TTimmy’s MK3 Basket Case Build Thread - It’s a Wrap!

[TTimmy]

Shortly after starting my coupe build two years ago, I knew that I would be building another vehicle. I have found the build process to be just as enjoyable as driving (other than fitting the hood). Thus, as my coupe project wound down for the summer driving season I started considering other projects. (I still need to tackle my couple bodywork and plan to do so this winter)

I recently seized on the opportunity to buy a Mk3 basket case that came up on Facebook Marketplace. It was about an hour away so it was quite easy to check it out and then flatbed the vehicle back home. Since it stayed “in-state” I am hoping for an uncomplicated titling process; though I’m sure PennDOT has other plans for me.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=203767&d=1725762321

I’m going to take a shot at maintaining a build thread. I’ve found the other build threads to be a monumental help with my recent coupe project and thought that I would help contribute. I also hope that others that have experience with the roadster will chime in with guidance as I work through this build.

My general build philosophy for this build is to use the parts I acquired as part of the deal and minimize the purchase of additional parts if possible. The car is reasonably well optioned and I don’t think any major changes will be necessary.

Acquisition Details
SN: F5R1004911RD
Year of Manufacture: 2004
This was the owners second FFR build
While the year of manufacture is 2004, it seems most of the build work started around 2019 from what I can tell by going through miscellaneous receipts.

Options


Here is what I have been able to piece together thus far from the roller, boxes, bins and buckets that I purchased:
Blueprint 306, carbureted, New in ~ 2020
Tremec TKO acquired through Blueprint
8.8 with unknown gearing, Rebuilt with new bearings, seals and shims
Three link rear suspension
Tubular front lower control arms
Koni Red Shocks
17 FFR Halibrand reproductions
Nitto 555s
Ron Francis wiring harness
Russ Thompson signal assembly
Chrome hood hinge assembly
FFR Street Performer high back seats - both are new, however one did not age well and is rough shape
Carbon fiber dash
Carbon fiber door panels
Carbon Fiber fender spats
Ultra-lite gauges
Wind wings
Wipers
Chrome bumpers, Front hoop damaged
Full width rollbar - I don’t think I’ve ever seen this before
Ceramic coated exhaust and headers
Carpet kit


Current State
The car was received as a roller with the engine and transmission mounted. The engine starts and runs. The fuel system and brakes are installed. The dash is partially wired though not functional. The car has the general “barn find” patina to it.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=203768&d=1725762321

Issues
Much of the car needs to be disassembled and reassembled in order to validate proper assembly and address a number of issues that do not align to my build standard. While the suspension components are installed, I have found that most parts have not been torqued down. Copper crush washers have been used throughout the build for some reason and the wrong hardware has been used in at least a few places. The brake, fuel and engine plumbing is a bit of a mess and needs to be fixed. I will also rework the wiring in order to tidy up the routing and make some additions for seat heaters and a reverse light perhaps.

Current Activity
Thus far I have cleared out some space for the car and parts. The body has been thoroughly washed down and the chassis components have been cleaned up. I made a first pass at sorting out the boxes, bins and buckets of parts.

I have also installed a block and tackle system so the body can be stored up high. The system was designed for a Wrangler hard top and it works very well.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=203770&d=1725762321

Next Steps
The next steps are to continue the inventory and sorting of the parts and to perform a more detailed assessment of the car

This will also be my first attempt at properly embedding photos inline with a post. Hope it works.

Stay Tuned!

[TTimmy]

As I mentioned previously, my plan is to build the kit using the supplied parts and not deviate materially from the build plan of the previous owner. There will be a few exceptions.

As far as priorities, my focus will be to finish up work on my coupe once the summer driving season ends. I’ve been driving it around in gel coat since April and have pretty much completed its shakedown. All that remains to do on the coupe is the body work. But until the coupe comes back apart I will be working on the roadster.

Sheet Metal
I will probably remove most of the panels that have already been fitted to simplify some of the rework I will be doing. Plus there's a chance I will be powder coating the panels.

The previous owner buffed some of the aluminum panels and coated them with Sharkhide. I like the look. However the fit of the panels does not seem great and the silver panels on the black frame accentuates the some gaps and poor fitment. I am considering power coating them black. I did that on my coupe and I am very happy with the results. Like lots of things, I may be overthinking this. I need to keep in mind that much of the underhood areas will not be visible as they are on the coupe.

I plan on building a cubby area behind the seats. I may build out a drop trunk as I did on my coupe.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=203929&d=1725933529

Brakes:
I will stick with the FFR mustang brakes that came with the kit. The brake line routing needs to be addressed as things are a bit sloppy. I think the simplest approach will be to pull it all out and start fresh as the cost of new material isn’t much. I already made the e-brake functional.

Any advice regarding the Mustang footbox would be greatly appreciated as I have never worked with it before. As the master cylinder has separate connections for the front and rear brakes it seems a proportioning valve is not appropriate. However, I am wondering how you change the bias between the front and rear.

It also seems there's a lot of extra room in front of the pedals. Adjusting the accelerator and brakes seem straightforward, but not sure if there is any option to adjust the clutch pedal height.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=203930&d=1725933529

Fuel System:
As with the brakes I will be replacing the fuel line. It is a carbureted motor so only a single line is required. It seems that adding a second line would be pretty straightforward to do later should this ever change.

It’s got an external Holly fuel pump and FFR filter. I think that bit is just fine. I will be replacing the tank hardware with stainless steel and adding a charcoal filter.

Suspension
I’ve already gone through the suspension. The copper crush washers have been replaced with proper hardware; everything has been torqued down and a few other issues have been addressed.

Seems the angles between the transmission, driveshaft and rear end might have some issues. I definitely have a few things to learn about setting up the three-link and perhaps the engine/driveline alignment needs some attention.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=203927&d=1725933529

Engine
I don’t plan on doing too much to the engine other than tidying up the wire harness and wrapping the convoluted tubing. I’ve already replaced the melted throttle cable with the unused one I had from my coupe. Glad I kept all those unneeded bits! Should I relocate the battery to the front I will need to adjust the remote oil filter a bit.

I also need to clean up some non-AN fittings that happened to find their way onto the power steering hoses. Clearly that was the source of the power steering leak.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=203925&d=1725933529

Currently the cooling system is using the corrugated stainless steel hoses. I really don’t like that way it comes together on the top of the engine with the fill cap. It makes an otherwise sharp engine compartment look clunky. Not sure what I will do here at this stage.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=203924&d=1725933529

[TTimmy]

Body
I plan to tackle all the body work myself once I’m further along. So far all I have done is wash down the filth that covered it.

For some reason the kit came with two hoods and two internal support frames - not sure why. One hood has a partially delaminating support frame and the other hood and support are not yet attached to each other. However, that second support frame has a bit of surface rust. Given that the hardware is already delaminating I hope I can pull it off and clean it up. Otherwise I can fall back to the other hood.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=203926&d=1725933529

The kit also came with a steel hinge setup as well as a chrome hood hinge setup. I have yet to find the nuts and bolts for the hinges, but all the other parts are here. So I will need to acquire the hinge hardware bits: nuts, bolts, ball standoffs for struts, etc.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=203923&d=1725933529

The kit came with chrome bumpers and overriders. The front bumper hoop has a pretty big dent in it so this will need to be replaced or fixed.

As far as the body treatment goes, I plan on applying raptor on the underside of the body, wheel wells, etc. I have no plans yet regarding the final color scheme.


Interior
Following along with the same theme here… I plan to use what came with the kit. This includes the carpet kit, carbon fiber dash, gauges, etc. I will apply lizard skin to the sheet metal.

I made my coupe trans tunnel cover removable by affixing it with U-shaped brackets designed to attach golf cart windshields. The brackets attach to the frame very tightly but allow the cover to be popped off. I plan to do the same thing here.

The high back Street Performer seats may get replaced. One is fine and the other has a bit of damage - most likely from moisture.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=203923&d=1725933529

The CF dash looks pretty slick but has a few issues. The holes that were cut for the gauges and switches are just a bit too large or just not clean cuts. The result is that the cutouts are somewhat visible. I hope with a bit of tweaking I can get the bezels to cover things up. I have an aluminum dash as a backup but hope I can make the CF unit work out.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=203921&d=1725933529

I am also considering the purchase of a heater/defroster unit and would appreciate any thoughts on the FFR unit versus aftermarket stuff that is out there.


Electrical
The Ron Francis harness should work just fine. The routing does need to be cleaned up a bit. Seems the prior builder cut all the grommet holes too large so I need to find some larger grommets or patch things up. I will be adding a circuit for a reverse light as well as seat heaters. I’m considering the Breeze battery relocation kit. Other than that I don’t foresee any other changes.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=203920&d=1725933529

[TTimmy]

Suspension
I’ve gone over everything in detail in order to validate proper installation, hardware and torque specs. It was a bit of a mess with copper crush washers; metric and standard components used together; and some parts torqued down and others not so much. It was quite shocking and reinforced the need to THOROUGHLY examine any kit you buy second-hand. That said, I planned on completely going through the car anyway.

Driveline Alignment
I spent some time working on the three link suspension - again, new stuff for me. I also flipped over the transmission mount frame which lowered the rear of the transmission and changed the trans mount spacers. All of this dramatically improved the alignment issues/angles.

Again on the theme of checking everything, The transmission spacers that were originally used were pieces of copper pipe. I upgraded to much heavier grade steel.

Fitting Aluminum and Powder Coat Prep
I finished fitting the aluminum panels and built a few missing pieces in prep for sending it out to powder coating. I plan on coating it black to match the frame. I feel that will be a cleaner look when reapplied with some black adhesive/silicon. Once everything was fitted, I started drilling out rivets and pulling the previously installed aluminum off the car. I thought the silicon would be a bigger problem than it turned out to be. Everything came off with ease.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=204205&d=1726511501

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=204209&d=1726511501


Electrical
With the aluminum off I started adding circuits for a reverse light and trunk courtesy light.I found an inexpensive reverse light transmission pigtail on ebay - arrived just in time. I still need to button up the rear harness and dress it in. I completed the clean up of the engine wiring harness and wrapped the convoluted tubing with an OEM style wrap. I’m calling that bit done.

I also found a few grommets that will help with the oversized holes in the firewall.
https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=204206&d=1726511501

Again with some surprises, The primary battery ground was held in place with a lag bolt.
https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=204207&d=1726511501

[JMD]

Sheesh. In the build school they kept saying anyone could build one of these...after having completed the mechanical part of the build and knowing how many small decisions one has to make with every little part, I wouldn't say that anyone could (or should) build one. You definitely need to have a basis of knowledge for lots of different things to even know the right questions to ask during the build and ensure things are working as they should. Or will continue working even if they work right this minute. It sounds like taking over another project would be more work than starting a new one. That's part of why I did this instead of buying a car to restore: I didn't want to spend weeks or months disassembling before I could even start to make progress.

Thanks for updating, I'll be following along!

[TTimmy]

JMD,
As far as taking over another project would be more work than starting a new one… that is definitely the case with this project! I understood that when I took it on. I performed a thorough inspection and knew that I would be taking it back down to the frame for the most part. The justification for going this route was cost. I got a very fair deal on a well optioned car that included the powertrain. This being my second build, I am comfortable with that approach… I just need projects to keep me busy I guess.

[TTimmy]

Well I’ve been tied up with lots of family stuff over the past few weeks. We lost my 93 year old Aunt Alice. She was a lifelong educator at Brooklyn Tech High School and she traveled the world extensively. It’s tough saying goodbye to any loved one, but especially tough as she was the last of the generation of adults that raised my siblings and me. And she absolutely loved my Daytona!

But I’m now back at it!

I feel I’ve reached a major milestone as I have finished disassembling the prior builders' work. I have a complete picture of what is needed and now I am focused on rework and reassembly of the car… I’m moving in the preferred direction.

Completed Aluminum Tear Down
Since my last update I’ve completely stripped off all the aluminum bits as well as any silicon that was left behind on the panels or the body. I used mineral spirits to soften it up and then used various sizes of wood chisels to finish the job. This combination worked well with no damage to the underlying powder coat. The chisels, however, will need to go out for sharpening.

It seems the panels were previously silicon caulked, fitted, drilled and then riveted in that order. It really left things a mess behind the panels with the mix of aluminum and steel shavings which prevented the panels from properly fitting against the frame.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=204285&d=1726626997

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=204660&d=1727708869

I made a few other changes to the panels. I cut a hole for a rear cubby and fabbed a piece to separate the cubby from the trunk. I also cut access holes for the fuel pick up and sender. I’m not sure when FFR added these cutouts, but they are not on my Mk3. With only 2500 miles on my coupe I have already needed access to both of these areas.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=204654&d=1727708829

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=204661&d=1727709665

Brake Line, Fuel Line and Radiator Removal
I also drained out the brake fluid and stripped off all the brake lines. These need to be completely reworked once I get further along. The fuel lines have all been loosened up and I am in the process of pulling them out along with the pump and filter. It needs to be reworked in order to improve future access from under the vehicle. The rad is off and I have plenty of room to work up front.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=204657&d=1727708829

Next up will be installation of the Breeze steering rack mounts as well as their radiator stuff and front battery mount.

[Blitzboy54]

I love this thread because I love rehab work. This is by far more work than doing it yourself new. That being said this poor lost MK3 didn't do anything to deserve those brake lines. This is really cool, I wish you luck. I am looking forward to seeing what she turns into.

Just out of curiosity what percentage of a discount was this compared to new? Was it a good financial deal or just an opportunity to rescue a lost hotrod?

[AC Bill]

It appears that your new project came pretty well equipped, and it's actually running. That's a bonus not everyone has when they take on a half done build.

The full width roll bar must have been an aftermarket one the previous builder had sourced. Some replica's came with that style bar. The hoods designed with the metal reinforcement I thought were used on much older models, like MK1's.

[TTimmy]

I love this thread because I love rehab work. This is by far more work than doing it yourself new. That being said this poor lost MK3 didn't do anything to deserve those brake lines. This is really cool, I wish you luck. I am looking forward to seeing what she turns into.

Just out of curiosity what percentage of a discount was this compared to new? Was it a good financial deal or just an opportunity to rescue a lost hotrod?


So, the first time I searched Facebook Marketplace for "factory five" this opportunity showed up in the search results. I was only an hour a way. It was meant to be. And maybe I did feel a sense of duty to rescue this poor beast!

I do enjoy this kind of project and the rework does not phase me. I like solving problems and this is a bit of a puzzle in that I was not really sure what I was working with. We used to buy old lego kits at garage sales with our kids and then "puzzle" them back together or into something else entirely. I think that is fun. Being a Mk3 it's a little tougher to find information - Many of the Mk3 builds are on the old forum and most pictures are gone. However, most of the Mk4 info still applies.

As far as "discount" goes, I probably saved about 50% compared to a similarly optioned car at today's prices. Must keep in mind that this is a 20 year old Mk3 with relatively new powerplant, transmission and tires so certainly not an apples to apples comparison. It was a very well optioned car at the time. Now, had I speced out a new roadster from the FFR site myself I probably would have added IRS and a bunch of other expensive stuff. So considering that, I saved even more money!

I would definitely consider going this route again for a future build. That said, buying a basket case is probably not for everybody.

[TTimmy]

I’m looking for guidance on plumbing up the donor master cylinder. The master cylinder I have has three ports. The prior builder had one port running to the rear brakes and the remaining two running to each front brake. I have not worked with this type of MC before.

First, I want to make sure that this is the correct way to handle these connections.

Second, how does one adjust front/rear brake bias with this type of setup?

