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Thread: My Daytona Coupe Build... Ten Years in the Making

  1. #241
    Senior Member Carlos C's Avatar
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    Spyder GT Dashboard Mods

    Jonas:

    Thanks for the compliments.

    I've been concentrating all my efforts on the custom Spyder GT dashboard I had made for me. In order to get it to fit in the Coupe, it will necessitate quite a bit of modifications, but I should be able to make it work. Here's what I've got done so far:


    The Spyder GT dashboard is 3 1/4" wider than the Coupe's dash. Some trimming at the ends would need to be done, in order for the dash to fit around the A-pillar tubes from the roll cage.


    I used the Coupe's dash as a template to mark where the cuts would be made at the end of the Spyder's dash. I also took many measurements prior to this, in order to make sure the steering shaft would end up squarely on the right spot in the Spyder's dash.


    I also marked for the other cuts needed to clear the roll cage, and also the A/C and heater unit.


    I installed the A/C unit in place, although further closer to the passenger side than suggested by the instructions. This is so all the gauges will fit on the Spyder's dash. Note that I also fitted the wiper motor. I needed to make sure that the final position of the A/C unit would allow me to mount the wiper motor and still give me enough room for the gauges.


    Here, I'm making sure that the A/C unit clears the frame, body, and chassis panels at the position I want to mount it. Although this photo shows the A/C unit mounted with clekos, it is now mounted with bolts and rivet nuts on the frame.


    Since I'm going with Russ' turn signal stalk, I had to do some modifications to it. In order to avoid making a huge hole on the dash to make this stalk fit through it, I drilled out the rivets which hold the mounting bracket to the stalk, and installed rivet nuts. This will allow me to just drill a much smaller hole in the dash for the stalk to insert into the steering shaft straight in, and then I can install the bracket from under the dash.


    Here's the finished product. I just need to put another coat of paint on it to make it look new again.

    The Spyder dash is on the car at this moment. The biggest section I had to remove was for the A/C unit. I will have to do some fiberglass work to fill that back in. Before I do that, I still need to cut the holes for all the gauges. Unfortunately, I did not have the necessary sizes of hole saws. I was at Henry's house last weekend (65 Cobra Dude), helping him work on a customer's Coupe, and he offered to lend me the hole saws, but foolishly I turned his offer down, thinking that I actually had the correct sizes at home. These are odd sizes, but thankfully, I was able to find one of them at a hardware store after quite of bit of searching. I struck out with the other one, so I had to order it online, I'm waiting for it to arrive.

    I also ordered some angle rings from Auto Meter, so I can angle the gauges towards the driver seat. For those who have never seen the Spyder GT dash, all the auxiliary gauges get installed in a straight-line format, going towards the passenger side. Hopefully on my next post, I will have photos of the dash installed on the car with the gauges and steering wheel test-fitted in place.

    Carlos
    FFR Coupe #0635; Ford 347ci, Tremec TKO500, 8.8 rear end w/ 3.27:1 gears, Cobra/SVO brakes

  2. #242
    Senior Member Carlos C's Avatar
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    I received the angle rings, but now I have to deal with a set-back, thanks to bad information from the tech support from Auto Meter and the lack of instructions which came with the product. The gauges supplied from FFR are 2" in diameter, while the angle rings are sold for 2 1/6" and 2 5/8" gauges. Before I ordered the product, I called and spoke with the "technician" to ask him two simple questions:
    1. Will the 2 1/6" rings work on the 2" gauges?
    2. Since the gauges will be mounted at an angle, will I have to cut the holes at a larger size? I needed this answer ahead of time so I could order the correct hole saw.
    His answers were:
    1. Yes
    2. No.

    Well, turns out that he was completely incorrect on question #2, just as I thought, and I had to order another hole saw (2 1/8") for the second time. Thankfully, I did not cut the holes ahead of time with the wrong size hole saw. He also was partially incorrect on question #1. The kit provides aluminum brackets, which need to be cut, and the instructions are very specific as to how they should be cut, depending on the application. The kit also provides templates for marking the brackets for cutting. Unfortunately, the instructions fail to inform or make the distinction between electrical, mechanical, and electronic gauges. They are all set up differently at the rear of the case, and I found out the hard way that the instructions and templates do not work for the gauges FFR provides from Auto Meter. This is because those gauges have three posts, one of them sitting in the way of where the bracket needs to be. That is the ground post. Even if I cut off that post, the bracket would be very close to the other two, both which are positively charged. If the bracket touches those posts, the gauge would short out. See the photo below for an example of the difference between electronic and electric gauges.


    The bracket in this photo has not been cut yet, but I tested one of the brackets I have already cut with the electronic gauges, and it fits perfectly. Unfortunately, I did not foresee this problem, so I cut the brackets for all five gauges FFR provides, which will not fit now.

    Thankfully, I just happen to have 3 of these un-cut aluminum brackets laying around, plus one left from the kit I ordered which I didn't cut; that's 4, but I need 5 for the FFR gauges. I'll probably cut the posts off one of the FFR gauges and use one of the cut aluminum brackets. I have 3 of my electronic/mechanical gauges (which I will also be using on the build), and depending where I place them, if I need to angle them, I can use 3 of the remaining cut aluminum brackets.

    Lesson learned: Don't trust the tech reps or the instructions; double check everything yourself. I got burned by March Pulleys and their tech guy, and now by Auto Meter.

    Carlos
    FFR Coupe #0635; Ford 347ci, Tremec TKO500, 8.8 rear end w/ 3.27:1 gears, Cobra/SVO brakes

  3. #243
    Senior Member Carlos C's Avatar
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    Gen 3 coupe report from panama city beach, fl



    I had a great time at Panama City Beach's Emerald Coast Cruizin' Car Show. I spent a lot of time hanging out with Wayne Pressley, Erik Treves, and Tony Zullo, just like last year. The only person missing, who was supposed to come with me, was Henry Renaud. Erik and I talked a lot about the Gen 3 Coupe, and he will be getting one in the next few weeks. Henry will also be getting one very soon, and I will help him whenever I can to put it together. Wayne had his beautiful Gen 1 Coupe there for sale. I also picked Tony's brain on some of the new features on the Gen 3. Here are some of my first impressions and info I got:






    The frame is over-engineered, with so much triangulation that there is not much room for a lot of extra items under the hood, especially if using the Coyote engine. Tony mentioned that Jim Schenck has said that some of this triangulation can be cut out without compromising the rigidity of the frame. The radiator has been updated. For those who are not aware, this Afco radiator gets mounted upside-down on the Coupe, leaving the drain valve at the top of the radiator. Just recently, this was fixed by the manufacturer, which added a second drain valve at the opposite end, albeit on the side of the radiator. So, no matter how you mount the radiator, you will finally have a functioning drain valve. The headers are also updated. Although I forgot to ask, I believe these are straight from Stainless Headers. This company makes headers specifically for the FFR Roadster, including the combination using the Coyote engine, and since FFR was planning to streamline their header product line (use the same headers for both, the Coupe and Roadster), it would make sense to go for these. There were other aftermarket parts on the semi-completed Gen 3 Coupe, so time will tell if these headers will become standard, or even optional items from FFR, or just one-offs for this build (more on one-off items used on this Coupe below).


