EdwardB’s 35 Hot Rod Truck Build - Well Traveled

[edwardb]

Here we go again. Enjoy building too much to not have a project underway. So, build number five is on order. Completion date at Factory Five isn’t until 12/05/2020. So, this is an early start to a build thread. But will kick it off anyway. It’s been about seven months since the Gen 3 Coupe was done. I’ve spent the time since then completing a number of home projects. All necessary and good progress. But ready to spend some time on something else. Approaching five years in retirement now (hard to believe) and I love staying busy. To make room, just sold and delivered the 20th Anniversary Roadster to its new owner. What a great car that was and sad to see it go. But we thoroughly enjoy the Coupe. The garage shop does seem to have an opening now though. Time to fill it up.

https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/ab234/edwardb123/IMG_2148.jpg?width=960&height=540&fit=bounds (https://app.photobucket.com/u/edwardb123/a/186cc666-68d0-4881-b53c-af005ffe3552/p/85a782c7-0f58-4718-acba-27874cff6db0)

So back to the best of both worlds. One to drive and one to build. I’ve been keeping an eye on the F9 super car. Thought we might see it in person at this year’s Open House. Didn’t happen of course since it was cancelled. Based on the latest updates it’s clearly going to be a while before it’s available. I like it a lot and hats off to Dave and team for what it’s going to be. But to be honest the more I see and learn, it’s probably not for us. What I really want is something that’s a little more civil and especially something that’s comfortable and easy for my wife to get in and out of. Maybe even convince her to drive one of my builds. The Hot Rod Pick-Up Truck was something that caught my eye when it was released. So, going to give it a shot. Will be quite different than previous builds.

The goal of the build will be a civilized (as much as possible) street cruiser. I much prefer the classic look with the fenders and running boards. Plus, not a fan of rocks and whatever else flying off the tires. Going to do an automatic transmission to stay in the civilized theme. Haven’t done that before and I enjoy learning and trying new things. Plus, the footbox room seems somewhat limited and eliminating the clutch should help. Power steering is a given. Wouldn’t mind power brakes. Heat and A/C for sure. Maybe a sound system.

With the Coyotes in the last two builds, I’ve become a huge fan of the turnkey crate modern computer controlled EFI engines. I know it’s been done, but the size of the Coyote makes it very tight in this model. So, for the engine, I’ve decided to go Chevy LS. Nothing crazy. Planning the 430 HP LS3 crate motor. I’ve been one that isn’t a fan of non-Ford engines in the Roadster or Coupe. And for those cars leave me in that camp. But for this build, it’s such a departure from a traditional Ford I’m going to excuse myself and go for it. In spite of any piling on by Steve Mr. GoDadGo. :p The LS3 is much more compact, a bit cheaper, and again fits the theme of learning and trying something I haven’t done before. I’ll be very interested to compare an LS installation experience to what I’ve learned doing the Coyotes.

The 430 HP LS3, while by far not the most powerful available, will have plenty of go for my intended use. I’ll look for some dress-up options. It suffers from the same busy wire and hose look like most modern engines. But nothing crazy. One thing it won’t have is covers that say Corvette or whatever like I’ve seen on some LS builds. Not going to advertise that I’ve gone rogue. :rolleyes:

This is exactly what I ordered:

’35 Truck Kit with uncoated frame
LS installation kit
Driveshaft for LS engine and 4L65E automatic transmission
Black vinyl seats
Truck front grill
Platinum gauges
Chrome tilt steering wheel
Electric power steering
Engine cover kit
Full fender kit
Wood bed kit
Moser 8.8 wide rear axle with 3-link
Black Wilwood brakes front and back

I’m going with the uncoated frame because to be honest I’m not a huge fan of the now standard satin black powder coat. And for the Hot Rod and Truck, quite a bit is exposed. The Factory Five powder coat is a good value. But I’m going to get it uncoated, mock everything up, and make any modifications. Then clean it up (welds as needed, spatter, etc.) and have it coated locally. Along with the uncoated suspension parts and other fabricated misc. Color TBD.

I like the traditional look of the bench seat. But I want to go with something that provides the most amount of people space, height, and adjustment. Plus, I’d really prefer to have head rests for safety. So going with the regular Roadster seats for mock up and study to select the seats I’ll use. Then sell the unused Roadster seats. Used that strategy for the Coupe and worked quite well.

I love the wire wheels I’ve seen on several builds. So, getting information about those. Would appear in that case all four corners use the same size tires versus the usual staggered setup. Which is fine for what I’m planning. Haven’t decided which heat and A/C system I’ll use. More study when the kit is here and can mock everything up. I’d like something a little more sophisticated than the very basic system in the Coupe. But we’ll see if that’s possible. Will have wipers. Maybe washers. Other possibilities are cruise control and electronic e-brake. Probably will go old fashioned with a keyed ignition versus keyless like the Coupe. I like the Digital Guard Dawg setup in the Coupe. Works great. But adds complexity and takes some space. Will look at options to extend the under car exhaust all the way to the back to keep noise down as much as possible. Will have plenty of insulation and try to make the overall driving and comfort level as high as possible. Planning the standard GM electronic controller for the 4L65E automatic, with a Lokar Sport Shifter that can be left fully automatic or has a bump shift mode.

I’m going with Wilwood brakes again. They’re expensive and for my driving purposes the standard brakes would be fine. But what can I say? I like the look of the Wilwoods and they’re beautifully made and go together perfectly. This will be the fourth time I’ve used them. The solid axle version uses single piston rears, which aren’t as robust as the 4-piston rears used on the IRS setup. But I had this combination (6-piston front, single piston rear) on my #7750 Mk4 Roadster and they worked fine. As mentioned, will look at power assist. That would mean giving up the Wilwood balance bar setup. But I think would fit well into the build theme and plan. Since it will be electric power steering, no hydraulic available for hydroboost. So would have to be vacuum assist, and I suspect there isn’t room for the reservoir. But we’ll see.

I’m planning to order the LS3 crate motor soon so it’s on hand when the kit arrives. Same for the transmission. Then can starting mocking things up immediately. Looking at using a Gearstar reman 4L65E. All transmissions of this type and vintage I’ve found are rebuilds or remans. Even when buying from GM. The aftermarket seems to offer some upgrades to the internals, more power handling, etc. for similar money.

That’s it for now. Feedback and (positive…) comments welcome.

[JohnK]

Subscribed! I'm so happy you're starting another build. I always learn so much from your build threads. Let me guess... it'll be red :p

[Papa]

Congratulations, Paul. I'm sure we're about to see yet another benchmark build take place and I look forward to following. I have a few more years before retirement, but I'm already itching to build again. I've even considered offering to do builds for others in the area that have stalled out and want to finish up. Not looking to make any money, just want to have a project to work on.

Dave

[edwardb]

Subscribed! I'm so happy you're starting another build. I always learn so much from your build threads. Let me guess... it'll be red :p

Oops. Didn't include any discussion about exterior color in my first post. Answer: Undecided. Willing to consider other colors beside red, so open for now. But I've said that before.

[JohnK]

Out of curiosity, have you given any thought to trying to add ABS and/or traction control to a build? I thought about this, but it was just too much complexity for me on a first build.

[Al_C]

Wow! I had an idea that you might go with a truck for your next adventure! Good for you! I know this one will come out beautifully and it will be extremely well documented. I bet the hardest part is waiting for everything to arrive...

[nuhale]

Great! Looking forward to following your progress!

[edwardb]

Out of curiosity, have you given any thought to trying to add ABS and/or traction control to a build? I thought about this, but it was just too much complexity for me on a first build.

No, not something I've considered. Two reasons: These are generally fair weather cars. At least for me, don't purposely drive when it's crummy out. When it happens, take it easy and generally go for cover. And for sure not in the winter when the roads are snowy, icy, salt covered, or all of the above. So braking and traction aids aren't quite the draw for me that they are for a DD. But probably mainly because I worked my whole career around those kinds of systems. I'm personally not an engineer. But as someone in the industry with automotive interest, was witness to the engineering and testing that goes into those systems and the amount of customization depending on the vehicle and how its equipped. I question hanging them onto a chassis and drivetrain they weren't specifically designed for. There are aftermarket solutions that are more universal, but haven't gone there either. Don't want to get into a debate about this. I know others have done it and are happy with the results. That's great. Just not my personal choice.

[legend42]

Congrats Paul! Looking forward to following your build.

Rob

[Jeff Kleiner]

What fun Paul! This will be a great one to watch :) Aside from the engine choice your plan sounds much like the very civilized pickup that Ron E. just completed for Phil. It's going to be interesting to see you tackle an LS...and I'll be paying attention and trying to learn (if I can ever get the parade of roadsters coming through here to slow down my goal is to build myself an LS powered '35 in the big tire fenderless style like Freddie Simmons has done) ;)

Can't wait to see you get started!

Jeff

[Straversi]

An LS powered 33 is on my very distant horizon so I'm excited to see this as well. Congratulations.
-Steve

[GoDadGo]

Oh My God Paul, You've Come Over To The Dark Side!

.................This is going to be one of the best, if not the best truck ever.

[Logan]

Awesome choice Paul! I’ll be following closely. Can’t wait to see this one go together in your meticulous fashion.

[JohnK]

No, not something I've considered. Two reasons: These are generally fair weather cars. At least for me, don't purposely drive when it's crummy out. When it happens, take it easy and generally go for cover. And for sure not in the winter when the roads are snowy, icy, salt covered, or all of the above. So braking and traction aids aren't quite the draw for me that they are for a DD. But probably mainly because I worked my whole career around those kinds of systems. I'm personally not an engineer. But as someone in the industry with automotive interest, was witness to the engineering and testing that goes into those systems and the amount of customization depending on the vehicle and how its equipped. I question hanging them onto a chassis and drivetrain they weren't specifically designed for. There are aftermarket solutions that are more universal, but haven't gone there either. Don't want to get into a debate about this. I know others have done it and are happy with the results. That's great. Just not my personal choice.

Thanks Paul. That all makes perfect sense.

[jiriza84641]

Following, and he went with an LS whoa! This will epic yet again!

[ydousurf]

Congrats on your new build choice, Paul! I know many, including myself, are very grateful for your Roadster builds. I'm using yours as reference along with all the other builds out here as well.

I/WE/YOU have seen many, many posts of "Thanks" throughout the Roadster and Coupe builds... So, anyone can see that this future 35 truck build will no doubt be very beneficial to builders who will be doing that kit. Whether along with you or in the future, this new build will contribute and be utilized by so many.

You're clearly a master builder and no doubt know what you're doing, but I do hope that it gives you some rewarding challenges and opportunities? No, not necessarily road blocks, but where it challenges you and your skills. Allowing you to demonstrate your thinking outside the box and sharing "new ways" to complete a particular step or phase.

Anyway, it will be a joy to see it come together in real-time as you progress and post. All the best to you! I'll be following along...

Dj

[edwardb]

What fun Paul! This will be a great one to watch :) Aside from the engine choice your plan sounds much like the very civilized pickup that Ron E. just completed for Phil. It's going to be interesting to see you tackle an LS...and I'll be paying attention and trying to learn (if I can ever get the parade of roadsters coming through here to slow down my goal is to build myself an LS powered '35 in the big tire fenderless style like Freddie Simmons has done) ;)

Can't wait to see you get started!

Jeff

That's a very nice build and definitely one of my inspirations. I have have all of the pictures saved and have been studying them closely. Along with lots of others.


Oh My God Paul, You've Come Over To The Dark Side!

Easy big boy. ;) For this build only and for the reasons mentioned.

[FF33rod]

Have to chime in, glad to see you kick off another one! doesn't matter what you're building I learn stuff....

[GoDadGo]

Easy big boy. ;) For this build only and for the reasons mentioned.

https://youtu.be/Baicy_oPOmM

[wareaglescott]

Excited to watch you do another build! Subscribed.

[mburger]

Good for you Paul, good luck!

[Kodiak]

Will be following this build congratulations Paul .

[7tvette]

Always love your builds and attention to detail. Will be following again!

Troy

[shark92651]

Well that didn't take long! I'm looking forward to following the development of the definitive "35 Hot Rod supplemental build instruction manual" ;)

[Caddy Dad]

That's awesome Paul. I was wondering what you were going to build next. Congrats!

[GTBradley]

What an evolution you’ve gone through! This is going to be a great looking truck and, personally, I love the wire wheels, fenders and running boards classic look. I think you’ll both enjoy driving this even more than the others. Looking forward to the process.

[marshc56]

Congratulationas, Paul. You have a following like no other., and rightly so! It has been my pleasure "studying" your builds and this one will be certainly no exception. :D

No offense, but in some circles this "build thing" might be considered an addiction... :rolleyes: LOL!

marsh

[edwardb]

No offense, but in some circles this "build thing" might be considered an addiction... :rolleyes: LOL!

marsh

No offense taken. You know what they say, admitting you have a problem is the first step. :p

But still having too much fun.

[edwardb]

Here we go. Ordered the LS3 crate motor, LS2/LS3 controller pack, and the 4L65E automatic transmission. I want to have these parts on hand when the kit arrives so I can start mocking things up as quickly as possible. The crate motor and controller pack are here. The transmission I ordered from Gearstar Performance Transmissions in Akron, OH. After looking at several options and reviewing recommendations, this seemed like a good choice. It’s their Level 3 version including the proper torque converter. A bit cheaper then buying the standard Chevrolet Performance version and much beefier. They were very helpful walking me through what I need to know to order. Promised in six weeks. Close enough I can make the drive over and pick it up in person when ready. Not sure yet what transmission controller I'll use. GM has one of course. Gearstar said that would be fine. But also recommended HGM. More research pending.

Received the LS3 controller pack several days ago and have that spread out on the floor and studying the instructions. Hard not to compare to my Coyote control pack experience. In some ways, similar. But in other ways quite different. The main difference is the crate motor has almost no wiring on it like the Coyote. So the supplied harness includes the complete engine harness. More to hook up. But since the LS is a simpler engine, not all the much. The instructions are OK. But not great. I’ll figure it out. The drive by wire (DBW) accelerator is big and beefy. Will definitely need to go on a diet. I'll wait until I see where it goes in the footbox.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=135163&d=1600294612

The engine arrived today. Always a big event. It sure looks small compared to a Coyote! I didn’t check the exact specs. But a quick tape measure compare to the Coyote in the Coupe shows it’s about six inches narrower. Had a minor surprise. The information from Chevrolet Performance said I needed a flex plate and related hardware kit. So had that on hand. Unwrapped the engine and it already has the same exact flex plate already bolted in place. So, my first return is underway. I’m sure won’t be the last. I’ll need a starter, alternator, and A/C compressor. Going to wait on those until mocking up in the chassis to see how the front accessory drive sorts out with the available space. There are a ton of options for the LS. I read in another build thread that I may need to change out the oil pan to clear the electric power steering setup. We’ll see about that later in mockup. The kit comes with new headers for the LS, so the supplied ones will be swapped out. I draped the harness over the engine and was able to identify where all the connections go. There aren’t wires on the harness for a couple on the engine. So more research and study needed there. I'm learning about the different cylinder numbering GM uses. Some of the harness wires said "odd side" and "even side." I get it now.

As I mentioned in my first post describing the build, this is the 430 HP LS3. Not their most potent by any means. But for what I'm planning, I think should be plenty. What I have learned is the next step up (495 HP as I recall) is exactly the same engine just with a different cam. So could make a pretty easy upgrade in the future it I really wanted to. That’s about it for now.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=135158&d=1600294568

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=135159&d=1600294576

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=135161&d=1600294592

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=135160&d=1600294584

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=135162&d=1600294600

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=135159&d=1600294576

[DamnYankee]

Great engine choice. I did the 495hp version with the T56 transmission.

[460.465USMC]

Congratulations, Paul! I’m a bowtie guy at heart—oops! Was that my outside voice?—and will be cheering you on all the way.

Subscribed! Pen out and ready to take notes.

Chris

[RR20AC]

Should be a great one Paul. Don't they say the hotrod is a great auto crosser. Be fun to have one for just that. My plane is to be overall grey with red and some yellow highlights. Can't get away from the red totally. How are the prices on the engine package for chevy compared to Ford? Thanks for the new build. jim

[edwardb]

Should be a great one Paul. Don't they say the hotrod is a great auto crosser. Be fun to have one for just that. My plane is to be overall grey with red and some yellow highlights. Can't get away from the red totally. How are the prices on the engine package for chevy compared to Ford? Thanks for the new build. jim

Thanks. Will be interested to see/hear more about your plane project. Can't offer too much yet on the price difference between the LS and Coyote until I have the package completed. The version LS3 I purchased is less than a Gen 3 Coyote. But not a lot. The electronic packages are about the same. I still need to add accessories (starter, alternator, A/C compressor) and will need mounts to position the alternator and compressor properly. Just briefly browsing, there appear to be many more aftermarket parts for the LS package. In the end I'm not expecting my build to be substantially less than a Coyote build. The picture might be different if going used versus new just based on pure volume. But I don't know.

[Lancaster Lad]

EdwardB

Will be following along as I did with your Roadsters.
You might look into the Vintage Air Frontrunner system for your AC and Alt mount. It is very compact.
I saw the system mounted in a Hot Rod at HB numerous times and it fits nicely. And I think the Truck
is the same as the Hot Rod in the front. It also fits in a Roadster very well.

[GoDadGo]

The Dark Side Has Been Embrased!

....Soon You Will Understand It's Power!

[delta0014]

Awesome,
Looking forward to watching this build come along.

[Rook]

Very cool! I'm reading through your other build threads and am learning a ton. It'll be fun to follow along in real-time for this one.

[House Money]

For the accessory drive you might want to look at the Holley systems. I used one on my truck and really like it. A few features I really liked were there are no brackets, everything mounts to the main water pump housing, next is that housing has a drilled and tapped provision for the steam line. And one thing i really liked is that you have two options for routing the heater hoses, straight out like on your water pump included with your crate engine, or down like I did. I think when you test fit the engine in your chassis you will see why that could be important, those nipples came really close to one of the frame tubes on mine. Plus, I'm not running a hood or side covers so having the hoses drop down helped to hide them.

Gary

[John Dol]

Yeah buddy, another great build to follow!!

John

[David Williamson]

looking like another great build. The LS3 is a great package a friend is finshing up a 68 Chevelle resto mod with one.
David W

[WIS89]

Paul-

Like many others, I look forward to watching another great build! I put my money on an F-9, but this should be exciting too.

Maybe the F-9 will be next, because I do think you do have an addiction; one from which we all benefit!!

Thanks for doing what you do Paul!

Regards,

Steve

[DadofThree]

Oh Boy! I'm going to start saving my money so I can buy that coupe of yours in 2023 :)

Looking forward to following the Truck build!

[hugo-k]

I am planning building a -35 Pick up myself. Finished my Mk4 early spring this year.
Maybe silly question.
Is it possible to install a Trailer hitch on the chassis?
The tow load will be only 600-700lbs.

[edwardb]

I am planning building a -35 Pick up myself. Finished my Mk4 early spring this year.
Maybe silly question.
Is it possible to install a Trailer hitch on the chassis?
The tow load will be only 600-700lbs.

A local buddy built a '33 Hot Rod and modified the chassis to add a trailer hitch for a small trailer. Along the lines of what you're describing. But I don't know any specifics, and definitely don't know anything for the truck. I suspect the answer is yes if done properly. Especially for something that light. But I can't say based on any direct knowledge or experience. Sorry.

[edwardb]

Received word yesterday that my 4L65E automatic transmission was done. So road trip today to GearStar Performance Transmission in Akron, OH to pick it up. They were super friendly and gave me a brief tour of their place before loading into the back of our SUV. I know little/nothing about the internals of transmissions in general and especially automatics. And can't say I know too much more after the visit. But was a clean shop and seem to do nice work. They have two dynos and run them for 100 miles before delivery. Came highly recommended with good reviews. Which is why I picked them. They are super busy with a lot of work in the queue. I think I was a bit lucky to get mine in just a few weeks. It's their GM 4L65E Performance Transmission Level 3 rated at 500 HP and up to 500 ft lbs torque and has a 36 mo/36,000 mile warranty. Came with the proper torque converter, cooler, fluid, and generally looks great. All up approaching 200 lbs, so it's a chunk. Questioned the 4L60E marking on the case, but apparently the 4L65E is the same case with different internals, converter, etc. Set up for my LS3 and the FF recommended torque converter stall speed of 3500 RPM.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=135529&d=1601087316

[wareaglescott]

Looks like a nice unit Paul. That is great they are pretty close to you and you were able to get a shop tour. Do you know if that fits right in the chassis or do you have to make some modifications to use and automatic?

[edwardb]

Looks like a nice unit Paul. That is great they are pretty close to you and you were able to get a shop tour. Do you know if that fits right in the chassis or do you have to make some modifications to use and automatic?

This is the specific transmission that Factory Five recommends with the LS engine setup. So I'm hoping little/no mods for it to mount up and fit. Find out soon enough.

[edwardb]

Today I assembled the 4L65E automatic to the LS3. First time working with any of this stuff, including bolting a torque converter to a flex plate. But carefully followed the instructions from Gearstar, plus a few Google searches, and it’s all together. Was especially easy because Gearstar already installed the torque converter, along with a temporary wood piece to hold it back in the right location. That’s apparently one of the bigger mistakes people make, e.g. not getting it pushed all the way in place. Or push it in without being aligned properly. Didn’t have to worry about either. Hopefully not to come apart again. Ready to drop into the chassis when it arrives and starting fitting everything around it. The transmission is heavy and not easy to handle when working by yourself. I put the LS3 back on the crate base it was delivered on and it's going to stay there for now. Then used my shop crane to lift the transmission and the leveler to line it up. When together pretty easily. Torqued all the mounting and flex plate bolts and should be good to go. And just in case someone thinks I missed a mounting bolt, that open hole in the bell housing doesn't have a matching threaded hole in the block. The GM instructions say eight bolts required and I have all eight installed and accounted for. Also as can be seen in these pictures, I removed the stock exhaust headers and taped over the openings. My kit order includes new headers.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=136123&d=1602363761

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=136125&d=1602363776

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=136124&d=1602363769

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=136126&d=1602363796

Couple other updates. Decided to go with the HGM transmission controller. Was recommended by Gearstar and has a lot of positive reviews and feedback. Plus, little over half the cost of the GM/Chevrolet controller. Made the decision pretty easy. The GM controller requires a laptop. This uses an app on your phone and Bluetooth. Doesn’t matter either way for me, but kind of a cool feature. More wires to deal with when the time comes. I hooked it up and put some power on it. It’s alive and working as it should for now.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=136128&d=1602363825

Also decided to go with the Lokar Sport Shifter. Specifically, part number ES4L60EFMP. Provides the usual shifting via a cable. But also has a sport mode where you can manually shift up and down by bumping the shifter. Same idea as a paddle shifter without the added complication. Only minor issue I had was the HGM controller didn’t have the necessary wires for the sport mode switches and nothing about it in the instructions. I was panicking a bit thinking it didn’t support. But a quick lifeline to HGM and they had the exact wires and instructions I needed to add them. A little surgery to add them into the harness, but very straightforward and ready to go. The Lokar shifter also has a park and neutral safety switch, so will be able to wire that into the build as well. Not a cheap piece, like most Lokar products, but appears to be very well made and high quality.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=136129&d=1602363833

Finally, Gearstar sent me a video on my transmission on their dyno for final testing. Kind of interesting. Have done a little poking around learning what’s inside these things and how they work. Quite complex and this is a simple one by today’s standards.

https://youtu.be/OwE1VOTdtuc

That’s it. Pretty much running out of things to do and my completion date is still 7 weeks away. I guess that means more home projects for now. Plus driving the Coupe as long as the weather allows. Turned 1,700 miles today. Love it.

[Jeff Kleiner]

Hey, you missed a bolt :p

Looking good as usual :)

Jeff

[PNWTim]

Paul -

I have followed all your builds with great interest. My son and I have recently completed a build of a 1969 Camaro with the LS3 and I think you are going to love it.

https://www.camaros.net/threads/tims-69-grocery-getter.459263/

We opted for the one step up from yours (495 HP and 495 TQ) and it's a beast. Very simple comment but can save you some heart ache. When moving it around, test mounting etc. be very aware of the vacuum port on the back of the manifold. You will most likely use this for brakes but it can be snapped off in the blink of an eye. Good luck with your build and look forward to watching.

[edwardb]

Paul -

I have followed all your builds with great interest. My son and I have recently completed a build of a 1969 Camaro with the LS3 and I think you are going to love it.

https://www.camaros.net/threads/tims-69-grocery-getter.459263/

We opted for the one step up from yours (495 HP and 495 TQ) and it's a beast. Very simple comment but can save you some heart ache. When moving it around, test mounting etc. be very aware of the vacuum port on the back of the manifold. You will most likely use this for brakes but it can be snapped off in the blink of an eye. Good luck with your build and look forward to watching.

Thanks for your post and comments. I browsed through your Camero build thread. Very cool! Awesome work there. I'm pretty sure the 430 HP LS3 I chose will be plenty for how I'm planning to use the truck. But as I understand, the only difference between mine and the 495 HP version is the cam. So that would be an easy enough swap if I wanted some quick HP. But really don't expect will be doing so. Thanks for the tip on the vacuum port. I have the transmission mounted and for these builds typically go in together. So it's well protected. But I'll keep an eye on it. I wouldn't mind power brakes. Would fit the theme of this build. But I doubt there's room for the vacuum booster. So chances are that port will be covered and not used.

Speaking of the build -- the truck is scheduled for completion tomorrow. I suspect it's done now. I've requested a pic and should receive any time. Waiting for Stewart to provide pickup and delivery dates. Hopefully will be my Christmas present. And hopefully an early one! I've also ordered the wheels and will show those when received. Should be soon. Wrapping up home projects and winterization and a few projects on the Coupe. I'm ready to get started on the truck.

[progmgr1]

I wouldn't mind power brakes. Would fit the theme of this build. But I doubt there's room for the vacuum booster. So chances are that port will be covered and not used.

Paul - I tried to cram the Whitby power brake system https://www.whitbymotorcars.com/product/power-brake-kit-complete/ into my Hot Rod, but the Coyote just takes up too much space. Your results may differ though, with the smaller LS engine. I suggest you call Jeff Collins at (336) 389-0904 to verify that his system will fit. Whitby has apparently installed the system in several Hot Rods with SBC or LS engines, just not with the Coyote.

I just bought a booster/MC assembly from Summit that has a 7" dia. booster and am now trying to shoehorn it into the Hot Rod. The pumpkin fits fine, but the MC is a full size GM style unit with built-in reservoirs and the brake lines interfere with the engine side covers. I'll probably have to tilt it a little to fit properly. I also have to fab a bell-crank type assembly to convert the pedal motion to the correct stroke. Of course, you avoid all these issues if you can make the Whitby system work in your truck.

Have fun with the new build! I look forward to watching your progress. Keith HR #894

[edwardb]

Last Saturday, 12/5/2020, was my production completion date at Factory Five. Final payment completed the week before. Today I received this picture of the truck in the rack waiting to be picked up. Stewart is scheduled to do just that next week, and they're estimating to be at my place on Saturday, 12/20/2020. So a nice Christmas present! Received word my Wilwood brake package is on the way. No word yet on the Moser axle, but it's ordered. Should be hearing any day about my wheels. Lots of moving parts to one of these projects. But most of you know that already. I've tinkered with the Coupe about as much as I want (or need) to. Finished the last of my promised home projects. So let's get things going. Next post will hopefully be with a big semi in front of our house and the truck in the garage shop.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=138988&d=1607616024

[Jeff Kleiner]

Fun stuff! :cool:

Jeff

[ydousurf]

Awesome Paul! I'm sure the entire forum will monitoring the progress all along the way. I see you've gone with the chassis as (naked) bare metal per your build plans, any decision yet on the color? Anyway all the best, not that you will need it. Looking forward to another top-notch build coming from the edwardb garage!

Dj

[edwardb]

Awesome Paul! I'm sure the entire forum will monitoring the progress all along the way. I see you've gone with the chassis as (naked) bare metal per your build plans, any decision yet on the color? Anyway all the best, not that you will need it. Looking forward to another top-notch build coming from the edwardb garage!

Dj

Thanks! No decision on the powder coat color yet. Or the body color. For some reason many think it could be red. We'll see. But lots of "help" on the home front to be something different.

[FFinisher]

You are going to love the LS. Everyone knows How I feel about the Coyote. But when I build my truck it will be an LS. I am building one now for a customer, have built two other pickups with the LS, so nice and compact.

[nuhale]

If you're going Chevy does that mean this one will be BLUE???

Looking forward to following your build!

[GoDadGo]

Thanks! No decision on the powder coat color yet. Or the body color. For some reason many think it could be red. We'll see. But lots of "help" on the home front to be something different.

Without a doubt, this will be one of the finest trucks upon completion.
Whatever color you choose, I'm sure it will be elegant and refined.

[P100DHG]

I'm late to this party. Oh man Paul how exciting! Hotrods leave endless possibilities of customization. How are you imagining your design?

I think one thing that will make it stand out is some custom coatings on your suspension components and brakes. Then tie those elements throughout the car. Any ideas with this?

One of the best parts of an LS is how clean you can get the wiring and plumbing. Also so many options for intake and rocker/coil covers. Vintage look, modern look... So many choices.

Obviously these things develop with time and then there is how far does one take it pushing the design, then editing down ideas, or even how much to reveal about your design decisions up front or let your audience sit on the edge of their seat waiting for the next update, etc. I know I will be.

Great part about any hot rod is it's uniqueness and the details. Have fun and good luck!

[edwardb]

Oh man Paul how exciting. Hotrods leave endless possibilities of customization. How are you imagining your design?

I think one thing that will make it stand out is some custom coatings on your suspension components and brakes. Then tie those elements throughout the car. Any ideas with this?

One of the best parts of an LS is how clean you can get the wiring and plumbing. Also so many options for intake and rocker/coil covers. Vintage look, modern look... So many choices.

Obviously these things develop with time and then there is how far does one take it pushing the design, then editing down ideas, or even how much to reveal about your design decisions up front or let your audience sit on the edge of their seat waiting for the next update, etc. I know I will be.

Great part about any hot rod is it's uniqueness and the details. Have fun and good luck!

