Shakey's Daytona Build

[Shakey]

Greetings all,

After years of watching from the sidelines it’s my turn to start my build thread. Plan is for a trackable streetcar that I can drive most of the year. Even when the weather gets less than perfect. Details for the plan are below.


Kit Order:

Coupe Gen 3 Base Kit
Black Powder coat
Body Cut-outs
FFR Front lower control arms
2015 IRS
Hydraulic Clutch
Platinum Gauges
Carpet Kit
Side Windows
Front and Rear Swaybars
3.55 Center Section
Heat and A/C

Engine and Trans:

SBF 347 with Fuel Injection (Sniper or Pro Flo 4)
T5Z transmission

Brakes:

Wilwood 14in front and 13in rear with mechanical parking brake

Steering:

Power steering
Unisteer 2.5 turn quick ration steering rack
Moog Tie rod ends
Russ Thompson Turn Signal

Wheels and Tires:

Forgestar F14 Golden Bronze Front: 18x10 +12mm offset, Rear: 19x12 -25mm offset(Thanks Logan!)
Tires Nitto INVO Front: 275/40R18 Rear: 325/30R19

Odds and Ends:

Digital Guard Dawg
Second Skin Firewall, Damplifier pro, luxury liner
Corbeau A4 seats
GAS N Headers 1 7/8in and side pipes, ceramic coated white. (not sure what the best way to get these coated is. DIY or through a vendor.)


Kit was ordered the first week of December. Scheduled delivery date is July 23, 2022. I’ll spend the next 7 months gathering parts and continuing to plan. I would be interested to see if anyone sees and issues with the parts list or build plan. Can’t wait to get started!

-Shakey

[Straversi]

Congratulations and thanks for sharing your build with us. Look forward to following along.
-Steve

[Logan]

Congrats and welcome! Where are you from?

Glad I could help on the wheel and tire choices. Post pictures when you get them.

[Shakey]

Hey thanks guys! I'm from Mount Vernon, Washington. About an hour north of Seattle.

[John Dol]

Congrats, sounds like a solid plan!

John

[FracAG1980]

Hey thanks guys! I'm from Mount Vernon, Washington. About an hour north of Seattle.

Shakey,

Sounds like a great car. Hope the time flies by. An hour north of Seattle is almost Canada, eh? I was lucky enough to play Semi-ah-moo a number of years ago. Beautiful countryside.

[cgundermann]

Congrats on the build. I grew up on Whidbey Island...

Chris

[Shakey]

It's a small world. My wife is from Prescott Valley.

[Shakey]

I have seen a lot of posts about people worried about getting their kit from the Stewart truck into their garage or shop. I am definitely one of those people. Where I live I have about a 50 yard gravel drive that slopes downhill to get to where my shop is. There is about 15 feet of total elevation drop. I been trying to think of how to take delivery of my kit. I decided to build a big cart with some decent size wheels on it and use my riding mower to tow it down the driveway. I figure the Stewart rig could just drop the kit right onto the cart I made and I can use some friends or a couple jacks to lift it off once it is in the shop. Pic below is of the whole setup.

159253

[Skuzzy]

I have seen a lot of posts about people worried about getting their kit from the Stewart truck into their garage or shop. I am definitely one of those people. Where I live I have about a 50 yard gravel drive that slopes downhill to get to where my shop is. There is about 15 feet of total elevation drop. I been trying to think of how to take delivery of my kit. I decided to build a big cart with some decent size wheels on it and use my riding mower to tow it down the driveway. I figure the Stewart rig could just drop the kit right onto the cart I made and I can use some friends or a couple jacks to lift it off once it is in the shop. Pic below is of the whole setup.

159253

Just in case you have not thought about it. You will want to strap down the frame/body to keep it from sliding off the dolly.

[dstelter]

Hey Sankey. similar boat here with the delivery. 300 yards of road base driveway and way too small of gate and angle for a direct delivery. I used 4x4 over the rails of my 6x10 trailer. strapped it down and moved it up to the garage. had to get creative on getting it back down to ground level to be placed on jack stands. Little help with the engine hoist and 3 buddies and we got it done. Doug
159273

[Blueblood]

As I just received my kit two months ago i also have a driveway that slopes downhill. The delivery driver has a cart with decent size tires and a strap to help hold it back someone will steer it. They have encountered many different driveways and have the necessary tools to deliver your kit safe and sound. We didn’t have to strap the car to the cart but that would not be a bad idea if your driveway is long.

[B Campbell]

Congratulations. welcome to the fun.

[Shakey]

Definitely some good ideas out there. Sounds like the long/gravel drive is a common issue that folks tackle on a regular basis. I will make sure to strap everything down well before I start moving it. I have heard that the use of 2x4s under and pushed through the frame can make useful lift points.

Thanks guys for sharing your delivery experience. Seeing how other people do it really gets the wheels turning to help think through the problem.

[Shakey]

I finally started ordering parts for the project. I figured I would start with the biggest and most expensive part. Here is what I decided on.

SBF 363cu.in.
Dart SHP 302 Block
Forged internals
AFR 205 Heads
Hydraulic Roller
Edlebrock Super Victor Intake
Moroso Road Race Oil Pan 7QT rear sump 7.5in depth
11:1 compression
Billet specialties Tru Trac Serpentine System with P/S and A/C
Comp cams custom grind camshaft
Holley Terminator X Sniper Stealth with Hyperspark


As many of you may know, Dart has quite the back order. I was given an estimate of 10 months for completion of the motor. I am hoping to receive it in November of this year. My kit is supposed to arrive late July so, there may be a bit of a hold up on the build waiting for the motor. Not too much though as I will be on a work trip of a few months this fall anyways.

I was a little hesitant about the Super Victor Intake but, by my math. It should fit.

I estimate the total clearance space available from top of the engine block to the hood is 12.5in

Holley stealth height= 3.28in
Super Victor intake= 6.35in
Drop base air cleaner=2in
Hood clearance= 0.5in
Total= 12.13in

So it should fit.

More updates to come as I keep ordering parts.

V/R

Shakey

[Shakey]

Well, it has been a long time since my last build thread update. I have been spending a lot of time ordering parts and planning the build. After some waiting the parts are starting to arrive.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=171137&d=1660544576

Surprisingly, one of the first things to arrive was my seats. I ordered these from Mike Forte and the turn around on the order was way faster than I thought. These are the Corbeau A4 seat in black micorsuede with the submarine slot cut and shaved base for another inch of headroom. Just sitting in them they feel like they will do a great job holding you in place. The bolsters are pronounced but still comfortable.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=171144&d=1660545767

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=171139&d=1660545691

Next to arrive was the fuel system from Breeze automotive. I have already taken the liberty of painting the shield and tank black. I just used rattle can enamel for the shield and black POR-15 for the tank.

There is a lot to this fuels system that Breeze sent. I am running a SBF 363 and I am guessing the power will be about 500-530 BHP. Because of this we went with a 255 Liter per hour Walbro pump and his upgraded 3/8'' return line with -6AN fittings. This system is feeding a Holly Stealth throttle body with the Terminator X ECU. The way Breeze set it up was to have a fuel filter/regulator combo mounted close to the gas tank and then a single feed line that runs the length of the car supplying a constant 58 PSI to the injectors. I had not heard of this method before but it makes sense to just send one fuel line the length of the car. More on this when I actually get around to the install.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=171146&d=1660545767

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=171138&d=1660545691

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=171143&d=1660545767

For brakes I went with Gordon Levy's brake kit. 6 piston 14'' brakes in the front and 13'' 4 piston in the rear with the mechanical parking brake. I know its probably overkill but I think they look great and should perform even better. Only the fronts have arrived so far and I was able to get the rotors and hats assembled. First time I have safety wired anything. Definitely a learning experience but it was fun putting them together. I found it difficult to get the safety wire through the bolts with the small amount of clearance between the bolt and rotor. I would also recommend checking that all the bolts are drilled for safety wire before installing. I had one bolt that was not drilled so I had to remove it after I had already torqued it an applied red locktite so I could drill it out.

More to come as the parts keep coming.

[Skuzzy]

Shakey, just a suggestion, but you should try and place the fuel regulator as close to the destination as possible. It can help reduce pressure variations at the injectors.

[Shakey]

Hey Skuzzy,

No, I haven't gotten around to the fuel tank install yet. Probably December before my motor arrives. I was just reading through the instructions that Breeze sent. It does seem a different way of installing than I have seen before. I would be curious if anyone has used the filter/regulator combo near the fuel tank in the past.

Thanks,

Shakey

[edwardb]

Hey Skuzzy,

No, I haven't gotten around to the fuel tank install yet. Probably December before my motor arrives. I was just reading through the instructions that Breeze sent. It does seem a different way of installing than I have seen before. I would be curious if anyone has used the filter/regulator combo near the fuel tank in the past.

Thanks,

Shakey

Whole bunch of builds with that GM regulator back by the tank and the resulting short return line and single supply line up to the engine. Not to mention all the Corvettes GM put it in.

[Shakey]

Whole bunch of builds with that GM regulator back by the tank and the resulting short return line and single supply line up to the engine. Not to mention all the Corvettes GM put it in.

Thanks for the insight! I feel a lot better going with what Breeze is recommending now.

V/r

Shakey

[Skuzzy]

Whole bunch of builds with that GM regulator back by the tank and the resulting short return line and single supply line up to the engine. Not to mention all the Corvettes GM put it in.

No disrespect meant, but we are not working with a system which has been seamlessly designed to function together, from one end to the other.

During hard acceleration, the mass of the fuel, in the line, is going to cause a momentary pressure surge, back to the regulator. This moment causes the regulator to drop pressure in the line. During hard deceleration, the reverse happens.

How much of an impact it can have will be determined by how much overhead the system has and how sensitive the controller is to changes in pressure.

My personal design philosophy is to be better safe than sorry. Yes, it is a hassle to put the regulator close to the engine, but it is the best choice, for a system composed of disparate components.

[Shakey]

Before I discuss the kit delivery, I will take a few minutes to set the scene. Long story short, I am in the Navy and was set to go on a routine deployment September of this year. Because of world events that occurred earlier this year my deployment got moved up by a month. I ordered my kit in November of last year and it is hard to predict what is going to happen 9 months down the road.

As fate would have it, I left for deployment on August 12th and Stewart showed up the next day. Big shout out to my awesome wife and friends for stepping up to take delivery of my kit. They did a great job of getting it down the gravel drive and into the shop where it will have to wait for a couple months until I can start work on it.

They sent me plenty of pictures…..

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=171557&d=1661489525

Obligatory Stewart truck shot.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=171559&d=1661489525

This is a good view of the custom cart I made in preparation for the offroad trip to the shop.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=171558&d=1661489525

I guess they blocked the whole street for a little while. That road is not too busy, and no traffic issues were passed to me.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=171560&d=1661489525

All loaded up and ready to move. If you look closely, you can see some ratchet straps going through the frame holding the kit to the cart.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=171563&d=1661489525

The lawn mower/cart combo worked like a champ. A lot nimbler than using a full-size vehicle.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=171561&d=1661489525

All tucked in. Another benefit to using a cart that I built was that they just left the kit on the cart and didn’t have to mess with putting it on jack stands. That will be my first task when I get back.

[rhk118]

Congrats man! for whatever reason I can't see your pictures...

[Skuzzy]

Pictures are not showing up, but I get the gist of it. Congratulations and stay safe out there!

[Shakey]

Hopefully the pictures are visible now. I had the album set to private. Oops. Please let me know if they are still not showing up.

Thanks.

[rhk118]

:) Yeah they are visible, delivery days never get old!

