Very nice build, keep up the good work!

Torqstorm

I had hinted at why the chassis cross bars were mounted above the frame rails earlier. The cab has two raised areas in the floor that the tubes line up with. This allows maximum exhaust clearance through the center section. Might even try to incorporate additional cab mounts and seat mounts into them. If you've been paying attention you've seen a couple different pics of engine set back options. I think "The Sweet Spot" has been found, see pic for measurement.


https://i.hmjimg.com/images/2017/12/..._080158.md.jpg

Getting the cab and bed perfectly aligned has proven to be next to impossible without bedsides. Started cutting up these brand new bed sides so we can raise the bed floor.

https://i.hmjimg.com/images/2017/12/..._073550.md.jpg

It's kinda hard to see what's going on here. This is the piece that was cut and removed from the bed side. It is now mounted into position on the bed floor. The driver side will be the same except where the gas filler is currently mounted.

https://i.hmjimg.com/images/2017/12/..._125606.md.jpg

My small piece of advice on EPAS is to use the most robust u-joints you can find in the steering shaft post-EPAS. I wore out some nice woodward joints very quickly. I notice the Borgeson joints are one size larger so they might be fine. I didn't get a chance to confirm as I converted over to a Ron Sutton setup with a new Sweet hydraulic rack. I had hydraboost so I wasn't able to drop the P/S pump anyway.

But the Vue box worked well for me otherwise on 285's on the front of a '68 Mustang although I never put stickies on it or took it on course while I had it.

What RPMs are you guys planning on spinning that engine?

Nice work so far!

Good to know, thanks. We normally use Borgeson joints but I will certainly discuss it with them. How was your "on center" feel? That was my only concern with the Vue box after reading up about them.

The rotating assembly and valvetrain is good for 7500. It will likely nose over around 6500 with the smallish turbines. Hoping to run about what your car does in the 1/2 mile. In order to do that on the 315 Falkens it will need a 3.25 gear spinning 7K (3rd gear figuring a locked converter).


On a sidenote: How much power does your FD make at the wheels? That car has gotta be so much fun on the street.

Slowly making progress on mounting the bed sides. I cut a fairly big strip out first and then just trimmed little by little in order not to cut too much. It is a long process but the fitment was perfect. The goal was to keep the factory internal bed body lines for looks and strength. Just kinda sandwiched them closer together. The inner panel will require a little more work once I get the main structure together.

https://i.hmjimg.com/images/2018/01/..._072810.md.jpg

https://i.hmjimg.com/images/2018/01/..._125847.md.jpg

https://i.hmjimg.com/images/2018/01/..._075716.md.jpg

https://i.hmjimg.com/images/2018/01/..._125816.md.jpg

Working on the back panel of the bed.


https://i.hmjimg.com/images/2018/02/..._162056.md.jpg


Step one of turbo placement has begun.


https://i.hmjimg.com/images/2018/02/..._095251.md.jpg


https://i.hmjimg.com/images/2018/02/..._131223.md.jpg


View from outside the fender. Definitely going to need a close out panel to keep tire debris off.


https://i.hmjimg.com/images/2018/02/..._131201.md.jpg

Been trying to get the bed back to a solid piece for safe removal. Made some closeout panels for the outer structure and fitted them up this morning.

https://i.hmjimg.com/images/2018/03/..._080230.md.jpg

Made a cardboard template (oversized of course so I could trim to fit)

https://i.hmjimg.com/images/2018/03/..._125922.md.jpg

.050" panel cut and ready

https://i.hmjimg.com/images/2018/03/..._080338.md.jpg

So I kinda skipped a picture/step here. I cut a few slits in the lip and rolled the edge before laying the new panel in place. The top is butt welded, the bottom is laid inside of the lip.

https://i.hmjimg.com/images/2018/03/..._125805.md.jpg

This should at least hold the structure in place so I can remove the bed, disassemble and fully weld on a bench (comfortably).

Yanked the bed off yesterday and mounted the driver's side turbo.

https://i.hmjimg.com/images/2018/03/..._145622.md.jpg

https://i.hmjimg.com/images/2018/03/..._145829.md.jpg

I spy Efrain's car. It's now time to start figuring out where things are going to go. Air tanks, compressors, solenoids, lines, batteries, coolers, exhaust, etc

https://i.hmjimg.com/images/2018/03/..._145802.md.jpg

This is coming together nicely.