Please Graduate MKIV #7693

[bansheekev]

Please Graduate MKIV #7693

Three days from now it will be exactly 3 years since the Stewart truck dropped off my MKIV. I am truly amazed at what I have created with the help of Factory Five, a litany of forum vendors, the advice / guidance / helpfulness of this forum, and my incredible understanding suportive wife and kids. Special thanks to the local FFR guru SJDave who is my local go to guy and has been incredibly generous in time and effort helping me along the way.

Being a Mustang guy for 25 years I was looking to build a car from scratch but was struggling with the time and expense of doing a pro-touring style 67 fastback. With 4 kids ranging from 6-16 both budget wise and time wise it simply was not going to happen. Then one day my friend gave me a ride in his continuation Shelby CSX and it all fell into place from there. I was hooked on the Cobra concept in about 30 seconds. I still wanted to build it from scratch so I started researching replica makes, going to local events, and talking to local people and the FFR idea was born. Just as a side note, keep in mind 90% of this car was build between 8pm and 3am - job, family, kids schedules, volunteering, and taking care of 3 acres takes precendent for daylight hours around here. People ask where I found the time to build the car. My answer was that I didn't have the time, I made the time. My oldest son who is now 16 spent many a Friday / Saturday night with me in the garage which also makes the experience memorable for both of us.

My overall goal was a simple, clean, somewhat traditional understated look from the outside, and all modern everywhere else.

Here are the basics of my build:

Kit:

• MKIV base kit w/ standard width IRS

Drivetrain:

• Coyote 5.0L tuned by JMS
• 4:1:4 stainless headers by Stainless Headers in South Dakota
• FFR stainless side pipes
• KRC power steering setup for the Coyote
• Billet steel flywheel / Centerforce dual friction clutch / QuickTime bellhousing
• Forte hydraulic clutch setup
• Tremec TKO600
• Custom driveshaft by Denny's
• Aluminum IRS case with Eaton Trutrac and Ford Racing 3.55 gears

Wheels / Brakes:

• FFR standard width front lower control arms and spindles
• FFR standard width IRS
• FFR 17x9 and 17x10.5 Halibrand style wheels
• Kuhmo 255/40 and 315/35 Ecsta XS tires
• Wilwood 12.88 front and 12.2 rear brakes from FFR
• Wilwood pedal box with remote bias adjuster

Interior/Exterior:

• FFR leather low back seats with seat heaters
• FFR classic style gauges from Speedhut with SC layout
• Glovebox
• FFR heater
• Removeable tunnel cover with e-brake relocated
• Lots of chrome and polished stainless
• Hood louvers
• Paint by DaBat - Jeff Miller in Lamborghini titanium and silver stripes

Thank you to Dave Smith and FFR for producing such a great product. It was a pleasure building it - now it is time to drive it. Its first day out was to Mike Hennesy's annual New Years Eve Day BBQ in Santa Clara, California. It gained a lot of attention and will be featured in an upcoming episode of his 'Car Guy Channel' (Home Page) - keep an eye out!

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Oh, and can't forget the selfie that my oldest son took with the GoPro he got for Christmas!

FFR #7693 Maiden Voyage

Kevin