Garcia Family Type 65 Coupe Build - Front Suspension

[JTG]

So I’m a little late to the party with this build thread.
We ordered the kit in April, had an engine / transmission package from Mike Forte sitting in our garage since July, the kit was delivered in September, and we’ve already completed inventory.

To get caught up here are the broad details:


Mechanically we’re not straying off the beaten path. Coyote & T56
We ordered a Complete kit and went down the list and checked off most of the boxes including IRS.
We left off wheels and seats, and will figure those out at a later date.
We all fell in love with the Carbon Fiber body at the open house, but had a feeling it was out of our price range even with factoring in the cost of prep and paint. FFR confirmed that recently when they announced the pricing. Sad times.
The interior will be mostly custom, not much from the kit will be used.
We will design and fabricate roll up windows. Not Forma Cars, not typical rollup, something mechanical and simple that still feels at home in a race car.
Probably some sort of exhaust modification tbd. After having been for a ride in one the noise level is a bit much for me. Also lots of sound deadening measures.
I’ll change my mind weekly on paint as most everyone does.



The goal is to have a finished car by the time my son graduates high school in 2-1/2 years. He’s going to a Vocational High School and focusing on Automotive Tech. A lot of this build will be my son and I, but will involve my wife and daughter as much as their abilities and interests allow.

My background is in design engineering, and fabrication. 12 years of that was in LA working on special effects for the entertainment industry, which involved some design engineering, some fabrication, some mechanical, and some electrical. Essentially all the elements involved in building a car, just without intentionally creating fireballs. For a period of time I also owned a company that specialized in design and fabrication of stainless parts, and I still have a TIG welder in my garage. I also have access to a lot of sheet metal and fabrication tools at my current job including a CNC laser, CNC routers, CNC bending brake, etc. So needless to say there will be custom parts.

I’m also keeping a blog to update friends and family as none of them will be interested in reading this forum. It will stay at a high level so as not to bore them with “Look! I bolted this thing to this other thing!”. However, I’ll jump on the forum here for the technical challenges we are sure to encounter.

Garcia Family Coupe (https://garcia-daytona-coupe.blogspot.com/)

Thanks for following along and here are some photos of where we’re at so far.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=220800&d=1761673947

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=220801&d=1761673947

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=220802&d=1761673947

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=220803&d=1761673947

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=220804&d=1761673977

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=220805&d=1761673977

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=220806&d=1761673977

[Papa]

Congrats and welcome! I look forward to following your build to see what you and your family come up with along the way.

[8secDuster]

Congratulations Garcia Family !

[burchfieldb]

Congrats! Great to see another build. I am excited to see what you do for the windows.

[edwardb]

Probably some sort of exhaust modification tbd. After having been for a ride in one the noise level is a bit much for me. Also lots of sound deadening measures.


Congratulations on your kit delivery and upcoming adventure. Do what you can with noise level. Agree it's a little crazy with these. It's possible to mitigate some but it's going to be excessively loud no matter what. Resign yourself to ear protection and it's 100% manageable. I use Sony noise cancellation ear buds. They work great. My wife prefers regular ear plugs. I keep a pack of ear plugs in the car for guests.

[PNWTim]

Congratulations and as they say, you are off to the races!

[bil1024]

Congrats and welcome to the family!

[Power Surge]

Congrats and let the fun begin!

What car number did you get?

[JTG]

Thanks everyone! I have no idea what car number I have. Does the serial number indicate that? Or how else would I know?

[Lugnut Mark]

Hey Garcia family welcome to the party …..lots of memories and good times to come .. congrats now let the fun begin!

[Power Surge]

Thanks everyone! I have no idea what car number I have. Does the serial number indicate that? Or how else would I know?

Yeah, it's the last portion of the FFR serial number.

[JimStone]

Awesome stuff! Have a blast!

[Namrups]

Congrats! Looking forward to following along! Enjoyed meeting you and your family!

Scott

[JTG]

Congratulations on your kit delivery and upcoming adventure. Do what you can with noise level. Agree it's a little crazy with these. It's possible to mitigate some but it's going to be excessively loud no matter what. Resign yourself to ear protection and it's 100% manageable. I use Sony noise cancellation ear buds. They work great. My wife prefers regular ear plugs. I keep a pack of ear plugs in the car for guests.

Thanks Paul,

I am assuming that we'll still need hearing protection, I'm used to that from my years riding motorcycles. It was mostly the wind noise that bothered me in that case, you really can't hear the exhaust at speed.

We've also been exploring in car communication systems, but in order to be street legal the driver could only have one ear covered which wouldn't really help with the noise. Or I cover both ears and hope we don't get pulled over... probably not a great idea.

I've seen a lot of great suggestions on this forum for mitigating sound issues, and have been contemplating them all. Just not sure yet which of those we'll try.

[JTG]

Yeah, it's the last portion of the FFR serial number.

Got it!