    The wheels on this car are one-offs. They are two-piece aluminum 19" in diameter, and as I was told, the set cost over $12K! Supposedly, FFR got them at a discounted promotional price of below $8K. The side exhaust is larger in diameter than the Gen 2, so it should flow better. I know this much, they definitely sound better. I had heard months ago that FFR was planning to use the Roadster's side exhaust on the Gen 3, but now it seems that they're married to this one. Erik mentioned to me that Jim still wants to tweak where it connects to the header, but that overall, he's happy with the exhaust. Although not seen on this photo, the headlights are beautiful LED aftermarket units... and no, they won't be part of the kit. Due to the extra rear fender bulge on the Gen 3, the Raydot side mirrors are even harder to use than in the previous generations of the Coupe. The passenger side mirror is actually useless; I could barely see the mirror itself, let alone see out of it. Maybe the view would improve somewhat, if the mirrors were located on the doors, instead of the A-pillars.




    I sat in this car, and I have to say: the difference in head, shoulder, hip, leg and foot room, is night and day compared to the Gen 2. It is easier to get in and out, and I actually felt like I was sitting too low in the car. This car can fit bigger/wider seats, which the previous version could not. Unfortunately, I could tell that the car was put together in a hurry; and even Tony told me that not even the lights work, and they were lucky that the car starts. Although the hood is supposed to have a liner, this one did not due to time constraints.

    Overall, it is an amazing car to look at and inspect in person. I can't wait to start working on it, once Henry gets his in a few weeks. In the meantime, I still have my Gen 2 to worry about... And yes, I have Gen 3 envy.

    Carlos
    FFR Coupe #0635; Ford 347ci, Tremec TKO500, 8.8 rear end w/ 3.27:1 gears, Cobra/SVO brakes

  4. #244
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    Carlos, that's a great update from Panama City show. Those of us who are dreaming right now are glad to have first hand info. It is an amazing looking machine. It will be interesting to see the builds get started on these new cars. Thanks, Len

  5. #245
    Senior Member Carlos C's Avatar
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    Thanks, Len. I'd recommend subscribing to either, Henry Renaud's (65 Cobra Dude) Gen 3 Coupe build thread, Erik Treves' (Erik W. Treves), or both. These guys are amazing builders, who have built numerous quality FFR cars each, and have plenty of knowledge and experience.

    Carlos
    FFR Coupe #0635; Ford 347ci, Tremec TKO500, 8.8 rear end w/ 3.27:1 gears, Cobra/SVO brakes

  6. #246
    Senior Member Carlos C's Avatar
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    Spyder GT Dashboard Modifcations (continued)

    So, here's my update on my Auto Meter angle rings dilemma. As I stated on Post #242, I had three extra aluminum brackets, plus the one from the kit I ordered, which I did not originally need; all of them un-cut. Since I have five gauges, I was short one bracket. After careful measuring, I cut the virgin brackets and they fit just fine with the Auto Meter gauges FFR provides, using the angle rings.


    I used the first bracket I cut as a template to cut the other three. For the last gauge, all I had left were the brackets which I had cut according to the instructions, which turned out to be too short. I ended up cutting the electrical posts on the gauge, in order to make the bracket fit and clear the posts.


    This is the end result after all angle rings had been mounted to the gauges and on the dashboard. Now, all the gauges face the driver.


    I then installed the dashboard into the car, along with the steering shaft, turn signal stalk, and steering wheel. Everything fits just fine and clears the cross bar.


    Here's a shot of the whole dashboard from the rear of the vehicle. I plan to install all the indicator lights, and maybe even another gauge above the speedo and tach gauges. Next step is to glass in the A/C unit and build an extension to cover the gap between the dash and center console.

    Carlos
    FFR Coupe #0635; Ford 347ci, Tremec TKO500, 8.8 rear end w/ 3.27:1 gears, Cobra/SVO brakes

  7. #247
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    Hi Carlos, I have found Erik's thread and subscribed. I will too for Henry as well. I first saw FFR in Charlotte Auto Fair in 2004 but bought a Harley instead. Getting close to the time to build one of my own I think. I have a 1972 Corvette that I have maintained and learned a bit of skill from over the past 20 years. Rebuilt the rear ends on two from tranny to rear bumper by reading the service manual. I've been reading the Roadster threads as well just to see how suspension and engine items go together. The support from one builder to the other is amazing. Never seen such support. By the way, I have read your thread as well. Thanks for the response and I'll keep watching. Len

  8. #248
    Senior Member Carlos C's Avatar
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    Len:

    As you may have already found out, there's so much to learn from so many on this site. The FFR build manuals only give you the basics. Many here have found alternate and easier ways to build sections of their vehicles, ways to customize their vehicles, and pass that information along. Of course, many of the vendors on this site, sell parts that will help you build your car faster and better. It's a good foundation to have experience tinkering with drivelines. Good luck with your build, once you're ready for it.

    Carlos
    FFR Coupe #0635; Ford 347ci, Tremec TKO500, 8.8 rear end w/ 3.27:1 gears, Cobra/SVO brakes

  9. #249
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    Thanks for the posts. I especially like the comments about the gen 3, I think their will be some growing pains with the first models out the door. I also liked the photo's about the a/c and wiler.motor. I hope.to.be fit tong these soon and I too was looking at moving them close to the passenger side. Thanks, nice.work and good luck
    Chros

  10. #250
    Senior Member Carlos C's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by ricobrafan View Post
    Thanks for the posts. I especially like the comments about the gen 3, I think their will be some growing pains with the first models out the door. I also liked the photo's about the a/c and wiler.motor. I hope.to.be fit tong these soon and I too was looking at moving them close to the passenger side. Thanks, nice.work and good luck
    Chros
    You're welcome. Any time I can help someone by giving them an idea or inspiration, I feel that I've paid it forward through posting my build on this site. Thanks for the kind words.

