Papa's Retirement Type 65 Coupe Build - Index in first post

[Papa]

Hi Papa, I also got my D65 mid August this year (delivery to Norway) and I also spent some 1-2 hours looking for the hardcopy manual (since YouTube "Oak hollow Garage, Thomas referred to that one allot), just to learn that I now had to download the manual.. Agree with you, they should have sent it for us tactile persons still like the papers :).

Thankfully, a fellow builder @460.465USMC was kind enough to send me his hard copy manual that he wasn't using. I love having that manual open on my workbench as I'm working through each part of the build.

[Papa]

My gauges arrived! I was expecting an eight to ten week lead time, but they came in two days. They look even better in person than the pictures make them look.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=222234&d=1764537875

[Papa]

I just got back from dropping my panels off at the powder coater! The engine bay panels are going to be done in a nickel metallic and the rest in the Silk Satin Black. As I showed above, the gauges are here. I plan to bench test them and will show what they look like lit up. They are supposed to have indicators for turn signals, high beam, check engine, and e-brake, but those are not obvious to me looking at the gauges. Once I get them powered up, I can put them into a demo mode and it should show those indicators. If they don't actually display, plan B is to use small LEDs from Watson Street Works.

I received my Alcantara material, but I'm still waiting for the padding, thread, and needles for the sewing machine that will work for the heavier #92 thread.

I also ordered some VViViD Super Gloss Black Carbon Fiber Tek Art (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00YLFSFWA?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title&th=1) vinyl wrap to try on the gauge panel. If I don't like it, I will order a real carbon fiber panel and make a gauge panel from that.

I also published my latest update on my YouTube channel:


https://youtu.be/XvAk4mOJbhA

[Sharris2]

Noticed in your video wheel spacers on the back? What rims offset and tires are you using? Following your build as I'm not far behind you?

Thanks
Scott

[Papa]

Noticed in your video wheel spacers on the back? What rims offset and tires are you using? Following your build as I'm not far behind you?

Thanks
Scott

Scott,

Those are just there for the rollers I bought that had way too much backpacking.

Dave

[Sharris2]

Thanks, have you picked tires and rims yet?

[Papa]

Thanks, have you picked tires and rims yet?

Leaning heavy toward Forgestars that many others have used. Not locked in, so we shall see!

[JimStone]

Leaning heavy toward Forgestars that many others have used. Not locked in, so we shall see!



FYI, Forgestar is running a 20% off sale right now, even for custom wheels.

I waited and watched for about a year for custom Forgestar wheels to go on sale and it didn't happen so I bought them full price....

[Papa]

I finally got off my backside today and plumbed the rear brakes. Taking cues from Paul's Coupe build thread, I ran the reat lines from each side to a T fitting and then a line through the transmission tunnel to the master cylinder.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=222381&d=1764806748

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=222384&d=1764806748

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=222382&d=1764806748

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=222383&d=1764806748

I can't finish with the cushion clamps until my panels are back from powder coating, and I have the Snakebite Motorworks lower transmission panels installed. The line will run under those panels and enter the cockpit at the inner cockpit wall that transitions to the driver's footbox. My bends near the master cylinder look a little convoluted, but I wanted to be sure to keep the line out of the way of the steering column and fuse block.

Fuel lines up next. I'll be running hard lines through the tunnel transitioning to braided lines at each end using the compression fittings from Breeze Automotive.

[GoDadGo]

Hey Dave,

You may want to go with these Hubcentric Spacers instead of pair you are running.

https://www.americanmuscle.com/mustang-2-inch-billet-aluminum-hubcentric-wheel-spacers-5450-5450-e.html

They really do a good job keeping the wheels centered.

Steve

[Papa]

Hey Dave,

You may want to go with these Hubcentric Spacers instead of pair you are running.

https://www.americanmuscle.com/mustang-2-inch-billet-aluminum-hubcentric-wheel-spacers-5450-5450-e.html

They really do a good job keeping the wheels centered.

Steve

Steve,

Thanks for looking after me! The spacers are just for the roller wheels that I won't be using on the road at all ... rear tires are 100% slick.

Dave

[GoDadGo]

Steve,

Thanks for looking after me! The spacers are just for the roller wheels that I won't be using on the road at all ... rear tires are 100% slick.

Dave

I'm glad you won't be using spacers.
Those things scare me even though they are widely used.

[Lugnut Mark]

I really like the way you ran your brake lines … super clean and simple … pretty sure I’m going to copy that setup when I’m ready.

[Papa]

I really like the way you ran your brake lines … super clean and simple … pretty sure I’m going to copy that setup when I’m ready.

Thanks, Mark. I mostly followed Paul's (edwardb) example.

[Papa]

I started running my fuel lines. I'm doing hard lines for the runs from front to back through the tunnel and braided lines at each end for the final connections. I'm also using double clamps from Lodestone Billetworks to secure the 3/8" lines to the chassis. I'll add cushion clamps in areas that the billet clamps won't work in, like the return line going over the filter.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=222486&d=1764973511

I jogged the return line over in the tunnel like Paul did just to be sure there will be room for the transmission without any interference.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=222485&d=1764973511

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=222488&d=1764973511

I will trim the length and bend the front of the lines up and finish them off with Let-Lok fittings.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=222487&d=1764973511

[Papa]

Today I worked a bit on getting my gauges installed into the instrument panel. First, I powered them up into a demo mode to be sure the indicators I was expecting to have were actually there. They are not visible at all with the gauges powered off and I wasn't 100% certain they would actually be there. I bought some small LED's just in case, but wanted to test the gauges before drilling any holes in the panel. Sure enough, the indicators are there and light up good and bright!


https://youtu.be/n1RyUmzP0tQ

Next, I removed all the gauges from the panel and drilled a hole for the gauge programming switch that Dakota digital provided. After test fitting the switch, I cleaned the panel with lacquer thinner and laid it on a piece of the wrap I bought.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=222523&d=1765058254

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=222524&d=1765058254

The wrap has a thin protective film on the finished side to allow you to work the adhesive with a 200-degree heat gun without marring the vinyl. As you can see, the vinyl is somewhat translucent and will look different depending on the color of the material you are covering.

And the finished product:

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=222525&d=1765058254

I'm really happy with how it came out. I also plan to use it on my glovebox door and the dash extension I got from Brent. I'm also considering using it on the transmission tunnel cover, but that could also get wrapped in Alcantara ... to be determined.

[PNWTim]

Looks nice Dave. I think the toughest part about applying those wraps is keeping the "weave" lines straight. I don't see anyone do it here but another option for items like this is to have them hydro-dipped. I had pieces for my 69 dash dipped and they came out great but they are also complex shapes which is where the HD shines.

[Papa]

Here is a capture from the video showing the available indicators on the gauge.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=222543&d=1765067752

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=222544&d=1765070183

Turn signals left/right
Check engine
Parking brake
Cruise control
High beam

[Papa]

I did a little tinkering in the shop today. I finished up the fuel lines in the engine bay.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=222644&d=1765314267

I found a neat little deburring tool that works great for the small tubing. It handles both the inside and outside edges of the tubing.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=222643&d=1765314267

And I cleaned up the rat's nest of data cables for my gauges. The cables make for easy wiring of all the gauges, but are a bit more cumbersome than standard wires.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=222645&d=1765314267

The remaining connections include the programming switch and two CAT5E cables (one from the speedo and one from the tach) that simply go to the control module. Everything else goes to the control module.

[PNWTim]

Fuel lines look nice all finished up. I am surprised you decided to run the return line to the front. I just couldn't bring myself to do it. I have that same deburring tool and it works just as well on stainless. Makes for really clean flares.

I've not seen flat comm cables like that used for gauges but it's kind of cool. I suppose you trade off the neatness of having the individual wires corralled to trying to corral flat cable but it looks tidy.

[Papa]

Thanks, Tim. I want to try my best to keep the wiring clean on this build. I'm documenting all my custom wiring as diagrams in my build folder as I go.

On the return line, I like the regulator in the engine bay and running a few feet of hard line isn't that difficult.

[Papa]

On another note, I've been playing with ideas for the dash and other interior features to go along with my modern take on the Coupe. I came across this head unit that I think would look fantastic in the dash.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=222652&d=1765320166

It is the size of a double-DIN but mounts in a shallow single-DIN cage. I don't really want a stereo but would love to have the GPS navigation via Android Auto and the backup camera display would be another big plus.

I also found a carbon fiber steering wheel that I'm very interested in using.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=222653&d=1765320166

I'm going to get another hub for my I.E.427 turn signal setup from Frank. He does a hub with the NRG quick release, and I've asked him to do one for me. With that, I can mount the NRG slim carbon fiber quick release and this steering wheel.

[Lugnut Mark]

Love the steering wheel choice … the d shape will definitely be a plus for a taller gentleman like myself

[Papa]

I bought my seats today! I decided, after following a lot of rabbit holes, to go with the Sparco R100 seats since I know they will fit and they seem to get solid reviews for build quality. I saw a post in @PNWTim's posts on the seats that mentioned flat bar mounts. That gave me an idea how I might mount these.

Going off an idea using a piece of bar stock on each side that has a couple of bolts counter sunk and welded into the bar with the bolts going through the seat pan in the car and held with nuts. The bars would first be attached to the seat bottom in a similar way using counter sunk bolts into the mounting holes for the seat tracks. I'll mount the bars to the seats and then drop the seats with the welded bolts though holes in the seat pan and attach with nuts from the underside of the car.

[2JZ]

Wilwood brakes and a Coyote engine is a killer combo. Taking it slow is smart, you catch way more mistakes that way. Good luck with the build, following along.

[JimStone]

I bought my seats today! I decided, after following a lot of rabbit holes, to go with the Sparco R100 seats since I know they will fit and they seem to get solid reviews for build quality. I saw a post in @PNWTim's posts on the seats that mentioned flat bar mounts. That gave me an idea how I might mount these.

Going off an idea using a piece of bar stock on each side that has a couple of bolts counter sunk and welded into the bar with the bolts going through the seat pan in the car and held with nuts. The bars would first be attached to the seat bottom in a similar way using counter sunk bolts into the mounting holes for the seat tracks. I'll mount the bars to the seats and then drop the seats with the welded bolts though holes in the seat pan and attach with nuts from the underside of the car.


Or if you didn't want bolts sticking down under the car, you could run the bolts up from underneath through the seat pan into your mounting bars that have been drilled/tapped. Button heads would be the most shallow and look nice. That's what I'm doing.

Just a thought

[Papa]

Or if you didn't want bolts sticking down under the car, you could run the bolts up from underneath through the seat pan into your mounting bars that have been drilled/tapped. Button heads would be the most shallow and look nice. That's what I'm doing.

Just a thought

I like that idea! Thanks Jim.

[PNWTim]

Dave - I have spent the last couple of weeks fooling around with my seats and mounting them. I am very motivated to use sliders but that has introduced a myriad of issues. To stay within the confines of the floor pan they need to be mounted as far aft as possible to catch the floor pan steel. One of the bolts ends up in a frame member but I'm OK with that. I welded nuts to the inside of the tracks to be able to bolt from the exterior upwards. Needless to say, this is pretty fiddly.

Just today I was contemplating welding a 3/16" steel strap "box" with countersunk bolts tacked in place to mount the sliders to. That way I can drill through that bracket anywhere I want. Lots of ways to do it but some are definitely easier than others.

[Papa]

Dave - I have spent the last couple of weeks fooling around with my seats and mounting them. I am very motivated to use sliders but that has introduced a myriad of issues. To stay within the confines of the floor pan they need to be mounted as far aft as possible to catch the floor pan steel. One of the bolts ends up in a frame member but I'm OK with that. I welded nuts to the inside of the tracks to be able to bolt from the exterior upwards. Needless to say, this is pretty fiddly.

Just today I was contemplating welding a 3/16" steel strap "box" with countersunk bolts tacked in place to mount the sliders to. That way I can drill through that bracket anywhere I want. Lots of ways to do it but some are definitely easier than others.

These challenges are a fun part of the build. I like thinking of ways to solve these sorts of things. Probably a hundred ways to make it work. In my MK4, my seats are mounted as far back as I could get them. I've never needed to adjust them, so I'm not doing sliders in the Coupe. We'll see if I stick with that once I have the seats in the car and can sit in them.

[Papa]

The Sparco R100 seats I ordered arrived today. I set one in the car on the driver's side to look at fit.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=223012&d=1766019750

After getting the incline to a comfortable spot, I sat in the seat in the chassis and find the seat to be comfortable. I am 5'9" tall at 190 lbs. with a 34" inseam and I placed the seat as far back as it can possibly go and it doesn't need any adjustment for me, so no sliders. The seat sits very low, and I'll have just a couple of inches from my head to the top of the roll cage. The areas that I was most concerned with from a fit perspective were the seatbelt tabs and the clearance along the outboard bolster at the shoulder. Without the panels in place or the body on, I think I'll be okay.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=223011&d=1766019750

Here is a top-down view of the bolster in relation to the roll cage.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=223013&d=1766019750

I have a set of the Breeze seat mounts that I may try to adapt to give me a bit of incline in the seat bottom, but it may not work out for those. If they can't be adapted, it isn't difficult to create a bit of incline, so not a big deal.

[JTG]

From the pictures, those look to be a really good fit. I'm very curious to see how this evolves as you get more panels, and eventually the body in place.

I have been all over the map looking for seats, and nothing has really grabbed my attention as being the perfect solution but so far your choice is looking nice.

[Namrups]

Hi Papa, I don't think you are going to have a clearance issue with the aluminum panels but you might have an issue with the body. My suggestion would be to put the body on and check clearance. Don't wait until it's to late to return the seats if they don't fit like I did!

Scott

[Papa]

From the pictures, those look to be a really good fit. I'm very curious to see how this evolves as you get more panels, and eventually the body in place.

I have been all over the map looking for seats, and nothing has really grabbed my attention as being the perfect solution but so far your choice is looking nice.


Hi Papa, I don't think you are going to have a clearance issue with the aluminum panels but you might have an issue with the body. My suggestion would be to put the body on and check clearance. Don't wait until it's to late to return the seats if they don't fit like I did!

