Seattle 289 USRRC Coyote Build 10524

[lasse2]

After lurking for a couple years, I figured it was time to introduce myself. My name is Lars, I'm a Seattle native, I turned 50 this year and I've been dreaming of a Cobra for roughly 38 years. Unlike many Cobra lovers, I fell in love with the 289 FIA/USRRC rather than the 427. Back in the days before the internet, I discovered Cobras and became obsessed. Finding reading material was difficult with only a few random sources and often the articles were only a page or two. On a road trip to Disneyland with my family, we had stopped for fuel and I was browsing a magazine rack looking for something to read when I found a special edition 217 page magazine/book titled Carroll Shelby's Racing Cobra. I read it cover to cover a couple times on that trip and still have it today. Learning about the development and race history, I latched onto the notion that the 289 was a better balanced car than the 427. Right or wrong, it had made an impression on 14 year old me and I've always gravitated towards the 289's and Daytona's. I liked the look of the flared fenders and the oil cooler opening of the 427 which the FIA had as well. I remember first seeing a FFR advertisement in a magazine sometime in the '90s and it seemed like a great idea. When I started to get serious and saw that FFR had a FIA body, it was a no brainer.

After waffling about the decision for a few years and hoping in vain for a pre-pandemic type sale to come around again, I placed my order back in January and took delivery a couple weeks ago. At the time I was preparing to order I asked about the feasibility of installing a Coyote engine rather than a Windsor. I was told that they didn't know if anyone had done it yet but it should work fine with some custom work done to adapt the exhaust. To be clear, I absolutely love the look of Webers on a traditional small block and find the Coyote seriously lacking in the looks department. The 3rd Gen is particularly difficult to look at. I've owned many Fords over the years and have a 1967 Galaxie XL with a 390 FE that will forever have a place in my heart since buying it in high school. I have no fear of carburetors and love the simplicity after living with them since childhood. What complicated my decision was my opportunity to drive a 2020 F150 for work. I was immediately in love with the way that engine made power. So, I've decided to do something a little controversial but also unique (maybe a 1st). I view the Coyote as what might unfortunately be the final evolution of the V8 engine. The technology is incredible as is the power, drivability and economy for what it is. Also breaking with the period correct theme, I became frustrated while researching tires for 15" rims. I like seeing some side wall on my tire and have always run BFG Radials on my Galaxie. I like the look and have always been satisfied with the performance of the tire. That being said, they really aren't up to the challenge that a Cobra with 460 HP can present. After agonizing about it for 10 months, I broke down and changed my order to include 17" wheels. Using the same logic, with that kind of power, brakes should match the performance. Changing the wheel size allowed me to go with Wilwoods which I'm sure I won't regret.

The kit I spec'd out is as follows:
289 Complete Kit
USRRC Trunk
Coyote Headers
Power Steering
289 Gauges
IRS
17" Halibrands
Competition Low Back Seats
Heater
Windshield Wipers
Delete front Brakes

The order was finalized in Mid-October for a 10/28 completion. I then gave Mike Forte a call to get a Coyote TKX package ordered. You cannot say enough good things about the service he provides. Mike is truly a pleasure to deal with. While talking to Mike, he mentioned that he had Wilwood brakes in stock. After being quoted 25+ weeks by FFR, this was a pleasant surprise. I ordered my IRS through him as well.

Additional parts/upgrades:

Breeze: Trunk Storage Cubby, Front Battery Relocate, Radiator Shroud and Mount Kit
FFMetals: Firewall forward kit, Transmission Tunnel Cover
RT Turn Signal and Drop Trunk.
Assorted Finish Line Accessories
Mid Shift Kit for TKX
Line lock (My thought on this is to use as a hill hold since reaching the E-brake with the seat belts snug will be a challenge. We have a lot of hills here in Seattle.)

All new parts and definitely not a low budget build. I have a realistic budget that I'm confident that I can stay within. I've been looking forward to this for too long to cut corners now.

The delivery process was great. Stewart Transport picked up the order on 10/31 and had it to my door on 11/12. I've been dreading what would be on the POL list and it wasn't unwarranted. I'm missing quite a bit. Like others have found, there were several significant items that weren't on the inventory BOL or POL list. I had a few odd items like a dash panel that has the bend on the bottom bent outwards rather than under the dash. Not sure if this was for a right hand drive option or just a mistake. Had some damage to items and incorrect parts as well. I don't want this to turn into a bash FFR post because I have confidence that they will get it right. If not, I'll discuss it eventually.

