Would you do it all over again?

[jsanzo]

Hey guys, I'm a car guy who knows next to nothing about cars, and want to use the 818 to fix that.

I'm wondering how the community feels about their cars. Obviously the cars are fast but would you do it all over again? and If so what would you do differently?

Would you use an Ecoboost instead of the ej25?

Donor vs a kit from VCP?

I'd love to hear from you guys

[68GT500MAN]

Welcome to the forum. I have not built an 818 (yet) but I know of some who have built more than one and they enjoyed the experience.
Doug

[thall818]

I've restored several old cars and this is both my first kit and my first experience with ecu/fuel injected vehicles. I have to say, this is the most fun I've had in a long time. Building this thing is tons of fun. Not without headaches, but tons of fun.

I used a 2002 WRX Wagon as my donor. If I built another, I would do everything different, but not because I'm unhappy, just to build something different.

Part of the fun is that no two are the same.

I'm not very helpful, but everything is a function of time, space, and money. If you have the space to dismantle, it's a fun and you learn a lot. If space is a concern, buy a crate.

I used iWire and am very happy I did. If anything, a non-turbo high performance engine would be appealing. The turbo adds expense with the AWIC.

Yes, so far I would do it again, but I haven't started on the body yet, so that could change. LOL

[07FIREBLADE]

If anything I would use the FA motor over the ecoboost. The EJ motor is perfectly fine in with NA or turbo you just need to be mindful of the flaws and build accordingly. Do your research and you will be fine with whichever motor you choose. Your budget will dictate what you could do with this car.

[Mitch Wright]

YES, I would do it all over again, I am have a ton of fun on this project.
I have built a number of cars over the years my 818 R is my first kit. I am about 60% complete and it has been fun building it to what I want and my goals. I would recommend a donor but I am a hands on learner.

[Pearldrummer7]

Before tracking it, I would say 80% yes- I'd build it again.

After tracking it? 100%. I would order it tomorrow if I didn't have it today. No question in my mind.


I would NOT use a rusty donor, though. I'd just buy a Southern car.

[Buzz Skyline]

Absolutely. I enjoyed building it and love driving it. I would also go with a donor again. Tearing it down was its own challenge and well worth the effort.

The logical part of me says that if I were to do it over I would go with a naturally aspirated engine. The twelve year old inside me would lobby for a turbo. That swish of boost and blast of the bypass valve is a symphony for the juvenile part of me. Even the way the car gets all unsettled when the boost kicks in is a thrill. Frankly, the twelve year in me old usually wins, and probably would again if I were to start over

[STiPWRD]

I would do it again for sure, this has been a dream come true! I would devote a significant amount of time to surfing this forum and learning as much as possible - the knowledge here will make life much easier. I also went with a donor (my daily driver of 10 years) and would do that again, although I did upgrade many parts along the way. Be prepared to spend many months, possibly years on building depending on how much free time you have. Also, sticking to a budget can be very difficult.

EJ25 turbo all the way!

[C.Plavan]

If building a 818R. Go with a 2.5L NA. Ditch the turbo. Have it built right for racing. You will come out with a much cheaper costing race car, more reliable, simpler, and most of all, much lighter.

[brian b 36]

i am building my sec one got my first one 10-26-14 it know has 1400 miles on it sec one i got in july just need iwire harness to fire it up

[Buzz Skyline]

i am building my sec one got my first one 10-26-14 it know has 1400 miles on it sec one i got in july just need iwire harness to fire it up

Wow. Why two? Track and street?

[Aero STI]

I would absolutely do it all over again. My only disappointment has been the last minute change from "no paint bodywork" and the resultant poor body fit and finish of fiberglass panels. That is partially addressed with the new front end and red gel coat process.

[jaw777]

I will definitely do it again someday. I will probably build a different car, but I have no regrets. If I built an 818 again I am not sure I would do the turbo. I would also be more careful when dieting my wiring harness or pay for a wiring solution. Fixing my wiring mistakes has been very time consuming, but at the same time I have learned a lot about wiring diagrams and vehicle wiring.

[Hindsight]

I'd do it again. Like others, I'd probably go N/A. The only issue is that you aren't going to make huge power N/A. Is it enough to still be REAL fast on a road race course? Yes. Is it enough to run low 10 second quarter miles? Probably not. My goal is to be fast in both of these areas. If I just wanted to drive it on the street and road race it, I would go with an H6 N/A.

