After nearly six years. It is time to graduate 5385! I purchased my roadster just before Moochfest in 2006 as part of the winter sale. Picked up in March, 2006, and the focus of my OCD for everyday since then. What a great trip this has been, and what great people I have meet along the way. My intent was to build a quality car on my own – forcing myself to stretch a little and do everything, from wiring to bodywork to interior. My roadster has evolved into something of a street rod roadster – not traditional in any way, and exactly what I wanted. I am sure that it is not everyone’s cup of tea, but I could not be happier with how it came out. I still look at it in the garage and smile at the idea that I built it.
I could not have made it to the end without some help. Mike Forte is the best. I am lucky enough to work about 10 minutes from Mike’s shop, and I spent many lunch hours picking Mike’s brain and asking his advice. I had a small issue with my Ford crate motor, and Mike jumped right in and made it right. I sourced my whole drive train and many other parts from Mike and Steve at Fortes and I would recommend them to anyone building an FFR. Mark Reynolds at Breeze is also a neighbor (just 10 miles down the road), and was another quality supplier. Mark supplied many parts for my build (ez-fuel, oil pan, hidden trunk hinges, quick release wheel, side mirror and many other small parts) and he is also great to deal with.
How can it take six years to build a car? Well for two and one half of those years, this car could not be registered! In October of 2008, Massachusetts outlawed crate motors in kit cars and replicas. They began to enforce the federal standards, and only a complete donor drive train was allowed. It took two years of effort by a great group of car hobbyists in MA to fix this. I got to make a trip to the state house with Dave Smith, Joe Leone, Mark Reynolds, and some others as part of the process to change the rules. During this time I realized that I could not spend a fortune painting a car that could not be registered. I decided to do the bodywork myself, while we waited for the legislative changes. This turned into an 18 month journey of discovery, and I appreciate all the help the Forum gave me along the way. I want to especially thank Jon A and STL Scott for their great bodywork threads. I could not have done this without their excellent examples. I also want to thank Rocky, at Rocky’s Auto body in Norfolk for working with me. Rocky was willing to spray my bodywork, and he did a great job laying down the paint.
In May of 2011, the new rules we pushed for went into effect, and I had a one year window to register the car. As a bonus, the roadster would be emissions exempt forever and this exemption is transferable to the next owner (not that I’m selling anytime soon). I pushed through the last of the paint this summer and started the registration process in November. On January 7th 2012, I passed my last inspection, and got my final inspection sticker. As a bonus, I managed to move my old green license plate off my pickup, and onto the roadster. This is the only way to legally run one plate in MA, and I am really happy to avoid the whole front plate issue.
Here are the build details:
FFR MK III Roadster - #5385, picked up 03/25/2006
This is a non-donor 3-link small block build.
Powdercoated frame
Factory body cutouts
FFR Hood hinge
FFR AFCO radiator
FFR 4 into 4 headers
Coolflex steel radiator hoses
New Ford 8.8 rear end – 3.55 ratio
Autometer Ultralight gauges, 5 inch Speedo and Tach
Powdercoated 13” front /11.3 “ rear inch cobra four wheel disks (black calipers, silver rotors
Braided Stainless brake lines
Plug in dash on AAW harness. All lights on relays and wired with Weatherpack connectors
Powdercoated engine bay panels - Chrome silver with black rivets
Tunnel mount Lokar e-brake with leverage producing linkage
Custom mechanical throttle linkage
Hella Horns
Custom stainless mesh radiator protector
Breeze steel seat mounts
Kirkey Pro-Drag driver’s seat
Breeze front mounted battery box with type 51 battery
Breeze Radiator support
Breeze hidden trunk hinges
Breeze fuel tank, pickup, AN6 compression fitting
Breeze (Dream Cars) side view mirror
Forte front sway bar
Large dead pedal box with foot mounted dimmer switch.
Finishline roll bar seatbelt mount
Finishline body louvers painted body color
Fat Mat insulation in cockpit and trunk
255 X 17 Nitto 555 fronts on 17x9 black ff500 wheels
315 X 17 Nitto drag radials on 17/10.5 black ff500 wheels
Drive train
New 302 crate from Forte.
Edelbrock intake
Holley street avenger 570 (tuned by Forte in my driveway!)
Carter mechanical fuel pump
Forte pulley setup
Standard rotation water pump
Breeze (Canton) Oil pan
Powermaster alternator
Powermaster starter
Braded stainless dual feed fuel line with pressure gauge
MSD 6AL
MSD plug wires
Ford chrome air filter
New Tremec 5 speed with Stedda shifter
Forte drive shaft
Forte drive shaft safety hoop
Canton 2 quart aluminum recirculation tank
Cobra Earl thermostat setup with Jegs filler and braided stainless bypass hose.
Mike Everson trim rings for roll bar and belts
Essex wool carpets with Fat Mat
Body
Painted Ford Blazing Copper Metallic / Orange Pearl Metallic (code GW)
Hidden body mounts
Hidden trunk hinges
Drop Butt
Expanded tail light pads
Hood scoop extension
Rolled body edges (cockpit and fenders)
So enough talking – Here are the graduation pics!
It looks fantastic!! All those hours and hours spent sanding were worth it. I can't wait to see it in person. Congratulations!
Jon A
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FFR #5819 - Mk III, '90 GT Donor, 302 EFI, GT-40 Intake, 65mm TB, T5 Transmission, 4x4 headers, under-drive pulleys, 3G Alt., 3:08 gears, 3-link, 18:1 steering rack, "Street Package" from Winter '06 Sale. Picked kit up 11/18/06. Began Chassis Build-up 2/10/07. First Start 11/13/07. Go Carted 11/17/07. Road legal 5/12/10!! Did my own bodywork but had a pro shoot the paint. Go Cart Videos... Build Pics... Graduation Thread...
