ElSpanishGeek's MK4 Roadster Build

[elspanishgeek]

Hi y'all,

Well, it looks like it'll be more efficient to consolidate all my decisions, my questions, and my solutions to all those questions (alongside some cool building-in-progress pics) in just one thread. Here are a few of the main specs for my build:

Basics:

MK4 Roadster - Complete Kit
Blueprint - 347 Carbureted with Power Steering
TKX600 with a 0.68 5th gear ratio
16613 - Powder coating
16758 - 302 headers
16799 - Power steering kit
16598 - 2015 IRS
16689 - 17x9'' and 17x10.5'' Halibrand with MT tires
17063 - Heater/defroster
16668 - 2018 IRS 3.55 Center section, spindles, and hubs
15370 - 12.88'' front Wilwood brakes
15988 - 12.88'' 2015 IRS Wilwood brakes

Timeline so far:

02/02/2021 - Order placed
05/22/2021 - Order completed
06/16/2021 - Kit received
08/13/2021 - Treated all aluminum panels
09/28/2021 - Finally got enough of the POL to get properly started

[elspanishgeek]

I'll speed through some of the things that already happened!

Here is a nice shot from delivery day:

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The finished body buck:

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A suggestion to anyone to label every aluminum panel before taking them off, as well as take tons of pictures. Is not that it can't be figured out without it, but it saves a lot of time and gets you familiarized with the names. This last point might be more particular to just me, but I do want to be intimately familiar with all the parts of this car. By the end I want to be able to point to any section of it and be able to fully explain what, who, how, and why :p.

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[elspanishgeek]

I posted in a different thread, but again, in an effort to consolidate...

I wanted to do something to the aluminum panels but without spending on expensive powder coating. This was my very manually intensive process:


Clean panels with lacquer thinner
Wetsand with water and dish soap in only one direction, with 120 grit first then 220
Repeat with red-colored scotch Scotch-Brite pad
Wash with water
Wipe with WD40
After drilling the holes, apply Sharkhide in only one direction with a flatfold cloth diaper (believe me, you don't want to use anything else)

It removes any previous scratches and does a terrific job at hiding any future ones, as well as eliminates any annoying smudges from sweat and handling.

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[elspanishgeek]

I got a bit confused with the front Upper Control Arms (UCAs) as my build uses power steering which requires a high caster (https://townfairtire.com/information/wheel-alignment/caster-camber-and-toe-alignments/index.shtml). After I realized that the UCAs "arms" farthest away from the front of the car needed to be shorter than the currently manufactured parts can reach, I got them cut.

Specifically, 1/8'' off of both ends of the sleeves (red boxes) and 1/8'' off of both threaded ends (yellow boxes):

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Also, these pieces are not mirrors of each other, one side will have the welded clevis towards the inside and the other a pivot bolt (red circles).

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Had to make triple sure all the grease zerk fittings were pointing up as well as all the pivot bolts, and of course, that the ball joints are sticking outward not inward.

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[elspanishgeek]

Now that I'm all caught up, I can ask for clarification on where I am.

I bolted (haven't torqued yet) the Lower Control Arms, which required a bit of elbow grease in the form of a plastic mallet. Also, the passenger side required a washer on the front tabs and not the driver side. I saw in other threads that this is all perfectly normal but just double-checking. You can see the washer here:

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I'm a bit confused with the manual where it says the locknuts on the ends of the pivot shafts of the UCAs should be tight enough for minimal endplay. I haven't torqued them yet, but how does this look?

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Currently, these locknuts are loose enough that the UCAs are very free to rotate up and down, but they don't stay upright, they droop down once I let them go. Oppositely, the LCAs don't droop, while they are very easy to rotate up or down, they stay fixed in that position. Is this all that the desired behavior?

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[CaptB]

Your attachments in the last post show as invalid attachment when you click on them.

[elspanishgeek]

Your attachments in the last post show as invalid attachment when you click on them.

Thanks for the heads up! Fixed

[egchewy79]

Now that I'm all caught up, I can ask for clarification on where I am.

I bolted (haven't torqued yet) the Lower Control Arms, which required a bit of elbow grease in the form of a plastic mallet. Also, the passenger side required a washer on the front tabs and not the driver side. I saw in other threads that this is all perfectly normal but just double-checking. You can see the washer here:

154399

I'm a bit confused with the manual where it says the locknuts on the ends of the pivot shafts of the UCAs should be tight enough for minimal endplay. I haven't torqued them yet, but how does this look?

154398

Currently, these locknuts are loose enough that the UCAs are very free to rotate up and down, but they don't stay upright, they droop down once I let them go. Oppositely, the LCAs don't droop, while they are very easy to rotate up or down, they stay fixed in that position. Is this all that the desired behavior?

154397

Right or wrong, but I tightened by UCAs until they would stay in place but move with minimal force.

[elspanishgeek]

Finished with the LCAs, UCAs, shocks, spindles, hubs, and about to move onto the brakes.
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However, before I do, I have a couple of questions to see if anybody can chip in:

For the castle nut that is connecting the UCA ball joint with the spindle, I have one of the merlons of the crenellated nut right smack in the middle of the hole for the cotter pin. Any advice on what to do here? I'm already at torque and tried to go over but that nut really isn't tightening any more. Do I push it, decrease the torque, leave it without the pin, or try to jam the pin sideways?

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I know the manual says the boot for the UCA ball joint is going to look weird until the car is on the ground, however, is it supposed to look unseated like that?
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Thanks in advance for any help!

[Jeff Kleiner]

I'd remove the nut and put a hardened washer under it so that the pin hits more closely to center in the nut...as is even if the hole was aligned the pin will barely catch the nut. If you aren't aligned at the low end of torque value give it a bit more until you are; you don't want to torque and then back off. Dust boot looks typical.

Jeff