Danny Boy's Mk4 Build - Putting the project on hold for a while...

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Hello FFF! Dan here. This forum is a library of treasures. After spending countless days pouring myself over build threads, I’m starting on my FFR build! Nice to meet all of you, and I look forward to conversing with you all! LET’S GO BUILDERS!

I ordered my FFR with the following options:

• MkIV Complete Kit
• Powder-coated frame
• Gen3 Coyote + T56 Magnum
• Coyote headers with Integrated Cats.
• 2015 IRS
• Wilwood Brake Kit
• 2018 IRS 3.55 Center Section & Spindles
• Manual Steering Rack

Some decisions I made when placing the order:

Q: Cats or no cats?
A: There are 2 reasons as to why I opted for cats: The smell and the reduction in sound. I’ve read on many threads here that the roadster is deafening, and I’d like to drive my roadster without requiring earplugs.

Q: Donor or new components?... or try my luck at the junkyards?
A: This decision was an easy one after considering my time constraints on this project. I don’t own the house in which I’m currently building the car, and I’d like to have the car registered and ready to drive within the next 10 months. This plus a demanding day job meant I won’t have the time and energy to find a donor just to rip out all the components and debug the parts to ensure they’re in working order. The original plan was to get a donor, but that quickly changed after carefully evaluating the situation I’m in.

Q: Rear suspension setup. IRS? 3-link?
A: IRS. If I’m building a cobra then I want it to drive like one!

Q: Manual or powered steering rack?
A: In the beginning I was very concerned with steering difficulty in parking lots with a manual steering rack. After driving my friend's kit car with a manual rack, however, I realized that it's not bad at all. Once the car starts moving it's fine. Manual it is for now! If I ever get tired of it, I'll purchase a power steering rack and install it. It can't be THAT difficult, right? (famous last words.)

Q: Why do this now? Why not do this after you get married, have kids, get kids through college, retire, etc?
A: Because I've talked to too many people who told me "you're doing the thing I wish I did when I had the time to do it." I realized that there will never come a time when building a kit car is a "financially wise" idea, nor will there ever be the perfect circumstances to get started. You either do it or you don't. I choose to make my cobra dreams a reality, and the best time to do it is now.

A bit about myself:
I’m a 27 year old engineer currently residing in Northern California. Building a car of my own is a life-long dream, and the time just felt right. I’m an engineer who mainly works with computers. I’ve done various mods / self maintenance to my cars, but never something as big as a FFR. ...but I dive into this adventure knowing that I won’t be alone! The fantastic build threads from you forum veterans give me tremendous confidence. I’ll be standing on the shoulders of giants and I’m beyond excited.

Let the building begin!