The Brew City Cobra - 427W / IRS - Trans Cover Leather and Custom Shifter Install

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Originally Posted by 460.465USMC

Hi BrewCity. Did you have to modify the Wilwood cables you used, or did they fit well out of the box? Also, where did you source them?

Thanks for posting your e-brake pictures. I will be tackling this soon. I also did the Edwardb pulley mod, and from your pictures now see I probably should have left my transmission tunnel panels just Cleco'd in place until I have the e-brake installed.

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Chris,

Yeah, I had to shorten the length of the "sheath" on the cables so they would end at the bracket just above the rear diff input shaft. To do so I removed the cable from the sheath and then cut the sheath with a cutoff wheel. I was surprised how thick those things are. I haven't done so yet but eventually I'll need to shorten the cables themselves as well but I'm waiting a bit as Wilwood recommends actuating the system a few times to allow the cables to stretch and settle in a little. Once I'm comfortable I'm done adjusting the cables I'll cut those as well. The extra length makes it a lot easier to handle and manipulate them for now.

As for sourcing - I actually just ordered them from Amazon "Wilwood 330-9371 Parking Brake Cable Kit." That model number has the correct "barrel" style end that jives with the Wilwood-style e-brake calipers that come with the Wilwood rear brake kit for the IRS.

I think you should be fine with the panels instaled so long as you have the pulleys in place. I ultimately trimmed my aluminum in place before removing the panels for powdercoating.

It has been a few weeks so I figured I’d provide another update.

The past few weekends were primarily spent trying to fit and drill the front aluminum panels so I could send them off to the powder coaters. Speaking of which – the panels are officially being coated. Decided to go with a grey/black textured look (below). Excited to see how they turn out.

Attachment 151085

As for the fitment issues, the first project was finding a location for the master cut-off switch and the brake bias knob. The plan is to mount the battery in the forward location (using the Breeze kit) so a "forward" mounted cut-off switch seemed appropriate (I also happen to like the look of the cutoff switch below the dash and plan to mount a fire extinguisher between the seats). I also wanted to keep the bias knob accessible but no too prominent. In the end I decided to place both on the central panel below dash. I have a plan to run the brake bias knob cable through the wiring harness grommets, so I guess I'll have to wait and see how that works out.

Attachment 151086

Second, was locating the throttle linkage and fuel regulator. For the throttle linkage I followed the advice given on the main page (thanks to everybody for all the great photos and insight) and decided to mount both heim joints on the square member extending across the frame instead of mounting to the fire wall alone. I had to do a bit of guessing on the left/right location since I don't have an engine for reference yet. For the hardware change I ditched the bolts that came with the kit and used two, 3" long 3/8”-24 stainless rounded head screws. Hopefully the direct mount will give a bit more stability to the assembly.

Attachment 151087

For the fuel regulator I, again, relied on photos and such from the boards to try to find a good location without an engine for reference. Nothing too crazy, just a standard passenger-side location. Since the mount was to the firewall sheetmetal alone – I ultimately decided to add a support bracket on the back side to reinforce the mount and give the regulator a bit of additional support. I'll be cleaning up the bracket once the sheet metal is installed for good.

Attachment 151088
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Finally, I also wanted to address the small gap on the driver side footbox. I always felt the overlapping panel FFR provides looked a bit off so I went about preparing a “flush” mounted panel to help with aesthetics a bit. I also tried to minimize the number of rivets involved where possible. It will be interesting to see how it looks after the powder coat comes back.

Attachment 151090

All-in-all there has been some small, but incremental, progress over the past few weeks. Next major steps are to take care of the remaining projects I want to have complete before I start permanently attaching panels (e.g., the gas lines; gas pedal stop; clutch stop; radiator mount; and the like).

If there are any other assemblies or parts I should make sure to get installed before I install the cockpit and engine compartment aluminum panels please let me know. I've tried to think through everything but I know how easy it is to miss a step.

