HG's Dream Car Build - Shelby Cobra Kit

[Dieselwrencher]

That Monte is pretty neat. I like the stance and side pipes. Pretty cool. Are you going to drop the van and use it for swap meets?

[hgs_notes]

Originally Posted by Dieselwrencher

That Monte is pretty neat. I like the stance and side pipes. Pretty cool. Are you going to drop the van and use it for swap meets?

The kid has a friend that's going to use the Monte for prom, LOL.

The van I want to convert to 4x4. It's not easy and the one kit I found for brackets, tec. is no bargain at $2500 just for the brackets. Might be something I can reverse engineer or I go with the body swap option and set the van on a truck chassis. Lots of inquiries online for people asking if they could do it but so far I haven't found a completed one done that way. Looking underneath the van the only real problem area I see is connecting the steering and maybe the engine position, but I think that issue goes away with the van body sitting on top of the chassis, effectively being a large body lift. The van body is wider but measurements I took of my old Jimmy axles are not that much narrower, an inch or 2, which can be made up for in wheel offset and width for what would be much larger tires compared to stock.

As for the cobra, I FINALLY have the head bolts. A story all it's own. Going to get back to reassembling the engine soon!

[hgs_notes]

Got the body separated from the chassis and on the body buck. Hopefully I can get it stored how I want. It's really light, my wife helped me move it. I'd be surprised if it weighs 100 lbs. I'll be moving the chassis into the 3 car garage for assembly. I've been sitting in a lawn chair for the last 30 minutes just looking at it and letting my thoughts wander.

[hgs_notes]

It worked! Up up and away! The wife is worried, I'm not but a couple boards may get used to support it. Like jack stands, lol.

[hgs_notes]

Got back to work on the engine today. Spent all afternoon on it and it barely looks like I touched it. Oh well, progress was made none the less. Heads torqued on with new bolts, new oil pump on, new rear main seal installed. If I haven't mentioned it yet, working on the coyote is a PITA. I had to take it off the engine stand and replace the rear seal with it hanging from the hoist because you have no access otherwise. And it has to be done before putting the oil pan on because it's the rear wall of the block gasket surface for the pan.

Spent a lot of the time cleaning gasket surfaces with scuff pads. Went through a handful of those haha. It's not like a cast iron block you can scrape and get rough with. Also trying out the Goodson aluminum paint, you can see where I sprayed the side of the block and it looks like fresh aluminum.

[hgs_notes]

How it sits right now. Cams and gears and chains next I think.

[hgs_notes]

Almost forgot the new go fast sticker. That's another 10 HP right there.

[hgs_notes]

Oh yeah, the chassis is in the other garage...

[hgs_notes]

Today was just cleaning and painting the engine. I bought a new timing chain cover for a mustang so the accessories fit, there's a slight difference from the truck version. It was brand new as cast but I sprayed it anyway because it will match the block and heads and maybe stay cleaner longer than bare metal. Posting some before and after pics. And one with the original cover.

[Dieselwrencher]

Nice work. I like your body storage method. The engine is looking great as well.

[hgs_notes]

Had the afternoon free to play in the garage. I took my time with the next steps and only ran into 1 potential minor problem. Thank you to whoever posts online tech manuals! For instance, check out the torque sequence for the oil pump...

[hgs_notes]

Anyway, good progress was made. The cams are installed, hopefully the correct cams are in the correct location! The new timing chains are installed and everything lined up as it should have. Oil pan and timing chain cover installed, which is where there's a minor potential issue. Some of the bolts have an extra stud on the head for clamping other things onto, like the wire harness, etc. The manual didn't identify which 3 positions were supposed to be that style. It did for the oil pan bolts, but not this. I found one for sure from a pic I took before tear down but I didn't have good pics showing the others. I should be able to swap a couple bolts if needed later without issue.

The great news is no leftover parts and no missing parts! For never having any experience with this engine family I call that a huge success.

[hgs_notes]

Couple more pics. I already told the wife I might run the valve covers through the dishwasher, LOL.

I think I need to get a few more parts. Like a water pump and a few other bits. I'm still debating what intake manifold to use. The 1st gen F150 intake I have is by far the best for power up to up 5500 rpm, which is where the others catch up and then pull ahead. Below that though it's an astonishing gain. I don't intend to race it so the high end power trade off seems like the way to go. The 2018 intake has been the most common upgrade for the older engines. It beats are matches pretty much every other intake available for stock engines, which this is. It's not very expensive either. And a fairly easy swap any time I want.

[hgs_notes]

Slow progress, cleaning and painting bits and pieces. I didn't ask permission to use the dishwasher but did warn her. Lol, I don't think I'll do it again. It did leave a scent of something petroleum in it. Ran an extra wash cycle after and the smell is lingering. So this morning I sprayed it with 409, which should break it down better than dishwasher soap.

The valve covers were pre cleaned in the parts washer and dried before coming into the house but all those little nooks and crannies were a ***** to clean. They look decent now. As long as the smell disappears I'll be safe lol.

