[RoadRacer68]

Well, bought the headers from FPA, the radiator from C&R. Canton valve covers and a few other tidbits showed up yesterday...we should be on the dyno first of the year! Very close to committing to a rear coilover setup of some sort.
In other interesting news: Grassroots Motorsports magazine got in touch with Mike Maier from Maier Racing and wanted to do an article/photo shoot with my Cougar and my buddy Johns 66 Fairlane, no idea how they came to even know about our cars but who cares! Downside is obviously that she's in a million pieces but I'm going to drive the 66 Mustang down there Monday and take the guy a photo CD.. I've always wanted something I've built to get into a magazine, I'm sure like most of us...more to follow!

 

[mrcougnut]

Yea go with Coilovers and sell me your maier racing leaf springs. I was at maier racing yesterday and he was telling me alittle about your cougar

 

[B777XR7]

Congrats on getting the car in Grassroots Motorsports! I bought my headers too from Stan at FPA. I bought the flanges from SPD to fit the Cleveland Trick Flow 225 heads and had them sent to him. The headers are nice and look like they will tuck fine under the chassis, but my engine builder thought the collectors could be a little better. I had them coated by RS coatings in Menlo Park after the dyno. I'll drop the motor in after the holidays. I have a few other things to finish on it before it will be back on the street.

 

[RoadRacer68]

Well, I don't think the Cougar is gonna make in GRM. I gave him the bio and a ton of pics but he didn't seem to interested. He was of course interested in Mike Maier's Mustang with a Nationwide motor and C&R tranny but who wouldn't be? He also took a bunch of photos and info on my buddy John's 66 Fairlane, and a bunch of other stuff in the shop.. (Makes me feel a tad better since I've rebuilt that car and changed a bunch of stuff on that car in the last year+, and it ran a 1:40 flat at Laguna Seca a couple of weeks ago).
B777, so how long did it take to get your headers??

 

[RoadRacer68]

Yea go with Coilovers and sell me your maier racing leaf springs. I was at maier racing yesterday and he was telling me alittle about your cougar

mrcougnut...they're yours when I get there. I'm actually going to delay the rearend for just a while. Going to swap in a set of new Maier upper control arms and coilover setup in the front...

 

[B777XR7]

It took about 4 weeks to get my headers from FPA. I ordered them late July and had them before the end of August. Stan said he was really backed up at the time I ordered them. They are really nice headers and I'm sure they will fit the car well, but I doubt they will flow like the old Hooker Super Comp's.

 

[RoadRacer68]

Delays delays....well, need a special cam plate made of unobtanium. In the works but going to be another month, not a big deal in the grand scheme of things I suppose. Headers showed up, C&R radiator showed, T&D rockers showed, power steering box showed.
Still going to be in the spring but at least the kid and I are getting some time to work on the Cortina! Happy New Year to all!

 

[letsroll]

I have that oil pan. Nice to have the added capacity and the baffling. I have been told I need to get the FPA headers for my 351 transplant. Would love to see pics when installed to get an idea of the ground clearance. I am on the fence between the JBA shorties with H pipe and the full length.

 

[RoadRacer68]

letsroll....I had the same concerns about ground clearance, gave him measurements for how low the car is and he assured me no problem...we'll see but then look like they'll tuck up nicely. I will have pics as things happen for sure...
But things are looking up...the Belvedere is done, the wife's Mustang will be done end of January and the Cortina will/should be done end of Feb....then it's on with the Cougar!!!

 

[69XR7RestoMod]

letsroll, I too had originally planned on using the JBA shorties and H pipe on my 408. I wanted to have as much ground clearance as possible. I can tell you that they were a breeze to install and fit really well. Unfortunately for me, the drivers side header would not clear the Borgeson power steering grearbox so I had to scrap that idea. I ended up getting the FPA long tube headers. They are beautifuly made and also installed easily. I did have a bit of a problem with clearance to the Borgeson box, but is was not as bad as the JBA short tubes and Stan at FPA was willing to work with me and modified the drivers side #4 tube to get me the clearance I needed. I'm using a Pypes x-pipe from there.

RoadRacer68 - Ground clearance is excellent, the collector is barely lower than the front frame section and the Maier Racing subframe connector.

if you guys would like, I'll get under the car tomorrow and get some pictures.

 

[RoadRacer68]

That's all good info and pics would be great...pretty funny you mentioned the Borgeson steering box. My wife's 66 Mustang has the JBA shorties on it and was also a no go with that box. I just pressed TCP to fix the power rack and I put that back in..

I was going to put that box in the Cougar but changed direction after talking with Mike Maier. Got the ABS Power Brake box in it now. How's the Borgeson box working out? I heard that it's like having the manual ratio with a power assist...

 

[letsroll]

I will have to research to see if I can find it again, but I read where extra capacity oil pans did not clear the rack and pinion conversions. Should have book marked that dang it.

 

[letsroll]

letsroll, I too had originally planned on using the JBA shorties and H pipe on my 408. I wanted to have as much ground clearance as possible. I can tell you that they were a breeze to install and fit really well. Unfortunately for me, the drivers side header would not clear the Borgeson power steering grearbox so I had to scrap that idea. I ended up getting the FPA long tube headers. They are beautifuly made and also installed easily. I did have a bit of a problem with clearance to the Borgeson box, but is was not as bad as the JBA short tubes and Stan at FPA was willing to work with me and modified the drivers side #4 tube to get me the clearance I needed. I'm using a Pypes x-pipe from there.

RoadRacer68 - Ground clearance is excellent, the collector is barely lower than the front frame section and the Maier Racing subframe connector.

if you guys would like, I'll get under the car tomorrow and get some pictures.

So do you think that if I reference the borgeson box that FPA will already know the needed modification? Maybe talk directly with Stan?

 

[69XR7RestoMod]

I'm looking forward to trying out the borgeson box, still putting the car back together. Hopefully this spring.

I took a couple picks with my iPhone, give me your email addresses and I'll send them directly to you since they're pretty big.

I worked with Stan directly on the modification to the headers, so hopefully he will remember what they did. But here's the whole story.

After finding that the JBA shories weren't going to work with the Borgeson box, I ordered the FPA's. Using stock motor mounts the #4 Tube came in contact with the Borgeson box's top, inner bolt that holds the cover on and I was unable to lower the motor back into the mount. I then installed Ron Morris adjustable motor mounts and moved the motor to the right about 1/2" and back about 1". The #4 tube then just barely touched the Borgeson box. Since there's plenty of room between the #4 tube and the block I asked Stan to move the tube in towards the motor using a shorter radius leaving the head, as I needed about 1/2". I marked the header where it came in contact with the borgeson box and sent it back to him.

Now the header fits perfectly and there is ~1/2" clearance between the #4 tube and the Borgeson box. I could probably go back to factory motor mounts or center the engine back up, but I like the clearance on the drivers side and still have plenty of room on the passenger side.

One other thing to note, I'm using a hydraulic clutch, so there's no cable or linkage issues to take into consideration.