:50 AM

...Probably will have them powder coated the same bright silver metallic as my frame. Or maybe paint the body color. Not sure...

I like them and think you should paint them the same red as the rest of the body.

See what I did there :p

Jeff

wareaglescott

03-24-2022, 12:34 PM

What will the finish on the front grill be? Possibly consider matching the side vents to that.

edwardb

03-24-2022, 05:15 PM

I like them and think you should paint them the same red as the rest of the body.

See what I did there :p

Jeff

Yeah, I see what you did. Not sure I want the vents red though. :rolleyes:

What will the finish on the front grill be? Possibly consider matching the side vents to that.

I'm not going crazy with it. Thought about taking to a polishing place (have one I've used before) but now that it's mounted, no way I'm taking it back apart again. It's integral to a bunch of stuff including A/C and clearances are all very tight. My thought now is I will polish in place as best I can. Won't be a mirror finish by any means but should have a little bit of shine. For the vents, leaning toward the same powder coat as the chassis which would match reasonably well.

Jeff Kleiner

03-24-2022, 06:29 PM

Yeah, I see what you did. Not sure I want the vents red though. :rolleyes:

Man, I tried to lay a trap but you sure dodged it well! Kudos :)

Jeff

Windsor

03-24-2022, 10:36 PM

What will the finish on the front grill be? Possibly consider matching the side vents to that.

If we were taking a vote, this would be my choice as well.

Canyonblue

04-03-2022, 06:58 PM

Looks great Paul.

Another awesome build.

edwardb

04-05-2022, 10:23 PM

This won’t be too much of an update because it’s been a busy week or two with other stuff. Most of the progress has been on some of the small details that take time but aren’t too interesting or photogenic. But did get some things done. Was able to get the final gaps on the doors. I’m very happy with how the doors turned out in general. Just the minor body work required on the rear bottom corners on both sides mentioned previously. They open and close perfectly. With that, the only body work left is final fitting on the hood and installing the hood catch and remote release. Just waiting for a warm day that aligns with my work schedule so I can do that final body work outside. With that done, I will be officially out of the body fitment business on this build. A pretty huge milestone and happy it's behind me.

With the doors fitted, I thought I would tackle the final fit up of the power windows. The main thing missing was how to deal with the inside bottom seal. This has been talked about in other build threads and even in a standalone thread. The outer window seal is one piece around the perimeter of a seal the manual calls cat head weatherstrip. Well, because that’s kind of what the profile looks like. The inner window seal is a different material called felted weatherstrip along the top and sides. But then another piece of the cat head weatherstrip along the bottom. All of this works OK, and the window slides up and down as it should. The problem is that it leaves a 1/4" or so gap between the seal and glass along the inside bottom. I know of at least one build where Factory Five provided new door skins with apparently less of a gap in the cutout. I was too far along, including already installing the inner steel frame, to consider that. For some months I’ve been looking for an alternative seal material that would close the gap. Without any luck. So decided to just go ahead and install the kit provided cat head weatherstrip and live with the gap. I know others have done that. It’s mainly cosmetic because the important sealing is on the outside obviously. Well turned out bad because the material I had left over was about one inch short between the two doors. The kit came with 17 feet, which is close but enough to do everything. Somewhere I must have wasted a little. So dug around in some on-hand boxes and found some trim I already had. Something like this: https://www.mcmaster.com/24175K51/. Cut that to fit and it looked OK but of course with a gap. After a couple days, still didn’t feel like the right solution so back to McMaster. Found a larger version of the famous cat head weatherstrip. https://www.mcmaster.com/12335A51/. Don’t know why I didn’t see that before. Even though yet another $50 purchase (minimum order is 10 feet) I decided to go for it. Arrived today and works well. The gap is closed. No matter the material, the installation requires a joint in the corners. Hard to make them look very nice. But not terrible. I’ll play with them a little more during final assembly after paint and maybe improve a little. But bottom line, this open issue that’s been bugging me for some time is now closed.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=165143&d=1649212992

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=165142&d=1649212992

While I was working on the doors, decided to locate and install mounting for the check straps. The manual says to use 3/16-inch rivets. Maybe OK. But these door are heavy (over 50 lbs each) so don’t feel too good about only rivets and especially in the fiberglass. I made up and bonded 3/4" by 4" plates with nutserts on the inside edges of the doors so will be held with 10-32 screws. Have similar parts for the inside attachment too. But can’t locate and install those yet. With the truck on the lift, the doors don’t open all the way.

Another thing I decided to do, borrowed from another build (https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showthread.php?42139-Greg-s-35-Hot-Rod-Truck, lots of great ideas) was to make panels for inside the cab in front of the doors. Nothing too exotic. But covers up the open chassis and body area and just looks cleaner. Also covers up the wiper motor I have installed in that location on the passenger side. I had some aluminum on hand plus enough leftover carpet that I’ll use during final assembly. Looks like this right now.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=165144&d=1649212992

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=165145&d=1649212992

I’m in the 14th week of 12-14 weeks leadtime for my seats. So hoping to hear any day now that they’re done and ready for pickup. Getting close to where I need them to finalize the balance of details for the interior. Then I'll be ready to get serious about finding someone to paint this thing.

Off topic, but have mentioned a couple times in this build thread about replacing the broken windshield in the Coupe. Last week that was finally accomplished. Topped off by getting the Coupe out for the first time of the season and attending a cars and coffee last Saturday. Have I mentioned before how much I like that thing? Started immediately and ran and drove perfectly after its winter hibernation. I said a few words about the windshield repair in my Coupe build thread here: https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showthread.php?26630-Edwardb%92s-Gen-3-Type-65-Coyote-Coupe-59-Build-Complete-and-Graduated&p=488197&viewfull=1#post488197. Posted this picture in another thread, but couldn't help posting again. Followed this new Ford GT out of the cars and coffee. Fast company! Also note the clean and unbroken new windshield. :o

https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/ab234/edwardb123/IMG_2910.jpg?width=960&height=720&fit=bounds (https://photobucket.com/u/edwardb123/a/186cc666-68d0-4881-b53c-af005ffe3552/p/e6daf216-0ce6-4158-a4b2-36d8b33ad6f6?hotlinkfix=1649216007756)

wareaglescott

04-07-2022, 05:30 AM

Awesome work figuring out the window gap and nice touch with the footwell side panels.
I bet you and the Ford GT drew quite a lot of attention!

edwardb

04-18-2022, 03:50 PM

Another sort of trivial update. But progress, nonetheless. My big accomplishment since the last update is I did the final fitting on the hood and it’s back on the truck. That’s it for body work. Officially as much as I’m going to do. For me anyway a big milestone. I’m reasonably satisfied with how the hood fits. I trimmed almost nothing off the front and back and the gaps are still a little wide. Nothing I can do about that. The LH rear sits just slightly high (you can push it just a little when closed) but nothing I can do about that either. Hopefully it settles a bit over time. My big takeaway from finishing the hood is it’s basically impossible to bolt and adjust the hinges with the engine side covers on. You really have to be able to reach under there and adjust and tighten with the hood closed. Unlike the Roadster where you can snake extensions up to the hood hinges from underneath, not possible with this. So had to remove the engine side covers (again…) and mostly remove the front fenders (again…). Getting good at that. Hopefully only once more for body and paint.

With the hood fitted and done, next up was the hood latch and prop rod. I like the latch the kit provided. A nice bear claw type latch on the firewall and a pin on a plate on the underside of the hood. Then a cable and remote release inside the cab. All good. But getting the locations for the parts on the firewall and the hood is fiddly. That’s the nicest word I can post here. There are adjustments in the parts. But still need to be very close to work properly. I ended up making templates out of .040 aluminum for each part then carefully measuring to determine where to drill. Worked OK but harder and took much longer than it probably should have. Anyway, done and working fine. I put the prop rod connection in the location shown in the picture. Had to cut several inches off the prop rod because it was longer than the hood when stored using the included clip. But still holds the hood up plenty high enough.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=165629&d=1650312060

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=165630&d=1650312060

Next up started on the interior detailing and finishing. Filled the several gaps that were in the floor panels. Mostly in the front around the firewall and the seat belt attachment tabs. Used Marine Tex epoxy putty that I’ve used on previous builds. Works well. Ran a bead of silicone caulk around the fiberglass transmission tunnel cover where it contacts the floor. It’s still removable if ever needed. The caulking won’t stop that. But seals up any air filtration. I added some pieces of 2-1/4” x 2-1/4” x 21" foam weather strip (the kind used for A/C installations) between the body and the frame on the outer sides of the footboxes. This is the one area that's relatively open from the engine compartment. That plus the kick panel covers shown in the last update should keep things sealed up adequately. Finally, and this is super trivial, I put dabs of silicone in the flats of the steering column where it comes through the bearing on the firewall. I chased some hot air infiltration on previous builds and was surprised how much came through there. Probably because it blows right on the driver’s legs. It's an easy fix, and doesn’t get in the way if you ever need to take it apart.

With that, installed more insulation. I had previously put two layers of Dynamat Dynaliner on the inside of the firewall and part of the footbox fronts. Put two layers on the remaining open sections. Then put a layer of Second Skin Damplifier Pro on the rear wall and the driveshaft cover. Really like this material and would have used it on the firewall. But it’s so aggressively sticky that it’s very difficult to get placed properly into certain locations like the footboxes.

That’s all the insulation I’m going to place until I get my seats and design and fabricate the center console. Too many unknowns yet. Right now, not planning anything additional on the balance of the floor since it's already doubled with form insulation between. I may insulate the transmission tunnel cover and the door sills. But we'll see. My seats are supposed to be done “any day now” so trying to wait patiently for that. But I did decide to go ahead and place my first pieces of carpet. Starting with the rear wall and the footbox fronts. In the past, I’ve recommended and used DAP Outdoor Carpet Adhesive for installing carpet. It allows repositioning and once rolled into place, is very strong. Only downsides are it had to be ordered online, kind of expensive, and very strong solvent smell. Tried to order more for this build and I couldn’t find it available anywhere. Don’t know if it’s been discontinued or what. But definitely not going to happen. The alternative, at least for something similar, is a latex product. Those are much easier to find, e.g. common item in most big box stores, plus don’t have the strong solvent odor. But every review I've read said they were much less tacky and take a long time to set up. But out of desperation found the best reviews for easily obtained material were for Roberts 6700. Available at my local Home Depot. So paid $10 for a quart to test with. Good news. Works great! Put on one surface with a notched knife, just like the DAP product. Then push the carpet into place and roll down. If anything, it’s even more aggressively tacky than the DAP. But still can lift and move as needed. I did the back wall and it turned out fine. I had done a test piece on a block of wood several days ago, and it sufficiently cured overnight. So give this experiment a passing grade and will use it on the balance.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=165631&d=1650312093

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=165632&d=1650312093

That’s it for now. Really need my seats to get this thing wrapped up! I’ve started making inquiries for body and paint. Realizing now I should have started some time ago because everyone’s really backed up. But no panic. Have the Coupe to drive. Speaking of that, attended our club’s first cars and coffee last Saturday. Second event out and loving it. Especially the heater since it was in the 30’s and my wife was along. Hope to attend another event this coming Saturday. But looks like this outside right now.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=165633&d=1650312127

It is spring, right? Gotta love Michigan weather. No comments from you spoiled warm weather guys. Supposed to clear out and be in the 60’s and 70’s by this weekend. Hope so.

Windsor

04-18-2022, 10:41 PM

Looking forward to the long-term report on the carpet glue.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=165633&d=1650312127

It is spring, right? Gotta love Michigan weather. No comments from you spoiled warm weather guys. Supposed to clear out and be in the 60’s and 70’s by this weekend. Hope so.

All that white stuff on the ground and trees, looks like Charlie Sheen sneezed. :D

edwardb

04-19-2022, 05:06 AM

Looking forward to the long-term report on the carpet glue.

Not sure what you're expecting. My test piece is over a week old and attempting to pull it off just pulls the backing off the carpet. The stuff is made for outdoor use. I'm confident it's more than up to the task of holding down the carpet inside the cab for the long term. I'm not planning any further testing or reports. I've used the DAP product mentioned for several previous builds. Some going back multiple years. All are holding up fine. For the record, many use spray adhesive, which in my experience is somewhat less permanent than carpet glue. Nothing wrong with spray if that's what you want to use. Also sticks fine for this purpose. I just find the overspray messy and don't want to deal with it. Plus it tends to instantly grab (like contact cement) and I really like being able to reposition the pieces during installation. Especially the large pieces. Allows you get the tightest joints. But everyone has their own preferences. In this case, several good solutions.

Pretty normal snow picture for Michigan BTW. In fact, lighter amount of snow than often the case. The main point is it's April. Not historically late. But not happy to see since I'm anxious to get out driving more. Drug references notwithstanding. :(

Windsor

04-20-2022, 06:16 PM

Not sure what you're expecting.

Compared to your previous favorite product (DAP Outdoor Carpet Adhesive); it's cheaper, easier to find, available in smaller containers, and less obnoxious on the off-gassing.

There's gotta be a catch, nothing comes free, right? :)

I'm not trying to commit you to an update a year out, I’ll just keep up on your threads to see if any long-term issues come up.

460.465USMC

04-25-2022, 02:42 PM

Really appreciate you sharing your experience with the Roberts 6700 product. I'm not at the carpet gluing stage yet, but will get there eventually (at least in theory :p). Thank you.

P.S. Snowed here on the first day of Spring, and then again on Easter. Not going to complain though after last year's dry, warm Spring that lead to a scary summer fire season.

chuck35truck

04-27-2022, 09:38 AM

FFinisher

04-27-2022, 10:27 AM

I think your windows are in upside down:cool:

edwardb

04-27-2022, 11:14 AM

I think your windows are in upside down:cool:

https://hosting.photobucket.com/albums/ab234/edwardb123/Factory%20Five%20Mark%203%20Roadster%20Build/Misc%20Pics/.highres/homer_simpson_doh_02.gif?width=590&height=370&fit=bounds (https://app.photobucket.com/u/edwardb123/a/620f87db-89b1-405d-aa3a-a69d2f6be87a/p/3588834f-4ed8-471a-ad6a-97384c436f07)

edwardb

05-02-2022, 05:35 PM

Received the call that my seats were ready for pick-up (yeah!) so they’re in the house. Will provide more details and pictures. But first a couple of smaller details I wrapped up while waiting.

The kit doesn’t include any connection between the angled corners of the bed front and bed sides. But I found, as others, it needs something. I considered several approaches. Maybe even something hidden if possible. But the angles just didn’t work. So ended up putting bracket pieces in the inside corners like several others have done. I made the pieces from 1” aluminum right angle stock. Riveted one side with high strength 3/16” Q-rivets. Obviously permanently attached and will get painted along with the bed sides. So hopefully will mostly disappear. Then 1/4" bolts through the bed front. It’s amazing how much stiffer that made the sides and the corner itself. Highly recommended mod.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=166071&d=1651457405

Another thing on my build idea list was some type of tie-downs for the bed. This of course is not a cargo truck so nothing major. But expect could throw things in there like lawn chairs, a cooler, or even a suitcase or two for overnight trips. So looked at several options for tie-downs. There are many. Either in the bed itself or the sides. Even some type of track system on the bed would be possible. Decided to keep it simple and put SS D-ring tiedowns on the sides in each corner. Found some decent ones for a good price and the right size on Amazon. My thought was to use these for bungee cords or even rope. Our oldest grandson took one look at it and suggested also having a net available. Great idea! Another search on Amazon and found a perfect 3' x 4' elastic cargo bungee net. Stretches to double that size. So, I have options depending on what I put back there. Thought about several ways to attach the D-rings. Ended up with 1/4-20 x 1/2" socket head screws and cap nuts. Drilled 1/4" holes in the SS bed material and 3/8” holes in the outer fiberglass sides. Used a dab of JB Weld to hold the screws in place. Then filled the outer hole and permanently captured the screws with HSRF and sanded flush. Will disappear when painted and rock solid.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=166072&d=1651457405

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=166073&d=1651457405

One other minor hint that I meant to pass along previously. When finishing the doors, I realized the inner and outer halves of the doors are sealed at the bottom. Rain and/or moisture could run past the window molding and then have no place to go. I drilled several drain holes along the inner panels at the bottom. DD’s typically have something similar for the same reason. Suggest other builders consider this. Only takes a couple minutes and completely unseen.