[Shakey]

I went ahead and ordered my wheels recently. I have gone back and forth for a long time on what wheel look I wanted and, like many others, I have landed on the Forgestar F14. There are other wheels out there that I like the look of more but, at the price point and offsets available, I think the Forgestar wheels are the way to go.

I called up Jason at Get Your Wheels and he was super helpful. Turns out they have a database with all FFR 65 coupe orders and what offsets/specifications were ordered. Ordering wheels without having done any measurements myself made me a little nervous. With the help of Logan's thread and the data from GYWs I felt pretty good about placing the order.

Here is what I ordered:

Fronts: Forgestar F14 SDC 18x10 +12mm offset 5x114.3 bolt pattern
Rears: Forgestar F14 UDC 19x12 -25mm offset 5x114.3 bolt pattern
ACC Hubring 70.6 on all 4 corners (This is per their recommendation)
Color: I am having them finished in a Gloss Brushed Antique Bronze, Pics below.

They quoted me 10 weeks or so for delivery time. I will post when I get them in hand and bolted up.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=171141&d=1660545691

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=171142&d=1660545691

[Shakey]

Hard to believe that it has been five months since my last post. I have been working on the car as much as possible and have been making some progress. The current task I have been working on is getting the brake lines installed. Like everyone, I have really been struggling with getting parts from my POL/MIK list from FFR. The biggest parts I have been waiting on has been the front two-piece spindles and hubs. It's been six long months and a bunch of e-mails/phone calls and I am still waiting on them. I would have a rolling chassis and front brakes installed by now if it wasn't for the parts delay.

Pics below are from the last few months of work.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=178549&d=1674538158

Got the IRS installed and wheels mounted. Like I have read recently in other posts, I was also missing or had incorrect fasteners. Went and got the correct hardware from Tacoma Screw.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=178547&d=1674538158

Rear brakes installed. Mechanical parking brake and 13" rotors purchased from Gordon.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=178548&d=1674538158

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=178543&d=1674538127

Got most of the steering installed. My steering wheel is on the POL so hopefully that arrives soon and I can get started on the NRG quick release. I got the idea from another forum member to use the ICT billet optima battery mount plate in this picture and had it powder coated.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=178545&d=1674538127

Fuel tank is in and I have been plumbing my fuel lines.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=178546&d=1674538127

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=178544&d=1674538127

Radiator and Fan are installed. I got the aluminum panels powder coated and then painted the radiator with Eastwood radiator paint in gloss black. That product went on really easy and I am happy with the result.


More to follow in the future. I really appreciate everyone's post on the forums. They have been a big help in the build so far.

Shakey

[edwardb]

Looking great. You're making good progress. Too bad about the front spindles. Those seem to go out of stock somewhat regularly unfortunately. They're made overseas and I know have a long lead time. But six months does seem like a long time. Hopefully FF will get you an answer and the parts soon. The hubs are generic Mustang SN95 parts, available all over. Really not a good reason for those to be backordered. But having said that, I know you'd like to see a roller. But you have tons of things you can be doing without the front suspension completed. Hopefully you're not locking yourself down to the manual build order. Brake lines, fuel lines, electrical, finish riveting all the panels that in your picture aren't done yet. Even drop the engine in and working from there. Unless you have an extra long shop crane or an overhead setup, you're going to want the radiator out of the way to install the engine. I have the 2 ton HF version, and it was all the say out without the radiator in place. I know some Roadster builders put them in from the side. Haven't tried it and don't know if the Coupe would be an option.

[Rian_Colorado]

Before I discuss the kit delivery, I will take a few minutes to set the scene. Long story short, I am in the Navy and was set to go on a routine deployment September of this year. Because of world events that occurred earlier this year my deployment got moved up by a month. I ordered my kit in November of last year and it is hard to predict what is going to happen 9 months down the road.

As fate would have it, I left for deployment on August 12th and Stewart showed up the next day. Big shout out to my awesome wife and friends for stepping up to take delivery of my kit. They did a great job of getting it down the gravel drive and into the shop where it will have to wait for a couple months until I can start work on it.

They sent me plenty of pictures…..

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=171557&d=1661489525

Obligatory Stewart truck shot.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=171559&d=1661489525

This is a good view of the custom cart I made in preparation for the offroad trip to the shop.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=171558&d=1661489525

I guess they blocked the whole street for a little while. That road is not too busy, and no traffic issues were passed to me.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=171560&d=1661489525

All loaded up and ready to move. If you look closely, you can see some ratchet straps going through the frame holding the kit to the cart.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=171563&d=1661489525

The lawn mower/cart combo worked like a champ. A lot nimbler than using a full-size vehicle.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=171561&d=1661489525

All tucked in. Another benefit to using a cart that I built was that they just left the kit on the cart and didn’t have to mess with putting it on jack stands. That will be my first task when I get back.

I was out of town for my delivery too.... kind of a bummer! Thank god I have relatives close by....

[slarson]

The biggest parts I have been waiting on has been the front two-piece spindles and hubs. It's been six long months and a bunch of e-mails/phone calls and I am still waiting on them.

Shakey

I received my coupe kit on 7/25/22 and just received my spindles and hubs the middle of December. Hopefully you will get yours soon!

Your build looks great, I love the finish on the wheels!
I like the idea of painting the radiator also.

Scott

[Shakey]

Thanks for the posts and feedback!


Edwardb,

I have been trying to jump around in the manual as much as I can. Your build thread really has helped to look at to see what items you can get taken care of and when so that you don't back your self into a corner. I have been working on things like the trunk box and all the aluminimum fitting. I posted some pics below of the charcoal canister and brake reservoir routing. Probably going to start the dash and electrical next.

As far as the engine goes, I placed and order with Ford Strokers in Feb of 2022 and I knew it would be a long wait time. That was why I ordered the motor six months prior to my kit arriving. I got an update from Nicole and she said they are still hurting from the Dart production backup so I probably won't have my engine completed until March. Probably worth mentioning that Nicole and Woody have been awesome to work with. It can't be easy to deal with a bunch of eager customers waiting a year plus for a motor. Their customer service is top notch.

When I do get my motor, I am probably going to have to rearrange the shop and remove the radiator(thanks for the heads up) like you mentioned to get the motor in from the front. I would very cautiously make an attempt from the side but we will see how stable everything looks when the install day arrives.

Rian_Colorado,

Yeah having a supporting wife and some friends nearby was a huge help getting the kit delivered. Stewart was also really accommidating dealing with me being out of town.


Scott,


Thanks, Looks like I'm on the same timeline as you just a month behind. I got an e-mail from FFR saying a 12lb box will be delivered this weekend so hopefully that's the front spindles.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=178602&d=1674669474

This is a good shot of the fuel filter/regulator combo that I got from Breeze. The install was really easy with the single SS/teflon fuel line running up to the engine.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=178601&d=1674669474

This is the charcoal canister I made from PVC and fish tank charcoal bags. I put it on the left side because the Breeze install instructions for the big vent kit recommended it. Makes sense to me, if you are turning hard to the left, fuel is going to have to fight the Gs to flow out of the vent tube.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=178600&d=1674669474

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=178599&d=1674669474

I used a plastic cable glad to insulate the brake reservoir hoses as they pass through the foot box. I ordered a set of various sizes from amazon to use for electrical routing but this one fit the hole that was already drilled perfectly.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=178598&d=1674669474

I swapped the front and rear master cyliders for the 5/8in size that Rsnake reccomended on his youtube channel. I used the 3/4 that came with the kit for the hydraulic clutch I am planning.

V/r

Shakey

[JMo]

Shakey,

Interested to get your impressions on the A4 seats. I've been looking at those but haven't seen anyone else using them. Curious how the height is with the shaved base. I'm considering unshaved but hard to tell without having them in hand. Also interested in how well the side bolsters and seatback "wings" fit in the cockpit. Alsoo are you putting those on sliders? thanks

John

[rhk118]

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=178600&d=1674669474
I used a plastic cable glad to insulate the brake reservoir hoses as they pass through the foot box.


Great progress Shakey and thanks for the update. Any idea what size cable glad that is for the brake reservoir hoses? That is a slick detail. I found some rubber grommets at Ace hardware that fit and cut 3 holes into one, isn't pretty but guess it will work, but like the idea of something I won't need to be replacing due to cracking every few years - since that area is so visible would like it to look clean like that. Great little detail.

[Shakey]

Shakey,

Interested to get your impressions on the A4 seats. I've been looking at those but haven't seen anyone else using them. Curious how the height is with the shaved base. I'm considering unshaved but hard to tell without having them in hand. Also interested in how well the side bolsters and seatback "wings" fit in the cockpit. Alsoo are you putting those on sliders? thanks

John



Hey John,

I love the look of the seats. I got them in the black microsuede from Mike Forte. Sitting in them, the side bolsters are very prominent and seem to hold you in the seat very well. I got the regular width seat and the sides are defiantly snug in the cockpit. The sides currently do not touch the aluminum panels just sitting in there but with sound deadening and carpet I think the side will rub a bit. These seats have a reclining lever that makes the fit between the seatbelt mounts really challenging. I had to remove the lever cover and do some minor cutting but the seat now fits between the belt mounts. It is going to be really tight to get the seatbelt bolts in there. I have not mounted them yet but will post to let you know how it goes.

I am planning to put the same Corbeau sliders(PN# C22059) Paul used in the car. That was the main driver for me getting the shaved seat option. I think the saved seat option helps a bit and is worth it. I think there is still plenty of padding in there to keep the seat comfortable.

I am 6'4'' with longer legs and a short torso. Seat height is not as big of a deal for me as the leg room. That's mainly why I wanted the sliders in there so others can move the seat forward to drive it. Also, for those with longer torsos, they can move the seat forward and recline if needed to get some more head room.

I'll get some more detailed picks next time I'm down in the shop.

V/R

Shakey

[JMo]

Hey John,

I love the look of the seats. I got them in the black microsuede from Mike Forte. Sitting in them, the side bolsters are very prominent and seem to hold you in the seat very well. I got the regular width seat and the sides are defiantly snug in the cockpit. The sides currently do not touch the aluminum panels just sitting in there but with sound deadening and carpet I think the side will rub a bit. These seats have a reclining lever that makes the fit between the seatbelt mounts really challenging. I had to remove the lever cover and do some minor cutting but the seat now fits between the belt mounts. It is going to be really tight to get the seatbelt bolts in there. I have not mounted them yet but will post to let you know how it goes.

I am planning to put the same Corbeau sliders(PN# C22059) Paul used in the car. That was the main driver for me getting the shaved seat option. I think the saved seat option helps a bit and is worth it. I think there is still plenty of padding in there to keep the seat comfortable.

I am 6'4'' with longer legs and a short torso. Seat height is not as big of a deal for me as the leg room. That's mainly why I wanted the sliders in there so others can move the seat forward to drive it. Also, for those with longer torsos, they can move the seat forward and recline if needed to get some more head room.

I'll get some more detailed picks next time I'm down in the shop.

V/R

Shakey

Hey thanks for the reply Shakey. Was a bit concerned about the placement of the belt anchors and the reclining lever but sounds like that can be made to work. Looking forward to seeing more...

John

[Shakey]

Great progress Shakey and thanks for the update. Any idea what size cable glad that is for the brake reservoir hoses? That is a slick detail. I found some rubber grommets at Ace hardware that fit and cut 3 holes into one, isn't pretty but guess it will work, but like the idea of something I won't need to be replacing due to cracking every few years - since that area is so visible would like it to look clean like that. Great little detail.

