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Thread: FormaCars' MKIV #9004 Build

  1. #1
    Doug @ Forma's Avatar
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    FormaCars' MKIV #9004 Build

    We ordered out Mark IV right after we returned from SEMA in November, we picked it up in December and started on it late in January. We thought it was about time we started a build thread and get caught up to where we are today.

    We ordered:

    • MK IV complete kit
    • Powder coated chassis
    • Classic roadster seats
    • 2015 IRS parts
    • 17" Halibrand wheel package
    • Stainless side exhaust
    • Heater / defroster
    • Chrome roll bars, RH & LH
    • GPS gauge set


    We also purchased a complete, low mileage (less than 20K) 2015 Mustang drivetrain (5.0 Coyote V8, MT82 6 speed and complete rear subframe with 3.73 rear end) from The Parts Farm in Georgia.

    Our plan with this build is to leave the drive train mostly stock except for a tune. Aesthetically, we intend to push things a bit more modern, but with respect to the Cobra tradition. More on that later.

    As I said, we drove from Columbus, OH to Wareham, MA to pick up our kit in December. We did so rather than having it delivered because we are also building a Gen. 3 Type 65 as well and wanted to take a good look at the SEMA car while it was still at Factory Five (it was going on the road soon and would be unavailable) since there is not yet a Gen 3 build manual. We have an eventful trip, dealing with some fairly serious lake effect snow on the way, but arrived back in Ohio in one piece with our new project.

    Here are some pics from picking up our kit, more on the build progress to come.

    fc002 snow.jpgfc002 pickup 1.jpgfc002 pickup 2.jpgfc002 pickup 3.jpg
    Last edited by Doug @ Forma; 03-08-2017 at 05:55 PM.
    Doug
    Former Design Director at FormaCars

  2. #2
    Senior Member wareaglescott's Avatar
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    Look forward to following along and your modern additions.
    Didn't realize the Gen 3 coupe didn't have a build manual yet. That is interesting.
    MK4 #8900 - complete kit - Coyote, TKO600, IRS - Delivered 6/28/16 First Start 10/6/16 Go cart - 10/16/16 Build completed - 4/26/17 - 302 days to build my 302 CI Coyote Cobra - Registered and street legal 5/17/17
    Build Thread http://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showt...e-build-thread
    PHIL 4:13 INSTAGRAM - @scottsrides

  3. #3
    Doug @ Forma's Avatar
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    Thanks. I think it's pretty common that the build manual lags behind initial production. I'm fairly certain that was the case with the 818. At least with the Type 65, there's a gen 2 build manual that will be helpful. Those first 818 builders had to be flying blind.

    I like your color combo, that orange is fantastic. We have settled on our base color, a very similar early 2000s Ford dark metallic gray called Dark Shadow. We're still fine tuning the stripes and the interior. We will be working in our signature neon yellow-green accents.
    Doug
    Former Design Director at FormaCars

  4. #4
    Doug @ Forma's Avatar
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    We're approaching our build a bit different than most, at least different than the manual suggests.

    Rather than immediately removing the body and starting in on fitting sheet metal and mechanical work, instead we decided to properly locate and mount the body while it was in place from shipping and then fit the windshield, the doors, hood and trunk lid.

    20170215_110639.jpg

    We also are planning to flush mount the hood scoop rather than riveting it on. So we cut an opening in the hood that allowed us to push the hood scoop up from the bottom. Our body man will then mold the scoop to the hood for a nice flush appearance.

    20170215_110601.jpg

    Once everything was properly located, off the entire chassis went to the body shop to have the doors, hood and trunk fit to the body. In our case, there was a lot of filler work in the body at the back of both doors to get the contours right. I wish I got more images at the body shop, but I didn't.

    2017-02-21 12.39.30.jpg

    Once those were fit, we returned to the body shop with the body buck so we could remove the body from the chassis, place it on the buck and bring the chassis back to our shop. Our body man then kept going, getting ready for paint while we got to work on the chassis. We'll temporarily reunite them before final paint in order to do final trim on the header openings and work on the interior.

    Doing it this way should give us very good fit of the hood, doors and trunk, allows the body work to be done in parallel with the mechanical, should result in less handling of the body and we won't be doing that messy body work on top of a nearly complete chassis.

