A Kennebunk Build

[mmklaxer]

I finally did it - pulled the trigger on a MKIV yesterday after visiting Lidodrip to pick up a frame dolly. He walked me around his build talked about some of the decisions he made, etc. Well that was that; I came home, fired up the computer, and placed my order! High level, it is very similar to many threads these days:

Complete Kit
IRS
Coyote w/ TKX (source tbd, likely Forte)
Power Steering
Kit front brakes w/ 13" IRS rear brakes

I still have a few items to work out:
- Do I need cats in ME, or can I go with the ball flange headers
- Seats. last time I was at the factory, I "fit" much better in the 289 w/ kirkey low backs than I did in the 20th anniversary car with (at the time) big & tall seats. I know the set up makes a big difference, but the 289 made me feel like my legs were straighter (5'11"), as if i was farther back and lower
- assorted other odds & ends

A little about me. I turned 40 this past year, and I've been lurking on this site for over a decade. I'm finally in a position where I have the means and time to pull this off.
The wife is 100% on board. She used to live in San Diego and drive a miata, so I think she has visions of cruising the coastline again. The oldest of my 3 daughters (6, 3, 2) is also very excited. She does want it to be pink and purple though, so that difficult conversation will need to be had down the road. While her mechanical abilities have not fully developed in her 6 years, I'm sure she'll be able to lend a hand in many ways.

Speaking of mechanical abilities, I've never built a car, but I do my own auto maintenance, home renovations, etc. This feels similar to the first time I tiled a shower or repaired a leaky roof: read how to do it, get the right equipment, follow the instructions, ask questions, and take your time. Following folks like Wareaglescott gave me the confidence that someone with my level of automotive experience can result in a high quality build.

Thanks to all that have gone before and documented your experience. You've given me the confidence that I can do this. Also many of you have provided thoughtful responses to questions I've asked in the past. I look forward to your continued support!

A couple questions:
- Are there commonly deleted items from the kit? To each their own, acknowledged.
- side pipes. if i can get a decent credit, will go a different direction. otherwise, I'll BBQ paint the carbon steel ones until they fail, then replace
- brake/fuel lines. planning on going NiCopp, so I wont use them. I doubt they are worth much but i don't need them taking up space/being wasteful, unless it's useful to use them as a template.
- Does anyone know if cats are required for Maine on a coyote? I recently moved from CT, and the inspection requirements there were well documented. I'm struggling to find a comparable "component vehicle" inspection punch list for Maine. I can always swing by the BMV, but with COVID, even that is proving difficult.

Thanks all!
Mike

[egchewy79]

welcome mike. I as well bought my kit when I turned 40 a couple of yrs ago. My 4 yr old daughter likes to spend time in the garage more than my 14yo son. Having it heated with a TV showing Disney+ helps.
I didn't have much auto experience prior to this but did have some DYI experience, so you should be fine. Read through some build threads to understand some common sticking points.
From a fit standpoint, seat selection will make all the difference. I'm 5'7" and have the classic seats on top of the Breeze seat mounts with plenty of room. Thin race seats all the way on the floor will give you the most room.
good luck and enjoy the journey.

[mmklaxer]

Thanks! like many, I've bookmarked EdwardB's build as an unofficial build manual. Ha!

[Straversi]

Congratulations and welcome. You are in for a great experience.
Don’t expect much credit for deleted items. Most find a use for the items or sell or donate items after the build.
Keep us in the loop and thanks for posting.
-Steve.

[JeffP]

You may consider talking to Forte sooner rather than later - the control packs on the Coyote's are a 6mo wait at least, so you might want to at least get that on order now. I ordered my setup from him in August and its not ready yet.

[CraigS]

Re: seats. The trouble w/ the big and tall seats is that they still have a fairly thick back cushion. 2-3 inches vs the Kirkey w/ maybe 1/2 to 3/4 inch foam. Many who have used the kirkeys (any version) find them surprisingly comfortable. I remember one who built a mount so he could easily switch Kirkey to standard. He put the Kirkey in, drove it some, swapped to the standard, drove it some, swapped back to the Kikey, and that was the last time the standard was in the car. One of the other benefits of the Kirkey is that, since the cover simply snaps into place, it is super easy to stick a little foam in here or there if you find you need it. A small piece for the lower back is common.

[KDubU]

Congrats Mike from a fellow ex-Kennebunker! I built my MkIV from 2015-2016 and did not need cats. The inspection was too easy, guy came to my house looked at the roadster, looked for the FF tag, cared less about any and all parts paperwork as he could see it was all new. He was done in like 15 mins.

Curious where you are at in KB? We lived down at the end of Brown St close to Western Ave near Parsons Beach. Miss living there…

[Mark K]

Welcome to the party, Mike! As you know, this is a great and helpful community. Echoing others' opinions: Order your long-lead-time items now, so you can get through the waiting game.