Thanks for the comments and encouragement. I have lots of ideas but nothing firmed up yet. Expect to start making some decisions once it gets here and start mocking things up. Speaking of that -- my delivery is delayed due to weather and a situation with the driver. Right now my truck is in the Stewart trailer and it's stopped at the first delivery in NH. Hopefully will be here mid next week. Stewart has been doing a good job keeping me informed. In the meantime, my Moser axle arrived. Not my first solid axle build but my first using one from Moser. Just from appearances, it's very nice. Today I received my Wilwood brakes. So have some parts to play with while waiting for the full kit delivery.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=139487&d=1608331137

[nelsond003]

Planning my next build now, trying to start in the March timeframe. My MKIV was super fun, and my plan was to build the coupe next, but that truck is calling my name. Hopefully you can give me some advise on which one was "funner" to do. Cheers, Donny

[rponfick]

Your kit should be arriving soon. Anxious to see how you tackle the hardest part of the assembly (in my opinion), the infamous door hinge fitting. I have been letting mine sit for 6 months hoping it would fix itself, and the arrival of a C8 didn't help.
Looking forward to your build.
Ralph

[edwardb]

Planning my next build now, trying to start in the March timeframe. My MKIV was super fun, and my plan was to build the coupe next, but that truck is calling my name. Hopefully you can give me some advise on which one was "funner" to do. Cheers, Donny

Loved our Roadsters. Love the Coupe even more. But a more challenging build. Way too early to say how the truck compares. Give me a year or two. :p


Your kit should be arriving soon. Anxious to see how you tackle the hardest part of the assembly (in my opinion), the infamous door hinge fitting. I have been letting mine sit for 6 months hoping it would fix itself, and the arrival of a C8 didn't help.
Looking forward to your build.
Ralph

I hope it's arriving soon!! Still waiting for Stewart to overcome some issues. It's on the road somewhere. I've seen and read about those door hinges. Every build has some challenges. We'll see what happens.

[edwardb]

Well, I said the next post would be pictures of the delivery. Unfortunately, not. Between the big snow in the east, a driver issue of some kind, plus Christmas, didn't happen. Latest promise is next week. Tuesday or Wednesday. Seems more likely but we'll see once it's in my garage. Meanwhile I'll post another brief update since I seem to have a little time on my hands.

As mentioned before, my rear axle arrived from Moser. Got it out of the coffin-like crate it came in and resting on some wheel dollies. Didn't come with any instructions. Only very general information and a tag that said no lube inside. Searched the forum and elsewhere for lube recommendations and seemed to be all over the place. Different weights, yes/no on synthetic, yes/no on friction modifier, etc. So went right to the source and sent a message to Moser. Received an answer in about an hour. Good service. Their recommendation? Non-synthetic 80W-90 gear oil. 2.5 - 3 quarts of total fluid. 3 - 4 ounces of Ford XL-3 friction modifier. Fill process: Through plug hole on the side of the rear end. Fill to hole. Specifically said they use Lucas non-synthetic 80W-90 Heavy Duty Gear Oil. So that's what I'm going with. Easy find on the Lucas gear oil. Not so much on the friction modifier. So ordered some on Amazon. Shipped immediately, but now in the USPS Christmas package black hole. Will get here eventually. No sweat for now obviously.

My brakes also arrived from Wilwood. The fronts are the exact 6-piston setup I have on the Coupe and also had on the 20th Anniversary Roadster. The rears are similar to the single piston ones I had on the #7750 Roadster. But with the brackets provided, and the matching mount points on the axle, slightly different orientation. Good news is the top bleeder is pointing up. So don't have to take the caliper off to bleed like on #7750. That was strange (and a pain). Other than the endless cautionary and legal notices included in the Wilwood boxes (their lawyers must get paid a lot...) their instructions are excellent. Just need to read them closely. I assembled the rear brakes and wrestled too long with the spacing of the calipers to the rotors. I was installing with the main mounting bracket step toward the inside as shown in the diagram. Just didn't work. Then found the fine print that said for some offsets (2.50 vs. 2.61) it's necessary to flip the bracket around and switch sides so the step is on the outside. That did it and everything fit perfectly with the shims provided. I didn't measure it, but these axles must be the 2.50 offset. So the rear axle with brakes is ready to install. Obviously can't assemble the front brakes that far. But did bolt the rotors to the hats, did the 155 inch-pound tightening on the mounting screws with a touch of red Loctite. Then did the safety wires. Need to do that more often than every couple years. Took a few practice pairs to get the hang of it again. Second assembly took about one-third the time as the first. Below is the obligatory safety wire picture. That's it. Really do hope the next pictures are with the truck in my garage.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=139910&d=1609037022

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=139911&d=1609037030

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=139909&d=1609037014

[edwardb]

It's here! One month to the day after completed at Factory Five, Stewart delivery my truck kit. Cold and and a bit snowy, plus after dark. So a little interesting. But the driver was great, my buddy Greg came over and helped, and we got it done. All 31 boxes, plus the body/chassis assembly, plus the various glass pieces since I'm doing full fenders, running boards, etc. The initial POL (backorder list) was about 1-1/2 pages. But a bunch of it was filled before the shipment went out. So not terrible. Although several fairly significant parts (spindles, rear control arms, tilt steering column, etc.) so I'll get right on following up with Factory Five. Quick review of the glass parts look pretty decent. Should be a fun project. But also probably the most complicated one I've done yet. We'll see. Inventory starts tomorrow.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=140376&d=1609901027

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=140377&d=1609901036

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=140379&d=1609901162

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=140378&d=1609901045

[Rsnake]

Congratulations Paul! I am sure it was a tough wait.
Did you see anything else in the truck?

[edwardb]

Congratulations Paul! I am sure it was a tough wait.
Did you see anything else in the truck?

I sent you a PM. Yes, headed your way.

[Rsnake]

Thank you Paul!

[edwardb]

Spent the last three days doing the inventory, lots of studying, and arranging everything. I use the inventory for more than just counting parts and checking them off the list. For stuff that I don’t recognize, which is a lot on this kit since it’s different than what I’ve built before, I review the build manual, test fit where I can, etc. Slows this step way down, but IMO is an investment in later during the build. Learned a lot in the process. I also use this time to clean up fabricated parts a bit if necessary. The parts that Factory Five makes are typically very precise and well put together. Not sure if laser cut, or CNC plasma, whatever. Probably depends on the material. Far from an expert on that subject. But in almost all cases, have little “nibs” left behind. Plus sometimes have rough edges. I take a little time to file or sand with the stationary disk sander. Just adds to the neatness of the overall build. Plus, those little buggers can draw blood. Ask me how I know. I'll be doing the same thing on parts already mounted on the chassis.

One thing that maybe bears repeating for new builders, even though talked about on the forums a lot. In case you didn’t know, there are A LOT of parts required for one of these builds. Staying organized is a big part of what it takes IMO. Factory Five does a good job of putting all the parts in (basically…) logical boxes and documenting exactly what’s in each box. In my case there were 31 boxes. I put the box/part listing in a 3-ring binder and check off each item as it’s inventoried. Then I put each part back in the box it came in. For any POL items, I put them in the box where they were intended to be in the first place and also mark that on the list. I have all the boxes lined up in a storage room in our basement and can go to whatever box is needed to retrieve parts as required. Using the printed listing to find, plus I mark on the box what’s generally in it. Some guys scan the list and put in their computer. Even though I'm a (supposedly...) geeky former IT guy, I haven't done that or found it necessary. I'm OK with the paper in this case. I’m lucky to have enough storage space to do this. But recommend the same if you can. I see guys mixing up boxes, putting everything in totes, etc. I’m sure it works for some. But not how I approach it. Oh and by the way, congrats to whoever has the packing paper concession at Factory Five. Good grief.

Overall, I’m pretty pleased with the part situation. The Parts Order List (POL) that was initially part of my shipment was about 1-1/2 pages long. But they made another run for parts before it went out the door and filled a bunch of them. That’s standard practice. But in this case all but 18 line items were filled. So I’m left with probably the shortest POL of my builds so far. Unfortunately, the rest of the story is a few of them are needed right away. Front spindles, rear LCA’s, the whole packaged aluminum box, and a couple hardware related suspension parts. But there’s plenty I can do for now.

As far as missing or defective parts, reasonably good results there too. I only have 8 line items to follow up with Factory Five. Couple of parts that just weren’t in the boxes even though listed as shipped, a couple of mixed hardware items, and some missing under floor aluminum that was supposed to be on the shipped chassis but not there unfortunately. Probably my biggest issue is one of my front fenders is defective IMO. Took pictures. I’ll be following up with all of the above. Based on history, I’m confident they will take care of each of these.

Some observations FWIW after going through everything.

This is the first time I’ve ordered a kit without the optional factory chassis powder coating. Several reasons which I’ve mentioned before. I’ve got a couple minor mods in mind. Depending on how things go with mockup. Since a lot of the chassis is exposed, even with the fenders and running boards, I wanted the chance to clean things up before powder coat. But as luck would have it, there’s surprisingly little slag or spatter overall. Good job Factory Five. What’s there I’ll clean up. But most importantly, I’m just not a big fan of the satin black they’re using now. Not sure what color powder coat I’ll end up with. I’m thinking maybe a silver or glimmer color. But could be gloss black. We’ll see.

I’m super pleased to see the glass that came with the kit. One of the big challenges that I had with the Coupe was the Jaguar vintage windshield did not have the black border (frit) so was a lot of work (and drama) to mask it off, apply, and how it looked when done. All turned out OK. But I was lucky to have some pros in our local club that assisted. For the truck, the glass is all custom, and the front and rear pieces have the frit already applied along with the usual modern rows of dots inside the border. So will need primer as usual when installed. But nothing that needs to be masked or will show. I checked the fit and looks really good. Plenty of clearance and sit tight in the openings. The front glass is slightly curved (matches the body OK) and the rear glass is flat. The door windows are normal with no border but are also tinted.

I can see right away the doors are going to be one of the major efforts for the build. The usual fitting to the body. Plus others have commented about the mods required to the supplied hinges. Large SS pieces that have to be cut and drilled. Power windows are part of the kit. Another first for me. Between the door frames, the hinges, the latch, the power windows, there are two of the large boxes of parts! Aluminum templates are provided for the various cutouts, which is a nice touch. Will be interesting.

Spent some time checking the LS motor mount setup and the LS headers provided. Looks good so far. Dropping the LS and automatic trans into the chassis will be one of my first steps once I get organized.

Overall, I’m very pleased with the quality of the parts provided. IMO, Factory Five is stepping up a bit here. Where in the past I might have upgraded or had to buy additional, they’re included with the kit. Examples: Full LED lighting front and rear, solid state flashers, door cards, floor mats, roll bar padding, a decent set of gaskets that maybe can get the doors waterproof, 3-point belts (most suitable for this build), even a rivnut installation tool since there are a number of them used for the body and bed. I was also surprised and pleased to see the inside of the bed is completely steel lined, including a massive (and heavy) piece of SS sheet for the floor. Not planning to haul gravel back there (!!) but nice to see it's robust. Also pleased with the seriously strong running board supports provided.

One of the questions I've been asked and wondering about myself is whether the truck will fit into my 16-foot Serpent Express. At this point, really not sure but I have my doubts. With the Coupe parked next to the truck, I can see that even though the truck has a much longer wheelbase, they're about the same overall length. But the truck is roughly a foot taller. No surprise there. But if height isn't an issue, I suspect width might be. Especially with my build having full fenders. Will find out at some point of course. I probably shouldn't have been, but surprised the truck easily fits under the full height setting of my Bendpak lift. I though the cab might hit the cut-off bar at the top. But it's not even very close.

Finally, one other observation based on the context of my past life in large companies and manufacturing. The Coupe had a significant number of custom fabricated parts. Many more than the previous Roadsters. This kit is the same. A whole bunch of custom designed and fabricated parts. It’s amazing to me that a small company like Factory Five can churn this stuff out and at this quality level. Credit to them and their team. But also can’t overlook modern productivity tools like CAD, CNC equipment, etc. Interesting stuff. To me anyway.

That’s it for now. Some more organization and clean-up and I’m going to start digging in.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=140491&d=1610209725

[Papa]

Nice introduction to the start of your build, Paul. I'm looking forward to following your progress on another build. I still have the itch to do a coupe, but need to get a few more years of work out of the way so I can retire and hopefully do another build at that point.

Dave

[JohnK]

Very nice! Glad to hear the frame is pretty clean. FWIW - the best way I found to remove weld spatter before I had my roadster frame PC'ed was with a cold chisel like this one (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00QV2J2BE/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1). It reaches into all the little nooks and crannies easily, and all the little weld spatter balls just pop right off - most by hand but the really stubborn ones with a light tap of a mallet.

[progmgr1]

But most importantly, I’m just not a big fan of the satin black they’re using now. Not sure what color powder coat I’ll end up with. I’m thinking maybe a silver or glimmer color. But could be gloss black. We’ll see.

Paul - FWIW, I also went with a bare chassis for my Hot Rod. I suggest you check out Prismatic Powders for your color selection. They have an extremely broad color / texture / special effects range and IIRC, sell sample swatches at a reasonable price so you can get a better feel for the final result. I haven't made my final selection yet, but am leaning hard toward "Shimmer River" PRB 1502 / River. Good luck with the build! I'm looking forward to another tip-filled build thread.
Keith HR #894

[Jeff Kleiner]

Paul,
RE: fitting into the SE, don’t rule out the possibility of backing it in so that the cab is under the high point of the structure. Some time before you have to work that out though! Meanwhile I’m going to enjoy following along as the build :cool:

Jeff

[Erik W. Treves]

Paul.

I will tell you my only issue when I trailered the Truck to SEMA... it isn't only height in your case.... the width with the running boards. I think if I recall I had about 1 3/4 to 2 1/4 inches of clearance at the front of the rear fender and running board.... it made me very nervous going down the road initially since ANY flex in the sidewalls would have meant immediate destruction of the running board. The extra sidewall I had with the drag radials didn't help either. Anyway just something else to think about .... way later :)

[edwardb]

After completing my inventory and reviewing my POL and handful of parts issues with Factory Five, I’m thinking some patience is going to be required. They are clearly slammed with orders and supply chains all over are hurting. Plus, the warehouse was just down a week for inventory. Obviously will stay in touch and hopefully I’ll see some parts coming my way soon. But going to take the advice I’ve given others a number of times and stay busy working around those items. I don’t expect to run out of things to do for some time.

So with that, first up I spent several days cleaning parts and cleaning the chassis. All the little “nibs” off cut parts as I mentioned before. Both loose in multiple boxes plus all over the chassis. They are nasty and you really want them gone. Then did clean-up on welds. Nothing extreme. Just knocked out all the splatter I could find (which wasn’t bad) and smoothed any obvious blobs. A carbide burr in a die grinder works well. Then gave everything a solvent wipe-down and went to something more constructive. Since my chassis, along with various suspension parts, is bare (no powder coat) I’m going to mock up the front and rear suspension, the engine/trans, and the major interior components to determine the best location and layout for everything. If any cutting (more on that later) or modifications are required, I’ll do that first. Then back apart, get everything coated, and back together for good. So, I’m not using any grease on the suspension components for now and only finger tight on bolts where I can. I’m not tightening any of the lock nuts. While not necessarily one-time use, I just prefer to not be taking them off and on more than necessary. Hopefully only once. If I need a lock nut tightened, I dig a regular nut out of my hardware junk drawer (we all have one, right?) and use that for now. I’m bagging and tagging the final assembly lock nuts as required. Yeah, a little extra work but how I’m approaching it.

First was mocking up the front suspension. I’m missing spindles and an adjuster for the LCA’s. So not able to complete it. But enough for my purposes at this point. Really not much to say. What I have went together fine. Can see where I’m at in this pic, plus the LS engine mounts that I was checking at the time, and the electric power steering. The chassis has two sets of holes for the suspension. The build manual says the top set is for a lower ride height (4-4.5”) while the bottom set is for a higher ride height (5.5”). But no other real direction. Since this is a pure street cruiser plus I'll have full fenders and running boards, decided to go with the bottom set and higher ride height. That also means trimming one of the LCA tabs on the frame, shown in the manual, because it interferes with the bottom location of the steering rack. So probably at the point of no return on this topic.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=140819&d=1610925402

Next up, I dropped in the previously assembled LS3 and GM 4L65E auto trans. I test fit the Hooker LS headers that came with the LS installation kit from FFR. Looked to me like they wouldn’t be in the way when installing the engine, so left them on. Sure enough. No problem at all. I’m sure going to miss wrestling with header bolts after the engine is in. Hear that Roadster and Coupe? The all aluminum LS3 isn’t super heavy. But with the auto trans it’s a chunk. Working by myself, pushed and tugged and got it into position. Doesn’t take a real extreme angle and there’s quite a bit of clearance at this stage. So actually went in pretty easily.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=140811&d=1610925217

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=140818&d=1610925331

Right away ran into my first issue. The front of the transmission mounts on the frame interfered with the rear corners of the 4L65E auto trans. Having the trans either above or below the mounts wouldn’t work. Clearly some metal had to come out. Before doing that, checked and double checked my motor mounts to make sure I didn’t do something stupid. Checked out OK. The LS instructions for those from FFR are very clear. And based on other pictures I’ve seen, the engine was in the right location. It would have had to come forward 3/4" or so to clear the mounts. And things are already relatively tight up front. So, trimming a little at a time, finally arrived at the right amount. Then found the 1-1/8” spacers provided for the GM mount were also too long. Pushed the trans up too high. The fiberglass cover rested on the edges of the trans instead of reaching the cockpit floor. So, calculated they needed to be 1/2". With those changes, everything looks good. These pictures show how the trans now fits by the mounts. Wouldn't have been a big deal to touch up the trimming if it had been powder coated. But still nice not to worry about it.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=140816&d=1610925254

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=140815&d=1610925243

I’m happy with where everything sits for now. I can adjust further by changing the spacers (again) at the trans mount if needed. While not big deal, I really can’t explain why the engine/trans didn’t fit without some massaging. The LS3 and 4L65E auto trans is supposed to be a supported combination. As it sits now, the engine/trans is 2.2 degrees down toward the rear. I won’t be able to tell too much more until the rear suspension is hung and driveshaft is in. No rear LCA’s, so that’s not happening now. Hoping to find the pinion angle is OK and the driveshaft is the right length. Speaking of that, the provided 38-1/2” driveshaft is practically comical after the stubby driveshafts used on previous builds.

I did find the heater hose connections at the front of the engine are close to the frame. But should be OK. Pictures I see in other LS builds look the same. I had to rotate the thermostat housing 180 degrees. It was a hard interference against the frame in the stock position. I’m assuming this is expected and I’ll be able to route the hose OK. But haven’t seen this mentioned anywhere.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=140812&d=1610925225

I’ve also confirmed the power steering electric assist motor hits the oil pan. Not a surprise since this is documented in another LS build. I have the part numbers of two different LS swap pans that are supposed to provide clearance. I’ll check a little more and get one ordered. I have a $250 rebate from my LS3 crate (thanks Chevrolet) that will soften the blow. That makes it a clean sweep. Every single build has required an aftermarket oil pan.

Finally, on a totally different note, every build is an excuse for new tools, right? I’m actually not expecting too many new tools on this build since previous builds have provided plenty of excuses already. But one thing I’ve wanted was to get a real brake and replace the little 30” Harbor Freight bending brake I’ve been using. I’ve fabricated a bunch of parts with that thing. But it’s extremely basic and has limitations. What I really wanted was a box and pan brake. Would have really come in handy for some of the parts I’ve previously made. I found a NIB Woodward Fab WFBP2420 24" Box and Pan Brake on eBay for less than list price and free shipping. Went for it and now in my workshop. Date code is a couple years old. But that’s OK. It’s brand new and with a few test pieces works perfectly. Would really have liked the 36” version. But 2-1/2 times the price and over 400 lbs to drag to my basement. Just wasn’t warranted for the few times I might need the extra width. Put it on a H-F stand. Solid and looking for something to make with it.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=140851&d=1610939133

[FFinisher]

Paul, if the turn the power steering motor vertical you can spare the expense of the new pan. I have used straight thermostat housings on my LS builds .

[Jeff Kleiner]

Well it looks like I have a new favorite thread to check every morning! This is getting fun now :cool:

Jeff

[GoDadGo]

Well it looks like I have a new favorite thread to check every morning! This is getting fun now :cool:

Jeff

Is It Because It Is Chevy Powered?

All kidding aside, if the Truck and 33-HR share the same front clip, which I think they do, then I can say first hand that the LS fits a lot better than the SBC.
The crank pulley is pretty darn close to the steering rack (3/8" Clearance) by comparison on my friend's 33-HR that sports a BP 400 SBC.
I'm sure everyone will be watching as this machine comes together.

This Will Be An Excellent Execution For This Platform As We Watch Paul Work His Magic!

[edwardb]

Paul, if the turn the power steering motor vertical you can spare the expense of the new pan. I have used straight thermostat housings on my LS builds .

Wow, great comments and thanks for watching over my shoulder on the build. I'll look for a straight thermostat housing. Kind of thought maybe something like that existed.

You're absolutely right. The power steering motor clocks around to vertical and fits up fine. Thanks for the suggestion! Any concerns about how close the motor is to the header? Maybe only an inch or less of airspace there.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=140900&d=1610995965

[edwardb]

Is It Because It Is Chevy Powered?

All kidding aside, if the Truck and 33-HR share the same front clip, which I think they do, then I can say first hand that the LS fits a lot better than the SBC.
The crank pulley is pretty darn close to the steering rack (3/8" Clearance) by comparison on my friend's 33-HR that sports a BP 400 SBC.
I'm sure everyone will be watching as this machine comes together.

This Will Be An Excellent Execution For This Platform As We Watch Paul Work His Magic!

Thanks. Appreciate the comments and support. I chose to do LS for reasons already mentioned. This build and thread isn't making commentary about Ford vs. Chev.

[Erik W. Treves]

you could wrap the header and the put a "hat" on the motor end if you wanted to. I will tell you that both the truck and 33 do get quite warm if you running the side and the hood. Between the small radiator opening a very tall fire wall the heat seems to stay in the engine bay. THe boys on the power tour in the 33 hotrod were very warm (no top). The other area of potential heat transfer is in your last picture where the hooker header runs down and meets that first section of exhaust... the firewall get pretty close to that piece of exhaust pipe... the heat transfers pretty quickly right there - at least on my 427w anyway. You can almost hear it run...lol

[edwardb]

Been plugging away this week with a few updates. First a comment about parts (again). For anyone who’s done one of these projects, even with a complete kit there’s still a lot of studying, shopping and waiting for parts. Not being the particularly patient type, that’s always been challenging for me. Some sources I’ve used – Summit Racing, Amazon, McMaster, Breeze – are crazy fast and so far remain so. Many times an on-line click on one day translates to parts on the front porch the next day. Unfortunately most of us have gotten spoiled (I'm guilty...) and take that for granted. Others aren’t always so fast and as best I can tell, now the situation is more challenging. Suppliers are short-handed, their supply chains are stressed, and carriers (especially it seems USPS) are also experiencing back-ups. So trying to take all this into account and be as patient as possible. But anyone doing one of these builds should expect things just are not moving as quickly as they have in the past.

Which brings me to two specific examples. I ordered and paid for my wheels back in early November. Promise was 3-4 weeks. I still don’t have them. I’ve called several times, and each time there seems to be progress. Was promised a ship date this past week but haven’t received any notices. Hanging in there, don’t need them now, and I’m sure they will be nice once they arrive. But a little frustrating at this point. I’ll share more when they arrive.

Second is my backorder (POL) and missing/defective parts from Factory Five. Warning, minor rant ahead. I’m now approaching two months since my kit was completed and four weeks since delivery. While I’m reasonably happy my list of parts is relatively short, there are still some key items that would be nice to have soon. So far, I’ve received nothing. I’ve called and emailed several times, and only get general “We’ll ship when we can…” kind of answers. I admit to being very spoiled. For my last two builds, I worked directly with Jay Kravitz. I tried not to wear out my welcome. But every time I asked he very quickly provided a line-by-line status of each part I was waiting for. Wasn’t always the answer I wanted to hear, but at least I knew what was going on. When I was really getting stressed over several suspension parts, he personally went to the shop and got promises on when my parts would ship. Which they did. I’ve reached out several times and haven’t heard from Jay, so guessing he’s not there any longer. Too bad. By all accounts, Factory Five is slammed with orders. I’m hearing kit promise dates are now as much as six months out. That’s great for them. I also watch with interest the expansions and upgrades they’re making to their operation and facilities. Also great stuff. But daily business and keeping customers happy has to happen first or none of that means anything. I’m sure the current situation and supply issues I mentioned has affected them too. So, things maybe can’t be the same speed as in the past. But that doesn’t excuse limited communication or the perception of lack of urgency. I’m a huge Factory Five fan and will continue to be. At this point, just trying to hang in there and still have plenty to work on. Hopefully the situation will improve soon. End of minor rant.

So, with that several areas of build progress. After considering the situation with the electric power steering assist unit, and getting some additional feedback, I decided while the upright position of the unit does clear the oil pan the exposure to heat is too risky. While there are likely ways to mitigate the risk, swapping out the oil pan and getting it away from the heat was for me the simplest and easiest solution. Although not the cheapest... Ordered a Holley 302-3 GM LS retrofit pan and completed the installation the same day received. Pretty straightforward and the instructions from Holley were excellent. Since the engine has never been run, the oil pan gasket was like new so re-used. The front of the stock windage tray had to be trimmed. But again, instructions were very clear and easy enough to complete.

Always enjoy getting a chance to peak at the innards of these engines. The LS is similar construction as many modern engines with six bolt mains. Four from the bottom and one on each side. Coyote is the same. Chrysler Pentastar the same, etc. Everything looks clean, robust, and precise.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=141187&d=1611415674

Trimmed the windage tray and back in along with the Holley supplied new pick-up tube.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=141188&d=1611415682

All buttoned up, with the power steering motor now angled down and under the engine with good clearance.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=141189&d=1611415690

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=141190&d=1611415703

I spent some time mocking up the exhaust system. First time with an under car exhaust. Looks like everything is going to fit OK. The mufflers just clear the floor, and I’ll tweak things some more at final assembly to get a little more space (I hope). But confirms the engine location and spacer change I made at the transmission mount. Also for anyone who doesn’t know, the floor on the truck (and I think on the Hot Rod too) has aluminum on the top and bottom, with a kit supplied foam insulation material in between. One question – the provided mufflers are “OK” and certainly shiny. But maybe not the highest quality? Wonder what other experience builders have had with them. In the process, also finalized my header attachments to the engine. No brainer since they are well out of the way when taking the engine in and out. Used Reflex gaskets and Permatex high temp orange RTV silicone on the bolt threads. Installed the bolts at 20 ft/lbs per the Remflex instructions. This combination as worked perfectly on previous builds. Still two more pieces on the back side of the muffler before this picture. But gives an idea.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=141191&d=1611415795

Also spent time on the radiator mounting. Requires locating eight holes in the radiator mounting tabs and installing eight nutserts in the grille. Took my time and all turned out OK. Clearances are tight but fits on the chassis pretty OK. Way more work to fit the surround, hood, engine sides, hinges, etc. when the time comes.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=141192&d=1611415803

Temporarily mounted the gas tank. No picture, but nothing new here. The truck uses the same Mustang vintage tank as the Roadster and Coupe. Had to open the bolt eyes on the end of the straps in order for the bolt to fit through. Also had to use longer mounting bolts on the front in order to get it together. Both things I’ve run into before. No big deal. Like the Coupe, the rear flange of the tank rests on the frame rail versus another pair of plastic bumpers like the Roadster. I’ll add a thin strip of cushioning material during final assembly.

Finally, assembled my fuel pump. I considered using the Aeromotive 18638 Stealth setup. I’ve seen a couple builds use it. Nice all-in-one assembly that fits into the standard Mustang tank and has several interesting design features. I’ve always been impressed with the quality of Aeromotive products. And the unit is actually a bit cheaper than the Pro-M hangar plus Walbro pump setup I’ve used before. But in the end, decided it just didn’t make sense to run a pump that’s rated for probably twice the capacity I really need. No need to draw the current or be flowing that much fuel. Even though it would be returned to the tank. So I went with what I’ve used before, and that’s the aforementioned Pro-M hangar plus Walbro pump. It’s a great setup and has given me good service. What I did do on this build was step down to a Walbro GSS242BX 190 lph pump versus the 255 lph pump I used on the Coupe. At 75 HP or so less with this LS compared to the Coyote in the Coupe, and the 255 lph already arguably unnecessary, decided to save the amps and maybe a little pump noise with the lower rated pump. The rest of the fuel system will be an exact duplicate of what I’ve done before with rigid 3/8” SS, flex SS and -AN fittings on each end, Trick Flow filter, and an Aeromotive regulator. Solid and robust setup. Interesting that the LS control pack instructions say specifically no vacuum reference signal to the regulator. So that simplifies things a bit. Nothing new here, but my pump and hangar ready to go into the tank. With the addition of the filter sock on the bottom.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=141193&d=1611415847

[Papa]

Hey Paul,

On the muffler question you asked. Obviously I don't have any experience with what comes with the truck kit, so I can't help there. However, my previous hot rod was a 1970 El Camino and I used Magnaflow exhaust with spectacular results both aesthetically and in quality as well as in the sound they produce. You may want to dig into their products a bit depending on what you uncover with the kit-provided parts.

Dave

[Robodent]

I have the ffr mufflers on my build that came with my kit and they are ok and I think sound great. I built truck #16 and the early trucks only came with one floor pan not two . I met Erik Treves at the air show in Oshkosh and asked him if there was anything that’s a must to do on my build ? Hands down he said to wrap my exhaust. So I took his advice and wrapped it from the collectors back to the tailpipe and glad I did because like you said it is very tight to the floor and your sitting right on top of it. I think Tom Wallace took his truck to a shop and had the mufflers moved back behind the cab and exit the rear of his truck and had his exhaust system ceramic coated. I’m running an open engine but like Eric said with a hood and side panels heat is the biggest problem / concern with the truck build . Rob

[VIRGIN MIKE]

On your grill stack, you need hinges if using hood; if fenders, with headlights grill mounted, you will need to raise them to clear fenders,- this may conflict with hinges

[edwardb]

On your grill stack, you need hinges if using hood; if fenders, with headlights grill mounted, you will need to raise them to clear fenders,- this may conflict with hinges

Thanks. Yes, I'm aware of the hood hinges and didn't go that far with the mockup. I am doing fenders, but aware some still choose to mount the headlights on the grille. Enough variations that I'll wait until a more final assembly stage. My main purpose at this point was to check/see the fit of the radiator and grill. Plus get the approximate placement of the engine side panels so I can confirm placement for the alternator and A/C pump on the engine plus options for power brakes.

[460.465USMC]

Finally, on a totally different note, every build is an excuse for new tools, right?....But one thing I’ve wanted was to get a real brake and replace the little 30” Harbor Freight bending brake I’ve been using. I’ve fabricated a bunch of parts with that thing. But it’s extremely basic and has limitations. What I really wanted was a box and pan brake. Would have really come in handy for some of the parts I’ve previously made. I found a NIB Woodward Fab WFBP2420 24" Box and Pan Brake on eBay....

Sounds like a nice piece of machinery, Paul! I look forward to seeing what you will be fabricating with it. I'm going to pick up the HF version in the near future, and try my hand at a couple basic brackets. Will be a first for me. Excited to try something new.

P.S. I enjoy seeing your Coupe in the background on some of your photos. Awesome machine!

[edwardb]

Not a ton of build progress to report this week. Spent the majority of time researching and making final decisions about several important aspects. Not a lot to report on the parts front either. Still waiting for my wheels. Did have some communication with Factory Five regarding POL and discrepancy items. Have some more detailed information about several of the key items that are affecting me first. Hopefully will get some parts soon. But one key part – spindles – could be a couple months unless the vendor is able to speed things up. I know I’m not the only one waiting for those. If you watched the Facebook Live this morning from Factory Five, you get a sense of how busy they are and I know they’re working hard. Bottom line is what I said last week still applies. Patience is the key word.

