Cobra Build Blog

More pics..

2008-03-22T20:20:00.004-06:00

DC was great and after adjusting the suspension, torquing everything down and calibrating the speedometer Ludi is set with the car and very pleased.

In addition to my dads photos, Scott's older brother, Bob, also took some fantastic pictures. There's a whole set here:

http://rjphotography.smugmug.com/

a sample:

Cobra Complete, to DC..

2008-03-15T11:48:00.003-06:00

Last night we finished the final touches, then washed, waxed and polished the car. We should arrive in Washington DC sometime tomorrow in the morning.

Door Panels, Radio and Speakers Complete

2008-03-13T23:56:00.005-06:00

Today we finished installing the door panels, radio, speakers (theres also speakers behind the rear seats) and buttons below the radio for the heater, traction control and cigarette lighter.

Basically all that's left it to thoroughly clean the car!

Dash Completed

2008-03-10T00:43:00.005-06:00

After weeks and many hours of work we (though Scott deserves most of the credit) finished the dash. It was a pain but it looks awesome!

We also ran the car for about 30 minutes and made sure everything is working properly. We went through all the gauges, lights, switches, wipers, signals, horn, electric fan, bled the power steering and made sure it ran right at operating temp (and a lot of other little things). All thats really left before we leave is the radio (where all the wires are hanging below the dash) which we've pretty much already pre-wired and the door panels.

dash progress

2008-03-08T00:10:00.003-06:00

We finished the wiring to the gauges behind the dash. We wired everything into quick disconnects so the dash could be easily removed all at once. Finally after a few weeks we've finished all this gauge wiring, cutting, drilling and gluing/setting the dash pad to the dash.

A diagram for reference of the quick disconnects (we actually had to figure out on the stock harness where everything came from).

After test fitting the dash and taking measurements we epoxied this bracket to the back of the dash which will help hold it up on the passenger side.

And finally we started with the gauge cluster which was about 6 inches thick, and removed everything down to this circuit board. We had to keep it because it has a little chip embedded somewhere. Without this, the car wont start.

Next we'll finish the quick disconnects on the car side and finish the dash.

Near Completion Pictures

2008-02-29T18:48:00.004-06:00

Once the door panels, dash and radio are complete over the next week or two I'll have the final pictures.

It makes me look 7 feet tall..

Horns, Turn Signal Assembly & Dash

2008-02-23T01:45:00.003-06:00

A lot of information for building the car isn't exactly given in the build manual. Sometimes we spend hours just trying to find a wiring diagram or how to make something work on the forums..

Tonight I installed the horns and grounded them, though we still need to figure out which wires are needed for the power through the stock harness.
Then we put the turn signal assembly together. This piece (which is not from FFR) was extremely well designed for the car and looks great. Now the stalk will self cancel like any normal car. We still do need to run the wires for it though.

Then we cut more holes in the under dash panel for the heater and some wiring.

Next we glued the upholstery to the dash.

Then cut all the holes for the gauges, switches, key and lights.

Ignition, Headlight Switch & Windshield Wipers

2008-02-09T01:01:00.000-06:00

Tonight we wired up the key and ignition. It took quite a while to figure out which wires came from where, and what each needed to connect to on the ignition switch. After researching it on the forums we found some seemingly helpful diagrams. Unfortunately, they were incorrect because when the key was switched to the on position, pressing the clutch pedal would engage the starter. After some tests Scott figured it out and we now have the correct; accessories, off, run and starter (engaged by the clutch) positions.

Next, using the headlight switch ordered from FFR, we wired up the parking lights and headlights. Again it took a little time finding the right diagrams, especially because FFR didn't even tell us which terminal is which on the headlight switch, but the switch functions correctly now.

Finally, we wired up with windshield wipers for power and the switch. With this, we were able to attach the wiper arms but then found one of the gears was stripping. After taking it out, Scott discovered the cable wasnt being held tight enough against the gear. So, we used the vice and bent the guide for a tighter fit. After putting it all back together the problem was solved and now the 2 speed wipers work great.

I also finally received the electronic speedometer so hopefully nothing else will hold us up at this point.

Gauge Wiring, Dash Panel, Misc.

2008-01-12T04:33:00.000-06:00

Today we started by first shaping the aluminum dash panel to fit the contours of the dash at each end. After that we test fit it with the under dash panel we purchased by drilling a few holes. We also carpeted the under dash panel.
Next, we did a lot of wiring for the gauges. We made a wiring harness for the back-lighting and each gauges function. Scott added a connector at the end so the entire harness can be disconnected if the dash ever needs to be removed.

Because all the gauges are mechanical we've had to add a few things to the motor which took some time. At the port where the oil filter mounts we took the stock harnesses plug out and put the sending unit for the Autometer gauge. We didn't drain the motor so this was a bit messy. On the driver side behind the motor mount we removed a plug and put the water temp sending unit in. Again we didn't drain the coolant so this made a mess. We found a good place for the oil temp at the bottom port of the oil filter housing but I need to buy a new adapter to mount the sending unit. It looks like the fuel gauge just splices into the stock harness somewhere and the voltmeter is of course the same.

FFR sent us a mechanical speedometer which is incorrect because of the year of our donor, so we need to wait on the new electronic gauge to finish the dash and gauges. We also need to run wires from each sending unit to the dash.

FFR includes a toggle switch for the blinkers so we may order something which mounts on the column. Other than that we figured out a few more things needed and how to mount them.

