#9196 475hp 347 MK4 Roadster Build (Insurance and Plates)

[TexasAviator]

[TexasAviator]

[TexasAviator]

[TexasAviator]

[TexasAviator]

[TexasAviator]

Here is a little break down of my factory five MK4 unboxing.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/WACW_ayt9X4

https://youtu.be/gXmihjqyfRI

[TexasAviator]

Made my first mistake tonight. Started to assemble the rear axle into the car and didnt install the brackets right. Took the whole night to fix it. Then one of the bolts that holds the collar on the 3 link is jammed and will not budge. Its one of the four bolts that hold the 3rd link arm above the axle and is attached to the diff. That thing is snug and the bolt is jammed.

[TexasAviator]

Assembled my Coilovers. Factor Five Racing Koni Coilover Assembled.

https://youtu.be/OpcXubr0ACQ

[TexasAviator]

20171014_123037 by Brandon Fertig, on Flickr

[TexasAviator]

20171014_123020 by Brandon Fertig, on Flickr

[cgundermann]

Made my first mistake tonight. Started to assemble the rear axle into the car and didnt install the brackets right. Took the whole night to fix it. Then one of the bolts that holds the collar on the 3 link is jammed and will not budge. Its one of the four bolts that hold the 3rd link arm above the axle and is attached to the diff. That thing is snug and the bolt is jammed.

Did you get her loose? If you haven't already - loosen and remove the other three bolts. As it cinched/clamped down, the angles might have been off a bit and stretched/bent the bolt...

Chris

[TexasAviator]

Thanks for the input. I got it loose with an impact wrench. I have air tools and didnt use them til yesterday. I got everything installed yesterday and the rear axle is in! I will try to get pictures and updates soon.

[cgundermann]

Thanks for the input. I got it loose with an impact wrench. I have air tools and didnt use them til yesterday. I got everything installed yesterday and the rear axle is in! I will try to get pictures and updates soon.

Right on!

[TexasAviator]

Installed the rear axle and beautifully designed 3 link rear suspension with coilovers.



INSTALL VIDEO

https://youtu.be/zHZ7zCDX5t8

[cgundermann]

Looking good; love those new FFR lower control arms!

[TexasAviator]

CGundermann, I just read something about your cars trunk mods. Great job. I just wanted to say that you have inspired me to do something with my trunk. I think I am going to cut it up and lower the floor.

[TexasAviator]

Got the gas tank and other stuff installed.
The gas tank is a rust free 1990 piece. I took all the rubber grommets out and inspected them. They are a bit worn but otherwise in great shape. I also tested the float and got a good range of 25-165 ohms. Its very sensitive so it jumped around a bit but I feel its very accurate for something made 27 years ago. I shot it with silver paint. Cleaned all the contacts on my Walbro 255 LPH pump and the gauge harness. Cleaned it with electronic spray cleaner and inspected the interior of the tank. Its clean as new. The plastic sheathing that goes on the bottom of the tank got armor all plastic treatment and the straps got painted black to give it a clean install. Save me hundreds of dollars just cleaning and reusing donor parts in this area. The walbro and aftermarket parts here came from my 12000 dollar pristine parts car.

[TexasAviator]

Windshield came in yesterday fellas.

I unpacked it and set it safely in the garage tucked away in a corner. I wake up before work and go stare at my car everyday. I contemplate all the things I can do and not afford to do for that day and take it one day at a time. I have a huge list on FFR website shopping cart and with wheels and all the tid bits I am up to 8000 bucks to buy things for the car.

I have a short list here. Many of the parts I plan to order in the near future. The more expensive stuff like the top, and wheels/tires will be toward the end of my build.

http://www.factoryfiveparts.com/wish...1876411269da67

The list outside of FFR shopping is as follows and could replace somethings in the above shopping cart.

Locally sourced driveshaft
starter (mini high torque 11:1 compression)
brakes turned and sandblasted
knuckles sandblasted
trans housing sandblasted
gauges
boot for my flaming river rack, one of them tore
26 spline steering shaft adapter for rack
coolant intake elbow chrome and thermostat
brake booster frame repair, had to cut it
shorty or long tube headers, stainless or ceramic
wiring harness, possible a 21 circuit painless or generic ( i am great with electronics and electrical)

[Yama-Bro]

I have a backordered shipment arriving today from FFR. I'll bet it's also a windshield. I wouldn't have minded if they held that at the factory until I'm ready for it. Less chances to get broke. LOL

For your wish list: Make sure you watch the sale section on this forum. I've noticed a lot of parts come thru at good prices. If you aren't in a hurry you could save a lot of money buying from guys that change their minds. I kind of wish I would have done some of the parts that way as opposed to getting it all at once. I saw there are some 15" rims with tires listed right now for a little more than what the tires cost. Another way you could save some bucks is go to a FFR racing open house when they have their garage sale. They sell a lot of scratch and dent stuff / gently used parts at a deep discount. One of my friends was at the last open house and picked me up a set of 17" rims with tires for $300 a bunch of other items.