I might build a different car next time. Not because I don't love the 818 but only because I would want to try something different for a second build.

[redfogo]

For all the guys who run turbo set up and rather go NA next time. Anything you can expand on?

[Hindsight]

For all the guys who run turbo set up and rather go NA next time. Anything you can expand on?

1. More complexity
2. More weight
3. No one has completed and proven an air to air intercooler setup that works well enough to keep intake temps in check. So going to an air-water intercooler works well, but does add time, cost, and weight
4. More cost

For me personally, I'm still glad I went turbo and if I were to go back in time, I'd still go turbo for my first build. But for a second build, I'd just want to do something different.

[brian b 36]

i had a guy come up to me at open house the broke his leg after he got his kit #142 wth all the ffr options and 06 sti swap that could not complete or fit in the car scored it for 14000

[longislandwrx]

3. No one has completed and proven an air to air intercooler setup that works well enough to keep intake temps in check. So going to an air-water intercooler works well, but does add time, cost, and weight


I could be wrong but six star's seems to be holding up.

[redfogo]

1. More complexity
2. More weight
3. No one has completed and proven an air to air intercooler setup that works well enough to keep intake temps in check. So going to an air-water intercooler works well, but does add time, cost, and weight
4. More cost

For me personally, I'm still glad I went turbo and if I were to go back in time, I'd still go turbo for my first build. But for a second build, I'd just want to do something different.

Well I'm already on the hook for turbo motor since its on a pallet in my garage. I have a few ideas rolling in my mind to help with the heat I just need my #15 818c to get built/shipped so I can test out the ideas. Coming from turbo MR2 world I have done and seen few methods that have helped solve this issue. That's for another thread though :).

I do agree though turbo track cars while fun are far more complex to get running right on a track especially once you start to mod things. Slippery slope. Thanks for your opinion!

[svanlare]

It is taking longer than I thought to put together but absolutely enjoying the process and would do it again.

I bought a pallet donor and not sure I would do that a second time. I ended up sourcing more parts than I expected.

I am currently at the wiring phase and in fact I am doing it a second time and this time I'm buying a harness from iWire. I needed to keep more of the original wires than I wanted from the harness meaning the infinityBox setup didn't simplify as much as I wanted. That and the donor only came with a body harness and left all all the sub harnesses so I was having to solve that problem too.

[Blitzkrieg]

I would do it again, but flat 6 (turbo or supercharged... Or both) coupe with A/C.

[metros]

I would do it again but go in with different priorities and expectations. I anticipated a bolt together affair. I now know that everything will need at the very least tweaked to work correctly or thrown out and re-designed.

I think I will end up purchasing another FFR kit car but next time I'll go with the cobra for my son and I to build together. I'm happy with the 818 for my first choice though.

[Hindsight]

I think I will end up purchasing another FFR kit car but next time I'll go with the cobra for my son and I to build together. I'm happy with the 818 for my first choice though.

Cobra was my first choice but to do one the way I'd want to do one, it would end up around $45k - $50k and that's just more than I wanted to spend. Still love the Cobra and may do one some day.

[Edgeman]

I built the GTM the first time and would do it again. I think I had more fun building and researching for parts than I did driving it. I did have fun driving don't get me wrong. For my second car I am looking at the 818S or C. I am in the planning stages for now.

[Mechie3]

I would, but would adjust my expectations. It wasn't (at least early kits) as bolt together as initially marketed and fit and finish of the body panels wasn't as good as I hoped. The coupe will help this somewhat and they have made several fixes. It was still lots of fun and I wouldn't mind building more.

[wallace18]

yes, I would do it again but build a N/A car. I would do a VCP pallet instead of a donor car.

[C.Plavan]

I could be wrong but six star's seems to be holding up.

I think he only got a few laps or a session before his unbraced splitter broke. Drag racing does not count. :)

[Bob_n_Cincy]

I could be wrong but six star's seems to be holding up.


I think he only got a few laps or a session before his unbraced splitter broke. Drag racing does not count. :)

Six star is not using the factory intercooler. He is using air getting suck out of the back of the car through a RMIC.
45324

[redfogo]

Six star is not using the factory intercooler. He is using air getting suck out of the back of the car through a RMIC.
45324

throw some puller fans on that and I dont see why that wouldn't help cut down the heat soak.

