Arlington VA checking in

[Kafka_Esquire]

After I posted a halfway-smart-assed note in another thread, David Hodgkins noted my newbie-ness and suggested that I post a quick intro and build plan over here. So here goes:

Me
51 years old; live in Arlington, VA, with wife (married in 96) and 2 daughters
Lawyer for an R&D / Defense contractor (I get to hang around “scary-smart” people all day and solve the occasional problem)
4-wheelers have included 66 Tempest, 70 Le Mans, 78 Grand Prix, 83 Mustang GT, 86 Escort GT (Why? Why??), 07 Civic SI, and 15 Mustang Conv.
2-wheelers have included GS650, Seca II, and F-2 (all pre-wife), Trek (since wife)


Rough Build Plan

Goal: Drivability with a little extra power for WOT fun, not racing

Timeline:
Late 2015: Finalize house, garage, and tools; attend build school
Early 2016: Order kit the and major subassemblies
Summer-winter 2016: Build
2016-2017: Drive in gelcoat during complete shakedown
2017 (?) Paint

Stuff: (Excerpt from my spreadsheet; omitting sources, links, contact info, and estimated prices, so as to not bore you)

Complete Kit, plus:

Interior
Trunk-space
DS and PS footbox
Footbox vents w/ fans
Battery forward
Firewall forward
Dash glove box
Rear wall Cubby
Heated seats
Column directionals
Radio / iPod
Air Conditioner
Heater/Defrost
Cute redhead in the passenger seat (already acquired)


Exterior
Dual shortened-raked roll bars
APE Hardtop or convertible
Color: Either Dark Green or Blue (plenty of time to decide and re-decide)


Exhaust
Undercar / rear exhaust
Spin-Tech low-profile mufflers


Engine/driveline
EFI or Carb, NTE 400 HP
Auto Transmission (move engine forward to accommodate the 2015 6-speed auto with paddles?)
2015 Mustang IRS (will have to play, I think, with drive-shaft length, axle lengths, and/or wheel spacing)

[68GT500MAN]

Welcome to the forum. Your list should produce a very nice build.
Doug

[jrcuz]

Welcome, nice build plan. Sounds like our time line is pretty close
JR

[carlewms]

Welcome and quite a plan ...

A couple of thoughts ...

With the current AC units put these these cars, the firewall forward supposedly does not work. I am not sure why but I would check it out.

If you go with AC or heater defroster you will only have room for a shallow glove box.

I am not sure I would do the foot box vents AND the AC. Check with builders that have AC and see what they think.

Your gonna have a blast.

I am in Nokseville almost at the stage of installing the engine and transmission on my Mk 4.