Chris' Coupe Build #566 - Rear Camera. EPBs. Hatch floor.

[460.465USMC]

It's been a learning curve, but the T-56 is now mated to the Coyote. A few head-scratching moments (what else is new!) along the way. I definitely learned a lot. To be honest, previously I couldn't have accurately described all the parts/pieces and their associated function. Now I know. This was a good experience.

• Clutch disc and pressure plate: True confession time: I couldn’t figure out why the pressure plate didn’t sit flush against the clutch disc. Best I could figure is one (or more) of the clutch pins was less than plumb. Not sure how to verify that assumption. Which brings me to the embarrassing part: I drilled out the clutch pin holes in the pressure plate 1/64” over. Surely, a tiny bit of added wiggle room would allow the pressure plate to sit flush, right? It didn’t help at all. So, back to YouTube (again!) to see more installation examples. I finally caught an off-hand comment on Rsnake’s build (video 64). He mentioned how he was evenly torquing the pressure plate bolts in a crisscross pattern so as not to distort the fingers. Hmmmmm…. So, that must mean the pressure plate is drawn flush by the fasteners, like a spring of sorts. Makes sense now, of course. Sheesh!
• McLeod throwout bearing: long story short: after some guidance from McLeod tech support, I was able to install the bearing and obtain the needed clearance (0.100 → 0.250). Their instruction doc (included in the box) was less than clear to me. It also didn’t help that I got different measurements to the bearing face between the right, left, and top of the T-56 face. So, I made sure all three were >0.100 but less than <0.250. A bit of brake fluid on the shaft eased the bearing install. It’s a tight fit! If this needs to be removed down the road, I imagine a steering wheel puller or similar would be needed. Oh, and the recommended MC size is 3/4". I bought the 13/16" for the Tilton TOB, so will be listing it for sale in case anyone is interested. For those going with Tilton, I believe they recommend 13/16", but that should be verified with them.
• Tick Performance splash guard: the leaking T-56 issue that recently hit my radar (thanks to Lewma and JimStone) would be unwelcome. So, I installed the Tick Performance splash guard underneath the shifter cover plate. Figured if I don’t install it, mine will leak for sure. This doesn’t look easy to do once the trans is installed. So, I put the trans up on my workbench and took care of it while the getting was easy.
• Transmission to motor: I’ve read about some of the struggles to get these mated together. I leveled the motor in my DIY cradle, and also leveled the T-56. I put a light touch of grease on the front of the splines, as well as the locating pins. Not sure how much either of those precautions helped, but it didn’t fight me very much. Phew! I will probably install the starter now as well; I don’t think it causes any interference when dropping in the drivetrain. If someone knows otherwise, please let me know.

JimStone did a nice job documenting the Tick Performance splash guard, so I don't have much to add. Just a couple views. I put a light dab of blue Loctite on those #6 serrated nuts. Don’t want those falling down into the gear box…Uff da!







McLeod TOB installed with required clearance. They recommend adding a piece of rubber hose over the 5/16” braided flex lines to protect them where they exit the bellhousing. Good idea!




And, finally everything together. The rope was used to lift the T-56 off my workbench with my HF engine hoist. I used HF dollies to scoot it around and into position.

[JimStone]

Nice work Chris!

Thanks for the tip on adding some protection to the TOB flex lines. I could definitely see that area rubbing

It certainly would've been easier to have gotten the engine/trans as an already assembled package, but I did the same as you and enjoyed learning how it all fits together and works.

Looking forward to seeing it in the car!

[PNWTim]

You're chugging right along! Really good work and like Jim said, can't wait to see that double chunk of aluminum in the car.

[Lugnut Mark]

Yeeee haaaaa let’s do a burnout …. That’s me yelling when you get that thing fired up ….looks great nice job!

[460.465USMC]

Nice work Chris!

Thanks for the tip on adding some protection to the TOB flex lines. I could definitely see that area rubbing

It certainly would've been easier to have gotten the engine/trans as an already assembled package, but I did the same as you and enjoyed learning how it all fits together and works.

Looking forward to seeing it in the car!