Scott

Thanks, guys. I'll try to get the body on to see how things look. The good news is that there is room to move the seat around, so fingers crossed!

Dave

[Papa]

Yesterday I set the body back in the car so I could see what the seat fitment looked like with the body on the car. Again, just loosely positioning the seat, it looks like there is room for the seats with some wiggle room to determine final placement.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=223149&d=1766331987

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=223150&d=1766331987

I also suspect that I'll be able to trim the body in the area closest to the seat to allow me to move the seat back another inch or so.

[Ejzajac]

Papa Dave,
Do you think those Sparco Seats would be a good/easy fit into the Mk5 Roadster?

Ed Z

[PNWTim]

Yesterday I set the body back in the car so I could see what the seat fitment looked like with the body on the car. Again, just loosely positioning the seat, it looks like there is room for the seats with some wiggle room to determine final placement.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=223149&d=1766331987

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=223150&d=1766331987

I also suspect that I'll be able to trim the body in the area closest to the seat to allow me to move the seat back another inch or so.

Dave, you beat me to it. I didn't have a chance to put the body on to do a final test fit but I did figure they would work. I'm curious if you drilled the holes for the aluminum piece that fits right there in the corner? I was working under the premise that if that piece fit, then the body would fit and it would all work together.

[Papa]

Papa Dave,
Do you think those Sparco Seats would be a good/easy fit into the Mk5 Roadster?

Ed Z

Ed,

The Sparco R100's are 20" wide at the side bolsters, which is the same as the FFR roadster seats. I would expect they should fit in the roadster, but as you know, there are a lot of variables from build-to-build.

Dave

[Papa]

Dave, you beat me to it. I didn't have a chance to put the body on to do a final test fit but I did figure they would work. I'm curious if you drilled the holes for the aluminum piece that fits right there in the corner? I was working under the premise that if that piece fit, then the body would fit and it would all work together.

Tim,

My panels are still at the powder coater, so I don't have them handy. Looking at other builds, those corner panels go in behind the body, right?

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showthread.php?51863-Fat-Larry%92s-Garage-Electric-Windows&p=587027&viewfull=1#post587027

Dave

[PNWTim]

Tim,

My panels are still at the powder coater, so I don't have them handy. Looking at other builds, those corner panels go in behind the body, right?

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showthread.php?51863-Fat-Larry%92s-Garage-Electric-Windows&p=587027&viewfull=1#post587027

Dave

I believe so, yes. They essentially seal off that corner but their shape follows the body fairly closely and also allow for some trimming of the fiberglass. I have followed Fat Larry's build pretty closely as well. Lots of nice details.

[Papa]

I believe so, yes. They essentially seal off that corner but their shape follows the body fairly closely and also allow for some trimming of the fiberglass. I have followed Fat Larry's build pretty closely as well. Lots of nice details.

Whew -- thought I'd made a big mistake drilling those panels for rivets. I love the details in Larry's build. I'm leaning heavily in the direction of the FormaCars power windows and door panels.

[Lugnut Mark]

Hey Papa Dave …. I highly recommend fitting all of your interior panels prior to finalizing seat mounting … with my coupe I had to trim some of the body back so the shoulder bolster would clear and allow me to be comfortable as well as I had to cut out the far drivers side seatbelt tab to allow my seat to get as far back as possible …. Believe it or not the seat adjustment lever is what binds up so I may have to trim that up as well see attached photos …. Now a quick caviot I am a pretty big dude 6’2” and 215 lbs so I need every inch I can get 223182223183223184223185. In the one pic you can see the amount of material I trimmed off in the seat !

[Papa]

Hey Papa Dave …. I highly recommend fitting all of your interior panels prior to finalizing seat mounting … with my coupe I had to trim some of the body back so the shoulder bolster would clear and allow me to be comfortable as well as I had to cut out the far drivers side seatbelt tab to allow my seat to get as far back as possible …. Believe it or not the seat adjustment lever is what binds up so I may have to trim that up as well see attached photos …. Now a quick caviot I am a pretty big dude 6’2” and 215 lbs so I need every inch I can get 223182223183223184223185. In the one pic you can see the amount of material I trimmed off in the seat !

Thanks, Mark. I hope to have my panels back after Christmas and will be able to get more serious about placing the seats. The rough fitting I've been able to do so far gives me confidence that the seats will work. The Sparco R100 are the smallest seats in the style that I could find. I expect that my final placement will be at a slight angle vs. straight on, much like the position in my MK4.

Dave

[MSumners]

It's actually a Siroco part:

https://www.siroco-hvac.com/en/accessories/controls/



Thanks for this. That control panel looks great. Is this actually included with the kit now?. Anyone know a source to purchase I can’t seem to find where it’s available.

[Papa]

Thanks for this. That control panel looks great. Is this actually included with the kit now?. Anyone know a source to purchase I can’t seem to find where it’s available.

Yes, it was part of my kit. You might reach out to Factory Five and see if they are able to provide it as an individual item.

[TwinFins]

Thanks for this. That control panel looks great. Is this actually included with the kit now?. Anyone know a source to purchase I can’t seem to find where it’s available.

After seeing the original post I reached out to FF and bought the newer panel for around $245 if I recall correctly. It includes a new wire harness as well.

[Papa]

I placed my first order with SendCutSend yesterday and my order is already complete and on its way! I ordered some very simple parts that I'll be using for seat mounts. After fitting the seat in the car, the mounts on the seat are wider than the pan that they need to bolt into. So, I am going to use 3/8" flat bars mounted left-to-right on the seats.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=223361&d=1766959323

Those bars will lay across the pans and once I have the final positions marked, I'll drill and tap threads into the bars that will allow me to run bolts in from under the car. Once I have the parts, I'll post some pictures.

I'm also expecting my panels from the powder coater any day now. Fingers crossed they come out good and I get everything back that I dropped off. :p

[Papa]

After trying to do a French seam on the Alcantara I bought for my dash using my wife's "heavy duty" sewing machine with less than stellar results, I decided to phone a friend and visit a professional upholstery shop. You really do need the right equipment to do upholstery, and after ten minutes with a pro, my dash fabric is looking pretty good.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=223390&d=1767033647

[JimStone]

I love Send-Cut-Send. I find myself searching for things to make and have them cut: logos, lettering, etc. I got a 3D printer "for my kids" for Christmas, so now I can make a lot of things at home too. Going to try out carbon fiber filament which is super strong and heat resistant.

Your dash stitching looks nice. Yeah, you really need an "industrial" sewing machine. I'v done a little on my Sailrite Ultrafeed, but worried about keeping straight lines on the super long seam for the dash

[Skuzzy]

I love Send-Cut-Send. I find myself searching for things to make and have them cut: logos, lettering, etc. I got a 3D printer "for my kids" for Christmas, so now I can make a lot of things at home too. Going to try out carbon fiber filament which is super strong and heat resistant.

Your dash stitching looks nice. Yeah, you really need an "industrial" sewing machine. I'v done a little on my Sailrite Ultrafeed, but worried about keeping straight lines on the super long seam for the dash

I do not know what kind of 3D printer you have, so some of this may be a moot point.

If this is your first foray into 3D printing with CF (carbon fiber), you need to consider;

1) Make sure your print bed can heat to 110C (230F) and you are using a satin print plate. A PEI plate will be destroyed by CF.
2) Make sure you use a hardened steel nozzle as CF is highly abrasive and any wear on the nozzle is bad news.
3) If your printer does not have an enclosure, you will need to acquire one.
4) Your nozzle temperature needs to reach to 290C (554F). Most 3D printers can, but check that.

After you print, you will need to anneal the part. Use any old oven capable of sustaining 60C (140F) and leave it in there for about 3 hours and allow it to cool slowly.

As a suggestion, as CF is a pretty expensive filament and slow to print, you might want to print your parts in PLA first and test fit them for dimensional accuracy. Keep in mind, some CF filaments will shrink after printing. Prusa has a PC+CF filament which is more stable. https://www.prusa3d.com/product/prusament-pc-blend-carbon-fiber-black-800g-2/

Once you get the hang of designing parts, you will be surprised how much you use that printer. I got mine earlier this year and already have over 31 days print time. I have chewed through 3.4km (2.1 miles) of filament printing 42 projects to date, with 93 sub parts.

[JimStone]

I do not know what kind of 3D printer you have, so some of this may be a moot point.

If this is your first foray into 3D printing with CF (carbon fiber), you need to consider;

1) Make sure your print bed can heat to 110C (230F) and you are using a satin print plate. A PEI plate will be destroyed by CF.
2) Make sure you use a hardened steel nozzle as CF is highly abrasive and any wear on the nozzle is bad news.
3) If your printer does not have an enclosure, you will need to acquire one.
4) Your nozzle temperature needs to reach to 290C (554F). Most 3D printers can, but check that.

After you print, you will need to anneal the part. Use any old oven capable of sustaining 60C (140F) and leave it in there for about 3 hours and allow it to cool slowly.

As a suggestion, as CF is a pretty expensive filament and slow to print, you might want to print your parts in PLA first and test fit them for dimensional accuracy. Keep in mind, some CF filaments will shrink after printing. Prusa has a PC+CF filament which is more stable. https://www.prusa3d.com/product/prusament-pc-blend-carbon-fiber-black-800g-2/

Once you get the hang of designing parts, you will be surprised how much you use that printer. I got mine earlier this year and already have over 31 days print time. I have chewed through 3.4km (2.1 miles) of filament printing 42 projects to date, with 93 sub parts.

Great advice! Thanks Skuzzy

[Skuzzy]

I failed to mention;

a) Be sure to pre-heat your enclosure to about 30C (86F) before loading the CF into the printer.
b) Printing CF produces micro particles which can cause cancer if inhaled. I have a HEPA filter attachment on my printer to catch those particles.

On the annealing, CF is the only filament which really requires annealing. If you use a blended filament like the PC+CF, you do not need to anneal the part, although it does not hurt to do so.

Just curious, why CF? If it is about strength, then be sure to design your part with the print layer running 90 degrees to the stress it will endure. Minimize bridges as they are a pain to remove from CF.

When I first printed CF, I think I did everything wrong you can do.

By the way, if you are going for strength as well as thermal stability, then the best filament is PEI+GF. It blows away printed CF in almost every category but your printer needs to be able to produce extruder temperatures between 370-390C (698-734F) with bed temperatures between 120-160C (248-320F).

[Papa]

I haven't had much time to work on the Coupe, but yesterday I was able to spend a little time in the shop and I lined my Snakebite Motorworks glove box with trunk liner material.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=223504&d=1767323038

[Sharris2]

Looks good , where did you get it and the make of it?

[Papa]

Looks good , where did you get it and the make of it?

It's just black speaker box fabric that I picked up several years ago and don't recall exactly where I got it from.

[burchfieldb]

Looks good , where did you get it and the make of it?

I used this on my door pockets with Landau adhesive and it worked well.


https://a.co/d/hXWvwGd

https://a.co/d/60VdpKN

223533

[Papa]

I'll be using the same stuff in the drop trunk. The adhesive I used is a 3M headliner spray, which is very strong stuff! The can also has a very controlled spray pattern.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004MEBENM?ref_=ppx_hzsearch_conn_dt_b_fed_asin_ti tle_6

[Sharris2]

I can't believe the difference in price on the 3m adhesive, that same product in canada is over $37 dollars compared to approx $17 US

[Papa]

I received my order from Send-Cut-Send and started working on the parts today. First, a quick check on the fit.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=223576&d=1767474338

Next, I countersunk the holes for the bolts that will attach the bars to the seats to be sure the parts sit flush with the floor of the car.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=223577&d=1767474338

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=223578&d=1767474338

Using a template as a guide, here is approximately where the bars will sit. There is plenty of overlap with the seat pans in the chassis to ensure a solid mount after final positioning of the seats down the road.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=223579&d=1767474338

I like this approach and will post more as things move along with the build.

[Papa]

I received my arbor press and PEM studs and decided to give it a try. The studs I bought are #8-32x.25" and require a #20 wire gauge drill bit for the proper hole size. I drilled a hole that size into a piece of aluminum bar that I also ordered for this task.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=223673&d=1767754957

Next, I drilled a hole in a piece of 0.040 thick aluminum scrap. The instructions specifically state not to debur the hole.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=223674&d=1767754957

Placing the stud through the 0.040 aluminum and into the hole in the bar stock, and applying as much force as I could on the press with the standard handle (no cheater), I got a result.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=223675&d=1767754957

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=223676&d=1767754957

The 0.040 aluminum is slightly dimpled, which is probably from applying too much force. I'll make a few more practice runs, but this should work very nicely for attaching the dash end pieces as well as the instrument panel to the dash with no visible fasteners.

[Lugnut Mark]

Pretty cool !

[Papa]

I've started looking at how to add a damper in the Heater-A/C ducts to turn off the air to the defroster vents unless I actually want to defrost the windshield. So far, I'm just researching possible approaches, but I'm thinking I can use stuff like this to make something that will work.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=223681&d=1767757343

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=223682&d=1767757343

[Papa]

I think I have everything properly marked for my dash to allow me to start cutting holes for the vents and placing the PEM studs.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=223711&d=1767889182

One issue I'm running into with the PEM stud approach is that the press can't reach all the places I would have liked to put studs. I'd planned on using longer studs along the top-front edge of the dash with the studs passing through the 3/4" bar allowing nuts to be installed on the back side of the bar to secure the dash. I may borrow another of Paul's tricks and use solid rivets to attach mounting tabs that I can use to attach the dash to the 3/4" bar. Another area that I hadn't considered was with the way the glove box mounts. I can only get studs in the holes that have clecos in them in the picture above. I need to have the glovebox out to upholster the dash, so I can't rivet the box in the way it was designed to be installed. I think there will be plenty of support with the studs I can install on the sides and across the bottom to make it work, but I may also fabricate a bracket that will allow a couple of fasteners at the top, which should be pretty simple to do.

[Papa]

I got my panels back from the powder coater today!

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=223843&d=1768255780

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=223844&d=1768255780

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=223845&d=1768255780

[PNWTim]

That's always fun. Color looks nice.

