Factory Five Community Members Interviewed at SEMA 2013

[Mad Dog]

Factory Five Racing is as much about the people who build the cars as it is about the cars themselves. At the 2013 SEMA Show, Power Automedia interviewed customers Ron E., Karen S., and Wayne P. along with partner companies Koni Shocks and Wilwood Brakes. Check out the video below.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwQehe65tR0

Thanks to everyone for their great work at this year’s SEMA Show and for being a huge part of the amazing Factory Five community. Dave told me that he will treat you all to an In-N-Out burger next time!

Click here to read more from the 2013 SEMA Show. (https://www.factoryfive.com/whats-new/factory-fives-sema-2013-coverage/)

[Dave Smith]

I love how modest everyone is on this video. These people have MAJOR accomplishments under their belt! Karen has raced and completed the 25 Hours of Thunderhill! She has a Western Region Endurance Race title to her name and a huge number of race win notches on her belt. She is a member of SEMA and headed up an all-womens Mustang build last year and will be directing a FFR all-womens Coupe build on cable TV this spring. Ron didnt mention that he built the Mk4 right next to him! He also downplays his skills and the involvement in the community! He has raised money for charity and the cars he has built have won Best in Show awards at our open house and at local and national car shows. Wayne smiles when he says he and I met in 1997 or so. We did a one-day build at Mike Senior's house in Mission Viejo. He has been a senior member of the community for more than 15 years! Wayne is an ex works bike racer, drives Lotus cars, runs his own successful parts company and has the time to help others with their builds, among a million accomplishments. The common themes and reasons why I asked these people to join us at SEMA is fellowship, generosity, skill, enthusiasm, and commitment to living a life dedicated to something we love. HOW LUCKY we were to have their help at SEMA and here in the community.

[Garry Bopp]

Dave,

Thanks for the well-deserved props for Wayne, Karen & Ron. When I watched this video, the common thread among all the FFR types is ... the FFR community and the friendships that drive this passion we all have for the cars. None of that would be possible without a #1 guy at the helm. Thanks to you, Dave, for the FFR products, the community and the amazing people we meet and become friends with. Well done!

Garry

[Dave Smith]

That is very kind of you Garry, but true to form and EXACTLY like I said, YOU are another modest guy. Do most people know the skill and craftsmanship in your Coupe build or the many accomplishments in life you so generously share with others in the FFR community? I really only got one good look at your car while down in Florida at Mark Houlahans-FFR get together at Modified Mustangs and Fords Magazine. The car is beautiful, enough to win Editors Choice! And the way you support others in the community, you've contributed to my daughters charity, you are always taking to the road in your car and spreading FFR stoke and fellowship. I was so happy to see your big grin at SEMA! You are the FFR community, and modest again at that!

I will take credit for one thing only. In running Factory Five, I have ALWAYs had a simple and clear vision of the WHY behind what we do for a living.

1. Sure we build custom vehicle kits for people who want to build their own c-car, coupe, hot rod etc. That's the WHAT.

2. The way we do this is a special blend of a talented car-passionate staff working with cutting edge technology/CAD tools, and we use excellent materials and build upon proven OEM Factory running gear. We work in close coordination with a knowledgable and involved community of customers and suppliers... That's the HOW

3. What matters most is the WHY. The work we love must enable others to build what they love. We want to make a difference in the lives of others. Mostly we build things. We build cars, and alot more. We build relationships, projects, bonds between father/son, Husband/wife, Father and Daughter (my favorite). We build value, community, safety, careers, partnerships, stories, family heirlooms, we build good things. That is the WHY.

My job is to make sure that we, as a company, understand the WHY in everything we do. Every product decision, every visitor, greeting and smile, every action must build. Everything matters. The WHY makes everything easy. Understanding the WHY makes it easy to serve. I am humble, but I have a clear and ambitious dream. I want Factory Five to grow to become a truly iconic American performance automotive company. In order for this to happen, we have to collaborate with our customers, for they build the cars that all of this is built on. We are partners you and I and I'm quite proud of the work you guys do!

[sethmark]

Dave,
CLEARLY, that sense of community begins at the top and works its way down. We all love the cars, we all of the performance and the look, but you have created something much bigger than that. While I'm sure that some of it is dumb luck (j/k), my gut feeling is that the accessibility of you and your staff, the pride in the workmanship, the quality of the product, and that sense of belonging have made all the difference.

I have lusted after a factory five car for a decade. It took that long for me to be able to get all my ducks in a row. But I never lusted after anyone else's 'kit'. I never wanted a car from a different manufacturer. It's always been about factory five.

I didn't want a cobra. I wanted a factory five. I wanted to be a part of THAT.

Seth Markowitz
Happy to be a member of your community.

[wallace18]

I would like to echo the community aspect of FFR. It is something no one else has come close to IMO. Thanks to all.