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=204902&d=1728180582

[TTimmy]

Steering and Front Suspension
The steering rack has been fitted with the Breeze solid mounts and the final adjustments for centering and overall width have been completed. I couldn’t find any specs on the width so I just set it the same as my coupe, 53 inches I think.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=204653&d=1727708829

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=204899&d=1728180045

Concerning the front suspension, FFR provided some rough measurements for the upper control arms, rack width, etc. for my coupe. I haven’t found this for the Mk3 and assume it is different from the Mk4 given the changes to the suspension on the newer model. Any suggestions?

Cooling System
The coolant has been drained and the radiator has been removed. I’ve added the Breeze shroud, hinge and lower support. The shroud and some related bits are off to be powder coated.



Battery Mount
I added a forward battery mount. This required that I relocate the remote oil filter over to the driver's side. All of this was pretty straightforward… and off to powder coat. I just so happened to have an extra type 53 battery laying around - but I need the reversed poles in order to clear mount bracket and not land the positive terminal right next to the X-member.

Fuel System
The fuel system has been roughed in. I reworked the location of the filter and pump so that they will be serviceable from underneath once the body is on. I cobbled together a charcoal filter for the tank and that is now in place. Other than some final rivets the fuel system is done!

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=204901&d=1728180045

Brake Lines
I started running new brake lines. I eliminated about six feet of extra lines from under the trunk. It is much tidier now. Concerning the master cylinder - I will likely go with the version and add a manual adjuster if needed.

Panels off to Powder Coat
All of the panels and miscellaneous metal bits were dropped off for powder coating. In addition to the panels, I also included the rollbar as it was pretty beat up. Also sent along the underhood bracket/hinge as it was rusting a bit; they will blast the coat it.

On Deck
The next area of focus will be finishing up the electrical. This includes the primary power routing; battery terminal extensions; adding extra circuits; fuses and breakers; wrapping the harness and rerouting.

Powder Coat guy called - said everything should be ready today except the roll bar. Seems it needs to soak a bit longer to get off the previous coating.

[ggunter]

Quiet a cool project TTimmy. Looks like you're off to a great start. I have been starting to look for another Cobra in about the same condition and configuration as the one you got. Assessing the parts count and condition of everything you get would be a major determining factor in cost, but if you figured you paid about 50 cents on the dollar, and got all the parts, I think you did pretty good. The big question I have is the COO in the original owner's name, and titling after you have completed the project. Have you looked into this in Pa.? I live in Md. and have not checked into how to title a vehicle that was not completed by the original owner with a COO that is in his name. Something I need to do before pulling the trigger on a buy. I have seen some horror stories on here from some guys who had a very tough time getting their project car titled after the COO was in someone else's name. Anyway, good luck on the car and please post if you have any issues in titling. P.S. Take those leaves off that beautiful coupe.

[TTimmy]

Quiet a cool project TTimmy. Looks like you're off to a great start. I have been starting to look for another Cobra in about the same condition and configuration as the one you got. Assessing the parts count and condition of everything you get would be a major determining factor in cost, but if you figured you paid about 50 cents on the dollar, and got all the parts, I think you did pretty good. The big question I have is the COO in the original owner's name, and titling after you have completed the project. Have you looked into this in Pa.? I live in Md. and have not checked into how to title a vehicle that was not completed by the original owner with a COO that is in his name. Something I need to do before pulling the trigger on a buy. I have seen some horror stories on here from some guys who had a very tough time getting their project car titled after the COO was in someone else's name. Anyway, good luck on the car and please post if you have any issues in titling. P.S. Take those leaves off that beautiful coupe.

So perhaps a leap of faith, to some degree, that I can get this car titled smoothly in PA. My coupe (purchased from FFR) went very smoothly... enhanced inspection at Ralph's garage about a mile from here and six weeks later I had the title and plates from Harrisburg. Clearly the new one will be more complicated. At the end of the day this is tax grab by the state... they just want some revenue. If the kit car process (Specialty Constructed Vehicle with Manufacturers COO in PennDOT parlance) fails outright, I have several other avenues for titling the vehicle:



Specially Constructed without COO. In this case I provide receipts for all parts and any relevant salvage titles (I have one for the rear end)
Street Rod
Collectable



Here is what I did to best position myself for this process on this resale kit:


I have a bill of sale with all relevant info from the vehicle, seller (estate executor), original buyer (deceased) and buyer(me)
I have the original COO
I have a death certificate of the original owner
I have copies of the Letters of Administration (granting Authority provided to estate executor)


I am hopeful that will all this; and with all of this being withing the state of PA, that PennDOT will figure it out. If not, let's not forget, we have elected officials that will act on our behalf to help sort out any nonsense. I will call on them if necessary.

Stay tuned and I will let you know how things pan out.

TTIMMY

[TTimmy]

It’s been a slow week. The Mother-in-law moved to a new house, so I’ve been spending a lot of time over there instead of in my shop. And the brew crew and I made up 30 gallons of beer and kegged another 30 from a few weeks ago. On top of that, we took the Daytona on 150+ miles through the PA countryside with the Lehigh Valley Shelby club. Many things are getting in the way of the build!

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=205364&d=1729044630

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=205363&d=1729044630


Brakes
Front brake lines run from side to side. Now I’m waiting on my new cobra master cylinder and proportioning valve before finishing the last legs of the brake line routing.


Electric
Completed the addition of new circuits for heated seats, reverse lights and a trunk courtesy light. Removed the slack in the fuel related wiring branches and made some other adjustments so the harness branches fit the car a bit more nicely. Cleaned up the engine harness and wrapped all the convoluted tubing with harness tape. I know it’s strange, but I really enjoy the electrical work. Everything looks really nice!

The forward battery box is installed. I’m very happy with that setup.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=205348&d=1729042794

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=205353&d=1729043156

Powder Coat
Received all my panels and some other bits back from powder coating. They did a great job as usual. I started test fitting them.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=205347&d=1729042794

E-Brake
The e-brake is back together. I changed out the adjustment hardware with a reverse thread heim joint and coupler so I can properly adjust the slack without having to take the entire thing apart. Need to do that on the coupe too. What a difference between before and after!

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=205351&d=1729042999

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=205352&d=1729042999


Next up
This week my focus will be on installing the completed harnesses and fitting the aluminum panels
Time permitting, I will work on the master cylinder and finalize the brake lines. If I’m really ambitious maybe I will get to the primary power routing, breakers, dash, cutoff switch.

[TTimmy]

Paneling like it’s the 70’s!
Most of this week was spent refitting the aluminum panels now that they are back from powder coat. I guess I didn’t do a super-thorough job of cleaning off the silicon caulk. They did groan a bit about the extra work but held to the original price. Good guys. Everything went back together smoothly. I patched some of the extra holes from the prior owner with either caulk, JB Weld or “false” rivets where appropriate.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=205614&d=1729645641

Brake Lines & Fuel Lines and Related Bits
Once the aluminum was reattached, I focused on the brake lines and fuel lines. As mentioned earlier all these lines were redone from scratch in order to tidy things up… and remove an extra 20 feet of line. Between the old lines I salvaged and some leftovers from a prior build I didn’t need to buy anything. Remarkably I was able to build and bend all the lines without forgetting to put on the ends - Also didn’t let any of the ends get stranded on the wrong side of a bend! I don’t expect much from myself and consider accomplishments like this to be small miracles.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=205617&d=1729645704

The new Cobra master cylinder is in place as well as a Wilwood proportioning valve. I never got clear direction on the importance of the proportioning valve for my setup, so thought it best just to add it now and that way it is there if needed. At some point I just need to ensure everything is tight and bleed it.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=205611&d=1729645641

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=205612&d=1729645641

DS Footbox
With the aluminum and brakes largely wrapped up I was able to finish other components of the footbox. This included throttle cable, clutch cable, steering column and forward lighting harness.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=205618&d=1729645704

The new metal throttle cable mocked up. The old one was melted from sitting on the spark plug wire aluminum dressing/routing hardware.

I replaced the FFR clutch cable with a ford unit as so many have recommended. Plus another local builder, Scott E., had his cable get gummed up and required replacement. One less thing to deal with later I suppose. I didn’t compare side to side but the Ford unit must be longer - I was able to route it under the engine mounts instead of right next to the header like the previous one.



The steering column is back in place and seems a bit happier now that I moved the lower bearing to the inside of the footbox.

A lot of general clean up was performed. I filled up a bunch of unused holes on the front of the footbox. I used some JBweld to fill in the large gap around the area above where the master cylinder enters the footbox. Added a touch of paint and the hole disappeared.

Primary Power
I mocked up the cable routing for the primary power between the battery and the cutoff switch. The switch will be located between the trans tunnel and dash. I have not worked out where everything will land behind the dash just yet. I need to pull down the dash and get the heater/defroster installed and see what space is left to work with. It won’t be as crowded as the coupe dash but still requires some planning.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=205616&d=1729645704

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=205613&d=1729645641

Upcoming Work
This week I will spend some more time on the primary power; I expect to get everything mocked, measured, cut, terminated and wrapped… up to the cutoff switch anyway. I intend to get the heater in the firewall so I can start planning my other dash related electrical. Nothing too exotic planned, just adding some extra circuits for heated seats, reverse lights, courtesy lights, cigarette and USB outlets (dash and cubby).

I’ve been holding off on the radiator because I know it will get in the way of everything I am doing in the engine compartment. That said, I might get it all together and do a trial fit.

[TTimmy]

E-brake
Not a very exciting topic but I am quite thrilled with my turnbuckle mod. So much so that I will probably retrofit my coupe. It was nothing too complicated, I replaced the heim joints with fresh ones; one right hand thread and one left hand thread. They are joined by a Left-Hand To Right-Hand Female Hex Thread Adapter. Added a couple lock nuts as well. All from McMaster-Carr. It allows adjustment without having to take the cable assembly apart. It’s really the way it should be properly supplied from FFR.

And I got it powder coated. Looks a lot cleaner and hopefully holds up better.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=205865&d=1730159712



Radiator
Mocked up the rad with a Breeze shroud, hinge mount and lower support. It’s all really high quality stuff and seems a good value. The instructions are great and the contents of each kit are complete, including all hardware, rivets, etc. The packaging and identification of the individual components is very well done also. While I could have fabricated everything but the shroud, I probably could not have done it for much less money. And it super high quality.

For the upper hose I replaced the entire FFR setup in favor of a Moroso filler and a Gates hose that I cut up and pieced back together. Fewer connections and much cleaner looking. I’m much happier with this setup. The hose I had is a Continental E70621... For a 1975 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham... because that's the kind of classy guy that I am! Needless to say, with an application like the Cadillac, you get lots of hose and lots of twists and turns... plenty of material to work with. I'm about $50 all in for the Moroso filler T and the hose. After working out which bits of the hose to use I cut out little half-circles on each side of the filler cap so that everything marries up cleanly. Used a sharpy to color the Moroso piece where there might be a visible gap. While I like the TDMotion piece a lot, it's hard to justify $500. Maybe another time. Only four connections, for which I’m using the Gates PowerGrip clamps. They are single use, so nothing gets fastened until I am certain I’m ready. For the lower hose I’m going with the Breeze kit. It was just delivered- Again, high quality stuff.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=205867&d=1730159712

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=205860&d=1730159659



Primary power
Nothing too complicated here. I used the Breeze battery box - a very nice piece. The 4 AWG positive runs along the PS tube and back to the master cutoff above the trans. The switched positive runs back along the same path to the starter - along with the ignition start signal wire. Another feed will run to the bus bar behind the dash, feeding the RF harness and some other circuits. The alternator will feed through a 100 amp mega fuse. I also added a remote stud that connects directly to the battery positive stud. This will simplify jumping and charging. There are Plenty of ground sources in the are so I didn’t bother with the negative stud.

The negative runs to a stud on the engine mount, then across to the engine. I also ran the missing negative feed from the alternator to the ground stud - not sure how important this is since the alternator seems quite grounded as it. Regardless, the provisions for grounding the alternator are present and I used them.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=205864&d=1730159712

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=205862&d=1730159659


Heater Defroster
The heater/defroster was added to the build. This was more for the defroster than for heat. The setup seems quite basic but also all that is needed. At this point I have only mounted the heater core and roughed in the plumbing. The plan at this stage is to have the DS hose connection point to the PS and send that hose along the outside upper ¾ tube and to the water pump connection. I think I will put the valve on this section. The PS hose connection will cross to the DS and to the inside of the valve cover to the manifold port.

After mounting the blower it firewall was clearly not as sturdy as it should be. Build out a support and added some pass through ports for wiring and vents.

I’ve not yet worked out where to put the control switch. More to come on that later.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=205858&d=1730159659


Cubby wiring
I added the cigarette lighter (if that is what they are called these days) and USB charger ports to the cubby area. It will run back to a circuit breaker off the main bus bar.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=205866&d=1730159712


Next Week
I expect to wrap up the engine plumbing, including the heater. I will finish up the engine compartment wiring: starter, tach, senders, coil power, etc.

Time permitting, I will bleed the brakes and perhaps finish plumbing up the fuel system to the engine.

[MPTech]

Amazing rebuild! Car looks better than "new". Great work.

[Jeff Kleiner]

Ambitious project Timmy. I haven't been following along and just now checked your thread out---it's looking good! I've done complete builds on two roadsters that were started by others (one was really a disaster!) and I'd much rather start fresh!

In looking at your brake lines I see that you have the rear port plumbed to the rear and the front to the front. This is actually backwards. What difference does it make you may ask... The rear port is the primary chamber and the front is secondary. If you disassembled the master and looked at the cylinder pistons you'd see that the spacing of the seals on primary side result in a larger chamber which means that more fluid is moved for the same stroke. Additionally there is a spring between the primary and secondary chambers and the piston in the secondary chamber doesn't move until the primary has traveled enough to compress the spring; i.e. the brakes connected to the primary will be applied slightly before the secondary when you initially stab the pedal to energize the brakes. I'm afraid that with it plumbed as it is you're going to see premature rear lockup both due of the larger volume of fluid acting on the smaller rear caliper piston area as well as because of the rear being pressurized slightly before the front.

Jeff

[TTimmy]

Ambitious project Timmy. I haven't been following along and just now checked your thread out---it's looking good! I've done complete builds on two roadsters that were started by others (one was really a disaster!) and I'd much rather start fresh!

In looking at your brake lines I see that you have the rear port plumbed to the rear and the front to the front. This is actually backwards. What difference does it make you may ask... The rear port is the primary chamber and the front is secondary. If you disassembled the master and looked at the cylinder pistons you'd see that the spacing of the seals on primary side result in a larger chamber which means that more fluid is moved for the same stroke. Additionally there is a spring between the primary and secondary chambers and the piston in the secondary chamber doesn't move until the primary has traveled enough to compress the spring; i.e. the brakes connected to the primary will be applied slightly before the secondary when you initially stab the pedal to energize the brakes. I'm afraid that with it plumbed as it is you're going to see premature rear lockup both due of the larger volume of fluid acting on the smaller rear caliper piston area as well as because of the rear being pressurized slightly before the front.

Jeff

... and I thought I got away without any brake line rework!

Glad you caught that, thanks for the feedback and explanation.

[TTimmy]

Does anyone have the file containing the dimensions for extending a MK3 footbox?

It seems I am missing my PS footbox floor. After raving about my powder coat guys, - I used them for a few projects - they misplaced my PS footbox floor. This is not the end of the world as it looks pretty easy to fab a new one. However, I am always looking to make projects bigger and more complicated and I am considering enlarging the entire PS footbox. Only a couple more pieces, right?

