Factory Five Kit Cars

[zachcrosen]

Anyone seen one of their kit cars up close? Someone told me about the 818 and posted some pictures of one at a local Autocross this past weekend so I went to their website. I have always wanted to build a kit car. I remember growing up watching Home Improvement and remember seeing Tim Allen build the hot rod in the garage for the entire series and thought it would be so cool to build my own.

I browsed their lineup of kits and love the GTM Supercar! The kit is $24,900 and requires a Corvette C5 donor car for most of the powertrain and a Porsche G50 trans. I wonder what this project would end up costing in the long run!!

Anyone have one or build one? Im not looking to buy but I sure as hell would love to!

 

[99GreenCobra]

I always thought they looked cheesy. But maybe that was a different time or manufacture. I am thinking when you needed a 5.0 mustang for a donor. This vid makes me want to build one for sure.

Factory Five Kit Cars vs a Lamborghini Gallardo! - HOT ROD Unlimited Episode 27 - YouTube

 

[Jbstang87]

I saw their Shelby Cobras this last weekend at HPDE. Sharp looking

 

[caveeagle]

I was fixated on the idea of building a FFR roadster, until I saw what RCR had available.

Race-Car-Replicas - 586-329-1573

They are a 'Top Shelf' manufacturer of 'kit cars'. and are actually working on a couple new projects that have me very captivated. Their GTA project is based on a 4G63 DSM platform. They also have a 'non publicised' project for a Robertson-Ford GT kit. I would drop my cobra like a hot potato for a downpayment on that kit!

Their SLC program is just bas@$$. Do disrespect to FFR, but the SLC is on a different level all together! If you dreaming!! Dream Big!!

SuperLite Cars Made in the USA, Engineered to Win on the Street and Track by Race Car Replicas

 

[RSbeast]

I have. You'll have $60k into a GTM before it's done right.

To say the fit and finish leaves to be desired is being generous. It's very very kit like requiring a good bit of custom and finishing work.

The cobras seem much more pinned down and although they lack as a replica; I've seen some downright gorgeous ones. Again it's how deep do you want in.

Mechanically/engineering standpoint they seem awesome.

I assume the 818 is that new s2k/ Miata one based on a Wrx. I really like that concept as everything is color molded and designed to be just put together. Minimal cost and effort.

Very intriguing. Sucks it's limited to not so durable scooby gear.

 

[RSbeast]

Fwiw we sold superformance. They are on a whole different level.

 

[RSbeast]

I was fixated on the idea of building a FFR roadster, until I saw what RCR had available.

Race-Car-Replicas - 586-329-1573

They are a 'Top Shelf' manufacturer of 'kit cars'. and are actually working on a couple new projects that have me very captivated. Their GTA project is based on a 4G63 DSM platform. They also have a 'non publicised' project for a Robertson-Ford GT kit. I would drop my cobra like a hot potato for a downpayment on that kit!

Their SLC program is just bas@$$. Do disrespect to FFR, but the SLC is on a different level all together! If you dreaming!! Dream Big!!

SuperLite Cars Made in the USA, Engineered to Win on the Street and Track by Race Car Replicas

RCR is good shit!

 

[caveeagle]

Fwiw we sold superformance. They are on a whole different level.

Doesn't superformance pretty much just sell rollers? Not really kit cars....

 

[DHG1078]

superformance is another good one if you want an accurate design to the original.

 

[raustin0017]

OP...Factory Five are great cars. I have driven their roadster (Cobra) and it was real solid. In 2001 I built a Lone Star Replica 427 Comp Cobra. Project took me 5 months working evenings and weekends to build. I kept the car for almost 6 years and sold it just prior to me going to Germany. When I build my next replica...it will be a Factory Five.

Comments about fit and finish. It all depends on the skills of the builder. Todays replicas are much more than the kit cars 15-20 years ago. Good luck....

 

[greenstang1313]

my friends building an 818 right now and he already built an MK4 roadster (factory five cobra) and its a badass little car. i wouldnt own one though. first off all it was a pain in the butt for me to drive because my size 11.5 shoes barely fit down where the pedals are, its extremely tight down there. and its a kit car, so it has that somewhat cheap 'kit car' feel to it. if youve driven one or sat in one you probably know what i mean. id much rather have a termintor.

 

[capnkirk52]

OP...Factory Five are great cars. I have driven their roadster (Cobra) and it was real solid.

When I build my next replica...it will be a Factory Five.

Comments about fit and finish. It all depends on the skills of the builder. Todays replicas are much more than the kit cars 15-20 years ago. Good luck....

Good Info. I have two FF Cobras. Both are solid and the fit and finish are very nice. It's not a 2014 Mustang and I think some people try to compare a new generation car vs what the A/C Cobra really was back in the day. The design is 50 years old.

As far as $$ goes, yes you will have more than you think tied up in the project. And don't kid yourself. It is a project and you will have things that go wrong.

 

[gilby959798]

I'm hoping to build a hot rod 33 from factory five. I've seen some of their kits and as others said, the builder can put some effort to make them gorgeous. I love the hot rod look. The other option was the type 65

 

[brandonflood123]

yeah theres a factory five gtm twin turbo that comes up to the houston cars and coffee

 

[CobraBob]

I saw one about 7-8 years and if my memory is correct, it looked really nice. Saw it at a car auction.

 

[zachcrosen]

yeah theres a factory five gtm twin turbo that comes up to the houston cars and coffee

Get some pix if you see it again!!

 

[sdoo500]

Built a FF cobra back ten years ago with dad. I found the fit and finish to be pretty good for what it was. They were great in the whole process and were really cool guys. Also am kind of lucky to be less than an hour from factory five and get to do the tour and attend the open house every year. When we did our kit it was either a cobra, Daytona coupe and thy were putting together their first supercar kit.

 

[truebluedevil02]

My step dad had one about 10 years ago. They are the most fun vehicle to drive I have ever been in. They are uncomfortable, noisy, and feel a little cheap, but dear god are they fun. His car made 460whp iirc and I'm sure it would give my Paxton coyote a good run up to about 110-120mph.

 

[James Snover]

I have seen three Factory Five Roadsters, and they all looked great. One had the Ford 4.6 DOHC v8, the others were the old 5.0, all of them ran terrific.

I have seen one Type 65 Coupe, and it was drop-dead gorgeous. The owner said the only thing he had a professional do were mounting the doors and the paint. Mounting the doors has been the most tedious part of the build, from what I have heard, and even then, the main thrust seems to be that it is tediouys, not necessarily difficult. FF has updated their design of the kit to address that issue, I have not heard from anyone who has built one of the updated kits.

Anyone seen one of their kit cars up close? Someone told me about the 818 and posted some pictures of one at a local Autocross this past weekend so I went to their website. I have always wanted to build a kit car. I remember growing up watching Home Improvement and remember seeing Tim Allen build the hot rod in the garage for the entire series and thought it would be so cool to build my own.

I browsed their lineup of kits and love the GTM Supercar! The kit is $24,900 and requires a Corvette C5 donor car for most of the powertrain and a Porsche G50 trans. I wonder what this project would end up costing in the long run!!

Anyone have one or build one? Im not looking to buy but I sure as hell would love to!

 

[James Snover]

I would like to see that. Now that I'm not working on the Island anymore, I've been meaning to attend one of the local meets. Where is the current meeting spot?

yeah theres a factory five gtm twin turbo that comes up to the houston cars and coffee