Making a 818SR from an 818S with an 818R Koni Suspension set at 4" - Questions

Are the Koni dampers and coil over springs which will ship with the 818S different from those for the 818R? If so will we be able order (with price difference) the 818R suspension to create a 818SR? I wish to capture as much of the 818R track performance while maintaining functioning doors.

Are there side crash bars / steel frames inside the composite 818S door? The 818R gives greater side impact protection, but unless a Gull Wing or Targa removable hardtop is offered, it would be difficult for many and impossible for some to crawl through the window of an 818R with a hardtop, so starting with an 818S makes more sense for me given my long range goals.

Will a staged delivery with full payment up front be available to earlier 818S builders to await shipment on 818R upgrade parts until they are available? This would allow the builders to make progress on the rest of the car while waiting for those parts.

Request from Factory Five:

I personally would prefer to even wait on picking up the finished body panels until they are ready to go on the car (since I am somewhat local to Factory Five). This would help avoid the Murphy's Law effect of a dropped wrench shooting 20 feet sideways across the garage and into the beautiful gel coated panels. Of course proper notice will need to be communicated to Factory Five for delayed panel pick-up. Of course I will gladly pay in full at time of initial pick-up. While this will not work for all customers it could help many within whatever they consider to be reasonable driving range.

Thank you so much Dave and all of the Factory Five 818 team. I am excited to start my 818SR build!

Some time ago, I think it was Dave, (not sure ) he said a one way adjustable coil over will be standard on the S, with an option for a two way adjustable. Not sure what will be standard with the R.

From what I recall, the suspension upgrade option on the "S" is the standard suspension on the "R".

I'm with you... My order is below:

05 WRX donor, Powder coated frame, CB splitter, CB rocker panels, CB diffuser, 818R double adj shocks... Springs? I need to look at the rate differences, the R springs may be too stiff for street use

where was a "suspension upgrade" listed?

I'm not sure you would want the R suspension on a street car. From the road & track article:

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The phrase "ride quality" doesn't apply here any more than it does in a go-kart. Nor is there a lot of rubber between the wheels and your hands. If you really want to drive this to and from the track, pick a route without potholes, lest you arrive without your kidneys.

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I think Dave mentioned somewhere that they have a much softer (and higher riding) setup for the street shocks. I'll try to find it.

I don't think there are any bars in the doors. Here you can see the bar from the frame visible inside of the door skin.

http://www.roadandtrack.com/cm/roada...H4A2809-sm.JPG

Somone said previously that there were door frames on all of the FFR cars to date and there's no reason to think the 818S would be any different. They posted pictures showing the roadster door frame being quite beefy.

If I know FactoryFive, there will be bars in the doors. I would be very surprised if there wasn't. That was something they did with the roadster with IIRC the Mark III.

Steve

the door is attached to a triangular steel assy... the shortest side is where you bolt the two hinges, it will go straight across the top to the latch on the far end and have a segment from the latch end to the bottom hinge area

how else would you mount a door? this is how it is done on their other models... you can't mount the door hinge to the fiberglass door skin!

There is some frame (lower) on the S. If you want full protection, you must go with the R.
My Roadster is a street version and there in no DOOR protection, if there was, it would be "swinging" bars and I don't think that would offer much protection.
As far as getting in&out of an R version with a roof, you would have to be "Mini-Me" or devise your own system.
This car is so low, I doubt you would have much protection if you were to tangle with a Big-Rig, but few cars would.
High Performance has it's price and luxury is not included.

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Originally Posted by spaceywilly

I'm not sure you would want the R suspension on a street car. From the road & track article:

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It's important to remember that was BEFORE Wayne and Co. tuned/adjusted the shocks. I'm not saying that even after tuning they would be suitable for the street, just that if making a comparison it's important to understand the state of the suspension at the of review.

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Originally Posted by longislandwrx

where was a "suspension upgrade" listed?

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It wasn't on the order page last I checked. The information I provided is a conglomeration of things I recall hearing from FFR.