Wife and I visited Kennebunk and Kennebunkport for the first time last fall. Loved the place!

[mmklaxer]

You may consider talking to Forte sooner rather than later - the control packs on the Coyote's are a 6mo wait at least, so you might want to at least get that on order now. I ordered my setup from him in August and its not ready yet.

Good to know - will give a buzz just to understand leadtimes as things stand today

[mmklaxer]

Re: seats. The trouble w/ the big and tall seats is that they still have a fairly thick back cushion. 2-3 inches vs the Kirkey w/ maybe 1/2 to 3/4 inch foam. Many who have used the kirkeys (any version) find them surprisingly comfortable. I remember one who built a mount so he could easily switch Kirkey to standard. He put the Kirkey in, drove it some, swapped to the standard, drove it some, swapped back to the Kikey, and that was the last time the standard was in the car. One of the other benefits of the Kirkey is that, since the cover simply snaps into place, it is super easy to stick a little foam in here or there if you find you need it. A small piece for the lower back is common.

I agree - I felt completely comfortable in the kirkeys. adding some lumbar support IF necessary sounds easy enough..

[mmklaxer]

Congrats Mike from a fellow ex-Kennebunker! I built my MkIV from 2015-2016 and did not need cats. The inspection was too easy, guy came to my house looked at the roadster, looked for the FF tag, cared less about any and all parts paperwork as he could see it was all new. He was done in like 15 mins.

Curious where you are at in KB? We lived down at the end of Brown St close to Western Ave near Parsons Beach. Miss living there…

I'm on Surrey Lane, off port road just north of lower village. I'm so happy to have ended up in Kennebunk; such a great town year round. Great to hear about the inspection. I talked to Mike at FF today, and he mentioned that even the current version of the headers w/cats come with the ball flange, so that solves that. Just in case I have to move back to CT where cats are basically required as far as I can tell.

[mmklaxer]

Welcome to the party, Mike! As you know, this is a great and helpful community. Echoing others' opinions: Order your long-lead-time items now, so you can get through the waiting game.

Wife and I visited Kennebunk and Kennebunkport for the first time last fall. Loved the place!

Thanks! I'm actually heading down to the factory next week to see a few of the products in person (i.e. carbon fiber dash) and finalize a few items on the punch list, so I can start moving on the rest of the items.

[Ted G]

FFR gave me $200 credit for side pipes and $70 credit towards headers. Not great, but I'll take it.


Ted

[KDubU]

I'm on Surrey Lane, off port road just north of lower village. I'm so happy to have ended up in Kennebunk; such a great town year round. Great to hear about the inspection. I talked to Mike at FF today, and he mentioned that even the current version of the headers w/cats come with the ball flange, so that solves that. Just in case I have to move back to CT where cats are basically required as far as I can tell.

Know it well. My parents had a house off Old Port Rd on Fox Run Rd so that is just across Western Ave. Yup KB is a great town all year round and is close enough to Boston if you want the big city. Also just a FYI, I used VIP just across in Arundel on route 1 for state inspections. Ask for Mike as he is a good guy although he is a Bruins fan. Good luck with the build.

[Lidodrip]

I don't think we talked about this when you picked up the dolly, but I believe ME requires windshield wipers. It looks like these cars get registered as "Custom Vehicles" and the inspection requirements include windshield wipers. Have fun on your trip to Factory Five!

James

[rsw81]

I don't think we talked about this when you picked up the dolly, but I believe ME requires windshield wipers. It looks like these cars get registered as "Custom Vehicles" and the inspection requirements include windshield wipers. Have fun on your trip to Factory Five!

James

Welcome Mike! I pass by Kennebunk all the time on my way to Bridgton from the Boston area. You won't regret the build with young kids. Find things they can do with you, like building the coil overs, using a pneumatic riveter, etc. I am also 40 and my boys are now 6 & 8 and they beg to go work on the Cobra with me.

James are you sure about the wipers? I don't remember seeing that on the Maine website, but may have overlooked it. I intend to register mine in Maine, so would be good to know.

[Lidodrip]

Welcome Mike! I pass by Kennebunk all the time on my way to Bridgton from the Boston area. You won't regret the build with young kids. Find things they can do with you, like building the coil overs, using a pneumatic riveter, etc. I am also 40 and my boys are now 6 & 8 and they beg to go work on the Cobra with me.

James are you sure about the wipers? I don't remember seeing that on the Maine website, but may have overlooked it. I intend to register mine in Maine, so would be good to know.