My plan for this build was and still is to take a two month sabbatical from work and spend the time in my garage building the car. My window of time is January and February and I've been trying to stay away from the project until then. I haven't received any subsequent parts shipments from FFR yet but I'm hoping I'll see something significant before too long. From what I have on hand now, I can assemble cockpit aluminum and run brake lines and perhaps start the wiring harness. I'm seriously considering starting with body work since I plan to do this and paint it myself. (Spoiler alert, it will be black with blacked out rims like CSX2001) I'm confident that if I have the parts, I should be able to have a car on the road next spring. I'm having serious doubts about the parts at this point.

As far as how much I will post, it remains to be seen. I typically don't spend much time journaling or posting on forums. I'm primarily a consumer and have been very impressed with the community here. So much wisdom freely shared and efforts made to answer questions. I don't think I can realistically improve upon some of the impressive builds and innovations I have read but I can certainly document my progress and share lessons learned.

Wow. That was a much longer post than I had intended. I'll try to keep it more succinct in the future.
-Lars

[Barwickad]

Hi Lars. Congratulations on your kit arrival. Looking forward to seeing your progress. I’m a few miles south in Puyallup, building a MK4 with a Coyote and IRS/Wilwoods. My kit arrived mid August and the Coyote from Mike a few weeks later.

[Chainsaw]

Welcome to the 289 club.

[OB6]

Sounds like an awesome build, and thanks for sharing the backstory about your 289 choice. Can't wait to see the Coyote sitting in there. It will be great.

[FredG]

Welcome to the 10% club!!

[lasse2]

I came home from work on Friday and was excited to see my first shipment of missing POL and MIK items. I hadn't received any communication so it was a welcome surprise. My POL list is down from 7 to maybe 5 pages now. Several MIK items arrived as well. Had a few discrepancies on the list and fired off an email to FFR this morning. If someone is looking for upper control arms for a solid axle, I think I received them. Still another month before my build gets started. Hopefully a few more boxes arrive before then.

[cnutting]

More 289s, nice choice!

[lasse2]

Not much of an update but received my windshield last night. This was a significant item that was not on the POL or MIK list after doing inventory. I went through the "what's included in the kit" literature on the website and found several items including things like windshield and lower control arms that were not accounted for in the list of boxes and parts. Happy that FFR is taking care of it with no questions asked but still concerned that I might be missing more pieces because the inventory list they used to pack the order was incomplete. Two weeks away from starting my build and very excited.

[lasse2]

So it's been radio silence for the past couple months and I figure it was time to provide an update. I took quite a few pictures but only plan on posting major progress and things I feel might be unique solutions I haven't seen in other builds. This will still be a long post as it covers a lot of progress.

I started off my 2 month sabbatical with Covid and lost about a week and a half of progress. I had a pretty mild case with my only symptom being a lack of energy. This update reflects about 5-6 weeks of effort on my part.

My start date ended up being January 10. I built a buck, removed body and started pulling aluminum panels. Progress has been dependent on what materials I have on hand. I have spent quite a bit on fasteners and other components to keep progress moving forward. Building out of sequence hasn't been much of an issue as others have stated.

https://flic.kr/p/2ojLZcz https://flic.kr/p/2ojMkbv

I used EdwardB's template for the gas pedal mount and was happy with the result. I used steel rather than aluminum for the adapter plate because it was what I had on hand. For the pedal itself, I ended up using epoxy to fill the webbing of the pedal and cut it off at an angle to create a flat spot where I could mount a pedal I made from scratch. I needed to make a couple beveled washers to through-bolt it. I'm happy with how it turned out. https://flic.kr/p/2ojMkbF https://flic.kr/p/2ojLZ9U https://flic.kr/p/2ojJQis https://flic.kr/p/2ojLZ7K https://flic.kr/p/2ojLcBq

