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Factory Five Roadster Hydroboost Brakes Install - Project Snake Charmer Part 13One Step Closer to Paint With the Installation of Hydroboost Brakes From the June, 2007 issue of Modified Mustangs & Fords By Mark Houlahan Photography by Mark Houlahan
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Fresh from its first lap around... Fresh from its first lap around the block under its own power, our Factory Five Roadster sits in the driveway, cooling off for the evening. There are just a few small items left and then it's off to paint. The engine on our Factory Five Racing Cobra replica has been wired and running for three months. Due to chassis wiring and other unfinished items, however, we felt no pressure to have our project driveable. Rolling the Roadster to the driveway to work on it was all we cared about. Once we bolted in the direct-fit replacement driveshaft from Forte's Parts Connection, however, the gloves were off. All of a sudden, we knew our Cobra replica could move forward (or backwards), but we had no way to stop it. Sure, we had great-looking Stainless Steel Brakes discs at all four corners and most of the hard lines were bent and installed, but without some sort of master cylinder, there's no way for us to hydraulically control the brakes. We thought about taking the Roadster for a spin with only the parking brake to stop us, but we felt all of our hard-earned progress to date wasn't worth the risk. That and the wife thought yours truly was crazy for even suggesting it. Maybe she's right, but what were we to do? Enter Hydratech Braking and its neat OEM type of braking assist called Hydroboost. For several decades, Hydroboost has been on all sorts of new cars and trucks as an alternative power-brake assist over the age-old vacuum diaphragm. Ford has used it on the Mustang since the mid-'90s and on Lincoln and Mercury product lines as far back as the early '80s. The Hydroboost-assist unit gets its power from the engine, but instead of engine vacuum, it's powered by the power-steering pump. Yes, hydraulic fluid from your power-steering system is used as the assist, giving you a nice power-brake-pedal feel without the need for the room to fit a big booster can. This means you can have a radical engine with poor vacuum, but still have great brakes and a light, power-brake-pedal feel. Even if you don't have power steering, you can still use a Hydroboost by mounting a power-steering pump just for the assist unit. Since we were already planning on power steering, the Hydroboost unit from Hydratech ties in easily to our project. Hydratech Braking uses new Bosch assist units in its custom kits. When you order a Hydroboost system with hydraulic lines, you get a complete installation solution with all the fittings, adapters, and more. For a classic Mustang (which Hydratech has kits for), the company terminates the hydraulic hoses for a simple socket-and-wrench job, though you might need to rework a brake line or two at the master cylinder, depending upon what you use for a replacement master cylinder. For our Cobra replica, Hydratech set us up with one of its Fox Mustang ('79-'93) kits that it tweaked for the FFR fitment. The installation went well, and with our Master Power Brakes remote-reservoir master cylinder (recommended for our application by Hydratech), we were able to install a complete braking solution over the course of a weekend. Now we can safely take our Roadster for some "go-cart" runs, which we did at around 7:30 on a Sunday night. This point of our build was just as exciting as hearing the car's Smeding 427 Windsor start for the first time. Now it's time for some bodywork as we start to wrap up the year-long build of our Factory Five Racing Roadster.  As with any project, the more...  As with any project, the more you surf the Internet or peruse catalogs, the more goodies you want to throw at it. But when we spotted this way-cool trunk storage-box kit ($175 with shipping) from Dark Water Customs, we knew it was a must-have item. The trunk storage space is quite limited on the Roadster, so using this setup will provide much-needed room for tools, a tire patch kit, and so on, without modifying the original design of the car's frame members. The preformed boxes drop into place as shown; then you drill the mounting flanges for riveting.  Here's a mocked-up shot of...  Here's a mocked-up shot of the two-piece trunk floor in place over the trunk storage boxes. We already cut the access holes in the trunk floor. The kit comes with a trick piano-hinge cover (think classic-Mustang fastback fold-down seats) or you can leave the boxes open, as shown. Once the Cobra comes back from paint, we'll cover the trunk floor in matching carpet.  