Factory Five Visit

[ckrueger]

My wife and I took a trip to FFR to visit their operation yesterday. We had a great tour with Jim Schenck, Dir. of R&D (I couldn't break him about any new projects ;)) Got a chance to meet and talk to Dave Smith (Great Guy). It is obvious when you talk to everyone how passionate they are in what they do and it shows in the product they produce. They have first class operation. Spent some time around Dave's Roadster with the Coyote motor. The DS footbox didn't seem too bad for me and I don't think I will need any modifications. The PS certainly won't be a problem for wife and I figure anyone else I take for a ride will be so thrilled to riding they won't notice. I attached a few photos from the walk through. On the way home I stopped by Forte Performance and firmed up the engine and transmission package with Mike. Can't wait to get started on the project!!!!

Kit boxes ready for delivery
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Staged and ready for pick up
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Roadster Jig (Sorry, a little blurry - Damn!)
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Laser Cutter
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Fiberglass auto cutter
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Fiberglass layup area
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Roadster hoods after auto trim machine
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Auto trim machine
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[jkrueger]

Awesome! The tour really gets you psyched for the build doesn't it. Did you see any evidence of a 818 coupe? That is quite a stack of kits ready to ship out.

JC

[ckrueger]

JC - They had some 818's ready to go too. Sent you a text yesterday with the one in the show room in candy apple red. Here is a shot from the kit assembly of two in process. The far one is right drive car.

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[jkrueger]

Didn't get the text????? Did you get to sit in one? Just wondering about fit and comfort.

JC

[CraigS]

Very interesting. I hadn't realized FFR was now building the bodies in-house. guess I missed that. Now I see why the red bodies are so much better than before.

[rtz]

Very interesting. I hadn't realized FFR was now building the bodies in-house.

Now I'm confused too!

"The next room on the tour was the fiberglass forms, where Factory Five makes many of the smaller components such as hoods, trunks, and fenders. Due to strict air quality laws in Massachusetts, the bodies are assembled in nearby Rhode Island, which has a large shipbuilding industry and thus looser standards regarding the use of fiberglass."

http://www.stangtv.com/features/shop-tours/a-tour-of-factory-five-racing/

[ckrueger]

They were certainly making and trimming the pieces there. I can't confirm they assembled them there though. Didn't ask that question. I thought he did say the 818's were done off site.