One more true confession: assembling the trans to the motor is one of those no-brainer tasks for our experienced friends here on the forum. But for me, victory wasn't clear until the T-56 locating pins slipped into the bellhousing. That's when I realized, "Hey, I did it!" I love that feeling.

You're chugging right along! Really good work and like Jim said, can't wait to see that double chunk of aluminum in the car.

Thanks, Tim. Just pecking away bit by bit as often as I can get out to the garage. It's truly amazing how progress stacks up over time, even though I often have nothing to show for my efforts on a daily basis.

Yeeee haaaaa let’s do a burnout …. That’s me yelling when you get that thing fired up ….looks great nice job!

Exactly! Can't wait! I'm having a blast.

[460.465USMC]

Before I set the drivetrain aside, I installed the starter motor. I don’t believe it will be a point of interference when I stab in the drivertrain, so one more thing off the shelf. I saved a few bucks and ordered WAI brand (3267N), the same starter Forte supplied for my Gen3 Coyote build.

Next up was making a bracket system for the Moroso coolant tank. Yep, I'm doing this mod again. Highly functional, and follows the Ford design. Works for me.

Decided to follow Edwarb's really cool design but knew it would be tricky. This is the deep end of the fabrication pool (for me). But why not give it a whirl, right?

A lesson learned to pass along, this mod should be done before installing the radiator rear duct panel. It would have been so much easier to locate the nutserts for the largest piece of the bracket system in the chassis tubes without that panel in the way. (Now I see why Edwardb wisely did this beforehand). Also, this would be much more difficult to do after the drivetrain is installed.

I picked up remnant pieces of .090 aluminum for the main bracket piece, and some .080 (5052 for the 90 deg angles) for the smaller support brackets. Plus, a short piece of ½” aluminum bar. All for $20 cash at my local metal supplier. (Not to mention some additional bar stock for my upcoming PCM mount, and dead pedal). Gotta love that place!

Getting back to my Neanderthal roots: big hammer. Block of wood. Beat to fit: Paint to match. It’s my only option to bend material this thick.




Here are the various pieces of the system. Some "extra" parts not found in Edwardb's are the two smaller rectangular pieces. I found a gap between the bottom of the right triangle bracket where it attaches to the main bracket. Not wanting to redo that triangle bracket, I made these spacers. Also, the round spacer is needed between the smaller 3/4" chassis tube, because it sits forward of the 1" tube by about 1/8" or so. There's a piece of black 5/8" heater hose (sliced in half) within the welded U-shape as an insulator.




A couple views of it altogether.




Whoops! The rectangle spacers I mentioned above are just barely visible here. Won't be seen once installed, and this thing is still solid as a rock with them. My hat is off to Edwarb on his design.




View from below once installed. The brackets will be coated black.




View from above. I'm using Napa's version (THM 703-4112) of Ford's pressure cap (DG9Z-8100-A).




I really enjoyed this challenge. And, since I have the right tools out, I'm going to continue the bracket making and fab one for the PCM, and attempt a dead pedal. Should be fun.

[JimStone]

Looks great, like it came from the factory with that bracket.

The lay person won't appreciate the results of these fine garage engineering moments, but we do. Keep up the good work

[PNWTim]

You beat me to it Chris. I too need to make this bracket and since my fabrication skills are somewhere below Neanderthal (thinking Australopithecus), I have been dragging my feet. I was also going to make a PCM bracket but since I decided to punch mine through the firewall, I'm off the hook on that.

I like the cap too. I have been looking at alternatives and hadn't seen that one.

[edwardb]

Nice work. Looks very familiar. Glad it worked for you. Planning to do something similar with my current Mk5 Roadster build. But don't know how much it will be like that version.

[Lugnut Mark]

Nice fab work! If it ain’t custom then we didn’t build it ourselves. Great work.

[460.465USMC]

Looks great, like it came from the factory with that bracket.

The lay person won't appreciate the results of these fine garage engineering moments, but we do. Keep up the good work

Thanks, Jim! I agree. In fact, I texted a picture of it to my brother-in-law, and he replied with, "Nice welding job", referring to the Moroso tank.

You beat me to it Chris. I too need to make this bracket and since my fabrication skills are somewhere below Neanderthal (thinking Australopithecus), I have been dragging my feet. I was also going to make a PCM bracket but since I decided to punch mine through the firewall, I'm off the hook on that.