Another item Dark Water Customs...  Another item Dark Water Customs offers for FFR Roadsters is this driver's left-foot, dead-pedal-extension box ($25 with shipping). Installation is as easy as cutting a hole in the driver's foot-box panel and riveting the preformed dead-pedal footrest panel into place.  We're using late-model Bullitt...  We're using late-model Bullitt pedals (though we haven't mounted our dead pedal within the DWC extension yet), but DWC offers its own pedal kits and dead pedals also.  After test-fitting the dash...  After test-fitting the dash panel, we decided some sort of block-off plate under it will not only secure the wiring and ignition switch from potential theft or vandalism, it will also create a mounting surface for some discreetly mounted switches. Luckily for us, we found Mike Everson's www.replicaparts.com, where he sells all sorts of FFR Roadster accessories, including an underdash filler panel for just $35. We picked up some black vinyl to cover the aluminum panel and mounted the seat-heater switches and power-port assembly into the center of the panel.  The panel itself installs...  The panel itself installs easily with the supplied rivets to the 2x2-inch frame member at the base of the firewall. The dash is then secured to the underdash panel with finish washers and screws. Instead of visible screws at the top of the dash, we'll use high-strength hook and loop strips.  With one call and a few details...  With one call and a few details on our drivetrain, Forte's had one of its new driveshafts sent out in no time. The unit costs $249 and comes with new Ford mounting bolts. After a quick shot of chassis-black paint to keep rust at bay, we bolted in the driveshaft.  Since the drivetrain has been...  Since the drivetrain has been installed for a few months, all we needed to make our Roadster move is a driveshaft. Once we could make the connection between the Tremec TKO-600 and the DTS-built 8.8 axle, we'd be one step closer to a testdrive. We thought about picking up a used Mustang driveshaft and having it shortened, installing new U-joints, and balancing the whole thing, but for the prices we were quoted locally for the parts and labor, it wouldn't cost much more to go with a completely new driveshaft assembly from Forte's Parts Connection.  A quick check of our pinion...  A quick check of our pinion angle and an adjustment of our three-link's upper link, and the driveline was all set.  Moving on to more of the exterior...  Moving on to more of the exterior body prep, we next assembled and test-fit the windscreen. Right off the bat, you should do yourself a favor and cut 2 inches off the ends of the windscreen side bars, as they are too long and will interfere with installation of the windscreen itself. While we are shown cutting them straight here (chrome-plated brass, which cuts easily), we ended up putting an angle on the end of the bars for a bit more mounting room. You'll know what the angle is when you start to test-fit everything.  When fitting the side bars...  When fitting the side bars to the main windscreen frame, you will be installing some fragile screws into a soft strip of brass. If you're not careful, you can easily strip these threads. There's also a chance the screws might be too long since the countersunk holes found in the side bars are made by hand and can be too deep, causing the mounting screw to bottom. If this happens and you overtighten the screw, you run the chance of cracking the windscreen. Be sure to install each screw and test for proper fit, shortening the screw if necessary. Keep each screw indexed to the hole you test-fit, and use a stubby screwdriver with light finger pressure as shown.  You may have some slight fitment...  You may have some slight fitment gaps once the side bars are assembled to the windscreen. Because the side bars are brass, they can be carefully bent (dismounted from the windscreen) for a better fit. We used a vise with padded jaws and the nylon handle of a yard tool (the handle had a hole in the end we slipped over the side bar for bending purposes). There was a small gap at the top we couldn't get rid of, so we sealed it with a small amount of 3M strip caulk.  The assembled windscreen is...  The assembled windscreen is fitted to the body and held at the proper angle as specified in the assembly manual. With a helper applying pressure on the windscreen to seal the rubber strip at the base of the windscreen, the mounting holes are transferred from the frame to the windscreen side bars.  