    BTW, if you're interested in our Type 65 build, Kyle has started a build thread on it, check it out.
    Last edited by Doug @ Forma; 03-10-2017 at 09:02 AM.
    Doug
    Former Design Director at FormaCars

  5. #5
    Not a waxer Jeff Kleiner's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by wareaglescott View Post
    Didn't realize the Gen 3 coupe didn't have a build manual yet. That is interesting.
    Awaiting feedback from the beta builders.

    Jeff

  6. #6
    Senior Member wareaglescott's Avatar
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    Seems like a good way to go about getting a head start on the bodywork. Good idea.
    Did you guys take the body off and put the bulb seal on before dong this to ensure proper fit or does it not really make a difference at that point?
    MK4 #8900 - complete kit - Coyote, TKO600, IRS - Delivered 6/28/16 First Start 10/6/16 Go cart - 10/16/16 Build completed - 4/26/17 - 302 days to build my 302 CI Coyote Cobra - Registered and street legal 5/17/17
    Build Thread http://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showt...e-build-thread
    PHIL 4:13 INSTAGRAM - @scottsrides

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by Doug @ Forma View Post

    We also are planning to flush mount the hood scoop rather than riveting it on. So we cut an opening in the hood that allowed us to push the hood scoop up from the bottom. Our body man will then mold the scoop to the hood for a nics flush appearance.

    [/URL].

    This is what I am interested in... Do you have anymore details? Did you use fiber glass to hold it in place? and then body filler to get the contours fixed?

  8. #8
    Doug @ Forma's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by wareaglescott View Post
    Seems like a good way to go about getting a head start on the bodywork. Good idea.
    Did you guys take the body off and put the bulb seal on before dong this to ensure proper fit or does it not really make a difference at that point?
    We shimmed the body up from the sheetmetal to leave space for the bulb seal.
    Doug
    Former Design Director at FormaCars

  9. #9
    Doug @ Forma's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by awd-turbo View Post
    This is what I am interested in... Do you have anymore details? Did you use fiber glass to hold it in place? and then body filler to get the contours fixed?
    I've got to gather some images and talk to our body man about the process details. I'll post those soon!
    Doug
    Former Design Director at FormaCars

  10. #10
    Doug @ Forma's Avatar
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    Once we got the chassis back from the body shop, we dove into fitting aluminum and getting it off to powdercoat. Each part was fit as it was removed, all holes drilled, any trimming necessary, etc. The aluminum on the Mark IV required much less "love" than the panels on our 818.

    Then we dropped the engine in the chassis. One nice thing about having a parent company that's a manufacturing organization is access to fork lifts:

    2017-03-02 12.32.11.jpg2017-03-02 12.32.26.jpg

    Once we got the engine and trans in place, we hung the differential so we could properly align the tail shaft of the trans to it. We then got the shorty headers mounted and test fit the side pipes in preparation for the body's return to the shop.

    2017-03-06 16.58.20.jpg2017-03-06 16.58.29.jpg2017-03-06 16.59.14.jpg

    We decided to wait until the body came back to tighten everything down since we may need to tweak things to get the side pipe alignment right. More on that later.
    Doug
    Former Design Director at FormaCars

  11. #11
    Senior Member FFRSpec72's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Doug @ Forma View Post
    The aluminum on the Mark IV required much less "love" than the panels on our 818.
    The 818 requires more than "love"
    Tony Nadalin
    2018 SOVREN Big Bore Champion
    2015 SCCA Oregon Region VP3 Champion
    2012 ICSCC ITE Class Champion
    FFR MkII Challenge Car, Spec Racer, Street Legal, SCCA, ICSCC and NASA Racing
    818R Build in progress

  12. #12
    Doug @ Forma's Avatar
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    Our build is progressing along nicely, I need to get this thread caught up with it.

    About 2 weeks after separating the body and chassis, the body returned, primed and ready for paint.

    2017-03-06 16.57.27.jpg2017-03-06 16.57.42.jpg2017-03-06 16.57.57.jpg

    Now we can marry the body & chassis again, finalize the engine mounting and do the final trim on the side pipes and louvers.

    2017-03-07 09.41.22.jpg2017-03-07 09.43.18.jpg2017-03-07 11.18.55.jpg

    As you can see, our first attempt saw the right side pipe line up with the pre-cut openings quite well, but the left side was way too high. After a little adjustment, we got them nice and even. We ended up having to trim a fair bit beyond the openings that Factory Five made.