I like the cap too. I have been looking at alternatives and hadn't seen that one.

Australopithecus...That's hilarious! Had to consult the inter-webs to learn about that one. On the parts of the build that are especially challenging for me (like this Moroso mod), taking the first step of getting the tools out, starting the measurements, etc. can be the hardest part. Then once I get some momentum, the process becomes rewarding.

Nice work. Looks very familiar. Glad it worked for you. Planning to do something similar with my current Mk5 Roadster build. But don't know how much it will be like that version.

If only you would provide detailed measurements and step-by-step instructions. Just kidding! Figuring out how to duplicate these things is the fun part for me. Thanks, Paul, for generously sharing your ideas and designs in your build threads. So helpful.

Nice fab work! If it ain’t custom then we didn’t build it ourselves. Great work.

Thanks, Mark. It would be fun to look over the shoulder of a pro at work (like yourself) and see their techniques (and tools!).

[460.465USMC]

Bracketry, “A basic mounting apparatus created from metal. Complex examples are recorded in the annals of kit-car-building wizards. Aluminum is preferred. Prevalent in Factory Five builds. An indispensable pillar upon which the “Built not Bought” ethos rests. Bracketry sightings are frequently seen inside the garages of those who don’t follow instructions well.” Though still a Padawan learner, I aspire to become a bracketry Jedi when I grow up.

PCM bracket: Unlike many decisions, how and where to mount the PCM was a pretty fast one for me. Mostly because I pulled another page from Edwardb’s playbook. But also because the location he used is close to the location I used on my MK4 (F5 recommended). For those two reasons, I’m pretty confident the harnesses will reach where they need to go.

However, F5 supplied the MK4 chassis PCM bracket with my kit. Not much use on the Coupe. So, I followed Edwardb’s lead, and picked up a 2” wide x 1/4” thick length of aluminum bar. Drilled and tapped it for the mounting ears. I have a piece of heater hose under the mounting ears. That’s probably not needed, nor are the silicone pads supporting the rear of the PCM. But they make me feel better. Guess I’m consistent. When it’s time, the bracket will be attached to the chassis with 3/16” rivets (4 ea).

Here it is with the PCM laying in position. The Eastwood chassis match doesn't exactly match the chassis PC, but will be hidden. I just didn't want to leave it uncoated.




View with the PCM bolted in place. The top of the PS FB is getting pretty busy: PCM, heater control valve, Coyote PDB, mega fuse, and eventually the wiper motor.




View from the side.




Dead pedal: spent a couple minutes on this one. Still not sure I like how it turned out. But I am sure it will serve its intended purpose. I use a dead pedal all the time in my DD. I started with 1.75” x ¼” aluminum bar. It was part of the bag-o-loot of remnants I recently picked up from a local metal supplier. Their large remnant bins are a gold mine.

Final dimensions are 1.75” at the top, tapering down to 1” at the bottom. Length is 6.5”. Intention here is to blend in with the other pedals as best I can. After some elbow grease with a Scotch Brite pad and WD-40 for a brushed look, I coated it with clear ceramic for durability. The clear didn't go on very evenly. I’m finally realizing I need to settle on one brand of spray paint. Switching around means differences in nozzle pattern and flow rate, etc. Which varies my results. Thankfully, it’s deep in the FB, so not highly visible.




Fuse panel bracing: going back again to Edwardb’s playbook, I made up little 4” brackets to beef up the fuse panel. These definitely improved rigidity. I tapped the chassis tube for 10-32 for these brackets. This location seems to be well established. Like others, I don’t like it directly beneath the brake/clutch MCs, but otherwise seems like the place to install it.




View from above.




View from below. Tapped the diagonal brace for 10-32s, and then 1/8" rivets to attach the bracing.



Time to put away the metal tools and get serious about electrical. Lots to do there. I think at least four months worth on my last build.

[JimStone]

Keep this up and you'll be a Master Bracketer in no time!

I like your dead pedal. I made mine a little bigger, but maybe too big.

[burchfieldb]

Nice progress!

[Nigel Allen]

Keep this up and you'll be a Master Bracketer in no time!

I like your dead pedal. I made mine a little bigger, but maybe too big.