[Hindsight]

Has he posted intake temps? My concern with a rear placement is that you are using hot air from the engine compartment to perform your cooling. We've all seen how hot the engine compartment gets...

[C.Plavan]

Has he posted intake temps? My concern with a rear placement is that you are using hot air from the engine compartment to perform your cooling. We've all seen how hot the engine compartment gets...

Ding...Ding....Ding... +1

[longislandwrx]

Six star is not using the factory intercooler. He is using air getting suck out of the back of the car through a RMIC.
45324


no one said factory intercooler, air to air intercooler was the statement.

I will be using a grimmspeed a2a, mounted farther back vented out the rear with an additional (STi or similar) scoop.

but I wont be able to prove that it works for a while.

worst case. over the humps. 45326 but I wont be going a2w

by holding up I mean hasn't blown the motor. :cool:

[redfogo]

no one said factory intercooler, air to air intercooler was the statement.

I will be using a grimmspeed a2a, mounted farther back vented out the rear with an additional (STi or similar) scoop.

but I wont be able to prove that it works for a while.

worst case. over the humps. 45326 but I wont be going a2w

by holding up I mean hasn't blown the motor. :cool:

On my turbo mr2 I ran a trunk mount intercooler with a duct grabbing air from the rear of the car the puller fans would pull the air from a fresh air source. My temps were always good however I did have a firewall in between the engine bay and the rear trunk of the car. So maybe it be worth it to make a similar wall or once the 818c is out run it like the Rs200 rally car did :)

45327

[longislandwrx]

good thing FFR already makes a trunk kit that can easily be covered in reflective tape , easily vented to the rear and can bolt a scoop right on top!
http://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showthread.php?17431-Engine-cover-hinge&p=195136&viewfull=1#post195136

[JeromeS13]

Has he posted intake temps? My concern with a rear placement is that you are using hot air from the engine compartment to perform your cooling. We've all seen how hot the engine compartment gets...

Nope. I asked him in his thread that he made about the recent ultimate streetcar challenge that he went to. No response.

[C.Plavan]

good thing FFR already makes a trunk kit that can easily be covered in reflective tape , easily vented to the rear and can bolt a scoop right on top!
http://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showthread.php?17431-Engine-cover-hinge&p=195136&viewfull=1#post195136

A wing mount will take some creative cutting.

[CU9DZ]

Why I hate this FFR kit.
1) American fractional bolts and clutch/brake lines. The Subaru donor car parts are metric. The kit came with some metric nuts and bolts and some fractional nuts and bolts. Also the brake and clutch line connectors were fractional with connectors to convert back to metric for the master and slave cylinders. This probably saved FFR a few bucks but makes for more connectors on the lines and more confusion when disassembling anything. Also they are selling this kit outside the USA where people may not have fractional tools. Why not make the kit all metric?

[CU9DZ]

2) The kit was designed to sell for a profit at $10,000. And designed for minimum weight. I can see plenty of places where they cut corners to keep the price down. When you build something to sell at a certain price point there are always compromises to the end product. (Many years ago I had a 65 Mustang. The car had flimsy bumpers and included a bumper jack. The first time I used the jack the bumper just bent upwards). The minimum weight means you get a frame that just barely fits the engine and barely fits two small people. The body panels only attach to the frame in a few places because there isn’t much of a frame to begin with. The leg room in the cabin was tight so I had to get the Boyd tank.
3) Every body panel and plenty of the aluminum pieces needed trimming to fit correctly. Where two body panels meet you get an ugly gap.

[CU9DZ]

4) The whole front end is very difficult to align correctly. The head lights are between the bumper section and the fenders. To fit the headlights correctly you have to keep taking off the fenders. Also the very front edge of the fender comes to a point that is only supported by the hood bracket and that is only attached to plastic and fiberglass. The Bat Man style hood has a 90 degree lip on the edges of it to give it some strength but you have to shave off most of that to make the hood look like is lines up with the fenders. If the lip on the fenders was lower there wouldn’t be any need to shave down the hood.

[CU9DZ]

5) The shifter cables go forward from the shifter to the front firewall then to the left then all the way to the back. Why not use an MR2 style shifter and route the cables back?
6) The non-existent exhaust system. My kit came with a short section of exhaust pipe with a slight bend in it and big flanges on both ends. The flanges were so far out of flat that the piece is worthless. Seriously FFR the Egyptians could make giant pieces of granite that were flat but you can’t. I now have a short spun cat a few sections of pipe and a muffled I had hanging around. Waiting for my very busy on to have time to do some welding.