Anyway, on the FFcars.com forum I see many references to a file with the dimensions for creating all the required pieces; but I cannot find the files, only dead links.

I hope someone here can point me in the right direction and save me a bit of effort. Any insight on this topic would be greatly appreciated!

[TTimmy]

I was able to locate the drawing files for the MK3 extended footbox if anyone ever has the need:

PDF File: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1BD4pg2ktrDF3RZhmA1o4M1523KqWzsNy/view


DWG File: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ip6ajt-XYBhbUPlE1biG97U3KRwEUCZY/view?usp=sharing

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=205908&d=1730313468

[TTimmy]

The Case of the Missing Footbox Floor
Forced to deal with my missing PS footbox floor, I decided if I’m fabbing up one panel I might as well fab up all five footbox panels and get a larger footbox out of the project. After much searching I found drawing files for the larger footbox on the old FFCars forum. I made a trip to staples, picked up some poster board and made up some cardboard templates. Surprisingly the templates fit quite well with only a couple minor adjustments. I’m not sure who originally created those, but I really want to extend my thanks for creating them. It was a huge timesaver and the dimensions were very accurate.

I played around with the templates on an aluminum sheet to get the best fit and reduce any waste. For cutting I used my Milwaukee angle grinder with a cutoff wheel and my band saw if the pieces could fit through the throat. Bending the pieces was the toughest part as I could not execute all the complex bends in my HF brake. I ended up using a combination of methods to get all the angles bent. I am very happy with the way it turned out. Now it is back out to get powder coated.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=206026&d=1730687300

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=206023&d=1730687221

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=206025&d=1730687300

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=206024&d=1730687300


Master Cylinder Rework
It was silly of me to think I could finish my brake lines without any rework. Thanks to Jeff Kleiner for pointing out that I flipped the brake lines going to the MC. Got that sorted out.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=206035&d=1730687453


Engine plumbing
I didn’t make much progress with the plumbing as I was focused on building the new footbox. The heater hoses are roughed in but I don’t want to tighten the heat shrink clamps until I have the new footbox in place and riveted. I suspect I may need to pop out the blower box in order to access all the rivets. I could rivet from the underside but prefer not to see the backside of the rivets. The lower hose (Breeze) is in place and ready to be finished up.

Wiring
The primary power wiring is completed from the battery to the cutoff switch, including the starter feeds, grounds, etc. Basically I need to take it from the switch to behind the dash. My plan is to clean up the gauge wiring and figure out where the connectors will land behind the dash. Then I can better plan all of the dash wiring, relays and bus bar locations, etc.

I also wrapped up all of the engine wiring for the senders, coil, etc. Should be ready for first start once I land the rest of the dash wiring.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=206033&d=1730687358

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=206034&d=1730687453

Fuel Plumbing
With the new footbox nailed down I was able to button up the fuel line routing to the engine. Done!

Next Week
I’ll spend time on the gauge and dash wiring this week. I expect to get the gauges rewired and hopefully rough in the dash wiring, sort out switch locations, etc. If I need a break from wiring I will recruit some help and bleed the brakes.

[Nigel Allen]

You say aluminum, I say aluminium:rolleyes: Whatever way you say it, I reckon you have done a great job on the foot boxes! Nice work, my friend. Stand back and be proud.


BTW, did you powder coat the barbed tails for the heater hoses?


Cheers,

Nige

[TTimmy]

You say aluminum, I say aluminium:rolleyes: Whatever way you say it, I reckon you have done a great job on the foot boxes! Nice work, my friend. Stand back and be proud.


BTW, did you powder coat the barbed tails for the heater hoses?


Cheers,

Nige

Hey Nige,
Regarding the heater hose connections, I sprayed them with a rattle can. Had I known I'd be making another trip to the powder coat guy I probably would have gone that route.

[TTimmy]

I had a pretty productive week, with most time spent on the gauge cluster, dash, main wiring harness and my new, extended PS footbox.

Dash and Gauge Rewire
The gauge wiring was really rough when I purchased the car - lots of excess wire and many questionable connections. So, I ripped out all the wiring and pulled the gauges and cleaned up the rough edges of all the cutouts. In my opinion it’s much easier to start fresh than to try and sort out someone else's work - I guess that seems to be a guiding principle for this entire build.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=206362&d=1731423983

While I had everything apart I painted the backside of the carbon fiber dash to get a more consistent look on the front side. I was afraid of light bleeding through from the gauges or whatever. Maybe it would not have been an issue - Definitely won’t be an issue now.

I completely rewired the gauge cluster and dieted out the extra wiring and tidied everything up. Other than gauges, the dash will only contain the ignition and horn.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=206360&d=1731423983


Behind the Dash Rewire
Once I had the dash cleaned up I mounted it back on the car so I would work out where all the wiring and connections would land. I made some adjustments to the locations of the dash connections to maximize the space behind the dash. I tweaked the other wiring harness connections as well - again, to maximize the available space behind the dash. I ended up removing the plugs from the engine harness and spliced the harnesses together. I left all the other harness plugs in place. I added a Deutsch plug for the extra wires heading to the rear of the car: Seat heaters, courtesy lights, reverse lights and the USB charger in the cubby.

I plan to mount the headlight and flashers to the right of the steering wheel, just behind the dash. I’ll make a little panel and keep them hidden. This has the benefit of tidying up the clutter behind the gauges as the lighting harness will shoot to the left and I can hand run the flashers and blinkers off the hot rod harness. I know a lot of folks cut that out but I have found it useful on my coupe and also this build. I plan to put the heater control, wipers and USB/cigarette lighter stuff on a panel under the center of the dash. The seat heater controls will be mounted to the seats as I did with my coupe.

The Russ Thompson signal and headlight toggle has been connected up via Deutsch connector and tied into the main harness. Again, it falls back to the hot rod leg of the main harness. I also went with the Ididit Headlight relay again. Super simple and it has proven to be reliable.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=206365&d=1731424014

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=206364&d=1731424014


Wiring QA and Validation
With the wiring together I started the QA process before applying power to the harness. Checked positive leads for shorts to ground and everything came back clean. Then tested all other connections for shorts back to ground… basically checking for continuity to ground and trying to avoid any nasty shorts. And then just checked continuity from here to there… All good.,

To take things a bit further, I used my 12v power supply and applied power to each “segment” of the harness. I tested headlights, switches, turn signals, flashers, brakes, clutch safety, etc. in order to validate all the connections that had been made. In order to simplify troubleshooting and reduce any damage I unplugged whatever harnesses I could before testing the core harness. All good.


More Powder Coating
The new PS footbox and a few other bits were dropped off for powder coating and came back. They gave me a break on the price given that they lost my footbox floor from my last batch. The new footbox is installed, sans the outside bit… leaving it off for now.

Also took the opportunity to use my templates in order to cut out a few pieces of insulation for the footbox. My focus was the area around the headers, so the inside and front of the footbox were insulated. I also need to do the driver side as well as the trans tunnel. I ended up using DEI black dimpled aluminum and fiberglass. With the insulation in place the corner is quite close to the headers. I’ve got some 500 degree tape on order. Hopefully that holds up.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=206363&d=1731423983

Mystery Panels
I’m not really sure where these two panels are supposed to go. Can anyone help me out here?

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=206366&d=1731424014

UPDATE 11/18/2024
Well I didn't get any confirmation on the purpose of these panels. Being a basket case, perhaps that were unrelated to this build at all and just found their way into the piles of car parts I gather from the sellers sheds. Or maybe is was something for very early Mk3 kits and I just haven't figured it out yet.

On Deck
Over the next week I will get the brakes bled and finalize the primary power feed from the transfer switch to the main harness; also need to get the positive bus bar in place along with the fuse on the alternator feed. I hope to get my center switch panel (and dash support) section built. With this done I can get some relays and breakers mounted. Might wrap up the engine plumbing.

[TTimmy]

Brakes
Using my power bleeder I was able to bleed the brakes in less than a half hour, all in. It probably took more time to pull out the gear and get prepped. Certainly the experience on the coupe helped to make this a much smoother experience.

All that said, upon testing the brake light I found that I had a problem with my pedal positioning. Seems that the pedal arm was “stopped” against one of the ¾ tubes that support the donor footbox. This did give me a bit of experience working with the donor brake light switch - much different than the Wilwood or any other brake switch that I have encountered. I could not shorten the shaft between the pedal and MC any further. I resorted to adding another spacer between the MC and the chassis effectively allowing the pedal to be moved further away from the driver. This provided the necessary clearance and the brake switch functioned as expected.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=206548&d=1731944207

While working in the area I did notice that the wire terminals for the brake switch were awfully close to the steering column. I swapped out the straight blade terminals for some flag terminals to gain a bit of clearance.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=206545&d=1731944147

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=206546&d=1731944147


Electrical
Lots more activity around the electrical bits… The positive bus bar is in place and everything is routed and terminated as needed. The dash wiring is largely complete with the exception of the wipers, heater and inertia switch. One final QA and I switched away from “life support” to 12v battery power! Small milestone.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=206547&d=1731944147

I fabbed up a couple under dash support panels. The center is now housing a few relays, circuit breakers and the wiper and heat controls. Also added a USB/cig charger to this area. Same Blue Sea model I used in the cubby.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=206552&d=1731944207

More QA: The dash was all good other than I swapped the left and right turn signal indicators. Maybe because I was looking at the back of the dash while I wired everything up? Easy fix.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=206551&d=1731944207




Concerning the heater, I replaced the mechanical control with electronic/vacuum controls in favor of the weird wire control. I basically used the part list suggested by Mike Everson in an earlier post. I know I am losing “temperature” control but figure it’s easy enough to adjust the fan.


Aluminum
I fastened up the last of the trunk and cockpit aluminum in place. All that's left are the wheel well related bits and radiator surrounds.

Engine plumbing
Made quite a bit of progress on plumbing. The upper and lower rad hoses are now permanently in place.The heater hoses are routed and I started roughing in the vacuum heater controls noted above. Of course this meant I needed to tap a vacuum source on the engine. Made a quick trip to Advance and got what I needed. I was thrilled to get an older guy to help me. He didn’t hide behind the year/make/model question but rather worked with me to find the parts needed to connect all the parts together.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=206549&d=1731944207


I’m waiting on another delivery of the Gates PowerGrip clamps and I will get the heater hoses fastened. While I like the look of these clamps they are a bit pricey. I did see a generic version on either Summit or Jegs but decided to stick with gates for now. The nock off version did have the benefit of not having hand writing/labeling on the clamp - so they might look a bit cleaner.

So What’s Next?
This week I will focus on wrapping up the plumbing and heater controls and perhaps get some antifreeze into the system. I will test the fuel system and sort out whatever needs sorted out. I intend to mound the headlight, hazard controls and inertia switch as well. Perhaps I will get it fired up.

[Blitzboy54]

This is one of my all time favorite build threads. I am honestly a little jealous. I may look for a rehab on my next build. Great job, I am enjoying following along.

[TTimmy]

The theme of the week has been getting the basket case ready for its first restart and perhaps some go carting.


Side pipes
Side pipes are installed! Fabbed up a pair of hangers out of heavy gauge wire that hang from the door hinge mount. Lines up perfectly with the mount point on the pipes!

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=206824&d=1732636292



Alignment
I did a quick alignment in case the weather might be agreeable enough for go carting at some point. Focused on ride height, camber and toe in. I need to come back and do caster. I’m considering some proper turn plates so I might hold out until I make a decision on buying.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=206827&d=1732636342

Here are the steps I followed for my coupe after purchasing some basic alignment gear for camber and caster

Set tire pressure all around
Unload the sway bars (no sway bars on the roadster)
Set ride height on level surface
Adjust rear wheels (if applicable - Gen 3 IRS on my coupe, three link on my roadster) to be centered and square to the frame using jack stands and string
Adjust rear camber and then toe (again, if applicable). This is an iterative process as each adjustment affects the others.
Adjust front steering wheel/rack to approximate "center"
Adjust front camber
Adjust front caster - power steering settings. Like the rear, each adjustment affects the others so I keep adjusting camber and caster and toe and things will converge on the proper settings.
Adjust front toe
Fine tune front toe (distribute left/right) to keep steering wheel centered
Reconnect the sway bars




Plumbing
Finally got my plumbing buttoned up! I had been waiting on the proper sized PowerGrip fasteners which are tough to buy from Amazon. Seems they don’t have them all properly listed by size or PN. Thus I was frequently getting the wrong size. I found another source - seems like more of an independent option anyway so happy to send them my business.

With that done, I added some coolant to the system.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=206825&d=1732636292


Heater
The new heater vacuum control valve is working as expected. Will need to dress in the wiring for this entire area at some point, including wipers, control valve and the blower.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=206823&d=1732636292


Electric
I added the headlight controls and flasher in the little pocket behind the far left side of the dash. I also fixed my L/R turn indicator mixup. Signals are all good now and the hazards still work.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=206826&d=1732636342

The Great Restart!
Frankenstein breathes again… Back to life!


https://youtu.be/ZMivhSm1jds?si=SxLvL3sJM6PZZ0yd

The fuel system held pressure and the other PFC items are good. So fire it up I did!

Needed to give the power steering a little love after starting it up. Seems to be holding up now.

Once the engine was getting up to temp, I spent a little time troubleshooting my fan… sensor, fuses, relays and the like. Seems the harness to the front needs to be connected up for it to function. I don’t recall having that problem on my coupe, but something to keep in mind for my Mk5 build.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=206821&d=1732636292

[TTimmy]

Go Carting
I hoped to take the cobra for a spin before leaving but the weather had turned quite foul and wet. Thus, no test drive before thanksgiving. Upon returning I did get it out for a test drive. While it was now dry, winter had clearly arrived. So, I took it out in 35-degree weather. It gets rather cold at about 40 mph.

My neighbor came over to provide support - just in case technical assistance or a tow became necessary. He has helped out more than once on both builds. No help was needed this time, but it was nice to share the moment with someone. My observations at this point are as follows:



The external fuel pump is very loud. Likely this will be much less of an issue when the car is “really” being driven. I am used to in-tank units.
The Blueprint supplied power steering pump is pretty loud when turning. PS seems to function as expected. I’m not sure if there might be an issue with the pump
Still have a small leak somewhere on the PS pump. Everything is tight. I did not pull off the AN adapter when I rebuilt things - wondering if the prior owner might have forgotten the o-ring.
Need to tackle a small leak on the right front brake line.
The stock FFR brakes are fantastic with the Cobra master cylinder. They perform much better than the stock FFR brakes on my coupe. I need to double check everything on the coupe - clearly it should perform better.
All the electrical bits that are connected seem to work: speedo, tack, water, oil, fan, etc.


All I have for evidence is a bit of ring camera footage. It doesn’t do the sound justice, but most of you know the sound of a nice 302.


https://youtu.be/V1uLz4lEUMw

https://youtu.be/wxVKQb5DJbU


The dilemma now is trying to decide when to pump the brakes on this project and start working on the coupe bodywork. Now that they are salting the roads I don’t expect to be cruising for a while.

Next Steps
This week I am prepping to apply Lizard Skin heat and sound insulation. So I will be scuffing the interior and trunk; and then making off everything. Wondering how the Lizard Skin option will stack up against the Dynamat type option in terms of effort and effectiveness… Stay tuned.

[TTimmy]

I have been working on the car intermittently over the holidays as I weave in time with family and friends. The focus of this post will be my first Lizard Skin application as well as sorting out a couple minor issues left by the prior builder.