    Carlos
    FFR Coupe #0635; Ford 347ci, Tremec TKO500, 8.8 rear end w/ 3.27:1 gears, Cobra/SVO brakes

  11. #251
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    Carlos, the gauges look great. Len

  12. #252
    Senior Member Carlos C's Avatar
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    Thanks, Len. After some careful measurements, I realized that due to the cross bar, I won't be able to install a smaller gauge above the speedometer and tachometer; only the indicator lights will fit. I spent yesterday afternoon looking at the dash and console, in order to come up with the lay-out for the switches, radio and A/C controls, vents, more gauges, etc. I will be drawing up the fiberglass design for the dash where it needs to be extended and/or re-filled, and where everything will be installed.

    Carlos
    FFR Coupe #0635; Ford 347ci, Tremec TKO500, 8.8 rear end w/ 3.27:1 gears, Cobra/SVO brakes

  13. #253
    Senior Member Gbeck's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Carlos C View Post
    Thanks, Len. After some careful measurements, I realized that due to the cross bar, I won't be able to install a smaller gauge above the speedometer and tachometer; only the indicator lights will fit. I spent yesterday afternoon looking at the dash and console, in order to come up with the lay-out for the switches, radio and A/C controls, vents, more gauges, etc. I will be drawing up the fiberglass design for the dash where it needs to be extended and/or re-filled, and where everything will be installed.

    Carlos

    Some have moved part of the dash cross bar forward to clear their gauges. Just a little welding involved.

  14. #254
    Senior Member Carlos C's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Gbeck View Post
    Some have moved part of the dash cross bar forward to clear their gauges. Just a little welding involved.
    I had given that some thought, but figured it wasn't worth the work just to add one more gauge to the dash, especially when everything else fits around the cross bar. I was even prepared to do that modification before I started fitting the dash. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that it wouldn't be necessary. Thanks for the suggestion, though.

    Carlos
    FFR Coupe #0635; Ford 347ci, Tremec TKO500, 8.8 rear end w/ 3.27:1 gears, Cobra/SVO brakes

  15. #255
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    Looks good Carlos!

  16. #256
    Senior Member Carlos C's Avatar
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    Thanks, Tom.

    Dash modifications will have to take a backseat for the next week or so, while I visit family out of town for Thanksgiving.

    Carlos
    FFR Coupe #0635; Ford 347ci, Tremec TKO500, 8.8 rear end w/ 3.27:1 gears, Cobra/SVO brakes

  17. #257
    Senior Member Carlos C's Avatar
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    Now that the holidays are over, it's time to get back on the project collecting dust in my garage. I decided that I will leave the dashboard alone for now, as I need the interior chassis panels to be in place for me to be able to continue with the fabrication of the custom center console. With that said, this project has been sitting in my garage for so long, that it has collected a lot of dust and grime. Therefore, the first order of business is to clean the frame, chassis panels, and body.


    My neighbor helped me remove the body off the frame and I marked all the chassis panels against the frame and against the other panels.


    Once all the panels were marked, I took reference photos and removed them. Once the frame and panels are washed, I will officially start the build.

    I still have not decided on the different finishes (i.e.: undercoating, lizard skin, etc.) I will be using, and what powder-coating color for the panels, but I need to make up my mind in the next few days.

    Carlos
    FFR Coupe #0635; Ford 347ci, Tremec TKO500, 8.8 rear end w/ 3.27:1 gears, Cobra/SVO brakes

  18. #258
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    It is good to see you get back at the Type 65!

  19. #259
    Senior Member Carlos C's Avatar
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    The Actual Build Finally Starts!

    After weeks of medical appointments, vacations, and other personal commitments, I'm finally back in the garage to start actually building this thing. I've decided what color and purchased the powder for the aluminum panels: Single Stage Reflective Chrome. This color, once baked, it actually looks like stainless steel, which is the look I'm going for. I also think I've finally decided on the color for the car itself. I just got back from Daytona Bike Week, and Harley-Davidson had a huge display of new bikes with new colors. The color that immediately attracted me was what they call "Charcoal Denim". I plan to use that color with gloss black for the stripes and trim. Unfortunately, I didn't take a photo of the bike with this color on it, but it is a semi-gloss charcoal color. Anyone interested in finding out what it actually looks like, you can easily Google it.

    I started with the front suspension, and immediately I ran into issues. The front right upper control arm would not bolt on due to an interference between the control arm's shaft and the frame's front 3/4" square tubing. After taking numerous measurements, I figured out that the 3/4" tubing, regardless of the frame jig used at FFR, was welded slightly off. Since I have Mustang donor spindles, I'm supposed to use the holes on top of the control arm brackets. When I called FFR, they asked for photos (same photos you see below). Dan replied via email and stated that he would be sending their FFR spindles. This way, I could use the side mounting holes and eliminate this interference issue. Hopefully, the square tubing won't be an issue when mounting the radiator, its hardware and panels, or the hood.


    As seen on this photo, the UCA's shaft hits the square tubing. On the driver side, the UCA barely cleared, but the front grease fitting actually hits this tubing when raised high enough.


    Here's a close-up of the interference, showing that the front mounting hole has a misalignment of about 1/4". As of today, I received a confirmation that the FFR spindles were picked up from the factory this afternoon (two days after I received the email). According to FED-EX, I'm expected to receive the parts on Saturday. That would be nice, as I'd like to finish the front suspension and brakes this weekend and move on to other items.

    Another issue I encountered right away was with the rear spring perches. I'm using some of my donor Mustang's 4-link race suspension, so the spring perches were necessary. According to the assembly manual (I have a June 2016 revision) and the drawing shown therein (which is of a Roadster, not a Coupe), there two 1/2" holes the customer needs to drill through the 2" x 3" square tubing. Unfortunately, due to the roll cage and the design of the perches' brackets, this is impossible for one bolt on each perch. The only solution I found was to terminate the one bolt on each perch, which would interfere with the roll cage, inside the square tubing itself, as shown on the photo below. I sent this same photo to the engineers at FFR, and asked if they ever encountered this issue before, after producing this kit for 16 years, and if so, why the manual or the perches have not been corrected. Also, considering that the reason they want you to bolt the perch through the tubing is for rigidity (strength), I asked how much rigidity I was sacrificing by bolting the perches the way I did. The answer I received left me, to say the least, confused. I was told that they've never seen or heard of this issue before, due to not many customers having used the donor's 4-link set-up on the Coupe, but that after looking at the photo, I had installed the perches correctly. This seemed like a contradiction; if they've never seen this before, how could they know or tell me that I had done this correctly? Also, I find it hard to believe that after 16 years no one ever came across this problem, not even themselves. After all, they designed these parts and built the prototypes. Additionally, they never answered my question regarding the perch's rigidity.


    Here's the final set-up, after I realized that there was no way I could follow the manual. Hopefully, this will be strong enough to handle the axle's motions.


