Rick's Mark V Roadster Build

[rickster991]

Well I finally pulled the trigger on purchasing a kit to fulfill a lifelong dream. As a teenager I saw the movie Gumball Rally and fell in love with the Cobra. If you haven't seen it, it's a must watch! I recently retired from the computer software industry and could not wait to pursue building one. I am 6' 4" so I was excited to see the new changes to the Mark V. I took the FFR build class at Mott Community college to make sure I was up to the task and to make sure I would fit. Zero to doing donuts in 3 days! It was quite the experience and gave me the confidence that I would be able to do it. I was able to build a garage with a lift and now I'm just waiting for shipment. It is scheduled to arrive 5/30!

I purchased the full kit and the Blueprint 347 EFI + PS and AC. I live in Florida and will absolutely need the AC! :)

Garage is ready:
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Body buck with storage tray is ready:
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Now all I need is the kit and the engine! I'll be done in no time! :)

Rick

[rickster991]

I’ve been watching a bunch of build videos. Is there a must see?

[65 Cobra Dude]

Welcome to the madness Rick! Looking forward to watching your build.

Henry

[BUDFIVE]

Rick, welcome to the group-all of us pursuing a dream. Glad you enjoyed build school-I did too. I found the FFR videos useful as a refresher before each major step of the build. To get ready for each step it’s also helpful to read that section of the build manual then Google search something like ‘Factory Five IRS Install’ and read what other builders have posted about that step.

While you wait for your delivery, when you can I suggest you share with us your build plan/design so far. We know the engine is a 347 EFI w/ PS, AC. What transmission (ratios), IRS or solid, rear axle ratio, other major kit items, front and rear brakes, wheels, tires, what are you doing different, etc. When you ask questions and/or for help, other builders will refer to this for context.

I look forward to watching your build. Good Luck-Vroom-A 347 in these cars is exhilarating!

[rickster991]

OK here goes... I plan to keep it pretty close to the kit with some comforts like charging plugs, cup holders, cubby in the rear, etc...

It will mostly be used on the street with some occasional track days. I have been participating in HPDE for many years. I started with street cars, mostly 911's and currently have a retired e46 M3 race car that I use. Have to add my favorite picture from Circuit of the Americas in Austin.

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Complete Kit order
Hyd clutch
SS exhaust
IRS
Standard brakes front, IRS 13" rear
wiper kit
A/C
PS parts
sway bars
brake booster
17" wheels with Nitto NT05

Blueprint 347 EFI + AC + PS, Tremec TK0600, Oil/Coolant,etc

Aftermarket:
18.5 low back Kirkey seats
Driveshaft loop
Breeze radiator shroud
LizardSkin sound/heat coating
Raptor bedliner

[rickster991]

Things I am considering:

1. Forte mechanical throttle linkage kit: Is it worth it?
2. I need to figure out if BP engine come with header locking bolts? Not sure what size I need to get if I need to add them.
3. Changing gas pedal to match - Breeze
4. Boltless roll bar from Speedworks. Anyone use this?
5. Extending the Driver footbox, I am 6'4" and all legs. There is a kit from Snakebite Motors. I am going to try to do it myself. I bought a Metal Brake from Harbor Freight.
6. Heat shield for side exhaust. Not sure if it's necessary?
7. Offset steering rack bushing from Breeze. At the build school they noticed too much change in toe during suspension travel(Bump steer). I figured I'll check if I need it. Bump steer is scary on the track... :)

I think that's it so far.

[BUDFIVE]

Rick, cool and a good start.
#2-If you ordered 302/SBF headers from FFR they ship header bolts (header to cylinder head) with your kit. Many guys change these, some for studs and some use a brass nut which hold but won’t seize.
#3-The Breeze gas pedal is nice.
Other-Where does the battery mount in a MKV? In a MKIV it goes under the trunk and some of use move it to the engine compartment with a kit from Breeze.

[rickster991]

The battery goes up front under the radiator.214243214242

[edwardb]

#7- Was your build school experience with the Mk5? I think they only recently started doing that. The offset bushings allow you to exactly center the steering rack. Although on two Mk4 builds I didn't find them necessary. Time will tell about the Mk5. They weren't required on my Gen3 Coupe build which has a similar chassis design as the Mk5 Roadster.

[PMD24]

Welcome!

I attended the build school for similar reasons and am now in the midst of my build. I quickly learned the three most important things are:

1, Read in the forum before you tackle any part of the build
2. Read in the forum before you tackle any part of the build
3. Read in the forum before you tackle any part of the build

I understand that you are doing an MK5 and there may not be many threads on that, but I'm hearing that much of the MK4 info in the forum is still applicable.

For searching the forum use google. Type in thefactoryfiveforum, a space, and then your topic. Works far better than the forum's internal search function.

You're going to love the build process!

Pat

[PNWTim]

It looks like you are well situated to start your build. Enjoy!

[rickster991]

#7- Was your build school experience with the Mk5? I think they only recently started doing that. The offset bushings allow you to exactly center the steering rack. Although on two Mk4 builds I didn't find them necessary. Time will tell about the Mk5. They weren't required on my Gen3 Coupe build which has a similar chassis design as the Mk5 Roadster.

Yes it was with the MK5. The instructor noticed it was off and said it was a candidate for the bushing.

[rickster991]

Welcome!

I attended the build school for similar reasons and am now in the midst of my build. I quickly learned the three most important things are:

1, Read in the forum before you tackle any part of the build
2. Read in the forum before you tackle any part of the build
3. Read in the forum before you tackle any part of the build

I understand that you are doing an MK5 and there may not be many threads on that, but I'm hearing that much of the MK4 info in the forum is still applicable.

For searching the forum use google. Type in thefactoryfiveforum, a space, and then your topic. Works far better than the forum's internal search function.

You're going to love the build process!

Pat
Thanks. Will do!

[Aleinsteingenius]

I have my Mark 5 kit here. My transmission, clutch, etc from Mike Forte is here. The engine should be arriving soon. I am finishing my shop and will be starting soon. Today I installed the HVAC system in the shop.214282214283

[rickster991]

Nice.

[rickster991]

Doing some reading ahead of delivery. I see a lot of builders have opted for a mechanical throttle linkage instead of the stock cable. I see Forte sells one. Are there others? Will it work on the Mark V?

[gbranham]

TKO600 or TKX?

[rickster991]

Tko600 with steel bell housing from BP Engines.

[Mike.Bray]

Doing some reading ahead of delivery. I see a lot of builders have opted for a mechanical throttle linkage instead of the stock cable. I see Forte sells one. Are there others? Will it work on the Mark V?

I have a cable for the throttle but with stacks a mechanical linkage is a lot more complicated. Having said that, I'm very happy with how the throttle actuates with the cable. However, I did upgrade to a Lokar throttle cable. Not cheap but top of the line quality.

[rickster991]

Which Lokar? Do you have a link?

[gbranham]

Tko600 with steel bell housing from BP Engines.

Interesting. I thought the TKO600 was replaced by the TKX 5-ish years ago.

[rickster991]

I’ll ask them.

[rickster991]

The price sheet says TKX, but the description says TKO. Hmmm..

1 0 EACH BPPTKX600SB INSTALLED TRANSMISSION, TREMEC TKO600 MANUAL - STEEL BELL

[BUDFIVE]

Rickster, Like Mike I used a Lokar cable. It integrated well with the Breeze pedal. Here’s the one I bought214320

[rickster991]

Rickster, Like Mike I used a Lokar cable. It integrated well with the Breeze pedal. Here’s the one I bought214320

Thanks. Now I have to decide if I should go with mechanical. I guess I can decide in the go-kart phase.

[Blitzboy54]

If you go with the Lokar cable let me know. I have a spare still in the package from my first build. I ended up with 2. Same one as Budfive listed. You can have it for the cost of shipping.

[rickster991]

If you go with the Lokar cable let me know. I have a spare still in the package from my first build. I ended up with 2. Same one as Budfive listed. You can have it for the cost of shipping.

Thanks I’ll message you!

[egchewy79]

1. Forte mechanical throttle linkage kit: Is it worth it? I have it and love it. Gives you a very nice throttle feel. Much easier to install with the footbox unsealed. I used roll pins instead of set screws. Consider leaving a portion of the roll pin inside the footbox partially out to make removal down the road much easier if necessary
2. I need to figure out if BP engine come with header locking bolts? Not sure what size I need to get if I need to add them.
3. Changing gas pedal to match - Breeze
4. Boltless roll bar from Speedworks. Anyone use this? This is a very slick option. I think it's a much cleaner look than the bolt. Others have used stainless button head bolts and even tapped the vertical portion of the roll bar to better hide it, but I have the boltless kit and like it
5. Extending the Driver footbox, I am 6'4" and all legs. There is a kit from Snakebite Motors. I am going to try to do it myself. I bought a Metal Brake from Harbor Freight.
6. Heat shield for side exhaust. Not sure if it's necessary? "Necessary". That's up for debate, but if you plan on having kids/spouse/friends ride with you I think it's a nice option to have. I have the polished stainless ones from Drummer Mike that they look awesome. he's not a vendor on this forum but you can find his contact pretty easily w/ a quick search or I could DM you his info
7. Offset steering rack bushing from Breeze. At the build school they noticed too much change in toe during suspension travel(Bump steer). I figured I'll check if I need it. Bump steer is scary on the track...

[rickster991]

6. Heat shield for side exhaust. Not sure if it's necessary? That's up for debate, but if you plan on having kids/spouse/friends ride with you I think it's a nice option to have. I have the polished stainless ones from Drummer Mike that they look awesome. he's not a vendor on this forum but you can find his contact pretty easily w/ a quick search or I could DM you his info.

That would be great. I was looking at the ones from finish line.

[Mike.Bray]

Which Lokar? Do you have a link?

Pretty sure it's this one. https://www.summitracing.com/parts/lok-tc-1000u

I would have to confirm the length is all.

[cv2065]

The price sheet says TKX, but the description says TKO. Hmmm..

1 0 EACH BPPTKX600SB INSTALLED TRANSMISSION, TREMEC TKO600 MANUAL - STEEL BELL

Good luck on your build! I'm sure you'll be getting a TKX and a typo as they don't manufacturer the TKO any longer.

[Mike.Bray]

Which Lokar? Do you have a link?

I have a cable for the throttle but with stacks a mechanical linkage is a lot more complicated. Having said that, I'm very happy with how the throttle actuates with the cable. However, I did upgrade to a Lokar throttle cable. Not cheap but top of the line quality.

[Jeff Kleiner]

...I'm sure you'll be getting a TKX and a typo as they don't manufacturer the TKO any longer.

Correct, unless BP is purging old stock.

Jeff

[egchewy79]

That would be great. I was looking at the ones from finish line.

and FYI, "fini$hline" is a sore topic on this forum. Just do a quick search. The term is actually censored on the forums.
Using them as a vendor is like playing russian roulette.
You might get items the following week, or you could be sitting for months without any product or explanation/correspondence from the company. Many have had to dispute the purchases w/ their credit card companies to get their money back.
Proceed w/ caution. I've ordered a couple of parts from them with no issues, but that's just my personal experience.

[rickster991]

Ah I was wondering why it did that. I ordered a few parts as well and they arrived as described and quickly.

[rickster991]

Good luck on your build! I'm sure you'll be getting a TKX and a typo as they don't manufacturer the TKO any longer.

I spoke with them today. It is a TKX. Phew!

[cv2065]

I spoke with them today. It is a TKX. Phew!

Good to hear! What part of Florida? I’m in Winter Garden (West Orlando)

[rickster991]

I’m in South Florida, but the build is happening mostly in Western North Carolina.

[rickster991]

I’m using this fluid for my BMW, I assume it’s ok for the Cobra?

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[Jeff Kleiner]

I’m using this fluid for my BMW, I assume it’s ok for the Cobra?

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Yes, just don't use DOT5.

Jeff

[rickster991]

I got Silicone Lubricating grease for the bushings. The manual does not mention using it in most cases. Do I add it to all bushings? The steering rack for example?

My delivery is delayed. Should be tomorrow.

[Jeff Kleiner]

The steering rack doesn’t move (unless you have a big problem!) so no lube.

Jeff

[rickster991]

Ok so the adage is, “if it moves it gets lube”. Got it!

[rickster991]

https://www.walmart.com/ip/492234819?sid=ac7fc394-534f-4530-a50a-958732a88ba2

Will this work for carpet?

[Jeff Kleiner]

https://www.walmart.com/ip/492234819?sid=ac7fc394-534f-4530-a50a-958732a88ba2

Will this work for carpet?

3M 90

https://cdn11.bigcommerce.com/s-7cgutvuzne/images/stencil/1280x1280/products/6402/10382/7010366483_1__49288.1597089499.jpg?c=2

Jeff

[rickster991]

Thanks!

[rickster991]

Met with a local custom paint shop. Has a lot of experience with fiberglass. Saw some of his work and looks top notch. He said he can use a variety of paints, but mainly uses Axalta. Any experience with this brand?