Lizard Skin Heat and Sound Insulation
I went into the lizard skin project wondering how it would compare to Dynamat and similar solutions. My assessment at this stage, for the roadster anyway, is that they probably require a similar amount of overall effort. I am not sure which I prefer, though I will say that the Lizard Skin is much more satisfying to look at! I know, all gets covered up at some point, but I do take satisfaction in its appearance, if it is only a fleeting feeling.

The benefits of the Dynamat is that no prep work is required in terms of taping off the car (and shop)... you can just jump right in and get to work applying the material. You also have the benefit of doing it incrementally as the project progresses. E.g. you can insulate the footbox today and deal with the trunk in the future. Another consideration is ambient temperature. Dynamat doesn’t really care about the temperature when it’s applied. The temp window for Lizard Skin is pretty narrow.

Lizard Skin application really requires you to do the entire project at once. Otherwise, there will be a lot of wasted/duplicate prep effort. Most of the time is spent prepping the car; the application of the product goes quite quickly. As far as prep, you will need to remove stuff you don’t want sprayed or cover it up. I mostly used plastic sheeting with masking tape attached to it for masking off the bulk of the car (I have the benefit of having an Eastwood store and a PPG dealer nearby). For the oddly shaped bits I used aluminum foil… footboxes, electrical, etc. It works really well. I left the footboxes open and masked off the pieces that were not yet attached.

A day or so ahead of product application I cranked up the heater in the shop so that everything got warmed up. I threw down a couple tarps on the ground and got to it. If you have not used this product before, it is basically like spraying pancake batter out of a paint gun. In addition to the masking and tarps I also relied on a cardboard shield to keep the overspay contained.

I estimate that the prep was probably 90-95% of the effort. Actual product application goes quite quickly. If you want a more detailed explanation of the entire process, I suggest you track down EdwardB's post on this topic. He covers it quite well!

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=208497&d=1735948876

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=208498&d=1735948876

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=208500&d=1735948876

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=208501&d=1735948917

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=208505&d=1735948917


Header Bolts - Stainless Upgrade
I sorted out what I hope are the last of the issues left behind by the prior owner. The header bolts were all rusting. This after no road use and only being in place for a couple years. I chose to swap them out with some ARP stainless steel bolts. I know it probably doesn’t matter, but it matters to me. Removing the old bolts was pretty easy as most of the hard-to-reach bolts had not been tightened. The new bolts had a smaller head so that provided a bit more room to work around the headers.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=208499&d=1735948876


Plug wires
When I originally went to inspect the car I noticed that several of the plug wires were neatly wrapped with a bit of electrical tape. Again, this was a new BluePrint 306. I figured that meant that some unfortunate surprise was waiting for me. And it was. When I finally removed the tape, I found that several of the wires were quite chewed up. Perhaps in the literal sense, it appeared that something had been gnawing on them.

Whatever the case, I need a couple new wires. It was cheaper and easier to just get a full set versus buying the material to make new ones. Standard SBF sets don’t work with the Blueprint wire management. They are way too short. Blueprint sells plug wire sets, but only in blue. I wanted black. I found the best option was a BBC “under header” set of plugs. They provide the necessary reach to use the Blueprint plug management dohicky. The Moroso wires I used all came labeled for each cylinder. Obviously that no longer applies if you are using BBC wires. The labels are heat shrunk in place and were easily removed.

Probably would have been easier to just transition to the SBF wires and change out my plug wire management. But why do things the easy way.

Oh, and glad I changed out the wires as this led me to a broken spark plug.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=208502&d=1735948917


Sound Track
Not sure if anyone cares, but I do care. I listen to a lot of music in the shop. Sometimes it’s completely random. For this spell I was listening to a lot of Alman Brothers. I started with the really old stuff and worked forward in time, ending with a lot of live shows.

On Deck
My next updates will cover carpets, cubbies and who knows what else. I am also debating whether to start a thread on my Daytona body work project which has now started. Not sure if that is of interest to anybody. I have never done bodywork so maybe I am not the right guy.

[TTimmy]

All about the Carpet
I am continuing work on the interior, carpet to be specific. As one thing tends to affect another this also meant I needed to work out my Breeze seat mounts as well as the heel pad that I will use next to the accelerator.

Mk3 or Mk4 Carpet Set?
My kit came with an interior carpet set plus an additional ~4 square yards of material. I suspect the carpet set is for a mk4 as a few of the pieces did not really seem to fit properly. The problematic bits were the rear/outside segments that sit between the seat and the rear tire. On my car this piece of aluminum attaches outside the frame rather than inside. Each side is made up of two pieces of aluminum. The carpet is a single piece for each side. Easy enough to just cut and trim.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=208503&d=1735948917

I also had to accommodate the larger PS footbox that I built. I used the extra carpet for the footbox, trunk floors and trunk sides.

For the passenger compartment floors I trimmed out the section occupied by the Breeze seat mount. I know some folks install the seat mounts over the carpet or carpet over the seat mounts. I didn’t want the compressed carpet working itself into the seat mounting solution at all. It was pretty straightforward to trim this out and get the carpet applied.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=208670&d=1736191897


Cubby
For the cubby I went ahead and carpeted the floor. For the side I used some felt I had left over from the coupe. That solved a couple problems: got rid of the last of the felt, conserved some of the carpet and because it is a much thinner material it left more room in the cubby.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=208506&d=1735948965


Accelerator Area Heel Pad
The only carpet remaining is the outside door bits as well as the firewall piece. The door pieces need to happen later from what I understand. The firewall piece is on my work bench as it needs a bit of special attention. I am in the process of affixing a “plastic” (Vinyl?) heel pad to the right of where my foot will contact the accelerator. This will provide a bit more clearance, eliminate carpet wear in this area and reduce interference/friction where my foot will inevitably rest on the side.

As you all know, nothing is easy. To maximize clearance and improve the application of the heel pad I used a beard trimmer to shave down the carpet in this area. I used 3M 90 adhesive and applied the pad. I weighed it down with a battery to get a good tight fit. However, the next day when I pulled the battery off I found that the heel pad material had kind of softened and expanded - as though there was an incompatibility with the adhesive. The glue was still quite sticky. It did not set properly. So off it came. Later that day I noticed that the heel pad had stiffened up again so I went ahead and gave it another try. 36 hours later and it seems to be holding up. Once I am confident in the application I will try my hand at sewing in the edges and get the whole carpet segment glued in place. So very close to being done with carpet, for the time being.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=208675&d=1736203736


Fuel System Access
Given the issues I had with my coupe fuel system I decided early on that access to the sender and pump area is required. (One failed fuel pump, one failed hanger and one failed sender). I cut holes in the aluminum a while back and made up some covers. For the carpet I decided to cut the trunk floor into two sections: upper/forward and rear/lower. For the upper trunk I glued down the entire piece. For the rear piece I glued down the rear most section of the trunk and left the forward part unsecured. This provides the necessary access. I am not concerned about the carpet moving around.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=208509&d=1735948965


Sound track
Always some random stuff, but mostly Dire Straits, Mark Knopfler and whoever Mark has played with.

[F500guy]

I had that issue with some I had an upholstery person due for me, which they were sewed as well. I suspected the cure time due to lack of air once it got put on, but is did finally stick.

[TTimmy]

Seat Heater Install
I liked what I did with the coupe so much that I did the exact same thing for the roadster.
I run power to the seats and install the entire heater switch assembly, relay, etc. into the seat along with the heater pads. I locate the switch on the inside (trans tunnel side) of each seat. I ran the seats off the heater circuit (I think) or maybe I put in a dedicated breaker… can’t remember which way I went without checking my notes. Whatever the case, you will need adequate power to the seats.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=208783&d=1736386359


I started with the Dorman PN: 628-040 seat heater pads. If you shop around you can find them for about $65

I start by making up a couple small backer brackets that sit behind the leather and attach to the seat frame. You need to find the right location between the seat frame pieces as two metal frame elements come together in this area. It was a bit tricky to get the size of the bracket hole just right to accommodate the switch and also the leather that needed to be tucked in alongside it.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=208784&d=1736386359


Once I found the right location, I marked the area that needed to be cut to accommodate the switch. I did not secure the bracket to the seat frame until after the switch was installed as I needed to make some minor adjustments to the position, and it helps when trying to fish the wire through the leather, cushion and frame.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=208790&d=1736386379

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=208791&d=1736386379

There are two layers of cushion in that area; one thick and one thin. The thin layer is on the outside and you will want to play around with it relative to the bracket. It is easier to get the switch installed with the cushion behind the bracket; however, you can kind of notice the bracket if you look closely. If you put the cushion outside the bracket, it is unnoticeable. Frankly, it will be unnoticeable either way as that location is relatively hidden. Anyway, this is something to consider as you need to make a decision.

Once the switch was in a good position I riveted the bracket in place.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=208789&d=1736386379




I installed the seat heater pads to both the back and bottom of the seat per the instructions. There was plenty of room to work on the back; but you are working blind as you can’t really see behind the seat/leather. Removed the adhesive backing and secured the heater pads to the seat cushion.

For the bottom it is necessary to pull off one side of the leather from the foam. It came off cleanly for all the seats that I have done. Again, install the heater pad adhesive to the foam. I used 3M 90 adhesive to secure the leather to the foam. I held it in place with a few clamps while it set.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=208799&d=1736387157

The heater comes with a complete wiring harness with enough length to install the switches and power feed in the dash. I cut out a large section of the harness so that I could easily tuck it between the seat frame. It fits in there nicely.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=208786&d=1736386359


I have added a lot more files to my gallery, but the forum limits me to seven photos per post. Feel free to check the gallery for more images. https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/album.php?albumid=2537

[TTimmy]

As mentioned previously, I was wrapping up my carpet, thus needed to nail down my seat mounts, thus needed to have the body on the car to ensure clearance. So, with the body installed, I locked down the seat mounts and got the carpet installed. I really like the Breeze seat mounts. I used sliders without seat mounts on my coupe and it was PITA to get everything mounted and to get the bolts into meaningful/sturdy locations. I tried out the mount in my coupe and liked the angle. I have already ordered a set for the coupe.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=208670&d=1736191897

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=208672&d=1736191897


Door hinges
With the body installed, I went ahead and installed the doors. The former owner had power coated the entire hinge assembly - while assembled - including all mounting hardware, including the body hardware. Thus, I needed to sort this out. Hoping to be done with the surprises the PO left behind. Note: the hardware is only temporary.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=208960&d=1736642335


While it seems like the doors fit reasonably well. The trunk lid is way off in several places - not sure what I need to do in order to get that sorted out. It’s a mess. Any suggestions?

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=208963&d=1736642643

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=208964&d=1736642643

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=208965&d=1736642643

Soundtrack
The Clash, Joe Strummer and Big Audio Dynamite.

[TTimmy]

I have been tracking what other folks have done in order to make the dash removable with the body on. Clearly this is not an issue on the Mk3. Easy access to the dash mount points given that there is no radius on the body in this area. I’ll mark this down as a pleasant surprise. With this in mind I can lock down the dash location and mount points.

With this settled I was able to work on the Russ Thompson system and trim ring. The hole for the steering column was cut a little large and a little offset to one side.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=208962&d=1736642335

The dash is the older carbon fiber unit, thus no dash cover will be installed. The trim ring covers the gaping hole but there is not much material for attachment. Thus I needed to work out how to secure it to the dash. I built something out of aluminum to secure it to the backside of the dash. I need to decide if I will use some type of adhesive or just let it float there.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=208959&d=1736642335

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=208958&d=1736642335

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=208961&d=1736642335

[TTimmy]

Just a bit of work on the Coupe
I’m splitting my time between the coupe and the roadster these days. Got the body off the coupe and started prepping the underside for Lizardskin and Raptor. I’m still undecided on whether I will install the headliner. Guess I’ll see how the raptor looks and make a game time decision. Please chime in if you have an opinion.

I pulled the wipers off the Daytona and swapped them out with the Specialty Power Windows unit. I will fix the park function and defective wheelbox and then reuse that FFR unit on the roadster. I want the higher quality unit on the couple since there is a much higher chance that it will get driven in the rain. The roadster probably won’t go out if there is rain in the forecast.

Mk3 Trans Cover
I fitted a new, wider transmission cover from 520 Speedworks. Normally I would just make something like this myself, but I did not have a large enough sheet and the price was right. It is cut wider to better accommodate insulation, carpet and covering. Plus I got to put the shifter hole where I want it.

I trimmed the carpet on the upper sides of the trans tunnel with my electric shaver so that the carpet will still be secured by the tunnel cover. While the new cover is cut wider, I felt it still needed more room… probably due to my insulation, etc. Anyway, shaving the carpet gives it a tidy look and I think it will look nice once I finish the tunnel cover with leather. I never thought I would use a shaver (beard trimmer) as a tool for building my car. I have used it twice now; the first time was for the vinyl footrest.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=209253&d=1737127385

I found a couple nice black cup holders on Amazon after ordering about a dozen different ones. I hate amazon but I love their return policy. Cut holes for the cup holders as well as the shifter. Also rotated the shifter to the forward position as that keeps my upper arm from jamming up against the seat. Finished it off with some insulation on the bottom side. Everything fits real nice.

I’m considering both industrial Velcro or a few screws to secure the trans cover. Not sure yet what I’ll do. Just thought of this, maybe I need to insulate my cup holders… always something.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=209257&d=1737127399

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=209255&d=1737127385


Battery Cutoff
I installed the battery cutoff switch a while back. I had to pull it out to spray the Lizardskin and install the carpet.

I probably spent more time on the reinstall!… finding and cutting small holes in the carpet for the switch and bolts was a PITA! It is back in to stay.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=209256&d=1737127385



Garage meditation
I had a few beers and spent some time cleaning up after my projects and just appreciated my work while listening to a bunch of Frank Zappa, Adrian Belew and David Bowie. I feel pretty lucky.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=209259&d=1737150628

[F500guy]

I get the switch/carpet interface issue, I ended up cutting large carpet holes and installed a cover plate.
209380

[Rebostar]

HAH....Frank Zappa!! Gotta love em!. Just finished listening to "Billy the Mountain" off the "Just Another Band From LA" album while working in the shop yesterday!

Also great build as well!

[TTimmy]

Again, I’m splitting my time between the coupe and the roadster. I was doing some fiberglass work on the underside in preparation for Lizardskin and Raptor so I filled in with a couple smaller projects on the cobra… something that didn’t involve dust or strong chemicals… just needed a break from that.

The weather has been brutally cold. A chilly General Custer faithfully standing guard outside my shop.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=209448&d=1737514841


Checkstraps:
I dyed the checkstraps as I did on my coupe with Fiebing’s leather dye. It matches the rest of my interior and just helps the straps to disappear. I also did the natural leather part of the Simpson harness. It also helped the look given the leather bits are about 20 years old.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=209447&d=1737514647

Hood Hinge:
So I got this super bright, chrome plated hinge kit as part of the project. It also came with a standard set of stainless steel hinges. While it came with two complete sets of hinges (and two hoods) it did not come with any of the hardware. FFR was able to get me the missing hardware in short order.

I bumbled through the instructions and was able to get things to match their pictures, more or less. Seems the chrome setup has a couple minor issues. First, some of the structural components are thinner than the stainless steel kit. This creates an issue with the function of the shoulder bolts and spring washers. I found some shims and got this sorted out. The action of the hinge is smooth but tight. Should be just fine.

