Blake's 1965 Mustang Project

[paul_3rdgen]

All I have to say is Wow!   You have to be the most determined person I’ve ever come across.  I mean I’m nuts when I start a project, I won’t stop till it’s complete but you take a good build apart again to make it perfect!!! Bravo!


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[digitalsolo]

Determined, stupid, I'm definitely something at least. 

[digitalsolo]

Progress!





Happy with the work so far.   Need to finish boxing the driver side rail and that'll finish up the installation on the "forward" area.   Then gussets and fish plates in the rear.

Also, guess who forgot that they narrowed the front end too much for the radiator to fit?   Damnit.  Positive note is this radiator was a single pass, I think I'll do a dual pass, as that will let me put the lower fitting in an easier to sort out spot.   Oh well.

[digitalsolo]

Ordered up a new radiator.   I'm going to change out the lower radiator hose from the AN setup I have now to aluminum tube and silicone couplers.   I see no benefit to the AN for that setup and the aluminum tubing will give me better ability to route it properly.   It also means I won't have to modify the thermostat housing, and I'll only have to modify the radiator a little bit.

[Exidous]

I've got some really some routing to do. Wanted to go AN just to make it clean but the -20 is rather rigid.

[digitalsolo]

Progress!

First shot is the new frame section butted up and welded (3 passes) to the end plates on the factory frame rails.    Second shot is the gussets that surround it all.   All of the join points have a couple of passes on it, some areas are MIG'd (where it meets the old frame and its fairly dirty metal) and some are TIG'd (where new metal meets new metal).   All of the areas have a couple passes of MIG or TIG to assure good penetration and leave plenty of material to clean it up without weakening the welds.

I'm still debating adding some plates over top of all of the gussets (which fully surround the transitions), but I'm trying to fight the urge to add unnecessary weight, so we'll see.





I need to do the other side (the unfinished one from the picture), then add some gussets to the forward section to finish that up fully.   Once I decide if I'm adding reinforcement plates over the top of it all, I can clean up the garage, do the timing upgrades on the engine (needed to fit the oil pan), put the suspension on so that the car rolls, then start fitting the drivetrain to see what clearance I need to add to the crossmember, and build engine mounts.

Optimistically, I'd like to have the engine in the car by Monday night, with mounts finished and everything, suspension wise, ready for final installation.   It's good to have goals. 

[digitalsolo]

Initial subframe install is done.   Next for this will be clearancing for the oil pan, maybe alternator and building engine mounts.

Unsurprisingly, I decided to add the fish plates...    I'm confident this won't fall off.









Engine timing system upgrades:

Comp Cams HD chains
Ford Boss 302R main tensioners
GT500 Oil Pump (with billet MMR gears)
GT500 Oil Pan
MMR billet rear cover with updated crank sensor and ARP hardware
MMR billet reluctor wheel
MMR Gen X Billet chain guides
MMR secondary chain tensioner inverter (fixes the tension side on the driver bank)
MMR billet main timing gear
MMR rear coolant crossover
MMR rear oil crossover
Turbosmart turbo oil pressure regulator and filter

I had to mod the oil pan to clear the driver side turbo, and for a return for the oil pressure regulator, but nothing too major.

[Cobranut]

Does that crank pulley include a harmonic damper?
I've considered getting a lightweight underdrive crank pulley for the Duratec in my race car, but I'm concerned about removing the damper shortening crankshaft and bearing life.

[digitalsolo]

Yessir, it's an SFI damper.

https://innovatorswest.com/product/817-mod-damper/

[Exidous]

There's no way that subframe area isn't the strongest part of the car now.

[Cobranut]

Yessir, it's an SFI damper.

https://innovatorswest.com/product/817-mod-damper/

Nice piece.

[spacevomit]

Beautiful work, dude.

[digitalsolo]

Engine is in on the mounts.    They still need some more gusseting and final welding to the chassis, but position is set.   I setup a design similar to the Ronin layout with biscuits, to allow for easy height adjustment, etc.







Mounts are welded inside and out, should be plenty strong:



Rack clearance is dialed in:



Clearancing in the crossmember for the pan.   This will get plated in.



I've got a tournament about 10 hours away next weekend, so it'll be on pause for a couple weeks, then hopefully get started on the cooling system and scavenge pump mounting.

[digitalsolo]

Got the u joint for my steering rack in, and tested mockup.   It JUST clears everything, by about 1/4", but that's more than enough to stay clear under any movement.   I was afraid that my wastegates or turbos would need moved, which means modifying my already-coated exhaust manifolds.   Nope!   Everything will still fit with the engine location adjustments.

The steering feels FANTASTIC so far, which is good, considering stability and steering feel was literally the entire point of this whole exercise.    I obviously won't know until it's 100% put together and tested, but I'm cautiously optimistic.

I'm going to measure the rack "plumbing" ports, and put some sintered brass breathers in most of them since I won't be powering it (I'll just use my EPAS) but I don't feel like tearing it all apart to weld it closed.

Next is putting A/C compressor and alternator, and turbos on, to start figuring out what new headaches I've made in that area.   I don't expect my luck to stay this good forever on this. 

[freeskier7791]

That is looking good, interested to see how it handles after.