FYI. Where the manual says, "Do not rivet." They should add do not drill or rivet. Do not rivet means another panel will overlap that panel. Matching up holes in something that has already been drilled can be a challenge.
If you are planning to powder coat some of these panels you are going to want to fit and drill them first, as long as you have the panels layered properly this should not be an issue. All the panels we did were properly layered this way. Cheers!
Congrats on the arrival Rob! Looking at your photo makes me wish I'd bought some stock in 3M painter's tape Just a caution...don't leave that stuff on there long term, and don't expose it to much heat (probably not a risk in Vancouver right now!). A friend of mine taped his up like that and when he went to remove it a few months later he had a real fight to get to get both the tape and residue off.
Congrats on the arrival Rob! Looking at your photo makes me wish I'd bought some stock in 3M painter's tape Just a caution...don't leave that stuff on there long term, and don't expose it to much heat (probably not a risk in Vancouver right now!). A friend of mine taped his up like that and when he went to remove it a few months later he had a real fight to get to get both the tape and residue off.
Jeff
Thanks Jeff will cycle through it then so its not on the chassis long; my oldest son went to town on protecting the powder coat - a whole role just on the front . We are still waiting on the Canadian Completion kit, should be shipping out today (suspension, brakes, fuel tank, wheels ...)
More panel work over the weekend. On the passenger side of the transmission tunnel the rear angled support was welded about a 1/4" off of the top bar so the aluminum would not fit flush to the top bar. We made a small cut in the panel versus grinding the support (which would affect structural integrity). 20260208_175655.jpg20260208_175737.jpg20260208_175821.jpg20260208_175852.jpg
Completed the front suspension this past weekend, however we ended up keeping the blue boots on upper ball joint as neither Eric nor I could get them to stay seated after connecting the spindle, anyone have any suggestions 20260302_114425.jpg20260302_114516.jpg
The Energy Suspension boots don't fit over the bottom of the ball joint. They'll look something like this and better once the suspension is at ride height.
Thanks Paul, I was putting the Energy Suspension boot over the UCA Ball joint, and it kept coming off when we put the ball joint post into the upper part of the spindle. It would pop off the lip of the ball joint, so we put the blue ones back on. I'll try again and take another picture, I am wondering if I haven't opened up the arms far enough on the UCA as the camber angled in
Thanks Paul, I was putting the Energy Suspension boot over the UCA Ball joint, and it kept coming off when we put the ball joint post into the upper part of the spindle. It would pop off the lip of the ball joint, so we put the blue ones back on. I'll try again and take another picture, I am wondering if I haven't opened up the arms far enough on the UCA as the camber angled in
Agree with Jeff. You're fine. The Energy Suspension ones are similar per the picture I posted. The reason guys switch them is the Energy Suspension ones are more robust and less likely to tear or fail. Sometimes even during the build. Avoids having to take the suspension apart to replace them. Your choice.
Build 1: Mk3 Roadster #5125. Sold 11/08/2014. Build 2: Mk4 Roadster #7750. Sold 04/10/2017. Build 3: Mk4 Roadster 20th Anniversary #8674. Sold 09/07/2020. Build Thread and Video. Build 4: Gen 3 Type 65 Coupe #59. Gen 3 Coyote. Legal 03/04/2020. Build Thread. Build 5: 35 Hot Rod Truck #138. Build Thread. Sold 11/9/2023. Build 6: Mk5 Roadster 30th Anniversary #11,258. Build Thread.
Agree with Jeff. You're fine. The Energy Suspension ones are similar per the picture I posted. The reason guys switch them is the Energy Suspension ones are more robust and less likely to tear or fail. Sometimes even during the build. Avoids having to take the suspension apart to replace them. Your choice.
Thank you both, I appreciate the feedback, since I bought the Energy Suspension boots, I may try to put them on again, they just kept popping off the seat towards the frame exposing the grease, neither of us could get them to stay on once we put thepost in the spindle.
Thank you both, I appreciate the feedback, since I bought the Energy Suspension boots, I may try to put them on again, they just kept popping off the seat towards the frame exposing the grease, neither of us could get them to stay on once we put thepost in the spindle.
They stay in place when you're at ride height vs. full droop during the build. You can see what they look like if you loosen the spring, put a floor jack under the LCA, and raise to ride height. Then decide. Good luck.