Ours is #654

[Shakey]

Congrats! I'm excited to follow along. Your build plan mentioned a roll up window option. The plexi windows in this Galaxie 500 are pretty slick. Go up and down with a pull strap and fasten with buttons. I thought it was pretty simple and clever.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJHr4rmQ4lE

V/R

Shakey

[JTG]

Congrats! I'm excited to follow along. Your build plan mentioned a roll up window option. The plexi windows in this Galaxie 500 are pretty slick. Go up and down with a pull strap and fasten with buttons. I thought it was pretty simple and clever.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJHr4rmQ4lE

V/R

Shakey

Exactly!! I like the double strap approach because one of my concerns with this method was the stretch / sag in the strap and not fully seating against the top. The frameless design is nice too, but I think it will be easier to keep everything aligned and sealed if I build it with a frame.

Also, that is a gorgeous build. Some of those details are kind of what I imagine in my head until the realities of a budget set in.

Thanks for sharing!
Jon

[JTG]

We submitted our "Missing in Kit" List to Brent at FFR and he was quick to respond. There were a few missing nuts and bolts but the biggest thing was a couple pieces of cockpit aluminum. It looked strange to me when it was delivered but I just convinced myself that it must be in one of the boxes. This doesn't slow us down as we're already moving at a glacial pace, but FFR will send those out with a few other missing items.

It's the outside panels behind the seats, both driver and passenger.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=220917&d=1761922768


https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=220918&d=1761922768

[460.465USMC]

Welcome aboard, Garcias! Will be a fantastic project for you all. High five on the drivetrain choice, but maybe I'm just partial. :p What a great background of experience and skills for a build. Looking forward to following along. This will be fun.

[PNWTim]

The good news is, those panels don't actually go back into the cockpit until after the body is on for the final time. So, in the case of missing pieces, those are at the front of the "not needed for awhile" line.

[JTG]

The good news is, those panels don't actually go back into the cockpit until after the body is on for the final time. So, in the case of missing pieces, those are at the front of the "not needed for awhile" line.

Thanks for that clarification! That is what I had understood, but it's good to hear it from someone else. I also saw in Paul's build thread he masked off where some of those "install later" panels go and then sprayed lizard skin. We'll see when it gets to that point but I may have more questions.

Jon

[JTG]

It is early to be working on the Coyote, but there is a reason.

We are contemplating custom headers, which goes back to my comment about noise mitigation. The engine will need to be dropped in to figure out routing and clearances.
My background as a certified welder in SS will come in handy here, and it's not new territory as I've built custom SS motorcycle exhausts in the past.

My wife and son got involved in removing the bonus "Throw away" Header that Ford so kindly provides, along with the flywheel.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=220980&d=1762103613

We have Forte's lifting brackets, and while I understand they're too wide for the actual install they will work fine for now. My only hesitation using these was bolting a rough piece of hot rolled steel up against a nice machined surface on the block. I know others have done this and it didn't seem to present any problems, but I have a tendency to overdue things. And now seems as good a moment as any to start overdoing things! I had some scrap 1/8" 5052 aluminum and made some square shims to go between the brackets and the block.

Did this help? I have no idea.

Did it make me feel better? Absolutely! :D

For reference we used the lower header studs on the driver side front, and passenger side rear.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=220981&d=1762103837

[JTG]

As an update for anyone else using Fortes brackets on a Coyote. This wasn't a balanced lift but we also didn't have the flywheel on which would make a difference.

We adjusted a little and still used the lower header studs on both sides. Driver's side front most stud, however we moved the passenger side one stud forward from the back.

This worked fine for now, but we will definitely be either getting or fabricating brackets to use the recommended lifting points for install.

[edwardb]

I've used a couple different lifting brackets for Coyote installations. Ones that I made (marginal...) and ones from TD Motion. The Coyote is a tight fit (no surprise) and both factory lifting locations can interfere with the frame. Plus the effort necessary to balance. Another forum member suggested I try a manifold lift plate which I did for my Mk5 build. Couldn't be easier and I highly recommend. Google "Coyote manifold lift plate" and you'll find a number of sources. For roughly the same price as purchased lift brackets. The one I used was from MMR but there are others. I was initially hesitant to remove the intake, but it's no big deal. This picture is installed on my Aluminator. Wish I had taken another as we dropped it in. But got too excited and forgot.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=219897&d=1759893489

[JTG]

Thanks Paul, that is really good to know! I saw those plates pop up in my searches, but also felt hesitant to remove the intake manifold.

Based on your recommendation I may now reconsider that.

[Lugnut Mark]

I got my lift plate from summit it was very reasonable at like $79.00 … what I like about it is that it has 3 lifting hole positions to kinda get the right angle for engine instal 221071221072

[JTG]

I got my lift plate from summit it was very reasonable at like $79.00 … what I like about it is that it has 3 lifting hole positions to kinda get the right angle for engine instal 221071221072

That is really nice! I found it on Summit and will add that to my buy later list which is getting really long.

