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Thread: Jdavis500 Gen 3 Coupe Build Thread

  1. #81
    Senior Member edwardb's Avatar
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    Generally speaking, if your wire looms aren't touching anything, you're probably OK. In the direct area of a high heat source though, like the headers for example, I would try to keep the wiring as far away as possible. For my Coyote builds, for the sensor and alternator wires near the headers, I routed them away from the headers as best I could and wrapped with this tape from DEI. https://www.summitracing.com/parts/dei-010408.

    Yea, get those ignition switch wire terminals covered. Kind of a worse case scenario there. You're dealing with direct battery power plus it's not fused at that point. So touching to ground is going to start some serious action.

    On the Roadsters, we've found the location of the GPS antenna isn't super critical. Many of us put it on the windshield mount (it's steel, so the magnet holds very well) that's in the corner of the dash area in front of the windshield. It's under the fiberglass body, but doesn't seem to have any problem acquiring and keeping the signal. I've had mine there for two seasons of driving. Long answer to say I haven't found the final location for mine on the Coupe build. But will probably be also somewhere under the body. Just not shielded by metal. David W's suggestion is one I've also considered.
    Build 1: Mk3 Roadster #5125. Sold 11/08/2014. Build 2: Mk4 Roadster #7750. Sold 04/10/2017. Build Thread
    Build 3: Mk4 Roadster 20th Anniversary #8674. Sold 09/07/2020. Build Thread and Video. Build 4: Gen 3 Type 65 Coupe #59. Gen 3 Coyote. Legal 03/04/2020. Build Thread and Video
    Build 5: 35 Hot Rod Truck #138. LS3 and 4L65E auto. Rcvd 01/05/2021. Legal 04/20/2023. Build Thread. Sold 11/9/2023.

  2. #82
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    Great! Thanks guys. Cool Tape is ordered.
    Gen 3 Coupe, Gen 2 Coyote, Wilwoods, IRS, Power Steering, AC JDAVIS500 Build Thread

  3. #83
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    Starting on body work soon.

    I currently have console panels out for an upholstery person to do French seams on black vinyl. I plan on installing those myself down the road. It would be really nice to do it now so I can finalize the dash wiring, but I can see that it may get damaged in the future. It takes a lot of discipline not to finish some items on the checklist. It would look great and feel good to finish the carpet and dash, but I can see that it may get damaged down the road. Talk about delayed gratification. My cabin work is pretty much complete. I am wiring my Guard Dawg keyless ignition. I am not 100% finished with that. Still trying to figure out exactly how it should be wired compared to the keyed ignition. I will post on that later if I can't get it all figured out. I posted elsewhere regarding "Daytona" nameplates. I made a lot of calls. Initially, I thought I might go with chrome plated plastic. They would be full cut-out and look like the dealer nameplates that they put on new cars. BTW, I really hate that dealers do that. Whenever I buy a new car, I tell them that I won't take delivery if they put that on the car. Why is it that they think that they can use your car for their advertising after you purchase it? So self-serving. Anyway, I could order about 50 nameplates in plated ABS plastic for around $650. I thought maybe I could sell them. I finally decided that polished aluminum would be a better option. I know that I want to put one on the dash and probably one on each front fender. The surface has a little curve to it at the fender. I haven't completed the order yet, so I need to check in with them on how that would work. The look is a departure from other builds and is certainly not original looking, but I feel that it would give it more of a polished production car look. As Wareagle said, they are not cheap! My biggest challenge with wiring is fitting everything behind my console/dash bridge that I fabricated. All the connectors behind the switch panel take a bit of space. I ended up creating 2 cut-outs in the upper trans tunnel cover with recesses. They help, but there is still a little pressure in places. Eventually, I will make it work. Again, it can't be finalized really until I get the carpet in. My wiring behind the dash is somewhat respectable in a birds nest kind of way. If I build another, I will have wiring much more planned out so that I can package wires together and really get a more clean look. My engine compartment is pretty buttoned-up. It took me a while to figure out how to burp the cooling system. Lots of trial and error with plenty of overheating in between. I have put about 6 miles on the car in our subdivision. Thinking about doing paint and body myself. I have zero experience with this, but it sounds fun. I like learning new things. I have to admit that learning new things like alignment is partly because I fear that others that work on this car won't show as much care that I will. I don't want scratched rims or powder coat... In my mind, my biggest question mark moving forward is the side pipes. I have GP headers that are the same as the MKIV headers(correct for the Gen3 coupe and Gen 2 Coyote). Currently, the side pipes aren't really in the ballpark for correct fitment. I know there are adjustment shims that go between the headers and side pipes. Do I stick with the FFR side pipes that already have significant deep rust on the interior? Do I look for other of the shelf side pipes(not aware of these at this point)? Do I have some custom made(What budget)?

    Having a ball!
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    Gen 3 Coupe, Gen 2 Coyote, Wilwoods, IRS, Power Steering, AC JDAVIS500 Build Thread

  4. #84
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    Starting on bady work. More pics.

    More Pics.
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    Gen 3 Coupe, Gen 2 Coyote, Wilwoods, IRS, Power Steering, AC JDAVIS500 Build Thread

  5. #85
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    Bodywork

    I moved on from wiring and interior. I had some bugs that I had to run down including a no start again. I have learned so much about no start diagnosis from Scanner Danner on Youtube. His videos could easily be a series on Motor Trend. Every case is a new mystery and he is very knowledgable and a good teacher. I purchased a Power Probe 4 and it makes life easier for hunting issues down. Interior vinyl has been prepared by an upholsterer with black vinyl and light gray stitching with a french seam. I will install it myself when the time comes. So, on to body.