Build 1: Mk3 Roadster #5125. Sold 11/08/2014. Build 2: Mk4 Roadster #7750. Sold 04/10/2017. Build 3: Mk4 Roadster 20th Anniversary #8674. Sold 09/07/2020. Build Thread and Video. Build 4: Gen 3 Type 65 Coupe #59. Gen 3 Coyote. Legal 03/04/2020. Build Thread. Build 5: 35 Hot Rod Truck #138. Build Thread. Sold 11/9/2023. Build 6: Mk5 Roadster 30th Anniversary #11,258. Build Thread.
Making some progress, front suspension and brakes installed torqued, Eric fit and drilled the transmission tunnel aluminum, I cut the ears off the rear spindles, gave them a bath in Aluminum Magic and clear coated them
Front Suspension before being torqued and cotter pins
Wilwoods in place, put cotter pins in the spindle bolts but not the tie rod ends
Eric fit the transmission tunnel aluminum in place, great place to mount electrical components in the cockpit
Cut the ears off the spindles, gave them a bath in Aluminum Magic and clear coated them
Some good progress over the last couple of days, Eric and I installed the center section, CV axles, spindle, suspension and brakes. As mentioned in another build to "keep an eye out for the Center section vent barb" unfortunately ours was not in the box period - so I let FFR know… The Tow Link bars had to be widened in order to fit on to the spindles, since I didn’t have any threaded ready rod I improvised with two bolts and two nuts to widen the opening. The Wilwood brake jewelry went on without a hitch and looks great.
Ordered Tilton MCs and Reservoir from Summit - which should arrive in the next few days. Need to order the Breeze fan shroud next. Still waiting on some back ordered parts like the fuel tank filler neck, engine mounts, passenger side chrome roll bar and some carpet pieces.
Coil Overs went in very easily
Wilwood Jewelry looks great
I find it odd that the upper control arms are resting on the frame as it sits on the chassis dolly, assuming that once its on its own wheels that won't be the case, have bits of towel wedged between them right now
Installed the pedal box with the Tilton 75s, anyone know the part number for the 1/4" 1.25 bolts to mount the pedal box to the 1" tube? The only ones remotely close are the Qty (4) 1/4"-20 x 1.25" Button Head bolts for mounting the Radiator. Also question for the Mk5 builders: At the build school they recommended not cutting the threaded shaft of the MCs until after adjusting the pedal height, have any of you cut them for the Mk5?
Looking good! Replace those blue UCA ball joint dust covers with the Energy Suspension 5.13102G set. They'll crack before you even get the car on the ground. Mine did.
Greg
Built an early MkIII years ago, sold years ago. Back after 18 years to build a MkIV Build Thread Here Partners: Levy Racing, Summit Racing, LMR, Breeze, Forte's Parts, Speedhut, ReplicaParts
MkIV Complete Kit Ordered 4/18/23, Delivered 7/11/23, First start 3/15/25. Legal 6/13/25. Boss 427W, Edelbrock Pro Flo 4, TKX (.68 5th), IRS, Wilwood Brakes, 18" Halibrands, Toyo R888R Tires, Custom Speedhut Gauges
Also question for the Mk5 builders: At the build school they recommended not cutting the threaded shaft of the MCs until after adjusting the pedal height, have any of you cut them for the Mk5?
IMO that's good advice. I never cut anything without mocking it up first. I did have to trim my MC's slightly, but not as much as the build manual shows.
Build 1: Mk3 Roadster #5125. Sold 11/08/2014. Build 2: Mk4 Roadster #7750. Sold 04/10/2017. Build 3: Mk4 Roadster 20th Anniversary #8674. Sold 09/07/2020. Build Thread and Video. Build 4: Gen 3 Type 65 Coupe #59. Gen 3 Coyote. Legal 03/04/2020. Build Thread. Build 5: 35 Hot Rod Truck #138. Build Thread. Sold 11/9/2023. Build 6: Mk5 Roadster 30th Anniversary #11,258. Build Thread.
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Originally Posted by Pete&Scott
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Just a caution...don't leave that stuff on there long term, and don't expose it to much heat (probably not a risk in Vancouver right now!). A friend of mine taped his up like that and when he went to remove it a few months later he had a real fight to get to get both the tape and residue off. 
. We are still waiting on the Canadian Completion kit, should be shipping out today (suspension, brakes, fuel tank, wheels ...)
