365 Days of Legal Driving / Road Manners & Impressions

[GoDadGo]

Hey Gang,

As many of you know it took me an inordinate amount of time to complete Redbone...Like many of you, life got in the way but I finally finished the project, and getting my VIN and License Plate has come with some major surprises since I'm no longer making early morning less than legal test runs when the roads are empty.

Shown below are my limited legal driving experiences:

1. The car attracts an insane amount of attention because I find folks waving, giving thumbs-ups, and constant horn honks seem to be commonplace.
2. The extreme and precise nimbleness of the car is far superior compared to my son's lowered 2000 Camaro, or our former 1995 C4 Corvette, 1990 IROC, or 1980 Z/28.
3. In addition to the nimbleness I find that the power to weight ratio to be off the hook and rivals, and may even surpass, my brother's Skunkworks Mecham 427 Trans Am.
... https://gm-efi.com/features/feature-cars/pontiac/car-feature-skunkworks-mecham/
4. What makes me think this is because yesterday I found myself ahead of a Charger Hellcat when I realized he was playing the Stop-Light to Stop-Light game which he lost.
....I didn't expect to have the fellow in the Charger roll down his window and ask if I was "Wide Open" which I wasn't, heck I was only at or about half throttle.
5. Kids and parents love the car even more than local Hot Rodders.
....Yesterday I attended a car show and little boys and girls were drawn to the car so I let them all sit behind the wheel as parents took pictures of them.
....To see their smiles made me think of when I became a Motor Head when Mike Pike took me for a ride in his Rainbow Big Block Corvette when I was 7 which was 50 years ago.
....Mike is the fellow in the far right in the facebook post shown below:
....https://www.facebook.com/Pikes-Collision-Repair-Specialist-851166038343713/

My biggest takeaway is that these cars are truly special and likely will promote our hobby because the car attracts a crowd that I didn't expect to attract...I know we build these cars for our own enjoyment, but I never expected such attention or to be so popular.

Steve
The Redbone Roadster:
https://www.factoryfive.com/whats-new/customer-steve-l-graduates-his-mk4-roadster/

[Jetfuel]

Good to hear you’re having a great time with your “out of the ordinary “ built.
For 10 years I showed my Mustang all over the US and letting the kids sit and take their pics behind the wheel was the ultimate prize

Stay safe

Jet

[Jim1855]

Steve,

Good to hear that you are finally "legal".

Cars & kids. Yup this part is great. In a past lifetime and different car I had just pulled in to a local show. A young girl ran up tp the car and stood on the hot SS sidepipes. I quickly snatched her off with her mom apologizing. All was good, I was more concerned about melting through her shoes than damage to the pipes. With her mom's permission I took the girl for a ride around the parking lot. Big, BIG smiles, all at parking lot speeds.

Hope you enjoy the attention. Remember, make sure your brain is fully attached and calibrated to the skinny pedal.

Jim

[TMartinLVNV]

Congrats Steve! Now you can really take Redbone out and drive it without worry of getting busted. I also had more than a few miles before being legal.

The honks, smiles, and waves from other drivers never stop. People videoing you with their phone while also attempting to drive their own car is a bit worrisome. Give them some extra room :cool:

[Joel Hauser]

I also let kids, and their parents, sit in my car for pictures. They really love it. One rule - No Ice Cream! Don't forget to use hand sanitizer on the steering wheel afterwards.

[GoDadGo]

I also let kids, and their parents, sit in my car for pictures. They really love it. One rule - No Ice Cream! Don't forget to use hand sanitizer on the steering wheel afterwards.

I keep a spray little bottle with 70% Isopropyl Alcohol with me along with a face mask for all outings and Mrs. Go-Dad does too.

[Al_C]

Good for you! I'm glad you finally got your plates. I agree, there is no such thing as maintaining a low profile when you are driving out and about.

[D Stand]

Congrats on being legal. I love the story and I intend the let whoever sit in my finished car as well hoping to help create memories or planting seeds in the next generation...

[NAZ]

Congratulations Steve! This will be a whole new kind of fun that you can share with others. Now put lots of miles on it and be safe. At least you can still drive yours, mine is just collecting dust with the corona bug canceling racing season again this year.

So I just finished an old-school Harley project in time to park it for the winter and started another car project that will last through winter. Got to stay busy...

[aquillen]

Thanks for the fun report. Love it. My 818 give me a hoot along the same lines. Letting kids sit in it for pictures is as much fun for me as them.

[GoDadGo]

Congratulations Steve! This will be a whole new kind of fun that you can share with others. Now put lots of miles on it and be safe. At least you can still drive yours, mine is just collecting dust with the corona bug canceling racing season again this year.

So I just finished an old-school Harley project in time to park it for the winter and started another car project that will last through winter. Got to stay busy...

Naz,

You may want to head this way because We Are Racing Over Here!

https://www.gulfportdragway.com/schedule/

Gulfport Dragway is racing 11 months out of the year.

Steve

[RoadRacer]

So much fun getting it on the street. I'm close.

It's amazing how crazy people get when you're driving. I remember having a car pull along side, pull in front, cross over and go down the slow lane, back into fast lane - literally driving circles around me on the highway to get it from all angles :D

So many thumbs up!

[Norm B]

Congrats. It is amazing the interest these cars garner. A crowd gathered when my wife and I stopped for gas on one of our first drives. Spent 10 minutes answering questions. Had people looking up Factory Five on their phones. Makes you wonder how much business we generate for FFR just stopping for gas. When we left my wife asked if it was always going to be like that. Six years later it still is. Love putting kids in the seat and their parents getting pictures. Takes me back to simpler and better times!

Norm

[mburger]

Congrats Steve! Been following since day 1 and I know it’s been quite a winding road with many detours to get here.
When I first bought my car, I went to a car show, and it’s hard to describe how weird it felt seeing strangers taking pictures of my car. I don’t give it a thought now. Your car looks and sounds amazing. Congrats again on a great car.

[bobl]

When are you going to the track? Anxious to hear how it runs. Also curious to see if they let you run because of the safety rules (roll cage and such).

[GoDadGo]

When are you going to the track? Anxious to hear how it runs. Also curious to see if they let you run because of the safety rules (roll cage and such).