Someone mentioned that other forum members are really good at spending your money. It's true, not that I'm complaining.
That will make me happy when it comes time to drop the engine in.

Thanks!
Jon

[JTG]

Not a lot to report here. We got the Coyote on a stand using Forte's brackets which worked fine for the purpose.
Maybe later this week or this weekend we'll drop the stock oil pan and install the Moroso pan. Along w/ the oil filter and other minor modifications.


https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=221345&d=1762795113


We also put the Coupe on a simple dolly so we could roll it out of the garage because it's time to take the roof top tent off the truck for winter.
We just have one of those pully systems for the tent but it's directly over where the Coupe lives.
There is a plan to build a better dolly because wheeling it in and out of the garage may be a common occurrence for a while, and I don't know how long it will be before we have a rolling chassis.


https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=221347&d=1762795189


Pay no attention to the ropes, my daughter really is that strong :rolleyes:


https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=221346&d=1762795169

[PNWTim]

Looks good. I also built a dolly and honestly, what your have is more than sufficient for the car until you put wheels and tires on it and an engine in it. I used mine quite a bit in the beginning, then put my car on jack stands for a while so I could work under and around unimpeded. It's now on a lift so I doubt I will ever use the dolly again but for what I used it for it was more than adequate and very similar to yours.

[460.465USMC]

That's pretty cool you found a new Gen 3 Coyote. I searched about 1.5 years ago, and they were more than scarce back then. So, I had to go with a Gen 4.

[JTG]

That's pretty cool you found a new Gen 3 Coyote. I searched about 1.5 years ago, and they were more than scarce back then. So, I had to go with a Gen 4.

Yeah, I was pretty happy about that. Not that there's anything wrong with the Gen 4, I just didn't want to be one of the first to test that out. There were enough Gen 3 builds that it felt like a safe option.

When I first started talking to Mike Forte, he had recently bought a bunch of Gen 3 Coyote's in the anticipation of the transition to Gen 4. I saw them sitting in his warehouse and asked if he would put my name on one of those in exchange for bunch of money.

[JTG]

So the Garcia's are still here, we just got sidelined for a bit with an injury, an illness, travel, and the holidays. I have bunch of time off starting next week so we have plans to make some progress on the Coupe. We're excited!!

In the meantime, I've been contemplating exhaust design. This falls under the category of "Not necessary, but it makes Jon happy". Feel free to roll your eyes at this nonsense, I'm not easily offended.

The reasons:
- Mellow out the sound.
- I just like the idea of having Cats even though almost everyone builds without them.
- It will make the build that much more uniquely ours... if we can pull it off.

The considerations:
- It appears that the Coyote uses an O2 sensor both before and after the CAT. Can anyone confirm that we should do the same?
- Clearance everywhere. Attached is a simple 2D schematic, until we start arranging the components in 3D space it's hard to know if all this will fit.
- I don't want too many bolted connections, but we still need to be able to get these parts in and out of the frame. TBD.
- Heat shielding for the Cats so we don't accidentally bake something else.
- Hangers or support for the whole system
- The battery will need to be relocated, probably to the trunk.

I have concerns about clearing the accessory drives on the front of the engine, but it's really hard to visualize until everything is in place.

Anyway, I'd love your feedback whether good or bad. I have thick skin.

Thanks,
Jon

222995

[PNWTim]

Just a few comments. Coyote crate motors only use two of the four 02 sensors. Looking at your drawing (which is pretty neat BTW), your forward pipes are going to be well into the front suspension framework as drawn. As far as engine interference goes, I am thinking the AC compressor and alternator will be a challenge. Both are up front and low, right and left respectively. Looking forward to what you develop.

[JTG]

Just a few comments. Coyote crate motors only use two of the four 02 sensors. Looking at your drawing (which is pretty neat BTW), your forward pipes are going to be well into the front suspension framework as drawn. As far as engine interference goes, I am thinking the AC compressor and alternator will be a challenge. Both are up front and low, right and left respectively. Looking forward to what you develop.

Thanks for the input! Do you happen to know if those two O2 sensors would need to go before or after the Cats?

Yeah, the drawing is just flat so it's not a great representation. I was imagining some of those bends would be oriented up/down as opposed to being side to side as drawn. Regardless once we drop the motor in for a test fit it should become apparent how little room there is.

[JimStone]

Not much room in front of the engine, but if you're willing to push into the radiator tunnel there would be a lot more room to work with


222996



I'm very interested to see what you come up with

In my dream scenario, I'd have butterfly valves that when open direct the exhaust down the side pipes and when closed sends it through cats and mufflers. So you could change from civilized to rambunctious with the push of a button.


Unfortunately, I don't have the skill or know-how to pull that off

[JTG]

Not much room in front of the engine, but if you're willing to push into the radiator tunnel there would be a lot more room to work with


222996



I'm very interested to see what you come up with

In my dream scenario, I'd have butterfly valves that when open direct the exhaust down the side pipes and when closed sends it through cats and mufflers. So you could change from civilized to rambunctious with the push of a button.