    Here's the partially assembled front suspension, after I re-positioned the UCAs. I also installed the coil-over struts and LCAs, greased and torqued everything.


    The springs are installed onto the perches, the quad shock brackets are installed, along with the limiting cables. In the background sits the rear end, completely assembled minus the brakes, ready to be installed onto the frame.

    Carlos
    Last edited by Carlos C; 03-31-2017 at 10:06 PM.
    FFR Coupe #0635; Ford 347ci, Tremec TKO500, 8.8 rear end w/ 3.27:1 gears, Cobra/SVO brakes

  20. #260
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    Good to see you back at it!

  21. #261
    Senior Member Carlos C's Avatar
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    Rear Suspension is Completed

    Thanks, Tom.

    Today, I had to perform some much needed maintenance on my primary vehicle, which took most of the day. The few hours left, were spent installing the rear end onto the frame by myself. Thankfully, I have a hydraulic motorcycle jack, which made this a breeze. Bolted and torqued it down after greasing the few polyurethane bushings (half of the arms connections are by spherical bearings), attached the travel-limiting cables, although I had to change their location (more on that later); and installed the vertical and quad shocks.


    The rear end hanging from the frame, just waiting for brakes, which will be done by the end of the weekend. The UCAs are double adjustable, which let me set the pinion angle without having to disconnect them. One end uses spherical bearings. The pigtail hanging from the third member cover is the electrical connector for the electro-magnetic traction-lok. Once the switch is turned on, the differential becomes a spool. This is awesome for drag racing. This rear end came off my 1988 Mustang 5.0. It's been heavily modified with Moser 31-spline, 5-lug axles; C-clip eliminators, 3.73:1 gears, the aforementioned electro-magnetic traction-lok by Auburn Gear called ECTED , Ford SVO aluminum cover, and disc-conversion brakes by SSBC.


    If you're knowledgeable with the assembly manual, you may have noticed that the travel-limiting cable is not bolted in the correct position, according to the instructions. If you look at my last post, you'll see that I had it bolted in the correct location. Here's the issue: FFR provides LCA axle brackets, on which the Mustang or the FFR shocks mount to. The mounting location for the shocks using these FFR-provided brackets are a few inches lower than the Mustang; and that's also where the cable mounts to. I have aftermarket LCAs, which came with their own custom axle brackets (see photo below), which relocate the LCAs, but not the shocks; I still use the Mustang shock brackets in the stock location. This means that when the rear end rests on the cables, it will sit a couple of inches lower than with the FFR set-up. That wouldn't seem like a big deal, except that I'm also using aftermarket Mustang lowering springs, so when the rear end is resting on the cables, the springs are not even making contact with the LCAs... Not good. I had to move the cables in order to pick up the extra slack, along with a couple of other options, which I'll explain below.


    Here's a close-up of the HPM racing lower control arm and custom axle bracket. This bracket has to be used in conjunction with the LCA. As mentioned above, besides relocating the cables, I had to perform a few other changes to the suspension, in order to make sure that the springs always keep contact with the LCAs. This suspension set-up came with the white urethane spacers you see on the photo. I did not need to use them on the Mustang, but I put them on here to pick up the slack between the arms and springs. I can only use a maximum of two per arm, which is what I have done here. They did the job for the time being. Once the body is on and all the weight of the vehicle is on it, I'll make a determination as to whether I'll use all of the spacers. The brackets have two positions for the arms, which not only affect height, but most importantly, affect performance. As of now, I have the suspension set up for track, but I can change it later, along with the spacers. Also, FFR made the spring perches in a way so the springs can be adjusted for height. Therefore, I have a few options for height adjustment. By the way, the LCAs are adjustable for length, so I can set the wheels further back on the vehicle. They also have spherical bearing on one end, in order to help prevent binding.

    Hopefully, the spindles from FFR will arrive tomorrow and I will be able to work on the front and rear brakes this weekend.

    Carlos
    FFR Coupe #0635; Ford 347ci, Tremec TKO500, 8.8 rear end w/ 3.27:1 gears, Cobra/SVO brakes

  22. #262
    Senior Member Carlos C's Avatar
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    Rear Brakes

    I received the FFR spindles this morning, but no hubs. That was no mistake, as the parts list sheet had them crossed out; however, they sent me the hubs' hardware. Weird... Obviously, I need to transfer my donor's hubs to the FFR spindles.


    Besides having to swap the hubs to the new spindles (the two on the right), these new spindles did not come powder-coated, which lead me to break out my powder-coating gun, turn my oven on, and go to town. These FFR spindles also made the donor spindle brackets, which came with the kit, obsolete. My box of FFR parts I won't be using is getting fuller.


    This is the whole donor's rear brake system I had purchased from SSBC when I swapped axles in favor to the 5-lug variety. This is basically the '98 Cobra rear brake system.


    I installed the rear brake system by properly cleaning the rotors, greasing the brake pads' backing plates, assembling the brake lines, and torqueing all the bolts. I then rotated the differential to make sure there was no binding or resistance, besides the slight drag felt from the pads sliding on the rotors.


    Then, I attached the emergency brake cables to the calipers and to the frame brackets. I have a couple of extra cable brackets I stole from my donor, which I will be strategically placing on the frame, in order to keep the cables away from the suspension moving components. Lastly, I assembled the donor's anti-sway bar. This completes the rear suspension.

    Next, I will be assembling and installing the new spindles, the front brake system, the aforementioned emergency brake cable brackets, and filling the differential with gear oil and friction modifier. In order to complete the front suspension, I plan to purchase and install FFR's anti-sway bar.

    Carlos
    FFR Coupe #0635; Ford 347ci, Tremec TKO500, 8.8 rear end w/ 3.27:1 gears, Cobra/SVO brakes

  23. #263
    Senior Member Carlos C's Avatar
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    Going Nowhere Fast with the Front Suspension

    I just keep running into issues regarding the front suspension, due to a badly welded frame tubing. After installing the FFR spindles and my donor hubs to it, I realized that I had wasted hours of work. The FFR spindles are not compatible with my donor brakes. The FFR spindles can only handle up to 11" rotors/calipers. My donor brakes are from SSBC and are 13" rotors/calipers. This brake system came with a caliper mounting bracket for the SN95 spindle (which is what I have), but due to the design of the FFR spindles, this bracket is not compatible with their spindles. See photos below.


    SSBC caliper mounting bracket, specifically made for the Mustang to work with their 13" calipers.


    SSBC caliper mounting bracket mounted on the SN95 spindle.


    SSBC bracket not fitting onto the FFR spindles.


    Close-up of the FFR spindle's interference with the SSBC bracket.