I have yet to register (getting ready to spray Lizard Skin) so I have no first hand experience. I did spend some time searching and this is what I came up with:

Maine Inspections Manual, see page 67, section 170.5 for Custom Vehicle Inspections (this is directly from the Maine Gov website) - https://www.maine.gov/dps/msp/sites/maine.gov.dps.msp/files/inline-files/Rulerevision20128-29-13_000_3.pdf

In order to register, one has to fill out an affidavit - this also has the definition of an "antique auto" and a "custom vehicle" - https://www.maine.gov/sos/bmv/forms/MV-65-AQ%20Affidavit%20fillable.pdf

Based on other reading I have done and KDubU's experience, I suspect catalytic converters may not be required provided the car is considered a 1965 replica (vs. a car with a year assigned to it after 1982). Also, I remember reading that the registration of a "Custom Vehicle" requires that it be housed in ME. This is different than a regular ME car registration whereby anyone from anywhere can register a car in ME. If you own property in Maine, then it is not an issue. However, my experience with state inspectors is that it largely depends on who shows up. Hope that helps.

James

[KDubU]

James is correct that it gets registered as a custom vehicle and wipers are required, cats are not or least were not back in 2016. Also keep in mind the DMV you go to may not know exactly what to do as the one in KB made a mistake on my first registration and I had to change plates the next year due to this.

[Real Time]

Congrats on pulling that trigger. I'm still not there but it's inspiring to see someone take the plunge.
Hope to see a build thread in the future.

George

[mmklaxer]

I think I'm going cats either way, as in CT it appears they ARE required, and I may end up back there.

James, thanks for registration links; I'll put wipers on for the same reason as above. Plus i feel like it makes the car look more "finished" if that makes sense. I'll likely add the emblems above the louvers for the same reason.

Something that somewhat surprises me - I've been planning this for a decade. I have excel spreadsheets with costs, threads to follow, mods to incorporate, etc. On top of that, my official production date is 10/1/22. Having said that, I still panicked and second guessed me choices on the order form! haha. oh well, part of the excitement I guess...

With all that said, Mike D. from Factory Five Five called Monday to walk through my order sheet and validate my selections. I'm heading down there next Thursday to sit in a few cars and finalize my selections. And then comes the long wait...............

[KDubU]

I think I'm going cats either way, as in CT it appears they ARE required, and I may end up back there.

James, thanks for registration links; I'll put wipers on for the same reason as above. Plus i feel like it makes the car look more "finished" if that makes sense. I'll likely add the emblems above the louvers for the same reason.

Something that somewhat surprises me - I've been planning this for a decade. I have excel spreadsheets with costs, threads to follow, mods to incorporate, etc. On top of that, my official production date is 10/1/22. Having said that, I still panicked and second guessed me choices on the order form! haha. oh well, part of the excitement I guess...

With all that said, Mike D. from Factory Five Five called Monday to walk through my order sheet and validate my selections. I'm heading down there next Thursday to sit in a few cars and finalize my selections. And then comes the long wait...............

And then the colour decisions ;)

[mmklaxer]

When to drill aluminum panels?

Is there any reason not to drill the footbox panels immediately after removing the body? I'm thinking all the panels are where they're supposed to be at that point (of could be adjusted/trimmed if necessary for a tight fit), and I could send out for powder coat right away. Aluminum panel work might also help fill time waiting for backorders.

The only downside I can think of is that there will be some final drilling for firewall mounted items, footbox through holes, etc. Compared to the anniversary cars, that should me nuch less risk than drilling ALL the rivet holes.

[egchewy79]

most mark the panels where they touch the frame, remove the panels and drill the holes in the panels off the frame. this allows you to get your rivets in the center of the frame rather than risking missing the frame and having an extra hole in a panel. get yourself some #30 drill bits as they are slightly larger than the 1/8" rivets. you'll need plenty of bits, so load up. Try to drill all your panels at once. It makes a mess and you'll only want to clean up once, trust me.

[mmklaxer]

most mark the panels where they touch the frame, remove the panels and drill the holes in the panels off the frame. this allows you to get your rivets in the center of the frame rather than risking missing the frame and having an extra hole in a panel. get yourself some #30 drill bits as they are slightly larger than the 1/8" rivets. you'll need plenty of bits, so load up. Try to drill all your panels at once. It makes a mess and you'll only want to clean up once, trust me.

So mark panels, remove/drill panels, reinstall & mark frame, drill frame. Thanks.

[egchewy79]

after drilling panels, clamp it to your frame, drill a hole through the panel into the frame, and put in a cleco. then proceed to drill the rest of the holes through the panel into the frame, placing clecos through every few holes. saves you the hassle of marking the frame.

[rhk118]

Subscribed. Fellow Maine-ah here (Portland). Have a Coupe ordered due in early June and looking forward to it. Don't worry mmklaxer, I have changed my order twice now and I believe will have one more change before it is "frozen". Factory Five has been great and think they are used to this happening. Like you am in the process of collecting information, planning, and nesting at the moment. Have some parts I know I will be using ordered from the various forum vendors. Nice to see there are quite a few of us from Maine on here.

[bpray9223]

Subscribed! And congrats on pulling the trigger, exciting times, now the waiting game begins. Looking forward to watching this build progress as a local Mainer myself.