New Guy Looking For Advice

[olddog]

Realize who the top fiberglass manufacturers are (were) and which were the worst. ERA, Superformance, Backdraft, and a handfull that have come and gone are among the better quality. ERA well known for accuracy to the original.

There was a company called Streat Beast. The company was sold many times and had many names. They are one of the worst. I have seen one that a fellow must have spent a quarter million dollars of labor on. It was a very well done car. I would stay clear of them just because of the stigma attached to the brand, but this shows that it is who built the car more so than who sold the kit.

Factory Five Racing puts together a nice finishable kit. The early ones had the perky butt, but the new ones are much closer to original. In the early days they marketed that all you needed was a worn out junkyard Fox body Mustang. The manual even explaining how to use the gauges out of a Mustang. As a result there are some sorry examples out there where some fool believed the marketing hype and built a piece of crap. On the other hand, there are many FFR out there that the builders put all top quality new parts in the kit and built some very nice cars.

Other than the turnkey minus manufactures, all kits are subject to who built it and what parts were used. Was it Bevis and Butthead or a true millwright / mechanic that built the car? Believe me, a true idiot does not know he is an idiot. They can get you killed in an unsafe car. Even an intelligent, well meaning, person who is ignorant in some aspects of car building can get you killed.

Even in a turnkey minus, how many previous owners did what to the car? It doesn't take an arrogant idiot long to screw up a perfectly built car.

Last thing, if you have the money, get a Kirkham (aluminum body). In my opinion, they are a superior build to the originals and sell for much less than an original.