The second issue was the chrome plating. I spent 10 years working in a wheel factory and know good chrome. This was a bit thick and clumsy, thus the holes for the bronze bushings and carriage bolts became undersized. With a little persuasion I got the bushings in place. For the carriage bolts I opted to use my belt sander to bring down the elements that make up the square part. This should help avoid any damage to the chrome as things get fitted.

I went ahead and threw it on the car for lack of a better place to store the contraption.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=209444&d=1737514647

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=209446&d=1737514647

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=209445&d=1737514647

Soundtrack:
The last couple days have been Billy Bragg, John Hyatt and Chris Smither. I also multitasked while listening to some football games. E - A - G - L - E - S !

[TTimmy]

Oil Cooler leads to Radiator Aluminum Install

As I was ripping apart my coupe and looking for spots to stash all the parts I was forced to reorganize some boxes. I ran across an oil cooler I acquired for the Mk3 a while back. So I thought I would play around with that for a bit since I only had a couple hours to kill. The radiator aluminum surround is kind of a prerequisite. Thus I started on that project.

The side aluminum pieces needed a minor trim along the upper/forward “bend.” I also needed to drill some holes at the bottom given more poor choice for locating the lower Breeze mount bolts. They interfere. Not sure if I missed something in the instructions or just planned poorly. I should have put them a bit further towards the back and things would have cleared just fine. Rather than move them and leave extra holes in the frame I decided to clearance the side pieces. No one has any business poking around in that part of my car anyway. I see no reason why these cannot be permanently attached to the car now - Anything I should know?

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=209517&d=1737745765

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=209518&d=1737745765


The lower mount needed a bit more effort. One, the angle that aligns to the radiator was not quite right. Two, the piece was far too long. Concerning the angle, the piece was already powder coated so I was a bit worried about correcting the angle. But it needed to be done. I threw it in my HF brake and was able to get it matched up after a couple tries; the PC did not crack. With that sorted it was on to the length. I felt like I took off about an inch, ⅛ of an inch at a time, in order to get it where it needed to be. I also trimmed the rear/sides so that it fit better against the rad tanks. Anyway, it's in. I have just a hair of clearance on the front side and that should be OK since this gets attached to the body and the rad. I just need to touch up the paint. Obviously this piece must go on after the body if fitted.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=209515&d=1737745745

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=209516&d=1737745765


The upper Breeze mound looks really straightforward. I’m considering painting the upper rear part of the radiator black. So the Breeze mound will wait. It seems that the body can be removed with that in place without creating any issue.

So now I am in a position to play around with that oil cooler when I have more time.

Soundtrack:
Stevie Ray and Double Trouble. What a shame he left us too soon.

[TTimmy]

That’s right, I spent a lot of time on a few smaller Mk3 projects while waiting for paint to dry on the Daytona.

With the temperatures skyrocketing into the 30s I was able to get my shop warm enough to spray Lizardskin on the underside of the coupe’s body. My plan is sound control on the roof, sides and rear fenders and heat insulation on the roof areas. Once the Lizardskin cures for a few days the whole thing will get sprayed with Raptor bed liner.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=209637&d=1737942338


Headlights, Taillights and Parking Lights
Nothing overly exciting this weekend for the Mk3, I took this opportunity to terminate all the connections for the headlights, taillights and parking lights. I added a chassis ground to each corner and terminated the chassis harness end points using Deutsch connectors. They have become my favorite for this type of work. I rewrapped the harnesses and everything is nice and tidy.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=209641&d=1737942364

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=209638&d=1737942338

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=209640&d=1737942338

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=209639&d=1737942338

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=209636&d=1737942338

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=209642&d=1737942364


It was at this same phase on my coupe, while I was installing the taillights, that I thought to myself, “You know Tim, there’s not really much standing between you and getting this car titled.” I finished the lights, installed my windshield and got the inspection completed a couple weeks later. Just saying.

Soundtrack
Mostly listening to The Band. RIP Garth Hudson.

[TTimmy]

Howdy Folks!

Here is a short video walk around of the Basket Case Cobra if you’re interested in such things.

Mk3 Cobra Basket Case Build Progress
https://youtu.be/Y0HbHYdvhOE


https://youtu.be/Y0HbHYdvhOE

[TTimmy]

Body off again
I pulled the body off again to trim some underpinning bits for a better fit. Also needed to finish up some work on the footboxes. My hope is that these adjustments help out with the trunk alignment as well as getting the side mounting holes to align better to the frame.

I’ve gotten proficient at mounting and unmounting the body by myself. I rigged up a pulley system that is intended for use with a jeep hardtop. The only issue is that all four corners drop at the same rate. If I were to do it again, I would create independent systems for each of the front and rear. …maybe when I get bored.


PS Footbox
The only thing standing between me and a finished passenger side footbox was a bit of carpet. As mentioned earlier, I extended the footbox. This created some gaps in the FFR supplied carpet. I used some of the extra bits to get it completed. With that done I closed up the aluminum for good and added some external insulation to the front and side of the footbox. DONE!

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=210029&d=1738551163


DS Footbox
On the driver’s side, I fabricated a small plate to “raise” the location of the clutch stop. This effectively lets me lower the clutch in the footbox. There are two holes in the clutch stop area that worked OK for fastening a small plate. It’s tight quarters, but I got it in. Not much room for tools or hands in that area anymore.

With the clutch position settled I made some final adjustments to the brake and accelerator. It’s probably as good as it will get

I did a final fit of the aluminum and made some adjustments. Seems things do not fit as well now that they have been powder coated, Lizard Skinned and carpeted. Lots of busywork, but this was all easily resolved. I pop in a few rivets but I don’t consider the matter of the DS footbox fully settled. I am sure the body will be on and off a few more times.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=210032&d=1738551596

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=210030&d=1738551596


Radiator
I painted the radiator black using Eastwood radiator paint, Not sure if it is really special radiator paint or just spray paint. Regardless, you pay a bit of a premium for “radiator paint.” Have I ever said how happy I am to have Eastwood so close by?

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=210028&d=1738551163


Seat Belts
The original seatbelts from 2004 looked like they had been in service for 20 years, even though they had never been removed from the box. As I am upgrading my coupe’s belts to something from Schroth andI decided to swap those over to the roadster. If anyone needs a set of crusty 20 year old Simpson harnesses just let me know.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=210024&d=1738551144

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=210026&d=1738551144


Rollbar
A trial fit of the rollbar exposed some serious misalignment issues between the main hoop and rear angled supports. I went to the forum for advice and so far the guidance I am getting is to apply some serious leverage to put things in place. More to come on that.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=209906&d=1738440165

Coupe
Regarding my other project, I finished up the underside of the body with Raptor. Man, I love that stuff. The color and texture are so satisfying! I’m still undecided on the FFR headliner. It’s not on yet, so for now I guess I am going to skip it. I appreciate that it may help with the noise level. (No really, I don’t think anything REALLY helps) Now I just need to recruit some help to get the body back on and then I can figure out what I am doing about the bodywork. Once the body is on I guess the headliner debate will be over.

[TTimmy]

Luckily I have been able to carve out some time between work and snow storms to get some work in on the cars. Lots of plowing and shovelling, just to get more snow and ice. Man am I thankful to finally have a heated shop!

Body Fitment:
I dropped the body back in place. I had previously done some trimming to get better fitment on the side mounting points. While improved, I still feel the sides are too tight. It takes a lot of effort to get the bolts in place. Once in place they do not allow any lateral adjustment of the body. I suspect that lateral adjustment will be needed for door alignment. It also feels like the rear door jam is being forced up just a bit higher than it should based on the alignment of the striker/latch.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=210405&d=1739391893

I did just find a comment in an older Mk3 build manual that there should not be any bulb seal on the rear cockpit aluminum. This is likely contributing to my problem.

My current plan is to pull the body and try to get some more adjustability around the door sides. Hopefully removing the bulb seal gets me the clearance I need. Alternatively I could just open up the bolt holes on the body. Please let me know if you have any experience or opinion on this point!

The body seems well centered over the tires and lines up well with the front forward mounting bolts as rear quickjack bolts.

Rollbar:
Consensus from the forum was to apply leverage as a solution to the rollbar misalignment. Glad that was the answer as I do not have the tools or skills to cut and weld. I acquired a few pieces of appropriately sized pipe and, using ratchet straps, was able to get things pulled into the right place. It did take multiple days under tension but seems to be working.

I dropped the body back on the chassis and spent some time on the cutouts. The forward openings were pretty good. The rears were off quite a bit. The trim rings will notably cover the openings so that will need to be sorted out at some point.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=210408&d=1739391921

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=210409&d=1739391921

Gas Cap:
When a big task (the roll bar) becomes frustrating I focus my effort on smaller, winnable projects. It’s much different than what I received with the coupe… really just the surrounding bit and cap. Thus I purchased a separate locking cap assembly which worked very well. I installed my locking gas cap and then proceeded to work on the Aston Lemans cap. I needed to drill and countersink the mounting holes. This task is done!

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=210403&d=1739391893


Electrical:
I finished off the wiring to the heater blower, heater vacuum control valve and wipers. That creates a little more traffic in the already crowded wiper area.

With the body back on I got to test out headlights, parking lights, indicators, etc. The only issue identified is miswiring of the “brighter” bulbs on the tail lights, brake lights, turn signals. It will be a quick fix to repin the Deutch connectors. Otherwise everything works as expected… better yet, it works as it should.

Wiper:
With the coupe’s wipers upgraded to the Specialty Power Window unit I was able to fix the park function on the bench and then get the motor installed in the roadster. A quick test indicates that it works as it should.

With functionality confirmed, it was time to move onto installing the motor. I got one stainless rivnut into the 2” tube for the lower mount. The upper mount goes through the firewall and I put a large fender washer on the backside.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=210407&d=1739391893


I envision a tricky final install as the space around the wiper motor is tight and shared with wiring for wiper and heater components. I will need to juggle stuff around in order to get the windshield mounts sorted. It all seems doable.

Here’s a handy tip if you find yourself working with a previously used (greased) wiper motor: I wiped off as much grease as possible and then ran a long length of painters tape along the spiral shaft. While the tape does not stick to the greasy shaft it does stick to itself and stays in place quite well. I was able to get everything installed without making a mess. I suppose the mess will come when I flare the supports and finalize the install.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=210406&d=1739391893


Coupe:
The headliner debate is over. The body is back on and the headliner is still rolled up. Does anyone need a headliner for a coupe?

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=210404&d=1739391893

Soundtrack:
Clapton, Joe Walsh, Jerry Garcia & Merl Saunders

[Higgybulin]

Great thread! Looks like this kit is getting its just rewards, cant wait to see you finish it(them)!!
Higgy

[Jeff Kleiner]

Regarding body fitting; first of all, yes---no bulb seal on the rear bulkhead between the trunk side walls but it does go on the outer "wings" behind the seats. On the Mk3 there is a kind of awkward intersection of 3 tubes just rearward of the door latch area. I found when I built my Mk3 and subsequently on others that I built that it can come into contact with the underside of the body and prevent it from dropping fully. I went into the "Wayback Machine" and found a pic of my old Mk3 and marked the area in question.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=210418&d=1739455550

Some time with an angle grinder to knock down and smooth over the point will eliminate the conflict and allow the body to come down. Interestingly and ironically when fitting the body on my Mk5 Beta car I found a similar conflict area that resulted in the same issue preventing the body from dropping fully.... proving that sometimes the more things change the more they stay the same! BTW, it's been resolved on the production chassis.

Carry on!

Jeff

[TTimmy]

Regarding body fitting; first of all, yes---no bulb seal on the rear bulkhead between the trunk side walls but it does go on the outer "wings" behind the seats. On the Mk3 there is a kind of awkward intersection of 3 tubes just rearward of the door latch area. I found when I built my Mk3 and subsequently on others that I built that it can come into contact with the underside of the body and prevent it from dropping fully. I went into the "Wayback Machine" and found a pic of my old Mk3 and marked the area in question.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=210418&d=1739455550

Some time with an angle grinder to knock down and smooth over the point will eliminate the conflict and allow the body to come down. Interestingly and ironically when fitting the body on my Mk5 Beta car I found a similar conflict area that resulted in the same issue preventing the body from dropping fully.... proving that sometimes the more things change the more they stay the same! BTW, it's been resolved on the production chassis.

Carry on!

Jeff

Thanks Jeff. It was hitting on both of those corners. I ground them down and things are definitely better!

The trunk is still a mess, but that’s for another day. Maybe I should look for a deal on a five gallon pail of Bondo… that would make quick work of things!?!

[TTimmy]

I was expecting a lot more drama, but the windshield install went pretty smoothly. The wood brace that I use to support the cockpit when in storage is the perfect length for setting the angle. Of course, I had to open up the holes to get things where they needed to be. And, of course, the hole is a little bigger than the gromet/cover that should hide it. I was expecting this to be a much bigger project and appreciate the pleasant surprise. Now onto the doors.

I won’t go into a lot of detail on the install as the following two threads/posts cover the topic quite well:



https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showthread.php?27544-40-Watt-Garage-amp-9365&p=367063&viewfull=1#post367063
https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showthread.php?33025-MK4-Windshield-Installation-Tips-Myths-and-Realities


https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=210472&d=1739569046

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=210471&d=1739569046


Today’s soundtrack:
The Talking Heads

[PNWTim]

I have to say, I appreciate you plugging in your daily soundtrack info. You have a fairly broad musical appreciation and if I was listening to the Talking Heads while doing the windshield it would most likely be "Stop Making Sense". Seems apropos.

Really enjoying both threads.

[TTimmy]

So I guess I’m back in the fiberglass dust phase again. Opening up the windshield openings was just the start. Today I fitted both doors. Lots of sanding and trimming. I can’t say enough about my 3M respirator! Figure I’ll get the heavy fiberglass trimming done and then clean the shop.

So I got both doors mounted and aligned. Slow going for the first one while I worked out the latch mounting and alignment. The second door took half the time. But just as much dust. The metal “backer” on the second door needed a lot of trimming as it was not even close to being lined up with the striker or striker gap in the door. I need to come back and sort out the spacer hardware for the strikers.

I will come back later and perform the proper gapping. For now I am happy to have two doors that open, close and latch. I am shocked at how well they are aligned with the body.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=210492&d=1739665083

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=210493&d=1739665083

Next will be either the hood (I have two to choose from) or the trunk lid. I’m worried about the trunk - it doesn’t look even close to fitting.

Soundtrack:
Violent Femmes, The Pouges and the Clancy Brothers.

[TTimmy]

I have to say, I appreciate you plugging in your daily soundtrack info. You have a fairly broad musical appreciation and if I was listening to the Talking Heads while doing the windshield it would most likely be "Stop Making Sense". Seems apropos.

Really enjoying both threads.

Yeah, I’ve go to have music!

Thanks for the feedback! I wish I had maintained a build thread for my coupe like I’m doing for my roadster. I enjoy the process. The photo upload is a PITA, but it’s deal with it. I Just figured out how to res down the photos on my iPhone and upload directly from that device. Big time saver!

BTW, my wife’s a Duck. My son is a Junior at OSU and my daughter is in Portland.

[PNWTim]

Yeah, I’ve go to have music!

Thanks for the feedback! I wish I had maintained a build thread for my coupe like I’m doing for my roadster. I enjoy the process. The photo upload is a PITA, but it’s deal with it. I Just figured out how to res down the photos on my iPhone and upload directly from that device. Big time saver!

BTW, my wife’s a Duck. My son is a Junior at OSU and my daughter is in Portland.

So you're in PA but all the kids are in Oregon - funny how that happens. Both of mine graduated from U of O in the last couple of years.