Now for the seats… To review, looked at multiple seat options. My wants were (1) individual buckets, (2) headrests mandatory, (3) needed to be high enough to be able to see out (I’m only 5’9” and shrinking…) but also take advantage of the significant headroom and help with legroom, (4) on sliders, and (5) recline if possible. Of course, all that plus had to fit into the available space. I had basically given up and was going to put headrests on the Roadster seats I received with the kit and fabricate some type of riser to get them up higher. But then another builder posted about working with 16-1/2” bucket seats from https://www.wiseguys-seats.com/product/16-bucket-seat/. After several emails (they were very helpful) decided while not cheap these were a significant upgrade over what I was planning so placed an order. I decided on vinyl since leather was a sizeable upcharge and just didn’t think it was necessary. They sent me several samples and I matched the kit provided door cards as best I could. Also ordered an extra yard of loose vinyl that I’ll use for the center console. Promised delivery was 12-14 weeks but took a bit longer. No problem. As we all know that sort of thing is happening everywhere. Since Elkhart, Indiana is sort of local for me (3 hours away) I picked them up rather than having them shipped. Not a huge shop but clearly lots going on. I’m happy with the look and quality of the seats.

Home just a few hours ago and spent some time with the initial installation. They definitely fit but I have some work to do. The provided 4-inch risers, combined with the thickness of the sliders and base of the seat results in massive overkill on height. That size riser was the only one they offered. Will either modify or make something new. I’m a little disappointed that with the seat back as far as it will physically go, the legroom isn't great. Welcome to the available space in the truck. Was hoping it would be better. Lots more work to do to get them sorted out and mounted. But it's a start and progress.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=166172&d=1651529480

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=166173&d=1651529480

Sbda4

05-02-2022, 10:11 PM

The seats look great in the truck!

WBCook

05-03-2022, 10:26 AM

Edwardb, your wise guys seats are looking good, if you need a template for their 2" risers, let me know...

edwardb

05-03-2022, 12:40 PM

Edwardb, your wise guys seats are looking good, if you need a template for their 2" risers, let me know...

Replied to your PM. Thanks.

edwardb

05-14-2022, 08:12 AM

Finished installing the seats shown in my last update. As usual, some challenges. But now done. First up, also as mentioned before, the provided 4” risers combined with the sliders made things way too tall. So, cut down the risers to get the height I wanted. I’m thankful for my Milwaukee portaband and table which made relatively quick work of the thick steel. Cutting them down also eliminated the adjustment slots. I set them at a fixed height with the front 3/4" higher than the back. Which felt about right.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=166679&d=1652532856

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=166678&d=1652532856

My plan was to use aligning weld nuts (https://www.mcmaster.com/90955A123/) riveted to the risers and then put the bolts in through the bottom. With the tight quarters in the truck plus the location of the mounting bolts, difficult to get under the seats. That’s what I did on the Coupe and it worked perfectly. For this build, fortunately worked for the rear pairs but not for the front. They ended up directly above the mufflers. Not only in the way, but the mufflers are close enough to the bottom that there’s barely enough room even for a bolt head. So, for the fronts, I used screw mounts (https://www.mcmaster.com/90611A119/) riveted to the bottom and was able to reach under the seats in the front to get the bolts in. That worked well for the doubled and insulated floor. Mounting like this requires the holes need to be located very accurately. The weld nuts give a little wiggle room. But still need to hit the marks. I made patterns out of cardboard with the hole locations from the seats. Then placed on the floor to mark and drill the holes. All turned out well and the mounting is rock solid. The seats slide back and forth several inches. Although will likely spend their time all the back. The seat backs tilt forward, which is nice to access the space behind the seats for a little additional storage. Then also of course back to get the most comfortable sitting angle. But will likely be mostly straight up to get the most space. Speaking of space, can confirm this cab really won’t be comfortable if you’re over 5’9” to 5’10”. The passenger side isn’t bad. But the steering wheel is close on the driver’s side. It’s not a problem. Not planning any cross-country trips. I looked at a bunch of pictures of other builds plus the gallery on FF’s website. Best I can tell, these seats aren’t taking any more room than most other seating options. Including the bench seat that FF offers. And these have headrests which for me was mandatory. I’m not going to say I’m disappointed at this outcome. I'm getting used to it and will work for us. But others should check carefully if it’s for them.

Wrapped up a couple more details. Installed the carpet on the floors and the kick panels I showed a couple updates ago. Now have most of the carpet installed except for a few pieces that will be after body and paint. Installed the kit provided 3-point seatbelts. Happy with how those go in and work. Installed the check straps on the doors. Also put the door cards on the doors to check the position of the arm rests compared to the seating position. All good. So now down to just the center console and I’m nearly out of things to do before body and paint. I’m in the process of getting some quotes and exploring my options.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=166680&d=1652532866

edwardb

05-14-2022, 08:15 AM

For the last several years, Great Lakes Cobra Club has promoted a car show at a local high school technical school. It has numerous vocational tracks (https://www.ostconline.com/about-ostc/all-programs) and while all students are given the opportunity to check out the show, we’re specifically targeting the automotive tracks. I got this wild idea it would be cool for them to see something under construction. So thought about taking the truck to its first car show. Unfortunately, it’s not street legal yet obviously and it doesn’t fit in my SE. Too long, too wide, too high. But close otherwise. :p I knew a buddy that lives close by had a full-size enclosed car hauler, so decided to see if he’d let me borrow it. Turns out he had just traded it in and now has a brand new 20’ Featherlite hauler. He’s very trusting, and a nice guy, and let me borrow it. What a beauty it is. I probably wouldn’t take a long trip using it with our SUV. But with the truck loaded was still under our towing capacity and fine for the in-town drive.

The day was picture perfect, and we had a good turnout. Fellow club members who hadn’t seen the build were interested. Can’t say most of the kids were that impressed. Spent more time looking at the Mustang and C8 Corvette next to me. But that’s OK. It was fun getting it out for the first time. Used the opportunity to also take the truck to the shop that’s painted my last three builds. Based on seeing it plus a statement of work I provided, will give me a quote. We’ll see how that turns out. They’re backlogged at least six months, which is typical from what I’m finding out. Pictures from the tow and from the show.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=166681&d=1652532917

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=166682&d=1652532917

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=166683&d=1652532917

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=166685&d=1652532935

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=166684&d=1652532917

Jeff Kleiner

05-14-2022, 09:06 AM

Very cool Paul! :cool:

Jeff

edwardb

05-17-2022, 01:30 PM

This is yet another somewhat trivial update. But will post anyway as a heads up to future builders. As I mentioned in my last update, trailered the truck to a local car show last week. For grins, decided it needed to have a license plate of some kind. So stuck on this American flag plate. Immediate uh-oh. See anything wrong with this picture?

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=166901&d=1652809594

Before the answer (if you don’t see it), some background. I put all the light fixtures together when completing the wiring and mounted them on the body. The LH rear light includes a downlight for the license plate and FF includes a license plate holder that sandwiches between the bracket holding the light to the body and the light fixture itself. The manual doesn’t give specific dimensions for where to mount the assembly. Just in the area on the side near the back. In looking at the chassis underneath the bed side in that area, there’s a nice metal piece that extends down into the general area where the light is mounted. Didn’t seem to have any other purpose, and I assumed it was for the light fixture to have a more solid mounting than only in the fiberglass. Note I didn’t have any way to confirm that because the picture(s) in the manual don’t show that piece. Maybe it was added later. One of the lessons with the manual is don’t take the pictures too literally, right? Anyway, proceeded to mount the light fixtures and moved on. All seemed well.

Fast forward to last week. See the problem? The opening tailgate will interfere with the corner of the license plate. Since the horizontal location of the license plate is fixed by the bracket, the only way it would work as is would be to mount the light lower. This would put the mount into the body below the metal frame piece that I assumed was for the light. Not a tragedy. The fiberglass should hold the light just fine. Just maybe not quite as rigid. After thinking about it a couple days, decided to modify the license plate bracket itself rather than move the lights. After comparing the trade-offs, decided keeping the fixtures mounted to the frame plus not having to patch holes in the bed sides made that the better choice. Other than the work needed to modify the license plate bracket, that also meant the license plate wouldn’t be centered under the light. At first my OCD didn’t like that. But proceeded anyway. Now looks centered on the fender and I think it’s OK. Note I've seen several builds were the tailgate was fixed to the rear opening. Obviously that would eliminate the problem in a whole different way. :p

I sandwiched a piece of .040 aluminum onto the entire back of the existing bracket extending the length so the license plate could be moved over. Then added a piece to fill where it was extended. As a side benefit, it's a little stiffer than before. I always thought the original bracket was a bit on the flimsy side. The bracket was previously powder coated satin black with a bunch of other parts. I didn’t want to mess with having to get one piece powder coated. So sanded off the powder coat that remained and painted the modified bracket with satin black STEEL-IT Polyurethane rattle can spray. Used that product a few other places based on a recommendation. I’m impressed with it so far. Put everything back together and happy with the results. I left a little extra room for a license plate frame if I choose to use one. And just for the record, yes I could have left the license plate bracket as is and drilled new holes in the license plate. Didn't go that way because (1) some states don't like you to alter the plate. Hasn't been an issue so far (reference Kleiner mod to Roadster license plate lights) but this would maybe be a little more obvious. And (2) that would put the one mounting bolt right where Michigan sticks the annual renewal tag. Maybe other states use that corner as well.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=166902&d=1652809594

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=166903&d=1652809594

With that, couple more days and then we’re gone for two weeks. So, no build activity or updates. We’re headed west (Idaho and Oregon) to attend our oldest granddaughter’s high school graduation plus visit family. We missed her brother’s graduation two years ago because of Covid restrictions. Not going to miss this time. Won’t post a current picture for privacy, but I think it’s OK to post this one from 10+ years ago. Took her for a go-kart spin around the block in my first Mk3 Roadster build. She’s grown up into a beautiful young lady, both inside and out. We wish her the best as she’s off to college in the fall. We'll be back in time to go east for the Factory Five Open House and then London not long after that. Busy but good times.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=166904&d=1652809624

460.465USMC

05-17-2022, 02:48 PM

Hi Paul. I thought it was great how the Cobra club turns out at the vocational high school. Given the very cool cars (and trucks!) on display, I imagine it inspires automotive interest. Great idea! I think your truck looks great, and while I would have gawked at the C8 as well, it would have been after a good amount of eye-balling your very nice build.

P.S. if your GPS somehow gets you off course and you find yourself near Spokane, it would be my honor to buy you a cup of coffee! Enjoy your trip, and congrats on your granddaughter's graduation! (Our youngest son is graduating high school as well).

edwardb

06-17-2022, 08:30 PM

Exactly a month since my last update. Time flies. In that time, did our trip to Idaho and Oregon. Made sure young granddaughter graduated from high school (she did!), had a great time with all the festivities, and then visited my mom and family in Oregon. While there, both my wife and I tested positive for Covid. Little/no symptoms but quarantined at her place. Came home with negative tests and amazingly she tested negative the whole time. Not bad for an 89-year-old. A week later, did the almost 1,800-mile round trip to the Factory Five open house. Loved the $5/gallon gas (!!) but our SUV does surprisingly well pulling the SE. Had a great time at the open house. Met and talked with lots of folks. Awesome job by Factory Five and a great turnout. Perfect weather. Enjoyed helping Jeff K., Ron E., and Henry R. with judging. Wasn’t easy with lots of great builds. Then tried to keep up with Dave Smith cruising over to the Newport Car Museum in Portsmouth, RI. One of the nicest museums we’ve visited with lots of great cars. An original Cobra and a very early and supposedly accurate replica Daytona Coupe. There was a little theater-like setting that told the Carroll Shelby story. Well done with lots of interesting film clips. Now home for a bit and then off to London next week. Looking forward to it and hopefully duplicates the fine weather from the open house.

Over the last couple days, finally getting back to the truck build. Not much left. Just some interior details. Did receive my first paint quote right before we left for the open house. The same place that did two of my Roadsters and the Coupe. Unfortunately, it was a “we don’t really want to paint it but if you're crazy enough will for this price…” quote. Not going to happen to say the least. They should have just no-quoted it. Have several other leads that I’ll be working on.

I’ve been working on the center console. So far, mostly a woodworking project. After making some cardboard templates to develop the design and fit, have it mostly together. Found some 5.0MM underlayment plywood material at HD that is working well. That plus some various scraps I had around. Will have two cupholders, a place for the power window switches, a large storage area, and an armrest which I really like. As mentioned previously, I bought some extra matching vinyl from the place that made my seats to wrap it with. Not much to look at yet, but this is where I’m at.

In the shop just about together. All the edges, especially the top lid/armrest, will be rounded before wrapping.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=168230&d=1655513768

Mocked up in the cab. Will be held in place by screws and nutserts into the driveshaft cover and back wall.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=168231&d=1655513768

That’s it for now. Hope to see many of you next week at London. On a totally unrelated note, several have asked about my next project. Have one picked out and started the order process due to the lead time. Another one from my bucket list. Not sharing but it will be another great learning experience and probably stretch me more than I realize. :eek:

RR20AC

06-19-2022, 12:23 PM

That's how I feel with my plane build. Stretched! I just got another one of those workmates. New features make it really helpful over the one I inherited from my dad. As Mike Patey would say: Back to work!

edwardb

06-30-2022, 08:39 PM

It’s been a couple weeks since my last update. Only a few days of work so not a lot to report since I’ve been busy plus just back from the London Cobra Show. Speaking of the LCS, some words about it. We've attended every one they've had for the past 10 years or so. This year's turnout was excellent at 200+ registrations, weather although a little warm was outstanding, some nice improvements at the hotel venue, and another big contribution to the CF Foundation. Congratulations all around to the Ohio Cobra Club for their very hard work and excellent event. We arrived on Thursday with the Coupe in the trailer. There were a TON of trailers, so we weren’t alone… Friday I led a private cruise along with five other club members. 100+ miles of Ohio countryside and a nice lunch at Clifton Mill. The block party Friday night was enjoyable. But the highlight of course was the big parade into London on Saturday morning and then the all-day show in downtown London. Lots of spectators and plenty of good sharing and conversations. Met several forum members in person which is always a treat. Of special interest are the charity rides down Main Street. The Coupe was new last year and I wasn’t comfortable enough to do it. But did three passes this year. I purposely wasn’t super aggressive off the line. But once rolling, found the bottom of the accelerator pedal (a rare occurrence in regular street driving) in first and briefly in second before passing the cones at about 1/8 mile where we’re supposed to lift. No surprise, the Gen 3 Coyote is very strong and loves to rev. Was in the low 80’s mph by the cones each time. Even though I forgot to shut off the A/C (no comments please). My riders seem to enjoy it. But maybe not as much as me. The Saturday night banquet was excellent and a fitting close to a great event. Including the famous flat Thiery and paper plate auctions. I won’t try to explain. Others have. Already looking forward to next year. The picture below was taken by a fellow club member not long after I was out of the box on one of the charity rides. Pulling pretty hard evidenced by the lift on the nose and squat at the rear.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=168826&d=1656636833

One other thing I have to comment about. We were parked very close to where the cars were launching for the charity rides. Right in front of the Masonic Lodge for those who know the area. Of course the loud sound of cars leaving was constant throughout the day. So when one launched that was totally silent except for some tire sounds, it got my attention. Very fast too. Made several runs. This of course was the Scorpion EV Cobra that was shown in the vendor area. A Factory Five Roadster with Tesla S electrics. 600 hp and 687 lb-ft of torque. Not sure yet how I feel about it. But it was impressive. Dave Smith did a video, and had a chance to talk with Dave about it Sunday morning. Will be curious to see how it does in the marketplace. I can imagine for some parts of the country and for some customers it will be attractive. But don't see it replacing our noisemakers just yet. Not cheap either. I did find the old school Mobil gas pump as a charger a cool touch.