Unfortunately, I don't have the skill or know-how to pull that off

I love the idea of a bypass valve, and had contemplated that early on but I think that's even more real estate that would be difficult to find.
That doesn't mean we won't look into it some more because now is the time, and I'm happy to contemplate all ideas regardless of such ridiculous constraints like time, money, and physical space :rolleyes:

Speaking of ideas that will probably make my life more difficult, at one point in the thought process we had contemplated creating our own fiberglass shells for seats to specifically fit the constraints of the Coupe.
My wife told me to stop, and just buy something that's close enough. Besides which, after factoring in the cost of the polyurethane carving foam, fiberglass cloth, resin, custom upholstery, etc. it would be significantly more expense than buying a seat. Especially because we would have to send out the seat shells for upholstery. That is beyond our skillsets.

[Presdough]

Bear in mind that cats get VERY hot in the course of doing their job. That could shorten the life of belts and accessories.

[Presdough]

The upstream sensors trim fuel, the downstream just monitor converter function. If you're just using two they must be before the cats.

[JimStone]

My wife told me to stop, and just buy something that's close enough.

Wise lady

If left to our own devices, we'd customize and remake every part of the car. Our kids will have become adults and our pocket books empty when all said and done.

That being said. the angles of the rear cockpit wall really do waste a bunch of space behind my seats. Custom seats would be nice, ha

[burchfieldb]

I am also not going to be a good influence here, I like diving down rabbit holes. You should make some of these if you have a 3D printer, it will help a lot when laying things out. I am also planning on adding CATs for mine and custom heated and cooled seats.

https://icengineworks.com/

[JTG]

Bear in mind that cats get VERY hot in the course of doing their job. That could shorten the life of belts and accessories.

Indeed, that is a very real concern. The Cats would be near a lot of things that might not appreciate getting that hot.
I'll have to see where they could potentially fit and then see what kind of heat shielding can be fit into the surrounding area.

[JTG]

The upstream sensors trim fuel, the downstream just monitor converter function. If you're just using two they must be before the cats.

Excellent, thanks for clarifying that.

[JTG]

I am also not going to be a good influence here, I like diving down rabbit holes. You should make some of these if you have a 3D printer, it will help a lot when laying things out. I am also planning on adding CATs for mine and custom heated and cooled seats.

https://icengineworks.com/

Yes!!! We do have a 3D printer, and something like that would help immensely in figuring out this puzzle.

What is your plan for CAT's? Are you going to go with an X-Pipe or just add cats into the headers and exit out the sides like the standard setup? I really want the crossover but that one element is going to make packaging really tight.

[JimStone]

I am also not going to be a good influence here, I like diving down rabbit holes. You should make some of these if you have a 3D printer, it will help a lot when laying things out. I am also planning on adding CATs for mine and custom heated and cooled seats.

https://icengineworks.com/


Wow, those things are cool. And expensive!

[Papa]

There was a similar design done on a MK4 a couple of years ago that you may find interesting.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showthread.php?44929-Finished-my-front-mounted-exhaust-system-and-first-start!

[JTG]

There was a similar design done on a MK4 a couple of years ago that you may find interesting.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showthread.php?44929-Finished-my-front-mounted-exhaust-system-and-first-start!

I've seen that car in person and have watched the videos of the build. Really impressive work!

Seeing that build has provided some of the inspiration for what we're trying to achieve. It all seems theoretically possible, so stay tuned.

[burchfieldb]

Yes!!! We do have a 3D printer, and something like that would help immensely in figuring out this puzzle.

What is your plan for CAT's? Are you going to go with an X-Pipe or just add cats into the headers and exit out the sides like the standard setup? I really want the crossover but that one element is going to make packaging really tight.

My plan is to run the headers towards the front, to cats, and then back to the exhuast. Hoping that I can get some extra length in the exhaust.

[burchfieldb]

Wow, those things are cool. And expensive!

Yeah, I could stomach the cost for what they are, so I printed my own for a fraction of the cost.

[JTG]

Here's a little more to help explain the routing. I'm hoping to take some measurements of the frame over the weekend and then further refine this but it gives you a rough idea of the layout.

It's obviously missing any bolted connections, and I was only guessing at the location where the exhaust exits the body so that will have to be adjusted. I also suspect the Cat is going right through a framing member as drawn, but once the frame is drawn in, I can rearrange this spaghetti.

Just a starting point to decide if I'm crazy.


https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=223092&d=1766175711

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=223093&d=1766175711

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=223094&d=1766175711

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=223095&d=1766175711

[burchfieldb]

Some photos for inspiration. A guy from Canada sent me these photos of his car.

223100

223099

[JTG]

Some photos for inspiration. A guy from Canada sent me these photos of his car.

223100

223099

I was taking measurements last night and starting to feel like this idea was a bit overly ambitious, but then you sent those photos and... Woah!! That is impressive, I don't think he wasted a single square inch with that build. I'd love to know more about that.