I reckon both you and Chris are turning out some masterful work at the moment. There are some real pearlers there.

Cheers,

Nige

[PNWTim]

Looks good Chris. For a non-retired guy you're chugging right along.

[460.465USMC]

Keep this up and you'll be a Master Bracketer in no time!

I like your dead pedal. I made mine a little bigger, but maybe too big.

Thanks, Jim! Who knew I would end up enjoying the bracket making so much. It's become one of my favorite aspects of the build process.

Nice progress!

Appreciate it, Brent!

I reckon both you and Chris are turning out some masterful work at the moment. There are some real pearlers there.

Cheers,

Nige

Hi Nigel. Great to hear from you! I trust all is well down in your neck of the woods. I'm having a blast on this build. It's a lot of fun trying my hand at some of the ideas I see here on the forum.

Looks good Chris. For a non-retired guy you're chugging right along.

Thanks, sir! I try to get out to the garage for a couple hours after work as often a I can. It really adds up over time.

[460.465USMC]

Merry Christmas!

Electrical is underway in earnest. This is one of my favorite parts of the build. As I awaited arrival of all the bits from Del City and other suppliers, I started the dash. So, have some good momentum on that as well.

Most will recognize the influence from Edwardb’s Coupe build on my electrical approach. It’s also pretty close to my MK4 build as well. Since the kit supplied #4 AWG wouldn’t reach my master cutoff location, I ordered #2 AWG from West Marine. Turns out I have a store right here in my town. Bonus. With all the bits in-hand, here’s how I set up my main power and Coyote power distribution:

• Main power: #2 AWG from the battery to a master cutoff switch (Longacre 52-45760). Black #2 AWG to chassis ground, where the PDB and engine ground also collect under the ⅜”-24 bolt. A dab of dielectric grease there, as well as at most major power and ground connections. Ran into a bit of a surprise on the ⅜” lug Fusion connectors. These come prefilled with solder. Figured I could melt with my heat gun. Negative. Then tried my Weller table top torch. No dice. So, I had to step up to the big guns and pick up a Bernzomatic. I ordered the DuraCast 4000 BTU, but they sent me the DuraCast 8000. Bonus. A good tool to add to my repertoire, but I wasn’t planning on it.
• PDB power: #4 AWG from the unswitched side of the master cutoff over to the 250A mega fuse, then #4 AWG on to the PDB. This provides constant power to the PCM.
• Starter: #4 AWG from switched side of cutoff to the starter.
• 12VDC bus bar: #4 AWG from switched side of cutoff switch to a Blue Sea Systems bus bar mounted to the fire wall. It has four ¼”-20 studs, gathering all the chassis harness circuits (Ron Francis).
• Alternator: #6 AWG from 12V bus bar to 150A ANL fuse for some extra protection, then on to the alternator.
• Ground bus bar: mounted on the firewall. It also has four ¼”-20 studs, which I'll use to gather the chassis harness grounds, and grounding for the various accessory systems I’ll be adding like the Ididit high beam relay, Dakota Digital cruise control module, Wilwood electric parking brake, etc.

Coyote main harness: to accommodate better routing and to clean up unnecessary connectors/circuits, I unwrapped the main PCM harness. As has been reported by others, this is a commitment. It takes time. Lots of it. And patience. But, the end result is worth it to me.

Along with the circuits I eliminated as shown in the screenshot below, I also separated the #10 AWG ground wire (black), orange fan wire, and starter lead for optimal routing. Not shown in the table, but I also removed the HS Can (+/-) wires, and the Yellow “Key on 12V” wire.

Since I had to rewrap the plastic loom anyway, I used adhesive cloth tape. For electrical tape, I use Scotch 88, good up to 105 C.

In the red boxes below are the circuits I eliminated. They don't apply to my build.




Here you can see the #2 AWG main leads from the battery, as well as the ground connections under the 3/8"-24 bolt for the battery, PDB, and motor. I will extend the fan circuit (orange coiled) later on.




Main power connections continue along the chassis rail. Main Coyote harness coiled up and ready to go. I'll connector and terminate the #4 AWG ground, #4 AWG starter, and blue starter trigger wire after the drivetrain is installed.







