Edwardb’s Gen 3 Type 65 Coyote Coupe #59 Build: 5,000 Mile Report

[nkw8181]

looking good!! glad to see another thread to follow

[edwardb]

I’m still waiting for parts so I can finish the front and rear suspension and running out of smaller tasks. Parts are promised to ship this week. So, decided to dive into my electrical plan and wiring. Did a written plan of all my brainstorm ideas so far. Than started to work on some of the parts. I’m not going to finalize or attach anything until the suspension and engine/trans are in place. Just too many differences compared to the Roadster builds for me to know exactly where things should go. That includes wiring, fuel lines, and brake lines. First, the manual has limited detail. Second, and this is really different, it’s pretty much required to run the fuel and brake lines through the transmission tunnel. General forum advice on Roadsters, and I’ve said it myself several times, is to not put fuel and brake lines in that area due to moving parts, e.g. the spinning driveshaft. But with the new Coupe chassis design, it’s basically the only choice. Otherwise you’d have to go under the chassis at one or more points, making the fuel and/or brake lines the lowest points on the chassis which is completely unacceptable. But just theory until I can mock things up with the engine and trans in place.

For the electrical, as I mentioned in an earlier update, the Coupe build manual has basically nothing about the Ron Francis harness supplied with the complete kit. The Ron Francis manual mainly describes the Roadster. Some similarities, but also quite a few differences. The harness itself is used for the Roadster, Coupe, and Hot Rod. So it’s a bit generic and as I’m finding, needs a little tweaking to fit into the Coupe the way I want it.

First up is the fuse panel. Looking through several build threads, pictures on Factory Five’s website, and looking at the videos of builds including the Snap-On build, can see the fuse panel is typically mounted upside down on the left side in the general area of the driver’s left knee. Same as the Roadster. An aluminum panel is provided to mount the fuse panel, slightly different than the Roadster version I think. But unlike the Roadster that has two sides for mounting to the frame, the Coupe only one side. I decided this would be a little floppy for my liking, so fabbed and added some braces along the bottom sides, attached with solid aluminum rivets peened with a hammer. It will attach to the back of the frame rail in addition to along the bottom edge.



Determined the location and installed five 10-32 nutserts. Most of the frame components on the new Coupe are thicker tubing than the 3/4 and 1 inch thinwall tubing on the Roadster. Initially I was just going to tap 10-32 threads into the tubing. Probably would have been OK with at least 2-3 threads. May still end up doing that elsewhere. But since the fuse panel is a little heavy and don’t want it going anywhere, went ahead and added the nutserts. The added braces work well and make it solid enough. One thing that becomes really obvious with the pedal box and fuse panel in place is that the driver’s side footbox is going to be really jammed. It’s tight in the Roadster. But even tighter here.



After this picture was taken, made my first attempt at installing the fuse panel and the accompanying harness branches. Pretty much confirmed what I suspected. I’m going to need to unwrap a lot of the main harness and adjust some lengths and breakouts of some of the branches. Partly to make it neater plus maximize space since I will also have air ducting behind the dash. But also just to make things reach. I’m already a little concerned about the front harness. But I’m not going to tear into that any further because the other variable here is the Coyote harness. It also has to fit into the same space. I’ll wait until that’s on hand and put all the puzzle pieces together then.

I also spent some time on the rear harness. That I was confident enough about that I unwrapped it, made some changes, and wrapped it back up again. I’m going to install a single backup light under the rear running lights on the left side. So added wires to/from the area of the backup light switch on the T-56 I’m planning. Also with the T-56, it has a reverse lock-out solenoid. Lots of discussions about this on various forums. My plan is to use it exactly as designed with a module (there are several available) that senses speed and locks out reverse when the vehicle is in motion. So added wires to/from the area of the reverse lockout solenoid on the T-56. Finally, I adjusted the breakouts at the back and shortened the fuel pump and fuel level sender branches about 22 inches each because they’re way too long. All to best fit how I’m planning to route the rear harness along the right side of the transmission tunnel and to the right around the planned storage box above the tank. This is a pretty rough picture, but the harness is wrapped back up and laying in the approximate position it will be secured when the time comes.