    After a few email exchanges with photos, I was given two viable options:
    1. Bend the front frame tubing which originally created the interference between the UCA and the frame, and go back to using my donor's spindles and attach the UCAs on the upper mounting locations. This option makes me uneasy as although I asked for detailed information on how to properly bend this tubing without damaging it, I was not giving any. And any bends on this tubing could result in misalignments later on with the aluminum chassis panels for the radiator, or worse yet, the brackets which attach to the nose, although I was promised they would be no such issues. Well, I should've never had any issues installing a simple UCA to its bracket, but yet here I am.

    2. Spend an additional $921 to purchase FFR's brake system designed to work with their spindles. I have two problems with this option:
    a. Their brake system is not up to par compared to mine. Theirs are 11" rotors, non-drilled and non-slotted, with 2-piston calipers. My brakes are 13" zinc-plated, slotted rotors, with 4-piston aluminum calipers. Let's note that my engine makes over 600 RWHP. I need to make sure I have a set of brakes that can stop the car at any given moment and resist fade when hot, especially when racing.
    b. Why should I spend almost $1K for a brake system, in addition to what I've already spent in options, in order to rectify a situation which is not my fault?

    I do have a third option: I may carefully cut this frame tubing at the welds on the X-member, install the UCA, place a few spot welds on the tubing after repositioning to clear the UCA, remove the UCA, finish welding the tubing, and powder-coat the section where the coating was removed. After that, I'll re-assemble the suspension and FINALLY install the brakes.

    Either way, I've already WASTED too much time changing parts, assembling, disassembling and re-assembling; emailing FFR back and forth, just to end up going nowhere with this. It's very frustrating when you spend so many hours working on this vehicle, and then step back to look at it, just to see absolutely no progress.

    Well, we'll see what option I decide to go with...

    Carlos
    FFR Coupe #0635; Ford 347ci, Tremec TKO500, 8.8 rear end w/ 3.27:1 gears, Cobra/SVO brakes

  24. #264
    Senior Member Carlos C's Avatar
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    Pedal Box, Accelerator Pedal, and Dead Pedal

    No decision yet on what I'll do regarding the front suspension fiasco, but I have a friend of mine, who has good connections within FFR, coming over my house in a couple of days to look at the issue and then communicate it to some key personnel there. In the meantime, I decided to move onto other parts of the build, specifically the pedal box and driver side foot box. While doing these, I've also included some custom work, which I'm describing below.

    First of all, I attached an adjustable brake master cylinder pushrod, and re-installed an aftermarket 3-position quadrant to the pedal box (I've already had the FFR-required mods done much earlier to the pedal box). I powder-coated the driver side front foot box panel on the outside, and treated it with undercoating on the inner side, and temporarily attached it to the frame with cleckos. I'll be installing heat-deflective matting to, and fabricating a heat shield for this panel shortly.


    Besides the FFR-required modifications to the donor's accelerator pedal, I felt that other modifications were needed to the pedal pad. Once I mounted the gas pedal, I didn't like the static angle of the pad or the lack of pad movement; therefore, I cut a section of plastic backing off the pad and re-installed the pedal. The feeling on my foot was much better. The resting angle of the pad was more natural, and due to the improved pad movement, the comfort level increased.


    I'm accustomed to having a dead pedal on my vehicles, so I made sure to remove the one off my donor. I fabricated a steel bracket which bolts to the frame and to the dead pedal. In this photo, the bracket has been tested for fitment and function; it has even been contoured to match the outside foot box panel.


    Here, the bracket has been powder-coated, and after the outside chassis panel was installed, the two holes for the dead pedal mounting bracket were drilled through the panel, and the dead pedal re-installed.


    I re-installed the pedal box and installed the bottom foot box panel, in order to test all the pedals for comfort, safe distance between each pedal, and overall aesthetics. Although the pedals in this photo look crooked and/or that there's a disparity in distance between them, that is because of the different sitting positions at the time the photo was taken (none of the pedals are attached to their cables yet). Once the pedals end up in their final resting positions, they'll be evenly spaced from each other, except for the dead pedal, which will have a slightly larger gap. Not bad for a confined and small foot box. Finally, I powder-coated clear all the aluminum pedal pads. This way, I won't have to continuously polish them.

    Carlos
    FFR Coupe #0635; Ford 347ci, Tremec TKO500, 8.8 rear end w/ 3.27:1 gears, Cobra/SVO brakes

  25. #265
    Senior Member Carlos C's Avatar
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    Steering System - Installed

    I've been working on the steering system during the last couple of days, while also researching parts for future sub-projects and sections of the build. In the meantime, one of my good friends, who also is a mainstay on this site and with FFR, came over this week to look at my issue regarding the front suspension. After trying different things, talking options, taking pictures and measurements, and troubleshooting, we both came to the same conclusion that there are only two options; therefore, he's talking to FFR about it and hopefully, they'll rectify this soon.


    Although I coated the inside of the foot box's front panel with rubberized undercoating, I also attached sound deadening/cooling matting. I will be doing this with all the chassis panels which attach to cabin, before I lay the carpet down. To those panels which are closest to the exhaust, I will also attach an extra 1/2" thick reflective cooling matting.


    I made a custom aluminum heat shield which got powder-coated on the front, coated with rubberized undercoating and had matting applied on the back, and then attached to the front panel with six #10 bolts, nylocks, and #10 x 1/2" aluminum spacers. This should also help deflect heat from the headers, along with everything else applied - and what will be applied - to the panel. The passenger side will receive the same treatment. I also installed the accelerator pedal cable to the frame and pedal.


    The upper steering shaft is installed, along with the pillow block/bearing and the front foot box steering bearing. All hardware has been tightened down. As seen on the photo, I plan to use the Mustang's clutch safety lock-out switch.


    Besides performing the usual mods to the Mustang's power steering rack, such as cutting 1 3/4" of the inner tie rods and adding the rack extensions, I decided to convert mine to a manual rack, as I don't have the real estate on my engine to install its hydraulic pump. Although FFR's instruction states to remove the hydraulic hoses off the rack and leave the orifices open to the environment, or install plugs with drilled holes, I decided to instead attach hose fittings where the hydraulic hoses used to be and run a rubber hose between the two fittings. This way, the system will remain sealed from dirt and water. Once I had the rack installed in the frame and on the steering shaft, I made turns using the steering shaft (without a steering wheel) and it turned very smoothly without any resistance. I may cut that hose in half later, add a T-fitting, and attach a vent hose, if it seems like that may help.