For the brake and clutch reservoirs, I initially purchased the Tilton Engineering triple reservoir. After looking at it I noticed that there was no seal at the cap to prevent the fluid from being contaminated by being exposed to the air. I thought something might be missing so I sent an email to Tilton. They told me that it wasn't designed to be sealed and that it would require more frequent fluid changes. This goes against everything I have been told or read about brake fluid. It just doesn't make sense to me so I decided to return it and use the FFR pieces. After mocking it up, I didn't like how they looked mounted side by side so I cut the brackets so they would sit tight to each other. I drilled and tapped the back side of each bracket and mounted them on an aluminum plate. I haven't seen this done in the other threads I have read but it has probably been done. I used one reservoir for the front brakes and the other for the rear and clutch. With the volume they hold, it seemed like a third reservoir was overkill. I crossed my fingers that they wouldn't leak like some others have and it looks good so far.

https://flic.kr/p/2ojLcDp https://flic.kr/p/2ojLcVw

I made my own bracket to hold the Coyote clutch position switch. I might do it different if I were to do it again but it works well and didn't cost anything.

https://flic.kr/p/2ojLcBR https://flic.kr/p/2ojLcBa

Depending on what I was working on, the fuel tank went in and back out probably 5 times along with the radiator/fan assembly. It's good to know how serviceable it will be in the future.

I had a personal goal of dropping the engine in after one month. This was pretty doable and I had a buddy set to come over and help out. At the last moment I discovered that I was missing the ½” thick motor mount spacers from FFR. Rather than wait for them to be sent out, I made my own. As a result I missed my window for help and was trying to reschedule. While laying in bed the next morning (Feb 7th), I decided to challenge myself and drop the engine in solo. I've done this a couple times before but never an engine and transmission at the same time. The solution ended up being surprisingly simple. I used a few dumbbell weights and a rope to add weight to the back of the transmission. At first I didn't have enough angle to get it under the firewall. I found a few misc. heavy items in my garage and got it dangling at the right angle. In many ways this was safer than having multiple people with hands on the engine. The only time it moved was when I pushed or operated the lift. No hands to get pinched or other communication issues. I was somewhat shocked when I looked at my before and after pictures and only 35 minutes had elapsed.

https://flic.kr/p/2ojGbEb https://flic.kr/p/2ojGbEg https://flic.kr/p/2ojLcRt https://flic.kr/p/2ojMkjX https://flic.kr/p/2ojMkjX https://flic.kr/p/2ojJQuQ

I went with a mid-shift kit for the TKX transmission. I have long arms and like the position of the shift handle with this arrangement. It also fit the chassis so that no cutting was required.

https://flic.kr/p/2ojMkfo

As mentioned in my initial post, I installed a line lock to use as a hill hold because the e-brake is difficult to reach. I plan to trigger this using the button on my Russ Thompson turn signal.

https://flic.kr/p/2ojMksN

While I'm sure it's covered in other posts, I discovered that the heater template didn't match the heater itself after cutting/drilling the holes in the firewall. This was a minor frustration, but I know better and should have checked it before cutting. I fabricated a small filler panel that sits under the heater to move the hoses up and all is well. I mention it here so that someone else might avoid this in the future.

Wiring was much more enjoyable than I had anticipated. My fingers were pretty raw from removing tape stripping the harness sheathing. I did a fairly significant wire diet, removing unneeded wires and longer lengths where unnecessary. I still don't have the gauges so the dash wiring needs to be completed.
Since I know there are several people here with very sharp eyes, I'll confess that I ran the fuel lines through the transmission tunnel. I went back and forth on this for a while. I didn't like how exposed the lines were under the car and figured that if I had decided to build a type 65, I wouldn't have a choice anyway. With the Metco driveshaft safety loop, I don't think this is too risky.