On a related note, every build needs to have some new tools, right? I picked up a Power Probe III that replaces several individual tools used while doing electrical work. This could become my next favorite tool. Measures voltage, continuity, plus can power circuits. I know a lot of people struggle with wiring. This might help if you have a basic understanding of electricity. This promo video shows what it does: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_c...&v=GdH-e4Q9p5k. I bought the unit plus the cable kit. I like it.



The other kind of big deal with this update is my seats. I mentioned before we wanted something other than racing seats. But also something that sat up a little higher than the Factory Five demos we’ve sat in. Plus something that didn’t block the entrance or exit too much. Desirable for me. Pretty much mandatory for my wife if she’s ever going to ride in this thing. After a lot of review, I ordered a Corbeau Sportline Evolution X 64901FBS seat. As I also mentioned before, we want heated seats and Corbeau has the option of ordering them with the heater already installed. But at that point they become custom and non-returnable. A little dangerous without ever seeing or trying one. So I ordered a stock seat with the intention of returning it and ordering the custom heated version if it fit OK. I didn’t receive any advance shipping information (vendor drop ship through Summit) but today FedEx left a big box on my snowy porch. I was like the Dad on Christmas Story opening his major award getting that thing out of the box and into the cockpit of the Coupe. Good news. It fits.



We like it a lot. Looks good and is comfortable to sit in. Just what we were going for. A couple more details. Corbeau has two versions of this seat. One with an adjustable back and one with a fixed back. This is the fixed back version and as suspected I think it’s best for the Coupe. I believe they will spend most of their life back about as far as they'll go. So an adjustable back wouldn’t be usable then anyway. Plus without the mechanism for the seatback, the corners clear the harness attachment points and fits between nicely. Of all the dimensions I was most concerned with, the cushion width on the front was listed as the same as the available space in the cockpit. With insulation and carpet added, wasn’t sure how it would work. But turns out it fits with clearance on each side. So all OK there. The one interference is the side of the headrest at the top pushes slightly into the roll bar cage. The headrest on this seat is slightly wider than some other seats, and turns out it does contact the bar. But the cushion there is soft, so even if it touches or pushes into it a little, not an issue. Corbeau has three different height sliding bases for this seat. After trying several heights with wood blocks, looks like the lowest one will be just right. All the way back, there’s an inch or two more space than the Roadster with the standard seats all the way back. There won’t be a lot of forward adjustment. Probably 2-3 inches. That works perfectly for us. I tried the seat in both driver and passenger side. Both OK. Also confirmed it sits at the right angle, especially important on the driver side, e.g. square to the steering wheel and dash. All good. I’ll get the custom ones ordered.

Our forecast for a mild winter has been anything but that so far. Multiple below zero days, multiple times following the snow blower up and down our driveway. You know, the standard Michigan drill. The heater in the garage keeps it comfortable when I’m working out there. But still thinking about warmer weather already.

[Vette1972]

Edwardb,

Nice detail on the electrical wiring, fuse panel and seats. Your attention to detail is great for us dreamers. Any thoughts on paint yet?

Thanks,
Len

[edwardb]

Edwardb,

Nice detail on the electrical wiring, fuse panel and seats. Your attention to detail is great for us dreamers. Any thoughts on paint yet?

Thanks,
Len

Yes, it will be painted.

Oh, you mean color, right? All builds to date have been red. So don't be too surprised if it goes that way. But seriously (really!) looking at blues. Something modern and maybe without stripes. But that final decision is a long way off and probably will change many times between now and then.

[Vette1972]

Yes, it will be painted.

Oh, you mean color, right? All builds to date have been red. So don't be too surprised if it goes that way. But seriously (really!) looking at blues. Something modern and maybe without stripes. But that final decision is a long way off and probably will change many times between now and then.

I just wanted to kid you about the RED! Your cars are really super. I really enjoy following along. Thanks!!

[Bob Brandle]

Edwardb,
I'm so glad that the Corbeau Sportline Evolution X fixed back seat fits the Gen 3 Coupe! Thanks for taking the flier and ordering one to test out. I've been eyeing that seat for a month now, and "preliminarily selected it" as I do research for my future coupe. Now I feel that my seat choice is settled. I plan to order the coupe this summer for an October delivery target (alert to FFR, LOL). I'm following your build and a few others quite closely and appreciate all of the documentation and discussions along the way.
BobB

[Higgybulin]

"But still thinking about warmer weather already."
Oh you ain't kidding!!! Coupe is coming along great!!