The cable gland in that picture is 1in NPT. Measures 1in inner diameter and 1-5/16in outer diameter of the threads. It was included in the kit I got here, https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08R86BHBC?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details&th=1

V/R

Shakey

[Shakey]

I have still been working on the car and I keep finding more and more things to get done while I wait for parts. I am also waiting for the weather to get warmer so I can start doing some painting/bed liner application on aluminum panels. So, here is what I have been up to…….

I got my steering wheel from FFR so I was able to do the NRG quick release project. There are so many good write ups on the forum about this that it made it fairly simple. Once you get all the pieces in front of you and spend some time wrapping your head around it everything made a lot more sense. I did it without the use of the “centering jigs” that I have seen people use. I just used clamps and took my time to get the pieces lined up and I think I got it pretty close to dead on. I also got a little reckless with the credit card one day and bought the steering wheel center emblem I have been eying. I really like how it looks and fits the wheel better than the FFR one, especially after doing this mod because the O-ring holding it in place is much shallower i.e. grips the steering wheel not the hub. Got it here. https://www.**********accessories.com/p-32-cobra-center-cap.aspx

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=180350&d=1677041967

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=180351&d=1677041985

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=180353&d=1677041985

I mentioned in another forum about the Forte mechanical throttle linkage and where to mount the 90 degree spring mount. I was playing around with this location but not sure yet. Might need to move it down more and it might be too close to the exhaust. I also need to get a shorter spring.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=180352&d=1677041985

[Shakey]

I dove into the HVAC system. I didn’t realize the manual was 130+ pages. I do think it is much better written and goes into more detail than the build manual does. I found everything pretty straight forward so far. I am about as far as I can get on it without an engine. I was not prepared for all the modification that was required to make the FFR supplied condenser fit. Took some time with the cutoff wheel to trim off the drivers side mounting flange so it would fit between the frame.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=180341&d=1677041947

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=180343&d=1677041947

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=180349&d=1677041967

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=180336&d=1677041925

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=180339&d=1677041925

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=180340&d=1677041925

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=180337&d=1677041925

[Shakey]

Battery Cutt-off switch. I know I wanted one of these on my build and decided to put it on the negative side of the battery and make it a “Push-Off” activation from the drivers seat. The switch is remote mounted under the hood and activated with a pushrod. I also like how it can be activated from the engine bay if needed. I plan to only use it in emergencies or when storing for months at a time. I know it would not be NHRA legal, but it makes the most sense to me. Especially when you are running a system like Terminator X that requires connection directly to the battery.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=180346&d=1677041967

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=180345&d=1677041947

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=180348&d=1677041967

Switch in ON position:

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=180344&d=1677041947

Switch in OFF position:

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=180347&d=1677041967


That’s all for now.

Thanks for reading and following along.

V/R

Shakey

[Namrups]

I mounted my throttle return spring bracket on the same bolt that holds the coil in place. This gives a straight line to the throttle linkage on the Sniper.

[Mick40]

That shut off is just plain cleaver. Nice build!

[Shakey]

First of all, there is a lot to catch up on. I feel like I have made a lot of progress in the last two months. One big help is the huge number of boxes and parts that FFR has been shipping out recently. I got 3 or 4 big shipments from them in like a two-week span and currently only have one part missing on my POL list.

While I was still waiting for those part deliveries I decided to tackle my fire bottle install. May have gone a little overkill here but I have always liked the idea of a in cockpit fire pull handle. I am not planning to race in any series that requires it, but I went that way anyway. I decided to go with the Safecraft Model LT 5LB bottle. I also went with the stainless lines and that turned out to be a bit of a challenge. I found stainless to be very difficult to work with and went though two 37 degree flaring tools in the process.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=182716&d=1681014524

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=182715&d=1681014487

Mounted the bottle right behind the passenger seat. I was able to get 3 bolts into a frame tube and the other were just rivnuts into the aluminum. It move a little but I think it will be solid enough.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=182714&d=1681014487

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=182713&d=1681014487

Here you can see the -6 AN bulkhead fitting for the agent line and the cable gland for the pull cable pass though. I like that I was able to run hard line from the bottle thought the trunk floor.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=182717&d=1681014524

Mounting the pull handle was a bit tough too as I was trying to minimize the radius of the cable bends and not hit any frame tubes when picking a dash location.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=182711&d=1681014487

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=182712&d=1681014487

I mounted 2 Fire nozzles in the cockpit and one in the engine bay.

More to follow shortly.

V/R

Shakey

[F500guy]

Nice idea, I know it is to late for you but this kind of plumbing would have been a great place for swage-loc type fittings, no need to flare and easy to install.

[Shakey]

F500guy,

That's a great idea. I didn't know a fitting like that existed. I will definitely keep them in mind for the future.

Thanks,

Shakey

[Shakey]

Well, I finally got my front spindles in the mail from FFR. Not that I was counting but, it was almost 7 months to the day from when my kit was delivered to when I got the front spindles in the mail. After getting theses bolted up, I was able to get the front brakes and wheels on too. I did have a little trouble getting the upper nut on the spindle to torque down but, some forum member suggested giving it a bit of a tap to get the tapered ball joint to seat in the spindle and after I did that, the nut went on just fine without the ball joint spinning.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=182750&d=1681097189

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=182752&d=1681097189

Front brakes mounted. 14'' fronts that I ordered from Gordon. Still surprised at how wide the rotor is. Took some work with a carbide bit and Dremel tool to get the upper caliper mounting bolt to fit.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=182755&d=1681097238

Front brakes with front wheels mounted, wheels are 18X10 and have plenty of clearance.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=182756&d=1681097238

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=182754&d=1681097189

All four wheels mounted!

More to come soon!

V/R

Shakey

[Shakey]

I think I have the final layout for the dash put together. The only things I need to add are a few switches for Hazards and High beams as well as a glove box. I found that I don't have many switches in the car at all. I am using the digital guard dawg so that eliminates a few switches. There is definitely room to add more switches in the future if I find that I need them.'

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=182841&d=1681275389

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=182840&d=1681275389

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=182839&d=1681275389

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=182837&d=1681275389

This last photo is a closeup of the center of the dash and you can see that I added an analog clock to the dash. I always thought that cars with an analog clock were classy. It is the same autometer Platinum gauge series that FFR provides with the base kit so it matches. You can also see the two round guarded push button switches on either side of the A/C panel. Those will be for the door poppers. I am planning to have the DGD remote open the doors from the outside but wanted an easy way for the driver or passenger to be able to open the doors from inside the vehicle. I will have normal door handles installed as well.

I was pretty set on covering the dash in a black micro-suede which is the same material that my Corbeau seats are covered in. Lately, my wife has been trying to talk me into covering it with black leather. Not sure which way I will go yet. I still have some time to decide.

Lastly, I got an e-mail from my engine builder today and my engine is schedule to be built the week of May 1st. I guess there is a huge production issue at Comp cams so they are having to source the cam from another vender and that process added another couple months.

Thanks for reading.

V/R

Shakey

[Shakey]

Its been just over a month since my last build update. There has been a lot going on with the build and I have definitely gotten behind on my posts. I am hoping to have time soon to get caught up. The big news for this post is that I finally got my last POL part delivered on April 25th. It was the upper steering shaft pillow block bearing. As a reference for those waiting on parts, it was just over 8 months from kit delivery until my last part was delivered.

During FFR's mad rush of getting parts out the door over the last few months, I also got my hydraulic clutch kit which came with the final reservoir that I needed. So, I got started on how I was going to mount them. I took clues from a lot of builds on this forum but mainly from Namrumps. I think you will see in my pictures that my solution looks a lot like his. I had always wondered why people run 3 separate reservoirs and the only answer I could seem to come up with was the following. They want to keep their front and rear brakes on separate systems so they don't have a total failure and if they are going to run a high temp brake fluid it might not compatible with their hydraulic clutch throw out bearing. This was the case for me.

So here is what I got...

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=184707&d=1684470073

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=184704&d=1684470073

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=184705&d=1684470073

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=184706&d=1684470073

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=184708&d=1684470073

The front of the car is slanted down slightly. I decided to take advantage of this and "stair step" overlap each individual reservoir. By doing this I kept the reservoirs level with the ground and made their overall footprint smaller.

I got the bracket I made powder coated and should be ready for final assembly in the next couple weeks.

Thanks for reading.


-Shakey

[Namrups]

I noticed you mounted your main electrical shutoff close to those. Keep in mind that the splash guards that get mounted to the hood are also in that general location. Hope they don't interfere with each other.

[Shakey]

Thanks Namrups,

I'm hoping I'll be OK with the cut-off switch. It is aft if the splash panel by a few inches. It should be just above the exhaust. Thanks for the idea on the brake reservoir mount!

Shakey

[Shakey]

Well I finally got the tires mounted. I waited until I got all my suspension parts from FFR before ordering the tires. I finally got my front spindles in the mail and mounted so, I went ahead and ordered the tires. I wanted to wait as long as I thought reasonable just so they would not sit and age while I was building the car. So, here is what I ordered. Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar 3. Fronts 275/40R18, Rears 325/30R19. I read a bunch of reviews on them and the big thing was that they came in the sizes I wanted. I decided on a staggered size front and rear and I know the fronts are about an inch bigger than what FFR recommends. With all the tires mounted on the frame there is no rubbing, to be determined if they rub on the body or not. I always thought the front wheels in the FFR recommended size looked a little small compared to the wheel arch. Anyways, here is what they look like mounted.

Had to grab a pic of the wheels in the sunlight.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=184858&d=1684899091

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=184854&d=1684899091

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=184857&d=1684899091

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=184856&d=1684899091

And finally, the pic I am happiest about.... The car is on the ground for the first time! Finally feels like its becoming a real automobile. I have ridden in a type 65 before but I forgot how low they were. In the pic below it is sitting at about 5 inches ride height. I figured it would settle a bit when the engine and trans are in.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=184855&d=1684899091

Thanks for reading. More to come soon. I am currently on a trip out of town where I can't work on the car. Plus side is that there is plenty of time for more forum posts.

V/r

Shakey

[Namrups]

Love those wheels!

[John Dol]

Keep in mind this is not critisism merely a suggestion if its even possible.
With the reservoirs could you mount the first one on the bar thats supporting the front foot well aluminum and then have the other two on the bar that you have all three of them currently? If so the bar thickness may also afford you to lower the resrvoirs to line up at the top. If this is possible it would look cleaner in the engine bay without the angle iron and nuts sticking up.

HTH

John

PS wheels look killer!

[Shakey]

John,

That's a good idea. I played around with that a little bit but I would have to use through bolts instead of rivnuts and I am not sure if I can drill the holes straight enough to get them to line up perfectly. I had a lot of trouble getting my through bolts to line up when I mounted my battery cut-off switch. I also already drill and mounted the rivnuts for the angle iron. In the future if I feel the need to clean up the engine bay I might go with this route.


Shakey

[Shakey]

Before I install my engine, I wanted to do the firewall coating for the engine bay. While I was doing that, I decided to coat the underside of most of the cockpit aluminum and the underside of the car. For the engine bay I decided to use the second skin firewall product and I used U-Pol Raptor liner for the underside of the car and panels.