[Papa]

That's always fun. Color looks nice.

Thanks Tim! I was torn on doing the silver for the firewall forward. We'll see what it looks like as I start getting them riveted in place.

Dave

[burchfieldb]

Excited to see them installed!

[Papa]

I unwrapped and inventoried all the freshly powder coated panels and everything made it back!

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=223880&d=1768341007

I like the nickel color for the firewall-forward panels. It provides a nice contrast to the black without looking too blingy ... is that a word?

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=223881&d=1768341007

I'll need to create some clearance for the rear brake line in two places, but not a big deal. Now I get to try to remember how the puzzle goes back together.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=223882&d=1768341007

I also worked on trying to fit the Moroso degas tank I bought, but it looks like that tank just isn't going to fit. I went ahead and ordered the VMP tank that Paul found and that should be a good solution.

[PNWTim]

I'm partial to white in the engine compartment :cool: but you're right, the silver looks good. I think the two tone adds a lot of visual punch. It's quite surprising just how many bits and pieces there are.

For what it's worth, I ran into several situations after I powder coated where I needed to either clearance a panel or drill holes. The Snakebite transmission cover required holes and clearance for battery cables, brake and fuel line. The DS footwell panel for brake line and rear harness and of course the firewall, which is pretty straightforward.

[Papa]

I started checking panels and found one that was done in the wrong color by the powder coater. I guess that is a risk when you take a pickup load of parts and drop them off with some kid that probably doesn't care enough to keep things straight. They are re-doing the panel for me.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=223946&d=1768494126

I also installed my clamps for the fuel lines. I opted to do the forward-most clamp using a nut-sert, but the others I tapped threads into the chassis to mount them.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=223945&d=1768494126

[bishes]

Those color matched rivets look great!

[Papa]

Those color matched rivets look great!

The rivets are the standard kit-provided rivets, no color applied.

[bishes]

The rivets are the standard kit-provided rivets, no color applied.

My attention to detail is seriously lacking today apparently; I saw the holes in the black panel and thought it had been riveted in without also realizing that's the mismatched panel that's going to be redone. Woops!

[Papa]

My attention to detail is seriously lacking today apparently; I saw the holes in the black panel and thought it had been riveted in without also realizing that's the mismatched panel that's going to be redone. Woops!

No worries. :D

[Papa]

I started laying the rear harness out and need to shorten the Wilwood EPB harness quite a bit. There are four heavy wires I need to try to find a connector for.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=224081&d=1768688252

I'd like to find something that I can pass through the same hole that the rest of the rear harness will pass through and handle 40 amps. What do folks recommend?

[PNWTim]

I know the connectors I am using will handle 40 amps but not sure if it will fit through the hole you are referring to? I have been replacing most of my connectors with Deutsch and some are the higher rated DTP style. They are rated for 25 amps continuous but I am assuming if its for your parking brake it would only be momentary? Those wires look like they are 12 gauge so it surprises me they indicate a 40 amp draw but either way, depending on what the connector needs to pass through, they tend to be on the smaller side.

https://crushinag.com/product/dtp-2-prk-deutsch-plug-receptacle-kit-dtp-series-2-circuit/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=21917404453&gbraid=0AAAAABzJKonjSOcF3smk0_SDhy60psD5n&gclid=Cj0KCQiAg63LBhDtARIsAJygHZ6w6xn43ArXzCGe7HK9 7kqp5e07UsTAmB4kg9a-otKoDcTBPlSwVKIaAqsdEALw_wcB

[Papa]

I know the connectors I am using will handle 40 amps but not sure if it will fit through the hole you are referring to? I have been replacing most of my connectors with Deutsch and some are the higher rated DTP style. They are rated for 25 amps continuous but I am assuming if its for your parking brake it would only be momentary? Those wires look like they are 12 gauge so it surprises me they indicate a 40 amp draw but either way, depending on what the connector needs to pass through, they tend to be on the smaller side.

https://crushinag.com/product/dtp-2-prk-deutsch-plug-receptacle-kit-dtp-series-2-circuit/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=21917404453&gbraid=0AAAAABzJKonjSOcF3smk0_SDhy60psD5n&gclid=Cj0KCQiAg63LBhDtARIsAJygHZ6w6xn43ArXzCGe7HK9 7kqp5e07UsTAmB4kg9a-otKoDcTBPlSwVKIaAqsdEALw_wcB

Thanks, Tim.

The wires are the ones that run to the calipers. The EPB main power is on a 40amp fuse, not sure what the draw of the motors is, so just being cautious. If the wire is 12 awg, then the draw should be 20 amps or lower. I've looked at the Deutsch stuff, but haven't tried my hand at them yet.

Dave

[Papa]

I ordered a Deutsch crimp tool that will work from 26 to 12 awg wire using #20, #16,or #12 DP, DTM, or DTP pins. I'll see how I like working with these connectors and may follow Tim's lead and convert the rest of the harness connectors as well.

[PNWTim]

I ordered a Deutsch crimp tool that will work from 26 to 12 awg wire using #20, #16,or #12 DP, DTM, or DTP pins. I'll see how I like working with these connectors and may follow Tim's lead and convert the rest of the harness connectors as well.

I think you are going to really like them. I have done work with Weatherpack, Packard 56, Metri-Pack and now Deutsch/Amphenol. I really like them but the crimp tool if you want to use solid barrels is a bit of hurdle. Once past that, you'll never look back. Super easy to work with, bullet proof and they look and fit very nice.

[Skuzzy]

I'll give a second vote for Deutsch connectors. Takes a minute to get use to working with them, but it is worth it.

[Lugnut Mark]

Quick question gentlemen … has anyone ever painted their aluminum panels body color? I’m seriously considering doing so seeing how I have access to all the materials and equipment… what do y’all think should I give it a go? To do so would mean sanding each panel with 320 grit …..metal etching the aluminum panels in acid wash,etch priming all panels …. Scuffing primer then Basecoat and finally clearcot …. I know it’s a lot of extra work but I don’t know if anyone has ever done it before and what their experience with it was long term ….. lmk what y’all think

[Papa]

Quick question gentlemen … has anyone ever painted their aluminum panels body color? I’m seriously considering doing so seeing how I have access to all the materials and equipment… what do y’all think should I give it a go? To do so would mean sanding each panel with 320 grit …..metal etching the aluminum panels in acid wash,etch priming all panels …. Scuffing primer then Basecoat and finally clearcot …. I know it’s a lot of extra work but I don’t know if anyone has ever done it before and what their experience with it was long term ….. lmk what y’all think

Mark,

Many have painted the aluminum panels in various colors, so yes, it's been done and is a perfectly viable approach if done correctly. As you point out, it is a lot of work! The biggest concern I can think of is durability, which can be improved by good preparation, the materials used, and how the paint is cured, i.e. baking the painted panels.

Dave

[460.465USMC]

Great to have your panels back from powder coat. I think the silver will be a nice touch. Wish I had the design sense to to do something like that.

What are you going to use for thermal/sound? Sorry for the repeat if you covered that earlier. I spent a lot of time cutting out the Thermo-tech pieces, to ensure no gaps and minimize waste. If I ever had to do it again, I think I would give the Lizard Skin a try (which I will be applying to the underside of the body and nose).

[Papa]

Great to have your panels back from powder coat. I think the silver will be a nice touch. Wish I had the design sense to to do something like that.

What are you going to use for thermal/sound? Sorry for the repeat if you covered that earlier. I spent a lot of time cutting out the Thermo-tech pieces, to ensure no gaps and minimize waste. If I ever had to do it again, I think I would give the Lizard Skin a try (which I will be applying to the underside of the body and nose).

Chris,

I'll likely go the same route as I did on my MK4 and use Thermotech again inside the cockpit. I like it mostly for its sound deadening properties. I looked at the Lizard Skin products, but I know I'd just make a complete mess spraying it inside the car. I'm still not sure what to do for heat insulation for the roof, but it won't be anything with butler rubber that will heat up and come loose..

Dave

[Papa]

I think you are going to really like them. I have done work with Weatherpack, Packard 56, Metri-Pack and now Deutsch/Amphenol. I really like them but the crimp tool if you want to use solid barrels is a bit of hurdle. Once past that, you'll never look back. Super easy to work with, bullet proof and they look and fit very nice.

Tim,

I'm excited to try them. I also like that they can be assembled and disassembled, so I don't even need to pass the connectors through the panel, but just the wires and then put the connectors on. I suppose you could do that will all the connectors, but there are so many different types used in the RF harness. I'm also looking at potentially using the larger firewall bulkhead connectors if it makes sense as a way to consolidate multiple feeds into one location/connector.

Dave

[Papa]

I may have found the color for my Coupe. I'm liking Ford's Carbonized Gray ...

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=224213&d=1768768163

[Skuzzy]

Sharp color!

[Papa]

Even better with a gunmetal wheel color:

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=224239&d=1768770289

[Skuzzy]

Oh yeah. I like it!

[PNWTim]

That's a great color. Stripes or no stripes?

[Papa]

That's a great color. Stripes or no stripes?

I'm thinking black stripes.

[Skuzzy]

I'm thinking black stripes.

Black stripes with a red or white pin stripe flanking the stripes. Oh yeah!

[Papa]

Today I spent some time working on the rear harness. I put it in the chassis and zip tied it where I want it to go for the long haul. I shortened the leg for the fuel sender connection by about three feet.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=224470&d=1768878098

The fuel pump connection will get worked as well, but I ran out of time today. I also connected the Wilwood EPB calipers with the harness that I incorporated into the RF rear harness and tied those legs where they will remain. At the other end, I pulled the rear harness into the interior through the passenger side of the Snakebite Motorworks lower transmission cover panel and put my first Deutsch connector onto the EPB caliper wires.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=224471&d=1768878098

I'll be figuring out the permanent placement for the Wilwood EPB controller somewhere in the added interior space created by the Snakebite Motorworks panels. Next up will be the modifications to the rest of the Wilwood harness and getting some openings in the FFR panel that goes over this space so that I can route the rear harness up to the main harness under the dash.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=224472&d=1768878098

This last bit will be significantly reduced to just about 12 inches of length for the switch leg since the switch will be mounted in the dash extension panel from Snakebite Motorworks along with the A/C control panel.

I also posted another update on my progress to my YouTube channel today.


https://youtu.be/q0EPRSigTq4?si=u9y6fhYFDbVlYIMS

[Lugnut Mark]

Hey Dave …. I think I found my color as well …. Keeping it ford colors with a 2026 ford raptor r shelter green metallic … color has a lot of brown and gold tones in it and the flop is to black in the shade …. I think it will go well with my bronze wheels … btw I started the process of painting my foot boxes body color …. I have most of them in etch primer already

[Lugnut Mark]

224473224474224475224477

[Papa]

Following another one of Paul's expert tips, I'm creating a wiring document using Excel to capture each system's wiring details.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=224509&d=1769012042

I also create basic diagrams to capture specific aspects of my wiring.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=220318&d=1760718133

[JTG]

Following another one of Paul's expert tips, I'm creating a wiring document using Excel to capture each system's wiring details.

I also create basic diagrams to capture specific aspects of my wiring.



I like your organization, this makes me happy! We'll be documenting our wiring in a similar manner.

[PNWTim]

Following another one of Paul's expert tips, I'm creating a wiring document using Excel to capture each system's wiring details.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=224509&d=1769012042

I also create basic diagrams to capture specific aspects of my wiring.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=220318&d=1760718133


During my convalescence (of which I have had about enough of) I have been trying to develop an actual whole car wiring schematic which incorporates after market components (EPB, CC, DD Guard Dawg, etc.), the Coyote major components and the RF harness. I started out with Vizio but have since moved on to RapidHarness. I am also coming to the conclusion this may be a bridge too far. It requires not only a significant amount of time but a monetary investment in the software as well.

What you have above is a great process and is far better than napkin scratch and memory. I am doing the same while trying to keep the overall schematic ember still burning. Once wires go into whatever kind of harness wrap one uses it's very difficult to figure out what has been done without some kind of road map.

[Papa]

Today I finished modifying the Wilwood EPB harness, significantly reducing the length of the portion that ties into the controller and switch.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=224534&d=1769042019

I also mounted the controller in the space created by the three Snakebite Motorworks panels that close in the area above the transmission.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=224529&d=1769041938

Next I installed the three bulkhead fittings I described that will connect the low-pressure lines for the master cylinders. I wanted to ensure I sealed the openings well while also protecting the panel from damage while installing the fittings. I accomplished this using washers with rubber seals that I found while looking for a solution. They worked perfectly!

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=224530&d=1769041938

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=224531&d=1769041938

Finally, I started laying out the electronics that will be mounted to the front upper transmission panel and the dash extension panel. I'm still toying with whether or not I want to remove a portion of this panel to create easy access to the space behind it.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=224532&d=1769041938

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=224533&d=1769041938

[PNWTim]

You know, for the newly retired guy that's supposed to be taking his time on this build you are hauling a$$. All good though. I love the parking brake controller in that cavity. I have been mulling over what, if any, items I can tuck in there.

[Papa]

Tim,

Compared with my last build, I'm progressing at a very lieserly pace. I don't even have my engine ordered yet seven months into the build. I was go-karting my MK4 at six months in.

[Papa]

After sharing a few adult beverages with my wife in the shop yesterday afternoon, I started talking about the windows in the Coupe and showed her what they (FFR Lexan) were going to look like and how you would need to reach in to open the doors. She gave me the "that's stupid" look. I then mentioned the FormaCars power window option and showed her the door popper feature, and she told me to order them! So, I now have an order in for the power windows.

[Skuzzy]

After sharing a few adult beverages with my wife in the shop yesterday afternoon, I started talking about the windows in the Coupe and showed her what they (FFR Lexan) were going to look like and how you would need to reach in to open the doors. She gave me the "that's stupid" look. I then mentioned the FormaCars power window option and showed her the door popper feature, and she told me to order them! So, I now have an order in for the power windows.