At any rate if he can stuff a couple of turbos into that space with all the associated plumbing, a couple of cats and an X-pipe should be doable.

[burchfieldb]

I was taking measurements last night and starting to feel like this idea was a bit overly ambitious, but then you sent those photos and... Woah!! That is impressive, I don't think he wasted a single square inch with that build. I'd love to know more about that.

At any rate if he can stuff a couple of turbos into that space with all the associated plumbing, a couple of cats and an X-pipe should be doable.

I sent you a PM with his contact information.

[JimStone]

You got this!

X-pipes. And turbos?

[Jeff Kleiner]

Some photos for inspiration. A guy from Canada sent me these photos of his car.

223100

223099

That’s Ryan Valin’s car. Coincidentally I just spent the afternoon with him yesterday and we talked about the challenges of fitting the Godzilla in!

Jeff

[JTG]

There hasn't been a lot of activity in the Garcia household, but we did manage to get the body off and stored in the shed which felt like a good accomplishment. Nothing terribly noteworthy about that but it was a nice family activity where we needed 4 sets of hands.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=223671&d=1767752857


https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=223670&d=1767752857


https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=223672&d=1767752857

[JTG]

We also received a care package from Factory Five w/ the engine mounts, a big heavy pumpkin from Ford Performance, and some mystery tabs that had no label, no packing list and no description.

I knew they looked familiar from following other builds, but it took a while thumbing through the manual to figure out what they were. I'm good now! Pedal box switch mounts :cool:

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=223669&d=1767752857

[JTG]

Because this build is moving so slowly and it will likely be a while before it's a roller we've decided to over engineer a chassis dolly. Just for ease of moving it out of the way while still giving clear access under the car. In addition we're using the dolly as an excuse to teach my son how to TIG weld, and he's picking it up really fast!! This bead is only after a few days of welding, although he does have a little experience with Stick and Oxy Acetylene welding.

I'm inclined to believe it's because of his brilliant teacher :rolleyes:
I was also planning to do all the welding on the headers and exhaust myself, but at the rate he's going I may be able to delegate some of that work.

We should be done with the dolly this weekend, and will share more pictures then. As a side note this dolly will be available to any future builders in the area as past a certain point we will not have any need for it.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=223668&d=1767752857

[PNWTim]

Stack of dimes coming up! Such a great skill to have.

[JTG]

We've finished the chassis dolly and are extremely happy with the results. It's mostly made out of 1-1/2" x 1/8" steel angle which is scrap from work. We have some shipments from overseas and they use this angle as protection on the corners of the crates. We also already had the jack stands, so the only items we had to purchase were the casters and caster plates which kept the whole build around $200.

I've seen plenty of builds progress quickly to the rolling chassis stage, but that is not likely to be us which is why we felt comfortable over engineering this dolly. Plus it was a great learning experience for my son. In the few days since finishing it's already quickly proven useful as we move around the garage working on other house projects as well.

This is kind of a variation of Scott (Namrups) design where he used jack stands on wheel dollies. I liked the adjustable nature of that design, only we wanted bigger wheels so we could roll it out into the driveway on nice days to make room in the garage for other projects or just because it's nice to work outside. Much like Scott's version this leaves most of the underside clear and accessible for someone (my son) to roll underneath. I'm not that old, but also not that interested in getting under cars anymore.

As previously mentioned we're moving slowly, and that has to do with finding balance as a family. There are a lot of things we love doing together and we're not going to stop any of those just because we have a car to build. We go to the climbing gym at least a few times a week, we love games, mountain biking, camping, working on house projects, spending time with friends, and just hanging out together. I could go out into the garage every night and move this project along but for us that's not the purpose. I want the memories of building this together which means it will move more slowly, but I've come to terms with that and it feels good.

Anyway, blah, blah, blah. Here are some pictures of the dolly!! And if anybody wants drawings, dimensions, or more of an explanation I'm happy to share.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=223887&d=1768342911

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=223888&d=1768342911

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=223889&d=1768342911

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=223890&d=1768342911

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=223891&d=1768342911

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=223892&d=1768342945

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=223893&d=1768342945

[JTG]

I should also mention that there are weld tabs holding the jack stands in place so they can't tip over while pushing the car around. And the majority of the steel angle was boxed in to make the frame more rigid. Just for those out there that can see the forces being exerted on the jack stands and frame and might be worried about safety.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=223894&d=1768342945

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=223895&d=1768342945

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=223896&d=1768342945

[JTG]

We also finally bolted some things to some other things!!!
I don't need to go into detail, as you've probably all seen this before but we had all the parts and they went in just as described.

We're hoping to drop the engine in soon so we can see what kind of clearance there is between the accessory drive and the steering rack for the exhaust nonsense we're planning.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=223886&d=1768342805

[Namrups]

Awsome dolly!!

Scott

[Skuzzy]

Nice work!

I wish I had access to steel like that. It costs me a small fortune to purchase and have steel shipped here.