My wife and I had a trip planned to Houston to watch our daughter swim at the Mountain West Division Championships starting 2/14 through 2/20. I had more or less run out of things to work on by this time. I was still waiting for the bolts to install the IRS. I broke down and ordered what I needed from McMaster. I've heard they have fast service but was still shocked when I got a notification that the bolts had been delivered 2 days later. They were waiting for me when I got home and it unlocked a lot of work I could do. With the rear suspension complete, the brakes went on and got bled. No leaks! The trunk and cockpit aluminum could be completed and I finished the lizardskin.

https://flic.kr/p/2ojLcLo https://flic.kr/p/2ojMkgR https://flic.kr/p/2ojLcK6 https://flic.kr/p/2ojGbxs https://flic.kr/p/2ojLZhu

I like the look of the blacked out wheels and it was great to see it on the ground. Michelin Pilot Sport 4’s will do better than any tire I could have found for a 15” rim. I went with the all season tires after watching several tire reviews. I have less concern about the minor difference in traction on dry pavement as I do about being caught in adverse driving conditions.
The fuel fill pipe was a bit of a mystery. I am also using the rear storage cubby aluminum so I spent some time making templates and cutting to get it installed as cleanly as possible. I think this is reversed from how the build manual shows it but it seems much cleaner. I'm happy with the result although it will move the filler cap a couple inches from where FFR had marked it on the body. Shouldn't be noticeable unless you compare a couple cars side by side. Looking at pictures of the actual race cars, it didn't seem to be standardized anyway with some being centered. https://flic.kr/p/2ojJQoh https://flic.kr/p/2ojMkdu https://flic.kr/p/2ojGbv8

You know your post is too long when it exceeds the character limit. If you are still here, thanks for sticking with it. See next post for conclusion of this update.

[lasse2]

Continued from previous post......

Like many builders, I enjoyed playing with Clecos. I didn't use nearly as many as I've seen some builders use. Enough to hold the panels in place while holes were drilled but afterwards only a couple are needed so the rest can move on. I only ended up needing 50 Clecos to complete the build. If I were buying again, I might have bought 100 but it wasn't necessary.

You might notice that I removed the unused roll bar mounts. This will look cleaner when carpeted. A passenger roll bar isn't even an option for the 289 cars.
I installed the Kirkey seats using Kirkey mounts from Summit Racing. I added seat heaters and an inflatable lumbar support for the driver seat. The seat is quite comfortable and sits super low in the car. This was something I was going for as I'm not planning to add sun visors to help deflect wind over my head. I ended up sitting in the car and watching a movie on my phone just to see if I developed any sore spots. All good and I can't wait to start cruising.

I was really excited to get a call from FedEx freight last week wanting to schedule a delivery.

https://flic.kr/p/2ojLcKb

My exhaust finally arrived, and I was able to mock up the Coyote headers to the 289 side pipes. I had planned on some fabrication here but was delighted to see that the header and side pipe flanges match and it bolted right up. There is a little bit of a bump out in the 4 into 1 collector which I think I will smooth out on the inside of the pipe using sheet metal to minimize turbulence. This arrangement will set my side pipes a little higher than the standard FIA look and require a notch in the body but this was something I was seriously considering anyway. Once again, I've seen pictures of 289 cars built with higher side pipes. I didn't like how little ground clearance there was under the side pipes when mounted below the body. It would require a much taller ride height to safely navigate the speed bumps that seem to keep getting added to the streets around my home. I also like the longer/sleeker look that you get with the pipes a bit higher.

https://flic.kr/p/2ojJQq1 https://flic.kr/p/2ojJQpp

I decided to add a bit more heat insulation for the footboxes. I have a pretty good layer of lizardskin thermal barrier sprayed on the inside but have decided to skip the footbox vents. Rather than work on cooling, I figured I’d try to keep the heat out to begin with. I used DEI floor and tunnel insulation to make panels. This would have been much easier before the engine went in but wasn’t too bad. I don’t recall who’s build it was but I’d seen them fold the edges of each panel back on itself to get rid of the sharp edge and give it a finished look. I like how it turned out. https://flic.kr/p/2ojGbtE https://flic.kr/p/2ojJQkX

Once again, Factory Five ended up sending out a bunch of parts that they had already sent me. (Rear suspension, axles and more). I let them know in an email and will see if they want them back. This has been typical for my deliveries. I’ve sent a couple emails with the list of items I still need so they could reconcile with the list on their end but it doesn’t seem to have happened. It can’t be helping profitability.

I’m expecting another 10lb box from FFR tomorrow. Hoping to see my gauges but who knows. The surprise is part of the fun. I’ve got hoses on order from Ford to complete the cooling system. If they show up, it could be running by this weekend.

