FYI FORD MustangSteve's Ford Mustang Forum / 2003 cobra brake line project in my 66 coupe

**Posted by RTM** 11/25/2023 5:35 PM

Nothing I’m doing really works like any other installation like this. I have the Rod & Custom MII coil over front and SoT three link in the rear.

I modified the front brake line brackets so they would clear the upper control arm. I just sliced it at the top bend and hammered it flat. Need to get better pictures but you can see the old rusty one is slightly narrower near the top. I also hand filed the notches to open it up and fit the cobra line in it just like the factory intended.

I bought the Shelby rear brake hose and a new bracket that I’ll weld to the body to secure the other end of the line. After looking at things and trying to get the best clearance possible I decided I’m not going to use the 66 Shelby rear hose and bracket. The cobra rear brake lines are for the independent rear axle. These lines are longer and after trying to figure out how to route them cleanly with the Shelby rear brake hose. I came up with the idea to mount them to the inside of the rear frame. I’ll get pictures tomorrow. I need to buy the banjo bolts that I neglected to get when I bought the brake line and fittings today.

Going to mount the adjustable rear brake valve above the gas pedal opening in the firewall and towards the drivers side as far as it will go.

**Posted by BobE** 11/26/2023 9:55 AM

RTM - “Going to mount the adjustable rear brake valve above the gas pedal opening in the firewall and towards the drivers side as far as it will go.”

Just a thought … When I had the 94/95 Mustang Cobra SVT MC installed, I drilled and tapped (1/4-20) the MC to mount the proportioning valve to the MC.

**Posted by RTM** 11/26/2023 12:26 PM

BobE wrote:
RTM - “Going to mount the adjustable rear brake valve above the gas pedal opening in the firewall and towards the drivers side as far as it will go.”

Just a thought … When I had the 94/95 Mustang Cobra SVT MC installed, I drilled and tapped (1/4-20) the MC to mount the proportioning valve to the MC.

My MC exits out of the bottom and I recalled someone mounting the adjuster to the side. I figured the location I picked is a bit easier to setup.

**Posted by RTM** 11/26/2023 12:39 PM

I had to flatten the rear cobra brake line brackets and then bent the one edge over so it would hook around the end of the frame. This is the simplest and cleanest way I could think to run the lines. I may have to add a heat shields to the floor above the mufflers.

Now to run the front lines and connect both to the MC.

**Posted by 6sally6** 11/26/2023 3:32 PM

I mounted my brake lines in the drive shaft tunnel also.
That way.......if the U-joint takes-a-dump it will wipe out my rear brakes and cause a probable catastrophic brake failure.
(Think I got my fuel line run in there too!)
My motto is "If ye ain't living on the edge....your taking up too much space"!
6sally6

**Posted by KeithP** 11/26/2023 4:46 PM

6sally6 wrote:
My motto is "If ye ain't living on the edge....you're taking up too much space"!
6sally6

Exactly!

Last edited by KeithP (11/26/2023 4:46 PM)

**Posted by RTM** 11/26/2023 5:17 PM

As for the drive shaft I would like to
Install a safety hoop. I have one that came with the project when I bought it. May as well use it.

I was able to finish up the brake lines. Think it turn out pretty good. Hopefully nothing is in the way when I make the lines for the Hydroboost.

I’m on call again next weekend. Hopefully it’ll be a slow weekend of call like this weekend so I can start spraying the sound deadener and thermal coating.

**Posted by 6sally6** 11/27/2023 5:59 PM

REALLY like the white engine bay !!

6sal6

**Posted by RTM** 11/27/2023 7:52 PM

6sally6 wrote:
REALLY like the white engine bay !!

6sal6

It’ll be satin black in a few weeks. Need a dark engine back to hide all the grime it’ll see from driving it every where. Lol

**Posted by rpm** 11/27/2023 11:10 PM

6sally6 wrote:
REALLY like the white engine bay !!