[WIS89]

Paul-

I really like those seats! Nice job sorting through the variety of choices, and picking one that works so well. Nice that the bride approves as well.

As far as this cold goes, you aren't kidding. Even we southerners are ready for spring. We are getting around 5 inches of snow as I type this; this is nuts!

Thanks as always for the detailed build thread. I am enjoying following this build as well. Now to convince the wife that I need a Coupe after I finish the Roadster!

Regards,

Steve

[Phlushot]

When I was wrenching the Power Probe was easily one of my favorite tools. If you ever use a test light you should replace it with a Power Probe.

[JoeAIII]

Paul, I know this is a few months back at this point, but regarding the wheel studs... On this build and 8674you mentioned pulling them in with a but and an impact driver. Why not press them in with the vice, opposite of the way you get the old ones out?

[edwardb]

Paul, I know this is a few months back at this point, but regarding the wheel studs... On this build and 8674 you mentioned pulling them in with a nut and an impact driver. Why not press them in with the vice, opposite of the way you get the old ones out?

Maybe it could, but I didn't try. It takes a lot of force to get them all the way in. An arbor press would be best for pressing them in. Properly fixtured, that would be ideal. But I don't have one and I do have an impact driver. It literally just takes a few minutes.

[Papa]

Paul,

You'll definitely like the Power Probe. Just be careful when powering circuits with it. I gave myself quite a scare. It all worked out fine, but gave me reason to be a lot more aware before pressing the button to apply power! The build is looking great. You've got me thinking about what will come after the roadster is done.

Dave

[JoeAIII]

Maybe it could, but I didn't try. It takes a lot of force to get them all the way in. An arbor press would be best for pressing them in. Properly fixtured, that would be ideal. But I don't have one and I do have an impact driver. It literally just takes a few minutes.

Roger. Keep up the great work.

[edwardb]

Pretty good week for the Coupe build. On Monday Factory Five shipped two big boxes of backordered parts. Wednesday the FedEx parts delivery truck arrived. I’m down to two missing parts for the entire kit. Headlight covers and side pipes. One apparently a vendor issue, the other waiting to get through the shop at FF. Neither will hold up my build for many months so no more excuses. For the record, that’s just short of seven weeks from kit delivery to basically all the parts needed. That includes holidays, blizzards, etc. In hindsight, not too bad I guess and probably pretty typical. Doesn’t make it any easier though and I don’t claim to be the world’s most patient person. But it’s done and behind me now and will soon be a distant memory.

The main parts I was waiting for were the three sets of IRS arms and a couple bolts. With those in hand, I completed the IRS assembly pretty much the day the parts arrived. Not too much to say about all this. For the Gen 3 Coupe, they all appear to be the same parts as used on the Roadster, so it was a bit of a re-run putting it all together. This has all been pretty thoroughly documented before, so I’ll spare the blow-by-blow description. Four tips from my side though: (1) Grease the fittings before assembly. Pump the grease until it comes out the little holes in the ends and then smear it around on the poly bushings. This not only makes sure the joints are properly greased, but makes it a bit easier to assemble. (2) Figure on spreading all the tabs. I used the threaded rod/washers/nuts technique described by others and mentioned before. Works great and doesn’t mar the powder coat. Doesn’t take much, so don’t overdue it. But spreading them out slightly fixes where there is zero or less clearance (pretty common) and also just makes it a bit easier to assemble. (3) I did find the UCA was probably 1/8-inch or so too narrow. There was no way that was going to go in with spreading the tabs, grease, a big hammer, whatever. I used my floor jack to spread the UCA's and that worked great. They hook between the front axle and lift pad of the floor jack and after a couple tries they slid right in. The bolts went in fine as well so bending them out just a bit didn’t misalign anything. Likely just had moved a little when welded. (4) Finally, the tapered bolts I talked about in the Anniversary Roadster build thread continue to be a huge help to get everything in and aligned. For anyone putting this suspension together for the first time, just prepare yourself. Everything is really TIGHT and it can be a bit frustrating. But it works and is a beautiful thing when it's all together.

Once the IRS assembly was completed, fitted up the Wilwood rear brakes. Those are kind of fun to work on. The instructions are excellent and the parts fit perfectly. Went through the steps to shim as described. Ended up with no shims on the mounting bracket, and only one shim under each caliper mounting bolt. Alignment and centering appears to be perfect. Nice job Wilwood. Still need to run the e-brake cables.