[460.465USMC]

I should also mention that there are weld tabs holding the jack stands in place so they can't tip over while pushing the car around. And the majority of the steel angle was boxed in to make the frame more rigid. Just for those out there that can see the forces being exerted on the jack stands and frame and might be worried about safety.

Way to go, Garcia family! One of if not the strongest looking chassis dolly I've seen yet. I don't think you'll regret taking your time and enjoying the build process. Good call.

[AaronR]

Nice! I'm really looking forward to seeing what you do with your exhaust. Thanks for sharing

[JTG]

We spent some more time with the Coyote because we're anxious to get a test fit and start planning the exhaust. We didn't take care of all the prep, but just enough that we could lift it into the chassis. We pulled the oil cooler, swapped the oil pan w/ the Moroso unit, installed the engine mounts, pulled the intake manifold and installed a lifting plate. A big THANK YOU to the other builders who suggested lifting the engine this way, and I would highly encourage anyone else with a Coyote to do the same. Pulling the intake manifold was really easy, and the Summit lifting plate lined up perfectly.

That's it for now, we'll probably get back to the front suspension and then hopefully drop the engine in if we have time this weekend.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=224515&d=1769015847

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=224516&d=1769015847

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=224511&d=1769015798

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=224512&d=1769015798

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=224513&d=1769015798

[PNWTim]

It looks like you have the same lifting plate I do - Summit? If so, did you notice the plate bottoms against bolt heads in what I am going to call the lifter valley (which is totally wrong) but you know what I mean? I found when I cinched down the mounting bolts the plate steel conflicted with the heads of the bolts. I decided it didn't really matter but I didn't really like it either.

[JTG]

It looks like you have the same lifting plate I do - Summit? If so, did you notice the plate bottoms against bolt heads in what I am going to call the lifter valley (which is totally wrong) but you know what I mean? I found when I cinched down the mounting bolts the plate steel conflicted with the heads of the bolts. I decided it didn't really matter but I didn't really like it either.

Yes, that is the Summit lifting plate, I believe it's the same one you have. It seemed to sit flat against the intake ports, but now I'm feeling the need to check. I don't remember, do you have a Gen 3 Coyote, or did you get a Gen 4?

[orangemonkey65]

Just subscribed to your build thread and gonna be fun to watch yours - I see you've also got the kids involved for sure!

Those metal tabs you mentioned earlier, I didn't see anyone reply about them, but they are the mounts for the sensors on the pedal box for the brake and clutch switch. You have to drill out the back side of the tabs on the pedal box and then those are bolted on.

[edwardb]

Just subscribed to your build thread and gonna be fun to watch yours - I see you've also got the kids involved for sure!

Those metal tabs you mentioned earlier, I didn't see anyone reply about them, but they are the mounts for the sensors on the pedal box for the brake and clutch switch. You have to drill out the back side of the tabs on the pedal box and then those are bolted on.

Right. Except for a Coyote build you don't mount that tab or standard switch there. The Coyote has its own clutch switch. The switch comes with the Coyote control pack. The wiring is in the Coyote harness. If you bought the FF Coyote install kit, it includes a bracket to mount the switch.

[orangemonkey65]

Right. Except for a Coyote build you don't mount that tab or standard switch there. The Coyote has its own clutch switch. The switch comes with the Coyote control pack. The wiring is in the Coyote harness. If you bought the FF Coyote install kit, it includes a bracket to mount the switch.

Great call and add Edwardb - didn't consider the Coyote side of the clutch switch.

[JTG]

Right. Except for a Coyote build you don't mount that tab or standard switch there. The Coyote has its own clutch switch. The switch comes with the Coyote control pack. The wiring is in the Coyote harness. If you bought the FF Coyote install kit, it includes a bracket to mount the switch.

Thanks Paul, I was not aware of that!

On a side note, we're still here and will hopefully get back to building this weekend.
We took a little detour to work on our climbing / bouldering cave, tiling and cabinet install for a new pantry, and making a small spray booth to paint car parts. There are never a lack of projects!

I admire you all who have the time / dedication to work on your cars a little every day. I certainly think about it every day, but thinking doesn't assemble any parts :rolleyes:

[JTG]

So here's an update on our little detour. We've decided to paint any parts that need coating ourselves and I prefer to spray them so we built a small booth for use at home. We also have a full size booth at work if I need to paint any larger panels since we're not going the powder coated route.

I've opted to go with the Eastwood Epoxy Primer and 2k Ceramic Chassis coating. I have no idea if this will hold up well but it was easy enough to spray and I'm pleased with the results. These first parts are not very visible so it's mostly for protection, when it comes time for more visible parts there will be greater effort involved.

The booth did a great job with the fumes, my wife said she couldn't smell anything in the house so that's a win!! The whole assembly was a bunch of guess work but it appears it was a pretty good guess in regards to the volume of air that it's moving. It's hard to tell from pictures but there's LED lighting as well which makes it really bright inside the opening.

