First I would like to introduce myself my name is Kevin and I am currently working as a combustion and performance engineer helping design natural gas engines. I graduated from Purdue University in 2012 with a bachelors in mechanical engineering. I have been married for a couple of years now and have a 10 month old son, so the project often takes a back seat which will make for a lengthy build. I have some questions so I look forward to some of your guy's input. So I purchased the car back in 2006 while in high school, and left it relatively stock for the entirety of school and most of college. The car became my daily driver while going to college, as my other car was more of a project at the time. The other car was a 1977 Datsun 280z that I dropped a l28et motor in and swapped a larger turbo onto that. I also built a megasquirt ecu and tuned the car myself. That was a fun project but the mustangs always been my number one car so it was time to part ways with the datsun and focus on the cobra. So after graduating and getting situated I parked the car to begin my build. So officially the project started around August 2013 with the removal of the engine.
I sent the engine to a local engine builder, Williams Precision Engines, out of St. Paul, Indiana. After consulting with him we decided on a direction and ended up with what I hope will be a strong reliable engine.
Engine has the following:
-Custom Diamond dished 2618 pistons (-11cc)
-Manley H beam rods with ARP2000 rod bolts
-Stock micro polished crank
-ARP main studs
-ARP side bolts
-ARP crank balancer bolt
-ARP head studs
-Manley SS intake and exhaust valves
-New valve springs
-Valve job/bowl port
-New water pump
-TSS billet oil pump
-New ford timing chains/tensioners/gears
Other engine parts:
-COP conversion
-Underdrive pulleys
-MMR IMRC delete plates
While the engine was at the builder I went ahead and tore the interior out to install a MM 6pt roll bar with swing out door bars.
Also decided to make a rear seat delete. Delete consists of 1/4" MDF and a roll or black carpet. I decided to make my own to try and get the rear to sit flush with the back panels and also I didn't want to pay 100+ dollars for one. I think it turned out ok but there is some changes I would make if I was to do it again.
Next area I focused on was the front suspension, mostly because I needed to get the car rolling again as my wife and I moved to a different house. I purchased a UPR chrome moly k member and coilover kit for the front. I plan on also running coilovers in the rear but can't decide on whether to buy the upr kit and put in springs from maximum motorsports and also swap the front springs, or to buy MM rear coilovers and eventually upgrade the fronts to MM as well. I plan to let the car see a road course from time to time so the UPR springs will not work. But this is an area I'll come back to after the car is running.
I also cleaned and painted my brake calipers.
My wife and I then purchased our first house, so with that and our son the project really took a back seat. Not being as able to work on it didn't stop me from stocking up on parts though. So I was able to get my hand on a set of chrome Saleen lemans.
I am going to send the rears off to weldcraft to have them widened to 10.5". I also picked up some speedhut gauges on sale.
This led me to make a relay board to power the gauges, which I am still in the middle of installing. My next purchase was a turbonetics 7868 turbo.
That pretty much catches the project up to this point. So the most recent project has been the coolant system. I purchased an on3 crossover delete kit along with some fragola AN fittings and black nylon braided hose.
So at this point I need to pick up the rest of the parts I need to finish the car. My list at this point is:
-t56 magnum
-mcleod rxt clutch
-mcleod flywheel
-build the rear end with 31 spline axles and weld the tubes
-rear coil overs (MM)
-glenn's performance fuel system
-turbo hot side/ cold side (on3)
-FX1 pro seats, tracks
-wideband o2
I am sure I missed something...
Feel free to critique the car and give your input as I am always after ideas to make my car a little more different or improve on stuff where I can.
I sent the engine to a local engine builder, Williams Precision Engines, out of St. Paul, Indiana. After consulting with him we decided on a direction and ended up with what I hope will be a strong reliable engine.
Engine has the following:
-Custom Diamond dished 2618 pistons (-11cc)
-Manley H beam rods with ARP2000 rod bolts
-Stock micro polished crank
-ARP main studs
-ARP side bolts
-ARP crank balancer bolt
-ARP head studs
-Manley SS intake and exhaust valves
-New valve springs
-Valve job/bowl port
-New water pump
-TSS billet oil pump
-New ford timing chains/tensioners/gears
Other engine parts:
-COP conversion
-Underdrive pulleys
-MMR IMRC delete plates
While the engine was at the builder I went ahead and tore the interior out to install a MM 6pt roll bar with swing out door bars.
Also decided to make a rear seat delete. Delete consists of 1/4" MDF and a roll or black carpet. I decided to make my own to try and get the rear to sit flush with the back panels and also I didn't want to pay 100+ dollars for one. I think it turned out ok but there is some changes I would make if I was to do it again.
Next area I focused on was the front suspension, mostly because I needed to get the car rolling again as my wife and I moved to a different house. I purchased a UPR chrome moly k member and coilover kit for the front. I plan on also running coilovers in the rear but can't decide on whether to buy the upr kit and put in springs from maximum motorsports and also swap the front springs, or to buy MM rear coilovers and eventually upgrade the fronts to MM as well. I plan to let the car see a road course from time to time so the UPR springs will not work. But this is an area I'll come back to after the car is running.
I also cleaned and painted my brake calipers.
My wife and I then purchased our first house, so with that and our son the project really took a back seat. Not being as able to work on it didn't stop me from stocking up on parts though. So I was able to get my hand on a set of chrome Saleen lemans.
I am going to send the rears off to weldcraft to have them widened to 10.5". I also picked up some speedhut gauges on sale.
This led me to make a relay board to power the gauges, which I am still in the middle of installing. My next purchase was a turbonetics 7868 turbo.
That pretty much catches the project up to this point. So the most recent project has been the coolant system. I purchased an on3 crossover delete kit along with some fragola AN fittings and black nylon braided hose.
So at this point I need to pick up the rest of the parts I need to finish the car. My list at this point is:
-t56 magnum
-mcleod rxt clutch
-mcleod flywheel
-build the rear end with 31 spline axles and weld the tubes
-rear coil overs (MM)
-glenn's performance fuel system
-turbo hot side/ cold side (on3)
-FX1 pro seats, tracks
-wideband o2
I am sure I missed something...
Feel free to critique the car and give your input as I am always after ideas to make my car a little more different or improve on stuff where I can.