With that done, completed both sway bars. I didn’t have the mounting bushings until this last part shipment, so couldn’t do the front before. Now was able to complete both. I backed off the coilover springs and used a 2x4 and a floor jack to push the suspensions through their travel. I confirmed the rod ends for both front and back are basically perpendicular when the suspensions are at ride height. They angle in/out when the suspensions are full up or down, but confirmed they did so without binding.

Not much else to say except post pictures. I’m really happy with the POR15 black painted knuckles. Blends right in with everything else and looks nice. Absolutely nothing gained or meaningful, but I don’t care. I like it. I followed my usual practice of putting a red paint dot on each bolt as the final torque value was set.









This is a pretty cool view of the underside of the chassis. Shows once again how different the Gen 3 Coupe is from before and also from the Roadster. Also shows how nice it is to have a lift.



This is the completed sway bar on the front suspension. Not much to see here. The mounting is different than the Roadster on the front of the 4-inch tubes. Other than that, very similar.



So really big news on another front. As described in my first post, the intended engine for this build is a Gen 3 Coyote. Even though I have several contacts at Ford, still no definitive word on when the crate version will be released. Their policy is that release dates are provided right before the actual release. There was some chatter on the forum that they haven’t even started the PCM programming and the crate version might not even be released this year. Based on feedback I’m getting, that doesn’t appear to be the case. Best guess remains first or second quarter this year. Maybe as late as summer. Since I’m just a few weeks away from really wanting the engine and trans for mockup, I’ve been talking to myself about going with the Gen 2 Coyote. That’s an awesome engine and love it in the Anniversary Roadster. But a part of me didn’t want to give up on the Gen 3 idea. Then I had a brainstorm that if could get a Coyote block, even a scrap one, I could mount the bell housing and transmission, put the assembly in the chassis, and proceed with the build. Would buy me some months at least. Long story short, I was able to obtain a loaner Gen 2 block! It has a hole in the side right next to where it looks like #7 had a bit of an incident. I have to give it back, but no time limit. This absolutely meets my needs. In the next weeks, I’m going to get the T-56, bell, etc. and drop this into the chassis.



I’ve been working on lighting – all LED – and will report about that probably in my next update.

[Vette1972]

Edwardb,

Really looking good! The detail you provide with photos is excellent. I'm enjoying the progress as you move along.

Thanks,
Len

[JoeAIII]

Great to hear you found a block for mock-up. I hope to embark on the gen3 odyssey along with you.

[michael everson]

Edward. I found that if you mount the fuse box under the dash in the foot box area, there is no way to get the bundle of wire up behind the dash without being seen. That is why I mounted mine behind the dash. Also the corner pieces that get attached to the dash will make it even more difficult. I ran the front harness throught he left hand corner of the fire wall for the same reason.

[edwardb]

Edward. I found that if you mount the fuse box under the dash in the foot box area, there is no way to get the bundle of wire up behind the dash without being seen. That is why I mounted mine behind the dash. Also the corner pieces that get attached to the dash will make it even more difficult. I ran the front harness throught he left hand corner of the fire wall for the same reason.

Thanks Mike. Thanks for following along and providing ideas. At this point I'm pretty committed to the location on LH side of the footbox. I've taken the corner piece of the dash into account. But nothing is cast in concrete yet. I'm not planning to finalize anything until I have the Coyote harness and also the A/C/heat ducts to also find room for. I'm expecting I'll need to remove most of the conduit from the main harness and reconfigure it so it fits the way I want. Including probably removing the connectors for the front harness so it can go through the footbox with less interference. But we'll see further down the road. I agree your approach is probably best if the harness is left in the stock form.

[Straversi]

I'm just now noticeing that you have been ale to do all of this with the sheet metal and body on the car. Man, am I jealous of that lift! Are you doing it this way to help mock things up as you go or is the recommended assembly for the Coupe?
-Steve

[edwardb]

I'm just now noticeing that you have been ale to do all of this with the sheet metal and body on the car. Man, am I jealous of that lift! Are you doing it this way to help mock things up as you go or is the recommended assembly for the Coupe?
-Steve

Nope, just my choice. Once I get fuel, brake, and electrical mocked up and installed I'll take everything apart and get serious about the panels. Right now they're not in the way.