Once you've marked the side...  Once you've marked the side bars, transfer your marks to the center of the side bar and drill a 1/2-inch hole at each of the four marks. The instructions state to remove the side bars from the windscreen for fear of a regular drill bit catching in the soft brass. If you use a step drill bit, you can easily drill a small hole and sneak up on the 1/2-inch dimension without having to remove the side bars from the windscreen-one less step and less chance of stripping those small screws you've already installed.  We finished our cooling-system...  We finished our cooling-system layout last month, but our hoses were mocked-up bare and with no clamps. This month, we finished off our cooling system by installing Mr. Gasket G-sleeve on all visible hoses and using Mr. Gasket hose finishers to secure the hoses. The hose finisher for the water neck required some minor trimming to fit the water neck.  With our cooling system completed,...  With our cooling system completed, it was time for a 50/50 mix of Peak Long-Life antifreeze and distilled water. Depending upon hose routing and other cooling system options, such as a heater, it may take some time to fully bleed all the air out of the cooling system. Ours bled rather easily with a predrilled bleed hole in the thermostat housing and a bleeder valve in the side of the FFR radiator.  Those of you who keep tabs...  Those of you who keep tabs on this project by checking our online Web diary know we had some delays in acquiring the Hydroboost setup from another vendor before moving on to Hydra-tech. Even though we didn't have a master cylinder installed, we could run most of our brake hard line while waiting on the rest of the brake system to arrive. Shown here installed is Summit's line-lock kit (PN SUM-760000; $68.95), which we are also using as our front brake-line junction point. The red-capped fitting is the inlet from the master cylinder and will be connected later.  For the rear-brake-line routing,...  For the rear-brake-line routing, we started from the rear of the chassis at the axle flex-line bracket. We used a wire coat hanger to make a template for the brake lines, and then we formed the bulk 3/16-inch line included with the kit to match our template. Believe it or not, every bend we made was formed without the use of a tubing bender. As long as you have something round to bend the line around, it will not collapse.  You can use a deep socket...  You can use a deep socket chucked in a vise, the rounded tube of the car's frame, a metal pipe, and so on to get the radius you want. Don't forget to secure the brake lines with the kit's rubber-coated clamps. We clamped our lines roughly every 6-8 inches to prevent line vibration and fatigue.  Finally, our Roadster will...  Finally, our Roadster will get a Hydroboost setup. After several months of delays with "vendor A," we called Paul Clark at Hydratech Braking and had an FFR-specific Hydroboost setup at our door within a week. The new assist unit comes attached to a billet mounting bracket that uses the four mounting holes for the pedal support. The assist unit comes with an adjustable brake-pedal rod, and with a few turns of the threaded rod, the pedal adapter slid right over the pedal and brake switch.  Here you can see how Hydratech...  Here you can see how Hydratech modifies its Fox Mustang mounting bracket to clear the steering shaft on a Mk III chassis. The throttle cable just kisses the assist unit, but it has not created any problems with throttle response or feel.  Many of Hydratech's kits feature...  Many of Hydratech's kits feature preterminated hose kits. Since there are many variables building a kit such as our FFR Roadster, Hydratech provides extra-long lines and several fitting options. If you've never assembled Teflon-lined, high-pressure, braided hoses, they're a little different from a standard, rubber-lined, braided hose. After cutting the hose to length, slip the female hose nut over the hose end. Insert the brass ferrule between the outer braid and the Teflon liner, and seat the Teflon into the ferrule with a tapered punch. Apply assembly lube to the fitting and thread the fitting and female nut together. The high-pressure hose from the power-steering pump goes to the high-pressure inlet of the assist unit.  Many of Hydratech's kits feature...  