    I started by putting the body and hood in place to check general fitment. Despite having the cabin rear quarter aluminum panels locked in, it was not too difficult. I think I can make that work without removing them. I went thru the measurement process at the hatch and it was dead on without doing anything. Checking the rocker panel notching areas, I decided I preferred the idea of trimming the frame. I think it will definitely look more cosmetic. The precut holes for exhaust are at least in the ballpark. There will be some trimming on the forward edge, but not much. Hood looked fine. It's hard to know without installing the hinges which I can't seem to find right now. I am hoping that they didn't get left behind at the powder coater. I have a habit of losing things only to discover that they aren't lost. They should turn up somewhere in the garage soon. After lots of paint and body research, I have committed to doing it all myself. A lot of the process is a mystery and I wonder how in the world I will accomplish it all, but then again I said the same about installing the engine and wiring. Having no experience in these areas makes it that much more rewarding when I cross the finish line.

    I started by scrubbing the body a couple of times with comet and using a steel brush and flathead screwdriver to remove wax being careful not to drive wax into the parting lines. Then I used Custom Shop Restoration KW901 Wax a Grease Remover a few times. Next, I decided on using a Dremel with a barrel sander to knock-down the gelcoat on the parting lines. I found that there were several areas that I uncovered that lead to cavities so I was a little more aggressive with the sanding. Maybe I went a little overboard here, but the plan is to use HSRF. I was surprised to find that some cavities contained wax sealed inside like a jelly donut. The Right side of the hood was the worst. I will admit that some sanded areas did not leave much fiberglass beneath, but seemed necessary to get all the cancer out.

    I have a couple of questions on how to handle things.

    The front portion of the left pontoon is very thin and arrived cracked and clearly needs to be patched. My plan is to use vinyl ester resin and chipmat to build this section from behind then sand down the surface to eliminate and fissures and then patch with HSRF over the top.

    I have deep parting line issues on both sides at the upper rear area of the quarter windows. They are deep and have little fiberglass beneath. I am assuming that I need to keep sanding until I can smooth edges and make sure there will be no air inside after filled with HSRF? I am not sure how much attention I should give to these deep cavities that have raw fiberglass fibers on the inside of the cavities. I don't know if these cavities need to be backed with more glass.

    One area on the hood has a 3mm hole. I can see daylight here. If I patch behind this, it will stand out when the hood is up. This hole is in the parting line to the right of the PS headlight. Should I patch with fiberglass behind it? If so, there is some kind of black paint on the underside of the hood. Maybe I can get away with just HSRF on top?

    This begs the question what to do to dress up the underside of the hood. It looks like the Gen 2 coupe had a more homogenous underside that was easier to work with. The Gen 3 coupe has different materials and different layers that make it less aesthetic. Painting bedliner can be done, but the surface does not look tidy. Any thoughts here?
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    Last edited by jdavis500; 05-16-2019 at 02:35 PM.
    Gen 3 Coupe, Gen 2 Coyote, Wilwoods, IRS, Power Steering, AC JDAVIS500 Build Thread

  6. #86
    Senior Member edwardb's Avatar
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    Your body looks to be a little worse than mine. But I had many of the same issues. Definitely you need to dig that clay out of the parting lines. I had some in mine too. My gel coat was cracked along the pontoons too (along with several other areas) but once I trimmed it wasn't too bad. Didn't have to add any glass. Just repaired with HSRF. That wraparound area inside and behind the doors was rough on mine too. Especially on the right side. I cleaned it up and repaired with HSRF. Didn't feel like it was bad enough to add any glass so didn't. It's not structural at all. But yours might be worse. I also have the mismatched parting lines by the scoops behind the doors. I'm leaving that to my painter. He might grind it down a little. But I suspect mainly it will be fixed with body filler, e.g. Rage Gold or whatever they use. All in all, it's kind of mixed bag IMO. The body fit and match is pretty good, once you wrestle everything in place. But some of the details could use some improvement.

    I'll be real curious to watch your progress getting the body installed and lined up. My rear body section also lined up like the instructions showed. But then when adding the front cowl and doors, found a lot of moving parts to get it as good as I could. Detailed quite a bit in my build thread, which I suspect you've been following. Will be very interested to see how your experience compares to mine. You're way braver than me doing your own body work and paint.
    Build 1: Mk3 Roadster #5125. Sold 11/08/2014. Build 2: Mk4 Roadster #7750. Sold 04/10/2017. Build Thread
    Build 3: Mk4 Roadster 20th Anniversary #8674. Sold 09/07/2020. Build Thread and Video. Build 4: Gen 3 Type 65 Coupe #59. Gen 3 Coyote. Legal 03/04/2020. Build Thread and Video
    Build 5: 35 Hot Rod Truck #138. LS3 and 4L65E auto. Rcvd 01/05/2021. Legal 04/20/2023. Build Thread. Sold 11/9/2023.

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  8. #87
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    I suspect my body was among the worst. I foolishly thought all I would have to do would be scrape out the FFR joints and fill them. Wrong!!! The most troublesome thing was that many of the panels were not aligned with their neighbors....requiring removal of a lot of material to get the joints smooth.I'm almost finished. Would I do it again? I don't think so. It has been a long long job to get the body into the shape it is in today.

    b.jpga.jpgc.jpgc.jpgd.jpgf.jpgg.jpg

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  10. #88
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    That's the biggest disappointment I see with these cars, the poor quality of the fiberglass finish as it comes from FFR. And, they talk about how great they are, but I'm just not seeing it in any of these builds.

    I'm not a body work guy, I'm excellent at the mechanical part, so all my body work would have to be done buy a paid pro, and that is some of the priciest work to have done.

    Now, if you're building a race car, or just don't care too much about how it looks, well, I guess then you're okay, but that's not where I'd be.