On your bias adjuster just a heads up this is about the only way I could figure out how to install the 90 degree fitting. It will not fit on the other side of the bias bar. Just make sure the cable can be routed to end up in this location.

Build is looking great, keep up the good work!:D

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/atta...2&d=1614143358

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Originally Posted by Fman

On your bias adjuster just a heads up this is about the only way I could figure out how to install the 90 degree fitting. It will not fit on the other side of the bias bar. Just make sure the cable can be routed to end up in this location.

Build is looking great, keep up the good work!:D

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/atta...2&d=1614143358

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I appreciate the pic. I have the same Tilton 90 degree coupler but wasn't sure how to mount it without it interfering with the throttle linkage and such. This looks promising. I'll give it a try.

With the panels due for delivery in the next few days, I have a few questions for the group regarding sound-deadening and undercoating.

I've done a good amount of reading on the pluses and minuses for the internal coating of the cockpit, specifically the dynamat vs. lizard skin discussions and am still working out which direction to go on that front. Right now I'm leaning toward Lizard skin but have not pulled the trigger yet.

That said, the big question I have right now is what to do with the underside of the cockpit panels that are exposed below the vehicle and to the wheel wells. Like many, I've only had the front panels powdercoated (basically firewall forward) so the panels forming the majority of the cockpit and all of the trunk panels are bare aluminum. How are people treating these? Should I just leave them un-coated or is there a stronger coating (Like Raptor liner) that could work? I'm a bit skidish to try any type of paint as I figure it will just chip and look even worse than nothing at all.

Any help/guidance would be greatly appreciated.

-Brew

I left mine un coated and put thermotech on the inside for heat. For me, if you can't see it I don't really care that much. It's not going to rust.

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Originally Posted by BrewCityCobra

With the panels due for delivery in the next few days, I have a few questions for the group regarding sound-deadening and undercoating.

I've done a good amount of reading on the pluses and minuses for the internal coating of the cockpit, specifically the dynamat vs. lizard skin discussions and am still working out which direction to go on that front. Right now I'm leaning toward Lizard skin but have not pulled the trigger yet.

That said, the big question I have right now is what to do with the underside of the cockpit panels that are exposed below the vehicle and to the wheel wells. Like many, I've only had the front panels powdercoated (basically firewall forward) so the panels forming the majority of the cockpit and all of the trunk panels are bare aluminum. How are people treating these? Should I just leave them un-coated or is there a stronger coating (Like Raptor liner) that could work? I'm a bit skidish to try any type of paint as I figure it will just chip and look even worse than nothing at all.

Any help/guidance would be greatly appreciated.

-Brew

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Like many other aspects of the build, just depends on what you want. Many leave them bare aluminum and that's OK. Will will fade a little as it oxidizes, but still holds up fine. I'm not a fan of painting the tins, so agree with your opinion there. Some do put undercoat on the underside panels. My thoughts there are if you do that, use a durable one like UPOL Rapter. Some of the other solvent or water based ones aren't nearly so durable. The disadvantage from my standpoint is that (1) not really much is gained by having it there, and (2) it's difficult to keep clean if that's what you expect. I personally powder coat all the panels, including the underside, because my definition of what's visible includes the underside. But I know many don't share that opinion.

I also used thermo tech cool mat on my entire car every panel has it for heat and sound deadening. I would encourage you to add as much heat barrier as possible, especially with a 427. I have been battling footbox heat and engine compartment heat since driving the car in warmer conditions. The FFR 351w headers on the drivers footbox are only about 3/4" away from the alum paneling which generates a lot of radiant heat which turns into conductive heat when the panels start to heat up. It slowly starts to spread through everything metal on the footbox. Plug off every seam and hole that you can. Anything you can do to reduce engine compartment heat will also benefit your footbox heat.