I will keep working on my list.

[Mechie3]

CU9DZ:

1) I agree. My Fmod is like that. Metric motor and clutches, standard frame and everything else. At my work we just switched all of our new product designs over to metric only because globally our service people have a hard time obtaining standard tools and/or off the shelf hardware.

2) Sort of agree. I will agree that the kit was designed to fit exactly one thing without much wiggle room.

3) I had to trim a lot of edges too. This is what I meant about changing my expectations of it being a bolt together kit. I'd still do it, just with a different time line.

4) The coupe will fix some of this. It's certainly difficult to get it looking really nice without a lot of body work aloha818 style.

5) I'm guessing because the MR2 shifter cost more and isn't readily available. Quite a few of us have gone to an MR2 home brew setup.

6) Yep, ditched my pieces as the first FFR adapter isn't a bell mouth so no reason to even try to use it.

[redfogo]

As someone who is waiting on their pre-order this is a great yet scary thread to be reading. One thing I had no thought of was that this uses standard tools.... As Somone who only works and owns German and Japanese cars.... I think I better convert everything to all metric or organize my standard tools.... At the moment all my standard tools sit in a cardboard box under my tool box for those one off moments when I have to fix a friends American car....

[Bob_n_Cincy]

As someone who is waiting on their pre-order this is a great yet scary thread to be reading. One thing I had no thought of was that this uses standard tools.... As Somone who only works and owns German and Japanese cars.... I think I better convert everything to all metric or organize my standard tools.... At the moment all my standard tools sit in a cardboard box under my tool box for those one off moments when I have to fix a friends American car....
I to had planned on going all metric.
Turned out that a lot of the suspension parts supplied by FFR do not have equivalent metric parts readily available in the USA.
Standard bolts are 1/4 to 5/8 and metric are M5 to M14 so not many extra tools were required.
It was really no big deal in the end.
Bob

[STiPWRD]

+1^ I got by with mostly metric tools. I don't think I purchased a single tool (that I didn't already have) just because it needed to be standard. Yes, the 818 has some shortcomings but clearly these are not insurmountable, it depends on your level of patience I suppose. Just about every issue with the car can be customized or modified to taste.

[Junty]

100% yes I would complete this again. I agree with many previous posts - there have been a few difficulties (but we are building cars). I have never previously built any kits (other than LEGO) so I expect and anticipate it will never be easy. Furthermore - the base kit allows for many variations, add-ons and enhancements. If you are building an 818S like I did - Air to Air IC is sufficient for the street, and I believe that unless you are Autoxing AWIC offers little benefit to endurance racing as it is not easy to keep the water cool. My personal; opinion is that if you wanted perfection with limited variance from stock - pay the money and build a GTM. If you want an entry level with many options build an 818S or 818C - the coupe has certainly improved many of the frustrations associated with the 818S.

I sincerely thank the team at FFR for a wonderful kit. A pleasure to build - something I',m very proud to have completed and drive ;-)

[AZPete]

If you don't have an assortment of standard SAE tools now, then you haven't fixed your lawn mower, plumbing, door hardware or other common homeowner projects. Building a car may not be for you. I'm now completing my second FFR car and I'm glad each step requires thought, research, modification and/or upgrading because if it was easy everybody would be doing it and there would be no pride of accomplishment.

Also, remember that this is a public forum where a few guys like to post negatives. Perhaps they think putting Factory Five down makes them look smarter. Keep reading and you'll discover who is worth following and who is not. It's about attitude as much as experience . . . just like everywhere else.

[redfogo]

If you don't have an assortment of standard SAE tools now, then you haven't fixed your lawn mower, plumbing, door hardware or other common homeowner projects. Building a car may not be for you. I'm now completing my second FFR car and I'm glad each step requires thought, research, modification and/or upgrading because if it was easy everybody would be doing it and there would be no pride of accomplishment.

Also, remember that this is a public forum where a few guys like to post negatives. Perhaps they think putting Factory Five down makes them look smarter. Keep reading and you'll discover who is worth following and who is not. It's about attitude as much as experience . . . just like everywhere else.