Below is what the firewall came out looking like. The product itself is very thick and if you are going to spray it on they recommend you use their spray gun that they sell. I ended up rolling it on and using a brush for the tight corners. I think the texture came out well. I did 4 thin coats over a two day period. I will say that it was a bit tricky getting this product to go onto my test piece. To get it to stick and not crack and flake off I ended up lightly sanding the panels, they cleaning them with brake clean and priming them with rustoleum flat black enamel. The firewall then stuck to that just fine. I also had to make sure the ambient temps were alright. It calls for 50 degrees F or warmer for at least 24hrs after you apply the product. This was tough to get in Washington without a heated space, even in the spring. After the firewall dried for a week, I sprayed it with flat black engine enamel for the final color you see below. The firewall product dries to a dark grey.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=184984&d=1685211090

Here is a close up of the unpainted firewall finish that was rolled on.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=184988&d=1685212951

I ended up spraying on the Raptor liner with their gun. I have used this product before and it sprays on well. I also used flat black enamel to primer these panels. I will mention that I got a self etching primer to use on the panels but it ended up flaking and cracking. The flat enamel seems to go on and look the best.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=184985&d=1685211090

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=184986&d=1685211090

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=184987&d=1685211090


That's all for now.

Shakey

[Shakey]

After the long wait, my engine has finally arrived. I have the transmission and all required parts to get the powertrain installed. So its full speed ahead on getting motor in.

When the motor arrived I used the same cart that I did for the kit arrival and it worked like a champ. I pulled the cart up to the hydraulic lift gate of the delivery truck and the driver agreed to use his pallet jack and roll it right on the cart. Then I strapped it down and used the old lawn mower to tow it down to the garage. The cart is low enough that I was able to use my engine hoist to get the motor off the cart and onto the ground.

The engine turned out exactly like I wanted with the exception of one thing. They sent the engine to me with a multi-port fuel injection intake manifold installed and I am using throttle body injection. One quick email to them and they had the correct one overnighted and I already have it installed. I also got started on indexing the bell housing and have my required offset dowel pins on order. Here is a recap of some of the stats for the engine.

Dart SHP 8.2 deck block, 363cu. in.

11:1 compression

Bullet racing cams Hyd Roller: Dur 244/248 .600 gross lift

AFR 205 Heads

Billet Specialties Tru Trac

And here it is...

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=185125&d=1685332830

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=185127&d=1685332830

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=185126&d=1685332830

And the next pick is so that I can say this Ford actually does have some blue on it.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=185129&d=1685332830

I also got the T-56 all prepped. I just cleaned it up and put of couple of coats of Duplicolor engine clear on it.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=185132&d=1685332869

I have a couple more things to tidy up in the trans tunnel and then I'll get the motor in once it is mated to the trans.

-Shakey

[JimStone]

That's one beautiful engine!

[John Dol]

Could’ve told us to put on sun glasses before we got to the pulley pics:cool:
Did they dyno it for you?

[Shakey]

Thanks guys. I got a pretty good chuckle from that last comment.

No dyno numbers. I plan to go to the chassis dyno when I have the car together. I am guessing about 530hp based on internet research. Ford claims 500hp out of theirs and I have a bit more compression, slightly bigger cam and heads.

Shakey

[q4stix]

I'm late the the party, but the build is looking great!
The engine is really going to pop against the firewall and I'm a fan of the wheel color choice too :)

[Shakey]

Hey thanks q4stix,

I have not made a post to this thread in a while and I am way overdue for an update. There is more info on the build on this other thread. https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showthread.php?46345-302-SBF-and-T56-Magnum-do-not-fit-in-a-Gen-3-coupe. I am getting really close to the first start so, I have been spending every free moment working on the car and have neglected my build thread.

The overall look for the car is inspired by the 1966 lemans winning GT40 which is why I chose the bronze wheels.

V/R

Shakey

[rhk118]

Shakey, How do the A4 seats fit relative to the seatbelt tabs? I assume they sit in front of the tabs but how far back can you recline the seat? Will it go to the back of the roll cage? I have a set of the Corbeau Evolution X fixed back and I need the seat back farther back to have a comfortable distance to the steering wheel (I.e. not directly in my lap). I can wedge my seats back on an angle and they are OK, but a recliner if it fits might work great.

Engine looks :cool:, and your work on getting the transmission mounted was very thoughtful and will be of help to me.

[Shakey]

Hank,

It's tight with the A4 seats in there. I have not mounted them yet. I needed to cut off part of the metal bracket on the seat to get them to slide between the seatbelt mounts. I have bolted the belts in and with the bolt head in there the seat no longer fits between the mounts. I will be using the low profile seat slider which will raise the seat a bit and I am hoping that will allow the seat to slide all the way back. Right now the part if the seat that prevents it from going back further is where the seat back contacts the frame near where the door striker is. That's one reason I am using the sliders is so that I can play around with the seat recline and find the most comfortable position. When I get them fully installed, I'll post more details.

Shakey

[Shakey]

After I got the drivetrain fully installed, I started pushing hard to get all the odds and ends cleaned up prior to the first start. The majority of the work was wiring. I got all the gauges wired up as well as the fuel system, Fan, Coil, ignition box, T56 reverse lockout, distributor, and the last bit of wiring cleanup from the terminator X. Looking back now it was quite a bit of wiring but pretty straight forward. I had to make a couple calls to Holley tech support, but they were super helpful.

I got the distributor installed and made my first set of spark plug wires from scratch. I basically bought bulk hyperspark wires in black and the terminals and went at it. It was fairly simple. I also phased the distributor per the instructions for the Holley dual sync distributor.

Before the first start, I had to get the power steering plumbed. The instructions said to not run the pump dry so this was a must. I got the universal hose kit (77900) from billet specialties as well as their remote power steering reservoir (77910). Not cheap parts but they were nice and came with almost everything I needed. With the tru-trac system and a Ford Power steering rack you also need to run the Billet Specialties flow control valve (RP1300). This basically reduces pump flow to 2gpm for the Ford rack. I am glad I called Billet Specialties tech support because I had no idea that I needed to run a flow control valve. I will mention here that I initially installed power steering lines incorrectly. I had the high pressure line going to the 5/8in port per Unisteers website and this was incorrect. In my case the high pressure line went to the 9/16in port towards the front of the car. Here is a pic of the power steering reservoir location and connection to the pump.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=189070&d=1692470309

Getting the radiator hoses plumbed was also pretty straight forward. I did have one pop off after the first start. It was the lower one that connects to the water pump inlet. I basically had to use a rigid coupler to get the connection solid because connecting the FFR provided coupler to the FFR provided lower flexible hose did not hold up well. The FFR provided coupler needed something to grab on to. I also got the overflow tank mounted next to the power steering reservoir and routed the overflow hose down below the car.

I also got the Forte mechanical throttle linkage installed. It needs a little adjustment to get it right, but I set it up to be as progressive as I could. Here is a pic of it installed.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=189071&d=1692470309

Here are some pics of the engine bay in its mostly complete state. I still need to do the A/C system.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=189065&d=1692470283

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=189067&d=1692470283

Ford Strokers starting procedure is pretty simple. He basically says to run a conventional oil and prime the engine really well and then go for it. Per his procedure, I primed the oil pump in the motor and turned the crank 90 degrees and primed again then did another 90 degrees. Basically do this until you are all the way around. I then turned on the terminator X and did all the initial setup. The fuel pump and all the gauges were working 4.0. I then did a static timing check with the fuel pump fuse removed and timing looked good and I was getting oil pressure at the gauge by turning the motor with the starter. I put the fuel pump fuse back in and went for the start. After some cranking I gave it some gas and it wanted to start but I let off of the starter and on the second attempt it started right up. It took some gas to get the motor started and to keep it running. The EFI definitely needs to do some learning. It sounds great and it is LOUD!!! It has a nice choppy idle and I love the old school V8 sound. Here are some videos of the first start.

For my experience with getting a T56 and 302 to fit in a type 65 go here: https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showthread.php?46345-302-SBF-and-T56-Magnum-do-not-fit-in-a-Gen-3-coupe

https://youtube.com/shorts/Ffyl-pfn7U8

https://youtube.com/shorts/X18l4i_xsw8

Next post will be the first Go-kart drive.

Shakey

[jgray]

Awesome! Congrats! What a great sound. I’m realizing I need to look at the forum more - our builds are quite similar. I really like everything you are doing. I have a fire suppression system that has had me somewhat flummoxed for the last couple of weeks and your photos help. I very much lime the way you have done your dash. I’m working on mine right now and realized, after seeing your photos, I had forgotten about the wipers. Love your wheel color - I have halibrands but intend to paint them gold/gunmetal. Your videos are motivating to me!!

[DesertSn8ke]

Glad I read your comment about the BS Flow control valve. My 363 and TKX are supposed to arrive tomorrow. Mine also has a TruTrac front dress. Still waiting on my wheels, they should arrive in the next month or so. Hopefully sooner than later.

[Shakey]

Got the first go-kart completed! The car was basically ready to go after the first start but was delayed a bit due to having to swap the power steering lines and tuning the Terminator X EFI. I spent a little extra time doing static timing checks to get the timing right. I basically left it 3 degrees retarded from what Holly has programmed in the ECU. 36 degrees total timing seemed like a bit much to me. I will eventually take the car to the dyno and have a professional tune it up much better than I could. I also spent some time messing with the Idle settings in the handheld and the screw on the throttle body. It seems to be happiest set at about 900 RPM idle.

The couple drives I went on were awesome. The car drives great and is very tight and smooth. The clutch is not heavy but firm and very smooth. Having an engine like that in such a lightweight car you basically don’t need any gas to get it moving just ease off the clutch and it gets going. I did notice the suspension sag about a half inch in the couple drives I went on.

Below are a couple videos of the drives and some walk arounds/engine sounds from the driver’s seat.

https://youtube.com/shorts/ZbeVgi5ztgk

https://youtube.com/shorts/FntL1ALsOjw

https://youtu.be/60s3aYEYH4A

https://youtu.be/PvhlSkQPAnU

https://youtu.be/UgUdCH6X0tA

[burchfieldb]

Looking great, sounds awesome!

[jamminj]

I love how great that engine sounds!
the chop is phenomenal.

[rhk118]

Sounds amazing! :cool:

[Shakey]

Thanks for all the comments. I was really pleased with how it sounds. There have been some other threads recently talking about Cam specs so I thought that I would post mine below.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=190541&d=1695784736

Since the first go-kart, I have been messing around with some idle tuning and gone for a few more drives. I also replaced the distilled water that was in the cooling system with some actual coolant so I will be good to go for this winter.

I got the driveshaft safety loop installed. I used the summit racing universal hoop that it seems everyone uses. I did make some brackets to help mount it. With some rivnuts I was able to get it installed. Just a coat of paint for now but might get it powered coated in the future.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=190530&d=1695783449

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=190531&d=1695783449

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=190532&d=1695783449

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=190533&d=1695783449

[Shakey]

After that, I got going on the A/C hoses. I used the recommended master cool crimping tool. In some of my pics below you can see a silver line where I marked the hose before crimping and how it elongates about 1/8 inch per side. I was able to get all the hoses installed and hooked up a vacuum pump and it held a vacuum overnight, so I figure the a/c is good to go until I get it charged. For those using the Tru Trac system from Billet Specialties, it was a bit tricky getting the hoses hooked up to the rigid manifold that comes on the compressor. I had to use one #6 90 degree fitting with the high pressure port and one #10 135 degree fitting for the low pressure port. All these fittings came with the FFR a/c kit but were not mentioned in the manual. This was the best way I could figure out to get them connected without any major interference between the hoses or frame.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=190524&d=1695783421

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=190525&d=1695783421

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=190526&d=1695783421

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=190527&d=1695783421

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=190528&d=1695783421

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=190529&d=1695783449

Next up, A/C wiring and trans tunnel panels.

Shakey

[Shakey]

I am out of town for work and because I can’t work on the car that means its time for a build update. I am planning to do a number of posts over the next week or so and I thought that I would start with the seat install.