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Originally Posted by edwardb

Like many other aspects of the build, just depends on what you want. Many leave them bare aluminum and that's OK. Will will fade a little as it oxidizes, but still holds up fine. I'm not a fan of painting the tins, so agree with your opinion there. Some do put undercoat on the underside panels. My thoughts there are if you do that, use a durable one like UPOL Rapter. Some of the other solvent or water based ones aren't nearly so durable. The disadvantage from my standpoint is that (1) not really much is gained by having it there, and (2) it's difficult to keep clean if that's what you expect. I personally powder coat all the panels, including the underside, because my definition of what's visible includes the underside. But I know many don't share that opinion.

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So it sounds like the main choices here are 1) bite the bullet on costs and have all of the panels powder coated, or 2) just leave the lower sides as is. That's good to know.

I'll have to do some thinking on that front. Thanks for the insight.

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Originally Posted by Fman

I also used thermo tech cool mat on my entire car every panel has it for heat and sound deadening. I would encourage you to add as much heat barrier as possible, especially with a 427. I have been battling footbox heat and engine compartment heat since driving the car in warmer conditions. The FFR 351w headers on the drivers footbox are only about 3/4" away from the alum paneling which generates a lot of radiant heat which turns into conductive heat when the panels start to heat up. It slowly starts to spread through everything metal on the footbox. Plug off every seam and hole that you can. Anything you can do to reduce engine compartment heat will also benefit your footbox heat.

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Actually interesting that you bring up heat, I was just having a discussion with my dad and we were trying to decide if it is worth adding the footbox blowers or not. One of the things we discussed was whether the heat in the footbox itself was really that bad or not. This seems to indicate that including the blowers may be more important than I originally thought.

I'll make sure to keep that in mind as we add shielding.

With the panels still out at the powder coaters I decided to try to tackle the fuel system and lines. As a bit of background, the engine was originally going to run a mechanical fuel pump but I ultimately decided to go with a Holley in-tank electric fuel pump and Aeromotive return-style regulator. As for the lines, the hard lines are 3/8" stainless lines from InlineTube while the corresponding flexible hoses are -6AN PTFE style from Aeromotive. I'm not sure if the upgrade to PTFE was really necessary seeing as I probably won't be running anything exotic fuel-wise but I figured it was an easy way to check one less "worry" off my list and it is supposed to help cut down on gas smell in the garage.

Finally, I also decided to run a canister style fuel filter from Aeromotive with a 10 micron element. I understand that may be a bit fine for a carbureted setup, but it should be able to flow plenty so I don't think it will be a problem.

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Well done, nice job on running those stainless lines. I am using the same Aeromotive fuel filter with EFI and no issues at all (58psi). You can also pick up a fuel pressure gauge to mount on the regulator, kind of nice to have item that takes away the guessing game for fuel pressure.

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Originally Posted by Fman

Well done, nice job on running those stainless lines. I am using the same Aeromotive fuel filter with EFI and no issues at all (58psi). You can also pick up a fuel pressure gauge to mount on the regulator, kind of nice to have item that takes away the guessing game for fuel pressure.

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Good call on the gauge - did you need an adapter for the 1.5" gauges to fit on the 3/8" NPT?

Also, I was snooping through your build thread and really liked the stainless mesh assembly you used to protect the radiator. Quick question - did you use anything as padding between the mesh and the radiator itself? I was a bit concerned about what vibrations would do with the back of the rivets rubbing against the fins of the radiator.

So a quick update on the "engine" front.

As many of you are likely aware - Dart has been extremely difficult to get any parts from. To the point where I had put in my order with Mike Forte for a Dart 427W short block back in Jan/Feb and have still have no idea when it might be available. So with that in mind, Mike was kind enough to work with me and I'll be swapping out the Dart short block for a Ford BOSS 427W short block with the remainder of the build staying the same. From the bits of research I did and speaking with Mike it appears the BOSS should be more than up to the task and is roughly on par with the Dart SHP. I figured COVID was going to hit this build one way or another and it looks like it finally struck. That said, I believe either block would result in a strong build regardless (fingers crossed).

Anyways - the panels have officially come back from the powder coaters so I should have some good updates on that front here in the next few weeks.