Back to the build. Brief as it is. Last update I show a picture of the unfinished center console. It’s now completely vinyl wrapped and ready to install. It’s the same vinyl as my seats, as mentioned before, applied with DAP Weldwood Gel Formula contact cement. A pretty normal HD or Lowes product that works quite well. I like the gel variety much more than the regular. Only takes one coat (the regular can sometimes take more than one) and flashes off in 10-15 minutes. All of the vinyl was applied directly to the console wood material with the exception of the hinged top which is over 1/8” closed cell foam. I put vinyl on the inside as well except for the bottom which is a piece of carpet. At the last minute, I decided to add a small LED light inside. The power window switches that come with the kit are backlit, which is nice. The manual wiring instructions show to wire them to the windows power lead so they’re on all the time. I chose to pull a wire off the gauge lighting circuit back to the window switches so I’ll wire them to only be on when the gauges are lit, e.g. whenever the headlight switch is pulled. I’ll take another lead off this wire for the light in the storage area. On all the time, but only at night when the headlights are on. Another small detail is I decided not to use the trim ring around the shifter boot as I showed before. I mounted the boot from the bottom since height is a bit of an issue with the somewhat short Lokar shifter I have. Turns out that's a nice clean look so will leave the trim ring off. Nothing left to do except to finish the transmission cover insulation and carpet so I can install into the cab.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=168822&d=1656636550

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=168823&d=1656636550

Speaking of transmission cover insulation and carpet, that’s what I’m working on now. Yesterday finished applying a layer of Second Skin Damplifier Pro over the cover. A number of pieces because of the shape. But got it done. All of the insulation and carpet is being done in a way that the cover remains removeable. But wouldn’t be easy or fun. Hope there’s never a reason.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=168824&d=1656636550

Over the next couple days, will get the carpet done and then the center console. Only thing left is the e-brake boot and the interior will be as far as I’m going to take it for now. Still working leads for body and paint. Pretty much resigned that the build is not going to be done for driving season this year. I’m Ok with that, although a bit disappointed I guess.

Will be another break in the build. This seems to be our summer for travel. We’re on grandbaby watch for our younger son. Their second daughter to go along with their two-year-old. Due date for his wife is tomorrow (July 1) and all signs are it’s time. We’ll be off to Texas a week or so after she’s born. That will be grandchild number five. Excited for us and them.

burchfieldb

07-06-2022, 10:54 AM

edwardb

07-06-2022, 12:04 PM

I tried posting this in a related thread and didn't get a response, so I thought I would post it in this active thread that I am following. I wanted to see what you guys thought about conductive vs non-conductive PTFE fuel lines? I searched the forum, but came up empty. Trying to figure out what I want to use between my hard lines and the engine.

I have zero experience with conductive fuel lines. First I've heard about that is here on the forum. My truck is plumbed with Aeroquip TFE Racing Hose. Which I've used on all my builds and I'm OK with it. Don't have a horse in this race.

burchfieldb

07-06-2022, 12:20 PM

I have zero experience with conductive fuel lines. First I've heard about that is here on the forum. My truck is plumbed with Aeroquip TFE Racing Hose. Which I've used on all my builds and I'm OK with it. Don't have a horse in this race.

Thanks Paul, I appreciate the feedback. Do your lines have the white or black ptfe liner?

edwardb

07-07-2022, 03:45 PM

Thanks Paul, I appreciate the feedback. Do your lines have the white or black ptfe liner?

White.

edwardb

07-07-2022, 04:22 PM

Good couple of days working on the interior. With the center console vinyl wrapped and insulation on the transmission cover completed, proceeded to put carpet on the transmission cover. The FF provided carpet has two pieces. A crescent shaped piece for the very front (under the dash) and a larger piece for the rest. I cut off the rearmost parts that go on the driveshaft cover since that’s under the center console. Took a little tweaking to get everything to fit the way I wanted. But now complete. With that, pushed the center console into place. Pretty tight fit but all good. Held in place by three 1/4" bolts into nutserts. Two through the bottom into the driveshaft cover and one through the back wall. Very solid. Wired the power window switches and storage box lighting.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=169126&d=1657226667

I didn’t permanently attach the piece with the shifter boot, cup holders, and switches. I was going to originally. But realized (bolt of lighting…) that would make it impossible to access the Lokar shifter which has several micro switches and adjustments. Not a good idea. I put a screw in the front (not visible) and the rest is friction fit. The cup holders have an obvious purpose. But the location of the front one also took into account using a Weathertech CupFone to hold my phone.

Next on my list was the e-brake boot. FF supplies the standard Roadster boot and says to modify it to fit. (Same as on the Coupe BTW.) I cut the stitching from the perimeter wire on three sides, re-formed the wire to fit, and hand stitched the material back onto the modified frame cutting off the excess fabric. A little fiddly. But not hard and turned out OK.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=169127&d=1657226667

I’ve installed a wear pad next to the accelerator pedal on all of my builds. I find the FF supplied carpet holds up reasonably well if properly protected, e.g. with floor mats and a wear pad by the go pedal. Mentioned this in a previous build thread. There’s actually a website that sells these things exclusively: https://www.heelpadwarehouse.com/. In the past, I’ve glued and stitched them onto the carpet before gluing the carpet in place. But because this location was in the area of two carpet pieces, plus the carpet is slightly curved and cut to fit, had to install after the carpet was installed. So stitching wasn’t possible and adhesive became very important. I tested the Roberts 6700 Indoor/Outdoor Carpet Adhesive described previously. It held a roughed up piece of the heel pad material very well. The other thing I did was shave the pile of the carpet down some where the heel pad goes. This helps it fit slightly below the surrounding carpet. Looks better and (hopefully) makes it less likely to catch with your foot and potentially come loose. Not shown, but I cut a piece of aluminum the size of the heel pad, bent it to fit the curve of the location, and used some sticks to the other side of the footbox to push it in place while the glue set up.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=169130&d=1657226667

With that, put the seats back in. I like it.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=169128&d=1657226667

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=169129&d=1657226667

Today I put the doors back on, routed the power window wires, and checked their operation with the wired and installed switches. Everything works as advertised. Pretty much the final look of the interior with the exception of the dash which will be body color. Should set things off nicely. I'm happy with it.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=169131&d=1657226678

Just a couple things left on my to-do list. Most important is to find a painter. Still working on that one.

The build is going to take another interruption as we’re off to Texas for a week. Hopefully our friends at Delta won’t mess with our flights. Our son and wife welcomed beautiful Kayla Elise on July 1. 8 lbs. 2 oz, 21 inches long. Mom and baby doing great and back home. Her big sister, 2-year-old Hannah, is doing great too. The proud grandparents need to check things out.

Jeff33Ford

07-08-2022, 06:43 AM

That is really coming out great. Thanks for the motivation and ideas. I think I will steal... uh use a few of those.

rthomas98

07-08-2022, 08:05 AM

First congratulations on the addition to the family!! Hopefully you have better luck then I did last week with Delta (had my flight cancelled to New York and ended up driving it).

But to the work on the truck. I got to say wow that interior is looking fantastic. In accordance with your other builds that is top notch.

David Williamson

07-08-2022, 09:09 AM

And is it going to be RED ? ;-)
David W

edwardb

07-08-2022, 09:41 AM

And is it going to be RED ? ;-)
David W

Lucky guess. :rolleyes:

FF33rod

07-08-2022, 11:29 AM

Gorgeous Paul....

Enjoy the grandkids! We welcomed our second granddaughter 2 months ago too...

Steve

edwardb

07-08-2022, 04:11 PM

Gorgeous Paul....

Enjoy the grandkids! We welcomed our second granddaughter 2 months ago too...

Steve

Congratulations! We do enjoy them. A lot. Even though they're all out of state. This is actually our fifth. Our other older son has three. Two boys and a girl. They're growing up fast though. The oldest will be a junior at university next year, next one just graduated HS and starts university, the youngest is one year from HS. So we have the age ranges covered.

wareaglescott

07-13-2022, 09:21 AM

Looking great Paul. You can't really trust those guys at Delta much these days! Hope all goes smoothly. Text me if you have any issues and I'll check on the flight status.

Jeff_J.

07-18-2022, 02:43 PM

edwardb

07-18-2022, 03:29 PM

Hi Paul,
Spent the last 1/2 hour catching on your truck build. "Outstanding work and attention to detail", never disappointed reading your build journeys. Hope travels are all safe and you have a great visit.
Jeff J.

Thanks. Back home safely. Good job by Delta. Great week meeting new granddaughter (beautiful of course...), getting to know the 2-year-old again, and visiting with son and daughter-in-law. I will never again complain about Michigan being hot though. Texas, you win. Hands down.

Yesterday, drove the truck around our neighborhood two miles and calibrated the Autometer speedo. After planning a route with our DD. Calibration worked as it was supposed to and no more swinging all the way over to 120 mph every time. Top speed about 45 mph. It really does drive very nicely. I posted earlier about trying to get air out of the cooling system. Thought I had it solved. But after a few drives and heat cycles, have decided I don't. After just a little driving, temp goes to 210. I'm guessing it would go higher if I kept driving. Fan is running but it doesn't drop. Lower part of the radiator and lower hose are cool to the touch. Although the thermostat is new (86 C / 186 F Stant 14948) always the possibility it's bad. Not easy to get out, but logical first step. But my guess is I still have air in the system. Regretting I didn't buy the vacuum refill kit before. That's apparently pretty foolproof. I did go ahead and order one now. But the challenge is getting all the coolant back out so I can start over. Looks like I'll be taking some stuff apart and taking out coolant plugs on the side of the block. Along with the radiator drain, lower radiator hose, etc. Based on a lot of reading, seems a very common problem with the LS engines. Open to suggestions. But doesn't seem to me I have a choice. Also confirmed my Dakota Digital cruise control still isn't working. Worked with their support late last year and every troubleshooting tip they gave me was OK. I'm suspecting the module. But we'll see on that one too. Other than that, all working OK. I made a final build-out list including a few other things. A pretty short list actually. Still on the prowl for a painter.

racingandfishing

07-19-2022, 02:14 PM

I will never again complain about Michigan being hot though. Texas, you win. Hands down.

Now you know my AC dilemma for my coupe! Just kidding, but still thinking I may need a better solution than the FFR kit. Or do the reverse of those in the north...just NOT drive it from Memorial Day to Labor Day!

Legend57

07-20-2022, 02:43 PM

Hi Paul,
Long-time follower of your build thread. I've really enjoyed your updates and am truly impressed at the process and level of detail you apply.

Here is one thought regarding bleeding air from the cooling system. My only LS experience is with my LS2 in my 2006 CTS-V. I've had to remove the radiator a number of times and have had to deal with refilling/bleeding the cooling system. After reading quite a few forums for how to do it (many of which are very involved), I found one trick that seems to work well, at least on the LS2. (See attached pictures) To the right of the throttle body, there is a rigid tube that mounts to the engine, that connects to a flexible hose to the radiator. The trick is to remove the clamp between the rigid tube and flexible hose while you fill the coolant. This allows the air to burp out while filling the coolant. Once coolant starts to flow out that tube, you can reconnect it. This has worked well in my last two coolant refills. I'm not sure if there is a similar port/tube on your LS3.
One other thing, I did a little checking on that Stant thermostat. The reviews aren't great. I don't take reviews as gospel, but it may warrant checking it. I'm now in the habit of testing all my thermostats before installing them. Dropping them in a pan of boiling water to make sure they open is good peace of mind. I use a thermometer to monitor what temp the thermostat opens to make sure it is reasonably close.

Best of luck with the debugging. Good to see the list of issues is short.

169715169714

edwardb

07-21-2022, 04:50 PM

Good day today. As is often the case, looking back the problem was obvious. Not so much in the middle of the problem when everything is suspect. I've said before I like to learn so try new things. So issues (e.g. mistakes...) like this go with the territory I guess. Before I contacted Dakota Digital support, I checked all the wiring, confirmed proper power voltages, and at the last minute decided to put a scanner on the LS3 ODB2 port and monitor the streaming data while driving up and down the block. Immediately noted that the vehicle speed value was zero. Autometer speedo was working. HGM transmission controller app showed vehicle speed. But nothing coming out of the LS3 PCM. Included this information in my request to Dakota Digital, and they confirmed the cruise control wouldn't function without vehicle speed data. Kind of obvious I guess. They said to contact HGM.

HGM support quickly identified the solution. The LS3 crate motor control pack has a speed sensor connection, but the instructions list "Optional Connections (Not required for operation)" and one of the items is "Vehicle Speed Sensor – 2 pin Connector Only required for CPP Connect & Cruise Transmission Controls." Since that didn't describe my installation I didn't connect it. In hindsight obviously incorrect and not a good decision on my part. HGM said to attach the high side of the VSS signal from their harness to the high side of the LS VSS connector. Sometimes I get a little aggressive and cut off wires/connectors that aren't used. Fortunately I didn't in this case. I had tucked the unused LS3 harness VSS connection under the main harness in the engine compartment just in case. Took some work to get a wire through the firewall to where the HGM controller lives. But got it done.

As a result, scanning the ODB2 port showed vehicle speed and the cruise control is now functioning like it's supposed to. :D HGM described that their controller receives and uses CAN bus data from the LS3. But GM doesn't allow them to send any. For normal operation this doesn't matter. But for an add-on like cruise control, it's up to the customer to make the connection. Whatever the reason, it's fixed and off my list.

Next up, figure out the cooling issue.

edwardb

07-25-2022, 10:06 AM

In the last few posts, have documented two remaining issues. Explained in the last post how the cruise control issue was solved. Last few days have been working on the possible cooling issue. To recap, I’ve observed during my short couple mile laps around my neighborhood that the cooling fan turns on at around 190F (what I’d expect) and the gauge indicated engine temp goes to 210F. Doesn’t go much higher, but upon examination the lower radiator hose and bottom parts of the radiator are cool to the touch. Symptomatic of either a defective thermostat or an air pocket somewhere in the cooling system. Something the LS series of engines, as I found out, is famous for. One other thing. On the LS3 Gen IV engine (mine) the thermostat is on the lower radiator hose. Coolant is pushed into the radiator by the top hose and doesn’t go back out the lower hose until the thermostat opens at the water pump. The Coyote has a similar arrangement. Certainly different than your standard SBF.

The thermostat was brand new along with everything else. Although full disclosure I didn’t test it. Should have. After pouring in the coolant some months ago (Dex-Cool, another interesting subject) and observing the above behavior, I read dozens of other forums and watched YouTube videos with various methods of removing air from the system. Nothing changed. One common theme emerged and that was using vacuum to fill the system which prevents and eliminates air pockets. So decided this was what I was going to do. But also meant draining all the coolant from the system. Consensus seems to be that while vacuum systems can remove a little coolant, they can’t drain the block for example.

So with a clean 5-gallon bucket, pulled the lower radiator hose which yielded a little under two gallons of coolant. Then found and removed the block drains on each side of the engine. The LH side was pretty easy. The RH side was behind the starter. So had to remove the starter to gain access. Used a funnel in both cases and caught most of the coolant. Not as much came out as I maybe expected. But with everything drained I was at about 2-3/4 gallons. A little less than I added before. But there was some spillage in the process. So confident everything was drained as much as I could.

With things apart, tested the thermostat in a pan of water on the stove and the thermo sensor that came with my VOM. It seemed to open at the rated temp, but not as much as I expected. Bought another new one at Advance. It tested similarly, but maybe opened a bit more. I suspect both were OK. But put things back together with the newer one.