Passenger Seat and Harness

2008-01-09T19:55:00.000-06:00

Today I was able to mount the passenger seat. A friend helped weld the top of the bolts to the seat bracket. By doing this I was able to mount the seat to the bracket and just drop everything in place, then put the nuts on from underneath the car. I also mounted the harness and adjusted both driver and passenger harness for a better fit.

Lastly, I bought a piece of carpet to put at the rear of the transmission tunnel and complete the carpeting.

Defrost Vents, Carpet, Driver Seat & Harness

2008-01-09T01:22:00.000-06:00

I received the defrost vents and could finish the heater. I cut holes and mounted the tubing and vents.
Next I installed all the interior carpeting except one piece that didn't quite fit right. I was then able to re-install the driver seat, and install the harness.

I also mounted the shift boot.

I'm missing a couple bolts on the passenger side so tomorrow Ill finish the passenger seat and harness installation.

Heater & Windshield Wipers

2007-12-29T03:44:00.000-06:00

Today we installed the heater, ran the coolant lines, vacuum lines, wiring and heater ducting. We cut a hole in the dash for the heater core/blower motor to pass through..

Now we need to mount the ECU somewhere else. It will probably end up at the top of the passenger foot well.

Next we installed the wiper assembly. The motor is mounted below..

And the wipers are ready to go on. Once we wire it up and test it Ill put the wipers on and it will be set.

Mirrors

2007-12-27T14:18:00.000-06:00

Today Adam even helped out, by sitting in the car while I installed the mirrors. They're pretty small so you cant see much, but at least its legal to drive this way.

I started the car and ran it for several minutes just to get it warmed up and run some of the new gas through. It sounds great with the side pipes and runs very smooth. I also took measurements to confirm the heater will be able to still fit in the car. It should be pretty straight forward, I'll just need to move the ecu and a few wiring harnesses. Once that's in, we can do the windshield wipers, gauges and dash. Im waiting to install the carpet until some of these things are done so I dont get shavings from drilling various places all over. Aside from those projects Ill just need to retorque everything at the end.

Passenger Seat, Inner Fenders, Visors, Wind Wings & Side Pipes

2007-12-26T23:38:00.000-06:00

Today I started by installing the passenger seat. Also, I filled the car with gas the other day to find a leak at the filler neck. I figured out a rubber seal on the gas tank was torn and replaced that part today. Next was the inner fenders which go behind the front and rear wheels.

In this picture you can see a plate I installed which covered a hole for a different setup.

While putting the wheels back on I reinstalled the tri-star centers.

Scott assembled the visors and wind wings and installed them.

Lastly, we put the side pipes back on the car. Polish to Chrome did an excellent job chroming them and the install kit we purchased from Breeze made them actually fit on the car properly.

Radiator Shrouding

2007-12-21T16:20:00.000-06:00

As is the way with these things, not all the parts FFR included worked very well so I made one of the pieces.

Driver Seat Mounted, Buffing Complete

2007-12-20T21:29:00.000-06:00

After spending several hours again on the driver seat yesterday I finally managed to modify the mounting plate and brackets to work. The only problem was I couldn't get bolts on the seat once in the car. So today I got some studs from the hardware store and completed the driver seat install.

Unfortunately it still wasn't complete because the seat was against the door.

After more modificiation its now positioned correctly. These seats are very wide and just barely fit in the car.

It can now be adjusted back and forth for the driver. And it doesnt look like much room, but I think someone just over 6 ft tall would still be comfortable in the car.

Next I set up more lighting so Brad could buff the car.

Now it has a mirror shine..

Windshield

2007-12-18T23:20:00.000-06:00

Scott trimmed the windshield bracket which mounts to the frame. It went on without any real issues other that.

License Plate Light, Hood/Latches/Hinges, Fuel Cap & Seat

2007-12-01T01:34:00.000-06:00

Last weekend Scott wired up the license plate light and mounted the bracket so the car can be street legal (I didn't have a camera last week).

Today, I went to Brad's and picked up the hood. It looks great on the car and everything lines up very well. In addition to mounting it with the hood hinges I installed the lockable hood latches.

Next I installed the fuel cap. It took some modification of the part FFR supplied but after grinding the bottom and changing some of the hardware it works and looks good.

I also made some more progress with the adjustable driver seat. After reading the forums and finding people had basically given up; purchased other aftermarket seat kits, and generally been unhappy with the complexity of the FFR unit and instructions (or lack there of) I decided to figure things out on my own. I took a lot of measurements, cut out a chunk of the seat plate and mounted the seat tracks. As you can see I drilled the outer holes larger to mount the seat straight onto it.

I took measurements of the steel underneath the floor and made a sketch on top to basically figure out where the seat could actually be mounted. Of course rivets make it obvious where certain tubes are as well.
Next time Ill finish mounting the seat. For reference of others building the car I used the 3/4 horizontal bar (thickest line in pic) to mount the rear of the studs. The inner track will be on the round tubing, and the outer track will be about 7 3/4 inches away from that with the rear on the 3/4 bar and front in that bigger triangular area. I'm mounting the seat on that large plate, and the tracks are mounted to it on the bottom. I have spacers on the front so the seat is tilted slightly, otherwise its too vertical and a bit awkward. Lastly I'm going to use the studs which are on the inner track through the round tube. Ill get the nut on by then drilling 2 holes on the bottom of the round tube (from underneath the car) so I can get a socket inside. Of course this will be much more meaningful when its all said and done..

Brake Duct Mesh & Dynamat

2007-11-22T15:00:00.000-06:00

Today I installed the mesh on the brake cooling ducts.