  11. #89
    Senior Member edwardb's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ltngdrvr View Post
    That's the biggest disappointment I see with these cars, the poor quality of the fiberglass finish as it comes from FFR. And, they talk about how great they are, but I'm just not seeing it in any of these builds.

    I'm not a body work guy, I'm excellent at the mechanical part, so all my body work would have to be done buy a paid pro, and that is some of the priciest work to have done.

    Now, if you're building a race car, or just don't care too much about how it looks, well, I guess then you're okay, but that's not where I'd be.
    So I'm sitting here wondering what the purpose is of this post, and whether I should take the time to respond. But here goes. (1) This is a Factory Five forum made up of enthusiasts that mostly have built and/or owned their products. Based on your recent join date and the posts you've made, don't see any evidence of that on your part. (2) This particular thread is a build thread. Kind of a big deal. The OP has already made the choice, paid the admission fee, and has a build underway. What is the point of trashing Factory Five in this context? And maybe worse yet, suggesting if you build one of these you don't care what it looks like. That's ridiculous. (3) I will never make excuses for poor quality, and I agree there are aspects of these bodies that could be better. Also some variation. Mine isn't as bad as either discussed here. But it's still not perfect. I'm dealing with it, as are these guys. (4) I can't speak for the two examples here, but I'm personally not a body work expert. About as far from it as I can get. So it takes me longer than it would a pro. Much longer. But I'm trying to get mine sorted out for paint without them doing any body work or fitting. Call it sweat equity. Looks like these two examples are doing the same thing. One of the very well known and experienced body/paint guys on here (he's done hundreds, literally) says a Daytona takes about 40 hours of prep and fitting work before paint. Granted that's not free. But it's not that much of the entire build budget if you have to pay a pro to do it. (5) Finally, if you want to own a Daytona Coupe, there aren't many options. There are several factory built versions that I know of, and they cost multiples of one of these. Better? I don't know. Doesn't matter to me because I'm not willing to pay that much plus I want to do the build. That's one of the huge attractions for me, and others cite the same thing. I'm not aware of any other option for a kit built Daytona Coupe that's close to this price or overall quality when completed. Again, that's not meant to excuse obvious shortcomings. But helps to put it into perspective. If this isn't for you, fine. It's not for everyone or easy. But maybe consider before posting comments like this. OK, off the soapbox.
    Build 1: Mk3 Roadster #5125. Sold 11/08/2014. Build 2: Mk4 Roadster #7750. Sold 04/10/2017. Build Thread
    Build 3: Mk4 Roadster 20th Anniversary #8674. Sold 09/07/2020. Build Thread and Video. Build 4: Gen 3 Type 65 Coupe #59. Gen 3 Coyote. Legal 03/04/2020. Build Thread and Video
    Build 5: 35 Hot Rod Truck #138. LS3 and 4L65E auto. Rcvd 01/05/2021. Legal 04/20/2023. Build Thread. Sold 11/9/2023.

  12. #90
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    The point of my comments, in regard to comments made about the body's poor fiberglass quality of construction, was that FFR needs to concentrate some of its efforts to improving more than just the chassis on their cars.

  13. #91
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    Looks like these two examples are doing the same thing. One of the very well known and experienced body/paint guys on here (he's done hundreds, literally) says a Daytona takes about 40 hours of prep and fitting work before paint. Granted that's not free. But it's not that much of the entire build budget if you have to pay a pro to do it. (5) Finally, if you want to own a Daytona Coupe, there aren't many options. There are several factory built versions that I know of, and they cost multiples of one of these. Better? I don't know. Doesn't matter to me because I'm not willing to pay that much plus I want to do the build. That's one of the huge attractions for me, and others cite the same thing. I'm not aware of any other option for a kit built Daytona Coupe that's close to this price or overall quality when completed. Again, that's not meant to excuse obvious shortcomings. But helps to put it into perspective. If this isn't for you, fine. It's not for everyone or easy. But maybe consider before posting comments like this. OK, off the soapbox.[/QUOTE]

    Hi all: there is not one word of complaint in my post, nor in my mind! This is a build thread and my intent is to let other potential builders know what they might face if they choose to do the complete body themselves. (as I did).

  14. #92
    Senior Member edwardb's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by freds View Post
    Hi all: there is not one word of complaint in my post, nor in my mind! This is a build thread and my intent is to let other potential builders know what they might face if they choose to do the complete body themselves. (as I did).
    That's how I interpreted your post as well. My comments were not directed toward you. Not in the slightest. Should have been clear in my post who I quoted, who still doesn't get it BTW. In hindsight probably should have left this alone. Just rubbed me the wrong way.

    I'm out. Back to our builds and build threads.
    Last edited by edwardb; 05-17-2019 at 07:29 PM.
    Build 1: Mk3 Roadster #5125. Sold 11/08/2014. Build 2: Mk4 Roadster #7750. Sold 04/10/2017. Build Thread
    Build 3: Mk4 Roadster 20th Anniversary #8674. Sold 09/07/2020. Build Thread and Video. Build 4: Gen 3 Type 65 Coupe #59. Gen 3 Coyote. Legal 03/04/2020. Build Thread and Video
    Build 5: 35 Hot Rod Truck #138. LS3 and 4L65E auto. Rcvd 01/05/2021. Legal 04/20/2023. Build Thread. Sold 11/9/2023.

  15. #93
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    Quote Originally Posted by edwardb View Post
    That's how I interpreted your post as well. My comments were not directed toward you. Not in the slightest. Should have been clear in my post who I quoted, who still doesn't get it BTW. In hindsight probably should have left this alone. Just rubbed me the wrong way.

    I'm out. Back to our builds and build threads.

    Thanks.