[Tango]

You had mentioned the Speedworks bolt-less roll bar kit earlier…..I worked Greg from 520Speedworks (real nice dude) giving him some measurements and was able to confirm that his 2” kit works with the MK5. I received it last week and will be installing it in the very near future but I already test fitted it and it is seamless.

[Jeff Kleiner]

You had mentioned the Speedworks bolt-less roll bar kit earlier…..I worked Greg from 520Speedworks (real nice dude) giving him some measurements and was able to confirm that his 2” kit works with the MK5. I received it last week and will be installing it in the very near future but I already test fitted it and it is seamless.

2" kit? The Mk5 has 1.5" bars :confused"

Jeff

[rickster991]

Same question??? I was looking at some slick third brake light solutions where folks add leds to the roll bar. They probably both won’t fit. How long is the mechanism? I assume there is no room inside the bar with it in place.

[rickster991]

Update. I received my kit on Saturday and spent all day Sunday doing the inventory, but I got it done. According to the manifest, I was only missing a couple of parts so I was excited to get started.

The delivery was quite the adventure. The road to my place is not passable, so I met the driver on a nearby highway.

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We proceeded to load in on a utility trailer on jack stands secured with straps. I did this so I could backup the trailer into the garage and be able to lift it off using my lift. The driver said it was a first for him, but the last guy loaded sideways on the back of his pickup! So not as crazy..

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This had the added bonus that I was able to take it and all 40+ boxes in one trip. So threw the dirt roads and fields to its new home.

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[rickster991]

So I started the install and had some hiccups. The body is still on because I have a guy coming to look at it and give me an estimate.

Step 1. Install the PS rack. Went ok but I had to grind the bracket that holds it on because it was too tall and was flexing one of the lines.

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Step 2. Install front LCAs. Went ok but the sleeve was 1/16” wider than the bushings so could not get the washers/spacers in. After a few minutes of grinding was able to get them in, greased with silicone lubricant and torqued down. Could only do the left side as I found out I’m missing the sleeves for the right side. There was no inventory for this, so no way to know. I added to the missing parts list.

Step 3. Upper CAs. Here I’m stuck. Need some help. It calls for .84” spacers… but I only got .675, .4, and .5! I checked the entire inventory, 40+ sheets, and there is no 60766 spacer! Anyone run into this? I guess I will call them tomorrow.

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Step 4 will go better!!!

[danmas]

Wow! Your build manual has color pictures? Very cool!

[Tango]

My mistake on the 1.5 vs 2”…..the point is the Speedworks kit does work with the MK5 rollbars. I test fitted them last week.

[rickster991]

My mistake on the 1.5 vs 2”…..the point is the Speedworks kit does work with the MK5 rollbars. I test fitted them last week.

Did you happen to install the front upper control arms yet?

[danmas]

I can’t tall from your picture but it looks to me like your ps bracket is on the bottom of the power steering rack? Mine went over the top. Is it possible you have it upside down?

Regarding the spacers… I’m not sure where they belong based on your description but I would say you have a couple choices…

1. Call factory five or use the “ask a tech” section of this forum (I would call),
2. Go with what you have.could be problematic but not a huge difference. I dunno
3. Source the spacers from Amazon or McMaster… I have done that a lot….

I wouldn’t let it hold you up…

Fun watching your thread…

Dan

[rickster991]

I can’t tall from your picture but it looks to me like your ps bracket is on the bottom of the power steering rack? Mine went over the top. Is it possible you have it upside down?


It is over the top. You didn’t have to grind yours? Hmmm…




Regarding the spacers… I’m not sure where they belong based on your description but I would say you have a couple choices…

1. Call factory five or use the “ask a tech” section of this forum (I would call),
2. Go with what you have.could be problematic but not a huge difference. I dunno
3. Source the spacers from Amazon or McMaster… I have done that a lot….

I wouldn’t let it hold you up…

Fun watching your thread…

Dan

I’ll call them and checkout McMaster. Thanks!

[Erik W. Treves]

Step 3. Upper CAs. Here I’m stuck. Need some help. It calls for .84” spacers… but I only got .675, .4, and .5! I checked the entire inventory, 40+ sheets, and there is no 60766 spacer! Anyone run into this? I guess I will call them tomorrow.

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Step 4 will go better!!!

If you look at the top of the picture that's the Coupe R configuration - I might have missed it - are you building an R? the uper control arm goes in between the frame mounts on the street versions.

[rickster991]

I reread the instructions this morning. Turns out I don’t have an R model. My engineer brain goes to the schematic over the picture! �� all is well! Lesson learned Read AND understand the instructions!

[rponfick]

Just a comment on the Breeze full gas pedal assembly. It will not fit the MK5 as the tube it mounts to has been removed in the MK5. I will use the FFR supplied pedal and then run a Lokar cable and use the Breeze suggestion of mounting the carb backwards to allow the cable to be in a large gentle bend around the front of the carb. It's funny that the carb does not know it is on backwards.

I have the mechanical linkage on my MK4, but it has been a nightmare. The original owner did not pin the lever arms and the one under the dash is slipping on the shaft and is impossible to get to now to pin. I will be replacing it using the Breeze pedal and long Lokar cable and backwards carb.
Ralph

[rickster991]

Ok thanks.

[danmas]

It is over the top. You didn’t have to grind yours? Hmmm…



I’ll call them and checkout McMaster. Thanks!

Well, I went and took a look since you asked. I really have no idea if this is an issue or not.
https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=214626&d=1749009922

Anyone think I need to grind this down?

Dan

[rickster991]

That looks different than mine. Mine was arched instead of flat. It was bulging that tube that yours is barely touching. In the picture I posted the discolored are was completely round before I ground it down.

[edwardb]

Well, I went and took a look since you asked. I really have no idea if this is an issue or not.
https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=214626&d=1749009922

Anyone think I need to grind this down?

Dan


That looks different than mine. Mine was arched instead of flat. It was bulging that tube that yours is barely touching. In the picture I posted the discolored are was completely round before I ground it down.

That particular cross tube doesn't have any fluid or high pressure. It's there is equalize pressure between the LH and RH boots as they compress/expand while turning. I wouldn't want the tube hard contacting that bracket. But bending it a little wouldn't hurt anything as long as it doesn't pull out of the boots. I haven't done a build where those safety brackets are used. Curious what the background is. But regardless, I'd be cautious about grinding them down, notching, whatever, potentially weakening.

[rickster991]

Making progress. I installed the left front suspension and brake components. I could not do the right side as I am missing parts. I painted the calipers yellow in homage to other cars I have enjoyed: I have a feeling they are not going to last, and I will be getting them powder coated in the future. I did run into installing the steering arm backwards because I test fit it with tie rod end from the top instead of the bottom. If you plan to mess with the calipers you will need thin wrenches to torque the slide pins on.

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I had to skip the rear suspension and brakes because I am missing parts. I moved on to the parking brake assembly. It went well. For those about to do this, I suggest you do not tighten the main section until it’s all together as I had to tighten/loosen it several times to get it done.

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I then proceeded to spend 4 hours installing the pedal assembly. I tried to put the pedals as far back as possible and still have full throw without hitting the frame. My tip here is do not cut the arm until you are done adjusting it to your liking. I barely had enough to fit it the way I wanted it because I cut it according to the manual. The pedals do go past where the existing sheet metal goes, so I will need to make some adjustments.

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And finally I installed my first rivet and got to use my new tool. It worked great.
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[rickster991]

I am struggling with the steering shaft. I’ve tried adjusting the depth at each u-joint but I cannot get it to not bind. Do I need to cut the shaft? Anyone else get through this on the Mark V? Thanks for any advice..

[PNWTim]

Update. I received my kit on Saturday and spent all day Sunday doing the inventory, but I got it done. According to the manifest, I was only missing a couple of parts so I was excited to get started.

The delivery was quite the adventure. The road to my place is not passable, so I met the driver on a nearby highway.

214514


We proceeded to load in on a utility trailer on jack stands secured with straps. I did this so I could backup the trailer into the garage and be able to lift it off using my lift. The driver said it was a first for him, but the last guy loaded sideways on the back of his pickup! So not as crazy..

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This had the added bonus that I was able to take it and all 40+ boxes in one trip. So threw the dirt roads and fields to its new home.

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Where there's a will there's a way!

[PNWTim]

That particular cross tube doesn't have any fluid or high pressure. It's there is equalize pressure between the LH and RH boots as they compress/expand while turning. I wouldn't want the tube hard contacting that bracket. But bending it a little wouldn't hurt anything as long as it doesn't pull out of the boots. I haven't done a build where those safety brackets are used. Curious what the background is. But regardless, I'd be cautious about grinding them down, notching, whatever, potentially weakening.

I chose to grind a small scallop in the bracket rather than bend the tube but both are an option. The tube sat on mine and struck me as a wear point.

[PNWTim]

I am struggling with the steering shaft. I’ve tried adjusting the depth at each u-joint but I cannot get it to not bind. Do I need to cut the shaft? Anyone else get through this on the Mark V? Thanks for any advice..

If your setup is anything like a coupe make sure the pillow block(s) in the footbox and the dash aren't wobbling around i.e. loosely bolted. Binding can occur when one of the parts is out of alignment due to movement.

[rickster991]

I gave up trying to make adjustments. I fix one bind and it causes another. I cut the lower bar about 1/2” and it’s working! Until I attached the steering wheel and it was 90 degrees off! Not sure why did they did not make the screws on the steering wheel completely symmetrical??? I had to sand the steering wheel mount shaft to get it slide into the mount and steering wheel. Anyway took it apart for the twentieth time and rotated the u-joint on the steering rack. Good progress…

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[rponfick]

I gave up trying to make adjustments. I fix one bind and it causes another. I cut the lower bar about 1/2” and it’s working! Until I attached the steering wheel and it was 90 degrees off! Not sure why did they did not make the screws on the steering wheel completely symmetrical??? I had to sand the steering wheel mount shaft to get it slide into the mount and steering wheel. Anyway took it apart for the twentieth time and rotated the u-joint on the steering rack. Good progress…

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I feel you pain. I am right there with you. Plan to bevel the edges of the steering bars a bit to see if I can get rid of the binding. Did you find a solution in your escapades? And the FFR gas pedal is giving me grief.
Ralph

[rickster991]

I feel you pain. I am right there with you. Plan to bevel the edges of the steering bars a bit to see if I can get rid of the binding. Did you find a solution in your escapades? And the FFR gas pedal is giving me grief.
Ralph
Yes I cut the lower bar about 1/2 inch and it removed the binding. Also as Tim mentioned, make sure bearings are tight while doing adjustments. For the accelerator I used an existing hole for the bottom of the mount and drilled for the top. I’ll take a close up tomorrow if that helps.

[Tango]

I encountered the exact same binding issues with the steering. Measure the lengths of the rods. Compare that to what the manual says they should be. In my case, I think the longest one was 2-3 inches too long. Once I trimmed them to match what manual said, the binding was resolved. It was very frustrating for me until I figured that out. I believe I received parts for the coupe which would account for it being slightly longer.

[rickster991]

Some detail on the gas pedal install. There is a hole in the frame cross member to accept the steering bearing and next to it is a hole for the cable.

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As far as attaching the pedal, there are two holes in the welded bracket in the foot box. When I used the second hole from the bottom to attach the bottom hole of the pedal bracket the top of the assembly lined up with the cable hole, so I decided the hole must be a guide to align the pedal. I then made the pedal parallel, as best I could, to the brake and marked and drilled the top hole. This kit seems to be infinitely adjustable which is good for some but scary when you get paralysis by analysis.

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Hopefully this helps.

[rickster991]

By the way, hopefully if I’m doing something wrong, more experienced builders will point it out!

[rickster991]

Quick tip, it takes very little pressure to snap off the cable ball joint…. Thank goodness I was not using it thanks to the generosity of Blitzboy giving me a Lokar cable. Be careful!

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[rponfick]

Some detail on the gas pedal install. There is a hole in the frame cross member to accept the steering bearing and next to it is a hole for the cable.

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As far as attaching the pedal, there are two holes in the welded bracket in the foot box. When I used the second hole from the bottom to attach the bottom hole of the pedal bracket the top of the assembly lined up with the cable hole, so I decided the hole must be a guide to align the pedal. I then made the pedal parallel, as best I could, to the brake and marked and drilled the top hole. This kit seems to be infinitely adjustable which is good for some but scary when you get paralysis by analysis.

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Hopefully this helps.

Rick, thanks for the excellent photos. I had moved my gas pedal to the other side of the pivot cross shaft as shown in some of the manual photos, and this may be causing my alignment issues. I wanted to align/center the pedal between the brake and the inner footwell wall, but that may be my issue. Will try existing hole in bracket and see if that will work.

On the Lokar cable, is the adjustable end supposed to be on the firewall or carb end? I was planning to just use the other end of the cable to just clip around the FFR pedal shaft with the "C" clip and small pin.

Thanks, Ralph

[rickster991]

You’re welcome. I’m sure I’ll need some help from you on the next steps! As far as the cable,I assume this is the way it goes. It came out of the package with the ball joint on one side and a clevis on the other. I assumed the ball joint went on the pedal like the FFR cable in the pictures and the clevis goes on the EFI.