    I renewed the steering rack's mount bushings and installed onto the frame while inserting the lower steering shaft into the rack's input shaft, using the '87 - '93 Mustang's steering coupler, and then torqued the mounting bolts. I then attached the inner tie rods, rubber boots and outer tie rods. All that's left to do is to attach the outer tie rods to the spindles and do a preliminary toe-in alignment, but I have to wait until the suspension issue is settled before I can do that.

    I made a long list of fuel system items I need to replace, not to mention that I'll need to fabricate a big mounting bracket for my Aeromotive A-1000 fuel pump, in order to place it in the only place it'll fit near the fuel tank (the bracket I had fabricated for my Mustang won't work). The placement of the fuel pump most likely will mean that the stock placement of the battery won't work any longer. I may have to do away with FFR's battery tray, come up with a design and fabricate a battery box, in order to place it at a different location under the trunk. There are also a couple of miscellaneous brake parts I want to replace and/or add to my system in order to upgrade it. Once I get my credit card all warmed up, I'll get going on the next segment of the build: cabin chassis panels.

    Carlos
    FFR Coupe #0635; Ford 347ci, Tremec TKO500, 8.8 rear end w/ 3.27:1 gears, Cobra/SVO brakes

  26. #266
    PLATNUM Supporting Member
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    Looking Good!

  27. #267
    Senior Member Carlos C's Avatar
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    Firewall and Chassis Panels Custom Work

    Thanks, Tom.

    While still trying to resolve the front suspension issue, I've been moving into the cockpit chassis panel section of the build. I basically temporarily mounted both foot boxes, the firewall, along with the A/C evaporator/heater unit. The purpose was to figure out where the A/C, heater, and drain lines would be routed inside the passenger foot box and through the panels. Once that was decided, and the grommets were chosen, the locations were marked, templates made, and holes cut on the panels, either by using a single hole saw or a combination or hole saws and shears. Then, all the grommets were tested for proper fitment, and the blank grommets were drilled for multiple lines. Once that side project was completed, those panels were removed and set aside.

    Next, I decided to fabricate a custom removable firewall panel which mounts directly behind the engine, under the actual firewall. The reason for this panel is to mount items such as the fuel pressure regulator, starter solenoid, ignition coil, etc.


    I inserted rivnuts into the frame. This will allow me to remove the panel at any time, in order to conduct maintenance or replacement of any of the attached items.


    This is the custom fabricated panel bolted onto the frame using SS hardware. Besides attaching the items to it (which will happen much later in the build), I still need to powder-coat it.

    Now, I need to mark, drill, powder-coat, undercoat, silicone, rivet, and mat a lot of chassis panels...

    Carlos
    FFR Coupe #0635; Ford 347ci, Tremec TKO500, 8.8 rear end w/ 3.27:1 gears, Cobra/SVO brakes

  28. #268
    Senior Member Carlos C's Avatar
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    Heat Shield Fabrication - Complete

    I dedicated the day on finishing the fabrication of heat shields, so I can start riveting panels together.


    Here's the passenger side foot box before the alteration. Notice the holes cut on the front and inside panels. Those are for the A/C lines and heater hoses.


    The fabricated heat shields are done and mounted to the foot box. The reason I installed the urethane engine block and headers was to take measurements and make sure that the shields would have clearance from the exhaust once mounted to the panels.


    Finished the driver side by fabricating the last heat shield, which shows on the photo installed on the inside panel.

    I can finally concentrate on powder-coating and permanently attaching panels to the chassis, with a few exceptions... There are still a few mods coming regarding chassis panels.

    Carlos
    FFR Coupe #0635; Ford 347ci, Tremec TKO500, 8.8 rear end w/ 3.27:1 gears, Cobra/SVO brakes

  29. #269
    Senior Member Carlos C's Avatar
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    Chassis Panels and Panel Gaps

    I spent most of my time in the garage today drilling all the rivet holes for the passenger side foot box and floor, and installed all of it using cleckos during the process. I will be taking it all apart to powder-coat, rubber undercoat, insulate, etc. But before I do this, I'm filling in all the gaps (I don't like gaps - I may be OCD).


    Anyone familiar with the Gen 2 '65 Coupe (it may be the same on the MK4 Roadster), knows that there's a gap on the top panel towards the rear, outer section, where it meets with the outside foot box panel. Having this gap could introduce water and heat into the foot box.


    I made a template out of cardboard paper, and then transferred this onto aluminum sheet, bent, drilled, and mounted this plate on the frame. The gap is now basically sealed. Once I'm ready to permanently mount it, I'll apply silicone and attach it to the frame with rivets. This is the first of quite a few gaps which need to be covered.


    This may not seem like an issue to some, and I don't know if others have run into this, but when I tried to temporarily mount the firewall "A" chassis panel, I realized that the vertical frame tubing were not welded flush towards the rear, in relation to the 2" x 3" tubing. This means that although the build manual states to use rivets on this panel in order to attach it to the framing, the rivets won't reach these two vertical frame tubing. Therefore, I decided to go into the bag of unused FFR hardware and pulled out four long screws FFR used to mount some of the chassis panels. I'll be using these four screws permanently, while also using rivets on the sections of this panel which are flush to the frame.

    One last item:
    I'm using the Ron Francis chassis harness (purchased through FFR) and the donor pedal box with the OEM clutch safety cut-out switch ('87 - '93). The Mustang clutch switch prong's are surrounded by plastic, which do not allow for electrical connectors to be installed onto it, and I'm trying to stay away from soldering the RF wires to it, if at all possible. If anyone has the pigtail for this switch, and they're willing to part with it, please let me know. Thanks.

    Carlos
    FFR Coupe #0635; Ford 347ci, Tremec TKO500, 8.8 rear end w/ 3.27:1 gears, Cobra/SVO brakes

  30. #270
    Senior Member Carlos C's Avatar
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    Fill Panels (cont'd) and Custom Kick Panel

    I finished covering all the panel gaps on the passenger side foot box and floor today. Additionally, I completed all the custom work on this side of the cockpit; in this case, the fabrication of a kick panel for the EFI computer. I made, labeled, and saved cardboard paper templates for every panel gap fill plate I've made so far. This should make my life easier in the future, should I decide to change any of these panels, work on another Gen 2 Coupe (yes, I know FFR moved on to the Gen 3), or when I build an MK4, as some of these panels are interchangeable; or at the very least, some of the gaps on the panels are similar. All fill plates will be permanently attached to their respective panels after everything has been coated.


    Although the gaps on the seat harnesses are not that big, I still wanted to close them; therefore, I made fill plates for them. Notice that there are two different plates, one for the inner bracket and one for the outer. The templates will allow me to make exact copies for the driver side later.