  16. #94
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    Fiberglass problem

    IMG_2056.JPGIMG_2055.JPG
    I found this pocket between fiberglass layers on the rear PS roof. I kept digging and it kept going. I go to a point where the top layer of the pocket is pretty thick and strong, but there is still an air pocket. What should I do here? I am all set for HSRF otherwise. I am afraid if I keep digging, I will get a large full thickness hole in the roof.
    Gen 3 Coupe, Gen 2 Coyote, Wilwoods, IRS, Power Steering, AC JDAVIS500 Build Thread

  17. #95
    Senior Member edwardb's Avatar
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    Clearly there's a gap there between the outer and inner body shells. But the outer shell looks solid and intact. I wouldn't remove any more of it. Assuming you can reach down in there with a small knife, steel rule, whatever, at this point I'd stuff it full of HSRF as best you can and leave it alone. Then fill to the surface with HSRF and let the rest of the body work finish it off.
    Last edited by edwardb; 05-21-2019 at 06:14 AM.
    Build 1: Mk3 Roadster #5125. Sold 11/08/2014. Build 2: Mk4 Roadster #7750. Sold 04/10/2017. Build Thread
    Build 3: Mk4 Roadster 20th Anniversary #8674. Sold 09/07/2020. Build Thread and Video. Build 4: Gen 3 Type 65 Coupe #59. Gen 3 Coyote. Legal 03/04/2020. Build Thread and Video
    Build 5: 35 Hot Rod Truck #138. LS3 and 4L65E auto. Rcvd 01/05/2021. Legal 04/20/2023. Build Thread. Sold 11/9/2023.

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  19. #96
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    AC Condenser size too wide for Gen3 Coupe?

    Did I miss a memo on the condensor for the Gen3 Coupe? It seems wider than EdwardB's. It measures 26" wide including the post ends(not the bracket portion). As a result, it is too wide to accommodate the hinges as they swing back and up. The condenser could be moved to the passenger side, but the hose fitting would then need to be adapted away from the instructions. Any thoughts?IMG_2136.jpgIMG_2137.jpgIMG_2138.jpgIMG_2139.jpg
    Gen 3 Coupe, Gen 2 Coyote, Wilwoods, IRS, Power Steering, AC JDAVIS500 Build Thread

  20. #97
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    I cut a small section out of my hinge and moved it to the right to get the hood to open a little more. It still does not open as far as I would like it to.
    David W
    Mkll 4874 built in 2004
    Gen 3 coupe #16 registered 2018 painted 2019

  21. #98
    Senior Member edwardb's Avatar
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    The cowl hinges for me, to be honest, are one of the more disappointing aspects of the kit. They don't match the angle between the body and the fog light buckets where they're supposed to be attached. They run not only into the A/C condenser but also the radiator surround aluminum. I ran out of adjustment on one side and had to open the slot. And to top it off, don't match the pictures in the instructions manual. Other than that, I think they're great.

    You're probably not going to like what I did, but with all the other problems going on, I ended up getting a different A/C condenser. Not only didn't it fit, mine had a number of crushed fins. Was packaged in a box that didn't give it any protection at all. Probably should have protested to Factory Five, but would have had the same fitment issue. So I bit the bullet for $150. A Vintage Air 03263-VUC fits between the hinges, and frankly appears to be a higher quality piece. Hated doing that, but just bought it and didn't look back. With that everything fit, although I still had to cut a corner on the hinge on one side for the fitting. Mine looks like this now, and all is working. BTW, keep in mind the travel is limited by (1) the frame, (2) the gas struts, and (3) at ride height, the nose gets pretty close to the ground when open. Not sure it could go a whole lot more.



    Build 1: Mk3 Roadster #5125. Sold 11/08/2014. Build 2: Mk4 Roadster #7750. Sold 04/10/2017. Build Thread
    Build 3: Mk4 Roadster 20th Anniversary #8674. Sold 09/07/2020. Build Thread and Video. Build 4: Gen 3 Type 65 Coupe #59. Gen 3 Coyote. Legal 03/04/2020. Build Thread and Video
    Build 5: 35 Hot Rod Truck #138. LS3 and 4L65E auto. Rcvd 01/05/2021. Legal 04/20/2023. Build Thread. Sold 11/9/2023.

  22. #99
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    Thanks, Paul. I thought that maybe they corrected things and sent out a 12"x24" condenser with your AC kit since it was a little later. Hey FFR! Change the condenser in the Coupe AC kit to 12"x24"(or 14"x24")!! I agree that at this point, I am not going to waste the time protesting. Pay the money and keep moving.
    Gen 3 Coupe, Gen 2 Coyote, Wilwoods, IRS, Power Steering, AC JDAVIS500 Build Thread

  23. #100
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    Hinge Shim

    Here is a view of the hinge fitting. A shim is needed to fill the gap. I stacked some wood shims to give me an idea of what size and shape I needed, then cut some wood by hand since I don't have a bandsaw. I am not sure if I will use this piece of wood or use it as a template to cut some aluminum to match. The shim fits easily. Also, not sure that I want to lock it into place before I get the correct size condenser in for testing.IMG_2143.JPGIMG_2147.JPG
    Gen 3 Coupe, Gen 2 Coyote, Wilwoods, IRS, Power Steering, AC JDAVIS500 Build Thread

  24. #101
    Senior Member edwardb's Avatar
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    I used wood shims on mine and plan to leave them there. Probably you've seen that in my build thread. I did work to get the fit as close as I could. They're bonded to the hinges with JB Weld, and to the body with 3M HSRF. That plus the retaining bolt, I'm confident they won't go anywhere. I'm going to finish the underside of the cowl with some type of bedliner coating, and the wood pieces will be completely covered and encapsulated. The triangular attachment between the fog light buckets and the bottom of the cowl is important to make sure the hinges are stable. But can't imagine there's a lot of stress there. Certainly not enough that the wood would fail. Especially with the through bolt. Having said that, cutting and re-welding them on the right angle would be the best choice (other than Factory Five making them right in the first place...) which I know Eric Treves did on his build. But I don't weld, plus already had mine powder coated. Which I think you did too. Shims from aluminum would be fine too. Just not sure it really adds anything.

