Factory Five Update

For those of you that are unaware, Factory Five Racing started their numbering system with #1000 or so and they have now produced and delivered in excess of 3,100 cars! In fact, North Racecars has been involved in over 50 of those cars. We went through the files and were amazed that the number was that high! Thanks to all of you that went through us to make your dream come true. Although we are certainly biased, the FFR design is obviously working for more than just a couple of ‘car nuts’ here in Kansas City. As a result, the growing business at FFR has drawn much attention from the kit car industry and large media coverage such as Car and Driver Magazine.

Mark II upgrades now standard with FFR 427 Roadster

With the success of the Spec Racer, FFR found out how truly good the reinforced frame is for racecars and could also be adapted for the standard 427 Roadster. The newer frames are much stronger by using a backbone-style frame in the tunnel and the body panels are even better. The new doors, deck lid and hood are now shaped better and are enough larger than their respective openings to allow trimming for perfect fit. In short, those who were not impressed enough with the fit and finish of the older FFR cars will be blown away with these new panels. In the last 2000 cars there have been almost 500 improvements in the FFR designs and options. Talk about progress, this is what it is all about. If the modern carmaker did not make these same advances, we would all still be driving Model T’s!

For those of you that aren’t ready to bite off the cost of IRS, FFR has a new three-link rear suspension [borrowed from the FFR Spec. Racer] for your live-axle Roadster. This is offered as a single item at $600 and in a ‘bundle’ with coil-over shocks and lower rear control arms for $1000. Let us know if you are ready to add this performance enhancing option to your ride-we think that this option is well worth the money.

Next on the list at FFR

Still on the drawing board (computer screen) at Factory Five is the GTM (Grand Touring Mulsanne-after the straightaway at LeMans). The car is part Saleen S7, part McLaren, part Ford GT and in the spirit of any of a number of world class super cars. The basis is still a mid-engine small block Ford with a yet-to-be-determined transaxle. Factory Five now also offers a Roadster version of the Type 65 Coupe, Mark Smith’s dream car which will be known as the Spyder GT after a lengthy debate. This car is basically the Type 65 Coupe without a top and a beautifully redesigned rear body. In addition, both models are now available in either fully optioned kit form [includes IRS, rack, control arms, fuel cell, etc.] or as a donor-based package just like the FFR Roadster.

Build updates from North Racecars

Turnkey cars completed at North Racecars now include these FFR options: standard live-axle Roadster, IRS Roadster, Big Block, Spec. Racer Series, the new Mark II chassis and soon to be completed Type 65 Coupe. We can help you with as little or as much of your build as you need. From time to time we update the website to reflect new pictures of snakes from our stable, check it out!

The Rocket Lives On! FFR Type 65 Coupe Update from Richard

Much has happened over the winter of 2002 here at North Racecars, mainly a name change (after several lengthy debates) from North Cobras, Inc. to North Racecars. Some might wonder why we use North when we are actually in the Midwest (Kansas City) truth is it probably has more to do with a sail maker (North Sails) for another hobby of sail boat racing than anything else! If it is made of fiberglass and goes fast, then it’s right up my alley! Our website is now available, with a lot of tweaking coming in the near future, at both www.NorthCobras.com and www.NorthRacecars.com.

We knew that the day would come and it was a sad day to be sure. When I built the Red Rocket FFR #1859 I made it “MY” car, and in doing so also put a lot of heart and soul into the project. We used it as a test mule for a lot of the options we feel are good for the cars and recommend them to customers. Well, the Rocket ‘used to be snot green motor’ stayed here at the shop and is going into the Coupe. The combination of Holley Systemax power, sway bars, Independent Rear Suspension (IRS) and FFR technology traveled the quarter-mile in 12.56 seconds at 108 mph on street tires at Run & Gun 2001.

In our shop now and nearing completion soon, FFR # 3617CP [Nickname Pending] will take the Rocket’s place. The car comes standard with Independent Rear Suspension (IRS) and we will run a 5-speed transmission for highway driving, so of course we plan on heat and air conditioning! It is amazing how stable these cars are at speed--high speed that is if my test-drive of Gary Cheney’s Coupe last summer is any indication. Anyway, we will continue to offer and build Roadsters, but will now be able to offer the Coupe for 3½ season driving pleasure! More updates will follow as construction proceeds.

New FFR Owners!

Just a little further down the road we will add some more of you, I am sure. There are in fact, several people busy finding and tearing down Mustang donors as you read this newsletter. In the event there is any aspect of assembling an FFR Roadster that seems beyond you, let us know and we can take care of your headaches and worries. Just give us a call when you are ready to order and we can help you with trim packages, options and accessories as well as high-quality local customer support!

Recent deliveries include:

Just delivered this February!

Current Parts Inventory-Updated February, 2003

We stock or have available all kinds of accessories for your original or replica Roadster, or even your Mustang. Here is a partial list that we can install and/or advise you on:

• Blowers from Kenne Bell
• Body Preparation Video for FFR-Cystic Fibrosis Benefit
• Custom Air Conditioning with Heater Unit-NEW
• Disc Brake Conversion Brackets-4 lug and 5 lug and now IRS!
• Gauges from Classic Instruments
• Hardtops-APE Fiberglass for the FFR Roadster
• Oil Pans and accessories from Canton
• Powdercoating from small parts to full frame
• Rock guards/spats-Clear vinyl for all replicas
• Rotors-Cad-plated cross-drilled
• Seats-High-back buckets in a variety of colors and sizes
• Three-link rear suspension for the FFR live-axle
• Trim and accessories-emblems, side badges and other assorted
• Turnsignal-Column-Mounted, Self Canceling -FFR only
• Wheels- Halibrand-style from PS Engineering or Team III
• Wheels-Cobra R-style

Mid-America Cobra Club Continues to Grow!

