The SN65 project car

[draco_1967]

Here are those pics:
View attachment 520579
View attachment 520580

 

[MustangMatt1966]

damnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn

 

[DukeGnarley]

that chrome paint would be pretty blinding on a sunny day i imagine.

 

[reenmachine]

When you see it in person, it doesn't look so good IMO. Every little fingerprint, etc. totally stands out. It looks great for a trailer queen, but I think it would drive you nuts on a driver. A black car is difficult enough...

 

[draco_1967]

yes. The M3 was near impossible to get a decent pic. My camera was very confused on what to focus on...so many highlights. The aluminum is a little better, but either way, fingerprints, nicks, etc....all stand out like crazy in person.

 

[one2gamble]

I would run the cobra wheels you have on there right now, I am actually misunderstanding your ride height measurements. Your raising the ride height? or the wheel? You need to make the wheel tuck as much as possible in my opinion. The hallibrands would look great but I think a modern wheel fits what your doing a little better. What about the 18inch roush wheel?

 

[SN65]

I would run the cobra wheels you have on there right now, I am actually misunderstanding your ride height measurements. Your raising the ride height? or the wheel? You need to make the wheel tuck as much as possible in my opinion. The hallibrands would look great but I think a modern wheel fits what your doing a little better. What about the 18inch roush wheel?

Hi One,

I am dropping the car 3". I am also raising the wheel opening 3". The wheel openings will basically fall right in line with the major relief / body line on the side of the car.

This line usually has an upward rake of about 1" from the rear quarter to the headlight bucket. This gives the car a squat-in-the-rear appearance. I am going to make this line somewhat parallel with the ground (the line has a slight curve so parallel ain't quite right). Also, I am dropping this major body line from about 27 1/2" to about 24 1/2". This will leave me about 5" of clearance to the bottom of the rockers.

As far as "tuck" the wheels under, while I like that "look", it definitely gives the car a modified appearance. I want this to look as original as possible. That means that the wheel has to be exposed.

SN65

 

[one2gamble]

well then I suppose you should run the halibrand knock offs if you want the "original" appearence. It just seems strange to me to go through some much work to make it look original but to each his own. Thats one of the reason I love these cars

 

[burnout289]

ok, I had to ask because this is bugging me. in the pic of your car head-on, I am seeing what seems to be a cowl brace or something like that. the square tube piece that arcs over the firewall area. well, what is making my eyes itch is that it is not symmetrical! I have no idea if it is an integral part or just a fabbed up bracket that will be removed, but if it's permanent, why is it crooked? I am so confused!

 

[SadbutTrue]

well, even if you don't change much on the motor, make sure you give it a nice catback, chip, cold air and a 2.8" pulley. Thats all you need for nearly 500 horsepower.

 

[302 coupe]

that cowl brace was bothering me too...whats the story on it? Do you plan on cutting out and relocationg the radiator support? It looks like it will need to be moved up a few inches.

Very nice project though, it looks like you have the resources and skills so I'm sure it will turn out nicely. Keep us posted!

 

[1320stang]

I'd almost think that using the top of an '65-'66 radiator support and grafting it in as it hits the frame rails would work best. You'd have to cut out the radiator opening and widen it to fit the Fox4 opening, but given what else they've accomplished, that shouldn't be too hard. This gives you a front mounting point for the fenders and a place to mount the hood latch. You could then fab the rails that the rest of the fender mounts to and blend them down into the existing sides of the engine bay. I'm almost supprised that they didn't raise the shock towers in the bay.

I'm curious if they're going to use the '65-'66 outer rear wheel wells and blend them into the Cobra inners.

 

[SN65]

ok, I had to ask because this is bugging me. in the pic of your car head-on, I am seeing what seems to be a cowl brace or something like that. the square tube piece that arcs over the firewall area. well, what is making my eyes itch is that it is not symmetrical! I have no idea if it is an integral part or just a fabbed up bracket that will be removed, but if it's permanent, why is it crooked? I am so confused!
QUOTE]
Hi 289,

Well... The tube is perminant and welded to the top of the existing 03 Cobra wirewall/cowl. And you are right, they are not symetrical. It does look kind of funny, but when we locate the 65 cowl cover it will all fall into place.