My story is similar. My Wife worked as a licensed interior designer for 25+ years. I showed her the default windows and she asked, "Is that the only option?". I showed the the Forma windows and she told me, "You put those default windows in that car and I will NEVER be caught in it!!". I ordered the Forma kit. Gotta keep the Wife unit happy. :)

[JTG]

My story is similar. My Wife worked as a licensed interior designer for 25+ years. I showed her the default windows and she asked, "Is that the only option?". I showed the the Forma windows and she told me, "You put those default windows in that car and I will NEVER be caught in it!!". I ordered the Forma kit. Gotta keep the Wife unit happy. :)

I'm amazed at how many builders are ordering the Forma windows. We've got Jim Stone, Papa, and now you!

I'm still on the fence and waiting to hear back from Chris to see if he'll sell me the kit without some of the parts. Mostly because we want these to be manually operated, and I don't love the rear quarter windows.

[Skuzzy]

I'm amazed at how many builders are ordering the Forma windows. We've got Jim Stone, Papa, and now you!

I'm still on the fence and waiting to hear back from Chris to see if he'll sell me the kit without some of the parts. Mostly because we want these to be manually operated, and I don't love the rear quarter windows.

I am not crazy about the rear quarter windows either. I am going to see if there is something I can do about that.

[Power Surge]

Great work as usual Dave!

What did you use to make your wiring diagram images?

[Papa]

Great work as usual Dave!

What did you use to make your wiring diagram images?

Thank you. I just use PowerPoint to make those diagrams.

[burchfieldb]

Wow Dave, you are really making some headway on this! I am liking the color choice with the black stripes. I am pretty sure if I tried that move with my wife on the windows it would not pass the smell test. As soon as she asked about the price it would be a non starter. I have been kicking around some ideas for other options on the windows and will see if I can come up with a more economical option.

[JimStone]

I am not crazy about the rear quarter windows either. I am going to see if there is something I can do about that.

I agree about the rear quarter windows. I was hoping I could somehow cut out the horizontal divider, but the glass is actually two pieces and the divider anchors those two pieces.

A custom 1 piece tempered glass window would cost thousands. Lexan would be a step backwards, but Send-Cut-Send can make it for you if you send them a template. And I'm sure the plastic frame part could be re-sculpted with HSRF/filler and painted.

I'm all ears if anyone has ideas (or maybe we should make a separate thread for Papa's sake [he may like them as is after all :)])

[JTG]

I agree about the rear quarter windows. I was hoping I could somehow cut out the horizontal divider, but the glass is actually two pieces and the divider anchors those two pieces.

A custom 1 piece tempered glass window would cost thousands. Lexan would be a step backwards, but Send-Cut-Send can make it for you if you send them a template. And I'm sure the plastic frame part could be re-sculpted with HSRF/filler and painted.

I'm all ears if anyone has ideas (or maybe we should make a separate thread for Papa's sake [he may like them as is after all :)])

Custom tempered glass probably isn't as crazy expensive as you're imagining.
I've used this company frequently for various past projects (not car related) and they've been great.
One Day Glass (https://www.onedayglass.com/custom-tempered-glass/)

They also have an Auto Glass Reproduction division.
Sanders Repro Glass (https://www.sandersreproglass.com/)

[Papa]

Wow Dave, you are really making some headway on this! I am liking the color choice with the black stripes. I am pretty sure if I tried that move with my wife on the windows it would not pass the smell test. As soon as she asked about the price it would be a non starter. I have been kicking around some ideas for other options on the windows and will see if I can come up with a more economical option.

Brent,

I told her what the cost was, and she didn't bat an eye. She has been very supportive concerning my projects.

On your ideas about a more cost effective solution, I'm certain you will have a product that will sell. The first power window conversion I saw for the Coupe was one that Gordon Levy was doing. It was something like $7k and had to be done at his shop. The FormaCars solution is half that and can be done by the builder. If you could come up with something simpler and less expensive, it would sell.

Dave

[Papa]

I agree about the rear quarter windows. I was hoping I could somehow cut out the horizontal divider, but the glass is actually two pieces and the divider anchors those two pieces.

A custom 1 piece tempered glass window would cost thousands. Lexan would be a step backwards, but Send-Cut-Send can make it for you if you send them a template. And I'm sure the plastic frame part could be re-sculpted with HSRF/filler and painted.

I'm all ears if anyone has ideas (or maybe we should make a separate thread for Papa's sake [he may like them as is after all :)])


Custom tempered glass probably isn't as crazy expensive as you're imagining.
I've used this company frequently for various past projects (not car related) and they've been great.
One Day Glass (https://www.onedayglass.com/custom-tempered-glass/)

They also have an Auto Glass Reproduction division.
Sanders Repro Glass (https://www.sandersreproglass.com/)

I don't hate the quarter window, but agree that a cleaner design would be more appealing. I also don't mind having the discussion in my build thread. One thing I haven't figured out yet is how the forward edge of the door gets finished since the entire thing gets removed to install the frame. I've also reached out to Jeff Kleiner about how installing this kit impacts how the car is prepped and painted.

[Papa]

For those looking for a pressure bleeder cap for the FFR reservoirs, this cap from Motive is a perfect fit (45mm European thread).

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=224774&d=1769474859

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=224775&d=1769474859

Today I focused on two areas. First, I wanted to get the heater hose connection in the passenger footbox done. I bought four of the Gates Powergrip heat shrink clamps and was able to make the connection between the heater evaperator and the bulkhead on the front of the footbox. I used a heat shield to protect the heater while getting the heat gun in the tight spots.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=224768&d=1769474839

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=224770&d=1769474839

I also put the condensation drain together, but still need to secure the tubing to the chassis and run the tube through the floor pan once I get/find the proper grommet.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=224771&d=1769474839

Next up, I started finalizing my electronics layout. My original placement for the fuse sub-block would have made it very difficult to change fuses, so things got moved around a bit and I think the new placement will work.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=224776&d=1769474859

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=224777&d=1769474859

All in all, a pretty productive day in the shop.

[PNWTim]

[QUOTE=Papa;601438]For those looking for a pressure bleeder cap for the FFR reservoirs, this cap from Motive is a perfect fit (45mm European thread).

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=224774&d=1769474859

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=224775&d=1769474859

Thanks for this Dave as I was one of those guys looking for a cap. Chris was kind enough to remind me that the overflow tank (which I am not using) has the same lid, so I am drilling and tapping it with an automotive fitting.

I remember shrinking those clamps by the evaporator box. I think I used a piece of cardboard as my heatshield :p.

[Papa]

[QUOTE=Papa;601438]For those looking for a pressure bleeder cap for the FFR reservoirs, this cap from Motive is a perfect fit (45mm European thread).

Thanks for this Dave as I was one of those guys looking for a cap. Chris was kind enough to remind me that the overflow tank (which I am not using) has the same lid, so I am drilling and tapping it with an automotive fitting.

I remember shrinking those clamps by the evaporator box. I think I used a piece of cardboard as my heatshield :p.

I considered that approach as well, but since I already had the Motive bleeder system, I just added the cap to the tool collection.

Dave

[Papa]

The VMP coolant expansion degas tank arrived today after a couple of weeks of waiting on backorder. This looks like a much more manageable solution that should fit well. I'm going to hold off on deciding where to mount it until I have the engine in and can see what kind of space I have to play with.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=224799&d=1769561604

Next, I committed to the placement of the electrical items that will be mounted on the front trans cover panel.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=224800&d=1769561604

That leaves me with a couple of decisions now for the dash extension panel. First, what portion of the panel that I mounted the other stuff on will get cut out to give me room to put the heater and A/C controls in the extension. Next, what else might I need/want to mount in the extension panel. Right now, I just have the HVAC controls and the Wilwood EPB switch. I'm also likely to put one or two USB charger ports and maybe another switch or two for the fog lights, defrost actuator I'm toying with, etc.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=224801&d=1769561604

Finally, I started pressing in the PEM studs that I want to use to fasten my glove box, instrument panel, and dash end pieces to the dash with. So far, so good!

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=224802&d=1769561604

I'll be filling the unused rivet holes and ensuring the stud heads are perfectly smooth and flush with the dash so that they don't show through my Alcantara upholstery that will be covering the dash.

[Papa]

I stumbled across this wheel today ... what do you guys think?

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=224806&d=1769562806

[burchfieldb]

I stumbled across this wheel today ... what do you guys think?

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=224806&d=1769562806

Those are nice. Who makes them?

[Papa]

Those are nice. Who makes them?

Stark Forged Wheels (https://www.starkforged.com/)

[PNWTim]

That's a good looking wheel.

[burchfieldb]

They have some pretty cool wheels.

[Lugnut Mark]

Love the wheels Dave ….. you should pull the trigger on those definitely different ! Btw I painted 57 Chevy 4 door yesterday close to the color your thinking …. He did his in FORDS magnetic grey metallic with a silver sharkskin roof color …. It looks killer ! 224831224832224833

[Papa]

Love the wheels Dave ….. you should pull the trigger on those definitely different ! Btw I painted 57 Chevy 4 door yesterday close to the color your thinking …. He did his in FORDS magnetic grey metallic with a silver sharkskin roof color …. It looks killer ! 224831224832224833

Those colors look really nice.

[Ejzajac]

I stumbled across this wheel today ... what do you guys think?

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=224806&d=1769562806

Now that's a wheel! Think it would look great on a coupe and probably on a roadster too.
Has anyone used Stark Forged Wheels?
Still looking for wheels for my MK5.

Ed Z

[Papa]

Now that's a wheel! Think it would look great on a coupe and probably on a roadster too.
Has anyone used Stark Forged Wheels?
Still looking for wheels for my MK5.

Ed Z

Hi Ed,

My concerns are that these are made in China, which isn't necessarily a deal breaker, but also that there are very few reviews of these by real people. Those I've found are mixed, but it's hard to say if the negative reviews are expecting to get $10,000 wheels for $3,700 or if there is more that isn't coming through in what I've read. A lot of discussion about if they are structurally sound, but no evidence of any structural issues that I've found. I won't need wheels for a while, so I'll keep digging and we'll see what turns up, if anything.

Dave

[i.e.427]

I stumbled across this wheel today ... what do you guys think?


They look like they'd be a ***** to clean. I base a lot of my choice anymore on exactly that. If I was 30 years younger and loved to spend all of my time detailing the car, maybe. Not so much anymore.

Sorry Dave, you asked................. :rolleyes:

[Papa]

They look like they'd be a ***** to clean. I base a lot of my choice anymore on exactly that. If I was 30 years younger and loved to spend all of my time detailing the car, maybe. Not so much anymore.

Sorry Dave, you asked................. :rolleyes:

That I did, and I appreciate the input.

[flight_83]

They look like they'd be a ***** to clean. I base a lot of my choice anymore on exactly that. If I was 30 years younger and loved to spend all of my time detailing the car, maybe. Not so much anymore.

Sorry Dave, you asked................. :rolleyes:

switch to ceramic brake pads and you eliminate 90% of cleaning.

[Papa]

Today I finished setting the rest of the PEM studs to attach my dash ends and the instrument cluster panel. After fighting with the 1-ton arbor press that was making pressing the studs very difficult given the lack of leverage, I did what most old dudes would do and used a sledgehammer! I drilled and put the stud into the dash panel, captured the threaded end in a piece of 1/2" thick aluminum bar stock backed with a 3/8" piece of steel bar stock. I then placed another piece of 3/8" thick steel bar stock on the head of the stud and smacked it a couple of times with a five-pound sledgehammer. It worked perfectly!

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=224852&d=1769734040

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=224853&d=1769734040

I can now mount the dash ends, instrument cluster panel, and glove box to the dash with no bolts through the upholstery!

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=224854&d=1769734040

Speaking of upholstery, I couldn't resist laying the stitched Alcantara on the dash to get a feel for how it is going to lay over the corner.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=224855&d=1769734040

The last thing I did today was to run the A/C evaporator drain through the floor using a very tightly-fitting grommet. Now I just need the larger cushion clamps to show up and I can call that task complete.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=224856&d=1769734040

[burchfieldb]

Sometimes you just have to break out the old persuader. It's coming together nicely!

[Lugnut Mark]

Nothing like the BFH to get the job done ! Lol looks super clean nice work !

[460.465USMC]

Nice progress, Dave. Things are looking great! Times two on the Motive cap. That's the exact one I used, and agree it works perfect on the F5 reservoirs.

I wasn't able to fit my HVAC controls that far down the dash extension, so they ended up on my dash. Just not enough clearance behind. But I know you were shipped a different controller unit. Nice. Keep up the great work, and thanks for sharing all the good info. Seeing your AC drain tubing in the PS FB, reminds me of yet another task I should have completed before sealing up that FB. Doable now, just not as accessible.

[Papa]

Nice progress, Dave. Things are looking great! Times two on the Motive cap. That's the exact one I used, and agree it works perfect on the F5 reservoirs.

I wasn't able to fit my HVAC controls that far down the dash extension, so they ended up on my dash. Just not enough clearance behind. But I know you were shipped a different controller unit. Nice. Keep up the great work, and thanks for sharing all the good info. Seeing your AC drain tubing in the PS FB, reminds me of yet another task I should have completed before sealing up that FB. Doable now, just not as accessible.

Thanks, Chris. For the A/C controller, I plan to remove the lower portion of the FFR panel that is under the dash extention. That will give me a couple more inches of depth to work with. Final placement of what I'll be mounting on the extention won't be known for a while yet. The FormaCars power window kit now comes with a dual switch that gets mounted in the console, so I want to try to factor that into my design as well.

Dave

[Papa]

Not much going on the past couple of days, but I called Chad at FormaCars to see about getting some red top stitching on my upper door panels that will be coming with the power window kit. Can't wait to see how they look with the rest of the interior details.

[Papa]

I've been playing around with ideas about how to run all the heater & A/C and defroster duct work in a clean way behind the dash. Here is a napkin sketch of what I'm thinking so far:

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=224917&d=1769887711

I'd like to combine the two evaporator ports into a 2.5" hard plenum (dust collection pipe) that feeds the four vents on the front of the dash as well as the two defroster vents. I'd like to install and actuator to open and close the defroster branch so that when running A/C, I get maximum air flow to the front vents. All the connections from the plenum to the vents would be made with the flexible duct material that came with the kit. I'm not an HVAC engineer, so please tell me if this design would work or why it wouldn't.

