Jesse builds another Cobra #11,061 - First body work shots

[Blitzboy54]

Base Engine Tune

Been back and forth on what to do about tuning the engine. The control pack base tune is adequate for the build but at some point it has to be addressed. The gold standard around here is Lund. Everyone says they are great. They ought to be they charge $1200. It's a little crazy. I looked at a local chassis dyno and they want $850. This was my preference but they want me to drop it off and might take them a 2-3 weeks to tune it.

I found a company (really a network of tuners) called Juggernaut Performance Tuning. They charge for a Coyote w/an upgraded intake manifold $299. I need my own device. I chose the STC X4 I got for a little over $300. I filled out a ticket and told them what I had. They reached out and asked about my transmission and few other details then sent me a base tune and instructions on data logging. They asked me to upload the tune and run it to full engine temp then send them the data. This is what I did



I then setup the data log per the instructions



The engine ran very smooth. They fixed the fan which was kind of awesome. Goes on at 195 and off at 180 now like normal. Still idles a bit high at cold start but very improved. Next is for me to drive it around the block. We will do this back and forth over the next couple of months. I have 6 months to complete the "program". They use a ticket system so I just upload my data when I have it and in a day or two I get a new tune with next steps. So far so good



Lastly I got new shoes!! My youngest daughter held the brake so I could torque the lugs. I'm proud to say she enlisted in the Air Force and is shipping out this summer. Very exciting stuff

[Blitzboy54]

Seat Slider Mounts

I have spent months thinking about how I wanted to mount my seats. One of the genius aspects of the Breeze mounts is how they are assembled. Rivnuts on the mounting plate that allows you to remove the seat without having to do anything crazy. With this in mind I applied the same idea to the sliders. Once I mocked everything up and decided how much tilt I wanted I marked everything up and started drilling.

I drilled holes in the upper slider big enough to mount 8mm rivnuts



In my mind the best way to do this is to mount them to the seat first. I used button head 8mm bolts and a series of washers to create a little front lift



This worked really well. I do need to get longer bolts for final assembly. I would like them to go the length of the rivnut.

I modified the pull handle with a tube bender to narrow it and cut the ends to shorten it. I wanted a double locker in case of a track day.



This will make removing the seats pretty easy going forward



Next is mounting to the seat pan but this is how it sits and it makes for a very comfortable seating position

[Blitzboy54]

Well, I've got an engine tune, seats and wheels we all know what comes next.

I got her on the ground and and out in the sun.





Now as it turns out it was probably a little early to go cart. There are a lot of small stones and debris on the road. You can hear it tinkling around while driving. Also I chuckled on the first turn. I used the turn signal then realized that that was kind of dumb seeing as there are no lights or even a body attached to it.

It sounds great and gets real throaty when decelerating. I'm real happy with it so far

[gbranham]

Congrats, Jesse! I also used my turn signals instinctively, then realized none of my lights are hooked up. And after 5 miles, my interior is full of sand and pebbles. Lol.

Greg

[Blitzboy54]

A lot of folks have used the Digital Guard Dog RFID push button start system. They have a whole suite of options. The most common I've see for our builds is their PBS-I and PBS-II. These give you the push button start plus some options for door locks or poppers. They retail for between $580-$660 plus tax. After reading the installation and operating instructions one of the features of the unit is it has 2 accessory output signals (not a fan of that feature as it makes selecting ACC mode a touch more complicated at least from what I have read from others) and it requires you to operate the brake to both start and shut down. I realize this is the case for any modern car (for start anyway) but I have a manual transmission with a neutral safety switch so I feel like that is sufficient protection from accidental start (it's jumpered out during this phase of the build but will be active down the line). I feel like for a custom car this is enough.

I ended up going with the PBS-M (Marine) version. This operates exactly the same way but only has a single accessory output and doesn't require a brake signal. It's also a huge bonus that it was $340 delivered after tax. It's listed at $349 on the website but I called to order and the lady on the phone just kept taking money off so no matter what unit you use you should call directly.



I did a test run using the switch as a connector for wiring. It only needs the 4 wires from the switch (12v bat, acc, run and starter) and a ground. You can set it in manual (push the button on the fob to disarm) or automatic (uses proximity). According to several folks on this forum you should not use proximity as it kills the battery pretty quick in the FOB.