    After taking a look at the Factory Five louvers, we decided to upgrade to the nicer Finish Line louvers. We were able to get them in time to trim the openings to match before the body had to go back to the body shop.

    Lastly, while the body was here we decided to have the cockpit area 3D scanned so we had 3D CAD data to develop our interior. We're going for a more modern interior aesthetic and that will require 3D data to develop. Aerosport Modeling, a local prototype shop, came out with their Faro arm mounted scanner and did the scanning for us. We also had them scan the back of the MT82 transmission to help us with our sifter development (Which is coming along nicely, after a slight set back. Kyle has some info on that in our Type 65 build thread.).

    2017-03-10 10.20.26.jpg2017-03-10 10.32.08.jpg2017-03-10 10.32.28.jpg

    After seeing the scanner at work, we're thinking real hard about all the ways a scanner could help us and trying to justify buying one. Very cool tool, but not cheap.

    After all that, the body came off and went back for final paint and we continued the work on the chassis.
    Doug
    Former Design Director at FormaCars

  13. #13
    Senior Member wareaglescott's Avatar
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    Looking good. You guys are flying! I am excited to see what kind of interior you come up with.
    MK4 #8900 - complete kit - Coyote, TKO600, IRS - Delivered 6/28/16 First Start 10/6/16 Go cart - 10/16/16 Build completed - 4/26/17 - 302 days to build my 302 CI Coyote Cobra - Registered and street legal 5/17/17
    Build Thread http://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showt...e-build-thread
    PHIL 4:13 INSTAGRAM - @scottsrides

  14. #14
    Senior Member Yama-Bro's Avatar
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    Looking good. We have and use a Faro scanner/probe arm exactly like that. It's amazing how much easier it can make your job when you are designing a new part, but don't have 3D models for the mating components. Do you know what software your company is using to get the scan data into a CAD package?
    Started dreaming of a Cobra around 1987
    Purchased Complete Kit 6/9/2017, Delivered 9/4/2017, Rolling Chassis 3/30/2018, Engine Dyno'ed 3/4/2022, Engine installed 8/27/2022
    Click here for my build thread
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    Design Engineer at BluePrint Engines

  15. #15
    Straversi's Avatar
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    I remember the first time I saw "Overhauling" and they did a car in 7 days. I kept thinking about my neighbor who had been working on muscle car for years. I thought this show must make him feel like he's moving so slow. I get the feeling this build is going to make me feel the same way. Carry on boys, aren't you done yet?
    -Steve
    Mk IV #8901 - Complete kit, Coyote, TKO-600, IRS. Ordered 5/23/16, Delivered 7/14/16, First Start 8/13/17, First Go-Kart 10/22/17, Registered and Completed 10/18/18. Build Thread: http://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showt...V-Coyote-Build Graduation Thread: https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/show...-Roadster-8901

  16. #16
    Doug @ Forma's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Yama-Bro View Post
    Looking good. We have and use a Faro scanner/probe arm exactly like that. It's amazing how much easier it can make your job when you are designing a new part, but don't have 3D models for the mating components. Do you know what software your company is using to get the scan data into a CAD package?
    I think they were using Geomagic Design X to create the surfaces, but I'm not certain.
    Doug
    Former Design Director at FormaCars

  17. #17
    Doug @ Forma's Avatar
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    One more post to catch up to where we are today on our Mark IV.

    After the body went back to the body shop, we pulled the engine and trans again to have better access to the chassis. As of today, the front suspension and steering are almost complete and we've got a good start on the sheet metal. The firewall & pedal box are coming along nicely. We really want to have the engine bay complete by the end of the week so we can get the engine and trans back in for good.

    2017-03-22 09.29.14.jpg2017-03-22 09.29.21.jpg2017-03-22 09.29.27.jpg2017-03-22 09.29.34.jpg2017-03-22 09.29.40.jpg2017-03-22 09.29.58.jpg

    But the real excitement has come from our body shop. If you're following our Type 65 build, you saw Kyle post a picture of the color scheme for the two cars:

    2017-03-09 07.52.28.jpg

    We had decided on that medium gray metallic base with black stripes outlined by our signature neon yellow/green. We wanted to play with the black - metalic or not, matte or gloss - as well as wide or narrow neon. In the end we decided metallic on the black, wide on the neon and all gloss. We also decided to eliminate the gap between the neon and the main body color. Then at the last minute we flipped the script and decided to go with a metallic black base (called "Carbon Flash") with the medium gray stripes.

