Project Journals

Owner: Rob Ficalora
City: Cypress, TX
Car Model: ’76 MGB
Status: Work in progress… 4yrs into my 2 ½ year project!

Engine: Ford 302, Aluminum GT-40 heads, E303 cam

Transmission: ‘94/95 Mustang T5 [Input shaft/bell housing are 1” longer than typical 5.0L Mustangs.]
- 3.53 1st gear
- 1.93 2nd gear
- 1.33 3rd gear
- 1.00 4th gear
- 0.68 5th gear

Clutch
- Ford Motorsports "king cobra" clutch
- Stock MG Clutch master
- '56 Ford F100 clutch slave

Cooling: Aluminum cross flow, 19” tall x 18.25” wide

Exhaust: Steve Carrick headers to H balance tube to 52” chambered exhaust to dual tips on each side. Headers are bright silver ceramic coated (e.g., JetHot but done locally) & rest of exhause is powder coated a flat olive drab (the least expensive color they had since it doesn't show).

Rear Axle/Rear Susp.: Todd Budde custom IRS with ’96 Nissan Skyline differential [same R200S case as Nissan 240SX] 3.54 gears, viscous limited slip; Outer CV yokes are 88-97 S-10 4x4; hubs are same S-10 (non-ABS); Chevy 5x4.75” lug pattern; bushings are Pete & Jakes HD Black urethane. Shocks are QA1. Drive shaft was made locally

Front Susp.: Ted Lathrop IFS

Electrical:
- EZ Wiring 21 circuit harness
- Guard Dawg keyless ignition
- Electric windows
- Electric mirrors (Crysler Crossfire)
- Remote control for shaved door solenoids
- Vintage Air A/C

Brakes:
- (master): Stock MGB non-servo dual circuit
- (front): Wilwood 11.75” rotors, Dynalite calipers
- (rear): 88 Corvette rotors, ’94 Camaro Z28 calipers (w/mechanical e-brakes)

Wheels/Tires:
- (front): American Racing 427P – 15x7 w/3.5” backspace; Falken ZIEX ZE-912 205/55/15
- (rear): American Racing 427P – 15x8 w/4.5” backspace; Falken ZIEX ZE-912 225/50/15

Body Mods: TONS!!!
- Modified firewall to clear heads on 302 with motor further back/lower
- Front rubber bumper to chrome bumper conversion
- Chrome grill with stainless wire insert
- Modified oil cooler shelf to move radiator & A/C condenser further forward
- Radiator support fabricated further forward
- Omni Front flares
- Omni Rear flares (modified to extend them a bit wider)
- Shaved front turn signals, side markers, back-up lights, fuel filler, door handles, locks, antenna
- Flush fuel filler door installed on right side behind flare
- Modified battery shelf to make clearance for shocks on Todd’s IRS [mine was the 1st one using the basic frame he uses now but I think he’s modified how the shocks tie in so this isn’t necessary any more]
- Modified the battery access door (required with the mods for the shock clearance)
- Welded external/beaded seams
- Centered fuel tank
- Early style tail lights
- Sebring rear valance

Interior:
- Padded dash to early steel dash conversion
- Modified the square tube that runs behind the dash & moved the center console brace to make room for a Vintage Air Gen II Mini A/C evaporator box
- Miata seats plan to recover using simulated ostrich or gator
- Body colored dash
- Autometer HotRod Designer Black gauges
- Planned: GPS/Stereo in the console, etc.

Paint
- LizardSkin sound and heat control on the bottom of the car, the cockpit, the trunk, & heat control on the under side of the hood.
- Paint is a GM color -- Merlot Jewel Metalic (GM: 79U; PPG: WA517Q). It's used on everything frrom Saturns to Hummers.

Here are some pics...

Engine: Ford 302, Aluminum GT-40 heads, E303 cam; Will have Vintage Air Front runner polished pulleys, finned valve covers & air cleaner, etc...


Cooling: Aluminum cross flow, 19” tall x 18.25” wide



Rear Axle/Rear Susp.: Required a few mods like flares, moving shelf in trunk back 1", and making room for shocks...






Wheels/Tires:


Body Mods: TONS!!!
- Modified firewall to clear heads on 302 with motor further back/lower

- Front rubber bumper to chrome bumper conversion
Pics to come
- Chrome grill with stainless wire insert
Pics to come
- Modified oil cooler shelf to move radiator & A/C condenser further forward

- Omni Front flares

- Omni Rear flares (modified to extend them a bit wider)


- Shaved front turn signals, side markers, back-up lights, fuel filler, door handles, locks, antenna
Pics to come
- Flush fuel filler door installed on right side behind flare [work in progress]

- Welded external/beaded seams

- Chrysler Crossfire mirrors -- reinforced door skins to door bracing to support the weight of the mirrors without door skins cracking...


- Centered fuel tank
Pics to come
- Early style tail lights
Pics to come
- Sebring rear valance
Pics to come

Interior:
- Padded dash to early steel dash conversion




- Modified the square tube that runs behind the dash & moved the center console brace to make room for a Vintage Air Gen II Mini A/C evaporator box - removed the metal support & flipped it around so flat side is at the back... Gen II Mini slides in behind & then up to insall/remove...


- Miata seats plan to recover using simulated ostrich or gator
Pics to come
- Lots more plans like body or accent colored dash, Autometer HotRod Designer Black gauges, GPS/Stereo in the console, etc.
Pics to come

Electrical:
- TBD – considering Painless Wiring & EZ Wiring 18-21 circuits
Pics to come
- Electric windows
Pics to come
- Remote control for shaved door solenoids
Pics to come
- Vintage Air A/C

Body work and Paint is being done by a local shop in Houston...

Car loaded up to take to the body shop...


Fender flares blended in...


Cleaned up dash & cockpit with LizardSkin applied...


LizardSkin under the car; semi-gloss black on the under carriage. Looks like they tried to save some paint by only painting the inner 1/2 of the wheel wells body color?? May have them re-do that. Either all black or all body color seems to make more sense to me.


1st application of body color -- Engine bay. They painted the engine bay sides of the frame rails with LizardSkin & black over that. That'll be removed & the rails will be body color...





Edited 5 time(s). Last edit at 01/12/2010 02:10AM by rficalora.

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