[Skuzzy]

A little math here. You want the area of the single hose to be that of the two ports you are combining.

Take the radius of the duct in the plenum and square it, then multiply it by PI (3.14). That will give the area of one duct. Multiple it by two to arrive at the total area.

Now, take the area you just found and divide it by PI (3.14) and find the square root of that value. Then multiply the result by two.

The last number you have will be the minimum diameter of the single duct you want to use off of the two ports. The larger the diameter, passed the minimum, will cause lower velocities in the single duct. Smaller than the minimum will increase the velocity of air flow at the expense of decreasing the total volume of air.

Happy to check the results. Just give me the port diameter on the plenum.

[Papa]

A little math here. You want the area of the single hose to be that of the two ports you are combining.

Take the radius of the duct in the plenum and square it, then multiply it by PI (3.14). That will give the area of one duct. Multiple it by two to arrive at the total area.

Now, take the area you just found and divide it by PI (3.14) and find the square root of that value. Then multiply the result by two.

The last number you have will be the minimum diameter of the single duct you want to use off of the two ports. The larger the diameter, passed the minimum, will cause lower velocities in the single duct. Smaller than the minimum will increase the velocity of air flow at the expense of decreasing the total volume of air.

Happy to check the results. Just give me the port diameter on the plenum.

Thank you for the reply! Doing the math based on the duct being 2.5" diameter, I come up with the minimum duct diameter of 3.53". So, if I understand what you are saying, that will reduce the CFM and increase the velocity of airflow, which I think is not desirable for maximum cooling. Does the calculation take into account having four 2.5" vents and two 2" defroster vents?

Thanks,
Dave

[Skuzzy]

At each junction/split for the outlets the velocity for each split will be reduced, unless you reduce the diameter of the ducts.

Use 2.5" diameter duct (should be the size of the original two plenum ports) for each of the two branches from the 3.53" duct. That one additional fork off the 2.5" duct should use a ducts with a diameter of 1.5" each.

All this assumes one outlet per branch.

Now, when you add a valve into the equation it skews things a bit. When you close off a branch the volume feeding that branch has to go somewhere. It results in the velocity increasing, as well as the turbulence and back pressure which causes a slight loss in the overall CFM at the remaining outlets. Even so, it still increases the flow, overall, just not 1:1.

[Skuzzy]

Just to add a bit more information. If you want to maximize the efficiency of the blower, then you would use one port off the plenum for the A/C vents, and the other port off the plenum for the defroster. Incorporate valves for both ports. When one port/valve is open the other is closed. This configuration will yield the best efficiency.

Do you happen to know the CFM of the blower?

[Papa]

From what I could find on Siroco's website, it looks like 355 m3/h or ~209 cfm.

[Papa]

Today was a day of little odds-and-ends tasks. First, I secured the evaporator drain to the frame in the footbox - task complete.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=224985&d=1769992865

Next I worked on securing the rear harness. Nothing earth-shattering here either.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=224981&d=1769992848

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=224980&d=1769992848

Next up was to cut the upper trans tunnel panel to open it up to gain access behind it as well as getting some added depth for the HVAC control panel that will be mounted in the dash extension.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=224982&d=1769992848

Opening this up added 3" of additional depth behind the dash extension.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=224983&d=1769992848

And finally, I started laying out the rest of the connections for the Wilwood EPB. I got the mail 40amp power and ground wires resized and will pull the switched power and indicator light wire through the new opening up to the fuse block and gauge controller.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=224984&d=1769992848

I also installed a ground lug just to the right of the steering shaft mount. The lug will serve as a central ground location behind the dash. I just need to get a few large 8 awg ring connectors to run the wire between the lug and the chassis and to make the connections from the buss bar to the 125amp relay and the fuse block.

[Papa]

Just to add a bit more information. If you want to maximize the efficiency of the blower, then you would use one port off the plenum for the A/C vents, and the other port off the plenum for the defroster. Incorporate valves for both ports. When one port/valve is open the other is closed. This configuration will yield the best efficiency.

Do you happen to know the CFM of the blower?

Here is a different approach that uses the two evaporator ports as described in the manual, but adds two actuators.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=224999&d=1769995119

The first port will feed the defroster or the center dash vents and the second port will feed the outer dash vents. I'm looking at using linear actuators that use a polarity reversing switch to extend or retract the actuator rod. By wiring two actuators working in opposite directions, the air will be redirected by using a single DPDT three-position (on-off-on) momentary rocker switch. Press the up arrow to direct air to the defroster and the down arrow to direct air to the dash vents. Stop mid cycle and get air to both.

Here is the actuator I'm looking at using:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0FKTDVTXD/ref=ox_sc_saved_title_1?smid=A2TQ1DF9XI63IC&th=1

And these Y fittings:

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=223681&d=1767757343

I just need the Y fitting to measure the needed throw to get the correct actuator.

[Skuzzy]

That is a good layout. I would step down the duct size to the dash outlets. I see you did for the defroster.

[Papa]

That is a good layout. I would step down the duct size to the dash outlets. I see you did for the defroster.

Thanks for all your feedback, I really appreciate it. My main goal is simply to be able to turn the defroster vents on and off but thinking about air volume is certainly an important variable. After looking at the Y fitting with the shut-off, it may actually work more as a diverter than a shut off, which, if true, would allow me to only use one to route air to the defrosters vs. center dash vents and simplify things a bit with just a single actuator.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=225047&d=1770057805

I'll know for sure once I get the fitting in my hands.

[Papa]

More progress to share today. I started running the electrical connections on the upper trans tunnel, including the power & ground leads for the fuse block. The 125A relay provides power to the B side of the fuse block for ACC power, while the A side of the block has constant BATT power. I also ran the power and ground circuits for the Dakota Digital gauge controller and GPS module.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=225112&d=1770165069

I connected the large ground lug I installed yesterday to a chassis ground. My though on doing this is to have an easily accessible ground that I can add or remove items from without disturbing the threaded screw connection to the chassis.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=225111&d=1770165069

All that's left to wire my gauges are the sender and indicator connections, programming switch, and gauge dimmer to the controller and then to connect the two CAT-5 cables from the speedo and tach to the controller display ports. I love the modularity that the Dakota Digital products offer.

I'm also considering adding a larger buss bar near the starter location to manage the battery cable connections, one of which will feed up to the 100A buss bar on the upper left of the panel I've been working on.

I'm considering reversing the connections on the 125A relay pins (posts) 30 and 87 to make the wiring cleaner.

[Skuzzy]

Just a thought. I would consider connecting the electronics to a dedicated power and ground bus connected directly to the battery. Power, of course, can be switched. It just insures clean power and reduces the chance of damaging spikes. It is just an insurance policy.

[Papa]

As I continue to ponder my HVAC setup for the ducts and vents, I wanted to try to find a switch that would operate my actuator concept and actually look like an automotive switch vs. an industrial thing. I found a company called Rocker Switch Pros (https://rockerswitchpros.com/) that makes custom switch actuators that would make this for me for about $12.00.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=225169&d=1770308456

They laser etch the actuator, so there is no printing to come off, and they offer virtually every configuration of rocker switch you could want or need. I'm now looking at what switches I could order to complete my total switch package for the defroster/dash vent actuator, fog lights, power windows, etc. so that I have a clean consistent bank of switches.

Here are some of their standard actuators I'm considering:

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=225170&d=1770309327

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=225171&d=1770309327

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=225172&d=1770309327

[Skuzzy]

If I was going analog switches I would go that route.

[Papa]

The AC duct Y fitting with the door arrived today. It is simply an open or close function, not a diverter to one branch or the other.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=225253&d=1770422971

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=225254&d=1770422971

The bad news is that if I try to use this the way I wanted to (switching between defrost and center dash vents, it won't work without adding more fittings and duct than will fit behind the dash. I can, however, use it to modulate the air flow to the defroster vents themselves by simply replacing the Y in the defroster branch with this one. The throw is almost exactly 1.2", which is the throw on the actuator I was looking at, so I'll order it and then start to play with how to mount it to do what I want to do. More to come later.

I also did a bit of reconfiguring for the 125 Amp relay connections to try and make the overall wiring cleaner.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=225255&d=1770422971

I also connected the two CAT-5E cables to the Dakota Digital gauge controller that run to the gauges. Those are the only connections that go to the gauges from the controller. I also shortened the Bus Interface Module (BIM) cable, which was just three 22-gauge wires with 4-pin connectors. It was a bit fiddly working with the small wires and short run that I wanted to make from the 6' cable provided. I also connected the last two wires for the Wilwood EPB, which were the +12V ACC power and the brake LED indicator wire to the VHX controller. The indicator will appear in the speedometer gauge and the switch will be lit when the parking brake is enabled.

Last item to talk about today is that I installed the rear cockpit panel and the front trunk panel that everyone loves installing. I also installed the driver's floor pan.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=225256&d=1770422971

[Nigel Allen]

Fabulous craftsmanship Dave.

Cheers,

Nige

[Papa]

Fabulous craftsmanship Dave.

Cheers,

Nige

Thanks, Nigel. I'm really focusing on trying to keep the wiring on this build as clean and organized as I can.

Dave

[burchfieldb]

Dave, I think I have what you are looking for. It took me a while to find this when I was looking. This will divert the flow from one side to the other. I 3D printed some adapters for mine to reduce the diameter of the two outlets. I also have the same actuator you are using. I will probably 3D print something to mount the actuator to the vent.

https://airheatcoolcomfort.com/products/webasto-or-eberspacher-60mm-duct-y-branch-variable-flap

225273

225274

225275

225276

[Papa]

Dave, I think I have what you are looking for. It took me a while to find this when I was looking. This will divert the flow from one side to the other. I 3D printed some adapters for mine to reduce the diameter of the two outlets. I also have the same actuator you are using. I will probably 3D print something to mount the actuator to the vent.

https://airheatcoolcomfort.com/products/webasto-or-eberspacher-60mm-duct-y-branch-variable-flap

225273

225274

225275

225276

Cool! Thanks, Brent. I'll get one and see what I can do with it.

Dave

[Papa]

Brent,

I bet you could use a ball stud on that valve with the actuator.

Dave

[burchfieldb]

Brent,

I bet you could use a ball stud on that valve with the actuator.

Dave

You should be able to screw one in or some sleeve bearings on either end.

[Papa]

You should be able to screw one in or some sleeve bearings on either end.

How about something like this?

https://a.co/d/0jaehHqE

[burchfieldb]

I couldn't find these before when searching but they are supposed to use these to operate them. In case you didn't want to do an actuator or wanted to move the actuator to a remote location.

https://www.heatso.com/espar-eberspacher-flap-valve-operating-cable/

I will get some measurements off the valve for the push rod ends today.

[Papa]

I couldn't find these before when searching but they are supposed to use these to operate them. In case you didn't want to do an actuator or wanted to move the actuator to a remote location.

https://www.heatso.com/espar-eberspacher-flap-valve-operating-cable/

I will get some measurements off the valve for the push rod ends today.

I did find that cable while poking around last night. It looks like a simple Z bend on the end.

[burchfieldb]

The hole in the valve for the cable measures 0.078 inch in diameter. Here are some pictures for relative size.

225296

225297

225298

225301

[Papa]

The hole in the valve for the cable measures 0.078 inch in diameter. Here are some pictures for relative size.

225296

225297

225298

225301

Thanks again, Brent.

[Papa]

Today I worked on installing a couple more panels; passenger floor and the inner passenger footbox panel. I then worked on the steering shaft install, which went in with no issues at all.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=225326&d=1770510954

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=225327&d=1770510954

I also did another video update and posted it to my YouTube channel:


https://youtu.be/7FgWopBM52w?si=j29rQJqg-vwPCkhQ

[Papa]

I installed the trunk liner material in the drop trunk. I think it looks pretty good.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=225422&d=1770768702

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=225423&d=1770768702

I then tackled the A/C lines that run from the evaporator to the front of the foot box. I bought the MasterCool took FFR recommends in the manual, and it made crimping the hoses pretty easy.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=225427&d=1770768716

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=225428&d=1770769699

Now if they don't leak, I'll be thrilled! Once those lines were done, I was able to finish up the foot box panels on the passenger side.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=225425&d=1770768702

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=225426&d=1770768702

[PNWTim]

The material in the drop trunk looks really clean. As always, you're making good progress. I waited as long as I could to button up my foot boxes (in fact one is still open) but it's nice when they are closed up.

[Papa]

The material in the drop trunk looks really clean. As always, you're making good progress. I waited as long as I could to button up my foot boxes (in fact one is still open) but it's nice when they are closed up.

Thanks, Tim. The trunk liner material has held up really well in my MK4, and I had it sitting on a shelf so I decided to use it for the drop trunk and inside the glove box.

I hope it isn't a mistake closing up the passenger foot box already, but I think everything mechanical is done in the passenger foot box. The top will stay open until I have a good idea of what I need to do with the electrical connections for the heater and A/C.

[Power Surge]

Drop trunk liner looks awesome! I plan to do that also, so now I know it will look great :cool:

[Papa]

Today I worked a bit more on wiring harness modifications, including lengthening the dash side of the rear harness. After laying in the main harness, I discovered that my routing of the rear harness ended up making the rear harness about 6" too short. Since I was going to have to extend it, I also swapped the two connectors over to a single Deutsch connector and I eliminated the speed sensor wires that I wasn't using.

I also received the linear actuator and started thinking about how I could fabricate a bracket for it. Here is the actuator in action:


https://youtube.com/shorts/LrTmVFGibSQ?feature=share

It's running on a 9v battery on my desk, so a bit slower than it will be on 12v.