[rponfick]

You’re welcome. I’m sure I’ll need some help from you on the next steps! As far as the cable,I assume this is the way it goes. It came out of the package with the ball joint on one side and a clevis on the other. I assumed the ball joint went on the pedal like the FFR cable in the pictures and the clevis goes on the EFI.

I just checked the instructions with the Lokar cable and the pictures show it the other way around. Not sure it makes much difference, but the clevis fit my FFR lever very well. I did bend the levers a bit as per the manual and they are aligned nicely.
Now, back to the binding steering shafts.
Ralph
n

[rickster991]

Thanks, I’ll keep that in mind when I hook it up.

[PMD24]

Yes, the clevis goes on the pedal end. In case you haven't reviewed the EFI end, you will also need a mounting bracket. Seems like most people use a universal bracket sold on Amazon. You can find details here in the forum using the google search method.

I spoke with Lokar and ended up buying their billet bracket, made for the Sniper2. If you want details on that let me know and Ill track it down and add it to this post.

Pat

Edit 6/8/25

BILLET ALUMINUM BRACKET AND SPRINGS FOR HOLLEY SNIPER 2 EFI BLACK

SKU: XTCB-40HS2

[rickster991]

Yes, the clevis goes on the pedal end. In case you haven't reviewed the EFI end, you will also need a mounting bracket. Seems like most people use a universal bracket sold on Amazon. You can find details here in the forum using the google search method.

I spoke with Lokar and ended up buying their billet bracket, made for the Sniper2. If you want details on that let me know and Ill track it down and add it to this post.

Pat

Please I would appreciate that!

[rickster991]

Today was eventful. It started with the easy task of installing the turn signal mechanism. Im usually missing parts, this time I had 10 turn signal stalks! If anyone needs one, I have 9 extra!

214769

4 hours later, I finished the install. You not only have to perfectly center the steering shaft in the mechanism, the cam itself needs to be perfectly square with mechanism as well. It looks like the cam lobes are about 1/8 of an inch wide and the springs are about a 1/16. If it is not exact the springs roll off the lobe and do not release the handle. I had to add 4 washers per side and mount the bracket at the angle that the shaft enters the dash. I tried many combinations and the one that finally worked was three between the bearing and the mount and 1 between the bracket and the mount. I guess if I had different thickness washers to use as shims it would been easier. Here are some photos with the combinations I tried.

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214773

As part of the alignment process I had to loosen / slightly move one of the bearings. So although the turn signal was working I had a slight bind where one of the lock nuts was rubbing. I fixed that and it moved the cam slightly causing the spring to roll off the cam again. There was no way I was starting over, so I decided to strengthen the spring with a small zip tie, so it would not roll off the cam. It worked and all is working either way no issues or binds.

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I’m not sure if this is normal or just my inexperience? I figured I’d share my tribulations/solutions in case others encounter the same issue, or someone can point out a better way. I did also get to attach my first panel which went without a hitch. And even better I tested out my Milwaukee electric rivet gun. I jammed it once but was able to clear it and attached my first 80 rivets!

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[Reddrig]

Please I would appreciate that!

I’m guessing this was the Lokar Bracket you used?

Lokar Throttle Cable Brackets TCB-40HS2

[PMD24]

Yes, post 81 updated to include this detail. I believe the X in my model number is the finish indicator.

Pat

[rponfick]

Rick, my initial mount of the turn signal switch was not near centering also. I will have to use a lot of washer shims to get it to center. Haven't tried to work the cancelling cams yet.
I hope your getting 10 stalks is not a sign of something, like needing a lot to get things to work, as I only have one.
We will be following.
Ralph

[dr-sicel]

This is interesting - I am just starting my MkV - and will progress much more slowly than you I can see already!

I was at the open house yesterday and sat in their MkV they put together over the last couple weeks - it seems they keep the steering wheel the same but lowered the seating position. The top of the steering wheel is straight in front of eyes - which is 4-6” higher than my car. Created a lot of chatter at the event yesterday and ideas on how to address -

Have you run into this yet? And thoughts on a solution?

[PNWTim]

Today was eventful. It started with the easy task of installing the turn signal mechanism. Im usually missing parts, this time I had 10 turn signal stalks! If anyone needs one, I have 9 extra!

214769

4 hours later, I finished the install. You not only have to perfectly center the steering shaft in the mechanism, the cam itself needs to be perfectly square with mechanism as well. It looks like the cam lobes are about 1/8 of an inch wide and the springs are about a 1/16. If it is not exact the springs roll off the lobe and do not release the handle. I had to add 4 washers per side and mount the bracket at the angle that the shaft enters the dash. I tried many combinations and the one that finally worked was three between the bearing and the mount and 1 between the bracket and the mount. I guess if I had different thickness washers to use as shims it would been easier. Here are some photos with the combinations I tried.

214771

214772

214773

As part of the alignment process I had to loosen / slightly move one of the bearings. So although the turn signal was working I had a slight bind where one of the lock nuts was rubbing. I fixed that and it moved the cam slightly causing the spring to roll off the cam again. There was no way I was starting over, so I decided to strengthen the spring with a small zip tie, so it would not roll off the cam. It worked and all is working either way no issues or binds.

214774

I’m not sure if this is normal or just my inexperience? I figured I’d share my tribulations/solutions in case others encounter the same issue, or someone can point out a better way. I did also get to attach my first panel which went without a hitch. And even better I tested out my Milwaukee electric rivet gun. I jammed it once but was able to clear it and attached my first 80 rivets!

214775

214776

I am surprised you riveted in the floor pan aluminum. Are you leaving it natural or painting it?

[dr-sicel]

The instructions aren’t clear in many cases - so don’t feel alone!!!!
The community has been great in helping.
I read somewhere (and for the life of me can’t find it now) that people are replacing the front UCA ball joint grease cover - apparently better ones available at Amazon -

[rickster991]

This is interesting - I am just starting my MkV - and will progress much more slowly than you I can see already!

I was at the open house yesterday and sat in their MkV they put together over the last couple weeks - it seems they keep the steering wheel the same but lowered the seating position. The top of the steering wheel is straight in front of eyes - which is 4-6” higher than my car. Created a lot of chatter at the event yesterday and ideas on how to address -

Have you run into this yet? And thoughts on a solution?

I am 6’4” so it seems ok. At the build school they recommended the seat mount from breeze. I plan on using the kirkey seats. They have adjustable mounts and the rails will also raise it.

[rickster991]

I am surprised you riveted in the floor pan aluminum. Are you leaving it natural or painting it?

I am going to spray it with LizardSkin sound/heat coating. Eventually I’ll cover it with carpet.

[rickster991]

Today I went to install the steering wheel and discovered that although I got the turn signal mechanism to work, the shaft was binding so it would not move. I had to reinstall it. After some frustration, I came up with a solution that might help others. The issue is that you need to align the bearing/shaft as well as the bracket holding the turn signal mechanism. I repeatedly would get one but not the other. So, I figured I had to secure/adjust them separately. My solution was a nut to hold the bracket and then another nut to hold the bearing on the same bolt. Once I did this, it went much easier. Here are some pictures. Final config for me was a bolt as a spacer on one side and a bolt and washer on the other. Hope this helps someone else get through this.

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[rickster991]

Today I worked on alignment. Since I have steering working I was able to center the power steering rack and wheel, align the spindle/rotor so I can connect the tie rod end.

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214905

I picked up this socket in Amazon, but it did not fit. I had to grind it to make it work. Guess that’s why it was cheap.

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Tomorrow some parts are coming, so should be able to finish the front end, tighten everything up and start running brake lines.

I’m starting to fabricate my first custom panel. I’m trying to get as much legroom as possible so I installed the pedals as far back as I could without hitting the crossmember. I will basically build a box to cover/clear the pedals.

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And finally in the afternoon I installed another panel with 100 rivets. The driver floor is in.

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[rponfick]

I gave up trying to make adjustments. I fix one bind and it causes another. I cut the lower bar about 1/2” and it’s working! Until I attached the steering wheel and it was 90 degrees off! Not sure why did they did not make the screws on the steering wheel completely symmetrical??? I had to sand the steering wheel mount shaft to get it slide into the mount and steering wheel. Anyway took it apart for the twentieth time and rotated the u-joint on the steering rack. Good progress…

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Rick, trying to install my steering wheel to center up things. Where did you find the 6 screws that hold the steering wheel to the hub. They were not in the box with the wheel, or the front steering shaft box, or the misc. small connectors. I have run out of places to look.
Thanks, Ralph

[rickster991]

Mine were in the box that had just screws/bolts/nuts. I am installing the tank and can’t find the bolts/nuts! They told me they should have been in that box. They are sending them to me. I have my “chair of despair’ where I sit and go through my parts list to find out where that missing part/connector is! ��

[rponfick]

Mine were in the box that had just screws/bolts/nuts. I am installing the tank and can’t find the bolts/nuts! They told me they should have been in that box. They are sending them to me. I have my “chair of despair’ where I sit and go through my parts list to find out where that missing part/connector is! ��

lRick, thanks. I think I found the steering wheel screws. I mistakenly thought the hub was threaded, but evidently there are screws and nuts. I found 6 M6x30 screws, and now all I have to do is find the nuts that fit them.
I do not have a "chair of despair" but do have a "wall of shame" that i hang all my mis-bent brake lines.
PS, I have always had to use longer bolts on the gas tank as I never could get the supplied ones to fit.
Ralph

[rickster991]

Today was productive although I ran into the usual… missing bolts! I spoke to FFR and they are sending them to me. After building the in-tank pump I called FFR about the strange routing of the hose, but it was the only way it would not bind. They are going to get back to me. Does this look right?

214917

This way it looked kinked…

214918

Here are the spots I chose for the fuel filter and vapor canister. I chose to connect the canister with a rivet nut, just in case it needs to be changed at some point? Is there only one hose to the canister? Not really sure how it works.

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214922

The tank is just strapped in because I’m missing the bolts to attach it. I temporarily connected the straps with a pin to make sure I had the bolts for the other side. The manual does not say which bolts to use for this??? Tech support told me to use 2” socket heads, but I could not get them to reach? I guess I’ll just pickup some 3” bolts to make it easier to connect.

And was able to finish the front suspension, as I received the missing sleeves. Definitely making progress..

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214924

[Grubester]

In world beyond FFR build videos, there are people like Frank at i.e.427 (YouTube channel). Great topics, details, and well-produced!

[Jeff Kleiner]

They always need longer bolts for the first time installation of the tank straps. Once they have been pulled up tight and extruded into shape you can remove them and replace them with the shorter 2" bolts---or not ;)

The fuel pump "S" hose is normal. Don't use the worm drive hose clamps; they cut into the hose. Instead replace them with actual fuel injection hose clamps.

https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/shopping?q=tbn:ANd9GcRhQUfbTekr5ki-AEAJJLD2K3VX2oI-Voz8VM2RfQo_BAlpj4nM8BmF9yfluGtgEvD2u7sDnB9202RpkY KxNNBzplXMgtLu8jnkUizRIRkqAzpgY49z9NfE

Viewing your upside down and sideways photos makes my neck hurt :p

Jeff

[Mike.Bray]

Viewing your upside down and sideways photos makes my neck hurt :p

Have to say the same. Now my neck is kinked for the rest of the day:(

[PNWTim]

If you open your pictures in almost any program prior to posting and resize them (either larger or smaller) it will eliminate the rotational roulette.

[rickster991]

Hmm I’m doing it on my phone I’ll try from my computer instead. Ok I’ll switch the clamps. Thanks!

[gbranham]

Are you sure you need to extend the driver's footbox? One of the major improvements with the MkV is accommodation for taller folk, to (allegedly) 6'5" and above.

Greg

[rickster991]

Are you sure you need to extend the driver's footbox? One of the major improvements with the MkV is accommodation for taller folk, to (allegedly) 6'5" and above.

Greg

So far yes. I would fit but my legs need to be bent back. So it gives a more comfortable seating position. I’ll know for sure once I’ve mounted the Kirkey seats.

[rickster991]

Today I installed the brake booster and ran the lines for the front brakes. It went pretty smoothly but it is nerve racking threading the brake lines and making sure not to cross thread the fittings. I am not sure if these lines will be in the way when I go to install the engine. For those with experience. Do these look ok?

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Here is how I routed the soft lines.

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And finally the master cylinders.

214969

Tip on those doing this for the first time. The brake lines have two different depth fittings. The brake booster ports are very deep. So if you make the line with the small fitting towards the booster, the fitting will not bottom out and the line is loose. I assume this would have been bad, so I had to throw out and redo the first two lines because they were backwards!

Any feedback on the lines would be appreciated. I am a bit nervous about doing this properly. By the way using a computer did not change the upside pictures. I had to edit them, rotate them 360 degrees so they were exactly the same and then save them to a new file. That seemed to work. At least in preview mode. Hopefully I stop making people dizzy!

[Tango]

I am no expert on brake lines, but I did learn the same thing you mentioned about the booster hookups. One thing you might want to check real quick is your front wheel well aluminum panels. Just ensure they don’t interfere with your brake lines. Mine did slightly and I did not find out about it until later on. Just takes a second and it is easy to fix, but it will give you piece of mind if you verify now.

