BrakeTurnGo
Car Building Information => Client Projects & Tips – Tube Chassis => Topic started by: Ryan Kennedy on Feb 03, 2026, 04:31 AM
Hi everyone!
I'm really not sure if this truly belongs here or in the muscle car section, but the car is a tube chassis so here goes. This is my '69 Mercury Cougar that I've had since I was 15. Several years as a street car, but more as a partially assembled track build of constant scope creep. This car has been my education and a constant challenge to myself to do better. I can't wait to keep learning, and she's not done teaching me things. Not by a long shot. .
If I could do it all over again, would parts of it be different? Yes, and I may touch on some of those items if appropriate. Would some stay exactly the same? Also, yes. I have evolved with the car over more years than I'd care to admit. Skills and workmanship has improved, knowledge has expanded, and compromises have been made due to my own development over the coarse of such a long project.
Here's a few pictures of the car as it was.
Mild 351W, 4-speed, 3.89 gears, TCP front CO conversion w/manual rack, leaf rear, Vintage Venom front and rear disc brakes using New Edge/SN95 mustang PBR 2-piston calipers in front. The car drove alright. Right around the time all that up there was done, I bought an '04 Cobra. All of a sudden my fun driver did EVERYTHING BETTER than my toy car. Un...acceptable.
(https://i.postimg.cc/C5gmhVQ5/DSC02619.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)
(https://i.postimg.cc/3xc1yGcV/DSC02410.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)
Here's the car today. Never done - I will be redoing the flares, paying attention to making it one color eventually, maybe try my hand at some composites for the heavy body parts...on and on, better and better. I've had the car on track a couple times with a setback or two but I'm about ready for some more track time!
EFI Yates SBF 2004 season Busch series engine, Jerico 4-speed, front geometry by RSRT, RSRT decoupled 3-link, AP brakes, 18x13 wheels front and rear. Other than the roof and about 18" of front frame rail, every other component has been modified in some way.
Actually the rear bumper is untouched...hmm...
(https://i.postimg.cc/63DX6Td0/4c990d51-d3d1-45fb-9392-9ddc5e9165dd-(1).jpg) (https://postimages.org/)
(https://i.postimg.cc/L6BCCh0W/IMG-3403.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)
(https://i.postimg.cc/6pMHKgKr/IMG-2740.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)
(https://i.postimg.cc/4NmywhdN/IMG-6041.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)
I'm going to try my best to cover as much of the build as I can. Still trying to figure out where to start. The beginning of the track only build, or in the waaaay beginning? Like I said above, there was a lot of this, then that, or maybe this... Car almost driving again, then I was just like, "But if i just...". The car isn't built to any set of rules other than safety items. Feel free to comment or ask questions!
Before you comment on the roll angle in the track photo, Ron, I have the front ARB set to max stiff for the next outing as we discussed. Had to make a shady transaction for my media guy at work to take another pic from the same angle haha!