Anyhow here is my test run. It went well.

[jengum]

That is slick!

[PNWTim]

Pretty nice milestone considering the PDB debacle. Glad to see the marine version is going to work. I'm leaning that way myself except I am planning on door poppers so I will need to weigh the pros and cons.

[Sarcasticshrub]

I'm proud to say she enlisted in the Air Force and is shipping out this summer.

Congrats! I have one in the Air Force and another in the Army (after being a Marine for 4 years). Couldn't be more proud of kiddos that go this route.

Oh, and the car build is looking sharp too

[Blitzboy54]

Congrats! I have one in the Air Force and another in the Army (after being a Marine for 4 years). Couldn't be more proud of kiddos that go this route.

Oh, and the car build is looking sharp too

Thank you, I appreciate that. I was a Marine as well. There are a bunch of us in the forum. Ooh Rah

Yeah I’m pretty excited for her. She knew she wasn’t ready for college yet but also knew she wanted an adventure in the meantime. She’s been talking about joining up since she was 12.

[jengum]

Re...the Digital Dawg. Is it correct that this replaces the FFR supplied ignition switch completely?

[Blitzboy54]

Re...the Digital Dawg. Is it correct that this replaces the FFR supplied ignition switch completely?

Yes, I just used the connections on the back of the switch to do a wire to wire test. I have completely removed the switch and used a weather pack to connect the ignition wires in the RF harness to the Guard dog. The key switch is gone

[Blitzboy54]

Drivers seat mount

It turns out mounting seat sliders is more difficult than I would have assumed. Just a lot to line up without ever really being able to see what your doing. I used rivnuts for both the seat mount to the rails and the rail mount to the frame. I measured and marked everything the way I wanted it. I then put a piece of gorilla tape on all 4 corners. Set the seat and then put the tape down to hold it in place while I gently removed the seat.



The 4 inch tube is an easy reference point and goes the length of the cockpit so pretty easy to mark and drill.



I used a Sparco slider because I wanted a double locker in case I every did a track day and they were checking. These are a little longer than the FFR offering. The back rail where I chose to mount it goes over the seat pan so to accommodate this I built a bracket. A simple 90 with a hole in one side and a rivenut in the other.








Once mounted I put the pull handle in. This also needed more modification than I first thought. It is designed to tilt up. The issue is you could not fully engage it as it would hit the bottom of the seat. I used a tube bender and played around with it until I got it just right.



It does slide forward a few inches. Again this was only for me to be able to clean and the way the seat is shaped I could potentially put some items back there (coat, blankets, etc) then tuck the seat back for trips or whatever. The seat comes back out by removing the 8mm bolts in the base. The rails will stay until carpet goes in.

Lastly now that the seat is in I set the passenger seat (will go in next) to see how they look together.

[Blitzboy54]

A few cockpit items

I insulated the back of the trans tunnel and the cup holders. I found these already colored black which is nice because it's difficult to powder coat the inside of a cup and get consistent coverage. I colored the vintage ashtray I found and mounted that as well. I removed the cigarette parts of it and it's now just a little storage box.



My return radiator hose needed to be secured. The rubber portion of hose is really close to the alternator pully and I want to remove any movement. I know breeze makes a nice bracket but I found this universal setup and I like the look.





Last but not least I was able to start putting the box together that I mocked up. This will serve as my storage cubby.

[Nigel Allen]

Nice work all round.

Cheers,

Nige

[cv2065]

Looking good Jessie! Those seats are nice! Any foreseeable issues by mounting the seats without the body on?

[gbranham]

Looking good, Jesse! I'm wondering how hot that shifter knob is going to get when sitting in the sun. I like that gutted ashtray. Wonder if a phone would fit in it. I've been pondering a similar cubby for my phone.

[Blitzboy54]

Looking good Jessie! Those seats are nice! Any foreseeable issues by mounting the seats without the body on?

I don't think so. They come in and out pretty easy with the 4 bolts in the seat base. In terms of clearing the body I did some measuring using the roll bar posts as a reference point and they are not that close. Even if it was marginal I left myself some wiggle room.