[edwardb]

You asked for feedback, right? I will be blunt and say I'm not a fan of (1) The large lengths of brake lines kind of floating in space. Especially around the booster. And (2) the service loops which aren't necessary other than to take up excess line length. Personally, I'd like to see the lines following the frame rails more closely and tied down more. I get that you're using the pre-made lengths of brake line and doing the best you can with those. The next level you may want to consider is to invest in a decent tool to make flares and adjust the lines appropriately. Guys seem to avoid that for some reason. A good flaring tool is relatively cheap compared to the overall project budget and will make a big difference. Both steel and NiCop (popular on here) flare easily and with just a little practice will be perfect. In many cases, better than the factory flares IMO.

[rickster991]

Tip on those doing this for the first time. The brake lines have two different depth fittings. The brake booster ports are very deep. So if you make the line with the small fitting towards the booster, the fitting will not bottom out and the line is loose. I assume this would have been bad, so I had to throw out and redo the first two lines because they were backwards!


I just found four fittings/crush washers in the bottom of the box. Looks like FFR took care of depth of connectors on the booster. I installed them, definitely would have been easier off the car.

215006

[rickster991]

I am no expert on brake lines, but I did learn the same thing you mentioned about the booster hookups. One thing you might want to check real quick is your front wheel well aluminum panels. Just ensure they don’t interfere with your brake lines. Mine did slightly and I did not find out about it until later on. Just takes a second and it is easy to fix, but it will give you piece of mind if you verify now.

Will do!

[gbranham]

I agree with everything Paul is saying. Do it right and cut your lines to length, and reflare. I've used many flare tools, and struggled with many of them, but this $50 jobber worked perfectly the first time, and every time, and is very easy to use. Get rid of the service loops, and tuck the lines in tight to the frame.

Greg

215005

[rickster991]

You asked for feedback, right? I will be blunt and say I'm not a fan of (1) The large lengths of brake lines kind of floating in space. Especially around the booster. And (2) the service loops which aren't necessary other than to take up excess line length. Personally, I'd like to see the lines following the frame rails more closely and tied down more. I get that you're using the pre-made lengths of brake line and doing the best you can with those. The next level you may want to consider is to invest in a decent tool to make flares and adjust the lines appropriately. Guys seem to avoid that for some reason. A good flaring tool is relatively cheap compared to the overall project budget and will make a big difference. Both steel and NiCop (popular on here) flare easily and with just a little practice will be perfect. In many cases, better than the factory flares IMO.

Point taken. I was concerned about making my own flares versus cost. Is this a good choice?

https://a.co/d/9Zmyfaq

https://a.co/d/esSKMlQ

You can mix the different types of brake lines in the same system, I assume?

[Jeff Kleiner]

Yep, what Paul said. Also take into consideration where the battery tray will be (the crossover line you currently have will interfere) and also how you'll get a battery in there. When I was at FFR last week with the guys in the shop building the Anniversary go cart for the show they'd failed to do that and had to take the booster loose (and remove other components) to put a battery in.

Jeff

[gbranham]

Point taken. I was concerned about making my own flares versus cost. Is this a good choice?

https://a.co/d/9Zmyfaq

https://a.co/d/esSKMlQ

You can mix the different types of brake lines in the same system, I assume?

That copper line looks fine, but I would shy away from those bar-style flare tools; I've never had anything but bad luck with them. Get the one I suggested, and thank me later. You don't need to spend $250 on a fancy flare tool.

[rickster991]

Yep, what Paul said. Also take into consideration where the battery tray will be (the crossover line you currently have will interfere) and also how you'll get a battery in there. When I was at FFR last week with the guys in the shop building the Anniversary go cart for the show they'd failed to do that and had to take the booster loose (and remove other components) to put a battery in.

Jeff

I thought of that, definitely before the engine goes in. Changing the battery will be a nightmare. There is about 9 inches of clearance from the frame to the bottom of the booster.

[edwardb]

I have the Eastwood Professional Brake Line and Tubing Flaring Tool (on sale right now for $199) and it's bulletproof. I've done several builds with SS tubing and it works. Did steel lines on the truck build and makes flares like butter. NiCop would be similar. I can understand not wanting to spend the money, but nothing worse than working to get a line bent just right and then have a bad flare. Or a leaker later in the build. Getting the brakes right is probably one of the most important aspects of your build. That smaller portable one from Eastwood looks like an OK choice, although I haven't personally used one. Tip -- check Amazon and search for "TGR Flaring Tool." Looks like the same ones sold by Eastwood but cheaper.

100% agree avoid the bar style tools. I've tried a bunch of them with very unpredictable results. They are time and material wasters IMO.

[rickster991]

That copper line looks fine, but I would shy away from those bar-style flare tools; I've never had anything but bad luck with them. Get the one I suggested, and thank me later. You don't need to spend $250 on a fancy flare tool.

This looks like the one?

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/sum-900318

And get this copper line?

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/ops-mlk7cn

[gbranham]

Yep and yep.

Greg

[rickster991]

I appreciate the feedback. I thought you needed some slack for stress relief? I ordered the brake parts and will redo the cross line. I rerouted the lines to the booster so they are under the frame.

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215016

215017

Thanks!

[gbranham]

I appreciate the feedback. I thought you needed some slack for stress relief? I ordered the brake parts and will redo the cross line. I rerouted the lines to the booster so they are under the frame.

Thanks!

Not on these cars.

[JsMoose]

Well I finally pulled the trigger on purchasing a kit to fulfill a lifelong dream. As a teenager I saw the movie Gumball Rally and fell in love with the Cobra. If you haven't seen it, it's a must watch! I recently retired from the computer software industry and could not wait to pursue building one. I am 6' 4" so I was excited to see the new changes to the Mark V. I took the FFR build class at Mott Community college to make sure I was up to the task and to make sure I would fit. Zero to doing donuts in 3 days! It was quite the experience and gave me the confidence that I would be able to do it. I was able to build a garage with a lift and now I'm just waiting for shipment. It is scheduled to arrive 5/30!

I purchased the full kit and the Blueprint 347 EFI + PS and AC. I live in Florida and will absolutely need the AC! :)

Rick

Awesome! Good luck with your build. I am just starting mine as well. I have the same rolling seat/stool as in your garage picture.... that's where the similarities of our garages end, unfortunately. Your setup looks amazing. I, on the otherhand, will be assembling this in a single side of my 2 car garage competing with another car and kids sporting goods. Ha ha. Have fun with your build, looking forward to reading about it.

Jay

[F500guy]

One item that I did not see mention, kind of hard to tell from the pictures but the flex line looks like it goes pretty low, that could be a problem and should be more protected by the a-arm. May be able to afix to the lower a-arm with Zip ties or locate the upper point higher on the frame. only having done the Mk4, not sure how your F-panel lines up there.

[Ejzajac]

Has anyone used the Eastwood Professional brake line flaring tool for 37 degree flares with the accessory die package? Other options for 37 degree flares?

[Nigel Allen]

I only needed to shorten 2 brake lines on my build, so took them to my local brake specialist. Ten minutes and $20 bucks and it was done. Added bonus, they congratulated me on quality of bends I had made. Put a spring in my step!

[rickster991]

Awesome! Good luck with your build. I am just starting mine as well. I have the same rolling seat/stool as in your garage picture.... that's where the similarities of our garages end, unfortunately. Your setup looks amazing. I, on the otherhand, will be assembling this in a single side of my 2 car garage competing with another car and kids sporting goods. Ha ha. Have fun with your build, looking forward to reading about it.

Jay

Congratulations! Good luck with your build as well. It truly is my dream garage. The experts on the forum have been amazing. FFR tech/sales support have been great as well. A big shout out to Nick. I wonder if they follow these build threads.

[rickster991]

After re-routing the brake lines I mounted the reservoirs for the brakes and clutch. I chose the location looking at a picture of the car from the build school and a picture from the manual. Hopefully there is room. I wanted a spot that would give accessibility and show off the chrome canisters.

215027 215028

So here is what I ended up with. Fingers crossed...

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[rickster991]

One item that I did not see mention, kind of hard to tell from the pictures but the flex line looks like it goes pretty low, that could be a problem and should be more protected by the a-arm. May be able to afix to the lower a-arm with Zip ties or locate the upper point higher on the frame. only having done the Mk4, not sure how your F-panel lines up there.

They are still loose. I’ll make sure to check.

[rickster991]

My next build!

Lego Icons Shelby Cobra 427 S/C (https://www.lego.com/en-us/product/shelby-cobra-427-s-c-10357)

[Reddrig]

My next build!

Lego Icons Shelby Cobra 427 S/C (https://www.lego.com/en-us/product/shelby-cobra-427-s-c-10357)

I could have saved $20.00 if I had known about this a few months ago. I would have never purchased a replica!

[rickster991]

I saw this battery in pictures in the manual. Size seems perfect. I’m ordering it.

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xsp-s925 (https://www.summitracing.com/parts/xsp-s925)

Battery, 12 V, AGM, 641 Cranking Amps at 32 Degrees F, Top Post, 6.65 in. Length, 7.04 in. Width, 4.98 in. Height

[rickster991]

Today was spent doing panels and more panels. I may need more clecos…

215089

[PMD24]

Has anyone used the Eastwood Professional brake line flaring tool for 37 degree flares with the accessory die package? Other options for 37 degree flares?

Yes, worked perfectly on Nicopp.

Pat

[rickster991]

All day I drill holes in metal. At first it's boring and then it's riveting. I figured a good dad joke was in order for Father's day.

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[Mike.Bray]

All day I drill holes in metal. At first it's boring and then it's riveting. I figured a good dad joke was in order for Father's day.

215142

Love it!

[rickster991]

Today I decided to try my hand at fabrication. I think it went pretty well. I fabricated the panels to extend the foot box. I think it came out pretty good for my first time. I bought the metal brake from Harbor Freight. It worked really well.

215203

I tried to reuse the existing panel so I created it from 6 pieces. I will end up using silicone and rivets to put it all together.

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I still need to do the other side to match the last picture. It was fun to do something other than attach panels, while I am waiting for parts!

[rponfick]

After re-routing the brake lines I mounted the reservoirs for the brakes and clutch. I chose the location looking at a picture of the car from the build school and a picture from the manual. Hopefully there is room. I wanted a spot that would give accessibility and show off the chrome canisters.

215027 215028

So here is what I ended up with. Fingers crossed...

215029 215030 215031 215032

Rick, I like where you mounted the brake fluid reservoirs. Did you drill all the way through the brace, rivnut, or tap one side, to mount? I like the spot better than on the outer brace as that location is covered by the body when mounted.
With the clearance, do you think the whole footbox top can be made removable for later access? It looks more doable than on the Mk4.
Your footbox extension looks interesting.
Ralph

[rickster991]

Rick, I like where you mounted the brake fluid reservoirs. Did you drill all the way through the brace, rivnut, or tap one side, to mount? I like the spot better than on the outer brace as that location is covered by the body when mounted.

I used rivnuts. I agree on access. Hopefully they don’t interfere with anything.



With the clearance, do you think the whole footbox top can be made removable for later access? It looks more doable than on the Mk4.
Your footbox extension looks interesting.
Ralph

Not sure with the body on but possibly. I think that’s a good idea. I think getting to the side may be difficult.

[rickster991]

Today I reran the brake lines with Nicopp tubing and tool from Summit. The tool was simple to use, and as far as I can tell made proper flanges. Thanks Greg! Tomorrow I’ll begin the rear suspension install as I received a shipment of back ordered items.

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I spoke with BP and my engine went into production today. Delivery is scheduled for the end of July.

[gbranham]

Today I reran the brake lines with Nicopp tubing and tool from Summit. The tool was simple to use, and as far as I can tell made proper flanges. Thanks Greg! Tomorrow I’ll begin the rear suspension install as I received a shipment of back ordered items.

I spoke with BP and my engine went into production today. Delivery is scheduled for the end of July.

Awesome! I'm glad the flare tool was easy for you. I found it to be super simple, and it made perfect flares the first time, every time.

Greg

[rickster991]

I am struggling with the diff for the IRS. It was a PITA to get into place but I managed. I was able to loosely thread 3 of the 4 bolts. The last one is off by quite a bit. I took the bushing and sleeve off to see how much it’s off. Here is a picture. Anyone else run into this issue?

Thanks for any advice on how to proceed.

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[gbranham]

I recall fighting that a bit, too. I ended up loosening all the other bolts as far as I could to give me a little play, and used a socket extension in the bore of the 4th bolt hole to square it up. Keep at it; it'll go.

Greg

[edwardb]

I am struggling with the diff for the IRS. It was a PITA to get into place but I managed. I was able to loosely thread 3 of the 4 bolts. The last one is off by quite a bit. I took the bushing and sleeve off to see how much it’s off. Here is a picture. Anyone else run into this issue?

Thanks for any advice on how to proceed.