I'm hoping to go to the track sometime in early summer once I get comfortable in the car; however, I'm pretty sure they'll only let me make 1/8 mile passes.
The driveline was supposed to end up in my 1980 Z/28 which had an NHRA approved six-point roll bar in it that went swimming in Hurricane Katrina.
At least something Way-Way-Way Cooler came out of the ashes of that failed/lost restoration.

[GoDadGo]

Congrats Steve! Been following since day 1 and I know it’s been quite a winding road with many detours to get here. .

For the record, I often thought getting to this point would NEVER happen.
Though I call it Redbone, Mrs. Go-Dad calls it Perseverance!
It does make me appreciate the journey even more.

[GoDadGo]

Good for you! I'm glad you finally got your plates. I agree, there is no such thing as maintaining a low profile when you are driving out and about.

Every time I got pulled over when I was less than legal, our local officers were A-Okay with letting me play.
It's probably because I knew several of their Dads because I Have Friends In Low Places.
My Blue Lives Matter Licence Plate May Have Come Into Play Also!

[nucjd19]

Big congrats Steve!!!! I love reading the story and have really enjoyed watching your videos. You are a natural in front of the camera and your excitement is infectious :)

[Nigel Allen]

Sometimes I get asked if my roadster uses a lot of fuel. I say "no, but it takes ages to fill it up at the petrol station" 🙂

Congratulations on getting legal.

Cheers,

Nigel in South Oz

[Fman]

From a newbie, I really enjoyed following your build you definitely had one heck of a journey. Congrats on your build and getting legal... your car looks great. Hope you put a lot of miles on Redbone!

[NiceGuyEddie]

I also enjoy letting people sit in my car for photos. The most common response is, "No thanks, I'm afraid to break it." Then I say, "Um, I drive this car on a race track at twice the highway speed limit - if you are going to break it by just sitting in it, I'm as good as dead! GET IN!"

I always tell them to be careful of the sidepipes and don't use the door or windshield to support yourself.

[NiceGuyEddie]

Sometimes I get asked if my roadster uses a lot of fuel. I say "no, but it takes ages to fill it up at the petrol station" ��

Congratulations on getting legal.

Cheers,

Nigel in South Oz


I tell them that due to the overdrive, I get a respectable 16mpg when cruising on the freeway, but 5mpg on the race track!

[GoDadGo]

Sometimes I get asked if my roadster uses a lot of fuel. I say "no, but it takes ages to fill it up at the petrol station" ��

Congratulations on getting legal.

Cheers,

Nigel in South Oz

Hey Mr. Nigel,

I think I'm going to adopt your choice of words and will no longer go to the Gas Station for fuel, but the Petrol Station instead.
It just sounds far more sophisticated and anything that makes me sound a bit more socially savvy would be greatly appreciated by Mrs. Go-Dad.

Steve

[juddster]

Love the car and the post. My kids are going crazy over mine and its still in parts. Looking forward to get mine on the road.

[Nigel Allen]

Hey Mr. Nigel,

I think I'm going to adopt your choice of words and will no longer go to the Gas Station for fuel, but the Petrol Station instead.
It just sounds far more sophisticated and anything that makes me sound a bit more socially savvy would be greatly appreciated by Mrs. Go-Dad.

Steve

Hmmm, I am not known for my sophistication or being socially savvy, hopefully you have better luck...

BTW, over here if you have a car that runs on gas, that means you fill it up with LPG (propane/butane Liquefied Petroleum Gas) A lot of cars throughout the 80's and to about 2010 were fitted with LPG kits. LPG used to be about 1/4 the price of petrol. So it extended the the life of a lot of thirsty cars. Not so popular now as LPG is about 3/4 of the price of unleaded. (Most engines use around 25% more fuel when running on LPG).

Interestingly, a number of Cobra replicas were built over here to run on straight LPG. This got them licensed more easily, as LPG powered engines are exempt from emissions testing. Not sure how well a cobra handles with a big gas cylinder in the trunk.

Forgive me if LPG conversions are common in the US, cant say I have ever heard it mentioned.

Cheers,

Nigel in South Oz

[AC Bill]

Sounds like your quickly getting the full experience of driving one of these cars around.

My biggest pet peeve is when people tail ride me, trying to get a closer look. Maybe it's because I have an AC emblem, which they don't recognize, or they want to look at the dashboard..lol
One of the funniest things is, I very rarely get a acknowledgement wave from Corvette drivers. All the guys in British sports cars wave, most hot rod and custom car guys wave, even some Porsche drivers wave. But a Corvette..nope.:rolleyes:

[GoDadGo]

Sounds like your quickly getting the full experience of driving one of these cars around.

My biggest pet peeve is when people tail ride me, trying to get a closer look. Maybe it's because I have an AC emblem, which they don't recognize, or they want to look at the dashboard..lol
One of the funniest things is, I very rarely get a acknowledgment wave from Corvette drivers. All the guys in British sports cars wave, most hot rod and custom car guys wave, even some Porsche drivers wave. But a Corvette..nope.:rolleyes:


I'll be on the lookout for the Waves and/or Acknowledgments as I experience driving my MK-4 Roadster around.
I can say that my Modern Porsche Pals don't understand the lure of driving a car that is So Primitive by comparison.
On the other hand, I can't understand why they drive cars with so many Nanny Devices on them, plus where's the clutch pedal?

[TMartinLVNV]

I'll be on the lookout for the Waves and/or Acknowledgments as I experience driving my MK-4 Roadster around.
I can say that my Modern Porsche Pals don't understand the lure of driving a car that is So Primitive by comparison.
On the other hand, I can't understand why they drive cars with so many Nanny Devices on them, plus where's the clutch pedal?

I had a friend of a friend in my garage during the build process one day. He kept going on and on and on about the 2 Corvettes he used to have. It just wouldn't stop. I finally said to him "Corvettes are fine cars. But do you know what happens when a Cobra parks next to a Corvette? No one notices that the Corvette is even there."

[D Stand]

I had a 76 Vette that I sold to purchase my mk4 kit. That car was a nice car but I have always wanted a cobra. With the Vette I could not get petrol, stop at parts store, ....without a bunch of question and lots of thumbs up. I can only imagine once I get my mk4 on the road...