Top of the PS footbox is getting pretty crowded, and I don't even have the wiper motor installed!




This is the Longacre master cutoff. Mounted as high as I could on the PS panel just below the firewall.




The Blue Sea Systems 12V and Ground bus bars mounted to the firewall. The 150A ANL fuse for the alternator circuit is to the right. Ground chassis point (5/16"-24) for the bus bar is visible on the 2" chassis tube.

[460.465USMC]

Here is the Coyote harness with the O2 sensor circuits. One for the left and one for right side. This harness is modified per F5 instructions, in order to reach the left and right O2 sensors at the header collectors.

[460.465USMC]

Two topics today: (1) the dash extension from Snakebite Motorworks, and (2) I made a big mistake. More on the mistake in a minute.

The full dash extension from Snakebite fit quite nicely. This is the first panel I haven't made myself, but with good reason. There's a lot going on here with planes and angles. Big shout out to Snakebite for his design and making it available. Also, big thanks to Papa for his support/beta testing. I haven't quite finalized my plan yet, but figure this will be a good spot for the five-position toggle panel, and the Wilwood e-brake button. Underneath and hidden from view will be most/all of the electronic controls/accoutrements.

Here's the view from the front. Since the trans tunnel will be carpeted, I'm leaving a small gap at the bottom of the extension panel. This gap will be fine tuned once I mock-up the trans tunnel cover. I may order Snakebite's blank cover since I'm deleting the mechanical e-brake handle, not to mention centering the shifter hole.




I slotted the holes to fine tune the fitment. Moreso the upper/forward hole. Also visible is a simple bracket I made and secured with 8-32 screws. It's 1.5" wide, and there's another one on the left side of the extension as well. This really stiffens the center of the dash, as well as the extension panel.




It was a bit tricky to locate the brackets and holes so everthing lined up. I slotted the holes to aid my precision impediment.




It doesn't get much more basic than this, but they make a big difference.




The Big Mistake

As I mentioned in my last update, I've been working the dash buildup in parallel with the main power, Coyote PDB, etc. The dash has two HVAC vents located at the extreme ends, left and right. I drilled those holes at least a month ago, but it wasn't until yesterday I noticed my big mistake. My hole locations didn't account for the cross tube the dash mounts to. Sheesh!! Yep, it's basically been right in front of my eyes, or right next to the snake bit kit, as they say. No correlation to Snakebite Motorworks.

Here's a view of the left HVAC vent hole with the cross tube plainly in sight. Ain't no way the HVAC vent is going to fit.




View from the rear.




What to do? I really don't want to replace the dash ($$$$). Not to mention the hours I have into it so far. Nor do I want to trim that skinny cross tube, or alter the plastic vent housing. Thinking about it overnight, perhaps a 0.040 backing plate will work. A bezel of sorts. Basically right over the top of the existing hole, following the contour of the dash's edge. Attach it through the existing holes that connect the lower dash corners, and an additional screw or two on its opposite side. My dash (and dash extension) will be finished in powder coat (Charcoal Rock from Prismatic Powders), so I can't cover the original holes with vinyl or leather.

What do you guys think? Is this a dumb idea? I welcome your advice and/or suggestions.

[Sharris2]

Can you get smaller vents to fit and adjust the hole as you suggested? im not using the FF supplied vents; im installing 4 smaller ones then using 2" tubing instead of the larger supplied by FFR

[460.465USMC]

That's an interesting idea. What size vents? Can you share any more details?

[Sharris2]

These are the ones i got for my build
Motoforti Universal Dashboard Air Conditioning Outlet Vent Round Air Vent Ventilation Outlet for RV Bus, 1.81" Pipe Diameter, Plastic, Chrome Silver Tone, 2 Pcs
https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0CR6HQ6B6?...3A%20Motoforti

[Papa t]

Why not trim the interference from the bracket and leave the a/c duct hole the same?

[PNWTim]

Chris, I would cut a round piece of .040 to fit in the hole and then a backing plate that you can blind or flush rivet to the backside of the dash. Then glue that round filler plate in and cut a new hole. I did a lot of this on my dash to get it the way I wanted it. It will work and you can use almost anything, 30 minute epoxy, JB Weld, panel bonding adhesive, whatever but that'll do it.