That BOSS 427 is going to be just fine... just be cautious with the right pedal...

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Originally Posted by BrewCityCobra

Good call on the gauge - did you need an adapter for the 1.5" gauges to fit on the 3/8" NPT?

Also, I was snooping through your build thread and really liked the stainless mesh assembly you used to protect the radiator. Quick question - did you use anything as padding between the mesh and the radiator itself? I was a bit concerned about what vibrations would do with the back of the rivets rubbing against the fins of the radiator.

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This is the gauge I am using should just thread right into the Aeromotive pressure regulator.
https://www.motionraceworks.com/prod...xoCAuAQAvD_BwE

----Deleted as the schematics included are old and not up to date------

So with the electrical...ummm....in progress, the next big project to complete was some odds-and-ends around the driver side footbox before I started attaching the panels permanently. The big items I wanted to complete before the panels went on were 1) a gas-pedal travel stop, 2) a clutch travel stop, and 3) triple reservoirs for the brake system.

For the two travel stops I decided to call upon McMaster for help. I knew I wanted both stops to be somewhat adjustable, rubberized, and strong (figuring there is a good chance I may be a bit over-zealous with the pedals during a track session from time to time). I ultimately decided to use some rubber bumpers (via McMaster), some scrap angle iron for the clutch pedal bracket, and threaded rod for the job. I have both set as far back as possible right now but can thread out the bumpers if needed. The results seem pretty strong and I didn't see any flex when I pushed on the pedals to test, plus the rubber stoppers make for a good feel with no abrasion.

Clutch Pedal Stop:

Attachment 158389Attachment 158388Attachment 158387

Gas Pedal Stop:

Attachment 158390Attachment 158391

As for the reservoirs, I decided to stick with the reservoirs provided by FFR. I was actually quite impressed with the quality of the supplied reservoirs – they were much nicer than I had anticipated. I actually had purchased Forte’s triple reservoir before my kit arrived but the individual reservoirs themselves just felt a bit small for my liking and didn’t quite have the look I was going for. As for the assembly I ultimately fabricated, I used a piece of angle iron as a mounting bracket and inter-locked the individual reservoirs so they were as close as possible. To give a bit more "finished" look, I used some blue and red faux connectors on the underside to help dress up the hose clamps. I couldn't seem to locate any braided hose that I was confident would hold up to the brake fluid so I tried to do the best I could with the black hose provided by Wilwood.

Attachment 158392Attachment 158393Attachment 158394Attachment 158395

I can't tell from your photos, but you might want to check the spacing on your brake reservoirs. Once the body is installed it might be a little tight since the body overhangs the frame a bit.

I used Wilwood reservoirs (prior to FFR upgrading theirs). Similar style mount, but the Wilwood caps are smaller. I mounted mine like yours as you can see in the body-off photo.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/atta...2&d=1515436855

In the body-on photo you can see how the body pushes into the reservoirs. I lucked out because of the smaller caps.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/atta...8&d=1597858900

Build is looking good.
-Steve

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Originally Posted by BrewCityCobra

It’s been a while since my last post (work has been crazy) so I have a few updates that I will be posting here soon, but first I wanted to see what the group thought of my electrical schematics I put together as I was hoping to order the parts to get this going sooner rather than later. I’m primarily concerned with my wire and fuse sizes so I don't burn the whole car down. I also thought, if these prove successful, that it would be good to have them on record here on the forum in case others want to delete the headlight switch or design a cutoff switch "engine compartment" harness.

For a bit of context, I was hoping to design the electrical system to accomplish a few different goals:

1) Include a “master-cutoff” switch that would isolate both the battery and the Alternator from the entire system when disengaged.

2) Mega-Fuse the alternator in case of failure so it won’t fry the battery or anything else in the system.

3) Mega-Fuse the battery feed so I don’t have to worry about the main feed lines grounding out without protection.

4) Replace the “pull-style” headlight switch with a pair of lucas style switches and accompanying circuitry.

