Where did the name "Factory Five Racing" come from?

[Gumball]

I've always just assumed that it had something to do with the five liter engine, but thought this would be a good place for Dave to offer the real explanation.

[Dave Smith]

I enjoy taking the credit for this as it worked well (I usually blame the rest of the crew when things crater). Seriously, It was "Factory" based on using Factory Ford (Ford Mustang at the time) systems like fuel, powertrain, cooling, all the complex stuff that the Factory engineers really well. It was "Five" for the 5.0L Mustang engine that based the first FFR Mk1 kit around. It was "Racing" cause we loved to race and wanted the world to know that it would always be part of what defines us. Racing then meant $15 autocross days. Racing today is much larger and more involved, but the same stoke.

[Dave Smith]

Thanks for the question.

[riptide motorsport]

He's lieing,,,,,,,,,,,don't believe him!!!!:)

[Dave Smith]

Too bad, Ive told the story too many times and Riptide must know the other part. The racing was partly because we wanted it to define us (racing) and it sure has, but also partly a head-fake because while the performance of our early cars was great (we took over run and gun in the earliest days with wheelies and King of the Hill), the fit and finish was not so great and with a race car you can skip over the carpeting, give it a 50/50 paint job (looks good at 50 feet away and going by you at 50 mph), and you get a pass. We couldnt compete head to head with some of the other replica guys back then who were ALL looks and no real performance. "Racing" gave us a great pass. Today we've got the best fit and finish and the performance needs no tag line. There, I came clean. I feel so much better.

[Gumball]

Thanks for the added back-story. When it comes to form and function, I have to share a story from the other day. I was talking with someone about paint and mentioned the old saying that "if you're going to paint stripes on it, it better be able to back them up." Since I'm not doing stripes, I added... "then again, some cars just don't need stripes."

I watched FFR for years before jumping into the deep end with my purchase in 2009. I was very pleasantly surprised by the high quality of the product that I received and continue to change the opinion of fellow car-guys when they look closely at my in-progress build.

[Martin]

I'm pretty sure I read somewhere that the "5" came about because it was how many Roadsters you thought you would sell. Maybe it was a joke (and I missed it), but that's the story I tell people if they ask :)

If true, it is great that you were wrong :)

Martin

ps. So excited about tomorrow you can't understand. It's like the excitement of having your first baby but without all the fear and angst that goes with it.

[Dave Smith]

The 5 really did come from the 5.0L engine.

There is another true story about the number 5 that you may have heard. The early days were stressful (geez, what has changed?) and my brother and I had an argument about launching the product (I felt it needed more time and he wanted to drop the hammer and start shipping).

As a way of trying to reconcile, I went out and bought 5 bottles of champagne. I took a sharpie pen and wrote a big number 1 on the first, a big number 5 on the second, a number 10 on the third, number 25 on the fourth, and number 100 on the fifth.

When I was writing those numbers I specifically remember thinking to myself, we'll be lucky to get to open the second bottle!

We cracked open the first bottle on November 1995 and the last bottle was opened before Jan 1 1997!

[Martin]

That's the story I read a long time ago. Thanks Dave.

I really have spent too much time reading about these cars. I've read so much I think I've confused myself and forgotten everything.

Martin

[Questor]

Geez. I thought it was the fifth attempt at opening a factory.....:rolleyes:

Nice bit of trivia

[Pierre B]

I too had long wondered about the origin of the Company name but had never thought to ask. Whenever I thought I might ask, other concerns crowded it out. That's what happened (to me) when I was about the business of building one of these delightful cars with so many steps in the process, and so many decisions to make and problems to solve. Gum: thanks for asking, and Dave, thanks for posting this here.

[mike forte]

Hi Dave,
So what year was it Mark, then you and a third brother came to visit me at my store in Waltham and we talked about cars, parts & design of your dream? It was before you had any place rented and then moved into the garage in Dartmouth?
Was it 1993 or 1994??? My mind can't remember..

Mike Forte