Ok, how do you guys do it?!?! No kids? No sleep? Pay others to do yardwork? No life other than working on the car? I haven't been able to touch my Coupe in about 8 weeks. This is the second June that's gone by that I said "I'll start it by the end of the month.". I'm now looking at gauging interest in selling it as I'm coming up on 5 years of owning the kit without ever even riding in one figuring I'd like it just based on the look, now I'm not so sure.
So how do you do it?!?!
What are kids, sleep and yardwork?
Seriously, I get up 1 1/2 hours early on weekdays and my wife does most of the yardwork ( by choice ).
Plus I work on my Spyder when Ginger is doing the yardwork, or using the treadmill and elliptcal.
My 16yo daughter lives with her Mom and my stepson is almost 22yo and has his own house.
Have a life? We just got back on Friday from spending a week in Cancun so we have a life.
I try to work on my Spyder everyday no matter what else happens. In the last 365 days I have worked on my Spyder for at lest 340 days.
Every time Ginger says something about the amount of time that I spend working on my Spyder I remind her that if I do not work on it it will never get finished.
Sure, we've had a few words on my Spyder but a trip to Cancun helps make her a little more understanding.
Plus bling helps too. And a new Camero.
So, tell your wife that you love her, buy her some bling and head to the garage!
Paul
__________________
FFR 4859GT 414W, Tremec TKO 5spd. IRS w/3.55 and Torsen diff. 13" dual-piston front & 12" rear disc brakes. 03 Cobra wheels, 275/40 & 315/35 tires. Possibly the only person in the world that is currently building a Spyder GT.
"A veteran - whether active duty, retired, national guard, or reserve - is someone who, at one point in his or her life, wrote a blank check made payable to The 'United States of America', for an amount of 'up to and including my life.'"
At least the ones I can see so far. Seeing everyone so far along in the build is inspirational, I just need to keep plugging along.
Offset hydroboost brake rod
It was short.
And angled wrong
The welds are ugly (Harbor freight flux-core mig) but deep and non pitted.
__________________
Mike
Miami, FL
65 Coupe #439, Complete Kit, 3 Link, Terminator Cobra Motor, TKO 900
I would have been very happy to buy a rod and save myself the time and aggravation. The rod cannot be straight it binds when the pedal is pressed.
I could not find an offset rod non could I find a way to remove the old rod and put a new one in anyhow.
I searched everywhere.
I don't know what others have done to align the hydroboost or use the ffr mounting holes and use an offset rod?
__________________
Mike
Miami, FL
65 Coupe #439, Complete Kit, 3 Link, Terminator Cobra Motor, TKO 900
I am not sure that will help Rob. When I did my hydroboost I was unable to get the pushrod out of the unit. I asked around and nobody had any idea how to get it out once locked in. A new HB unit is over $300 if you screw it up trying to force it.
I just drilled a new hole in my brake pedal and welded in a grade 8 bolt that fit the pushrod perfectly. This fixed the alignment issue without messing with the pushrod and was very strong.
__________________
Mike
FFR Coupe #340, 2003 LS1 350 RWHP, TKO 500, QT BH, Champ 10 QT pan, 5 Lug and AC, Cobra Disc, SAI mod, Kumho XS 315's x4 ..Licensed for 28k..Just over 30k w/race tires and many mods http://s464.photobucket.com/albums/rr2/mmarshall01/ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHtx7...1&feature=plcp
Build started - 8 Apr 2008
1st Autocross - 18 Oct. 2009 XP Class
2011 and 2012 St Louis region XP Champion
I guess that was an option but I am using a 2003 pedal box and hydroboost designed for one another and didn't want to change the pedal ratio.
I have a friend that is also doing the conversion and he has access to a machine shop, tig etc so that may not be the final solution i end up with.
If he needs to build one and figure out how to install it we will do them both.
__________________
Mike
Miami, FL
65 Coupe #439, Complete Kit, 3 Link, Terminator Cobra Motor, TKO 900
I guess that was an option but I am using a 2003 pedal box and hydroboost designed for one another and didn't want to change the pedal ratio.