Overall, I’ll say that the seats fit but it’s pretty tight and there are some modifications that I did to the seats and the seat tracks. I guess I’ll start by going through the modifications that I did. First, I turned the bolts around that mount the tracks to the mounting plate. I also had to trim the length of the bolts a bit so that the tracks still function. This way I was able to drill holes in the car floor and allow the bolts to recess in there and this lowers the seats about ½ inch and puts the mounting plate flush against the floor. I also used the weld nuts that Edwardb used and inserted the mounting bolts from under the floor. I used a death wheel to cut slits in the handle on the seat track and then bent up the handle and welded the slits together so that the handle sits up off the floor. I also had to cut back the metal bracket that holds the reclining lever so that it would fit around the seatbelt mounting points.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=193099&d=1702172028

Here are the holes in the floor that the seat tracks sit flush.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=193108&d=1702172065

You can see the bolts I modified in the bottom of the above picture. You can also see how this allows the seat track to sit flush against the car floor.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=193107&d=1702172065

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=193109&d=1702172065

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=193110&d=1702172065

[Shakey]

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=193104&d=1702172045

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=193105&d=1702172045

These two pictures show how I modified the bracket where the recline lever is.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=193103&d=1702172045

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=193102&d=1702172045

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=193101&d=1702172028

[Shakey]

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=193111&d=1702172065

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=193098&d=1702172028

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=193097&d=1702172028

I also did the trans tunnel in black suede before I put the seats in for the final time.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=193100&d=1702172028

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=193106&d=1702172045

[JimStone]

I've been looking at those seats. Any thoughts on them thus far? Comfortable?

I'm 6'2" - do you think they'd be good for someone my height?

[Shakey]

I've been looking at those seats. Any thoughts on them thus far? Comfortable?

I'm 6'2" - do you think they'd be good for someone my height?

Yes, I find them comfortable. The seat bolstering is prominent and they definitely hold you in place. I am 6ft 4in about 210lbs and I fit just fine. It does feel a bit like you are wearing the car not sitting in it. For big and tall folks you definitely would get more room if you used aluminum race seats bolted directly to the floor. I really like the look of them and so far they are pretty comfortable.

Shakey

[Shakey]

The reverse lockout module that I used is from Modern Driveline. It is a very small piece and fairly inexpensive. I did have one failure of it early and it was replaced very easily by Modern Driveline as it was under warranty. The second one is still working 4.0. Pictured below.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=193176&d=1702351981

The wiper motor I used is they same one that most seem to be using lately. The specialty power windows WWK-2 kit. I installed it by drilling a hole with a hole saw through the firewall panel and I put the motor body on the inside behind the dash and the output part of the motor is inside the engine compartment. Have not hooked up the wipers yet but it is all wired. I will say, it looks like there are going to be some interference issues with the wiper arms and the mechanical throttle linkage. More on that when I get it installed.

Pic below is top down looking a the wiper motor passing through the firewall.
https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=193178&d=1702351981

Here is a pic of what you see of the wiper motor looking from the front of the car.
https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=193177&d=1702351981

Here are a few pics of the gauge lights that I got wired.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=193179&d=1702352007

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=193180&d=1702352007

[Shakey]

I got a few go cart drives in the books and was kind of looking for stuff to do on the car and came to the conclusion that it was time to put the body on. I am planning to just drive the car for a summer in gel coat and then get it painted professionally next winter. First up for the body was prepping the underside for raptor liner. I lightly sanded everything and then added some high strength fiberglass filler to the areas on the body that looked “thin” or not even. I mixed up the filler based on recommendations from my local fiberglass supply store. https://fiberglasssupply.com/ I am lucky to have these guys in town and they recommended an epoxy, 1/8in fiberglass strand, and cab-o-sil. If anyone needs details on the mix let me know and I’ll post them. It was cheap, easy and works great from what I can tell under limited use.

Once the body was on the ground, I added some bracing in the form of gorilla tape and a 2x4 to keep the body stable while turning over and while on its roof.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=193275&d=1702533122

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=193274&d=1702533122

Here is a close up of where I marked and added fiberglass filler.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=193271&d=1702533110

Then, I masked for overspray and layed down the raptor liner.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=193273&d=1702533110

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=193272&d=1702533110

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=193276&d=1702533122

[Shakey]

Next, I got the wife and some friends to help flip the body over again and got it on the frame. I had no issues getting the body on with rear hatch side panels installed. During install, I felt like the body had a natural place it wanted to sit. This did not necessarily line up with what the book called for and I think it went well. The rear hatch is centered, and the rear wheels are centered in the wheel well so I am happy.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=193269&d=1702533110

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=193280&d=1702533138

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=193270&d=1702533110

Here are some pictures with the hood on too. More on that in another post. Hood still needs raptor liner.

In the picture below the rear ride height is set at about 5 and 1/2inches so the wheels will get a litter tighter to the opening at final ride height.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=193279&d=1702533138

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=193278&d=1702533138

Special thanks to my wife for the below glamour shot.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=193277&d=1702533138

Check out some driving videos on my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@ShakeysDaytona

[Namrups]

Great job Shakey. Big step.Two items: 1) I noticed how you routed your heater hoses in one of your pictures. I had mine the same way and could not get heat. The manual shows the heater hose that is coming from the top footbox connection should be attached to the heater valve outlet closest to the firewall. Once I changed mine I had heat. 2) I followed the manual as far as positioning my body but when it came time to mount the door hinges they would not swing fully and I had to reposition the body for clearance. I would suggest cutting your hinge openings and mocking up the hinges for clearance before securing the body down.

[Shakey]

Great job Shakey. Big step.Two items: 1) I noticed how you routed your heater hoses in one of your pictures. I had mine the same way and could not get heat. The manual shows the heater hose that is coming from the top footbox connection should be attached to the heater valve outlet closest to the firewall. Once I changed mine I had heat. 2) I followed the manual as far as positioning my body but when it came time to mount the door hinges they would not swing fully and I had to reposition the body for clearance. I would suggest cutting your hinge openings and mocking up the hinges for clearance before securing the body down.

Great observations! I have not run the heater yet. The vents and ducts still need to be plumbed. I will definitely keep this in mind and it will be the first thing I do if the heat isn't working. I already bolted the body on but there is still some adjustment in the rear brackets. If needed I suppose I can re-drill the screw holes near the doors. Thanks for the comments. I will do the doors next for sure before I get any further into the body work.

V/R

Shakey

[Namrups]

Great observations! I have not run the heater yet. The vents and ducts still need to be plumbed. I will definitely keep this in mind and it will be the first thing I do if the heat isn't working. I already bolted the body on but there is still some adjustment in the rear brackets. If needed I suppose I can re-drill the screw holes near the doors. Thanks for the comments. I will do the doors next for sure before I get any further into the body work.

V/R

Shakey

I had to move my body as far forward as I could get it.

[burchfieldb]

I did as well and modified the hinges so that I could get the door to open more without hitting the body. Otherwise it is a real bear to get out.

[jgray]

Good to read this info regarding where to mount the body. I am 6’ 5” so I need all the room I can get! Thanks guys!

[Shakey]

Posted a video walking around and discussing the build a bit on youtube. Close to getting the car registered. Just waiting on the Washington State Patrol for a VIN inspection now.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNF-gFY2lQA



Shakey

[Shakey]

I just dropped the car off at the dyno/tuner in my area. Plan is to get them to do a base tune on the Termintor X and if they think the engine is healthy enough and has enough break-in miles on it, they will put it on the dyno. First time the car had been in anothers hands. I imagine it's similar to what the feeling of dropping your first born off at college is like.

I did get the car registered and it's now street legal in WA state. Standby for another thread on that specifically. Lots of waiting and bureaucracy.

Odometer is at 260mi. So far everything is great and hopefully once tuner is done with the EFI and alignment it will be ready for the spring/summer driving season.

V/r

Shakey

[Namrups]

Great news! Enjoy the summer driving your dream. I look for reasons to take the car out. Hmmmm I need a loaf of bread... Wheres my coupe keys!!!;)

[Alan_C]

Just viewed your first start and go kart videos, awesome and congrats on the achievements!
My coupe arrives in August, can't wait to get started. I love the bronze wheels, doing something similar on mine, just a different wheel pattern.

[Shakey]

Hey Alan, sounds like a fun build. I basically went for the Forgestar wheels because I could get the offset right and not run wheel spacers. More custom wheels are out there but are much more expensive. My wife is from Prescott Valley AZ. If we are gonna be in that area I'm might shoot you a PM and we can compare notes.

[Alan_C]

Hey Alan, sounds like a fun build. I basically went for the Forgestar wheels because I could get the offset right and not run wheel spacers. More custom wheels are out there but are much more expensive. My wife is from Prescott Valley AZ. If we are gonna be in that area I'm might shoot you a PM and we can compare notes.

If you don't mind, please share your exact offsets or backspacing on your wheels. You indicate that your wheels are just about ideal as they don't require spacers. It would help greatly when I go to order in July as maybe I can get APEX to match your backspacing.

[Alan_C]

Greetings all,
Forgestar F14 Golden Bronze Front: 18x10 +12mm offset, Rear: 19x12 -25mm offset(Thanks Logan!)
Tires Nitto INVO Front: 275/40R18 Rear: 325/30R19
-Shakey

So you are showing a -25mm offset at the rear, is that correct?
I am looking at the Apex ARC-8 wheels and all of their offset options are positive. I can select 19x11 +11mm at the front and 19x12 +25mm at the rear. Just checking in advance. Given the set are $2500 wheels, I am going to get one of the fitment tools to check the offsets needed. That or I can the 18 inch wheels from my Mustang restomod and add spacers as needed.

[Shakey]

Alan,

Yes, its a -25mm offset in the rear. That is why the Forgestar wheels were so appealing was because they can do this uncommon offset at a reasonable price. Also, check that they offer the ARC-8 with a 5X114.3 bolt pattern. Didn't see that option on their website.

Here are the exact specs from my order sheet with Get Your Wheels.

Wheels:

Front: FORGESTAR F14 SDC 18X10 Backspace: +12 Bolt pattern: 5X114.3
Rear: FORGESTAR F14 UDC 19X12 Backspace: -25 Bolt pattern: 5X114.3
Finish: GLOSS BRUSHED ANTIQUE BRONZE

Tires: Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar 3
Front: 275/40 R18
Rear: 325/30 R19

V/R

Shakey

[Alan_C]

Alan,

Yes, its a -25mm offset in the rear. That is why the Forgestar wheels were so appealing was because they can do this uncommon offset at a reasonable price. Also, check that they offer the ARC-8 with a 5X114.3 bolt pattern. Didn't see that option on their website.

Here are the exact specs from my order sheet with Get Your Wheels.

Wheels:

Front: FORGESTAR F14 SDC 18X10 Backspace: +12 Bolt pattern: 5X114.3
Rear: FORGESTAR F14 UDC 19X12 Backspace: -25 Bolt pattern: 5X114.3
Finish: GLOSS BRUSHED ANTIQUE BRONZE

Tires: Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar 3
Front: 275/40 R18
Rear: 325/30 R19

V/R

Shakey

Had not seen the standard 5x4.5 inch Mustang bolt pattern being shown in mm, took me a minute to think about it and do the conversion to inches.
I was looking for a set of wheels for my Saturn Sky Redline from Forgeline, expensive stuff. Since I am just looking to fix it up and flip it, way too much money to spend on it. Now for the Coupe, that is another matter.