I've done several. Rather than repeat here's where I described and pictured: https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showthread.php?18591-EdwardBs-Mk4-8674-20th-Anniversary-Build&p=209902&viewfull=1#post209902. The sequence isn't exactly described. My process: Get the two rear bolts started since they're threaded. But don't tighten. Then with the bolts removed, center the two front locations with the pins. Then one at a time, pull the pin and insert the bolt. Then torque everything to spec. This has worked for me every time. Makes it easy actually.

[PMD24]

+1 on edwardb's method. I did mine alone using his approach (without the tapered pins) and had it installed in 20 minutes. I focused on getting the front ones in the bushings first, then the threaded ones. There was some misalignment but by beginning with all four corners partially started, everything pulled into place perfectly. I did end up with a gap at the bushings but spoke with FFR techs to see if I needed to disassemble and add washers. The answer was "no, it's not going anywhere".

[rickster991]

I wonder if it’s worth grinding the face of the connection points a little, or at least lubing the bushings to make it easier to get in. Thoughts?

[PNWTim]

You don't need to grind. If you use Paul's method it will work. It's an exercise in patience. The bushings have just enough "give" if they are all loose to allow the bolts to be popped through. It's not a delicate procedure but it get's the job done.

[rickster991]

So I restarted the install of the differential and was able to complete. I took some engineering with straps to get it into place. Since the first try was a fail I decided to add a little bit of silicone grease to the bearings to help with adjusting and it helped a lot. I started by using straps to lift it and get it into position.

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With a lot of adjusting I was able to insert the first forward bolt. I then proceeded to try and place the second forward bolt with no luck. So I tried to get the same side rear bolt in. I used a 5/16 alignment punch on the opposite rear bolt hole and it helped align the bolt. I was able to thread it a few turns. The second rear bolt went in easily as it was aligned with the punch. The last bolt fought me for a long time. I used the punch to see where it was catching and adjusted accordingly.

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Eventually I got it close and had to use a hammer to get it to go. The first time the sleeve went with it. I tried again but the second time I used a socket to hold the sleeve in place and was able to get it in!

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When I torqued the bolts the sleeves did not go all the way back in. I will re-torque over the next few weeks???

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[Reddrig]

Glad you finally got it. I’m close to this point, now I’m dreading it. Guess I’ll see what happens.

[rickster991]

I bought this to align the holes. But I was too impatient to wait for it.

https://a.co/d/aeaaXfx

It arrives today. I’ll let you know if it’s the right size to help.

[Reddrig]

I bought this to align the holes. But I was too impatient to wait for it.

https://a.co/d/aeaaXfx

It arrives today. I’ll let you know if it’s the right size to help.

That’s my problem, I’m to impatient and it usually bites me in the a$$!

[rickster991]

I’m trying to attach the pedal box top mount and can’t figure out what bolts to use. I tried all the sizes I have and none seem to work. Does anyone know the bolt size? Seems like a 1/4 or M6, but the thread sizes I have don’t work. Thanks!

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[rickster991]

Today was productive. First I was able to install the battery. I used the FFR tray and a bracket from Summit made specifically for the XS battery. I chose to use rivet nuts since I needed to secure the tray and the battery bracket bolts ran into the frame. What I did notice is that changing the battery is not going to be easy. Hopefully it does not require removing the parts of the engine to remove it.

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With that complete I proceeded to start assembly of the rear suspension. I received the parts yesterday. The fact that I assembled somethings out of order caused issues. They were not insurmountable, but it caused delays. First I suggest cleaning put the bolt holes prior to installing panels, gas tank, and rear diff. There was no way to get a drill into the holes. I ended up doing it by hand with a small round file.

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Once I completed that I realized the diff was blocking the bolts for the lower control arm. There was no way I was messing with the diff :) so the other options were to grind the tab or remove the gas tank. I chose to remove the gas tank.

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Update on the alignment punch from Amazon. It says its 5/8", but that is the dimension on the hexagon sides. The actual edges are wider. So I ended up grinding it so it would align the 5/8" holes on the control arms. Again I couldn't use it to align all the holes because there was no room because of the cockpit panels. When I could use it, it really helped.

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One last tip. I ran into the issue where the sleeves were wider than the mounts. On the left side I first tried to bend the mount so the sleeve would fit. This caused to bolt to go out of alignment and I could not get it to go through. I ended up hammering the mount back and grinding some material on the sleeve so it went in without friction. This worked and the bolt went through. I did that on the right side from the start and it went smoothly.

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I should have a roller pretty soon!

[rickster991]

If I bought the new in tank EFI system from FFR, with the large feed and return do I still need to drill the lines of the pick up? I re-read the instructions for in-tank EFI and it doesn’t mention it.

[rickster991]

Today I installed the rear spindles, hubs and axles. When installing the axles it was a bit unnerving to bash it with a hammer, but after checking 30 times that I was installing the right axle on the correct side they went in. It seemed to take more whacks then you would think. The instructions said it should be 3mm so I kept hitting. The axle has some play but the connector did not move.

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Cutting and drilling the spindles was not pleasant. When I drilled the hole it was off center. I was worried that it would not line up correctly when I went to install it, but the connection point has lots of movement, so no issues.

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I ran into the usual issues with fitment. Had to grind some of the sleeves and the toe arms were both too narrow, but I was able to widen them with a spare nut and bolt. It did the trick.

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Last step was to install the shocks. The instructions were not clear, but I recalled from the build school that the 400lb went in the back and the 500lb go up front.

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Tomorrow I'm on to the rear brakes.

[Ejzajac]

Now that you have looked at it more closely; do you think the XS battery could be removed without a fair amount of disassembly, especially with the brake booster system?
Perhaps someone further along with a MK5 have insight. Would it be an easier task without a brake booster?

[rickster991]

I can tell once I have the engine in. It won’t be here until August.

[rickster991]

I’m trying to attach the pedal box top mount and can’t figure out what bolts to use. I tried all the sizes I have and none seem to work. Does anyone know the bolt size? Seems like a 1/4 or M6, but the thread sizes I have don’t work. Thanks!

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The manual says 1/4" so I assumed 1/4"x20. I just re-tapped the holes and hoped for the best. it worked.

[rickster991]

Today I finished the rear brakes, shocks, anti-rollbars and finished torquing all the bolts.

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Everything went smoothly other than building the caliper mount for the right side. There is no picture and you need to figure out the mirror image. My first attempt did not go so well... :)

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The good news is that I have a roller!

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[rickster991]

Quick question. Can I bleed the brakes with the booster connected but no engine to supply vacuum?

[edwardb]

Quick question. Can I bleed the brakes with the booster connected but no engine to supply vacuum?

Yes.

Free unsolicited advice from reading your posts. Take it easy with the hammering. Hammering the CV axles -- not needed. Just a slight bump with a dead blow hammer (at most) will set them. There's a clip on the end of the axle. As soon as the clip hits the groove, the circlip springs back (expands) and it doesn't take a lot of force to get it there. I would say the same thing about hammering in bolts. Tight maybe. But if you're removing metal, stop and figure it out first. My rule -- I mentioned it in a post with build suggestions a few days ago -- if something doesn't fit or takes excessive force, stop. More often than not, at least in my case, I'm doing something wrong, need to adjust something, need to ask, whatever. Figure it out first.

[F500guy]

I can attest I had one half-shaft that went in as suggested, seemed too easy. But, I had 1 side that took several good whacks to get that last click, I actually walked a way for 15 minutes, got the measurement device out and said "that's not right" and so I understand what you said.

[rickster991]

Thanks! Will do. Today I torqued the bolts on the IRS axles and they did not come out, so I assume they are installed correctly.

After a preliminary alignment adjustment on all four corners. I finished installing the rear brake lines coming from the booster. There really is no other route to take but through the transmission tunnel.

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During build school they mentioned that it was a good idea to install a safety loop for the driveshaft. I'm going to do that. They also mentioned protecting the brake lines with steel. I have some square tubing from another project. Is it worth reinforcing the line near the drive shaft? Fuel lines later?

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[rickster991]

Today I installed the e-brake cables. It went well with some minor modifications needed. The first was there was a clip included with each of the cables. The clip was not mentioned in the instructions, but there was a slot in the cable that seemed like it would accept the clip to secure the cable to the caliper. It did not fit so I decided to use a Dremel to shorten the legs of the clip and then it fit well.

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I then moved to install the clevises. The instructions say to grind the cable ends so they fit. The cable ends are actually bigger than the picture. I had to spread the clevis a little bit to get the ends to line up with the larger part of the clevis opening. Once I did that I was able to get them in and installed. I used my handy alignment tools to spread the clevis and then pliers to close them again.

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[rickster991]

Today I adjusted the e-brake cable. The first thing I noticed was the manual does not really mention what to do beyond routing the cable. There is no detail about how to connect the cables or adjust them. I figured that the Mark V is based on the Type 65 coupe so I checked its manual. There is the same explanation, but it goes into more detail about how to connect the cables to the handle and adjust. Pages 295-297. One thing you will notice is that the connection to the Type 65 is different. It seems the handbrake for the roadster is a combination of the Mark IV and the type 65.

Step 1 was to connect the clevises to the handle. Unfortunately there was not enough slack to reach the handle. In looking at the mechanism on the caliper, it is controlled by a spring. I figured if I could compress the spring I could get enough slack to connect it and then use the handle after that. I used a prybar and bungee cord to compress the springs so I could connect the handle.

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Once it was attached I was able to use the handle to pull the cables and began the adjustments. From then on I used a pair of vise grips to hold the cables so I could loosen the handle and make adjustments to the heim joint.

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Once I started the adjustment I could not get both calipers to engage. The left caliper would lock up solidly but the right caliper would not. When looking at the cables, they attach to the heim joint at different angles because the handle and the frame mounts are not aligned. This causes one cable to have more pull than the other. To prove my theory I connected only the one cable and the caliper locked up. So to fix it I tried to find a way to shorten one of the cables, but could not think of anything. So I decided to try and align the heim joint to the cables. This worked! I was able to engage both sides and tested it with my torque wrench set to 200 ft-lbs.

215512

I'm not sure if this is what others have done, but this is what I came up with, since the manual really does not mention, with any detail, how to connect or adjust it. Tomorrow I start the wire harness.

[rickster991]

Today I started the wiring. I really enjoy wiring as my background is in electrical/computer engineering. The first step was to locate the fuse box. The instructions are for the Mark IV so it is up to you to find a spot. The build school suggested the location I chose, but I mounted it perpendicular to the way they mounted it. Since there is only 2 points of contact vs 3 on the mark IV I figured that lengthwise would be stronger.

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Here is where I installed the inertia switch and front harness exit point.

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I then followed the instructions in connecting the rest of the harnesses together. One of the things that was mentioned at the build school was that if there was confusion with which connector to use, make sure the colors of the wires match. I didn't really find any issue identifying which connectors go together, BUT I did notice that both connectors for the rear harness had colors crossed. After looking at the wiring diagram, it did not appear that this should be the case. I spoke with FFR and they agreed that this was wrong and that I should swap the pins on both connectors. I had bought a tool for this thinking I would mess up and some point making connectors, so I had it available. It was remarkably easy. I then checked all the connectors and the wire colors matched. So crisis averted.

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Once I completed routing and securing all the harnesses I moved to adding connectors to the lights. This went smoothly.

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[rickster991]

I have some questions for the experts...

1. I may be missing something, but I don't see a connector for the turn signal switch. The manual says "Plug the Turn signal switch into the chassis harness plug near the fuse panel."

2. The tail light harness has 4 wires, but the tail lights have three wires. I spoke with FFR and they referred me to the Mark IV manual that mentions a "tail light converter" that needs to be grafted on to the harness, and that it is in Box 4. I did not have that converter in box 4 or in my inventory. The Mark V manual has the same entry but states "The tail light converter is not used with the column turn signal switch." What do I do?

Thanks for the help.

[rickster991]

For #1 is this it?

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[rickster991]

For #1 is this it?

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I heard back from my build school instructor. This is correct. Still waiting on 4 wire question.

[rickster991]

I found this picture from build school. I’m going with not using the purple wire.

215668

[edwardb]

I have some questions for the experts...

1. I may be missing something, but I don't see a connector for the turn signal switch. The manual says "Plug the Turn signal switch into the chassis harness plug near the fuse panel."

2. The tail light harness has 4 wires, but the tail lights have three wires. I spoke with FFR and they referred me to the Mark IV manual that mentions a "tail light converter" that needs to be grafted on to the harness, and that it is in Box 4. I did not have that converter in box 4 or in my inventory. The Mark V manual has the same entry but states "The tail light converter is not used with the column turn signal switch." What do I do?

Thanks for the help.

Just getting into my Mk5 kit and learning about this too since it's new with the Mk5. The hot rod and truck used the hot rod connector from the Ron Francis harness. Now that Factory Five has incorporated a turn signal into the Mk5 with a similar GM style turn signal switch, they're now also using the hot rod connector.

1. Correct. The hot rod connector.

2. I couldn't find it in the Mk5 manual, but if the same as the truck that I built, the brake wires (purple) are NOT connected to the three wire rear lights. The turn signal switch will handle the switching. Don't overlook a couple places in the manual where it says to cut the pink hazard wire and the yellow and white rear turn signal light wires off the turn signal connectors that are for the dash turn signal switch. These can backfeed and mess up the rear lights. The truck was the same. It worked BTW.