5) Add a secondary fuse panel to power “always on” accessories such as the charging ports, the headlight circuit, and the trunk lights.

6) While not shown, I plan on using the “heater” circuit for the heated seats so they can only be used when the key is engaged.

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if you put the master cutoff on the ground side of your battery, it isolates everything and you don’t have full battery amperage at the switch. It’s a bit safer.

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Originally Posted by Straversi

I can't tell from your photos, but you might want to check the spacing on your brake reservoirs. Once the body is installed it might be a little tight since the body overhangs the frame a bit.

I used Wilwood reservoirs (prior to FFR upgrading theirs). Similar style mount, but the Wilwood caps are smaller. I mounted mine like yours as you can see in the body-off photo.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/atta...2&d=1515436855

In the body-on photo you can see how the body pushes into the reservoirs. I lucked out because of the smaller caps.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/atta...8&d=1597858900

Build is looking good.
-Steve

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Steve - Appreciate the heads up. Do you happen to know how far away from the frame your caps are?

I think the photo I uploaded makes mine look a bit closer than they really are (see below) - but I did a quick measure today and it looks like I have about 5/8" of gap between the frame and the caps. Hopefully that is enough.

Attachment 158441

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Originally Posted by Jessew

if you put the master cutoff on the ground side of your battery, it isolates everything and you don’t have full battery amperage at the switch. It’s a bit safer.

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That's a good point, I'll have to consider that as I finalize things. Appreciate the input.

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Originally Posted by BrewCityCobra

Steve - Appreciate the heads up. Do you happen to know how far away from the frame your caps are?

I think the photo I uploaded makes mine look a bit closer than they really are (see below) - but I did a quick measure today and it looks like I have about 5/8" of gap between the frame and the caps. Hopefully that is enough.

Attachment 158441

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Good, you should be fine. My body overhangs the frame by 3/8”. My caps are 1/2” away. I thought you might be flush looking at your first photos.
-Steve

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Originally Posted by BrewCityCobra

So with the electrical...ummm....in progress, the next big project to complete was some odds-and-ends around the driver side footbox before I started attaching the panels permanently. The big items I wanted to complete before the panels went on were 1) a gas-pedal travel stop, 2) a clutch travel stop, and 3) triple reservoirs for the brake system.

For the two travel stops I decided to call upon McMaster for help. I knew I wanted both stops to be somewhat adjustable, rubberized, and strong (figuring there is a good chance I may be a bit over-zealous with the pedals during a track session from time to time). I ultimately decided to use some rubber bumpers (via McMaster), some scrap angle iron for the clutch pedal bracket, and threaded rod for the job. I have both set as far back as possible right now but can thread out the bumpers if needed. The results seem pretty strong and I didn't see any flex when I pushed on the pedals to test, plus the rubber stoppers make for a good feel with no abrasion.

Clutch Pedal Stop:

Attachment 158389Attachment 158388Attachment 158387

Gas Pedal Stop:

Attachment 158390Attachment 158391

As for the reservoirs, I decided to stick with the reservoirs provided by FFR. I was actually quite impressed with the quality of the supplied reservoirs – they were much nicer than I had anticipated. I actually had purchased Forte’s triple reservoir before my kit arrived but the individual reservoirs themselves just felt a bit small for my liking and didn’t quite have the look I was going for. As for the assembly I ultimately fabricated, I used a piece of angle iron as a mounting bracket and inter-locked the individual reservoirs so they were as close as possible. To give a bit more "finished" look, I used some blue and red faux connectors on the underside to help dress up the hose clamps. I couldn't seem to locate any braided hose that I was confident would hold up to the brake fluid so I tried to do the best I could with the black hose provided by Wilwood.

Attachment 158392Attachment 158393Attachment 158394Attachment 158395

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Looks great! I like the reservoir set up; did you have to purchase extra reservoirs from FFR? I am assuming they provide just one brake reservoir and one clutch reservoir. Looks like a good deal at $67 each too. Thanks in advance!