6sal6

Ya, I was hoping is was light grey. Oh well...

**Posted by RTM** 11/28/2023 7:46 AM

RPM, aka Bearing Bob wrote:
6sally6 wrote:
REALLY like the white engine bay !!

6sal6

Ya, I was hoping is was light grey. Oh well...

It’s the high build primer. It actually has a green tint to it. It’s gray when you first spray but as it dries it gets a green tint to it.

Hopefully the 2003 Cobra E-brake handle and cables gets delivered today. I would like to install it and test it before I pull it all back off the mustang so I can start prepping for the sound deadener.

**Posted by rpm** 11/28/2023 9:34 AM

Bob I put my adjustable proportioning valve in the same spot, but spaced it out a bit to be able to turn the knob easily.

**Posted by BobE** 11/28/2023 10:06 AM

RTM – those cooper-nickel brake lines are a lot easier to bend and shape than the SS ones. As mentioned in my recent post, the hydroboost hose runs (in addition to the PS hose runs) makes for a snake pit of hoses. If I had to do in over, I’d use black hose to hide it a bit.
BTW – I ran my SS rear brake line and SS fuel line in the stock location in the driveshaft tunnel.

**Posted by RTM** 11/28/2023 11:13 AM

RPM, aka Bearing Bob wrote:
Bob I put my adjustable proportioning valve in the same spot, but spaced it out a bit to be able to turn the knob easily.

I picked up two nylon spacers when I bought the SS bolts. I think they were 3/8 thick.

**Posted by RTM** 11/28/2023 11:19 AM

BobE wrote:
RTM – those cooper-nickel brake lines are a lot easier to bend and shape than the SS ones. As mentioned in my recent post, the hydroboost hose runs (in addition to the PS hose runs) makes for a snake pit of hoses. If I had to do in over, I’d use black hose to hide it a bit.
BTW – I ran my SS rear brake line and SS fuel line in the stock location in the driveshaft tunnel.

The lines were really easy to work with. Even the bubble flare was dead center along with all the inverted ones. The coiled up part under the MC was done by wrapping the line around the engine mount by hand. I bought the same line for my gas line but in 3/8 instead of 5/16.

That’s a great idea going with black hoses. My engine bay will be the same satin black I used on the roll bar. Plan on the same satin black for the dash and interior part of the doors.

**Posted by 6sally6** 11/28/2023 5:58 PM

That 'Hooker-Red' would also look good in the engine bay....
Your car....your paint........right!?!
Still a GREAT job you've done !
6sal6

**Posted by RTM** 11/28/2023 6:40 PM

6sally6 wrote:
That 'Hooker-Red' would also look good in the engine bay....
Your car....your paint........right!?!
Still a GREAT job you've done !
6sal6

I’ve gone back and forth on satin black or red for the engine bay. Since I plane on driving it a lot the black would be easier to maintain. But I do have plenty of white base coat, red and clear coat. Lol

**Posted by RTM** 11/28/2023 6:47 PM

I received the 03 cobra e-brake handle and cables today. I did not know that the pivot radius for the shifter handle cable sat in a recessed pocket in the trans tunnel. Had I known this I may have gone with an aftermarket e-brake kit. Since I have it I think I’ll see if I can make it work. Worse case is I have a hole to patch in the trans tunnel.

The cables are to long but I figured they would be. Test fitting them I’ll need to have two bends in each cable to make them fit. The radius of each bend is very forgiving but there’s only one way to find out if the bends will affect the function of the e-brake. Using all factory parts is the biggest attraction to this effort.

I laid out the floor where it needs cut out and I called it a night. I want to sit back and think this over before I go head first into it. I forgot to snap pictures of the cable routing.

**Posted by Nos681** 11/28/2023 9:55 PM

Take a look at this if cables need to be made or modified.

https://fyi.boardhost.com/viewtopic.php?id=10480

Just might come in handy.

