BoatBuilder3's CMC Build Log

[BoatBuilder3]

K, now let's talk about the Mustang that I just purchased. Remember I said I landed it for $1,200? Well, I plan to use the entire drivetrain from this car in mine now. This Mustang's modification list will explain why. Let's show you what the $1,200 really got me...(I plan to sell a lot of things off of it and hopefully break even on the car, maybe even make some money). I plan on tearing the drivetrain out and a few other odds and ends (windshield wipers and motor, heater core, pedals, master cylinder and brake booster, parking brake assembly, etc.).

Engine:

-GT40p Block
-GT40p Heads
-GT40p Intake
-American Muscle Cold Air Intake
-Trick Flow Phenolic Spacer
-Trick Flow Stage 1 Camshaft
-Trick Flow Springs and Push Rods
-MSD Street Fire Distributor
-MSD Spark Plug Wires
-Ford Racing GT40p Headers
-Smog Pump Delete
-Pypes Violator Full Cat Back Exhaust (cat deletes in place)
-Pypes Viloator X-Pipe

Suspension:

-Maximum Motorsports Caster Camber Plates
-Maximum Motorsports Pan Hard Bar
-Steeda Bump Steer Corrector Tie Rod Ends
-Ford Racing B Springs
-Tokico HP Blue Shocks
-J&M Height Adjustable Lower control arms

Drivetrain:

-Ford Racing 3.55 Rear Gears
-Refreshed 8.8 Trac Lock Rear End
-Exedy stage 2 clutch
-MGW Short Throw Shifter

Interior:

-"Porno Red" Cloth Interior
-Dash Signed By Vaughn Gitten Jr. (profession drifter for Ford)
-LeCarra Steering Wheel
-Kenwood CD player
-American Muscle Shift Knob

Exterior:

-Cobra R rims with tires (17x9)
-Real Saleen Spoiler
-HID Lights
-Vertical Tail Lights
-Painted Gas Tank Straps
-Black Aluminum Race Look Gas Door

[Beastly]

Awesome documentation!! Could you show your rear geometry. Several people including myself are interested in what you came up with.

Beastly

[BoatBuilder3]

Beastly,

I have not come up with my rear end setup just yet. I know that I want to run the panhard setup that is on the mustang that I purchased, so I know for a fact that provisions will need to be made for it. I have yet to get to it due to work.

I have some free time on my calendar for this weekend. I plan on doing a lot of updating and disassembling of the mustang this weekend. Possibly even make a "rolling chassis" (I use the term "rolling" loosely lol) this weekend.

[Beastly]

I wound up using adjustable control arms it helped me put the wheels exactly in the center of the wheel well. This got rid of all rubbing issues but put wheelbase at 90.5.
Don't tell the purist!

I do not run the pan hard but have driven a car with one. It felt like it remained much more straight when under load than mine does. But not so much that I am willing to go back and modify a running car. BTW I have a 5.0 GT40P w T5 setup roller motor similar to what you have in a 66 Mustang. I love this combo great power fast high winding motor. But I did originally have a weird vibe in engine when I put it all together. I had to have 8k rpm balance on it. Finally got it worked out never figured out why it developed this after I added the 40p heads. For what its worth.

[patrickt]

The SB gets a lot of bad press, but it's actually a pretty nice car when finished properly. I think you'll be able to meet your goal. Fun thread.

[BoatBuilder3]

Thanks patrickt, I'm hoping all this hard work will pay off. The ONLY thing I do not like about the SB is the chassis (but I think a lot of my problems are from somebody cutting it and changing it). However, I can tell what welds SB did and they are less than stellar. Too much work to change some of them though.

In hindsight, I should have just built a new chassis based on the pre-existing SB dimensions (I still haven't thrown that idea out yet lol).