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Originally Posted by Ted G

Looks great! I like the reservoir set up; did you have to purchase extra reservoirs from FFR? I am assuming they provide just one brake reservoir and one clutch reservoir. Looks like a good deal at $67 each too. Thanks in advance!

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Much appreciated. So I ultimately was able to find somebody on the forum who was willing to sell one they weren't using so that helped me save a few bucks (so many people seem to replace their reservoirs that I figured somebody had to have one laying around). That said, if I couldn't get somebody to bite my plan was to order direct from FFR. For how expensive some of those billet reservoirs are $70 bucks is good and cheap.

Hi Brew. I like how you staggered the F5 reservoirs. Turned out nice! I, too, bought a third F5 reservoir from a forum member, but installed it on the firewall over concern about extending too far forward of the DS FB. Looking good!

Now the car is starting to get some bulk! A pair of big updates on the build front.

First - the engine has officially arrived! I have to thank Mike Forte for all of his assistance in getting this thing built and delivered - especially with all the supply chain issues through the pandemic. Really excited to get this thing in the car and fired up. The final build specs ended up being:

Ford BOSS 427 block and bottom end.
Weiand Stealth Intake
AFR aluminum heads
Quick Fuel Carb.
QuickTime Bell housing.
Tremec TKX transmission with standard shift location.
Ended up just shy of 500 HP and about 530 Ft./Lbs. of torque.

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Second, the powder coated panels finally came in and got installed. Again, I have to give FFR props for how well everything fit. I was expecting to have to either accept big gaps or reform a bunch of panels and none of that was necessary. Everything fell into place quite nicely. I learned pretty quickly that you needed to work fast and have a BUNCH of paper towels ready to clean up all of the excess silicone but in the end I was happy with how everything came out. I’ll eventually be spraying Lizard skin in the cockpit and in the trunk so stay tuned to see how that goes.

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For a bit of background, I ended up deciding to powder coat everything from the firewall forward - keeping the “cockpit” panels plain. I figure by the time all of the carpet is installed and the wheel well inserts are in place the only pieces of raw aluminum that should be exposed are the small areas below the floor ahead of the seats. The rest should be covered. This was a purely budgetary decision as I would have preferred to powder coat all of the panels but I figured this was the best trade off I could see.

Also, for the engine compartment I chose to go with the black rivets from McMaster - just really liked the look.

Trunk is up next.

So the next big project on the list was the trunk. Like many, my plan was to fabricate some form of drop-trunk to help increase the storage capacity a bit. I also wanted to install lights and a charging port.

That said, after doing some initial investigating into the various kits available online (and examples I saw in build threads). I decided to vary a bit from the standard drop box configuration by anchoring the sidewalls of the drop box on the metal cross-bars instead of attaching items to sheetmetal alone. Kind of a win-win as it also allowed us to expand the box itself to more readily fit the available space and added a bit of strength. For depth, we decided to position the floor of the box as low as possible so it would actually rest on the top of the gas tank itself (using some adhesive rubber strips from McMaster for cushioning). The obvious downside being that I’m going to have to figure out how to tastefully cover the ends of those 2x4” steel members when it comes to the carpet phase - I’ll cross the bridge when I get there.

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The second phase was to add a charger port to the trunk area and install a switch for some future trunk lights. I was able to locate a charger panel online (Amazon I believe) that had one traditional port, two USB style ports, and a switch. I also purchased some waterproof LED boat lights (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07H1CFK8B...roduct_details) that I plan on using both in the trunk and as courtesy lights in the cockpit in the future. The plan is to have the chargers constantly hot with the switch operating the trunk lights.

Attachment 158874

I don’t have the lights wired quite yet (photos to follow) but wanted to show a picture of the panel installed. I thought it turned out pretty good and should provide a perfect “lockable place” for me to charge phones, and the like and allow me to walk away from the car while doing so.

Next step…lizard skin.