I too enjoy the documentation process and I like I having a record of what I have done to look back on and sometimes jar my memory or remind me of details.

For what it's worth, I went round and round re: pictures and uploads and right, wrong or indifferent, I seem to have stumbled on a way that is pretty easy and doesn't use the gallery and doesn't require resizing, which seems to be just an extra 2 or 3 steps. I have an iPhone as well but I do still use my laptop for the editing and upload. This is what I do:

1. Put photos on hard drive, whatever is easiest. I download directly from Google Photos;
2. When creating a post and ready to embed photo, click the "insert image" icon and choose the "From Computer" tab. Then select "Choose File". Once the file/pic has uploaded, you then have to double click on the un-gray shaded/un-outlined "Upload File(s) directly beneath the Choose File button. I typically only do one picture at a time simply because that's what I prefer;
3. It takes a couple of seconds but once embedded in your post you can double click on the thumbnail and choose your picture size - I always choose "large". No need to resize in advance.

You cannot correct the bizarre and arbitrary rotation in that editing window but I found this rarely occurs because I download, rename and save all my photos in a build folder. I do always try and take landscape oriented photos with my phone though, so maybe that has something to do with it.

Anyhow, keep up the good work and I look forward to following along.

[Mike.Bray]

The quickest and easiest way to fix the rotation of pictures is to open them in Paint, yes that ancient Windoze program, and resave them. Paint will sort out the weirdness your phone creates.

[Jeff Kleiner]

...I’m worried about the trunk - it doesn’t look even close to fitting...



Show us some photos. There are some tricks that might help.

Jeff

[TTimmy]

Show us some photos. There are some tricks that might help.

Jeff

Jeff,
Below are some photos of the trunk.

The main alignment issue is where the rear/bottom of the lids meets up with the body. It is about ⅜ inch off without the bulb seal behind it. It seems the bottom of the trunk needs to be forced outward or the body needs to be pulled in. In order to pull in the body I would need to remove about ½ from the aft portion of the trunk floor. Perhaps a bit on the sides too. My thought is then the quickjack hardware and trunk latch sleeve could be used to draw the body forward. But I’m not sure I can safely get that much movement out of the body. Any insight would be welcome!

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=208963&d=1736642643

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=208964&d=1736642643

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=208965&d=1736642643

[TTimmy]

For what it's worth, I went round and round re: pictures and uploads and right, wrong or indifferent, I seem to have stumbled on a way that is pretty easy and doesn't use the gallery and doesn't require resizing, which seems to be just an extra 2 or 3 steps. I have an iPhone as well but I do still use my laptop for the editing and upload. This is what I do:

1. Put photos on hard drive, whatever is easiest. I download directly from Google Photos;
2. When creating a post and ready to embed photo, click the "insert image" icon and choose the "From Computer" tab. Then select "Choose File". Once the file/pic has uploaded, you then have to double click on the un-gray shaded/un-outlined "Upload File(s) directly beneath the Choose File button. I typically only do one picture at a time simply because that's what I prefer;
3. It takes a couple of seconds but once embedded in your post you can double click on the thumbnail and choose your picture size - I always choose "large". No need to resize in advance.

WOW! What a time saver! I just started using this and it works so much better. I hate having to click on the thumbnails to enlarge the photos, thus don't want to do that in my own posts. Nice that it works from my phone or computer.

I owe you a beer or whatever you drink!

[PNWTim]

WOW! What a time saver! I just started using this and it works so much better. I hate having to click on the thumbnails to enlarge the photos, thus don't want to do that in my own posts. Nice that it works from my phone or computer.

I owe you a beer or whatever you drink!

Beer is good! Seriously, I think there are about 10 ways to do this, just the one I landed on. Glad it's working for you.

[Jeff Kleiner]

Timmy,
I posted a reply RE: Trunk lid in your other thread>

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showthread.php?50809-Mk3-Trunk-Alignment-Issue-Please-weigh-in-on-my-options&p=574954#post574954

Hope it helps!

Jeff

[TTimmy]

Timmy,
I posted a reply RE: Trunk lid in your other thread>

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showthread.php?50809-Mk3-Trunk-Alignment-Issue-Please-weigh-in-on-my-options&p=574954#post574954

Hope it helps!

Jeff

Thanks so much Jeff. I dug in for a couple dusty hours today and made some great headway. The rear corners where it swings down are pretty good right now. The bottom edge along the valence is better. The valance is pinned against the rear trunk aluminum so I will trim that back the next time the body is off. I’m not gapping anything yet.

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[M22_COBRA]

Progress looks awesome! Incredible turn around on this one. Looking forward to the rest.

[TTimmy]

A Tale of Two Hoods
While I may never know the answer as to why my kit came with two hoods, I am thankful for my bountiful situation.

Here is what I have:

Grey Hood


I was told this is a Mk2 hood perhaps.
Has a full metal hoop which is already partially bonded to the hood. It looks like they used two materials. Frankly it’s a bit of a mess with gobs of rock hard goop all over the place. Otherwise there is light surface rust on the hoop.
While the color matches my faded black car better, the fit seems to be way off. I’m not sure if this is a function of the hood, the hoop or both. But the sides and curves don’t seem to land well compared to the body.



Black Hood


I think this is a Mk3 hood. It has a full metal hoop available for attaching to the hinges. I had the hoop blasted and powder coated. It is not presently attached. The hood and hoop seem to fit the opening and body curves quite well.



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Any Fitment Tips?
Considering my two options it seems best to use the black Mk3 hood given the better fit and cleanliness. With the engine already installed I obviously have very limited access to the underside of the hood and that will present some challenges.


I would really appreciate it if anyone can provide me with any fitment tips…how to get it aligned. How to secure it… Should it be bonded or mechanically secured with rivets or nuts and bolts. I am OK with visible hardware on the outside of the hood.

[Jeff Kleiner]

Something strange going on there :confused: Mk1 and 2 hoods were single layer and used the hoop if hinged. The Mk3 got a two layer hood with a fiberglass inner liner bonded to the outer skin and no longer used the metal hoop---like the Mk4 (and 5) the hood had a strengthening rib around the perimeter on the underside and pads at the front with metal sandwiched between the inner outer layers to receive the hinge brackets. Anyway, to work with what you have you can use the metal hoop with whatever hood that seems to fit best. The original intent of the hoop was that it didn't need to be bonded...the outer skin was secured to it at the rear edge by running the screws for the hood latches through the fiberglass and into it. At the front the hood is attached to the hoop by using the dozen or so holes along the sides and forward edge. Most used stainless buttonheads and nuts rather than rivets. Many preferred to bond the 'glass and steel together. Since the outer skin is only a single layer and is somewhat flexible the metal hoop can be bent as necessary to match the body contours as needed. You should also have a hinge plate that bolts to the hoop using the six studs at the front that are laid out in 2 triangles. The plate has the FFR "5" logo cut into it This plate will then receive the hinge arms which attach to the chassis with a set of 90 degree plates which allow adjustment in all 3 axis.

As I said what you have there is rather odd and basically what you got with the Mk1 and 2 hinge retrofit option after they introduced the "scissor" style hinges. Just in case you're interested and looking to spend more money the actual two layer Mk3 hood is still available ;)

https://www.factoryfiveparts.com/14015-fiberglass-mk3-roadster-hood/

Jeff

[TTimmy]

Thanks again Jeff. It’s puzzling sometimes when I try to work through my collection of parts. The prior owner had passed away and I spent a day in Scranton crawling through his sheds gathering everything related to the project. The owner had a prior build, Mk2 I believe, so he might have swapped around parts.

I plan on using the good hoop and the better of the two hoods. And yes, I do have the double triangle-bolt support plate. Seems I also have an extra set of hinges as well as hood pins. Lots of mounting options!

Thanks,
Tim

[TTimmy]

I had a few hours today and decided to take a break from the fiberglass dust. Mostly. So I started work on my heater and defroster.


The heater ducts were pretty straightforward so I won’t share much detail on them


The defrost vents were definitely a trickier endeavor! The driver’s side was not too hard, just needed to take the measurements and make sure I had the clearance underneath.


The passenger side was tough with the blower, vent hoses, wiring to the engine compartment, etc. It’s very crowded, very dark and very upside down. You can’t take some simple measurements and start cutting. On top of that there is minimal clearance between the blower motor and the dash for the supplied plenum.


I started with the newer FFR 3D printed vent base/plenum. I tried taking measurements but it would have been shot in the dark, at best. I had no confidence I would cut in the right place. I didn’t want to turn my dash top into Swiss cheese.


After staring at it for a while I landed on the following approach. It was simple and worked perfectly.


I started by taping a steel washer to each of the two mounting holes on the 3D printed plenum. I placed the plenum under the dash into the area where it seemed to fit. I then used a magnet to find each of the mounting holes and marked the dash. This provides a good approximation of where to drill.


After drilling the first hole I then used the defrost vent cover as a template to get the second hole exactly where it needed to be.

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While I did drill the holes today, I will cut the vents once I have the windshield back off the car.


I thought this task would be much more involved.


Soundtrack: John Prine

[TTimmy]

Wiper Motor and Wheel Box Install:
After fixing the park function on the coupe's old wiper motor, I bench tested it and then I mounted it into the roadster and tested everything again. All good, for now anyway.

I measured out the locations for the wheel boxes/transmissions and drilled the angled mounting holes. I replaced the rubber tubing on the underside with some square aluminum I had around - basically followed what EdwardB did on his roadster build. It’s definitely a more rigid mounting solution than the rubber tubing. I played around with both options. I will probably HSRF them to the underside when the body is back off.

I salvaged some of the ⅜ line from the coupe for the drive wire casing and cut the extra piece from some spare fuel lines I had around. All in all it went pretty smoothly. I feel the access under the hood area is a bit better than the coupe. Regardless of the improved access, I decided I will trim the drive shaft and grease everything the next time I have the body off.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=210777&d=1740366156

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=210776&d=1740366156

With everything together, I gave it a final test. No go. Well, it did go, but it wouldn’t stop. When I turned it off I could hear it “try” to stop; it made a distinctly different sound compared to the low-speed setting. I could hear it sort of power down for a fraction of a second but then it kept on running. It was almost like it had too much momentum and kept passing the park zone.

I double checked the electrical and everything was good. Then I hooked up one of my extra motors to the wiring harness and it worked as it should.

I was a little bummed that everything needed to come apart. Sometimes I can be kind of lazy in that regard. But I also feel that laziness can drive a bit of efficiency. Not sure if that makes sense.

Time to rip apart a perfectly good wiper motor:
Anyway, after fiddling with the white wiring harness connector that houses the park switch with no luck, I decided to pull apart one of my spares to see how they work and maybe get some ideas. I had a really old and crusty one so I figured I would start with that. And if I broke something, oh well.

For the life of me I could not figure out how that park switch was connected but figured it must be internal. Wrong. Google seemed to take me to the MG and Triumph forums so that’s where I started to get an idea of how this thing works. I pulled off the gear cover, then loosened the worm gear, and finally found a c-clip under the grime so I could remove the main gear. At that point I could see how the park switch was attached to the motor. It is held in place with a quarter inch u-clip of sorts. While there was no need to disassemble the motor, I did have fun playing with my tools and taking it apart. I cleaned up the filth on the inside and outside; regreased it and called it rebuilt.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=210774&d=1740366156

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=210773&d=1740366156

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=210779&d=1740366183

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=210778&d=1740366183

I pulled the park switch off the roadster motor, in situ, upside down under the cowl. Tight quarters, but now that I understood how it was assembled it was not too bad. It tested fine when the plunger was depressed manually. My new problem was that I could not get it to go back in place. The u-clip kept sliding off the white plastic housing. Seems the newer motors park switch was not as robust as the old crust one. I tried in vain for about fifteen minutes before salvaging the switch off the old motor. Again, it is much more robust plastic. (I hate even saying that) It went in on the first try. Hooked the wires back up and everything worked as it should! SUCCESS!

I eventually got the new park switch installed on the older motor. So, I still have two working spares. But that park switch is not only questionable, it is very difficult to reinstall. I left myself a note on the motor. While I am certainly no expert on these motors, I can tell you that there is nothing too scary inside.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=210775&d=1740366156

Soundtrack:
I was in my 80 Electronica mode… Depeche mode, Yazoo, Erasure… I guess a lot of Vince Clark, Alison Moyett, etc.

[F500guy]

That Park switch/connector kicked my butt for a while and had to order a new one. I was wondering what the adjustment screw is, since you had it apart, is it a tension adjust for the motor brushes?

[TTimmy]

That Park switch/connector kicked my butt for a while and had to order a new one. I was wondering what the adjustment screw is, since you had it apart, is it a tension adjust for the motor brushes?

So that adjustment fits directly against the output shaft of the motor that has the worm gear on it. I assume that its function is to remove any play in the motor shaft. It was just snug against the shaft when I pulled things apart and I put it back the same way. The motor brushes, etc are isolated from the aluminum housing for the gears.

I did tighten it up on my installed motor thinking maybe the gear assembly had too much momentum and therefore passed the park position. It did not help so I backed it off to its original tension.

While primitive by today’s standards, it pretty neat to see how they used to create better functionality and solve problems without tons of sensors and integrated circuits.

[TTimmy]

I’m taking the Mk3 for its enhanced inspection tomorrow and then titling with PenDOT.

Wish me luck!

Then I wait 6-8 weeks for Harrisburg to issue the title. While I’m waiting I will pull the body, apply Raptor and sort out a number punch list items.



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[PNWTim]

Good luck! You made short work of getting it road worthy.

[TTimmy]

I dropped my car off for its PenDOT “enhanced” inspection. I’m lucky to have a guy about a mile away. He is also the grandfather of my daughter’s best friend.

It’s a pretty straightforward process in PA. My coupe went very smoothly.

He did call back and suggest that I install the full bumpers and a grill just in case Harrisburg pushed back after reviewing the pictures. I told him that the coupe didn’t have any bumpers at all. He said it was my choice, but they might spot provisions for bumpers and the question where they are. I drove down and swapped out the quick jacks for the bumpers and shoved a piece of mesh unit the rad opening.

I’ll head over to the tag agent on Monday. If everything goes as planned it will be 6-8 weeks for the title and plates to arrive. The coupe took six weeks.

Next Steps
I have a punch list of “body off” items to tackle while I wait for my registration
As far as the body goes, I’ll start cleaning up the edges of all openings. I may tackle the raptor liner. I’ll then sort out the punch list below, reinstall the body. I’ll probably drive it for a while before digging into the body work. I’ll probably do it myself given the challenges I’ve had finding someone reliable for the coupe bodywork.


The roll bar still needs some more work to get the rear supports aligned. I’ve got one side lined up but the other is still off by about a half inch. Still way better than it was. I have some long bars and race straps that should get it where it needed to be.



I need to trim the rear most trunk aluminum in order to pull the body forward for better trunk alignment. One done I can drill the bolt holes.



Need to get the PS seatbelt installed along with the trim bezels.



I acquired some turn plates so I intend to set the ride height and fine tune the alignment.



I’ve got a power steering leak that I suspect is coming from the 6an/ORB adapter. Not sure if it’s missing an o-ring or what. But the fluid seems to be coming from that area.



The wiper install needs finished up… just need to trim the extra bit off the drive line and grease the whole thing up again.



I’ve got some extra braided line so I may change out the rubber oil filter lines. Not necessarily, but a nice cosmetic upgrade.



Otherwise I’ll go thought the full annual checklist and ensure everything is as it should be.


