FFR basic kit reality
 

Hello,

looking at building my 1st cobra, and Iam looking at the basic kit from factory 5 racing.

I am thinking at 15 k with shipping, and 5 k local mustang I should be able to have a road worth car.

of course no bells and whistles at first but I can add stuff later.

this being a donor build I would be replacing bushing and such as I tear down the mustang .

I have been messing with cars my whole life. build racing and just cruising.
i can weld , fab, body and paint enough to get by. I have most tools needed for most general jobs.

1 little kink in the project is I am a chevy guy, but always loved the cobra.
a family member bought one a few years ago (572 RWHP 460 AUTO).
his is a something carriage kit that had literally been sitting in a barn unused for several years.
so I have ridden and driven one before

has for purpose, I am only looking at cruising her around local shows, maybe an auto once just to try it. not looking to build a 80k show car. just a local beater so to say.


so is the basic kit really doable, or are there things that are must haves that don't come with the kit or a full driving mustang.

thanks!
Will

I have several friends with FFR cars and it sounds like FFR has done a pretty thorough job of "pre-engineering" their kits and have developed very good step-by-step instructions. There are companies that will sell you a pallet of virtually all the donor parts you'll need for a lot less than the $5K price you mentioned and you won't have to deal with dismantling everything or getting rid of the unused body stuff. I've talked to one guy that went totally donor, even to the extent of using the dash instruments, stock wheels, etc. Seems like he had less than $15K in the whole car, but then, he'd bought the kit several years ago. For the $20K you are thinking about spending, you could buy a sorted out, completed car and be driving it the year or two it would probably take you to build one. Just a different idea.

with the donor mustang I am thinking of using the eng trans.

I've thought about searching for a built car, but chances that it will be what I want for the money are low.

the few cars I have seen it the 20-25 range are usually autos, or have a chevy eng.
kinda wanting a SB 4-5 speed driver.

where is the best place to find unfinished kits, and or lower budget projects.

thanks!

Will

There are two Factory Five forums, there are cars for sale posted from time to time there. Plus they can answer pretty much any question you can come up with. Not sure what the rules are here about posting the websites of other forums, but a search should show them pretty quickly.

If you want to build the car, it sounds like you have the skills. In the end it may take a few more dollars and hours but I'm sure you'd pull it off.

Where do you live...here is one in your ball park...its a Shell Valley with 5.0 ,t5 9" rear end Maine Craigs List 4019003064 a deal at $17,000
Steve

If you are a Chevy guy , GO CHEVY. Better motor cheaper to build , cheaper to run, more durable, more H.P. , less weight!!! Long live the Bow Tie Cobra

oh boy, ford vs chevy. this could turn into another is my continuation series shelby real, or just an over priced kit car? popcorn popping, let the show begin!

Big block ford vs coyote is also a rivalry. Unless its an original, it's not. So, do what you can afford and what it takes to grinds the gears.

Factory 5 with LS chevy motor can't be beat, one of the best chassis in the business, think of a Z06 on a 1000 pound diet, fast fast fast...:D

It would be a rare find to come across a Mustang GT donor with a Chevrolet motor in it. %/

I'd perfer to keep it ford, then I can listen to the groweling in the garage at night between the vette and the cobra LOL.

seriously though, thinking SB cause they have more room in the foot box correct?

couldn't find that one in maine., opps found it , that looks like a good deal.

When I put in the ID# it wouldn't come up either ...but when I put "Shell Valley" it does.
steve

Oh, that is easy to beat= here a BMW 12 Cylinder - better choice for a non Ford engine. :3DSMILE: (engine example disregard the chassis)

http://www.ultimav12.ca/chassis/slides/img_0145.jpg

Willie,

There are a lot of Factory Five Cobras out there and a lot of very good build threads on some of the forums. Their car is as good as any of the others if it is built well. So as suggested above, look around at other sites and see what they have done to theirs and ask questions. Most of the people building them are more than happy to explain why they did something different from what the basic setup was.

Ron ;)

Smart. Chevy power in a Cobra replica is the best and fastest way to torpedo the resale desirability of your car. Period. Fact. Case closed. End of story.

So a factory 5 with a ford 302 is always going to bring more money than factory 5 with a new corvette zr1 engine, your a moron...

There is no question that the FF Mark IV is a good kit. I have two friends that are building them right now. My wife went with me the last time to look at one of them at the go-cart stage, and she even said, "now that's what a kit car should look like." Since a major issue for you is the $$$ pay attention to what you get in the complete kit vs. the basic kit. You don't get headers, hood hinges, wipers, and a lot of other stuff that you may need. Even the complete kit does not come with everything now. Look for the sales that are regular. Get into the detail of what you actually get, and like was said earlier read the FFcars forum and the Factory Five forum. Be an educated buyer.

Well, now there's a good comparison of apples to apples, isn't it? You're a moron.

To get back to the original question. The basic idea of the FFR of 15 years ago was for the average guy with good mechanical skills to build a good Cobra replica without having to spend his life's saving. FFR has done that in spades. There are a number of very good reasons that FFR is the #1 selling Cobra replica on the planet.

The idea is that if you have an 87-04 Mustang and their basic kit, you have everything you need except paint. Everything. Every nut, bolt, wire, gauge, etc. No running to the parts store every other day. If the donor car is of fairly low mileage, there's no need replace a lot of stuff, either. Those low mileage rust free donors are out there, but they're tough to find.

If you're patient, you can build a darned good car to meet your goals for $23-25K. And you'll have a heck of a good time doing it, too.

You'll save a bit of money and time buying a car that's already built. But where's the fun in that? And when people ask, "Where did you get that car?", you'll say,"I built it". It's more than just bragging rights, it's a huge sense of accomplishment. You'll know every nut and bolt on that car, because you put it there. It will truly be your baby.

lets keep on topic please! %/