    This is the biggest gap on the passenger side floor, and I'm surprised that there are no fill plates supplied with the kit. My custom-made fill plate is fabricated out of two parts, which will attach together via rivets. As you can tell by the photo, the fill plates make a big difference, but they also consume a lot of time, as I make them by hand and take a lot of measurements - I don't have any fancy digital equipment on which I can input the measurements and it can cut the pieces for me, such as a CNC, computer-driven plasma cutting table, or a water jet machine.


    The last sub project for the passenger side foot box/floor was to fabricate a kick panel for the Mustang donor EFI computer. I decided to mount it in the same location as in the Fox-body cars. I made three small "L"-shaped brackets, which would attach to the frame/chassis panel in order to keep it in place, and then the new kick panel goes in front of it. This panel will protect the computer and will help clean up the area. There's an open area at the top of the panel for the harness to pass through, along with its computer chip and USB cables. I will use some of the self-tapping screws which originally came with the kit to hold the chassis panels, to attach the kick panel against the frame. I had to make a couple of bends on this panel (I ended up bending it manually using clamps, my work table, and a heavy gauge steel plate), which reminded me that I need to invest on a metal brake.

    After I finished with all of this, I removed every single chassis panel from the passenger side, so I can start powder coating and insulating... FUN.

    Carlos
    Last edited by Carlos C; 04-27-2017 at 02:10 AM.
    FFR Coupe #0635; Ford 347ci, Tremec TKO500, 8.8 rear end w/ 3.27:1 gears, Cobra/SVO brakes

  31. #271
    Senior Member Carlos C's Avatar
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    Cockpit Chassis Panels

    Although I haven't posted in almost two weeks, I've been busy slaving away in the garage. I've been working on the cockpit chassis panels, and I must say that I've developed a hatred for drilling. Besides that, I put in and received a $1K order from Summit for parts needed to continue the build, including a couple of rolls of insulation (which I had ran out of), fuel items such as hoses and filters to replace the donor's counterparts, and a couple of small brake items. I also decided to purchase an fuel pump electronic speed controller for my A-1000.


    One nasty surprise I encountered when attaching the last cockpit panels was that these outer back panels weren't even close to fitting to the frame. Not sure if anyone else has experienced this, but I'm assuming that they were bent improperly at FFR. In order to rectify the issue, I slightly bent the floor lips, then made some relief cuts to the panels, and carefully re-shaped them while avoiding cracking and/or snapping them. Thankfully, the "surgery" worked, and the panels fit well enough for me to rivet them in place.


    The foot boxes are done (as much as possible) and insulated.


    The rest of the cockpit panels are completed, except for the insulation. Once that's done, I'll finally move on to the mechanical part of the build. If you look close, you'll find quite a few fill plates. That's because I just don't like the gaps left from the factory. I guess I'm just OCD when it comes to gaps.

    Carlos
    Last edited by Carlos C; 05-24-2017 at 11:36 PM.
    FFR Coupe #0635; Ford 347ci, Tremec TKO500, 8.8 rear end w/ 3.27:1 gears, Cobra/SVO brakes

  32. #272
    PLATNUM Supporting Member
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    It is not out of the ordinary to refit panels. You did a very nice job. Keep up the good work.

  33. #273
    Senior Member Carlos C's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by wallace18 View Post
    It is not out of the ordinary to refit panels. You did a very nice job. Keep up the good work.
    Thanks, Tom. It just makes me wonder how some of these panels are so far off, considering that they have templates. I get nervous every time I have to re-shape a panel. The type of aluminum used by FFR, is not the type that allows you to re-bend it without usually snapping. I've gotten lucky so far...


    Carlos
    FFR Coupe #0635; Ford 347ci, Tremec TKO500, 8.8 rear end w/ 3.27:1 gears, Cobra/SVO brakes

  34. #274
    Senior Member Carlos C's Avatar
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    Fuel Tank, Inertia Switch & Carbon Canister

    Alright, so all the insulation in the cockpit is done... thankfully. Drilling panels/frame and measuring/cutting/applying insulation are not part of the build which I'd consider "fun". And since I still haven't received the SAI adapters for my front suspension, I can't finish that, nor my front brakes. This means that I have to skip pluming the brakes -at least the front ones- for now. I started with the fuel system, but since what I have from my donor is far from stock - as you'll see soon at a later post, many of the parts which came with the kit, won't get used as they're not compatible. As a matter of fact, I have to engineer and fabricate a special bracket to attach onto the frame, which will hold the A-1000 pump, the filter, and the pre-filter. The trick is that the pump must be mounted below the center line of the fuel tank. But for now, here's what I've done:


    Installed the fuel tank with the plastic tray, fuel level sending unit, vent, and pick-up tube already attached onto it. Thanks to my motorcycle hydraulic jack, installing the tank onto the frame was an easy one-man operation.


    Using some raw plate steel I had laying around, I cut some pieces, using cardboard paper templates, to create brackets for the OEM fuel carbon canister and the fuel inertia switch. I then smoothed out, cleaned up, and powder-coated the brackets.


    Here's the inertia switch attached at the rear of the car's frame via the custom bracket I fabricated. It will be under the aluminum floor. I will drill out an access hole, and cover it with a blank grommet.


    The other two brackets were used to attach the carbon canister onto the frame right above the fuel tank, making good use of empty space.


    I then attached a hose from the carbon canister to the fuel tank vent. Once the engine is in, I'll attach the other hose from it to the canister, in order to finish the loop.

    Once I figure out where I'll install the battery box - whether in front of the tank or above it, and if I will be integrating a sound system onto the trunk's floor, I'll be able to come up with a design for the fuel pump/filters bracket.

    Carlos
    FFR Coupe #0635; Ford 347ci, Tremec TKO500, 8.8 rear end w/ 3.27:1 gears, Cobra/SVO brakes

  35. #275
    PLATNUM Supporting Member
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    You may want to put the inertia switch where it is easy to get to. Just my 2 cents worth.

  36. #276
    Senior Member Carlos C's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by wallace18 View Post
    You may want to put the inertia switch where it is easy to get to. Just my 2 cents worth.
    Not to worry, Tom. I was going to mention this at a later post, once I got to the point of installing the trunk floor, but I will be making an access panel for the inertia switch where the blank grommet will be, just as there'll be access panels for the fuel level sending unit and pick-up tube. Thanks for looking out for me, though. It's always appreciated.

    Carlos
    FFR Coupe #0635; Ford 347ci, Tremec TKO500, 8.8 rear end w/ 3.27:1 gears, Cobra/SVO brakes

  37. #277
    Senior Member Carlos C's Avatar
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    Brake System (Post 1 of 2)

    I have gone as far as possible with the brake system, which is still not complete; more on that later. In the meantime, please enjoy some photos...