    One other comment. I think from following your thread you are far enough with body work that your cowl position is determined based on everything else. I found not everything on the cowl is perfectly symmetrical. Make sure the cowl is where you want it before drilling and mounting the hinges. On mine, the location of the hinges on the fog light buckets is slightly different between the two sides. Don't know if that's typical. But I messed with alignment a lot and that's where it ended up for the best overall fit.
    Last edited by edwardb; 06-10-2019 at 10:30 AM.
    Build 1: Mk3 Roadster #5125. Sold 11/08/2014. Build 2: Mk4 Roadster #7750. Sold 04/10/2017. Build Thread
    Build 3: Mk4 Roadster 20th Anniversary #8674. Sold 09/07/2020. Build Thread and Video. Build 4: Gen 3 Type 65 Coupe #59. Gen 3 Coyote. Legal 03/04/2020. Build Thread and Video
    Build 5: 35 Hot Rod Truck #138. LS3 and 4L65E auto. Rcvd 01/05/2021. Legal 04/20/2023. Build Thread. Sold 11/9/2023.

  25. #102
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    I played with the hood fitment for several hours before drilling the foglight buckets. It seemed that when the hood met the cowl perfectly and the pontoons were lined-up, the wheel arches were an inch to the PS. No matter how I trimmed, I couldn't overcome that. Pushing the cowl over helps, but not perfect. I am in the ballpark, but there will be lots of filler. There didn't seem to be a position where the hood rolled perfectly with the cowl laterally toward the pontoon. I felt the most important thing was getting the fitment at the front of the hood even left to right. It seemed like everything else could be filled.
    Gen 3 Coupe, Gen 2 Coyote, Wilwoods, IRS, Power Steering, AC JDAVIS500 Build Thread

  26. #103
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    The hood and door fitting takes a long time. I ended up leaving all the fine tuning for the body guy, I am sure it cost me $$. If you have not already done so you can pull the pontoons in or out with the lower splash shields.
    David W
    Last edited by David Williamson; 06-10-2019 at 05:31 PM.
    Mkll 4874 built in 2004
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  27. #104
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    Thanks, David. I haven't quite gotten there yet. I plan on doing body and paint myself. I realize that is an ambitious plan and it will take a heck of a lot longer, but I am up for the challenge. Hopefully, I don't eat my words in the next few months.
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  28. #105
    Senior Member edwardb's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by jdavis500 View Post
    I played with the hood fitment for several hours before drilling the foglight buckets. It seemed that when the hood met the cowl perfectly and the pontoons were lined-up, the wheel arches were an inch to the PS. No matter how I trimmed, I couldn't overcome that. Pushing the cowl over helps, but not perfect. I am in the ballpark, but there will be lots of filler. There didn't seem to be a position where the hood rolled perfectly with the cowl laterally toward the pontoon. I felt the most important thing was getting the fitment at the front of the hood even left to right. It seemed like everything else could be filled.
    That's what I experienced as well. I didn't end up an inch off, but the cowl is definitely asymmetrical and proud on the PS. Today I'm wrapping up the upper front splash guards. The ones that are mounted to the top of the cowl. Taking a little adjusting to get them to fit the way I want. But not terrible. Interestingly, those parts are not symmetrical either. The PS (right) one is a different profile than the DS (left) one. So the difference is obviously known. Like I described in my build thread, takes some time to find the best spot for everything.
    Build 1: Mk3 Roadster #5125. Sold 11/08/2014. Build 2: Mk4 Roadster #7750. Sold 04/10/2017. Build Thread
    Build 3: Mk4 Roadster 20th Anniversary #8674. Sold 09/07/2020. Build Thread and Video. Build 4: Gen 3 Type 65 Coupe #59. Gen 3 Coyote. Legal 03/04/2020. Build Thread and Video
    Build 5: 35 Hot Rod Truck #138. LS3 and 4L65E auto. Rcvd 01/05/2021. Legal 04/20/2023. Build Thread. Sold 11/9/2023.

  29. #106
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    I have installed my hood hinges, set the rod ends in the brackets and installed the gas struts according to the manual. When I close the hood, the end of the hood is 3/4" from the cowl. I am not sure how to get the hood rearward without moving the gas strut mounting brackets so they don't put too much forward pressure when the hood is closed. Does anyone have any thoughts on this?
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  30. #107
    Senior Member edwardb's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by jdavis500 View Post
    I have installed my hood hinges, set the rod ends in the brackets and installed the gas struts according to the manual. When I close the hood, the end of the hood is 3/4" from the cowl. I am not sure how to get the hood rearward without moving the gas strut mounting brackets so they don't put too much forward pressure when the hood is closed. Does anyone have any thoughts on this?
    What's the gap without the gas struts? Where you want it? I agree the struts push the cowl open. My solution was robust alignment pins on the front of the pontoons, with the location set without the gas struts and the cowl gap I wanted. Talked about in my build thread. When closing the cowl, a slight push drops the cowl onto the pins and it aligns OK with the proper gap. I know of at least two other builds that removed the gas struts and just went to prop rods for this reason. That's another option.
    Build 1: Mk3 Roadster #5125. Sold 11/08/2014. Build 2: Mk4 Roadster #7750. Sold 04/10/2017. Build Thread
    Build 3: Mk4 Roadster 20th Anniversary #8674. Sold 09/07/2020. Build Thread and Video. Build 4: Gen 3 Type 65 Coupe #59. Gen 3 Coyote. Legal 03/04/2020. Build Thread and Video
    Build 5: 35 Hot Rod Truck #138. LS3 and 4L65E auto. Rcvd 01/05/2021. Legal 04/20/2023. Build Thread. Sold 11/9/2023.