[rickster991]

I couldn't find it in the Mk5 manual, but if the same as the truck that I built, the brake wires (purple) are NOT connected to the three wire rear lights. The turn signal switch will handle the switching.

Thanks for confirming.


Don't overlook a couple places in the manual where it says to cut the pink hazard wire and the yellow and white rear turn signal light wires off the turn signal connectors that are for the dash turn signal switch. These can backfeed and mess up the rear lights. The truck was the same. It worked BTW.

I was wondering if I needed to do that. Thanks for the tip!

Today I finished all the connectors and added extra ground connections from the harness connectors. This was a recommendation from the instructors as having only the one ground from the harness was not enough in their experience.

215704

[rickster991]

My EFI kit came with a third short line. I assume it’s for the regulator to EFI. But that cheaper looking line that goes from the pump to the filter was bothering me. So I decided to use it for that connection and deal with the missing hose for the EFI later. It has one quick connect so I bought another to complete it. I hope this was the right one.

Amazon fitting (https://a.co/d/9AiU0RM)


Here is where I had the canister and filter to accommodate the shorter line.

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And here is where I mounted them with the new line.

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I feel much better now… :)

[rickster991]

Today I customized my 18.5" Kirkey race seats to fit. I also modified the seat tracks to fit the Kirkey mounting brackets. I had to cut a lot of the seat to make it happen, but happy to report it is still solid and I can completely stretch out my legs! With the seat in place, I was able to finalize the steering wheel position, and readjust the turn signal cam position. I was also able to finalize the dash layout. To get the turn signal arm into place, I had to cut a slot next to steering column hole to expose the screw that connects it

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I actually can get two more inches of room by cutting more. I am going to wait to install the seats once I install the windshield so I can figure out the seat height and then see if I need it.

I then proceeded to drill and install the trunk panels. There is a problem in the steps the manual wants you to follow. I was not able to drill holes / rivet the top part of the trunk panel. With the cockpit back wall installed there is no way to get a drill in there. So drill that before installing the back panel. I coated it with liberal amounts of adhesive. Hopefully all the other rivets will be sufficient.

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So I just need to bleed the brakes and install the trunk side panels and I will have completed all the pre-engine install. Well except for the AC. Oh my goodness this seems complicated. Does anyone have experience with it? Tips & tricks? I found the install instructions under the Type 65 section. There are over 100 pages!

215779

[RKRacing]

So I restarted the install of the differential and was able to complete. I took some engineering with straps to get it into place. Since the first try was a fail I decided to add a little bit of silicone grease to the bearings to help with adjusting and it helped a lot. I started by using straps to lift it and get it into position.

215283 215284

With a lot of adjusting I was able to insert the first forward bolt. I then proceeded to try and place the second forward bolt with no luck. So I tried to get the same side rear bolt in. I used a 5/16 alignment punch on the opposite rear bolt hole and it helped align the bolt. I was able to thread it a few turns. The second rear bolt went in easily as it was aligned with the punch. The last bolt fought me for a long time. I used the punch to see where it was catching and adjusted accordingly.

215285

Eventually I got it close and had to use a hammer to get it to go. The first time the sleeve went with it. I tried again but the second time I used a socket to hold the sleeve in place and was able to get it in!

215286

When I torqued the bolts the sleeves did not go all the way back in. I will re-torque over the next few weeks???

215287

Had same issue so use spacers to close the gap

[RKRacing]

Thanks, this inspired me to add a post to help hold the fuse panel...

[rickster991]

Thanks, this inspired me to add a post to help hold the fuse panel...

I like that idea. I'm going to do the same. Thanks!

[rickster991]

Today I got to the pre-engine roller stage. I finished the rear panels and bled the brakes. I tried to use a power bleeder with no luck. It was a complete fail. So I went the old school method. I bled the front brakes and then the rear. That seemed to work well. After talking to FFR they recommended bleeding the power booster first and then move on to the calipers. The tech said not many people ask about the FFR brake booster. Glad I'm the guinea pig?! I struggled until I bled the master cylinder independently. I used one of my "mistakes" to run a line directly to reservoir. Good news is I was able to work on the MCs with the fuse box position I chose.

Here are some pictures of the roller.

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I could not resist installing a spinner...

215822

[RKRacing]

Thanks for posting these... really helps pull your story together.
Also for other MK5 builders with the carbon dash... use the 3-4 holes for your steering shaft on the dash template (as of this post was not in manual)

[rickster991]

Quick warning. I cut a hole in the dash to install the turn signal stalk. It was loose so I tightened it. When I went to take it off, the screw is just spinning. So I can’t take it off. I will have to remove the shaft to get the dash out for drilling the final holes in the dash. So be careful.

215831

[rponfick]

Thanks, this inspired me to add a post to help hold the fuse panel...

RKR, did you have to get creative with your brake line routing, or clutch? Looks tight.
Ralph

[rponfick]

Quick warning. I cut a hole in the dash to install the turn signal stalk. It was loose so I tightened it. When I went to take it off, the screw is just spinning. So I can’t take it off. I will have to remove the shaft to get the dash out for drilling the final holes in the dash. So be careful.

215831

That little screw into plastic to hold the stalk on looks like a design problem. The constant force on the stalk over time may cause trouble, and then impossible to get to. How do you plan to resolve the issue? Put a longer bolt all the way through with a nut on the other end?
Thanks, Ralph

[rickster991]

That little screw into plastic to hold the stalk on looks like a design problem. The constant force on the stalk over time may cause trouble, and then impossible to get to. How do you plan to resolve the issue? Put a longer bolt all the way through with a nut on the other end?
Thanks, Ralph

I don’t know yet. I have not tried to get it out yet. Taking a break with family over. Back at it on Monday. Happy Fourth everyone.

[rickster991]

Quick question. Since the family was over they helped me put on the body. The holes for the windshield are not even on each side. Is this normal? Thanks.

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[Jeff Kleiner]

Quick question. Since the family was over they helped me put on the body. The holes for the windshield are not even on each side. Is this normal? Thanks.

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Yes. The molds are not mirror images.

Jeff

[rickster991]

Thanks!

[RKRacing]

RKR, did you have to get creative with your brake line routing, or clutch? Looks tight.
Ralph

Have not run break lines yet as waiting on a ABS unit.... will likely use different fittings... but there should be enough space. Happy to post pix when complete but heading out on a long vaca soon.

[RKRacing]

For those following this thread and have the FF A/C unit to install... flow the Coupe instructions https://www.factoryfive.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/AC-HEATER-DEFROSTER-COUPE-Gen-3-REV-G.pdf

[rickster991]

I was back at it. Yesterday and today I was working on getting the seats installed. I started by installing the brackets for the windshield and used a string to simulate the windshield height. With that I was able to determine the height I wanted the seats. I ended up using 1 1/2" steel square tube to mount it and along with the sliders it was a perfect height. I was dead set on installing the 18" Kirkey seats. If I had to do it over again I would stick to the ones that FFR tells you fit! I'm not sure the extra inch of comfort was worth the effort!

I started by removing the parts of the seat that hit the frame and don't allow it to go all the way back. I had to take off way more that I thought I would. The seats are still rigid and feel comfortable with the covers on.

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After removing the material I attached the mounts that are made for the 55 series Kirkey seats. I then attached the sliders to make sure they were perfectly parallel. I have installed race seats before and that is always the most difficult part. Once these were attached it was a matter of finding structure to make sure the mounts are secure. It was remarkably difficult, but I managed to find solid mounting points. I ended up using carriage bolts to hold the sliders to the steel tube and bolts to secure the tube to the frame and structure. Happy to report I fit really well and my wife and I can both reach the pedals.

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The passenger seat was much simpler. I chose to mount the seat directly to the steel tubes rather than use the Kirkey mounts. This made it much more straight forward to find structure to secure the seat. I simply drilled holes in the seat to pass the bolts through the seat to attach to the floor. I used socket head screws so I could secure them easily with an allen wrench and bolt on the other side.

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And since I had the seat in and body I finalized and installed the gauges. I'm really happy with the layout.

216090

At the end of this week I'll be away from the car for a month until the motor arrives. I hope to finish the wiring for the gauges and install the AC. I ended buying a crimping tool so we shall see how that goes. It was great to get back at it.

UPDATE on the stripped screw in the turn signal. There is no getting it out. It looks like there is a piece that the screw grabs on to. That piece is spinning and there is no way to hold it to get the screw out. I really did not want to take it out and start the whole process of aligning it again. But it looks like I will have to. I am going to call FFR tomorrow and see if they can help or send me another one.

[rickster991]

Quick question for the experts. I placed cardboard under the car to see if I had any brake fluid leaks. The only place I can see is two of the three reservoirs. I used the supplied hose and clamps. I would not think the lines are under pressure??? Should I use teflon tape on the fittings? This was the last place I thought it would leak from.

Thanks!

[edwardb]

Quick question for the experts. I placed cardboard under the car to see if I had any brake fluid leaks. The only place I can see is two of the three reservoirs. I used the supplied hose and clamps. I would not think the lines are under pressure??? Should I use teflon tape on the fittings? This was the last place I thought it would leak from.

Thanks!

Only gravity pressure from the reservoirs. But there's fluid in them all the time and will leak. Teflon tape is not recommended. Especially for anything related to the brakes. Many of us don't use it anywhere on the build. Save it for your house plumbing.

[rickster991]

Update on the turn signal. After speaking with FFR and making sure I could get a replacement, I decided to try and pin the insert that’s spinning in the enclosure. I used a small drill bit and perforated the plastic housing and the insert. The insert is metal. I’m not sure how it’s secured to begin with. I left the drill bit in and was able to remove the screw! I guess I could place a small screw in there to hold it and shorten the screw that holds the stalk.. I really do not want to reinstall and readjust the mechanism. Any way, be careful when installing this screw!

216094

[rickster991]

Update. I pinned it with a tiny screw I had laying around and shortened the mounting screw. I am now able to snug it down and remove without issue.

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[Jeff Kleiner]

Rick,
I think you may not be understanding how the turn signal mechanism is designed. The plastic piece with the hole for the lever screw is keyed to the metal cylinder. This cylinder is captured in the switch's housing and is supposed to rotate when the lever and the piece it attaches to is moved for a left or right signal. The screw that attaches the lever is supposed to go through the plastic and thread into the metal cylinder. By pinning that cylinder it is now immovable and the the plastic that is intended to be keyed in position on it will now be pivoting on that lever retaining retaining screw rather than the cylinder. If the plastic piece is turning while the cylinder is immovable it indicates that the tabs that key it to the cylinder have been broken. I'm afraid that this won't last long term... Can you remove the pin and lock the plastic to the cylinder as intended?

Jeff

[Reddrig]

Rick,
I think you may not be understanding how the turn signal mechanism is designed. The plastic piece with the hole for the lever screw is keyed to the metal cylinder. This cylinder is captured in the switch's housing and is supposed to rotate when the lever and the piece it attaches to is moved for a left or right signal. The screw that attaches the lever is supposed to go through the plastic and thread into the metal cylinder. By pinning that cylinder it is now immovable and the the plastic that is intended to be keyed in position on it will now be pivoting on that lever retaining retaining screw rather than the cylinder. If the plastic piece is turning while the cylinder is immovable it indicates that the tabs that key it to the cylinder have been broken. I'm afraid that this won't last long term... Can you remove the pin and lock the plastic to the cylinder as intended?

Jeff

Good description Jeff, I messed with mine CAREFULLY and was able to get it to work adequately. You can actually see how the tabs or small ears contact the springs and cancel the signal when depressed to indicate right or left. But after seeing how it functioned and then looking at its probable lifespan I’ve decided to go with a push button self canceling turn signal option. I’m convinced the supplied option won’t make it a full two years before needing adjustment or replacement. For some it might be great, but for me it’s going in the replacement folder.

[rickster991]

Rick,
I think you may not be understanding how the turn signal mechanism is designed. The plastic piece with the hole for the lever screw is keyed to the metal cylinder. This cylinder is captured in the switch's housing and is supposed to rotate when the lever and the piece it attaches to is moved for a left or right signal. The screw that attaches the lever is supposed to go through the plastic and thread into the metal cylinder. By pinning that cylinder it is now immovable and the the plastic that is intended to be keyed in position on it will now be pivoting on that lever retaining retaining screw rather than the cylinder. If the plastic piece is turning while the cylinder is immovable it indicates that the tabs that key it to the cylinder have been broken. I'm afraid that this won't last long term... Can you remove the pin and lock the plastic to the cylinder as intended?

Jeff

Thanks for the input! I could. I just tried it again and it seems to be working and the screw is not coming loose. I could leave the pin in only to tighten and loosen the screw and then remove it once the screw is tight.

If it’s supposed to rotate how would the screw ever tighten, unless it only rotates a few degrees?

[Jeff Kleiner]

...If it’s supposed to rotate how would the screw ever tighten, unless it only rotates a few degrees?