[Alan_C]

Here are the specs for the 18 inch Halibrand wheels that Factory Five sells.
Front Wheel Size (Diameter x width): 18″x 9″
Rear Wheel Size (Diameter x width): 18″x 11″
Front Wheel Backspace: 6.00″ (24mm Offset)
Rear Wheel Backspace: 6.46″ (12mm Offset)

Wheel Lug Pattern: Ford style 5 lug x 4.5″ bolt circle

So with this as a baseline as the FFR wheels are said to work on the coupe, I have made a quick table in Excel.

Source Front Width Offset Rear Width Offset
FFR 18x9 +24mm 18x11 +12mm
Shakey 18x10 +12mm 19x12 -25mm
AC 19x11 0mm 19x12 0mm


The offset at the front for all three configurations make sense as for each 1 inch of wheel width the offset is changed by 1/2 inch. So why did you push your rear wheel face out another inch? Just curious and trying to put a reason behind the number the rear wheel offset numbers.

[nelsond003]

Thanks for the posts and feedback!


Edwardb,

I have been trying to jump around in the manual as much as I can. Your build thread really has helped to look at to see what items you can get taken care of and when so that you don't back your self into a corner. I have been working on things like the trunk box and all the aluminimum fitting. I posted some pics below of the charcoal canister and brake reservoir routing. Probably going to start the dash and electrical next.

As far as the engine goes, I placed and order with Ford Strokers in Feb of 2022 and I knew it would be a long wait time. That was why I ordered the motor six months prior to my kit arriving. I got an update from Nicole and she said they are still hurting from the Dart production backup so I probably won't have my engine completed until March. Probably worth mentioning that Nicole and Woody have been awesome to work with. It can't be easy to deal with a bunch of eager customers waiting a year plus for a motor. Their customer service is top notch.

When I do get my motor, I am probably going to have to rearrange the shop and remove the radiator(thanks for the heads up) like you mentioned to get the motor in from the front. I would very cautiously make an attempt from the side but we will see how stable everything looks when the install day arrives.

Rian_Colorado,

Yeah having a supporting wife and some friends nearby was a huge help getting the kit delivered. Stewart was also really accommidating dealing with me being out of town.


Scott,


Thanks, Looks like I'm on the same timeline as you just a month behind. I got an e-mail from FFR saying a 12lb box will be delivered this weekend so hopefully that's the front spindles.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=178602&d=1674669474

This is a good shot of the fuel filter/regulator combo that I got from Breeze. The install was really easy with the single SS/teflon fuel line running up to the engine.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=178601&d=1674669474

This is the charcoal canister I made from PVC and fish tank charcoal bags. I put it on the left side because the Breeze install instructions for the big vent kit recommended it. Makes sense to me, if you are turning hard to the left, fuel is going to have to fight the Gs to flow out of the vent tube.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=178600&d=1674669474

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=178599&d=1674669474

I used a plastic cable glad to insulate the brake reservoir hoses as they pass through the foot box. I ordered a set of various sizes from amazon to use for electrical routing but this one fit the hole that was already drilled perfectly.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=178598&d=1674669474

I swapped the front and rear master cyliders for the 5/8in size that Rsnake reccomended on his youtube channel. I used the 3/4 that came with the kit for the hydraulic clutch I am planning.

V/r

Shakey


I thought the front and MC were 3/4 and the rear was 5/8? What is the up side to all of them being 5/8?

[Namrups]

Your fuel vent canister will be in the way of the splash panel installation.

[jgray]

Hi Shakey,

Congratulations on all your progress. I haven't been on here for a while because of moving house and other things that have gotten in the way. I'm now looking at getting my engine in soon and started to look at what is involved in plumbing the radiator and condenser. I see some of your photos show some of the plumbing but was wondering, if you get a chance, could you post some more pictures?

Thanks

John

[Shakey]

Here are the specs for the 18 inch Halibrand wheels that Factory Five sells.
Front Wheel Size (Diameter x width): 18″x 9″
Rear Wheel Size (Diameter x width): 18″x 11″
Front Wheel Backspace: 6.00″ (24mm Offset)
Rear Wheel Backspace: 6.46″ (12mm Offset)

Wheel Lug Pattern: Ford style 5 lug x 4.5″ bolt circle

So with this as a baseline as the FFR wheels are said to work on the coupe, I have made a quick table in Excel.

Source Front Width Offset Rear Width Offset
FFR 18x9 +24mm 18x11 +12mm
Shakey 18x10 +12mm 19x12 -25mm
AC 19x11 0mm 19x12 0mm


The offset at the front for all three configurations make sense as for each 1 inch of wheel width the offset is changed by 1/2 inch. So why did you push your rear wheel face out another inch? Just curious and trying to put a reason behind the number the rear wheel offset numbers.

Hey Alan,

Sorry I have been away for a bit. I been out driving the car instead of working on it which has been nice.

For my wheel offsets, I did a bunch of calculations like you did and also looked at the wheel and tire repository. In the end, I basically copied what Snowman did on this post of his. https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showthread.php?37314-Project-Lightning-Coyote&p=448741&viewfull=1#post448741

Also, in the FFR wheels you mentioned, most people run 1 inch wheel spacers with them. I didn't wanna run wheel spacers so I found a wheel that would be 19in in diameter, 12in wide and allow for basically a 5in backspace(-25mm offset.) I have about 500mi on the car and before my alignment the were rubbing on the inside of the wheel well. Now with the alignment they don't rub anymore from what I can tell. If I did any offset closer to 0, I feel like they would rub constantly.

Here are some pic of the wheels with the alignment done and no spacers. Set at 4in ride height in all 4 corners. And a Pic from top down showing how far the wheel sticks out.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=200068&d=1717034165

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=200067&d=1717034165

[Shakey]

Nelsond003,

What is the up side to all of them being 5/8?

Scientifically, I'm not 100% sure. I put a lot of trust in Rsnake's youtube channel and just followed his lead. We are running the exact brakes so I though it would apply to me and he switched from 3/4 to 5/8 on both. According to google, a smaller diameter master cylinder moves less volume of fluid but generates more force. I think this gives you more pedal travel and feel as well as less effort to push it. According to an Rsnake video, the brakes we have with a 3/4 MC are like a rock and go from nothing to a lot of braking with very little pedal travel.

HTH,

Shakey

[JimStone]

Nelsond003,

What is the up side to all of them being 5/8?

Scientifically, I'm not 100% sure. I put a lot of trust in Rsnake's youtube channel and just followed his lead. We are running the exact brakes so I though it would apply to me and he switched from 3/4 to 5/8 on both. According to google, a smaller diameter master cylinder moves less volume of fluid but generates more force. I think this gives you more pedal travel and feel as well as less effort to push it. According to an Rsnake video, the brakes we have with a 3/4 MC are like a rock and go from nothing to a lot of braking with very little pedal travel.

HTH,

Shakey



I followed his lead too and just bought the 5/8" MC's straight away. So I guess I'll never know if it was really necessary, but it's easy now just starting my build.

BTW, what color are you thinking for your car? Love the bronze wheels. But now you have to match them to your paint!

[Shakey]

Hi Shakey,

Congratulations on all your progress. I haven't been on here for a while because of moving house and other things that have gotten in the way. I'm now looking at getting my engine in soon and started to look at what is involved in plumbing the radiator and condenser. I see some of your photos show some of the plumbing but was wondering, if you get a chance, could you post some more pictures?

Thanks

John

More coolant hose/AC hose routing pictures.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=200104&d=1717094704

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=200105&d=1717094704

Pic from underneath showing the clamp holding the hose as it goes under the frame.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=200107&d=1717094704

Rad and AC hoses going down to the radiator

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=200109&d=1717094950

Lower rad hose coming for the rad. You can see the coupling from the flexible hose to the metal rad hose.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=200108&d=1717094704

Connection to lower water pump inlet.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=200111&d=1717094950

Overview of hoses.

v/r

Shakey

[Shakey]

I followed his lead too and just bought the 5/8" MC's straight away. So I guess I'll never know if it was really necessary, but it's easy now just starting my build.

BTW, what color are you thinking for your car? Love the bronze wheels. But now you have to match them to your paint!

Right now, pretty sure I am gonna paint it similar to the 1966 Lemans winner GT40. Black with silver stripes. Maybe some meatballs and other accents. Similar to this:

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=200133&d=1717129163

V/r

Shakey

[jgray]

Hey Shakey, Back in post number 80 you mentioned that you would share more info on mounting the hood. The reason I’m asking is because I am installing my radiator and condenser and seeing that the hood hinge will hit the aluminum panels and the lower condenser hose connector. I’m wondering if I should position the radiator more upright to increase the clearance? Even if I do that the passenger side hinge still touches the connector. I see in Paul’s build he notes this issue and I saw Thomas on the Oak Hollow YouTube channel had to cut the hinge. I would rather not cut it because it seems like there will be a lot of stress on the hinges. So any wisdom and experience you can share would be gratefully appreciated!

[q4stix]

Right now, pretty sure I am gonna paint it similar to the 1966 Lemans winner GT40. Black with silver stripes. Maybe some meatballs and other accents.

I think that would look great! Lots of blue and red Coupes so I think a black one is a nice visual change.
I'm still looking at silver for mine so if I ever get mine done we'll need to have a photo shoot together!

[Kbl7td]

Hey Shakey, Back in post number 80 you mentioned that you would share more info on mounting the hood. The reason I’m asking is because I am installing my radiator and condenser and seeing that the hood hinge will hit the aluminum panels and the lower condenser hose connector. I’m wondering if I should position the radiator more upright to increase the clearance? Even if I do that the passenger side hinge still touches the connector. I see in Paul’s build he notes this issue and I saw Thomas on the Oak Hollow YouTube channel had to cut the hinge. I would rather not cut it because it seems like there will be a lot of stress on the hinges. So any wisdom and experience you can share would be gratefully appreciated!

The actual body will have to be cut no matter what. Even with the condenser all the way to the top of the radiator. Your hood hinge clearance will only be dictated by how far you personally want the hood to open. For me I find the hood opening to be sufficient without cutting the hinge. There’s little to actually work on the more forward you go in the bay. Best advice is to mount everything, open, then trim as needed.

[jgray]

I appreciate the input. I had not thought about the fact that there isn't much at the front of the engine bay. I will do as you suggest, mount everything and trim as needed. One less thing to worry about for now!

[UpNorth]

I appreciate the input. I had not thought about the fact that there isn't much at the front of the engine bay. I will do as you suggest, mount everything and trim as needed. One less thing to worry about for now!

Yep! That’s the way.

[John Dol]

I think that would look great! Lots of blue and red Coupes so I think a black one is a nice visual change.
I'm still looking at silver for mine so if I ever get mine done we'll need to have a photo shoot together!

201967

Here’s a nice black one! ;)

[Shakey]

I posted in a separate thread my experience registering the car. If you wanna know about registering your car in Washington State you can check it out here:

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showthread.php?49510-Type-65-Coupe-registration-experience-in-Washington-State

V/R

Shakey

[Shakey]

Wow! A long time since my last post. I spent most of last summer driving the car around and working on random projects. I have done a couple oil changes. Also, I changed the rear diff fluid and trans fluid at the 2000mile mark. Probably overkill but I figured since everything was brand new, I might as well get any small metal pieces from break in out of there. The car has been great to drive an very reliable. The A/C is charged and that was a huge help in making the car more of a driver. I attended 2 "Official" car shows with the car last year and multiple Friday afternoon car meetups at the local burger joint. I'll highlight below some of the smaller projects I got done on the car over the fall and winter. Right now the car is up on jacks and back in the building phase. I didn't like how some of the behind the dash wiring was done initially. Not enough access to fuse/rely panels and no room for the AC/heater ducting. So, the plan now is to fix that stuff and finally get the dash covered with material, probably black vinyl. After that, the car will be driving again for a while. Still need to get the engine professionally tuned and the car painted. That stuff costs money and the budget is tight right now so it could be a while.

