[bikefreak600]

Introduction to my project i named racesteed, my race inspired little pony. Car was originally a "DSO" (dealer special order) "A code 289" Fastback, built in SanJose CA. 4 barrel, C4 auto, 4.11 w/ locker 8'' rear end. Unfortunately the car did not come with the original drivetrain. Car was totally rusted out when i got it. i have replaced most of the sheet metal. new rear frames, rockers, quarters, fabricated sheetmetal wheel tubs, trunk, tail panel, floors, cowl, firewall, doors, front aprons, core support, subframe connectors, torque boxes, shock towers, hood etc. My main goal with this car is to end up with a great handling, fast & lightweight musclecar but still maintain the classic soul and looks of the car. This car has turned into a grassroots build so I will be using as much race inspired parts and designing / fabricating as much as possible. Car will be stripped down, minimal or no creature comforts. I am a muscle car guy at heart, i love the raw power sound so i will be using a 9.5 Windsor based stroker.
engine: est. 630 [email protected] 540 [email protected] goal target weight 2600-2700lbs
393 c.i / 11.2:1 cr
AFR205 cnc heads
solid roller cam 259/[email protected], .683/.672 lift, 108 LSA
Edelbrock Super Victor intake lightly ported, 2'' tapered plastic spacer
Demon chokeless carb ( eventually will use FAST EZ-EFI, or MSD Atomic EFI system when financially able)
Header evacuation, or vacuum pump system will be determined later
Manual steering, stock or quick ratio steering box.
removable core support, Custom fit aluminum radiator
4 spd trans, centerforce dual friction clutch
fabricated engine mounts w/ front engine plate.
Fabricated trans cross member
Rear end either 8'' or 9'' housing with 3.80 or 3.90 gears, locker ( housing to be determined later)

Exhaust will be minimal for radical sound.
1-7/8 primary hand fabricated headers
3'' mandrel tubes w/ long glass packs, side exit in front of rear tire both sides, no gimicky "X or H pipe" simple, straight forward, high flow exhaust


brakes
front 13'' rotors with mustang steve brackets
cobra calipers
rear
cobra calipers & rotors w/ mustang steve brackets.

Wheels coys c67 gunmetal painted centers
17x9, 275/40/17 rear
17x8, 235/45/17 front

suspension:
CPP subframe kit
adjustable coilover mounted on the lower arm
retaining the shock towers modified for header clearance
sway bar
Rear suspension
fabricated 3 link
adjustable coilovers
panhard bar or watts link.
sway bar

Chassy
Alston 10 point cage
SN65 firewall strengthening mod
Fabricated subframe connectors & torque box
Fabricated jacking rails

Exterior
paint : black w/ gunmetal stripes.
4'' cowl hood,
shelby R front valance w/ custom air diffuser
filled in cowl vents
Trim painted body color
Chrome stock replacement mirrors & door handles


Interior will be black, using mostly original replacement parts
aftermarket front bucket seats modified stock rear seat

I will be updating this thread adding many pics as progress continues, and many small details will probably change as the car progresses. thanks for reading !
Mike G,

 

[bikefreak600]

what i started with

 

[bikefreak600]

fast forward thru rust repair. lots of new parts from mustangs unlimited. nothing too exciting to see.....

 

[bikefreak600]

more boring stuff...

 

[bikefreak600]

fabricated wheel tubs

 

[bikefreak600]

my son posing with the engine mock up for measurements lol

 

[bikefreak600]

here is the firewall bracing. i used 1'' square tubing .125 wall. and 1'' round tubing on the outer shock tower bracing. travels under the firewall / cowl lip, down the inside cowl sides, connects to the 2x2 tubing torque box. torque box tubing is welded to .125 plate on the frame & inner rockers ( like roll cage design)

 

[Tedfirediver1]

Looks like you are starting from scratch , good luck!

 

[bikefreak600]

Coys C67 17x8, 17x9, federal tires 235/45, 275/40 treadwear 240 traction A. they are pretty soft compound and have big tread blocks. i got them for good deal, so i figured i would try them out.

 

[bikefreak600]

glasstek 4'' cowl hood. weighs 22 lbs.

 

[Klutch]

Great thread! Thanks for sharing. Any pics of any project are great to see. Shoot, I'm even happy just to see pics of someone else's shop/garage. And I strongly suspect I'm not the only one who feels this way.

You've got some mad fabrication skills there. I look forward to seeing more.