Then some more dynamat on the rear corners to prevent the sound of rocks hitting the aluminum as well as the transmission tunnel which gets pretty hot without it.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Fuse Panel, Transmission Cover, Fuel Cap

2007-11-22T00:12:00.000-06:00

Today we started by mounting the fuse box with a bracket Scott made from aluminum. I need to get a new fuse box cover because the old cover was cracked from the Mach 1. With this mounted, the hood can go on. If Brad's available this weekend, Scott and I should be able to pick it up and mount it.

I mounted the aluminum inner side panels and top panel which make up the transmission tunnel.

We got the doors to operate smoothly as well. We worked the latches in with white lithium and adjusted the door strikers a bit.

Finally we spent some time working on the fuel filler neck and cap. The filler neck had to be modified to reach the body hole. Then we had to figure out a way to make the stock cap fit in place under the chrome cover.

Scott trimmed the cap, took it apart and made a few changes.

Obviously its not yet complete as the chrome cover must be mounted. We still have to trim part of the cover on the inside to fit properly.

Trunk Latch, Door Straps and Trim, Louvers

2007-11-09T21:11:00.001-06:00

Today I started with the door straps and trunk latch.

The rear bumper wasn't designed keeping the rear latch in mind. It was too close to get the key in, or if you left the key in, you couldn't get it out after you locked it. So I fixed this by cutting the top of the key off. Now you can lock the trunk..

Then I added the inner door trim.

Then the hood latch stops

And finally I put the side louvers on.

Side Pipes dropped off at the chromer

2007-11-07T15:21:00.000-06:00

Dropped the side pipes off at Polish to Chrome in St. Paul. They should be ready in about 2 weeks.

Doors and Trunk Mounted

2007-11-06T22:16:00.000-06:00

Brad and I mounted the doors and trunk. I still need to install the latch on the trunk though. We're holding off on the hood until the fuse panel is properly mounted.

Exterior Lighting and Interior Aluminum

2007-11-04T00:30:00.000-06:00

Scott spent the better part of the day carefully wiring and installing the exterior lighting. The car now has functioning headlights, tail/brake lights and parking/turn signals.

I riveted the upper corner pieces in the rear of the interior.

And then riveted the under-door aluminum pieces in place.

The car's close to being street legal now.

Bumpers, Roll Bar, Side Pipes test fit..

2007-11-03T00:22:00.000-06:00

Today I started by going to the hardware store and getting urethane washers. I used these anywhere I had to mount the body to the chassis like on the sides and front. This way the washers wont dig into the paint over time.

Next I installed the rear bumper..

Then the front bumpers and not pictured the side bolts which we're fairly difficult to get on..

Next was the roll bar. This is a good example why things can take longer than expected. Something conceivably simple, pretty much consumed the whole night. Scott and I had to figure a way to mount this without damaging paint and it took a lot of finessing of the body and roll bar (and by finessing I mean brute force and swearing)..

But its on now. Finally we mounted the side pipes as we needed to wait for the body to make sure they could properly clear. This week I can take them to be chromed finally.

Hopefully more to come tomorrow night.

Body Mounted!

2007-11-01T20:22:00.000-06:00

So many words to choose from to describe it, we'll just say stunning:

These pictures do it no justice. When its light out Ill take some more.

We literally only made it a block from Brad's house when someone rolled down there windows and told us it looked awesome. Ludi, your going to love it!

Final Buffing

2007-10-30T18:05:00.000-06:00

Tonight I put the weatherstripping and rubber trim in place which keeps the body off the aluminum and 3/4 inch tubing (also prevents rattles etc.). I did a last check for anything else and made sure we're ready for tomorrow..

Brad is finishing off the buffing on the body of the car tonight.

And tomorrow if all goes to plan, this thing should really look like a car..

Clear

2007-10-21T19:36:00.000-06:00

But the clear makes it a lot better, wow! I stopped by tonight and the car looks fantastic!

After the wet-sanding and buffing it will be ready to go on the car!

Color

2007-10-21T16:55:00.001-06:00

It looks quite good..

ready for the blue

2007-10-21T13:05:00.000-06:00

The stripes are now masked off and the car is ready for the blue..

white section complete

2007-10-20T23:42:00.000-06:00

Brad finished the white tonight

Sealed and ready for paint!

2007-10-20T17:19:00.000-06:00

Its been a while since Ive made an update, but Brad has carefully got the body ready for paint. He made sure theres no pinholes and that everything's smooth. I stopped by last night and the primer was so smooth youd think the car was already painted when you touched it. Anyway, he put the sealer on and in a few hours the car will have the white layed down. After that Brad will mask off the stripes and put the blue on top tomorrow.

After numerous coats of blue goes on he'll do the clear coat, followed by wet-sanding and buffing. Keep up the good work Brad!

Roll bar, e-brake, trunk inner panel, misc.

2007-09-12T21:50:00.000-06:00

Tonight I installed the hoop. It must be fitted before the body goes on because its nearly impossible after that point.

After removing it I installed the last inner trunk piece by riveting it in.

Next I got the e-brake functioning properly.

Earlier today Scott and I took the car out a few times. We noticed the rear passenger wheel would rub under acceleration or around a curve. So later, I removed the rear wheels and massaged the aluminum in a bit to prevent that from happening again. I also adjusted the rear springs a little to bring the rear of the car a bit higher. I did this because there was more wheel gap between the fender and front wheels than the rear fender and wheels. So this should equal things out as well as give the rear wheels a little more room so they don't rub.