I don't think any one said they didn't have standards tools above. Also I'm not sure what "fixed your lawn mower, plumbing, door hardware or other common homeowner projects" has anything to do with building a car??? Factory five isn't selling house starting kits they are selling car kits right? I think an experienced mechanic here might be more important. A person with little automotive experience and a lifetime knowledge of what you stated I think would have a hard time completing this project compared to a dedicated automotive enthusiast/mechanic.

I have talked with several people who built a FF kit. Some who expected the "LEGO" quality meaning everything fits 100% of the time and never any issue as long as you follow direction word for word. However most have stated that they knew it was a kit that does require some outside the box thinking to get it together. I'm not sure who is at fault for the disappointed, FF for maybe not being clear enough, or that people needed to do more research before buying.

[Mechie3]

I think AZPete was just saying if the issue is not having SAE tools then likely you haven't worked on many other projects originating in the US as most of them require SAE tools. If the issue is needing to take two sets of tools to the track, than that doesn't help.

[Evan78]

I'm only at the roller stage, but I don't think I've yet missed having SAE tools on the 818 build. I think I only have SAE 1/4" drive sockets. Aside from small stuff, I don't seem to have a problem using a metric tools on SAE hardware and I do plenty of handyman type stuff.

[Hindsight]

I use only metric tools and was able to make them work with the SAE fasteners. Would much prefer having all metric fasteners with the kit, but didn't care enough about it to source all the individual nuts and bolts myself for everything as some others have. I did save and re-use a lot of nuts and bolts from the donor (saved every nut and bolt) in place of some of the smaller 1/4" and 3/8" fasteners from the kit. And I did use all metric brake line hardware and ditched the FFR adapters.

[AZPete]

Craig has a good point that if racing then one set of tools would be good. I didn't thing of that because this thread is not in the racing section. Redfogo, I didn't mean you when I referred to guys that usually post negatives.

[Quiny]

I would do it again and probably will but with a Cobra next time. If I were to do an 818 again it would be an NA build. The fact of the matter is even if I never finish or drive the car, the time I have spent with my kids building it has been amazing. I couldn't have paid for better memories. As far as anyone being able to build one, I don't think so, these kits require some ability and talent. If your intention is to open some boxes, spin a few wrenches and have a car then this isn't for you.

[Mechie3]

I'd do it again if I had the money. It'd be fun to have an 818S and an 818R. Then again, I also want an F600, and to go road racing, and a big CNC, and...and... :D

[RM1SepEx]

I'm done.. :( too many other ongoing projects... and I need to focus on getting my second child out of college. Do I rebuild one or two of my antique Yamaha RD350's or my 1969 Saab Sonett next? The CBR needs some bodywork, heating the garage beyond propane and ceramic space heaters would be nice too. Do I go all electric and double my solar array ? https://monitoring.solaredge.com/solaredge-web/p/public?name=161751#/dashboard

[Innkeepr]

I don't think so, these kits require some ability and talent. If your intention is to open some boxes, spin a few wrenches and have a car then this isn't for you.

SO in anyone's opinion, is this more complicated, or just time consuming compared to my FFR Cobra ?
I am waiting on the C model, and still sourcing parts. After reading the expressed views of some, I am second guessing.

[metalmaker12]

100% yes!!

I do think FFR should make a 818R or S, C ultra light with an all aluminum frame. NA 1,400 lbs 200whp

[Hindsight]

If your intention is to open some boxes, spin a few wrenches and have a car then this isn't for you.

The "Roadster" (Cobra) is a lot more like this. Of the kits, the 818 seems to be the least plug-and-play. Not surprising given that it is the newest and least refined. I like that though, a lot, but it does certainly have a budget impact and it isn't for everyone.

Dan, are you really throwing in the towel?

[AZPete]

Compared to the FFR roadster? I think about the same build time but part of that was consumed by learning about the boxer turbo so next time maybe less time. I've just built one roadster and one 818 so this question is better answered by guys who have built many more, like Mike Everson, Erik Treves, Wayne Presley and others.

[RM1SepEx]

The "Roadster" (Cobra) is a lot more like this. Of the kits, the 818 seems to be the least plug-and-play. Not surprising given that it is the newest and least refined. I like that though, a lot, but it does certainly have a budget impact and it isn't for everyone.

Dan, are you really throwing in the towel?

