ATX MKIV #9644 Coyote Build Thread (Index Post #136)

[dbo_texas]

Here is the plan for the fuel line. I spoke w/ Mark @ Breeze and he has a kit for direct mounting the fixed pressure regulator/filter directly to the return port on the fuel pump hanger on the gas tank. So I'll hook the regulator/filter return directly to the 1/4" return port using a swage adapter (5/16 on regulator to 1/4 on tank hanger). Mark suggested no need for a larger return with the 190 lph pump (only need a 3/8 return if using the 255 lph pump). Then I'll use a 3/8 send line from pump to regulator, and a 3/8 PTFE w/ stainless braid from regulator/filter up to engine compartment. I'll route that send line up the passenger side 4" tube, and up the inside face of the passenger footbox. From there, I'll run it over to the fuel rail on the Coyote. Here is a pic of the adapters near the tank - I'll post some pics later once it is installed and routed. The P/N listed are Breeze parts.

[dbo_texas]

Been a little while since my last update. We've been slammed the last few weekends with softball tournaments and family commitments, so I haven't really made a lot of progress. I now have a whole bunch of parts waiting to get installed. I plan to start with the Breeze rear cockpit cubby fab. Once that is finished I can hopefully send out all the sheet metal to get powder coated. While that material is out for paint, I will finish going through suspension and start finalized brake lines, fuel lines, install power steering rack offset bushings (Breeze), and RT turn signal system.

Question: I received the carbon fiber dash from FFR and was planning to get the under-dash filler panel from Replicaparts. Has anyone installed this on the carbon fiber version of the dash? I emailed Mike and he indicated the filler panel would interfere with the dash where the jog is for the buttons. He indicated the filler panel could just be notched to clear that area so that is my plan. Any reason this won't work?

I was planning to get a few items from there anyways and can just add it onto my order (seat belt trim rings for rear cockpit wall, windscreen post trim plates, firewall support bracket).

[jiriza84641]

Keep. it up!

[dbo_texas]

Well it has been a few weeks since I've had the time to work on the car, but today my brother came over and we knocked out a couple of items. I have tons of other parts that came in that I'm itching to install. But today here are the items we completed. I'm hoping to finish up all the aluminum panel work so I can send all the panels out to the powder coat shop to finish stripping the POR-15 and re-coat with black satin powder coat.

1. BODY SUPPORT: We replaced the 2x4's hoisting the body up to the garage ceiling with a contour plywood buck (front & back) --> this better supports the body instead of just having a single contact point on each end of the 2x4 I posted previously. I'm now less concerned with the hood or trunk opening warping over time due to stress concentrations.

2. BREEZE COCKPIT CUBBY: This is a nice kit and was super simple to install. The instructions are very clear on this one - installed the backing panel into the trunk first, and we used the "L" brackets to attach to the 1/2" square tubes on the sides. Also drilled / cleco'd the lower flange to the upper trunk floor. Trimmed the bulb-seal to length. Done. Next up was to cut the oval access hole in the rear wall of the cockpit. I was nervous to cut this, but it turned out to be quite easy. We marked the oval by centering it between the seat belt notches, and used the recommended 5" x 17.5" size, centered vertically between the two bends in the rear cockpit aluminum. Not only does this visually look like the right spot (vertically) to place it between the two bends, but the opening is about 0.75" above the trunk upper floor (instructions say to make the cut a minimum of 0.5" above so there is room for the edge trim). I used this 5" (127mm) hole saw from Amazon. For $18 this thing cut through the aluminum like butter and left a clean edge. To connect the two holes, we just clamped the sheet metal to a 2x4 (to raise it up and get a flat surface for cutting) and used a fine point metal-cutting bit on the jigsaw. Worked like a charm. After a little deburring and clean-up using the Dremel drum sander, we test fit and cut the edge trim. Overall I'm very pleased with how easy it was to install this.

5" holes cut:


Finished cut w/ trim installed:


Rear view:


3. BREEZE STEERING RACK OFFSET BUSHINGS: I can't claim this install went as smooth as the cubby. First we disconnected the steering shaft from the steering rack (couple of lock nuts + set screws). We followed the instructions but had one heck of a time getting both bolts through the frame holes and bushings, and spacer washers. In the end, we ended up having to grind a little bit of the hole on the PS front frame bracket to get the bolt through. We also did as the instructions indicate, and we cut away part of the front frame flanges on both the DS & PS to clear the boot on the rack (used a die grinder for this). I coated the bare steel so it won't rust before installing the hardware. We used spacers on the engine side to push the rack forward into the front frame brackets all the way. After following the instructions to center the rack, we found that we really only needed to shift the rack about 1/16" which is way less than I was expecting. Anyone else experience this small of a shift? In the end, I'm not sure how much this will improve things vs. the stock setup, but I know a lot of folks do this install so I went with it.

Overall after install complete:


Driver side (note the blue sharpie marks we used to measure the rack shift after adjustment of the bushings), also the clearance notch in the frame flange to clear the boot:


Passenger side (note the notch in the frame flange to clear the boot):


4. BREEZE RACK TRAVEL LIMITERS: Finally, while we had this all apart we went ahead and installed the Breeze rack travel limiters (one per side). I figured these would be good to install and they were cheap. Not sure if I needed them or not, but they seem to prevent the tires from rubbing the F-panels at full lock on each side. To install, remove the steel clamp/strap (no easy task), slide boot out of the way, then simply clip onto the rack arm. Re-install boot and steel clamp (this was actually very difficult...some use industrial zip-ties but we were able to get the metal clamps back on):


Next up:
I'm hoping to temporarily mount the dash and Russ Thompson turn signal system. I'd like to do this so I can mount the ReplicaParts dash closeout panel underneath. This will hopefully be the last piece of aluminum I will need to hack up so I should be able to send out all the panels for powder coat after I mock that up and get it drilled out.