Looking good, Jesse! I'm wondering how hot that shifter knob is going to get when sitting in the sun. I like that gutted ashtray. Wonder if a phone would fit in it. I've been pondering a similar cubby for my phone.

My last shifter was black although the handle was polymer vs metal. Heat in the cockpit is a thing almost no matter what. I got in the habit of keeping a small fleece blanket that I threw over the dash in the rare times it was out in the sun unattended. This keeps the gauges from getting weather beat and the seat belts and shifter from getting too hot. For the most part it wasn't an issue. I think it being black better fits my theme.

[Fman]

Jesse, just catching up on your build! Nice work all the way around... coming together perfectly. I really like those seats, tempting to order for my ride. Definitely will be going to a high back seat eventually.

Keep up the good work!

[Blitzboy54]

Fan Speed Controller

One of the things I learned about right at first start was the control pack on a Gen 2 Coyote turns the fan on at like 178 and basically never turns it off again. It kind of annoying. My first pass at an engine tune fixed this issue in that the fan turns on at 192 until it cools back down to below 180. While researching this I read all the various solutions folks around here have used. Now I that I had learned about PWM fan controllers I had to have one. I ended up connecting with a fellow builder in Oregon (PNWTim) who turned me on to this unit from DC Controls

http://www.dccontrol.com/constant_te...ontrollers.htm

I made the purchase. The fella that makes these is a one man show and they are made to order. It took 2 weeks to get it and it is both really well made and simple in design. If you don't have air conditioning it's 4 connections. Fan +/- and a run to the battery +/-. It comes with everything you need to install it including battery connections and a fuseable link. It uses a real simple temperature probe that goes in the radiator fins and doesn't require any hardware to secure it.



I figured I would run the same weather pack connection for the fan wires. This way if it ever failed I can simply plug the fan back into the RF harness and the control pack will run it. Even if out in the middle of nowhere the switch could be made in minutes. I tucked that connector out of the way with it capped.




Mounted to the F panel. There is a small pot at the top. For every full CW turn it increases the temp 3.5 degrees. The same is true in the opposite direction. It has an adjustable range of +/- 35 degrees. It comes default at 180. I rotated one in a half to run at a constant 185. It osculates the fan speed to keep the engine at a constant temperature. Once wired up its just a simple matter of putting the temp probe near the return per the instructions.





I fired up the engine and let it get to temp. I wasn't sure how accurate it was going to be. It was pretty much 185 dead on. The fan runs slowly in the background at whatever speed it needs to keep the temp. It basically takes the FFR stock fan and makes it virtually silent. Its kind of crazy. Best part is when you shut the engine down the fan continues to run for 2 minutes. I am really impressed

[TTimmy]

Just got caught up on your build - Everything is looking good. Good call on the Marine Guard Dog and fan controller - I was not aware of either of those solutions. Keep up the good work!

Tim

[Nigel Allen]

I am stoked about the solution for the fan speed controller. I am concerned about moisture affecting the potentiometer. Probably worth making a little cover to prevent ingress, which is going to be tricky without impinging on the heat-sink air flow. Otherwise, maybe a little blob of silicon over the adjuster screw once set.

Cheers,

Nige

[PNWTim]

Jesse - I'm glad to hear it worked as well as hoped.

[Blitzboy54]

Gen 1 cover on a Gen 3 intake... with a twist

It's widely known that for as much as the Coyote performs it's hard to make pretty. There are a number of threads on different ways to dress up the engine. Some are better than others. I have a Gen 2 Coyote but a Gen 3 intake manifold so if I want something that is made to fit I would have to go with the Gen 3 cover. There is a guy that makes adapters fit a Gen 4 cover. After looking through all the threads I could find and looking at a number of other custom options I decided I really like the look of the Gen 1 best. I saw some others that went this route with a cover that Mike Forte adapts. Looking at what he did I decided to use that as a template

I purchased a used Gen 1 cover and removed all the chrome bits





I pressure washed cover then made a cutout for my heater hoses on the side. I used a stone to polish up the cut. I made it pretty smooth. I also drilled new mounting holes on the tabs that line up with the Gen 3 rubber grommets.

