Another competition coupe build

[Stroked65Coupe]

The coupe is coming along. After talking with Karen at SEMA I decided to go the competition coupe route. We plan on using the coupe for track and time trial events as well as on the road. Based on the problems Karen had with the strength of the IRS, I have gone ahead and redone the rear suspension to include a new upper control arm and had to relocate the lower arm so as to have full travel without any binding.1661816619

[Stroked65Coupe]

A couple more pictures166201662116622

[tcoon]

Very cool! Welcome to the club. Mine is on the road, nearly complete just polishing paint now. Heading to Huntington Beach in 2 weeks for the big debut! Your rear suspension looks very interesting...

[QSL]

excellent!! Very cool! have you fit the body with the new side bars yet?

[Russ Thompson]

Nice looking stuff, good seeing another track coupe in the works.
Looks like I will miss HB this year, would love to see your coupe tcoon!

[jkrueger]

Awesome! It great to see more of this version being built.

jc

[Stroked65Coupe]

I had all the aluminum panels in and the body fitted, primed and blocked when I decided to got this route. I figured now was the time before I got final paint done. Off came the body, out came all the aluminum panels, out came the stock IRS. I am also changing out the engine (putting in an original hipo from a 66 Shelby built by a guy at cobra automotive) and plan on putting in a fuel cell. I will be putting my new powder coated tank that I put in before going this route up for sale if anyone needs one.

[Jacob McCrea]

That's pretty cool; I'm interested in seeing the structure you made for the new upper control arm pivot point. I'm not totally happy with what I did in that regard, but it should work for my purposes. Welcome to the club!

[Stroked65Coupe]

To mount the upper control arm I duplicated the original mount. I bought the same brackets and side plates from FFR that the upper control arm originally attached to. So now I have two upper mounts that look the same one behind the other 7-1/2" apart.

[vnmsss]

This is so cool!! It's great to see more Competition Coupes being built!!! Kudos on the design and fabrication you've done to address the suspension/driveline issues. Did I mention I LOVE this community?!! :)

K

[Stroked65Coupe]

Well after 5 weddings, including both of my daughters, this summer I am finally getting back to the coupe build. Rear suspension is now done as well as the rear sheet metal.

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[Stroked65Coupe]

Also got the rear area all cut out and ready to start fabrication of the mounts for the fuel cell.

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[jkrueger]

Excellent progress! I like the rear shock setup.

JC

[Garry Bopp]

Love the modified IRS. Very nice fab work!

Garry

[kabacj]

Can't wait to see this on the track at NJ motorsports park!

What do you think mid summer for shake down runs?

Love to see the track oriented coupe build.

John

[Stroked65Coupe]

Too early to predict a finish date but mid summer may be doable.

[EEP]

I read your post from 4-14-2013, I'd like to go through your decision making process at that point. Would you mind if I send you a PM to discuss it>?
Your help and insight would be greatly appreciated.

Larry

[Stroked65Coupe]

I read your post from 4-14-2013, I'd like to go through your decision making process at that point. Would you mind if I send you a PM to discuss it>?
Your help and insight would be greatly appreciated.

Larry
Shoot me a PM and we can discuss the process.

[Stroked65Coupe]

25341Made a bell crank for the e-brake and got it hooked up and working without and binding or drag on the cables.

[Stroked65Coupe]

Spent some time today cutting the body to clear the side bars and did some more test fitting.

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[Stroked65Coupe]

Got the fuel cell frame made today. Some final welding and powder coating tomorrow and it s ready to get welded into the car. Doors are final fitted and rear glass is fit. Time for the body to come off again.

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[Stroked65Coupe]

Body off again and fuel cell finallized. Finished all the welding and finished installing the fuel cell. Time to do the final alignment or the rear IRS and the body goes back on (hopefully for good).2679626797

[Tom Mauldin]

Nice work! Keep the pictures and updates coming. I need all of the visual references I can get as I embark on the frame mods on my Coupe.

[Stroked65Coupe]

Back to work on the coupe. Family maters had it on hold for a couple of months. Got the rear end all dialed in, finished modifying the rear sheet metal, pulled the engine again to work out a problem with the clutch and got it back in. Time to start finalizing the body.310303102831027

[loeffler1]

Hey, Are you down under? All the photos are upside down.

[Stroked65Coupe]

Dropped the coupe off at the body shop for final paint. I did all the fitting and priming. They will do the final blocking and paint. Hope to have it home again in a month.

[Sydney Chris]

Any chance of you posting drawings of the IRS mods..? Had spent about 6 weeks here 'revising' and refitting the chassis for RHD and my selection of components as well as significantly strengthening it, the IRS upright was always an issue of concern.