[GoDadGo]

I had a friend of a friend in my garage during the build process one day. He kept going on and on and on about the 2 Corvettes he used to have. It just wouldn't stop. I finally said to him "Corvettes are fine cars. But do you know what happens when a Cobra parks next to a Corvette? No one notices that the Corvette is even there."

Once my Cobra looked like a Cobra and I put some less than legal miles on it, my beloved Corvette got sold.
23 years I had that car and put nearly 300,000 miles on it when it was passed on to my pal for $2,500.00 as a running project car.

https://youtu.be/svZX2BMSDEs

It truly seemed that Once The Snake Bit Me nothing else mattered so much so that I even sold my Kawasaki Meanstreak too.
While I loved that bike, and it had nearly 35,000 miles on it when I sold it, like the C-4 it was no garage queen.

[Big Blocker]

Steve, First off, CONGRATULATIONS on getting her legal . . . that is probably the best "milestone" of all when we begin this journey / build process. WHOO-HOO!!

Quote "I find that the power to weight ratio to be off the hook" . . . Yup, that is a for-sure statement. My little 302 (5.0) powered Cobra (300 FWHP) pushing my MK-II (2165 Lbs) works out to just about 7.2 Lbs that my HP has to push down the road.
Hell Cats weigh approximately 4400 Lbs with approximately 800 HP (about 5.5 Lbs per HP). Not at all surprised that you had no problems staying ahead . . . knowing that you are not runnnig a SBF and have way more than 300 HP at the crank.

Once again, CONGRATULATIONS on a, albeit somewhat troublesome, journey. The finished product is exceptional . . .

Doc

[GoDadGo]

Thanks Doc!

The power to weight ratio is stupid and really needs to be respected.
For a street cruiser, I'm a bit over the top for sure.

467 HP @ 10 Degrees Intial Timing & Similar Torque Numbers
......_........30 Max Advance

505 HP @ 14 Degrees Intial Timing & Similar Torque Numbers
......_........34 Max Advance

We're at 10 Degrees and have the rev-limiter set at 4,500 RPM as we break it in.
Another reason why the RPM's are limited is to allow me time to learn how to drive the sucker.

Steve

[GoDadGo]

We took the car out on Sunday, so I guess that makes us "Sunday Drivers" so here is what we observed.

> Back road driving is nimble and precise plus it was fun playing in 3rd, 4th & 5th gears.
> On our way back home we hit the Interstate and 6th gear is like Super Cruising.
> My operation range is 2,300-6,500 RPM so I'm surprised it didn't lug.
> The engine was much happier at 80 MPH than 70 MPH.

Interstate Driving @ 70 MPH:
We're cruising at 1,700 RPM and the car is smooth & firm.
Our baseball caps were starting to want to fly off.

Interstate Driving @ 80 MPH:
We took it up to 1,950 RPM and still the car was smooth & firm.
Our baseball caps had to be removed if we wanted to not lose them.

Ear plugs are a must & I also have Pink Ear Muff Hearing Protectors that Mrs. Go-Dad used at Interstate Speeds.

[Jim1855]

Steve,

Get a Trade Show badge lanyard with the spring clip. Tie it through the adjustment band of your ball cap, secure the clip to your shirt collar. This will give you something to grab if the hat migrates.

You might also need to cinch up the cap's adjustment. I've gone real fast w/o problems but I do sit a bit low and way below the top of the windscreen.

Yup, ear plugs are a must.

Good to hear that you're enjoying the ride.

Jim

[GoDadGo]

What's More Fun Than Taking Your Better Half Out To Lunch In A Roadster Built In Your Own Garage?

So far I can't think of many things except maybe going out to dinner.

What Say You All?

[Garry Bopp]

Steve,

So glad you are now enjoying the fruits of your labor! Observations from 15 years of driving 4 different Cobra replicas ... if you park next to a Corvette at a car show, the Corvette usually leaves in an hour or less, as nobody looks at his car. Lots of thumbs up from pretty much anybody, especially children. Harley riders love our cars because we are basically "4 wheel Harleys". When I still had my coupe, I met a buddy for dinner at a local restaurant. There was a pristine Porsche GT3 in the parking lot. My buddy and I drooled over it before we entered the restaurant. After dinner, as we went out to the parking lot, the owner of the Porsche was drooling over my coupe!

If you don't like attention ... do not drive a Cobra! HaHa! One of the best parts of the Cobra experience is the great people you meet and get to hang out with. The relationships are the real glue that keeps our hobby (obsession) going and allows us to have so much fun.

Steve, stay safe and enjoy learning how to drive your short wheelbase/high horsepower rocket ship!

Garry

[GoDadGo]

It's been one month since I became a law-abiding citizen once again so I now ponder: "Was The Journey Worth It?"

Uneqivacably Yes!

I drove the car 17 miles on Monday, 20 on Tuesday, and 23 today.
The driving has been mixed between back roads, in town traffic, highway, and on the Interstate.
The car feels extremely light and nimble; however, I still find the acceleration to be a bit over the top.
My biggest take-away is how happy the car is at any speed because the ZF 6-Speed is able to always find a sweet spot.

For you guys in the middle of your builds, keep moving forward & keep your dream alive because it really is worth it.

[TBull]

Yeah the power to weight ratio is ridiculous. Having said that, you'll be amazed at what you can get used to. You've been at it a month and starting off with a healthy respect for the car. I know you've driven strong cars before. Me too. I took a solid driving season to get used to the car and how she handled in different situations. Drove my MkII for 10 years an when I finish my current Milano, I'll do the same thing again. Have fun with it. The journey is just beginning. Have fun and enjoy all the good times and memories you'll make with her.

[jeremustang]

Congratulations again on finally getting some miles on the build. And thanks for the encouragement! I’m still building an engine getting ready to order a kit at the end of the year. I’ve spent a ton of money on an engine, rearend, etc., and I sometimes wonder if I’m blowing a bunch of money on nothing. Stories like these really help keep me motivated and keep my eyes on the prize, so to speak.

