S197 Drift Car Build...

[FR500GT]

Very clean man. Good choice in I think what is called dimpling(or however you spell that ha) the sheet metal. Gives it that extra strength!

 

[Brian W.]

started porting the blower. Did the outlet tonight. Ill get to the inlet side some day soon.

I pretty much just copied what i saw in some pics of other ported blowers. It seems like everyone does the same thing and they make good power so i figured id follow suit. I really have no interest in trying to re-invent the wheel here.

tools...

all cut up...

Also, Ray tapped all the holes in it for various NPT threads so we can plug up unwanted orifices and use GM sensors and such in others...

Still collecting parts and supplies also. I got a big lot of Eaton mil spec switches and we are collecting various sizes of DR-25 heat shrink along with crimpers and a bunch of other little things.

 

[Brian W.]

Working on all the little things still. Im supposed to get my motor back next week and then i can get something done under the hood... FINALLY! Its obviously getting down to the line here where im going to have to start working 12-14 hour days in the shop to do regular work and then put in a few hours at the end of the day on this. Well here is what ive been working on the past couple weeks when ive had time to work on it...

Formula D requires you have a battery box even if you use a sealed battery. Since i will be using a small odyssey battery i had no options on a box to purchase so fabbing one was the only option. I used the finger brake and bent this thing out. It fits the smaller battery just right.

It fits the smaller battery just right.

The lid fit super tight so i made this handle for it so it was a bit easier to get off.

Its all sanded as i plan on painting it black since the material i used was just scratched up scrap sheet we had laying around. Its mounted in the car now with a tie down and it uses all-thread like most most aluminum battery boxes.

Ray started on the rear. We are installed a Ford Racing 4.10 R&P along with a FR Torsen Differential and of course a FR Diff cover.

 

[Brian W.]

Here are some pics...

i actually made the lead ins here next to the bearings a little bit wider before i did the final cleaning and put it back together, just didnt take a pic...

We are planning on using a Q45 throttle body on it (thats the plan so far) and i didnt want to buy one of those larger cast plenums so i got a stock plenum and milled the flange off of it. I match ported said flange so its read for us to make a plenum on to to mate up the throttle body to the blower...

And here is the outlet with the screws re-installed...

 

[Brian W.]

MORE!...

Ray made this simple pinion depth measure tool. It turns out we dont have the right shims so we are waiting on them to show up to put the diff back in...

mounting the fire suppression tank... sadly i cant plumb it up until i get the motor mounted so i know where to place the under hood nozzles.

^^^those are pretty lame updates but man i really can only do so much without an engine.

Well yesterday i made a switch panel. It took me all day, but i am getting better at tin work thats for sure!

I made this panel on the break and integrated all the tabs for the Dzus fasteners into it. I would have made it all out of 1 piece but i didnt have the right size sheet in the right thickness so i made the back part removable. Once installed the sides will dzus off and you will have access to the back of the breakers and switches.

After i got the parts mocked up and Clecoed in Jimmy from next door happened to stop by and gave me some tips on lining up the Dzus fasteners and let me use the small dimpling tool he has for them. It helps line up the panel when installed and keeps the sheet metal flush which is nice.

Tips and Tricks...

all done... sorta....

So its all enclosed both side panels come off with dzus fasteners in case we need to access the wiring in a hurry. I have some Deautsch DT flange connectors for the wiring out of the back of it.

Im thinking about painting it black along with that dash panel. It would add some contrast to the interior i think and would break up all the silver. I think it would look pretty good, but am still undecided. What do you think? maybe even have it powdercoated depending on time and price...

Im really happy with how that turned out. Im starting to enjoy doing the sheet metal/ tin work more and more as i get better at it, haha!

 

[one eyed willy]

looks great..good job!!

 

[50tbrd88]

Subscribing...this is a bad ass build.

 

[Stangmeister9]

on of the best threads, many of us will learn from your build. even if it is in smallest details.

 

[Ingwe]

Fascinating to watch this thing come together. Awesome build.

 

[jjay760]

im so excited to see how this car looks and runs in the end

 

[ChrisDR]

The build is really coming along! Someday when I relegate my car to weekend only duty, I would love to do something like this.

The panel looks great as well and the Dzus fasteners are a cool idea for easy access. I'm sure you will be running supportive race seats so you wont have to try to support yourself with your legs, but even so, won't your leg still be making contact with the fasteners, what with them sticking out like that? Couldn't you just run the Dzus fasteners on the passenger side, and rivets on the driver's side?