Power brakes: One of my build ideas is to have power brakes. I’ve done vacuum power, hydroboost power, and a couple just leaving them manual including the Coupe. With the right parts and properly set up, I’m fine with the manual brakes. But they definitely take more pedal pressure. With power steering, automatic, air, power windows, etc. etc. on this build, power brakes just seem like a natural fit and consistent with the street cruiser build theme. Hydroboost is out since I won’t have an engine driven hydraulic pump. The power steering is the electric assist option. Based on the mockup so far, while tight, there is room on the firewall for a vacuum booster and external master cylinder if the right size and properly positioned. So that’s what I’ve been considering. One option is the Whitby setup that adapts to the Wilwood pedal box. They even have a version for the Hot Rod/Truck. But a) it’s expensive for what it is (my opinion) and b) having done a power brake conversion on the Wilwood pedal box before, not a huge fan. Especially in this case because I don’t need the clutch arm or the two MC's and balance bar. Having the Wilwood pedal box maybe doesn’t seem necessary. So, cut to the chase – I’ve found and ordered a power brake assembly that is intended to be firewall mounted and has everything. The brake pedal, pivot, pushrod, vacuum booster, Wilwood double master cylinder with integral reservoirs, a proportioning valve, and an in-line brake switch. I don’t plan to use the Wilwood pedal box at all. I will fabricate and bolt or weld whatever is needed to the shelf where the pedal box would go for the brake arm pivot. Then whatever is necessary to mount the booster and MC on the firewall. Lots of unknowns but going for it. I’ll post more when it arrives and see what I've gotten myself into. A benefit is not having the Wilwood pedal box there gives me a little more room for all the stuff that needs to go behind the dash. At least I think so. On a side note, will be selling the complete NIB Wilwood pedal box and MC’s that came with my kit once I confirm this is going to work. If anyone is interested.

Air conditioning and heat: Positively part of the build plan. Factory Five does sell a Hot Rod setup. But slightly confusing. The instructions on-line show using the same Siroco evaporator that came with the Gen 3 Coupe setup. It’s extremely compact and I understand why they chose it because I haven’t found anything else that would have fit in the available space in the Coupe. But it’s a very basic unit with two outlets that are on all the time. Whether heat, A/C, or defrost. It does the job and I’m OK with it. But the truck has room for something a little more elaborate and DD like. On the Factory Five parts website, the Hot Rod A/C and heat kit shows a completely different evaporator. One from Vintage Air and more like what I want. But not clear what you get based on the instructions. So again, cutting to the chase, I’m going to source my own A/C and heat setup. After looking at the offerings from Vintage Air and others, going to use the Vintage Air 68000-VUZ-A - Gen II ComPac - Heat Cool and Defrost evaporator. It will fit, and coincidentally I think is what Factory Five has pictured on their parts website. But not clear that’s what they’re actually selling. This unit is compact enough to fit behind the instrument panel (and squeezing everything else in…) and has separate vents for heat, A/C and defrost with servo motors on each. I’ve already purchased and received the unit, and next up is more studying of the installation and what other parts I need. The experience I had installing the system in the Coupe helped me to learn a lot. Plus I acquired the necessary tools. Crimper, gauges, vacuum pump, etc. Wish me luck.

LS accessories: Last item for research is front accessories for the LS3. In addition to the already installed water pump, need to add an alternator and A/C compressor along with necessary belt(s) and tensioner. No power steering pump as already mentioned. The good news is there are TONS of options and possibilities. The bad news is there are TONS of options and possibilities. Many of the choices however won’t fit in the narrow and somewhat limited space for this build. Plus since I'm doing engine side covers and a hood, space is limited those directions as well. A low mounted alternator on the left side will fit if it’s close. But in many cases it’s mounted high and often too wide. Same thing on the right side with the A/C compressor. Plus many seem to have the PS pump by default. Add to that there are three different LS balancer dimensions. The crate motor I received as the 1-1/2” inch version, know as the “Corvette” setup. This too narrows down what is available. Bottom line was I could find a couple alternator mounts that might work and A/C mounts that might work. But not from the same vendor and frankly no guarantees. One specific setup that was often recommended was from GM and no one had any in stock and no promises available. Another option which some have done is make their own mounting brackets. But didn’t want to go there. I have some fabrication capability. But that’s a little too much for my taste. The other option at the opposite spectrum is buying a complete front runner kit. Lots of choices but now it gets crazy expensive. But after weighing the options, that’s what I’m going to do. (Budget, what budget??) I’m going with another Vintage Air product, their 175011 LS Chevy Front Runner Engine Drive System. Based on everything I can see, plus another build I’ve studied, fits into the chassis just fine. Includes the alternator and A/C pump which tempers the cost a bit, no PS, and all the pieces and parts to mount. Also includes a new water pump and crankshaft harmonic balancer. Which bugs me to remove perfectly good new parts from my crate motor. But apparently necessary for everything to be compatible. Should give a good setup without the aggravation of trying to make a bunch of different parts work together. Plus should look nice since all the parts will be matched. Although that wasn't one of the major considerations. It’s a special order item so won’t have for several weeks apparently. Also looks like I’ll need a couple special tools to remove and replace the balancer. Haven’t found what I need at the usual tool rental places (Auto Zone, etc.) but still checking into that.

On the actual build front, did the final assembly on my fuel tank. It’s done and ready to install for good when the time comes. Installed the Pro-M/Walbro pump assembly I showed before, tested and installed the fuel level sender, installed the Breeze big bore vent kit that I’ve used on all my builds, and installed the higher quality Ford F4ZZ-9072-DA fuel tank filler seal that many of us recommend. Also from Breeze. One other fuel tank related point – the kit has the filler in the trunk bed and comes with a nice looking billet aluminum cap. The only problem is the indoor shows I go to often require a locking cap. They don’t judge what they can’t see, so many don’t get too excited about that rule. Even though it is done for safety reasons. But in this case, it’s out there for all to see. So I’m installing a locking gas cap. Using the Breeze #35317 Aero Locking Fuel Cap. Really nice piece that I’ve used before.

Trimmed the fiberglass instrument panel to fit and then the fiberglass transmission tunnel cover. With those located, proceeded to mount the Lokar Sport Shifter shown in an earlier update. The shifter has four adjustable mounts. But no obvious mounting points or hardware for the 4L65E trans. Fabricated a bracket out of 1/8” steel flat stock that goes under two of the transmission housing bolts and holds the shifter front mounts. Is quite solid but needs something on the rear mounts too. Spent some time head scratching on that one and mocked up a couple things using .040 aluminum since it’s easy to cut and bend. Was aiming for something held by the transmission mount below. But getting around the speed sensor on the RH side made it overly complicated. Then got the idea for a U-bolt around the tailshaft housing and into another 1/8” steel flat plate attached to the rear mounts. Found a wide enough U-bolt at our local Menards, although massive overkill at 1/2" diameter. Put some tubing around it and works very well. Doesn't look like it in the picture, but it's hard against the sides and bottom of the housing. Shifter is rock sold. Nothing more to do here for now.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=141657&d=1612020042

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=141655&d=1612020025

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=141656&d=1612020033

[edwardb]

Two updates in one day! Opened the garage door after lunch to run an errand and found a big stack of FedEx boxes by the door. My wheels! I was supposed to get a call when they were ready to ship. Didn't, but that's OK. Nice surprise and glad (and bit relieved...) to see they finally made it. When I first saw the truck with wire wheels I thought to myself if I ever build one of those it will have wire wheels. Love the look and just fits my vision of the truck. One of the Factory Five prototypes has painted wire wheels. This one from their gallery (built by Ron E) has the chrome wheels. https://www.factoryfive.com/galleries/35-hot-rod-truck/customer-phil-m-s-35-hot-rod-truck/. I was sold. They are from https://thewheelsmith.net/ in California and are all made to order. Got the sizes and placed my order on November 11. Was told 3-4 weeks. That seemed a little optimistic, but OK. Turned out to be 11 weeks. Not complaining. Called them several times during the time and obviously there was the holidays. Plus they've been short handed. Plus in southern California where COVID has really be raging. But they were always very professional when I talked to them and now that I have them in person they're just stunning and worth the wait. Obviously, true wire wheels with steel rims. Not light so probably not the best for an all out performance build. But for my purposes they'll be fine. Also not cheap. But for the quality I'm actually pretty amazed. The chrome alone is beautiful work. All from southern California.

The specifics are 18x8, standard Ford 5 on 4.50" lugs (also includes 4.75"), and 5.00" backspace. I'll be running the same size tires on all four corners with no stagger. The black truck in the photo gallery has 245/45ZR18's, so that's what I'll be looking at. Probably will require 1" spacers to get out in the fenders and clear the brakes. That's what I was told. Opened all the boxes and examined carefully. Everything looks perfect. Can't wait to use them but it will be awhile. Also ordered the '35 Ford V-8 caps. (LS not withstanding...)

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=141673&d=1612040367

[wareaglescott]

Great looking wheels Paul. Nice choice. I’m enjoying reading about your AC/heat and the accessory drive options to see what I can learn towards my build.

[VIRGIN MIKE]

I have the same wheels with the recommended Toyo tires - Wheelsmith supplied the correct spacers, to go with my Wilwood brakes - once spacers installed you must trim the lugs flush with face of spacer - I mention this 'cause I wasn't smart enough to do this initally and the wheels did not seat

[edwardb]

I have the same wheels with the recommended Toyo tires - Wheelsmith supplied the correct spacers, to go with my Wilwood brakes - once spacers installed you must trim the lugs flush with face of spacer - I mention this 'cause I wasn't smart enough to do this initally and the wheels did not seat

Thanks. Appreciate the follow-up and hint. I ended up with 1" spacers on the back of my Gen 3 Coupe build. My first experience with them. I had to trim back the lugs there too. I'll watch for it again this time around.

[jiriza84641]

Those look fantastic Paul.

[edwardb]

Some good progress to report this week. The best news is that I received three big boxes of parts from Factory Five. Thanks to Brent and the team! Still have a few significant parts missing (like the spindles…) but I’m down to 7 open POL items and 1 replacement for a defective part. That’s excellent progress and won’t slow me down for quite some time now. Still waiting on my power brakes assembly and the frontrunner setup for the LS. But those aren’t Factory Five and hopefully will be in the next week or two.

Couple of comments about how I’m approaching this and my other builds. There are really no “cookie cutter” builds. At least not for me and to some extent for most others as well. Each has its own set of options and choices that take some planning. Probably especially the lower volume truck like this, choice for LS and automatic, the A/C setup I’m using, power brakes, etc. I’m relatively (!!) certain everything will work and fit together. But needs to be approached in a particular order in my experience. First is to install (final or mock-up) those things that are immovable and can only go one way. That includes (somewhat obviously) the engine, transmission, front and rear suspension, steering setup, pedals, gas tank. So that's what I'm doing. With those landmarks, now fit everything else around. In this case I can already see the dash area is going to be very congested. I’ve spent a lot of time looking at other builds, both truck and hot rod since it has some similarities. My plan now is to put the LS PCM and power box behind the dash. Will probably require me to slightly relocate the Ron Francis fuse panel and seriously diet the harness. That's OK. Did that with the Coupe. Also the heat/A-C evaporator and related hoses, transmission controller, power steering controller, headlight relays, and I’m thinking on piling on even more with cruise control. All needs to fit back there. Fortunately the truck has a little more space, as best I can tell, than the hot rod. Also a little more than the Coupe I recently finished. We’ll see.

Speaking of space, also planning wipers and likely washers. Wipers are required for Michigan plus fits the plan for the truck’s use. Washers are also technically required, although I’ve managed to skirt that on a couple builds. Will fit them if I can. I was very happy with the Specialty Power Windows WWK-2 Standard Universal Wiper Drive Kit I used on the Coupe. So have the same system now on-hand for this build. Saw an interesting installation on another build putting the drive motor on the side between the door hinges and curving the drive tube up and underneath the windshield. Planning to try something similar. In conjunction with everything else as described previously. Wasn’t sure about wiper placement, sweep direction, etc. So did a quick search. The original ’35 truck had the wipers above the windshield. Oops. And were probably vacuum operated like most of that era. Won’t be duplicating either of those features. Nothing terribly authentic about this build anyway.

Needed to get a starter for the LS, so a quick update about that. The LS crate instructions call out a specific AC-Delco starter. Initially found it’s a $300-400 part (!!) so looked at aftermarket starters instead. Picked up a Powermaster 9609 Mastertorque starter that is supposed to be for this engine. They are bulkier than the OE style. But with adjustable clocking thought I could make it fit. Wrong! Not even close. The tight headers on one side and the crank sensor just behind the starter made it a complete no-go. Back it went. Found the recommended ACDelco 323-1063 (10465385) starter for a much better price. Only slightly more than the Powermaster. It arrived and fits. With a little more research, found it’s a truck starter and somewhat longer than the AC-Delco standard OE (and much cheaper) starter for this engine. It is close to the header though, so will investigate a heat shield or wrap. Others have cited the need for that and I can see why. That's a knock sensor visible in the pic. The crank sensor is behind the starter and hidden.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=142253&d=1612783463

One of the items just received from Factory Five was my Ididit steering column. Since this is one of those immovable pieces I mentioned earlier, got it mocked up. First I’ve seen or handled anything from this company. Seems like very high quality and sure looks nice. Like not having to mess around with turn signals and hazards. Plus an actual horn button on the wheel. I like it.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=142256&d=1612783544

Another of the items just received was the rear suspension lower control arms. That gave me everything I needed to mount the rear suspension. That Moser axle is heavy to say the least. But rolled it under the lift and lowered the chassis down and hooked it up just before Super Bowl kick-off. The usual spreading of chassis tabs and a little spacer adjustment. But all pretty OK.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=142255&d=1612783501

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=142254&d=1612783490

I did a very quick mock-up with the driveshaft in place and pushing the rear suspension to roughly ride height. Immediately found the decision I made to change the provided 1-1/4” transmission spacers to 1/2" was a big mistake. At full droop, the driveshaft was hard against the chassis and not even close. Score Factory Five engineering 1, me 0. Put the supplied spacers back in and everything just clears. Will do more adjustments during final assembly but I think it’s going to work. Driveshaft length looks OK. One thing that occurred to me is this would be a simpler situation if I used the upper suspension mounting holes instead of the lower ones. Curious which set of holes other builders have used? My thought was with the wheel/tires I’m using, having full fenders and running boards, plus my planned use all equal going with the higher ride height of the lower holes. But I’d get better clearance with the upper ones. It’s possible I might have to put limit straps on the rear axle once the final pinion angle is set in order to prevent driveshaft hitting at full droop. Haven’t seen anyone have to do that.

That’s it for now. Will keep forging ahead.

[Pat Landymore]

Hi Paul: I used the lower set of holes plus have the ride height around an inch taller than specified. Some of the streets in my city are terrible and was concerned for the bottom of the grille.

As a result the driveshaft hit the frame very hard, partially because of the BBC/‘Glide combo. I cut that chunk of frame out and then reinforced with a driveshaft loop to get strength back plus additional safety.

Never thought of a limiting strap...that’s an awesome idea.

Best Regards,
Pat

[edwardb]

Hi Paul: I used the lower set of holes plus have the ride height around an inch taller than specified. Some of the streets in my city are terrible and was concerned for the bottom of the grille.

As a result the driveshaft hit the frame very hard, partially because of the BBC/‘Glide combo. I cut that chunk of frame out and then reinforced with a driveshaft loop to get strength back plus additional safety.

Never thought of a limiting strap...that’s an awesome idea.

Best Regards,
Pat

Appreciate the response very much. Thank you. Good to hear it's not just me. Yeah I was concerned about the height of the grille as well. Even with the higher ride height. Our roads aren't great around here either. But I'm more worried about driveway transitions and approach angle in general. Scraped the Roadster noses a couple times and this is at least that low. I'm going to leave the suspension where it's at for now.

[McGuyver]

Yes, my take is things would line up much better using the upper holes. But like others I am willing to work through the issues for a little more clearance offered with the lower holes. I did move my rear shocks to the upper holes, in my case that limits the downward suspension travel just enough to avoid driveshaft contact at full droop.

[GoDadGo]

Paul,

Now that you've been doing the mock-up and some serious wrenching, what is your impression so far compared to the Type-65 Coupe?

Steve

[edwardb]

Yes, my take is things would line up much better using the upper holes. But like others I am willing to work through the issues for a little more clearance offered with the lower holes. I did move my rear shocks to the upper holes, in my case that limits the downward suspension travel just enough to avoid driveshaft contact at full droop.

Excellent idea. I'm trying it. Thanks for posting. This forum is awesome.


Paul,

Now that you've been doing the mock-up and some serious wrenching, what is your impression so far compared to the Type-65 Coupe?

Steve

Hey Steve. They are just so different. Obviously both from Factory Five so share some of the same overall concepts with frame design, aluminum panels, fiberglass body, etc. And similar assembly processes. But beyond that, really couldn't be much more different. Very few common parts. At least the major ones. Will be easier to climb in and out of. But space inside is surprisingly limited. Will be OK for us since both my wife and I are very average in size. But many have commented that over six feet tall (not me...) will be tight in the truck. Creature comforts I expect a little better since it has full roll-up (powered) windows, undercar exhaust, etc. The wheelbase of the truck is much longer, so I'm going to be interested to see how it rides. Don't expect it will be like our SUV. But maybe a bit more of a long distance cruiser than the Coupe. Which isn't bad BTW. Bottom line, very different end products and hard to compare.

[McGuyver]

Just curious on your starter selection. I am researching that now and considering the ac delco 12617229 (about $120) along with the camero heat shield 12629286. The solenoid has a square plug instead of a stud terminal but I found the connector parts at Mouser. Did you come across any reason why the that starter would not work? Let us know who is dealing on the one you went with... from what I have seen they are awfully proud of those in the $350-450 range..

[edwardb]

Just curious on your starter selection. I am researching that now and considering the ac delco 12617229 (about $120) along with the camero heat shield 12629286. The solenoid has a square plug instead of a stud terminal but I found the connector parts at Mouser. Did you come across any reason why the that starter would not work? Let us know who is dealing on the one you went with... from what I have seen they are awfully proud of those in the $350-450 range..

When I found the Powermaster 9609 wouldn't work I was tempted to go with the AC-Delco 92279386. My crate motor directions say to choose "2014 Chevrolet SS" whenever selecting replacement parts. And that's the OE recommended starter for that vintage. Not sure how that compares to the 12617229 you're looking at. It's all a little confusing. But then I saw the crate motor recommended 323-1063 (10465385) for $209.16 plus tax and free Prime shipping on Amazon. So jumped on it. Was here in a couple days and installed fine as pictured. It is a reman, but seems many are and I'm OK with that. Going back to Amazon this morning, I see it's now listed as $321.69. So that's just crazy and I have no explanation. I went with the recommended 323-1063 (10465385) because I found it's a truck starter, as I mentioned, so suspected it's a bit more heavy duty. But just a guess. But also because it didn't require any special connectors.

That heat shield looks interesting but I don't think would work my the starter I have. Looks like it fits under the two mounting bolts and then another at the end of the starter. The 323-1063 (10465385) has one long and one short mounting bolt, and nothing at the end. My plan right now is to get a wrap for it.

[Papa]

Paul,

I may have an unused starter heat wrap I never used on my old El Camino. Let me look for it and if I find it it's yours.

Dave

[PNWTim]

When I found the Powermaster 9609 wouldn't work I was tempted to go with the AC-Delco 92279386. My crate motor directions say to choose "2014 Chevrolet SS" whenever selecting replacement parts. And that's the OE recommended starter for that vintage. Not sure how that compares to the 12617229 you're looking at. It's all a little confusing. But then I saw the crate motor recommended 323-1063 (10465385) for $209.16 plus tax and free Prime shipping on Amazon. So jumped on it. Was here in a couple days and installed fine as pictured. It is a reman, but seems many are and I'm OK with that. Going back to Amazon this morning, I see it's now listed as $321.69. So that's just crazy and I have no explanation. I went with the recommended 323-1063 (10465385) because I found it's a truck starter, as I mentioned, so suspected it's a bit more heavy duty. But just a guess. But also because it didn't require any special connectors.

That heat shield looks interesting but I don't think would work my the starter I have. Looks like it fits under the two mounting bolts and then another at the end of the starter. The 323-1063 (10465385) has one long and one short mounting bolt, and nothing at the end. My plan right now is to get a wrap for it.

Hi Paul -

Just a quick note about the starter they recommend for the crate motor you purchased. The GMPP harness you purchased either has a blank solenoid wire or terminates in a special round terminal that is designed specifically for the starter they recommend. I notice the starter you have does not have this setup and also wont accommodate the recommended heat shield. I am sure it will work fine as is but just wanted to point out there are significant differences and most of the LS crate motors interchange the early Camaro SS or Corvette subassemblies.

Your build as always is looking great!

[edwardb]

Hi Paul -

Just a quick note about the starter they recommend for the crate motor you purchased. The GMPP harness you purchased either has a blank solenoid wire or terminates in a special round terminal that is designed specifically for the starter they recommend. I notice the starter you have does not have this setup and also wont accommodate the recommended heat shield. I am sure it will work fine as is but just wanted to point out there are significant differences and most of the LS crate motors interchange the early Camaro SS or Corvette subassemblies.

Your build as always is looking great!

Thanks for your post and comments. The Chevrolet Performance 19354328 LS2/LS3 Engine Controller Kit I have does not have a connection for the starter. Spent quite a bit of time studying everything when I first received it and comparing to my experience with the Coyote harness. This was one of the differences. I was a little surprised. Read and re-read the instructions and examined the harness. Nothing. So I'm planning to route the usual Ron Francis blue start wire to the small post on the starter. Which has +12V when the ignition switch is turned to start. Easy enough to use a ring terminal and nothing special to connect to the starter I'm using.

[McGuyver]

I was surprised too, from what I could tell the LS3 controller gets +12 battery feed and a +12 ignition feed. I will use the Ron Francis EFI/Coil for the later. Evidently when the LS3 controller senses crankshaft rotation (along with a host of other things) it kicks off ignition coils and fuel injectors.

[Blitzboy54]

Paul, your build threads are the gold standard. I learn something new every time I read them. Even re examining them I pick up new things I wouldn’t have known to do. Little tips like the 3 ring binder, a great idea I wouldn’t have thought of until my second build. I didn’t even know you could ask for a picture! My completion date is tomorrow and I’m already light years ahead because of your threads.

Thank you, I genuinely appreciate it.

I can’t wait to see how this turns out, it’s going to be incredible. Good luck!

[edwardb]

Busy week with other things including getting our taxes done and clearing snow. But did manage some progress on the build and since I seem to be into weekly updates, will post one. Plus, I have a question.

Focus remains on rounding up parts. Anyone doing a build needs to consider things aren’t quite the way they were pre-pandemic. No update on my POL items since last week's update. But wasn't expecting anything to change and right now nothing is holding me up. To do the final planning and layout of my dash area, really need the power brake assembly I ordered a couple weeks ago and was only supposed to take a few days. Talked to the supplier and the Wilwood master cylinder is back ordered. They’re hoping to get it this week and finish the assembly. We’ll see. Also waiting for my Vintage Air frontrunner system. But the original promise date is still over a week away. So, no panic. Yet. Be prepared for this.

Speaking of parts, I tentatively had cruise control on my wish list. Decided to go for it, so have that on order too. In stock so should be here soon. Another module to install behind the dash. Oh good. But it fits with my overall build plan and now is the time. It’s from Dakota Digital and a drive-by-wire system that plugs into the LS. Specifically I'm getting their model CRC-1000-2. Went for a dash mounted controller. They have a version that replaces the turn signal stalk. But the wiring isn’t integral that I could see, and really didn’t want a wire dangling from my shiny new Ididit column. Dash mount will be fine. Or maybe on the center console I'm thinking about.

Back on the build front. I’m using Autometer gauges and the standard center cluster layout. So used the provided template to cut the holes in the dash and temporarily mount the gauges. The template piece can also be finished and part of the design. Not sure yet what I’ll do there. For the A/C, since the Vintage air unit has three dash outlets I want to use all three. Plan now is round ones on the ends and a rectangular one in the center. The paper patterns are the size and tentative locations. I won’t be cutting anything, including the defroster vents, until I have everything placed behind the dash and confirm I have room to run the ducts. Also fit the dash around the Ididit column. Used the template in the manual as a starting point. But didn’t cut it wide at the bottom like they showed. Finally tweaked the fit at the ends a little more and I’m happy with how the dash fits at this point.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=142688&d=1613345843

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=142689&d=1613345852

Speaking of the Autometer gauges, spent some time reading the instructions and studying how the gauges will connect. Tach, speedo, volt, and fuel gauges all are straightforward. For the water temp gauge, common LS hookup is a port at the rear of the RH head. For the oil pressure, can put the sending unit down by the oil filter in a bypass port. But it’s really tight around the headers there and once again heat is a potential issue. The OE oil pressure port is on the top center right behind the intake. The crate motor doesn’t use the OE oil pressure signal, so I’m going to replace that sending unit with the Autometer one. Both require metric to 1/8” NPT adapters. So, have those on order.

I spent the better part of a day figuring out how the mount the Vintage Air evaporator behind the dash. The unit came with some universal mounting brackets and has a series of nutserts all around the case. But nothing really lined up very well with the frame tubes on the back side of the firewall where it needs to mount. Plus I want the flexibility to adjust the location based on other things that have to fit around it. So I used a scrap piece of .063 aluminum I had on hand plus some other bits and made a hangar that holds it. First chance to use my new brake. No picture. But the evaporator and mounting plate are one unit and I can slide it back and forth as needed and permanently mount when the time comes.

Changed the transmission mount spacers again. In the last update, I had the originally supplied 1-1/4” spacers back in. But the drivetrain angles just didn’t quite work out. Plus my Lokar shift cable was hard against the underside of the frame and exhaust header downtubes also really close to the frame. Now I’m back down to 1” spacers and I think this is going to work. Yes, 1/4" mattered in this case. Drivetrain angles are now in acceptable ranges per the Tremec app. The shift cable has clearance. And the downtubes are as good as they’re going to get for now. Wouldn’t be surprised if that last item will require some more attention in the future.

Today I started the journey of drilling for rivets. Laid out all the holes for the inside floor pieces and going at it. Before that, went through all the provided aluminum pieces to confirm the locations, check fits, etc. The actual number of pieces is considerably less than either the Roadster or the Coupe. And since I prefer powder coat, reviewed which pieces need to be coated. Surprisingly, just a few. Many are completely buried once everything is complete. So will finalize all that and have ready when I take the frame for coating. In the process, found two parts that I can’t figure out. Hoping some other truck builders can enlighten me. Included were two pieces marked “Inside Door Sills.” Left and right. These are not in the build manual anywhere. At first thought they might go on top of the body at the door sills and cover the edge of the body and over onto the carpet. But the way they’re bent not seeing that. Seems they could only go under the body, e.g. between the frame and where the body sits on the frame at the door sills. But I don’t see any purpose of the pieces being there. Anyone?

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=142692&d=1613345895

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=142691&d=1613345886

Going off topic from my build thread, but in the category of “Built Not Bought,” I ran across a series of YouTube videos where a guy is building his own super car. By build I mean design, make the molds, lay up the body, fabricate the frame, build up the engine, etc. May not agree with every technique and build choice. Including the chosen engine since I’m an American V-8 kind of guy for this. But I’ve found it fascinating and a little addicting watching the videos. And there are a bunch of them. If you read his bio, he's basically self-taught. These two videos are overviews. There are a bunch more. This is truly "Built Not Bought." Don’t want to get off topic or get into a string of comments about this. And maybe many/most of you are familiar with this. I wasn't.

https://youtu.be/Oz3h7LQj-p4

https://youtu.be/3Ma8oXIRA20

Back to the build.

[McGuyver]

Nice progress, I wanted cruise control and was looking at the Rostra units but to date I cannot get confirmation of the correct pulse per mile signal being available off the LS computer. There are Can Bus options that would work however I already bought Speedhut Can Bus gauges and per their techs if you plug in another Can Bus device the gauges will stop working. So for now no cruise.
I scratched my head over those door sills too. I actually drilled holes to place them over frame rails but did not see what purpose they served. I finally ran across this photo in the electronic manual which shows the sills installed over the fiberglass sill and carpet. I am nowhere near that stage so I have put them away for now.
142719

[edwardb]

Thanks for that picture. I have the the electronic manual and paper manual and it's not in either version I have. I see now how they plan for those parts. Kind of ugly though. Not sure I'll use them. But like you said, nowhere near that stage yet.

The Dakota Digital cruise control version I'm using does use the CAN Bus signal. They also have a VSS version. CRC-2000. Maybe that would work for you?

[edwardb]

Another busy week for non-build activities but made some progress. Our Michigan winter hasn’t been brutally cold like sometimes in the past. But plenty of snow. Probably 12-14 inches on the ground right now. Thankful for my Cub Cadet snow thrower. Hope all our forum friends in Texas are doing OK. They are just not geared up for this kind of cold. We have family there so a few firsthand reports. Thankfully, they’re doing OK. Although were without power for a while.

Still waiting for parts. Seems to be a consistent theme with this build. No POL items again this week, but no holdup there. The most important item I need is the power brake module mentioned several times. This is one of those immovable objects I described before and is necessary in order to lay out all the behind the dash components. There was a thread on the Factory Five Builder Facebook page where a guy asked if building one of these was like putting together Legos. Apparently that was his expectation. Fortunately most responded that it isn’t. I stayed out of that one but agree. Factory Five does their part to give us a canvas to work with. But there are so many options and possibilities and always will be things to work through. This week had several of those examples for me.

Started in with drilling and clecoing the floor panels. Like later versions of the Hot Rod, and (I think…) the truck from the start, this has floor panels on both sides. Top and bottom in the cockpit with foam insulation panels in between. So started with the bottom pieces first. Nice to have a lift to get that work up in the air. Then moved to the two inside pieces. Used the same process for both. Outlined the frame, laid out the holes, drilled the aluminum, then back into place and drill the frame adding clecos as I went. I managed to break the good old #30 bit that did most of my Coupe build. Even with regular trips to the Drill Doctor just eventually gave up. Then managed to break a brand new one after just a couple holes. Watch out for welds. They are drill breakers. I had to trim the top pieces just a bit around the transmission. That automatic is wide. Also had to add a little to a couple of the weld notches. Finally, while both top and bottom frame welds had been ground at the factory, some of them needed a little more for the panels to be as flat as I wanted. But easy enough to hit with an angle grinder. These are my usual “how many clecos does it take” pictures. I use plenty of them. Because I can. :p

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=143138&d=1613911073

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=143139&d=1613911081

With the floor located, determined the location for holes to pass the shift cable through (not pictured) and fitted the fiberglass tunnel cover to (hopefully) it’s nearly final location. No mention that I’ve found in the manual how to attach when the time comes. Thought about using nutserts and screws. But I’m thinking I’ll just use adhesive and rivets. With insulation and carpet it’s not going to be easily removable. I did have to spread it some to fit around the auto trans. The manual describes narrowing it, but that could only be for a smaller manual trans. Which would be important as well to gain additional footspace for the clutch. Which is already a little tight. Fortunately, won’t have the pedal in mine so should be enough room. I did have to cut a bit out of one side to clear a part of the transmission that was slightly above the floor. In the area of the e-brake.