Jeremiah

[F-5-R]

Congrats Steve!!! Enjoy every moment :)

[GoDadGo]

I took Mrs. Go-Dad out to our favorite Mexican Restaurant last night for a little socially distant outdoor dining and we had a blast.
We feel the required equipment to be Earplugs, Baseball Caps, Small Welding Blanket, and Homemade Passenger Heater.
Our Homemade Heater was a big plus which kept her feet toastie on the way home.
Also, I place the Welding Blanket over the side pipe when I open my wife's door.

Homemade Heater Pics:
https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/album.php?albumid=982

The Heater Core Is From A Jeep CJ-3:
Heater Core Spectra #94478

What surprised me most is Mrs. Go-Dad can get in and out of the car in 4" heels.
Dang That Lady Has Talent On Loan From God!

[Fixit]

Congrats and I'm glad you and Mrs. Go-Dad are enjoying it.
Mrs. Fixit & I racked up 4500 miles last summer in #9365/Otto. Here's a list of must haves from the feminine side:
Extra hair-binders
Ear Plugs
Wind-shell type jacket (not insulated, just a barrier)
Sunscreen
Ballcap

I've also found Otto's cruising "happy place"... not buzzing rpm, not lugging, just puttin' along. The car just wants to run there.

Last summer we stopped at a local Supper Club not far from our lake cabin. About 10 minutes later a Ferrari pulled in and parked opposite of us. Nobody looked at the Ferrari!

[FLPBFoot]

What's More Fun Than Taking Your Better Half Out To Lunch In A Roadster Built In Your Own Garage?

So far I can't think of many things except maybe going out to dinner.

What Say You All?

Congrats on getting the Dark Side on the road.
Absolutely! My better half attended build school with me and was in the garage pretty much every day wrenching for the whole build. One of our favorite things to do is enjoy our fruits with a 30 mile drive up to So WI to one of the local establishments for a nice lunch. Then enjoy the country roads for a nice cruise home. Never gets old.

Steve

[GoDadGo]

On Friday afternoon (5:00 PM - 6:15 PM) I took the car out for some real-world driving.

The goal was to explore every-day combined driving in heavy traffic of various types which are shown below:

> 45-55 MPH Highway Driving
> Clutch & Go Rush Hour Traffic
> 75-85 MPH Interstate Pack Cruising
> Multiple Interstate Entry / Exit Ramp Sweepers @ Significant Speeds

The car handled all of the tasks very well and clutch and go driving was as easy as driving my old beloved 1995 C4 Corvette that I had for over 20 years.
My biggest fear was the balance of the car on the Ramp Sweepers which was a concern since I monkeyed so heavily with the weight distribution of my car.
The car is pretty much 50/50 front to back and 50/50 side to side; however, since I was driving solo I knew that I had a 180-pound bias on the driver's side of the car.
The car was very neutral on the Sweepers and can be made to push or become tail happy with different driver inputs & blows away my beloved C4 in all aspects of handling.
Tire pressure was set at 22 pounds on all four corners so the tires could better grip the road while improving ride quality.
My biggest take-away is that shifting things around to make my drive-line combo fit didn't hurt my handling.

NOTE:...Understand that I'm No Road Racer Nor Am I An Auto Crosser because all of my racing experiences have been in a straight line where turning left or right means you are likely in trouble.

Shown below is a walk around of the car prior to go-kart driving from quite a few years ago so you all can see how much stuff got shifted around:

https://youtu.be/_wnHDNgnNqs

The Journey Is Worth Taking So Keep Wrenching Gentlemen, Keep Wrenching!

[Al_C]

Sounds like a great time! I'm envious that you were able to drive yesterday. While the temps are getting to a better level here, there is still salt residue on the roads. 8650 is staying in the garage until we have a good rain to wash it all away.

[GoDadGo]

We've Been On The Road With A Real License Plate For Just Over 90 Days So Here's What Is Going On:

I've been doing weekly drives in the car and am still learning more and more.
The handling still impresses the heck out of me and learning the limits of traction is going well.
The rev-limiter was recently bumped from 4,600 to 5,100 when I did the latest oil change which was the cars 3rd.
Legal driving is a blast and we even took the car to a Carshow on Sunday in a nearby town that had over 250 vehicles registered.
Even at this event, it attracted an insane amount of attention, but the best part of going to the show was letting kids sit in the car once the pipes had cooled.
This evening we met some friends for dinner and my Little Red Roadster attracted a ton of attention yet again even though it was parked next to my pal's new Porsche.
My impression of my buddy's GT-3 is his car is oozing with style, amazing engineering, elegance, and sophistication, but the Cobra is really something special because I built it.

Keep Wrenching My Dear Factory Five Family Members Because You Are On An Amazing Journey Whether Your Realize It Or Not!

[CraigS]

So now it's time to run some autocrosses. Yep, you will get blown away by a good Miata but the ability to drive as hard as you dare in an environment where it is almost impossible to hurt you or the car is a blast. Yep, you will probably hit the gas too hard and spin it but the experience will be invaluable. Covid has done away w/ loaner helmets so check w/ the requirements for SNELL stickers and buy the least expensive open face helmet you can find. Open face because you will spend more time putting it on and taking it off than wearing it.

[GoDadGo]

Craig,

Some Real-World Autocross experience is definitely needed before I hit the Drag Strip since we know these little road rockets love to swap ends quickly.
Also, I still have a Full-Face Snell Approved Helmet that has not expired that I kept when I sold my last motorcycle.
While I do miss my bikes, I decided to ditch them when Baby Go-Dad said he wanted to get one.
How can I say that two-wheelers are dangerous when I was always on one.

Steve

PS:..The only time I ever did any type of auto-crossing was back in the 1980s and I was embarrassed by a fellow in a Modified VW Bug!
.......It was at the U.N.O. parking lot where I attended college and they set up mirror-image courses on the weekends.
.......That Big Bad Bug Easily Embarrassed My 12 Second Quarter Miling Camaro Z/28.
.......Later it got lowered and fitted with 265/50-15 BFGs which helped.

[GoDadGo]

It's been about 120 days since Redbone became 100% legal and what fun we've had cruising around in it.

