Do you have a dollar total for the project thus far?
Building a Mustang race car takes parts and Curt Vogt, owner of Cobra Automotive, promised us that he knew what we needed. And, somewhere in one of his six warehouses filled with Mustang parts, he had the new and used stuff that we needed for our ’65 Mustang.
In Curt’s world, wealthy guys start with back-of-the-pack cars, get the itch to go faster, and then cast off perfectly usable stuff while upgrading to the latest and greatest. This would help us build this car on a budget.
We began the search and found a perfect used aluminum radiator, radiator fan, fuel pump, high-torque starter, front disk brake setup, used tires that were good enough for setup purposes and a suitable driveshaft for our forthcoming 9-inch rear end. He also had the flex plate required for converting our drivetrain to a 7.25-inch Tilton clutch.
From the new parts department, we purchased an 11-inch station wagon brake kit–which is legal for the class–plus more chassis braces, competition engine mounts, R Model interior door panels and bunch of miscellaneous stuff we would need.
Here’s a list of all the parts we needed to turn our Mustang into a racer:
| 65 Mustang Parts List | |
|---|---|
| Part | Source |
| Drivetrain | |
| Radiator | Used from Cobra Automotive |
| Cooling fan | Used from Cobra Automotive |
| Engine | Used from Cobra Automotive |
| Intake manifold | Used from Cobra Automotive |
| 650 Double Pumper carburetor | New from Holley |
| Air cleaner | Moroso Performance Products |
| Headers | Hooker Headers |
| Valve covers | Used from Cobra Automotive |
| Catch tank(s) | On car |
| Distributor | Used from Cobra Automotive |
| Ignition | MSD 6ALN (Holley) |
| Bell housing | Used from Cobra Automotive |
| Bell housing block plate | New from Cobra Automotive |
| Flywheel | Tilton Engineering |
| Clutch | Tilton Engineering |
| Starter | Used from Cobra Automotive |
| Transmission | New from Roltek |
| Driveshaft | Used from Cobra Automotive |
| Rear end | New from Straker Racing |
| Gears | New from Straker Racing |
| Limited slip | New from Straker Racing |
| Engine mount | Cobra Automotive |
| Transmission mount | Energy Suspension |
| Shifter and linkage | Roltek |
| Exhaust system | X-pipe and 3-in. bends and tube |
| Fuel pump | Cobra Automotive |
| Battery | |
| Battery box | In the car already |
| Oil | Red Line Synthetic Oil |
| Fuel | Sunoco Race Fuels |
| Chassis | |
| Rear brakes | New from Cobra Automotive |
| Rear brake shoes | New from Cobra Automotive |
| Rear springs | Used from Cobra Automotive |
| Rear spring shackles | Used from Cobra Automotive |
| Rear spring eye bushings | Used from Cobra Automotive |
| Rear shocks | Koni |
| Rear spring lowering blocks | Used from Cobra Automotive |
| Drive shaft safety loop | Used from Cobra Automotive |
| Front A-arms | Used from Cobra Automotive |
| Front springs | Came with car |
| Front shocks | Koni |
| Front anti roll bar | Used from Cobra Automotive |
| Front spindles | Used from Cobra Automotive |
| Front hubs | Used from Cobra Automotive |
| Coil spring locators | New from Cobra Automotive |
| Coil spring covers | Used from Cobra Automotive |
| Steering box | Borgeson Universal Company |
| Steering column | ididit |
| Front brakes | Used from Cobra Automotive |
| Brake pads | Porterfield D-11 R4 |
| Brake lines | Classic Tube |
| Brake hoses | Classic Tube |
| Strut rods | Used from Cobra Automotive |
| Suspension bushings | Energy Suspension |
| Escort brace | New from Cobra Automotive |
| Monte Carlo bar | Used from Cobra Automotive |
| Tires | Hoosier Racing Tires |
| Wheels | American Racing |
| Traction Bars | Used from Cobra Automotive |
| Windshield | |
| Car Cover | Auto Chic |
| Safety | |
| Belts | |
| Window net | |
| Fuel cell | Safequip 22 gallon |
| Fire system | Lifeline Fire Systems |
| Roll cage | Cobra Automotive |
| Steering wheel | |
| Race seat | Ultra Shield Race Products |
| Kill switch | |
| Seat mount | I/O Port Racing Supplies |
| Gauges | Autometer |
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Do you have a dollar total for the project thus far?
In reply to Tom1200 :
I've always found adding up the totals a bit depressing ha
I'm curious what an escort brace and monte carlo bar are...
Robbie (Forum Supporter) said:I'm curious what an escort brace and monte carlo bar are...
rcutclif
Surrounding the aircleaner (I think they meant "export brace"):
In reply to Robbie (Forum Supporter) :
Actually the proper term is "export brace" and it is a replacement for the factory struts that run from the cowl to the shock towers. The OEM stuff is two separate flimsy stampings that bolt to the cowl flange and to a welded-on tab at the shock tower. The export brace is a single piece heavyweight stamping that attaches to the same points on the cowl but extend to the top of the shock tower, under the top shock mount. Much stiffer than stock and usually one of the first things that early Mustang people do to improve the front end stiffness. The Monte-carlo bar is a strut rod that runs across the engine bay from shock tower to shock tower. The two pieces work together to form a triangular stiffener for the front end of an otherwise very flexible structure.
In reply to 350z247 :
I calculate every penny. When non racers ask about what it costs I want to be able to give them an accurate number.
In reply to Tom1200 :
I haven't totalled everything so far, but I think we will be able to build this car for about $40,000. While not cheap, it will be worth half again as much, or more, if we don;t damage it. While we are not building it to sell, so many race car projects costs can never be recouped, so this is a bit of good news.
In reply to Robbie (Forum Supporter) :
The export brace (named for the fact they used it on Mustangs for export, is the brace that connects the firewall to teh shock towers. A Monte Carlo bar (probably naked because they used them on Falcons that ran that event, goes between the two shock towers. All early Shelbys had these two pieces and regular Mustangs had braces that were not connected in the middle at the firewall and no Montecarlo bar.
Better not let the Wholesome Poonah find you using naked Monte Carlo bars.
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