I went back to work today so my progress will slow down a bit from what it has been. I’m happy with the progress to date and it’s exciting to think it should be on the road later this spring. I don’t want to try to paint it until the weather warms up in mid-April/early-May.

A few more pictures of the current status:

https://flic.kr/p/2ojGbr5 https://flic.kr/p/2ojLZ9y https://flic.kr/p/2ojLcD9

Thanks to everyone who takes the time to document their builds both here on the forum and on YouTube. I’ve learned a bunch and have been surprised how seldom I need to consult the build manual.

[F500guy]

I can not seem to get the photo links to work, not sure if it is just me.

[lasse2]

I can not seem to get the photo links to work, not sure if it is just me.

It’s not just you. I designated the photos as shared but I need to do something more. Not sure if Amazon photos is going to work to host the images or if I need to find a different site to host them on.

[lasse2]

A quick update. Feels like not much has happened over the past month. Been picking away at what I could do without the missing parts. Finished the E brake. Was able to locate a couple stainless bearings at Ace Hardware. The are intended to be used on a screen door but worked perfectly for the brake cables. I used stainless fender washers between them to hold the cables in place. The washers butt up against the 4" chassis round tube so that the cables can't slip off the bearings. I modified and used the FFR cable brackets from the brake handle at the Wilwood E brake lever and a Lokar cable bracket at the the handle. https://www.flickr.com/photos/197800...3/52795589876/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/197800...3/52795827759/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/197800...3/52795827764/
Built some custom power steering lines with parts from Breeze. Been anxiously waiting for the 289 gauges so I could complete the dash wiring, install the sending units, fill fluids and fire up the engine. Super excited to finally receive the package last night. My POL list is down to 4 items now which includes the exhaust hangers so it might be open headers for the first start.

[F500guy]

Coming right along, looks great!

[lasse2]

Had an anticlimactic attempt at a first engine start over the weekend. I double checked everything before filling fluids and making the battery connections. With the battery connected I ran through electrical checks and everything looked good except for the check engine light was lit with the key in the off position. The throttle body makes some noise but the fuel pump wasn't receiving any voltage when turning key to on and no starter as well. Spent much of Sunday chasing wires to verify that everything was hooked up correctly and receiving voltage when turned on and not when off. The Coyote PCM didn't seem to be responding as it should. Unplugged each wiring harness and connector and re-plugged it to verify that everything was properly seated. Waited until Monday morning and contacted the Ford tech line. Based on the conversation I had with the tech and the P06B8 error code I was seeing, I'm now waiting for confirmation to send the PCM off to be re-flashed. I'd love to hear if anyone has had encountered this error code and what the resolution was. From my research online, there isn't much on it as relates to a Coyote crate engine.

[lasse2]

After waiting for over a week and not getting a response from Ford on where to ship the PCM, I asked a buddy who is a Ford Master Technician for help. We had a very thorough troubleshooting session on Friday and Sunday to confirm that no start problem was not a result of my wiring. At the moment, I have a very expensive engine test stand that looks like a Cobra chassis. We have completely separated the Ford harness from the Ron Francis wiring and run jumpers to the fuel pump as well as power and ground. The problem persists in that I hear the throttle body motor briefly when we turn the key but no power to the fuel pump and no starter motor. One strange thing we found while testing is that when you remove and wiggle the engine harness from the PCM, the fuel pump will prime but does nothing when prompted by the key. Confirmed no loose wires in the harness. As of today, Ford has finally responded that they would re-flash the PCM.
I have to say that going backwards and cutting all my wire looming apart was a bit depressing but unfortunately necessary. Just need to stay positive. Waiting to hear if we are going to be able to reprogram the PCM here in my garage with help from Ford or if I will need to send it off. Hoping the programming solves the issue. If not, might need a replacement wiring harness.

[lasse2]

Another update on the Coyote no-start. Received the PCM back from Ford yesterday and plugged it back in with high hopes that it would finally run. Unfortunately, the problem persists.

[Nigel Allen]

Clutch switch? If not wired and set up correctly it will prevent the ECM from sending a starter motor request.
Try cranking the starter directly. The coyote usually requires a reasonable cranking time for initial start. If it is a gen 3 version expect some peculiarities with fuel priming until the engine has had an initial run.