There are multiple coolant system vacuum tools out there, and dozens of YouTube videos on the subject. I bought this relatively cheap one. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00804HWOU?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details. It seemed to work fine. Followed the instructions (and all the videos) and refilled the system this AM. All seemed to work as it was supposed to. Took back in all the fluid I removed (not wasting that expensive stuff) along with some from a bottle I added. Not sure there was much difference in total volume. But then if there was an air bubble, really don’t know how big it would be.

With everything buttoned up, ran the engine to temp. The fan came on and gauge crept up to just under 210F, pretty much like before. But didn’t go any higher. At first the lower radiator hose was still cold. But I revved the engine pretty aggressively a few times and then it was hot along with the lower part of the radiator. So by every indication it’s working properly. The heater pours out massive heat. So definitely have coolant in that circuit. It’s possible there wasn’t anything wrong before, and more extensive driving and/or revs would have started the coolant flowing. But at this point really can't say. Did a Google search this AM asking what is normal operating temp for an LS3. Nearly every response was “about 210F” with the stock setup and thermostat. So I’m as confident as I can be at this point that all is OK. Obviously will watch closely once real driving begins.

Lessons from this exercise? (1) Test all thermostats to eliminate that possibility. (2) The vacuum coolant fill method seems to be a widely used process. Including by many garages and manufacturers. Even for engines where air pockets aren’t as common. It’s quick, clean, and relatively easy to do. I’m making it my standard process going forward. Before putting any coolant in the system.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=169984&d=1658757595

So minor rant which means little or nothing. With the coolant do-over, that makes it a nearly clean sweep on this build. Had to drain, repair, and re-fill the Moser diff because the rear cover leaked. Had to drain, repair, and re-fill the Gearstar transmission because the pan leaked. Had to drain, repair, and re-fill the master cylinder because of defective flairs from the supplier between the MC and the proportioning valve. Had to drain, prime, and re-fill the engine oil. Easy compared to the others. But part of the common theme. Now the do-over on the cooling system. The only thing I haven't touched is the fuel system. Probably shouldn't say that out loud. Could have prevented a couple by not being in a hurry to fill fluids and check more carefully including instructions before proceeding. Mostly just goes with the territory I guess with new builds and sometimes questionable quality from suppliers. But by far the most I've experienced on any builds. OK, I feel better. Moving on.

Kbl7td

07-25-2022, 01:57 PM

edwardb

07-25-2022, 03:31 PM

I’ve had this problem with my SLC numerous times. Couple things to help future builders. You don’t need to drain to use the vacuum method, it’ll still work. Two, most air will be caught in the heads. Easiest is to loosen the crossovers on the heads a couple of times to bleed the air. Three, you absolutely have to rev the hell out of them to get the coolant past the thermostat, drilling a few holes in the stat helps as well. Also, Dex-cool is garbage, you’ve probably read a few things about that.

Thanks for your post. And following my build. Literally every single item you mentioned were topics I studied. And every one has many opinions on each side. Obviously, since this was all new to me I had to make some decisions about what to believe and what to do. I thought about doing the vacuum thing after only dumping the lower radiator hose. Some said that would work without draining the block. But overwhelmingly, including the instructions with my tool, said to drain the engine completely. So as not to risk a do-over, I just took the conservative route. I thought it would be harder. But it only took about an hour to open the two block drains and catch whatever came out. Read about disconnecting the head crossovers. But they're buried under the intake and throttle body on my engine. The block drains had easier access other than the starter. Also saw comments about drilling out the thermostat. Took the conservative route there too and left it alone. As for Dex-Cool, (Death-cool?) opinions all over the map on that one too. Issues with incompatible gaskets, reaction with oxygen in open systems, etc. My thing is the Chevrolet Performance instructions were very specific to use Dex-Cool, and while things are under warranty I'm pretty careful to follow mfg's directions. Don't need any excuses. I also used Prestone Dex-Cool, which supposedly is one of the better ones. I'll keep an eye on everything, as I mentioned.

orangecruz

07-27-2022, 06:21 AM

WOW WOW WOW

Ive read every word and studied every picture and love the thread Paul

Congrats to you sir :)

edwardb

07-30-2022, 09:54 PM

Another couple items off the list this week. My better half is insistent on having sun visors. I’m OK with them too… I looked at a number of options during the Coupe build and ended with some tinted plexi ones that attached to the 1-3/4” roll bar. Had to trim them a bit to fit but work well. Did some hunting again for this build and came to the same conclusion. Unfortunately, inflation (or something…) caused the price to be quite a bit more. But went for them anyway. There's that ugly budget discussion again. Received quickly and they fit the 1-1/2” roll bar in the truck perfectly. No trimming either. Very high-quality parts. They are Axia Alloys MODSVT-BK and you specify the roll bar size when ordering. I bought them from Wild Horses Four Wheel Drive. But I’ve seen them other places as well. For the same price. Look like this:

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=170323&d=1659233191

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=170324&d=1659233191

I was going to wait to wrap up the HVAC installation. Still hadn’t run the ducts behind the dash or charged the A/C system. Decided to go ahead and knock them out. No reason not to. As I’ve shown before, the truck dash is nice because removing four screw allows the whole thing to tip down. It was relatively easy to run the two defrost and three dash ducts with it open from the top. I tie-wrapped them to the Vintage Air evaporator. Permanently attached I hope. The dash ends are loose as the dash has to come out for painting. There’s plenty of room, and with some fiddling found the best routing that allows the dash to go back into place. Looks a little busy, but really not bad. The floor vents go out the bottom of the evaporator unit itself.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=170320&d=1659233147

With that, moved to charge the A/C system. I purchased the vacuum pump and gauges during the Coupe build so this step can be done at home. It’s not hard when starting with an empty system. Only thing I can't do is evacuate the system once it's charged. Not good for the environment and illegal to do intentionally. First up is to run a vacuum on the system for 45 – 60 minutes to pull out air and moisture. Then check that it holds the vacuum. Of course, in the true spirit of “everything on this build leaks” (see rant in previous update :mad:) I did have to chase down a couple leaks. I’ll spare the gory details. Mostly self inflicted unfortunately. All good now. With that, followed the directions and with three 12oz cans of R134a, the gauge pressures were in the proper range per the humidity/temperature chart and the chilled air out the dash vents is in the right temperature range. I’ll watch for leaks of course and make sure the charge stays. But relatively confident this is good to go. This isn’t much of a picture. But done. Ignore the gauge readings because the engine was off and the line pressures partially released. There’s a sequence for that too.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=170321&d=1659233157

Side note: With the engine running extensively during the A/C charge, it ran up to the usual 210F mark or a bit lower at times. Never went higher. When done, the lower radiator hose was hot. So feel like this confirms my cooling system is free from air pockets and is working normally. Of course the real test will be in actually driving. But feeling good about this now too.

Another busy week ahead with family related, so won’t have much shop time. But hope to keep knocking out the punch list a little at a time.

460.465USMC

08-01-2022, 02:13 PM

Congrats on solving the air pocket issue, Paul! I've been learning there is so much of that sort of thing (solving unexpected/expected issues) during my build.

That's so cool you do the AC charge yourself.

P.S. great call on the sun visors. Happy wife; happy life!

edwardb

08-11-2022, 05:52 PM

This will be a short update. Summer with lots going on including multiple events with the Coupe plus family trips and activities. Ranging from a new granddaughter to seeing another off to college. Whew!

As I’m wrapping up final details on the build, one of the open issues was the fit of the doors. Door fitment is often discussed as one of the more difficult aspects of the truck build. I've spent a lot of time on them. And one the reasons that some body and paint guys back away from the truck. As described in previous posts, I was able to get them decently fitted all around except at the bottom rear corners. I added some shims to the body mounts in that area, also previously described, which improved the fit. But still the LH door was just over 1/4" proud of the body at the rear bottom corner. The RH door slightly less. In both cases the misalignment started at around the door handle. The bottom is also off for 12-14 inches toward the rear. But not as obvious. I’ve seen several truck builds in person and looked at a bunch of pictures. Many seem to have this same alignment issue and were left that way. My original plan was to leave this to whoever did my body and paint. But with some coaching and experience from a friend who has experience with these things, determined that pie cuts on the inner shell where it meets the outer door panel could fix it. So dove in, carefully laid out the amount to cut out and taper along the side and bottom, cut with a Dremel and cut-off wheel (easy), and re-glued with HSRF with a number of clamps being careful not to add any new misalignment or waves.

Success! The RH side turned out dead nuts perfect. The LH side is still about 1/16” proud in the last few inches at the bottom but the rest is perfect. That small section just couldn’t be bent enough to match. There’s plenty of thickness in the door to sand it down for the final fit. I’m now in the process of putting glass cloth and vinylester resin across the cut areas from the inside. When done, will be just as strong as before. Not particularly high stress anyway. Have a couple other body related issues I’m going to address. Again with more coaching and experience. Hard to get decent pictures to capture before and after. But here’s what I was able to get:

LH before.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=170891&d=1660256893

RH before.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=170892&d=1660256893

LH after. Just a little to be sanded off at the bottom The rest matches exactly.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=170894&d=1660256893

RH after. The picture angle doesn’t look like it matches. But it does.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=170893&d=1660256893

McGuyver

08-11-2022, 10:25 PM

Pat Landymore

08-12-2022, 07:46 AM

Paul:

I’m sorry to learn you had to go through this extreme fix to get your doors right. Once done, it does work quite well though, hey?

My compliments…..your execution of it turned out quite a bit better than mine. 👍🏼👍🏼

Cheers,
Pat

House Money

08-12-2022, 11:04 AM

Jeff_J.

08-12-2022, 01:44 PM

Great resolution - nice work as usual..
Jeff_J

edwardb

08-12-2022, 10:45 PM

Paul, you are way ahead of me as always. Assuming I will probably have similar issues when I get to my doors. You mind posting or sending a few interior photos of your pie cut handy work? Just trying to get a better idea of the process. Thanks

I too would like to see pics of the pie cuts made to get the doors to fit better.

Gary

Thought about taking pictures as I was laying this out and doing the cuts. But didn’t. So will try to explain and show what I did. Pretty straightforward, I think. First, with the doors on the cab, marked where the door to body alignment started going out. On both sides, in the vicinity of the door handle on the sides, and 14-16” back on the bottom. Then I measured the amount the door stood proud at the bottom corner. As noted previously, just over 1/4" on the left side. Under 1/4" on the right side. Of course (:rolleyes:) used a digital micrometer and noted the actual values. This was the amount to remove on both sides. Then removed the doors.

Next, I laid a piece of blue masking tape on the inside door shell portion going up into the radius of the door skin. Then, using a spacer block (roughly 3/16" thick) drew a line with a Sharpie on the tape parallel to the back of the door skin. Basically, where the inner radius ended. That was one cut line. Then I traced the curve of the door sides and bottoms onto pieces of thin cardboard. (Ram Board from HD. Perfect template material. A roll lasts forever.) Then used the templates to trace the second cut line which matches the curve of the door. On top of the first line where the alignment started to go out and offset by the measured amount of misalignment at the bottom rear corner. Hence the term pie cut. In this case, a long skinny pie cut.

Using a Dremel with a cut-off wheel, it was easy enough to follow the lines. Tried to make the cuts as straight as possible to get a good bond line. I wasn’t sure how flexible the door skin would be once the cuts were complete. But not an issue. Easy to clamp and close the pie cut. Next, applied HSRF somewhat liberally to the cut, making sure both sides were wetted, and clamped closed. Tip: Either leave the masking tape in place or apply new strips along both sides of the cut lines. Then once clamped, scrape the squeezed out HSRF off and let cure. Then remove the tape. Prevents getting HSRF on the gel coat (which you need to remove because it doesn’t bond well but still is a pain to sand off) and makes it real easy to give a light sand and you’re done for the outside. For the inside, I use vinylester resin and 2-1/2” wide strips of fiberglass cloth across the cut lines for reinforcement.

Today took these pictures. As mentioned above, this is after the cut and re-bond. So only for illustration. But hopefully makes sense along with the above description. The bond line is visible. The tape outlines the approximate amount of material that was previously removed. For the sides, the match is nearly even. With usual finishing methods will disappear. For the bottom, the shell is angled so removing the 1/4" or so of material caused the match to be slightly off. As evidenced by the additional visible HSRF and slight step. A little bit of body filler will make that go away. Or do nothing as it’s on the bottom of the door and not normally visible. Hope that all makes sense and helps.

RH Side:

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=170976&d=1660360002

RH Bottom:

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=170977&d=1660360002

McGuyver

08-14-2022, 11:39 AM

Thanks for the write up Paul, much better understanding of the process now! Looks like it was similar to what Pat resorted to on his build.

RuffShod

08-15-2022, 07:29 AM

I don't exactly understand where you made the cuts.

edwardb

08-16-2022, 12:06 AM

I don't exactly understand where you made the cuts.

I don't know how to explain it any differently than I did in post #402 above. The white you can see in the pictures is one cut. The edge of the tape represents where the other cut would be. It's logical if you think of what's trying to happen as a result, e.g. eliminate the bottom rear corner protruding out of the cap door opening. Apologize I didn't take pictures before making the cuts. I would have been more clear. The above are after the cuts and re-bond. But still illustrates what I did. I don't know where you're at with your build or if you have the same misalignment. You may/may not have to do this.

RuffShod

08-16-2022, 06:49 AM

I don't know how to explain it any differently than I did in post #402 above. The white you can see in the pictures is one cut. The edge of the tape represents where the other cut would be. It's logical if you think of what's trying to happen as a result, e.g. eliminate the bottom rear corner protruding out of the cap door opening. Apologize I didn't take pictures before making the cuts. I would have been more clear. The above are after the cuts and re-bond. But still illustrates what I did. I don't know where you're at with your build or if you have the same misalignment. You may/may not have to do this.

I see it now. The pix wernt there when I posted.

Thanks!

edwardb

09-02-2022, 05:25 PM

It’s been a while since my last update. Very busy month with family related travels plus lots of Coupe driving events. The Woodward Dream Cruise (http://www.woodwarddreamcruise.com/) seemed bigger and more crowded than ever. It's officially only a Saturday event. But in reality lasts all week. The Saturday turned out nice and we had a good time. I believe the count of cars from the Great Lakes Cobra Club was over 60 for our Snake Pit event as part of the cruise. The Coupe turned 5,000 miles last weekend. Not too bad for its second full driving season. Have I mentioned how much I like that thing? Two more events this weekend. But back to the build.

My goal has been to wrap up my punch list prior to paint. The only items left now are body work related. After fixing the doors (last update) my next task was the hood. Two issues. The gap at the back by the windshield/cowl area was noticeably too wide. About 1/2 inch. I did some very minor clean-up of the front and back edges. But didn’t take any length off. This was how it was received. My original thought was just to leave it. But after staring at it long enough, decided to do something about it. The second thing to fix was the mismatch between the angle of the hood and the top angle of the grill cowl which had a noticeable “up” angle compared to the hood. Not a good look. There’s some variability here I guess. A function of the radiator angle and location. I have the radiator placed at the only location and angle that everything would fit. Which in turn dictates the angle of the grille and cowl. So no chance to change anything there. At least for how I have it assembled and I'm not going to change anything at this point. The engine side covers fit reasonably well. So seems I had things about right. This is a “before” picture I posted previously.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=161282&d=1643200863

For the rear edge of the hood, I need to add about 1/4". Then slide the hood back slightly so it clears the grill cowl when opening. Resulting in a goal of 3/16” gap. I did what I’ve done a couple times before on other builds with HSRF. First, roughed up the edge with 40 grit paper. Then used the same 40 grit to make about a 1/8” bevel on both sides of the hood edge. Because the hood is relatively thick, I decided to also drill 1/16” holes about 1/4" apart all along the edge. Something for the HSRF to have even more of a grip. I made a dam out of cardboard by tracing the back edge of the hood and cutting accordingly, covered the edge with clear packing tape, waxed the tape, and double-back taped it to the top of the hood. Leaving roughly 1/4" exposed. Then troweled on the HSRF up to the level of the other side. Pushing the HSRF as much as I could into the bevels and 1/16" holes. Worked pretty well. Sanded, put the hood back on the body, used a scribe to get my new gap line, and sanded/trimmed the HSRF accordingly. Mission accomplished. Much better. Now I can stand to look at it. :p

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=171932&d=1662156311

For the hood/grill cowl, first I adjusted the hood so it was a straight line along the top of the hood to the front of the cowl. Like the above picture. This required a somewhat large bumper under the center. Then, using a straight edge, marked where the filler (again, HSRF) needed to be applied on the grill cowl. Ending up being kind of a crescent shape. Used a DA to remove the gel coat in that area and followed up with 40 grit paper (again) to make sure the bare glass was plenty rough. Side note: It's funny how when you're not trying to harm the gel coat seems like you go right through it. When trying to remove it on purpose, it's like iron. Oh well. Then troweled on more of that liquid gold (aka HSRF) and used a straight edge to the hood to level appropriately. Took a couple coats to get it acceptable. Plus I was trying to get it as close as possible to minimize major sanding. That stuff doesn’t sand easily to say the least. With final sanding and rounding, mounted the hood and adjusted the hinges as necessary. The hood isn’t a perfect match on the sides. But the top is now level with the cowl and looks 100% better. A thin skim coat of body filler and the usual finishing steps and I expect the build-up will disappear. Note the gap has to be this wide on the front. I’ve beveled the back of the hood and rounded the grill cowl and it just clears when opening and closing.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=171930&d=1662156311

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=171931&d=1662156311

My very last item on the punch list is to spray UPOL Raptor on the underside of the fenders, running boards, engine sides, and bed sides. Will get that done in the next few weeks before the weather turns cool. (Grrr) With that I’m officially out of things to do until paint. I have a possible lead on paint for this winter. But no final decision yet. We’ll see.

