Topic: making my 73 ford courier go fast, turn, and stop (Read 83067 times)

fastivab6tg25mr · « **on:** September 26, 2015, 04:59:06 PM »

so i picked up this ford courier a few moths back with the dream of decent handling, solid braking, and 500whp.

what im going to be using:

Engine:
Kia/mazda FE3N possibly gasket matched ports but thats about it

Induction:
Holeset HX35 with BEP T3 housing
Tial MVS 38mm external waste gate

Drive train:
Mazda B2600 trans- possibly with the RX7 TII gears inside
99 Ford Explorer 8.8 3.73 lsd 31 spline with disc brakes
custom drive shaft
i havent decided on what clutch im going to run yet, i loved my spec so i might go that route

Suspension:
Rear:
triangulated 4 link with coil overs mounted as far out as possible
Front:
full mustang 2 front end narrowed 5"

Brakes:
front Ford Granada 11" rotors with metric GM calipers and pads(standard Mustang II "big brake" set up)
stock ford explorer rear discs, calipers, and e brake

there is a lot i have to get into place before i can even get the engine/trans mounted

first i had to weld in some temporary cross members to keep the frame straight. then i got to remove the stock garbage. 6 hrs, one plasma cutter tip, 4 cut off wheels, and 2 full grinding wheels later the frame rails were all pretty

using this awesome thread http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/how-to-mustang-ii-deux.70073/ i was able to figure out i needed my cross member to be narrowed 5" to set the proper track width.
i drew up my measurements on a piece of 10ga plate and got cutting

i bolted the 2 plates together, leveled my frame,centered them on my lines, leveled the cross member, and weled them up

I made the upper control arm mounts out of 1/4 plate. i used the mustang 2 anti-dive angle instead of making them flat because its a truck and it will be front end heavy.
i centered and bolted the uca mounts to a pair of extra bars i had laying around to make sure they didnt move. i then double checked that the frame was level and centered the uca mounts with a plumb bob. once they were welded into place i boxed them in with 10ga plate and gusseted the over hang and welded in the shock mounts which are also made from 1/4 plate.

ApexSilver06MR · « **Reply #1 on:** September 26, 2015, 06:35:00 PM »

Take it easy on him. He's one of my good friends. Lmfao.

JT, please make a noob post consisting of nude photos of your girlfriend, her mom, he sister. (Doesn't have to be in that particular order).

fastivab6tg25mr · « **Reply #2 on:** September 26, 2015, 06:55:33 PM »

noob thread done in general discussion

92CXyD · « **Reply #3 on:** September 26, 2015, 06:56:32 PM »

Quote from: fastivab6tg25mr on September 26, 2015, 06:55:33 PM

noob thread done in general discussion

Not done missing important elements

turbohf · « **Reply #4 on:** September 26, 2015, 07:18:13 PM »

this is pretty fuckin cool, and i will be keeping an eye on it. seen your GD post first, was thinking build thread in fab section wasnt the right place, guess im wrong. lol.

are you going to be shortening one side of the explorer rear end? if so im every interested in that as i would like to do that with my nova. can you document that well for me?

anyway. interesting combo of parts. seems every interesting. and im guessing pretty solid. keep us up to date!

Ntrain2k · « **Reply #5 on:** September 26, 2015, 08:49:27 PM »

Quote from: fastivab6tg25mr on September 26, 2015, 06:55:33 PM

noob thread done in general discussion

Chicken fucking isn't going to cut it.

danz · « **Reply #6 on:** September 27, 2015, 01:07:45 PM »

Quote from: Ntrain2k on September 26, 2015, 08:49:27 PM

Quote from: fastivab6tg25mr on September 26, 2015, 06:55:33 PM
noob thread done in general discussion

Chicken fucking isn't going to cut it, bitch

Also fixed.

ApexSilver06MR · « **Reply #7 on:** October 13, 2015, 08:52:06 PM »

rip him a new one niggas

turbohf · « **Reply #8 on:** October 13, 2015, 09:01:59 PM »

he already got a custom title

crxvtec91 · « **Reply #9 on:** October 15, 2015, 08:11:29 PM »

Badass!

fastivab6tg25mr · « **Reply #10 on:** November 11, 2015, 01:27:52 AM »

slow at work so me and my boss started playing around with ideal ride height. put the tires(245-40-17) in the wheel wells and set it on stands but then we got busy so i spent the rest of the day staring at it. the more i stared the more i wanted to drive it. with that motivation i finished my tubular control arms mounts, welded in cross member reinforcements and got my main steering rack mount in. tonight i pulled the cab off to fit the engine. looks like the fire wall will need to pushed back round 8 inches to get the engine seated low enough and back enough to make me happy. more pics to come

92CXyD · « **Reply #11 on:** November 11, 2015, 10:32:35 AM »

I'm liking the progress, now do more work NOW!!!!!!!

fastivab6tg25mr · « **Reply #12 on:** November 17, 2015, 12:27:42 AM »

after a week of going back and forth with amazon trying to get my Chassis Engineering rack mount kit and continuously getting the wrong part i said fuck it im making my own.

a piece of 1/2" wide by 2" tall aluminum

making threaded inserts

finally mounted. i could probably lift the car from this rack lol

ratcityrex · « **Reply #13 on:** November 17, 2015, 02:46:24 AM »

Right on. Looks good

fastivab6tg25mr · « **Reply #14 on:** November 18, 2015, 01:38:27 AM »

playing with some card board i came up with my engine mount brackets. took a few tries but i think i have the design down.Gonna make them out of the same 10ga the cross member is made of... when all boxed up it should be plenty strong enough to hold my projected 500whp in place.