No towel to throw in, I enjoy continually doing something different, built my own super insulated solar house, did EVERYTHING except paid $5000 for framing. My wife and I did the design and build and moved in 13 months after our wedding. I design and fabricate "projects" from there. Kids and family have been a priority for over 30 years... with my disability I need to focus on balance in life. I just added PV panels and I need to prepare for my older years.


I went from build the kit and modify after some time to just make it my own now. We all have been through donor woes and mine have been pretty bad but not outside the realm of expectations building from an unknown donor. Thankfully the term budget hasn't been in my vocabulary for decades! :)

[longislandwrx]

I think I would do it again, but I wouldn't be an early adopter, i'd let other people figure out the problems. The time is the biggest thing, 200 hours is just not accurate for a first time builder, even with extensive automotive experience. Almost 2 years later I have a roller. It's been a blast though.

I still am dreading the body work.

[freds]

Yes I would..........However, if I had known how little I knew..and had to learn along the way, I may not have started the first time:)

To be clear and not discourage other "first timers", I would definitely do it again, even the first time. I really appreciate what an experience its been. (and I was an early adopter...#18). Have learned plenty!

Be prepared to put a lot of work into it.

fred

[Buzz Skyline]

I normally avoid being an early adopter of anything. To tell the truth, though, I really enjoyed tackling problems that no one had solved yet. It can be frustrating at times, but it makes the successes all the more sweeter. You don't often have the opportunity to pioneer something that way.

Would I build another 818? Nope, too many new (to me) things to do. If I could go back in time and make the call again, hell yes, I'd do it again.

[Harley818]

Absolutely would do it again...... I'm not finished yet, but I'm having the most fun in doing it.
A project for me usually comes in 3 stages, Planning, Building, Enjoying it.
With this project I did the original planning.... but with this forum, I'm constantly planning and reading about a better way..... so I re-plan.
Then with the Build, its actually happening at the same time as planning, so even more fun.
I'm not a Subie guy, and haven't been this into cars for the last 20 years, so its back to my youth.....and learning something new is always fun and a challenge.
Actually, I'm enjoying the planning and the build, where-as when I do other projects usually the enjoying comes mainly at the end when you are sitting on the deck with a beer.
So really, I'm getting all 3 phases at the same time......... although I can almost taste dipping my right foot into it and slamming it into 3rd at full boost.....while watching the speedo.....

Do it again? not even a question..... just maybe a little different next time.

[fact5racer]

No, not because of the FFR kit, but dealing with the Subaru crap. I'm starting to feel like it's payback for Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Stick with ford and chevy builds.

[Buzz Skyline]

No, not because of the FFR kit, but dealing with the Subaru crap. I'm starting to feel like it's payback for Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Stick with ford and chevy builds.

What is the crap you're dealing with? I've never worked on Chevy or Ford motors (although I hope to when I can build one of FFR's other cars), so I don't know how Subie's are different to deal with. Are domestic motors easier?

I left my motor stock, so that's actually been the least troublesome part of my build.

[07FIREBLADE]

He was having motor issues if I remember correctly. Ford and Chevy builds I understand maybe easier but that's just because of your background with them. The subie motor is a different beast with its own can of worms to deal with. They have all been well documented throughout the internet. If you build accordingly with these faults in mind then you should be golden.

[GUNS]

I'm still building mine and if nothing else it's been an awesome learning experience! Would I build an 818 again knowing what I know now, probably not. Like others have said, it has required a lot more time, effort, and money than what was expected. When I bought it I was under the impression that this would be the simplest kit car to build and all of the supplied parts would be high quality and fit correctly. The no paint aspect was a huge selling point as well. Obviously there are issues with all of the above.

With that being said, I'd entertain the idea of building another car some day. If I do, it has to satisfy the "easy to build" criteria which I just haven't found yet.

[Flamshackle]

No, not because of the FFR kit, but dealing with the Subaru crap. I'm starting to feel like it's payback for Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Stick with ford and chevy builds.

Na, Subarus are a charm to work on if you are familiar with them.

[shinn497]

Man no love for the turbo. Should I still go EJ207?

Big question. I'm ok with some body work. Esp since I want to plastidip it. But, outside of the muffler, are there any types of additions to the frame that require modification/fabrication? I've always been under the impression this kit could be built with a couple of wrenches.

Do you guys see FFR addressing and fixing any of these issues anytime soon ?