Last weekend we attended a Cars & Coffee event that our pal George told us about and I really liked this event because of the variety of cars that were there...Our pal Matt came out as did a few of our other Car Crazy Cohorts and the Little Red Roadster was very popular yet again because it truly is a car that most folks can build.

One of the most fun parts of the day was George brought his girlfriend's son, Waylon age 8, and all he wanted to see was a Toyota Supra...He thinks George's Lambo is cool, but the few Supras that showed up were the only cars this young fellow truly loved...The best part of going to this event was letting kids sit in our cars while their parents took pictures of them.

These cars are amazing as are the people they attract, especially the kids.

[RoadRacer]

FYI maybe the posts aren’t public? Just see an error page..

[msbrown6]

Thanks for the post. Sounds like you're having fun and spreading the joy. Nice job.

[GoDadGo]

FYI maybe the posts aren’t public? Just see an error page..

Thanks for letting me know.
I've deleted and will try to repost.

[GoDadGo]

Yesterday my friend Heath and I took our Roadsters out for a Gilligan's Island Style Drive "3 Hour Tour" which was the first time for us to do this because of our schedules.
We did I little Interstate driving at 70 MPH, some beachfront cruising at 25-45 MPH, and a lot of back road curvey road carving at various speeds.
Neither car had any issues and both performed very well and playing "Follow The Leader" was a blast.
Road Manners and Curve Handling is amazing compared to my former rides.
The best part of the trip was cruising with my pal.
My only takeaway was to avoid bumpy roads.

[CCK]

love these updates! It's been great following your thread and wonderful seeing you enjoy the fruits of your labor!
keep posting - it keeps up motivated!

[nucjd19]

Yesterday my friend Heath and I took our Roadsters out for a Gilligan's Island Style Drive "3 Hour Tour" which was the first time for us to do this because of our schedules.
We did I little Interstate driving at 70 MPH, some beachfront cruising at 25-45 MPH, and a lot of back road curvey road carving at various speeds.
Neither car had any issues and both performed very well and playing "Follow The Leader" was a blast.
Road Manners and Curve Handling is amazing compared to my former rides.
The best part of the trip was cruising with my pal.
My only takeaway was to avoid bumpy roads.

Steve that's what it's about. Cruising with your friend on a twisty back road with the sun at your back. Thanks for the update :)

[GoDadGo]

Today, the 4th of July I had the joy of taking my pal Mark and shortly after his lovely better half for a ride in my MK-4.
Mark is a real 100% car guy who owns a 911 Turbo, a Boxter, and will take delivery of his 2022 GT3 later this year.
Before we hopped in the Redbone Roadster I told him he was either going to totally love the car or totally hate it.
At that point, we put plugs in our ears, strapped ourselves in, cranked up the Roadster, and took a short drive.
To say least, he is now a 100% fan of the Factory Five Racing and would love to build a MK-4 in the future.
The car seemed to awaken him to a totally different driving experience that a modern car can't give you.

NOTE:.xFor the record, I'm one of the few P.C.A. members who doesn't own a Porsche, but Redbone does sport 356 Mirrors.
............Maybe one day we'll own a Porsche, but until then we are paying for Baby Go-Dad's College Tuition.

356 Mirror Info:..https://sierramadrecollection.com/Aero-Mirror-Flat-356-356A-356B-T5-p20310.html

[GoDadGo]

I hadn't had a chance to drive Redbone in over a month because my work life and personal obligations got in the way but that is A-Okay.
Anyway, yesterday I fired up the car and drove around town, did a little interstate driving, and then headed home.
My Big Take-Away is driving this car is always A Special Event more so than just going someplace.
Like all of you, it is a thrill to drive a car you built which other car enthusiasts don't understand.
My advice to you folks that are not finished yet is to keep on swinging wrenches.

[Jim Frahm]

I hadn't had a chance to drive Redbone in over a month because my work life and personal obligations got in the way but that is A-Okay.
Anyway, yesterday I fired up the car and drove around town, did a little interstate driving, and then headed home.
My Big Take-Away is driving this car is always A Special Event more so than just going someplace.
Like all of you, it is a thrill to drive a car you built which other car enthusiasts don't understand.
My advice to you folks that are not finished yet is to keep on swinging wrenches.


I’m glad to hear the thrill doesn’t seem to fade over time. Of course reading about such activities makes waiting for my kit that much harder. :rolleyes::rolleyes:

[nucjd19]

It's been one month since I became a law-abiding citizen once again so I now ponder: "Was The Journey Worth It?"

Uneqivacably Yes!

I drove the car 17 miles on Monday, 20 on Tuesday, and 23 today.
The driving has been mixed between back roads, in town traffic, highway, and on the Interstate.
The car feels extremely light and nimble; however, I still find the acceleration to be a bit over the top.
My biggest take-away is how happy the car is at any speed because the ZF 6-Speed is able to always find a sweet spot.

For you guys in the middle of your builds, keep moving forward & keep your dream alive because it really is worth it.

Thanks for the encouragement Steve. I am currently about to do final fitment of the body and the small projects get quite tedious. Needed a little booster after installing my louvres, powder coating/ assembling the hood hinges and lights on the body today.

[GoDadGo]

I took the car out after finishing work today and went to visit my buddy the dentist, and then my other pal who just completed a 33 HR.
On the way over I thoroughly enjoyed driving the car even though I was sweating my backside off since August In The Deep South Sucks!
On the way back I found myself at a stoplight next to a fellow around my age who was driving a 2000-ish very nice Mustang and all I could think was;

I Wish He Was Driving A Factory Five Too!

These cars do something to you because they make you hope to get others to take on the tasks of starting their own FACTORY FIVE JOURNEY!
When you drive them, the feeling you get is almost as amazing as the cars themselves.
Performance is amazing as is the attention these cars get.

Keep Wrenching & Don't Give Up If You Are Still Building Your Dream!

[nucjd19]

I took the car out after finishing work today and went to visit my buddy the dentist, and then my other pal who just completed a 33 HR.
On the way over I thoroughly enjoyed driving the car even though I was sweating my backside off since August In The Deep South Sucks!
On the way back I found myself at a stoplight next to a fellow around my age who was driving a 2000-ish very nice Mustang and all I could think was;

I Wish He Was Driving A Factory Five Too!