Speaking of the e-brake, assembled that. I thought about not using it and going with an electric E-Stopp setup. But I feel like things are getting complicated enough and with an automatic trans don’t expect to be using the e-brake very often. Plus there’s the matter of the added $500 bill. Some don’t like the Factory Five designed and produced e-brake compared to the Mustang donor ones used in the past. I’ve used both and don’t have a problem with the newer Factory Five one. I do make two small changes. I don’t care for the plastic bushings on the main pivot. They happen to be the same ID and OD as the bronze oilite bushings FF uses for doors, trunks, hoods, etc. And I have a bag of them. So I sand a pair thinner and substitute those. Don’t know if it matters, but I prefer those over the plastic. Seems a little more stable and maybe stays that way longer. The other change I make is use a 10-32 bolt and some washers instead of the drive pin for the ratchet tooth. Stabilizes it better IMO and improves the latching a bit. I’ll take the whole thing apart and throw some chassis black on the pieces later. But for now fitted it into the factory location next to the transmission tunnel cover. Takes a hole cut into the cover. I also adjusted the slots in the mounting brackets a bit so that it’s tight against the cover. The kit doesn’t include a boot, so will have to figure that out plus the added hole to clear the transmission seen in these pictures.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=143140&d=1613911111

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=143141&d=1613911120

I showed the Wheel Smith spoked wheels previously. Got the wild idea these might look pretty cool on the Coupe instead. What do you think?

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=143142&d=1613911147

OK, just kidding. Actually I’ve been told these wheels require 1” spacers on the truck. To get the wheels/tires out into the fenders where they belong. But also to clear the brakes. Since I don’t have spindles and the front suspension and brakes assembled yet, I checked the fit on the Coupe which has the exact spindles and 6-piston Wilwood brakes. Confirmed I need at least .70” to clear the brakes. So 1” spacers should be perfect. Checked the back on the truck and they clear the single piston Wilwoods without spacers. But will add the 1” spacers there too. I used Eibach 90.4.25.010.3 Pro-Spacer 25mm (1 inch) wheel spacers on my Coupe build. Others have used them as well. Very high quality and wanted to use the same ones again. Unfortunately, they were out of stock nearly everywhere. A seller on Amazon was “willing” to sell them for > $200 pair. Uh… no. Again, the current supply chain challenges seem to be widespread. Anyone doing builds should expect it. Clicked around and found some at CJ Pony Parts for a much better price. Received them yesterday and they seem decent. Will have to cut studs on all four corners. But that’s not a surprise. Did the same on the Coupe.

My plan is to finalize the dash area once the brake module arrives. Also install the front runner kit to confirm fitment up front. It's supposed to ship this week. Then remove the cab, finish drilling the rest of the aluminum pieces, then strip it all down and out for powder coat. Expect some weeks for all of that.

[Straversi]

Ferrari’s and Jaguars of that era had wire spoke wheels. Why not a coupe, especially one without stripes and gum balls. I think it would be cool to see once you have tires. Truck build is great. Thanks for posting and sharing as always.
-Steve

[FFinisher]

Hey Paul, You should have received a e-brake boot. Should be the same one as the roadster.

Also just FYI, Although I guess it may be too late.....
I have this front accessory set up on a pickup here with hood and side panels and fits just fine. LSXM-WRAPTOR-ACO from CVF , this is what I will be ordering for my pickup.

https://www.cvfracing.com/chevy-ls-engine-mid-mount-serpentine-kit-ac-alternator-mid-mount/

Its about $1000 cheaper than the vintage air unit.

[edwardb]

Hey Paul, You should have received a e-brake boot. Should be the same one as the roadster.

Also just FYI, Although I guess it may be too late.....
I have this front accessory set up on a pickup here with hood and side panels and fits just fine. LSXM-WRAPTOR-ACO from CVF , this is what I will be ordering for my pickup.

https://www.cvfracing.com/chevy-ls-engine-mid-mount-serpentine-kit-ac-alternator-mid-mount/

Its about $1000 cheaper than the vintage air unit.

Thanks Ron. Checked with Factory Five on the e-brake boot. My bad. The carpet set is one of my POL items and the e-brake boot is clearly listed as one of the items included. I just missed it. Will probably take a little modification to fit, but still better than starting from scratch. Yeah, that front accessory set is cheaper than the one I picked. Partly it looks like because they don't replace the harmonic balancer like the Vintage Air setup does. I'm getting one that's finished in black, so the price difference is a little less than indicated. But still cheaper. I'll keep that in mind if something happens with what I already ordered and is due to ship any day. Appreciate the feedback and that you're following my build.

[FF33rod]

Looking great (as expected :) ) Paul.
You may already know but replicaparts has an eboot trim bezel for the hot rod (and will fit the truck of course) that finishes it off nicely.

Steve

[FFinisher]

Thanks Ron. Checked with Factory Five on the e-brake boot. My bad. The carpet set is one of my POL items and the e-brake boot is clearly listed as one of the items included. I just missed it. Will probably take a little modification to fit, but still better than starting from scratch. Yeah, that front accessory set is cheaper than the one I picked. Partly it looks like because they don't replace the harmonic balancer like the Vintage Air setup does. I'm getting one that's finished in black, so the price difference is a little less than indicated. But still cheaper. I'll keep that in mind if something happens with what I already ordered and is due to ship any day. Appreciate the feedback and that you're following my build.

Trying to figure out if you ever get your shop dirty.:D

[edwardb]

Really not a lot of progress to show this week. Zero updates on the parts front. I’m rapidly running out of things to work on at this stage. My biggest issue right now is the power brake assembly. It's still waiting on the backordered Wilwood MC. I have to get that planned and placed first. Then everything else behind the dash will fit around it. I have a good idea how I'm going to lay everything out. But not going to go any further until the power brakes are installed. Good timing because we’re going to be away for 8-9 days starting later this coming week. Our first travel away from home for almost a year. Like many. We’re driving to Texas to visit our son and daughter-in-law and meet our new granddaughter. Beautiful Hannah Joy is now 10 months old. Sharon and I have both had our COVID-19 vaccines and because of their vocations so have our son and daughter-in-law. We’re going to drive straight through. No hotels or inside dining. We feel safe doing this and so do they. And Grandma is just not going to wait any longer. Will be a long haul down and back. But worth it. Hopefully, some progress with parts during that time.

I did get the wheel spacers mentioned last week all mounted. As is typically the case, had to trim off the ends of the existing wheel studs so they were flush or just under the face of the spacers. I used an angle grinder for this on the Coupe. Since the front hubs are loose, decided to try cutting them using my Milwaukee portable band saw that’s mounted in a Swag table. Quickly becoming one of my favorite tools and worked great! Cuts like butter with complete control. Worked so well I took the band saw out of the table and cut the rear ones holding it freehand. Also worked great. Much cleaner and neater than an angle grinder. Touched all four corners up with a file and done. Also painted the inner surfaces of the front and rear hubs with POR-15 42038 gloss black engine enamel. After prepping with POR-15’s cleaner and metal prep products. That works so well I’m seriously considering doing the front suspension parts the same way. Super durable and looks like gloss black powder coat. Just wear gloves when working that stuff. Or plan to wear it for a while.

I spent upwards of two days (yep, that’s right) working on my electrical plan. I’ve found that figuring all this out up front pays off in the long run. I make a spreadsheet and identify every from and to connection. This build is the most complicated yet in this regard. In addition to the usual Ron Francis harness and Autometer gauges, this build has: LS control pack, electronically controlled automatic transmission, Lokar sport shifter, heat and A/C, electric power steering, cruise control, Ididit relay pack for the headlights, power windows, wipers and washers, and a fan mounted transmission cooler. Plus a few minor details like courtesy lighting, back-up lights, DRL's, accessory ports, etc. Still a few details to finalize, but about done. Then just have to actually wire it.

Finally, today I worked on installing the wiper motor. I’m using the Specialty Power Windows WWK2 wiper drive kit. Same as I used on the Coupe. Similar in concept to the Lucas wipers but way more robust, fully adjustable, and actually works very well. Cheaper too. Shout out to Ron’s (aka DamnYankee) truck build thread where he showed putting the wiper motor in the passenger side kick panel area. I’m stealing that idea. Fits great there and the tube routes up and over under the dash. Saves room in the dash area. Made two brackets and attached to the frame with 1/4-20 nutserts. Top bracket cut out from the universal mounting bracket that comes with the wipers. It does the heavy lifting. The bottom bracket is 0.051" aluminum. Would rather it was steel. But didn't have anything suitable on hand and this will work fine to stabilize the unit. I’ll get things painted or powder coated and this assembly will practically disappear. It's just below the bottom edge of the dash.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=143539&d=1614565936

That’s it. Be back in a couple weeks hopefully with some real progress to report. The weather has started to tease with warmer temps. Could driving season be far away? Itching to get the Coupe back out.

[progmgr1]

I spent upwards of two days (yep, that’s right) working on my electrical plan. I’ve found that figuring all this out up front pays off in the long run. I make a spreadsheet and identify every from and to connection. This build is the most complicated yet in this regard. In addition to the usual Ron Francis harness and Autometer gauges, this build has: LS control pack, electronically controlled automatic transmission, Lokar sport shifter, heat and A/C, electric power steering, cruise control, Ididit relay pack for the headlights, power windows, wipers and washers, and a fan mounted transmission cooler. Plus a few minor details like courtesy lighting, back-up lights, DRL's, accessory ports, etc. Still a few details to finalize, but about done. Then just have to actually wire it.

Hey Paul - Would you consider sharing your spreadsheet with those of us who are too lazy or intimidated to do it ourselves (asking for a friend :rolleyes: who's been putting this off for months?) I think it would be useful even for those builders not using the RF harness and having other accessories.
TIA Keith HR #894

[edwardb]

Hey Paul - Would you consider sharing your spreadsheet with those of us who are too lazy or intimidated to do it ourselves (asking for a friend :rolleyes: who's been putting this off for months?) I think it would be useful even for those builders not using the RF harness and having other accessories.
TIA Keith HR #894

It's still a work in progress and very much a working document. When it's all wired and no smoke I'll call it done. :p Seriously, I'll refine as I go and buzz things out. And still some open questions. But it's a start. Can't post the Excel file directly. But can post this .zip file. Download and open. Should work. Note: New file with updates and further details replaced the old one 03/03/2021. 143587

[progmgr1]

Thanks Paul! Worked like a charm. Lots of useful information there.

Have fun on your holiday. We took a similar trip to visit out new (and only, so far) grandson recently. The best resource was Costco - well sanitized restrooms, gas, food and drinks all freeway adjacent.

Keith HR #894

[edwardb]

OK, I lied. Had some time before we drive away so decided to dive into the doors. Won’t get too serious until the body is mounted and I actually start fitting them. Which by all accounts is interesting. We’ll see. First up was modifying the provided hinges. Have read some accounts about this as well. Not sure exactly what unobtainium they’re made from. But not very friendly material. I followed the directions for the most part. Appreciated that FF provides templates. Cut the one side using the Milwaukee portable band saw mentioned before. Slow going but worked fine and cleaned the edges on my disk sander. Then drilled all the 1/8” holes. Worked with lots of cutting oil. Enlarging them and tapping the one hole in each with the kit provided tap also went OK. Again with lots of cutting oil. My challenge was with the very large countersinks. I didn’t have any that big, so picked up a 3/4" Ryobi high speed steel one at Home Depot. Only thing I could find quickly and locally. Worked OK for a while, but then just wouldn’t cut any more. Even watching the speed and feed rate, and again lots of cutting oil, it lost the battle with the hinge material. Tried sharpening it but didn’t help. Shopped around (McMaster, etc.) to see if there were better options. There are, but many times more expensive than the $10 Ryobi pieces. So back to HD, took their last two, and was able to complete but pretty much doing those in too. Kind of an expensive exercise but still cheaper (and faster) than ordering up something better. I don’t know how anyone would do these without at least a drill press. Wouldn’t be fun at all.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=143688&d=1614825175

Then onto the doors. Dug out the frames and related parts and found they wouldn’t fit through the opening without some trimming to the opening. The doors in general are cut decently. But the opening was irregular. I hate making fiberglass dust in my shop. But fortunately, it was 50 degrees outside today. So out on the drive and cut and cleaned up the openings and overall a bit. With that started mocking up how the pieces go into the doors. Again, Factory Five provides templates for the hinges and latch. Nice touch. I marked all the locations but haven’t cut anything yet. Want to double check against the locations on the frame. That’s about as far as I got.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=143689&d=1614825184

But leaves me with some questions for other truck builders who have moved past this part.

1. Did you find the hinge and latch templates were accurate? I’m a measure twice (at least…) and cut once kind of builder and really hate having to make repairs when I mess up.

2. With the inner frame set into the intended locations, there are some gaps between the frame and where it meets the inside of the door shell. Especially on the hinge sides, where the hinges are on the outside against the fiberglass. I would expect a tight fit or they’ll starting bending things when tightened. I cleaned up the inner fiberglass as much as possible. But it’s just not perfectly flat. I’m thinking of bedding the frame ends in HSRF when finally installed to fill the gaps. Your experience or suggestion?

3. Finally, is there any reason I can’t permanently mount the frames now? Once I confirm the right locations? It looks like everything else that needs to be added (door handles, power windows, etc.) can be installed with the frame in place. What do you think?

On the parts front, still waiting for my power brake system. Back and forth several times with the supplier this week and frankly I’m running out of patience. (Not a forum vendor or a company I’ve seen anyone else mention. So no worries there.) They’re still waiting on the MC from Wilwood. They’re main response this week is I can cancel the order if I want. I’m going to wait until we’re back home on the 15th. If no progress, going to look for plan B. It’s a hard time I know. But that MC is available in multiple places. Summit, Amazon, Speedway, etc. Even offered to send them one for a credit. But they insist on getting it direct from Wilwood.

Onward.

[wallace18]

1. the templates get you pretty close. But you will need to possibly modify some stuff. I had to modify the chassis frame brackets to get the proper door alignment.
2. you will need to do what you feel best in this area.
3. you can permanently install the frames. However the doors are IMO the most difficult part of the truck kit. It will test your patience for sure.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showthread.php?26958-Wallace18-s-35-Hot-Rod-Pickup

[FFinisher]

But leaves me with some questions for other truck builders who have moved past this part.

1. Did you find the hinge and latch templates were accurate? I’m a measure twice (at least…) and cut once kind of builder and really hate having to make repairs when I mess up.
Yes, they are excellent, With your patience and skill they will work out well.

2. With the inner frame set into the intended locations, there are some gaps between the frame and where it meets the inside of the door shell. Especially on the hinge sides, where the hinges are on the outside against the fiberglass. I would expect a tight fit or they’ll starting bending things when tightened. I cleaned up the inner fiberglass as much as possible. But it’s just not perfectly flat. I’m thinking of bedding the frame ends in HSRF when finally installed to fill the gaps. Your experience or suggestion? Agreed, This is tough, I have had to trim the steel frame to allow it to sit flush as well as clean up the inside of the door, if they don't sit flat together you are correct, they will make things get funky when tightened.

3. Finally, is there any reason I can’t permanently mount the frames now? Once I confirm the right locations? It looks like everything else that needs to be added (door handles, power windows, etc.) can be installed with the frame in place. What do you think? you can, however you will likely want to remove the hinges for paint and body work, and these hold the frames in. I have done it both ways, its worth the effort(IMHO) to remove the frames for paint and body work, You have to be careful with reassembly, but that is not beyond your skill set.

On the parts front, still waiting for my power brake system. Back and forth several times with the supplier this week and frankly I’m running out of patience. (Not a forum vendor or a company I’ve seen anyone else mention. So no worries there.) They’re still waiting on the MC from Wilwood. They’re main response this week is I can cancel the order if I want. I’m going to wait until we’re back home on the 15th. If no progress, going to look for plan B. It’s a hard time I know. But that MC is available in multiple places. Summit, Amazon, Speedway, etc. Even offered to send them one for a credit. But they insist on getting it direct from Wilwood.

Onward.

Responses Imbedded.

[Erik W. Treves]

^^^ This ^^^

[edwardb]

Thanks for the feedback guys. Much appreciated. Have a good idea what to do now.

[Robodent]

Yes the doors are the most challenging part of the build. I powder coated my frames before the assembly process. The frames are bent just I smidge to far to get a flat tight fit in the hinge pocket area I have truck 16 and mine were like that as well. . Once the door is hung on the truck that’s where all the monkeying begins. I had to twist the rear of the door and retighten the crash beam bolts and the rear pocket by the latch bolts to get the twist to hold the door where I wanted it.
I’m sure you will have now problem figuring it out. Rob

[HotrodMike]

Sharp set of wheels, been following your build and it looks awesome. You do great work!!

[edwardb]

Arrived back home from our trip to Texas. 3,000+ miles. Went by the Embassy in San Marcos on our way in and out of town. Looked pretty quiet without all Cobras that will be there in a couple weeks. For those that will attend, have a great time. We made it there two years ago. But timing just didn't work this year. Had a nice family visit and was great meeting our fourth grandchild for the first time. Special memories.

While gone, Vintage Air shipped my frontrunner setup. So was waiting for me when we got back. Still nothing on my power brake setup. I’m working on an alternate plan and expect to make a decision this week if the supplier doesn't come through. Finished installing the frontrunner setup today. It wasn’t cheap. But I’m very pleased with the quality, the instructions, how everything fit, and now the final product. The components are all high quality including a nice 170 amp alternator, Sanden A/C compressor, an ATI Super Damper harmonic balancer, nice billet aluminum mounts for everything, and even ARP hardware. The biggest challenge was changing out the stock balancer with the ATI piece. None of the tool rental places had a puller for an LS style balancer. So Amazon to the rescue even though I probably (hopefully…) won’t use it again. Also picked up a flywheel lock. Cheap and not sure I could have accomplished the swap without it. Followed the directions exactly and everything worked out. It's a good pull and right at my limit to get the retaining bolt for the balancer torqued. But done. I still have to get a different thermostat and thermostat housing. Other than that, ready to go. Both length and width worked out fine. It’s going into fit in the chassis and body just fine. Here are some pics. Will go back to working on the doors for now.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=144601&d=1615948945

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=144600&d=1615948938

[edwardb]

Finally time for another update. First parts. It’s been a few weeks since I checked in with Factory Five and received prompt responses. I’m still missing eight items. Couple are now in stock and a couple should be soon. So hopefully I’ll be getting those. Several are still without promises. Confirmed spindles slipped to late May or early June, as I saw in at least one other build thread. The circumstances are different and hopefully not as bad. But reminds me a little of the wheel challenge of a few years ago. Good news is that got resolved, everyone got their wheels, and it’s a distant memory. Looking forward to that with the spindles like many others. At this point nothing is holding me up and won’t for a while.

The other part issue that I’ve been reporting and following up closely is my power brake setup. I’ll spare the details. The good news is today I finally received a shipment and we’re making progress. But there are still issues. I’ve got another direction that shouldn’t take as long if this doesn’t get resolved. Let’s just say I’ve learned how credit card disputes work. First time for me. To be continued.

As far as real work, several areas to report on. As mentioned in a previous update, I purchased a Dakota Digital CRC-1000-2 GM LS drive-by-wire cruise control kit. This version uses an HND-2 dash mounted controller. To be honest, I wasn’t all that happy with the controller when received. Buttons don't have a great feel and the appearance is just not what I'm looking for. I really wanted the HND-3 controller that mounts on the end of the turn signal. Like many DD’s. But as I stated in a previous update, didn’t like that it would mean a wire down the outside of my Ididit steering column. Turns out I was wrong. Upon further review, the cable is inside the steering column and completely hidden. So I ordered and received the HND-3 controller. Took some major fiddling but was able to snake the cable down inside next to the main ribbon cable. Would have been easier to take the GM style turn signal assembly out. But it uses a snap ring that takes a special tool to remove. Managed to get it done without taking anything apart. So happy with that change. The only surprise is that after talking to Dakota Digital, turns out I needed a different interface cable between the controller and the cruise control module. Part number 394207 ordered and received. It’s more than just swapping pins or I would have done that. It also has an inline inverter. So I should be all set. But sure would have been easier (and cheaper) if I’d have selected the right kit version to start with. Since this picture was taken, pulled a little slack in the cable to keep it away from moving parts and tacked it down with a blob of silicone RTV.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=145462&d=1617230879

I started working on the cold air intake for the LS3. For my Gen 2 Coyote, I used Spectre parts. For my Gen 3 Coyote, I used Treadstone Performance parts. Both listed in the Factory Five Coyote instructions. Several builders have reported issues getting parts from Treadstone. But reported good results from Performance MRP. So placed an order with them for the 4” MAF housing (with air straightener) and a 90-degree silicone elbow. Air cleaner I’ll figure out later. Still unsure of the exact space available. Shipped the same day and was here in two days. The MAF housing is perfect. Unfortunately, I didn’t check the length of the legs on the 90-degree elbow close enough. Not long enough to clear the LS3 front accessory drive. So back the elbow went. They don’t have any other options. But ones that will work are available elsewhere.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=145456&d=1617230736

I previously mentioned starting work on the doors. Spent a lot of time since then. Nearly every truck build thread has some comments about them. They are a lot of work and can be challenging. The kit comes with a 2-piece frame that mounts inside the door shell. One side against the back and holds the bear claw style latches. The other side on the front holds the two hinges. The cross piece holds the power window mechanism. The kit has nice templates for where to mount on each side. But the challenge I found is that the flats on the frame didn’t always fit tight against the inside of the door skins. Which they need to for maximum strength and to prevent distorting the fiberglass in the case of the hinges. With some sanding and correcting the angle on the metal pieces on the latch sides, I was able to get acceptable. But neither hinge side was great. Especially one even after I removed some metal from the frame and cut the glass a bit. I’m positive not many builders will agree with what I did next (in fact maybe no one…) but I decided to bed the frame sides in 3M HSRF. That filled the gaps around the hinge and latch mounting points, made them rock solid, and all is good. The bad part is those frames are not coming out again. Won't describe everything I did, but I spent a whole bunch of time making sure they were in the exact right position including checking the fit against the body repeatedly. Which looks pretty good at this stage. Also was really careful not to put any stress or bends in the door shells. Wouldn't be easy, but was careful nonetheless. Put some rattle can satin black chassis paint on the bare metal frames before installing. Also put two panels of Second Skin Damplifier Pro sound deadening material on the doors. I’m happy with how this all turned out. But it’s a pretty big gamble. It will be some months before I find out if I made the right decision.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=145457&d=1617230774

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=145458&d=1617230796

Next up I decided I could get the exhaust system completely sorted out then remove as one piece each side and be ready to finally install later. Also I wanted to get the exact positions in advance of routing fuel lines, brake lines, electrical harnesses, transmission cooling lines, e-brake cables, etc. After my initial mock-up, had some questions so posted a separate thread. https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showthread.php?39260-Truck-Muffler-Installation-Questions. Received some excellent feedback and now have them installed. I ended up not putting hangers on each side of the mufflers as the instructions show. I think overkill plus the mounting is a little clunky IMO. Rather just one large one on each side at the back. I used the Pypes Exhaust HVH11S suggested by Gary in that linked thread along with the kit rubber lined mounts. Bent those to fit over the frame and held in place with 5/16” nutserts. It’s super solid with just the right amount of dampening. The main departure I made from the instructions was to rotate the mufflers so that the exits are on the inside vs. the outside. Based on other build pictures, seems the LS setup is a bit wider than others. With the exits on the outside, the last tubes ran into the rear LCA mounts. Inside fits perfectly. I always enjoy working with my lift (except when it keeps bumping into my head…) but especially for getting this exhaust system figured out and installed. Sorry for the somewhat crummy pictures. But not going to apologize for the sun shining through the windows.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=145459&d=1617230821

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=145460&d=1617230831

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=145461&d=1617230839

Hope to start working on the power brake installation and then all the behind the dash stuff. Also can do some more work on the doors doing some of the pre-work for the power windows. Meanwhile, the weather is pretty much changing and I’ve had the Coupe out twice. Local events are starting in April along with club events. Still low key and following guidelines. But great to get out. Will cut into building time, but that’s OK.

[House Money]

As for your air intake, might want to look at my thread on the subject. https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showthread.php?37968-LS3-air-intake-install

Gary

[edwardb]

As for your air intake, might want to look at my thread on the subject. https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showthread.php?37968-LS3-air-intake-install

Gary

Missed that post. Thanks for the heads up. I'll review further and get mine planned out. Yours looks good. I agree with using T-bolt style clamps. I had a flat bed tow of shame incident with my Coyote powered Roadster when the worm drive clamps on the intake failed. I've used the T-bolt style since. Much better.

[House Money]

Actually, I realized that post needed to be updated, so might want to take another look.

Gary

[HotrodMike]

The Vintage Air LS Frontrunner looks clean and compact nestled in the tubular engine compartment, is that anodized black or black chrome? Which ever it is I will be researching it online.

[House Money]

The Vintage Air LS Frontrunner looks clean and compact nestled in the tubular engine compartment, is that anodized black or black chrome? Which ever it is I will be researching it online.

You might want to take a look at the Holley set-up too. Here is a link to my post about it: https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showthread.php?36446-Holley-LS-accessory-drive

Gary

[edwardb]

The Vintage Air LS Frontrunner looks clean and compact nestled in the tubular engine compartment, is that anodized black or black chrome? Which ever it is I will be researching it online.

It's anodized black. I'm happy with how everything fit. Instructions are good. Did take about 6 weeks to get after I ordered. Quality parts like the branded Sanden A/C compressor, ATI SFI balancer, ARP hardware, etc. Not saying others aren't similar. But I'm glad I went with it. Other finishes are available.

[BradCraig]

Glad the MAF housing worked out, I have nothing but good to say about Performance MRP. Great product, US based, and FAST!

[edwardb]

Couple updates ago I showed work on the doors. While waiting for other parts, decided to install the power windows. First time I’ve even done anything like this. Was a learning experience and a study in patience to be honest. First the good news. Congratulations to Factory Five engineering for figuring everything out. It’s pretty amazing how it all goes together given the angles, clearances, etc. But as I found out, very little margin for error. The build manual in this case is relatively thorough and takes you through all the steps.

All the pieces and parts come with the kit. Based on the labels and instructions, from Ball’s Rod and Kustom, and are listed on their website as made in the USA. All the parts seem robust and well made. The motors and track assemblies run smooth and strong. All good. The glass is custom, with the same DOT code as the windshield and rear cab glass. Seems decent.

I won’t replay all the steps in the build manual. But here are some observations after several days at it:

1. The lift track is held near the center by a metal bracket that’s part of the inner door frame. Then attached at the top and bottom of the fiberglass door opening. Way back when I first worked on my doors I cleaned up the perimeter of the opening and made all the sides the same width. My OCD at work. I don’t remember taking off a lot of material. But I was left with the lift track mounting points very close to the edge at both top and bottom. Didn’t want to leave it that way. So bonded a 1 x 3 inch piece of .063 aluminum at the bottom edges with a 1/4 inch overhang. Moved the top up slightly and the bottom is mainly held by the added plate.

2. It’s not explained in the manual, but the glass has to be slid into place first. Front angled corner through the window opening and down into the lower part of the door. Then it can be pivoted and raised up into position. Then the lift mechanism. Track first under the frame toward the hinge side of the door. Then the lift motor under the frame at the center cutout. Down and back up with the mount bracket on top of the frame. Removal in both cases is just the opposite. The above might be obvious to some. But it wasn’t for me. I lost track of how many times I had the pieces in and out. A bunch.

3. Also not explained in the manual, but once you have the lift track and lift motor positioned, you have to drill holes in the door frame for the mount. They are not pre-drilled. I can see why because there could be some variation. No big deal, but it’s relatively thick steel you get to drill through.

4. I found the angle of the lift track must be very carefully set. The manual describes that it needs to be at a slight angle so the glass runs evenly in the frame. But it also has to be at just the right angle and distance to clear the door latch inside. It ends up very close.

5. The kit provides felted weatherstrip for the inside of the window frame, and what’s interestingly called “cat head weatherstrip” for the outside. I admit it does have kind of that profile. But could have been any number of other animals. (Sorry cat lovers.) It all works pretty OK with one exception I’ll describe later. But what I did find was that while the felt lined material allows the glass to slide freely the cat head material does not. Both are somewhat compressible, so the inclination is to cut the slot in the fiberglass window frame to compress the weatherstrip some. Be very careful. I had to cut mine twice because the first time I make it too tight. The glass would barely move. Just a little compression is all that’s needed.

6. The build manual describes installed stops at the top and bottom of the lift track. I found it only needed stops at the top. The bottom hits the limit of the mechanism with about 1/2 inch of glass still sticking out. Which is fine. Speaking of that, the lift motor and mechanism is electrically very basic. It’s either on or off. And the glass moves relatively quickly. When it hits the stops, the motor is stalled. So you need to let go of the button. It’s OK as long as you understand that. Hold onto the button with it stalled and seems you could blow a fuse or damage something. That also means there’s no express up or down like on most DD’s, although I see on Ball’s website they do sell a module that provides that function. Also means the windows are potentially dangerous like in the good old days. Watch the fingers, hands, arms, etc. and kids around them.

7. Finally, nothing is mentioned but I’m planning to put a couple drain holes in the bottom of the doors. The windows seem to seal up reasonably well. But I’d still want a pathway for water to exit and not pool in the bottom.

So with that, here are pictures. Not really much can be seen here. Just that the mechanism and windows are in and they power up and down the way you’d expect.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=145937&d=1617929179

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=145939&d=1617929194

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=145938&d=1617929186

Now for the one remaining issue. Which is also documented in another thread by FLFrank35: https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showthread.php?39349-Next-question-Door-window-gap. The cat head weatherstrip is supposed to be applied along the bottom inside edge. In addition to the entire outside border. Unfortunately, the gap when all is said and done on mine is 9/16” on the left door and 1/2" on the right door. That’s from the installed glass to the edge of the factory cut opening with all the other weatherstripping installed. In both cases, too wide for the supplied weatherstrip to fill. Compounding the problem a bit is the fiberglass is pretty flexible across that area. Needless to say it would have been better for this to have been left with some to trim off like every other part of the window frame. I’ve set my doors aside for now and will see what others come up with. Also keeping my eye out for some other weatherstripping that might work. It would be technically possible to build up the edge with fiberglass, cloth, HSRF, etc. But not sure that’s the best solution.