Many of Hydratech's kits feature preterminated hose kits. Since there are many variables building a kit such as our FFR Roadster, Hydratech provides extra-long lines and several fitting options. If you've never assembled Teflon-lined, high-pressure, braided hoses, they're a little different from a standard, rubber-lined, braided hose. After cutting the hose to length, slip the female hose nut over the hose end. Insert the brass ferrule between the outer braid and the Teflon liner, and seat the Teflon into the ferrule with a tapered punch. Apply assembly lube to the fitting and thread the fitting and female nut together. The high-pressure hose from the power-steering pump goes to the high-pressure inlet of the assist unit.  The assist unit has three...  The assist unit has three connections: high pressure in, high pressure out, and a return line. The return line is a low-pressure connection and is routed to the power-steering reservoir. You can either install a second return fitting or tee the return hose into the return hose coming from your steering rack (which is what we did here). Make sure the return hose from the assist unit enters the base of the tee and not one of the top legs for proper operation.  We installed the supplied...  We installed the supplied surface-sealing AN -6 adapters at our Flaming River rack, and assembled the pressure hose (from assist unit to rack) and the return line (from rack to pump housing). The return-line fitting gave us two small problems: One was that the rack-fitting size overlapped the fitting for the rack transfer tube (the two metal tubes in the photo that move the fluid in the rack). We had to carefully grind down the fitting, which took all of 5 minutes. The second problem was how to work with an AN -6 fitting and a return line that used hose barb. The answer was to use a spare Mr. Gasket push-lock AN -6 fitting from our fuel system install, which worked like a charm.  With the Hydratech Hydroboost...  With the Hydratech Hydroboost unit assembled and plumbed, we mounted the master cylinder, finished the last two brake lines, and were ready for a testdrive. For master-cylinder choices, we went to the experts at Master Power Brakes and spec'd one of its street-rod master-cylinder kits (PN MC1005PZ; $199.95). This is a 1-1/8-inch-bore master cylinder for power four-wheel disc brakes and features a remote reservoir system-something we felt was required on the Roadster due to the semihidden location of the master-cylinder mounting. The MC1005PZ features both left and right fluid ports, which allows you to plumb your brake lines to either side of the unit.  The remote reservoir comes...  The remote reservoir comes with a mounting bracket, fittings, and more than enough hose to mount the reservoir just about anywhere you want in the engine compartment. We fabricated a simple aluminum plate to mount the reservoir low enough to clear the hood. The 3/16-inch rivets will secure the bracket to the frame member. After bleeding the brake system and the power steering system, we remounted the side pipes and testdrove our Roadster around the block three times. After the first lap, several neighbors came out to see the "go-cart" go by. Now it's time to get our plan together for a trip to the painter.
 | Project Snake Charmer is finished and on the road Check out the diary for more! |  | We'd like to introduce you to Mustang & Fords' new project, Project Snake Charmer |  | We Go Back to School-and Like It! The Factory Five Racing Cobra Roadster Kit Car Buildup Series Continues At The Build School. |  | Our Factory Five Roadster Suspension Finds Its Way to Our Frame |  | Our Factory Five Roadster gets its motivation from a Smeding Performance 427 |  | We install and prepare the aluminum panels for Project Snake Charmer |  | Our Factory Five Roadster gets a Drivetrain Specialtists rear end for Project Snake Charmer |  | Our project becomes a roller with brakes, wheels, and tires |  | Project Snake Charmer receives an EFI based fuel system to feed the snake |  | Our Factory Five Racing Roadster recieves a Smeding Performance 427 Windsor and a Tremec Transmission |  | Our Factory Five Roadster gets a new dash, pedals, and cooling system |  | Installing the Factory Five Racing wiring harness on our Project Snake Charmer Cobra Roadster Replica |  | We finish up the wiring and then turn towards starting the body on our Factory Five Roadster Project Car |  | Installing hydroboost brakes on our Project Snake Charmer Factory Five Roadster before painting |  | Project Snake Charmer Factory Five Roadster heads off for paint |  | Our Factory Five Roadster Begins the Paint Process |  | Our Cobra Replica's Almost Ready For Paint |
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