These cars do something to you because they make you hope to get others to take on the tasks of starting their own FACTORY FIVE JOURNEY!
When you drive them, the feeling you get is almost as amazing as the cars themselves.
Performance is amazing as is the attention these cars get.

Keep Wrenching & Don't Give Up If You Are Still Building Your Dream!

This year has been not only hot but has been super wet too. We have had more rain this summer than I have seen. I am currently finishing up body door fitment and windshield. Getting close to finally getting title and tag. Can't wait to get it out there and drive in gelcoat a bit. Keep us put to date on your rig. It is fun seeing your impressions

[TriPower]

Glad to hear you are having fun.

I have 52000 miles in 15 years of ownership. Also about 5k miles on the track. What a fun car to own.

One experience I had. My wife and I went out to dinner and when walking to the Cobra a young couple was walking by the Cobra and stopped to look at it. He was looking at it and said nice car. SHE was looking DEEPLY into my eyes and said nice car. I swallowed hard and looked at my wife to see if she noticed. She did not. Sometimes it does get TOO much attention.

Lee

[GoDadGo]

Oh Yeah, I Forgot To Mention That I Properly Signed The Pavement Near My Home Is 1st, 2nd & 3rd Gears.

All I can say is my 3-Link Dana 44 Rear with a 3.73 True Trac plants both tires very well and very evenly.
Since the pavement is only about two weeks old and very consistent, I could easily see my tracks.
You could even see the contact patches attempting to contour to the crown of the road.
If you are not familiar with the True Trac system, enjoy the video link below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZmsY2YvVsc

[GoDadGo]

Today we took The Redbone Roadster over to the Mississippi Gulf Coast since this is the week for Cruising The Coast.

The little red roadster did well at interstate speeds shmoozing along at 1,700 RPM at 70 MPH. Upon exiting I-10, we began to play the Clutch & Go Game as we pulled into Bay St. Louis. The only problem I had was my left calf was-a-twitching after about 20-30 minutes in stop-and-go traffic. Engine temperatures stayed around 185 for the coolant and 210 for the oil while we were in heavy traffic with interstate temperatures running about 10 degrees cooler for both.

After spending a couple of hours at Bay St. Louis my son got behind the wheel and we headed over to Long Beach for lunch with some friends. Tooling down the beach road was very pleasant at 45-50 MPH. From Long Beach, we then headed over to Pass Christian to check out the bands that were playing before finally making our way back home to Slidell La.

To say the least, I had a great time with my son and our Red Roadster plus we met some interesting folks at today's events.

[GoDadGo]

NOTE:xWe met one Back Draft and several Superformance owners and they couldn't believe how good the fit and finish is on my car.
...........All of them asked why I went with Factory Five Racing and my reply was because I wanted to build my dream.
...........The next question was how many hours did it take to build the car and what was the total cost involved.
...........My reply was about 1,000-1,500 hours and $48,000.00 including taxes.
...........I also advised them that there was only one used part on the car which is the Transmission Yoke.

My biggest takeaway from these fellows was that I had made the right decision when I chose Factory Five Racing as did each of you.

[GoDadGo]

My better half (My Wife / Mrs. Go-Dad / That Saintly Gal) and I went out for a short drive today which ended up being five (5) hours. We cruised up to Mandeville and had a late lunch on the Lake Pontchartrain Lakefront at Barley Oak. I've only been there a few times but the food was good plus we saw a few cool cars and met quite a few nice people.

https://www.thebarleyoak.com/

Regarding the driveability, we've now got the Rev-Limiter set at 6,000 RPM, 500 below the intended redline. With a very flat torque curve, road manners and stability are still amazing, but understand the car is insanely fast. The Horse Power and Peak Torque numbers cross between 5,500 and 5,700 depending on where the initial timing is set. Since the Torque Curve is very flat, over 450 lbs thanks to the single plane intake which works well with my cam and heads, wheelspin is easy to create in 1st and 2nd gears simply by pushing down the accelerator pedal quickly, without dumping the clutch. High RPM shifts will unsettle the tires for each gear change from 1st thru 4th gear. While I don't think the car will spin on an upshift from 4th to 5th, that speed is way too fast to try because it would be STUPID since the top of 4th gear at 6,000 RPM equates to 125 MPH. An easy shift at that speed drops the RPMs down to 4,500 in 5th or 3,000 in 6th. The car is very happy cruising at 125 MPH; however, the driver (Me/Mr. Go-Dad) and passenger (Mrs. Go-Dad) are both less than eager to go any faster.

Anyway, for me, the best part of the day was cruising with that lady who has been cruising with me for over 40 years. The car was once again the star of the show and stopping anywhere created tons of attention from onlookers. It was fun to see people stop, just to check out REDBONE. Quite a few folks even took pictures of the car.

NOTE:.. No Alcoholic Beverages Were Consumed By Redbone's Driver!

[J R Jones]

The Wife and I shared a mission Saturday. Our three week consumption interval had encumbered us with a variety of packaging, and being environmentally conservative, we pick-up trucked our segregated offal five miles to the recycling center. On return, driving along our frontage, I remarked that the canopy had achieved peak yellow/orange, fall colors in WI. More than the canopy the driveway was yellow as well, the 8% grade required 4X4 to complete the trip. Sunday a seasonal mission was in order before for the long winter. Doning appropriately insulated apparel, I strapped into my 1990 roadster's bucket seat, glowed the ignition and fired the 22:1 combustion chambers. Releasing brakes, I lofted accessories and idled down the driveway. Finding the appropriate course, operating temps were normal, I went to WFO and sent 77.5% of power to the ground. Schmidt flew; with ear plugs the mechanical din was tolerable. Swinging wildly left and right trees and rocks streamed past as I surged towards the precipice. Skilful handling yielded maximum results as a parade of utility vehicles roared past, the occupants rubber-necking and waving. "Drive on morons can't you see I am busy here"? 4X4, two gears, differential lock, individual brakes, hydrostatic rocker pedal, PTOs, FEL, 20hp and 15.5 lbft @ 2600 RPM is not trifling. Ultimately three hours passed, and 1.5 gallons #2 were consumed reducing 2021's deciduous brush into mulch. Despite a handful of potential calamities involving the roll bar or a tow hook, the task of clearing the west slope was accomplished, seven acres to go.
Basking in the glow of 60 Minutes on the LED screen, Aldi Merlot, and Nancy's spaghetti/meatballs made it all worthwhile.
jim