P.S. when im done im gonna turn this thread into a photo album that stays in my truck to beat the fuck out of all the fags cambered out with rims with "built not bought" stickers

fastivab6tg25mr · « **Reply #15 on:** November 19, 2015, 10:58:18 AM »

i transferred my cardboard design to some 10ga.Cut them out with a plasma cutter then welded all 4 together so i could grind them into shape and drill the holes. bolted them to the mounts to get the proper spacing. removed the center collar from the bushing and bolted it in by itself before welding it up. i might have the motor in this weekend.

carkrazed · « **Reply #16 on:** November 19, 2015, 10:28:22 PM »

Holy fuck......this is badass

Love the FE3N engines. Wish I could have used one with my setup.

fastivab6tg25mr · « **Reply #17 on:** November 24, 2015, 09:30:29 AM »

i took the week off of work for a vacation but ended up not going. just more time to work on my truck. finished the trans cross member/mounts. used the same poly bushings that i used for the engine mounts on a piece pf 1x2. with the engine and trans set where i wanted them i started cutting until the cab fit. over the engine/trans. this FE3N is a little bigger than i first thought it was.

fastivab6tg25mr · « **Reply #18 on:** November 25, 2015, 01:37:00 AM »

pulled the cab back off to fix some rust before making the new tunnel. turns out there is a shit ton more rust than i originally thought so now i have to fix all of that before i can even think of making a floor. im a very shitty body guy so any tips will be appreciated. im just taking what i think is the logical approach and cutting everything out until there is good solid metal, tracing a pattern onto some 20ga, cut, drill, plug weld.

Minor Threat · « **Reply #19 on:** November 30, 2015, 07:55:06 PM »

I haven't logged in, in like, 6 months.

I'm glad I stopped by this thread, this is really good shit.

fastivab6tg25mr · « **Reply #20 on:** November 30, 2015, 10:53:12 PM »

got the cab mounted back to the frame and started working on my floor boards with my shitty harbor freight bead roller. didnt turn out too bad considering the tools and that this is the first floor ive ever made.

before and after bead rolling

Random Hero · « **Reply #21 on:** November 30, 2015, 10:56:20 PM »

Good progress! wow

fastivab6tg25mr · « **Reply #22 on:** November 30, 2015, 11:25:52 PM »

thanks guys for the positive feed back. glad im not just talking to myself on here lol

turbohf · « **Reply #23 on:** November 30, 2015, 11:45:41 PM »

awesome build on a piece of shit, we like that kind of stuff around here.

how much did the rolling help the stiffness of the floors?

fastivab6tg25mr · « **Reply #24 on:** December 01, 2015, 09:32:53 AM »

there is no comparison. the rolled one is ridiculously stiffer.

ApexSilver06MR · « **Reply #25 on:** December 09, 2015, 11:21:39 PM »

It is looking good JT. I passed by the shop earlier this week but didnt stop. I need to check this shit out.

fastivab6tg25mr · « **Reply #26 on:** December 10, 2015, 04:01:52 AM »

its at my work. not much to see right now cause its wrapped in a tarp and sitting outside. it will be coming back in to have the floor finished in 2 weeks

fastivab6tg25mr · « **Reply #27 on:** December 27, 2015, 11:06:27 PM »

started putting my floor in today. using self tappers to tack it all in place while i form the tranny tunnel. as soon as it all fits to my liking i will seam weld the whole floor in place.

ratcityrex · « **Reply #28 on:** December 28, 2015, 01:47:29 AM »

Looks killer man!!

fastivab6tg25mr · « **Reply #29 on:** December 29, 2015, 11:22:43 PM »

this floor is taking forever and i havent even started welding on it yet.

i hand formed the rough shape of the fire wall and screwed it into place. the self tapping screws are very helpful cause i was able make all the marks for bending and cutting, remove it from the cab, make all the bends and cuts and put it back in the exact location so everything lines up.

it was a long day so i didnt get pics of all the shaping and bending of the flanges to join the new fire wall to the cab.

after it was all screwed into place i took my harbor freight body hammers and beat the shit out of the lower sides where i dont need a lot of engine bay space to gain a little foot room. after its all welded im gonna pull the cam and have q buddy hold a dolly on one side so i can smooth out some of the hammer marks.

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Author Topic: making my 73 ford courier go fast, turn, and stop (Read 83067 times)