The Coupe
I’ve been struggling to find someone competent to do the bodywork on the coupe. I had someone lined to do it this winter but it did not happen. So I’m planning on driving it in gelcoat for another season. If I can’t find anyone I will just do it myself.

Anyway I’m spending some time getting it back together it time for the nice weather!

[TTimmy]

We’re starting with some good news. The car passed its technical inspection!

Also the tag agent was satisfied with the vehicle sale from the estate of the former owner.

Now everything has been sent off to Harrisburg! Fingers crossed!

[TTimmy]

We’ve had a couple 65 degree days here and I was itching to get out. The coupe is still in pieces but the roadster is technically roadworthy. I drove it to the local Wawa, filled up the tank and I’ve been able to get about 75 miles on it so far.

I’ve addressed a minor power steering leak. Seems the PO used a 6AN adapter that was a bit too long and without the proper o-ring. This was probably the only thing I did not disassemble after taking ownership of the car. I learned that the adapter is metric on the PS pump side.

211372

I have a very light weep of fluid from the PS front brake line where it transitions to the flex line. I’ll sort that out when the body is off and I have better access.

It will definitely benefit from a bit more work on the alignment. The speedo registers about 2x the actual speed; it needs calibration. Otherwise the car is pretty well sorted.

[TTimmy]

Today was a very exciting day. I received my PA title in the mail! It took less than four weeks after completing the enhanced inspection for PenDOT to get this to me. If I recall correctly it took about six weeks to get the title for my coupe last year. With the title in hand, I can go and pick up some license plates tomorrow! I have a lot of issues with government, but they sure do make this process easy in PA.

212029

I have been neglecting the build somewhat as my focus has been on getting the Daytona back together for the summer season. Now, with the coupe back together, I will be spending more time on the Cobra and I will get the build thread updated!

My next updates should cover:


Getting the roll bar supports to line up with the main hoop
Installing my third brake light in the rollbar
Buttoning up the driver side footbox top and get it insulated
Performing a proper alignment now that I have turnplates
Applying raptor to the underside of the body
Finishing the center console in leather

[TTimmy]

Third Brake Light
I am a fan of the third brake light for obvious safety reasons. I have been giving a lot of thought to how I would tackle this. My goal was to have something unobtrusive mounted to the rollbar. I ended up installing the seven small and bright LEDs into the center of the rollbar and running the wires across and through the rear support downtube.

While the LEDs are threaded, it was proving nearly impossible to thread them in with the length of wire inside the roll bar. I ended up just securing them in with some black silicon. Should that prove inadequate I do have some stronger stuff at my disposal.

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Roll Bar
As previously mentioned, my rollbar rear supports don’t line up with the main hoop. I have gotten them quite close with the use of rachet straps and leverage.

[TTimmy]

Center Console
As I did with my coupe, I wrapped the center console in leather. I like the look, plus I still have plenty of hide left over from the Coupe build.

I started with an oversize console piece from 520 Speed works. It’s a bit wider which allows the carpet to go underneath the sides, plus there is enough room to wrap the leather around the edges. Normally I would have made this piece up myself, but I was out of aluminum sheet and their price is really fair.

I use a very thin layer of cushion on the top surface and sides, ⅛” I think. I do not wrap the cushion around the aluminum edges where it makes a 180 turn as it gets too bulky. I do wrap the leather around these edges and the transition to/from the cushion is not visible at all.

212090

I have had good luck with the DAP/Weldwood Landau Top Adhesive. It does make me wonder, are there really enough landau tops still around to justify producing this product?

I also found a pair of black cupholders on Amazon that worked well, I have no cupholders in my coupe and they sure are convenient for holding trinkets, trash, doodads, phones and whatnot. I also installed a leather e-brake boot that I acquired from a forum member that upgraded to an electric brake. It matches the seats and dash quite well.

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Soundtrack: I started with early ZZ Top and listed to pretty much every one of their major releases. Such solid stuff. Since I'm on a three-man band kick maybe Rush will be next.

[Blitzboy54]

I too like leather. Has a nice smell and feel. I think we bought the same cup holders (great minds). Looks fantastic.

I love rehab work. “Leave it better than you found it”

[TTimmy]

Given the challenges with finding someone to handle my coupes bodywork I decided I will tackle the roadster myself. I must say that the work I have seen done by other forum members gives me the confidence that I can perform work suitable for a daily driver.

As always, I appreciate any input from you all along the way!

It seems my car is a bit of a Frankenstein when it comes to the collection of parts. The chassis is a Mk3 from 2004; the hoods are Mk2 hoods and the body has a SN written on it that indicates it is from much later in the Mk3 production run. The doors have a full carbon fiber interior finish. It’s a bit puzzling, but it is what I've got to work with. The main body appears to have been stored outside for quite some time.

As my plan is to spray the underside with Raptor, if figured I better sort out the mold partition lines before spraying the backside black. This is so I have the benefit of using a backlight to assess the quality of the glass and gelcoat in these areas. Not sure if that matters to a professional, but for me this seems to make sense.

Cleanup and prep:
I cleaned up the body with soap and water after I picked up the car. I have also gone over it with Prepsol just in case any production materials were left behind. I think the elements had eliminated everything.

Partition Lines
I decided to tackle the parting lines with a grinding bit on a Dremel. It’s maybe ⅜ inch and rounded/oval shaped. I basically worked through the gelcoat along the lines ensuring that any gaps were sorted out and to address areas where the gelcoat was layered under the glass.

I was really surprised by the lack of issues. Maybe I am missing something? Everything looked pretty clean before I started and it stayed that way as I worked over the car. My coupe has more issues that are visible and I haven’t touched that body yet. There were a few bubbles but no real “voids.” There were a couple areas where the gel coat was layered under some of the glass but nothing serious. This tended to occur at the end of the lines towards the bottom of the body.


The lines look pretty good before starting any work:
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Most areas opened up to about 3/8 so far and not very deep as the lines look pretty clean to my untrained eye:
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Each fender had a wider area that needed to be opened up on the peaks:
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The "bottom corner" of each line had more issues with gelcoat layered under glass, as well as some small bubbles:
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[Highplainsdakota]

Looks like you're really moving! How did you fabricate the roll bar? I'm also planning on a 1.75" single wide roll bar using the outer mounts only as well as the rear mounts, but I can't find a shop that can bend that steel. Also, most people think it will ripple on the inner radius. Did you have it bent in pieces and welded together? I'd love to figure this out. Thanks!

[Blitzboy54]

Looks like you're really moving! How did you fabricate the roll bar? I'm also planning on a 1.75" single wide roll bar using the outer mounts only as well as the rear mounts, but I can't find a shop that can bend that steel. Also, most people think it will ripple on the inner radius. Did you have it bent in pieces and welded together? I'd love to figure this out. Thanks!

Whitby has a 2” full roll bar that fits a MK4. FYI

[TTimmy]

Looks like you're really moving! How did you fabricate the roll bar? I'm also planning on a 1.75" single wide roll bar using the outer mounts only as well as the rear mounts, but I can't find a shop that can bend that steel. Also, most people think it will ripple on the inner radius. Did you have it bent in pieces and welded together? I'd love to figure this out. Thanks!

The rollbar came with the kit that I acquired from the original owner's estate. I really like it. I assume it must have been a FFR option at one point because there are no provisions for single hoop rollbars on the chassis. Just one mount point for the main hoop on each side and one mount point for the rear "support" piece. From what I can tell it is a single piece of steel. There is no evidence of any welding, nor is there any rippling/compression in the bend areas. It's a quality piece, other than its not well aligned.

That bend is less radical than the normal hoop; 90 degrees vs 180. For me, I would start with my powder coat guys - I've seen a lot really unusual stuff go though there shop and people are bending all sorts of steel... round, square, etc. you could also talk to some 4x4 shops that do custom work as they may have connections for folks that can do that stuff.

Here's another option: https://rollcagecomponents.com/

[TTimmy]

Wheel and Defroster Openings
After a good cleaning I proceeded to trim out the wheel openings back to about a quarter inch. I ended up using a small wheel sander and a dremmel as there was not enough material to use a saw for the full cut. In some areas it was really close and in others I needed to take off maybe ⅜. I finished sanding by hand and rounded the edges.

I had previously marked the defroster locations when the car was together. The windshield prevented me from making those cuts. I drilled a ½ hole at each end and connected them with a small cutoff wheel.

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Vent and Vent Openings
My plan was to use the assembled side vents, since I have them, and to mount them to the body with some standoffs and HSRF. I basically measured the angle of the vents and adjusted the body cutouts to better align to that angle.

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The tricky part is getting the standoffs into the proper location. To accomplish this I assembled the vent and attached the standoffs to the vent. I sanded and marked the approximate location on the body. Then I mixed up a bit of HSRF and applied a dab to the body locations and to the standoffs attached to the vents and I let that sit for a few minutes so it would start setting up. Then I climbed under the body, got comfortable and stuck the vent assembly to the body. I then held it there for a few minutes until everything set well enough. I realize there are other ways, but that is how I did it.

Wiper guides
I opted to build some metal guides for the wiper boxes/transmissions. I also HSRFed these into place. To get the alignment on these ended up using large bolts, washers and nuts to hold the assembly together and at the proper angle. I then applied some HSRF to hold them after roughing up the area with sandpaper.

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[TTimmy]

I wasn’t going to worry about that teardrop opening in the trunk… until I decided to worry about it.

I went easier than expected. I ended up shoving a piece of cardboard in the hole and traced out half of the opening. I then transferred this to some card stock and mirrored the second half. With the teardrop shape drawn, I simply added an inch all the way around and cut it out. This was my template. I hand cut the piece using shears as using the bandsaw on the curves would be tough. I sanded the edges and it was good.

I bent it around a five gallon glass carboy to get the curved contour… probably didn’t even need that, I probably could have bent it by hand.

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[Blitzboy54]

I wasn’t going to worry about that teardrop opening in the trunk… until I decided to worry about it.


Substitute the word teardrop for just about anything and it sums up my build.

This should be on a T shirt

[PNWTim]

Substitute the word teardrop for just about anything and it sums up my build.

This should be on a T shirt

Quote of the day:

"I was going to worry about it....until I decided to worry about it."

[TTimmy]

Miscellaneous Punch List Items
I worked through a bunch of miscellaneous items on the chassis recently.

Footbox and High Temp Tape
Now that I have put a few miles on the car I went ahead and buttoned up the DS footbox. That project also included replacing all the “high temperature” tape I used in the vicinity of the headers as it did not perform as advertised. It was a cloth or glass based tape and the adhesive did not hold up to the heat. I have replaced it with some black aluminum high temp tape so fingers crossed that it holds up.

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Wipers
I buttoned up the under hood part of the wiper system… I greased up the wiper shaft and wheel boxes; trimmed of the extra length of shaft and cleaned it all up real good

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Heater
I must have baked off when I was wiring up the heater because I ran it directly from a HAAT source. I installed a relay so that it will be properly controlled by the ignition switch.

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[TTimmy]

Quote of the day:

"I was going to worry about it....until I decided to worry about it."

This seems to have been the guiding philosophy of my builds… and it’s led to a lot of extra work!

[TTimmy]

Alignment
For some reason I thought the alignment would have gone smoother than it did. With no IRS I reasoned that it would be more straightforward than the coupe. I was mistaken.


Tools:
I upgraded to proper turnplates instead of using greased floor tiles like I did on my last build. I’m using a Longacre caster/camber gauge toe plates and tape measures. Quality stuff.



Set tire pressure
Set ride height: It’s important to note that once set, the alignment will remain accurate so long as you maintain the same ride height (other than some settling in). Since the alignment will be set with the body off I need to compensate for this when the body is back on. Here is my approach: I measured the ride height with the body on and then off and noted these measurements. What's important here is the difference between the two.
This is when things went sideways… The DS three-link bracket was interfering with the shock - had not noticed in the past because I normally jacked up the rear from the pumpkin which maintained the clearance, However, when lifted from the rear frame the lower shock hat would make contact with the three link support. Thus I needed to clearance that. Something that I wasn’t worried about until I had to worry about it. This was a couple hour project I had not planned on. A perfect example of these sidebar projects that kill all our time! So… Pull the wheel, pull the shock, trim a bit of the bracket, bit of paint and put the mess back together.
Center the rear axle: Adjust rear three-link to center by measuring the distance between the wheel and the frame.
Camber and Caster: Then I adjusted the camber and caster repeatedly until the settings came together
Toe: With everything else set I adjusted the toe-in to spec. Also took this opportunity to fine tune the centering of the steering wheel vs front tires. It’s close. My grandpa told me close only counts in horseshoes, hand grenades and slow dancing, but I think close will do just fine here as well.
Reset ride height: With the alignment set I raised the ride height by the difference noted above in step 2. While not scientific, it should get me close to where it was without having to mess around with the ride height too much while the body is on.


Clearanced Three-Link Bracket:
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Soundtrack: a bunch of Grateful Dead and Dead and Co. Getting tuned up for the Sphere.

[TTimmy]

While I have taken some time off from my build thread I have been busy on my build. Though the nice spring weather has been something of a distraction as I have taken many opportunities to get the Daytona out.

So in the next few posts I will venture to get things caught up, here's what's been so far. Everything is body related these days. I have found a great thread from Hineas that has a lot of input from Jeff Kleiner. I am using that as my guide.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showthread.php?44680-Carl-s-and-Phil-s-Mk4-Body-Work-and-Paint

Body Undercoating (Lizard Skin and Raptor) Application
With the help of my lovely bride, I flipped over the body and started masking off the parts that were not due for undercoating. I have really come to appreciate the skills that are required for properly masking off a vehicle. While I make tremendous progress in my skills, I am still quite a novice.

During my coupe build I needed a convenient way to move around the unassembled chassis before it became a roller. I took some ques from the Steward Transportation folks and bolted some wheels to the underside of a sturdy pallet. I have used this giant furniture dolly a number of times. In the case of the roadster body, it worked quite well to 1.) raise it above the ground and 2.) simplify moving it around the shop.

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Let me not digress. I have some extra Lizard Skin sound insulation from another project and used that in the wheel well areas for a bit of extra sound deadening as well as paint protection. Once that was cured I laid down several coats of Raptor. May I love that stuff! The texture is so satisfying!

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It seems Upol generally includes the spray gun in many of their kits. Some folks refer to these as "disposable." I never get rid of anything like this, and I am glad that I didn’t. They have changed the design of the gun and I strongly prefer the older model as the newer one seems to clog somewhat over the course of the product application.

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[TTimmy]

Fitting the Doors
Again, I have been following Hineas’s body work thread. It’s a solid piece of work. I started by remounting the body, windshield, doors, hood and deck lid.

Before any “real” gapping I played around quite a bit with the body fit to get things as close as possible. I struggled to get the front/lower door area to align well. I found that by removing a bit of material along the edge of the lower forward/side body mount points I was able to get the body to tuck in a bit more; thus better accommodating the front/lower door area. This is the area where the body butts up against the footbox. I took off about 1/16 to ⅛ on each side to get things to work. I did this to both sides.

At the end of the day it seems I needed to compromise in few areas. There is no way to make it all line up; plus the radius is different on the rear upper area. but overall the lines seem to work and I believe I have it fitted so that the minimal amount of filler will be needed.

Once things were close I locked down the hinges and got to work on the gapping exercise, taking off just a bit at a time. Overall, the process went pretty well. Just dusty, as expected.

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Fitting the Trunk
In my earlier posts you can see that the lower trunk was misaligned by — a lot. It was a mess. Seems the trunk floor was pushing the rear of the body WAY to far back, crushing the bulb seal also. I trimmed that back and got things to land in the proper places and the trunk lid seemed to fit much better… almost perfect.

