[duncalope]

Second phase back from powder coaters. My wife might be reading so I'm not gonna discuss the price this time. That was a lot of very small pieces, I don't blame them for that price this time.



Removable center console and pedestal to house some things:





The blank area on the top of the control panel will house the controller for the bluetooth radio. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00UTXQL74/?coliid=I1JTDHP17LGEAB&colid=2VE8QPNK7AALT&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it


Work trip to Vegas. Had to stop at the mecca. Was surprised to see a bunch of the legacy cars with for sale signs on them. No prices listed though:



Next problem. I had the windshield frame powdercoated. It came off easy enough. Now It is beyond my comfort limit for squeezing it back together. I think the powder built up the interior channel just a bit. I have visions of the window cracking just shoving on it. I think I'll be taking it to a local glass company to have them re-assemble it. I've considered just swapping it to lexan but pretty sure that won't pass initial California inspection. Soaking it in wd40 didn't help either.

Moving forward. Duncan

 

[duncalope]

turkey pan and first start

I'll isolate it to scoop air once the hood is fitted. Here's my take on the turkey pan. Couldn't stomach that conical filter.









Can't really call it a first start. The first attempt sprayed fuel all over the place as I had the wrong size clamp prior to the surge fitting. Here it is in all it's glory. That is about the sweetest sound I've ever heard.

Duncan

 

[Mark K]

I never get tired of that video, Duncan - congrats, man!

- m

 

[Nigel Allen]

I was standing in my garage when I clicked on your video. I hadn't realised that I had left my stereo system on and I was connected via Bluetooth. I got a real surprise when you started your engine. It was like it was in my garage. I nearly jumped out of my skin! Great sound, you must be totally stoked.

Cheers Nigel in South Oz

 

[duncalope]

I was standing in my garage when I clicked on your video. I hadn't realised that I had left my stereo system on and I was connected via Bluetooth. I got a real surprise when you started your engine. It was like it was in my garage. I nearly jumped out of my skin! Great sound, you must be totally stoked.

Cheers Nigel in South Oz

Ha, that's awesome. thanks!

 

[duncalope]

Huge to do list getting smaller:

Wired in a tach signal generator, nice little spot to tuck it:



Couple go cart rides around to heat cycle the engine. Now I've driven in many chases with this little engine in a crown vic. Holy hell It has snort with all that weight loss.

Re-torqued all the manifolds and plugs. Changed the oil. Swapped out the temp sender.

I must preface this picture with I'm no purist. This car is coming together far from most I see at cars and coffee. I thought I'd try my hand at a stencil and did this:



I'll see how it looks once the body is on then decide if it's staying. Easy to fix if I end up not liking it.

"Killmat" in all the places that feel like an oil can.





Then carpeted the interior;



Though it's tedious and noxious the carpeting kit was very accurate!

Bedliner from harbor freight and paint brushes. Only needed one gallon. Went quadruple thick on the strike areas above and around the wheels.



Moving forward.

Duncan

 

[duncalope]

Fiberglassed in brackets to hold the side vents. Dual lock velcro in between the brackets feels very solid:

Found a problem in powdercoating everything. The window wouldn't fit back in there. Found a local glass company that's also in to hot rods. He floated the window in there with several types and layers of silicone.





Got the body on. He's gonna stay in rough body for a while as I save for paint and learn to drive it.



Windshield fitted, admittedly that is the most nervous I've been building this thing. Roll bars fitted. I went dual bars as I'm worried about getting rear ended in this thing. A truck will go right over the top of this thing. Here's hoping these provide a little more protection. Also, fitted a watson street works led 3rd brake light as there is nothing traditional about my build. Went Nitto 555g2's after doing some reading. Worked a couple companies against each other on black friday. 315's out back are nice and fat!



Doors and trunk lid fitted, well kinda fitted. I am not a body guy by any stretch of the imagination.

Saving for the tax man now.

 

[Mark K]

Looking killer - great work. How far are you from registration?

 

[duncalope]

Looking killer - great work. How far are you from registration?

Thanks. Saving for that at! Couple months maybe.

 

[Alan_C]

Regarding the windshield, make sure you shim the posts to reduce stress on the frame and glass. Jeff Kleiner discusses the process, just search his posts. I lost two windshields after about a year each, finally shimmed the posts on the third one and it has lasted the longest.

The project looks good and I read you were starting the registration process. Time to finish it up and get it out on the road and reward yourself for the all the hard work.

 

[duncalope]

Regarding the windshield, make sure you shim the posts to reduce stress on the frame and glass. Jeff Kleiner discusses the process, just search his posts. I lost two windshields after about a year each, finally shimmed the posts on the third one and it has lasted the longest.

The project looks good and I read you were starting the registration process. Time to finish it up and get it out on the road and reward yourself for the all the hard work.

Thanks Alan. I shimmed it, Love the knowledge of this place!

Duncan

 

[duncalope]

I went with the donor rear springs to save some initial money. They sprung the car decently but there was very little adjustability. This one came unseated with very few miles. Ended up buying the struts and installing them. If you've learned one thing from me, don't waste your time on the 4 link donor spring set up.

Finished up the trunk:

Hood mounted. Breeze hinges are awesome!