It's a bit of work but just use the hole saw that you cut the round hole to begin with and cut a "plug" so to speak (it'll be a little smaller), then flush rivet the backing plate on and then glue the plug in and then drill a new hole. With some filler and fairing work you'll never see it.

[460.465USMC]

Why not trim the interference from the bracket and leave the a/c duct hole the same?

Hello Papa T. Thanks for chiming in, but I don't think I follow. I don't have any issue trimming the aluminum as shown below. But, that leaves the more concerning interference from the cross tube, which I don't want to trim. Or, are you referring to something else?

[460.465USMC]

Chris, I would cut a round piece of .040 to fit in the hole and then a backing plate that you can blind or flush rivet to the backside of the dash. Then glue that round filler plate in and cut a new hole. I did a lot of this on my dash to get it the way I wanted it. It will work and you can use almost anything, 30 minute epoxy, JB Weld, panel bonding adhesive, whatever but that'll do it.

It's a bit of work but just use the hole saw that you cut the round hole to begin with and cut a "plug" so to speak (it'll be a little smaller), then flush rivet the backing plate on and then glue the plug in and then drill a new hole. With some filler and fairing work you'll never see it.

Thanks, Tim. I think I recall a picture or two from your thread of this solution. The most I've done in this area (on my MK4 dash) was to countersink flat head screws, apply JB Weld over it, and sand smooth. It held up just fine through the high temps of the PC process. And that was regular JB Weld. I imagine the high temp stuff you found would add a safety margin for the heat. I might even still have the original two inch plugs. Question, do flush mount rivets require a special rivet gun/fitting?

[Papa t]

No, missed the crossmember interference. The have done the exact solution that Tim has described with no problems on another build.

[PNWTim]

Chris - I bought solid or buck rivets with counter sunk heads and manually bucked (set them) using only hand tools. I didn't want to buy a pneumatic rivet gun to set 10 or 15 rivets. I think you could get away with just countersinking your rivet hole and using a regular blind rivet, grind it a bit and then fill as appropriate. There is no real shear or strength needed here so I wouldn't worry too much about diminishing the head thickness slightly to get it smooth.

https://www.mcmaster.com/products/ri...e~flush-mount/

I just reread your original post as I was finishing typing this and somehow missed you were powder coating your dash. That puts a whole new spin on things. Most adhesives won't stand up to the PC oven heat. Even the high temp JB weld I used shrunk a bit. You may want to go the solid rivet and aluminum brazing route. This may be the only way to get it smooth enough to pass the powder coat appearance test.

[JimStone]

Hello Papa T. Thanks for chiming in, but I don't think I follow. I don't have any issue trimming the aluminum as shown below. But, that leaves the more concerning interference from the cross tube, which I don't want to trim. Or, are you referring to something else?

I recently needed to fix a similar issue with th shifter hole in the trans cover panel being an inch too far forward.

What I did was have Send Cut Send make me a semicircle fill piece that is flush to the panel, then I backed it with a ring with the ID the same as hole I needed, epoxied in place where the new hole is to be. Then cut out the new semicircle. The flush piece is also epoxied. Is super strong. No fasteners needed. I used chat GPT to help me create the files for Send Cut Send (told me how to do it in Inkscape). You could also just cut the pieces yourself from stock, but need to be precise








Instead of epoxy, you could use the solid flush mount rivets Tim linked. Use the aluminum 3/32 ones and they easily squish down practically flat with a few whacks of the hammer, then epoxy and sand smooth. Used them all over my dash face,

[Barwickad]

Hi. Chris. One suggestion for the heater duct issue. Perhaps 3d print a coupler for the duct that necks down just enough to go under the cross tube. Then slip the duct on to the coupler on either side of the cross tube. I had a similar issue with one of the heater ducts on my Mk4.

P.S. If you don’t have access to a 3d printer, I know a guy who does.

[460.465USMC]

Thanks, everyone! Really appreciate you guys checking in...some great ideas here.