[Papa]

I got a full day in the shop today and worked on several things. First, I installed a vent hose for the rear differential using items other builders have used that made for a clean install.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=225526&d=1770936321

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=225527&d=1770936321

Next up I worked on completing the brake reservoir plumbing and installation. I swapped out the 3/4" MC with a 13/16" for the clutch and then connected the hoses from the MCs to the fittings in the front of the foot box.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=225528&d=1770936342

Next, I mounted the reservoirs using 3/16" multi-grip-range stainless steel rivets coated with TEF-Gel to mount the bracket to the frame. Those rivets were a bear to pull until I upped the air pressure to my riveter.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=225529&d=1770936342

Now for the test-fit on the bezel:

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=225530&d=1770936342

And finally, connecting the AN lines from the foot box to the reservoirs.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=225532&d=1770936342

Finally, I worked a bit more on the main and dash harnesses, but nothing really interesting to show there.

[PNWTim]

There is something very gratifying about laying that milled bezel on the cover and admiring how snappy it looks. My Milwaukee pulled those big rivets but let me know it was giving it all it had.

[Papa]

Today I completed plumbing the MC for the clutch. I made a hard line from the MC to a bulkhead similar to what I did on the front of the foot box.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=225588&d=1771027811

Out of the foot box, I transitioned to AN flair for the line that will go to the clutch.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=225587&d=1771027811

I also received the small rod ends I ordered to use on the A/C vent shutoff I'm playing with.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=225589&d=1771027811

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=225590&d=1771027811

I'll be working on fabricating a mounting bracket for the actuator in the coming days.

[PMD24]

I skip the most of the coupe build threads because I'm building an MK4 and already spend too much time here reading and learning. But, I keep stopping in periodically on your thread. So impressed with your attention to detail and quality of work. Will continue to follow. Very impressed Dave.

Pat

[Papa]

I skip the most of the coupe build threads because I'm building an MK4 and already spend too much time here reading and learning. But, I keep stopping in periodically on your thread. So impressed with your attention to detail and quality of work. Will continue to follow. Very impressed Dave.

Pat

Thank you for the kind words, Pat.

Dave

[Papa]

I think I have the actuator mounting figured out to work with the shut-off Y fitting I bought.

Click the image to play the short video:

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=225732&d=1771280653 (https://www.youtube.com/shorts/IpINyOieE10)

I also ordered the diverter valve that Brent found and will look at that one as well before settling in on the approach I'll go with.

Next up, brake bleeding. I have to admit that this gave me quite a bit of grief today. First step was to bench bleed the master cylinders. For this, I use a piece of 3/16" tubing with a fitting on one end and the open end dumping into the reservoir.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=225731&d=1771279729

Fill the reservoir and then pump the brake pedal until no more bubbles come out of the end of the tubing. Next, install the hard lines back to the master cylinders. Connect the bleeder cap to the rear reservoir and add fluid to the bleeder. Pressurize the bleeder to 12-15 PSI and then go to the caliper on the right-rear and attach a catch bottle and crack open the bleeder screw. Do both upper bleeders on the rear calipers! This is what caused me grief today, only doing one of them. After both rear calipers are done, repeat the process on the front circuit. Remove the pressure bleeder and top up the reservoirs and check for a firm pedal and any leaks. Before I closed up the shop, I placed a clean paper towel on the floor under the master cylinders and one under each caliper to help identify if I have any leaks that take a while to show themselves.

[burchfieldb]

I was wondering if both of those rear bleeders needed to be opened. I am in the process of assembling my brakes now. I like your approach for bench bleeding.

[Morrisett]

Dave, like the engineering on the motorized damper. Also working on something similar to what you did but ended up using a servo and rotor dial from a heater control valve (can open in varying positions). 225735225736

[Papa]

Dave, like the engineering on the motorized damper. Also working on something similar to what you did but ended up using a servo and rotor dial from a heater control valve (can open in varying positions). 225735225736

Thanks! The actuator I am playing with will do the same. I plan to use a momentary switch instead of the switch that I'm testing with. What motor are you using?

[Papa]

Today I dug into the wiring a bit more seriously. Based on many recommendations from other builders, I removed the convolute from the main harness, but left it on some of the branches for now.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=225745&d=1771366725

This definitely makes it a lot easier to handle and route than with the convolute on. I started with the dash harness connections (three connectors) that contain the turn signal switch, hazard switch, horn switch, headlight switch, and a few other things like the gauge feed, dash light feed, a bunch of grounds, and a couple of +12 v constant and switched +12v wires. I'd already swapped the connector with the turn signal and hazard wires to a Deutsch connector, so that stayed. I also decided to leave the headlight connector in place. but after removing most of the sending unit wires, I simply spliced the rest of the wires and removed the third large connector completely. When laid out, I can now make the switch connections without dealing with the excess wires in the way.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=225744&d=1771366725

Here is what I removed:

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=225746&d=1771366725

I also made another video update that I posted to my YouTube channel:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_rOn2NGFlg

[Papa]

This morning I spent a little time laying out the wiring for my turn signals, hazard flashers, and headlight dimmer switch. I'm using the I.E. 427 turn signal kit from Frank, which can operate the turn signals and has two additional switches built in. One is a momentary switch that is activated by pulling the turn signal lever forward. I'm going to use this to switch my hi/low beams for the headlights. Frank includes instructions for this feature that requires a simple relay. Since I already had the IDIDIT Dimmer relay, I'm going to use that, which will add a flash-to-pass feature when the headlights are off. The second switch on the turn signal kit is an on/off switch on the right-hand side of the kit that is a round knob that you pull out to turn it on and push it in to turn it off. For those of us old enough to remember, this is how the hazard flashers were activated on most cars until we got crazy with electronics. To use this switch for the hazard flashers, you need to add a DPDT relay, which Frank describes in detail in his instructions. Here is what it will all look like when everything is integrated:

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=225788&d=1771433081

Correction: The stalk momentary switch will NOT work directly with a typical relay to switch low/high beams as I stated. Frank's instructions are for the secondary switch (on/off) that can be used with a standard 5-pin relay. To use the stalk momentary switch, you need to do a bit more complicated wiring, like what Russ Thompson provided diagrams for with the momentary button on his system. This is because the momentary switch is not a latching switch. The IDIDIT relay that I'm using will work as I intend with the momentary switch, but I just wanted to add this clarification.

[Papa]

I started looking at the Specialty Power Windows WWK-2 wiper kit and, like others that have also used the FFR wiper kit, find this to be a significant upgrade. After attaching the motor to the case, I made up a set of short wires to test the motor.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=226110&d=1772038971

I'll be using the same approach Paul and others have done with rubber shock mount stand-offs to mount the unit to the firewall. I think this approach has multiple advantages:

1. It aligns the unit better with the position of the wheelbox with minimal bends in the tubing.
2. It isolates the motor from the inside of the car, which should help with noise.
3. It will allow for removal of the unit from the firewall without reaching up under the dash from inside the car.

The provided switch also has a push-to-wash function that I'd like to use. I've tried all my search tricks but haven't found any specific information on what washer kit and nozzles folks have found that work well on the Coupe. I see various kits on Speedway and Summit that look like they would work that are in the $60 range. I also see much cheaper kits on Amazon that may or may not do the trick, but question if the lower price means they would be more likely to fail sooner than the more expensive kits. Also, which nozzles work well as cowl-mounted option for the Coupe. Any suggestions from those that have installed washers on the Coupe would be helpful.

Finally, my daughter sent me some new garage swag for my birthday!

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=226111&d=1772039827

[edwardb]

The provided switch also has a push-to-wash function that I'd like to use. I've tried all my search tricks but haven't found any specific information on what washer kit and nozzles folks have found that work well on the Coupe. I see various kits on Speedway and Summit that look like they would work that are in the $60 range. I also see much cheaper kits on Amazon that may or may not do the trick, but question if the lower price means they would be more likely to fail sooner than the more expensive kits. Also, which nozzles work well as cowl-mounted option for the Coupe. Any suggestions from those that have installed washers on the Coupe would be helpful.

I've done two washer installations. Looking at various options for the Mk5 now myself. For my Coupe, I used a Denso 060800-0550 reservoir with built-in pump. A nice piece from Amazon. But listed now as no longer available. See it listed on some RV and truck service sites. But I don't know how aggressive I'd be to pursue those. For the truck build, I used a Chase Bays Compact Windshield Washer Reservoir / Intercooler Sprayer with a type one bracket. It's relatively small but a very nice welded aluminum reservoir with pump. At $150 not cheap. But may consider it again. For nozzles, same story as the Denso part. I used nozzles from Amazon but showing as not available. Looking now at probably using Dorman 47237 nozzles. Similar to the ones I've used before. There's a particular all-in-one tank/pump/nozzle setup on Amazon that's under $20. Whole bunch of sellers are showing the same part. I'm afraid it might be one of those you get what you pay for situations. But maybe it would be suitable. My build buddy rigged up wet wipers on his challenge car. I'm going to take a look at that again, but probably won't go that way.

The pushbutton function in the provided wiper switch works fine for the washers. Used it on the truck. On the Coupe, I installed a Cole Hersee 75600-04 switch which is very trick. OE style functions with intermittent speeds, wiper does several sweeps when you push the washer button, etc. But haven't installed one since. It's $100 or so and a bit bulky.

[Papa]

Paul,

Thank you for the great reply to my questions. I do like the look of the Chase Bays reservoir and motor. I'm definitely leaning that direction ... we'll see. I also like the features of the Cole Hersee switch you mentioned but will likely pass considering how little the wipers are actually used and the premium for available space. Now to see if I can find a more attractive knob, although the provided one will work just fine.

Dave

[Papa]

Today I took some time to work on the mounts for the wiper motor that I will be using. I also cannibalized the bracket that came with the kit to create two simple extensions.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=226136&d=1772065708

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=226137&d=1772065708

Here is what the setup looks like loosely put together:

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=226138&d=1772065708

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=226139&d=1772065708

And one from the back-side. The large washers and flat screws will be all that is on the inside of the firewall.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=226140&d=1772065708

[Namrups]

I confess! I used one of the cheap washer kits from Amazon. Less than $20.00 if I remember right. Came complete with plastic reservoir, wiring harness, all tubing and connections and the nozzles. Easy install. You do get what you pay for but I figured I would not be using them much so I didn't want to spend much. IMO they work fine. I think I have used them twice in three seasons of driving.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=184473&d=1684014900

If you look close you can see the nozzles.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=200307&d=1717521771

Scott

[Papa]

Thanks, Scott. I appreciate the perspective and now just need to make a decision based on available mounting locations and space.

Dave

[Papa]

Well, I ignored the little voice in the back of my head telling me to stop and think before you drill. As a result, I'll have a few extra holes in my firewall to deal with. When I was positioning the wiper motor, I forgot about the firewall extension. Sure enough, my motor placement was right in the way.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=226159&d=1772134376

Before I drill any more holes, is there anything else I need to consider before trying again?

[PNWTim]

Well Dave, you did exactly what I did. I thought I covered it in my thread but perhaps not. I don't know where you are planning on putting your fuse box and other Control Pack accessories but those can cause problems as well. Many put them on top of the foot box so real estate gets scarce in a hurry.

[Papa]

Well Dave, you did exactly what I did. I thought I covered it in my thread but perhaps not. I don't know where you are planning on putting your fuse box and other Control Pack accessories but those can cause problems as well. Many put them on top of the foot box so real estate gets scarce in a hurry.

I'm sure you covered it, but I likely just missed it. Since I'm using the stand-offs, I may be able to use one of the holes to run the wires through with a small grommet. None of the holes will be seen by anyone but me.

Dave

[Skuzzy]

I figure if I am not drilling an errant hole through something, once in a while, then I must not be building anything.

[Papa]

After spending some time reviewing my options, I went ahead and drilled four more holes in the firewall to mount the wiper motor in what I believe to be its final location. I also ordered some plugs for the "extra" holes that are not covered by the firewall extension. They will be behind the motor assembly, so not seen. I'll try to use the hole that is between the extension and the wiper motor to feed the wires for the wiper/washer from inside the car to the engine compartment.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=226178&d=1772151889

It will need to come back off to complete the setup down the road and get packed with grease before putting it back in place.

[rhk118]

After spending some time reviewing my options, I went ahead and drilled four more holes in the firewall to mount the wiper motor in what I believe to be its final location. I also ordered some plugs for the "extra" holes that are not covered by the firewall extension. They will be behind the motor assembly, so not seen. I'll try to use the hole that is between the extension and the wiper motor to feed the wires for the wiper/washer from inside the car to the engine compartment.

It will need to come back off to complete the setup down the road and get packed with grease before putting it back in place.

Dave, I'm enjoying watching your build. Thanks so much for documenting the wiper motor install so well as I'm ready to do that myself...was thinking I'd need the body on to place the wiper motor, but I see exactly what you did clearly and am just going to follow your excellent guide here - I love it...and yes I have several errant holes in my car as well that only I know about :D. I'd like to get the motor mounted so I can mount more electronics and circuit breakers to the firewall without getting in the way of the wiper mounts.

I'm sure Paul documented the rubberized mounts but if you have a part number for those I'd happily take it. I remember seeing Namrups (Scott) car in the flesh and he had also made 1 inch spacers for the wiper "rail" so it was appropriately spaced away from that upper firewall piece. For the wiper washer I purchased the Chase Bays reservoir that Paul used on his truck a couple years ago at this point, not sure the price now. Obviously $$ but very nice part, ordered the nozzles he used as well, just assuming they will work because of the source ;)

P.S. Love the carbon fiber power probe!

[Papa]

Dave, I'm enjoying watching your build. Thanks so much for documenting the wiper motor install so well as I'm ready to do that myself...was thinking I'd need the body on to place the wiper motor, but I see exactly what you did clearly and am just going to follow your excellent guide here - I love it...and yes I have several errant holes in my car as well that only I know about :D. I'd like to get the motor mounted so I can mount more electronics and circuit breakers to the firewall without getting in the way of the wiper mounts.

I'm sure Paul documented the rubberized mounts but if you have a part number for those I'd happily take it. I remember seeing Namrups (Scott) car in the flesh and he had also made 1 inch spacers for the wiper "rail" so it was appropriately spaced away from that upper firewall piece. For the wiper washer I purchased the Chase Bays reservoir that Paul used on his truck a couple years ago at this point, not sure the price now. Obviously $$ but very nice part, ordered the nozzles he used as well, just assuming they will work because of the source ;)

P.S. Love the carbon fiber power probe!