[RoadRacer]

I followed my usual practice of putting a red paint dot on each bolt as the final torque value was set.

Glad you reminded me..I'll have to do that. I was looking around last weekend and wondering what still needed final torque. I really thought I'd remember, ha!

[Dave Howard]

One thing Millwrights do is to mark the fastener being torqued, and carry the mark onto the surface being clamped. Then it's a quick visual to see if fasteners have worked their way loose.

[edwardb]

All of the suspension fasteners FF provides use some type of lock nut. Nylon insert, distorted thread, castle nuts, etc. I have a good quality digital torque wrench and follow the recommended torque specs very carefully. Properly installed and properly torqued, I'm confident they won't loosen. That's why I try to be disciplined about making sure they really have been set properly. I mark each one with the paint pen immediately after torquing. I don't trust my memory and it's way too easy to get going and loose track.

There are a couple locations that have been identified as ones to watch however. Those include the IRS camber and toe adjustment sleeves, and the front UCA ball joints. Those I do put a witness mark on and watch carefully. Haven't seen anything move yet, but following the recommendations there. The big axle nut on the IRS was prone to loosen on the previous version IRS. Guys did all kinds of things to keep those tight. Haven't heard anything like that on the 2015+ version, but it's also pretty new in comparison. I've got witness marks on those too. But also without seeing anything move so far.

Additionally, I check every suspension nut and bolt as part of the annual PM, oil change, chassis lube, etc. I've yet to find anything loose in multiple seasons with the exception of one case where I foolishly had the jam nut against the wrong side of an adjustment sleeve. Fixed that one to say the least! Interestingly, Wilwood doesn't use any lock nuts in their brake systems. But they do specify red Loctite on everything along with torque values.

Bottom line, by all means use witness marks if you want to and it makes you more comfortable. Certainly nothing wrong with it. Everyone has their own build practices and should do what works for them. But focus on the process you use and make sure it's right in the first place. I'm betting you won't have any issues. Marks or no marks. Now back out to the garage for more progress.

[RR20AC]

Thanks Paul for the detail. I also torqued and marked your way and have not seen any back off yet. Really coming along quickly.

[Dlirium]

Glad you reminded me..I'll have to do that. I was looking around last weekend and wondering what still needed final torque. I really thought I'd remember, ha!

Yes, one of the best tips from Paul!!

[edwardb]

My plan for this build is for all LED lighting, exterior and interior. It’s bright, draws low current, and lasts a long time. If you believe the claimed hours, probably the lifetime of the car. That’s what I did with #8674, and after living with it for a year, like it a lot. Fortunately, Factory Five did provide some LED fixtures with the Gen 3 Coupe kit. So that’s a good start. The Speedhut gauges, as most probably know, are a combination of electroluminescence panel and LED needles. So nothing to do there either. For the rest, I’ve been studying and shopping for the last few weeks, and think I have everything nailed down.

The first thing you learn when you start looking is that the market is inundated with LED lights. Of every size, kind, and variety. Most from China which is no surprise. The second thing you learn is a very high percentage of it is low quality, even junk. The third thing is that a lot of what’s advertised as automotive related is not DOT/SAE compliant. Whenever you see the words “for off-road use only” it’s pretty certain it’s not DOT/SAE compliant. For some builders, this doesn’t matter and their inspection/titling/registration process doesn’t check for it. For others, it is a big deal and could keep the build from being titled. In my case, even though not checked in Michigan, I still chose to use only DOT/SAE compliant fixtures. Just prevents any issues down the road, and in very general terms, I found lights with these ratings were generally higher quality.

Another criterion for me is that I wanted the lighting to look traditional or classic as much as possible. There are a lot of fixtures out there, especially headlights, that are very modern looking with halo rings, integral turn signals, etc. Nothing wrong with that if that’s what you’re going for. I’ve seen some of those products on cars at London and elsewhere. It’s pretty cool especially when done along with other modern style touches. But not my thing for this build.

