What's In DFB's Cabinet?

[HoosierDaddy]

It’s a flat piece of aluminum, hell I could ship it to you for a quarter that price or less.

FWIW I shipped the plate from my GT350R strut to @WD Pro from Arizona to England for $16 in 2021. Just standard post wrapped in painter's tape and between two pieces of a paint stirrer.

On WD's car:

Before spending any time or effort on the factory strut, I would recommend replacing it with the lighter and stiffer aluminum GT350 brace which also looks better in my opinion. If any Aussie Sx50s came without struts, you can recover some or even most of the cost of a GT350 strut by selling the factory steel one. I think a lot (most?) people who buy a strut do it mostly for looks and probably don't even know there is an alternate strut on GT350s. Not sure if you have to notch something on the strut or car to fit a strut for a LHD car.

Am not a fan of advertising (or reading comprehension tests) so regardless of what strut you have, rather than replace one plate with another consider how ANY plate might compromise future under hood customization plans.

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[WD Pro]

FWIW I shipped the plate from my GT350R strut to @WD Pro from Arizona to England for $16 in 2021. Just standard post wrapped in painter's tape and between two pieces of a paint stirrer.

On WD's car:

Before spending any time or effort on the factory strut, I would recommend replacing it with the lighter and stiffer aluminum GT350 brace which also looks better in my opinion.

Am not a fan of advertising (or reading comprehension tests) so regardless of what strut you have, rather than replace one plate with another consider how ANY plate might compromise future under hood customization plans.

And it still looks just as cool today …

BUT, if I would have used the RHD spacers that FP want you to use (so they don’t have to make a RHD specific brace), the paint on the raised part of the lettering and logo would have rubbed off due to the hood blanket, which is the very reason I replaced the original

WD

 

[50ALM]

On display at SEMA 24. these seem like a good idea, especially for that first wipe to remove the bulk of the grime, and save inflicting that on your microfiber towels.

Interiors, tools, whatever.

Although, based on the usual antiseptic type wipes I keep in the house, they would dry out before I got to use them.

 

[DFB5.0]

On display at SEMA 24. these seem like a good idea, especially for that first wipe to remove the bulk of the grime, and save inflicting that on your microfiber towels.

Interiors, tools, whatever.

Although, based on the usual antiseptic type wipes I keep in the house, they would dry out before I got to use them.

One of the first things I noticed from Sema this year.

I love Xpress, in fact I used it today. But I find I never need it's cleaning ability on anything but a daily driver, and even then, I'm not that filthy getting in a car. But that's me. If you had kids, I could see these being ideal to have in the center console.

 

[radar]

Love the colour contrast between these two.....................

 

[DFB5.0]

I'm not sure if it's obvious or not, but I have no interest in sport whatsoever, and AFL football to be specific. So, when I make mention of the red-blue color contrast in front of my Collingwood supporting father, he gets narky because apparently those are Melbourne Football Club colors. I'm like, what? Blue and red are my favorite colors, and I just love that deep Ford blue set against fire engine red. Couldn't care less about a bunch of grown men running around a field chasing their little balls.

 

[DFB5.0]

Finally getting to wash cars again!

Washing the Ranger was the last thing I did before heading to the doctor, then being sent to hospital on November 6th. And even then, I didn't get to finish the job. It was then lent to my father to move a two-piece sofa, so it was covered in bugs and traffic film from wet roads last week. So, yes, it was bugging me.

Adam's Mega Foam was the soap of choice, which I also used on the wheels, Brake Buster for the tyres. I was then dried with Clean Maker, Gyeon Quick Detailer for the door jambs and tray, Bilt Hamber Traceless for the glass.

For the interior, I wanted to go a little deeper than the usual wipe over with a detailer. The drivers floor mat was cleaned with McKee's and the Detail Factory Tire Brush. I then used P&S Xpress to lightly scrub the door panels, steering wheel, gear shifter and lower scuff panels, the rest was wiped over with a towel. I don't normally do this, but today I followed with Koch Chemie Top Star, probably not a bad idea now we are approaching summer UV levels.

Dressing the tyres, I chose 3D Cermaic Matte Tire. This creme like product spreads easily, so a little goes a long way. It's also easy to achieve that subtle enhanced look without gloss, a follow up wipe levels it even further. It smells lovely too. Certainly a sleeper product.

https://detailingshed.com.au/produc...te-tire?_pos=1&_psq=3d+ceramic+m&_ss=e&_v=1.0

I'm also driving cars again! You know how it is, there is always something you forget to pick up from the shops!