  31. #108
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    Hatch hinge issues

    I am having a hard time trying to figure out what I am doing wrong. I have prepped the hatch opening with spacers to maintain centering and appropriate height of glass. I first installed the bracket directly to the glass. Then the hinge assembly to the roll bar. On the right side, I cannot get the bolt holes to line up between the glass bracket and the pivot arm. When I take another approach of placing the bolts first and then mounting to the rollbar, the rollbar clamp portion is 3/8"-1/2" away from the rollbar. It doesn't seem to matter if the pivot arm is inside of the glass bracket or outside.I haven't read about others having difficulty here. It seems like this should be easy. I would like some feedback on how smoothly this process went for others. I am wondering if my body is too high which raises the glass. At one point I had things attached and the swing of the arm didn't seem to track the glass up and away as I would imagine. I would like to know where the pivot point ends up for others.

    IMG_2523.JPG
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  32. #109
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    did you get the revised hinge parts from FFR, they are longer? The manual shows cuting the body for clearance but with the longer hinge I did not need to cut it.
    David W
    Mkll 4874 built in 2004
    Gen 3 coupe #16 registered 2018 painted 2019

  33. #110
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    Ah jeez. It has been so long, I didn't know or remember that they were updated. I found the parts and it explains everything. Thanks, David.
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  34. #111
    Senior Member edwardb's Avatar
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    David W beat me to it. That was going to be the first thing I was going to check and ask, e.g. about the updated arms. I thought maybe the updated arms would prevent having to cut the body. But I didn't find that to be the case. Thought I tried every angle and position. Interesting that he didn't cut the body. Here's a couple pics I just took of mine, FWIW. Shows where the pivot and arms lined up on mine. It was a little fiddly to get set up. But sits in the opening perfectly and opens and closes like it should.



    Build 1: Mk3 Roadster #5125. Sold 11/08/2014. Build 2: Mk4 Roadster #7750. Sold 04/10/2017. Build Thread
    Build 3: Mk4 Roadster 20th Anniversary #8674. Sold 09/07/2020. Build Thread and Video. Build 4: Gen 3 Type 65 Coupe #59. Gen 3 Coyote. Legal 03/04/2020. Build Thread and Video
    Build 5: 35 Hot Rod Truck #138. LS3 and 4L65E auto. Rcvd 01/05/2021. Legal 04/20/2023. Build Thread. Sold 11/9/2023.

  35. #112
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    Ok, thanks, guys. I spent about 5 hours messing with the wrong parts. And about 5 minutes with the right parts. Looks perfect now. Glad I finally got something accomplished today.
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  36. #113
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    Bodywork questions

    The project is moving along and I and almost finished with fine-tuning the hood and the hatch glass.

    Hatch Glass: When I install the glass without struts, it fits pretty well although the open is not completely square so there is an extra 1/8 here and there and short the same on the opposite side. Then I install struts and the left side of the glass is pushed away from the front edge of the opening by an additional 1/4". No matter what I do, I can stop that flex. It seems to be in the hinge assembly, yet everything is very tight. I even put a laser on the body to see if it is the body that is flexing forward and it changes maybe 1/16". I can compensate the fitment slightly forward without the struts so that with the struts I am in the right ballpark. Still, the gaps all around are asymmetrical. I assume that part of the bodywork process is the sand and fill these gaps to make them uniform? Has anyone else had issues with gas strut flex at the hatch?

    Hood: Bodywork is totally new to me. I am getting the hood and pontoon flange gap in the ballpark. On the left side, the rear of that gap is a little tight(1/8") and the front is 1/8" too wide. I plan to do a little sanding on the rear and a little filling with Rage Gold on the front. I won't place the locating pin until after I have gotten the gap where it needs to be. The right side gap is good although I can't get the front corner totally aligned with the pontoon front corner. I will sand a little and fill a little eventually to make those match.

    DS door threshold: I found that if I shim the front edge of the threshold up 1/8" near where the door hinge goes, I get a better cowl/hood match. I assume that won't cause any problems.

    Beware of the rear edge of the body where the rear spoiler installs. I tangentially knocked it with a 2x4 and it broke open a blister in the fiberglass right on the edge. The wall of the blister was very thin. I went down the edge and found a few more blisters in the fiberglass. They will easily be filled with HSRF, but I feel a little lucky that I discovered them now instead of after paint.

    I realize that all these things should be fixed ny more adjustments of the hood, but I really don't think I can get any closer. Any input would be appreciated.

    EdwardB, I borrowed your solution to the nose locating pins and it works great. I would have never thought of cutting down a bolt to replace the small pins that wer sent by FFR. I Tapped a thick piece of aluminum and it worked great. I plan on bonding the plate with HSRF.

    IMG_2564.jpg
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    IMG_2566.JPG
    Last edited by jdavis500; 07-15-2019 at 03:45 PM.
    Gen 3 Coupe, Gen 2 Coyote, Wilwoods, IRS, Power Steering, AC JDAVIS500 Build Thread

  37. #114
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    Hood issue is resolved.

    After a lot of head-scratching, I finally got my hood issue under control. I had mounted the hood slightly too far to the passenger side. The hood isn't square so at the time it seemed like the best position. I will spare you all the details, but I finally got things in the ballpark without the struts mounted. The hood/cowl gap was 3/16". Once I installed the struts, the rear edge of the hood was 3/16" farther forward from the cowl with the hood closed. No matter what I did, I couldn't get the gap better than 3/8" with struts in place. I determined that when struts were in place, the front angle of the hood compressed.