 

[bikefreak600]

shelby aprons. one is staying the stock for street use etc. the other i am modifying, molding in a custom air dam / diffuser for competition use. this one i am betting will be too low to the ground for street use. i will make brackets to strengthen the fiberglass to the chassy, 4 bolts for easy assembly & removal.

 

[DrStang]

I'd love to see those headers. 1 7/8 is quite a tight fit.

Nice project!

 

[bikefreak600]

Great thread! Thanks for sharing. Any pics of any project are great to see. Shoot, I'm even happy just to see pics of someone else's shop/garage. And I strongly suspect I'm not the only one who feels this way.

You've got some mad fabrication skills there. I look forward to seeing more.

thanks, i love metal fabricating. i do motorcycles as well. i love vintage harleys. my 1975 harley chopper 100% hand built & painted myself.

 

[bikefreak600]

I'd love to see those headers. 1 7/8 is quite a tight fit.

Nice project!

i am not that far yet. i am still collecting parts for the headers. i have 2 sets of custom 3/8 thick flanges a buddy cut on a water jet for me. they are a perfect match for afr205 heads. i am simply using a bunch of pre-bent mandrel tubes and cutting to fit & a set of 3-1/2 collectors. i am also going to notch the shock towers as needed. i will take many pics of the process !

 

[bikefreak600]

random parts pics. here steering wheel i restored. 14'' diameter, solid walnut. wire brushed finish spokes, hand sanded & stained the walnut. new classic style horn button. gt350 gas cap, new door handles, mirrors, i have boxes full of new random parts etc, figured i would show a few to set the direction the car is going lol

 

[bikefreak600]

skipping to the current project, i am working on the front suspension. I have CPP mini subframe kit. As i mentioned in the first post i am making a hybrid suspension, modifying the arms using a long coil-over on the lower arm. just about everything is planned out, mocked up, and i started fabricating the coilover mounts. the cpp kit is very nice, i really like the bushings they use. they are some sort of slick plastic material that feels like it is greasy when it is dry, there is no binding everything moves freely through the entire suspension range. i know i was not expecting top notch parts being the price of this kit but i am very impressed with the quality. CPP has helped me over the phone with details about modifying the kit the way i want. using cardboard template coilover mounts & suspension mock up, the shocks are mounted @ 15 degrees. lower arm motion ratio @ .73

ride height at 12'' spindle -to- fenderlip. this will set the tire slightly up in the wheel well for a nice look. specs ended up at 4 deg neg. camber, 1 deg pos. caster. lower control arm is 0 deg (parallel to ground) upper arm is 3 deg up towards shock tower. i will lower the arm slightly to get it parallel with the lower arm ( after i change the ball joint angle, better safe than sorry) i also plan to move the upper arm back (toward the rear of shock tower) slightly to add more caster.

 

[bikefreak600]

fully compressed height is 9''spindle to fenderlip, -5 deg neg camber, +3 deg pos caster. note the angle relationship to upper & lower arm looks good. also i want to add at this compression height is nearly the furthest the upper ball joint will allow before binding.


extended shock length ride height of 15'' spindle to fenderlip ( est. of 6'' of suspension travel @ spindle). i end up with 6 deg neg. camber, also caster goes into the negative. note the angle relationship between the upper & lower arm is pretty bad imo. (lowering the upper arm will help here). there is a 10 deg difference between the two arms.

 

[bikefreak600]

fabricating shock mounts, i still need to figure out a final shock length, i think a 5'' travel shock will work using a extended shock eye. i am looking at viking "C series" double adj coiover. Rod Ends, Shocks, and Springs | Viking Performance
i am also considering ridetech HQ series or QA1 promastar double adj. everyone seems to be happy with ridetechs, QA1 seems to have hit & miss flaws, people complain about leaking, sideloading issues. the viking shocks have great reviews and shops say they have had no return defects or complaints, they are a improved design of the QA1. i am factoring price as well. i want to stay in the $500 range for a set of shocks.
anyone have any input on guidance on coil-over selection?

start of mount fabrication. i smoothed the underside of shock tower. i left the spring seat there for strength. the shock mount sits flat on the under side where the stock spring mounts. the lower plate is .187 (3/16) plate. the vertical shock tabs will be .250 (1/4) for strength. i also plan on welding beads around the outer perimeter of the stock spring seat to the shock tower for extra strength.




i used the stock spring perch as template for holes. perfect fit ! there will be another plate on top for the export brace that will sandwich the shock tower, all getting bolted together. the underside of the shocktower will take all of the load ( just as it did stock), the 3 bolts only serve as locating the coilover mount and export brace together.

 

[Caper50]

I salute thee irate:Nice work man