Finally, to go off topic just a bit, I’ve been collecting things I need for my next project. Mentioned in post number 371. One of the standing jokes on this forum is the question “How many clecos does it take…” and numbers both high and low are suggested. Today I’m announcing that I plan to win any future such contests. 650 between those four containers. Looks like the project should be starting in the next few months.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=171933&d=1662156507

Jeff Kleiner

09-02-2022, 06:32 PM

Well done Paul! We’ll make a body man out if you yet :)

Jeff

Nigel Allen

09-03-2022, 01:04 AM

Hmmmm, I don't recall any announcements? Is it aircraft related?

Nigel

edwardb

09-03-2022, 05:49 AM

Hmmmm, I don't recall any announcements? Is it aircraft related?

Nigel

I didn't make any announcements. Because some have asked, said at the end of the post referenced that I'd picked my next project and started the order process. Another one from my bucket list and should be another great learning experience and probably stretch me more than I realize. Don't want to get off topic in this build thread but have to keep the suspense up, right? Although you might be on to something.

FLFrank35

09-07-2022, 09:33 AM

Couple of other miscellaneous items. I want to have a fire extinguisher in the truck. For safety plus required in some shows I attend. I’ve been reading about a new type of extinguisher from a company called Element. Has been featured on some of the automotive shows on TV too. Looked interesting, so I’m giving it a try. I chose the Element EL 40050 which is a 50 second discharge.

Great idea with the extinguisher! How/where did you mount it?
Thanks

edwardb

09-07-2022, 09:37 AM

Great idea with the extinguisher! How/where did you mount it?
Thanks

Haven't yet. Will be part of final assembly which is still a ways away. For now, my thought is behind the seats. There's quite a bit of room back there and the seats I purchased allow the seatback to tip forward as well as back. If that doesn't work out, maybe under the dash somewhere. Open to other suggestions.

FLFrank35

09-07-2022, 10:43 AM

Haven't yet. Will be part of final assembly which is still a ways away. For now, my thought is behind the seats. There's quite a bit of room back there and the seats I purchased allow the seatback to tip forward as well as back. If that doesn't work out, maybe under the dash somewhere. Open to other suggestions.

Ok, thanks!
I'm considering a rollbar mount or possibly under the seat, so it can be grabbed while seated.

Robodent

09-07-2022, 01:11 PM

I’m looking forward to see what you guys come up with on where to mount a extinguisher. I’ve been considering it for a while now.

edwardb

10-06-2022, 08:35 AM

Finally, another update. Since my last update, Erik Treves took his truck build from kit delivery to a running and rolling chassis. That’s crazy. For lots of reasons, don’t expect I'll ever be able to complete things at that pace. I have been working some when I’ve had the chance but nothing too significant to report. Between driving season and events with the Coupe, travel, couple weeks in Cleveland for planned surgery for my wife, it's been an usually busy summer and now fall. Will sneak in a couple updates today.

I had a page-long punch list of body related items to complete, which is now done. I will only say that deciding to do a truck with full fenders, running boards, hood, and engine side covers probably doubles or even triples the amount of body related work compared to what I’ve observed are the more common truck builds with open wheels, etc. I don’t regret my choice one bit. It’s how I envisioned the truck for me. But fair warning to other builders – it’s not just the sheer number of fiberglass parts to deal with but getting them to all fit together. I’m done. Can’t say it’s perfect. But as close as I’m going to get with how the parts fit. Enough said on that.

My last task before going to paint was to put undercoating on the fenders, running boards, and bed sides. I used UPOL Raptor, same as earlier on this build and on my Coupe build. Really like how that stuff goes down and how durable it is once cured. Highly recommended. Spent hours masking (the usual case when spraying…) and yesterday had a perfect day out on the driveway getting the pieces sprayed. Put a single coat on the bed sides. Only the part that’s below the SS panels but visible from underneath. Put three coats on the other pieces. Used up a 4-liter kit in the process. The directions are excellent so can’t add anything. I used the higher end Raptor adjustable gun (UPL-UP4880) which I highly recommend over the standard Schutz gun. My only caution is to follow the directions and clean the gun between each coat. Not necessarily like the final cleaning. But get the material out of the innards of the gun. The one hour wait time between coats is just enough for the material to start gelling and mess with how it flows the next time around. Ask me how I know about that. All done now and looks like this while curing for a couple days while the DD sits outside.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=173407&d=1665061090

Next up I’m going to remove the dash and all the components. Then I’m ready for paint. I have a painter lined up so that’s a breakthrough. A buddy who used to paint cars in a former life is going to paint it for me. He did his own Challenge Roadster and it looks very nice. Plan is to start next month and should easily be complete and back together for the start of driving season next year. We’ve decided to leave the cab on the chassis, with that and the doors to be completed first. Then back to my place for re-assembly with the balance of pieces as they’re completed. Looking forward to getting this wrapped up. I think it’s going to be a fun ride. The first components of my next project are supposed to be shipping any time. So shouldn’t run out of things to do.

edwardb

10-14-2022, 01:36 PM

Last minor update before (hopefully) showing some paint progress. Should get started in the next month or so. My painter asked if there was a way to hold the fenders for sanding and paint. Ideally at a good working height and the same orientation as on the truck. Something better than the usual x-frame style work stand. Anything I can do to make his life easier (and maybe save a buck??). I used the base from the Moser crate my rear axle came in. Plus, some scraps from a retired body buck. Came up with what’s pictured below. Fenders are held in place by the same flange and bolt holes that hold it to the body plus another padded brace piece near the outside not visible in the pictures. Not pretty and will be kindling or recycle once used. But I think will do the job.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=173739&d=1665771570

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=173740&d=1665771570

Also spent a few hours, with some more scrap 2x4’s left behind by the former owner of our house and some HF casters, to make a stand for this tool for my next project. Some will know what it is.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=173741&d=1665771767

And since I’m posting random pictures, will add this one. Some of you may have seen the thread I posted about meeting Peter Brock at an event here in the SE Michigan area. What an incredible honor that was! We were doing a parade lap around the track and he rode by the string of cars in a golf cart. When he came to my Coupe, they stopped the cart, he got out, and we had a chance to briefly talk and take some pictures. What a gentleman he was! He was very complimentary of my Coupe. I posted some pictures in the other thread. But recently got a copy of this one from another vantage point. Obviously we were posing for a few pictures. Very cool.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=173742&d=1665772335

OK, back to the truck build to get this thing wrapped up. Will be quiet for awhile I suspect. But hopefully next posts are with paint going on.

orangecruz

10-21-2022, 10:57 AM

edwardb

10-21-2022, 10:20 PM

Awesome Paul cant wait to see Paint , will you be posting a link for the new project thread ?

Thanks. I can't wait to get it painted and all back together either. Legal and driving will be some months though as fall weather as officially arrived in Michigan and we all know what happens next.

I'll be documenting the new project but not sure exactly how or where yet.

Higgybulin

10-22-2022, 06:13 AM

Thanks. I can't wait to get it painted and all back together either. Legal and driving will be some months though as fall weather as officially arrived in Michigan and we all know what happens next.

I'll be documenting the new project but not sure exactly how or where yet.
I'm not sure what your next project is but I assume it not Factory Five based. How bout posting a thread in the 'off topic' forum here. Your on here all the time anyway lol!!

progmgr1

11-08-2022, 11:12 PM

edwardb

11-08-2022, 11:33 PM

Way back in post 407 (amongst many others) you demonstrated that you are a master of using HSRF. Now that HSRF is becoming available again I thought it was a good time to bring up an issue I've had working with the stuff. My problem is that even if I mix a small (golf ball size) quantity, some of it sets up before I can get it where I need it. Is there any way to increase the working life without compromising the strength? Or, do I just need to work faster?

Thanks,

Keith HR #894

Don't know if I'm the master but have gone through enough cans of the stuff during my builds. But for all the times I've used it, I rarely mix that much at once. Granted, their mix instructions ("1-1/2 inch strip to a golf ball sized amount of filler") don't translate easily to smaller portions. But I do the best I can to estimate and haven't had any issues. I have whatever I'm doing ready to go before starting to mix, and plan on 3-4 minutes (maybe 5) of working time before it starts to kick. So plan what I'm trying to do accordingly. I'll frequently break up a task into several separate mix sessions if possible. Also, the quicker you can get it spread out will give you a little more time. Left in a larger/thicker size amount on your mixing surface will kick faster. Hope that helps a little.

Mastertech5

11-28-2022, 01:06 PM

Hi edwardb. Your truck is coming along great! I'm having an issue with the pink wire in the GM harness that I'm suppose to connect to ign/start 12 volts(orange coil/EFI wire of the RF harness). I can't find a wire sticking out of the harness like the fuel pump and coolant fan wires. Am I to assume you use the #11 pink wire slot in the GM harness bulkhead connector? JimLev's has this engine too and he has his all taped up and can't remember. I have the terminals and seals for doing that. Your help would be greatly appreciated. You can let me know in my build thread so as to not take up more space in yours. Thanks!

edwardb

11-28-2022, 06:31 PM

edwardb

12-02-2022, 07:37 AM

Quick update with pictures of my paint progress. Base coat color and then clear yesterday for the first time. These are relatively low resolution cell phone pictures and the color isn't very accurate. In person it's a deeper red than showing here. But will post to show the progress. Doors and dash aren't in these pictures. The rest will be done in follow-up sessions because of limited space. Bunch of pieces when you do the full fender, hood, etc. version. I'll take these parts back to my shop to finish the interior, hang the doors, put the dash back in, etc. while the balance of parts are completed.

Painting it with the cab on the chassis as shown here and mentioned before. Very happy with how it's turning out. I picked the color out of a color book and the shop mixed it accordingly. Probably crosses to some OE colors but don't have that in front of me right now. Purposely went non-metallic to be a little bit period correct. But of course had to be red. Some things just aren't negotiable. :o

Getting close with final primer coats. So good to see those parting lines filled and gone. My guy did an awesome job getting it dead flat and all the waves out. Something he's very particular about.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=176226&d=1669983731

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=176227&d=1669983731

Guide coat. Getting close.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=176225&d=1669983731

First shots after color and clear. Said it flowed out well. But sanding and polishing not done yet.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=176230&d=1669983757

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=176229&d=1669983731

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=176228&d=1669983731

svassh

12-02-2022, 08:54 AM

Outstanding as always Paul, there are other incredible builders on here whose skills I envy but few have your attention to detail.

Mastertech5

12-02-2022, 09:12 AM

Looks great Paul. Can't wait to see the final product.

Jeff Kleiner

12-02-2022, 09:47 AM

Looking good Paul! So many variations with red with the undertones; some go orange, some go pink, some go blue or brown or violet… Can’t wait to see it all together and sitting on those chrome wires :cool:

Jeff

rthomas98

12-05-2022, 01:32 PM

Paul that looks fantastic. Can't wait to see it all done.

cc2Arider

12-05-2022, 05:24 PM

Looking good Paul :)

I've got a red color sample and am very anxious to see how it compares to your color selection !

Craig C

wareaglescott

12-09-2022, 06:17 AM

Looking great Paul. Always enjoy watching the final steps come together!

JohnK

12-09-2022, 12:59 PM

Looks incredible Paul. There are many aspects of your builds that I try to emulate, but your skills with bodywork are truly impressive and something that I don't even dare attempt. That was one aspect of the build that I was happy to leave to the pros. I can't wait to see the completed truck.

maclonchas

12-20-2022, 12:16 PM

It’s been a couple weeks since an update. But I’ve been busy. Mostly under the general category of plumbing. So button up. This could get long. The build manual shows basic setup and routing for everything. But based on my engine choice and other build decisions, only some of it’s applicable. So after doing lots of studying, along with reviewing other build threads, dove in.

First a quick word about my thought process. As anyone who has built one of these knows, regardless of model there are a lot of interdependencies. One thing can easily affect another. Intentionally or not. If you haven't found that out yet, at some point you will. My approach is to start with things that either can’t move or have limited flexibility. Then move to the next thing in line with a little more flexibility. And so on ending with whatever has the most flexibility.

So with that started with the e-brake cables. Very often those have a fixed or very limited routing that takes into account the cables, attachment points, brakes, etc. That definitely was the case with this build. The optional Wilwood rear brakes have the e-brake attachment on the front and the cable comes in from the bottom. Really only one routing along the floor and through the chassis. Both are connected and working. I don't expect to use the e-brake too much to be honest. With the park position on the auto trans locking the drivetrain. But it's there. I had these same Wilwood single cylinder rear calipers on my #7750 Roadster build. They needed helper springs added at the cable attachment to release reliably. Others experienced the same thing. Doesn't look like these do. Looks like Wilwood beefed up the circular spring on the e-brake lever.

Next up, everyone’s favorite. Brake lines. As I mentioned in my last update, I’ve done rigid SS in my last several builds and really like the final product. But it’s a lot more work and even with the right tools can be challenging. Couple that with my go-to source for SS tubing, where I could buy in straight lengths versus coiled, is no longer allowing counter sales. They’ve gone 100% to on-line sales. They’ll sell me the tubing, but only shipped and coiled. Even though they’re about 20 minutes away. Just not wanting to try to straighten SS tubing. So for this build, I decided to go steel. I know many like NiCopp. But I prefer the slightly stiffer steel. The Classic Tube C3 Tubing I bought from Summit came coiled. But fairly large with soft bends and straightened OK by hand without any special tools. It’s zinc coated and in this application (e.g. garaged, fair weather car) not too worried about corrosion or rust. My Eastwood professional flaring tool easily makes dead-on perfect flares in the steel every single time. More about that later…

For the brake line layout, in the front I deviated quite a bit from the build manual because of the dual master cylinder on the firewall (versus the Wilwood pedal box inside) plus the master cylinder has two lines for the front brakes. One to each side. So I routed the two lines along the top of the round frame rail rather than on the lower frame rail as in the manual. If I were going to have an open engine bay, may not choose the top of the rail. But I’m going to have the side covers. One to the LH side. The other crossed over to the RH side. Pretty straightforward.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=151469&d=1627779080

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=151470&d=1627779080

For the rear brakes, went down the firewall, along the underside to the back, up to the LH side where it feeds there plus crosses over to the RH side. Similar to how shown in the manual.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=151468&d=1627779080

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=151478&d=1627779131

All the runs are one piece. No unions. Relatively easy to do except for the front to back run. Note I did use the kit provided brake lines. Used them for patterns. Once I had a piece fitting the way I wanted, then duplicated in the single steel line. I don’t trust myself to make them exactly right the first time. Just don’t do it often enough.