As I said, the cylinder and plastic part that moves from left, off, right are keyed together by a tab to the outside of the cylinder that keeps it from rotating more than just a few degrees. You can't see that with the lever installed---and probably don't want to take it off although I think you'll have to to install the dash.

Jeff

[Reddrig]

Rick,

I f you decide you want some new parts I can probably part with mine. I’ve already piece together my new setup.

[rickster991]

Rick,

I f you decide you want some new parts I can probably part with mine. I’ve already piece together my new setup.

Thanks for the offer. I don't want to mess with it. It it fails in the future, I'll figure out a different solution.

[Jeff Kleiner]

Thanks for the offer. I don't want to mess with it. It it fails in the future, I'll figure out a different solution.

Just FYI these switches are AC Delco #D6211. There were literally millions of them produced for use in GM A, B and F bodies and trucks as well as for other domestic and European manufacturers. Obviously they are still being reproduced. Ididt, Speedway Motors, American Autowire and others use them for their columns and or harnesses.

Jeff

[rickster991]

Today I worked on wiring the dash. I finished all the connections according to the manual. Fingers crossed it all works.

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A few questions.

1. I couldn't find a corresponding ground wire for the light switch. I assume I can just tie it to the chassis or any any other available ground wire.
2. The dimmer for the gauges requires constant power. I hooked it to the battery terminal of the starter switch, Is that acceptable?
3. Do you use the wires provided with the Oil/water sensors or do you use the wires in the harness? I thought it would be easier to simply using the connectors/wires provided.

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I then proceed to mock up the AC evaporator. The only way I could get the lines to not run into the frame was to mount it at a slight angle. I used some angle brackets along with the provided brackets to get 4 points of contact. I was reading some posts and some people forego using the bulkhead connectors. It seems that It would be a pretty tight fit with them in there. I mocked it with just the grommets. I would just need to figure out a place to put the connectors with the valves. Can they both be connected at the compressor?

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[Reddrig]

Just FYI these switches are AC Delco #D6211. There were literally millions of them produced for use in GM A, B and F bodies and trucks as well as for other domestic and European manufacturers. Obviously they are still being reproduced. Ididt, Speedway Motors, American Autowire and others use them for their columns and or harnesses.

Jeff

I actually found that out (quick internet search) when I was trying to shim mine for the 15th time to get it aligned correctly, I did get mine working correctly. For me it’s a personal choice of not likening the way it was working with my build on my car. Many others may love it, it does work if you spend the time to get it aligned just perfect. I’m also not a fan of the actual stock and how that single screw is literally holding that piece in with some small plastic guide rails. Lastly it seems a little out of place, not necessarily cheap but not substantial.

[rickster991]

I spoke with FFR and they are sending me a new mechanism. I’ll install the new so I don’t have any issues.

[rickster991]

For those following this thread and have the FF A/C unit to install... flow the Coupe instructions https://www.factoryfive.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/AC-HEATER-DEFROSTER-COUPE-Gen-3-REV-G.pdf

I used these instructions and they were good until I got to the wiring. It only has a picture and some of the wire colors seem off. I asked the FFR tech about the connector on the evaporator that has two purple wires. He was not sure what they were for as they are not called out in the diagram. As I was searching for answers I came across the AC instructions for the AC for the Hot Rod / Truck. There is a lot of information here for the wiring. Including the two purple wire connector! I am going to check it out tomorrow and see if it helps me understand the wiring.

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https://www.factoryfive.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/AC-HEATER-DEFROSTER-Truck-Hot-Rod.pdf

[rickster991]

Today I installed the AC evaporator following the instructions in the Gen 3 AC pdf. It went pretty well and was easier than expected once I figured out where to place the evaporator. I started by trying to find a spot that would clear the frame rails, but still allow me to use the mounting points on the evaporator. The instructions have you using self-tapping screws and then using silicone to make sure there is no leak. Happy to report that by rotating it towards the outside I was able to do it. It is really secure and not going anywhere. I used two angle brackets and two of the supplied mounts. As a bonus the angle brackets help to hang it while you secure it.

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I then proceeded to cut the access panel. I was worried that I had wasted effort installing the panels, but it was actually easier as the panel is rigid when cutting. The panel gives plenty of room to work with the AC lines and to tighten the fittings when the time comes.

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I then proceeded to installing the firewall mount for the AC lines. I decided to use these instead of the grommets as I did not want to deal with figuring out what to do with the valves. This meant that I had to make the small line that connects the evaporator to the bulkhead connector. I was worried it would be difficult but making sure the connectors are as aligned as possible made it easier than expected.

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The next step was to install the drier. The tricky part is that you need to worry about the flow. From the diagrams provided with the evaporator, the flow is from the condenser to the evaporator. Hopefully I got this right. The last thing is to remove the nut that is covering the port for the trinary switch. It was really tight but I was able to get it off. I chose to mount it on the inside rail, but rivetted on the top of the rail instead of the bottom. Once that was done cutting the hose to length was simple. By the way I used a PVC pipe cutter I had to cut the hoses and it does it really well.

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And then I attached the heater hoses and the heater control valve. This was pretty straightforward. With the evaporator angled there is plenty of room for the hoses. I cut relief into the top panel for my angle brackets and then riveted the valve on the cover. I chose to not use the bulkhead connector for this as I don't see the value for the added complexity. I used the grommet holes I had drilled previously. The panel will be removable using rivet nuts. I hope to be able to add some sort of insulation to stop air intrusion into the cabin.

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It was a successful day. Tomorrow is my last day to work on the car for a month. I'm going to wire the AC. As I posted, I found the Hot Rod / Truck instructions have more detail. Hopefully that helps.

[rickster991]

I finished plumbing the evaporator by running the drainage lines. No surprises and it went smoothly. I decided to run the lines out the front of the footbox instead of the floor as the instructions call for. Installed a grommet through the sheet metal and then a tie down to the frame. I thought you might see the line if I ran it through the floor.

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[rickster991]

And now to the wiring of the AC. I used the pictured diagram from the Gen 3 instructions and some info from the Hot Rod / Truck instructions to come up with how to wire it. I decided to document how I connected it so that others can benefit as well as anyone with experience can correct me if I'm wrong. The AC harness has 6 connection points: Power in, Controls, Evaporator, Heater Control Valve, Trinary Switch, and Compressor. First I connected the Power in and Controls. There a three wires: red, black, and blue. I connected the red wire to the brown heater wire from the dash harness and the black wire to the chassis. I'm not really sure what to do with the blue wire yet. The diagram says to run it to the ground of the fuse block fan relay ground. The HR/T instructions are more complicated and gives choices on what controls the fan. I need to contact FFR / BluePrint and see what they say?

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Next I connected the Controls. This was the most complicated to figure out as there are several wires that are the same color. Using a multimeter I was able to determine that the red/black wires are simply connected together, the solo red wire goes to the red wire in the evaporator and the double red wire is connected to power. The control panel has three connections: temperature, fan and AC switch. The temperature knob has a bespoke connector with three wires. The fan switch has 5 connectors, H,M,L,B, & C. The AC switch has three connectors, 1,2, & 3. I could not find any documentation on the AC switch, but the diagram shows power, ground, and thermostat in the middle. 3 was a different color then 1 & 2 so I assume this is ground. Here is how I connected it.

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I then connected the Evaporator. This was simple as there are bespoke connectors. The only mystery is the two purple wires. According to the diagram these are for the thermostat. The HR/T instructions show connecting this to the brown/white connection from the AC harness.

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I then connected the heater valve harness. Again this was straightforward. It was just a matter of connecting all the same color wires together with butt connectors. I chose to mount the wiring block in the footbox and just run the loom to the valve rather than mounting it on the valve mount. I used solder-seal butt connectors. Really easy to use and seem much more reliable than crimp style connectors. https://a.co/d/a4yb8IW

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The last one to deal with was the Trinary switch. This was more complicated. The switch comes with two plastic connectors and the harness comes with male/female spade connectors. Two of the connectors were the wrong type so I had to cut them and solder in the right ones. Once this is all working, I plan to change the connectors to Weatherpack. Here is the diagram I used.

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Update:This wiring for trinary switch is wrong. I used the wiring in the Gen 3 coupe instructions. https://www.factoryfive.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/AC-HEATER-DEFROSTER-COUPE-Gen-3-REV-G.pdf

Finally I ran the harness. I used one the extra grommets that are provided with the AC kit. I used it for the Heater Valve wires and the AC harness.

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The only wires left will go to the compressor once I have it. That's it for a month or so until the engine arrives. So how many hours has it taken to get this far? 220 hours!! I have really enjoyed it so far.

[rickster991]

I think I found my color….

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1965-superformance-mkiii-2/

[rickster991]

Quick question for the experts. Going to re-start the build next week, but was just informed by Blueprint that my transmission is not available. It was supposed to be a TKX with .81:1 OD. They said they have the .68:1 available and that would speed up delivery. I was told 1-4 are the same ratio and only 5th changes. I have the FFR IRS. I assume it means I'll have a lower cruising RPM traded for less response between 4th and 5th. I chose to go ahead with that new transmission. My logic is that I would only need to worry about 4th-5th response in a track situation. I will only track the car occasionally. Does anyone see any issues?

[Reddrig]

Rick,

I opted for the same transmission, I actually think it’s a better option in some ways. I’m mated to the 427 so I honestly think for my application it’s a better choice. I think that tranny is slightly more expensive, so hopefully that’s not an up charge for you. On most autocross tracks and short tracks, I don’t think you’ll ever see 5th. You might see it driving in the Hwy to the track.

[Presdough]

I have a TKO with a .63 behind a 408W. The only time I use 5th is on the freeway. It's no fun in the twisties.

[Jeff Kleiner]

What’s the first gear ratio in the TKX (can be 3.27 or 2.87) and what rear end ratio do you have.

Jeff

[rickster991]

What’s the first gear ratio in the TKX (can be 3.27 or 2.87) and what rear end ratio do you have.

Jeff
I’m not sure. I can ask BP and FFR tomorrow. I did not specify so whatever the default is I imagine.

[rickster991]

Rick,

I opted for the same transmission, I actually think it’s a better option in some ways. I’m mated to the 427 so I honestly think for my application it’s a better choice. I think that tranny is slightly more expensive, so hopefully that’s not an up charge for you. On most autocross tracks and short tracks, I don’t think you’ll ever see 5th. You might see it driving in the Hwy to the track.

Agree. Back straight at Sebring and back straight at VIR. I’ll follow up on the up charge!

[rickster991]

I’m not sure. I can ask BP and FFR tomorrow. I did not specify so whatever the default is I imagine.
The FFR build list says “ 2018 Mustang IRS 3.55 Center Section”…

[Reddrig]

What’s the first gear ratio in the TKX (can be 3.27 or 2.87) and what rear end ratio do you have.

Jeff
I believe these are the stock ratios for that tranny. The only difference is 5th goes to 0.68

: 2.87:1 (1st), 1.89:1 (2nd), 1.28:1 (3rd), 1.00:1 (4th), and 0.81:1 (5th)

[edwardb]

My driving is almost totally street cruising. I had a TKO (TCET4617) in one of my builds with the .82 5th gear for the reasons you mentioned. I liked having less of a gap between 4th and 5th and I could use 5th for lower speed cruising. But at highway speeds, the engine RPM was unnecessarily high and in the end I didn't care for it. I think you'd be happier with the .68. Off topic, but that's probably the main reason I like the T-56 in my Coupe. It has both OD ratios.

[rickster991]

Another question for the experts. I was waiting to install radiator/condenser until after the engine was in. Since it’s delayed, do you see any issue in installing them prior to the engine? Will it interfere with engine install? Thanks!

[gbranham]

I have the .68 5th gear in my TKX and love it. I went that way, based on Kleiner's recommendation. Here's a chart I put together for it. It shows various RPM at speed and in various gears. I removed my Radiator for engine install, and I was glad I did, because it would've interfered with my cherry picker:

Greg

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[rickster991]

I have the .68 5th gear in my TKX and love it. I went that way, based on Kleiner's recommendation. Here's a chart I put together for it. It shows various RPM at speed and in various gears. I removed my Radiator for engine install, and I was glad I did, because it would've interfered with my cherry picker:

Greg


Makes sense. Seems I got lucky with the OD! Thanks for the tip. I guess I can install it, get it plumbed and remove it for the install. I noticed a cinder block in your hoist. I assume for counter weight. I’ll make sure to have some ready.

[CW_MI]

I have a TKO with a .63 behind a 408W. The only time I use 5th is on the freeway. It's no fun in the twisties.

Can you elaborate on this ? I am planning on a 408 for my build, and still haven't figured which ratio's yet.

[rickster991]

Greg, I also noticed the car is on dollies. Is this so you can adjust it as well as the hoist? I have some I could use if it would help me. Looking for all the advice I can get. First time doing this…

[Presdough]

Can you elaborate on this ? I am planning on a 408 for my build, and still haven't figured which ratio's yet.

If I had it to do over again I would go with the .82. Most of the cars use is on twisty roads having fun. I like RPMs and I rarely get to use 5th. It's great on the freeway, I just don't do mugh freeway. But that's just me...