In the ongoing saga of my power brakes, I do now have mostly what I’m supposed to have. From a company I’ll never use again thank you very much. Not a forum vendor and not one I’ve ever seen mentioned. Tomorrow I’m going to start laying things out and dive into it. I’ll explain more and post some pictures when there’s something to see. In summary what I will have is vacuum power brakes. Dual master cylinder with integral reservoirs (Wilwood), proportioning valve, and hydraulic brake light switch in the engine compartment on the firewall. Tight but so far looks like it will fit. Then a brake pedal without the Wilwood pedal box on the inside. Eliminating the Wilwood pedal box gives me a little more space. Plus the right pedal ratio for power brakes. I don’t need the clutch pedal because of the auto trans obviously. I’ll have to do some cutting on the firewall frame and probably have some welding done. Welding isn’t on my resume. We’ll see what other unintended consequences this causes. Just received an email of some more POL items shipping from Factory Five. Progress.

Our early spring has allowed me to get the Coupe out several times now. Yesterday as I was going out the door for another drive, my bride said “What about me?” so along she went. Had a great cruise. Running great and A/C blowing cold. Other than being stuck behind a slow pickup truck during some of the best curves. Don’t these people have rear view mirrors? Hope to get to a Cars and Coffee this Saturday if it doesn’t rain. That time of year too. Have I mentioned how much I like that car?

[Robodent]

Looks good your making great progress. Couple things to keep in mind.
The outside mirrors need to be installed before you set the glass for the final time with urethane because they are set behind the glass. I fabricated a small piece of metal as a backing plate to give it some rigidity to bolt to the fiberglass door.
The inner upper part of the door is flimsy for sure when you install the door trim panel it will stiffen it up however I glued a paint stick on the inside for a little more support.
The door trim panels are thick aluminum backed and are straight as an arrow and now your door has a twist in it the panel will need to be twisted to match and lay flat on the door but no big deal just a heads up on that.
You have a beautiful build going on whats your plan for the bed ?
I used a product from Smokey road rod shop . It’s a aluminum bed that looks just like wood and very easy to install with zero maintenance. Rob

[edwardb]

Looks good your making great progress. Couple things to keep in mind.
The outside mirrors need to be installed before you set the glass for the final time with urethane because they are set behind the glass. I fabricated a small piece of metal as a backing plate to give it some rigidity to bolt to the fiberglass door.
The inner upper part of the door is flimsy for sure when you install the door trim panel it will stiffen it up however I glued a paint stick on the inside for a little more support.
The door trim panels are thick aluminum backed and are straight as an arrow and now your door has a twist in it the panel will need to be twisted to match and lay flat on the door but no big deal just a heads up on that.
You have a beautiful build going on whats your plan for the bed ?
I used a product from Smokey road rod shop . It’s a aluminum bed that looks just like wood and very easy to install with zero maintenance. Rob

Thanks for your comments. Much appreciated. My glass isn't set and won't be until final assembly. Agree about the backing plate on the mirrors. I haven't placed them or the door handles yet. Want to wait until the doors are trimmed and fitted to get the exact locations. The window mechanism and glass all go in and out somewhat easily. As I've done many times already. Maybe Factory Five made a change on the door cards? Mine are bent to (mostly) fit to the shape of the door. Agree they will add some strength. I mentioned that in the thread I linked to. I also had thought about gluing something on the backside to stiffen it a bit. But still left with the too large gap issue which is TBD.

The aluminum bed is an interesting option. I ordered the optional wood bed with my kit. But word from Factory Five is they lost their vendor and are looking for a new one. I've already suggested they could cancel and give me a credit. There are plenty of options including this one I'll check out.

[edwardb]

After a lot of measuring and checking, confirmed the booster and master cylinder would fit. So out came the Sawzall, air saw, angle grinder, and whatever else I could get my hands on to cut a 2-1/2" diameter hole in the frame. Also put all the Wilwood pedal box stuff up for sale. So I’m committed now. With the unit in the planned location as pictured (even with the Wilwood cover the wrong direction), clears the hood, side panel and engine on the outside. On the inside, the pedal arm just clears the steering column and mount for the Ididit column. Everything lines up and looks good. Brake pedal to accelerator spacing is very close to what it would have been with the original setup. I’ve ordered a piece of sheet steel from McMaster to make a plate for the firewall and the brackets to hold the pedal. I’ll post some pictures and provide more details when it’s more finalized. But I think this is going to work. Pretty excited about it.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=146036&d=1618102352

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=146035&d=1618102343

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=146034&d=1618102336

Received a POL box today from Factory Five today with three more parts. Now down to just five open. Based on the most recent update, will be a while before a couple of these are closed. But feel like the end is near. This topic gets a lot of attention here and especially it seems over on the Facebook builders group. Patience remains the order of the day and even though I’ve had to jump around a bit, really hasn’t slowed me down.

Side note. I received a few comments about my seeming need to always be bumping my head when working under the lift. Appears I’m not the only one who does that. Just to put everyone’s mind at ease (I know you were worried…) I’m now the proud owner of a Skullerz 8950 safety bump cap. I’ve got it hanging on the lift next to the controls so I don’t forget. Now just need to use it.

[progmgr1]

Thanks so much for the tip about the Skullerz® 8950 Bump Cap Hat. I didn't know such a product existed, and with my MaxJax low rise lift and HF roller stool I desperately need this! My usual baseball cap prevents most scratches but not the repeated dents :rolleyes:. This seriously will make working under the car a much less painful experience.

Also, I'm impressed with how much lower your PB Booster sits on the frame. The upper mounting bolts on mine (Coyote in a Gen 1 '33) are a good inch above the top square tube. Made for some interesting bracket fab...

Keith HR #894

[edwardb]

Today I finished installing the vacuum power booster the Wilwood dual master cylinder. I posted pictures previously of the unit hanging in the tentative position on the firewall. Now it’s firmly anchored. As usual, more work than expected. But no surprise. Working and fabricating with steel is significantly more time consuming than aluminum. At least with the tools I have.

After finalizing the location, cut the hole in the frame as I mentioned last time. I bought a 12" x 12" x 0.1340" piece of steel sheet from McMaster. Nothing like that in any of the box stores. I had determined that .125 (1/8”) would be fine. But for whatever reason the exact material in 0.1340 was much cheaper. And since this is a budget build (!!!) went for it. Cut a roughly 6” square piece for the firewall mount and cut the frame so it’s sits flush. If I welded, I would have welded in. But I don’t. Taking the frame to a welder or having one come to my garage I decided wasn’t necessary. I bolted in place with six grade 8 5/16” flat head screws, hardened washers, and distorted thread locknuts. The 1/8” aluminum firewall will be bonded and riveted over the whole thing and add another layer of strength. I’m confident it’s not going anywhere. Here is the plate installed and then the power brake assembly mounted.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=146469&d=1618712412

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=146470&d=1618712421

Then onto the inside. I made two right angle brackets out of the same 0.1340" steel sheet that bolt to the shelf where the Wilwood pedal box would normally go. These also could have been welded. But are bolted in place with seven grade 8 5/16” rounded head screws, hardened washers, and distorted thread locknuts. Rock solid. I determined the height and location previously with quick mock-up pieces out of .040” aluminum. Then committed to the sheet steel and installed. Both the firewall plate and the angle brackets are now permanently mounted. I have no intention of removing them. They'll stay in place when I send the chassis out for powder coat.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=146468&d=1618712401

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=146471&d=1618712429

The brake pedal itself and orientation is still a work in progress. The pieces I have can be installed several different ways. I’ve started work on the bracket to hold the LS drive-by-wire module (accelerator pedal) and will work those two things together to finalize the locations. Also seen in this picture is where I propped the steering shaft into it's intended location. Also that I moved the Ididit steering column mounting arm to the outside of the LH mount. Both necessary to finalize the proper location of the brake arm and in turn the booster/master cylinder. Everything gets pretty close in there.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=146472&d=1618712436

With the booster mounted, brake arm swinging, clevis in place and adjusted, and getting the Wilwood specified 1.1” of pushrod travel, time to mount the master cylinder. I bought the master cylinder, booster, and pedal arm as a unit from the same company. Talked about that in a number of posts. Thought I'd use at least part of the included frame mount, but didn't. You’d think the pushrod between the booster and the Wilwood MC would be adjusted, right? Nope. I didn’t have a way to exactly measure, but with the adjuster on the booster pushrod all the way in, it was still too long for the Wilwood MC with the power brake slug installed in the piston. Not a lot, but not acceptable. There is supposed to be .020” of slack when together. After some Googling and YouTube viewing, repeatedly saw a tool that is used to measure and set the pushrod clearance. Not expensive at $25 or so. But then waiting begins again. Ran across a video where a guy made his own out of a piece of wood and a metal dowel. Inspired me to hit the shop and an hour later had my own out of 1/8” aluminum, a cut-off bolt, some tie wraps, and some instant glue. A little cheesy. But hey. Price was right and instant gratification. It’s not super critical except that the two ends need to be exactly parallel and the measuring rod the exact same length. Then, insert one end into the cup in the MC pushrod, make sure it’s seated, then measure the other side with a feeler gauge on the booster pushrod. Worked like a charm. I ground about 1/16” off the end of the slug in the MC piston, rounded it by spinning and filing in my drill press, then measured and set the booster pushrod. Harder to explain that actually doing. The MC is bolted in place and hopefully will stay there.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=146473&d=1618712449

Next up is to finalize the DBW module as mentioned. I’ve got the last pieces for my dash so finalizing the layout. I'll show that soon. Then start mounting stuff behind the dash. As Mike Peaty says "Back to work!" If you haven't seen his aviation build videos, you're missing out. Check them on YouTube. Highly entertaining. Another person with mad skills. And clearly an unlimited budget.

[Pat Landymore]

Some really nice work and even better documentation of it!!
Thank you 😊

[Snowman]

...As Mike Peaty says "Back to work!" If you haven't seen his aviation build videos, you're missing out. Check them on YouTube. Highly entertaining. Another person with mad skills. And clearly an unlimited budget.

Couldn't agree with you more! Can't wait to see the wings go together on Scrappy. In addition to his budget, I also I wish I had his kind of energy.

[edwardb]

Finished mounting the DBW. Made a plate that attaches to the side of the shelf intended for the Wilwood pedal box. Made out of the same steel as the pieces shown previously for the power brake mounting. I had to bend it slightly to give proper clearance off the fiberglass transmission tunnel. But other than that, was in good alignment with where it needed to be. With that, adjusted and oriented the brake pedal. This picture angle doesn’t quite give the right perspective. The brake pedal is about 1-1/2” inches above the accelerator pedal. Looks further from this angle. See how that works once they’re bled and powered. Can be adjusted if needed. The finish between the two pedals isn’t exactly compatible either. See if that still bothers me down the line. But it’s all done and functional for now.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=146609&d=1618964735

The pedal exercise demonstrates for me anyway why the truck has a reputation for not having a lot of foot space and not ideal for tall people. With the right seats, I think will be OK for us. But for taller folks maybe not so much. One of the reasons I went with automatic, other than it fit the theme of the build, was to eliminate the clutch pedal and make more room for my feet. The trade-off there is with the width of the automatic, the transmission cover needs to stay full width. In fact, needs to be stretched open a bit for my 4L65E. That dictated the position of the DBW as pictured above. This compared to a manual transmission where the instructions say you can cut the cover and take out an inch or two. That would allow the accelerator to move over some. But then with two additional pedals. Positives and negatives with everything.

Today I finished the dash layout. Happy with how it turned out. I have A/C outlets on each end and in the center. On the LH side of the steering wheel I have the headlight switch from the kit and the wiper/washer switch from the Specialty Power Windows WWK2 wiper system. I bought Ididit knobs for each that match the knobs on the Ididit steering column. I’ve got LED indicators above the steering column for turn signals, high beam and MIL. Some put those around the gauges in the center. I need them right in front of me where they hit me in the face. The ignition switch is to the right of the steering column. Like many, I was disappointed to hear Factory Five lost their vendor for the former switch. An occasional quality issue. But looked good and the FFR logo'd keys were nice. The switch that came with my kit was very industrial (I'm being kind) and not going on my dash. I went with a Pollak 31-180P switch. Suggested on the forum, < $25 on Amazon, and looks decent. The gauge cluster is the kit supplied plate and Autometer gauges. Still undecided how I’ll finish the plate. I chose a Vintage Air Gen II dash control panel that has the same shape as the center gauge cluster. I think it looks cool. Seems like very nice quality. Knobs are lit along with the rest of the dash lighting. Played around with several locations and ended up on the passenger side. Given the size of the cab and the dash, still a relatively easy reach from the driver’s seat. It’s directly in front of the evaporator unit so wiring is simplified a bit. Plus closest to the person who would adjust it the most... I like a clock in my builds so ordered a matching clock from Autometer. Ended up in the location shown. It’s also actually backlit (are you listening Speedhut?). Finally put a USB aux connector on the lower edge of the dash on the driver side, and a regular aux connector on the passenger side. The regular one will be unswitched to the battery. So it’s always available, plus makes it useful for battery checking and tender connection. Did the same thing on my Coupe and it works great. Especially useful here since the battery is on the underside of the bed.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=146610&d=1618964745

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=146611&d=1618964752

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=146612&d=1618964760

So now the fun really starts. Behind the dash I’m planning to add: RF panel and harness (dieted), LS power distribution box, LS PCM and harness, transmission controller, PS controller, cruise control module, and the Ididit high/low beam relay pack. Leaving room for A/C and defrost ducts, and A/C and heater hoses. Fortunately, there’s quite a bit of room. But still will be interesting.

[j33ptj]

Lokar has DBW pedals that may match your brake pedal....

[David Hodgkins]

Paul I’d e happy to engine turn that gauge cluster if you decide to go that direction. Maybe I’ll order one from the factory, finish it and send it out to if you decide to give it a try. That way if you don’t like it no harm no foul.

:)

[edwardb]

Lokar has DBW pedals that may match your brake pedal....

What a great suggestion! I knew that Lokar had Coyote DBW modules and a selection of pedals that go with them. Have considered those for my Coyote builds but never went that way. Stands to reason they have similar products for the LS. But wasn't aware they had pedals that change out on existing GM DBW modules so never looked. Turns out they have one that exactly fits the part number GM DBW I have and matches my brake pedal. Which is just a generic Speedway part. Not Lokar. Who knew? I'm going for it. Thanks again.


Paul I’d e happy to engine turn that gauge cluster if you decide to go that direction. Maybe I’ll order one from the factory, finish it and send it out to if you decide to give it a try. That way if you don’t like it no harm no foul.

:)

PM sent.

[shark92651]

There is SO much more room in the footbox with only two pedals! ;) Great work so far.

[P100DHG]

Paul,

Fantastic job, amazing how much progress you’ve made. What a list of stuff to get behind the dash, WOW! Knowing you it’s going to be amazing. Keep up the good work. I love reading your updates.

- Danny

[wareaglescott]

Looking great Paul!

[edwardb]

Nearly done with figuring out the layout for all the major electrical components behind the dash. The good news is the truck actually has quite a bit of room. More than the 33 Hot Rod and certainly more than my Gen 3 Coupe. But of course I’m doing my best to fill it up and make it as complicated as possible. :p

My design goals included:

The larger and much more DD-ish Vintage Air 960-68000-VUZ-A Gen II ComPac evaporator shown previously. Has separate ducting for floor, dash, and defrost, servo controls for each, blend modes, etc. Note I’m not using the Factory Five optional system. Buying all the parts separately. Mainly Vintage Air stuff. Best I can tell, Factory Five is supplying the same Siroco Boreal evaporator I have from their kit in my Coupe for the Hot Rod and truck. It’s very compact and just fits in the Coupe. Probably the same for the Hot Rod. But it’s a very basic unit with two outlets that are either on or off. It works OK in our Coupe but taking advantage of the available space for a more sophisticated setup.

LS3 PCM and power distribution box behind the dash rather than in the engine compartment. A matter of space mainly. But also for underhood appearance. Also, while I don’t mind tearing into wire harnesses in general, I really didn’t want to break into the LS3 harness. This allows much of the harness to be behind the dash.

RF panel in the recommended location in the LH upper part of the driver’s footbox.

Addition of modules for the automatic transmission, power steering, headlights, and cruise control. Not having the Wilwood pedal box gave me a little more room and freedom for placement.

Under dash access to as much as possible including fuses, relays, etc. But fully realize that it might be necessary to remove the dash for major components. Fortunately, while some effort would be required and hope it won’t be necessary, appears the dash is removable in the completed truck.


So with that, started placing components and fabricated some parts in the process. Used my new Woodward Fab brake for several. Loving it. First up was the RF panel. The kit comes with a frame to hold it. But since I don’t have the Wilwood pedal box, I decided to make my own that fits a little better and attaches at both ends. I cut a notch so it didn’t cover up my chassis number.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=146935&d=1619394510

Next up was the LS3 power distribution box. After looking at everything, decided the best location was on the end of the Vintage Air evaporator. So fabricated some brackets attached to the previous plate I made to hold the evaporator. For space purposes, I won’t use the cover. Just leave it open like the RF panel. It’s not super handy, but all the components on the panel are reachable from underneath. Haven't had to touch any of the parts in the PDB's on the two Coyote builds I've done. Hoping this is the same. With that in place, made brackets to hold the PCM and the transmission controller. The cables for the PCM will go across the top of the evaporator and exit at the top corner of the firewall. Then just a single run over to the back center of the engine and onto all the engine connections from there. Pretty clean. The cables for the transmission controller are a straight shot down to the transmission. The power steering controller is on the LH side of the pedal box shelf, and the headlight relay pack right behind it.

The pictures below show everything. Plus (after a lot of thought…) made a panel that will mount on the front of the evaporator using existing mounting locations. Right now it’s a blank canvas. But will have a couple bus bars, circuit breakers, and relays. Should work well. Post 119 has a spreadsheet with my wiring plan. My initial idea was to have these parts over on the footbox shelf. But getting pretty congested. Plus this area is wide open. Several inches to the back side of the dash through that whole area. Also visible in these pics is the shiny new Lokar accelerator pedal. Not cheap but a very nice quality part that looks much better than the stock pad and basically matches the brake pad. Thanks j33ptj.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=146932&d=1619394480

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=146934&d=1619394499

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=146933&d=1619394489

Couple comments about this final electrical layout. First, while other builders may get some ideas (or not…) what I’m doing is very specific to the combination of engine, trans and options I chose. So not sure how much would be usable for other selections. The other day someone on Facebook said these builds were like assembling IKEA furniture. Follow the manual you’ll have a car. Well, that’s for sure not true with this build. But not true with any others either IMO. Just a matter of degrees. That's a whole other discussion. Second, while it might be possible to stuff the RF harness in there as-is, that’s not what I’m going to do. When it comes time for actual wiring, I’m planning to strip it completely down and diet out a whole bunch. Wiring will basically be point-to-point and most connectors removed. Just leave what’s necessary to unplug and remove the dash as I mentioned before. Again, this isn’t for everyone but how I’m going to do it. The harness in my Coupe was probably about 50% torn apart. This one will be a lot more. Hard to make the behind-the-dash area pretty. But it will be neat and organized as much as I can. And by the way, I've been watching very closely and so far have plenty of room for the ducting that will be added. It was a major pain getting all that to fit in the Coupe. This looks to be much easier. Even with everything I added. Also I'm clear of the planned wiper and wiper box locations shown previously. Third, while not part of the scope of this update, the heater and A/C hoses will exit to the right and just below the evaporator in the corner of the passenger footbox. Planning to also put the heater valve in that location. Have seen pictures of several other builds doing that and looks like it will work for me. I'm counting on it.

That’s it for now. A couple minor details and the body is coming off. Finally. Then finish aluminum layout and drilling. Then tear everything down and get the chassis and tins powder coated. While that’s happening, I’m going to start working on cleaning up all the fiberglass parts.

[Pat Landymore]

That’s a lot of electrical pixies you’re wrangling there!!

Kudos!! 👍🏼👍🏼

[j33ptj]

The accelerator pedal looks so much better!!!

[edwardb]

Some days you put things together. Other days you take things apart. Body off and bunch of parts removed. With everything out of the way, decided I could move my DBW/accelerator toward the front about 1-1/8". Still not for long leg drivers. But every little bit helps. The wood pile in the driver's side is me experimenting with different seat heights. Lots of headroom in the truck and raising the seat helps with the legroom. The standard Roadster seat on that pile is about right for me. But probably won't use those particular seats. The engine/trans will be coming out next.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=146992&d=1619487770

[edwardb]

A little bit of a slow week for progress. I showed in a previous post that we took the body off. First time off since delivery. Can’t work around it any longer. But it was very helpful having it there while placing as much as I could. I was planning to store it in my SE trailer. But managed to fit it in the garage bay along with the riding mower, generator, etc. It’s not all that big once off the chassis. All the rest of the fiberglass parts are spread around in my basement. With the body off, finalized the various electronic module mounts described previously. Not much more to do there until it all goes back in after powder coat and wiring begins.

Speaking of wiring, I have a plan now for my power wiring. I’ve decided I’m not going to do a master disconnect like on previous builds. The kit location for the battery is in a tray under the bed right behind the cab. Not super handy, but that’s where it’s going to be. So I’m planning the following:


#2 cable from the battery ground to the chassis at the battery location.
#2 cable from the battery positive to a feedthrough on the firewall. Attached to the same stud on the firewall side will be a short piece to the starter and another length to the alternator through a megafuse.
On the cockpit side of the feedthrough, will route to a bus bar shown below. The two main power wires from the RF harness will be on that bus bar along with a couple other connections that need always on battery power. I may go to the LS power box from the bus bar. Or maybe directly from the feedthrough. Haven’t decided yet.


The battery bus bar is on the panel I made that mounts on the front of the A/C evaporator. Shown earlier. Kind of a strange location. But it’s open real estate behind the dash and will get a lot of the wiring away from the driver side where things are quite congested. I think it’s going to work out well. With that, have the panel configured and assembled. The battery bus bar (a Blue Sea Systems piece) is on the right. Another one on the left for several ignition powered functions. I have circuit breakers placed for the three circuits where they’re needed. On the LH side are two relays. One for the Watson's Streetworks headlight warning chime next to it (something I’ve put on all my builds) and the other for the brake light circuit going to the cruise control. According to the instructions from Dakota Digital, if LED brake lights are used a relay must be added to the circuit. The bus bars and circuit breakers all have covers that will be added when done. I posted a spreadsheet earlier with my detailed electrical plan if you want more details of what all this is for.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=147199&d=1619989005

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=147198&d=1619988997

Something else I completed this week was mounting the AC condenser on the radiator and front grille. Here I’m paying the price for not buying the Factory Five heat/AC kit. I bought a Vintage Air 03032-OFV 20-3/4” x 14” condenser kit. Came with mounting brackets but no surprise they don’t fit the radiator/grille setup. I have no idea if the ones that Factory Five made for their setup would fit this particular condenser. I fabricated my own out of 16 gauge sheet steel. Probably overkill but they’re solid. There isn’t a lot of room to add thickness to the radiator/condenser stack in the grille or it runs into the chassis. So I kept everything as tight as possible and it’s going to work. Happy with how it turned out. I have hard lines that came with the kit from Vintage Air. May work but won’t know until later in the build. Vintage Air will make custom ones. Or they sell “U-Bend It” pieces. We’ll see.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=147200&d=1619989052

Not remotely enough room here for the transmission cooler that came with my auto trans. I’ll be mounting a Derale 13950 powered cooler under the bed in the back. Already have it. One side benefit is that’s two fewer hoses I have to run to the front of the truck. Trans cooling lines will be relatively short to the back.

I’m working now on finalized the aluminum panels in the cockpit. Not much left to do there. Two of the bigger pieces in the rear corners of the cab can’t be drilled or mounted until the cab is back on. Once the cockpit aluminum is done, going to pull the LS and trans back out and finalize the firewall. Then it’s time to take everything else apart and find a powder coater for the chassis.

[Pat Landymore]

You’re doing awesome work there!

Do you know if the optional grille shell you are using is any deeper than the standard ‘35 one? I found it somewhat challenging just mounting my trans cooler and running lines in front of the rad. Can’t imagine mounting/plumbing AC hardware… 🤦

[edwardb]

You’re doing awesome work there!

Do you know if the optional grille shell you are using is any deeper than the standard ‘35 one? I found it somewhat challenging just mounting my trans cooler and running lines in front of the rad. Can’t imagine mounting/plumbing AC hardware… ��

Thanks. My grille is the #33006 front grille. I think the standard one. The Factory Five order form shows a 34914 - Deluxe Hot Rod Truck Grill. I don't really know the difference to be honest. I think it has a more rounded bottom like in some of the gallery pictures. But I don't know for sure if that's the only difference and certainly not if there's a difference in thickness or available space. What I do know is that it became obvious very quickly that there's no way I could get both the AC condenser and auto trans cooler in the grille I had along with the radiator. And my transmission builder was very adamant about providing adequate cooling. So I knew I'd be doing a separate power cooling setup almost from the beginning.

[edwardb]

Yes, I like me some clecos. Not going to talk me out of any of them. :o Rear cockpit wall is fitted and drilled. There's a piece that goes across the top. Visible in the pic. The manual is very specific about how it's located. But since it has a flange for the rear of the cab, I'm going to leave it off until the cab is back on to make sure it's placed exactly right. I'm waiting to place the driveshaft cover until the fiberglass transmission cover is placed, and that's dependent on the firewall. Which is next.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=147344&d=1620156068

[460.465USMC]

I guess I'll be the first to say it: Wow! That's a lot of clecos! I think you surpassed what I installed on my rear cockpit wall! Impressive. Maybe I can blame my Cleco proclivities on you. :p

Nice work, Paul! You continue to set the build standard for me. I'm enjoying following along.

[JohnMac]

I like what you’ve done with the wiring. I started to disassemble our RF harness (from a circa 2012 coupe kit!) then decided against it- but should have done it. I actually sold Ron Francis a new Mercedes back in the 80s. I think his son now runs the business. They’re just up 95 from us in Chester PA. Hard to believe you’re on your 3rd FF5 kit. Yesterday George and I tackled the driver’s door. It’s certainly a 3 dimensional job- fitting the hinges to the frame, fitting the door to the body and finally fitting the door to the door frame! Oh, then adjusting the latch mechanism to the latch.
Good luck on the truck!
Mac Morgan

[edwardb]

I like what you’ve done with the wiring. I started to disassemble our RF harness (from a circa 2012 coupe kit!) then decided against it- but should have done it. I actually sold Ron Francis a new Mercedes back in the 80s. I think his son now runs the business. They’re just up 95 from us in Chester PA. Hard to believe you’re on your 3rd FF5 kit. Yesterday George and I tackled the driver’s door. It’s certainly a 3 dimensional job- fitting the hinges to the frame, fitting the door to the body and finally fitting the door to the door frame! Oh, then adjusting the latch mechanism to the latch.
Good luck on the truck!
Mac Morgan

Good stuff. Yeah, I'm looking forward to more work on the doors. :p This is actually my 5th FF build. Not as many as some. But enough to keep me busy.

[edwardb]

Pretty lightweight update this week. My buddy Greg gave me a hand to pull the LS3/trans assembly out. Nice that it goes in/out basically intact with plenty of clearance. Including leaving the headers installed. Put it on the crate stand the engine came with until it’s time to go back in for good.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=147583&d=1620598780

Then removed all the front and rear suspension components. Down to just a bare frame with the exception of aluminum panels and electrical components in the dash area. I wanted to get the firewall and front footwell panels fitted and drilled before powder coat. But once starting into that, realized just how critical the firewall placement is to the main body placement since it’s inset into the front. But then decided before putting the body back on, I’d get it all trimmed and cleaned up. Something that needs to be done plus just makes sure it goes on exactly how it should. With that spent the better part of a day outside cutting and sanding on the main cab. Factory trimming wasn't too bad except for the bottom on both sides. Now everything is all cleaned up, straight, and consistent including door and window openings. Checked the fit of the windshield and rear glass. Looks good. Should be easy installs compared to the windshield on the Coupe. Like very much that the glass already has the frit black borders.

Another detail for the firewall/front footwell panels is the routing of the A/C and heater lines. Decided to work on that too. Figured out and ordered all the final fittings and hoses. My goal, as I mentioned before, is to put the heater valve on the inside. Up high enough that it's out of the way. Looks like that’s going to work. I mocked up the manifold locations and hoses with some temporary aluminum and have a configuration that looks promising. Will confirm this fits under the body when I drop it back on before cutting the holes in the footwell panel.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=147581&d=1620598745

One free tip I’ll throw in. Maybe I’m the only one. But when it came time to start fitting the front footwell panels I couldn’t for the life of me figure out how they could go in. The manual just shows them magically in place without any guidance. Tried a bunch of directions, bending, etc. and just wouldn’t go. They are made from 1/8" aluminum and very stiff. Started considering maybe some trimming was needed. But that violates one of my cardinal rules which is trimming as the last resort. Figure it out first. Looked through some build threads and watched a few videos and found a hint of an idea that ultimately works. Rather than explain step-by-step, just took a picture and I think it's obvious. Hook the panel on the smaller chassis tube with it flat against the firewall. Then rotate down into place. Crazy easy (and a bit obvious) once you do it that way. Ignore the clamp in the picture. That was so I could have two hands to take the picture. I did have to tweak the bottom bends just slightly on both sides so they went in a bit easier and also fit the floor panels a little better. Which go on top of the footwell panels BTW. Maybe this will save someone the aggravation I had for a while.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=147579&d=1620598721

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=147580&d=1620598727

That’s it for now. Busy week coming up with non-build activities. So don’t expect to work on this much. But getting close to rounding everything up for powder coat.

[McGuyver]

Nice tip! So it’s just not me, I struggled with those panels too. One particularly frustrating evening I was trying all sorts of combinations when it finally fell in place. Bad part was I could not remember how I did it. After a few more iterations I was finally able to master the technique.

[edwardb]

With limited time to work, the goal for this week was to get the firewall and front footbox pieces mocked up. Our oldest grandson, in town after finishing his first year at university, helped me put the cab back on the chassis. After checking to make sure it was sitting exactly where it’s supposed to, located the cab rear to bed aluminum panel and then started fitting the firewall. I found the outline of the firewall opening not exactly symmetrical and offset to the passenger side about 1/4". This with the rest of the cab exactly centered. No huge surprise as body asymmetry has been part of every other build. I could force the cab over to the center at the firewall, but I could see that moving the door areas slightly. So, decided to go one step further and do the initial fitting of the doors to confirm the proper fit and location of the cab. One of my mistakes (and regrets) with my Coupe build was fitting the doors without properly taking into account the main body and cowl. Didn't want to make that mistake again. For doors, my process is to only trim them enough to get into the opening. Then hang them on the hinges. Then do the final gap trim. In this case I would only do the first step to confirm the fit.

After careful trimming, had both doors set in the openings. I’ve read a number of build threads and nearly everyone had issues with the door fit. Some extreme. I’m happy to report my passenger side door is perfect. Scary perfect. The driver side is maybe about 1/8” off depending on where you put the difference. Pretty sure I can get that sorted when hinged and gaskets installed. If I push the firewall area to the center (as described previously) the fit changes and is not as good. Other people’s experience may vary. But can’t help but wonder if this is part of the reason others have had issues? The build manual has you mount the firewall before ever checking the fit to the body. Based on what I've seen, maybe not the best approach. Obviously, I’m not at final assembly, so the jury is still out on the final alignment. But I’m very encouraged at this point. Also relieved since I bonded the inner door frames already as described previously.

