Pics of a finished FFR Mk3.1 Cobra yet?

[decooney]

To CC members,
I'm posting this for a friend and maybe a few other friends who may not know they are going to ask the question at some point. Anyone here have some really good body and interior pictures of a completed MK3.1 finished and painted kit yet? Looks like a lot of new changes, "complete kit", many nice new parts on list below. I'm wondering how the body shape has changed, if anything. See link below...

Noted MK3.1 changes listed on FFR site.

Mk3.1 Upgrades and Improvements

One Example...




Clip -

Mk3.1 “Complete Kit”

· All-New Mk3 Roadster seats

· All-New Aston LeMans gas cap design with integral pressure cap

· Improved Roadster Main body molds/shapes (again!)

· New design Roadster hood and hood liner

· New design Roadster trunk and all-new trunk liner

· Improved Roadster door panels, liners, and molds

· New/improved steering rack & inner tie rod ends

· New/Improved steering shaft design

· New/improved license plate light/bracket

· New/improved Three-lock set and mounting hardware

· Improved side view mirror

· New pre-flared fuel lines

· New/improved steering wheel, polished aluminum center section and badge

· New design color enamel nose, tail, and steering center badges

· New stainless steel flexible cooling hoses standard

· All-New radiator and cooling kit/assembly

· Improved design rear “traction-lock” brackets

· Improved design front upper control arms

· Improved design front lower control arms

· Re-designed rear solid-axle lower control arms

· All-New Electronic Gauge Packages

· New Koni brand Adjustable Shocks

· New Roll-bar and mounting designs

· New design Straight Tubes and Catalytic Converters

· New E-brake handle

· Improved accelerator cables

· New Shifter handle and knob

· New/improved Mk3 spacers kit

· New/improved Mk3 chrome-on-brass windshield

· New/improved turn signals and tail-lights

· New/improved speedometer sending units

· Re-designed wind wings

· New design floormats

· All-New stainless steel optional side pipes

· All-New stainless steel vintage bumpers and over-riders

· Improved carbon rock guards

· New design oil cooler

· New Car Covers

· New Key Ring

· New/improved design Tonneau cover

· New/improved design soft top

· New competition Tow hook kit



COMPLETE KIT/ADDS UPGRADES

· New Complete Roadster and Coupe kits

· All-New steel OEM fuel tank and peripherals

· All-New front spindles

· All-New 11” front brake kit

· All-New Solid axle shafts

· All-New Solid axle rear brake kit

· All-New rear solid axles/rear-ends

· All-New IRS Brake kit

· All-New IRS completion parts

· All-New Proportioning valve/Master Cylinder

· All-New selection driveshafts

· All-New Electrical system components and kit

· Revised/Larger Driver Side Footboxes & Modified Steel for new Wilwood Pedal Sets

· All-New Wilwood Pedal Set

· All-New Accelerator pedal

· New 4.6 donor kit parts

· Re-designed 4.6 Oil Pan

· “Rewind the tape” Larger driver side footboxes (back to the pre-4.6 design)

[decooney]

I'm also hopeful Factory Five will bring one to WSCB this year for everyone to see first hand. Cool!

[bomelia]

I occasionally pop in here to ask the same ol' question. Did they get rid of the "perky butt"? (with this new design)

Mike

[LMH]

Is this the copy of CSX3035? Should have THE shape if it is. I've been waiting for photo's too... and waiting, and waiting...and waiting.
Larry

[bomelia]

Seriously? No more perky butt? Could be good!

[convincor]

body hasn't changed.
there's the talk about the #198 tribute car but with the economy in the $h!77er and the 33 just coming to market I wouldn't expect the #198 car to come for a few more years. If it does....

[Hexnut72]

This is an old thread from a year ago that resurfaced.

To bring everyone up to speed, here is a post by Dave Smith from "another" forum. It was posted on 2-6-09.

"Guys,

There have been a lot of questions about this so I guess I better give you guys some answers.

I am writing a 2009 newsletter right now that addresses both of these cars and we’ll send that newsletter out to the larger market to let folks know our plans, but I might as well let you forum guys know up front.

Status and Background of the **** Smith Legacy model and the USRRC Replica Model:

#198 Legacy Series Car:
**** Smith’s #198 car is still here at FFR. We’ll likely have it on respectful display at the moochfest in a few weeks. Sooner or later it will have to make its way to perhaps Peterson Auto Museum or some other place similar, but that is Heather’s (****’s widow) call. FFR is simply the custodian of the car for now and ensuring no harm comes to it. The CAR was digitally scanned in extreme detail and initially fit (on SolidWorks CAD) to our Mk3.1 chassis. There was a story in Kit Car about this and we said as much in our 2008 newsletter. There are some very small changes that we would have to make to the car to fit the FFR Mk3.1 chassis (the waist down low is narrower and that could be resolved a few ways, easiest would be to bisect the car and make it .75”-1.5” wider overall, but the body shape is essentially ready to be CNC cut in foam and molds then made.

USRRC Legacy Series Car:
The competition roadster molds were indeed made by Bruce C. and mounted onto an existing FFR Mk3 chassis. We purchased the molds for a few reasons, but our intent was primarily to market a 289 version so that Bill S. (Mr. Mustang) would stop crowing (kidding there).