[mach'er]

Mustang forums might be a good source for some of the stuff on your list as well.

I got my Dart SHP big bore block from a guy off Corral.net, brand new in the box, after he changed his mind about using it. Cheap(ish). Between a couple Mustang forums and RacingJunk.com, I've probably found a dozen parts, tools, or shop equipment that have been prized acquisitions, at crazy low prices, for my Roadster project.

I wouldn't be surprised at all if you could find a new/almost new starter at "get it out of my garage" prices.

[TexasAviator]

thanks gents,

I do plan on going the route of getting stuff as it comes up for sale. Its frustrating however to email or pm people with no reply. That is the case at the moment. I am in no hurry and I want the build to be as quality as possible. I have only a few used parts on my car but some of the upgrades came off a highly modified donor car so the parts are in very new shape, such as the 13" brake kit.

[TexasAviator]

Can anyone tell me if this set up looks correct to you.

I have a few boxes of hardware, washers, bolts, etc for spares and needed to use some larger washers to make up for the lack provided with the kit. But everything in the front end got washers. I am going to pull the spindles and knuckles and send them off for powder coat. They are SN95 units that came with the 2300K brake upgrade kit. The bearings are repacked and clean, they have a nice clean coat of surface rust but the machines surfaces are nice and clean. I installed a bump steer kit that can be installed several ways to give hight adjustment to the rack and pinion. What do you all think. Additionally, I have 13" brakes for the front and 11.65 for the rear.

[cgundermann]

CGundermann, I just read something about your cars trunk mods. Great job. I just wanted to say that you have inspired me to do something with my trunk. I think I am going to cut it up and lower the floor.

Thanks, beauty of these cars is you can make it your own...

[cgundermann]

Can anyone tell me if this set up looks correct to you.

I have a few boxes of hardware, washers, bolts, etc for spares and needed to use some larger washers to make up for the lack provided with the kit. But everything in the front end got washers. I am going to pull the spindles and knuckles and send them off for powder coat. They are SN95 units that came with the 2300K brake upgrade kit. The bearings are repacked and clean, they have a nice clean coat of surface rust but the machines surfaces are nice and clean. I installed a bump steer kit that can be installed several ways to give hight adjustment to the rack and pinion. What do you all think. Additionally, I have 13" brakes for the front and 11.65 for the rear.

Looks good to me, I also used refurbished SN95 hubs. I have an older MK4 and my front coil overs do not have two upper alternate mounting points.

[TexasAviator]

The build book leaves a lot to be desired. The pictures are vauge and old. They dont have the double holes either. The other thing is that bolts are not specified and labled such as in the inventory sheet. If someone where to take a little extra time, go over these fine details and republish the book it would be an amazing document.

[cgundermann]

There is two ways to mount the upper control arms to the chassis (on top vs. the side) - which sometimes gets confusing for builders. Mine called for on top. I also had to trim/sand my bushings to fit the coil overs in the frame brackets.

I like your build because I'm an old 5.0 guy and initially was going to use a donor. Instead, I used almost all new parts with the basic kit. Put every dream piece on mine from my Mustang tinkering days...

[TexasAviator]

cgunder,

I am a 5.0 guy too. I still buy many parts from american muscle, and LMR. They are my favorite parts guys for mustangs. I also used many 5.0 build parts on my car and only bought new where I needed to. This car is going to be a non-donor;donor car. LOL I also ran a drill through the powdercoat on the frame to get the bolts to fit. Some of them I used a 3lb hammer to coerce them into place. Everything is nice and snug and that is important in these cars. I too installed my sn95 uppers to the top as the build book stated.

[TexasAviator]

Bought my rivet gun at walmart for 5 bucks and its suprisingly very good quality. At 5 bucks I can buy another if the heads get used up on the tool. Man I cant believe how well my rivets work with this thing. Finished another part of the build book. Moved on to the driver side brake booster. Bendix booster, Bendix master cylinder. Used small spacers to allow the steering to not contact the booster. I also had to adjust the booster with a hammer on the bottom just to make sure it doesnt hit the steering joint.

[cgundermann]

cgunder,

I am a 5.0 guy too. I still buy many parts from american muscle, and LMR. They are my favorite parts guys for mustangs. I also used many 5.0 build parts on my car and only bought new where I needed to. This car is going to be a non-donor;donor car. LOL I also ran a drill through the powdercoat on the frame to get the bolts to fit. Some of them I used a 3lb hammer to coorce them into place. Everything is nice and snug and that is important in these cars. I too installed my sn95 uppers to the top as the build book stated.