I have a friend that is also doing the conversion and he has access to a machine shop, tig etc so that may not be the final solution i end up with.
If he needs to build one and figure out how to install it we will do them both.
I cut the stud off the pedal and moved it up to line up with the one off the Hydroboost. Didn't change the ratio and kept everything in line.
If you move the stud or make a new one like I did it will change the ratio. That being said, moving the stud 1" will hardly be noticable in pedal effort on boosted brakes.
Another option is to cut the brake pedal above the stud and reweld it to the correct alignment. Lots of different ways to fix the problem. I just felt the easiest was to weld in a new stud to fix the alignment issue.
__________________
Mike
FFR Coupe #340, 2003 LS1 350 RWHP, TKO 500, QT BH, Champ 10 QT pan, 5 Lug and AC, Cobra Disc, SAI mod, Kumho XS 315's x4 ..Licensed for 28k..Just over 30k w/race tires and many mods http://s464.photobucket.com/albums/rr2/mmarshall01/ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHtx7...1&feature=plcp
Build started - 8 Apr 2008
1st Autocross - 18 Oct. 2009 XP Class
2011 and 2012 St Louis region XP Champion
__________________
Mike
FFR Coupe #340, 2003 LS1 350 RWHP, TKO 500, QT BH, Champ 10 QT pan, 5 Lug and AC, Cobra Disc, SAI mod, Kumho XS 315's x4 ..Licensed for 28k..Just over 30k w/race tires and many mods http://s464.photobucket.com/albums/rr2/mmarshall01/ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHtx7...1&feature=plcp
Build started - 8 Apr 2008
1st Autocross - 18 Oct. 2009 XP Class
2011 and 2012 St Louis region XP Champion
Mine was short and low, If I moved the stud up I would have still had to extend the rod. I felt that by changing the ratio (changing the stud location higher reduces rod "throw"), and partly depressing the pedal to get the rod on, it was a combination that could create a non working system. Not enough pedal throw to fully engage the brakes.
I could be wrong and apparently am since ppl have working systems.
The big question...Who thinks that welded brake rod will fail?
__________________
Mike
Miami, FL
65 Coupe #439, Complete Kit, 3 Link, Terminator Cobra Motor, TKO 900
What was your prep on the butt weld of the rod? Did you bevel or did you leave the full diameter with a square shoulder?
How comfortable are you with your welds? How many similar welds have you made and then did some kind of destructive test/evaluation with positive results? Do you know what the metallurgy of the rod is and how it was affected by the heat and cooling rate?
It is certainly a key piece of hardware with significant force - Figure 200 lb applied at the pedal X lever ratio (approx 5) = 1,000 pounds, maybe more in a panic stop situation. Figure out a way to test it to 3,000+ pounds and then be convinced. Would you work under your car while it was hanging by this rod?
Not trying to be a Debbie Downer but it is not just your life you may be placing in jeopardy with a failure. I will do a lot of welding on my car but this one would scare me!
I've been working on my passenger's side footbox, heater and wiring on my Spyder.
I also drilled and tapped holes for the aluminum hold down clamps for the front brake lines.
Plus I mounted the Spal dual fan controllers and roughed in the wiring harness for them which also contains the wiring for the headlights, driving lights, and turn signals.
Also installed the driveshaft. I need to torque down the bolts before I forget.
Sorry, no pics.
Paul
__________________
FFR 4859GT 414W, Tremec TKO 5spd. IRS w/3.55 and Torsen diff. 13" dual-piston front & 12" rear disc brakes. 03 Cobra wheels, 275/40 & 315/35 tires. Possibly the only person in the world that is currently building a Spyder GT.
"A veteran - whether active duty, retired, national guard, or reserve - is someone who, at one point in his or her life, wrote a blank check made payable to The 'United States of America', for an amount of 'up to and including my life.'"