    More on that in the next post ...
    Doug
    Former Design Director at FormaCars

  18. #18
    Doug @ Forma's Avatar
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    Early this week, once the gray was laid down the center, we went to the body shop to lay out the stripes. Taping them off following the prefered tapered dims is tedious work to get right, but moving tape is a whole lot easier than moving paint.

    2017-03-20 15.48.42.jpg2017-03-20 17.30.32.jpg2017-03-20 17.37.32.jpg

    Next was painting the neon:

    21884.jpg21899.jpg

    A bit shocking, isn't it? It's the kind of color you need to use sparingly.

    Once cured and masked, it was time for the Carbon Flash for the body and pulling the tape:

    21924.jpg21925.jpeg21926.jpg

    No clear yet, but even without the gloss we're pretty excited about how it looks.
    Doug
    Former Design Director at FormaCars

  19. #19
    Senior Member wareaglescott's Avatar
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    love the color scheme
    MK4 #8900 - complete kit - Coyote, TKO600, IRS - Delivered 6/28/16 First Start 10/6/16 Go cart - 10/16/16 Build completed - 4/26/17 - 302 days to build my 302 CI Coyote Cobra - Registered and street legal 5/17/17
    Build Thread http://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showt...e-build-thread
    PHIL 4:13 INSTAGRAM - @scottsrides

  20. #20
    Doug @ Forma's Avatar
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    Last Friday we got to see the paint with clear, and boy does it look fantastic. We couldn't be more pleased.

    2017-03-24 13.04.13.jpg2017-03-24 13.03.25.jpg2017-03-24 13.06.18.jpg2017-03-24 13.07.03.jpg2017-03-24 13.08.02.jpg2017-03-24 13.07.16.jpg2017-03-24 13.07.42.jpg

    The first shot of the decklid is out in the sun, the others are taken inside his shop. This week our body man is on vacation while the clear sets up. Next week the wet sanding and finishing and at the end of that week the body will come back here. We hope to be go carting by then, but that's perhaps a bit ambitious.

    You can see also the way the scoop is blended with the body. He did a fantastic job of getting a nice crisp radius, plus notching the front so that the hood surface extends well inside the scoop. I still owe awd-turbo details on the process. I haven't forgotten, well, not entirely anyway.

    More to come ...
    Doug
    Former Design Director at FormaCars

  21. #21
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    Doug-

    Color looks great! I really like the accent color; it really complements the greys nicely.

    It also looks good on the 818, and the decals down low help it as well. I think you have a very distinctive brand.

    You all have really moved quickly on these builds, and it has been fun following along. I look forward to seeing how the interior ends up!

    Thanks for allowing us to follow your progress!

    Regards,

    Steve

  22. #22
    Doug @ Forma's Avatar
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    In today's installment of "fun things to do with a fork lift" we load our freshly painted body up onto the racking to keep it out of harm's way.

    The body arrived back at the shop today, nice and shiny. Until we're ready to mount it we needed a safe place for it to live out of the way of the chassis work and the fork trucks coming in and out (the other half of our shop space is warehouse storage for our parent company.) We thought of leaving on the trailer, but we'll need the trailer free to get our coupe to the body shop late this week or early next, so up it goes.

    2017-04-05 16.26.01.jpg2017-04-05 16.33.37.jpg2017-04-05 17.00.24.jpg2017-04-05 17.01.15.jpg2017-04-05 17.03.08.jpg

    It was a bit nerve wracking to watch, but it fit like a glove and should be better protected up there. We're getting a car cover ordered to keep the dust off of it too.
    Doug
    Former Design Director at FormaCars

  23. #23
    Member rx7922's Avatar
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    the colors are oddly satisfying, i love the colors
    Gilroy, Ca
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    Purchasing the kit within the next 3 years.

  24. #24
    Kyle @ Forma's Avatar
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    Yesterday I installed some neon brakes, Doug test fit the new door card, and Tim worked on the wrong Cobra.