 

[radar]

I'm not sure if it's obvious or not, but I have no interest in sport whatsoever, and AFL football to be specific. So, when I make mention of the red-blue color contrast in front of my Collingwood supporting father, he gets narky because apparently those are Melbourne Football Club colors. I'm like, what? Blue and red are my favorite colors, and I just love that deep Ford blue set against fire engine red. Couldn't care less about a bunch of grown men running around a field chasing their little balls.

 

[radar]

Yep, follow Melbourne - go Demons!

 

[50ALM]

I'm warming to this channel!

 

[DFB5.0]

I'm warming to this channel!

A few observations -

- P&S have been honest in the past about not making their coatings, so the new one being outsourced is not news here.

- JoshV can do well here if he has learnt from the Pan thing.

- That Meguiar's Paint, Dash, Glass product is ridiculous. You can already use Megs quick detailers for those roles, and I can mix up the same quantity of ONR for cents that will do the exact same job.

 

[DFB5.0]

Heart & Soul!

There are a few prerequisites for me to like a car. Those would include exterior styling, exterior colour, the transmission type and, crucially, the engine and how it sounds. Ever since I helped my dad rebuild the engine on the lawn mower, I’ve been obsessed with engines, how they work, how they sound. And when it comes to cars, I probably choose the engine over the car itself.

I like a variety of different engine layouts. I love the off-beat thrum or a 3- or 5-cylinder engine. Inline 6's have a special place in my heart, especially that manic BMW E46 M3. The VW VR6 and Alfa Busso V6's sound amazing. That loping wail of an Aston Martin V12 will always be a favorite. But, having grown up in Australia, the V8 has always been the holy grail, so guess I followed true to type.

I didn't own a V8 until 6 years into my driving career, prior to that I was more of an inline 6 kind of guy. My first V8 was 5.6-litre Windsor V8 in a 2002 T3 TS50. That engine sounded like a good old fashioned muscle car, raw and rough around the edges. Glorious in other words!

I traded that car for my second V8, a 2014 FGX Falcon XR8. While this engine doesn't have the that glorious blood'n'guts wail of the Windsor V8, the Miami has an intoxicating blend of Cleveland V8 crackle mixed with delicious supercharger whine. Oh, and it goes like the clappers!

My third V8 was a Gen-2 Coyote in the S550 Mustang. In classic 5.0-litre capacity, while this engine was heavily choked by the standard AU-spec exhaust, with an aftermarket cat-back it sounded glorious. I love naturally aspirated engines, in particular the throttle response and crisp induction noise. Everyone focuses on the exhaust note with V8's, but the Coyote has lush induction noise as well. It’s also such a rev-happy engine, one that really loves winding out to the redline.

And my fourth V8? Well, that is sitting in my garage right now, the latest version of the Coyote V8. Because I skipped the Gen-3 Coyote, stepping into the S650 Mustang GT is quite the upgrade compared to its Gen-2 predecessor. While the basic bones are the same, there are quite a number of differences here, to the point where some backstory is required.

In 2010, Ford redesigned the modular V8 to create a thoroughly refreshed and simplified V8 engine lineup. While the old 5.4 continued in the Mustang GT500, gone where the multitude of 4.6 and 5.4 V8 engine variants, differentiated by cylinder head and valve count. Certain aspects were carried over to utilize existing modular factory tooling, for example the bore spacing, deck height and bell housing bolt pattern. The firing order was also changed, from the 1-3-7-2-6-5-4-8 of the older modular, to 1-5-4-8-6-3-7-2 shared with the Ford Flathead V8. This explains why the Coyote sounds very different to those 4.6 and 5.4’s and produces a sharper/raspier note. Overall, the new 5.0 Coyote represented Ford throwing all the good bits in the pot, adding some herbs and spices, stirring, then dishing out a very tasty meal! No more low spec V8’s, the Coyote had it all!

At it's core, the Coyote is an all-aluminum quad-cam V8 with four valves per cylinder and independent variable valve timing for both inlet and exhaust camshafts. The heads were new and featured different camshaft location to the older 4V heads. And it’s the Ti-VCT system that most differentiated the new engine over the older DOHC modular V8’s. Those 4V engines never got VCT and needed a supercharger to flesh out the low rpm torque. Anyone who has driven a 5.4 BOSS will know what I mean here.

The early examples of this engine are now known as the Gen-1 Coyote and were fitted to the F-150 and late SN197 Mustang.

The Gen-1 Coyote also provided the basis for the FPV Miami V8, a $36-million development. These used common block and cylinder heads, combined with a variety of locally sourced parts to create a unique package, the first factory supercharged Coyote in the world. Interestingly, the carry over Falcon powertrain control module did not have enough inputs to support the DI-VCT system, so only the intake camshafts are variable on a Miami, the unused exhaust side simply capped off with a rubber boot.