Anyway, enjoy the pictures! And now that we have these parts painted we can get back to building.


https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=226526&d=1773074874


https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=226532&d=1773074924


https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=226527&d=1773074874


https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=226531&d=1773074924


https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=226529&d=1773074874

[egchewy79]

Nice little set up. I'll be turning my garage into a paint booth this spring/summer to paint a truck project. Got a large capacity vevor exhaust fan.

[PNWTim]

Perfect for small parts. Are those bilge blowers?

[JTG]

Nice little set up. I'll be turning my garage into a paint booth this spring/summer to paint a truck project. Got a large capacity vevor exhaust fan.

Thanks, there is something very satisfying to me about spraying parts. Good luck with your project!


Perfect for small parts. Are those bilge blowers?

Yes, they're just cheap bilge blowers. We'll see how long they last. Now that we have this setup there are all sorts of miscellaneous paint projects that have magically materialized :rolleyes:

[460.465USMC]

So here's an update on our little detour. We've decided to paint any parts that need coating ourselves and I prefer to spray them so we built a small booth for use at home. We also have a full size booth at work if I need to paint any larger panels since we're not going the powder coated route.

Looks like a slick setup. That would be so handy to be able to paint parts in the garage during the cold/wet winter months when outdoor painting is difficult. Great addition to build arsenal!

[JTG]

Looks like a slick setup. That would be so handy to be able to paint parts in the garage during the cold/wet winter months when outdoor painting is difficult. Great addition to build arsenal!

Thanks! My wife has already used it for some Spray 77 glue projects which kept the garage from getting stinky.

On a side note, now that the paint has fully cured that Eastwood 2k Ceramic Chassis Black feels really durable!
Only time will tell if I still agree with that statement after it's been on the road for a few years, but for now I'm impressed.

[JTG]

I'm overdue for an update since we've made some progress, but just thought I'd share our bone-head move since I don't recall reading about anyone else making this mistake. The upside is I've been reading everyone's build and not making their mistakes, and instead we've created our own! :rolleyes:

We installed the bushing sleeves for the rear diff in the steering rack, which only became apparent when the bolts wouldn't fit in the sleeves as we began install of the differential... Fortunately pulling the steering rack out and swapping the sleeves wasn't too painful, although my son had no interest in helping with that so I did the deed after he went to bed last night. All things considered, not too bad.

I'll post up more pictures and progress later.

[JTG]

Ok, now I'm going to update this build thread for real, because we have been making progress!

First up is the front suspension, and I won't get into much detail because all of this has been thoroughly documented by other builders. The only comment I have, which after a little searching was confirmed by a few others is that the upper castle nut needs a washer in order to get the nut to line up with the hole and make the cotter pin actually useful. Not a big deal, but it feels like that detail should be in the manual.

Below are some pictures to prove we did a thing.

I'm probably not alone here, but I find deburring, filing and cleaning the various stainless bits very satisfying.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=224518&d=1769015924

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=224519&d=1769015924

We had (4) shocks and (4) Garcia's so I handed everyone a pile of parts and walked them through the process. I think they all enjoyed that.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=224522&d=1769015924

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=224520&d=1769015924

More to follow shortly

[Jeff Kleiner]

A shock for everybody! Did each of the four Garcias check the rebound adjustment on their shock before assembly?

Jeff

[JTG]

A shock for everybody! Did each of the four Garcias check the rebound adjustment on their shock before assembly?

Jeff

We did not... I was under the impression (which judging by your comment, I may have been misguided), that the rebound was already adjusted for their application in FFR cars.
Should I pull the front shocks and check that?

[Jeff Kleiner]

They should be set on full soft for all four but there's no guarantee. I've pulled them out of the boxes and found them set otherwise from Koni so it's best to check.

Jeff

[JTG]

They should be set on full soft for all four but there's no guarantee. I've pulled them out of the boxes and found them set otherwise from Koni so it's best to check.

Jeff

Thanks for the heads up Jeff, I'll add that to our list!

[JTG]

Here's some more progress on the front suspension, which all went more as less as expected with only a few notes.

1) The upper castle nut needs a washer to properly align with the hole. Otherwise the cotter pin would sit above the castle nut and not through it.

2) The ball joints and upper control arms are technically identical, but when we tried to thread the ball joints in they wouldn't seat all the way. Just for grins we swapped them and then they easily threaded in place. So while there really isn't a left and a right, we had a left and a right...

3) Much like everyone else, we swapped out the stock blue booties, for some Energy Suspension booties. My daughter was disappointed by this, she thought we were getting Uggs or something fun.


https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=228391&d=1776707091


https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=228393&d=1776707091


https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=228395&d=1776707091

[Namrups]

Check the bolts holding your steering rack in. Not real clear in the pics but the bolts should be installed so that the nuts are in front. If the bolts are installed from the front you may not be able to remove them after your radiator panel is installed.