Thank you. I'm happy to share my goofs to help my fellow builders. Here are the rubber mounts I bought:

M6x20mmx10mm - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B1CY78FL?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title&th=1

I'm also leaning toward the Chase Bays tank, which is $150.00, but looks like it is small enough to fit in the rapidly disappearing space in my engine bay. I may actually try to follow Brent's example and use the top portion of the FFR coolant tank welded to the washer tank and bring it through one of my engine bay covers with a trim ring that matches the triple reservoir setup.

Dave

[burchfieldb]

Thank you. I'm happy to share my goofs to help my fellow builders. Here are the rubber mounts I bought:

M6x20mmx10mm - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B1CY78FL?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title&th=1

I'm also leaning toward the Chase Bays tank, which is $150.00, but looks like it is small enough to fit in the rapidly disappearing space in my engine bay. I may actually try to follow Brent's example and use the top portion of the FFR coolant tank welded to the washer tank and bring it through one of my engine bay covers with a trim ring that matches the triple reservoir setup.

Dave

I just used an extra brake reservoir for the tank and an AC Delco washer fluid pump, as I did not figure I would need much fluid.

https://a.co/d/09Thl3ZG

226249

226250

[Papa]

I just used an extra brake reservoir for the tank and an AC Delco washer fluid pump, as I did not figure I would need much fluid.

https://a.co/d/09Thl3ZG

226249

226250

I like that approach!

[orangemonkey65]

Love reading the new updates on the wipers Papa! Not at that stage yet but glad to see what you did so I can think and plan ahead of it.

[Papa]

After a few days away from the shop, I was able to get back to today. I tested the Wilwood EPB today, powering them up for the very first time. They worked perfectly! I posted a YouTube short that you can watch by clicking the image below:

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=226484&d=1772928716 (https://www.youtube.com/shorts/vkX6hT8PSWI)

Next up, I installed two access panels that I got from Snakebite Motorworks. I wanted to be able to access the tail light wiring down the road. Brent's access panels are really nice. They are a two-piece design, not the simple aluminum piece that comes with the kit for the fuel tank access. Brent's design keeps the access panel flush with the panel you mount it in. Here are some pictures of the install.

Start by tracing the cover where you want it and then I used a 5" circle template to mark for the center of the two circles I needed to cut out per opening.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=226479&d=1772928462

Once the circles were cut out, just trim the small portion along the straight edges and clean up the opening so that the cover fits inside the opening. Then, drill and rivel the mounting ring to your panel.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=226480&d=1772928462

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=226481&d=1772928462

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=226482&d=1772928462

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=226483&d=1772928462

I also posted another build update video on my YouTube channel if you want to view it.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AaS02qcill8

[Skuzzy]

Nice. Going to have to get those panels for my tail lights as well. Make it easy to swap LED's in case of failures.

[Papa]

Today I started working on integrating the IDIDIT headlight dimming relay and the hazard switch relay into the RF harness. I mounted the IDITIT relay to the firewall. It has a built-in self-resetting breaker, so I'll tie the +12v power wire into the buss bar on the post with the Wilwood EPB main power. The tan wire on the left will be connected to the appropriate wire on the turn signal harness.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=226516&d=1773017867

Next I shortened the RF hazard wires and connected the DPDT relay. Power for this will come from the clock memory wire in the RF harness and the ground goes to the appropriate wire in the turn signal harness.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=226517&d=1773017867

Next up will be shortening the turn signal wires in the RF harness and adding connectors that will go to the turn signal harness once the turn signal setup from Frank is installed, but that will not happen until the dash goes in.

I did test the hazard switch on the bench, and the relay properly energizes when the switch is pulled out.

Click the image below to watch the short test video.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=226518&d=1773018591 (https://www.youtube.com/shorts/RIFM-ZO3N8Q)

[Sharris2]

Following your build with interest; im in the middle of doing my wiring as well but stuck while I wait for my turn signal switch from Frank.
I'm curious about the iddit really you are using; I used it when I built my MK4 with the russ thompson switch and it works great.
I asked frank about using it with his system and he said it wasn't needed. Are you adding another function by using it?

Thanks
Scott

[Papa]

Following your build with interest; im in the middle of doing my wiring as well but stuck while I wait for my turn signal switch from Frank.
I'm curious about the iddit really you are using; I used it when I built my MK4 with the russ thompson switch and it works great.
I asked frank about using it with his system and he said it wasn't needed. Are you adding another function by using it?

Thanks
Scott

Scott,

Frank's setup does turn signals as well as providing two different switches. The first switch is a simple momentary switch that is controlled by pulling the stalk forward. The second is an on-off switch controlled by pulling the round knob out on the right side of the unit. You can use the on-off switch to do the headlight dimming by adding a standard 5-pin relay that in the normally closed mode provides power for low beams, and then when triggered provides power to the high beams. Likewise, you can use the on-off switch with a DPDT relay to operate the hazards, which is what I'm doing. To use the momentary switch for anything you want to power on and keep on, you need to do something a bit fancier since the switch is non-latching. The IDIDIT relay does this in a nice simple package. It also adds a flash-to-pass feature. When the headlights are off, pulling the stalk will activate the headlights until you release the stalk. When the headlights are on, pulling the stalk will toggle between high and low beams.

[Sharris2]

Thanks, frank did send me his wiring schematic and I thought that the 12 pin latching relay plus the second relay did the same thing. I'm working in a bit of a vacuum with out his switch.
Thanks again for confirming this.

[Papa]

Thanks, frank did send me his wiring schematic and I thought that the 12 pin latching relay plus the second relay did the same thing. I'm working in a bit of a vacuum with out his switch.
Thanks again for confirming this.

Edit: Re-reading your post, I don't think Frank's instructions go into what is required to use the stalk momentary switch to do the headlight dimming. He discusses how to use the secondary (on-off) switch with a 5-pin relay for this. He also discusses the DPDT relay (8-pins) for the hazard function using the same on-off switch.

Here is a link to how to replicate the functionality provided by the IDIDIT module using the stalk momentary switch for the headlight dimming and flash-to-pass feature:

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showthread.php?27544-40-Watt-Garage-amp-9365&p=347758&viewfull=1#post347758

[Papa]

Yesterday we had 84 degree temps and I spent the day outside working on yard cleanup and brush cutting. Today we are in the 40's with rain, so I got to work on the Coupe. I continue to work through the electrical and with the headlight dimming, hazard flashers, and turn signals integrated into the I.E.427 turn signal setup, I decided to add another Deutsch connector to allow me to install the dash and easily connect the turn signal setup after the dash is installed.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=226641&d=1773253522

Next, I made the connections for several items to the Dakota Digital VHX controller. I connected the left and right turn signal indicator wires, high beam indicator wire, dash light wire used to dim the gauges when the lights are turned on, tach signal wire, and the fuel sender wires. I also connected the GPS antenna to the GPS receiver/processor.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=226642&d=1773253522

I still have to wire the heater and A/C and also the wipers. Once I have the engine, I'll run the sending units into the engine bay and connect them to the VHX controller and make the other Coyote connections that go inside the car.

[Sharris2]

Thanks for that information and correction. I'll do the same as your build and add the iddit relay, I want the flash to pass, same as my roadster. If you would be so kind as to email your wiring schematic that would be very helpful for me; I struggle with the wiring at time.
Thanks
Scott
Scott_harrison@bell.net

[Papa]

Thanks for that information and correction. I'll do the same as your build and add the iddit relay, I want the flash to pass, same as my roadster. If you would be so kind as to email your wiring schematic that would be very helpful for me; I struggle with the wiring at time.
Thanks
Scott
Scott_harrison@bell.net

Scott,

I sent you an e-mail with what I hope is a pretty simple wiring diagram to follow.

Dave

[Papa]

I started laying out the heater and A/C wiring today. I started with the connections that go to the control panel and then worked from there through the other legs of the provided harness.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=226740&d=1773440034

I ended up needing to extend the leg with the plugs that go to the evaporator by about a foot. I'll be running this leg from under the dash into the passenger footbox and up to the evaporator.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=226741&d=1773440034

Next up was the heater control valve. It looks like I'll be routing this set of connections inside the footbox as well, which means that the remaining parts of the harness will be coming out of the front of the footbox with a grommet. I'll also need to decide how to handle the extra length of the wires with the plug that goes into the heater control valve.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=226742&d=1773440034

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=226744&d=1773440034

The rest of the connections on this leg of the harness are for the trinary switch and the compressor. The remaining leg is the power, ground, and fan. I'll tie the power into the heater wire from the RF harness and run the ground to a convenient location. I need to read up on the fan wire, which doesn't show up on the Factory Five wire diagram. I also have the fan thermo control wire from the sending unit harness that I kept that will go to the trinary switch.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=226743&d=1773440034

Making steady progress with the wiring!

[Papa]

I got word from Factory Five that they have my engine ready to ship. The ball is in Cunningham Transportation's court now to schedule pick up and delivery.

[burchfieldb]

That is great news!

[Papa]

I worked on a few small items on the electrical today. First, I shortened the harness connector from the thermostat to the heater control. I'll run the wires that tie into the main heater and AC harness through the top of the footbox and will likely use insulated spade connectors rather than permanent splices.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=227082&d=1774208437

I also ran the rest of the heater and AC harness through the front of the passenger footbox. I'm hoping that the leads for the trinary switch are in a reasonably correct location.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=227083&d=1774208437

Finally, I started to lay out the windshield wiper wiring for the Specialty Power Windows kit. I posted in the main Coupe forum as well, but I'm thinking of bringing the wires around the end of the firewall and out through the firewall extension. The flat plug will remain on the engine-side of the firewall in the event that the motor ever needs to come off.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=227084&d=1774208437

[Papa]

I took advantage of the beautiful weather in central Missouri today and started cleaning up the parting lines on the body. I didn't go crazy trying to get the ridges smooth, but knocked down the razor-sharp ridges with a chisel and then hit everything with the pressure washer.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=227307&d=1774549662

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=227308&d=1774549662

I'll wipe it down with mineral spirits once it's good and dry and will share some pictures of a few areas on the body I'm a little concerned about. More to come!

[JimStone]

Enjoy the weather!

I hung the body up to th ceiling 2 years ago and haven't looked at it since, but will be doing what you are this summer. Hope you didn't find too many ruts and divots

[Papa]

After everything was wiped down and dry, I took a few more pictures. Here is what the majority of the parting lines look like now:

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=227362&d=1774620101

And here are some of the areas that I am concerned with:

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=227365&d=1774620101

This one is the front of the passenger side pontoon:

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=227363&d=1774620101

This one is the interior panel at the lower, rear of the passenger door opening.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=227364&d=1774620101

Do any of the concerns I have seem overly problematic to the guys that do body work on these things?

[PNWTim]

The first pontoon shot looks like someone took a bucket of secret sauce and patcher her up! I think fiberglass is pretty forgiving but I'll let the experts weigh in.

[Papa]

The first pontoon shot looks like someone took a bucket of secret sauce and patcher her up! I think fiberglass is pretty forgiving but I'll let the experts weigh in.

Exactly! It looks like some of the material was damaged while trimming the body and they just putty knifed in a blob of gel coat.

[Papa]

Yesterday I worked on fitting the switches in the dash and extension panel. It's surprising how little space is available for the large, bulky switches!

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=227439&d=1774710103

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=227438&d=1774710103

I actually had to relocate my gauge controller module further downward to accommodate the headlight switch. I'll also be adding some more items to the extension panel that I mounted the heater and AC controls in.

And for those following my videos on YouTube, I uploaded a new update yesterday.


https://youtu.be/f-5RM-R5G8s?si=tcfqxTauMlOqxg1u

[PNWTim]

Some of those are significantly larger on the backside than the front side. I also had to be careful how low I mounted anything on the forward F5 panel to ensure it didn't conflict with Brent's panel. It's pretty gratifying to get everything positioned on the dash.

[Papa]

Some of those are significantly larger on the backside than the front side. I also had to be careful how low I mounted anything on the forward F5 panel to ensure it didn't conflict with Brent's panel. It's pretty gratifying to get everything positioned on the dash.

It's going to be interesting trying to get all the electrical and ducts in place at the same time.

[Papa]

I focused on the wiring to the dash-mounted items a bit more today. I tinned the wires for the horn switch, modified the ignition switch leg of the harness and connected the wires to their proper posts, lengthened the headlight switch leg and attached the switch.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=227668&d=1775086259

I also made a decision on how I was going to run the wiring for the wiper switch and motor and completed that as well.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=227669&d=1775086259

I still need to run the washer motor wire, which I'll bundle with my sending unit wires that need to run into the engine compartment from behind the dash.

I was planning to mount an extra FFR reservoir through one of the engine bay cover panels like I did for the brake and clutch reservoirs but decided to keep it simple and mount the reservoir near the firewall like Paul did on his current build. I liked the simple bracket that Paul 3D printed, but with no printer, I found a similar solution. I bought a pair of 2.5" bar clamps and will be using one of them to mount the washer pump to the FFR fluid reservoir I'll be using for the windshield washer function. My pump should be here Monday, so I'll see how it works out ... lots of optimism right now.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=227670&d=1775086259

[JimStone]

Electrics are looking very clean and organized. Well done

I've struggled in that department. Sometimes I think about ripping it all out and starting over. Then I think about how much time I have in it so I just add some more messy wires and move on

[Papa]

Electrics are looking very clean and organized. Well done

I've struggled in that department. Sometimes I think about ripping it all out and starting over. Then I think about how much time I have in it so I just add some more messy wires and move on

Thank you, Jim. I really wanted to focus on organized wiring on this build since much of it will be inaccessible on the finished car.

Dave

[Papa]

Today I spent some time cleaning up the wiring now that the bulk of the behind-the-dash wiring is done.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=227705&d=1775173210

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=227706&d=1775173210

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=227707&d=1775173210

It's not as pretty as others I've seen, but I'm pretty happy with how it looks now. Up next will be the main power cables. I'm still not settled on how I want to run a lot of them because I don't have the Coyote components in my hands yet to position stuff.

