Outstanding build.
I appreciate that you are building this out instead of going the Cobra route.
As for your hood lock downs. If the bolts were extended with a couple additional shoulders, you would have option to hold rear side up higher. This would work to support rear higher when open with a prop rod. See crappy pic. #ad

 

I see what you're getting at. I don't have a prop rod atm,but that gets me thinking.

Plan to replace the bolt in the pic with a flange bolt so there'll be more contact with the bracket.

 

SEnd me a drawing and i'll whip you some up on the lathe.

 

I,m dead in the water for a while. Dam wedding BS is slowing me down big time. And by BS,I mean $$! LOL! And as if I needed another distraction, I bought a 90 Ranger from my son,couldn't pass it up. So now I own 3 white Fords,WTF!? Of course I've got some plans for the Ranger...ATM,thinking drop beams,axle flip,c notch,wheels, and some exhaust mods. Not anytime soon though.

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I have had a couple of rangers and always wanted to convert on to V8. The one time I considered it I realized I could buy a F-150 for the price of the swap so that's what I did.

 

i had a v8 bronco II 4barrel cam LTs. James duff stuff was expensive. Realized after the fact I coulda used a lot of oe stuff ecoboost 2.3 would be cool swap with a 6speed manual

 

I'm branching out! My son says," Is this some sort of mid life crisis"? Told him, "Can't be, at my age I'm passed the mid point"!

Put a deposit on a Toyota GR86. Seems like a fun car. 2800lbs and 230hp...when stock. First foreign car for me and first new car in 22yrs. Delivery ETA end of July.

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I couldn't understand the first generation of them (FSR, BRZ) because the power to weight just didn't justify a fun car to me but these new revamped ones seem so much better and a few friends that have bought them can't say enough good things about them. Not "Fast" but a well rounded handling car.

Congrats on the purchase.

 

Don't really want a foreign car but if I did it'd be a Toyota for sure. Their trucks actually look better than any of the others. I'm a chevy guy but the new chevy trucks look like crap.

 

I share the same opinion on the new Chevy trucks.
Overloaded with "style" that totally mised the mark. Too much going on.

 

I work for a Chevy dealer and I’m not a fan of the 1/2 tons as a total package but I am of the 3/4 ton. You can get one cheaper than a 1/2 ton with a 400+ hp gas engine probably cheaper than a Toyota 1/2 ton since that’s all they make.
Nissan tried to make a 5/8 ton truck but it never got popular enough to keep around for them. It all depends what your looking for. I like the Ford 1/2 trucks stylewise and I think soon the raptor will be Godzilla 7.3 powered.

 

I've been a "Ford guy" forever... but I wouldn't have a new f150. I don't like the ecoboost, I had one I wouldn't have another. I hate that you can't have a V8 in any of the high trim packages... we will not see a 7.3l Raptor; Ford, the originator of the mass produced V8 is selling out on them. The f150s ride like crap, the current gen raptor is lovely, but it makes an awful noise and the seats suck (compared to the gen 1) . It's a damn shame too, the lightweight body work is desirable.

Toyota hasn't done a serious ergonomic update since the 80's. If you want to feel like your in a terrible handling car with no actual road feel, but all the discomfort while your driving your truck then this is a great path. Do you want to be uncomfortable after an hour? good choice. Want to hear all of the road noise? This is the brand for you. They are a fan boy brand built out of a reputation established in the 70's when the domestic automakers couldn't build a decent fuel efficient vehicle to save their lives. They have lost the plot.

Dodges styling is getting dated, but dang their half ton rides nice, especially the new air ride package. They have really stepped up their interiors, they are quiet, comfortable, you can get a plethora of colors (something Ford and Chevy both lack), and you get engine options on the high trim stuff. Drive one, even if you walk away it's a nice bench mark.

Ford still owns it on the 3/4+ ton though. Comfort and quiet is there. The 6.7l is a lot of engine and runs circles around the other two domestics on actual towing power and economy, especially when you really load it down.

Truth is buying a truck for "longevity" these days is a fools errand. Most people aren't going to keep a truck over 100k miles, and those that do, and take care of them can get any of the modern gassers to 300k pretty easily. Buy what suites you and your comfortable in, fuck the branding, try a couple of equivalent price, the differences become apparent quick!

 

My issue is, I do not want an auto trans,especially a 10 sp auto trans! Fuck that. I've had 3 Ford Transit Connect work vans,and they've all had the same problems - transmission being one of them. Ruined me on buying a new Ford. I hope to never own another auto trans car/truck.

The GR86 fits for what I want ATM.

...I think,LOL!

 

They still sell coyote mustangs with a stick!

 

They still sell coyote mustangs with a stick!

 

I am sure I have owned a car with less than 100k I just don't remember which one. My wife bought a new car. I hate having an appliance payment every month, but it is what it is. I typically like to buy cars when they have half or more their useful life at 10-25% of the original cost.

 

We gave a new Mustang a thought, but I just can't get interested or excited about one.

 

. Not a fan of the power stroke 6.7. Used to work on them a lot. Check engine lights were on more often then they are not lol. The duramax isn’t bad aside from DEF problems but all brands do since all the def stuff is made by the same company.Ford and chevy both use the same 10 speed

 

After the 7.3, diesel Fords went down hill fast. I also worked at Ford and on diesels for over 20 yrs, glad it's over.

 

Picked it up,and have been having fun with it. Might be a bit before I'm back on the Fairlane! LOL. End of summer/fall,actually. The Gr86 needs a drop and some exhaust work before I'll be totally happy with.

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