    IMG_20170418_141756.jpg

  25. #25
    Doug @ Forma's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Kyle @ Forma View Post
    Yesterday I installed some neon brakes, Doug test fit the new door card, and Tim worked on the wrong Cobra.
    Hey, I don't go posting snarky comments on your threads.
    Last edited by Doug @ Forma; 04-19-2017 at 11:30 AM.
    Doug
    Former Design Director at FormaCars

  26. #26
    Senior Member wareaglescott's Avatar
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    I really like the calipers. Did you guys change the finish in house, custom order or what? Paint or powder coat?
    MK4 #8900 - complete kit - Coyote, TKO600, IRS - Delivered 6/28/16 First Start 10/6/16 Go cart - 10/16/16 Build completed - 4/26/17 - 302 days to build my 302 CI Coyote Cobra - Registered and street legal 5/17/17
    Build Thread http://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showt...e-build-thread
    PHIL 4:13 INSTAGRAM - @scottsrides

  27. #27
    Doug @ Forma's Avatar
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    We disassembled them and sent them out for powder coat. We simply can't leave well enough alone.
    Doug
    Former Design Director at FormaCars

  28. #28
    Doug @ Forma's Avatar
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    Wow, I can't believe that it's been a month since I posted an update. It's not that nothing has been happening, on the contrary, we've been busy and have neglected to update the thread.

    First, I owe everyone some info on how we did our hood scoop. I already PM'd this to awd-turbo, but never posted it here. Unfortunately, most of our images of the process were lost when one of our guys' phone died before he got them uploaded, but we do have a couple.

    We cut the hood so that the outer panel fit tight to the shape of the scoop and the inner panel allowed the scoop flange to pass through. This put the top of scoop flange against the underside of the outer hood panel. We kept the through hole tight to the scoop to minimize the amount of body filler required. One thing we did to make it look better is to leave about 3" or so of the hood to extend into the scoop. This made the hole more challenging to make, the scoop had to be slid in from the back and rotated in place and finishing the opening took more work, but we felt that the look was much better that way and was worth the extra effort.

    We attached the scoop to the hood with panel bond adhesive, which is a 2 part adhesive made specifically for fiberglass. It's important that the panels be roughed when bounding, particularly the plastic scoop.

    After it was bonded we filled the gaps with body filler creating a nice tight inside radius on the outside of the hood. We kept the filler use to a minimum to avoid potential cracking as the plastic scoop and fiberglass hood expand and contract due to temperature changes.

    Many folks here recommend getting a fiberglass scoop if you intend to blend it in for better durability. The consensus from our team is that's not necessary, as long as you minimize how much filler you use and bond the parts together with panel bond. Our owner has a materials engineering background, one of our shop guys used to run a body shop and our painter does exclusively custom work so I have confidence their expertise.

    Here's a couple of pictures, sorry we don't have more. The first shot is hard to visualize, but that's the bottom of the hood, looking from the front edge toward the back.

    21890.jpeg21892.jpeg2017-03-24 13.06.18.jpg
    Doug
    Former Design Director at FormaCars

  29. #29
    Doug @ Forma's Avatar
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    So here's where we are now.

    • Moroso oil pan and upgraded oil pump gears are installed
    • Engine and transmission are in the car
    • Shifter mechanism prototyped
    • Full suspension is installed
    • Brakes are installed (including the re-powdercoated calipers in our signature yellow)
    • SS brake lines are bent and flared, to be installed tomorrow
    • Fuel tank installed
    • HVAC system roughed in (we're using a Vintage Air Gen IV system mounted in the trunk.)

    I'm sure I missed something, but the important thing is that we now have a rolling chassis!

    2017-05-02 11.02.50.jpg

    Also, as you may have seen in the Roadster Dash Pics thread, we've begun to build our interior. I hinted earlier that we were going for a more modern aesthetic with our interior. It's been in development for many weeks and finally starting to come to fruition.

    Here's a tease of the concept sketch that we're building to and a couple of CAD screen shots:

    interior_concept.jpg80075__persp.jpg80075__persp_1.jpg

    Some things like the HVAC controls & vents, shifter surround & other details have changed a bit, but it's largely true to the concept. The center of the dash & top of the console will be gloss "piano black", the yellow stripe will be gloss vinyl wrap, the door insert will be padded black fabric and the rest of the door and dash will be black vinyl, the dash being padded.

    Having access to 3D CAD as well as a large 3D printer, we can create some sophisticated shapes and create them right away. We're making good use of the printer on the interior, here are pics of the front and rear parts of the center console as well as one of the door mockups.