 

[SoundGuyDave]

Chris, maybe I'm misunderstanding you, but are you confusing the Dzus fasteners with the Clecos? The long copper-colored fasteners poking out are called Cleco fasteners, and are temporary, removable, reusable rivet substitutes, and are used for mockup and lineup of panels. The flat, football-shaped fasteners that the Clecos are holding to the panel are the Dzus fasteners. Once riveted in place, those won't stick out...

 

[ChrisDR]

Chris, maybe I'm misunderstanding you, but are you confusing the Dzus fasteners with the Clecos? The long copper-colored fasteners poking out are called Cleco fasteners, and are temporary, removable, reusable rivet substitutes, and are used for mockup and lineup of panels. The flat, football-shaped fasteners that the Clecos are holding to the panel are the Dzus fasteners. Once riveted in place, those won't stick out...

Oh thanks for the heads up on that. I understood the Dzus fasteners to simply be a race application fastener for quick removal. I have seen a D ring Dzus fastener before but assumed the Cleco was a different kind of Dzus. I wasn't sure what the copper pins were for and just assumed it was part of the design. Thanks for clearing that up.

 

[Brian W.]

Dave is correct. The Clecos just hold it all together for now. Ill rivet the Dzus fasteners in after i get all the sheetmetal parts powdercoated.


Thanks guys!

hopefully some more updates coming in the next couple days.

 

[rford426]

Looks awesome love watching it come togg!!

 

[Brian W.]

Well, Im now at a point where i just need my engine to start making serious moves. I got my Coilovers from the good folks over @ KW Suspension. I used KWs on my Nissan and they worked really well for me. The 2 way adjustable Clubsports i got for this car look great and i cant wait to start dialing them in.

Fresh out of the box....

Here is the rear setup. I got some different springs than what you would get with an off the shelf set.

The fronts i got use a camber plate. Not sure if this comes with off the shelf setups or not, but im glad they could accommodate me here. They appear to have a super wide range of adjustment too...

I was anticipating a camber plate so i cut the holes in the top of the strut towers out a bit bigger. This is with the camber plates maxed out to negative(just for bolting on for now). Im glad i enlarged the hole or i wouldnt have had clearance, but it was an easy job with the right size holesaw...

I got everything bolted up and the fit was perfect....

Along with the coilovers i started test fitting the tie rods. I cant finish them until i get the wait of the motor in the car and set the ride height, but you get the idea...

...Thats some poor lighting but those are the ASD Steering knuckles(www.mustangdrift.com) on there.

Of course putting the suspension on means we had to button up that rear finally. Here it is sporting its Ford Racing and Steeda parts. I got the RLCA weld on brackets, and once i get the cars height set rough i will weld those on in place and probably spray bomb the rear axle assembly...

Here she is sitting on the ground again finally...

I have some RTR (http://www.mustangrtr.com/) side splitters and front spoiler on the way too that will help with its stance along with setting the motor in there.

So thats done, now back to the little stuff. I got these sweet switches for my switch panel. They have a stainless machined toggle...

Also got my Flanged connectors in place so we can start the wiring as soon as..... .... i get my motor back.
rear firewall connector...

Engine bay into cabin connectors...

Also got these block off panels cut out for the holes in the firewall. I figured it would look better with one big one to cover up all the heater/ hvac holes instead of a bunch of little pieces everywhere. Ill probably bead roll them before i rivet them on for good...

Also got my parts back from powdercoat...

...its a "20% black."

Oh also i got my transmission all together...

...T56 w/ 26 spline input, 31 spline output, bronze fork pads, and billet 3/4 shifter.


Well thats all for now. Hopefully some udpates that include a motor next week...

 

[1andonlywhitie]

Lookin good... can't wait to see this finished...

Also, that front end threw me way off what model it was 'til I read your first post... that 2010 front with the older s197 rear should look good, will confuse a few people out there...

 

[5.0Shocker]

If this thread doesnt build respect for Drift cars nothing will.

 

[1andonlywhitie]

If this thread doesnt build respect for Drift cars nothing will.

Surely though, most people on here respected Vaughn Gittin's S197... just awesome watchin' that get sideways...

 

[ZmanM3]

Looks awesome. What shifter are you using on the t56 and are you have to modify the transmission tunnel for it to fit?