    Here is a picture of the hood open and struts installed:
    IMG_2628 1.jpg
    I clamped a white piece of wood with the upper right corner flush with the edge of the fiberglass hood bracing strip.

    This picture is with struts installed and the hood closed. Note that the upper right corner of the white piece of wood is at least 1/4" above the edge of the bracing strip.
    IMG_2629 1.JPG
    The force of the strut is causing the front end of the hood to deform which keeps it from reaching all the way back to the cowl. Without the struts, this compression does not occur.

    My solution was to fabricate a brace and it seems to remedy the flex and eliminate the gap problem.
    IMG_2639.JPGIMG_2638.jpg

    Just a note on the FFR cutouts for the headlights. They need some trimming to accommodate the buckets and get them centered. The main problem that I experienced was the drilled holes for the headlamp adjusting screws. I installed the buckets and headlights based on these holes then realized that the drill holes were not level. This caused the lamps to be far from vertical. Not a big deal to fix, but I had to redo everything with the laser level and now the headlights are vertical and I can easily patch the other holes.
    IMG_2631.JPG

    I posted this elsewhere but wanted to include this with my build thread. I thought I would try alternative headlight lens mounting hardware. The options were the miniature rod end method or the BRE hardware that is made for the Superformance Coupe lens kit. The kit hardware provides 3 mounts per lens. I will see how that goes. It should be ok. I am not sure that it is any better and it costs about the same or slightly more. I guess I will know more when I get them installed.
    IMG_2608.jpgIMG_2609.JPG

    Edit:

    I called BRE about getting 6 mounts. It seemed wrong. When I talked to the guy who sent the order, he said that Peter(Brock) handed him 6 mounts to ship and it didn't register to him that I should have gotten 8 mounts. He is sending me 2 more mounts. So, I will have gotten 8 mounts from BRE.



    The doors are in and look good. I started by setting the frame the way that I wanted it. Placed the skin on the frame and shimmed it using clamps. Then I removed the frame with the skin on, drilled holes and replaced the shims with washers between the inner skin and the frame. Things feel very stable and it is simple to adjust the doors by adding or removing washers. I plan on installing windows, but I am waiting on the frames(long story).
    IMG_2640.JPGIMG_2641.jpg

    Hope to have more updates soon.
    Last edited by jdavis500; 08-03-2019 at 10:40 AM.
    Gen 3 Coupe, Gen 2 Coyote, Wilwoods, IRS, Power Steering, AC JDAVIS500 Build Thread

  38. #115
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    Tail lights

    I had some trouble with the aluminum tail light mounts. The screw studs were not fixed which meant that it was impossible to screw the nuts on. I decided to use a dab of JB Weld on the loose ones and that worked well. After having retainer ring problems, I followed the directions to use pliers to lock them in. Since then, no problem. I have to say that the Ford 37 Tail Lights are disproportionately large.
    IMG_2648 1.JPGIMG_2662.jpg
    Spent a lot of time looking for a third brake light(or stop lamp if you are searching). I wanted something smaller with curved ends. Some truck third brake lights are curved and would match the overall shape of the spoiler, they were just too big and chunky. I finally went with the HELLA LED Spoiler Centre High Mount Stop Lamp from eBay.
    IMG_2658.JPGIMG_2659.jpg
    Regarding my previous issue with hood closure and the pressure form the struts causing issues, I ordered 20lb Suspa Struts as an alternative to the 25 lb struts that come with the kit. They have plenty of lift force and I am not concerned with wind closing the hood inadvertently against the weaker struts. They improve the closure resistance even more than my previous modifications. I got those on eBay too. Suspa Struts C16-16706
    Gen 3 Coupe, Gen 2 Coyote, Wilwoods, IRS, Power Steering, AC JDAVIS500 Build Thread

  39. #116
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    Hood Fitment Update.

    I wanted to give a quick update with regard to the fitment issues with my hood that I outlined in post #114. I noted that there was flex in the front end of the hood that was preventing good fitment at the cowl when the struts are installed. In the process of preparing the hood for undercoating, I noticed that on both sides of the hood near the front end of the wheel arches, the fiberglass is 1/8". Very thin... This area bends easily and is the source of my flex issues. I laid up some chop mat and things are much more rigid now.

    I haven't posted in a while because I am not sure I could add anything new to the process. I have borrowed much and am satisfied. The doors fit great. Windows too. Built boxes for storage inside the doors to be covered with door cards. Still waiting on Gas'n side pipes. I know I am not alone. Not sure if I can make it happen with my GP headers, but I am going to try. Man, they(headers) were expensive. After sprayable bedliner is applied, I will start laying down Rage Gold, Slicksand, and epoxy primer. Still planning on doing the paint on my own. I have found a spray booth for rent. There is only one listed in the city of Atlanta for rent. I imagine that if I hit the bricks, I might find another that doesn't advertise.

    I have a question about the set screw at the bottom of the headlight trim. The instructions recommend drilling a hole in the body for access from underneath the hood to place this screw. I see others that don't seem to have this hole drilled. Let me know if there is a better way to do this or if I am misunderstanding the instructions.

    IMG_2988.jpg
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  40. #117
    Senior Member edwardb's Avatar
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    My hood was thin in that area too, and required some repair. But not so thin that it was flexing that I noticed. Clearly some variability and room for improvement there. For the headlight trim rings, yes I drilled a hole in the body right below that screw. Reachable with the hood open and underneath the headlight area. Most visible in this picture cropped from one of my paint pictures. But make sure you check the fit on your trim rings first. Every set I've had (now the 4th) the hole in the ring didn't line up with the plastic bucket. The trim ring needs the retaining screw hole slotted so that the trim ring will fully seat on the bucket. Then line the hole in the body up underneath that spot.