I hate to admit it, but my big mistake is even bigger than I first realized. Last night, to my disbelief I discovered the left and right holes for the turn signal LEDs are directly in the middle of the cross tube. I'm not given to foul language, but since no one else was in the garage....%&*! Unbelievable! If there's a silver lining here, at least those holes are only 7/16". I'm going to take a step back and ruminate on this one for a bit. Plenty of other things to work on in the meantime.

[460.465USMC]

Hi. Chris. One suggestion for the heater duct issue. Perhaps 3d print a coupler for the duct that necks down just enough to go under the cross tube. Then slip the duct on to the coupler on either side of the cross tube. I had a similar issue with one of the heater ducts on my Mk4.

P.S. If you don’t have access to a 3d printer, I know a guy who does.

Hey, Andy! Long time no talk. Has your Roadster been licensed and out in the wild? Would love to see a picture or two.

Unfortunately, I don't have access to a 3D printer. I've always admired what folks have done with those on their builds. Really cool stuff. I'm interested in this option, but not good at envisioning things in my mind. I would like to understand/see the solution you designed. I'll follow-up with a text to see if there's a good time to chat. Thanks for the suggestion!

[8secDuster]

Chris,
Vintage Air offers several different reducers for vents and hoses.

https://vintageair.com/builder-serie...and-duct-hose/

[Namrups]

Chris, Don't feel bad..... I did the same thing on my coupe. Hanging my head, I will admit that I cut the cross member to clear the vent tubes. As far as structurally holding the dash in place there is no issue. What would happen in a crash is anyones guess. Given the small size of the tube I don't belive it is a structural support for the roll cage. (But I'm not a structural engineer either!)

Scott

[460.465USMC]

Thanks, Scott. I'm still licking my wounds, but moving forward. Despite my measure-thrice-cut-once approach, I still manage to booger up stuff. In this case, if I would have set the dash back in place for a quick sanity check before drilling, I would have caught it. A painful lesson, but a good reminder. If my build turn out half as good as yours, I will count it a big success.

[PNWTim]

Chris - I have been thinking about your "challenge" with the dash. If you are going to stick with powder coating, I would suggest finding a skilled tig welder in town and weld those plugs in. He/she could also fill the signal holes at the same time. If they take it slow they should be able to prevent warpage and with a little grinding and sanding your dash will be like new and you don't have to start over. This will also guarantee your powder coat will look perfect.

[Namrups]

Thanks, Scott. I'm still licking my wounds, but moving forward. Despite my measure-thrice-cut-once approach, I still manage to booger up stuff. In this case, if I would have set the dash back in place for a quick sanity check before drilling, I would have caught it. A painful lesson, but a good reminder. If my build turn out half as good as yours, I will count it a big success.

Thanks for the shout out Chris but believe me I can show you a lot of "if I could do over's". I've always said if I did another coupe I would "do it right this time"! Like everything else, the more you do the better you get. Thank god for the fore runners (EdwardB/Paul for example) who gave us a set of brains ahead of our builds. I can't imagine what my build would have looked like without them!

Scott

[460.465USMC]

Chris - I have been thinking about your "challenge" with the dash. If you are going to stick with powder coating, I would suggest finding a skilled tig welder in town and weld those plugs in. He/she could also fill the signal holes at the same time. If they take it slow they should be able to prevent warpage and with a little grinding and sanding your dash will be like new and you don't have to start over. This will also guarantee your powder coat will look perfect.

Thanks for the additional idea, Tim. I really appreciate your thoughts. I chatted with forum member Barwickad--a fellow PNW'er--about 3D printing a coupler for the ducts. He "knows a guy" who generously offered to work with me on a solution. I'm going to give that a try first. If that goes well, I'll likely JB Weld some slightly undersized plugs for the two 7/16" turn signal holes. Can't say often enough how helpful this forum is for a guy with two left thumbs. I'm grateful.

[Skuzzy]

Thanks for the additional idea, Tim. I really appreciate your thoughts. I chatted with forum member Barwickad--a fellow PNW'er--about 3D printing a coupler for the ducts. He "knows a guy" who generously offered to work with me on a solution. I'm going to give that a try first. If that goes well, I'll likely JB Weld some slightly undersized plugs for the two 7/16" turn signal holes. Can't say often enough how helpful this forum is for a guy with two left thumbs. I'm grateful.

I am happy to help with the 3D printing solution.