With that done, no reason not to put fluid in the system and bleed it, right? Good way to check your work plus cross off a pretty big milestone. Wilwood was nice enough to include fittings and hoses for bench bleeding their dual master cylinder. Nice.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=151467&d=1627779080

With that, a pretty big mess. All four connections between the MC and the compensation valve (visible in the picture above) leaked. With nothing more than gravity pressure in the MC. Note these are SS lines that were included with the power brake assembly I had so much trouble getting after I ordered it. Talked about it a bunch early in the build thread. Tried the usual practice of backing off the tube nuts a bit and re-tightening. Nothing helped. So, drained all the brake fluid out of the MC (man I hate that stuff) and took things apart. What I found were the worst flares you can imagine. Especially the front longer one. Crooked and off-center. Just very poor quality to say the least. I had some scrap SS tubing on hand, so made new pieces. Better, but still leaked at the MC. Took things apart again and found that the Wilwood flare adapters into the MC were damaged due to the bad flares. The adapters are aluminum. The brake lines are much tougher SS. And I probably was too aggressive tightening. Regardless, the seats were damaged to the point they’d never seal. Fortunately, Summit had the Wilwood adapters in stock and on my porch the next day. After sleeping on it, decided to make new lines again but this time out of steel. A little more malleable and maybe give me a better chance of sealing and not tearing up the aluminum. So that’s what I did and with new adapters and new lines now no leaks. Good grief. Didn’t see that one coming.

For bleeding, for all my builds I’ve done pressure bleeding using air pressure in the reservoirs. Not an easy option with the very traditional dual MC with integral reservoir. So decided to use the standard pedal down/pedal up bleeding with my wife as the pedal operator and me opening and closing the bleeders at the calipers. After some explaining on how it would work (which I really didn’t think was mansplaining…) went around all four corners twice and had a hard pedal. One leak at a banjo fitting I didn’t have quite tight enough and everything else was good. Went around one last time to confirm zero bubbles and called it good. Further testing and no leaks or runs. Brakes all work of course. Pretty happy about that. One thing I noticed FYI is the Wilwood 6-piston front calipers (same as on my Anniversary Roadster and Gen 3 Coupe) no longer have separate bleeders on each caliper. You used to have the bleed those calipers twice. Once on each side. Now only has bleeders on the inner caliper. Another Wilwood change. But makes things a bit simpler.

Next up, fuel lines. Again, I’ve used 3/8” rigid SS on my last builds but decided to go with all -6 AN SS flex. Just to keep it simple plus again not being able to easily get straight tubing. Also decided, as I mentioned before, to put the regulator in the back by the tank rather than run two lines all the way to the engine. I already had the Aeromotive regulator. So it’s mounted in a not too handy spot. But I’ve found once set I haven’t had to adjust. So no big deal. Easy to see why the GM Corvette fixed regulator many use is popular to mount back there. Other than the regulator location, the setup is the same I’m used on multiple builds now. A Pro-M Racing full 3/8” pump hangar, Trick Flow TFX canister fuel filter, and -6 AN flex and connectors hooking it all together. A very solid and robust setup that's probably overkill. But it works and has been trouble free in the other builds. I’ve pretty much standardized on using Aeroquip hose and fittings. Lots of choices. I just find the quality and reliability to be excellent and I’m used to how it goes together. I pressure tested each hose section after putting the ends on. This is what I ended up with. I angled things to cut down a bit on bends.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=151472&d=1627779109

The fuel line goes down a frame rail (seen in the previous brake line pic), along the bottom, up the firewall, and over to the connection on the LS3.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=151471&d=1627779080
Paul,

Looking at your fittings going into the fuel rail the LS3, I cannot quite takeout what you did at that location. It seems like a union and a small amount of SS line and some other combinations to get to the flex line. Can you enlighten me on that set of connections?

Thanks

Bill

edwardb

12-20-2022, 06:28 PM

Paul,

Looking at your fittings going into the fuel rail the LS3, I cannot quite takeout what you did at that location. It seems like a union and a small amount of SS line and some other combinations to get to the flex line. Can you enlighten me on that set of connections?

Thanks

Bill

Only two fittings, although I agree it looks like more. Several things influenced what I did. (1) The fuel rail connection was kind of long and used a push-on connector which I'm not a huge fan of for these builds. I know, run for millions of miles on DD's. Just not what I prefer here. (2) I needed a down angle, closer to the engine if possible, to provide better clearance under the power brake MC without putting a lot of strain on the SS flex as it went under and then down the firewall. (3) I always look for solutions that use the least amount of fittings possible. I'm not a fan of stacking them up unnecessarily.

So I cut back the LS connection to just inside the existing raised section for a push-on connection. Cutting that line may not be what many want to do. But I did it. It's 3/8" tubing, so this 3/8" SS connection from Breeze fit perfectly: https://breezeautomotive.com/shop/fitting-3-8-od-tube-to-06an-male-316-stainless-steel/. I use these connectors a lot. They are fantastic. No flare or special treatment needed. Just a clean end. Rated PSI far in excess of what we'll over need. It's an industry standard part available multiple places, but I've always gotten them from Mark. The gave me a -6 AN male connection. Used an Aeroquip FBM1112 45 degree, female -6 AN to -6 AN hose fitting to the Aeroquip PTFE racing hose. Looks good, no leaks, works great so far.

maclonchas

12-20-2022, 06:35 PM

Paul,
Thanks. Understand what you di now and at least I will options with my BPE LS3 engine.

Thanks again,

Bill

edwardb

12-21-2022, 09:18 PM

Today we moved the chassis with the finished cab back into my garage shop. Was going to rent a trailer. But nothing quickly available to borrow or rent from U-Haul and weather closing in. Since the location it’s being painted is only 1-1/2 miles away, and about 1/2 mile is a private road, we decided to just drive it home. Bolted a seat in, added a few layers of clothing (25 degrees out), and cinched the seat belt down. Waited for a gap in traffic, my buddy following, and made the one-mile dash to my house. It was cold as expected, but all went fine and it’s safe in the shop. Hopefully next time out will be all assembled (and a little more legal.) These pictures with my phone and higher resolution give a better idea of the color compared to previous posts. Doors and dash will be done sometime after Christmas, and then the rest of the pieces will follow. Very happy with how it looks and now will start final details in the interior and elsewhere. Had to laugh. My buddy doing the paint today said now he understands why I was getting high quotes to paint this thing. A lot of pieces and a lot of details including hand work especially for the final sand and polish. Looking forward to a family visit over the holidays if the weather doesn’t get as bad as some of the predictions.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=177066&d=1671674406

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=177065&d=1671674406

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=177064&d=1671674406

wallace18

12-22-2022, 06:08 AM

Looks great! 1st photos from Paint looked to lean towards a pink tone. These look more red. Must be light differance. I really like the red with the chrome wire wheels.

Super job!:cool:

Namrups

12-22-2022, 08:42 AM

Stunning!

Jeff33Ford

12-22-2022, 08:43 AM

Wow is that is coming along. That has come a long way since I visited you when I was looking into my kit. Thanks for all your post. It is a great help and guide.

Tooth

12-22-2022, 10:04 AM

Amazing as usual.

cc2Arider

12-22-2022, 04:37 PM

Looks good Paul! :)

It's difficult to tell from the photos, but this is what I was planning for my build (deep red...almost a blood red)...combined with gun metal grey or dark silver. Good that you figured a way to get it home...we're expecting nasty weather down here, too. About the only thing I'll be doing is garage work (if I can keep my garage space reasonably heated...and we don't have power outages) :(

Merry Christmas!

Craig C

Jeff_J.

12-23-2022, 04:36 PM

Looks great Paul!! I'm sure there are a lot of miles to be enjoyed in this one..
All the best to you and the Family over the holidays.
Jeff_J

peterh226

12-23-2022, 08:13 PM

Hi Paul
I wanted to make sure the heat was vented so I added these slots that are parallel to the back hood edge. They have woven metal attached to the backside and will have black trim rings bonded (3M Tape) to the hood when complete. Also, I have a bracket to stabilize the sides and fender to the frame tubes. Too my flex for my taste.

177148

GoDadGo

12-23-2022, 08:40 PM

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=177064&d=1671674406

........................All I can say is I just love, love, love that color!

wareaglescott

12-26-2022, 06:10 PM

Looking great Paul. Hope you had a great Xmas.

orangecruz

01-16-2023, 06:28 AM

Progress is great Paul well done on another stunner

edwardb

01-21-2023, 07:31 AM

Haven't posted an update for awhile. Busy with lots of things other than the build. But slowly making progress as parts are completed from paint. Yesterday I put all the parts and wiring back into the painted and polished instrument panel. Very happy with it. It's sitting safely in a corner of my basement that isn't well lit, so not the best picture. But you get the idea. I had taken a lot of pictures and carefully marked everything before taking out for paint. So went back together pretty quickly. The empty holes are the ignition and headlight switches that go in when the dash is installed. They're still attached to the chassis harness in the cab. Sure is red! Several have asked about the color. I picked the color out of a color book. Something body shops have that contains multiple shades of every color under the sun. They typically cross-reference to OE colors, but I haven't dug into that with the color I picked. It's described as "408E5" and consists of nearly all red toner with a tiny amount of black and white. It's the bright pure red non-metallic I was looking for. I won't put the dash back into the truck until the doors are hung and adjusted since it blocks the top hinges. But working on that now.

I've also finished all the carpet in the cab (finally...) and working on how I want to treat the door sills. Didn't use the FF pieces. Wanted something a little more finished and better looking. I also made a few changes to the rear inside corner pieces. The instructions say to rivet them in. But then the door latch bolts wouldn't be accessible which didn't seem to me a good idea. So I made them removeable and also carpeted them a little differently so they look more finished. I'll post some pictures when everything is done. We're deep into winter here in Michigan. I don't see any issues with this build being done before spring. Plus the first shipment of my next project should be arriving soon.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=178339&d=1674303132

Jeff Kleiner

01-21-2023, 08:41 AM

...Several have asked about the color. I picked the color out of a color book. Something body shops have that contains multiple shades of every color under the sun. They typically cross-reference to OE colors, but I haven't dug into that with the color I picked. It's described as "408E5" and consists of nearly all red toner with a tiny amount of black and white...

Hmmmm? E5 is a Chrysler code from the 1970s for "Rallye Red" if used on a Chrysler or Plymouth and "Bright Red" when used on a Dodge (same color and code just a different name). It's a very bright non-metallic red...might be it.

Still looking forward to seeing it all together! :cool:

Jeff

wareaglescott

01-24-2023, 08:35 AM

looking good Paul.
Any build thread location determined for the next project?

edwardb

01-24-2023, 09:08 AM

looking good Paul.
Any build thread location determined for the next project?

Not yet. I have a draft started and a plan for how I'm going to document. But waiting for physical parts to arrive. Stay tuned. Shouldn't be much longer. At least I hope not.

edwardb

01-31-2023, 07:08 AM

Some good work days wrapping up final assembly on several items. Looking back at the build, the doors are probably where I’ve spent the most time on any one single aspect. Other builds have made similar comments. With the doors painted, first order of business was to hang them back into the openings and make final adjustments. Never to come off again! At least that's the goal. Driver’s side took only a minor tweak and all good. Passenger side was more challenging. I found I didn’t do a good enough job prior to paint because I left little/no clearance between the top hinge on the door and the door jam. With the added thickness of filler, paint, etc. the hinge contacted the door jam at about six inches short of closing. Given the angles, doesn't take much. Tried a number of things, but after walking away and sleeping on it, saw no option except to reduce the thickness of the top hinge where it was interfering. Any other attempts to resolve messed up the gaps and overall fit. Sanded a shallow angle onto the face of the hinge using my disk sander and also increased the countersink of the mounting screws until it cleared adequately. Cleaned it up with fine sandpaper and not obvious based on the location. Set the strikers and with final adjustment very happy with how the doors turned out. The pie cuts described earlier on both doors resulted in a good fit at the bottoms.

Next up put in the power window mechanisms. That was easy enough since I had spent the time to fully mock them up previously. Then the final installation of the inner and outer gaskets around the window openings and the glass. This took some time as I had to do some additional clearancing at the lower corners to reduce drag as the windows went up and down. But done and the windows work OK. I’m not a huge fan of the inner gasket setup. The transitions in the lower inside corners from one type of gasket to another are hard to make look decent. Plus there's a gap between the gasket and the glass along the inside bottom edge. Discussed previously and others have also mentioned this. But did the best I could and that’s it. The outer gasket is one piece all around and looks OK. Only thing left now is to do the final power hookup to the power windows and install the door cards and check straps. Will do that once the interior is 100% done. Easier now to have the doors swing wide open. Here are pictures of a completed door. Other side is the same.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=179016&d=1675162063

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=179017&d=1675162063

Another small detail I completed was the door sills. Didn't like the utilitarian and plain looking aluminum sills that came with the kit. Considered several options, but came up with this pretty simple approach using some polished stainless sheet from McMaster. Held in place with countersunk 10-32 SS screws tapped into the frame. The carpet pieces were just large enough to wrap over the sill and the edges are covered. I wanted to make them slightly longer. But the fiberglass curves up at the ends and I didn't trust myself to bend curves into the SS sheet to match. But looks OK and yet more shiny parts.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=179018&d=1675168368

With a huge feeling of relief that the doors are done and turned out OK, installed the instrument panel. This went smoothly as I had made a list of all the connections plus had mocked everything up previously. All went together with no drama, and everything works. No smoke. It sure is red. Like everything else. Happy with the look though. My painter thinks the shiny top of the dash might be a reflection issue. The windshield isn't a sharp angle back, so maybe won’t reflect the top back to the occupants? We’ll see. Radiator cowl, hood, and engine sides are next. Side note: For my last several builds I've wired one aux outlet to be a direct battery connection with adequate wire size and breaker to plug in my CTEK battery charger. During the winter, like to hit the batteries about once a month to top off plus it does diagnostic tests. It was time for this one. You can see the cable in these pics. I wouldn't do a jump start through there. But works great for this purpose. There's another port on the driver's side with two USB connections.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=179014&d=1675162063

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=179015&d=1675162063

I did have one pretty major glitch along the way last week. I took the truck off the lift and repositioned it since the doors hit the lift arms when partially opened. Not easy to work that way plus not interested in banging up newly painted parts. Tried to start it (easier than pushing…) and nothing in park. Full battery but no start, clicks, whatever. Moved the shift lever to neutral, and no start there either. But something wasn’t right with the shifter. Felt loose and wasn’t indexing like before. With a little jiggling, the engine did start but lurched a little (good thing my foot was on the brake) because it started in reverse. Clearly something was going on and the starter safety switch wasn’t hitting in the right places. Sent a description of the issue to Lokar along with some pictures. I received a call the next day and was very patiently taken through several diagnostic steps. Conclusion was something either broke or slipped out of alignment inside the mechanism and nothing I should try to fix. Only choice was to remove and send back for repair. It wasn’t too bad to get out. Good thing I made the top of the center console removeable. I’ve always felt that the indexing between gears was a bit sketchy. Maybe it hasn’t been quite right all along? We’ll see. Good thing it’s not driving season. But they said they’d turn it around pretty quickly. It’s not an inexpensive part (Lokar ES4L60EFMP Electronic Sport Shifter) and I’ve had good luck with their parts in the past. Has a lifetime warranty. I’m expecting to report a good result but a little disappointed about the early failure.