[GoDadGo]

The Wife and I shared a mission Saturday. Our three week consumption interval had encumbered us with a variety of packaging, and being environmentally conservative, we pick-up trucked our segregated offal five miles to the recycling center. On return, driving along our frontage, I remarked that the canopy had achieved peak yellow/orange, fall colors in WI. More than the canopy the driveway was yellow as well, the 8% grade required 4X4 to complete the trip. Sunday a seasonal mission was in order before for the long winter. Doning appropriately insulated apparel, I strapped into my 1990 roadster's bucket seat, glowed the ignition and fired the 22:1 combustion chambers. Releasing brakes, I lofted accessories and idled down the driveway. Finding the appropriate course, operating temps were normal, I went to WFO and sent 77.5% of power to the ground. Schmidt flew; with ear plugs the mechanical din was tolerable. Swinging wildly left and right trees and rocks streamed past as I surged towards the precipice. Skilful handling yielded maximum results as a parade of utility vehicles roared past, the occupants rubber-necking and waving. "Drive on morons can't you see I am busy here"? 4X4, two gears, differential lock, individual brakes, hydrostatic rocker pedal, PTOs, FEL, 20hp and 15.5 lbft @ 2600 RPM is not trifling. Ultimately three hours passed, and 1.5 gallons #2 were consumed reducing 2021's deciduous brush into mulch. Despite a handful of potential calamities involving the roll bar or a tow hook, the task of clearing the west slope was accomplished, seven acres to go.
Basking in the glow of 60 Minutes on the LED screen, Aldi Merlot, and Nancy's spaghetti/meatballs made it all worthwhile.
jim

A+++

Very Well Done Sir Jim, Very Well Done Indeed!

https://youtu.be/QeYxkULH-tQ

[J R Jones]

GDG Despite anything you may have heard to the contrary, I have never licked my tractor and my tongue is very well, thank you.
There was that unfortunate thermal incident deflecting a tree branch in the dark and assessing the EGT of an exhaust stack.
jim

[NiceGuyEddie]

155469


For the most part, everybody loves Cobras but I've personally noticed a recent surge in young people fancying my car.

Circa 2007 our old friend KOUROS was an animator, and he was working on a video game called "Midnight Club: Los Angeles" which came out in 2008. He wanted to put his own car in the video game but Sh_lby licensing would not allow it.

I'm not a video game expert, but I do know that eventually Shelby 427 Cobras starting popping up in video games later on. I personally believe this is one reason that more younger people are more interested in the car lately and/or actually know what it is.

I've played a few video games and often times cars get 1-5 ratings for say a total of 15 points.

2020 Mustang GT
Handling: 3
Acceleration: 3
Top Speed: 4
Safety: 5

1990 Lamborghini Countach
Handling: 4
Acceleration: 3
Top Speed: 5
Safety: 3

Cop Car
Handling: 3
Acceleration: 3
Top Speed: 4
Safety: 5

Then the Cobra would get:

427 Cobra
Handling: 5
Acceleration: 5
Top Speed: 4
Safety: 1

[GoDadGo]

This evening, we will have a prospective new Factory Five Guy and his son come by the house to check out Redbone.
They want to do a Father/Son 289-FIA project or possibly MK-4 build because they have been checking out Factory-5 for years.
If the weather will hold, I should be able to take them for short rides because we all know that these cars need to be experienced first hand.

[john42]

I was pleasantly surprised last week when I was picking up my son from High School. I was driving the Cobra and a kid walked up, said nice car, etc etc, then said, "I really want to build my own FF too!" He knew all about them! It was obvious he had been playing with assembling your own kit on the FF web site a lot! He was a senior, 17 years old. So probably a ways off from actually building one. I offered to help in anyway way I can. Was just very surprised to run into a 17 year old that was very versed in Factory Five.

[GoDadGo]

I just got back from taking our prospective Factory-5 family member for a ride and he was impressed with the Redbone Roadster.
This fellow I am sure has the skills to really do a great Roadster or FIA as was evident by his frame-off restored Jeep Wagoneer.
After checking out my car North Shore Tiger will likely order a 289 FIA in the spring so I can't wait to see his journey begin.

[North Shore Tiger]

Hey Steve, thanks for taking the time and letting me look at your build. The pictures of your car on this forum do not do it justice. The body and paint are flawless, panel gaps are perfect. I did not want Steve to pull the car out, but he insisted. The ride went as expected. plenty of power and handles like a cat on carpet. Then we pulled over and he threw me the keys and said have at it........................................... NOT!!!

[GoDadGo]

> Today Mrs. Go-Dad and I took Redbone out for a Gilligan's Island 3 hour tour and had a blast.
> Over the past 30 days, we've been driving the car on weekends and attended one Cars & Coffee event.
> The car is a dream to drive and acceleration, braking, and handling have been superb as one would expect.
> My only complaint is I have had some issues sloshing the coolant out of the overflow tank so I'll be searching for a tank upgrade.
> 0-60 times are in the 3.2-4.2 second range depending on if you can get the tires to stick with 1st and 2nd gears being very tough to control.
> I'm on Nitto 555 rears (285/40-17) so the hard compound, small contact patch which are turned via 3.73 gears makes trying to plant over 450 ft pounds of torque is problematic.

[GoDadGo]

1. Last week I took Redbone to Cars and Coffee and the car got baptized with more than a few of God's tears.
....The car was easy to handle in the rain; however, you had to be very careful especially when attempting to accelerate.

2. Today I was driving around and found that a C8 Corvette (This One Was White) is pretty darn fast.
....I was behind a fellow and when we crossed the train tracks on the way to my home he throttled down hard.
....That White Whale pulled away from me until I was finally able to Harpoon Moby by shifting into 3rd gear.
....Short shifting at 5,600 allowed the 555 Nitos to finally take a bite of the road so that I could pass.
....Stickier Tires Is What I Need Most Because The 555's Were Not Up To The Task!