While I wait for the Wisconsin winter to settle down a bit so I can have a reasonable chance of heating my garage up to the requisite 70 degrees for Lizard Skin application I decided to take on a few side projects that needed to be taken care of before I can get the engine put in.

First, I started putting together the "battery" harness in the engine compartment and installing the Breeze front battery box. The battery box was a relatively straight-forward installation. I had my father paint everything in epoxy first for a bit of a cleaner look (and hopefully some durability). Boy are those 3/8” stainless rivets an absolute bear. I had my pneumatic rivet gun break off one of the studs mid-way through and only my manual rivet tool would grab on. Not easy. But in the end everything got where it needed to go and I have to say, it is in there solid. No way that thing is going anywhere.

Attachment 161798

Second was the harness itself. Many thanks to the main board whose help was instrumental in allowing me to finalize my circuit design. The big strokes here are:

1) A protected alternator feed (via the resettable 200 Amp circuit breaker);
2) Complete power isolation via the battery disconnect (both alternator and battery).

Attachment 161799

I ended up not including the second circuit breaker for the positive terminal of the battery and a few other complications I deemed unnecessary. Simple is good. Simple doesn’t break.

For the wires themselves, I have had the joy of fishing out a broken tap in the 4” frame rail (not fun) while trying to install the clamps but otherwise I really like how things are coming together.

Also decided to cover all the wires individually with a fiberglass wrap to help cope with the heat given how close the harness gets to the headers. I was torn between the fiberglass (better for heat but less wear resistance) and the standard corrugated plastic looms (less heat more wear resistance). I think this should turn out pretty good though as I’ve seen plenty of people on the forum run their wires in this area without issue.

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As a side note, I decided to go with soldered joints as I don’t have the necessary crimper for connectors this size. Hopefully they are sufficient although the first two went on a bit less than ideally. I’m not sure if there is an easy way to test these things to make sure I have a good connection but I have been putting them in a vise and giving them a pretty good tug to make sure they are firm. So far so good. I guess I’ll just have to wait until the first start to make sure everything holds up.

Build is looking fantastic.

So question to the group. I'm trying to run wires to some lights I'm planning on installing in the trunk (post to follow) but wasn't sure how (and if) the body actually lays on the hoop extending across the upper shelf of the trunk (see below). The installation manual appears to show that the body does not rest on there but I just wanted to make sure as I am not in a position to put the shell on at this time.

For those of you that have run wires across here - how did you do it? I was thinking of running the wires along the back of the hoop but wasn't sure how to best avoid the hinges for the trunk. Does anybody have a good photo showing how they did this - or if not - showing how the body and hinges are mounted in that area? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Some photos showing how I have my wires currently mocked-up are below:

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Another quick update before the big lizard skin spraying this weekend (if all goes to plan, fingers crossed).

In addition to adding the drop trunk as discussed above we decided that it was worth adding interior panels to the side-walls of the upper shelf portion of the trunk to aid with the carpet installation and just provide an overall cleaner look. While doing so, we thought it would also be helpful to try to incorporate some trunk lights into the upper panels. You’ll notice we were also able to incorporate a pair of lights into the side-walls of the lower shelf as well. The electrical system is still in its infancy but I was able to charge the circuit for some testing and have to admit I was quite happy with how the light coverage turned out. The lights are controlled by the switch in the charging panel (the left-most element as shown in the third photo). The two charging elements are also now wired and ready to go. Both circuits (the trunk lights and the charging elements) will ultimately be powered by an auxiliary fuse panel but that project will have to wait for another day.

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Happy to announce another big step - lizard skin application complete. I’ve been a bit nervous about this given all the moving parts but in the end I was very happy with the result. Time will tell on how much sound and heat protection this stuff provides but a quick wrap with my knuckles on the panels does appear to confirm a more “solid” sound – certainly less tin-can-y.