Final slightly off topic subject. The Detroit Autorama is coming up on Feb 24 – 26 at the downtown convention center. Used to be Cobo Hall. Then TCF Center. Now Huntington Place. All the same. I’ve had every one of my builds in the event over the years and while an exhausting weekend, something I enjoy doing. Was kind of hoping to take the truck this year, but the deadline for applications was several days ago and just wasn’t going to submit one with pictures of an incomplete build plus take a chance it doesn't get done in time. So, I’ve decided to take the Coupe again. I took it three years ago right after it was completed with zero miles. Now has some time and miles on it. Gives me something more to talk about. :o I sent my application a couple weeks ago and just received word it was accepted. So looking forward to that. Like I said, something I really enjoy doing. If you’re in the SE Michigan area (or interested in travelling here) it’s a great show and would love to see you there. https://autorama.com/attend/detroit/.

cc2Arider

01-31-2023, 11:29 AM

Outstanding work as always! :)

Craig C

RuffShod

01-31-2023, 01:33 PM

Is that red?

Cause it looks red from here!!!

Nice job!!!

wallace18

01-31-2023, 01:37 PM

Super job!!:cool:

edwardb

01-31-2023, 05:46 PM

Is that red?

Cause it looks red from here!!!

Nice job!!!

That's what the label on the can says. :cool:

rthomas98

02-05-2023, 09:52 PM

Looking great Paul. I was planning on going to autorama this year so I will have to swing by and say hi.

On the dash glare if it ends up being an issue, you could always look into a dash mat for the upper part for when you are driving. There are a couple of places that will do custom ones so it doesn't look like Wal-Mart automotive aisle tackiness.

Blitzboy54

02-06-2023, 12:01 PM

Fman

02-06-2023, 02:36 PM

Looking amazing like always. What a fun truck that is going to be and you won't see many of those around at a C&C or car show. I think your next build should be a GT40 :cool:

edwardb

02-06-2023, 02:49 PM

Always a pleasure checking in with your builds. Just incredible.

Question. Relative to the coupe I would assume the truck is much easier to get in and out of? I'm guessing having never been in one that you can probably hop in and out. Would like to hear your experience.

Thanks for following the build. The end is approaching. For your question, I'll give the truck a qualified yes. Easier to get in/out than the coupe. I say qualified because it's well known that this version of the truck is tight on the interior. The seats I chose (for the reasons listed earlier in the build thread) make it just a touch tighter. I need the tilt wheel all the way to up when climbing in and out to help clear my knees. I'm 5'9" and even with different seats would be tight if taller. For the passenger side, much easier for my wife to get in/out compared to the coupe. The rest of the story is the new longer cab version, which I understand is the only thing available now for future deliveries, solves all this and then it's an unqualified yes the truck is easier. But I will add the Coupe has more space in the footboxes. So there's that. I do have an automatic. With a manual shift I guess it's possible to narrow the transmission cover and make a little more room. But then you have the clutch on the other side which I don't have.

edwardb

02-10-2023, 10:52 PM

Added more finished pieces. I know, slow going. But progress. Pictures here without a lot of my usual verbiage.

Hood set in place (carefully…) and starting to hook up front hinges. Best done without the engine covers and reaching underneath. Alignment not quite set yet. Gap in front has to be wide in order for the hood to swing up and over the radiator surround. That’s the geometry of the hinges. But not quite that wide.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=179723&d=1676085811

With the gaps set, very happy with how my “adjustment” on the rear edge came out. Recall this is where I added 1/8”+ to clean this up. Dash looks darker because it’s in the shadow of the roof. The colors match fine.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=179724&d=1676085811

Hood final alignment plus engine side covers. Happy with how the radiator surround top flows into the top line of the hood. This was another “adjustment” I made and discussed previously.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=179725&d=1676085811

One of things I asked my painter to do was to spray primer, base and clear with minimal other work on the inside of the engine covers and radiator surround. It’s just raw fiberglass so obviously not a fancy finish. But will be easy to keep clean plus keeps the red theme intact.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=179727&d=1676086901

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=179726&d=1676086901

Namrups

02-10-2023, 10:54 PM

Stunning!

Jeff33Ford

02-11-2023, 08:22 AM

All I can say is wow. While I will never be at this level with my build you are keeping me motivated to do the best of my capabilities.

edwardb

03-09-2023, 05:53 PM

While waiting for further progress with the paint, finalized all remaining details with the interior. I received the sport shifter back from Lokar. They repaired mine although did offer if they couldn’t repair, they would send a new replacement. Their parts have a lifetime guarantee. Would be nice to not have a defect on a new part. But they stood behind it 100%. It’s still a mystery exactly what happened. But best I can tell it was defective out of the box and eventually failed. It now clicks through the gears smoothly and with much less effort. As expected, it was challenging to install back into the hole in the center console. But it’s done and buttoned up. In keeping with what other build threads have done, I made a video of the completed interior. Not edited (obviously with gaffes and not knowing the difference between right and left…) but gives a look at the final outcome.

https://youtu.be/Y2nu78nLaSk

With more painted parts completed I was able to assemble the truck bed. This was a big step forward. Everything had been together previously, so relatively straightforward to assemble for the last time. Our oldest grandson spent his spring break at our place. So he was a big help to hang the parts without scratching up my shiny new paint. Yesterday I finished the wood (aka vinyl over aluminum) bed, tailgate, and even installed the rear lights. Again, straightforward enough and really digging the final appearance. I had one panic putting in the wood bed. The chrome strips are held by 1/4-20 SS button head screws into SS T-nuts in the mounting channels. Literally the very last one I put in started grabbing and (you guessed it) did the SS galling routine. I was able to get it loose and chase the threads. So, no major surgery. But did go back and put antiseize on every one of the screws. Which I should have done in the first place and always recommend :mad:. The only thing left are the fenders and running boards. They’re not quite done and my painter had the nerve to go on vacation. Didn’t even ask for permission! He’ll be back and I know he wants to get this wrapped up. Probably by month end I should have a completed truck.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=181357&d=1678400041

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=181355&d=1678400041

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=181356&d=1678400041

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=181358&d=1678400041

The last two pictures were taken with the garage door open and the sun shining in. (Yes, we do occasionally see the sun in Michigan during the winter.) The red does pop. Question for the group. Pretty sure I would like to put something on the tailgate. Right now, considering this Ford script piece. I know, LS engine up front. Oh well. Obviously, it would be better centered and levelled. What do the masses think?

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=181359&d=1678400041

JohnK

03-09-2023, 06:08 PM

So close now! Looks spectacular. (wouldn't expect anything less from you ;)). I like the chrome Ford script. One other option if you want something "period correct" is to paint the Ford script on like the originals.

181360

Jeff Kleiner

03-09-2023, 06:19 PM

“Five” in the same script then see how many notice and make the connection ;)

Looks really nice Paul!

Jeff

Namrups

03-09-2023, 08:11 PM

Looks great! I like the chrome script.

Papa

03-09-2023, 09:08 PM

Paul,

She's going to be a real head turner in "arrest me" red!

Dave

FLFrank35

03-10-2023, 11:04 AM

I like the logo on it. Here’s mine…
181368

RR20AC

03-10-2023, 11:45 AM

edwardb

03-10-2023, 05:53 PM

I was just looking at a news brief on the Reno Air Races. This will be the last year as it has been encroached by development. Looking at the legendary unlimited class names gave me a thought of your truck name. May be something like one of these but your own. Streaga, Voodoo, Dreadnought, Rare Bear, Dago Red?

I just heard about that too. Sounds like they're looking for a new location. Those names are cool and I can picture every one. But I'm not into naming my builds or stealing anything from those. Some of my growing up years we lived down the street from the Van Nuys airport in SoCal. There were several race P-51's based there, plus a race Bearcat. Saw them in person lots of times including close up. Always a distinctive sound to say the least. Not to take away from the time we lived in Virginia near Dulles many years later and saw (and heard) the Concorde arrive and depart every day. Another amazing memory.

Boy, talk about getting off track...

edwardb

03-18-2023, 05:42 PM

Not a huge update, but this close to the finish line feels like a good step forward. Plus two more empty boxes to put in the recycle bin. Yesterday we installed the front and back windows. Today I installed the wiper arms for the first time. All good.

For the windows, the truck has a glued in windshield just like the Coupe, several other FF models, and untold millions of DD's. Plus a smaller window on the back of the cab. As opposed to the bolt-on windshield with the Roadster. Which, for the work required, seems a bit of a chore. But, trust me, easier than the glue-in process. The truck is a bit easier than the Coupe though as the glass comes with the frit (black border) already in place. So, no tedious masking and painting the frit with black primer. Didn’t miss that step at all. Also, again as compared to the Coupe, the supplied glass from FF fits the truck openings perfectly without any bending or trimming. I used rubber trim around the windshield on the Coupe. But didn’t use any for the truck. Also made it simpler. As with previous installations, I have a local buddy who’s in the business working for one of the major OE suppliers, lives close by, and is happy to stop and help whenever I ask. Good thing because none of the regular glass shops I’ve talked to are interested in doing this kind of custom work and I still haven't developed the nerve to try it myself.

There’s really not a lot to say about the process. It’s pretty straightforward. My buddy ask me to abrade the pinch weld contact area with 120 grit sandpaper. Then we very carefully cleaned (no touching!) and did apply primer even though the adhesive we used was technically primerless. Which is pretty common now. With that, and the perimeter of the glass also carefully cleaned, gunned in the urethane adhesive (I watched…) using a power caulking gun with a special tip that makes a “V” bead. Then pressed the glass into place, made sure it was properly centered, and added a few pieces of wide masking tape. We did the small rear window first, then the larger windshield. There’s not really much to add. It’s a straightforward and very standard process. The main tip I would mention is the pinch weld and frit are relatively narrow. So the right size bead (on the small side) properly placed is critical. You obviously need enough for a strong water-tight seal. But not so much that it’s squeezing out excessively around the edges. Both the inside and outside edges are pretty exposed. I didn’t have to do anything to the rear glass. For the windshield, I did a little clean-up and trimming in a few places after the adhesive had set for a couple of hours. All turned out fine and really happy to see the glass in place.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=181720&d=1679175350

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=181723&d=1679175350

Today I installed the wiper arms and confirmed the angles and directions I set on the Specialty Power Windows WWK2 wiper drive kit back when it was installed. Good thing because it’s a little bit of a pain to disassemble and adjust. Mostly just messy with all the packed grease. I used Specialty Power Windows WAB-01BR Billet Aluminum Wiper Arms, RH Bend that I had previously sprayed with satin black Steel-It Polyurethane Spray. I'm Ok with how it all turned out. These wiper arms I would rate as a little fiddly to set up. They have very small screws and they’re not knurled like the 1/2" drums on the wheelboxes. I made sure to use blue Loctite on everything and get the set screws plenty tight. I’m sure they’ll be fine for the (hopefully) very limited use on the truck. But I wouldn’t put them up there with OE style wipers, like the Anco ones on the Coupe. Also tested and confirmed my washers work. Nothing exiting but will pass the safety inspection.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=181722&d=1679175350

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=181721&d=1679175350

Couple more last minute details. I was going to glue the mount for the kit supplied center rear view mirror on the windshield and get that done. But unfortunately the mirror is wider than the opening between the sun visors I installed. I have 6” between and the supplied mirror is almost 8". Ends up a little clunky with things running into each other. Going to look for a different mirror and maybe mount it to the body rather than the windshield. TBD.

While moving the truck around in preparation for installing the glass, the MIL lit and it threw a P2138 “Throttle/Pedal Position Sensor/Switch “D”/”E” Voltage Correlation" code. First time my LS3 has thrown a code. With the MIL on, the accelerator pedal was inoperative, which agrees with various write-ups about this code, putting the engine into a low power or no-drive condition since it’s a potential safety issue. Basically, for redundancy there are two voltage paths between the accelerator and the throttle body. If they are different by a certain amount, the system throws this code. I cleared the code with my scanner and it hasn’t come back (yet…). So maybe it’s a one-time random event. But after doing some research, found that connectors could be the issue. So unplugged each (one at the throttle body, two at the accelerator pedal DBW module), cleaned with contact cleaner, allowed them to dry, and put a very small amount of dielectric grease on the pins. Again, as recommend on multiple sites. All is working OK so far with limited testing. But obviously will be monitoring closely. All new components, so wouldn’t expect anything to be bad. But anything’s possible. The one wildcard IMO is the Dakota Digital cruise control setup I’m using has a jumper cable between the LS3 harness and the DBW module. Maybe that’s disturbing something? Next troubleshoot if the code reappears will be to take that jumper out of the circuit and see if anything changes.

Finally, I’ve decided to change the rear springs. Way back in the build thread I noted how the driveshaft contacted the chassis with the rear suspension in full droop. From another builder, received a recommendation to move the rear coilover upper mounts to the top holes (described in the manual as “for the Hot Rod or low ride height”) as opposed to the lower holes which are for the truck. This limited the suspension droop and eliminated the chassis interference. But as is often the case, changes can have unintended consequences. In this case, the coilover adjustment collars required additional adjustment to make up for the higher mounting. Plus I found in order to keep the rear tires off the fenders, I needed the ride height to be more than the recommended amount. Both of these factors put the coilover adjustments near the end of their upper range and I’m really compressing the kit supplied 8" springs. Now that it’s been on the ground more, the ride height has settled slightly (normal) and ideally I should adjust it some more. But instead, I’m going to swap out the 8” springs for 10” ones. That will get me back to where it should be plus give a little wiggle room for some front-to-back rake which I don’t currently have. I ordered Eibach 1000.250.0250 springs (2.500” ID, 10” length, 250 lbs./in. spring rate) which are the same ID and spring rate as the stock springs. Plus Eibach’s are supposedly an upgrade. They’ll be here next week and shouldn’t be a difficult swap.

The Ford script is now attached with 3M molding tape to the center of the tailgate. Thanks for those that responded to my question and confirmed that location. Seeing a picture of an original 1935 sealed the deal. An easy Google search I could have done but didn't.

That’s enough. My painter is due back from vacation tomorrow so hoping to get the last few pieces finished and installed soon. Unless something else breaks or I decide to change something else, really getting close to done.

Higgybulin

03-19-2023, 04:28 AM

Looks great as always Paul!!

wareaglescott

03-20-2023, 12:52 PM

This is looking awesome Paul. Seeing the Coupe sitting there in one of the pics sure has me hoping you have some plan for an outdoor photo shoot with both cars together!

edwardb

03-20-2023, 09:27 PM

In my last update, I mentioned the kit supplied interior center rear view mirror didn’t fit between the sun visors I previously installed. My bad and my issue to resolve. Posting my solution. With a little research, found a United Pacific 70803 rear view mirror, at 2-1/2” tall and 5-1/8” wide, fit between my visors plus uses a screw-on mount vs. the windshield mount. I liked the idea of not messing with gluing to the windshield so ordered it. Amazon had it on my porch the next day. Passing this on because others may found this mirror to be a nice option as well. Chrome plated aluminum and very robust. The quality is impressive. It doesn’t have the “day/night” function, but not a big deal in my experience.

Mounted it today and it’s perfect. I VERY CAREFULLY drilled two #29 holes (size for an 8-32 tap) slightly over 1/8” deep. Just deep enough to not break into the windshield pinch weld area. I used the 8-32 mounting screws to cut threads into the fiberglass which worked quite well. A bottoming tap would probably be better, but don't have one on hand. Roughed up the back of the mount and the spot on the cab with 40 grit paper for HSRF. The combination of screws and HSRF is very strong and likely much stronger than the usual button glued to the windshield. It would be safer (and less stressful) to mount before installing the windshield. As usual, hindsight is always 20/20.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=181878&d=1679360079

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=181879&d=1679360079

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=181880&d=1679360079

Jeff_J.

03-21-2023, 11:49 AM

Paul your attention to detail is beyond reproach, you're like the Yoda of FF builds. I don't envy the task of choosing which of the two to drive...

edwardb

04-03-2023, 05:54 PM

Today I mounted the painted front fenders, headlights, finished the headlight wiring, and put the front wheels back on for (hopefully) the last time. The truck looks so much different with fenders. I really like it. The running boards are painted but just sitting in place right now. The rear fenders should be back from the painter later this week and that’s it for paint. All the parts accounted for. I’ll be happy and so will my painter. With the rear fenders and running boards bolted in place, I’ll be ready for inspection and get the title/registration process underway. I have all the paperwork ready. And my bank account hopefully ready for the tax man. Just these two pictures today:

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=182491&d=1680561768

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=182490&d=1680561768

The single remaining open item is how I’m going to treat the running boards. The truck door opening is so low I don’t think they’ll be much use to step on getting in and out. But I want to protect the paint somehow. Looking at several options. But won’t hold up getting it legal.