We also received the Excalibrator. I had American Muscle add a custom tune specifically for the car. It eliminates the engines need for the EGR (our check engine light is no longer on) and maximizes the parameters to premium fuel and the upgrades our car has. It even took into account the rear end ratio and tire/wheel size. The nice thing is Ludi can just plug it in and adjust a lot of the parameters like spark, air/fuel ratios, rev limit, and top speed to name a few. Additionally, if the cars check engine light ever comes on he can plug the device in and see exactly why and diagnose the problem without bringing it somewhere as well as reset it. The stock tune is also on the programmer so you can simply plug it in and choose to switch it back to stock if you really want.

Primed

2007-09-10T22:30:00.001-06:00

The car is almost completely primed and ready to paint!

Car back from Performance Wheel

2007-09-06T21:29:00.000-06:00

John called around and got a variety of different inner and outer tie rod ends until he came up with the best possible match. Unfortunately, the wheel is not adjustable and it isn't right in the center (it's too far away to just adjust the tie rods further as well). The car drives perfectly straight and John was very impressed with how it went down the road. To get the wheel perfectly centered I may bring the steering shaft to a machine shop, have them cut and then re-weld it at the right spot. Hopefully we'll have the body back very soon so the car can get finished up.

Alignment

2007-08-30T14:16:00.000-06:00

Today I brought the car to Performance Wheel Alignment in Bloomington. John, the owner, has owned the shop since 1990 and has been performing this work for over 20 years. He does everything from special interest vehicles like the Cobra, all the way up to large commercial trucks. A lot can be learned from talking with him about suspension geometry and handling and he was definitely the right guy to go to for an alignment. Id recommend him to anyone in the area. We put the caster and camber angles close to the Factory Five specs (caster about 3.5 degrees and camber -.5 degree.).

John at work:

He mentioned the car was so low you can tell if a penny is heads or tails when you go over it.

We're having one small difficulty with the toe-in. We can get the spec where we want, but not with the steering wheel at center position. And the wheel cannot be simply adjusted. John ordered some different inner tie rods and that should do the trick. He'll have them in the next couple of days. We took the car around the block and it drives nice and straight with no abnormalities.

Wiring and Misc.

2007-08-28T23:37:00.001-06:00

Today I torqued down the motor mount bolts and then Scott and I cleaned up the wiring in the interior. We mounted the ECU and tucked all the wires away so the dash is ready to go in (as soon as the body is on). We also took care of the wiring in the driver footwell.

Chassis Back..

2007-08-27T17:08:00.000-06:00

I got the chassis back while Brad paints the car. Once he has the body painted Ill bring the chassis to him and we'll mount the body, hood, trunk and doors on the car and make sure everything goes together smoothly.

Today I started by laying dynamat in the footwells and on the outside of the footwells where the exhaust is closest. Once I have the body back I can finish the other areas with dynamat.

Then I painted the upper radiator panel, hood hinges and door hinges.

We also got brake fluid through the Cobra's system and bled the air out over the weekend.

Almost Painting..

2007-08-18T20:55:00.000-06:00

Everything is now straight and all the hinges, locks/latches have been mounted. All the seams are sanded down and Sunday is the final prep. I should have the chassis back mid-week!

Trunk fitted!

2007-08-16T20:45:00.001-06:00

Brad managed to get all the lines/curves on the trunk where they need to be and fitting/operational. He had to take off some material in certain areas and pull the bottom together with the latch bracket.

He also put the latches on the doors making them operational and fitted.

Tomorrow he will be doing the latches for the hood and license plate fitment. Then its just mudding/sanding and paint!

Body Work Almost Complete

2007-08-11T01:03:00.001-06:00

Our new trunk fitment was the same as the old, but Brad made some adjustments and is almost ready getting it to work with the rest of the car. Otherwise he just has to round the edges and finish the prep work with all the fine detailed parts. I should get the chassis back this week while he finishes the last body work and paint.

trunk fitment

2007-07-27T17:46:00.000-06:00

Brad's been getting the body work done but the trunk fitment was just way too far off to work on without wasting a lot of time/money. Some guys on the boards had chopped theres in half and done all sorts of crazy things with it. But another guy on the boards called FFR and they just sent another lid which fit near perfect. So I talked to Bob at factory five and he was nice enough to just send another one out.

The Cobra Runs! And off to the painter..

2007-07-15T21:04:00.000-06:00

Keep in mind the car was cold and hasn't been ran in months. Once its run for more than 5 seconds it will sound cleaner/smoother. And also the engine mounts are still a little loose to give us the play we need for some final fitting (why the motor moves around a little).

Then we took the car to Brad so he can properly fit the doors, trunk and hood while on the chassis. After he does this prep work, we can take the car back while he paints.

When we got to Brad's, we put the body on the chassis. Now it really looks like a car..

Its a bit hard to see, but Brad turned his garage into a big paint booth. After some fitting of body finishing components and lining up doors, the trunk and hood, Brad will be able to paint the car. Later this week I'll have some paint samples as well of the blue.

Crank Position Sensor..

2007-07-15T00:51:00.000-06:00

After trying numerous things and not getting ignition we were baffled. We ran through all the wiring several times and finally Scott read something about the Crank Position Sensor. I remembered hearing how this would cause the car not to fire and sure enough, we found the connection was not in. The car runs great and sounds amazing! Unfortunately we didn't have the digital camera to record but I'll post video sometime this week.

So close..