Scott, that looks great!
Really like your color combination, wheels and the no stripe look.
Nicely done.
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FFR #7124 Mk 3.1, Levy 5 link, LCA's & brakes, 17" Halibrands, electric PS, SAI, Eibach springs, BOSS 427w, webers, hood louvers, tilt front. Delivered 12/23/09, 1st start 02/19/12. 1st go cart 03/03/12. Titled 10/3/12.
"I'm basing it on a collective interpretation of these particular cars. And whatever the hell I like". The Federalist Patriot Build blog: www.myersfamilyffrbuild.blogspot.com
Thanks - It was warm and sunny here yesterday so I put 100 issue free miles on her and she runs great. I hope to have it at the Bass Pro Shop cruise in Foxbourgh on April 19th. I can't wait for the open house.
Looks great, congratulations! All that sanding and sanding and sanding really paid off!
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FFR coupe #190 SOLD
RCR GT40 SOLD to Fast and Furious 5 producer
Kirkham #690 (289 FIA) w/427w and TKO 600
1966 GT350 clone w/Boss 347 and TKO 600
1966 Bronco w/289 and 3 speed
1967 Mustang convertible rust bucket (soon to be GT350 clone)
"Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote."
Keep that license plate in good shape. I had to get rid of mine last year because all the white paint was coming off and it wasn't reflective anymore so it would not pass inspection. I had that same plate for about 20 years. Sucks to had to get rid of it.... Car looks great. Hope I see it on the road one day.
I figured I could do it in two years. HA HA is right!
I hadn't planned on doing my own bodywork, or the nearly three years it took to change the rules in MA. At this point I am just happy it is done. At least now it will be emissions exempt forever... I have just started to think about the engine mods that might come next!
Scott, A job to be proud of for sure! As you know I'm going non-traditional as well. I will have taken longer than you to finish - my FFR reciept date is 4-9-05 so I'm looking at 7 years. I just got the body to the painter today. FFR parking lot will be filling up early this year with all the newly completed MA cars. I look forward to seeing you there.
Mark
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Mark Reynolds Breeze Automotive 508 533 6455 Office 508 612 0393 Mobile
Mk3 Roadster, EzePak Master 3-Link Mass-Flo EFI, Breeze/QA1 Externally Single Adjustable Coil Over Shocks, Breeze Adjustable Front Sway Bar, Vintage Race Seats, Hidden Body Mounts, Power Steering, Fidanza Aluminum Flywheel, Torsen Diff w 3.27's, Stewart Warner Maximuim Performance Gauges, Breeze Quick Release Steering Wheels
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MK4 delivery 12/17/11
Build thread: HERE
Epic First start video HERE
427w ford racing, stainless headers, 3link, tko600, 3.55 gears, Jim Inglese weber intake system and a custom paint job from Jeff Miller!
Type 65 Coupe Ordered 01/17/13
Build thread: HERE
347 w. stack injection, IRS, Levy arms, Levy front and rear brakes
sweet i like the color, kind of copperish orange slash red
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"Torque is the grunt
that gets us going, and Horsepower
is the force that keeps us moving"
MK3.1 #6945 her name is Buffy
p/u 04/04/09 roller 08/27/09
start-up Pearl Harbor Day 12/07/10
go-cart Memorial Day 2011
body on 11/11/11 Veterans Day
all legal except paint 02/12/12
372w handbuilt
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If you collect enough parts, you're bound to end up with a car, right?
FFR 6203, Ordered 6/5/07 Stewart delivery 7/9/07, First Start 1/24/09, 2nd First Start 12/31/09, Go Karted 1/2/10, In the shop for bodywork and paint 6/25/11 Painted body installed 10/10/11
Pin Drive width, 3.27 IRS, Full Emission 302 EFI w/Trick Flow Top End Kit and ISIS, and lots of ideas stolen from here!
Shell Valley Daytona Coupe, (SOLD and thankful for it) 550HP 347, T56 Six Speed.
1957 Ford Thunderbird
"It's loud, smells like gasoline, and shakes, shudders, and bucks. It makes your arms tired and your feet hot. You nearly crash about once every ten minutes. It's so damn wonderful you can’t believe it." -Automobile Mag. Oct. '04
The color name can be confusing. The ford paint code is GW / M7110. I have seen this color called Blazing Cooper Metallic, Orange Crush, and Orange Pearl Metallic. It is a late model ford color that they have offered under various names since 2004 or so. Thanks to everyone for the great comments.
I am glad you will get the car done this spring! I stole so many good ideas from your go-kart when I was first planning my build, it will be great to see it on the road. Give me a call if you need help fitting the painted body, or if you have any questions on the process. I used the Bridgewater inspection center, the Milford RMV, and the Framingham MAC. All three seem to get the new process. Good Luck!
All your hard work certainly paid off. Love the body colored louvers, the interior is nice and clean and the paint is spectacular. You can see you put a great deal of thought into the entire build. Every detail is top notch. I am really looking forward to seeing it in person. Congratulations on a beautiful car.
Rich
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MK III,blue with black stripes,3-Link,302,sportsman block,TKO 600,dual black roll bars,black chrome bullets,black sidepipes,sumitomos 255&315's,355's,13"cobra front,10.5"gt rear,1st start 9/8/07. SEMA Bill passed, thanks Joe, for all your hard work. Vin assigned 3/21/11, WoooHooo! Registered 4/27/11, passed inspection 6/28/11.
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FFR 5819
FFR 7124
Misc Parts
#6945
Linear Mode