Timing couldn’t be better. Expecting the first delivery of my next project within the next day or two. I’ll post more about that in the near future. Had the Coupe out Saturday for the second time. Love that thing. (Have I said that before?) Running flawlessly even with months-old gas. Looking forward to a great cruising season.

cc2Arider

04-03-2023, 06:42 PM

That 1st picture lookin' a little "ZZ Top!" :cool:

Craig C

Namrups

04-03-2023, 09:25 PM

Beautiful, over the top build as always!!

Papa

04-03-2023, 09:59 PM

edwardb

04-03-2023, 10:47 PM

Paul,

One idea for protection of the running boards is a product I see used a lot in the high-end car arena called Xpel. Some guys wrap their entire car with this stuff.

https://www.xpel.com/products/paint-protection-film

Dave

Yup, Xpel is one of the options I'm considering. I've used it in the past including behind the wheels on my Coupe and behind the rear wheels on my Roadsters. It's a nice product. If I use it here, could be the entire running boards or just patches by the doors. Also considering some half-round polished SS strips.

Thanks for your suggestion.

David Williamson

04-04-2023, 07:44 AM

I think a polished SS scuff plate would look great, maybe with Ford script on it? It looks great just like all your builds
David W

TxMike64

04-06-2023, 11:09 AM

edwardb

04-06-2023, 06:36 PM

Amazing built!

Kinda makes me want to throw my hands up and walk away from my build - as now all my efforts look terribly rudimentary... Oh well, it's rough and unrefined, but this junk is still mine!

Now don't be walking away!!! It's your build and something to be proud of. Many do the "rough and unrefined" on purpose. It's another version of art.

edwardb

04-08-2023, 05:02 PM

Earlier this week we sanded and polished the rear fenders. That’s it for paint. Huge shoutout to my buddy Greg who did the paint with some occasional help from me. Mostly just tried to stay out of the way while learning a lot about the process. A truck with all the fixings is a lot of work. More than both of us expected. Just for grins, here’s a picture of the checklist I had hanging above my workbench as we ticked off all the parts.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=182694&d=1680991043

Today I mounted the rear fenders and did the final adjustments on the running boards. A few more tweaks and bolts tightened underneath and that was it. Drove it around the block a couple times in my sub. Sure different with windows and things closed up since the go-kart. Seems to drive OK. But only 25-30 mph for now. Will have a better feel for it later. Engine seems to run OK. Transmission shifts OK include the sport shift. A/C blows cold. Not as loud as the Coupe but not real quiet either. Next week I’ll get the inspection done so the title and registration process can get started. Michigan has been running 4-6-8 weeks. We’ll see.

While out on the driveway and a little bit of late afternoon sun, snapped these pics.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=182689&d=1680990780

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=182690&d=1680990780

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=182691&d=1680990780

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=182692&d=1680990780

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=182693&d=1680990780

I think I’m going to go with XPEL on the running boards for protection. So, I guess I’m really only 99.9% completed. But that can be done while I’m waiting to get legal. Other than that, on to my next project. I'll post more about that in the next couple days.

Jeff Kleiner

04-08-2023, 05:59 PM

Looking good Paul! It sure is bright….State Troopers will spot you from a mile away ‘cause you won’t blend in with traffic :D

Hope the registration process goes quickly so you can get out and have some fun with it this summer :cool:

Jeff

Jim1855

04-08-2023, 07:10 PM

Paul,
Looks great. Kinda what we expected, you are predictable and talented.
I'll second Jeff's comment, that sure is a bright red. Way into the "arrest me" range.
Jim

Jeff33Ford

04-09-2023, 07:17 AM

Stunning! Can't wait to see it in person this summer.

wareaglescott

04-10-2023, 02:41 PM

another great build. Congrats!

Ted G

04-10-2023, 02:43 PM

That looks amazing!!! Congrats my friend!

Fman

04-10-2023, 11:22 PM

Beautiful! Love that Ford emblem on the tailgate. Congrats on another epic build. Hope you get out and enjoy it this driving season.

wallace18

04-11-2023, 06:06 AM

Job well done!:cool:

rthomas98

04-11-2023, 02:24 PM

Paul that looks really great.

Blitzboy54

04-11-2023, 07:11 PM

Work of art! Congratulations Paul, she’s beautiful.

dbo_texas

04-12-2023, 10:46 AM

Looks amazing as usual. Great job on the build Paul!

Lew

04-12-2023, 04:32 PM

Beautiful job Paul!
What offset do you have on your wheels?

Lewis
'35 Trk

edwardb

04-12-2023, 10:28 PM

Beautiful job Paul!
What offset do you have on your wheels?

Lewis
'35 Trk

Thanks. The wheels are from Wheel Smith in California. Tire size 245/45ZR18. I have the same wheels/tires on all four corners. The wheels are 18" diameter, 8" width, 5 on 4.50" lugs, 5.00" backspace. That's the largest backspace they offered. The installation also includes 1" spacers to clear the brakes and also sit better in the fenders.

D02G

04-25-2023, 10:37 AM

Hey Paul,

Maybe I missed it, but did you announce your next project?

edwardb

04-25-2023, 10:46 AM

Hey Paul,

Maybe I missed it, but did you announce your next project?

Not yet. Soon. Working on my graduation post and will talk about it there. Thanks for your interest. :o

edwardb

04-29-2023, 10:54 AM

This has been a little slow in coming. First a couple more pictures of the finished truck in addition to the ones I posted before.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=183732&d=1682732431

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=183730&d=1682732431

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=183731&d=1682732431

Time to get legal and graduate. With the truck done, I called the local sheriff dispatch line for the safety inspection. That’s how it works here. That was all the way back on Tuesday, April 11. Within 15 minutes or so, the officer drove up my driveway. He signed the inspection form with only a glancing look at the truck. That was easy! I checked the Michigan SOS website for an appointment to do my title application. There were times later in the same day. Why not? Let’s get this done.

Showed up at the appointment time and waited just a few minutes. When I walked up, I explained why I was there. The head shake and eyes rolling back in the head suggested this might not be easy or fun. She wasn’t very happy with me, and I found out very quickly not to say anything or even ask questions. After going through my papers (and aggressively shoving back to me the ones she didn’t want) and looking at her computer screen, off she went to the supervisor’s office. Both came out and filled out the screen together. After a discussion about how I already paid sales tax for the crate motor so it shouldn’t be included in the amount to be taxed (again not happy with me) I paid my tax bill and she handed me the papers. She explained that because it was a replica, it didn’t fall under the assembled vehicle procedure. They applied for the title as a 1935 Ford Truck with the FF serial number as the VIN. I didn’t question it but didn’t seem right. This is my fourth time since state changes after my Mk3 Roadster 12 years ago. The other three were treated as assembled vehicles (and replicas obviously) so this was a big surprise. My conclusion was either something has changed or the application would get to Lansing and be delayed. Imagine my surprise when eight days later I received the title in the mail. 1935 Ford Truck with the FF serial number as the VIN. I still don’t understand it. But I’m not going to question it.

The next day I worked with Robbin at Midwest Classic Insurance and had the truck added to the same policy as my Coupe. With the title and proof of insurance, made another appointment to get registered and my license plate. In and out in 10 minutes this time with smiles all around. Total of $37 for registration, a personalized plate, and the annual tax. That 1935 date was paying off big time! I’m on a temporary tag until my personalized plate arrives.

Back home, what else to do but have my first real drive? Drove one of my shorter country loops. Just under 12 miles. All worked OK. Drives good, runs good, shifted good, etc. Up to 55 - 60 mph and no surprises. But three things to address: (1) There was a very loud squeak/rattling sound from the back wall of the cab. (2) There was a huge rush of air coming from the rear corners of the cab. (3) The brake pedal was too high. Here’s what I did with each, and at least two may be useful for other truck builders.

Squeak on rear wall: Upon further examination, it was from where the body rests on the “cab rear to bed aluminum panel” (page 314 in my manual). The rear fiberglass wall of the cab is flexible enough that it moves along this aluminum panel and makes quite a racket. Ideally, this length along the back wall of the cab should be bedded in the adhesive of your choice at time of the last body installation and the fiberglass flange on the outside of the rear wall (just in front of the front bed wall) riveted to the aluminum panel. Too late for me. Took the seats out (also for point #2) and put a row of 3/16” multigrip rivets into the aluminum panel and through the fiberglass flange from underneath on the inside of the cab. That seemed to work. Can’t make it rattle or squeak by shaking the rear wall and didn’t make any noise on a very short test drive. Highly recommend new builders lock that area down during the build.

Air from rear corners of the cab: This one I should have seen coming. Really don’t know what I was thinking to be honest. With the cab installed, there’s a roughly 6 x 8 inch opening to underneath the truck at the rear inside corners. The kit provides an aluminum corner piece that gets carpeted and installed in the rear corners. But it’s not airtight. Air and exhaust sound pours through that opening like you left the window open. I’ve now stuffed multiple pieces of 2-1/4 inch square by 42 inch long window A/C foam weather seal into the opening from inside and from underneath. I don’t know yet if that fixes the problem. Again, something for new builders to look at. There may be other ways that air is getting into the cockpit from along the sides or back. I will continue to monitor.

Brake pedal too high: I set the brake pedal according to the Wilwood directions to get the required amount of throw. Remember, this isn’t a Wilwood pedal box. Didn’t use it. I have a Wilwood double master cylinder on the modified firewall with a vacuum brake booster. The brake pedal swings on a mount I fabricated and bolted to the top of the platform where the Wilwood pedal box normally goes. Detailed earlier in this build thread. With the power brakes, I get full braking with only a couple inches of pedal push. So, I dropped the dash and adjusted the clevis that is attached to the brake pedal arm to lower the pedal about half an inch. Huge difference. My foot was catching on the side of the pedal. Now it’s much more natural and feels safer.

Also on my “to-do” list was to attach the running boards to the chassis mounted platforms FF supplies. The fiberglass running boards are a little bit flexible and along with the fenders can move around some. I decided to use the same 3M 5200 Marine Sealant that FF said to use for the floor insulation panels. Was impressed with it when I used it before. For each, put some beads of adhesive on the chassis mounts, bolted the running boards to the front and rear fenders, then put some weight on the running boards (a precision cinder block on towels…) and let them set for a couple days. Seem rock solid now.

Finally, just yesterday changed the oil. Chevrolet Performance says to change the oil in their LS crate engines after 30 miles and again at 500. Each time check for foreign material or whatever. They must not trust their assembly folks too much! My odometer was at 90. But first go-kart drives where with an uncalibrated Autometer speedometer which was way off. Actual mileage probably in the 30-40 mile range. The drained oil looked pristine and nothing in it. But all new now.

I’ve been waiting for some decent weather to take some longer drives to report my issues solved as well as more driving impressions. Between the few days of repairs and rain and even a little snow, just hasn’t happened. Rained all day yesterday and supposed to again today. (Side note, my grass is really green!) I’m hoping to take it to a club event next week. We’ll see.

So, with that, I’m calling this build thread a wrap. It’s been an interesting journey like it always is. My truck was delivered on January 5, 2021 and officially done and legal last week. Two years plus. Not a fast build by any means. But as is usually the case, life happens along the way. During that time, lost my elderly Dad, lost a brother to Covid, gained a new granddaughter (that makes five grands), went to the HS graduation of another granddaughter, have played taxi for our oldest grandson who’s at university here in Michigan and just finished his junior year studying mechanical engineering, lots of car events with our local club, LCS, Factory Five open house, another Detroit Autorama, my wife had major surgery and now completely recovered, and I had my own hospital stay dealing with some medical issues. Around all that was able to get this truck built. Who says the life of a retiree is boring? Lots of thanks to go around as always. To Factory Five for a fun project and a very cool final result, multiple suppliers who mostly gave me great service, to forum members who encourage me and answer questions, to my wife who supports my hobby and usually joins for cruising, and a special shout out to my buddy Greg who always was a text message away when I needed help with something and ended up being my painter. Nice work even though we totally trashed his garage. On to the next project.

<< continued in the next post >>

edwardb

04-29-2023, 10:56 AM

I’ve been not so subtly hinting about my next project. Time to fess up. Here’s a quick summary and a link to a longer thread about it. I’ve had a lifelong interest in aviation. Did radio control models pretty much since high school until that was replaced with this car thing. But I’ve always wanted to build a real airplane. Crazy, right? So far most everybody says I am. I don’t care. I’m doing it. I’m building a Sling TSi from Sling Aircraft in Johannesburg, South Africa. It’s a 4-place mostly all aluminum low wing that’s been around a few years and getting a lot of interest. I ordered the wing and empennage kits last June and received them April 4. Just over three weeks ago. I’m having fun and so far incredibly impressed with the kit. Here’s the post with more details. https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showthread.php?45961-My-Journey-to-the-Next-Project-Sling-TSi-Build&p=524708#post524708.

If you want to skip my life’s story, here’s a link to the EAA website where I’ll be posting pictures. https://eaabuilderslog.org/?s=PaulTSi. Here are just a few:

Finished Sling TSi Example:

https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/ab234/edwardb123/IMG_3146_cropped.jpg?width=960&height=720&fit=bounds (https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/ab234/edwardb123/IMG_3146_cropped.jpg?width=960&height=720&fit=bounds)

Serpent Express trailers also work for airplane kits:

https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/ab234/edwardb123/IMG_3401.jpg?width=960&height=720&fit=bounds (https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/ab234/edwardb123/IMG_3401.jpg?width=960&height=720&fit=bounds)

Skeleton of the LH wing. And yes, I can get it out of my basement. The wing spars come out of the crate factory built. Along with several other structural and safety items. But you do have to drill countsinks for the rivets along the top and bottom of the wing spars. Visible in this picture. A total of just under 800 between the two spars. The flat plates at each end of the wing are jigs to align the wing with 1.5 degrees of washout. Locked in once all the skins are in place. Very clever.

https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/ab234/edwardb123/RH_Mockup_8.jpg?width=960&height=720&fit=bounds (https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/ab234/edwardb123/RH_Mockup_8.jpg?width=960&height=720&fit=bounds)

I hereby declare myself the winner of the “How many Clecos does it take?” contest. For an airplane, a lot of them. This is placing the skin on the rudder assembly:

https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/ab234/edwardb123/Skin_Cleco.jpg?width=960&height=720&fit=bounds (https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/ab234/edwardb123/Skin_Cleco.jpg?width=960&height=720&fit=bounds)

Finally, an interesting piece that was the first thing I put together to check part fit, instructions, etc. This is the elevator horn that later has weights added for counterbalance. A lot of pieces and they fit perfectly. In the background you can see an example of the build manual and also how the parts are organized. Impressive. Literally thousands of rivets to pull for the build. My Milwaukee M12 Rivet Tool is working great. I also have a new air driven version that sucks the mandrel into the container. Will use that when I get into really high volume like the wing and fuse skins. Pulling by hand isn't an option here. I had to pull a couple of the medium size 3.2mm rivets by hand in a corner that was inaccessible with the Milwaukee tool. It was all I could do to pop with two hands. This assembly is mostly 4mm rivets and (for me anyway) impossible to pull by hand. The Milwaukee tool grunts a little but sets them perfectly.

https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/ab234/edwardb123/Control_Horn_1.jpg?width=960&height=720&fit=bounds (https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/ab234/edwardb123/Control_Horn_1.jpg?width=960&height=720&fit=bounds)

With that, I’m off to keep working. Still planning to be back here regularly and post. Also have a full summer ahead of cruising for both the Coupe and the truck.