 

[SN65]

I'd almost think that using the top of an '65-'66 radiator support and grafting it in as it hits the frame rails would work best. You'd have to cut out the radiator opening and widen it to fit the Fox4 opening, but given what else they've accomplished, that shouldn't be too hard. This gives you a front mounting point for the fenders and a place to mount the hood latch. You could then fab the rails that the rest of the fender mounts to and blend them down into the existing sides of the engine bay. I'm almost supprised that they didn't raise the shock towers in the bay.

I'm curious if they're going to use the '65-'66 outer rear wheel wells and blend them into the Cobra inners.

Hi 1320,

We are going to use the 03 core support. We ran over all the same scenarios as you and figure that altering the 03 for fnder and hood attachment is going to be easier than refabricating all the aux equipment mounting points on the 65. We have to mount the engine radiator, intercooler radiator and pump, ABS/traction control, etc, etc, etc...

OBTW, we are going to have to raise the core support about two inches to match the top of the inner fenders. If not, it will hang below the 65 front valance.

On the wheel housings, we are going to use the 03 and blend them to match the fenders.

SN65

PS: What did you mean in regard to raising the shock towers???

 

[SN65]

Hi All,

Here is where we are at this morning.

We have fit the outer and inner front pillar panels. This area is going to be open to the inside of the car and will be where we locate the computer, electrical harness, etc...

My Brother was here to 10 last night. He has located the towers and we are ready to start welding. He also sqared up the rear sheet metal so that we can weld the internal body braces to the internal wheel housings.

I will be welding all day today.

Off to work I go.

SN65

 

[blue66tang]

I'd almost think that using the top of an '65-'66 radiator support and grafting it in as it hits the frame rails would work best. You'd have to cut out the radiator opening and widen it to fit the Fox4 opening, but given what else they've accomplished, that shouldn't be too hard. This gives you a front mounting point for the fenders and a place to mount the hood latch. You could then fab the rails that the rest of the fender mounts to and blend them down into the existing sides of the engine bay. I'm almost supprised that they didn't raise the shock towers in the bay.

I'm curious if they're going to use the '65-'66 outer rear wheel wells and blend them into the Cobra inners.

Raise the shock towers!!! I dont think he is making a snow plow out of the car. IF the shock towers are raised teh whole front of the car would sit alot lower, and who knows what else it would do to the handling caracteristics.

 

[1320stang]

Well, he spoke of lowering the body on the frame 3". I haven't seen all the pics, but I'm wondering the relationship between the late model floor and the early model rockers. He's made up the pieces to lengthen the framerails and so he had to make new rear mounts for the K member, which could have been easily raised. I'm not talking 3" of raising the towers, but raising them would help to give the body a little rake, like he was wanting. The upper body reveal line goes downhill towards the rear of the car when sitting level, he spoke of making it more horizontal, which means either the rear goes up or the front goes down, or you cut the reveal from the body and move it to your liking. I'd think moving the shock towers (I guess we should call them strut towers) up an inch wouldn't be that big of a deal, but in retrospect, looking at the head on photo with the fenders on there, it looks like they're pretty close to the factory mounting points of the late model fenders. You've got to remember that the late model nose drops off quite a bit, where the early models don't, although it's not quite the aircraft carrier of a nose that say a '79 Lincoln Towncar has.....

 

[blue66tang]

O i got ya. I thought you meant he should raise the towers so they look better in the engine compartment, or something like that.

 

[SN65]

Hi All,

Well here is my next delema. One of the team members wants to use the 03 Cobra fender flares. He really likes this idea and has fit one of the quarter flares to the 65.

I am waffling on the idea. What is your opinion.

SN65

 

[burnout289]

man, I am just amazed every time you post new pics. I love seeing people do these kinds of projects where it really gets thought through to every little detail.

I have been wanting to take some welding classes and cars like these make me itch to get started!


as for your "dilemma", I am in favor of keeping the original 1/4 panels. I would be all about keeping as much as possible unless it absolutely has to be changed. besides, didn't you want it to look as close to the stock body from the outside?