**Posted by RTM** 11/29/2023 4:54 AM

Nos681 wrote:
Take a look at this if cables need to be made or modified.

https://fyi.boardhost.com/viewtopic.php?id=10480

Just might come in handy.

That might be a good option for cables. My caliper has a different connection with the round lug on the end that skips into a notch.

As for the hole in my floor I am trying to source a piece floor from a 96-04 mustang so I can graph it in. This picture isn’t the exact same car but similar to the mustang pocket in the tunnel.

**Posted by RTM** 11/29/2023 7:13 AM

Located a seller that has a parts car and will cut the tunnel part out I need and toss in the handle and cables for $50. Can’t hurt to have spares.

**Posted by BobE** 11/29/2023 8:37 AM

RTM - One of my ‘maybe in the future’ projects is for an electric parking brake setup that uses a motor in the caliper to apply the parking brake. This setup would completely eliminate the cables (which is what I like about it), and has been used on Audis, BMWs, VWs, etc. for several years. Just a thought.

**Posted by RTM** 11/29/2023 1:32 PM

BobE wrote:
RTM - One of my ‘maybe in the future’ projects is for an electric parking brake setup that uses a motor in the caliper to apply the parking brake. This setup would completely eliminate the cables (which is what I like about it), and has been used on Audis, BMWs, VWs, etc. for several years. Just a thought.

I’ve seen a couple of installations with an electric e-brake. One was mounted in the trans tunnel above the drive shaft and another was in the trunk in front of the gas tank. If I can’t get any cables to work, I’ll for sure go that route.

I asked the seller to cut enough of the tunnel to include the mount for the cable ends. Hopefully I can pick it up Sunday. I’m not suppose to leave town when I’m on call but I’ll chance it.

**Posted by BobE** 11/30/2023 7:49 AM

RTM wrote:
BobE wrote:
RTM - One of my ‘maybe in the future’ projects is for an electric parking brake setup that uses a motor in the caliper to apply the parking brake. This setup would completely eliminate the cables (which is what I like about it), and has been used on Audis, BMWs, VWs, etc. for several years. Just a thought.

I’ve seen a couple of installations with an electric e-brake. One was mounted in the trans tunnel above the drive shaft and another was in the trunk in front of the gas tank. If I can’t get any cables to work, I’ll for sure go that route.

I asked the seller to cut enough of the tunnel to include the mount for the cable ends. Hopefully I can pick it up Sunday. I’m not suppose to leave town when I’m on call but I’ll chance it.

RTM - just to be clear, the e-brake I'm referring to has a motor in the caliper to engage and disengage the e-brake, no cables (just wiring to the motor is needed) to contend with.
Yep - I've had that on-call duty myself ... it was made a lot easier when cell phones were issued to replace beepers!

**Posted by RTM** 11/30/2023 8:32 AM

BobE wrote:
RTM wrote:
BobE wrote:
RTM - One of my ‘maybe in the future’ projects is for an electric parking brake setup that uses a motor in the caliper to apply the parking brake. This setup would completely eliminate the cables (which is what I like about it), and has been used on Audis, BMWs, VWs, etc. for several years. Just a thought.

I’ve seen a couple of installations with an electric e-brake. One was mounted in the trans tunnel above the drive shaft and another was in the trunk in front of the gas tank. If I can’t get any cables to work, I’ll for sure go that route.

I asked the seller to cut enough of the tunnel to include the mount for the cable ends. Hopefully I can pick it up Sunday. I’m not suppose to leave town when I’m on call but I’ll chance it.
RTM - just to be clear, the e-brake I'm referring to has a motor in the caliper to engage and disengage the e-brake, no cables (just wiring to the motor is needed) to contend with.
Yep - I've had that on-call duty myself ... it was made a lot easier when cell phones were issued to replace beepers!

Like on our 2022 bronco or I think that’s what’s on our bronco. Lol

I had never given that any thought.