Help ??

[fordboy]

Here goes...I put my order and deposit in for MKIV about a week ago, with delivery date of 12/14, and of course now I get an earful from a custom builder that yes, the Smith brothers are the nicest guys and they have a nice kit BUT !!! I am buying the cheapest kit out there, and most guys want to sell theirs after a couple thousand miles because all the aluminum panels are only riveted to the frame and after time and miles they loosen and the fiberglass has no panel blah blah blah.....not really what I was looking to hear....any comments/rebuttals ??:(

[bil1024]

Really you have got to be kidding me ! Ralph Button has 500k on his FFR, mine never had an issue with panels coming loose, thats an old thing the other kit car companies would start, bunch of BS. Find anither builder, obviuosly they know crap. I have built 4 kits with no issue. An if there was an issue like, that you think they would have sold thousands of kits ? Hang on, your gonna get alot of replies. You made the right choice

[Gumball]

Yep... shoulda ordered from Car Kit Inc. http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=carkitinc+cobra&sm=3

Seriously, though... here are some pics of my low-buck, POS, built-behind-the-barn, rusty old Mustang junk FFR. Feel free to show 'em to that "pro builder." Yeah, these are kits and sure, there is "some assembly required," but the end result is a custom, hand-built, work of art that is very personal to each and every builder. Factory Five gives us a starting point to achieve our own personal automotive greatness. If you haven't visited the FFR factory in Wareham, I strongly recommend doing so. At the very least, check out their on-line video tours and see for yourself (and show the "pro builder") just how much time, energy, money, effort, and brains those guys and girls have invested in getting us all to the launching pad.

http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab15/CCRsAC/LowFrontView_zpsca9bac50.jpg (http://s845.photobucket.com/user/CCRsAC/media/LowFrontView_zpsca9bac50.jpg.html)

http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab15/CCRsAC/DriverOutsideFootbox.jpg (http://s845.photobucket.com/user/CCRsAC/media/DriverOutsideFootbox.jpg.html)

http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab15/CCRsAC/FrontPassThreeQuarterLowView.jpg (http://s845.photobucket.com/user/CCRsAC/media/FrontPassThreeQuarterLowView.jpg.html)

http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab15/CCRsAC/InteriorfromPassengerSide.jpg (http://s845.photobucket.com/user/CCRsAC/media/InteriorfromPassengerSide.jpg.html)

http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab15/CCRsAC/RearPassengerSideView.jpg (http://s845.photobucket.com/user/CCRsAC/media/RearPassengerSideView.jpg.html)

[Ray]

Yes the aluminum panels are riveted. But, they are also adhered with silicone and the rivet holes are sealed. This strengthens the frame just as shear wall paneling strengthens the 2x4 studs and wall in your home. Ask your "pro-builder" if any of the other kits out there have their own racing series. If there was/is any weakness in any car, racing will find it.

Ray

[Bob Cowan]

The FFR is not the cheapest kit car on the market.

I'v been driving and racing my car for a decade now. The aluminum panels, steel frame, and fiberglass body are still tight and solid.

I agree with the above statement. Your "professional Builder" doesn't really know what he's talking about. Or, he has something to sell you, and he's willing to say anything to do it.

[FFinisher]

Get a different builder, with an attitude like that you are in for a real rough ride.

my car has 32K on it
one I built three years ago has 18K on it
one I built 4 years ago has 14K on it.

All in Massachusetts with a short driving season.

Where are you located?

We can recommend a builder who will get 'er done with any grief.

[edwardb]

May want to check the validity of your sources and find someone else... First of all it's not the Smith brothers any more. Hasn't been for quite a long time. Just one Smith (Dave). The aluminum panels aren't just riveted, they are bonded (glued) and riveted. Done properly (which isn't hard), they don't come off without pretty much destroying the pieces. Plus the aluminum is attached to an extremely rigid tubular frame. There is no vibration and they are not under any stress. The fiberglass body is non-structural. The car can be driven without it. With the changes made to the Mk4, the body attachment is better than ever, and not going anywhere. I can't say whether FFR's are the cheapest. But based on my research a few years ago represent outstanding value. The number of successful customers speaks for itself. My Mk3 has 3,175 miles on it (just put into winter storage today :() and it's as rock solid as the day I first drove it. Not a rattle, buzz, or shake. No question there is some variability among the builds, with some much nicer than others. But the bones are solid in all cases. Be confident you made an excellent choice.

