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Author
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Topic: Factory Five
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Fastymz
Moderator Posts: 20638
From: Reno Nv USA M&M#1240
Registered: Apr 2001
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posted 12-30-2001 08:15 PM
   
What do you guys think of the Factory Five cars.It seems like the best way to get an AC cobra like car.SCOOP ------------------
65 coupe,351w,RPM intake,Carter625,shorty headers,2.5 exhaust, Flowmasters,C4,open 8" 2:80,Big Boss 429 hood scoop,Crager SS,Black Suede.
MEM#1240 https://mustangsandmore.com/ubb/Fastymz.html
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Daniel Jones
Gearhead Posts: 872
From: St. Louis, MO
Registered: Aug 99
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posted 12-30-2001 10:23 PM
The Factory Five is one of the cheapest ways to do a Cobra kit but there are a lot of kits out there, all with their strong and weak points. I've seen a couple of Factory Five's. One made maximum use of 5.0L donor components, including wheels and looked fairly tacky. The other was very nice but the options drove up the price quite a lot. The best advice is to survey the various kits and price everything out, including the options and extras you'll need to completely finish the vehicle. Not all kits are created equal. Some have better frames and suspensions, others better fiberglass or aluminum. Some attempt to faithfully re-create the lines while others do not. A good place to start is www.clubcobra.com. A friend recently got a Superformance Cobra as a surprise birthday present from his wife (it was totally unexpected). It's very nicely finished and seems to ride and handle well but it's a high end Cobra. They are built in South Africa and come completely assembled except for drivetrain. Another friend has a Cobra kit that uses C4 Vette suspension and brakes. It's not nearly as composed at speed, probably because of the use of Heim joints instead of bushings and ball joints. I'm saving my pennies for a Cobra kit one of these days but it'll be years before I have to decide. Dan Jones
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Bluegras
Journeyman Posts: 64
From: Easton,Pa.
Registered: Nov 2001
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posted 12-31-2001 12:48 AM
We just finished a Factory Five here. With the cold weather, haven't had it out any length of time to access the handling.
The frame I feel is one of the best if there is any thought of racing. The main section is 4" round and is very stiff. Yes the mustang suspension is an easy way to go. It depends on what your idea and level acceptance is for a car that represents the AC Cobra. As for tackyness, I suppose its an indivdual and collective accesment of the cars that matches taste and stature. Most of the time the final investment will be near a min. of $20,000 depending on what motor is used. 427 side oilers are not cheap.
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Daniel Jones
Gearhead Posts: 872
From: St. Louis, MO
Registered: Aug 99
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posted 01-01-2002 09:22 PM
>As for tackyness, I suppose its an indivdual and collective accesment
>of the cars that matches taste and stature. The phone dial wheels really looked bad on that particular Factory Five.
The other had bolt-on copies of the knock-offs and looked much better.
Some of the replicas use offsets that take all the dish out of the wheel
(like many front wheel drive wheels) and they don't look right to my eye.
One problem with the replicas is getting good rubber for a 15" wheel in
a decent width. I haven't had a chance to see any of the 16" or 17"
Cobra wheels yet. You need some sidewall to look right on a Cobra.
335/35/17's on the back with a 16" wheel up front might work and give
a good selection of performance tires. There are a couple of Cobra replicas that use space frames or monocoques
that would offer potentially more rigidity than a ladder frame. You're right that 427 side oilers are expensive. I got lucky and had a
guy d*mn near give me two side oiler strokers, so I've got the engine
part covered. If you want the look of an FE, a stroked 391FT truck block
can be a budget way to make good power. Dave Williams built a 443FE
that way for a friend. You can't tell it from a 428 (or a 427 if you
cross bolted it) but it cost a lot less. Dan Jones
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