[RedEye]

Streetbeast's welds were so bad on the kit I purchased that we replaced ALL the welds on the frame, as well as scratch built a bit of it from new stock. I'm seriously debating if ever sell the car whether I should advertise it as a StreetBeast or a straight custom build as I think it would be more honest to tell someone that it's custom. The only thing on the car which did not have major revisions was the exterior of the body shell, basically same shape, mostly

[BoatBuilder3]

Streetbeast's welds were so bad on the kit I purchased that we replaced ALL the welds on the frame, as well as scratch built a bit of it from new stock. I'm seriously debating if ever sell the car whether I should advertise it as a StreetBeast or a straight custom build as I think it would be more honest to tell someone that it's custom. The only thing on the car which did not have major revisions was the exterior of the body shell, basically same shape, mostly

RedEye, I was checking some dimensions on my chassis and it at some point became out of square/twisted...And as much as I had beefed it up, I cannot get it straightened back out :/

On that note, I have been doing a lot of contemplating and taking dimensions...I am working on designing a chassis that will work with all the Street Beast mounting points and brackets. I just got done measuring/dimensioning the mustang II front suspension. I'm trying to figure out a creative way to mate that with my frame design. I want to do something pretty unique/lightweight. We will see where this goes but this and work (maybe I work too much) has put a stall on the project for a while.

With labor day coming up, I'm thinking about just staying home and rocking out this chassis design. Once I have it designed, I can order the steel and begin welding it up

[Nytro]

I have a completed CMC Cobra, 302 - 5 speed Tremec - 8.8 rear. If I can check / measure anything on it for you let me know.

[santi]

Hi I am new to this site and new to building a 1997 Cobra CMC kit I come across
will a 1985 mustang donor car work for this kit
Thanks Ben
any help will be appreciated

[cobraleonard]

A good chance the frame you have was for a "longer" body CMC. I know they would hammer the STAGE 1 frame builder specials to get customers on the hook. I bought a body package from a guy ( long distance) and didn't realize it until I was home. I have bought frames from people who got caught up in the "stage 1 " deal and lost interest.
Great cars , stronger than most frame wise. You will find the body ,being color-gel coated is a pretty good fit unless there has been some 'storing" damage (heat-etc)
Built one for 13K, one 7700 done and a roller for 4k
I'll take all the frame I can find!!

You are doing great . Good luck
Joe

[BoatBuilder3]

Originally Posted by santi

Hi I am new to this site and new to building a 1997 Cobra CMC kit I come across
will a 1985 mustang donor car work for this kit
Thanks Ben
any help will be appreciated

Hi Ben. I am getting ready to ramp back up on my CMC. Got my garage at home cleaned up and some cars moved around to where I can work on it at home instead of at work with limited space.

I will send you a PM with my contact info. Also, there is a Street Beast owners group that you should become a part of. I will see what I can do to invite you to it.

Hope to hear from you soon. Depending on what stage your build is in, maybe we can help each other out.

[BoatBuilder3]

Originally Posted by cobraleonard

A good chance the frame you have was for a "longer" body CMC. I know they would hammer the STAGE 1 frame builder specials to get customers on the hook. I bought a body package from a guy ( long distance) and didn't realize it until I was home. I have bought frames from people who got caught up in the "stage 1 " deal and lost interest.
Great cars , stronger than most frame wise. You will find the body ,being color-gel coated is a pretty good fit unless there has been some 'storing" damage (heat-etc)
Built one for 13K, one 7700 done and a roller for 4k
I'll take all the frame I can find!!

You are doing great . Good luck
Joe

Joe, the frame I had was indeed not for a longer CMC body. It was for the 90" wheelbase body. I know this for a fact.

Do you have a bare frame laying around for a short wheelbase CMC?

[BoatBuilder3]

Originally Posted by santi

Hi I am new to this site and new to building a 1997 Cobra CMC kit I come across
will a 1985 mustang donor car work for this kit
Thanks Ben
any help will be appreciated

Ben, a 1985 mustang will work for this "kit". You will need to gather parts from a 1974-1978 mustang II and also some rear suspension parts from a 1979-2004 mustang. Like I said, I will do my best to invite you to the CMC/Street Beast owners group. You will find an abundance of information there (along with the original build manual).

[cobraleonard]

I no longer have any frames.
Joe

[santi]

Thanks boatbuider any help would be nice I just separated all the parts and trying to id them. You can email me at
santilliben@yahoo.com
Thanks Ben