Amen brother! We stick to what we know & love. Also - thank you for your service! Was a crew chief in the USAF and ended up taking a commission in the USMC. Your doing good and much faster than me...

[TexasAviator]

I was picked up for a commission as well but the boards closed in the air force before I got a chance to get to OTS. I am now working on my Masters of Science in Org Leadership and Development. I figure 5 more years and I can retire at 20 with a graduate degree. I am planning on big things outside the AF. Once I have a little retirement blanket I cam move my family and get a dream job in R&D and engineering. I dont know where I may end up but I dream of a job that lets me tinker for a living.

[first time builder]

Nice build and most of all THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE ! Two things I didn't see mentioned. Limited slip additive to rear gear oil and welding the banana bracket to the rear. I also weld the tubes to the main section of the housing. They have been known to come loose.

Kenny

[cgundermann]

I was picked up for a commission as well but the boards closed in the air force before I got a chance to get to OTS. I am now working on my Masters of Science in Org Leadership and Development. I figure 5 more years and I can retire at 20 with a graduate degree. I am planning on big things outside the AF. Once I have a little retirement blanket I cam move my family and get a dream job in R&D and engineering. I dont know where I may end up but I dream of a job that lets me tinker for a living.

Very, very cool!

[TexasAviator]

Nice build and most of all THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE ! Two things I didn't see mentioned. Limited slip additive to rear gear oil and welding the banana bracket to the rear. I also weld the tubes to the main section of the housing. They have been known to come loose.

Kenny

Thank you for the inputs. I welded axle housings to the tubes when I built jeeps and on my Bronco but that was for offroad use. I don't feel its necessary here and I used the provided hardware on the 3 link banana and feel it will be plenty for a street car.

I did not use additive in the rear axle because I used a synthetic gear oil. If it chatters I will throw in 4 oz. If not then no worries.

[TexasAviator]

Last weekend I didnt get a chance to post but I finished the passenger footbox and started to put finishing touches on the power brakes, fox pedal box and some other things to get ready for buttoning up the DS footbox.

[TexasAviator]

Made some modifications to the pedal assembly on the clutch. I added a rubber bumper from a vacuum cap that you find from the parts store. I then found some hardware from a garage door repair I did and it had spacers and perfect sized set screws on the spacers to allow for adjustment and centering of the clutch cable and quadrant. Then I also used a new firewall adjuster to make sure I had more adjustability in the future. Quadrant and firewall adjuster is from maximum motorsports.

[TexasAviator]

Lastly I put some 50 rivets and sealed the floors with non-silicon adhesive calking. It dries clear and is now my favorite product to use. Its polyseamseal.com and its great for use on metals so it doesnt hold moisture and acts as an adhesive as well as a sealer. Making some good progress on my weekends. Look at them clean lines and rivets.

[Yama-Bro]

Making a lot of progress. Looking good!

[TexasAviator]

Your car seems to becoming along as well, Yama. Thanks for checking in.

[TexasAviator]

I have a backordered shipment arriving today from FFR. I'll bet it's also a windshield. I wouldn't have minded if they held that at the factory until I'm ready for it. Less chances to get broke. LOL

For your wish list: Make sure you watch the sale section on this forum. I've noticed a lot of parts come thru at good prices. If you aren't in a hurry you could save a lot of money buying from guys that change their minds. I kind of wish I would have done some of the parts that way as opposed to getting it all at once. I saw there are some 15" rims with tires listed right now for a little more than what the tires cost. Another way you could save some bucks is go to a FFR racing open house when they have their garage sale. They sell a lot of scratch and dent stuff / gently used parts at a deep discount. One of my friends was at the last open house and picked me up a set of 17" rims with tires for $300 a bunch of other items.

I picked up a set of BBK FFR Ceramic Coated 4 into 4 headers. I got them for 200 bucks from the for sale section. Appreciate the great deal on these because I was going to run shorty headers. I now have the ability to make my engine really breathe with these topping off the engine build.

I noticed they dont seem as big as everyone has stated. I though they would be closer to 1 7/8 inch header but they came up pretty short in that respect. The flange came out to just under 1 1/2" primaries, and the exhaust flange is at about 1 1/4 inches. The OD is 1 5/8" header primaries. Just figured they would be a bit bigger. I know they will still flow much better than the J pipes but kind of suprised they werent bigger for the 699 price tag on these things.

[stack]

Last weekend I didnt get a chance to post but I finished the passenger footbox and started to put finishing touches on the power brakes, fox pedal box and some other things to get ready for buttoning up the DS footbox.

Tech Tip: Do not close up the driver side foot box until almost last. Be sure to go kart and test all the wiring as it is easier to access with the outside and top panels off. You may find you want to adjust the clutch or brake pedals. Also be sure that the throttle pedal gets you full throttle on the fitech.

stack