2007-07-14T00:29:00.000-06:00

We tried to start the car for the first time and had the digital camcorder ready. Unfortunately we couldn't get it going yet. The first problem we had was with the PAT system (security system, could be better described as PITA system) but we figured that out by adjusting where the key was in relation to the receiver. After that we weren't getting fuel still. After searching through the wiring we found a couple grounds that weren't connected. This solved the problem and we now have fuel to the motor. We purged the lines as well. I see no leaks anywhere either which is good. After hooking up some more misc. items and troubleshooting through basics like fuses we still haven't got it to fire. We may not be getting spark, so Scott's going to post some specific questions on the ffr forums tomorrow and hopefully we'll have some video up tomorrow night! This DOHC motor gets spark from coil packs instead of a big distributor like the older domestic V8's. The BMW I owned for a few years had essentially the same setup with its DOHC V8 as well. We think its either computer related or something with the coils not getting the right signal. That or maybe theres a ground or wire not connected somewhere of importance. We have scoured the car for something of this sort though. If anyone has any ideas let me know. Considering we ran the engine before pulling it from the donor, its probably something fairly simple.

Some examples of Brad's work..

2007-07-08T17:19:00.001-06:00

Here are two recent cars he did. They really have an incredible shine and attention to detail. He did all the prep and paint work and buffs it to a mirror shine when done.

Off to Paint..

2007-07-07T18:01:00.000-06:00

Today my brother and I brought the car to our painter. His name is Brad "Dirt" Galvin, and he owns Dirt Designs Graphic in Richfield, MN. I was able to see some of his work and he's an extremely talented painter. Brad can be reached at dirt1973@comcast.net. Some of his past work can be viewed on his site at www.dirtdesignsgraphic.com/ He recently did a few new Dodge Chargers and I couldn't believe the work. Hopefully I can get a picture of those cars to post.

Trunk Panels

2007-07-04T18:01:00.001-06:00

Today I riveted the trunk panels in place on the sides and rear. I mounted the inertia switch and final tank strap mount.

I didn't put the middle trunk panel on yet because we're waiting on a couple parts to start the car for the first time. Once we've started it and made sure all the fuel lines and electrical in the rear look good, I'll put that last piece on.

Air Intake, New Radiator Hose, Power Steering Resevoir, Exhaust, Wiring, Misc..

2007-06-30T00:15:00.001-06:00

Today I started by trimming the excess plastic from the MAF before the filter. Then I mounted the filter..

And the silicone hoses we ordered to the intake to complete the assembly.

We filled most of the radiator fluid last week and I noticed it had been dripping. The problem was one of the hoses cut cut somehow. I removed it and replaced it with a new one.

Scott Attached the wiring to the firewall.

And hooked up the Mach 1 wiring harness to its connectors on the interior side.

He also connected all the fuse panel wiring and misc wiring in the front. Now he just needs to mount it. Other than the lights, pretty much all the wiring has been hooked up, so the car is 99% wired.

I put our new power steering resevoir as well.

And they hooked up the cats and side pipes. We're just testing they'll mount properly, we still need to send the side pipes out to get chromed.

The car is very close to being started. It has all the fluids now (aside from what will be topped up after its ran for a little while) and the important wiring is connected. Hopefully the next post will be about the car running!

2007-06-23T01:30:00.002-06:00

I started today by connected the overflow reservoir to the thermostat with a new hose.

Then we finished the wiring in the rear as well as the fuel lines.

I mounted this panel so I could put the fuel evaporator canister in place.

With that finished, we mounted the e-brake to the rear brakes.

We cut the piece that was close to the driveshaft and then we filled the transmission with fluid,
as well as the engine with oil, and coolant. Scott cut a hole to pass the driver side wiring harness through. I mounted our power steering cooler too. After some other wiring we basically completed everything from the transmission to the rear (not cosmetic).

Upper and Lower Radiator Hoses

2007-06-20T17:14:00.001-06:00

Today we finally got the adapters for the radiator hoses from FFR. After cutting the corrugated hoses to the proper length and bending I was able to mount them.

We also got the radiator cap today.

And the adapter hose for the intake.

Once I get the 45 degree bend and filter I can mount the MAF and the engine will basically be ready to run.

Wiring Harnesses

2007-06-19T00:53:00.000-06:00

Today we laid the wiring harnesses all out throughout the car. We hooked a lot of things up and got the placement down so next we can just mount the wiring with clips.

Its just a big maze..

Fuel Lines and Radiator Overflow

2007-06-15T15:15:00.001-06:00

After cleaning the engine a bit I installed the radiator overflow tank with a custom bracket and some riveting.

Next I hooked the fuel lines up to the motor.

So whats left?
Once I receive some odds and ends we're waiting for like the hose adapter kit from ffr, air filter and adapter and power steering cooler, not much. In the next week hopefully I can tackle the wiring harnesses. After that and the other misc items Ill just fill the car up with fluids and we should have a drivable car. Then, it will need to be aligned, road tested, and I'll re-torque all the bolts. The body is scheduled to be painted the end of June/first week of July. With that on I can complete the interior and the car should be finished.

Radiator and Fan

2007-06-13T18:49:00.001-06:00

Started today by mounting a ground strap to the engine from the frame.

Then I had to make a way to mount the fan on our new radiator.

With that done I mounted the radiator in the car with some rivets.

Lastly, I hooked most of the radiator hoses up.

Unfortunately, FFR didn't send the adapter piece for the new upper and lower corrugated hoses so I haven't mounted them yet.

EGR Block-off, Driveshaft Insallation, Accelerator Cable

2007-06-08T13:16:00.000-06:00

Today I started by getting rid of a stud that was too close to the steering shaft by cutting it off.

