Factory Five Racing Mk3 Roadster, Assembly Manual

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In order to make a wise choice on running gear, there are several things to look for. First, make sure that
the VIN numbers on the transmission and engine are present and match the numbers on the vehicle title
(if available). If the numbers don’t match, (let’s say the transmission was replaced) make sure the parts
yard records the new numbers on their bill of sale. In the unfortunate event that these components were
stolen, you need to have documentation on the origin and sale price. Check the numbers twice. The VIN
numbers are located on the back of the engine block, on a flat spot between the heads where the bell
housing meets the block. Some solvent or WD-40 can usually clean this area off enough to see the
numbers. The VIN numbers on the transmission are typically stamped on the side of the main
transmission housing at the lower front edge of the passenger side, near the seam of the bell housing.
Check these numbers against the codes listed in the Chilton’s manual to find out the year of manufacture.
Here are some tips to follow when checking out running gear.
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Examine the engine mounts . Some small splits in the rubber area of the mount are normal, but any
serious splitting should be avoided. Aftermarket engine and transmission mounts are cheap and an
excellent alternative to donor car ones.
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Check the steel sections of the engine mounts for damage since these are areas that can bend.
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The mileage is not the most important aspect of selecting a donor Mustang. The 5.0 drive train is one
of the toughest things about these cars. It’s obvious however, that the lower the mileage the higher
the chances of avoiding additional expenses down the road.
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The rear end and quad shock assembly should be free from oil leaks. Oil leaking out the sides of
the 8.8” rear end near the brakes, or around the pinion snout (drive shaft connection area) is an
indication that there may be more than 100K miles on the rear axle, or that it was abused. One way to
check the rear end is to grab the rear wheel at the top and rock the car back and forth (by pushing and
pulling in and out). This will give you an idea of free play in the axles. Some play (about 1mm) is
OK. What you are looking for is a large amount of movement side to side within the housing. Avoid
cars with bent axles (from rollovers or hard side hits). These are not too hard to fix but it’s good to
know up front when you’re planning your budget. A quick way to verify mileage is by inspecting the
drum brake shoes on the unit. The drum pulls straight out, off the axle. Rear shoes are never really
replaced until about 60-100K miles unless there was severe duty (read abuse) placed on the car. A
30,000 mile car should have a good amount of rear shoe material remaining. Try to avoid cars with
aftermarket undercoating . Undercoating all over the front suspension is really hard to get off.
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The easiest way to avoid engine work is to buy a donor car with an engine that runs . Everyone will
tell you it runs, but it’s best to hear for yourself. Bring a battery
with you since for some reason, that’s usually the first thing that
gets taken out. A battery also helps when some guy says, “Don’t
worry it runs great, but since I don’t have the battery you’ll have to
trust me.” The Mustang is computer controlled and should run
really well the first or second time it is turned over. If at all
possible, put the car into the gear and drive it forward and
backward. If you can’t drive it, let it run for a moment, and then re-
start it. Look for main bearing oil leaks (behind the harmonic
balancer) or oil pan leaks. Leaks aren’t common unless the car has
high mileage. Valve cover gaskets commonly leak at around 50,000 miles and are easy to replace so
don’t sweat them. Let a leak serve as a clue that the car probably has more than 40,000 miles on the
odometer.
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If the block has been painted , it is a good indication that the engine was re-manufactured since the
Ford 5.0 block was never painted at the factory. Even brand new 5.0 blocks with relatively few miles
on the odometer will have a surface dusting of corrosion.
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Since our kit can use the original drive shaft (that gets shortened), the quality and condition of the