This was the first time I have seen the car out of the garage. Off to the bodyshop then teardown before reassembly. Engine parts are all in and the block is being machined.
Doing a full inventory of parts and making inventory sheets similar to FFR delivery sheets. Each part is packaged and labelled.
Looking forward to reassembly but need the frame powdercoated first.
Moving forward... )
Marc
__________________
It's just a matter of time.
FFR Coupe # 434. Power Brakes, 347ci, Carb, 15 inch Hallibrand pin drive, SAI, 3-link
I'm not sure how long it will take...We are only taking it to Primer stage at this point. When I start reassembly I will give it back for paint. I'm having the engine built by a local guy who did my friends FFR Roadster's 408 last winter...boy does it sound nice. I'm getting a 347.
John
I wish I could tell you...I just cannot decide. I like them all. Torn between the blue colours or something a little less mainstream...Ryan's red maybe? I need to decide soon. My son is pushing for black with yellow stripes. We will need a pretty smooth body to make the black work well.
marc
__________________
It's just a matter of time.
FFR Coupe # 434. Power Brakes, 347ci, Carb, 15 inch Hallibrand pin drive, SAI, 3-link
Congratulations...BIG milestone. My wife would have killed me if I had taken the car apart to paint the frame...but that is the right way to do it.
That's what I did. Here's a pic of the bare frame after powdercoating. It's not even on jack stands yet.
Oh, today I installed the passenger side trans tunnel panel. Glued in a little more of the rubber insulating pad, and started to install the shifter and was trying to decide where to mount the e-brake handle.
Paul
__________________
FFR 4859GT 414W, Tremec TKO 5spd. IRS w/3.55 and Torsen diff. 13" dual-piston front & 12" rear disc brakes. 03 Cobra wheels, 275/40 & 315/35 tires. Possibly the only person in the world that is currently building a Spyder GT.
"A veteran - whether active duty, retired, national guard, or reserve - is someone who, at one point in his or her life, wrote a blank check made payable to The 'United States of America', for an amount of 'up to and including my life.'"
Monday we made a second attempt to install the windshield after grinding about 1/16" off the top and bottom edges...still needs at least another 1/16 from top and bottom.
Warning...this is a long ramble but is kind of funny and describes one example how you can extend your build time for the simplest of reasons...
So with idle time on my hands I decided that I wanted to make the rear floor removable, as in not riveted but screwed down. My floor has two hatches, one for access to the battery and fuel pump and the other to access a small storage compartment I made. The floor was all fitted, powder coated and ready to rivet in place. I planned on using 8-32 SS button head cap screws.
I started with the storage hatch which was drilled for the 3/16" rivets. Well, 3/16" is too big a whole to tap for an 8-32 OR a 10-32 so I had to jump to a 12-24 cap screw that requires a 11/64" whole for a 12-24 tap. So I drilled and tapped 12 wholes for hinge and frame. All is good and well until I tried to find 12-24 SS button head cap screws...I found chrome and tamper proof screws but no plan (as in match all the other screws I have) cap screws. Tried all the usual suspects on line but no luck...back to square one. So I decided to go back and drill out the wholes to 1/4" and use 8-32 rivnuts.
Next I started out on drilling and taping all the 1/8" rivet holes in the frame and cross members. Started on the first 3/4" cross member and broke the tap on the second hole...this was the point at which I was thinking...this may not have been such a good idea after all. That thought lasted for about 2 minutes...crap, I started this, I was going to finish it.
Next stop McMaster-Carr. Ordered 10 8-32 taps, 50 rivnuts, 100 3/8' and 100 3/4" 8-32 cap screws.
Today I finished drilling and taping the last hole...would you believe 155 holes? How many taps do you think I broke? NONE now I have 9 spares
I still have 50 rivnuts I need to install but I'm hoping they go a little easier than all drilling and tapping.
This is just one example of how you can take a 18 month project and stretch it out to 4 years.
All done!!! Way too many screws but it's a little to late to worry about that. Carpet should solve the issue if it continues to bug me. Onward and upward.