[mosh1999]

Your steering arms are reversed, I believe (hard to see) your upper ball joint plates are upside down and as to the upper control arms it is best to have the nuts to the bottom in case of them backing out (the bolts will not fall out).

[egchewy79]

I also found that I needed to only move my steering rack like 1/8" towards the PS (IIRC) so not much movement necessary.
yes, your upper control arm zerk fittings should be pointing up according to the manual. makes access to greasing the joints much easier. I had to disassemble the control arm to flip things around when I got my kit.

[edwardb]

Your steering arms are reversed, I believe (hard to see) your upper ball joint plates are upside down and as to the upper control arms it is best to have the nuts to the bottom in case of them backing out (the bolts will not fall out).

What he said. Can't believe with all the eyes on this thread we missed it. Upper control arms are in fact upside down. The ball joints should be pointed out. Not in. Agree grease zerks should be pointed up. And bolts on top, nuts on bottom. And steering arms should point out, not in. Have to say it -- all shown and described in the build manual. But you're not the first one (or I'm sure not the last) to make these errors.

[dbo_texas]

What he said. Can't believe with all the eyes on this thread we missed it. Upper control arms are in fact upside down. The ball joints should be pointed out. Not in. Agree grease zerks should be pointed up. And bolts on top, nuts on bottom. And steering arms should point out, not in. Have to say it -- all shown and described in the build manual. But you're not the first one (or I'm sure not the last) to make these errors.

Thanks everyone for the comments & input --> #1 on my priority list is to go through ALL of the front & rear suspension work in detail, page-by-page through the manual, to make sure there aren't any more issues like this on the work that has already been done on the suspension. I will likely post pics for clarity/confirmation as I start to work through them. Never hurts to have multiple sets of eyes on this! Again everyone --> thanks for pointing this stuff out. I would have hopefully caught these issues when going through all the work done so far, but you never know. In reading other build threads, I know this issue has popped up quite a few times.

[ydousurf]

I think the only last thing to note for you dbo_texas, is that the "coupler nuts" that are {cut/modified} need to be in the rear of the A-arms. So, in your original (top view) picture, the passenger side is correct, whereas the driver side is not. I don't think this was mentioned and I'm just pointing this out so when you remove the ball joints, don't forget to make that change too, before re-installing them.
Here's my pic:
https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/albu...hmentid=155348

Anyway, all the best to you in your build and make sure those bolts & nuts are torqued! Other than that, I think we'll all be watching... Have lots of fun!

[dbo_texas]

As I didn't originally assemble the front end, anyone have a guestimate of how much time it would take to disassemble / reassemble these items on both sides (upper control arms, ball joint, steering arms, etc)? Also, anything I should be aware of or keep an eye out for as I start taking it apart? Trying to plan my day for Saturday I would like to get these sorted as priority #1.

[JB in NOVA]

4. BREEZE RACK TRAVEL LIMITERS: Finally, while we had this all apart we went ahead and installed the Breeze rack travel limiters (one per side). I figured these would be good to install and they were cheap. Not sure if I needed them or not, but they seem to prevent the tires from rubbing the F-panels at full lock on each side.

Good call on those. I can confirm from my 500-mile inspection that the tires do rub on the inside of the wheel liners (if you choose to install those). So I'll probably also be ordering a pair from Breeze.

[egchewy79]

As I didn't originally assemble the front end, anyone have a guestimate of how much time it would take to disassemble / reassemble these items on both sides (upper control arms, ball joint, steering arms, etc)? Also, anything I should be aware of or keep an eye out for as I start taking it apart? Trying to plan my day for Saturday I would like to get these sorted as priority #1.

shouldn't take more than a few hrs assuming you have all the stuff you need (famous last words). The biggest issue, IIRC is getting the steering arms off since I think you'll need to remove the hub nut/rotor. Those hub nuts are a one time use nut, so make sure you pick up some before starting the process. other than that, it's just removing the bolts/nuts, swapping some things around, and then reinstalling things correctly.

[dbo_texas]

shouldn't take more than a few hrs assuming you have all the stuff you need (famous last words). The biggest issue, IIRC is getting the steering arms off since I think you'll need to remove the hub nut/rotor. Those hub nuts are a one time use nut, so make sure you pick up some before starting the process. other than that, it's just removing the bolts/nuts, swapping some things around, and then reinstalling things correctly.

Thanks this is exactly they type of feedback I was hoping for. Hopefully I can get the hub nuts at a local auto parts store?

[dbo_texas]

Quick update - I'll post an update later with a lot more details describing the trials & tribulations of taking the front end apart (I had one hell of a time with a few items), but in the mean time I wanted to ask a few questions.

1. I was able to swap the steering arms so that they point out towards the rotors, instead of in toward the motor like they were originally installed. Does this orientation look OK now?
2. While removing the hub, on the driver's side it looks like the bearing seal for the hub (I'm not sure what it is actually called) stayed on the front axle and didn't slide off with the hub (i.e. looking at the hub you can see the ball bearings and grease). The passenger side slid off and stayed assembled onto the hub. Should I be concerned about this or when I put the hub back on, it will be OK?

[edwardb]

Quick update - I'll post an update later with a lot more details describing the trials & tribulations of taking the front end apart (I had one hell of a time with a few items), but in the mean time I wanted to ask a few questions.

1. I was able to swap the steering arms so that they point out towards the rotors, instead of in toward the motor like they were originally installed. Does this orientation look OK now?
2. While removing the hub, on the driver's side it looks like the bearing seal for the hub (I'm not sure what it is actually called) stayed on the front axle and didn't slide off with the hub (i.e. looking at the hub you can see the ball bearings and grease). The passenger side slid off and stayed assembled onto the hub. Should I be concerned about this or when I put the hub back on, it will be OK?