    I fabricated brackets for the brake line lock which came from my donor, and for the manual proportioning valve. The brackets would end up getting powder-coated black.


    Installed a custom-made fill plate for the master cylinder I fabricated a while back (see post #101). Also, I decided to install the fill plate for the driver side foot box wiring harness now, instead of later when I get to the wiring section of the build. The reason being that this is a big master cylinder and it would be impossible to rivet this plate with master cylinder installed.


    Master cylinder installed with brake lines cut, bent, and flared. The line for the front brakes is not installed into the master cylinder yet. Filled and bench-bled the master cylinder prior to installing it on the car.


    The brake line lock installed and the front brake line going into it, with two output brake lines going to the front calipers which are not yet attached.


    This is the routing of the passenger side front brake line.


    From the master cylinder, the rear brake line goes into the cabin and to the manual proportioning valve, then out of the valve, outside of the cabin, down the front of the foot box, and under the frame.


    Here's a close-up shot of the manual proportioning valve, mounted next to the pedal box. This will allow me to make adjustments to brake bias from inside the car from under the dash.

    [Continued on the next post]

    Carlos
    Last edited by Carlos C; 05-25-2017 at 06:14 PM.
    FFR Coupe #0635; Ford 347ci, Tremec TKO500, 8.8 rear end w/ 3.27:1 gears, Cobra/SVO brakes

  38. #278
    Senior Member Carlos C's Avatar
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    Brake System (Post 2 of 2)


    The brake line routing under the frame... nothing fancy.


    And finally, this is where the rear brake line terminates. The bracket is from my donor. I had previously purchased a new brake hose with the junction block and additional 3/16" brake line from the auto parts store, bent the new brake lines on the differential using the old lines as templates, and installed the set-up right after I had finished overhauling the rear end.

    As far as to why I'm not done with the brake system and why I can't bleed them yet, it's because I'm still waiting for the suspension parts to arrive so I can finish installing the front suspension and front brakes. I was told 5 weeks ago that I should see the parts between 2 to 3 weeks. After 4 weeks, I sent the vendor an email, but never received a reply. A few days later, I called and I was told that it'd be an additional 3 weeks before I get the parts. I was given the same line I was given 5 weeks ago: "the parts are being made right now". That doesn't make sense to me, as it doesn't take 7 weeks to fabricate the same parts... We'll see if I get the parts within the next 2 weeks. I'm running out of things to do before I need to have this car on the ground. In the meantime, I'll continue with the fuel system.

    Carlos
    FFR Coupe #0635; Ford 347ci, Tremec TKO500, 8.8 rear end w/ 3.27:1 gears, Cobra/SVO brakes

  39. #279
    Senior Member Carlos C's Avatar
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    Fuel System - Part 1

    As promised, I started with the fuel system. Unfortunately, I was not able to finish it, due to Summit selling me the wrong AN size fuel hoses. I have returned said hoses, and hopefully I will be getting the correct sizes within the next few days. Once I get them, I'll route, measure, cut, install the fittings, and mount the hoses onto the frame.


    Fabricated the plate on which the fuel pump, pre-filter and filter will be mounted, and the support bracket. This plate will be installed on the fuel tank's steel mounting straps and also by the aforementioned fabricated support bracket. This is a similar set-up I had on my donor Mustang and it worked well. The reason I had to go through all this trouble is that Aeromotive strongly recommends for this fuel pump to be mounted as low as possible relative to the fuel tank, in order to aid suction and prevent cavitation, and to extend the pump's lifespan. This photo was taken right before a de-rusting bath and then powder-coat.


    Here's one of the fuel tank straps, converted to accept bolts and threaded couplers.


    The fuel tank straps installed with the fasteners attached. This set-up will allow me to remove the plate and its components without disturbing the tank straps.


    The pre-filter, pump, and filter attached to the plate. Additionally, the bracket is also bolted to it, which will help support the plate and will bolt on to the frame.


    Here's the whole assembly, minus the hoses and the pump's wiring harness. All the mounting hardware consist of grade 8 bolts and nuts.


    Another small side project was a fabrication of a heat shield which goes between the brake master cylinder and its brake lines, and the exhaust. It should help prevent the brake fluid from boiling. It will also function as a channel for the front chassis wiring harness.

    Carlos
    FFR Coupe #0635; Ford 347ci, Tremec TKO500, 8.8 rear end w/ 3.27:1 gears, Cobra/SVO brakes

  40. #280
    Senior Member Carlos C's Avatar
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    Fuel System - Part 2

    Hey, the forum is back up and running. I've been away for the last couple of weeks dealing with medical appointments, VA bureaucracy and claim submissions, while trying to get a few hours in the garage whenever I could. Below are some of the items I've been able to accomplished, on this and the next post, while still waiting for the front suspension pieces to arrive.


    I made this bracket which attaches to the frame at the rear of the vehicle and will hold fuel hoses, along with rubber-lined clips, from moving around and potentially chaffing on sharp edges. This brackets was powder-coated black.


    After the fiasco with the fuel lines and fittings sizes with a certain well-known distributor of performance parts, I decided to go with the tried-and-true re-usable fittings I had on my donor and figured out that I had to order one size higher than what the fittings called for from this distributor, in order to make it all work. Here, the pump has been plumbed using what would be -10 AN supply from the tank to the pre-filter and -08 AN from the filter to the fuel rails.


    The supply and return (-06 AN) lines are attached to the frame via rubber-lined clips, including the aforementioned fabricated bracket, which is attached to the frame via one of the quad shock bracket bolts.


    I ran all the fuel hoses under the chassis and attached them on the outside of the passenger side 4" round tube with more clips. I also ran a 1/4" nylon emissions hose from the engine back to the charcoal canister alongside the fuel hoses.


    This photo is deceiving as it seems to show the fuel lines and the fuel regulator much closer to the plastic engine than they actually are. The return line is attached to the 3/4" square tubing with another clip, but instead of a rivet, I used a self-tapping screw. This will allow me to move the line out of the way when the engine is installed and when work in that area (i.e.: starter) needs to be performed. The supply line is only attached to the return line via zip ties, and with the slack it has, it can easily be moved out of the way for maintenance purposes. I will be covering these hoses with high-temp sleeves later.


    With the lower intake manifold mocked to the plastic block, I installed the fuel rails, cut the fuel lines and installed the fittings. At this point, the fuel loop is complete, and all that's missing is the electrical part of the system and connect the vacuum line from the engine to the regulator. Of course, I also need to install the tank's fill port, but that has to wait until the body is on for good.

    Carlos
    FFR Coupe #0635; Ford 347ci, Tremec TKO500, 8.8 rear end w/ 3.27:1 gears, Cobra/SVO brakes

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