Frame off (not total) of my MKI

[weendoggy]

Posted on the other forum but thought some might like to take a look as well.

Quite awhile ago I wanted to do some minor modifications to our MKI. It's been on the road and track (no pun) for 17yrs without any real problems. So, why the mod's?

One big one is (was) the wheel wells. I hated with a passion the "bell bottom pants" look of them from the side. That was the biggest. So, deciding this was the year, it was top priority to remedy. I've done this to a few other cars I built for people so why shouldn't I do it to ours.

Another was some cosmetic work on my hood and trunk lids, installing hidden side/front mounts, installing new adjustable door hinges and installing my TKO500 that's been on the garage floor for 5 years. Another is more custom work on my trunk storage and bigger passenger footbox. I've always had a sunken trunk, but will be doing a little more this time.

I plan on rewiring my entire car after several years of adding this and adding that, so now that I'm done, a new Painless harness will be installed. My old dieted custom Ford harness will be going in another owners car. My dash is and will still be a plug-in unit but now the dash can be removed while the body is on because I made new mounts for the screws so I can access them.

Another item was to put bigger Cobra brakes on front and rear. Front was easy because I'm already using SN95 spindles. The rear (1993 T-Bird) IRS was a little more work. Why? I have North Race Cars (Richard Oben) Cobra setup for IRS and it's been sitting too. My goal was to install that system along with some modification to my IRS arms. I did some custom work to both and it has turned out very well.

Started the project in late November and plan to be on the road or track by late April or early May. Body will be painted ON the chassis this time. Currently at the body shop where I'm doing my body work before coming back home to do more chassis stuff, including a tunnel backbone system.

Before going to the body shop I did the IRS mod's, brakes, dash, door hinges and cutout the wheel wells and positioned them with fiberglass to hold. I also took care of the hidden side mounts and some hood/trunk fixes.

The center section of the chassis, firewall to firewall and most of the trunk will remain intact, sans the passenger footbox, which is lowered but will now get lowered and longer. My frame is just getting painted, which has held up very well.

All of the work is on my website www.weendoggy.com/cobra.htm if you wish to tag along. Much of the work and pictures are detailed with products and places I got my parts.

[Gale K]

cool project!

[markiemark]

Cool!

[R. Button]

I keep thinking about trimming my "bell bottoms" to be more of a slender fit. Got me thinking about it as well as a rolled lip on the body, above the dash.
Nice to see the ol'Mark I's!

[weendoggy]

Hey Ralph, how is one of the Stooges. Yep, doing the rolled lip too. Just have a list that won't quit.

Updated website. A lot has been done. As of today, the underside is almost completed. One more small fiberglass job and the body gets flipped back onto the buck.

The chassis came home last week and I've already started on that segment. The aluminum has been taken apart to start my backbone mock up, the passenger footbox is no more, a lot of small welding of rivet holes and a new dash brace was installed and a few minor things.

Next step on chassis is to remove part of the driver footbox and get the TKO500 installed so I can measure up for the new rear transmission mount I'll make. Once that's done, the backbone will be installed.

Kind of jumping around, but progress is being made. I plan on updating my website at least weekly so I can keep track of the pictures I take. I have more, but what's being put there is a good representation of the work.

[weendoggy]

Updated website today 3/10/2017. Body is right side up now and will start the shaping and finish work on the body. I plan on doing some chassis work this week and will have the body put outside to cook a little. Hopefully there won't be any surprises. It's been a lot of work but I know I'll be happy when it's done. Looking forward to more chassis work and plan on getting that done in the next three weeks. Then the body should be ready to go back on a fine tuned for paint.

[markiemark]

Keep up the good work!!!! Coming out nice!!!

[TomV]

Great project, bets of luck.

[weendoggy]

End of month update 3/28/2017. Yeah, not quite the end, but close enough. I spent most of the last week doing the footbox templates and then extruding the old wire harness and started the install of the new Painless harness. I have my car "hotwired" so to speak to give me spark and fuel so I can move it around while doing the wiring. This is one of my favorite parts of the build. Love to figure out the circuits and how I'm going to run them and make them easy to repair if needed. I'll be using some WeatherPack fittings at my lights and under dash and ignition will be Metri Pack fittings. I also use Plex type mesh braided loom now instead of the corrugated plastic stuff. It looks MUCH nicer! Again, ends will be crimped, soldered and shrink tube'd.

