FracAG1980 Coupe Build

[FracAG1980]

Here I go. Jumping into the pool. I visited FFR late June and placed my order for my Type 65 Coupe Complete Kit. I look forward to working through this process and having a car I can point to and say "I put that together". I have 3 teenage sons that I want to learn how cars work by seeing the parts that go into them. I anticipate learning far more than I even guess I might from this adventure.

My Order:
Complete Kit
Body Cut Outs
Powder Coated Chassis
302 Engine Mount
Nose Scoops
Wipers
Lowback Vintage Race Seats
Carpet
Leather Steering Wheel
11.65" Rear Brakes
Moser 8.8" 3-link 3.15 Ratio Rear End
Blueprint Engines 347ci Carb w/ TKX transmission combo (0.64 5th gear)
Planned Color - Royal Maroon w/ white stripes, side pipes & wheels
Manual Steering
No A/C
No side windows
Speedhut Legacy Gauges
Wheels & Tires TBD


I plan to use this as a weekend cruise car and track fun/stress relief car. Not an everyday driver. Also as a connection to a great bunch of people I have been encountering through even looking into this. I hope I can be as good of a friend to those I have meet through this as everyone has been to me.

Planned finish date from FFR for my kit is 12/25/2021 and I appreciate them working Christmas to finish it!

Can't wait for Christmas!

FracAG1980 (Steve)

[David Williamson]

Texas heat... you might want AC and put 4 dash vents in. Side windows and dark tint on the back. Just saying or you might not use it much.
Tavelled to your area in the Summer with work a few times.
David W

[FracAG1980]

Texas heat... you might want AC and put 4 dash vents in. Side windows and dark tint on the back. Just saying or you might not use it much.
Tavelled to your area in the Summer with work a few times.
David W

Thanks David. I have traveled through Alberta many times and I envy your summers. I traveled there one summer when I was training for the Houston Marathon and ran in the July mornings and wished I could have that weather in Houston to train in. As long as I'm enjoying what I'm doing the heat does not bother me. I play golf in June in Palm Springs, CA (low green fees +110 oF in the afternoon)). I had a '75 Firebird with no A/C in high school in Shreveport, LA and all through college in College Station, Texas. Owned a '69 Corvette with manual steering and no A/C here in Texas. My first car was a '67 Plymouth Satellite with manual steering & no A/C. I don't mind sweating through my shirt if I'm having fun. I have a Ford Expedition (which is basically driving a BIG couch on wheels) for the comfort driving, not much fun though. I hope to figure out how to make the nose scoops functional for at least some air flow into the cockpit and YES the rear window will definitely be tinted DARK.

[FracAG1980]

The wheels that I hoped to get are the Cosmis Racing S5R 17x9 Front 17x10 Rear in White and they are back in stock. Does anyone have positive/negative experience with Cosmis Racing products?
151438

[Logan]

Have not run them myself, but have heard of them. That's a good looking wheel by the way.

The recently finished Coupe-R built by RR Motorsports in Thailand has Cosmis wheels, in a different style (5-spoke without split). Where do you source them in the USA? Is there a domestic warehouse or distributor?

[FracAG1980]

Have not run them myself, but have heard of them. That's a good looking wheel by the way.

The recently finished Coupe-R built by RR Motorsports in Thailand has Cosmis wheels, in a different style (5-spoke without split). Where do you source them in the USA? Is there a domestic warehouse or distributor?

Cosmisusa.com

Thanks for the info.

[FracAG1980]

My rear end arrived from Moser yesterday. The kit from FFR is scheduled to arrive via Stewart Transport the 22nd - 24th this month. Much anticipated since it will have been a month since the kit was finished at FFR.160060

[jdm65]

The wheels that I hoped to get are the Cosmis Racing S5R 17x9 Front 17x10 Rear in White and they are back in stock. Does anyone have positive/negative experience with Cosmis Racing products?
151438

I do actually! They are really nice people, but their wheels don't have recesses for wheel spacers or proper backspacing for big calipers. I borrowed a set of XT206Rs in 18x11 for my build... you can check it out in my signature :)

These cars fit really big wheels out back so I'd suggest something closer to 10"/11" wide front and rear. Logan has a really good thread on wheel fitment here: https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showthread.php?41600-The-Daytona-Wheel-and-Tire-Repository