Orientation of the steering arm looks right to me. Pointed out and tie rod end in the right direction. Regarding that wheel bearing, that would be concerning to me. Those are supposed to be lifetime lubricated and not meant to be disassembled. If it were me, I'd probably replace it. Just not worth the risk for the future. Factory Five has always supplied PartsMaster PM513115 for my kits. (Mustang SN-95 part) That exact brand is in the $50-60 range looking at several sites. Moog sells a MOOG 513115 that's for the same application. Around $35 on Amazon and Summit. I've had good luck with Moog parts. Something I'd consider. Curious what others think.

[dbo_texas]

Thanks Paul - I agree if it's only a $35 part, I'm going to go ahead and replace it. Hopefully I can get that seal cap off the axle without too much trouble (famous last words). *edit* I went ahead and ordered the MOOG hub p/n 513115 mentioned - it has pretty good ratings and the price is a bonus ($36 w/ next day delivery on Amazon).

[dbo_texas]

I spent the weekend fixing a couple of items that were assembled incorrectly on the front end (thanks everyone for catching this!). I ran into some problems and I'll describe the issues/fixes below in case it helps someone in the future. Here are the items that needed to get fixed:

1. steering arms were on the wrong sides and needed to be swapped (they were pointed IN toward motor instead of OUT toward rotor).
2. upper control arms were upside down with grease fittings pointing down instead of up, and the linkages were backwards (i.e. the shorter trimmed coupler nut wasn't in the rear like it should be). When flipping the control arm over, it also meant that the ball joint needed to get removed and threaded from the other side so it points OUT instead of IN
3. Wilwood rotors were on the wrong sides and needed to be swapped (right was on left, left was on right)

Steering arms
There were three issues I had trying to swap these. The only way to disassemble these is to first remove the brakes, rotor & hub. This gives you access to the two bolts that mount the steering arm to the spindle. The first issue I had was getting the hub nuts removed. I couldn't for the life of me get the hub nut to break free from the axle threads. I tried multiple length breaker bars, added cheater bars to those for more leverage...nothing was working. So in the end I went and bought a corded impact wrench with 400 ft-lb of torque. This worked great and pulled the nuts off quickly. I ended up using this impact wrench for removing several other bolts and I'm pretty glad I bought it.


The 2nd issue is that when I removed the hub on the driver's side, the bearing seal on the inside stayed on the axle instead of coming off with the hub. The part was cheap (<$40), as mentioned in the post #54, so I went ahead and bought the Moog replacement. It worked great. To get the bearing seal off the axle, I used the propane torch to heat it up, and knocked it a few times with a small hammer and screwdriver. Did the trick.

The 3rd issue I had with the steering arms was getting the steering rack tie rod ball joint to release from the steering arm socket. I did some Googling & watched a few YouTube videos. The popular solution seems to be smacking the steering arm with a hammer right where the bore for the tie rod stud is. So I tried hitting it a few times with the hammer - not super hard - but enough to persuade the joint to pop free. You have to be careful not to miss, otherwise you could damage the grease boot or the threads of the tie rod. This actually worked on one side, but on the other I ended up unthreading the tie rod with the steering arm still attached to it. I was able to release the joint by lightly tapping the shaft of the tie rod to pop it free (again, I didn't hit it too hard). If those methods hadn't worked, I was prepared to buy a pickle fork which is specifically made for releasing ball joints like this.

Upper Control Arms
After removing the rotors, hub & shocks, I was able to remove the UCA from the frame. The main problem I had was trying to unthread the ball joint from the UCA so I could flip it around. After consulting w/ the forum, I ended up applying heat to the UCA plate with a propane torch to loosen the Loctite that was on the threads, then hit it with a special ball joint socket (1-59/64") and the impact wrench. This worked like a charm. That impact wrench is starting to look like a great purchase!


After this, I swapped the two coupler nuts so that the shorter trimmed one was in the rear, and the longer one was in the front. Then re-threaded the ball joint into the UCA plate so that it points outward like the assembly manual says. Finally, I adjusted the coupler nuts so that it matches the recommended dimensions in the manual for the pre-alignment settings. Please take a looks and if anything looks off, let me know.


Wilwood rotors
I noticed while disassembling the rotors, that the arrow on the rotor and on the brake caliper were not going in the same direction. I had read in the Wilwood instructions that the rotors were side-specific, so I figured this was also wrong. I went ahead and swapped them so the arrows are now going in the same direction. I asked around and this seems to be the correct assembly.


Some more pics of the finished job:

[dbo_texas]

This weekend I was able to do a little bit of work on the Cobra. But first, I spent about 6 hrs putting together this awesome UGears model my wife got me for Christmas. I was shocked how detailed this kit was. Highly recommended if you are in to this sort of thing:


On to the RT Turn signal install. I followed the directions and got it installed without too much difficulty. For me the hardest part was separating the solid upper steering shaft (with spring washers) from the middle hollow steering shaft. In the end, to get them apart I removed both (through the engine side), then used a piece of rebar to tap the solid shaft out. I sanded it down good, but find that after you slide it into the hollow tube just past the 2nd dome washer it gets extremely difficult to go any further. I'm not sure what the issue is.

Anyhow, I installed the RT turn signal system by mounting the bracket, match drilling the 3 holes, and then loosely installing the 3 bolts. Next I installed the steering shaft to make sure the RT system tube was aligned with the steering shaft. Then I tightened everything down. I have a couple of questions I was hoping the forum could answer:

1. Is it normal for the steering shaft / RT turn signal body to be angled the way it is (axis of blue line)? It looks like it runs parallel w/ the trans tunnel DS wall, vs. perpendicular coming out of the dash (red line). I wasn't sure if this was normal. If NOT normal, what did I screw up and how do I fix it? It looks like the bearing block is angled relative to the RT mounting bracket which is dictating the angle of the steering shaft. When testing it out, there is no binding or issues with turning the steering wheel.
2. I'm planning to install the NRG quick-release hub once I get the parts. Since that adds about 0.5-0.75" thickness, I wanted to cut off about 1/2" of the RT tube to allow the turn signal & steering wheel to sit closer...basically just beyond the dash surface (see yellow arrows below - this is the amount I would cut off basically). Any issues with this plan? Should I just take a hacksaw to the aluminum tube on the RT turns signal?
3. I plan to mount my FFR carbon fiber dash next, and will need to cut the hole for the steering column to pass through. What is the best method to find the exact center of the steering column on the dash with the RT turn signal setup? I thought about removing the RT tube, but leaving the bearing block for the steering shaft to pass through. Then I could remove the joint, and slide the shaft towards the engine until it clears the back side of the dash and then mark it on the back side of the dash. Is there a better way to do this?
4. I checked my power steering rack - it is only about 2 full revolutions lock-to-lock. Is that normal? I do have the Breeze rack limiters installed, and the tire just barely rubs the F-panel on the DS (clears on the PS F-panel by about 3/16"). Seems like if I removed the travel limiter clips I'd get significantly more rubbing. I was just surprised it is only 2 full revolutions lock-to-lock. Can anyone confirm if this is normal/expected with the FFR power steering setup?

[edwardb]

Yes it's normal for the steering column to be a bit off axis. It has an angle to work through the engine compartment and the various engine/header combinations. You'll get used to it within minutes of driving. No big deal. Yes, you can cut some off the RT aluminum tube. I did the same thing when I installed the RT and NRG setup in my Coupe. Russ has a step in the tube that fits into the turn signal mechanism. He has it longer than it needs to be when delivered. I was able to trim just over 1/2-inch and push the mechanism back to the beginning of the step. That's the maximum I could do without taking more drastic measures. The other end has a plastic bushing and didn't want to mess with that. My NRG installation added only 7/16-inch of distance from the steering wheel to the dash. To cut the hole in the dash, I agree, remove the RT assembly. Then mount the dash with the bare column sticking through. Then mark what needs to be cut to clear the RT assembly. Mike Everson has a nice trim ring that cleans up the opening that I've used on my builds. No help on the steering rack. I haven't used the rack from FF. I'm sure the limiters are preventing you from getting the actual spec turn ratio. But kind of a moot point if the tires hit.

[dbo_texas]

I'm working on setting up the carbon fiber dash to install into the chassis. I think I'm going with the competition layout. I searched the forum and FB group and can't seem to find a good consensus for how to locate the carbon fiber dash on the frame. Some say to make the top of the dash flush with the top of the hoop...some say it should be slightly below (3/16" to 3/8") and some say it should be slightly above. The FFR assembly manual only says "The corners of the dash support tube are 3/16” below the top edge of the dash. The tube will be lower as it goes to the middle." This implies that at the middle, the dash would sit slightly higher than the hoop. Can anyone confirm if these same instructions apply to the carbon fiber dash, or is there a better reference for how to properly fit the CF dash to the frame (MK4)?

[zackmd1]

I'm working on setting up the carbon fiber dash to install into the chassis. I think I'm going with the competition layout. I searched the forum and FB group and can't seem to find a good consensus for how to locate the carbon fiber dash on the frame. Some say to make the top of the dash flush with the top of the hoop...some say it should be slightly below (3/16" to 3/8") and some say it should be slightly above. The FFR assembly manual only says "The corners of the dash support tube are 3/16” below the top edge of the dash. The tube will be lower as it goes to the middle." This implies that at the middle, the dash would sit slightly higher than the hoop. Can anyone confirm if these same instructions apply to the carbon fiber dash, or is there a better reference for how to properly fit the CF dash to the frame (MK4)?

If your dash is anything like my carbon dash, the corners of the steel pipe will be flush with the edge of the dash with the center of the dash edge being about 3/16" or so higher than the steel pipe. The glove box lip on my dash forced this as the dash could not go any higher without hitting the bottom of the steel pipe. Do not have a great picture of this but here is an overall. My thought is that this is the proper fitment since the center dash support I have "mostly" fits (dash should be slightly higher to actually fit better but as mentioned before, that's impossible with the glove box lip hitting the bottom of the steel pipe)

[dbo_texas]

Thanks for the info. I got the glove box installed this past weekend so I will mount it to the frame w/ the RT turn signal and see where it ends up. BTW - those gauges look awesome - they look like they are quite a bit larger than the standard FFR vintage gauges. What size are those?

[zackmd1]

Thanks for the info. I got the glove box installed this past weekend so I will mount it to the frame w/ the RT turn signal and see where it ends up. BTW - those gauges look awesome - they look like they are quite a bit larger than the standard FFR vintage gauges. What size are those?

No problem!

The gauges are New Vintage CFR series. I believe the speedo and Tach are 4 5/8" with the smaller ones being 2 1/16". They have integrated turn signal and high beam indicators and are backlit. I will say though that the tach barely fits in that area to the left of the steering wheel....

[dbo_texas]

Over the last few weekends I assembled and installed the FFR carbon fiber dash, along with the Russ Thompson turn signal w/ NRG quick release. More on those items in the next post.

For the CF dash, I followed the included instructions for assembling the glove box. It was a serious pain to get it all together, and took quite a bit of grinding on the hinges and opening up the holes in the dash (the holes are way too small to get the screws through it). With enough persuasion I was able to get it all together but it took way longer than it should have. I also spent quite a bit of time grinding the opening for the glove box lock which should have been super simple. I used epoxy like the instructions say to trap the hinge between the aluminum panel, and epoxied the panel to the glovebox door.

Here is the end result after getting the glove box together. I put tape over the entire face just to protect it until I'm ready to do final install. The gauge layout is based loosely on EdwarB's modified competition layout. I tweaked a few of the locations (such as the speedo and fuel gauges due to the lower switch bumpout which the CF dash has that the stock aluminum dash doesn't have. There is a raised surface around the bumpout that would prevent the exact location from his dimensions, but no big deal. I kind of like the look having the 3 smaller gauges follow a slight arc. Also - these locations are temporary as I plan to mount the seat and adjust the final locations in the car.