After a couple purchases and returns, I found LED products from Maxxima to generally be decent quality. As you’ll see when I talk details, some of the lights from Factory Five and also Watson’s Streetworks are from there. For LED headlights, here the market seems especially flooded. You can find bulbs from $20 a pair to ten times that and more. As I found out, it matters. On #8674, I have the LED headlight package from Watson’s Streetworks. They are Hella H4 Vision Plus lenses with LED replacement bulbs. They’re excellent. I’ve got a lot of driving on them in #8674. They’re bright, crisp, and make driving at night easy compared to the stock flashlight halogens. But at $249 a pair, I thought I could be clever and do the same thing for less. Bought the same Hella lenses, and some highly rated LASFIT H4 LED bulbs from Amazon for $60. You know the old cliché about you get what you pay for? After just a few minutes, realized these were not good and exercised Amazon’s quick and simple return process. They weren’t very bright and the light pattern was all over the place. After a lot more looking, reading, watching YouTube videos, etc., bit the bullet (budget? What budget?) and went for a pair of GTR Lighting Ultra Series 3rd Generation LED H4 bulbs. Arrived today and I’m very happy with them. Quality seems outstanding. Here they are installed in my kit provided headlight parts and Hella lenses.



Unlike some other products on the market, they use an external driver that won’t fit inside the bucket. But there’s an in-line connector so they install in the plastic kit buckets through the regular grommet with the driver mounted on the outside.

For the rest of the front lighting package, FF provided four Maxxima M09300Y marker lights and M50112 SS covers for the running and turn signal lights that go in the covered headlight area. For the fog/driving lights used on the Coupe, FF provided a pair of halogen lights. They’re a little small for the opening and power hogs. My 12+ amp power supply won’t light a single fixture. Plus no DOT/SAE markings. After a lot of looking, I went with KC HiLiTES 493 4" Gravity LED fog lights. They’re slightly larger and seem to be excellent quality. Again, not cheap (recurring theme??) but I think will be perfect. I’ll need to fab something to mount the flat base to the round interior of the opening. But that will be easy. They have a tilt adjustment screw, so will be easy to aim. Because of the low current draw, don’t take heavy wiring or relays. They came with a very nice harness including Deutsch weatherproof connectors. This is the entire front lighting package:



For the rear lights, FF provided the LED running/turn signal/brake light fixtures. These are a super nice setup made up of United Pacific Industries ’37 Ford taillights (that’s right!), trim rings, gaskets, and a mounting bracket held in with an internal snap ring. They are quite bright. Very happy with these.



For the rest of the rear lights, I think I’m going to do a 3rd brake light buried in the spoiler. I have a Maxxima M63319R 9 LED light bar that I’m tentatively planning for that. I have a smaller version that I might use but expect will go with this one. I’m planning to install a back-up light. I’ve chosen a Maxxima M42206 14 LED surface mount fixture. Finally, there’s the license plate light that FF provided with an incandescent bulb. I cut out the bulb socket and replaced it with an MAL-S-WW2 LED license plate bolt from superbrightleds.com and two SS fender washers. One on the front and one on the back. Easy mod and works great. This is the same LED license plate bolt used on #8674 and other builds to mod the Roadster license plate light bracket.





This the entire rear lighting package:



Last but not least, for the interior I’m going to install footwell lights on the underside of the dash, like I’ve done before, tied to the courtesy light circuit. Twisting the headlight knob will turn them on and off. For those, I’ll be installing Watson’s Streetworks L96WCL white LED lights from Maxxima. Also, not lighting related, but the interior will have a 12V accessory outlet and a dual USB outlet. These fixtures are from Blue Seas Systems. Always decent quality. There also will be LED indicators. The Speedhut gauges already have turn signal and high beam LED's built in. I've tested them and they're not super bright. Pretty sure they'll be OK as is though since the Coupe has a roof overhead. I'll be adding two additional LED's -- MIL (Multifunction Indicator Light, aka Check Engine) for the Coyote and an indicator for the cooling fan. I like to see a light when it's switched on and running. I haven't picked the exact lights because I'm still designing the dash.

That’s it for all that. Will be a while before most is installed. But for now I think it’s all sorted out. As for the actual build, yesterday I completed the e-brake cable installation. Couple of slight glitches with the provided Dorman cables. I had to trim a bit off the end of the crimped piece at the calipers. Interfered with the provided Wilwood connector parts. No big deal and plenty left to hold. At the e-brake handle, the cables were actually a bit short. Wouldn’t reach the male/female rod ends coming off the handle assembly. Using a hacksaw and leftover rod ends from #8674 because I had used a Lokar piece on that build, I cobbled together a 3/4-inch extension, and all is good. The e-brakes work perfectly.