NOTE: As I have previously mentioned, this car came with a lot of extra parts. Mostly Mk3, but a mix of Mk1/2 and Mk4. Not really sure why. Regardless, I had a extra trunk floor that was not installed. I pulled it out and measured it and the length and “step” were different from what was on the car. So maybe the wrong one was installed from the start. Whatever. It’s fixed now.

Trunk - Before
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Trunk - After
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On-Deck:
Next up I will be tackling the hood. My home is that, after tackling the coupe hood, it feels like a walk in the park. It will certainly be easier for a single person to move it around, make adjustments, reinstall, etc.

[Geoff H]

Nicely done with the trunk lid fit - that was a challenging fit when I was building years back! Looks great!

[Blitzboy54]

Man this is looking great. I am doing some very basic body work myself and it has become apparent to me I HATE doing body work. Maybe if I had better equipment or knew what I was doing it would be better.

Are you going to shoot it yourself?

[TTimmy]

Man this is looking great. I am doing some very basic body work myself and it has become apparent to me I HATE doing body work. Maybe if I had better equipment or knew what I was doing it would be better.

Are you going to shoot it yourself?

This being a basket case save project, it's largely a budget build. Thus I will tackle all the body work and painting myself. If it is horrible I can always pay someone to fix it. The way I see it is that we are building these cars out of passion for the build. Clearly it is more economical to buy one pre-built. So fare I have done all the work by myself and it would be nice to say "I did it all!"

Here is what I hope to accomplish:

Determine if I have the skills to do this type of work. If so, I plan to tackle my unfinished coupe over the winter. I have been driving it in gel coat for over a year.
Refine my skills (if I have any) so that my coupe will benefit from any improvements and learnings. I am definitely learning some new skills!
Better understand the bodywork process - so far I have learned a lot and I look at paint jobs much differently now. and I have not even sprayed anything yet! I have a new appreciation for bodymen. Odly, I have both in increased hatred of dust as well as an increased tolerance for dust. Not sure how to reconcile that.
Save some money - It's cheaper than paying somebody else, but it's not free when you need to buy all the stuff. My philosophy on the "new tool purchase" topic is this: Increase the denominator... You can reduce the per-vehicle cost of any tool purchase by buying more cars.

[Blitzboy54]

Gods speed

[TTimmy]

My updates are less frequent as summer is in full swing and summertime activities tends to get in the way of things such as updating my build thread. However, it’s not really slowing down my progress.

Raging on the Body:
After fitting the doors, trunk and hood as best as I could, I started reshaping the parting lines and getting the curve alignment right. The upper doors needed a fair amount of work, but nothing unusual compared to other threads I’ve read. I worked the edges of the doors, hood and trunk as needed and filled in a few other areas... all typical stuff so I won't go into a lot of detail. In total I used about 3/4 can of Rage Gold.

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Carbon Fiber Door Considerations:
As my inner doors are carbon fiber it was a bit tricky to establish the right transition from paint to CF. It was really a matter of assessing the seams/joints between the CF and fiberglass and picking a line that worked on both the front and rear of the door. It also needed to be somewhat consistent on each door. The transition ended up about ⅜” on the underside of the inner door. The CF is a bit beat up so I am currently thinking that it should get a coat clear when I spray the rest of the car. I need to research this a bit more to figure out if that is the right course of action.

A Bit of Glass Work:
Since my double-wide rollbar did align well with the factory cut holes I was left with a small fiberglass project. I have a set of rollbar trim rings, but it just barely covered the oversized holes; and only three of the four screws would attach through the body. I did some careful measuring and once the body was off, I patched up those areas. I dropped the body back on for a quick test fit and everything looked good. Pulled off the unpainted body for the last time. Hopefully!

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Paint Color - SETTLED!
As I was strolling through an English car show a couple weeks ago, I found the BRG shade I have been looking for. It's Triumph Racing Green or Conifer Green. The color debate is settled. For me this is an absolutely massive decision that is now behind me! A quick search on the internet and I had the PPG code for the color. But it seems knowing color is only part of the solution. My local PPG shop cannot make it up since their formula is only for water and lead based versions; neither of which they can make at that shop. I found the builder of the car, but did not have any paint codes, he simply had them match the old color. However, without a sample I was stuck. Well, back to the internet... eventually I found a couple paint chip reference charts for the 1960s Triumphs I needed. I found three different charts and ordered them all since they are just a couple bucks each. Hopefully the greens all match. With that in hand I can have the paint shop scan and reproduce the color. Should I decide to go with yellow accent stripes, I will also have that sample as well.

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[TTimmy]

With the body fitting, gapping and initial filling phase behind me I moved my focus onto building a paint booth. I know there are many options, below I discuss the three that I most seriously considered.

My requirements:


Must stay assembled for the duration of the bodywork phase
Something stowable and reusable as I intend to finish my coupe this winter
It must fit inside my workshop. Putting it outside is not an option as I don’t want to contend with the wind, rain, heat, bugs, falling branches, etc. Also, I get the benefit of AC. Plus, my bride is never happy when she sees my project spilling out of my pole barn!
Maybe something I can sell when I am done


Option 1: Blow up Paint Booth
I won’t say I have plenty of room, but I can make a 20x12 unit fit. I briefly considered the blow up kind but they are too bulky. They are too small given the space that is lost due to the blow up support structure. Plus it needs to stay erect without having fans running as that will not work long term. Simply put it is not practical and too risky - can’t have it collapsing if I lose power, etc.

Option 2: Isolate a portion of the shop
I seriously considered putting up some plastic walls that would attach to the ceiling and dropped down using some type of pulley system. I was concerned with the plastic billowing once the fans were running. It would also be challenging to build it given the placement of my garage door supports, ceiling fans and other crap that’s on the ceiling. Keeping it clean, long term, would also be a challenge.

Option 3: Outdoor Car Port in the Shop
I decided to go with an outdoor carport to be assembled in the shop. For me a 20x12x10H unit seemed to balance what is needed for the body work with leaving adequate space in the shop for all the other stuff. I found a something on Amazon for a few hundred dollars that seemed to fit the bill.

Here is how I set it up:

Lighting:
I added Amazon Barina LED lights along the top and sides; WIth the silver walls it is plenty bright. These are zip tied to the frame of the carport and daisy chain into each other for power. They fall back to a single power strip for simplifying on/off.

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Sealing and Power:
I cut down the legs about three inches so that I would have extra material from the walls that I could tape down to the floor. I used some extra wide 8” duct tape to tape it to the ground and to seal up the separate tarp pieces that make up the walls and top. Ran some power strips inside for lights and whatever else. I eventually added some EMT conduit to better support the ends and prevent them from billowing in so much.

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Ventilation:
I installed HVAC vents filling one peak and on two of the “windows.” I positioned the exhaust end near the garage door so that I can open it up just a bit for the fans to exhaust outside. I have a couple vevor explosion proof fans, high CFM. I folded up the bottom of that wall and cut some holes in some cardboard so the exhaust fans and a reasonably tight fit.

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Initial observations and learnings:
I only ran both fans for a brief period of time while testing and, even with all the filters, it really pulled in the sides. The two short ends were more of a problem since the poles are 12 feet apart. The others are just over 7 feet apart.

I initially put two vertical poles in from the floor to each peak, which worked OK during testing. However, when I went into production with activated slicksand, the fans started pulling in the walls and the supports I put in place. Ugh. Not much I could do other that work in a more confined space. I did turn off one fan to help alleviate the problem. It helped, and one fan was adequate for moving air through the space. (It would have been quite comical looking for someone to see this clown in in Tyvek suit bubbling around his homemade paint booth as the wall collapsed around him!) I have since put in some horizontal supports that hold the vertical supports securely in place.

The exhaust fans also made a real mess of the driveway as they blew out all the extra material. I have since added some HVAC filters to the inside of the exhaust fans. My wife has not commented on the mess yet, but it is clearly in violation the Prime Directive: no projects shall spill out of pole barn!

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Project Cost:


Carport: $250
2000 CFM Explosion proof fans: $138x2=$280 (I already owned one)
Extra wide duct tape: $50
HVAC Filters: $50 (got the same size I use in my house so I can reuse any extras
LED Barrina Lights, Qty 10, 6ft: $180
EMT Electrical conduit to prevent the sides from billowing in: $30 (Already owned this stuff)
Paper to protect the floor: $20


Soundtrack:
This took a while so I was listening to a lot of stuff: ZZ Top, Van Halen start to finish, Warren Zevon, and The Who.

[Blitzboy54]

This is my favorite build maybe of all time. I love a rehab project. I also love the green. My first car was green. It just looks right on a roadster.

Thanks for documenting all of this. You have at the very least re affirmed my decision to have someone else do the body and paint. Really looking forward to the finished product.

[TTimmy]

This is my favorite build maybe of all time. I love a rehab project. I also love the green. My first car was green. It just looks right on a roadster.

Thanks for documenting all of this. You have at the very least re affirmed my decision to have someone else do the body and paint. Really looking forward to the finished product.

Thanks - i'm having a blast with it. And the fact that it's a "budget build" lets me get away with a lot!

The bodywork phase is a real mess and not for everybody given constraints such as time, space, tools, skills, etc. I guess I can justify this since I have two cars to paint.

[TTimmy]

Well, it seems I have been quite negligent regarding build updates. Summertime is a very busy time for me.

I finished painting the car this week. It has been reassembled and is on the road. I have a small punch list of items to work through. The first thing I was told to do was to adjust the Breeze seat mounts so my wife can drive the car - Her vision is that I build this for her!?!... Glad to have her on board!

Concerning the overall paint process, I generally followed what was in Hineas’s paint thread. It is quite complete and most of what is in there applied to my situation. It includes a lot of input from Jeff K as well. For anyone considering doing their own body and/or paint it is worth a read: https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showthread.php?44680-Carl-s-and-Phil-s-Mk4-Body-Work-and-Paint

It was a challenging, frustrating and rewarding process. I learned a lot! It is probably not for everybody, but I would do it again. In fact I plan to paint my coupe later this year. The results exceeded my expectations. Here are a few shots of the finished product:


https://youtu.be/Fo4d6Q1JmRI

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[Jeff Kleiner]

Looks great! :cool:

Jeff

[Blitzboy54]

She’s so pretty.

Congratulations man, great looking car.

[PMD24]

Congrats! Looks awesome. Props to you for taking this on and killing it. Great documentation as well.

Pat

[TTimmy]

I am now winding down this thread as I have sold the Mk3. This was a bittersweet transaction as I really enjoyed driving that car. However I needed to make room for my new Mk4 project. I put almost 1000 miles on the car over the course of a month. I am confident the new owner got a great vehicle with a solid shakedown.

During the time that it was on the road I did not drive my coupe at all - I loved the Cobra - loved hanging my arm over the door and just cruising around. With my foot off the gas it was an old english sports car - With accelerator applied it was pure American muscle!

Here is a video walkthrough of the car at about 800 miles. Be warned, I am a rambling country boy.


https://youtu.be/nitR4WNLgqM


Some afterthoughts regarding painting:
I stumbled across some notes from when I painted the car and thought I would share those for anyone considering this option. Again, a shoutout to Carl and Phil for their work on the following thread; and to Jeff K for his contributions to the thread. It was indispensable for the bodywork phase.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showthread.php?44680-Carl-s-and-Phil-s-Mk4-Body-Work-and-Paint

Here are a few comments that should be considered in addition to what is in the above thread. Some are things I learned the hard way and some are just observations, etc. I am sure some of this is standard operating procedure or otherwise well known. In my case I missed these in my research. Not saying these are the only important considerations, only that these are things I somehow “learned” the hard way - either because it was not well documented or, more likely, just because I missed the details.

PPE: This was not something I missed, but something I want to stress. These are very dangerous chemicals and you must take appropriate precautions to protect yourself, others and the environment. I watched a lot of videos and was quite surprised how cavalier some folks are with PPE. The damage these chemicals do is permanent and severe. Please don’t take chances.

Cup System: Use a cup system for your paint gun. This eliminates the drip/vent on the “hard” cups and simplifies cleanup. I am sure this is not necessarily the case for a seasoned professional, but I appreciated the comfort that nothing would drip from my gun if I held it at the wrong angle.

Tyvek Suit: If using a Tyvek suit or equivalent, get it without the feet/boots. The overspray from some of the products I used reacted with the Tyvek material causing the feet to become sticky and start bunching up. It was a mess in my case. I cut off all the feet and just wore a sacrificial pair of shoes. Funny aside: The first time I was spraying with the Tyvek suit: as the feet bunched up, the legs got shorter and shorter until eventually the crotch ripped out. So there I am, first time spraying the car, a Tyvek suit that is shrinking, my feet sticking to the floor, the sides of my paint tent billowing in on me. It would have been quite a funny site for anyone watching this clown bumble around!

Space Considerations: Don’t underestimate the amount of space required to paint. I had a dedicated 12x20 space and it was too small. While it held everything, some stuff was too close to the walls and the spray gun would kick up dirt, etc. while I was painting. I ended up doing my body by itself and then the hood, trunk and doors together. Not optimal, but this was how I was able to make things work. Again, a pro might be OK with that space, but it was too tight for this clumsy guy!

I was pretty happy with my tent. It contained the mess into a manageable area which made clean up easier. I will use it again. In fact, I would probably use it again for the body work/sanding so that I don’t make such a mess of my shop.

Air Capacity: Make sure you have plenty of air capacity and good filtration. I knew I was going to come up short so I purchased a used, temporary compressor to run in parallel with my existing unit. While I am sure this is not “best practice” it worked for me. The temporary unit sat outside and fed into a manifold ahead of my filtration apparatus. I might have been OK with my single compressor (5HP 20 gallon) but I didn’t want to take a chance. As someone who manages critical infrastructure I also felt better knowing I had N+1 redundancy.

Environmental considerations: I had a problem with condensation on the surface while spraying sealer. Over the course of the days I was completing my paint the weather went from cool to unseasonably warm and humid. My strategy was to run the AC hard and keep things cool. When painting I would run the fans, open the windows and proceed with my work. When spraying the sealer the temperature delta and dew point were such that condensation started to form on the car as I finished up spraying. It was a mess.

It left little pock marks all over the car. At least I think this was the cause - but perhaps I did not wait long enough after wiping down the car. I was super frustrated and had to just walk away. I worked with my local paint shop and the area PPG rep and they got me back on track. A great reason to work with these types of resources if they are available to you. Everything I was buying was cheaper on the internet, but I would never have gotten the support I needed had I gone that route.

Another source of moisture was me. I dealt with sweat running down my arms and out the sleeve of my Tyvek suit. Either wear sweatbands or tape your sleeves to your gloves. Glad I discovered this in the high-build phase.

Supplier Support: Build a relationship with a local, trusted vendor if possible. As mentioned above, vendor support can be quite valuable, especially for someone not familiar with paint and body work. I considered using Eastwood as they have a facility nearby. However, they could not provide TDS sheets for the products (no online or in person!?) That seems like a big miss. The staff were friendly, but questions frequently required escalation and follow-up on their part was poor.

On the other hand, Will and my local Colours shop (PPG distributor) were fantastic. If he didn’t have an answer he would get it and follow up. They offered product delivery as well. I could have saved 20% buying off the internet but in my opinion it was not worth it.

Insects: I also detonated a bug bomb each night before any critical spraying operation so that I wouldn't need to deal with insects. It seemed to work. There are no bugs in my paint. There are other things, but no bugs.