Next I installed the EGR block off plate we made

Then I got the driveshaft back from Catco. I've never seen a driveshaft that's this short..

On the left in this picture you can see a bracket hanging down from the frame. I assume its for an IRS setup but unfortunately it's about an inch away from the driveshaft. Over large bumps with two people in the car, I'm sure it will hit the driveshaft so I'll need to cut it off at some point..

Then I installed the accelerator cable from the engine to the pedal. Now the brakes, clutch and accelerator pedal are all functioning.

Now the car just needs to be wired up with the radiator in place and fluids filled so it can be drivable.

Driveshaft, Clutch Cable, Intake, Power Steering hoses

2007-06-06T20:40:00.001-06:00

Today I took the measurements of the driveshaft and brought the Mustang driveshaft to a driveline shop so they could shorten it. The entire driveshaft including the yoke will be just 19 inches long!
Next I cleaned up the engine by removing the unnecessary brackets that were still mounted.

Then I routed the power steering lines to the hydro-booster. We'll need a new power steering cooler because the old one was damaged with the radiator in the donor car.

I then began the intake setup by trimming the intake tube. Ill have to get some sort of elbow to connect to the MAF.

After this I connected the clutch cable so now the clutch and brake pedals are connected.

Finally I connected the accelerator pedal but a small piece on it broke so I had to remove it and tomorrow Ill get the metal piece welded and re-install it. Ill also be getting a EGR block off plate made by Chuck (the welder). A radiator will also need to be ordered and Ill have a few more small items to pick up tomorrow at the auto parts store.

Engine and Transmission Installation

2007-06-03T23:39:00.000-06:00

Finally we put the motor and transmission in the car!

It was a longer than expected process... We lifted the rear of the car so we could have a much better angle at slowing getting everything in.

The first problem was the exhaust manifolds were barely too wide to let the motor slip in, so I removed the passenger side to get the motor past the chassis tubing. As you'll see in a moment we could've saved a little time if we removed the driver side and left it off..

After moving those 6 inches the driver manifold had to be removed because it wouldn't get by the steering shaft.

After a few more inches and putting the manifolds back on we were close. From there it was just moving it around to find the motor mounts. We installed the transmission mount as well with the adapters provided. Its difficult to see in my pictures but there's about 1.5 inches between the ABS module and pulleys.

There's about an inch between each head and the footwells.

And the manifold is just below the steering shaft.

We put the shifter on and made sure it worked.

I still honestly can't believe it fit. We took a lot of measurements before putting it in and it didn't seem like it would make it. Some people had to use shims though I can't quite see why. I trusted FFR, and it worked!

Labels keep things organized..

Battery Box

2007-05-28T19:21:00.000-06:00

Mounted the ground cable, battery box and the power through the trunk today.

After that I blocked off the EGR opening on the exhaust manifold and shaved down the end where it was close to the block. Now the engine/transmission are ready to go in to the car!

Brake and Fuel Lines; Wood Frame for Transport

2007-05-26T14:36:00.001-06:00

Finished the rear brake lines and ran the fuel lines..

Then my dad and I built this wood frame to hold the body. This week Ill take it to the painter.

Hmm, now that we have steering and brakes what could be next?

We put the new oil pan and pick-up on first. Then, reversed the manifolds and put the A/C eliminator bracket on. Its almost time..

Front Brake Lines and ABS

2007-05-23T19:25:00.001-06:00

Today I mounted the ABS unit. Yes we are going to try and utilize the ABS which means, that paired with the massive Mach 1 brakes (same as the cobra) will stop this little car very, very quickly.

Then I put the stainless lines on and routed the front metal brake lines to the abs unit and master cylinder.

Steering Rack, Linkage, and Wheel

2007-05-21T21:49:00.000-06:00

Today I finally got our awaiting steering rack in and attached the tie rods to the spindles.

Then I connected the linkage and U joints to the cockpit through a piece on the firewall.

And the remaining linkage as well as the factory five wheel. I love the look of it!

Rear Quad Shocks (again) and Interior Panels

2007-05-17T19:54:00.001-06:00

Thank you to Eddy for suggesting a fantastic idea of mounting the quad shocks upside down. This way they just fit with I'd say 1-2 cm of space!

After mounting those quad shocks I riveted the rear cockpit panel..

Then the remaining rear panels.

Brake Hydroboost, Floors & Foot Wells

2007-05-17T01:27:00.000-06:00

Started today by installing the brake hydroboost/master cylinder after taking the back of it apart and adding a special adapter supplied by FFR..

Then I hooked it up to the brake pedal and installed the brake light switch.

After that I spent some time riveting first the floor pans..

You can see below the rivets before the end is popped off. Basically you apply a bead of silicone under each panel where it contacts the frame or other panel, then put the panels on with a few sheet metal screws. Next you carefully measure so the rivets are spaced evenly and straight, drill the holes, and put the rivets in.

Lastly I riveted both driver and passenger foot well panels.

Still more riveting for the interior and trunk.

Rear Shocks and Aluminum

2007-05-14T18:34:00.000-06:00

Factory Five informed me that with the wheel size and tires they mentioned (the widest possible) the rear quad shocks would not be used so I removed them. This means there is a possibility that the car might have some wheel hop but we'll have to wait and see. I saved the brackets and quad shocks so if there is wheel hop Ludi can always add them later. Different wheels and/or tires would be required or spacers but you always want to stay away from spacers..