I did get all my aluminum cut, bent and installed (temporary) on the passenger footbox. Final assembly will happen after the backbone is welded in. Lot's more room for sure.

Still bouncing around the projects because I haven't fitted the TKO yet. That is happening this weekend with my buddy Big Iron. Once that's done, I'll finish the two rear downleg supports for the backbone and then weld it all to the frame.

[weendoggy]

Udated today 4/6/17. TKO500 is IN! Backbone "spider" is IN! Tight fit!!! Continuing with my wiring routing now. Dash layout will start today. IRS is back apart to have the upper arms modified (like the lower) and then off to powder coating next week. I'll be finishing wiring and hopefully getting all the aluminum back together while that's being done. Lots to do, but on the home stretch now.

[weendoggy]

Latest update: All the wiring is complete, sans the terminal ends for lights at the corners, which should take about 30min to complete. Wow! What a job, but very happy with results. Definite plug-n-play dashboard (like I take it out a lot) for any behind the dash work, which I hope never happens.

IRS is all back out and suspension pieces are being powder coated. Pumpkin is being redone with new clutch pack and maybe new gears. I'm staying with my 3.27 ratio.

Tunnel area has been secured and I'll bend a new removable top next week. I'm installing new fuel line to miss the newly created passenger footbox.

My target is May 1-2 to get it back to the body shop and that still is feasible.

No big updates to the site and I'll be at Thunderhill this weekend for some stress relief track time so that will be updated when I return.

[weendoggy]

Updated May 15, 2017

A lot is going on, but I must say that body work is NOT my favorite thing. I do feel blessed that my body guy is right there to guide me.

I've been blocking and sanding the car the last three weeks and hope to be in primer by this weeks end. I've also been doing minor chassis completion items such as: rear suspension back together, new fuel lines, removable tunnel cover completed, wiring completed, heater ducting completed, passenger footbox completed and just have to re-install the driver aluminum (I made a new piece) and that will be done this week. Then it's just the new radiator and the body can go back on.

I will miss my estimate of paint by Memorial Day but hope to have it by the new week. Still planning my trip to Colorado so wish me well.

Just updated the website and off to the body shop.

[Jim Doak]

I look forward to seeing it on the Colorado trip.

Good luck on your project.

[weendoggy]

Website will get updated with more pictures this weekend. A lot has been done since the last update: body work galore, blocking, primer, blocking, primer, blocking, primer, etc. (not a broken record); carpet and new interior with belts installed; chassis finished including new radiator, ps/pump/coil bracket; dash completed (sans ignition switch cutout); minor finishing touches and most importantly, COLOR! Yes, there is color on the car. Hood and trunk jam, under hood and trunk. Painting is happening this week. Putting body on car today and will stripe/paint on Fri/Sat.

A few teaser pictures:

dash_sample.jpg
hood_jam.jpg
hood_sample.jpg

Jim,
Looks real promising now! Can't wait to get on the road.

[weendoggy]

A little late on posting but the Cobra is back on the road! So much to do and so little time before we leave for Colorado this Sunday. What a rush! Site is updated all the way to cutting and rubbing the car.

Body work turned out fantastic and I''m very pleased with the look of the wheel wells now. Much tighter fit for sure. i'll be posting pictures of the completed project within the next week, but you can follow along with us on our trip from the website and get some peeks of the car on the road.

i did a shakedown run to set the speedometer Tuesday and bed in my brakes. Now, more than ever, I need my cruise control to work and it quit. Major bummer for this long trip. However, I have on on order and will be here Saturday. I've already check my wiring to the servo and did the tests so I'm hoping it's just the servo which will take me about 45min to install. If that doesn't do it, I can take the control switch with me and rig it during the trip. I just hope I can get it working or I'll have to take the broomstick to hold the throttle on those long stretches of road.

I forgot how long it takes to put all the stuff back on the car.

Thanks for following along and all the comments.

[weendoggy]

Update: the cruise control decided to start working again. Go figure. Oh well, at least it works. Off today for our Colorado trip and have some quick pictures of the finished car. More on the site once I return but I'll be documenting the trip here; www.weendoggy.com/colorado17/colorado17.htm

IMG_2553.JPG IMG_2555.JPG IMG_2556.JPG IMG_2557.JPG IMG_2560.JPG

[Olli]

The car looks great! Safe travels.

Olli