With thanks

Chris

[Stroked65Coupe]

Hey Chris.
Let me see what I can come up with. I did it quite some time ago. I did make drawings but once I was done I did not keep them.

[Sydney Chris]

cheers.. would look forward to it if you can locate a file or a hard copy.. :)

[Stroked65Coupe]

Chris,
No luck finding the prints. I will continue to see what I can dig up.

Finally getting painted.
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[John Dol]

looks great, is that a dark green?

john

[Stroked65Coupe]

Yes
It is 1967 dark moss green. I have always liked the color on the 1967 Shelby's .

[John Dol]

Like to see that on the car in daylight!

John

[kabacj]

Looks like you will be track ready by springtime!!

Woo hoo!

Love the color. That white and green will be stunning as you rip around the track!

Great job.

John

[Stroked65Coupe]

That is the plan. It has been an interesting build. Looking forward to testing my new IRS setup.

[Stroked65Coupe]

Been a while. The coupe is done and I am working on getting it registered. Finally got my paperwork back from the state and scheduled my inspection (Sept 23). NJ requires side pipe covers so I had a set made.

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[Stroked65Coupe]

I plan on trailering it it to the SAAC event at Pocono raceway even though it won't be street legal yet.

[hgcars]

Where in North Jersey are you? I'm in Sussex county, Newton. I started my build in March. We're planing to go to SAAC 40 on Friday the 21st. Maybe we will see you there.

Harold

[Stroked65Coupe]

I am in Butler, so we are close. I have a tight work schedule but plan on being there that Friday.

[CES55N]

I like your side pipe covers, who did you have make them? the Daytona script in the center is a nice touch

[Stroked65Coupe]

I designed the covers and had a local shop I work with make them. I plan on having them available for sale at some point.

[hgcars]

I am in Butler, so we are close. I have a tight work schedule but plan on being there that Friday.

Cool, I'll keep an eye out for your car.

[wallace18]

I designed the covers and had a local shop I work with make them. I plan on having them available for sale at some point.

Let me know when you have a pair for sale. Thanks.

[CES55N]

Yes I'd be interested in a pair as well, are they aluminum or stainless?

[Stroked65Coupe]

They are mirror finish stainless steel.

I will let you know when I have them available. 44507

[Stroked65Coupe]

Got the car to it's first show at Pocono Race track today. Won first in class and better yet got to hang out with Pete Brock. Great guy. He even sighed my dash.
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[Stroked65Coupe]

Went today to get the coupe final inspected at the state inspection facility. Everything went well except they failed the car for no DOT marks on the tail lights and front marker lights. They read me the law and I looked it up. It is a federal law (all 50 states) that all lights carry the DOT approval. The lights supplied by FFR do not meet this requirement and technically can not be used in the United States on the road. Anyway, I am screwed until I can find DOT replacements.

FFR should specify the lights are for off road use only. They are not street legal.

Any one found replacements that don't require modification to the body?

[wallace18]

Check my type 65 build thread. My taillights came from Rodworx. Call them and see if they are DOT legal.

[Stroked65Coupe]

Check my type 65 build thread. My taillights came from Rodworx. Call them and see if they are DOT legal.

Thanks
I will give them a call. Do you know what the part number or description of the lights you got. They look great.

[wallace18]

Thanks
I will give them a call. Do you know what the part number or description of the lights you got. They look great. Check post 97 on my thread. It gives part# and website.

[Stroked65Coupe]

Got the number. Thanks
Crazy day at work today so I will give them a call tomorrow to confirm the lens has DOT on it. The description states they are DOT.

Thanks again

What did you do for front turn signals?

[wallace18]

Got the number. Thanks
Crazy day at work today so I will give them a call tomorrow to confirm the lens has DOT on it. The description states they are DOT.

Thanks again

What did you do for front turn signals?

Read the posts. I used a headlight/turn signal/parking light combo from them as well.

[Stroked65Coupe]

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Found some real nice drop in LED turn signal lights for the front and got creative in the back.

Got through the final state inspection.

Now waiting for them to send me my title. And then it will be off to motor vehicle one more time to get my registration.

[Stroked65Coupe]

Finally got the title. Went to motor vehicle and got my plates. What a blast to drive.
Coupe #518, 1966 289 HIPO, T5, dark moss green is officially done and on the road.
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[wallace18]

Congrats! now go and enjoy it.

[vnmsss]

Congratulations!!! Enjoy!

[Stroked65Coupe]

The engine I have in the car is a 1966 HIPO from an original 1966 GT350 so when I finally got done with the state inspections they gave me a notorized document that state the car needs to be inspected to 1966 emission standards.

So I get to the inspection station yesterday one more time to get my final inspection to get my window sticker, give them the paperwork. They scratch their heads for a minute and say "this is a new car ( the registration is 2015) here is your 5 year sticker. Have a nice day".