[gbranham]

Greg, I also noticed the car is on dollies. Is this so you can adjust it as well as the hoist? I have some I could use if it would help me. Looking for all the advice I can get. First time doing this…

Yep, that's so the legs of my dolly would fit under the car frame.

Greg

[rickster991]

So I’ve decided to ceramic coat the headers, extensions, side pipes and heat shields. I like the “chrome” look so I’m going with Jet-Hot. Could not find anyone else to do a “shiny” look.

I’m thinking of going with these in raw metal, since they’ll be coated. Any experience with this company?

https://www.cobrastuff.com/plainshield.html

[Wicked427]

Making progress. I installed the left front suspension and brake components. I could not do the right side as I am missing parts. I painted the calipers yellow in homage to other cars I have enjoyed: I have a feeling they are not going to last, and I will be getting them powder coated in the future. I did run into installing the steering arm backwards because I test fit it with tie rod end from the top instead of the bottom. If you plan to mess with the calipers you will need thin wrenches to torque the slide pins on.

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I had to skip the rear suspension and brakes because I am missing parts. I moved on to the parking brake assembly. It went well. For those about to do this, I suggest you do not tighten the main section until it’s all together as I had to tighten/loosen it several times to get it done.

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I then proceeded to spend 4 hours installing the pedal assembly. I tried to put the pedals as far back as possible and still have full throw without hitting the frame. My tip here is do not cut the arm until you are done adjusting it to your liking. I barely had enough to fit it the way I wanted it because I cut it according to the manual. The pedals do go past where the existing sheet metal goes, so I will need to make some adjustments.

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And finally I installed my first rivet and got to use my new tool. It worked great.
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How do you like the Milwaukee rivet gun, any issues ?

[Wicked427]

I have always wondered what those loops were for, even on passenger vehicles... I thought it was something to assist in fluid movement or helping to bleed air out.

Good point on buying the raw lines and bending and flaring for application!

[rickster991]

How do you like the Milwaukee rivet gun, any issues ?

Works great. I was not able to get the catch can to work, so I use it without it. Every once in a while you need to remove a jammed rivet. Mostly because I forget to grab the expended nail. Really easy to do. 99.99% of the rivets it’s fine, there are a couple where it’s too big to fit, so you need a conventional gun. But it was essential for me as my elbow is not what it used to be.

[Wicked427]

After re-routing the brake lines I mounted the reservoirs for the brakes and clutch. I chose the location looking at a picture of the car from the build school and a picture from the manual. Hopefully there is room. I wanted a spot that would give accessibility and show off the chrome canisters.

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So here is what I ended up with. Fingers crossed...

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Nice clean and uncluttered engine compartment !!

[Tango]

I will echo the comments/accolades of the M12 rivet gun. I sourced mine new from eBay at a significant discount. I use the catch can about 50% of the time. After the rivet pops, point the gun upward and gravity drops the pin into the can, otherwise it will not. My only word of caution is that it is a gateway drug if you are not familiar with Milwaukee tools. As for the radiator install before the engine, go ahead and moc it up (I did because I was in the same boat of waiting on my engine), but you will be happier with it not there when it comes time to put the engine in. There is already enough collateral damage to worry about.

[rickster991]

I’ve been watching videos of engine installs and decided to look at type 65 installs as it matches the Mark V more. There are a lot of videos showing the 347 having issues with the shifter. Both rear positions seem to hit the crossbar. So the solution is to install a mid-shift kit or cut the criss members. I definitely do not want to cut the frame, and seems the mid-shift install is expensive/tricky. Anyone install a BP 347 with a TKX? Any issues? Should I order the mud-shift kit? Thanks any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

[rponfick]

I’ve been watching videos of engine installs and decided to look at type 65 installs as it matches the Mark V more. There are a lot of videos showing the 347 having issues with the shifter. Both rear positions seem to hit the crossbar. So the solution is to install a mid-shift kit or cut the criss members. I definitely do not want to cut the frame, and seems the mid-shift install is expensive/tricky. Anyone install a BP 347 with a TKX? Any issues? Should I order the mud-shift kit? Thanks any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

I hope this is not the case. I specifically ask Blueprint when ordering my 347 with a TKX if the MK5 frame had any issues with the combination, since they coordinate with FFR. They indicated that it would drop right in without any tranny changes. I have not installed the combo yet.
So, not sure if FFR changed any of the bracing in the tranny tunnel for the MK5 from the type 65, but I hope so, or I will be upset.
Ralph

[edwardb]

This is a picture of the cross-bracing in the Mk5 chassis transmission tunnel. Very different from both the Gen3 Coupe and previous Roadsters. Appears FF has made an effort to provide maximum clearance without having to cut anything. Seems the main decision will be about shifter location depending on what the builder wants, e.g. mid-shift or not, or reorienting the rear location. For my Mk5 build, I'm expecting that rotating the rear position 180 degrees is going to provide what I want. Although my Coyote based engine is slightly shorter than a SBF. So your experience may vary. I already loosened the rear shifter on my TKX so I'm prepared. I was pleased to find Tremec is now using a gasket on the rear shifter location so it's easy to remove the six bolts, flip it around, and run the screws back in. Previous transmissions (TKO and T-56 in my experience) had silicone sealant on that cover that you have to pry off with some effort and then apply new when back together. Off topic but will mention here as well -- usually best to remove the rear shifter for the engine installation. Provides a little more clearance and one less thing to run into.

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[rickster991]

Thanks! That’s a relief. The picture from the coupe does have the cross brace in a different spot.

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[rickster991]

I'm back at it after being away for a while. I was very curious after reading other threads about the fit of the rollbar. I dry fit it and was able to get the bars to line up after persuading it with a mallet. I have added pictures. I was not able to get it to sit flush with the trunk floor. Is this acceptable, or do I need to get a bigger hammer?

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The straight bar was not binding and I could slide it up to close the gap.

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It took serious hammer work to get it back out again. Is the bolt from the hoop really necessary? Wouldn't geometry and three bolts at the base of the hoop bars and straight bar hold it in place? If not I still need to decide if I want to go with the Boltless roll bar from Speedworks or add the 3rd brake light in the hoop.

[Tango]

Yours looks better than mine! I have taken a couple of whacks at it, and while it is getting better, still not there yet for me.

[rickster991]

Next I proceeded to mask the car to begin the application of LizardSkin Sound/Heat coating. As usual it took much longer to mask/sand to get ready to apply than it did to actually get it sprayed on. I bought the spray kit that includes a stirring wand and the spray gun needed. I used my 8 gallon/4CFM compressor and it worked perfectly. I was able to finish the sound coating by applying two coats as per the instructions. I used a two gallon container to finish the car and all the pieces you see.

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I still need to apply the heat barrier and paint the engine compartment body color. I have decided to go with Spectra Blue Mica.

A couple of lessons learned from the experience. Apply this coating before you do wiring or the AC. I had to remove a lot of the wiring looms and hoses to spray. It definitely added time to the job. The second is to install the pieces of sheet metal that go in the front by the brakes before installing the brake lines and front wire harness!!! When I went to spray the pieces I tried to dry fit them to see which side would be best to coat. I discovered that they attach to frame where I ran the brake lines and where I decided to mount the hard/soft line transition pieces. There is no way I am messing with those so I will need to massage the panels to fit. I watched videos of the Mark IV build where people mentioned "F Panels" first. I did not see any mention of that in the manual, or I missed it, so I thought it was a Mark IV thing. The panels I am referring to are 35,36, and 49-52.

[rickster991]

So I’ve decided to ceramic coat the headers, extensions, side pipes and heat shields. I like the “chrome” look so I’m going with Jet-Hot. Could not find anyone else to do a “shiny” look.

I’m thinking of going with these in raw metal, since they’ll be coated. Any experience with this company?

https://www.cobrastuff.com/plainshield.html

After talking with Drummer Mike, I am now not going to ceramic coat the side pipes and instead go with his heat shields. I really want the polished stainless look. There a lot of good reviews about his product. After talking to him, I learned that he has been doing this for 25 years. He still has his Mark I that he built. He is an actual Jazz drummer.. :) He is pretty old school but I was able to get his email from others on the forum. If you need it,PM me.

[rickster991]

Yours looks better than mine! I have taken a couple of whacks at it, and while it is getting better, still not there yet for me.

I just found your build thread. Following along. My engine is supposed to ship this week! fingers crossed.

[rponfick]

Rick, I ground down all the edges of the base tubes and the inner of the rear down bar, and the hoop ends.
And with some help of Rian's jaws of life, and Danmas, we able to get mine to fit acceptably. The hoop and the rear bar were not all the way down to the frame.
I could force the system to work with much pounding to get in place, but worried about re-installing everything on a freshly painted body. It took some force to get it apart before my modifications.
Just my 2 cents worth.
Ralph

[rickster991]

l
It took serious hammer work to get it back out again. Is the bolt from the hoop really necessary? Wouldn't geometry and three bolts at the base of the hoop bars and straight bar hold it in place? If not I still need to decide if I want to go with the Boltless roll bar from Speedworks or add the 3rd brake light in the hoop.

Another thought I had was to tap the roll bar and brace to have just a bolt on one side instead of a bolt/nut popping through. Thoughts?

[rickster991]

install the pieces of sheet metal that go in the front by the brakes before installing the brake lines and front wire harness!!! When I went to spray the pieces I tried to dry fit them to see which side would be best to coat. I discovered that they attach to frame where I ran the brake lines and where I decided to mount the hard/soft line transition pieces. There is no way I am messing with those so I will need to massage the panels to fit. I watched videos of the Mark IV build where people mentioned "F Panels" first. I did not see any mention of that in the manual, or I missed it, so I thought it was a Mark IV thing. The panels I am referring to are 35,36, and 49-52.

Update: I installed the panels with some cutting and re-routing lines/harness. I don’t see a reason not to install these from the beginning. I could not install a rivet in the corner of the upper panel as there is no room to drill with the suspension in place.

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[edwardb]

Regarding the roll bar, I think it's fair to say the rear leg needs to be fully attached. The stock through-bolt is one method. The hidden system, now sold by 520 Speedworks (which I've used from the previous supplier) requires you to turn the rear leg in order to thread it on. So if the bars are so tight you can't turn the rear leg, you're not going to be able to install it. FYI.

[2nd2none]

All day I drill holes in metal. At first it's boring and then it's riveting. I figured a good dad joke was in order for Father's day.

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If there's one thing I learned so far in your build thread its to get a powered rivet gun :D

[rickster991]

Is this correct for the diff?

217517

[Reddrig]

My diff came pre Filled. You might want to check yours, I know some have tipped during transport. But yours should have been pre filled also.

[rponfick]

Rick, something else for us to think about. I have mounted my brake reservoirs in the same place your earlier photos show. I stacked my mounting brackets so I could get them closer together, and just raise or lower the reservoir to get the level, but I have a question.
I think I have recently seen a post by Jeff Kleiner mentioning to someone to measure from hinge bracket to reservoirs to assure they are far enough back to clear the hood strut assembly. I am mocking up my hinge assembly and hoping the strut when hood is closed will clear. The hood bracket seem to offset the strut rod toward the inside of the engine bay, so hopefully that will provide clearance. I don't particularly want to move my reservoirs.
Maybe you have already addressed this question.
Ralph

[rickster991]

I don’t. I used this picture from FFR to make my decision.

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[Tango]

On this topic, check your hing brackets. If the slots do not match the diagram in the build manual (if they run parallel on the top and bottom bracket vs perpendicular as seen in the manual) then you need to contact FFR and they will provide a replacement. Recent anniversary edition cars seem to be OK here but earlier ones had incompatible top hinge plates. It also interferes with the coolant filler spout for a coyote.

[Reddrig]

On this topic, check your hing brackets. If the slots do not match the diagram in the build manual (if they run parallel on the top and bottom bracket vs perpendicular as seen in the manual) then you need to contact FFR and they will provide a replacement. Recent anniversary edition cars seem to be OK here but earlier ones had incompatible top hinge plates. It also interferes with the coolant filler spout for a coyote.

I checked mine the other day and they seem to be corrected, my top plate has the groove crossing instead of the same direction. I haven’t installed them, but I’m guessing that’s for adjustments in both directions? I added a picture for reference.

[rponfick]

My hinges are OK also.
Rick, did you see the build school hinge struts clear the reservoirs OK? Looks like they should be far enough inside the engine bay.
Ralph

[rickster991]

My hinges are OK also.
Rick, did you see the build school hinge struts clear the reservoirs OK? Looks like they should be far enough inside the engine bay.
Ralph

I don’t think they installed them. I went back to find pictures at the build school and i didn’t have any.

[Jeff Kleiner]

I checked mine the other day and they seem to be corrected, my top plate has the groove crossing instead of the same direction. I haven’t installed them, but I’m guessing that’s for adjustments in both directions? I added a picture for reference.

Yes,those are the latest revision to the hood hing parts. When assembled they should look like this (after you chuck the wave washers into the trash can ;))

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=217562&d=1755105163

Jeff

217562