[hgs_notes]

Ordered more parts so I can finish up the engine. Tried to get bellhousing bolts but picked the wrong length so another trip to the hardware store. I got the valve covers installed, minus a missing bolt. The intake and throttle body are cleaned up but probably won't be installed installed until the engine is in the car. I'm going to make a version of the engine lift tool that Ford recommends in the manual.

I'll probably get started on the chassis next.

[mongocanfly]

After the dishwasher ordeal, your lucky you didnt have to move out..!!..haha

[hgs_notes]

Water pump and alternator kit were delivered. And 6 of 8 spark plugs, WTH rockauto? Second time in a row I've received a box with missing quantities.

The main thing left for the engine is the control pack to make it run. There's a few little bits I need to get but it's pretty much together.

Getting ready to start on the chassis. Going to pick up some paint for some of the aluminum panels tomorrow and start pulling parts from the mustang.

[hgs_notes]

Today I opened the first box of parts from the kit. First time since I did the inventory after getting the kit home. I didn't start on the chassis today but did remove one of the aluminum panels to see if it would fit in the oven to powder coat. It sort of fits but since there's so many panels that won't I decided to use paint instead on those. I'm going with a hammered texture paint, in silver. That way scratches or chips won't be so noticable.

I will still be doing some powder coating. I've already found brackets that need to be done. I got the oven in the garage but need to change the pigtail to fit my outlet. I'll pick up the HF powder coating gun this week.

Still felt good to unpack a box and get a plan in place, even though I didn't really accomplish anything on the car. Oh I did start changing the shifter to the mid position on the transmission. That was WAY more involved than I expected. And then got stuck on reassembly because the o rings were damaged on the shift rods and I didn't have a good match in my kits. So another run into town to try and find a good match. I'm not sure why I decided to do that this afternoon. I was looking at it taking up a ton of workbench space. I guess I just wanted to get it done and ready to install, the parts were sitting right there, except for the dang o rings, lol.

[hgs_notes]

Found o rings today so I put the transmission back together.

And got the first of many aluminum panels on.

[hgs_notes]

I got the other F panel on the front. And pulled the front lower control arms and spindles off the mustang. Ball joints are shot, bushings not much better, and the stamped control arms are not good looking, in general. They are in good shape, just ugly. But tubular replacements are at least $260 and after the serious outlay of cash the past few months it's a bitter pill. It will probably only cost about $75. Plus paint or powder coat.

And then there's the rear suspension. Use the mustang stuff or upgrade to coilovers? Mo money mo money mo money! Anyway, stuff is happening. Parts need to be bought. The usual.

[hgs_notes]

I decided that it's best for my budget to just stick with the donor parts plan. The fancy suspension parts can always be swapped in later. The front lower control arms to fit the kit are NOT your basic mustang parts so I would either have to modify aftermarket ones to work or buy the factory five pieces at $550, so nope. I ordered new bushings and ball joints and I'm doing those myself with my latest tool purchase, a HF 20 ton press!

BTW, punching out those A arm bushings, with a press, not so easy. Dicking around with various pieces of tubing to fit, with the awkward shape. Not fun at all. Not using the press for those was even worse. Anyway, they are ready to get cleaned up, modified for the coilovers and painted. I need the lower rear shock mounts for the modification so I'll be looking at dropping the mustang axle out soon.

I did get the plug changed on my oven and that works. Some powder coating supplies are on the way so I can do my first pieces. I picked up the HF PC gun the other day.

[hgs_notes]

Not much happening lately. Youngest kid is graduating this week, party is Saturday, wife is tripping out on all the stuff that needs to get done. My big chunk of progress today was installing the spark plugs. Woo hoo. They go in like a hemi and are about 6" down in the head. My plug sockets don't have the rubber to hold the plug so I improvised and used some rubber hose to get them in then tightened.

[Dieselwrencher]

Nice work and I've used that trick on the plugs as well. Congrats on the youngest graduating. You're not far off from being an empty nester now are ya?

[hgs_notes]

Originally Posted by Dieselwrencher

Nice work and I've used that trick on the plugs as well. Congrats on the youngest graduating. You're not far off from being an empty nester now are ya?

About 6 weeks if the kid finds a place to rent! The wife will be inconsolable.

[hgs_notes]

Graduation is done, work is done for the week. Today I tried out the powder coating system. It went well, I did some brackets for the front spindles. I started removing the rear axle from the mustang, might get that out yet today. That car is pretty much rust free, should be able to sell what's left for a decent price. The bolts are coming out alright, not having to fight them too much.

Going to get my 383 for the C10 this weekend, transmission might be ready soon also. Doing that swap will be a priority over this project but I still expect this to be a roller in June. I stopped by a shop yesterday in Lewiston, MN that does a lot of coyote swaps to ask about engine management. They pretty much use the Ford control pack system so I think that's the way I'll be going.