[fordboy]

Well, thanks for making me feel like Henny Penny (you older guys must know who that is) and I am happy to report my sky is not falling and I'm hitting the hay feeling a whole lot better about making a substantial (for me) investment in something I'm looking forward to building. Night all.

[frankeeski]

I'm not going to get pulled in to a debate on which "kits" are better than the next. I will however tell you that the amount of money you spend on a kit has little to do with how it is engineered or assembled. I have seen big bucks spent on the most expensive parts, and in the end, the car was put together in a haphazard manner. Meaning, a 60K car was nowhere worth the sum of it's parts. If you want a car you can kick the snot out of on the track and have it come back for more, Factory Five should be your choice. Even if you'd just like a reasonably price driver you can drive on weekends, it's still a pretty good choice.

[mrmustang]

Here goes...I put my order and deposit in for MKIV about a week ago, with delivery date of 12/14, and of course now I get an earful from a custom builder that yes, the Smith brothers are the nicest guys and they have a nice kit BUT !!! I am buying the cheapest kit out there, and most guys want to sell theirs after a couple thousand miles because all the aluminum panels are only riveted to the frame and after time and miles they loosen and the fiberglass has no panel blah blah blah.....not really what I was looking to hear....any comments/rebuttals ??:(

So, what custom builder did you speak with in NJ who put his foot in his mouth?

Go to the breakfast, review the cars in the back parking lot, speak with the people that are sitting at your table, you'll find not much negative to be said about the FFR as a replica.




Bill S.

[Jeff Kleiner]

...Your "professional Builder" doesn't really know what he's talking about. Or, he has something to sell you, and he's willing to say anything to do it.

Bob nailed it.

Jeff

[WIS89]

Well said Bill!

An excellent idea to help you get comfortable with your decision, and a great opportunity to introduce yourself to a great community.

I think most of us here would agree that you made a fine decision and look forward to hearing about your progress.

Best of luck!

Regards,

Steve

[Mesa Mike]

Just tell you "expert" that nearly all "War Birds" had alum. panels riveted to the air frame. I don't think anyone that has ever built a FFR has the panels falling off or rattling? I have been on the road for over 13 years and not one rivet has come off yet. A clear case of "know nothing say too much".

[MPTech]

Sounds like the builder was setting you up for upgrades and customizations (ie: $$$$$).

I think FFR is a tremendous value and an extremely flexible platform. They can be built as all-out-racers (take your pick: auto-x, track, or drag), full show cars, period correct, full custom, and / or street cruisers. Built how YOU want!
Personally, I like the aluminum better than some of the all-fiberglass peers.
Sky's the limit for what you can spend on them and how you personalize them.

In my opinion, you made a great choice, you won't regret it.
I will say that building it myself has been a rewarding experience for me and I wouldn't do it differently.

[skullandbones]

I'm somewhat surprised that you listened to the "builder" and didn't question his stats and motive. I did statistics so when someone makes a comment like "most guys want to sell theirs after a couple of thousand miles", I would say show me the numbers. The reasons for selling a project like this are varied. With the recent "depression" we had (and it was a smaller version of the Great one), many people will never recover from it. So a lot of people are selling for financial necessities. He also said, "it's a nice kit": just a ploy that someone uses right before they blast the product. So you must have done some research before you committed to buy your kit. I know I did. That person would have been hard pressed to convince me I had made a bad decision on only one aspect. When you see the elegance of the racing chassis in this kit you should be sold. All the other support and hype that the company gets in the media is balanced. In other words, FFR can deliver on everything that published about them. With a very little effort, you can verify that. I can tell you, that you make one of the better decisions of your life, economically, quality wise, and just about every other way. As you progress in your build, I think you will also come to that conclusion. Good luck and looking forward to hearing about your build, WEK.

[Rich]

I also concur that the FFR MkIV is a great kit. It is worth more than the cost.
When we got ours, I looked it all over very carefully and as we are building it, I'm more and more impressed.
There is a lot of value for money in the kit.

You may want to build the car yourself, instead of paying someone else to do it. Its not hard. If you are unsure, take the build school. 3 days and you will feel much better. There's a lot of pride and customizing you get to do in building it yourself.

Whatever you decide from here, rest easy, you made a good choice with FFR. If you ever need more help, just ask.