Finally, spent some time yesterday aligning the IRS. It looked really wonky plus I wanted to do a sanity check on wheel spacing while the body was still on the chassis. Got the rear alignment really close I think, but will check it again when I have a rolling chassis. Most Gen 3 Coupe builders have reported the tires tuck in too far on the body, and at least a 1-inch spacer is needed. With #8674 sitting there with the same wheel/tire package I’m planning for this build, I hijacked the rear wheel/tires for a couple hours to complete the alignment and check how they fit to the body. I too found that spacers are needed. Minimum 1-inch. Maybe even a bit more. Most everything I found was either 1-inch or 1-1/2 inches. I went with the 1-inch. Ordered Eibach 90.4.25.010.3 Pro-Spacer hub centric 1-inch spacers. These are 09-2014 Mustang parts. Hub spacing is the same as the 2015+ and has the same 1/2-20 lug nuts as the rest of the build. A little pricey, but these are critical parts and I’ve been very happy with the quality of Eibach parts in the past.

Today I started work on mounting the radiator and the first sheet metal pieces on the radiator tunnel. I have some fitment issues I’m working through, including the small opening and angle for the lower radiator hose. I’ll figure it out. Also looking at other builds. Next week I’m planning to order my T-56 and bell and prepare to drop in the engine mock-up.

[Wilder]

If you ever have the time could you do a list of parts you add to your build. Im not going to try to out think you and going to do what you recommend except Im going with headlights with clear turn signals in them. I ordered my can Jan 15th.

[edwardb]

If you ever have the time could you do a list of parts you add to your build. Im not going to try to out think you and going to do what you recommend except Im going with headlights with clear turn signals in them. I ordered my can Jan 15th.

PM sent.

[Raceral]

Good Grief.... I just stumbled across this.... Dang it, just when I thought I was tired of building... here you go making me wanting to do a Coupe

[TheBabyBadger]

WOW. Finally caught up. Loving the build. It seems like most of the kit is actually pretty spot on. Definitely doing the coupe after your advice on the three builds, just waiting to get out of escrow to make my deposit! I'll keep watching your build and let you know when mine starts. LOVING IT! Great build so far!

[edwardb]

Since the last update, got out the #30 drill bits and clecos and started at it. First up was the radiator tunnel. This is where we get to play how many clecos does it take.



I mentioned in my last update that I had a couple of fitment issues with the radiator tunnel. Two things. First, initially I couldn’t get the radiator down far enough for the top mounting bracket to sit down properly on the frame rails. The solution was to trim 1/8-inch off the back edge of the lower radiator channel. (not sure what to call it…) That allowed the radiator to push down just enough to get the top mounting bracket installed. Second is the angled lower radiator outlet. With the radiator centered in the lower mounts, the outlet is obstructed and it would be very difficult to get the lower radiator hose properly attached. Sliding it over toward the driver side helps, but then the lower mount on that side interferes. This is also mentioned in another build thread and it was suggested to bend the ear on the mount enough to push the radiator over. That’s what I did. You can see it if you look closely at the picture above. Some of the powder coat peeled off when bent that much. No surprise. I'll touch it up with gloss POR15. Matches perfectly.

It’s still going to be challenging to get the lower radiator hose installed, but I think it will work. Kind of ironic. I struggled with three Roadster builds. The Afco radiator used on those had a straight lower outlet, which points the lower radiator hose right at the frame tow hook mounts used on Roadsters. The newer angled radiator solves that problem very nicely. But sure would be nice to have a straight lower outlet on this Coupe build instead of the angled one. I think it would work much better. Oh well. These don’t show the issue too well, but this is the area in question. From the front and the back. The lower radiator hose will still be pressed against the square frame member. But I think it will go in. I’m planning to check out the Boig Motorsports upper and lower Gen 3 Coupe Coyote hoses. Hopefully they’ve taken this limited space into account.





This is the radiator tunnel with the mockup basically complete. You can see how it's off-center to the driver's side. I’m using a radiator shroud from Breeze. It’s tight, but it works. Now back apart and out for powder coat.



Couple more updates. Yesterday my Corbeau seats arrived. We went with the red stitching version. Very happy with how they look. These have pre-installed seat heaters, which I tested and work OK. Only pull 3.6 amps each on either high or low. So shouldn’t be any trouble finding a circuit for them.