    Build 1: Mk3 Roadster #5125. Sold 11/08/2014. Build 2: Mk4 Roadster #7750. Sold 04/10/2017. Build Thread
    Build 3: Mk4 Roadster 20th Anniversary #8674. Sold 09/07/2020. Build Thread and Video. Build 4: Gen 3 Type 65 Coupe #59. Gen 3 Coyote. Legal 03/04/2020. Build Thread and Video
    Build 5: 35 Hot Rod Truck #138. LS3 and 4L65E auto. Rcvd 01/05/2021. Legal 04/20/2023. Build Thread. Sold 11/9/2023.

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  42. #118
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    Hood fitment and prep.

    I have probably put more work into the underside of the hood than I needed to considering that I am going to put bedliner on it, but there is some inconsistency to the underside surface. Apart from the uneven texture of the fiberglass over the wheels, there are also some structural ribs that can be seen. For the big fills, I used HSRF and the rest was Rage Gold. Since I plan on doing paint and body on my own, this has been a good crash course on filling and sanding for me. I started with Dura-block sanding blocks and found that they are too rigid and flat for this curved suface. Then I tried Style Line Foam sanding blocks and see that they definitely have there place in the arsenal.

    https://www.amazon.com/Soft-Sanders-...11&s=hi&sr=1-4


    I didn't get a good picture of it, but there is a break in the mounting flange that the splash guards mount on. It is near the radiator tunnel and is a small gap between the 2 pieces used for the flange. I used HSRF to build and form a bridge between the 2 pieces so it would be a little more seamless. Because of my wonky hood fitment, I had to buildup the horizontal surface of the pontoons. I used Rage Gold and in retrospect, I should have used HSRF. I may sand it down and start over there. On the DS, there was not much of a gap between the hod and the pontoon. I decided to lay down chopmat to reinforce the hood flange so that I cold sand into it without risk of cracking the flange at the corner edge along the flange. The fiberglass was pretty thin here to begin with. I will do the same at the corner edge of the pontoon because I really had to sand these surfaces to create the gap. You can see that I will need to build-up the top part of the front of the DS pontoon as well. Probably ought to sand this down and start over with HSRF because of the thickness. It is very satisfying to see things take shape. I can't decide if I should start to work on shaping the body before taking it off to spray on the bedline. Everything fits so well. I would need to remove all and get it back to exactly where it is again to do that work.

    One question that I have is what to do with the bedliner at the rear hood edge where it meets the cowl. In my picture, you can see the dust marks of the hood bumper. I wonder if I should run the bedliner all the way to the edge or if I should mask the underside about an inch so the bumpers wouldn't be right on the edge of the bedliner. Maybe it doesn't matter?
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  43. #119
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    First step of body work is almost complete. Next step is Slicksand.

    It has been a while since the last update because I have been filling and sanding for weeks. I imagine that the pros can do it in far fewer steps(just like the drywall guys). The most useful thing that I learned was that when the filler sets, a razor blade carves filler really well and can save tons of time in sanding.

    The challenging areas to shape:

    1. The front part of the pontoons/rear wheel arch. They were not level so I used 3/8-3/4" build to get these level. After I did this, I read that I shouldn't build Rage Gold to more than 1/4". It looks good and feels strong. Probably going to leave it as is at this point.

    IMG_3446.jpgIMG_3447.jpgIMG_3445.jpgIMG_3457.jpgIMG_3454.jpg
    2. The area of the quarter windows. I built up the lower sill of the quarter window area to give more space for attaching the plexi window(rivets without getting to close to the edge of the plexi). Lots of tricky shaping with the curves.

    IMG_3448.jpgIMG_3453.jpg
    3. The front corners of the hoods took me many tries to get it right. The compound curve is difficult to sand evenly.

    IMG_3444.jpg
    4. The rear spoiler/fin. It didn't sit flush with the body. I think there is a twist in it. The front driver's side edge sits 1/8" above the body and other areas were 1/16" above the body. Sanding didn't help. I decided to tape wax paper to the body, apply HSRF to the bottom of the spoiler and cleco it in place. Once the HSRF set, I removed the spoiler and trimmed the excess with a razor blade. After 2 rounds of this, it sit nice and flush. Although that one corner is thicker than the other, I think I can deal with it.

    IMG_3263.jpgIMG_3449.jpg

    5. The hood in general. I have described how my hood it not straight with the body. It is a complicated story and ultimately I think it is due to the asymmetry of the body/pontoons. Couldn't be my fitment skills... I had to build the side of the hood to spread the variance over a larger area. It won't be perfect, but it should be ok.

    More photos in next post.

    Some thoughts:

    I recently watched an episode of *****in Rides with a '63 Corvette. They used a fiber-reinforced filler on all the edges for added durability. I think that sounds like a great idea, but not sure if it is worth the work to go back and make that happen.

    I was very satisfied with the gaps using the sandpaper around a paint stick method. It is funny how much wider the gaps appear after the edges are rounded. I think that I can reel in the gap after Slicksand is applied.

    I bought edge sanding blocks. They are curved to get a perfect edge. I found that they didn't work well with 80 grit, so I decided to do them by hand. I will use them with a smaller grit after primer.

    I have ordered a 60-gallon compressor and will have some work to install and plumb this thing. 475 pounds!! Not sure how I am going to get it in place, but I am sure it will require a lot of beer one way or another. I am getting a little pushback from the Chairman of the Board on this. Surely, there will be some type of compromise that involves new upholstery somewhere(if I am lucky).

    Any comments welcome.
    Last edited by jdavis500; 02-05-2020 at 12:16 PM.
    Gen 3 Coupe, Gen 2 Coyote, Wilwoods, IRS, Power Steering, AC JDAVIS500 Build Thread

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