I have been looking into trying to race my car in the SOVREN Historic Big Bore group and researching what it would take to make the car legal. I know Type 65 Coupe Rs have raced in that class in the past but my car not being the R model I am looking at what needs to be done to the cage to make it legal. The standard coupe already has a 6 point cage in it so the only glaring thing I have seen is that needs to be added is door bars. I would like to get that stuff taken care of before paint as well. If anyone out there knows about Vintage Competition roll cage rules and/or SOVREN tech compliance I would be interested in any helpful guidance you would have.

I got the submarine belts installed and the rest of the cockpit insulation.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=211209&d=1741376396

I fabricated a radiator/condenser guard that bolts to the outside of the front frame. I had to remove a bit more of the lower hood so that the hood still opens fully but that wasn't too bad. It was welded together with angle iron and metal mesh from home depot.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=211206&d=1741376268

Here is the front tow hook solution I came up with. It is removable. I went on send cut send and had them cut me some of their basic patterns to make the eye of the hook. Then did some welding with angle iron. You can see where it attaches to the upper frame and slides through the radiator opening without touching. Feels pretty sturdy.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=211205&d=1741376268

Close up of the front tow hook attachement.
https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=211204&d=1741376268

[Shakey]

I also made a rear tow hook from what I got from send cut send. It bolts to the rear spoiler mount with an intermediate plate. It is also removable but will likely just keep it in place.
https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=211208&d=1741376268

Close up of the rear tow hook attachement.
https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=211207&d=1741376268


I finally made a locking cover for my drop trunk box. Its just some second skin insulation sandwiched between two aluminum pieces I had as scrap. I used a piano hinge from McMaster Carr and went on amazon to find a locking boat cabinet door latch (Perko 0931DP1BLK Flush-Mount Locking Latch, black). It uses the existing frame that is in the drop trunk area to latch to.
https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=211211&d=1741376396

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=211210&d=1741376396


V/R

Shakey

[Jphoenix]

Shakey, go here and submit the CRF form to the SOVREN competition chair, contact emails and numbers are on that page. Jeff Kerney and John Rankin are very helpful. https://www.motorsportreg.com/events/2024-car-registration-form-crf-sovren-603170

[Shakey]

I finally took the time to finish upholstering the dash and getting all the gauges and A/C ducts connected. The carpet is now the only thing that is needed to fully finish the interior. I’m going to wait for the carpet until after paint. I’m planning to remove the body for paint, and I think the carpet would get messed up during that process.

I will say that upholstery is not my favorite task but, I think it came out OK for a DIYer doing it for the first time. While the dash was out, I made some major changes to the wiring behind the dash. Basically, I consolidated everything to allow more room for the A/C ducts. I had originally built a mounting plate for my fuse block, relay block and DGD but found that it just took up too much room. I removed this plate and mounted everything directly to the transmission cover panel that’s behind the dash and moved them as close to the firewall as possible. I also decided to split the dash for easier access to everything that is back there. Remove four bolts and the top of the dash comes off so I can access everything electrical on the car.

I also added an oil pressure waring light. I am running a 20psi pressure switch which I thought was good. At warm idle, my oil pressure usually holds at about 25psi.

When I ordered my DGD a couple years ago, I ordered it with a white light start button. They accidentally sent me a blue one instead which I have been using for about 2000 miles. While I was there, I switched out the start buttons and I think the white looks a lot cleaner.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=211704&d=1742572282

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=211705&d=1742572282

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=211706&d=1742572282

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=211707&d=1742572282



V/R

Shakey

[8secDuster]

Hey Shakey,
How much air cleaner / hood clearance do you have using that Super Victor intake?

Thanks

[F500guy]

Interior looks great!

[Shakey]

Hey Shakey,
How much air cleaner / hood clearance do you have using that Super Victor intake?

Thanks

Hey Mike,

Just posted about this over on this thread: https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showthread.php?46345-302-SBF-and-T56-Magnum-do-not-fit-in-a-Gen-3-coupe

Long story short, with 1in drop engine mounts I can fit a 3 in air cleaner on a 1in drop base.

Hope this helps,

V/r

Shakey

[Namrups]

Looking good Shakey!!

[8secDuster]

Ahh... ok. So they are a Solid Mount?

[Shakey]

Ahh... ok. So they are a Solid Mount?

Yeah, that's correct. I got mine from Levy racing. A little increase in vibration but not too terrible. I wish I had gone with the Aviad oil pan with these mounts. At 6.5 in deep it would have tucked nicely into the frame.

V/r

Shakey

[CW_MI]

Ran across your posts on YT....was hoping to find you here. That engine sounds absolutely awesome. To me, that is the way they are supposed to sound !

[8secDuster]

Ran across your posts on YT....was hoping to find you here. That engine sounds absolutely awesome. To me, that is the way they are supposed to sound !

100 %

[Shakey]

Quick update on the coupe build. I decided that I wanted a way to open the doors from the outside without sticking your arm through the window. This was a convenience thing as well as a safety thing. I had a pre track inspection done on the car and this was an item on their hit list, that you can’t open the door from the outside.

I followed Daves lead and went with a push button style actuator to open the doors. It just makes sense with the way the latches from FFR work. I wanted the buttons to be flush mount and came up with a reasonable design. I basically welded together a “cup” with a hole in the bottom and some mounting tabs. I then fitted a piece of aluminum rod with a ¼ 20 thread tapped into it for the threaded rod. I used a clevis rod end to attach the rod to the FFR door latch. I threw a spring in there and with a lot of tweaking and fitting it turned out.

Here is a list of the parts I got from McMaster Carr:

Multipurpose 6061 Aluminum Rod
1-1/4"DIAMETER, LGTH=13,NMBR=1
4012N23

Low-Carbon Steel Round Tube
0.065" Wall Thickness, 1-1/2" OD, 1 Foot Long
7767T271

18-8 Stainless Steel Threaded Rod
1/4"-20 Thread Size, 1 Foot Long
98804A487

Easy-Adapt Clevis Rod End
1/4"-20 Shank Thread, 15/16" Shank Center Length
2447K26

Structural Adhesive
Waterproof Epoxy, J-B Weld Clearweld, 0.5 FL.oz Tube
7605A25

302 Stainless Steel Corrosion-Resistant Compression Springs
2" Long, 0.72" OD, 0.61" ID
9435K141

Here are some of the parts after I made them. The spring, cup and solid aluminum botton. On the button, I cut in a grove for a rubber O ring to help locate the button in the cup.
https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=216680&d=1753285114

You can see the hole in the bottom of the cup for the threaded rod to go through.
https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=216678&d=1753285099

Here are the mounting tabs welded on the cup.
https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=216676&d=1753285099

Here you can see the clevis attached to the door latch. I did add about a 3/4in aluminum extension to the door latch arm to make it easier to push and help clear the cable from the inside door latch.
https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=216679&d=1753285114

and the inside of the door after everything is installed.
https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=216674&d=1753285099

outside installed. I used two countersunk rivets as well as the epoxy to attach the cup to the door. This took a bit to make sure everything lined up. I still have some grinding to do to make the buttons truly flush. I will do that with body work before paint.
https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=216675&d=1753285099

A quick video of the button in action:

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/ta2lFFTAwYM


That is all for now. Still shooting to get the car painted this year as well as a visit to the dyno.

V/R

Shakey

[JimStone]

Cool design and execution. I've never liked the idea of having to reach through the window to open the door. That's why I'm installing door poppers

[PNWTim]

That's a pretty sweet idea. I am going the door popper route as well but the mechanical push button makes all the sense in the world. Well done.

[Jphoenix]

After seeing your and Dave's buttons, I decided to copy your design and make one. I've been wondering about E-Crew response but haven't had anyone complain yet. So, I made one similar to yours except the button sits proud of the door skin - which I think is OK, sure works better than reaching inside all the time to open the door.

217049217048217047

[Shakey]

Hey Jim,

Looks great! I wish I would have done this earlier. It makes life with the car a bit easier and adds a bit a safety.

Shakey

[Shakey]

I was able to get the coupe out to the dyno this week. What an awesome experience. Two big things I learned are that a good tuner is worth their weight in gold and I should have gotten the car to the dyno a year ago. My tuners ability to fix start, Idle and drivability issues with a few clicks was crazy. After a few fixes and just getting it to start and idle correctly, he checked base timing and then we got her strapped to the dyno.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=217772&d=1755647832

After some tuning and smooth runs on the dyno we did the first pull, results below. This was a pull to 6500RPM and the engine only had 27 degrees of timing in it.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=217773&d=1755647832

After a couple more pulls we ended up at 34 degrees total timing at WOT and rev limiter at 6800RPM. Peak power came in around 6600. With just some tuning he added 26HP over the first pull.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=217774&d=1755647832

I looked at the numbers on the screen and they seemed a little low. Just as a refresher, the engine is a 363cu.in. SBF with 11:1 compression, AFR 205 heads, Cam is 244INT/248EXT .600 gross lift 109 lobe separation. I was thinking closer to 500 brake HP. My tuner explained to me that all these pulls were done in 3rd gear so not 1:1. He does this for tuning "lower" HP cars like mine that will see a lot of street time. He said it saves a lot of wear and tear on the engine and driveline and his tune will be just as good. He said that if we did pull in 4th it would be around 440HP. So, 440HP at the wheels with 15% driveline loss would put it at about 515 brake HP which I am very happy with.

Overall, I am thrilled about the results! I thought the car drove good before, and it's twice as good now. Idle, cold starts, mid throttle, engine braking/deceleration are all improved. Here are some videos of the pulls:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bsU-ln0LqA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIQhCwxAROA

Now I just need to get it painted.

Shakey

[burchfieldb]

That is awesome, I will need to do the same for mine. Hiping there is a good tuner in the Columbus Ohio area.

[8secDuster]

That's awesome Shakey, Congrats!

[Shakey]

That was a lot of work. It has taken me a while to physically and emotionally recover from the painting process. I have a newfound respect for those that do paint and body work for a living.

This was my first attempt at any type of automotive paint or body work and I found it challenging. Technically it wasn’t too difficult, the most difficult part was planning, staying organized, taping, and getting the time, weather and daylight to do the job. As you can see below, I went with the Gulf Racing livery and on the hood and body where the stripe is present, there are 13 coats of paint. With how long that took to spray I was constantly chasing good weather and daylight. I sprayed outdoors in an inflatable paint booth and would start at sunrise and a few times I was putting the paint booth away in the dark.

The paint is far from perfect but looks good from 10FT or so. Lots of very minor blemishes in spots and orange peel in others. I am confident that once I cut and buff, most if not all those issues will be fixed.

The paint I used was all LumaBase products I got from my local Wesco supply store. The colors were a 1972 Porsche Gulf Blue and Gulf Orange and the black stripe is Chevy Black. No complaints with the LumaBase products, they seemed to work well and were fairly inexpensive. I think I was just under $2000 for all the paint (Slick Sand, Primer, Sealer, 3 Colors of base and Clear).

Over the past couple weeks, I took my time and had fun with final assembly. I think the only thing left to do to the car is put the carpet in. I got the car back in driving form just in time for the weather to get bad, but I was able to find a clear day yesterday and got to go for a drive and snap some pictures. It’s gonna be a long winter waiting for driving season. I am excited to get out to the track and to some car shows next year!

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=221043&d=1762295440

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=221049&d=1762295477

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=221046&d=1762295440

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=221045&d=1762295440

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=221050&d=1762295477

V/R

Shakey

[8secDuster]

Looks Good Shakey!