Open glovebox:


Next up I was ready to mount the dash onto the frame (temporarily). However, the steering shaft & Russ Thompson turn signal tube both protrude through the dash, so they prevent mounting. So I removed both of them (steering shaft & RT turn signal bracket), then re-mounted the steering shaft pillow bearing using a pair of washers to lift it up the the same height it sits with the RT bracket. After remounting it, I re-installed the steering shaft and pushed it up until it was flush with the back side of the dash. Here is a picture of that (ignore the cardboard - I had added this before just to give me a rough idea that the shaft was in the right spot that I originally had it...call it a gut check).


Next up, I needed to finalize the position of the dash. Upon the advice of some of the other folks on the forum, I pushed the dash as high as I could until the glove box hit the underside of the frame hoop - this is as high as you can go. Next, I centered the steering shaft on the MK3-MK4 marks on the dash aluminum template - this gave me a good approximate left-to-right location for the dash. Finally, I used a level along the straight bottom edge of the dash to finalize the position, then clamped it to the hoop. The final position put the top of the hoop pretty much flush with the top of the frame hoop, the DS edge of the dash sits almost exactly on the corner of the frame hoop, and on the PS the dash edge sits about 1/8" above the corner of the hoop.

Showing the DS positioning - at this point with the dash in its final position, I traced the steering shaft on the backside of the dash - this tells me exactly where to cut my hole for the RT turn signal tube:


Showing the PS positioning:


Overall engine side view:


And finally the finished cockpit side view:


The last step was to remove the dash, remove the aluminum template, and cut the hole for the RT turn signal tube. After that I remounted the RT system, brought the steering shaft forward, and remounted the dash.

[dbo_texas]

I bought the under-dash filler panel from Replicaparts. This piece gives the dash quite a bit of extra stability. I plan to mount the dash to the frame hoop using L-brackets with 3M dual-lock strips (think super strong velcro!). Several builders have used this with success as a way to mount the dash without visible fasteners going through the dash. However, adding the filler panel really strengthens the dash, and also gives you a great way to discretely mount additional switches, buttons, and USB ports.

To mount this filler panel on the MK4 with CF dash, you need to do some slight modifications. Essentially, the steering bracket that is mounted to the frame interferes with the filler panel and prevents it from being positioned correctly on the 2x2 frame member. The panel will also interfere with any switches placed in the dash bump out so you need to notch the panel there as well. Mike Everson from Replicaparts recommended that I cut off the section to the left of the bracket on the DS. I did this, but I kept the little small strip on the end. I also notched out about a 2" deep section along the front edge right where the bump out on the CF dash is. Here are the cuts I made:


With the dash mounted in its final position, I then mounted the two pieces of the underdash panel (the main section, and the little strip to the left of the steering column). Clamp those pieces in place, mark and drill the rivet holes into the 2x2 frame member, and cleco to hold them in place. Finally, mark the dash lip with the pre-drilled screw hole locations on the filler panel where they meet up with the dash lip. I lost a few holes when I trimmed the area around the dash bump, so I just added a few more holes to each side of the notch. Two of the holes lie underneath the glove box (i.e. you don't have access to mark the holes), so once I removed the dash & panel from the frame I aligned the filler panel to the outside of the dash lip (vs. the inside), and marked those 2 hidden holes from the outside of the lip instead of the inside. After that, simply drill out the holes in the dash lip. Finally, install the little clip nuts on the filler panel (included with the panel), and remount the panel and dash. I installed the black finishing screws (provided w/ filler panel) just to make sure all the holes aligned and they did. Here is the final product - At some point I'll add some additional holes to mount the buttons for the gauges (speedo and clock) and possibly a USB port or two.

Closeup around steering column:


Overall:

[dbo_texas]

Like many other builders, I like the idea of being able to remove the steering wheel, both as a theft deterrent and also because I'm 6'1 / 220 lbs, it will give me a lot more room getting in/out of the car. I know it isn't necessary, but I also think it's a cool addition. I bought the NRG p/n SRK-500CF (CF = carbon fiber)...they make it in many different colors/finishes but I chose the carbon fiber to match my dash. With kit received, I pretty much followed the exact instructions from this forum post, especially post #15 in that thread which describes the best way to align the quick release with the RT hub to get the best screw spacing and center the "Open/Close" text on the quick release. It worked great, and I'm really happy with the final result. I'm wondering if it is possible to buy another one of the wheel side adapters so I can have both the leather steering wheel and the wooden vintage wheel and easily swap them out. I'll reach out to NRG and see if they sell just that half of the kit.

Anyhow, here are the steps I followed. I 3D printed the little round jigs that have been floating around the forum and FB page...I only used those to keep the RT hub concentric w/ the NRG adapter, and likewise to keep the wheel concentric with the other half of the NRG adapter. The jig worked great!.

Step 1: I cut this section off the NRG QR adapter (side that mounts to the RT hub). I disassembled the outer ring just so I wouldn't accidentally damage or scuff it. You could skip this cutting step and use a spacer that NRG makes (p/n SRK-500BK), but by trimming it you save about 1/2" on the depth. I didn't end up using the spacer and elected to trim the QR adapter. But you do have to either cut it or use the spacer...this section of the adapter interferes with the RT hub.

Looks like this after trimming:


Step 2: After mating up the two halves of the NRG adapter, I realized that the wheel side adapter sticks through just enough to interfere with the RT hub also, so I cut off that section as well. I've seen some people just grind it down instead of cutting it off, but I don't think it makes a big difference. Here is the interference, and the fix:



Step 3: Mark holes in hub. To do this, you need to mark the centerline of the RT hub --> Russ stamps a little "T" in his hub. On the QR adapter, just align the top screw hole with this location. Use the 3D printed adapter to keep the two parts concentric, and then use a center punch to mark the hole locations.