    2017-05-09 19.32.42.jpg2017-05-09 19.32.53.jpg2017-05-09 19.34.08.jpg

    We're also using custom Speedhut gauges with our logos on them. Here are the 3 larger gauges:

    2017-04-11 09.56.02.jpg

    Speedhut did a great job on these, we're really looking forward to seeing them in the dash.

    We've got a busy month ahead of us, we're planning on being at the FFR open house with this and our 818S. Lots of work to do, but it's coming together!
    Last edited by Doug @ Forma; 05-09-2017 at 07:01 PM.
    Doug
    Former Design Director at FormaCars

  30. #30
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    Great designs Doug! Really well thought out. Watching the progress intensely.

    Thanks!
    1972 Corvette Stingray 350 c.i. Manual Steering & Brakes
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  31. #31
    Senior Member Yama-Bro's Avatar
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    Cool use of a 3D printer. I've been thinking of doing a glove box for mine like that. Are you going to use the printed parts as your final pieces or are they just prototypes for mock up which will be replaced with something else later?
    Started dreaming of a Cobra around 1987
    Purchased Complete Kit 6/9/2017, Delivered 9/4/2017, Rolling Chassis 3/30/2018, Engine Dyno'ed 3/4/2022, Engine installed 8/27/2022
    Click here for my build thread
    Serial #9158
    Design Engineer at BluePrint Engines

  32. #32
    Doug @ Forma's Avatar
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    We're going to use these 3D printed parts, wrapping them in vinyl wrap and upholstery vinyl. The 3D printer allows us to make the transition for the console to dash and to integrate the AC duct into one part. Making it other ways would require several parts.
    Doug
    Former Design Director at FormaCars

  33. #33
    Senior Member wareaglescott's Avatar
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    I am totally uneducated in 3d printing. What is the material it is producing?
    MK4 #8900 - complete kit - Coyote, TKO600, IRS - Delivered 6/28/16 First Start 10/6/16 Go cart - 10/16/16 Build completed - 4/26/17 - 302 days to build my 302 CI Coyote Cobra - Registered and street legal 5/17/17
    Build Thread http://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showt...e-build-thread
    PHIL 4:13 INSTAGRAM - @scottsrides

  34. #34
    Doug @ Forma's Avatar
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    3D printing is a general term for creating parts directly from 3D CAD data. There are a wide range of technologies & materials used. It's almost like saying "molded" for plastics, which covers vacuum formed, injection molded, extruded, compression molded and more and can be made from thousands of different kinds of plastics.

    Almost all 3D printers cut the part in layers and build it one layer at a time, each typically a few thousandths of an inch thick. Our printer is FDM technology (the most common and the tech most hobby printers use) which extrudes plastic in a narrow stream, essentially "drawing" the part one layer at a time. It's kind of a CNC hot melt glue gun, squirting out plastic instead of glue. It can use a range of plastics, the most common being ABS (what we're using) and PLA but you can print just about any kind, as long as you can get it in a spool of filament.

    Because the part's built in layers, the strength of the part is slightly less in the build direction than on the other directions. You also see the layers and if you are going for a finished part you need to fill or sand those or, more typically, both. It's a fast (relatively), but fairly expensive way to build parts. It does give you the opportunity to build in features that you couldn't with traditional technologies, like integrating the AC duct into our front console transition.

    Our FDM machine is an industrial Fortus 400 with a fairly large build envelope of 16" x 14" x 16". It's older and fairly expensive to run, however. Chris & Kyle just went to a rapid prototyping show yesterday looking at replacements.

    There is still a lot of innovation in the 3D printing space. HP just came out with a printer that produces near finished parts that are hard to tell from production molded parts. We're looking at one, but it's well into 6 figures and a very new technology. Because the patent on the FDM technology expired a few years ago (which is why you're seeing all these hobbyist machines out now), there are a number of new innovations happening as people take that technology and expand on it. People are integrating kevlar & carbon fiber into 3D printing now and sometimes at build prices under what our older technology ABS costs.
    Doug
    Former Design Director at FormaCars

  35. #35
    Senior Member wareaglescott's Avatar
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    very interesting. Thanks for the thorough answer.
    MK4 #8900 - complete kit - Coyote, TKO600, IRS - Delivered 6/28/16 First Start 10/6/16 Go cart - 10/16/16 Build completed - 4/26/17 - 302 days to build my 302 CI Coyote Cobra - Registered and street legal 5/17/17
    Build Thread http://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showt...e-build-thread
    PHIL 4:13 INSTAGRAM - @scottsrides

  36. #36
    Member rx7922's Avatar
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    i hope you'll be selling a dash like that for us!
    Gilroy, Ca
    Dreaming of the MK4
    Purchasing the kit within the next 3 years.