[JimStone]

Whoa! Nice job Shakey!

Mad respect for tackling the body and paint yourself. That's a huge accomplishment that not many attempt

[PNWTim]

Well done! I considered doing the paint and body work on mine but after 3/10ths of a millisecond I called Ken Pike and got on his schedule for next spring. Your car looks really nice and there's probably quite a bit of self-satisfaction from doing it yourself.

[JTG]

Bravo!! That looks amazing.
We used to live in Edmonds, WA so I feel your pain in having this beautiful car that will have to go in hibernation for the winter.

We're still a long ways off from paint, but are also considering painting it ourselves.
However, I have found a local professional who's willing to hold my hand through the process so we won't be completely on our own.

[Shakey]

All,

Thanks for all the comments! Yeah paint and body is daunting task for sure. I also looked at it as a new skill I could learn and apply for future car builds. Currently trying to convince my 4 year old to build a hot rod truck for his first car. :D

V/r

Shakey

[Papa]

Here are some videos of the pulls:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bsU-ln0LqA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIQhCwxAROA

Shakey

That thing sounds ANGRY!

[John Dol]

Are you going to add roundels and sponsor stickers?
Car looks great!!!

[Shakey]

Hey John,

Yes, I am planning to add stickers and numbers. I'll get most everything from Raceline Digital. Planning numbers on the back, roundels on the doors with numbers and some Gulf racing stickers. I wanna add a cobra sticker on there too somewhere. And the "Daytona" sticker. I still haven't decided on if I am gonna do numbers on the hood or not. I want to put the Gulf sticker lower on the hood in the orange part so a number roundel would have to go above the radiator opening and I'm not sure if I like that or not.

[Shakey]

This past weekend I was able to get out to my first track day at Pacific raceways. I attended the event with the BMW club and they did a phenomenal job organizing the event and making me feel welcome. I was assigned an awesome instructor as this was my first time on the track and he was brave/crazy enough to agree to get into a car that somebody built with 440 horsepower to the tires, in the rain, who had never been on a track before.

I was able to get in 8 20 minute sessions over the course of the day and the first 3 before lunch were in the wet. On my first trip out, my second lap I ended up spinning the car at turn 3B. This was a huge learning experience for me because the car spun from me getting off the gas not pressing on the gas. With how wet it was the front tires completely lost traction and the car Understeered really bad, and when I felt that my instinct was to lift off the throttle and as soon as I did that a front tires hooked and around we went. I'm glad we were only doing about 30 miles an hour at the time and the car never left the track. Fortunately, I didn't have any other issues the rest of the day and after lunch when things dried out, I was able to start picking up some speed and by the end of the day I felt like I was really pushing myself. I was nowhere near the limit of the car but, I was definitely at the limit of what I was comfortable with, this being my first time out on the track. Again, a huge shout out to my instructor who always kept pushing me to go faster and had more confidence in me than I had in myself.

I think one of the big wins of the day was that I didn't have any mechanical issues whatsoever. I haven't done a post track day inspection yet but, I had no issues with any of the major systems and all I had to do was throw more gas in it. I am looking forward to getting out to at least a few more track days this year and try to get as much experience and confidence as I can.

The car got a lot of attention at the track. I got to spend a lot of time talking to other participants and spectators. One of my favorite questions of the day was, “is that a Ferrari 250 GTO or a kit car?” If people have trouble telling the difference between the car I built and a $30 million Ferrari, I'll take that as a win.

Here are some pictures from that event. No data from my race box or camera yet, I was too busy concentrating on driving to worry about any digital media.

V/R

Shakey


https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=226730&d=1773427123

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=226723&d=1773427105

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=226724&d=1773427105

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=226725&d=1773427105

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=226726&d=1773427105

[Shakey]

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=226728&d=1773427123

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=226727&d=1773427105

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=226729&d=1773427123

[PNWTim]

That is awesome, thanks for sharing! I am hoping to get mine out to PIR this fall. Did you have to have an SCCA membership/license or any kind of certificate prior to getting on the tracK

[JimStone]

Sweet!!

[Shakey]

That is awesome, thanks for sharing! I am hoping to get mine out to PIR this fall. Did you have to have an SCCA membership/license or any kind of certificate prior to getting on the tracK

I had nothing prior to getting on track. I just was looking through what events were available in my area on MotorsportReg and chose the BMW club cause they do more events during the week and a buddy had good things to say about them. I had to buy a BMW club membership to go but that's no big deal. My next track day will either be with them or Turn 2.

Shakey

[Jphoenix]

Looks great Shakey! It’s a fun track!

[AaronR]

I love your car, Shakey. You're living my dream right now. How are you liking your wheel and tire choice? Did you experience any rubbing after your time on the track? I'm wanting to go with the same wheels as yours right now.

[q4stix]

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=226728&d=1773427123


Which track/tracks are you going to? I'm a long way out from finishing mine but it'd be sweet to have our two run together!

[Jphoenix]

Turn 2 Lapping runs track days at The Ridge: https://www.turn2lapping.com/

Proformance is a good source for Pacific Raceways: https://proformanceracingschool.com/

[Shakey]

I love your car, Shakey. You're living my dream right now. How are you liking your wheel and tire choice? Did you experience any rubbing after your time on the track? I'm wanting to go with the same wheels as yours right now.

Thanks Aaron! I love the wheels and tires. I did notice some rubbing in the rears after a few hundred miles. I ended up just grinding a section out of the troublesome sqaure tube at the front of the wheel well. One of the reasons I went with the Goodyears is that they offer a 275/40R18 for the fronts and I wanted a little more sidewall. It's a plus to not have to run wheel spacers.

V/R

Shakey

[Shakey]

Which track/tracks are you going to? I'm a long way out from finishing mine but it'd be sweet to have our two run together!

Like Jim said, probably just Pacific Raceways and the Ridge for now. I have not been back to the track yet. Kinda waiting for some better weather. On that first track day, it rained on me the whole way down to Auburn. That was not very fun. It took a while for the carpet in the car to finally dry out. No matter how many times I have siliconed every gap I can think of, water always finds a way in.

V/R

Shakey

[AaronR]

Like Jim said, probably just Pacific Raceways and the Ridge for now. I have not been back to the track yet. Kinda waiting for some better weather. On that first track day, it rained on me the whole way down to Auburn. That was not very fun. It took a while for the carpet in the car to finally dry out. No matter how many times I have siliconed every gap I can think of, water always finds a way in.

Is the water coming in from around the windows and door, or are you getting water intrusion from other places as well? Just trying to get an idea of what areas to give special attention to if there's any chance of keeping all the elements out.

[ToeKneeNose]

Hi Shakey, I have a coupe order I'm waiting for delivery and I'm sorting out some of the finer details. I'm interested in your rear wheel setup.

You said you had to grind down the tube in front of the rear wheel a little bit after you noticed a little bit of rubbing. Do you think there is clearance without going totally nuclear on that bar for a tire to be 0.2" wider from centerline but 0.35" smaller radius? Is the forward angle on that tube big enough to compensate for some of the additional width of a shorter tire?
How is your fender to wheel clearance?

The context is that I would like to use 335/30R18 in the rear on the same backspacing as your wheels (18x12 -25). It should be a shorter but slightly wider wheel.

It's hard to put all these pieces together without spending a pretty penny to test fit so I've been comparing measurements on tirerack. Any insight or judgments would be helpful.

[Jphoenix]

This thread may help you, sorry if you’ve seen it already: https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showthread.php?41600-The-Daytona-Wheel-and-Tire-Repository&p=582907&viewfull=1#post582907

[ToeKneeNose]

This thread may help you, sorry if you’ve seen it already: https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showthread.php?41600-The-Daytona-Wheel-and-Tire-Repository&p=582907&viewfull=1#post582907

Thanks for pointing me there Jim. I had been looking at the summary table at the beginning but not the rest of the comments from the 335 R18 perspective. Looks like you have some direct experience.

My take away is that 335 R18 will work. I just need to figure out the correct backspacing to get the proper fender fitment now and hopefully reduce the the tube trimming, if needed.
I plugged in shakey's rear wheel/tire combo and my intended combo to willitfit and essectially what I was expecting.
228478

I guess my final question is do the people running these 325/30 R19 wheels have an extra 10mm of clearance between the fender and the outer sidewall?

[Jphoenix]

Also, check the tire specs page in Tire Rack, some 315’s and 335’s have different profiles, tread width and overall dimensions. Street tires are typically very similar, but my Hoosier R8’s 315’s are a bit wider than the Toyo Proxes R 315’s, not much - but almost too much.

[Jphoenix]

Also, check the tire specs page in Tire Rack, some 315’s and 335’s have different profiles, tread width and overall dimensions. Street tires are typically very similar, but my Hoosier R8’s 315’s are a bit wider than the Toyo Proxes R 315’s, not much - but almost too much.

[Shakey]

Is the water coming in from around the windows and door, or are you getting water intrusion from other places as well? Just trying to get an idea of what areas to give special attention to if there's any chance of keeping all the elements out.

Aaron,

I mostly noticed it from the floor pan in the foot boxes. The seam from the floor pan to the frame is only spot welded in a couple areas. That leaves a big enough gap for plenty of water to get in. The other place I notice water is the upper corner on the front of the doors. Just in front of the side mirrors. I have some weather stripping there but the gap is really big. Water tends to pool on the door seal and not make it all the way to the carpet.

Shakey

[Shakey]

Thanks for pointing me there Jim. I had been looking at the summary table at the beginning but not the rest of the comments from the 335 R18 perspective. Looks like you have some direct experience.

My take away is that 335 R18 will work. I just need to figure out the correct backspacing to get the proper fender fitment now and hopefully reduce the the tube trimming, if needed.
I plugged in shakey's rear wheel/tire combo and my intended combo to willitfit and essectially what I was expecting.
228478

I guess my final question is do the people running these 325/30 R19 wheels have an extra 10mm of clearance between the fender and the outer sidewall?

My guess is that you would still have some rubbing issues with the frame. Nothing that you can't fix though. Also depends on what ride height you want, I am at 4 inches all the way around which is a little higher than most. I would also say that my tires are right at edge of the rear fender in width and no issues rubbing on the body. I think a 335 would stick out just a hair. Have you seen Rsnake's build on youtube? I think his first set of tires were 335/30r18 and he talks about his clearance issues and running spacers. https://www.youtube.com/@cobradaytonabuild1671

Hope that helps,

Shakey

[Dave Tabor]

After seeing your and Dave's buttons, I decided to copy your design and make one. I've been wondering about E-Crew response but haven't had anyone complain yet. So, I made one similar to yours except the button sits proud of the door skin - which I think is OK, sure works better than reaching inside all the time to open the door.

217049217048217047

Cool - I did not think anyone else would have been interested in this...just stumbled across this post

Dave
Gen III #17

[ToeKneeNose]

My guess is that you would still have some rubbing issues with the frame. Nothing that you can't fix though. Also depends on what ride height you want, I am at 4 inches all the way around which is a little higher than most. I would also say that my tires are right at edge of the rear fender in width and no issues rubbing on the body. I think a 335 would stick out just a hair. Have you seen Rsnake's build on youtube? I think his first set of tires were 335/30r18 and he talks about his clearance issues and running spacers. https://www.youtube.com/@cobradaytonabuild1671

Hope that helps,

Shakey

Thanks for the reply. I have seen Rsnake's videos but there was something a little different that made it not exactly applicable but I don't remember off the top of my head.
In the end, I think I'm going with a 18s and an 11" rear tire. Same offsets that you have but a better wheel width for a 315 tire in the rear. I'm planning on 315/30R18 with a 275/35R18 in the front.