More here -
Ford Miami V8 Engine: Boss 315, 335 and 351 – Australian Car.Reviews

For the S550 Mustang, Ford implemented several improvements to boost power and torque, with these engines considered the Gen-2 Coyote. Revving to 6800 rpm, I always felt like the rev-limiter stepped in far too early, such was the rev happy nature of this engine.

The Gen-3 Coyote represented quite the upgrade. Instead cast cylinder liners, Ford switched to Plasma Wire Arc Transfer liners, in the process bumping the cubic capacity from 4951cc (302ci) to 5035 cc (307ci). Also new, Ford installed direct injection, while keeping the traditional port injection. The concept here being the direct injection provides low rpm fuel economy, while the port injection maintained top end power. Keeping the port injectors also helps prevent the buildup of carbon. There were new camshafts, larger valves and a revised intake manifold. Compression ratio was also bumped via new raised dome pistons, and the oil pan was changed from steel to composite. Power and torque improvements were quite noticeable, as was the new 7500 rpm rev limit. This gen also had the hideous flying saucer engine cover in an attempt to cover up all the DI hardware and clatter.



For Gen-4, it was about finessing the details. Ford revised the exhaust manifold, introduced a new intake system with dual 80mm throttle bodies and the oil pan was returned to steel, presumably to suppress the BBQ tick. Darkhorse models got revised camshafts and forged connecting rods from the GT-500. Power and torque were boosted to 480, 486 with the Active Exhaust and 500 hp for the US-market.

To show the evolution of specs from the Coyote’s introduction to this day, I created a spreadsheet. Note that I’ve used the US-spec performance numbers for the Mustang. While there was some power loss for RHD due to different exhaust headers, the differences between US and AU power figures is due different measurement standards, the AU numbers don’t do justice to the improvements Ford made over the years. For comparison, I've also included the Miami figures.

So why do I love this engine so much? Because Ford still makes it! Instead of downsizing and adding their EcoBoost technology, they have kept the Coyote naturally aspirated. Sure, there are more potent V8’s on the market, but they are at the very least twice the price, not to mention sound absolutely terrible. I CAN NOT stand that horrible synthesized buzz pumped into the cabin of a BMW M 4.4 V8, or the muffled fart noises coming from a 4.0 AMG V8. The sounds coming from the 5.0 Coyote V8 are all natural and authentic.

Staying naturally aspirated, there is a crispness to the induction note with the Coyote. On the outside, it sounds absolutely horny as it charges towards you, and from behind the wheel, I love how it barks back through firewall. The Active Exhaust may be tuned via valves and software, but the sound is pure, crisp and as loud as it should be. For S650, it will give the occasional pop on overrun, but there is none of the tacky AMG farting going on here.



A lot of first time Mustang owners who came out of high-performance Falcon’s would complain about a lack of torque. The reality is, the torque was there, you just had to rev it harder to achieve it. From my perspective, we were spoiled with those turbo and supercharged Falcon’s, they were torque monsters. The Coyote on the other hand loves to rev, and to me, that makes it more rewarding to drive. I have yet to fully wring the S650’s neck, but there seems to me more low rpm torque compared to my old Gen-2 Coyote, and with the short gearing, it feels faster and more urgent.

As I endured the 2-year wait for this car, many suggested I cancel the order and supercharge my S550. To me, that car was more than powerful enough without throwing a blower into the equation, in the process muffling that induction note I so loved. And including the fact I already had a supercharged Coyote in the XR8, I just didn't see the point.

I think what I was anticipating most about this new car was the engine, in particular the higher rev limit and amazing Active Exhaust. And so, sticking to the "plan", my reward is a great sounding engine that has not disappointed.

To close, this video sums up why the V8 is the holy grail for many car enthusiasts.

 

[DFB5.0]

I'm starting to fall for this car, hard!

 

[DFB5.0]

It was the XR6's turn to appear on camera today. I'm still learning here, both in camera location and editing, so excuse the quality.



The main thing I wanted to convey here is the sound of the naturally aspirated 4.0 inline 6. Most videos on YouTube are of modified examples, which are generally louder but not necessarily better sounding. The Ford inline 6 was never designed for high rpm running, it was always about low to mid range grunt. I say this because even though its smooth, she's pretty harsh sounding up top, that raspiness is something I actually like. I also love that tone change as it pauses and then gets back on it for upshifts. You will also note the lack of rev-matching for manual downshifts, something Ford never did on the Falcon despite the ZF gearbox being capable of this feature, Aston Martin DB9's for example. The 6R80 ZF clone, which was made by Ford under license from ZF, manages rev-matching too, so I don't know if it was a limitation of the Falcon platform or just Ford being cheap.

 

[DFB5.0]

A second video from today, this time a POV and edited in 4K.

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