Scott

[JTG]

Check the bolts holding your steering rack in. Not real clear in the pics but the bolts should be installed so that the nuts are in front. If the bolts are installed from the front you may not be able to remove them after your radiator panel is installed.

Scott

Thanks Scott, good advice.

I originally had them installed with the nuts towards the back but then we had to pull the steering rack out and made the correction at that point. We noticed we didn't have the right bushing sleeves for the rear diff, and in a forehead slap moment realized that we installed the sleeves for the rear diff in the steering rack. They're close enough that nothing seemed out of place at the time.

Now if we have to replace the rack for any reason we won't be cursing our past selves. I do appreciate the tips which is a big reason for posting progress, so keep it coming!

Jon

[Ejzajac]

Check the bolts holding your steering rack in. Not real clear in the pics but the bolts should be installed so that the nuts are in front. If the bolts are installed from the front you may not be able to remove them after your radiator panel is installed.

Scott

I assume you must be referring to the front Lower Control Arm. Thanks for your keen eye. It was not too long ago I made the same mistake, but plenty of time to correct.
Ed Z

[Papa]

I assume you must be referring to the front Lower Control Arm. Thanks for your keen eye. It was not too long ago I made the same mistake, but plenty of time to correct.
Ed Z

Ed,

The radiator cowl aluminum on the Coupe is only about three inches from the steering rack bolts. Scott is correct that with the aluminum in place, you won't be able to get them out, trapping the rack in place. He caught this on a picture I posted in another thread and today I flipped those bolts around.

Before:

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=216453&d=1752700159

After:

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=228448&d=1776816775

But dang it! Now I need to take a look at the LCA bolts, too.

Dave

[460.465USMC]

Fun progress is being made. Suspension buildup is a lot of fun. Nice work, Jon and family.

Since we're looking at your steering rack from the front...if I had to do it over, I would hold off on the final install of the radiator tunnel. Especially the rear panels. Mock-up and drill, of course, but no need to finalize until after the drivetrain is installed. It would have been so handy to be able to slip my hands through there. It's possible to work around it, but not as much fun.

[JTG]

Fun progress is being made. Suspension buildup is a lot of fun. Nice work, Jon and family.

Since we're looking at your steering rack from the front...if I had to do it over, I would hold off on the final install of the radiator tunnel. Especially the rear panels. Mock-up and drill, of course, but no need to finalize until after the drivetrain is installed. It would have been so handy to be able to slip my hands through there. It's possible to work around it, but not as much fun.

That seems like really good advice, we probably would have riveted that in place and then regretted it later. Now I think we'll hold off on that. Thanks!

[JTG]

Ed,

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=228448&d=1776816775

But dang it! Now I need to take a look at the LCA bolts, too.

Dave

Dave, looking at your picture I also see the sway bar installed. Would now be a good time to install that or is there any reason to hold off until later?

Thanks,
Jon

[Papa]

Dave, looking at your picture I also see the sway bar installed. Would now be a good time to install that or is there any reason to hold off until later?

Thanks,
Jon

I can't think of any reason to wait.

[JTG]

A little more progress, we assembled the front rotors and started adding safety wires. I will probably have to finish that later on my own since my son had zero interest in helping. He liked the spinning twisting part, but feeding the wire through the head of the bolts was too fiddly for him.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=228396&d=1776707199


We also pressed the studs out of the rear hubs using the bench vise with a notched piece of pipe method. Thanks to whoever came up with that idea!! It worked great.
We still need to grind flats into the new studs before installing, and we'll probably get around to that this weekend.


https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=228394&d=1776707091

[PNWTim]

A little more progress, we assembled the front rotors and started adding safety wires. I will probably have to finish that later on my own since my son had zero interest in helping. He liked the spinning twisting part, but feeding the wire through the head of the bolts was too fiddly for him.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=228396&d=1776707199


We also pressed the studs out of the rear hubs using the bench vise with a notched piece of pipe method. Thanks to whoever came up with that idea!! It worked great.
We still need to grind flats into the new studs before installing, and we'll probably get around to that this weekend.


https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=228394&d=1776707091

I know I have seen some builders grinding those flats you refer to but I did not need to that on my build. I'm not sure what the difference is be my studs cleared the hub of the hub easily.

[JTG]

I know I have seen some builders grinding those flats you refer to but I did not need to that on my build. I'm not sure what the difference is be my studs cleared the hub of the hub easily.

Thanks Tim, that's good to know. I'll look at it a little more closely tonight. Maybe you just saved us a step!

[Sea Hut]

I installed the first one before remembering that others have gone with the flat grind. With only a couple millimeters of space, I opted to go flat. With a bench grinder, you can do all ten in less than 10 minutes or so.

[JTG]

I installed the first one before remembering that others have gone with the flat grind. With only a couple millimeters of space, I opted to go flat. With a bench grinder, you can do all ten in less than 10 minutes or so.

After looking at this more closely I'm in agreement that the clearance is really tight and we'd feel better grinding flats into the studs. You're right, it won't take very long.