So with that, did some light trimming on the firewall to get it to fit into the cab with the doors in position. I’m using 3/16” SS rivets on both the firewall and the footbox front pieces. Except around the top perimeter where it attaches to the body. There I’m using 10-32 SS button head screws into nutserts in the body made for plastic (McMaster 97217A376). Still need to cut holes for the brakes, HVAC connections, etc. But happy with how this turned out. It's amazing how rigid the cab is now when attached to that 1/8" thick firewall.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=147974&d=1621297461

These are the doors as they’re sitting in the openings right now. I made some blocks with pieces of aluminum for something to set on along the bottom sill. Otherwise it’s impossible to hold them in place with any accuracy while marking and trimming. With the metal frames and power window mechanisms installed they are surprisingly heavy.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=147977&d=1621297532

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=147976&d=1621297525

Body as it sits right now. Starting to look like something. Too bad it comes apart. Again.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=147975&d=1621297470

A few more details and it will come the rest of the way apart and out for powder coat. I know. I’ve been saying that for some weeks now.

[Pat Landymore]

A super cool observation about non symmetry with the cab.

Nice fit on the doors!!! 👍🏼👍🏼

[progmgr1]

Paul, FWIW, a shim between the PS doorsill and chassis of 3/16" - 1/4" was needed to make the Gen I Hot Rod body approach symmetry. Some light firewall trimming was then required to make everything fit properly. I have no idea if this issue continued into the Gen II HR or the truck - haven't noticed it mentioned on the forums. Just "heads up" from someone who learned the hard way...

Your build is going great! I can't wait to see the next installment...

Keith HR #894

[Erik W. Treves]

one thing I overlooked early on when doing the doors is that the bottom of the door sill can be moved out to help "cheat" the door gaps.. there is enough tolerance with the frame to allow for some tweaking.

looking good.. I like the door supports- might need to borrow that.

[edwardb]

one thing I overlooked early on when doing the doors is that the bottom of the door sill can be moved out to help "cheat" the door gaps.. there is enough tolerance with the frame to allow for some tweaking.

looking good.. I like the door supports- might need to borrow that.

Thanks for the hint Erik. Borrow away on the door supports. I was really fighting with the doors before coming up with that simple idea. And thanks for following my build. I guess that F9 build isn't keeping you busy enough. :D

[Erik W. Treves]

ha - well I am just about out of parts to put on the car...lol... gonna bring the chassis by the painters this weekend and do one more test fit to make sure we aren't missing anything - then interior time... and clean up.... then I need to make room from the GTM....never a dull moment around here. - Your truck is gonna be nice for sure.... I really enjoy the performance of the coupe - but for running to the store the truck was awesome - easy entry drove nice and the auto was the ticket! I enjoyed it quite a lot.

[bnelson]

ha - well I am just about out of parts to put on the car...lol... gonna bring the chassis by the painters this weekend and do one more test fit to make sure we aren't missing anything - then interior time... and clean up.... then I need to make room from the GTM....never a dull moment around here. - Your truck is gonna be nice for sure.... I really enjoy the performance of the coupe - but for running to the store the truck was awesome - easy entry drove nice and the auto was the ticket! I enjoyed it quite a lot.
Hey Eric, I sent you PM on another subject this morning.

[edwardb]

Knocked out a bunch of smaller things this week. Came up with a configuration I’m happy with for the heater and A/C hoses out of the Vintage Air evaporator and through the firewall. I used two Vintage Air inline 2-port bulkheads. Wanted to have the maximum flexibility depending on how it laid out. In hindsight, could have used a single 4-port. But that’s OK. Accomplished my goal of getting them into the engine compartment below the frame tube, out of the way of the LS cables that are in the same general area behind the firewall, and also with the heater control valve inside. Got out the Master Kool A/C hose crimper and made the inside lines. Will do the rest when the engine is back in and everything located.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=148506&d=1621994324

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=148507&d=1621994324

With that, finalized the exit of the LS harness cable. Stripped the cable and reconfigured it a bit. There was a Y that split to the power distribution box and the PCM. Of course that split ended up just outside the firewall which looked a little clunky. So moved it inside behind the firewall and re-wrapped the harness. I was going to try to anchor the cable to the firewall. But decided I’m going to wait until the engine is back in to make sure it’s as optimal as possible.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=148508&d=1621994384

Finalized the location for the wiper boxes. They’ll fit below the dash OK. Also used this to finalize the location of the defrost vents and cut them into the dash (no picture). I still need to cut the shafts on the wiper boxes. Obviously. But again will wait until final assembly when I put in the drive cable.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=148504&d=1621994136

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=148503&d=1621994136

Finalized the placement of the fiberglass transmission tunnel cover and drilled for 3/16” rivets around the perimeter. That will be one of the last things to tie down permanently. I was a little disappointed with the fit of the cover where it met the lower footbox firewall pieces. The 45-degree angle doesn’t fit very well into the 1/8” aluminum pieces. Pretty big gaps that will take some filler when the time comes. Also finalized the placement of the aluminum driveshaft cover at the back of the cockpit. The pre-bent tabs on the cover didn’t fit the back wall well at all. Bends were soft and not very accurate. Rather than fight with them, I cut them off and riveted on new 90-degree tabs. No big deal and all good now. This picture was before I drilled the rest of the rivet holes.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=148505&d=1621994257

I have just a couple small remaining tasks and really will take it all apart and get the powder coat happening. But today was a big day for another reason. Last week I was advised of a shipment that contained more POL items. It arrived today. Woo-hoo! Five items plus my nameplate and certificate of origin. That’s it! POL and short/defective items complete. Approaching six months after my original completion date. Which unfortunately for a lot of reasons is more the norm now. Fortunately, I never ran out of things to work on and now I’ve really run out of excuses. Included in the shipment were my hood, right front fender, shift boot, spindles (!!!), and wood bed.

About that wood bed. Each update from Factory Five (Brent) was they were having trouble getting it from the vendor. No longer even returning phone calls. About a week ago, they contacted me and said they have totally struck out with the wood bed. Cost plus mainly availability. Lumber is crazy right now if you follow in the news. They recommended a wood grain aluminum product, sent me pictures, and I approved. Upon receipt, learned the kit is from Smokey Bones Rod Shop. Made for Factory five including the gas tank cutout. The kit contains all the required pieces -- SS strips for between the boards, mounting hardware, even a piece to finish the ends at the tailgate. The instructions are a little sparse but I'll figure it out when the time comes. Not clear whether the SS floor piece should be used or not. We'll see. Here's a picture of just the wood grain pieces after I took them out of the box. Appears to be some kind of vinyl (or whatever) clad material stuck onto the aluminum. It wraps around the ends and underneath so you can see that's what it is. No finishing required, should be very stable, and is advertised as more durable than wood. I’m not planning to haul gravel or building materials in my truck. I think it will be OK. I like it.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=148509&d=1621994444

With that I’ll be taking the next week off. We leave tomorrow for a trip to the west coast to attend the memorial service of my otherwise healthy brother who did not survive his battle with COVID. This is a hard time for our family. Like so many others. Not going to get into the politics. But take this seriously. I don’t care what the survival rate is. Get vaccinated and take the proper precautions. It's real.

[JohnK]

Nice progress Paul! The wood-grain aluminum bed looks really nice, and I'm sure it'll be much lower maintenance than a real wood bed.

[RuffShod]

My sincerest condolences about your brother.

[ztoolman44]

Condolences and safe travels.

[Kool AC]

Paul, very sorry to hear about your brother, I know what it's like to lose a sibling. Be safe.

[460.465USMC]

Sorry to hear about your loss, Paul. Hope you have a safe trip.

[Blitzboy54]

My condolences on your loss Paul. Really puts all this into perspective.


Be well

[Joecobr]

My sincerest condolences, Paul. Like you, I’m betting your brother was a class act. RIP

[edwardb]

Thanks for all the comments guys. Really much appreciated. We're back home. It was quite a family reunion which doesn't happen too often because we're so spread out. So great to see everyone. But hard under the circumstances of course. We are a family of faith and believe we will see Jim again. The service really was a celebration of his life and a real encouragement to everyone. But all unplanned so his family is working through mourning and also his very successful business. My elderly parents (92 and 89) are doing OK. But my dad is in failing health. The last thing they needed was losing a child. So lots going on. Starting to do a few things on the build again, but it's not the most important thing right now. Thanks again everyone.

This is my brother's business: https://www.borrorcabinets.com/. They have a related countertop business in Medford, OR ran by his son.

[jiriza84641]

My condolences to you and family Paul.

[edwardb]

Thanks again for all the comments guys. Certainly appreciated. Have spent some hours the last few days getting back to the build. After a couple last minute details, finished stripping the chassis of all the remaining parts and removed the main body. As much as possible, I bagged and tagged everything that came off and hopefully will go back together without any drama. Parts are all over the basement right now… I’m in the process of deburring and cleaning up all the tins and parts that will go along with the chassis to the power coater. Because of my uncertain schedule, haven’t contacted anyone yet. I have three possible sources and will call next week. Afraid I could be in for a wait based on how busy everyone is. But we’ll see. Ideally maybe done after London in a couple weeks. But that could be wishful thinking. I have some other work I can do while waiting but could run out. We’ll see. Nothing else to say right now except sure looks an awful like delivery day six months ago. Progress, right?

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=149393&d=1623449826

[edwardb]

As of today, the chassis and all affected parts are at the powder coater. So the garage is looking a little empty. I was lucky the shop that did most of the coating for Roadster #7750 had time to take my project and start on it right away. With the added benefit they’re only about 15 minutes away. The other two I was considering are much further. No shop time for the next week or more with a family visit and then London. Hopefully everything will be done not long afterwards. The chassis and tins will be silver. A box of various brackets and such (door hinge mounts, hood hinges, etc.) will be satin black. Some of the fabricated parts from Factory Five were already coated satin black. So just going with it for the rest. I’m going to paint the front suspension parts. Also satin black. Decided not to PC those. I just don’t want to mess with the greased ball joints and remove the boots on the LCA. Since I’m doing fenders, hood, etc. the suspension won’t be exposed. So just need it to be something other than unfinished like now. I’m still looking at options for the grille. Don’t want to leave it raw aluminum. I’m really looking forward to going to the next assembly step and leaving things together. :p

I used my 16’ Serpent Express to transport the chassis. I learned two things in the process. First, it’s not light. With zero parts on it, the truck chassis still weighs (our estimate) 300-400 lbs. Given the size and weight, just about max for two people to handle getting in and out of the trailer. Second, confirmed the finished truck will not fit in my Serpent Express. My 16' trailer is long enough. But with the frame flat on the trailer floor, the roll bar just clears the rear door and is close to the roof at the front when all the way in. There was a suggestion maybe the truck could be backed in. But still the low door barrier. I’m not surprised. Also not an issue for how we plan to use it.

Got a couple of other smaller things done. I’ve been looking at options for dressing up the LS3 some. I’m not going to get crazy but wanted to clean it up a little. One of the most common is the individual coil packs on the valve covers. There are some options out there to move or hide them. But decided to keep it simple with some polished Holley covers that deletes the OE metal bracket holding the coils and also the plastic raceway pieces for the harness. Pretty straightforward swap (and another contribution to the pile of unused LS3 parts). Only surprise was now the stock dipstick didn’t fit. Ran into one of the slightly relocated and angled coil packs. So installed a Lokar dipstick which is better looking and fits. My only other plan for now is to paint the intake cover the body color. That should do it. Here are before and after shots with the new valve covers and cleaned up coils.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=149648&d=1624044065

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=149649&d=1624044073

The other thing I did which is truly trivial is dyed the leather door check straps and also the tailgate straps used on the truck. I’ve done this on my other builds and IMO the black finished leather is a nice upgrade over the raw unfinished leather. I use the Fiebing’s products pictured. Easy to use and works very well. Another Amazon purchase from several builds ago. One hint. The products are applied with wool applicators. It’s easy to knock the bottle over while dipping in and out. If you tip over the dye, you will have permanent stains on anything it touches. We left our previous home with a giant black stain on the basement floor. Don’t need to explain further. I put the bottles in a drill vise while open and using. Just saying.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=149651&d=1624044105

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=149650&d=1624044097

I’ve also started working on power cables and prepping electrical items. Order of parts from DelCity.net received. Made a run to West Marine. I really like their marine quality battery cables, which they sell by the foot. I’ve shown that on previous builds. I use Fusion battery clamps and the rest are crimped. Will show more details when installation starts.

That’s it for now. Can’t wait for London and hope to catch up with some of you there.

[Robodent]

Paul, I had my grille polished and it doesn’t look bad but not perfect. I would love to have it chromed but I haven’t found the right guy with the right price yet. 3k is out of the question for me. If you go the chrome route and it’s reasonable let me know. Another note my headlamp buckets are looking shabby I had some streaks on them and tried chrome cleaner and it rubbed off the chrome finish cheap crap I guess. I might paint them this winter but would rather have them re chromed. Rob.

[edwardb]

Paul, I had my grille polished and it doesn’t look bad but not perfect. I would love to have it chromed but I haven’t found the right guy with the right price yet. 3k is out of the question for me. If you go the chrome route and it’s reasonable let me know. Another note my headlamp buckets are looking shabby I had some streaks on them and tried chrome cleaner and it rubbed off the chrome finish cheap crap I guess. I might paint them this winter but would rather have them re chromed. Rob.

Polishing the grille is one of the options I'm looking at. I haven't priced chrome but not even considering. My powder coat guy says he "knows some people" so he's going to ask around. See what he comes up with. Sorry to hear about the headlight buckets. I took them out of the box during inventory but then back in and haven't touched since. See what happens there too. Appreciate the feedback and comments.

[edwardb]

I was super lucky to hit an opening in the schedule at a local powder coat shop and get my chassis and all the rest of my powder coated parts done in less than two weeks. For previous builds, I haven’t been as lucky so really appreciated it this time around. Since 4-5 days of the time were taken by going to the London Cobra Show, even better. Speaking of London, one quick picture from the Saturday morning lineup. It was a great event this year. Especially since last year had to be cancelled. Chased some rain on Friday, but otherwise the weather cooperated nicely. Really enjoyed everything about the show this year and taking the Coupe for the first time. If you haven't attended and have the chance, go for it.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=150226&d=1625279330

For my powder coat, we did the frame and all the aluminum panels in Alesta® FF Super Silver II. Happened to be a powder he had on hand and I liked a lot. This color has a clear top coat. So really makes a nice finish. As mentioned previously for the frame, I had spent some time cleaning up welds, removing splatter, etc. Plus they did a great job media blasting it. Final product is a nice upgrade over the standard factory powder coat. But like everything, you pay for it. I had the uncoated rear suspension parts plus a box of metal parts (door hinge brackets, hood hinges, etc.) all done in satin black. He called it “20% black” which seems to match the few satin black parts from Factory Five. I’m painting the front suspension parts also in satin black. I just didn’t want to deal with the ball joints (clean out, re-pack, etc.) so choosing to paint the parts. Hopefully will complete this weekend.

For pictures, thought this one while the frame was in process kind of interesting. They made up some wheels so it could roll in and out of the oven. Apparently the roll bar was too high to go through the oven door using their standard cart. Looks a little like an airplane fuselage. Well OK. Just barely…

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=150221&d=1625279277

Close up of the final finish.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=150223&d=1625279277

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=150222&d=1625279277

Back home in the garage shop. Ready to get back at it.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=150224&d=1625279287

Couple hours later, rear suspension and tank installed. Bolts all torqued and marked. Goes pretty quickly having practiced once already.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=150225&d=1625279287

Next up are aluminum panels including the double floor. Then the front suspension. Then the engine back in.

[Jeff Kleiner]

Really nice finish on the chassis Paul :cool:

Jeff

[Robodent]

Looks very nice. I like the color a lot . Having the roll bar coated will look great when finished if you choose to have it exposed inside the cab . Rob

[jiriza84641]

Looks great Paul, still following the build.

[WIS89]

Paul-

Great choice on the powder coat -- it is really going to provide a nice contrasting color for you. The finish looks outstanding!

I am enjoying, as I have on all your previous builds, following along on your progress. Great work and commentary as always! I look forward to seeing the rest of the details.

Regards,

Steve

[460.465USMC]

Thanks for the picture of the London Cobra Show. Sounds/looks like a lot of fun! Would love to attend, someday....

The PC looks sharp, Paul! And, perhaps easier to wipe clean with the clear top coat?

[wareaglescott]

That looks great Paul. I do agree it kinda looks like an airplane! Maybe you should pursue that angle and let your son fly it for you!!

[David Hodgkins]

PC color is close to the 15th anniversary color my brother has. They did a beautiful job, and grinding off the weld splatter is an added benefit.

Can't wait to see it come together!

:)

[JohnK]

Wow, that powder coat finish is beautiful!

[egchewy79]

Good stuff, Paul. It's been great following this build

[edwardb]

Quite a few things to update this week. Unlike some of the previous updates. Amazing how much faster things go together after the second or third time.

I already showed the rear suspension and gas tank. Then moved to the front suspension. As I mentioned before, I decided to paint the pieces rather than flush out the welded and greased ball joints on the upper and lower control arms so they could be powder coated. Upon the recommendation of a buddy with a lot of automotive paint experience, I sprayed the parts with PPG DP90 and DP402 catalyst. This after cleaning up the welds a bit, thorough cleaning and degreasing, etc. While technically an epoxy primer, it’s tough, has great adhesion, sprays out nicely, the semigloss black reasonably matches my PC semigloss parts, and as long as not exposed to UV, holds up well by itself. I’m happy with how everything turned out. With the parts painted and cured for a couple days, assembled the front suspension including the Wilwood brakes. Also riveted the three firewall pieces with polished SS rivets.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=150692&d=1626043042

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=150693&d=1626043042

Interesting side note. I’ve used these same Wilwood brakes a couple times and they’ve always gone on the trailing side of the rotor. For the truck (and I’m assuming also the hot rod) they go on the leading side of the rotor. Checked the instructions a couple times just to be sure. The back is the same. Also checked my wheels to make sure the 1” spacers give the proper offset and clearance. All good. Confirmed the rear suspension as well. Man I like these wheels.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=150691&d=1626043031

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=150697&d=1626043253

Next up moved to aluminum panels. The truck uses a double floor with foam insulation between. As I understand this was an early add to the truck and also added to the Gen 2 hot rod. Provides insulation from the under-chassis exhaust. Also I’m sure adds a level of sound isolation. I followed the instructions exactly. First riveted the bottom pieces on. Then troweled in 3M 5200 Marine Sealant. Then pushed in the foam insulation, added another layer of the 3M 5200, and riveted on the tops. Took four tubes just like the manual said. Quick comment – although I guess it’s been around for years, first time I’ve used 3M 5200. There have been numerous threads and questions about using something for regular aluminum panels other than the recommended silicone RTV. Other products have been mentioned, like Sikaflex, etc. But I don’t recall anyone mentioning the 3M 5200. It’s definitely something I’d consider. Also a polyurethane. But a nice consistency, slow setup so lots of working time, cleans up with just a wipe of mineral spirits, and clearly is very strong and durable. At just under $20 a tube, not cheap. But similar cost as other non-RTV options. Anyway, here’s the double floor in process.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=150698&d=1626043297

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=150699&d=1626043297

[edwardb]

The finished interior with all the aluminum panels installed. I used light grey GE Silicone 2 RTV from Home Depot and the usual recommended rivet spacing.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=150700&d=1626043323

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=150701&d=1626043323

Another quick comment. I used a hand pop rivet tool for my first Mk3 Roadster build. Graduated to a Campbell Hausfeld pneumatic puller for the next builds. Liked it a lot. But then you are always dragging around an air hose. When I saw that Milwaukee had a cordless rivet tool, and M12 like the rest of my Milwaukee cordless tools (I think I have most of them…) I picked one up last summer. This is the first time I’ve used it for a build. I can only say I highly recommend it. Works perfectly. Of course, 1/8” rivets pull pretty easily by hand. But I still like just pulling the trigger. I used some 3/16” SS rivets on the firewall. I would never have been able to pull them by hand. The Milwaukee tool pulled them with ease. It runs fine with the smaller lighter battery. Just happened to use the larger one because it was charged at the time. Anyway, I’m sold.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=150690&d=1626042986

Last thing I did this week was insulate the firewall and then mount everything that had been previously mocked up. I used a double layer of Dynamat Dynaliner on the inner portion, and a double layer of Second Skin Damplifier Pro around the outside. Made paper patterns, cut the pieces, then applied. In hindsight, would have been easier to do before mounting the firewall on the frame. Maybe next time.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=150702&d=1626043466

With that, mounted the majority of the components. This time they're staying. Also plumbed the heat and A/C to the firewall bulkhead fittings. Added insulation to the #10 A/C hose fittings per the Vintage Air instructions.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=150703&d=1626043466

Yet another comment. One thing I noticed was that the ididit steering column horn button is attached to the RF horn ground wire through the hot rod connector. Pushing the horn button grounds the wire to the column itself. But no mention is made of making sure the column is connected to chassis ground. I ground off the powder coat on one of the chassis mounting tabs and made sure there was solid metal-to-metal contact to the column.

That’s it. Tomorrow we’ll be dropping the engine back into the chassis. Then lots more stuff to add. I filled our recycle bin with cardboard boxes that I’ve emptied. That alone is a sign of progress.

[JohnK]

Very nice! It's really coming together nicely. I really like those wheels too.

One comment regarding the 3M 5200. It's well-known in the marine industry, and is an EXTREMELY strong adhesive. There are stories of multi-ton keels being held onto sailboats only by the 3M 5200 that was used to bed the keel, after all the keel bolts were discovered to have broken. You've mentioned before that you've had trouble removing panels that were bonded with silicone. I have no doubt that a panel bonded with 5200 would be completely destroyed if one were to try to remove it.

[House Money]

Looking nice!! On the horn wiring, find the section in the manual for Steering column wiring, it talks about cutting and capping a couple of wires from the dash harness, one is a horn wire to prevent the horns from going off without the horn button being pushed.

Gary

[edwardb]

Looking nice!! On the horn wiring, find the section in the manual for Steering column wiring, it talks about cutting and capping a couple of wires from the dash harness, one is a horn wire to prevent the horns from going off without the horn button being pushed.

Gary

Thanks for the hint. Makes sense to guard those wires since they're alive along with the steering column connector. I'll be dieting a lot of the RF harness so will deal with it. Appreciate the feedback.

[Fbird]

Nice looking start. Very organized as always. Beautiful pictures and detailed posts. I dig the silver powder coating on the frame and the wire wheels. Going to be another sweet ride. Adios
T.poe

[edwardb]

Dropped the LS3 and 4L65E trans into the chassis this week. Planning for it to stay there. Like when I did the mockup, had the headers installed plus everything on the front runner. Did take the starter motor off. But in hindsight probably could have left that on. My build buddy came over to give me a hand and we were done in less than an hour. Would have been quicker except we were struggling to get the right angle and the right clearances to get it into the final location. Just didn't make sense since it had gone in easily the last time. Then discovered the two geniuses doing the work had the tailshaft of the transmission below the frame at the back instead of above. Fixed that and it settled right into place. This first picture is a little strange. For whatever reason the perspective makes it look like the engine couldn't possibly fit into the chassis. Refer to second picture.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=150944&d=1626559989

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=150945&d=1626559989

With that, started adding parts. Pretty good list. Steering column and wheel, steering shaft with power assist and five (that's right...) u-joints, brake MC booster and pedal, starter motor, driveshaft, shifter and shifter cable, e-brake handle and cables, and (added after the pictures below) the four SS brake flex lines from the chassis to the calipers. I used the chassis locations for the flex lines shown in the manual. They worked well.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=150947&d=1626559989

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=150946&d=1626559989

I’m now in the process of laying out brake and fuel lines. One observation is that the location outlined in the manual for the fuel and brake lines on the bottom are a little close maybe to the muffler. I posted a separate thread about it and received several suggestions. I think it’s going to be OK. https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showthread.php?40323-Truck-Fuel-and-Brake-Line-Routing. Another little wrinkle for the brake lines is the Wilwood dual master cylinder I'm using has separate ports for the left and right front wheels. So instead of the usual single line and then crossover from one caliper to the other, I'll be running two separate lines to the front.

I’ve used rigid stainless for both brake and fuel lines on my last few builds. I like it a lot. But it definitely adds more work. I will probably use plain steel for the brake lines and leaning towards all flex for the fuel lines. I’m not a fan of the materials included in the kit. I don’t care for the green tubing, want larger fuel lines than what’s provided, and in general don’t like all the pieces and unions. Many use the kit materials and it works. Just my personal preference. Still planning and working.

I’ve also started working on how I’m going to lay out the power cables, transmission cooler (powered unit under the bed in the back), and harness routing. All takes time and progress won’t seem so obvious.

For grins, close with this picture from the bottom. Kind of cool.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=150948&d=1626561170

[edwardb]

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

[edwardb]

So this is where I addressed another issue mentioned before. The fuel and brake lines are relatively close to the muffler on the LH side. In the other thread I mentioned previously, I asked for feedback on how best to address. Responses ranged from “it’s OK as is” to several different routing options. Many it seemed weren’t using the running board mounts which I need to account for in my build. I decided to go ahead and run in the area as far away as I could. I put the brake line farthest out, just short of where the running board brackets would be if at their maximum adjustment in. Then ran the fuel line right next to that wrapped with a 36” piece of Thermo-Tec 14005 Heat Protection Thermo-Sleeve. At the last minute, decided to use a piece of 3/8” rigid SS tubing in that section. It’s slightly lower profile, maybe even more heat tolerant than the flex, and a perfect fit for the Thermo-Sleeve. Plus I had it along with the compression fittings on hand from previous builds. The picture of the brake line posted previously was before the fuel line was added. This is with the fuel line added. The angle of the picture makes it look closer than it is. Closest at one corner to the muffler is about 1-1/2 inches. It’s more than that everywhere else. I think it will be fine.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=151476&d=1627779131

Next up, transmission cooler. With the small radiator plus A/C condenser, no chance for a transmission cooler in the usual location in front of the radiator. So I opted for a powered Derale Cooling Products 13950 mounted under the bed in the back. Decided on a location on the RH side, mounted in-line so I could run the cooling lines up to the transmission through the top corner of the driveshaft tunnel. Decided to run -6 AN lines for this too. Lower profile than the supplied rubber lines plus allowed me to use right angle connectors coming out of the transmission. Not a lot of space under there to the cover. I had to fab a piece to add to the supplied cooler mount to reach the frame on one side. But pretty easy otherwise. I initially hung the unit with tapped 1/4-20 holes in the frame. But after sleeping on it, came back and replaced with 1/4-20 nutserts. The unit isn’t that heavy. But realized filled with fluid it would be a bit heavier and only hanging on a couple threads. Probably would have been OK but better to be safe at this point.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=151473&d=1627779109

Not final routed or tied down yet, but the lines up to the transmission. Here you can also see the transmission vent tube. ACDelco 15859984. Need to tie that down too.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=151475&d=1627779109

Speaking of vent tubes, picked up the usual Ford 4R3Z-4022-AA vent for the 8.8 axle. This is my first time using a Moser axle, and found they tap a larger hole in the axle than the standard Ford part. A quick forum search found a solution. Added an Earl's Performance AT916144ERL fitting. Fits into the Moser threads and the Ford vent goes in the other end. Also added my diff gear lube. Worked fast to dump in the 4 ounces of friction modifier. Only smelled bad for a little while. Some have reported the cover on Moser diffs leak. So far mine hasn’t. Wish me luck.

Started but not much progress on running my main power line. From the rear battery location, I’m going run the #2 cable also through the driveshaft tunnel up to a feedthrough on the firewall. Starter and alternator connected on the engine side. RF panel and LS power connected on the cab side. Speaking of the battery, I have to add this. I realize that economics comes into play with every part that Factory Five provides. But the battery mounting hardware included with this kit is probably one of the cheapest and poorest parts I’ve ever received. It doesn’t fit recommended Odyssey PC925 battery well at all, bends when tightened, and still doesn’t keep the battery from moving around. Come on! After looking at several purchase options, I just made a new holder from some scrap aluminum and a couple 5/16 x 6" carriage bolts.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=151474&d=1627779109

Finally, started looking at heater lines from the LS water pump to the already installed manifold on the firewall to the Vintage Air unit in the cab. The two connections for the water pump are very close to the top round frame rail.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=151479&d=1627779182

I thought maybe with molded 90 degree hoses I could clear the frame. So picked up some Gates hoses with molded ends. Even if I cut them down as much as possible I don’t think there’s enough room. So my plan now, after looking at options, is to remove those pressed in ends in the water pump and tap the openings for right angle fittings. It’s a common LS mod from what I can see. I've received the fittings and will tackle that soon. Not sure whether I can tap in place. Or will have to remove the water pump and do on the bench. Would have to take the entire frontrunner setup back off. So trying to avoid if possible. I think the molded Gates hoses will still be useful with the new fittings.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=151486&d=1627784774

Also in the general category of plumbing, went to the local parts store to get a piece of hose to connect the engine vacuum to the power brake booster. Instructions (and my experience) say only to use vacuum rated hose made just for that purpose. The counter guy said they didn't have any (even though the website says they did) and came back out with a piece of fuel hose. Said "that's what everyone uses." Um, no. Ordered the proper hose on Amazon. Should have been simpler than that, but done.

OK. That’s really it. Still on my plumbing list are A/C lines and radiator hoses. Have to bend some lines for the condenser in the radiator since I didn’t use the Factory Five A/C kit. And I’m procrastinating on the radiator hoses. Going to be challenging I think. Mostly for the lower one.

The Coupe turned 3,000 miles this past week. Still loving it. I’m not just working in the garage.

[edwardb]

Quick update. Sometimes a plan comes together. Decided to tackle the right angle heater hose connections at the LS water pump. Wasn’t too hard to get the existing fittings out. They’re just pressed in. Initial grab with a pair of vice grips crushed them without budging. But a few quick hits with a punch where they go into the pump and that was enough to grab again and get out. I was hoping to be able to tap the threads in place. But not enough room to the frame rails for the larger tap. No surprise I guess. So had to take enough of the front runner apart to get the water pump out. Wasn’t too bad and in hindsight having the water pump clamped to my workbench for tapping was better then trying to do it in place anyway. Also with it open was able to confirm I got all the chips out. The holes were just the right size for the 3/8 and 1/2 inch NPT taps. Sometimes YouTube videos do have the right information. Tapped each one far enough in to put the right angle adapters at the right depth and position, cleaned things up, and back onto the engine and everything back together with a good dose of thread sealant on the new fittings. Total time a little under two hours. Slight panic because you have to put the pieces in place in just the right order and position. The smaller one first with the end pointing away. Then the larger one. Then set them both to the final positions. Takes a little advance planning. Otherwise they run into each other going in. With them pointing down, my 90 degree molded hoses are going to work perfectly. I’ll finalize the exact routing along with the A/C hoses.

For reference, the adapters are Gardner-Westcott Company J9002 3/8 in. NPT, 5/8 in. Hose Barb, and Gardner-Westcott Company 7-69HHB-12X8 1/2 in. NPT, 3/4 in. Hose Barb.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=151500&d=1627913421

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=151499&d=1627913421

[wareaglescott]

That worked out great!

