Darrin's MMR BOSS based GT40

[Peter G-Pete Fritsche]

Hi Darrin,
good to see you have the power plant home. Watching your progress and enjoying your and Doc's build. Keep it up guys....

 

[Darrin]

Hi Darrin,
good to see you have the power plant home. Watching your progress and enjoying your and Doc's build. Keep it up guys....

Thanks Peter. Lot's to do on the engine alone. Just got at set of MSD coils in today (have seen dyno runs where aftermarket coils really do make a difference...A Guide to Modular Motor Coil Packs - StangTV). I'll put in as soon as I bolt up the front timing cover (valve covers bolt into it). The AC compressor is due in next week and the other pulleys, water pump, etc. I have in already so I'll be ready to start seeing how the chassis brackets need to go (my engine will set just a bit lower...getting a lowered Canton oil pan for that...so I'll have to make them custom). Hope to have the engine ready to fire up by July. We will see.

Bob's build is going well. I copied his fan shroud and backup camera idea (haven't incorporated that one though).

 

[Darrin]

The remaining parts to the adapter set made it in last night. The entire kit consists of the adapter plate (15mm thick steel...needed to be very thin on my setup), the flywheel, starter, clutch assembly, and all of the nuts/bolts/etc. to get the job done save the flywheel bolts which I ordered from ARP. Haven't set it up yet so this could change but it sure does pass the eye test on the components. The clutch assembly is American (Advanced Clutch Technology) and good for about 650 pounds of torque. The rest is British and was made by GT Racing in the UK.

 

[Darrin]

Slow progress of late. A little extra work load here, a little vacation there, and the project is suffering due to it. Still the engine is coming together bit by bit. Think I have the last few parts I need for it on order. Everything but a thermostat Ford has on back order should be in next week. Hopefully I'll have the thing ready to start the fitting process in two weeks.

 

[Darrin]

Small update. Battery box complete and fitted. I started to make my own and didn't like it. Then I ordered one in custom and still didn't like it. So, I used the one I ordered as a base and made some tweaks and custom made the brackets. Ended up with about 8 hours of work in the thing but it fits under the expanded nostrils and holds the thing in place. The wires are just sitting inside loosely and aren't hooked up yet. I'll route them to the side better eventually.

 

[Darrin]

First test fitting of the engine. Looks like the BOSS/Coyote really does fit with a super thin adapter plate (just a little over 1/2" at about 15mm).

I ended up going with a custom oil pan from Canton that is a good bit shorter allowing me to lower the engine. The only tweak I think I'll need to make is adjusting the engine mounts a bit unless I raise it up a bit. Right now the bottom of the pan is flush with the bottom of the chassis (the lowest part being the lowered seating area).

 

[Dan]

Hi Darrin. Do you have a part number for the clutch / pressure plate combo by any chance?
I am looking to use a Ford Miami engine which is a supercharged version of the Coyote engine that is used in the Ford Falcon GT over here in Oz which will be up around 600HP with an 01E box but need to find a clutch up to the task power wise but also small enough to physically fit.

 

[Darrin]

Hi Dan. Here is the clutch. It's about as aggressive as you want for the street but that's needed due to the power.

The adapter, flywheel, starter, etc. I got from here: Transaxles and conversion kits - GT Racing

Very good quality and pleased with it for sure (not cheap, but nothing with this thing seems to be).

I also believe that Eric might have one that will work but you would have to check with him to be sure: A&E Automotive & Machining

Hope this helps.

 

[Darrin]

Here is the info on it. Supposedly good to 651 lbs of torque. Recommended for "high horsepower street or race".

AA2-HDG6 // Advanced Clutch Technology

 

[Gary Sharapata]

Hey Darrin,

Any updates or did you knock off for the summer with this great Texas heat?

 

[Darrin]

Hey Darrin,

Any updates or did you knock off for the summer with this great Texas heat?

I've taken a break. Lost a lot of interest in the project and even contemplated selling for a bit instead of moving the thing to a new garage (sold my house...needed a bigger garage).

My axles are to arrive today, I have a guy coming over to help me with the clutch install/alignment of things, and the wiring is getting pretty close to done (16 more hours or so on it I think).

If all goes well I hope to fire it up by November.

 

[Dave P]

Darrin:
Started mine in 2008 so I have been at that lost interest point a few times myself. I watch a few videos of some 40s on the track. It usually helps get the creative flow going.

 

[Keith]

Hey Darrin mate, keep it up if you can. It's builds like yours I enjoy as I can't get to do my own and I'm really keen to get your reaction on the Coyote in a '40. Not sure anyone's written about one yet although there may be a Modular in Oz. Take a break, come back refreshed and have at it if you are able.. All the best

 

[Bill Musarra]

Darrin,
Come on!!!! You are just in the "tired of looking at it" stage. You want to drive it, right??? All I can say is, take a breather and do something else for a little while. When you come back to it, you will have some fresh ideas and spirit. It took me 10-11 years on my build, and came close to selling it when I ran into a timing issue that cost me 4 ring gears on the Porsche clutch assembly(in one month). Once solved, I became excited again. That's how I know.

Bill

 

[Peter G-Pete Fritsche]

Yeah Darrin -- come on. Now I got a 40 too, lets have some fun next year!!!

 

[Robert C]

Darrin,

Don't give up!!!!! At 73 years old, my father still regrets selling some of the cars he had back in the 60s for no good reason. You don't want to get old and wonder "what if".

Now that there are a few guys here in the Dallas area with cars, we can all make plans to race up the new 635 tollway at speed! I have lawyers in the family, so we should be able to avoid serious jail time.

 

[Randy V]

What they are saying is true Darrin... I've had to take a couple of breaks from my build.. One break was roughly 2.5 years.. Latest one is about 4 months...
If you keep chipping away at it - it can get monotonous or even seem like another job. Take a break and refresh yourself. When you come back - sit in the shop and look at it. Imagine what it will someday be.. Before long, you'll find your hands on it once again... Tools will come to your hands and the magic will start all over again...

 

[Dr. Bob Woods]

Darrin,

I encourage you too. All of us in the DFW area should get together and inspire each other. I'm catching up with you, so we need to get together and compare notes.

-Bob Woods

 

[Brett James-McCall]

Darrin,
Don't get disheartened... I am year 10, or is it 11, of my build....

Walk away, think about something else, come back. It will always be there. I mean I haven't even started my engine yet!!

Brett

 

[Darrin]

I appreciate it folks. I just have so little room to work and the thought of picking it all up and moving it or storing it for a while wasn't too attractive to me. Now though it looks like I may lease my house back while I build a new one. If all goes well, I should be able to complete the build before the move or at least have the car to a point where it could be driven.

The axles made it in last week. The last tweak to the chassis mounts is being done now (I have over $500 in them...part of the reason I was losing interest...this thing is massively over budget) and the engine should be able to be semi-permanently affixed in a week (have to pull it out to do some more wiring to the fuel pumps and such).