Step 4: Drill RT hub where you marked the holes. The QR adapter comes with M5 socket head cap screws, so you need to drill 4.2mm holes and tap them w/ an M5 thread tap. I suggest you use a drill press to keep the holes perpendicular to the surface. If you followed the instructions in the link above, these new M5 holes should be fairly evenly spaced between the original 1/4-20 threaded holes on the RT hub.


Step 5: Trim the original (6x) countersink steering wheel screws by about 3mm, and add countersinks to the original 1/4-20 tapped holes in the front section of the RT hub. Trimming is necessary since we are repurposing these screws to hold the two halves of the RT hub together and we don't want them protruding out the back. You then need to add 82° countersinks to these holes - make sure the countersink is large enough that the screw sits sub-flush with the surface. Screw the two halves of the RT hub together using the trimmed 1/4-20 flathead screws (originally used to mount the steering wheel, now used to fasten the two halves of the RT hub together).

Step 6: Mount the rear portion of the NRG QR hub to the front section of the RT hub using the (6x) M5 socket head cap screws provided with the NRG QR. Make sure to use some blue Loctite (medium).


to be continued...

[dbo_texas]

(continued form previous post)

Step 7: Now that the back half is done, its time to drill new holes in the steering wheel. The front half of the NRG QR adapter uses M5 threads as well, so you need to go and buy (6x) M5x14 flathead screws. Next, use the 3D printed jig to make sure the NRG adapter is concentric w/ the steering wheel. Pay special attention to the orientation of the adapter relative to the steering wheel. You want to make sure you have the correct hole at the top, so that this front half of the QR adapter can mount to the back half of the adapter (already mounted to the RT hub). Mark your hole locations on the steering wheel using a center punch.


Step 8: Drill out the (6x) new holes in the steering wheel. They should be in the exact same pattern/locations as the ones you drilled on the RT hub. I used drill size 5.5mm (for an M5 screw) and added a 90° countersink (for metric screws). Make sure the countersink is large enough that the screw sits sub-flush.

Step 9: Mount the steering wheel to the front half NRG QR adapter using the M5x14 flathead screws + blue Loctite. Now you are DONE!


Backside of the wheel:


Final install:

[dbo_texas]

This week I had two projects I wanted to knock out since I'm hoping to send the panels off for powder coat next week, and both of these projects had parts I needed to throw in with the powder coat lot. The first was the Breeze front battery mount kit, and the second is the custom bracket for mounting the triple reservoir.

For the Breeze front battery box, I've seen several Coyote builders add this and I like the idea of moving the battery up front. This gives you back your trunk space, creates shorter power cable runs, and puts the battery weight in the front right corner which is the lightest corner. Not that I care about the weight distribution too much as I don't plan to race this. I bought the kit several months ago with my flex fuel line kit and other items.

The kit Breeze provides is stainless steel. I'm going to have the box and cross bars powder coated with all the other aluminum panels so I wanted to make sure I had all the holes drilled and placement confirmed. The install was pretty straight forward following the provided instructions. I still need to add the 90° grease fitting Breeze provides to replace the straight fitting on the LCA pivot. Once the battery is installed, you wouldn't be able to attach the grease gun hose to the straight fitting, so they provide a 90° fitting to solve that problem. I also haven't drilled the negative terminal attachment point to the frame. I'll add those later. For now, I will just leave the box cleco'd in place until I remove it to send it off for paint. Once all my parts are off for paint, I plan to pull the engine/trans so I can get the panels re-installed and riveted in place. So this box will go back in permanently (with rivets) AFTER the engine/trans goes back in. I just don't want it in the way as I try to drop the engine back in.

Here is the kit:


Here is the installed finished product. It is quite easy to install. The box comes with 3 holes pre-drilled that go into the X-tube. I added 3 more for a total of 6 rivet holes that I had to drill into the X-tube. On the front of the 4" transverse tube, I drilled 2 more holes for the 1/4-20 screws. you need to use some washers between the 4" tube and the back of the battery box.
I was only able to fit washers on one side, as the side closest to the LCA was basically flush with the tube. The only issue I had drilling the hole for the 1/4-20 tap closest to the LCA pivot - it was more of a problem with drilling the hole, not the actual tapping. But in the end I drilled a slightly angled hole (due to drill access under the X-tube). But when I tapped the hole I was able to straighten it out. I don't have the battery yet but plan to use the same one EdwardB used in his 20th anniversary build. The box and 2 sheet metal "L" brackets will go out for powder with all the aluminum.

[dbo_texas]

To mount this, I'm repurposing the "L" bracket FFR provides for mounting the Coyote PDB (Power Distribution Box) on top of the RH footbox. Like many others, I plan to mount the PDB directly to the firewall so didn't need this bracket. It is pretty much the perfect size to mount my polished aluminum triple reservoir (OTB Gear 6444). The previous builder had already purchased this triple reservoir, and it looks pretty nice so I thought I'd use it.


I trimmed the FFR bracket to size, then mounted the reservoir to the bracket w/ (4x) 1/4-20 truss head screws I had laying around. Here is where I would love some advice form the forum. Right now I have the end of the reservoir mounted 20" from the front 3/4" cross tube. This is to clear the hood gas strut when the hood is closed. Ideally I'd like to move the reservoirs much closer toward the pedal box. But that would put it directly over the -6AN connection going into the hydroboost and I'm worried a right-angle fitting won't clear the bottom of the reservoirs. I haven't drilled the holes in the 3/4" frame yet for mounting the bracket. I need to figure out the hose routing to the hydroboost first. Can anyone take a quick measurement of the right-angle -6AN fitting and let me know how tall it is? I can also maybe angle that hose toward the engine slightly, and the route it toward the front. I don't think it will interfere with anything like that.