In order to attach it I found that the 5/16 ball studs that are used for the hood and trunk fit nicely in the grommets. I added a washer and coupler to get it at the right height for my setup





I painted the accent bits. I epoxied them back in and set it on the engine using black button head bolts that blend in nicely. I was thinking about painting the black part of the cover but it matches the black valve covers I found ($50 at Ford Performance). I think it ties the look of the engine together. For having no painting skills of any kind I'm really pleased with how it turned out.

[PNWTim]

I'm pretty impressed with your ingenuity. It looks very nice and most importantly, like it's supposed to be there.

[TXeverydayDad]

That looks really good! I think you’ve found a perfect balance of just enough bling!

[Justin]

Accent colors look great when done in moderation. WELL DONE!

[Jeff Kleiner]

Nicely done Jesse! I did the beautification on one one a few years ago and the owner provided laser cut aluminum "32V TiVCT" bits and the surrounds for that and the 5.0. Obviously these are polished but you could go orange with 'em. Not sure where he got them but if they're something you'd like to add I bet they'd show up with a little googling.



Jeff

[Blitzboy54]

Nicely done Jesse! I did the beautification on one one a few years ago and the owner provided laser cut aluminum "32V TiVCT" bits and the surrounds for that and the 5.0. Obviously these are polished but you could go orange with 'em. Not sure where he got them but if they're something you'd like to add I bet they'd show up with a little googling.


Jeff

Thanks Jeff,

I looked before I started all this and could only find them as vinyl decals. I'll keep looking, certainly worth considering.


Also thank you to everyone for the kind words. I really appreciate it.

[cv2065]

Gen 1 cover on a Gen 3 intake... with a twist

It's widely known that for as much as the Coyote performs it's hard to make pretty. There are a number of threads on different ways to dress up the engine. Some are better than others. I have a Gen 2 Coyote but a Gen 3 intake manifold so if I want something that is made to fit I would have to go with the Gen 3 cover. There is a guy that makes adapters fit a Gen 4 cover. After looking through all the threads I could find and looking at a number of other custom options I decided I really like the look of the Gen 1 best. I saw some others that went this route with a cover that Mike Forte adapts. Looking at what he did I decided to use that as a template

I purchased a used Gen 1 cover and removed all the chrome bits





I pressure washed cover then made a cutout for my heater hoses on the side. I used a stone to polish up the cut. I made it pretty smooth. I also drilled new mounting holes on the tabs that line up with the Gen 3 rubber grommets.

In order to attach it I found that the 5/16 ball studs that are used for the hood and trunk fit nicely in the grommets. I added a washer and coupler to get it at the right height for my setup





I painted the accent bits. I epoxied them back in and set it on the engine using black button head bolts that blend in nicely. I was thinking about painting the black part of the cover but it matches the black valve covers I found ($50 at Ford Performance). I think it ties the look of the engine together. For having no painting skills of any kind I'm really pleased with how it turned out.

This is looking SWEET!! It's all coming together!

[Blitzboy54]

I am moving down the punch list and found some room for improvement with my passenger side slider. When I built my first roadster I was given at some point a $200 credit to use at the website. One of the items I picked up was a set of FFR seat sliders. I never used them but I figured I still own it so why not use it for the passenger side. Having a double locker wont't matter on that side since I am not likely to have a passenger for a track day. Anyhow they mount up nice as it's a little shorter and designed for the space. Also works as advertised.





The thing is though that one rail locks the other is completely free. So what happens is the seat has a little wiggle to it. The seat base is polymer so between the natural flex and the fact that the inside track is free it moves back and forth on that side just a little but it's noticeable. I suspect that since the FFR seats have a steel frame this is only an issue for me. Since the tracks are completely installed, drilled and mounted rivnuts and whatnot, I decided this was my solution.

I drilled the inner rail and installed a safety pin. This completely locks it and the seat wiggle has disappeared. My thought was I only move it to clean behind it, it's now a two step operation.



I also broke down and purchased a Metco safety hoop. I was sure I could make one or modify something generic but at the end of the day the Metco unit is undefeated. It just works.