Jerry Adams with his Cobra passion and a lot of extra time has pulled local KC area Cobra owners together to form the Mid-America Cobra Club! We have a real variety of Cobra and Replica makes including Arntz, B&B, ERA, Everett Morrison, Excalibur, Factory Five Racing, Fiberfab, Midstates, Premier, Shell Valley, Shelby continuation and Superformance. There is now a club website at: www.midamericacobra.org.

There are meetings, usually held the second Saturday of the month, and a ‘support group’ for your kit car addiction. All types of owners are welcome, whether you have a street car that you thrash on a regular basis or a ‘never-left-the-showroom-floor’ prized possession. Events include scheduled local shows, performance-driving clinics and leisurely pleasure drives through the Metro area. If you are not on the list for the MACC, let Jerry know or just keep checking the Website or the KC Star newspaper Fun on Wheels section.

Double Venom Spring Fling-Episode III to be held June 21-23, 2003

What can we say about this event, except WOW!!! What started out as a discussion of the finer points of whose wife makes better chocolate chip cookies ended in what is now an ongoing tradition. The 2002 Spring Fling included a benefit auction and raffle complete with t-shirts, a car show, drag race and drive through Columbus, Ohio with 225 cars attending. For those of you who haven’t seen the fundraising efforts that Factory Five Racing has done in behalf of Jenny Smith (a.k.a. Team Jenny) for Cystic Fibrosis, read on.

This simple contest of who made the best cookies raised over $30,000 in 2001 and in excess of $40,000 this year to aid the fight against CF and brought together Roadster owners from over 40 states! The big-ticket item of the weekend was the raffle of a Factory Five Racing Type 65 Coupe Kit graciously donated to this cause. The drawing was held on Sunday with over 400 tickets sold at $50 each and shipped out to the winner in California by donation from Stewart Transport. It was really great to see so many people we have gotten to know through owning an FFR vehicle there and put faces with the names that were already familiar. [Lee Tilton, please remind me next year that I owe you a beer, that Blackened Voodoo microbrew is just the ticket!]

Nearly all of the vendors were represented including Superformance, Classic Roadsters, Midstates, ERA, Shell Valley and even Shelby American with a Shelby Series One. FYI-Double Venom is Ed Combs’ Classic Roadster Cobra (Ed is a Classic Dealer) with a Viper engine-cool! Ed has put a great deal of heartfelt work and emotion into this event—there really wasn’t a dry eye in the crowd this year as Jenny Smith brought him a hand-written thank-you note! The Double Venom Spring Fling is for a very good cause and absolutely worth the trip just to see so many Roadsters in one place-there are already people registered for this next year! In addition, this year the raffle is for a Kirkham Motorsports roadster worth at least $60K-how lucky do you feel?

Run N Gun 2002 Report

The North Racecars team had a great experience at Run N’ Gun 2002. This is an event sponsored by Kit Car Magazine every year and includes autocross, road course and drag racing. Over these past years, we have made several good friends and found Run N’ Gun to be absolutely one of the best nationals-type events that we attend. There is usually representation from just about every replica manufacturer there, so it’s a great way to look over the wide variety of kits, manufacturers and products available. [Also a great way to pick your paint color if you are still undecided]. The other thing that seems to happen is the sharing of what most car guys call “really cool stuff” that they have personally developed and tweaked on their cars. Most of the time, you can’t pry these guys away from their cars to go to the hotel at night.

This year Richard went as crew for local Kansas City go-fast guy Gary McDaniel. After taking delivery in September 2000, Gary completed his FFR Roadster #2285 and has now retrofitted the new FFR three link rear suspension in the Spring, 2002. Gary competed in the small block street class and placed in all three events and ended up 3 overall in the street class. Now even Gary did not realize how good that was until you figure that all the cars (regardless of horsepower) on street tires are lumped together in the final results. For a while no one realized that third place was not third in the small block class of 8 cars, but in the entire street class of over 20 cars!

Also in attendance was Jim Schenck from FFR. Jim brought his personal FFR Roadster #1199-not a factory sponsored car. Man is this car light-try a stripped-down 1095 pounds with a very fast 331 inch (bored and stroked 302) small block Ford! Running in the prepared class, Jim walked (drove) away with a ton of hardware/trophies. At the week-end, he came in second overall against some very fast cars and accomplished drivers.

Get geared up for this next year, tentative dates for 2003 are October 16-19 at Gateway in St. Louis, Missouri. Some major tuning usually takes place at this event and the chassis dyno is typically available for those of you that want to check your testosterone levels! North Racecars is reserving garage space and will plan to be there with the completed FFR Type 65 Coupe to run with the pack. Let Richard know if you have questions about participating or attending as a spectator at 816-436-1610.

Upcoming Schedule for 2003

KC Star lists local cruises and club events on Wednesday and Saturday in the Fun On Wheels section. Most of these start in the late afternoon and are a really great time-find them and GO!