Picked up my Kit Today! #234 818S

[JAubin]

Can't wait to get building, Had a smooth pickup, Thanks to everyone at FFR!

Also I believe I got what will be one of the last white 818s, sounds like they're going to move to red (like the recent 30 day 818R) as it'll make manufacturing way easier.
There were a few more White kits that were going out, but the guy loading up ahead of me had one of the first red bodies.

I'll get a build thread w/ some photos going soon.

[Mechie3]

Why is red easier? Now the fun begins!

[07FIREBLADE]

Maybe molds have been improved greatly or they have finally started to take more care with the bodies as they pull them from the molds.

[JAubin]

I think it was based on red being easier to QC and that since most people aren't going to be keeping it white, red (as the other fiberglass they do) makes more sense. That was the impression I got anyway.

[Samiam1017]

I was the guy that got the red one. Was told easier to see voids with the red over white gellcoat

[TahoeTim]

really? red?

[R.Spec]

Please god let it not be red!

[TahoeTim]

exactly, blue or black please

[Joseph]

I was going to paint it guards red anyway so red is alright by me.

[Mitch Wright]

Congratulations, my kit is scheduled to be ready on 8/2. I wouldn't mind red.

[sittinSideways]

I was gonna paint mine red anyway, thanks FFR! And congrats OP on the kit. What year and model donor are you using?

[Jaime]

This was the delivery row in early May. One of the 818's down at the bottom is mine. Red gelcoat seems to be the Factory Five way of doing things. I think white was only used so that customers could run them without painting them.

[Mechie3]

"Only" so it could be done without painting...except the entire concept of the $15k car hinges on no paint.

Whatever color it is people will not like it. Some people couldnt stand the white. Lol

[Jaime]

I get what you are saying. It looks like it was a gamble - to use a more desirable color gelcoat to make the no-paint concept work. The gamble was that they don't usually use white gelcoat and it turned out to be bad for panel quality. It looks like they are now trying a "plan B", a no-paint red car.

[JAubin]

It wasn't clear if the red was intended to be used as a "no-paint" car, or if it was just a change to improve their process. Either way I'd say "to each their own"

I'm using a 2002 donor, it had 79k on it, but the motor was toast so that's already gone. I'll eventually be putting in a V7 EJ207.

[svanlare]

Congrats on the pickup and welcome to the fun.

[Jaime]

It wasn't clear if the red was intended to be used as a "no-paint" car, or if it was just a change to improve their process.

As Mechie3 said, if they don't sell a no-paint capable car, then they have a lot of marketing to re-do. So, they don't have to explicitly say that the red is no-paint, there is no way the car meet it's goal of being completed for $15K if you have to budget over a thousand dollars for paint and prep.

[jaw777]

My kit is due to be completed this week 7/26. I am so excited that I don't care what color it is. I was probably going to paint it regardless so it doesn't matter. If I like the red or white I will keep it. Just want to get started.

[Jaime]

That's understandable, I was in your shoes two months ago. Many buyers are going to paint, I know I am, but it is important to acknowledge that this is designed to be a $15k and up kit. Just because we're building the $22k version of it, doesn't let FF off the hook for delivering.

I'm glad they went with the red gelcoat that's been working for them for a long time and I think it's going to be a better quality product for most of us. But, I've seen the color in person and there's no way I'd drive that without painting it.