Here is how I'd like to mount everything (below). These pics are from someone on the FFR Builder FB page that sent me of their routing w/ a Forte Hydroboost setup. As you can see, the triple reservoir is mounted as close to the pedal box as it can get. The hose routing on this is clean. The main difference is that the hydroboost in this setup is rotated slightly counter-clockwise (looking from the front) vs. my setup, which rotates the -6AN fitting closer toward the engine and gives it a little more clearance away from the reservoirs.


Any advice on this one? I may just go buy the right angle -6AN fitting and see how it looks. If it clears, I'm all good. If not, I'll need to keep the reservoir where I have it and make it work. Another option might be to change the rotation of the hydroboost. I know nothing about it (no documentation from Forte on how to set it up) so I'd want to reach out to Forte before messing with anything, as I know he modified the pedal box for the previous builder and shipped it back pre-assembled.

[dbo_texas]

Haven't posted in a while - had to put the project aside for the last few months, but I'm finally getting back into it. Last weekend I installed the firewall support bracket from Replicaparts. Nothing fancy here - had to do a little bit of trimming, then fit the bracket and mounted with some clecos. For now this is what it looks like:



I might cut out the center section of the aluminum to allow cables and other items to pass through, but that is still TBD.


Upon the recommendation of a few folks on the FB FFR Builder page, I also went ahead and extended the cut on this PS filler panel by about 1/2". I guess the added notch depth helps the dash bracket rake angle clear without interference and allows it to mount properly. One of those things I probably would have found later.



I also added some more rivet holes to the cockpit rear wall aluminum, to fasten it between where the seat belt harness passes through. The only rivet holes I have left to drill are to add some more rivets to the floor pan. I'm not sure where to drill though, so will be seeking some advice on this shortly.

[dbo_texas]

This past weekend I finally was able to finish drilling out all the cockpit aluminum. There were 3 areas that hadn't been completed yet:

(1) The passenger side firewall closeout panel


(2) The cockpit rear wall (added more rivets)


(3) The cockpit floor pans


I believe this finishes up all the aluminum panel drilling. I think I'm ready to pull all the panels and send out for re-finishing (black powdercoat).

[dbo_texas]

Another task I finished a few weeks ago was to make some small custom "L" brackets for mounting the dash to the hoop without any visible fasteners. This basically allow me to "velco" the dash to the frame hoop without having the screw heads visible on the front of the dash per the assembly manual. Several folks suggested that using the 3M Dual Lock velcro in a few places is plenty strong enough to support the dash. I also have the under-dash filler panel from ReplicaParts, so between these two it should hold up just fine.

First I cut a 3 or 4 small "L" brackets from some 3/4" angle aluminum. Then simply stuck the 3M Dual Lock onto the dash facing side:


Next, I drilled and tapped some holes in the underside of the frame hoop and mounted the "L" brackets with (2x) screws + Loctite. After doing this I'm considering re-drilling the holes and installing rivnuts instead of just tapping directly into the frame hoop. I honestly think either will be fine, but the rivnuts may be better long-term.


From the front:


Here are the locations on the dash - I think I actually moved them around a bit because the steering column obstructed me from being able to drill some of the holes (don't have a right angle drill adapter). For the final positions, I can access all the screws from below the dash ((through the under-dash panel) if I need to remove the dash. I'm not sure if I would be able to do this with the body on or not.


Also, I've been experimenting with some color spray outs on speed shapes I bought on amazon (link). I'm nowhere near ready for bodywork and paint, but I do need to pick a direction fairly soon with regards to whether I'm going to black out all the brightwork or stick with the stainless/chrome appearance. I have 2 primary color schemes I like - one for the blacked out look, and one if I go the more classis look. I used 12oz automotive aerosol sprays for some of these, and a few I used my new $30 airbrush which works even better and is cheaper because I can get 2oz jars of pretty much any OEM color for ~$12/ea vs. the $35 for the 12oz aerosol cans. I do have some 2k automotive clearcoat but I haven't sprayed that on yet. I'll do all of them at once after I finish mocking up a few more samples (waiting on paints to arrive next week).

[dbo_texas]

Got all of my panels back from the powder coater last weekend. It only took about 3 weeks (they told me it would be 4-6 weeks) and the cost was around $500 which I thought was more than reasonable considering they blasted all the POR15 from a bunch of the panels, removed leftover silicone adhesive, and included all my after-market kit parts (front batter box, drop-trunk box, cockpit cubby, radiator shroud, under-dash panel, etc). I went with a smooth satin finish and the parts look fantastic. Next up for me is to finish up all the bolts in the rear end, then I'll re-tack the panels up and silicone/rivet where possible, leaving the DS footbox open and a the trunk area until I can run my brake lines, fuel lines and rear electrical harness.

[facultyofmusic]

Loving the build quality and documentation thoroughness of your thread, keep it up guy! I'm a little late to the party, but in post #41 you showed a plan on how to route your fuel pressure regulator and return lines. Does the Gen 2 coyote not require a throttle vacuum line to the fuel pressure regulator? I guess what I'm saying is, will 55psi constant fuel pressure be enough for your purposes?

[dbo_texas]

Loving the build quality and documentation thoroughness of your thread, keep it up guy! I'm a little late to the party, but in post #41 you showed a plan on how to route your fuel pressure regulator and return lines. Does the Gen 2 coyote not require a throttle vacuum line to the fuel pressure regulator? I guess what I'm saying is, will 55psi constant fuel pressure be enough for your purposes?

From talking to Mike Forte and Mark Reynolds at Breeze Automotive, for my application and setup I think this will work great and simplify the fuel line routing. The regulator is a LS Corvette style fixed pressure at 58 psi. I have the 190 lph fuel pump hanger, which they say will work fine with the smaller 1/4“ return from the regulator. I guess if you have the larger 255 lph pump you need a different regulator with a larger 3/8" return.

I'm not sure about your question about the throttle vacuum line - I'm gonna need to research that one unless somebody else wants to chime in. I'm sure this is something well documented on the forum and in peoples build threads.