[Buzz Skyline]

I didn't have to mod the frame at all. It was just wrenches, drills and other hand tools for me. I don't have a muffler, though, just the stock catalytic converter. It's loud, but I stay off the gas in neighborhoods and haven't gotten any complaints yet.

[svanlare]

To the frame I've done lots of drilling and inventing and attaching brackets here and there. The only welding I did to the frame was for the seats. That said, I'm not done yet so you never know...

The kit is definitely not "wrenches only" but it has been significantly smoother than I expected. Maybe I spent too much time thinking I would build a Locost 7 before I started this project and was biased by what those builds typically look like. In any case, I've been very satisfied with the project. At the start I underestimated the time and the money that I was going to spend. While I knew my way around a car, each subsystem has been a repeating process of research, design, and then build (and sometimes rebuild). The research and design time was where I really think I have added hours that I didn't expect. For example, I'm working on the fuel system right now. I'm reading about the Subaru EVAP system, what do I need, what do I want, what can I leave out, what have the cobra guys done, ... It will all be a lot of work to settle on which $50 charcoal canister to bolt to the frame, and which vacuum lines I need to keep. But it is all knowledge I didn't have a month ago and I'm happier for the process.

As for waiting on FFR, I think they have produced a great product and I have no regrets. I'm positive future versions of the 818 will go together easier (thanks to improvements by FFR), and the knowledge base of what works and doesn't is growing daily (thanks to the builders on the site). It will never be easy, but then I'm not sure I want it to be.

[Evan78]

For example, I'm working on the fuel system right now. I'm reading about the Subaru EVAP system, what do I need, what do I want, what can I leave out, what have the cobra guys done, ... It will all be a lot of work to settle on which $50 charcoal canister to bolt to the frame, and which vacuum lines I need to keep.It would be great to see a write-up on whatever solution you arrive at.

[svanlare]

It would be great to see a write-up on whatever solution you arrive at.

Not done thinking, but here is where I am at the moment: Gas-Tank-Venting#post213315 (http://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showthread.php?10997-Gas-Tank-Venting&p=213315&viewfull=1#post213315)

[CU9DZ]

The donor car latches do not fit flat in the FFR door frame. The very back end of the frame has an L shaped piece with three holes for the latch. This latch should fit inside the L but because the holes are slightly too close to the inside of the L I now have to shave off some material from the donor latch. Tired of doing modifications because FFR didn't do their homework.
CU9DZ
Also if I didn't already mention it, the clutch and brake master cylinders are hidden under the windshield.

[CU9DZ]

The donor seats with FFR supplied brackets are extremely awkward to bolt directly to the square tube X that is there. Someone told me to use some 1/8 approx. sheet metal to bolt to the X frame then bolt the seat to sheet metal.
CU9DZ

[theburner9]

The donor car latches do not fit flat in the FFR door frame. The very back end of the frame has an L shaped piece with three holes for the latch. This latch should fit inside the L but because the holes are slightly too close to the inside of the L I now have to shave off some material from the donor latch. Tired of doing modifications because FFR didn't do their homework.


Did you use the right latch? You're supposed to use the latch from the rear door... Mine fit once I put the correct latch in

[CU9DZ]

Yes I was very careful when taking apart the donor. Labeled everything. Had to shave some material off the inside edge of the latch. Now it fits. Does anyone know if FFR is aware of this issue? Seems like they could just move the three holes 1/8 farther out and fix it.

[lance corsi]

Personally I wasn't expecting perfection but some of the problems encountered with this kit seem to stem back quite a ways. I wonder if all their kits are in need of so much modification. I didn't ask but it would have saved me time if I could have bought my frame just tacked together. It wouldn't have been nearly so labor intensive to change the things that needed changing. All that said, I still like the car, its design and best of all, it fits my budget. It can be anything I wish, so long as I have the money, time, and expertise to make it happen. I doubt I'd do another 818 tho since I'm making this one as badass as money and time will allow. I'm having fun!

[Bob_n_Cincy]

Personally I wasn't expecting perfection but some of the problems encountered with this kit seem to stem back quite a ways. I wonder if all their kits are in need of so much modification.

Lance,
I have #22 done, #21 in process and #220 collecting dust. There are at least 6 noticeable frame changes between #22 and 220. Now that I know the work a rounds, my preference is to start with the one I know.
Unfortunately I didn't get the a later body that has better fit and finish.
Bob