Project Deimos: An LS '65 Coupe Build: Engine no longer overheating!
Hello Factory Five Community and thanks for taking a look at my build thread!
In February I finally clicked the “Submit” sale button on the website after a few years of hovering over it. The Spring Sale and promised summer price hike was the final push. I also got free powder coating as one of the first 10 kit purchases of the sale. April 28th was my completion date. I’ll be making the 28 hour round-trip to Wareham the week before Memorial Day to see the factory and pick up my kit. Maybe I'll get to meet Dave Smith. I can’t believe how close the day has become!
I’m a physician with the Veterans Affairs Northern Indiana Healthcare System. I’m no mechanic. I do basic auto maintenance –oil changes, brake jobs, etc –but that’s about the extent of my wrenching experience.
Some will say I’m not qualified to do this. That’s fair, but I’ve lived by the idea that anything is achievable with enough tenacity and it’s gotten me pretty far. I am a pretty advanced DIY’er, enjoy researching and planning projects, and learning new skills.
That said, I realized this is a whole different ballgame. If it wasn’t for this forum, with the knowledge and support it provides, I probably wouldn’t have the confidence to try this. So thank you to those who have documented their builds and continue to give their wisdom.
https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/atta...0&d=1714190433
My leisure reading material the past few years
Fun fact:
I’ve still never seen a Coupe/Daytona in person and didn’t even know Factory Five made it until 2 years ago.
I’ve always been a big car guy. When I was a kid, my Dad bought a project 68’ Mustang fastback from Arizona, sight-unseen, assuming desert cars don’t rust. Well, that one was the exception to the rule. The day it was delivered, my Dad drove me around the neighborhood once –the blacktop visible through the floorboards—and barely made it back to the garage on less than 8 cylinders. Over the next years, I fondly remember the time working with my Dad in the garage - the welding, the cutting and grinding, the body filler and sanding. Unfortunately, we got stuck on a few aspects of the restoration and my Dad lost heart and ended up selling it unfinished. I’ve pined over that car ever since and dreamed of doing my own restoration one day with my kids.
Fast forward 25 years and I’m finally in a place where I have the time (kinda) and resources to pursue this hobby. While I’d love to tackle a 60’s Mustang, being a novice, I think all new parts sounds like a better starting point.
I have two young boys, 3 and 6, who are also obsessed with cars and love to help Daddy with projects. This will be a unique and memorable bonding opportunity, like I had with my Dad.
https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/atta...1&d=1714190433
Project Deimos: An LS Coupe Build -- Garage Reno and LED Signs
I’ve wanted to renovate my garage for a while, but it became a prerequisite to taking on the Coupe project. My house is blessed with several garages (a big reason I bought the house), so I designated one as my workshop/man cave. I wanted a nice place the family to hang out and enjoy ourselves, whether working on the car, watching sports/tailgating, watching movies, etc. I may have gone a little overboard, but it turned out pretty awesome.
https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/atta...5&d=1714190010
We were basically using the garage as a shameful storage dump. The original home owner restored antique Chris-Craft boats, which is what the steel gantry system was for.
https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/atta...6&d=1714190010
I tore out an ugly dog wash station and planned to put in a cabinets and a big farmhouse sink
https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/atta...7&d=1714190010
Replaced the old, mostly broken, fluorescent tube lighting with 4500k “Daylight” LEDs including an accent hex-grid light system. I fixed the beat up walls as best I could. Then I fixed some cracks in the cement and diamond grinded in preparation for the floor coating. I used a Home Depot rental floor polisher with a diamond grinding disc/pad– it was a major pain in the butt and I’d definitely rent a better floor grinder if I decide to finish my other garages.
https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/atta...8&d=1714190010
The floor coating I applied was from Versatile / Garagecoatings.com – was very reasonably priced and seemed like good quality. First, I put down epoxy basecoat. 100 lbs of epoxy flake was thrown over the wet epoxy with complete coverage. After drying, the flakes are scraped and excess was collected with about 40 lbs reclaimed. The next layer was clear polyaspartic, which is much stronger and UV resistant than a standard epoxy topcoat. It turned out great and I think will hold up well.