[McGuyver]

Hi Paul, Nice work and photos as always. Wish I would have seen this sooner. Some folks drill and tap the water pump for the LS3 steam vent. So in true build fashion if you decide to go that route the pump may need to come out again.
I have not addressed my transmission vent yet, does that AC Delco part connect to anything other than the vent on the transmission?
Thanks,
Ed

[edwardb]

Hi Paul, Nice work and photos as always. Wish I would have seen this sooner. Some folks drill and tap the water pump for the LS3 steam vent. So in true build fashion if you decide to go that route the pump may need to come out again.
I have not addressed my transmission vent yet, does that AC Delco part connect to anything other than the vent on the transmission?
Thanks,
Ed

Thanks. For the steam vent, based on my study of options right after I received the engine I've been planning to route to the upper radiator hose. My idea right now is I will probably replace the kit supplied plastic T-filler with a metal one and drill/tap the fitting for the steam line into that. Many put an added adapter into the upper radiator hose with a connection. But that's an additional cut in the line with two more clamps and more places to maintain and leak. Plus the upper hose ends up pretty short overall. I think the T-filler will be the best choice. For that vent hose, the only connection to the trans is the small line coming out of the case where it's attached in my pic. The front length of hose has a plastic one-way valve and it just gets routed forward and tied off somehow. The rear hose is where the fluid would come out if it came to that. So it needs to be routed to the underside and tied off. Both of those are still TBD on my build based on adding everything else that has to go in then will decide how best to route and tie them off.

[FFinisher]

Thanks. For the steam vent, based on my study of options right after I received the engine I've been planning to route to the upper radiator hose. My idea right now is I will probably replace the kit supplied plastic T-filler with a metal one and drill/tap the fitting for the steam line into that. Many put an added adapter into the upper radiator hose with a connection. But that's an additional cut in the line with two more clamps and more places to maintain and leak. Plus the upper hose ends up pretty short overall. I think the T-filler will be the best choice. For that vent hose, the only connection to the trans is the small line coming out of the case where it's attached in my pic. The front length of hose has a plastic one-way valve and it just gets routed forward and tied off somehow. The rear hose is where the fluid would come out if it came to that. So it needs to be routed to the underside and tied off. Both of those are still TBD on my build based on adding everything else that has to go in then will decide how best to route and tie them off.

What I did on the LS I am building is exactly that Paul, ran the steam vent line to the T filler, drilled and tapped a 1/8 pipe fitting and connected it to it. Worked out perfectly.

[edwardb]

Not as much done this week. Family visit cut into build time. But I’ll take a visit from our youngest son, wife and 15-month-old granddaughter any time. Special memories. With the house just a bit quieter, back to the build.

Wrapped up items mentioned previously and then a few new things. This is where the visible progress really slows down because of the detail work required. Mainly focused on the heat and A/C plumbing. The 90-degree adapters into the water pump for the heater lines worked out great. Routed the hoses under the motor mount and then up to the Vintage Air manifold. Then wrapped up all but two connections for the A/C hoses. Spent a lot of time finding the optimal hose routing and location for the receiver/dryer. There is a little space between the chassis tubes and the engine cover sides, so was prepared to go outside with hoses if I had to. Need to stay as far away from the exhaust header as possible. But found a setup that stays inside the chassis but still far enough away. I hope.

Mounted the receiver/dryer in a similar location as Factory Five shows for their A/C installation. Used an Allstar Performance ALL36125 tank bracket with hose clamps instead of the straps that came with it. Those are handy little brackets. Have also used for mounting charcoal cannisters at the gas tank. Crimped all the hoses with the Mastercool 71550 manual A/C hose crimper purchased during the Coupe build. It’s a nice tool that does a good job. I have two connections remaining. There are two hard lines coming out of the condenser in front of the radiator. I’m not using the Factory Five A/C setup and the two hard line pieces that came with the Vintage Air condenser aren’t quite right. Didn’t expect they would be. I was originally going to try bending my own using two of the Vintage Air “U-Bend-Em” lines. But upon further review, decided to have custom ones made. Vintage Air offers this service based on patterns you send. Completed that process and they should have them tomorrow. Don’t know what the turnaround time is. But not holding me up right now. When received, will button up the system and vacuum check.

Mounted the kit supplied radiator overflow tank in the location they show in the manual. Tight but it fits there. Also mounted my windshield washer tank/pump assembly on the right side above the Vintage Air manifold. The Michigan safety inspection requires washers. I’ve talked my way out of them a couple times. But have them in the Coupe and decided to go ahead with them here too if there was room. Found a very nice reservoir/pump assembly from a company called Chase Bays. Haven’t heard of them before. But it’s a nice piece and received not long after ordering. All aluminum with a decent looking pump. Not huge capacity. But more than enough to be legal and useable if needed. They also advertise it as an intercooler sprayer. Only thing left is the Lokar transmission dipstick. It will attach to the firewall somewhere. But leaving loose for now until the body and hood are installed. Just to be sure of the location.

Also installed the LS3 PCM, power distribution box, and laid in the main LS3 cable harness with attachments across the top front of the firewall. Lots of work there to clean things up and finalize all the routings and connections. Pictures showing all the above.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=151891&d=1628532998

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=151892&d=1628532998

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=151893&d=1628533038

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=151894&d=1628533038

Today I’ve started (just barely…) with wiring. I’m using the standard Ron Francis harness along with the harnesses that come with the LS3 engine controller kit, the transmission controller, the Vintage Air setup, the power steering, and the cruise control. Feel like I’m forgetting something. Anyway, lots of wires. Set the rear RF harness in place. Will need to reconfigure just a bit plus add some wires for the backup lights and transmission cooler. Installed the RF panel and set the main harness in place. I had already stripped off all the convolute. Expecting some major reconfiguration and dieting. Also set the front harness in place. This is probably the most intimidating time for those not comfortable with wiring. Just need to tackle one wire and circuit at a time. It will hopefully look a lot better in the coming weeks.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=151895&d=1628533082

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=151896&d=1628533082

It’s August and that means Woodward Dream Cruise time for us here in SE Michigan. Was cancelled last year but so far on for this year on August 21st. With numerous other events around the same time. Estimated at 1.5 million people and 40,000 classic cars. The Great Lakes Cobra Club will have our usual gathering during the event. So far with about 50 cars signed up and over 100 participants. Will probably add a few more in the next week. Check out the Dream Cruise and stop by and see us if you’re in the area.

[edwardb]

Started off the week doing a quick sanity check with the radiator surround and hood sitting in place. Wanted to make sure no surprises with height or interference with where I'd placed everything. Was pretty careful but better to know now than later. All clearances look fine.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=152225&d=1629164625

I’m knee deep into wiring now. Or is that elbow deep? Whatever have made some significant progress. I have the power wiring essentially complete. I ran a 2 gauge cable from the battery, down the top LH corner of the transmission tunnel, and then over to a Blue Sea Systems 2204 terminal feed through placed near the top of the PS firewall. From there, I have a 4 gauge cable going to the bus bar in the cab. Then from that same stud an 8 gauge cable to the input voltage connection on the LS power panel. On the engine side of the feed through, a 4 gauge cable goes to the starter and another 4 gauge cable goes to the alternator through a 150 amp megafuse. Since the starter cable is quite close to the headers (no choice) I wrapped it with DEI Cool Tape. It’s all pretty straightforward.

Next up ran 4 gauge ground cables from the engine to the frame. As per my usual practice, did two. One on the left side from an unused boss on the block to the motor mount. On the right side, ran a 4 gauge cable from under a bolt on the starter to the motor mount. In both cases, where attached to the frame, thoroughly cleaned the powder coat so the lugs are on bare metal. Also did the grounds for the LS harness. Interestingly, the instructions for the LS controller kit are very specific that the grounds for the LS harness go to the engine. Not the frame. There are three short leads that align with open threaded holes in the back of each head. Simple and easy to do. I say interestingly because Ford is equally adamant about the Coyote ground wire going to the frame or ideally directly to the battery negative terminal. Blue oval versus bowtie... :p

Then started in on the RF harness. I reconfigured the rear harness a bit. The splits weren’t in the right places and didn't lay out well. I needed to add wires for the backup light and transmission cooler. Plus the truck rear lights have an integral license plate light on one side. So removed the license plate wire. The front harness I haven’t changed yet. We’ll see on that one. For the main harness, I have it roughly positioned in the dash area. As previously mentioned, I removed all the convolute and am changing and dieting it quite a bit. Took about 15 inches off the ignition switch leg once it was moved to the correct position. The headlight branch, also moved, is pretty OK. I’m going to use the dash harness with the connectors so the dash can be removed. I’ll probably hard wire and remove the front and rear leg connectors. I’ve also eliminated the sending unit and headlight connectors. Certainly shrinks when put on a diet. Once it’s all done, I’ll wrap some convolute or other kind of covering over at least the main branch. These two pictures show where I’m at right now. Still looks a mess but making progress. For the bus bars, the one on the right is battery and always on. The one on the left is on ignition power. Each will have more attachments and also covers.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=152220&d=1629160130

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=152221&d=1629160130

So I’m far enough along that I could put power to the what’s installed and start checking things. All good so far. No smoke and voltage at all the right places at the right time. Really like the Ididit column and using the Hot Rod connector. The built-in horn, turn signal and hazard wiring and switches eliminate a lot of messing around. And so far all works perfectly. One of the things I’ve read about in other build threads is the supplied front LED lights. They look like nice pieces with light bars through the middle that can be wired as regular parking lights or DRL’s and shine white. Then the same light bars shine yellow when the turn signals or hazards are used. I like the idea of using them as DRL’s. The instructions in the manual are confusing though. I’ve read them multiple times and still don’t quite get what they’re saying. They say to add wires if doing DRL’s. But then, at least what I can figure, they don’t use RF tan parking light leads. Why not just still use them but separate them back at the main harness and give them an ignition voltage source? In theory they’re on all the time (daytime plus nighttime along with the headlights) and only interrupted (correctly) by turn signals or hazards. Many DD’s work this way. But other threads mention problems when set up this way and suggest different wiring and adding diodes. Like these:

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showthread.php?35997-LED-headlights-turn-signal

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showthread.php?37341-4-way-issue

So I was prepared to implement some of what are described here. But decided to test first. Attached clip leads to the lights. RF tan parking light leads to the small red DRL leads, left and right RF turn signal leads to the small yellow turn signal leads. I ran through a number of tests, and rather than trying to describe made this short video. This isn’t my thing at all. But hopefully gives the idea.

https://youtu.be/p72F6Zcz0FQ

Seems like everything works OK. Am I missing something? Or maybe something has changed with the lights? The threads also mention that the lights will only show the yellow color if both small leads are powered. Don’t recall that I mentioned that in the video. But tested again just now to confirm. That’s not the case with mine. I can push the hazard button with nothing else on (ignition, headlight switch, whatever) and the 4-way works as it should in the yellow color. Appreciate any feedback on this topic. Hopefully it’s as simple as it seems right now.

Pretty close to wrapping up the RF portion. Plus I have the Ididit headlight relay control nearly installed. Then onward finishing up the LS harness, transmission controller, power steering controller, and cruise control. I’ll be at this a while I think.

[Pat Landymore]

What about parking lights off, key off so there are no DRL’s showing, and then turn the 4 ways on? I believe you will have “4 ways” flashing out back, but nothing showing up front until either key or park is turned on.

That is the situation I used the diodes to rectify…and would be a common issue if one was broken down at the side of the road…all you would likely want is 4 ways. ??

[edwardb]

What about parking lights off, key off so there are no DRL’s showing, and then turn the 4 ways on? I believe you will have “4 ways” flashing out back, but nothing showing up front until either key or park is turned on.

That is the situation I used the diodes to rectify…and would be a common issue if one was broken down at the side of the road…all you would likely want is 4 ways. ??

Thanks. But I mentioned that near the end of my post. Just not in the video. If I push the hazard button with nothing else on, still works properly. The testing in my post was without the rear lights wired. I'm going to clip in the rear lights and test further. But a quick check this morning with one clipped on and everything still works. Including the brake lights without the brake light wire attached per the instructions. Interesting.

[Pat Landymore]

Honestly my first guess is the light manufacturer has changed the internal switching module so that the diodes aren’t needed.

With my truck there was zero power in the electric choke wire with the key off (which is correct) and no way I could get an orange indicator for either regular signals OR 4 ways without applying power to both the DRL and the signal wire(s) at the same time. That’s how I came up with diode switching.

I know you’ve wired your truck correctly so my guess of a change to the internal module is really the only option.

[Erik W. Treves]

so do yourself a favor- make sure when you are checking the lights - you have all 4 corners hooked up!

I have had 2 IDIDIT columns have shorts in them - and found them during final assy.... would be much easier to resolve now.

Also in the rear you want to verify that the turn signals and hazards stay engaged (in the rear) when the brake is depressed... I believe you have to remove 1 wire from the connector (pin P) if they don't work correctly

[edwardb]

so do yourself a favor- make sure when you are checking the lights - you have all 4 corners hooked up!

I have had 2 IDIDIT columns have shorts in them - and found them during final assy.... would be much easier to resolve now.

Also in the rear you want to verify that the turn signals and hazards stay engaged (in the rear) when the brake is depressed... I believe you have to remove 1 wire from the connector (pin P) if they don't work correctly

Thanks Erik. In the process right now of hooking up the rear lights to test more thoroughly. I very quickly put one on this AM before doing the wiring addition to the rear lights shown in the instructions. I did notice the hazards stopped flashing when the brake lights were engaged. Didn't test with turn signals. Will check further into the wiring fix.

[FF33rod]

I added wires and diodes for DRL on the HR build simply because I had no idea what the operation of the parking function was so I went with what was simplest for me. With your experience on other builds that include the parking light wiring I'm sure you'll have it covered. If it works, it works!!!

Steve

[Erik W. Treves]

Thanks Erik. In the process right now of hooking up the rear lights to test more thoroughly. I very quickly put one on this AM before doing the wiring addition to the rear lights shown in the instructions. I did notice the hazards stopped flashing when the brake lights were engaged. Didn't test with turn signals. Will check further into the wiring fix.

If it stops flashing with the hazards I suspect it will be the same with turns - disconnecting PIN P should fix that issue...

[edwardb]

If it stops flashing with the hazards I suspect it will be the same with turns - disconnecting PIN P should fix that issue...

Still testing. But can confirm the brake lights seem to work OK with the turn signals. But the hazards do stop flashing when the brake lights are activated. Almost seems like a fault (or design flaw) in the module in the Ididit column. In actual practice, may not be a problem. Don't typically need the brakes if parked along the side of the road with the hazards flashing. But still shouldn't work that way. Will be testing more over the next days. Family stuff plus our big Woodward Dream Cruise this week. So limited shop time. Finalizing the headlight relay pack and having everything 100% connected.

Question -- the PIN P you reference. I'm assuming that's in the Ididit column Hot Rod connector? If so, based on the schematic that's the hazard 12V feed wire. Since that's on a battery circuit, vs. the turn signal which is on an ignition circuit, hard to imagine the flashers would work at all if removed. But willing to test. Just haven't figured out how to get the pins out of either connector. Tried... Not ready to just cut the wire.

[Erik W. Treves]

You can just unpin it... But that's the same problem I had with the F9... But yes you can cut the wire or unpin it from the plug. The hazard feed is not on that wire...it is on pin K and the turn feed is on L. P on the ididit column is brake light feed..which is why I think it's over riding the lights... My coupe and the other cars I built that all used RF harness didn't exhibit this behavior... I only noticed this first on the truck and then with the F9... The new variable was the ididit column...anyway.. it easier to disconnect from the column end connector


https://youtu.be/Dj5yYCiYS68

[edwardb]

You can just unpin it... But that's the same problem I had with the F9... But yes you can cut the wire or unpin it from the plug. The hazard feed is not on that wire...it is on pin K and the turn feed is on L. P on the ididit column is brake light feed..which is why I think it's over riding the lights... My coupe and the other cars I built that all used RF harness didn't exhibit this behavior... I only noticed this first on the truck and then with the F9... The new variable was the ididit column...anyway.. it easier to disconnect from the column end connector.

Erik, thanks for the video. Pin came right out when the tab as depressed as shown. But to be honest I'm confused about this solution. With the cavity P brake wire removed (sorry about the confusion on my part before) I have no brake light function at any time. Based on everything I can see and follow in the schematic, this would be the only path for the brake lights to be powered. If there were separate brake lights, like the Coupe and maybe the F9 (?), they could be powered through the normal path and not use the hot rod connector. But in this application, where the light fixture is using the same elements for brakes and turn signals, don't see how it can work without the cavity P brake wire. Which leads me to my next post...


not sure I understand this since the "hot rod" connector is just laid into "over" the the coupe harness - at least it was on the F9.... I could run either "coupe / cobra " way OR "hotrod" way. - are you saying that truck harness only has the column connection in it? As a matter of fact when I discovered the short in the column I disconnected the IDIDIT plug completely and just added the old trusty toggle switch... the brake supply path was still the old legacy path from the panel through the brake switch to the brake lights

guess the truck harness is different now.

[edwardb]

Over the past couple of days, have completed all the wiring for the light circuits. Only things that aren't finalized are the actual connections at each corner. There I have the fixtures on clip leads pending final installation later in the build. But all the RF wiring behind the dash is completed and using final connections. The truck manual says to clip a couple wires in the dash harness because basically the hot rod connector is just an extension of those wires. I took it one step further and removed all the dash harness wiring with the exception of two leads from the left and right turn circuits to light the indicators on the dash. The rest now have a direct path to the hot rod connector without going to the dash harness. This includes the main power feeds for the hazards and turn signals. There should no issues with backfeeding or whatever.

For the front DRL's, I clipped the front tan parking light wire away from the headlight switch and have it powered by an ignition circuit. In my case, the radio circuit since I'm not installing a radio. Simple change and works fine. Any time the ignition is on the front DRL's are on. Only downside to this approach is pulling the headlight switch to the first position (parking lights) obviously does not light the front parking lights. I'm OK with that because anything else would be much more complicated plus I rarely if ever use the parking lights by themselves with the ignition off.

In one of my previous posts, I described that the hazards worked fine (ignition on or off) but stopped flashing when the brake pedal is pushed. Upon further research, determined this is normal behavior when the light fixtures are using the same element for brakes and turn signals. There is no other option unless there are separate fixtures. Also makes logical sense I think. When moving with the hazards flashing, if you braked you would want the brake lights to show that versus keep flashing. For me this issue is closed and using this combination of parts, have to believe every other build works the same way.

Having said all of that, after extensive testing of every combination I can think of, with ignition off and on, I have one issue that's unresolved. Ignition off, everything works perfectly. Parking lights, hazards, headlights low and high beam, flash to pass, brakes, etc. All good. With the ignition on, all the same tests and everything works properly there as well with one exception. The summary is that any time the LH turn signal is used, the brake light on that side stops working. It won't work again until the RH turn signal is cycled. Happens 100% of the time. I've swapped fixtures from side-to-side. Swapped the kit provided LED flashers in the panel. Tried an incandescent fixture just in case it was related to the low draw of the LED light. Also tried a diode in each feed wire. Nothing changed the behavior or moved the problem to the other side. I'm down to thinking there's a problem with the module in the Ididit column, and am going to report it to them. Looking for any suggestions.

I did make another video that shows what I'm talking about. Just ignore the fact that at around the 2:00 minute mark I got LH and RH backwards. Just to confirm: Error condition is LH brake light function dies after turn signal on that side and can only be restored by cycling the turn signal on the RH side.

https://youtu.be/wYwXMt5WAx0

[edwardb]

Quick update before anyone starts throwing out ideas. Sent a message to Ididit, and had a response within the hour. Gave me some basic suggestions before going any deeper. Turns out if you wiggle the turn signal lever, the brake light comes back on. Can't believe I didn't notice that before. So it's a centering or alignment issue with the switch inside the column. I'm not sure where to turn to fix. So made another very quick video and just sent back to them. But the good news is it's not a wiring issue or some type of internal logic error with the module. Hopefully a simple fix.

[Robodent]

Geeze for a simple average builder like myself I think I’d be pulling my hair out trying to figure this out. Great job Paul
I’ll keep following your build . Rob

[edwardb]

not sure I understand this since the "hot rod" connector is just laid into "over" the the coupe harness - at least it was on the F9.... I could run either "coupe / cobra " way OR "hotrod" way. - are you saying that truck harness only has the column connection in it? As a matter of fact when I discovered the short in the column I disconnected the IDIDIT plug completely and just added the old trusty toggle switch... the brake supply path was still the old legacy path from the panel through the brake switch to the brake lights

guess the truck harness is different now.

No, the harness hasn't changed and it's exactly like you describe. The hot rod harness is just laid on top of the regular RF harness. The challenge in this case is the light fixtures provided. They only use two wires plus ground. One for the running lights and the other for the turn signals and brakes. The truck manual even tells you not to connect the RF harness brake light wires at the rear corners. Nothing to attach them to, and that's where the "normal" RF harness sends the +12V brake signal. The Ididit column has a module, which I'm assuming is similar if not the same as the trailer taillight converter now used on the Roadster with the 2-wire square lights. Based on what I've studied and now experienced, the brake lights only work if going through the Ididit column and using the internal module if using the kit supplied rear lights. Different fixtures, with three wires (running, turn signal and brake) could use the "traditional" wiring. Maybe the light fixtures themselves are what's different now?

[edwardb]

Still plugging away at wiring and will be for some time yet. First another quick update. I mentioned before ordering custom hard lines for the A/C condenser since I didn’t opt for the Factory Five heat and A/C kit and the hard lines provided with the condenser I bought didn’t play nice with the radiator and required routing. Shout out to Vintage Air for providing this service. I sent them patterns made from brake lines and they reproduced them perfectly. Their process is professional and efficient. Not cheap but no way I could have made those myself. I don’t have the radiator and condenser back in yet. But I’m positive they’ll work perfectly based on a quick check.

I’m nearly complete now with installing the highly dieted Ron Francis harness into the chassis. When finished, the only connectors remaining will two for the dash harness so the dash can be removed if needed. I’ve already eliminated the headlight and sender connectors. I’ll also be removing the front and rear harness connectors. All switched over to direct connections. It’s a matter of space, tailoring the lengths to match the installation a little better, plus adding and removing wires needed for the build content. Not for everyone, but how I’ve chosen to approach it.

In the last series of updates, discussed the issue I was having with the four corner lights and specifically an intermittent issue with the LH turn signal and brake light. After eliminating everything else, boiled down to something with the Ididit column. Then, as shown in the last little video I posted, turned out to be a problem with the GM turn signal switch. Ididit support was good to provide multiple suggestions on how to resolve. But nothing fixed it, so at their suggestion I replaced the switch. Aside from pulling the steering wheel, that vintage GM switch has a retaining ring holding the cam plate over a heavy spring which is easy enough to remove but a real bear to put back together. With the new switch in place and the wires fished through the column (not an easy task either) thought I could push things back together and install the retaining ring. Nope. There’s a special tool. But I didn’t want to wait so cobbled a homemade version and it was together in minutes. With the new switch in place, all the lighting works perfectly and the previous problems are non-existent. Ididit said they would reimburse me for the switch. $40 isn't going to break the budget, but seems the right thing to do since it never worked right out of the box.

One other quick word about the external lighting. Several have posted on their build threads, and referenced here on mine, that diodes are needed to make the circuit work properly with the kit provided lights and RF harness. Once everything was sorted out, didn’t find that to be the case. Mine is working perfectly if every scenario without anything added. Other than perhaps the parts are different than past kits (possible…) I’m wondering if the issues aren’t related to the hot rod harness. That branch is added on top of the regular RF wiring for the turn signals, hazards, brake lights and horn. So those circuits appear twice in the harness. Once at the hot rod connector and also mostly in the dash harness. In two different places in the build manual it describes cutting or isolating the unused wires to prevent any unwanted interaction. Wondering if that’s maybe what others are experiencing? I actually removed the unused wires completely. The only thing related to those circuits remaining in my dash harness are the two indicator lights. Everything else I’ve changed to only wired directly to the hot rod harness.

So finally to actual progress. We’re having our usual August Michigan heat wave. By noon, my non-A/C equipped garage shop turns into a sauna. I know, my friends in other parts of the country that have real heat waves will think I’m a wimp. But just not a pleasant place to work. So I’ve moved to the basement shop and have been wiring the dash. It’s nearly complete. First time I’ve used Autometer gauges. The RF harness was most recently upgraded to be more compatible with Speedhut gauges. So, most of that was clipped off and replaced with 1/4" quick disconnect terminals used on the Autometers. One of the challenges with this dash is it all has to come apart again for paint. So wired taking that into account. I bonded a base stud to the dash with HSRF to hold the dash harness in the proper position to match the connectors on the main harness. Plus takes up the lion share of the weight of the harness. I put the turn signal, high beam, and MIL indicators above the steering wheel as mentioned previously. Also added a clock over on the passenger side near the HVAC controller. All powered and confirmed last night all working. The Autometers are somewhat old school gauges and still use incandescent lights. So the built-in dimmer on the ACDelco headlight switch works normally. The Vintage Air controller has cool lights built into the knobs. They also dim with the headlight switch which is nice. Even appear to be a similar color temperature so everything matches. Thought they were LED’s, but can’t tell for sure. There’s plenty of room on the back of the dash, so I’m also in the process of mounting the main harness for the Vintage Air system there as well. With that, a few pictures. Doesn’t look like much but took some time to get together. The coiled wires on the left are the harness going to the wipers and washer.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=152747&d=1630062154

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=152748&d=1630062154

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=152750&d=1630062154

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=152749&d=1630062154

Speaking of the MIL (Multifunction Indicator Light, or fancy title for check engine) mentioned above that’s triggered from the LS harness. Can’t help but notice similarities and differences in some cases to the LS installation compared to my previous Coyote installations. In this case, the MIL is wired the same as the Coyote. You give +12V to the positive side of the light (I used the regular gauge circuit) and the LS PCM switches the ground. Confirmed via research that this is correct. Also was interested to see many report the light glows slightly all the time when using a low current LED. Just like the Coyote! I guess I’ll feel at home seeing that. Some play with resistors to tone it down. I tried that on my Coupe build and couldn’t find a value that suppressed it very much without affecting it when it was actually turned on. So just leave it as my “system is alive” glowing light.

Will keep wiring for now. But once it cools off a bit, will change directions and get the inside of the cab finished. Prefer to do that outside to keep the mess out of the shop. I’m going to do a little filling and sanding and spray the inside including the headliner with UPOL Raptor like I did on the Coupe. Turned out well there so will repeat. Only difference is I’m going to spray it silver instead of black. Also have a slightly upgraded gun so hoping to get a little smoother surface. We’ll see. Once the wiring is wrapped, plan to put the cab back on the for the duration. At least until paint and not sure what will happen there.

[Erik W. Treves]

So that's 3 IDIDIT columns now. Interesting. and this is why I fully connect all 4 corners and check all the lighting during this stage. I too have not seen the need to add diodes . Glad you figured it out now - I went through this at the end of my SEMA Truck during final assembly - I was NOT happy :) Looking good Paul!

[edwardb]

Not as much building time this week, so not as much to share. No pictures either since nothing is particularly photogenic. Still chipping away at the wiring. I feel like I’m making progress. But then still a ways to go.

Front and rear harnesses are installed as far as I’m going to take them. In both cases, removed the connectors to the main RF harness as mentioned before. So both are hardwired with splices. Saves space plus allows the length and location to be exactly customized. Only thing left is the corners where the lights are attached. Will finalize the routing there and add Weather Pack connectors after the body is installed. Only way to know exactly where to place the connections.

The power steering is completely installed and working. I routed the wires as shown in the manual. Along the lower frame rail, then around the corner and outside the chassis up behind where the door hinges are. Carefully measured and there’s plenty of room with the cab in place. Just need to be careful when taking it on and off. I put some strips of Gorilla tape over the wires in that area to prevent any damage. I removed the 40 amp inline fuse in the supplied harness. I have it powered by one of the accessory outlets in the LS fuse/relay center. There are two available. Changed the already installed 50 amp maxi fuse to a 40 amp. So duplicated what the PS system had pre-installed. But located in a fuse panel where it’s accessible. First time I’ve used or even been around electric power steering of this type. Not sure what I was expecting when I powered it up. But I didn’t expect it to be totally silent. Thought maybe you’d hear the motor or something. But it’s clearly working based on the steering wheel effort. One other comment about the power steering setup. There’s a blue wire in the harness that isn’t mentioned in the manual and I see some question. Found in another build thread it’s used for diagnostics of the control module and not attached to anything. I capped it off and tied it up with the harness.

Next I worked on finishing the LS harness. As shown in previous updates, already have the ECM mounted and connected and the relay/fuse panel mounted and connected to battery power. Both behind the dash. Also have the main harness leg attached to the front of the firewall with most engine connections completed. Next order of business was a harness leg that goes from the main harness in the engine compartment to the interior. Three ends are the ODB2 port, connector for the DBW (accelerator pedal), and connections for the MIL and ignition sense. I didn’t want to drill a big enough hole in the firewall to pass the connectors through. Plus each leg was easily two feet longer than needed. So, cut off the connectors, passed the wires through a 3/4" hole with an insulator, and re-attached the connectors via splices. Tedious work but worth it if done carefully. I think (hope). The cruise control also attaches to the ODB2 port and DBW connection. For the ODB2 port, it comes with a connector that you plug in but remove if the port is needed. Or it says in the instructions you can cut the plug off and permanently solder the wires to the designated CAN bus pinouts. That way it's not necessary to plug and unplug. I did that while reassembling the connection. For the DBW, the cruise control has a short pigtail that goes between the DBW module and the harness connection. With wires in the pigtail that go to the cruise control module. Thought about hard wiring that too. But decided against it. I’ll use the pigtail as is. Connected the MIL wire that routes to the indicator on the dash. Tested and working. Connected the LS ignition wire. I used the ignition powered choke wire. Presence of voltage (+12V) signals the LS system to power up. Also connected the LS cooling fan and fuel pump wires into the RF harness. The fuel pump breaks into the RF fuel pump relay exactly the same as with Coyote builds. Ends up with the inertia switch still functional and using the RF wires back to the pump. Tested and working. For the fan, with AC you want the RF cooling fan to still work via one of the signal wires on the trinary switch. But then the LS can also power the cooling fan based on engine temp. So I have the LS fan wire spliced onto the RF cooling fan wire going through the front harness. That way, either can power the cooling fan. My Coupe is the same based on the instructions from Factory Five. Works fine.

Still a few more connections and clean-up to complete in the engine compartment with the LS harness. But powered up, the throttle body is alive and the MIL lit. The ODB2 port is alive and shows six codes. Not paying any attention to them at this point. Just happy to see it working. Once wiring is done, get the cooling system hooked up and I can think about a first start. Not there's some motivation.