[edwardb]

From talking to Mike Forte and Mark Reynoldsat Breeze Automotive, for my application and setup I think this will work great and simplify the fuel line routing. The regulator is a LS Corvette style fixed pressure at 58 psi. I have the 190 lph fuel pump hanger, which they say will work fine with the smaller 1/4“ return from the regulator. I guess if you have the larger 255 lph pump you need a different regulator with a larger 3/8" return.

I'm not sure about your question about the throttle vacuum line - I'm gonna need to research that one unless somebody else wants to chime in. I'm sure this is something week documented.

Lots of people have run the Gen 1 and Gen 2 Coyotes with the GM fixed regulator with no problem. It doesn't have provision for the vacuum reference line. Which is used per Ford Performance and FF installation instructions. But the engine runs fine without it. In fact, if doing a Lund tune, they tell you not to use it with a normally aspirated setup, e.g. a Coyote without boost like a supercharger. The GM piece isn't technically applicable for a Gen 3 since it's supposed to be run at a higher PSI than the fixed 58. My Gen 3 Coyote Coupe has an Aeromotive Universal 13129 Bypass Regulator with no vacuum reference line and a Lund tune. Runs great.

The smaller lines are OK with the lower volume pump as I understand. Both of my Coyote builds have a 255lhp pump with 3/8" supply and return. Lots of forum discussion early on with higher volume pumps burning out and the smaller lines were thought to be an issue. Aeromotive specifically says use 3/8" lines with my pump.

[egchewy79]

Got all of my panels back from the powder coater last weekend. It only took about 3 weeks (they told me it would be 4-6 weeks) and the cost was around $500 which I thought was more than reasonable considering they blasted all the POR15 from a bunch of the panels, removed leftover silicone adhesive, and included all my after-market kit parts (front batter box, drop-trunk box, cockpit cubby, radiator shroud, under-dash panel, etc). I went with a smooth satin finish and the parts look fantastic. Next up for me is to finish up all the bolts in the rear end, then I'll re-tack the panels up and silicone/rivet where possible, leaving the DS footbox open and a the trunk area until I can run my brake lines, fuel lines and rear electrical harness.

this panels look great. kudos for deciding to pull the panels and get them recoated. most people would not consider such an undertaking.

[dbo_texas]

I feel so much better now with the panels re-finished I don't know why but it was stressing me out seeing the POR15 in there, flaking off everywhere. Getting excited to get moving onto the next bullet list item.

[dbo_texas]

This weekend I finally decided to work on the fuel system and install the Breeze single line kit for Gen2 Coyotes. But first, heeding the advice of many I went ahead and replaced the FFR provided fuel filler neck gasket with the much higher quality OEM Ford p/n F4ZZ-9072-DA. This was an easy swap, and good insurance to help reduce the chance of leaks around the filler neck. For reference as to why I did this, see HERE (an many other similar posts on this forum).

As I purchased my kit used, I didn't originally install the gasket, but it was easy enough to work the filler neck out, then remove the old gasket.
+

Next, I installed the OEM gasket. I put a little bit of motor oil on the gasket to lubricate it and help with installation. It was easy to shape it into the hole. Finally, I applied a small amount of motor oil to the filler next and inserted it into the grommet - also very easy with the oil on it.


Final step was to reinstall the bracket which prevents the neck from backing out. For this, the instructions look like the bracket points towards the rear, but on my tank the mounting hole would have interfered with the weld joint on the tank, so I had to flip it around. I don't think this will cause any issues as far as I can tell, but please let me know if there are any concerns with this.

[dbo_texas]

As shown in post #41, I had a plan for how to connect this Breeze system. Here's a link to the kit I used, but the Cliff Notes are that this system provides a fixed 58 psi outlet to the engine, and all excess fuel is returned directly to the tank from the regulator/filter which is direct mounted to the fuel pump hanger on the tank. This means you only need to run a single fuel line up to the engine bay (i.e. no need to run a return line back to the tank).

https://breezeautomotive.com/shop/fu...it-for-coyote/

I followed the provided instructions and it was super easy to install. Step one was to swage the 5/16 to 1/4 flaring adapter (p/n 21620) onto the regulator 5/16 return outlet. This is as easy as turning a nut while holding the adapter body in place. Driving the nut down 1-1/4 turns flares the line and the nut and flare become captive on the filter/regulator 5/16 return line.

Next, I removed the fuel pump hanger from the tank, cut off the 1/4" return line just behind the flange, and file the OD & ID smooth. The trim just shortens the entire assembly so it fits in the frame better.


Next up, I re-installed the fuel hanger into the tank, and direct mounted the regulator to the freshly trimmed 1/4" return on the fuel hanger using the previously mounted adapter. Same procedure is used (just tighten the nut). After this, I installed the 3/8" to 6AN outlet adapter to the filter regulator. This is what it looks like at this point:


Next, I attached the 3/8" send line from the fuel pump hanger outlet to the filter regulator inlet using the quick-connects on the hose (p/n 70748). Looks like this:


Finally, I re-mounted to fuel tank, making sure to put in the drop trunk box as that needs to go in above the tank.


I wasn't able to get the tank strap bolts to go through the straps - the DS seemed like it was about 1/2" short, and the PS was more like 1" too short. After messing with it for about 20 minutes and reading about this same issue many others have had with the straps, I gave up and went to Home Depot and just bought longer 3/8 x 3" bolts (FFR kit provides 2" length). Problem solved.


I went ahead and attached the regulator grounding strap to the 3/4" frame rail using a #10-24 bolt (tapped the frame rail). The Breeze instructions say you can remove the grounding strap, but I figured it wouldn't hurt to keep it.
The other adapters provided in the Breeze kit get mounted to the Coyote fuel rail (converts to 6AN connection), and onto the ends of the provided PTFE+Braided Stainless Steel 3/8 fuel hose. Routing the fuel line from the regulator to the engine bay will be next up on my to-do list.