Junkyard Dog Build

[blacksheep-1]

More deconstruction being done..will be saving the 6 cylinder springs for possible later use.
If I can think of a trick way to do it, I'm really tempted to cut the nose off at the sway bar mounts..really..really tempted to do that.
Also just the removal of the wiring harness was good for about 15 pounds off the nose.

 

[blacksheep-1]

I'm seriously considering one of these mods....I like the idea of a laydown radiator to get weight lower, but it brings on it's own issues.







In the Grand Sport Vettes the whole tail of the car was held on by a single strut

 

[blacksheep-1]

So I sawz all'd the cross brace, and the crush structure in the front of the car including the radiator support..which was pretty rusty and providing no structural support whatsoever..pulled off about 20 pounds. Welded in some threaded blocks for a fabricated front brace and radiator support. I then went to work welding up the 1,500,762 holes Ford punches into their engine compartment panels and firewall.

 

[Drlee50]

On my outlaw car I built, the 88 mm T6 turbo was in the front , sticking through the front grill. As a result, I ran 2 smaller radiators on the right and left right behind the fog light openings. They were low and got good air so it worked fine. Similar idea to the lay down one but mine were upright. Just a thought ....

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[blacksheep-1]

Everytime I work on a foxbody, I tell myself..ignore the holes, but after seeing how atrocious it looks I just have to fix them..

 

[Drlee50]

I used these. So much easier.

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[blacksheep-1]

That crossed my mind, but this is a 99-04..I might have been able to make them fit

I used these. So much easier.

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[blacksheep-1]

OK, now I can sleep at night..

 

[bpracer]

all that extra weight added by filling in the factory lightening holes...

The rear bulkhead of my forty year old Formula Ford acquired a few holes over the years...

 

[blacksheep-1]

all that extra weight added by filling in the factory lightening holes...

The rear bulkhead of my forty year old Formula Ford acquired a few holes over the years...

I took far more weight out than I put back in, the holes were there for misc stuff like the air intake, etc.

 

[blacksheep-1]

Parts came in from Kunming suspension and fireworks corporation...bump steer kit and offset rack bushings

 

[blacksheep-1]

I've also been daydreaming on paint...

 

[VoodooBoss]

I see you've been working on your GT500 as well.

 

[JDee]

I've also been daydreaming on paint...

Nice Biff tribute!

 

[blacksheep-1]

Started to put the front end together, and temporarily set the ride heights. To do this I nailed together some pieces of wood that are the right height, they are of course, lazer beam accurate to go along with my sub 1 degree level floor in my garage...On the right are a set of Pirellis that I will be using for tires. More on that later..



This is the blacksheep lo buck toe bar measuring device, it's construction is described elsewhere on my garage, but in essence, it's a piece of tubing with another piece of metal in it and a wing nut welded on it as a locking device, so 1 person can measure the toe without having to grow a third arm





After sitting the car frame on the high tech pieces of wood, I decided to go ahead and center the steering box and check the bump steer, this is going to change a bit, but I wanted to get past some of the procedure while I had great access to it.



So I set the toe without the tie rods hooked up, I moved the toe gauge front to back, and constantly checked to make sure I took the correct amount (or added to) the same on both sides, what you can't see is that the steering shaft is marked on the housing as to what is straight, so the key is to not disturb the rack, but to keep in centered.



After that song and dance, I carefully slid the heims onto the bumpsteer bolt making sure not to disturb the toe..Somewhere just before this, I drilled out the spindle for a 5/8 grade 8 bolt, instead of using the mystery metric bolt that came with the kit. I then rechecked to toe



In order to maintain the ride height, in the absence of engine weight, I measured up some pieces of wood that will be used in place of the springs, this will allow the car to be pushed around and for me to install some body work so I can measure up the splitter..



And the car mocked up at ride height with the toe and bumpsteer set, FWIW I went through the inventory at the local parts store and found a ball joint that was taller than the stock one, to try and improve on roll center, inevitably, on these cars the lower control arms will run uphill, the lower control arm pivot point is ...kinda close to the same plane as the steering rack, so with an offset rack kit, and the bump steer kit I can mimic the length and angle of the lower control arm, while I realize that all things should start out level, it's not gonna happen on a foxbody, and rather than having the control arms in one arc, and the tie rods in another, it is advantageous to have them parallel with each other..at least that's what the bumpsteer told me..

 

[blacksheep-1]

Nothing like losing an unobtainable bracket to stop a project cold... had to cobb one up on my own..no cad cams here.

 

[blacksheep-1]

In other news, welded up some radiator /front end support tabs..


Pulled the old 99 cobra nose down from the loft, this was on my car when some dink dropped a pallet in front of me at night and I didn't quite miss it, so it has a little "wang" to it..it will do nicely for this project.



Also sizing up the 325/660/18 fronts and 325/720/18 rears..

 

[TymeSlayer]

Although I'm quite impressed with your ability to imagine, design and fabricate from what seems like scraps, I can't wonder how guys like those at Front Row Racing would think of your methods? I bet for every penny you spend, they spend $10. I just love reading this build thread. Shows what determination and desire can accomplish without a unlimited budget.

Good job brother!

 

[blacksheep-1]

Went back, reset the ride height, checked all the measurements and started the splitter support build. I would like to find a way to hang the entire splitter, radiator support and nose from 1 bracket, so I have my work cut out for me...baby steps.



measure, check..re measure..check level..a couple of million times...



Splitter support is done, now to make the splitter and misc brackets..
finally starting to see some progress...

 

[blacksheep-1]

So cut the splitter out of the 3/8 ply wood, mocked it all up under the car..



I then pulled it off and installed the "L" brackets that will hold the spacer between the nose and the splitter..



After trimming it up, I coated it with bed liner



I painted the bracket in self etching primer and left it, since I will probably be welding on it again at soem point.