3. After Moby Was Slain, I headed home to take Sir Nicolas (My Oldest Son-In-Law) for a ride.
....He said that riding in the Cobra is always like riding on a roller coaster but you never knew where it is going.

4. Once I brought Nic back to our house, Baby Go-Dad (Brenton) wanted to go for a ride so I threw him the keys.
....He invited me to ride shotgun and so we headed toward Lacombe near the area where we plan to build our new home.
....The last time he drove Redbone was when he was home from college for the 25th Anniversary Cruising The Coast event.
....Ironically getting in and out of the passenger side of the car is harder than hard if you seldom ride shotgun.
....Brenton said he was a little rusty, but had no issues from what I could tell handling the Little Red Roadster.

5. To say the least it was a great day.
....My biggest takeaway came from riding in the passenger seat.
....These cars are fast and what a smile they bring to your face when you drive or ride in them.

6. The car's specs are listed below in case anyone wants to know why it is so peppy:

..> 383 Small Block Dart 10-1 Somewhat Pump Gas Friendly Compression Ratio!
..> Eagle Internally Balanced Rotating Assembly With 6" H-Beam Rods With Floating Forged Flat Tops.
..> Dart Iron Eagle 215 CC Tall Port Heads with 2.05 Intake & 1.60 Exhaust Valves.
..> Harland Sharp Roller Rockers & Other Go Fast Goodies.
..> Comp Cam Extreme Energy 288 Hydraulic Roller Tappet Cam
..> Edelbrock AVS 800 Feeding A Weiand 7530 Team-G Single Plane Manifold.
..> Schoenfeld IMCA Modified Headers & They Really, Really Fit, But Stuff Had To Move A Bit!
..> New Old Stock Corvette ZF 6-Speed Transmission With Hydraulic Clutch. (.75 and .50 Overdrives)
..> Standard Front End Set Up With Mustang Brakes & Forte’s .75” Sway Bar.
..> Standard 3 Link Moser Dana 44 (TSD 500) Rear With 3.73 Gears & Explorer Brakes.
..> The wheelbase has been shortened by .875" to better center the rear wheels within the wheel arches and improve pinion angle adjustment.

[nucjd19]

Going to be a LOOOOOONNNNNGGGGG time before I let my daughters get into the pilot side of my rig. Sounds like a great day :)

[GoDadGo]

Going to be a LOOOOOONNNNNGGGGG time before I let my daughters get into the pilot side of my rig. Sounds like a great day :)

Our son Brenton is about to graduate college and he's 100% An American Motorhead who happens to be level-headed.
He learned on his Mom's IROC Camaro and honed his skills behind the wheel of my C4 Corvette.
Baby-B has been driving a stick since he was 15 years of age so he's good to go.

[NC Cobra]

Going to be a LOOOOOONNNNNGGGGG time before I let my daughters get into the pilot side of my rig. Sounds like a great day :)

Yup, it will be a while before my two chuckle heads take the wheel too. The boy (25) has been learning to drive a stick and I’m tempted to let him try; but then I remember teaching him to drive in my pickup and think better of it. Both enjoy the passenger seat however so that will have to do for now.

Great to hear Redfish is out there keeping the streets of NOLA safe from marauding whales. Keep up the good work Captain!
Cheers
Jeff

[GoDadGo]

Cruising With My Son & Pal Dave!

Yesterday was a huge event down here in the Dell, Slidell that is, because my son and I got to go cruising with my friend of 50 Plus years, David E.
Why was it a huge event, it is because Dave finally got his title and license plate for his Factory Five 33 Hot Rod.
We followed him in Redbone for about 10-15 miles, smiling all the way.
The 33 is powered by a 517 HP Blueprint 400 SBC.
We now have Six Factory-5's in our area.

Yes, It Is Fast!

[john42]

Cruising With My Son & Pal Dave!


We now have Six Factory-5's in our area.

Yes, It Is Fast!

Nice! We have 3 in my 1 stop light town. 2 are MK3s and 1 is a new MK4 that last I heard was finished and being painted.

[GoDadGo]

It's been a bit of a bummer because Redbone hasn't left the shop since December 30th.
The month of January was a bust, but we hope to do some cruising soon.
All I can say is I don't know how you folks up North do it.

[CFranks]

…All I can say is I don't know how you folks up North do it.

We fix all the sh*t we broke during the driving season.

[nucjd19]

Agree Steve. Really wanted to get out today but it did not get north of 40 degrees so. Worked on a few things. Really don't envy the folks up north.

[john42]

Desperate times, desperate measures:



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCHERfUyjag


This guy Cobras!

I just keep warming up my garage and working on things...

[RJD]

Is this what they call ... a snow drift? ;)



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCHERfUyjag

[alexmak]

Desperate times, desperate measures:



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCHERfUyjag


This guy Cobras!

I just keep warming up my garage and working on things...

Hey, what can I say, it was a lot of fun doing that!

[GoDadGo]

Best Cobra Driving Video Ever!

............Bar None!

[TBull]

That looks awesome. I don't know about driving in snow, but we haveca Polar Bear Dare for people that go out in the cold. We record date time and temp. Haven't seen anyone post in a while though.

[J R Jones]

Autocross becomes ice racing here in WI. Not many cones required, the snow banks and clean ice show the way. I have had a GT350 with four snow tires over 100MPH on an SCCA lake course.
jim

[Jeff Kleiner]

Well if we’re going to play in the snow


https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10109741930310498&id=13729818&_rdr

Jeff

[GoDadGo]

Today I took Redbone out for a little joy ride since the weather finally cleared.
The last time I was behind the wheel was 12/30/2021 and the car has been sitting ever since.
Of course, the car was fun and exhilarating to drive as it always is; however, my big take-away is the journey is worth taking.

You Folks Out There Who Are Still Building Your Dream Need To Stay Focused & Don't Let Obstacles Kill Your Dream!
...
.........................Good Luck, Happy Riveting, Wrenching & Painting!

NOTE:.. I'll be asking that this thread be closed since it was to give my impressions of what it is like to drive your dream, even if power is supplied from the Dark Side!

[David Hodgkins]

Closed by request of OP