I then began the riveting process on the front aluminum foot well on the driver side. I got the bit needed to drill a hole for the pedal box assembly so those are now mounted. Just a few more steps until the engine goes in.

Pedal Box Assembly

2007-05-13T21:23:00.000-06:00

First I had to modify the pedal box and accelerator pedal for the car with a sawsall and drill. Then I was able to attach the assembly.

Now I just need the correct drill bit to complete the assembly and move on to the next step of the car.

Fuel Tank

2007-05-13T17:14:00.000-06:00

I started by torquing all the rear suspension bolts down to proper specs with the car on the ground.

Then I installed the fuel tank which I had to modify slightly at the straps..

Rear Wheels

2007-05-11T16:44:00.000-06:00

I got the rear wheels and tires back today and put them on but even with the car on the ground they're rubbing the shocks. I contacted factory five to see if we need spacers or what. We purchased the wheels from them and they recommended the tire size..

Its getting there..

Wheels/Tires (2) Mounted & Rear Suspension

2007-05-09T21:27:00.000-06:00

Today I finished up the rear with the brackets needed. Turned out they were on the donor car, not in the kit. I put the new rear shocks on and finished mounted the last bolts/nuts. Now I just need to torque everything done to proper specs when on the ground with weight on the suspension.

The tires just came and they are enormous. The rears are 315/35/17's on a 17x11 wheel!

We had the front wheels mounted and balanced today but Good Year couldn't quite finish the rears because of the width so Ill have to bring them somewhere else.. The bead isn't seated all the way on the outside (it takes a lot of pressure and they didn't want to mess anything up).

With the wheels on the car..

The rears just barely touch the quad shocks but when the car is on the ground and everything shifts I think there will be room. If not, a shim/spacer will be needed.. The front just barely cleared the brakes with only millimeter's to spare.

Rear Axle & Brakes

2007-05-06T19:01:00.000-06:00

Today I put the rear axle in. It's a 2 man job so I used the jack..

After drilling some holes in brackets it was mounted.

Unfortunately FFR forgot a bracket for the rear quad shocks so I wasn't able to finish it completely. I also need to pick up some new rear shocks. At least its starting to take shape.

Front Brakes & Preparation for Rear Suspension

2007-05-05T00:24:00.000-06:00

Today we started by having a machine shop resurface the rotors all around as they're very thick. We also picked up some new brake pads front and rear. With these parts we were able to mount the new brakes on the car up front.

Then we painted the rear calipers..

..as well as some misc. brackets supplied by FFR.

Chuck at the Boost Factory came through again, cutting a coil out of the rear springs as required by FFR in the build.

With that and the newly painted pieces we were able to get the springs ready for the rear end..

After thoroughly cleaning/sanding and painting the rear axle it's ready for installation.

Front Suspension Continued 2..

2007-04-30T22:31:00.000-06:00

Today I started by painting the calipers:

Then after I got the lower control arms back from Chuck at the Boost Factory who did some machine work I installed them, the coilovers and finished up the front suspension (except for the steering rack).

Now I'm just waiting on the new steering rack in the mail to finish the front suspension. Ill get new brake pads next weekend and put the front brakes on as well.

Front Suspension Continued..

2007-04-29T20:17:00.000-06:00

First I thoroughly cleaned and painted the spindles and brake shields. I then cleaned the calipers so they're ready to be painted tomorrow.

Then installed the front spindles..

Then assembled the front coilovers. After the machine shop makes some modifications on the lower control arms tomorrow for the shock mounts I can finish the front suspension (except for the steering rack which is in the mail).

Front Suspension

2007-04-23T23:28:00.000-06:00

Today I assembled the upper control arms, put them on and painted the spindle adapter brackets.

Then I had new ball joints pressed into the lower control arms. I cleaned them up, sanded and repainted them.

Build Begins

2007-04-22T19:39:00.000-06:00

Today we started by getting the body off the chassis and setting it aside. My dad made some wood pieces for it to sit on as factory five recommended.

With that out of the way we started by riveting the firewall and some panels in the engine bay on and sealing them with silicone.

Then I dissembled the front suspension pieces that we removed from the Mach 1. Tomorrow Ill bring in the lower control arms to a machine shop so they can put new bushings and ball joints on.

Good-Bye Mach 1

2007-04-18T16:41:00.000-06:00

Thanks to my old high school shop teacher Mr. Caine, I got the Mach 1 shell hauled away.

Now Ive got room to begin the build!

Mach 1 Donor Complete

2007-04-08T00:43:00.000-06:00

Finally finished getting the last parts from the donor car today. Started with the rear axle assembly, e-brake assembly and fuel evaporator..

The steering arm is bent so we'll have to buy a new rack:

Then we finished by removing the front suspension components and brakes:

Now that we're done with the Mach 1 we can get it out of the garage and hauled off, get the body off the Cobra and start the build!

Lugnut Locks Removed

2007-04-03T20:04:00.000-06:00

Thanks to Brandon and his friend Brian I got the locks off today! This little socket is gently pounded onto the locks and rips into it as you turn. I need a set of these, brilliant!

Gas tank and Axle Removal

2007-03-26T16:02:00.000-06:00

Today we had a record high in the Twin Cities for March 26Th of 81 degrees! This meant I had to get outside..

First I removed the gas tank, filter and filler neck. A little special tool to get the fuel lines off was required.

Then I realized we have an issue with getting the wheels off. There's locks on each wheel and they didn't leave the key socket in the car... Ill have to get a bolt cutter this weekend and cut them off.

But I still unhooked the shocks, trailing arms and brackets to the frame to drop the assembly down. Once I have a second set of hands we can actually pull it out from under the car.

