Paul Bechel
04-11-2021, 12:10 PM
Hello FFR community. I also posted the first part of this in intro's but I wanted to get some initial MK4 questions out there as well. With this being my first post, an introduction seems to be appropriate. This is Paul from Minnesota and I just wanted to say Hello and mention that I very much appreciate becoming part of the FFR family. I am just completing the process for our initial order on a MK4 complete kit. Just waiting for FFR to help finalize and enter it into the system. Hopefully in about 4-5 months, a truck will arrive just in time for a great MN winter project.
I've been planning on this project for some time but as we all know life, business, kids, etc... kept getting in the way. Thankfully, the time has finally come when my son and I will have time to create our Cobra. We are very much looking forward to the process. I've done partial and nearly full restorations and mod's on project cars over the years so while not a complete newbie, still plenty to learn. Luckily my son has formal training on the mechanical/engineering side of things so he will be an awesome sounding board when he is not able to help with a specific component of the car. The kid definitely knows more than dad does on this topic but I actually enjoy that. When I've had questions on a car project it has been a great opportunity to have him teach me.
Here is our plan for our MN Cobra:
- Type of car we are building: This will be 99% a street car, going to car shows, fun driving for the family with some fun for dad on the street but nothing overly crazy and then hopefully some track days mixed in now and then for son and dad.
- Background: My experience in high performance cars is with Porsches and Audi's. While the Cobra will not be the same, we are trying to configure the car to handle very well and stick to the ground all while still building a 427 (I know, those two points don't always align but this is the fun of building your own FFR).
- MK4 Complete kit
- Custom EFI 427 engine from Prestige Motorsports (Shelby aluminum 351W block with a target to minimize low end torque to help be more sticky at low revs and a Borla stack intake) with a full EFI mgmt system
- New Tremec TKX 5 speed Trans
- IRS and rear end from FFR
- The new 18" Halibrand rims from FFR
- Wilwood brakes both front and rear
- I'll be building the entire car to have the look of a show car for the shows but it will be a driver for sure. It will get some nicks and bumps, but it will still look as best that it can.
- I'll do a custom interior so I went totally basic with the initial order and I have much research to do here in the forums to learn from others on this topic.
- Although I totally get that you can't hear the radio in these cars, i'm still a tunes guy so i'll add a complete custom audio configuration (all hidden) so I can have it for the shows and for annoying the neighbors on an early Saturday morning (even before I hit the start button).
- I'll throw in heat and air (need to keep mom happy...), again, all hidden as much as can be
- And my son and I are tall. (6'3" and 6'2"). Luckily we both can fit in and are use to driving small cars but still, mod's are in our future. It will just take some time, following the suggestions of others in the forums and some creativity to make it work. Luckily my daughter-in-law is actually a master class welder so if needed, she is there to assist.
Having said all of this, I take the project on with the perspective that we will be learning at every step yet taking the time to do it correctly for both a quality build but more importantly, safety.
Obviously I'm very early in the process but I do have a couple of initial questions (and admittedly i'm still early in my forum research on these topics as well).
1. Opinions and thoughts on powder coating the aluminum panels? I am definitely improving the look of the engine bay in some fashion and perhaps crafting a more concealing aluminum panel for a more seamless look in the engine bay, but has anyone PC'd more of the aluminum than just the engine bay?
2. Given that we are throwing in heat and air we likely won't be doing the glove box or at least not the standard box. We also have a footbox mod of some type headed our way as well. Has anyone used the FFMetal mod to move the firewall forward 1.5" with a 351w block? Does it all fit? Just thought i'd ask.
I thank you all of all of your quality work and input on all for the forums and I look forward to learning a ton from the effort.
I wish you all the best!
Cheers from MN!
Paul
I've been planning on this project for some time but as we all know life, business, kids, etc... kept getting in the way. Thankfully, the time has finally come when my son and I will have time to create our Cobra. We are very much looking forward to the process. I've done partial and nearly full restorations and mod's on project cars over the years so while not a complete newbie, still plenty to learn. Luckily my son has formal training on the mechanical/engineering side of things so he will be an awesome sounding board when he is not able to help with a specific component of the car. The kid definitely knows more than dad does on this topic but I actually enjoy that. When I've had questions on a car project it has been a great opportunity to have him teach me.
Here is our plan for our MN Cobra:
- Type of car we are building: This will be 99% a street car, going to car shows, fun driving for the family with some fun for dad on the street but nothing overly crazy and then hopefully some track days mixed in now and then for son and dad.
- Background: My experience in high performance cars is with Porsches and Audi's. While the Cobra will not be the same, we are trying to configure the car to handle very well and stick to the ground all while still building a 427 (I know, those two points don't always align but this is the fun of building your own FFR).
- MK4 Complete kit
- Custom EFI 427 engine from Prestige Motorsports (Shelby aluminum 351W block with a target to minimize low end torque to help be more sticky at low revs and a Borla stack intake) with a full EFI mgmt system
- New Tremec TKX 5 speed Trans
- IRS and rear end from FFR
- The new 18" Halibrand rims from FFR
- Wilwood brakes both front and rear
- I'll be building the entire car to have the look of a show car for the shows but it will be a driver for sure. It will get some nicks and bumps, but it will still look as best that it can.
- I'll do a custom interior so I went totally basic with the initial order and I have much research to do here in the forums to learn from others on this topic.
- Although I totally get that you can't hear the radio in these cars, i'm still a tunes guy so i'll add a complete custom audio configuration (all hidden) so I can have it for the shows and for annoying the neighbors on an early Saturday morning (even before I hit the start button).
- I'll throw in heat and air (need to keep mom happy...), again, all hidden as much as can be
- And my son and I are tall. (6'3" and 6'2"). Luckily we both can fit in and are use to driving small cars but still, mod's are in our future. It will just take some time, following the suggestions of others in the forums and some creativity to make it work. Luckily my daughter-in-law is actually a master class welder so if needed, she is there to assist.
Having said all of this, I take the project on with the perspective that we will be learning at every step yet taking the time to do it correctly for both a quality build but more importantly, safety.
Obviously I'm very early in the process but I do have a couple of initial questions (and admittedly i'm still early in my forum research on these topics as well).
1. Opinions and thoughts on powder coating the aluminum panels? I am definitely improving the look of the engine bay in some fashion and perhaps crafting a more concealing aluminum panel for a more seamless look in the engine bay, but has anyone PC'd more of the aluminum than just the engine bay?
2. Given that we are throwing in heat and air we likely won't be doing the glove box or at least not the standard box. We also have a footbox mod of some type headed our way as well. Has anyone used the FFMetal mod to move the firewall forward 1.5" with a 351w block? Does it all fit? Just thought i'd ask.
I thank you all of all of your quality work and input on all for the forums and I look forward to learning a ton from the effort.
I wish you all the best!
Cheers from MN!
Paul