We would market and sell the car as a USRRC replica or CE version or other name as we agreed 6 years or so ago to not use the NAME/WORD “289 FIA”. This car (or cars as we would likely add the slab-side to the mix at the same time since it’s a minor mold change) is closer to being made than the #198 car, but both are in need of project work before being ready to ship.

Original Plan:
In our 2008 Newsletter I said that our plans were to go to production some time in 2009 on one or both of these cars (or all 3 if you count the slab-side). We were planning on (and still will IF we go to production) donating the first car to the London Club known by a name I can’t say (ha). We were going to limit the #198 version to 198 units in honor of **** and give proceeds to his widow Heather. Originally, before **** had died I spoke to him of using his car as the base for the next revision (Mk4 or Mk5 Factory Five roadster). After he died it just seemed the right thing to limit production, but that is not set in cement.

Where we are now:
Several things have caused our plans to change or at least be delayed. First of all has been the operational challenge of the Hot Rod. As many projects get more complex than first thought, this has happened with the Hot Rod and has caused us to divert resources (or keep them focused) to this project. Things are looking good now, and we will be shortly determining next priorities for Engineering/R&D.

Another delay has been Carroll Shelby and his recent lawsuit. We have to spend money on this nut-job and as a small company, when money goes from Peter, Paul often misses lunch.

Lastly there is serious doubt and at least debate about whether we should even do these cars. We love our current body shape and the costs to do these projects will likely not justify doing them. They are then, a labor of love, or something I would normally not shy from, but in this economy we have to be smart about where we spend our money and R&D resources.

Conclusion:
For sure we will not do these cars this year as hoped. We may indeed never do them. I have put serious thought towards letting the community decide this. If we have enough interest based on people willing to purchase one or the other, we may accelerate the projects. The Coupe is a great example of this. We limited our 2009 production and based on the level of angry letters and emails I’ve received, we may bring the car back a month or two sooner than 2010, but for now we are set there.

Bottom line is that there will be no 198 replica or USRRC replica this year. Let me know your thoughts at info@factoryfive.com

Dave Smith
President"

[mr bruce]

Anyone that is interested in an FiA, or Slabside body that fits on the F5 frame can source these bodys direct from me. I also can supply all the FiA/Slab specific accessories, ( side pipes, correct rollbars, trunk tray, gas tank, undercar exhaust, LeMans, and Dragonsnake hardtops,etc)

[LMH]

Thanks for the update.
Larry

[decooney]

Originally Posted by mr bruce

Anyone that is interested in an FiA, or Slabside body that fits on the F5 frame can source these bodys direct from me. I also can supply all the FiA/Slab specific accessories, ( side pipes, correct rollbars, trunk tray, gas tank, undercar exhaust, LeMans, and Dragonsnake hardtops,etc)

Mr. Bruce,
Note: interstingly enough in various group/club discussions, folks have asked what it would take to fit an ERA type shape body to an FFR chassis. On a related note, do you supply a nice 427 SC body with accurate shape, lines, and dimensions to go on their chassis?

[mrmustang]

Originally Posted by decooney

Mr. Bruce,
Note: interstingly enough in various group/club discussions, folks have asked what it would take to fit an ERA type shape body to an FFR chassis. On a related note, do you supply a nice 427 SC body with accurate shape, lines, and dimensions to go on their chassis?

There is no way to fit an ERA style "tub/body" to an FFR chassis.



Bill S.

[decooney]

Originally Posted by mrmustang

There is no way to fit an ERA style "tub/body" to an FFR chassis.

Bill S.

Bill,
have you actually tried it?

In my note I am more referring to the outer shell and "type" shape to be specific; not the complete tub assembly. There are some bodies floating around where people have claimed (operative word I guess) to have actually molded or copied CSX and ERA bodies lines and shape if not making a mold from one directly. I bet Mr. Bruce can reply with something other than "no way" or let me say that one could imagine he could do it and make it fit, if anyone could. My body guy could probably do it with one eye patched and one hand tied behind his back, to be quite honest.

[mr bruce]

Yep, I can do it, just need an ERA (or any other "authentic looking" cobra car) to spash a body skin off of. Who wants one and wants to pay? but, there are already other 427 style bodys that fit the F5 frame, D+D, Cutting Edge, Medusa. I got the Slab and FiA ready to go, who wants one?

[CobraBoy]

Originally Posted by mr bruce

Yep, I can do it, just need an ERA (or any other "authentic looking" cobra car) to spash a body skin off of. Who wants one and wants to pay? but, there are already other 427 style bodys that fit the F5 frame, D+D, Cutting Edge, Medusa. I got the Slab and FiA ready to go, who wants one?

Got any links to these guys, mr bruce?

Paul

[MoonRunX]

I will be swapping in a Vf39 this weekend. I would like to know, what is the EASIEST way to keep the car from starting so I can prime the turbo?

[289fia_cobra]

Originally Posted by MoonRunX

I will be swapping in a Vf39 this weekend. I would like to know, what is the EASIEST way to keep the car from starting so I can prime the turbo?

Buy an oil priming stick from Jegs or Summit, get a cord or cordless high-speed drill, remove the distributor (mark off reference points so it goes back in exactly as you removed it) and start priming away (counter clockwise rotation as you look straight down the hole.)

[AKDreamer23]

Finished 3.1 kit