Once we pull that out, all that's needed is the front spindles and suspension components and I'm finished with the Mach 1 donor.

Engine Removal

2007-03-24T00:44:00.000-06:00

Pulled the motor today! Started by cutting out the radiator support so the motor and transmission could come out together with ease. After disconnected the exhaust, removing the driveshaft, shifter, and a few other miscellaneous things we unbolted the motor and trans mounts and pulled everything out.

The motor/trans are really clean and look to be in like-new shape.

Just enormous..

Some humor.. (Scott left, Brandon right)

Now all that's needed from the donor is the rear end, some suspension and brake components and the fuel tank. Hopefully I can accomplish most of that this weekend.

Wiring completed, motor removal beginning

2007-03-14T18:06:00.000-06:00

Good news, today the wheels arrived!

The rears are 17x11! The car will have a lot of traction..

The nostalgic wheels look like the original cobra's, but they have a much larger diameter of 17 inches to clear the big brakes, and they'll look better too.

Not sure I've ever seen a wheel that wide on a street car.. Dodge Viper's are probably the same width.

Finally finished removing the engine wiring harness and labeling! No more wires to remove! I also removed any remaining coolant, a/c and power steering hoses to the motor. After disconnecting a few other misc. items like the cruise, accelerator and clutch linkage, we're about ready to pull the motor and trans. All that needs to be done is to loosen the motor and trans mounts and disconnect the exhaust and driveshaft!

I left what wires I could still connected to the motor to make things easier once in the cobra. We're about ready to pull the motor and trans now, so the build is very close I promise! By the end of this month we should be putting things in the cobra..

Mach 1 continued

2007-03-07T23:31:00.000-06:00

Finally got all the wiring completely out of the cockpit, even the ecu harness to the engine.

After pulling and labeling more wires, I pulled the radiator & electric fan and disconnected a few other coolant lines like to the heater core.

The big DOHC motor looks awesome, can't wait to see it in the little Cobra. Now the engine/trans are almost ready to be pulled.

Harnesses Continued

2007-03-04T18:23:00.000-06:00

Got the rest of the dash out today and the huge dash harness all unhooked and the last labels applied. We also removed the steering column, brake pedal assembly and a few other misc things.

After removing the fenders and fender liners we were able to get to a lot of the engine harness which we labeled a bit.

Now we're almost done with all this wiring, which was a pain. After we finish the engine bay wiring we can finally remove the drivetrain.

Wiring Harnesses

2007-02-25T19:34:00.000-06:00

Today we were able to remove all of the rear harness and pull it through into the interior.

Removing all the seats, console and more panels made getting the wiring out possible. Oh and got that door out of the way too:

Scott, holding the massive rear harness. Who knew so much wiring was involved back there..

Now we need to just get the entire dash harness out. Everythings disconnected, its just trying to carefully pull it all out. Then, it'll be onto the engine and front harnesses and the drivetrain. The actual drivetrain should probably only take 2 days, getting all these wires out is just time consuming.. More, soon to come

The Cobra Arrives!

2007-02-22T21:00:00.000-06:00

Finally, after much anticipation the kit arrives! Martin, from the Transport company was running a bit late but how could we be mad...

There were 5 other kits inside including a daytona coupe..

After the crane had some trouble, it finally lifted the car and chassis out..

18 boxes held everything else in the shipment. We have almost everything, but Fedex will be dropping off a few more packages Im told.

And finally at rest next to its organ donor...

What impressed me was the quality of the body. I thought the fiberglass would be pretty rough, but other than the seams and typical prep, I don't think the body guy will have much extra work involved.

Now we really need to move on the donor and get this thing together! Sunday or Monday hopefully I'll get some big steps out of the way. Stay tuned..

Interior disassembly

2007-02-11T20:00:00.000-06:00

Today I thought I'd take care of some of the interior work. Because we need the dash harness the dash needs to be removed. First I pulled the ECU..

Then to the dash..

Now all the wires are exposed and can be pulled/pushed out. I labeled the necessary wires and harnesses with a label maker.

Donor Car: 2004 Ford Mustang Mach 1

2007-02-03T00:52:00.000-06:00

The donor car arrives! A slightly crashed 2004 Mustang Mach 1. Ford didn't just throw some graphics on the GT for this model. The DOHC high output aluminum V8, 5 speed manual, high 3.55 geared rear end, and big brakes make it an outstanding car and the perfect Cobra donor car. Motor Trend recorded a 0-60 mph time of 4.7 seconds and 1/4 mile time of 13.2 in 2004 for the Mach 1! The Cobra will weigh roughly 1/2 ton less, so it's performance will certainly be breathtaking.

Factory Photo:

The Donor:

The damage from its, uh, fender bender, luckily didn't touch the motor/trans/axle and most of the other needed parts so no worries.

First thing to be done is to make sure our drivetrain is in good working order. After a crash, Ford uses an inertia switch to disarm the fuel pump. We simply flip the switch to get the pump back on:

It's a tight fit but there is space between the pulleys and car, so the engine didn't make contact with anything in the crash.

We clear some things out of the way.

The battery is in about the same condition of the front fenders, so we remove it to use a working unit.

Next we removed the miscellaneous things and shaker assembly.

At this point we put the intake tube and maf back on to start the car. It ran perfectly, no check engine codes, oil pressure was excellent, ran nice and smooth. Now we know, its good to go and can start the removal process.. The next step is to drain fluids, label the wires and then pull the drivetrain and necessary parts.