Today my 1-inch Eibach rear wheel spacers arrived. Super nice quality and perfect fit. I’ve very impressed. Made in Germany actually. No surprise the existing wheel studs are longer than 1-inch, so protruded through the spacers. But I knew the FF wheels had indents between the lug holes on the back side of the wheels, so assumed they would fit. Well, we all know about assume. The indents of the wheels didn’t line up with the protruding studs so of course the wheels wouldn’t mount properly. So back apart and out with the air cut-off tool. Took it slow and easy (no choice since those tools are air hogs) and trimmed the ends off. Wheels mount perfectly. I'm probably going to put some of the Eastwood Extreme Chassis Black I've been using elsewhere on them. They do show a little through the spokes of the wheel. Can't have that. Kind of of stand out against the black Wilwood brakes.



Family activities the next couple days. But back at it next week. Pretty happy with the progress two months in. Ready for spring, but staying warm working in the garage.

[Vette1972]

Love the detail! Really nice seats!! Thanks!

[Straversi]

Couple more updates. Yesterday my Corbeau seats arrived. We went with the red stitching version. Very happy with how they look.

Ha, I'm guessing your son will have to build his own Coupe if he wants to see a blue one in e driveway....
-Steve

[edwardb]

Good Grief.... I just stumbled across this.... Dang it, just when I thought I was tired of building... here you go making me wanting to do a Coupe

Sorry.

Ha, I'm guessing your son will have to build his own Coupe if he wants to see a blue one in the driveway....
-Steve

Hey, I can't help it if they didn't offer blue stitching. Seriously though, not sure if blue is ruled out. But let's just say red is a leading contender right now.

[wareaglescott]

Good update Paul. A couple questions.

I noticed preciously you mentioned you were going with the seat that has the fixed back. Are there any brackets available that allow you to mount them at whatever desired recline angle you like and how is the interior room for mounting with some recline? I know my Kirkeys had a bracket that allowed you to choose from numerous settings to vary the seat back angle.

Never used a wheel spacer before. Does it simply just bolt on and nothing more to worry about? (other than the trimming you mentioned.)

[edwardb]

Good update Paul. A couple questions.

I noticed preciously you mentioned you were going with the seat that has the fixed back. Are there any brackets available that allow you to mount them at whatever desired recline angle you like and how is the interior room for mounting with some recline? I know my Kirkeys had a bracket that allowed you to choose from numerous settings to vary the seat back angle.

Never used a wheel spacer before. Does it simply just bolt on and nothing more to worry about? (other than the trimming you mentioned.)

Thanks. The Corbeau seats use a separately purchased bracket that bolts to four attachment points on the bottom of the seats. They have three different height brackets. I'll be using the lowest 1-inch version: https://corbeau.com/other/master-sea...t-bracket.html. They're made to bolt directly to the floor, so no built-in method to adjust the recline angle. Probably you could put spacers under the bracket to adjust the angle. But with them flat on the floor, the seat back hits the outside corner of the cockpit when all the way back. Increasing the recline angle would reduce the possible leg room. For my very average 5'-10" height, I don't need all the available legroom. But I don't want to limit it either. The seats feel fine to me with the 1-inch added bracket height and feet down in the footwell that drops a couple inches like the Roadster along with the stock recline angle. So I'll be mounting them flat.

Yes, the wheel spacers are really that simple. The instructions say to make sure the hub is clean and rust free so it sits flat. Not a problem with a new build. The spacers come with nuts that match the taper and the instructions say to torque them to the same value as your lug nuts. You use your existing wheel lug nuts on the new set of spacer provided studs. All very straightforward. The instructions say these are billet aluminum. But they're some kind of alloy that is quite substantial. The shipping weight on the box with the two spacers was 6-1/2 lbs.

[Paul G]

Looking good, hoping to get my Roadster running this weekend and start focusing back on the Coupe.

[Jeff Kleiner]

...This is where we get to play how many clecos does it take...

I think it could have been done with 2 fewer

Great documentation as usual Paul!

Jeff

[Derald Rice]

But let's just say red is a leading contender right now.

I wonder if anyone is surprised.

After all, you have a precedence to uphold.

[dncharo]

Paul,
I absolutely love those seats! Do you think they would fit in the MK4? We got the Kirky high backs from FFR when we ordered our kit, but if your seats fit then we might try to sell them on the classifieds and buy the ones you got.
David