SB100 started. I handed the clerk a post it note when I walked up containing the memo number on it. Sailed right through it. Paid taxes on the donor and the kit. Everything else I've bought has been taxed by the state. The clerk didn't balk at the price. Now to get it to the alignment shop as I'm sure I'm no where near close, then to the CHP. The clerk left off the brake and light inspection, I think because I came in happy and prepared.

I got sequence number 28. One month in and they're only 28 into 500.

Haggerty was pretty easy to set up. Be prepared to fill out a high performance vehicle driving resume. They know these are dangerous. I also had to swear my teenager wouldn't drive it.

Finally hit 4th and 5th gear today. She purrs. These things sure get some attention in traffic.

Duncan

 

[duncalope]

I went 3.73 in the rear end. I like the gearing range so far. It's snappy on the bottom. Fifth gear is 2000 rpm at 70mph. The sweet spot in this engine is 2000-5000. I'm finding the 20 mph to 60 around town is easier than it should be.

Took it to CHP and got the Vin assigned. They used the FF frame stamped number. I called the referee and she told me that I needed to have the sequence number letter in hand before I could schedule. She said the DMV mails that out separately from the paperwork they handed me.

Got the alignment done.

150 miles in so far.

I've slowly been ranging out on faster and longer trips. I've only straight line hard accelerated so far. It corners like a slot car but that back end coming around is a concern. A buddy took it for a 'spin' on an airport taxiway. He flys an 1800 horsepower helicopter so I trust him with power management in expensive things. He tried turning too sharp and broke it loose, swapped ends really fast in a cloud of my new tires. No harm done, reinforced my desire to track it a bit to learn that breaking point. This should be a warning to those thinking of letting their buddy's drive it, I ensured the environment before that happened. Sideways into a curb like that would have wrecked it.

The steering in this thing is very twitchy. I've made a couple lane changes on accident by just looking that direction. It is not docile like the family cars. You have to be awake and ahead of it. Considering detuning the power steering. Now I understand why the left arm rides on the door, I peg the wheel in with the left hand and adjust with the right.

Power feels just right for my level. Manageable until you decide you want more then wow. I was worried the 260 hp wouldn't be enough. At some point I bet I'll long for more but for now I'm impressed.

The 4.6 is quiet at idle. The rest of the range goes from loud to holy shit loud. Looking at some hearing protection (insert wussy comment here). My ears have been ringing for 3 days now. Don't need more hearing loss. One thing I didn't expect was the exhaust sound bouncing back at you off the curbs.

Pretty sure I caught air accelerating through 50mph in a crowned intersection. I will not be hitting a lower gear to make that yellow again. The suspension isn't hurting my back yet.

The provided mirror only shows me the front plate of people behind me. I'm too much of a control freak to just hope people behind me are paying attention. I also like monitoring the lane I'm about to grab for a bit before looking and going. I found a solution for now, though I'm not thrilled with the forward side of it, it gives me great understanding of traffic around me. 13 bucks on Amazon. I dremeled a couple slots in the top and bottom to accomodate the stock bracket. Dark Water came through for the top mount.

Bit by the exhaust pipe already.

Plan extra time everywhere you go. Everyone wants a closer look.

Maiden voyage in to work.

The numbers so far: 2 years 2 months to this point. I'm betting 600 hours plus because I redid a lot of things, sometimes because I'm an idiot, sometimes to make a better mouse trap, sometime just puttering around in the garage receiving wrench therapy. Plenty more hours on the internet reading all the info on this site.

I totaled all my receipts. Sitting at 28 grand in rough body. Project creep really got ahold of me. I strayed a bit from that original plan. Mid build infusion of overtime got the brain moving on stuff I never wanted to touch again or couldn't stand in the stock form. It was easiest to just cram the receipts in a drawer until I was done and curious.

The building part was really fun, now the driving part, Wow! Finish her up boys, I'm Having a blast.

Duncan

 

[jhargrove]

Awesome! Thanks for all the info
I will remember it. Congratulations!! Sounds like a lot of fun.

 

[Mark K]

Great update, Duncan. Love the EC-120 as the backdrop. Headed to Ken's in Yuba on Monday to check progress on the paint. I'm currently at $30,656.92, but that's going up $10K when I get the body back and mounted.

 

[Toadster]

View attachment 357321


The numbers so far: 2 years 2 months to this point. I'm betting 600 hours plus because I redid a lot of things, sometimes because I'm an idiot, sometimes to make a better mouse trap, sometime just puttering around in the garage receiving wrench therapy. Plenty more hours on the internet reading all the info on this site.

I totaled all my receipts. Sitting at 28 grand in rough body. Project creep really got ahold of me. I strayed a bit from that original plan. Mid build infusion of overtime got the brain moving on stuff I never wanted to touch again or couldn't stand in the stock form. It was easiest to just cram the receipts in a drawer until I was done and curious.

The building part was really fun, now the driving part, Wow! Finish her up boys, I'm Having a blast.

Duncan

really diggin those lights - BRIGHT! what lights did you go with? HID?

 

[duncalope]

Todd. I took a gamble. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01B376YOE/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 , only 90 bucks. Pretty good quality. Good light pattern. Very little power useage. They are stamped DOT but think theyr'e knock offs. Fit right in the bucket and use the kit trim ring.

Duncan

 

[JimTMich]

Congratulations!

 

[duncalope]

My other girl I'm trusted with. '66 with 1800 hp. Tail number photoshopped off .

 

[Mark K]

Great shot!