Another upcoming project will be getting the NRG quick release steering hub mounted to the new hub I ordered from Frank. His NRG hub will let me mount the NRG release directly. After that, I need to decide which steering wheel I'll be using. If I keep the FFR leather wheel, I'll need to drill the NRG bolt pattern. If I go with a different aftermarket wheel, the NRG hub should work without modification to the wheel. Are there other good quality wheels that others have used and would recommend? I'd like to go with a flat-bottom style wheel if I go aftermarket.

[Papa]

I ordered my Wolfbox G900 Pro (https://wolfbox.com/products/wolfbox-2024-g900-pro-wifi-touch-screen-parking-monitoring-dash-cam-smart-mirror-with-starvis-678-sensor?variant=50186656284961) camera mirror today. I got a bundle that includes:

- G900 Pro mirror
- Hardwire kit
- Circular polarizing lens
- Rear camera plate bracket
- OEM windshield mount
- 30-month extended warranty

Now I get to decide how to run all the cables. :(

[Sharris2]

I have the Wolfbox G900 Tri Pro; same kit but with a front camera. Ran the cables through the roll bars (used both sides) GPS cable power and the camera inputs. Ran the rear camera with the rear tail light etc. Front cable out with the front harness.
Bench tested it; works great:)

I'll email you some pics

Scott

[Papa]

I have the Wolfbox G900 Tri Pro; same kit but with a front camera. Ran the cables through the roll bars (used both sides) GPS cable power and the camera inputs. Ran the rear camera with the rear tail light etc. Front cable out with the front harness.
Bench tested it; works great:)

I'll email you some pics

Scott

Thanks, Scott. I got your e-mail and pictures. I hope to do something similar with cables running through the roll cage bars. I also got your note about the interior light. Could you just tie that into the courtesy light circuit already provided in the RF harness? I'm thinking of adding door activated switches to operate a dome light.

[Sharris2]

Yes I don't see why not; I was thinking a separate switch like for a map light.

[Skuzzy]

When running wiring through the rollbar tubing, you might want to consider putting the wiring into either a silicone or teflon jacket to protect the insulation from being contaminated with rust. If your wiring is already sleeved in silicone or teflon, then go for it.

Rust can dry out the regular insulation and cause it to crack over time. It is also very course and any steady vibrations will act like an orbital sander on the insulation. Even a cloth sleeve will be better than nothing.

Just a safety thing.

[PMD24]

Wiring looks pretty darn tidy to me. I've developed an appreciation for how difficult it is to get the dash wiring cleaned up.

[Papa]

Wiring looks pretty darn tidy to me. I've developed an appreciation for how difficult it is to get the dash wiring cleaned up.

Thanks, Pat. I appreciate the kind words. It is definitely not easy to make big chaotic piles of spaghetti look organized, but I think making it as tidy as possible is important. I was so intimidated by the wiring in my first build, but gained a lot of confidence there that helped me with the approach I've taken on this build. Making the changes to the generic harness to better fit what features this build has is worth all the time I've invested, and the better tools and connectors I've used. I think digging into the harnesses like I have has actually given me a clearer understanding of the wiring as a whole.

[PMD24]

I agree 100%. With no experience I dug into mine because I had to add a reverse light for New York State. Then I added a light for the trunk. By sorting out those two simple circuits I was on my way to a complete understanding of the entire harness. MANY hours later it has been thinned out, cleaned up, routing improved, wire exits moved, etc. I'd encourage every builder to do it. It's way easier than we think. And fun, because of the challenge.

Pat

[Papa]

I received my new hub from Frank at I.E.427 that is specifically designed and machined for the NRG quick release steering wheel setup. The NRG hub from I.E.427 is thinner than the standard hub that comes with the turn signal kit, so after everything is assembled, the NRG hub only adds about 1/2" to where the standard hub places the steering wheel from the dash. Just like with the Russ Thompson TS, the NRG part needs to be modified by removing the inner "cups" on both the hub and steering wheel mounted components. I did the modification by holding the parts in my vise and using a hacksaw to cut off the cups and then cleaned up the remaining bit of material with a die grinder and an abrasive disk. Here are the removed cups:

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=227926&d=1775603203

And here is a picture of the NRG quick release mounted to the new I.E.427 hub and in position on my steering shaft.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=227925&d=1775603203

Now I just need to make a decision on the steering wheel. I do like the FFR leather wheel and could simply drill the needed 6x70mm bolt pattern as many others have done, but would really like to go with a flat-bottom wheel for the additional room it offers. I've looked at several NRG wheels, but have also found this one from Sparco:

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=227927&d=1775603900

[Papa]

Decision made! I picked this one up from Summit Racing just a few minutes ago.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=227928&d=1775607301

[TrackDay17]

Decision made! I picked this one up from Summit Racing just a few minutes ago.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=227928&d=1775607301

Looks very similar to my MPi I got from Summit except mine is suede which might be a mistake on the Roadster, hopefully it won't get too dirty.
Does the coupe kit come with the newer turn signal setup like the MK5 does ?
I found it kind of a pain at the build school and was planning on just using a dash switch until I saw Frank's solution.

[Papa]

Looks very similar to my MPi I got from Summit except mine is suede which might be a mistake on the Roadster, hopefully it won't get too dirty.
Does the coupe kit come with the newer turn signal setup like the MK5 does ?
I found it kind of a pain at the build school and was planning on just using a dash switch until I saw Frank's solution.

The Coupe does not come with FFR's new TS setup that comes with the MK5.

[Papa]

My NRG steering wheel arrived today and I like how it looks and feels!

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=227975&d=1775775970

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=227976&d=1775775970

[i.e.427]

My NRG steering wheel arrived today and I like how it looks and feels!


Glad you like the new hub we sent out and thank you for being patient while we worked out the machinist issues.

Frank

[Papa]

Glad you like the new hub we sent out and thank you for being patient while we worked out the machinist issues.

Frank

No worries, Frank. Thanks for keeping me informed about my order while you worked things out.

Dave

[Papa]

Today I mounted the washer pump to the clamp I'll be using as a bracket and connected the tubing to the reservoir and pump so I could test it.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=228100&d=1776023631

With no nozzles restricting the flow, the pump drained the reservoir in just a few seconds. I'm thinking I'll get a couple of squirts on the windshield from this small volume, but that's likely more than enough.

Next, I drilled the hole for the shifter in the blank transmission tunnel cover I bought from Brent. I then added nutserts for the trim ring the exact same way I did them for the MK4. The only snag is that there is a cross bar that runs directly under where one of the screws needs to go.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=228099&d=1776023631

I just drilled the cross bar so that the nutsert can sit inside the cross bar. After looking at Paul's cover, I'm thinking of doing leather on this and the lower dash extension that the A/C controls are mounted in. I still have some of the leather hide I bought for the MK4. I also ordered a black suede shifter boot with red stitching. I'll decide if that will be my solution once I receive it and determine if it will fit and if the quality is acceptable.

I also posted another short video on my YouTube channel today:


https://youtu.be/nlB1-gBdTZc?si=FSL8JORZy26UagnB

[Papa]

I got another good day in the shop today and accomplished a few tasks. I positioned and drilled the instrument panel for the I.E.427 steering wheel adapter and test-fit my position in the car with the seat and steering wheel in place.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=228136&d=1776123070

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=228134&d=1776123070

It is definitely going to be cozy in this car.

I also wrapped the glove compartment door in the carbon fiber vinyl I used to do the instrument cluster in.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=228135&d=1776123070

And finally, I received my rearview mirror today and got to fiddle with that a bit. I installed the OEM-style mirror mount, which is very nice quality.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=228137&d=1776123127

I also connected the GPS antenna and rear camera and powered it up on the bench. Everything worked and looks crystal clear from both cameras.


https://youtu.be/ssXeyimJb34?si=PulZVXLCAqocTZCa

[Lugnut Mark]

Hey Dave … how do I get in contact with FRANK from I.e 427 to order this identical setup with the quick release for a NRG steering wheel ? Thanks in advance !

[Papa]

Hey Dave … how do I get in contact with FRANK from I.e 427 to order this identical setup with the quick release for a NRG steering wheel ? Thanks in advance !

Mark,

Frank is a forum vendor. His contact information is on his vendor link:

https://www.facebook.com/IE427-891650054204648/

And his profile link on the forum:

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/member.php?22850-i-e-427

Dave

[Papa]

I'm in the process of ordering my custom-fit wheels from Stark Forged Wheels. I just really like the look of the HEM45 wheel they offer ... it speaks to me!

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=224806&d=1769562806

I'm going with these exact finishes, which are a fully polished rim and center with dark gray bolts and emblem.

I ended up ordering using the same specs for these wheels that the FFR 18" wheels have except for the offset of the rear wheels. I don't want to run a spacer, so instead of the 12mm offset the FFR wheels come with, I'm doing a -13.4mm offset, which reduces the backspace by an inch and pushes the outside edge of the wheel an inch further toward the wheel opening. This will also give the wheel a bit deeper dish. I just started the ordering process with them and have been very impressed by their attention to detail. We've had several back-and-forth e-mails to clarify all the details. They've asked for clearance measurements for the brakes, which I was able to send directly from what Wilwood provides. They clarified the bolt pattern, lug size, center bore of 70.5mm front and rear and even wanted to know the height of the front dust cap from the wheel mating surface.

[JimStone]

Those wheels look MEAN!

Look fast just sitting there

[Papa]

Thanks! To the best of my knowledge, my Coupe will be the only one with these wheels.

[Lugnut Mark]

Thank you sir ! Btw those wheels look killer !

[8secDuster]

Love the wheels Dave! Can't wait to see them on it.

[Papa]

Love the wheels Dave! Can't wait to see them on it.

Thanks! I should have 3D drawings in about three days based on my specific specifications. Once I approve those, they will go to production. They take 4-6 weeks in this stage, then about a month to ship. I didn't want to pay for expedited shipping.

[PMD24]

Those wheels are definitely killer. Stunning look!

Pat

[Papa]

After seeing Paul's beautiful glove box door work on his MK5 build, I decided I needed to revisit my glove box door. I'm using the glove box from Brent at Snakebite Motorworks. His design places the door flush with the dash, which allows the installer to fine-tune the opening in the dash based on whatever covering will be used. My metal skills are crude at best, and here is how the door fit after my less than masterful work cutting the opening.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=228442&d=1776814656

I planned to cover the door with Vvivid carbon fiber wrap that I also used to cover my instrument cluster with. Here is what my door looked like with the wrap.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=228135&d=1776123070

Not horrible, but not nearly as finished as the approach Paul took. So, I removed the wrap and fabricated an outer skin that would conceal the gap around the door and let me have a more finished look inside the door as well.

This is the outer skin before refining the radiuses on the lower corners. I originally made the door about 1/4" wider on all sides but had to reduce that on the lower edge due to the clearance that the hinges provide.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=228444&d=1776814656

Once the panel was refined, I wrapped the new outer skin.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=228445&d=1776814656

From the outside, it looks pretty good. I found some helpful tips on how to get the wrap to form cleanly around the corners, which worked really well. The part I could not figure out was how to get the backside of those corners to lay flat without bunching up. I suspect I'm going to need to do some precision pie cuts to get it to lay flat. This would be a great case for hydro-dipping!

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=228446&d=1776814656

I've also been talking to Brent about some ideas that I'll let him work on and present if he chooses to do so that I think will be a hit. Once I have the outer skin finalized, I'll also finish the original door, likely in black satin powder coat.

[Papa]

After some helpful comments in another thread related to bolt orientation for the steering rack and LCA bolts on the Coupe, I ended up reversing my original orientation. The power steering rack is a few inches from the radiator aluminum, but not enough the get the long bolts holding the rack in to come out when put in from the front of the car like I had. Similarly, the front LCA bolts are right up against the radiator aluminum and would have the same issue. I reversed those at well and the bolts are very close to the radiator aluminum, but not touching. It will still be a royal pain if I ever have to remove the LCA, but at least it will be possible to do without taking half the car apart now.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=228472&d=1776890309

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=228473&d=1776890309

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=228474&d=1776890309

My next senior moment came while I was working on more of the A/C system. I powder coated the FFR supplied bracket pieces and figured out where the drier would mount. Then came the issue. As I looked at the A/C instructions, the drier looks different than what I received. That isn't usually cause for concern, but when I looked at the drier, it didn't look like there was a port to mount the trinary switch to. The location that it would go had hex-heads that looked to be cast into the drier, and not removeable.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=228476&d=1776890309

So, before assuming I could just put a wrench on the hex and unthread it, I wanted clarification that this was the case and I wasn't going to break a cast part by trying to wrench a non-moveable head loose. After a call to Vintage Air, who makes the drier, I was assured that the hex-heads were in fact threaded parts and that they just had paint applied after they were installed. The technician helped me confirm the flow for the Coupe application and warned that a lot of people assume the label should point to the exposed side of the drier, but that may not be the case. The "out" port goes to the switch on the evaporator and the "in" comes from the condenser. With that clear, I mounted the trinary switch to the drier and mounted that to the frame and connected the A/C harness wires.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=228477&d=1776890323

I also connected the power, ground, and fan wires inside the car. The thermostat wires that will pass through the top of the foot box are still not connected, and the compressor connection will be made once the engine is in the car.

[Papa]

My build log is now up and working on the new forum. I like the new format, but there are a few improvements I've recommended that will make it even better.

https://thefactoryfiveforum-bkhxambghtdrhjdt.centralus-01.azurewebsites.net/build-logs/16389

[460.465USMC]

A new forum? Guess I'm out of the loop. Is this current forum being retired?

[Skuzzy]

My build log is now up and working on the new forum. I like the new format, but there are a few improvements I've recommended that will make it even better.

https://thefactoryfiveforum-bkhxambghtdrhjdt.centralus-01.azurewebsites.net/build-logs/16389

That URL may be temporary. Pretty sure he is going to move it to the domain in the near future.

[Papa]

That URL may be temporary. Pretty sure he is going to move it to the domain in the near future.

I assume it is temporary as well. I'm posting any new content related to my build to the new forum going forward. I know most people resist change, but I'm ready to give it a fair shake. My discussions with Dave have been very positive and fixes have been made very quickly. :)