I do have to admit I over-estimated the ability of this stuff to fill cracks during the first coat of the sound deadner. After the first coat dried I ended up going back and re-applying aluminum tape everywhere I could see sunlight. In the end the aluminum tape and lizard skin worked together nicely to fill in all the gaps but it probably would have been best for me to do so right off the bat. So future build tip – use aluminum tape to cover all the gaps before applying your first coat.

I know Edward B has a great analysis / instruction regarding lizard skin so I won’t go into too much detail here aside from including copious photos.

Time to tackle the wiring and the dash….

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Nice job on the Lizard skin. I wasn't brave enough to go that route, but yours looks really good. You have some serious lighting in your trunk. It's a good reminder for me to add something to mine to light up the Breeze cubby area I will be installing.

Nice work on the Lizard Skin. That turned out great.

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Originally Posted by BrewCityCobra

Another quick update before the big lizard skin spraying this weekend (if all goes to plan, fingers crossed).

In addition to adding the drop trunk as discussed above we decided that it was worth adding interior panels to the side-walls of the upper shelf portion of the trunk to aid with the carpet installation and just provide an overall cleaner look. While doing so, we thought it would also be helpful to try to incorporate some trunk lights into the upper panels. You’ll notice we were also able to incorporate a pair of lights into the side-walls of the lower shelf as well. The electrical system is still in its infancy but I was able to charge the circuit for some testing and have to admit I was quite happy with how the light coverage turned out. The lights are controlled by the switch in the charging panel (the left-most element as shown in the third photo). The two charging elements are also now wired and ready to go. Both circuits (the trunk lights and the charging elements) will ultimately be powered by an auxiliary fuse panel but that project will have to wait for another day.

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Dude I love those aux power outlets in the trunk. Nicely done! How's that wired on the other side? Are you using weatherpack connectors?

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Originally Posted by 460.465USMC

Nice job on the Lizard skin. I wasn't brave enough to go that route, but yours looks really good. You have some serious lighting in your trunk. It's a good reminder for me to add something to mine to light up the Breeze cubby area I will be installing.

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My dad has been helping me with this build and we considered the Lizard skin spraying a "tier 1" event worthy of effectively locking ourselves in the garage for a weekend and the following Monday. It actually went on easier than I anticipated but we were ready to put a layer of Dynamat on top of everything if things went south.

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Originally Posted by facultyofmusic

Dude I love those aux power outlets in the trunk. Nicely done! How's that wired on the other side? Are you using weatherpack connectors?

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Thanks, I figured it would be the perfect location if you needed to charge your phone at a show or something - just throw your phone in the trunk and lock the door and you can walk away.

I used a weatherpack to connect the "mini-harness" to the main rear harness so I can ultimately remove everything as a unit (there is another weatherpack not in this picture that attaches the switch to the light harness as well). For now (I'm still playing around with this part) I just made sure to put shrink wrap on the connectors but the connectors themselves are exposed. Now, if you look underneath that portion of the trunk you'll find it is quite well protected from the diff and all of the other elements for the IRS so I think it will be OK but I'm still toying with the idea of putting some kind wrap or splatter shield to protect it. If I do I'll make sure to post an update here.

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I can tell you that with the Lizard Skin Sound & Heat protection in my build, I've never had any kind of a heat issue. And yes, the panels are much more solid with that stuff on them. In my trunk, I've never finished it and it is only the lizard skin and it is tough and looks good. I've never top coated it and just clean it with some multipurpose cleaner and it looks like new again. One day I'll actually get to finishing up that task... Your build is looking great...

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Originally Posted by BadAsp427

I can tell you that with the Lizard Skin Sound & Heat protection in my build, I've never had any kind of a heat issue. And yes, the panels are much more solid with that stuff on them. In my trunk, I've never finished it and it is only the lizard skin and it is tough and looks good. I've never top coated it and just clean it with some multipurpose cleaner and it looks like new again. One day I'll actually get to finishing up that task... Your build is looking great...

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That is great to hear. I never would have assumed that the material is that resilient un-covered. Good to know I have a bit of flexibility when it comes to finishing the trunk.