Speaking of the cruise control, also studying that wiring to get it wrapped up. The instructions say that if using LED lights, which is what the kit provides, it’s necessary to add a relay to the circuit associated with the brake light switch. Obviously pushing the brake pedal cancels the cruise mode. But apparently with LED’s the grounds through the lights aren’t adequate so it’s necessary to add a relay to break the ground. The relay diagram in the instructions is very confusing IMO. I checked Dakota Digital’s website, and they have a diagram there too but it’s slightly different and also confusing. I sent a message to their tech support but so far haven’t heard back after several days. I understand what they’re trying to do and will wire it accordingly whether I hear back or not. If you understand relays (not hard…) it’s fairly straightforward. But wouldn't mind their confirmation.

The HGM transmission controller is the single largest open item still for wiring. Will be diving into that next. It all seems easy enough except how vehicle speed inputs are handled. A little confusing so far but will get it sorted out. Somewhere in that have to also get a signal to the Autometer speedo.

On a non-wiring front, I said before my Moser rear end wasn’t leaking like many others have experienced. Scratch that. It’s leaking. Not a lot. But it’s wet along the bottom after a while. Then drips occasionally. Grrrr. Sent a message to tech support at Moser. Had me check the torque on the bolts (already had done that) and then said it needed to be re-sealed with a new gasket and sent one. I suggested also using Permatex The Right Stuff gasket maker and they said that was a good idea. Unfortunate IMO for a seemingly high quality (and expensive) part to need this fix but I’m not alone I guess. Not looking forward to letting the smelly fluid out of it’s cage.

That’s it for now.

[J R Jones]

Re: Moser lube sealing: I built a frame to mount an Avanti body with Corvette C4 running gear. Mission creep has brought it to an LS1 and ZF six speed. The IRS differential has gone from Dana 36 to Dana 44.
That case/carrier is heavy cast aluminum, likely permanent mould 17-4. Challenging the seal is torque load and lateral suspension loads. Dual fastener function, clamping and mounting. GM uses silicone, no gasket.
Success is uncertain, I disassembled the 44 to find orange and black silicone. Questionable technique. Is the Moser gasket critical to dimension stack-up?
jim

[edwardb]

Re: Moser lube sealing: I built a frame to mount an Avanti body with Corvette C4 running gear. Mission creep has brought it to an LS1 and ZF six speed. The IRS differential has gone from Dana 36 to Dana 44.
That case/carrier is heavy cast aluminum, likely permanent mould 17-4. Challenging the seal is torque load and lateral suspension loads. Dual fastener function, clamping and mounting. GM uses silicone, no gasket.
Success is uncertain, I disassembled the 44 to find orange and black silicone. Questionable technique. Is the Moser gasket critical to dimension stack-up?
jim

This is a pretty standard cast iron Ford 8.8 solid axle with a stamped steel cover. I’m not too worried about stress or whatever. Intended use is a street cruiser and won’t see anything extreme. The gasket plus Right Stuff is a solution others have used and is apparently successful.

[J R Jones]

This is a pretty standard cast iron Ford 8.8 solid axle with a stamped steel cover. I’m not too worried about stress or whatever. Intended use is a street cruiser and won’t see anything extreme. The gasket plus Right Stuff is a solution others have used and is apparently successful.

The challenge for gaskets or sealant is conformity to the surfaces and gap filling. There are cast/machined covers that additionally offer supplemental structure to the housing.
jim

[Chris Wingardh]

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=152220&d=1629160130

Edward, Where did the cruise control come from? I ordered the same column, but not sure if it comes with cruise control.

Thanks,

Chris

[edwardb]

The challenge for gaskets or sealant is conformity to the surfaces and gap filling. There are cast/machined covers that additionally offer supplemental structure to the housing.
jim

I am aware and have used those options on other builds. For this build, I'm using the parts I already have for the reasons mentioned. I'm confident it will be fine.

[edwardb]

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=152220&d=1629160130

Edward, Where did the cruise control come from? I ordered the same column, but not sure if it comes with cruise control.

Thanks,

Chris

The Ididit column does not come with cruise control or the pictured turn signal stalk with the controls. I'm using a Dakota Digital CRC-1000-3 GM LS Drive-by-Wire Cruise Control Kit. That version comes with the turn signal stalk style controller that's mounted inside the Ididit column instead of the provided turn signal stalk. The harness must be fished down through the column. Doable but fair warning a little challenging. They also have a version with a dash mounted controller (CRC-1000-2) and a version with a slip-on turn signal stalk (CR-1000-1) which I assume has the wiring on the outside. I have no experience with this one and don't know if it fits or not. Plus I wanted the wiring hidden.

[edwardb]

Over the last week, have completed all the wiring on the firewall side for the LS and related. Including the gauge connections and the HVAC wiring. Now I feel like I’m making some good progress. I’m not going to go through every detail. But a couple highlights. It was nice of Chevrolet, I guess, and I know the provided harness is universal. But many of the harness legs are too long. Especially the ones that go through the firewall into the cockpit that I mentioned previously. But also many of the engine legs. I adjusted them as needed for a better fit. Another factor is due to the relatively tight engine bay, plus how tight the FF provided LS Hooker headers are, heat is definitely a concern with many of the harness legs. Several come with foil wrapped around the convolute. But others need to be insulated. Including the wires for the O2 sensors, starter power, and solenoid wire. All are within fractions of an inch from the headers. I originally was going to use DEI Cool Tape. Which I’ve used in the past. After wrapping the main starter power wire from the firewall feedthrough to the starter, decided to use something else for the rest. Went with the smallest size (0.250 in.-0.500 in.) Thermo-Tec Thermo-Sleeve Protectors instead. Same product I used previously on the fuel line by the mufflers. Also, I read a number of instances of Hot Rod builders having trouble with heat soak on the starter. Again, due to the closeness of the headers. So wrapped it with a Thermo-Tec starter heat shield. I think I have everything adequately protected now. Finally, the other thing I did was eliminate the big block connectors between the coil pack harness and the injector harness on the top of each head. This allowed things to be tucked in a little neater. Pretty sure those are there for assembly ease at the factory. The stock setup is all four coil packs in a bracket and prewired to drop onto the top of the head as a single assembly and a single connection. I eliminated that bracket when I switched to the Holley valve covers shown previously. Here are several pictures. Still wish it looked a little neater. Oh well. Note the front harness is temporarily tie-wrapped to the frame rail. I’ll finalize and attach differently when the body is on and the front components are placed.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=153316&d=1631549230

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=153317&d=1631549230

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=153319&d=1631549230

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=153320&d=1631549230

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=153318&d=1631549230

Couple connections on the other side of the firewall and the engine would be ready to start. Only remaining items are the upper and lower radiator hoses and the famous LS steam vent. Which I’m going to route to the T-filler. But I’m going to wrap up more of the wiring on the inside first. Still a few connections to go on the HVAC system and cruise control. Plus the transmission controller. Each are relatively simple and I think I have all the connections figured out. But takes time. Speaking of first starts, have studied the LS instructions that came with my engine and controller. Chevrolet can’t quite make up their mind regarding oil priming before the first start. In one place, it says to crank the engine with the starter and the controller off (obviously so it won’t start) until oil pressure shows on a gauge. In another place, it says to use an engine preluber kit and prime through the engine block left front oil gallery plug. That sounds OK except they reference a preferred tool (J45299) that’s in the $400 range. A little pricey for a one-time use to say the least. I’m looking at some videos with guys doing the same thing with various homemade devices including garden sprayers. As long as oil makes its way through the engine, evidenced in all cases by oil showing up at the lifters, seems like the simple and cheap way could work. Will be looking more. Once again, comparing the LS installation to the previous Coyotes, this is an aspect that I don't recall Ford mentions anywhere in their instructions. I suspect all engines are put together with copious amounts of assembly lube. And if you've ever been in an assembly plant (or seen videos) they start the engines at the end of the line and drive them away without doing anything special. Maybe because crate engines have the potential to sit around for a long time before starting? Who knows.

That’s it for the update. This next Sunday, Sept 19, we’ll be showing our Daytona Coupe at the Eyes On Design Automotive Design Exhibition in Grosse Pointe Shores, MI. This is an invitation only event. I received an invitation based on a drive through show they had there last year. This is an amazing high-end show and a huge honor to be invited. I don’t know about every car that will be there. But based on the press releases and some of the cars they’ve described, should be amazing. There will be judging by industry professionals and awards. Per their own description, “A panel of 60 automotive design leaders will judge more than 250 vehicles curated for their unique design relevance to the theme: 'Marques of Extinction: Significant Designs of Bygone Brands.'” I have no idea what class the Coupe will be placed in. I don’t have any expectation for awards based on what will be there. But looking forward to it as an interesting and exciting day. I’ll take lots of pictures and share. Peter Brock was apparently scheduled to be there to accept a special award. But now that’s been pushed to next year. More info here if you’re interested: http://www.eyesondesign.org/carshow.

[Erik W. Treves]

Paul - I just used this : Allstar Performance Oil Pressure Primer Tank ALL10535 - worked really well $170...

[JohnK]

Paul, I just pre-lubed my gen 2 coyote yesterday before first start using $20 worth of parts from my local Ace hardware, as shown in my build thread here (https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showthread.php?31167-Greek-Guys-Garage-Roadster-Build-9509-(First-start!)&p=468608&viewfull=1#post468608). It worked perfectly. I removed the oil filler cap and was able to see oil dribbling out of the oil passages in the head, so I'm pretty confident that oil made its way through all the oil passages with this method.

[lewma]

Paul

What plans do you have for the coolant overflow / expansion tank on this build ? I'm using a similar LS engine in my coupe build. Just wondering what thoughts you have on this.

mark

[edwardb]

Paul

What plans do you have for the coolant overflow / expansion tank on this build ? I'm using a similar LS engine in my coupe build. Just wondering what thoughts you have on this.

mark

I'm using the kit supplied overflow tank. It's mounted on the RH side of the firewall. Just not plumbed yet. It's the long polished round tank visible in all but the first picture from my newest update.

[edwardb]

A lot more progress on wiring and most of the major components. Everything that I can test is working. Have the HGM transmission controller completed. Seems like a high-quality setup and I’m happy with it. But like other items, the universal wiring harness took some work. Main leg from the firewall to the transmission connection was nearly two feet too long. Just nowhere to put that much excess. Plus, some of the wires (power, ground, speed sensor, reverse sensor, etc.) exited from the transmission end of the harness instead of by the controller where they’re needed. So took another harness apart and reconfigured to fit the build. Including removing a couple unneeded connections. Shortening the main cable was a bit of work (14 conductors) but worth it. The setup also came with two adapter cables for the VSS on the trans and the CAN bus to the LS harness. Removed those and hard wired to the proper connector. Had to make a new harness leg to the Lokar sport shift for the park/neutral safety switch wires and the control wires for the manual shift mode. HGM previously sent me the wires and directions, which were excellent. The main +12V power wire had an in-line 7.5 amp fuse. Removed that and I’m powering through an ignition switched power lead in the LS pigtail harness. Switched the 15 amp fuse in the LS panel to a 7.5 one. I had to order some pins and seals for the Delphi (now Aptiva) GT 150 style connector that came with the controller that goes into the LS pigtail connector. Was only pre-wired with the two pins for the CAN bus. Needed to add connections for several more including the tach wire. Hear that Ford Performance and Coyote? An actual tach wire in the crate motor harness. Powered up the HGM controller and it paired via Bluetooth. Not much configuration to do at this point since it was reading the CAN Bus. Got up to the "drive it" step in the instructions.

Mounted the fuel pump inertia switch on the side of the pedal box shelf. Confirmed access with the dash in place. I made a harness for the power windows. I’m going to have the switches somewhere on the tunnel behind the shifter. The kit provided wiring only goes as far as the dash. Thinking about making a custom console. But TBD because I haven’t decided about seats yet.

Also now have the Dakota Digital cruise control wired up. All very straightforward. Just crazy long wires again that needed to be shortened to avoid a giant rat’s nest. It too had an in-line fuse. Only 1 amp. I tapped the power off the ignition-controlled bus bar shown previously, and the fuse is reachable from under the dash. So left it in place. The only surprise was the required added relay for the brake pedal circuit because of LED brake lights. Never did hear back from Dakota Digital tech support on my question regarding their diagrams. But wired it in the only way that made sense. To me anyway. I’m confident it will work OK.

Most of the remaining work is for the Vintage Air HVAC wiring. The firewall forward part was done as of a couple updates ago. But still work remaining on the dash where I have the main power harness and the controller and the interconnects to the evaporator unit on the firewall. Will finalize when the cab is back on and I can get the actual location of the dash.

This is what it looked like before:

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=152220&d=1629160130

Now a little more buttoned up. Hard to make wiring look very pretty (at least for me…) but the layout worked pretty well and everything fit. Clearly not having the Wilwood pedal box installed opens up a lot of space. So not sure how applicable this is for most builds. But works well with the benefit of the power brakes on the other side of the firewall.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=153684&d=1632450723

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=153685&d=1632450723

A lot of wires and related removed from several harnesses.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=153686&d=1632450723

One final somewhat trivial detail is what to do with the headlight low/high beam switch? The Ididit headlight relay module I used has a single wire that when grounded gives flash to pass with the headlights off and regular low/high beam switching with the headlights on. Would have liked something on the turn signal stalk but not an option with the cruise control stalk. Didn’t really want a switch on the dash. So going old school with a foot operated switch. OE style switches from back in the day were typically latching type and large made to carry the full headlight current. I only need a momentary switch with low current capacity. But still hold up to being foot operated. After some searching, found what I think is an ideal switch at McMaster. https://www.mcmaster.com/5374T33/. Nice square shape that fits perfectly along the frame rail in the footwell. Seems quite robust and even looks the part. Added a plate on the back for mounting and routed the two wires on the front harness leg installed just above it.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=153688&d=1632452021

Now will focus on finalizing the intake and radiator connections. Then can start planning for the first start. Also, the interior body work and UPOL Rapter spray inside the cab mentioned previously. Also thinking about tires so I can make it a roller. I do have two questions for Hot Rod and Truck builders:

1. What are you doing with the cable harnesses that go through the transmission tunnel above the transmission? There are a number (main power, rear harness, transmission controller, vent, etc.) that logically have to go between the transmission main body and the fiberglass cover. Is it a problem if they rest on top of the transmission? Or did you figure out some way to attach them to the underside of the cover so they’re not touching the transmission? If so, what have you done to accomplish that? Please don’t tell me to route them elsewhere, e.g. underneath on the chassis. Way too late for that.

2. Speaking of the cover, I go back and forth on whether I want it removable or not. Ideally, would be best to be removable, I guess. But planning full insulation and carpeting, and not necessarily ideal to have that stuff removable. At least how I like to do it. There is the center top fill piece that could be made removable. Don’t know if that would really help and the same issue(s) with making it look decent. One option would be making the custom console I’m thinking about go all the way to under the dash. That could be a solution for question 1 too. But again, still TBD. Wondering what others have done.

Last Sunday was the big EyesOn Design car show I mentioned previously. According to one of the helpers, one of the top five shows in the country. I reported about it in some detail on Facebook. Just a quick word here. Was a perfect day with not a cloud in the sky and temps in the 70’s. By far the highest end and most organized show I’ve ever attended. About 225 cars in the central meadow on the grounds of the Edsel Ford House in Grosse Pointe Shores, Michigan. The quality of the cars shown was amazing. Judging was by industry design professionals. But turns out less than half of the classes are judged, and mine wasn’t one of them. Which was fine. Each year has a specific theme and they judge classes that are part of that theme. There was traffic around the Coupe all day and had a good time talking with lots of folks. Have no idea if I'll be invited again. But next year's special guess is supposed to be Peter Brock.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=153687&d=1632450764

Thanks for following my build. Appreciate the comments and thanks in advance for suggestions on these latest questions.

[wareaglescott]

Great progress Paul. Coupe looks stunning out there in the sun!

[edwardb]

Pretty quick update this week. Finalized all the electrical wiring I can do to this point. Few more connections to finalize when the dash is installed. Plus, some wiring at the shifter and center console. Only thing other than that is the four corner lighting when the body is on. I’m also finalizing the routing of the front harness. I exited the firewall under the top tube, which is slightly different than the manual. But once to the front, routed around the front suspension and under the radiator as shown. Seems to work out OK.

Got my A/C lines completely installed. The custom lines at the condenser that Vintage Air made worked out OK. They made them exactly per my patterns. In hindsight, could have made the legs coming out from the radiator area slightly shorter. Would have been a little easier to work around the front suspension. But it’s all Ok and buttoned up. Got out the manifold gauges and vacuum pump to check things out. Ran the pump for an hour to draw out any moisture and put the system under vacuum. With the gauge showing -30 inches of mercury, turned the pump off and let it sit to see if any leaks. Got busy and didn’t come back for about eight hours. Still at -30. Needle hadn’t moved. That’s a good thing. Good chance I have a leak free system. No hurry to charge plus I need the engine and compressor running. But seems ready to go.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=154009&d=1633169889

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=154010&d=1633169889

Another item on my to-do was to fix the leaking Moser diff. This seems to be a bit of a recurring problem as others have reported the same thing. Not a huge leak. But a drip every day or two and general wetness along the bottom of the diff. I hate leaks… Contacted Moser and they sent me a new gasket. After reading through other fixes, and looking at various products, decided to use black Permatex The Right Stuff Gasket Maker. Moser suggested using it with the gasket. But upon further review and looking at Permatex documentation, it’s intended to be a complete gasket. Not a gasket dressing. So decided to leave the supplied gasket out. At the very last minute, ran across an available gasket product called Lubelocker, made from aluminum with a rubber coating. Very highly rated and will be my fall back if this doesn’t work. I had already purchased the Right Stuff (not cheap…) so stayed with my original plan. Carefully drained the lube plus friction modifier into a clean container so I could reuse it. Didn’t smell great (my wife noticed it immediately in the house…) but not as bad mixed. The cardboard looking gasket was glued on with RTV or whatever. But thoroughly saturated with gear lube. Can’t help but wonder if that’s the main source of the problem. With everything clean and dry, checked the flatness of the cover against the diff and also with a long flat file. Two holes were very slightly raised on the cover and easily filed flat. Everything else looked good. Put the 1/8” bead of Right Stuff on the cover and around the holes, and back into place. Torqued the bolts to 25 ft.lbs. as instructed by Moser. I have to think without the gasket in place, better chance the cover isn’t distorted. Got a nice solid filet of Right Stuff squeezed out all around. Cleaned things up and called it good. According to the instructions, can refill and drive in one minute. Maybe. But I let it sit until the next day. Put the fluid back in with just a little more needed from the bottle to top off. After a couple days, no sign of any leaks and not expecting any. But we’ll see. Really don't want to do that again.

Started scoping out what I need to do my upper and lower radiator hose connections. I’m not a big fan of the corrugated tubing that’s included with the kit. So won’t be using that. Both radiator connections, plus the lower radiator hose connection on the LS are 1-1/2” sized. But discovered the upper connection on the LS is 1-1/4”. Interesting. After looking at several options, picked up a Moroso 63740 T-filler. Has 1-1/2” on one side and 1-1/4” on the other. So with the proper size hoses, will make this work. For some reason, I was thinking the lower radiator hose needed to go through the frame and front suspension. Which looked challenging to say the least. Reviewed the manual, and found they route the lower hose under the frame. Makes sense plus still is above the lowest part of the grille. More work to pick out the balance of the parts and get this plumbed. Basically the last step needed before first start.

Finally, my main focus right now is to get the cab interior finished and mounted back onto the chassis. Have spent some quality time on the driveway cleaning up and sanding the interior. Now using a bit of Bondo to clean up and flatten the ceiling a bit. Nothing crazy. Then will spray with UPOL Raptor as previously mentioned which will be my final headliner. Need some average temps to complete, and fall is in the air in Michigan. While a beautiful time of year, we all know what happens next. Once October runs out, can start cooling off any time. Hope to get it sprayed and onto the chassis next week.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=154011&d=1633169916

That’s it for now. Was invited to bring the Coupe to another big car show tomorrow (https://americanspeedfestival.com/) but right now rain is in the forecast tonight through Monday. See how that works out.

[wallace18]

Looking great so far! Keep up the good work.:cool:

[McGuyver]

Nice work Paul. Heater hoses and a/c lines are next on my list. So far I have the heater control valve behind dash and should be able to fit the dryer in there too (benefit of the smaller evap unit). Do you have a picture of your a/c line routing up front? Also any concerns with leaving the a/c system under vacuum? I am sure my first start will be several months off.

[edwardb]

Nice work Paul. Heater hoses and a/c lines are next on my list. So far I have the heater control valve behind dash and should be able to fit the dryer in there too (benefit of the smaller evap unit). Do you have a picture of your a/c line routing up front? Also any concerns with leaving the a/c system under vacuum? I am sure my first start will be several months off.

Thanks. Here are two pictures of the front where the A/C lines go around the front suspension to the condenser. Sorry, a little busy, but hopefully gives the idea. Note this is with the suspension at full droop. All the way up (shock at full compression) there's only room for the one hose underneath. I'm not aware that leaving the A/C system under vacuum is any problem. It is important to keep it sealed. At least according to the Vintage Air instructions where they say to leave the components sealed as long as possible.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=154031&d=1633232081

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=154032&d=1633232081

[rthomas98]

I had the exact same issue with my moser. In case the drip comes back I used the below to do mine. I have a buddy that races mustangs and recommended as 8.8 diffs are notorious for leaks.

Fel-pro gasket
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000C2GGAO/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

This is RTV specific for gear oil
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0023GM2KK/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Put a thin bead around the machined surface on the diff case. Lay the gasket on top and then another thin bead on the gasket. The other thing is double check the torques on the cover. Really got to make sure they are all evenly torqued if one is over torqued it will distort the diff cover and create a slight leak. Mine has been holding oil for a year now since I have done this.

[edwardb]

In my last update, showed a picture of the cab upside down in the driveway starting to clean-up and finish the interior. This week that was completed. Used a DA to knock down and clean up the glass a bit. Then some Bondo to level things out. I’m a rank beginner at such things and wasn’t going for a glass smooth surface. Just to make the bumps and glass layers smoothed out some. So a bit of a learning process. Main focus was the ceiling and back wall. Once that was done, rolled on a coat of LizardSkin's Ceramic Insulation coating also on the ceiling and back wall. Did this on the Coupe trying to reduce the amount of heat from the sun making it’s way into the interior. Don’t know if it helps but can’t hurt.

Then after masking, sprayed on two coats of UPOL Raptor. This is my second build using the Raptor product. Really like it. Did two things differently this time. First, standard Raptor is black. They also offer it in a tintable version with a number of colors available. Plus it can be tinted with other products apparently. Tried to lighten things up a bit this time so used their light gray tint which sort of matches the powder coat I used. Followed the directions for mixing and applying and all worked fine. Second, the standard spray gun they include in some of their kits is a very basic undercoat gun (often called a Schutz gun) which is what I used on the Coupe. Works OK but isn’t adjustable. You control the texture by varying the air pressure, distance spraying, and by adding a little reducer which I found helps some. In general lays down a pretty rough textured surface. UPOL also offers an upgraded adjustable gun (UPL-UP4880) which I decided to try for this build. The instructions were a little sparse, but after some experimenting and 40 PSI at the gun got it spraying nicely. Puts down a much smoother texture if that’s what you’re going for.

These pictures show the progress and final result with the cab back on the chassis. I personally don’t plan to take the cab back off for the rest of the build. Don’t know if the painter will. That’s TBD as I don’t have a painter selected yet. I’m happy with how it turned out. However, in hindsight I do wish I would have sprayed the LizardSkin insulation instead of rolling it on. It has more texture and variations than I really wanted. Thought it would flatten out more as it dried. Which it didn’t. It’s too late now and I’d do it differently in the future.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=154211&d=1633683979

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=154212&d=1633683979

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=154213&d=1633683979

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=154214&d=1633683979

With the cab in place, now could do the final mounting on the dash and finish with a few remaining wires for electrical. I tried using the rubber edging the kit provided for the back of the dash against the windshield area. Didn’t care for it. Using bulb seal instead. Fortunately, I had a piece on hand that worked perfectly. Had to trim the back of the dash just slightly to match the curve of the windshield area. I used nutserts for the four dash mounting screws which are in the same general area as the upper door hinges. These https://www.mcmaster.com/97217A393/ which are specifically made for plastics. Worked great. I used the same style for the firewall except 10-32. Hooked up the remaining wires and tested the balance. Everything is working as it should including now the Vintage Air setup.

This is not a great picture, but thought I’d post it anyway. I wanted the dash to be removable for service or whatever. Plus I'm pretty sure I can't reach the upper door hinges with it in place. So tried to minimize or at least optimize the connections. But there are still several plus the duct hoses for the dash and defrost outlets. Not easy to reach from the bottom and clumsy to hold the dash away from the body while working. But I found if I put bolts into the lower mounting nutserts on each side I can rest the dash on those and tilt it down against the steering column and wheel, it’s easy to reach in and work. Will be a little harder with the windshield installed. But still workable.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=154215&d=1633684010

Everything is buttoned up now. Literally the only thing standing in the way of first start now is the upper and lower radiator hoses. Then tires for a go-kart. So will be working on those next. Also happy to report no signs of leaking from my diff. So the fix described early seems to be holding. We’re going to be gone for the next week, so no updates for a couple weeks.

[edwardb]

It’s been a while since an update. Back home after being gone. Caught up on things and finally back on the build some the last couple days. More about that later. But first our trip.

We went west to Oregon to celebrate the homegoing of my 91-year-old dad. He’s been in failing health for several years, and now has peacefully left us. If you don't mind, would like to say a few words. We had a celebration service of his life and it was perfect. He and my mom had 6 children. Yes, I'm the oldest as they all like to point out. Now with 17 grandchildren (and 16 spouses), and 34 great grandchildren. Not all could make it. But a lot of them did. My dad retired from the construction industry at an early age (in his late 40’s) and spent the second half of his life building churches, schools, an all-season camp, helping with my brother's business, and more than I could possibly mention. Plus, several overseas trips for more of the same. All for no or minimal pay. They weren't rich but they always had enough. Many were there to pay tribute to his life of service. It was awesome. There were lots of pictures. This is one of my favorites and thought I would share. This is four generations. My dad, me, our oldest son, and his oldest son. The picture was taken in Ecuador where our son lived at the time with his family. He was there flying for MAF (Mission Aviation Fellowship). We were there for two weeks with some other family members finishing a complete remodel of the house they lived in. Trying to keep ahead of the rain forest termites. Our son is now located back in their home office in Nampa, Idaho. Our first stop for trips when we go west. I’m not sure what exactly is happening in this picture. Something about passing the hats. You can guess we’re Colts fans. The picture is slightly dated as the little guy in this picture is now 6'4" and a sophomore mechanical engineering student at university. But it’s still one of my favorites because of the legacy it represents. Miss you dad.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=154897&d=1635386829

Back to the build. Not a ton to report. I’m wrapping up details on the LS installation. Have the top radiator hose and T-filler installed. For the hose, I used a short piece of 1-1/2” hose harvested from the kit supplied T-filler, the Moroso 63740 T-filler mentioned previously, two Continental 60425 right angle molded 1-1/4” hoses trimmed and joined with a Summit Racing 380600 connector. After some cutting and fiddling, lines up the inlet on the LS quite well. Happy with it. If you look closely, you’ll see I’m missing a couple clamps. I like to use the Gates PowerGrip heat shrink clamps. I need to order a few more, but waiting to finish the bottom hose where there will also be a couple. They all need to ordered for the exact OD.

In addition, I ran the line to the overflow tank at the manual recommended location on the firewall, plumbed the LS PCV hose from the RH valve cover to the intake, and hooked up the LS stem vent into the side of the T-filler. There I used a Gardner-Westcott J9044 hose barb to pipe fitting. I had to tap the 1/8" NPT threads into the T-filler. But that was easy enough to do.

I’m waiting for the last parts for the lower radiator hose. When received and installed, I'll fill the radiator, oil prime the engine, put some gas in the tank, and first start should be good to go. Anxious for that of course. I splurged and bought the Allstar Performance ALL10535 oil pressure primer tank Erik Treves recommended. A little more expensive than the garden sprayer homebuilt versions seen on YouTube. But for a $10K engine, decided this is a step I'm not going to take a chance on. The tank looks nice and more than up to the task. The LS requires a M16x1.5 to 1/8" NPT adapter to go into the oil gallery. That plus the fittings that came with the tank provided everything needed. That has to be an all-time first. I was pleasantly surprise to see a "Made in America" sticker on the AllStar Performance setup. Nice. Plus as you can barely see (lots going on there) I mounted the horns in the available space. Made a bracket and it's held onto the round frame member with two SS cushioned loop clamps. Works well and didn't have to drill the frame.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=154898&d=1635386853

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=154899&d=1635386853

In the meantime, to keep making progress elsewhere, started working on body parts. First up the truck bed and sides. I have the Smokey Road Rod Shop aluminum bed wood system. Supplied by Factory Five after they were unable to supply the optional wood floor I ordered with the kit. It’s a great substitution. I see it’s now on the truck order form, part #35115. I’ve gone back and forth over whether to use the provided SS sheet floor under the “wood” system. Posted another thread and received some good feedback. Decided I’m going to use it. It makes the installation of the floor a bit easier (I think…) but mainly gives a clean underside for the bottom. It does add some weight (that thing is heavy…) but trucks typically need some weight in the back plus this isn’t a competition machine. So after mocking up the complete floor system on the SS sheet, with the sides temporarily clamped in place (sorry, didn’t take a picture) I finalized the layout and determined all the locating points. In order to that accurately, transferred the frame locations to the top side and marked where I’m going to put fasteners. All but several locations at the very back will be into frame members. My plan is to use some silicone between the SS sheet and the frame (just like the regular aluminum pieces) and rivet. Not many. Just to locate, get it flat on the frame, and hold in place. The fasteners for the floor cross pieces will do the rest. Picture of my artwork:

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=154896&d=1635386800

Today I started working on the sides. I had done some preliminary fitting and trimming previously, so not too much to do. I found the angle on the SS piece across the front did not accurately fit the angle on the sides. About 1/8” off in the length of where they meet. So trimmed the front piece so they fit nicely now. IMO the manual is a little light on details for mounting all the body parts. I have these pretty massive bags of parts for mounting the bed sides, back, fenders, etc. But the manual is very general on how to use them all. I browsed through a number of pictures of other builds so think I have a plan. Just clamped temporarily in place for now. I’m going to mock up more pieces before drilling and mounting permanently. Includes the back, fenders, running boards, etc. May even mock up the front engine covers and front fenders too so I can confirm the location of the running boards. My experience is fitting these bodies very often is dependent on multiple pieces and for the best overall fit check them all first.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=154895&d=1635386800

That’s it for now. Fall and cool weather and definitely have arrived here in Michigan. Clearing leaves is now part of my job description. Love a wooded lot. But they can be a lot of work. Hope to get the Coupe out a few more times. But once we’re into November, on borrowed time. Time to switch the riding mower with the snow blower out of the storage shed. You guys in the warm climates are just jealous. I know.

[Jeff33Ford]

Nice post about your family. Thanks for sharing. Keep up the top notch work!

[RuffShod]

My condolences. Sounds like your dad was a great man!