Also just curious, why the solid rear end over IRS? Haven't seen a lot of complete kit Coupes with solid rears lately haha

Also, welcome and congrats! :)

[FracAG1980]

I do actually! They are really nice people, but their wheels don't have recesses for wheel spacers or proper backspacing for big calipers. I borrowed a set of XT206Rs in 18x11 for my build... you can check it out in my signature :)

These cars fit really big wheels out back so I'd suggest something closer to 10"/11" wide front and rear. Logan has a really good thread on wheel fitment here: https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showthread.php?41600-The-Daytona-Wheel-and-Tire-Repository

Also just curious, why the solid rear end over IRS? Haven't seen a lot of complete kit Coupes with solid rears lately haha

Also, welcome and congrats! :)

Thanks jdm65. I'm using the standard brake size front & back, nothing large. The offset is about the same as the Halibrand's offered by FFR, so hoping those will fit. I love the look of the wheels and they go great with the color scheme I am planning. Not planning on the extreme for tire size. As for the solid rear end, just keeping my first build as simple as possible. I will run the car on the track, but I don't plan to attempt to approach any lap records. This will be a boring build for many on here as I am not going to push any envelopes. Looking forward to the experience.

FracAG1980 (Steve)

[FracAG1980]

It has arrived!!!
The work begins now...

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[rhk118]

Congrats! Looking forward to following along. Mine arriving hopefully sometime in June...

[drewr]

Mine is coming this week! It would be interesting to compare notes about missing parts inventory. Let us know what you are missing in the kit.
Thanks,
Drew

[Ltngdrvr]

Mine is coming this week! It would be interesting to compare notes about missing parts inventory. Let us know what you are missing in the kit.
Thanks,
Drew

You hope it is...
Lots of nasty weather from the midwest all the way up past Massachusetts this week!

[drewr]

We’ll, according to Stewart, the truck is past all that. Arriving Thursday or Friday.

[Ltngdrvr]

We’ll, according to Stewart, the truck is past all that. Arriving Thursday or Friday.

Ah, that's good.
Got word this morning that up in Indiana at our main office, they are closed because they expect 10-15 inches of snow and then ice on top of that!
Was going up there, but will be staying home in SE Texas and watch it on TV!

[FracAG1980]

So far, I am missing Box 12 - headers - won't need those for a while.
I haven't completed the full inventory yet.

When the truck delivered mine was coming down through New Jersey he could not avoid some metal junk in the road and had to wait a week for a replacement part. Fortunately, no one was hurt, and it was just a delay. I was the last kit delivered.

[FracAG1980]

I'm ready to build. Stripped the chassis down. Was going to start with the steering rack. Found all the parts EXCEPT 2 - 1/2" - 4" Steering Rack Attachment Bolts with nuts. Marked as "there" on the inventory. Oh well, it's a long and winding road, right?

On a brighter note - My Wheels arrived. Cosmis Racing gave me 18x9(F) and 18x10.5(R) for the same price as the 17" wheels because it had been 7 months since ordering and the 17" were nowhere in sight.

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[FracAG1980]

Proceeding steadily. Have the upper & lower Control arms on. Steering rack is on. Getting a box from FFR on 2/19/22 of delayed parts. Hopefully my missing parts on the front spindles are there and the rear link missing parts are there too. I can continue on with the planned steps rather than skipping to something else.

If anything looks wrong, please don't hesitate to tell me.

162663

[drewr]

Glad you have gotten started. My kit came on Feb 3, and no lower control arms or power steering rack. It’s interesting when stuff is available and when it isn’t. I’m looking forward to your build.
Drew

[FracAG1980]

Glad you have gotten started. My kit came on Feb 3, and no lower control arms or power steering rack. It’s interesting when stuff is available and when it isn’t. I’m looking forward to your build.
Drew

I know. The completion date on my kit was about a month before it was delivered. The steering rack ion mine s manual.

[FracAG1980]

Just an update... Front suspension & brakes are on... Just put rear end on (I have to flip the passenger side shock and tighten all the nuts, but it's on)... I have started filling/sanding the back half of the body and I'm currently fitting it on the chassis... Working on fitting the hood next and doors... I hope to have a roller by August 31 with working brakes....169037169038169039