Wow! That's a lot of screws! I'll end up with about as many rivets in the trunk of my Spyder. Thankfully I have a pneumatic rivet gun.
I completed the parking brake on my Spyder.
Nothing fancy. I took a piece of 1/4"x2.5"x 3" angle iron to make a bracket for the lever and bolted it to the passenger side trans tunnel tube. Then I made a bracket out of 1/4"x4"x8" cold rolled plate for PB cables. Next I took a piece of 3/16" hot rolled plate and made a bracket for to small sheeves that will guide the cables below the cross tube.
Paul
__________________
FFR 4859GT 414W, Tremec TKO 5spd. IRS w/3.55 and Torsen diff. 13" dual-piston front & 12" rear disc brakes. 03 Cobra wheels, 275/40 & 315/35 tires. Possibly the only person in the world that is currently building a Spyder GT.
"A veteran - whether active duty, retired, national guard, or reserve - is someone who, at one point in his or her life, wrote a blank check made payable to The 'United States of America', for an amount of 'up to and including my life.'"
CJ -
Those screws look amazing - I would not hide all that artwork with carpet!
Did you use a jig to guide the center punch / drill bit so they stay in line?
Another question - when tapping threads, are you using tapping fluid? I used to use oil or WD-40, but a friend suggested using alcohol - it just evaporates, and does not have to be de-greased.
Great job - I am watching your build, and learning a lot of stuff....
I am gonna order my coupe kit before the sale ends!
Paul, looks nice and clean... are you planning to put a drive shaft loop?
Marc
You just added another item to my list of things to do.
I finished the last insulated double wall on my passenger side footbox.
Sorry, no pic.
Paul
__________________
FFR 4859GT 414W, Tremec TKO 5spd. IRS w/3.55 and Torsen diff. 13" dual-piston front & 12" rear disc brakes. 03 Cobra wheels, 275/40 & 315/35 tires. Possibly the only person in the world that is currently building a Spyder GT.
"A veteran - whether active duty, retired, national guard, or reserve - is someone who, at one point in his or her life, wrote a blank check made payable to The 'United States of America', for an amount of 'up to and including my life.'"
Wayne, I outlined the underside of the floor along all the frame tubing then centered and marked for drilling. I initially did all the layout and drilling for the small pop rivets. I went way overboard on the number of rivets. I think a 2" spread would have been more than enough. I used wd-40 when taping for the screws.
Paul, if you go the removable floor route, I recommend you split the floor down the middle and use half as many screws. I used 8-32 button head cap screws.
Got a windshield...finally. The installer had to grind it twice. I tried the windshield primer for the boarder...what a mess. You only get one chance, there is no going back for a second coat or touch up. Second try I used some two part epoxy paint...much better but I still got some pinhole fish eyes but with this paint I could do touch ups. The two bottom corners stuck out a little, just enough to pull the rubber gasket away from the body. We taped it down and will let it set for a couple days.
I also installed the spoiler...cut back on the button head screws this time.
Welcome to FFCars! The
representations expressed are the representations and opinions of
the FFCars.com forum members and do not necessarily reflect the
opinions and viewpoints of the site owners, moderators, Factory Five
Racing, Inc. or Ford Motor Company. This website
has been planned and developed by FFCars.com and its forum members
and should not be construed as being endorsed by Factory Five
Racing, Inc. or Ford Motor Company for any
purpose. "FFR", "Factory Five", "Factory Five Racing", and the
Factory Five Racing logo are registered trademarks of Factory Five
Racing, Inc. FFCars.com forum members agree not to
post any copyrighted material unless the copyrighted material is
owned by you. Although we do not and cannot review the messages
posted and are not responsible for the content of any of these
messages, we reserve the right to delete any message for any reason
whatsoever. You remain solely responsible for the content of your
messages, and you agree to indemnify and hold us harmless with
respect to any claim based upon transmission of your message(s).
Thank you for visiting the FFCars.com Forum dedicated to Factory
Five.
)
Linear Mode
