Planning to build a roadster...

[LuckyNLife]

Hi all,

I am thinking about building a FFR Roadster in the near future. This is my first post and I do have a few questions.

I am a little nervous about my skillset. I have done car repairs most of my life, but never anything as ambitious as a kit car build. I have done simple maintenance, brakes, exhaust systems, clutches, timing belts, head gaskets, rebuilt carburetors and electrical repairs. I have never pulled out or installed an engine or done any kind of chassis or body work. Am I crazy to take on a build? I downloaded the build manual and it doesn't seem outside of my ability, but am I being naïve in thinking so? I would like other's experiences.

I am going to build a complete kit with a crate motor and I am trying to decide which engine to go with. I am leaning towards a 351W with EFI (400HP) for street drivability and room under the hood. I want something that will go, but not feel like I am trying to tame a wild horse every time I go out for a ride. Does this sound like a good choice? Will a 427 with EFI behave civilly on the street?

I currently live in NJ, but there is a good chance I will be transferred to the Seattle area. I am crazy to build a roadster to drive in the Pacific NW? Can anyone who lives there let me know your experiences? In the future, I will probably also need some suggestions for body and paint shops in the area as well.

Lastly, I am a planner. So I am starting my planning now. Does anyone have an Excel spreadsheet parts list for a complete kit Mk4 roadster?

Thanks in advance for your help!
-Joe

[Gordon Levy]

Welcome to the madness.
It sounds like you have the basics down. You may need a little help or advice which you can definitely find here.
One of my 347's that makes 450hp or 351 with the same power is a very nice performing car. I also have 408's and 427w that make 550+hp and can be driven every day. Taming the beast is all on set up.
There are quite a number of cars in the NW. Your driving season would not be much different than NJ.

Feel free to give me a call if you have any question.

[edwardb]

Welcome to the forum. My personal experience level before embarking on this journey was similar to yours, so perhaps I can encourage you. I am about 50% through my second build. The first turned out great and is an absolute blast to drive. But the building part is fun too, so I'm working on another. I've learned a lot in the process, and accumulated even more tools (never a bad thing) but haven't found skillset or ability to be an issue. Having said that, in my opinion it's more than just skillset and ability. Yes, you certainly need a level of mechanical ability. This isn't for everyone and lacking basic mechanical skills could be an issue for sure. But as much, or maybe even more, is the motivation and desire to learn and to stick through the process to the end. Depending on your personal situation and amount of time you have for building, the build time can range from months to years. I work full time plus have other commitments. So both of my builds will be in the 2 year range. Many are much faster, others longer. There is quite a lot of pretty detailed analysis and work involved. Especially if this is your first time. Not everything will work or fit perfectly the first time. Some build sessions will go well and you will have a great sense of accomplishment. Other sessions not so well and it's easy to get discouraged. You have to be prepared for this and work through it. Just recognize that building one of these is a lot of work. It's a custom car not a snap-together model. I personally really enjoy the planning and building part. But I do know that many kits get started and not finished, and not always because of the builder's skill or ability. Not trying to be negative and hopefully doesn't sound like it. The build manual is a good start and much improved from prior versions. Additionally, this forum along with the FFCars forum give you access to a great network of other builders who are willing and happy to help and tons of information and details for your build.

I would make two other pretty specific recommendations that I think apply in your case. First, many find the build school to be a good barometer of their suitability to attempt a build plus to learn first hand many of the steps. This is something you may want to consider. Second, much of what you find on this and the other forum are dozens (hundreds?) of mods. I've certainly done my share as well. But these add cost and complexity, and it would be real easy to think they are mandatory. They're not. Buying a complete kit, putting in a crate motor, and building pretty stock like designed by FFR will yield a very nice solid car. For your situation and if you're unsure, keep it simple and you will increase your chance of success, in my opinion.

Finally regarding your engine choice. This is widely debated with no right or wrong answers. Only opinions. Here's mine. A 351 based engine is great, and many are used successfully. You would not go wrong with this choice. But a 302 based engine is a somewhat easier fit. The higher deck height of the 351 can limit top end options, and puts the headers and plugs up higher and tighter against the foot boxes. I've chosen 302 based engines for both of my builds. A pretty custom 306 in my Mk3, and it's a very strong runner. I can't imagine anyone would be unhappy with it as a first build. I'm doing a 347 (bored/stroked 302) in my Mk4. This is, in my opinion, a nearly ideal combination of compact size and perfect power for a street cruiser. One of the popular options guys are doing in recent builds is a Coyote engine. Combination of great power, modern technology, decent fuel economy, durability, etc. Some may encourage you to go this way, and they will have good reasons. I would only encourage that while it's nowhere near the custom build it was a couple years ago, it still has some unique challenges and added complexity that you have to decide fit your situation.

I can't comment about weather... Our driving season here in Michigan is about 6 months if we're lucky. Wish it were longer, especially after the last few days of crazy sub-zero temps. But does provide plenty of building time, which I'm enjoying right now.

Good luck!

[skullandbones]

You're "luckynlife" and you are lucky in choosing a MKIV. You will spend almost no time making the driver footbox fit your body like I did on my MKIII (3 mods). Also, your passenger should be a little more comfortable too. I don't think you could ever do wrong by attending the build school. They will show you first hand those things that are probably the most worrisome for you (not having done those operations in normal car maintenance e.g. installing the alum panels). Many of the other installation tasks are assembly which requires attention to the instructions more than any particular skills. If you are a good planner, you should do well in the scheduling of build tasks with free time. The extra 50 cubes for the 351 are nice but you can get that in a 302 variant. The 302 will give you the most room to work and maintain after the build.

I'm in AZ so I understand your concern about the weather. If I was building there I would add wipers, hard top, heater/defroster, and rain tires. It would still be a great ride. That's the most unbelievable thing about this project. I still can't get over how much fun it is to drive. I've driven all kinds of muscle cars, vettes, and motor cycles. Nothing is quite like it. I've even had a roadster with a corvette chassis and it did not handle and feel like this one. I never drove one until mine so it was a big surprise!

You can't really go wrong with your plan and the advice you've gotten so far. BTW, have you checked in the build manual for an inventory list? I think it has the complete packing list.

Good luck,

WEK.

[LuckyNLife]

Thank you for replying to my post. I appreciate the encouragement and the advice. I have decided go with a 302 variant. I like the idea of more room under the hood and will put the small savings into IRS for better ride comfort. WEK, I have been planning on going to build school as I believe it will give me the confidence needed to pull the trigger. I have also decided to include wipers, hardtop, heater/defroster and all weather tires in the build. I have started to put together a spreadsheet of what I will order and from where. It is amazing how quickly a dream build can add up, but it is still a fraction of the cost of an authentic Cobra. I am sure you will be hearing from me as I progress in my planning, build school, buying and building.

-Joe

[MPTech]

I went with a rebuilt 302 (~300hp at the wheels), 3.55 posi, and IRS. I'm very happy with the combo, but I'm sure once I get used to it, I'll be looking for more :cool:
I also installed the midshift T5 (s10 mod) and really like the short/sure shifting. Very comfortable. 4 wheel discs and PS & PB make it more streetable.