Playing with tire mock up. DSE Aluma Frame allows for a 295 up front with no fender mods I think It could actually fit a 305, this pic is a 275.

Wonderful progress! Look forward to watching this build move along!

Some header mock up. I don't remember which ones we tried exactly none of which would work without modifications. We also tried 3 different bell housings, T5, 4spd & Lakewood. Stock manifolds work!

We ended up working with JBA to make headers for this application which are now available for anyone who's entertaining the DSE AlumaFrame in a Mustang or Cougar, PN# 31658S.

We mocked up several brands of headers and (3) different bell housings. These JBA's will work with a 4spd bell, T5 & Lakewood with a SBF. Although I did decide to cut off a about 1-1/4'" off the collector before welding the V-bands on to assure the collector was tucked above the frame rail.

After trying a couple different oil pans I ended up with the Aviaid 155-55301-302 and a 12” dipstick. For reference we tried 2 other pans that would work, DSS Racing (don’t recall #pn) and the Ford Racing M-6675-A50 both clear everything and don’t hang below the Alumaframe. Note though the Ford Racing pan doesn’t have a dipstick provision and is meant to be used with the Fox body 5.0 block which has the dipstick through the block and not the gen1 SBF unless you modify the pan.

You're project is coming along nicely! The car looks so right with the bigger rubber tucked up in the wheel wells. This is my favorite body style Mustang as well.

I’m using the Modern Driveline hydraulic clutch conversion with a Tilton throw-out on a T5. As usual some mods were necessary for the bulkhead and bracket to sit flush on the firewall.

If anyone is interested I created a spreadsheet of oil pans that should fit sbf short deck motors in an alumaframe application. We did lots of measuring, and with reaching out to manufactures and viewing the dimensions on their websites I feel the list is pretty well dialed in. The AVAID pan that ended up in this car was based off of the composed list and fit beautifully!!

As Jeff Said, the headers were a pain at first. multiple off the shelf units that flat out didn't fit. A set of custom headers "guaranteed to fit" which were off. after taking the matter into our own hands, we were able to create a set that would git but needing fine tuning and after working with the fine folks at JBA an off shelf option was developed. the mock set had 1-3/4" primaries to a 3" collector. I believe JBA ended up 1-5/8" as their final design. These things fit great!!! Go into the car with the motor in place, fairly long, lots of ground clearance (Jeff trimmed 1-1/4" off of the collector in case lowering the motor up to 3/4" becomes the way he wants to go) they are up above the frame rail!

It is important to note that these headers should work with a 351w based motor as well as the 302 based (short deck) motor. The guaranteed to fit sets were based on a taller deck motor, and once installed on the shorter deck motor they hit because they were now closer to things they needed to clear (hope that makes sense). since these were based on a short deck, putting them on a taller deck motor should only aid in more clearance.

The beauty of figuring out the headers and oil pan is now a DIY person can pull their ford into the garage, pull the motor, install: aluma frame, already sorted out headers and an oil pan and put the motor back in and realistically be back on the road in no time.

The last thing I want to hit on before ending this book of a post, is brakes. The inexpensive/great brake options I feel are often overlooked when considering the aluma- frame as a suspension option. Jeffs car has C5 (correct me if I'm wrong dude) std brakes which are a 2 pot 13" rotor setup. He was able to find a set of Baer calipers which are basically C5 calipers for a great deal. Off the shelf rotors were drilled to fit the ford pattern using the Daze cars jig (jig was $25)

Looks so familiar.
Im building one also. '69 FB Dyna-body, Aluma-frame, Quadralink. 5.4 GT500 SS, custom 6060, 9+ Strange, Forgeline cengerbolt.

Pictures and buildthread when customer allows that.

Not now..

Keep it up..

Couple more.....