Everything clears but not by more than an inch. I have some 12mm SS spacers. I am going to pickup some longer bolts and raise the hoop a some

[Blitzboy54]

More odds and ends

I don't particularly like the way the gas struts for the trunk are setup. The FFR instructions have you putting the mount right inline with the inside harness to clear the rollbar. I am just not a fan. I saw and old thread were Jeff suggested reversing the HW and putting it on the inside of the roll bar. Not a bad idea but for me I have 2 issues. First is I have 2" roll bars and second is my cubby is in the way. I have seen folks put the mount in between the harness mount holes (my preference) but I don't love the extreme angle it forces the strut to take. I had some leftover hardware from my engine cover and goofed around with it. I came up with this. I think this is the solution for me.



I am becoming a rivnut savant. I can't be stopped, I won't be stopped. I put these little buggers everywhere.

[jengum]

What size riv nuts did you use for the DS foot box access cover...1/4-20?

[gbranham]

I'd say 8 rivnuts ought to be sufficient to hold your shifter trim ring. Lol.

[Blitzboy54]

What size riv nuts did you use for the DS foot box access cover...1/4-20?

6mm, the only reason I use any imperial hardware at all is because it’s what comes with the kit.

I'd say 8 rivnuts ought to be sufficient to hold your shifter trim ring. Lol.

Can’t be too careful

[460.465USMC]

I'm more than a little late to the party, but a belated congrats on your first start...and go-kart! Ain't no moss growing underneath your build! Seems as though you like the Coyote so far. Just wait until you get it out on the road for real. It won't disappoint.

I'm a huge sucker for orange, so I really like how you're working it into your color scheme.

Good call on the DGD push-button start. Liked it so much on my first build, I'm doing the same again on my Coupe--standard vehicle version. And, yep, I tried out the proximity feature, but it chewed through the FOB's battery too quickly. Thankfully, there is an emergency start procedure, so a dead FOB battery won't leave you stranded. I tested it in a real life situation, just to be certain.

Keep up the excellent work!

[Blitzboy54]

Chris!

Always good to hear from you. I have been dropping in on your coupe. Looking great. Are you able to draw any comparisons between the two builds yet? I always assumed a roadster would be easier. Gotta be rewarding to step up to the next level.

[460.465USMC]

Chris!

Always good to hear from you. I have been dropping in on your coupe. Looking great. Are you able ti draw any comparisons between the two builds yet? I always assumed a roadster would be easier. Gotta be rewarding to step up to the next level.

So far the builds have been pretty similar, except I spent quite a bit more time on the panels. Some of that on fitment, and more than some on "custom" panels for the engine bay (my choice). Though I expect similarities to diverge somewhat, so ask me again in a couple years. Either way, it's definitely rewarding and fun.

[Blitzboy54]

Cubby, insulation and exhaust

I completed my storage by adding carpet after riveting. I put a rubber edge seal along the aluminum edge the marries to the back wall



I put a USB/USB-C charging port in the side. One of the unexpected challenges was finding a port that didn't have any lights. 99% of the have some sort of LED lighting. Funny thing is when I finally found one it was triple the price. I want this port hot all the time. My thinking is hanging out at a car show and want to charge up the phone. I like the idea of tucking it in the cubby plugged in without turning the car on to ACC. I also leave the phone plugged in hanging out in the cubby while driving and use the bluetooth for navigation and messaging



I laid down the rest of the sound/heat mat. I put it on the backside of the transmission tunnel and only put it on the side wall up to the lip of the cover. this way when it's riveted down it will be flush. I had my cover removable on my last build but this one it will not be the case. If I have to do anything in that area it will have to be from underneath. Form over function on this one.





Last I had my pipes welded up. I found a kid down the street (certified welder) working as a construction contractor who also welds on the side. He did a beautiful job. Even cleaned up my ugly work from before. Tips and support tabs are on for good.





Question, will the support tab mid muffler and the straight headers be enough or should I do a turnbuckle support as well. There really isn't any flexibility there so I am not sure how much it will help.

[dbo_texas]

What are the brass nuts you are using? My kit came with locking nuts (deformed female thread)...I've seen these brass ones on a few builds. Is this something FFR ships with the pipes now (my kit is from 2018)? Or is another "fix" that many people install due to nuts loosening from thermal cycling?

[Blitzboy54]

They are the recommendation of the master builders around here. The bits that come with the kit essentially weld themselves in after a while with the heat. The brass nuts never seize. I got a box of them from Amazon. SS bolts and brass nuts.

https://a.co/d/cGJdwfZ