  37. #37
    Doug @ Forma's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by rx7922 View Post
    i hope you'll be selling a dash like that for us!
    This interior was design with mass production in mind. Well, as close to "mass" production as the FFR market will support.

    After this car is complete, we intend to go back and refine it to get it to a palatable selling price. 3D printing everything will be cost prohibitive, so we'll have to invest in some tooling, mostly for vacuum forming. We've already purchased an extrusion die for the straight sections of the yellow trim.

    If it all comes together as we hope, the idea is that it'll be a modular system. Meaning we'll offer a slightly revised dash for use with the FFR console, or this dash for use with our console. There will be versions of the console that use the rear panel and one designed to be used without it. The doors are intended to work with our dash or the FFR dash.

    We'll also be able to finish it how you want. The center gloss black in our car can be any color you want, the stripe can be wrapped in whatever body wrap vinyl you want (brushed aluminum, carbon fiber, chrome) and we'll put on whatever upholstery vinyl you want.

    Oh, and we'll be able to laser etch whatever graphic you want in the rear area where our FC logo is shown. Family crest, favorite quote, cobra head. As long as we can get vector art of it, we should be able to do it.

    That's the goal, hopefully we'll be able to accomplish it all. First, get this car done for June 10!
    Doug
    Former Design Director at FormaCars

  38. #38
    Doug @ Forma's Avatar
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    It's been all hands on deck pushing to get the car done for the FFR open house on the 10th, so I've neglected this thread a bit. As long as I'm here at the shop on a holiday, I might as well get this caught up.

    Lots of little things coming together. We're using an ECUMaster ECU and Kyle has a base tune put together and has been up to his eyeballs in the wiring harness. We're shooting for a first fire this week.

    HVAC ducting and shielding is nearly complete. With the air handler in the trunk, we're had to get creative in running ductwork. The floor ducts are exiting the side of the trunk and running down the back of the rear firewall just ahead of the rear wheels, so they needed shields to protect them from stuff thrown off the wheels. The dash and defrost ducts will run up the center console.

    2017-05-29 18.06.27.jpg2017-05-29 18.06.15.jpg2017-05-29 18.06.03.jpg

    We also mounted on of our fuel surge tanks under the floor above the fuel tank on the driver's side. It fits perfectly in this space and we are looking at making an install kit specific to the Mark IV for it.

    2017-05-29 18.09.33.jpg

    And last, but not least, the interior is beginning to take shape. Our custom dash sheet metal is padded, vinyl wrapped and installed, the finishing of the 3D printed console pieces is coming along and the piano black parts are as well. Door panels are both printed and will get vinyl wrapped this week. Still a long ways to go, but we're getting pretty excited about the finished product.

    2017-05-29 17.35.52.jpg

    We've got a crazy couple of weeks ahead to make the open house, hopefully I'll have time to update this thread along the way.
    Doug
    Former Design Director at FormaCars

  39. #39
    2bking's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Doug @ Forma View Post
    HVAC ducting and shielding is nearly complete. With the air handler in the trunk, we're had to get creative in running ductwork. The floor ducts are exiting the side of the trunk and running down the back of the rear firewall just ahead of the rear wheels, so they needed shields to protect them from stuff thrown off the wheels.
    2017-05-29 18.06.03.jpg
    On my build the tires rub the frame tubes behind the rear firewall at the upper limit of the suspension on a hard bump. Looks like there may be a problem with the path you selected.
    King
    Roadster #8127, ordered 7/12/13, received 9/11/13
    http://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showt...4-Coyote-Build

  40. #40
    Doug @ Forma's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by 2bking View Post
    On my build the tires rub the frame tubes behind the rear firewall at the upper limit of the suspension on a hard bump. Looks like there may be a problem with the path you selected.
    Hmm, that's interesting. We mounted a tire and checked for suspension travel and it looked OK. We'll give it another look, thanks for the heads up.
    Doug
    Former Design Director at FormaCars

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