[lasse2]

I had a great weekend. My buddy came over on Friday and brought his Snap-On scan tool. We were able to communicate with the PCM and saw that things were indeed different than before we sent it back for a re-flash. Came to discover that when I had plugged it back in earlier in the week I had in fact had been able to trigger the fuel pump but had not heard it due to filling more fuel. Low and behold, we turned the key further and it started cranking. A few seconds later it fired for the first time. I have to admit here that I was a little quick to call it unresolved in my last post.

Spent several hours on Saturday putting all the wiring harnesses back into the car and making it look good again. Test fired it after everything was back in place and it runs perfectly though a bit rich. Planning on getting it tuned after everything is done.

One thing I will say is that the side pipes on the 289 are LOUD. I had heard this from multiple sources but wasn't sure how the Coyote would sound given that I'm pretty sure that this is the first one being built. Let's just say, it shook my entire house at idle. Revving to 3500 RPM in the garage was earsplitting. Can't imagine what 7500 RPM would sound like. Definitely going to look at the Boig Quiet Pipes option or home brew something to cut down on dB. Even with this, it is still going to be loud.

Started body work Sunday. Looking forward to this phase of the project. After not getting much done for the past few months, I'm definitely reenergized to make progress. Got all the seams knocked down and started trimming around the wheel openings. The car show season is cutting down on my available work hours on weekends but this coming weekend looks like rain so I'll stay busy on the Cobra.

[lasse2]

I was looking at my thread this morning and figured it has been a while so I'd give an update. Summer activities and work have cut into my available work hours so progress has slowed. I've had a few productive days here and there to work on the body. Everything has been fit and mocked up. I started a thread yesterday asking for input on the body fitment where the dash support hoop meets the underside of the body on the drivers side. I have very little clearance here compared to the passenger side. (3/16" vs 1/2") Everything else seems to look about right but I don't want to go further with finalizing the door fitment and body filler until I'm satisfied I have it right. I will say that the body on the 289 is pretty good. Some of the complaints I have heard about the Mark IV are not present on my car. I had very few wax voids and the ones I have are pretty small. The doors look pretty good with the exception that the top is a little low where it wraps into the dash. I had to space the hinge on the passenger side back a little to align the door with the opening. I also had to relieve a little of the fiberglass at the hinges so the doors could open fully. I'm guessing this is due to the body being slightly narrower. The hood looks good but I've struggled with the hinges. I've tried a few different things to get it right. I started with spacing and aligning it in the opening and tightening the hinges from below. This is the best I've managed to get it but the front of the hood needs spacers to hold it up or it will drop too low. I've tried adjusting the hinges up to get it to sit higher without a spacer but when I do this, the hood will hit the body when opening. I'm sure I can work with what I have but it isn't ideal. My windshield was exactly the right width to not need any spacers to match the chassis. I'm giving it slightly more rake backwards to look like some of the race Cobras. I'm 6'-2" and with the low back race seats, I still sit low enough to run it this way. I don't plan on adding a convertible top so I don't think this will matter.
I've finalized how I will hang the exhaust from the Coyote headers. This will involve a custom machined spacer to space each side pipe out about 1". My buddy is making the the spacers on his CNC router so if someone attempts this in the future, I might be able to have him make a couple more at a reasonable cost. I will also need to notch the body slightly to move the side pipes up a bit. I had always figured I would do this and it departs a bit from the standard FIA profile. I like that I'll have better ground clearance for the many speed bumps in my area. I'm guessing with the rarity of the 289 cars that most people will have no idea that I've done this anyway. Purists are more likely to be offended by my choice of engine than the side pipes.
I have the parts to add auger inserts into the side pipes. My current plan is to cut them into three pieces to add the auger and be able to rotate the center section to align the hanger brackets. I'll clamp the pieces together at first to see if I'm happy with the sound before welding it permanently.
I'm on a mission to get the paint complete before our weather in Seattle starts to cool off. I have a decent heater in my Garage but it is just easier if I don't need to use it. I'm also excited to get it on the road. I live in a urban area and haven't had the guts to go-cart the chassis. Given how loud it is and the number of police vehicles I see a pretty high probability that I end up in some trouble. The last thing I need is to have it impounded because it isn't street legal or licensed. This will likely lead to some shake down issues after the car is mostly complete.