Factory Five August 818 Update

[Dave Smith]

The Factory Five 818 development plan is coming along nicely, and I'm super excited to let you guys know that in addition to the new coupe, we are working on several drivetrain options, namely the 200 hp Subaru BRZ normally aspirated boxer motor and Ford's 2.3L 310 hp EcoBoost 4 from the 2015 Mustang. So the original concept of the 818 as a multi-purpose platform is almost complete with three distinct models: the 818S street car, the 818R race car, and the 818C coupe. Now with engine choices, it will be even more flexible.

The last 818 update that I sent out was in April just prior to our debut of the newest 818 Coupe at Open House in June (click here to read that update). At our summer Open House event, we were able to show off the coupe, and promised production would begin shortly thereafter.

We have taken deposits (pre-orders) in chronological order for both the 818 Coupe and the optional removable hard top. We have logged about 50 orders for the car, and also another 60 orders for the hard top option for existing 818S models. Perhaps the biggest news is that I made the difficult decision to update ALL 818 models with the newly revised nose. The original 818S nose will still be available, but the new design from the coupe will be standard on all three models.

We will have all three models on display at SEMA (with updated front ends and engine choices) and production is scheduled to begin in a few weeks (September 2015).



Dave Smith
President

2015 Coupe and Production Hard Top Scheduling Update


The revised 818C hard top with liner has been fit and released to production. Side glass windows have been released.

818 Coupe orders have been taken in chronological order, and it looks like we will begin production just after Labor Day. Hard top orders will follow soon afterwards, but all shipments are going to be determined by receipt of parts from outside vendors. The tech team here at Factory Five will be sending out production dates to everyone who has placed a deposit. Our production plan is to manufacture 818 Coupes at a rate of three per week.


Left: Underside of hard top shows ducted roof scoop. Right: Air duct to intercooler line with template for bulkhead glass.

Hard Top Changes: Following the Open House debut, we’ve made some changes to the hard top. We simply wanted a tighter fit, and the gap at the trailing edge of the window was too large. We needed to finish the design of the inner liner, bulkhead, and ducting. The new mold is complete, released, and in production. The new liner is AWESOME, and the two fresh air ducts channel air to the engine bay just past the bulkhead.

Glass: We have test fit and released the new glass side windows and are waiting on the first articles of the rear hatch glass, inner bulkhead glass, and side quarter window glass. The samples are due in this week, and the final parts are the longest lead time item in the coupe project.



818 Coupe Heads to the Wind Tunnel



The production 818C is headed to the wind tunnel for two days of testing just after Labor Day. The car will get downforce optimization of the rear diffuser and front splitter as well as testing of new canards, and final drag numbers using production nose, grille, and roof with functional vents.

PowerNation's "Engine Power" Show to Build an EcoBoost 818!



In addition to providing design options for the 818, we’ve been looking at continuing to offer powertrain options. A lot of people have been asking for American engines to be used in the 818. We’ve worked with the guys from Ford, and will be filming a show with PowerNation’s “Engine Power” in October to install the new 2.3L EcoBoost 4 from the 2015 Mustang. We are also adding the Subaru BRZ engine which is a 200 hp normally aspirated boxer engine. Both of these new powerplants promise big fun and will debut at SEMA 2015.

[Dave Smith]

Watch ElectricFederal's Factory Five Tour and 818 Driving Video!



A few months, the guys from ElectricFederal spent a few days at Factory Five with the 818. ElectricFederal is an internet-based video production company focusing on all things automotive. The guys did a nice job on a plant tour and 818 video which is posted on YouTube. Watch the video above.

Providence Journal Profiles Customer Chris M.'s 818 Build



Congratulations to Factory Five customer Chris M. and his 818S build for being featured in a Providence Journal Automotive Section article. Chris is one of many 818 customers who are finishing their cars and putting up impressive numbers. Read the full story here.

818C Featured in Kit Car UK Magazine!



Thanks to the crew at Kit Car Magazine in the UK for a fun write-up on the new 818C! We originally forecasted that production would begin in August, and due to some production delays, we are updating the initial 818C shipments will begin in September.

[Frank818]

Awesome!!!

Can't wait to place my order on the nose upgrade (for old S models)!

Awesome Coupe as well!! Keep up the work!

[STiPWRD]

Awesome!!!

Can't wait to place my order on the nose upgrade (for old S models)!

Awesome Coupe as well!! Keep up the work!

^^ My thoughts exactly! I'm glad the nose upgrade ended up being reasonably priced because it just transforms the whole look of the car for the better.

[68GT500MAN]

I can't wait to see the cars at SEMA. Way to go FFR!
Doug

[Quiny]

Will just the new nose be available for purchase by the current 818S/R builders?

[jceckard]

Nice video. I have one question. When it's time to resurface the parking lot, does Dave just go out there and do some donuts? Awesome.

[NFG Reiss]

I don't know how affordable a donor BRZ would be, but you never know.

[Oppenheimer]

So there are 2 air intakes from the roof scoop, one for intercooler, the other presumably for engine intake? Wondering what that sounds like at redline, intake right above your head?

Some newer cars have piped some intake sound into the cabin, for a more visceral, sporty effect. Guess the 818C won't need to pretend...

[flynntuna]

Hopefully F5 will bring the SEMA cars to Huntington Beach next year.

[Dave Smith]

A few questions have been forwarded. I spoke to Nate, and the molding department can definitely make the new fenders in white. The cost of just the fenders should be finalized in the next week or so as the boys lay up panels all week to benchmark costs. If we make white panels by special request, we will include the white gel coat repair because these fenders and the new hard top both have seams which require light bodywork.

The price on the hard top was just an upgrade price as the options price will be $3,499 on new car orders. Here is my logic - $2,499 was for pre-orders and to help pay off tooling. $2,999 is for existing customers who want to upgrade their 818S. New orders will be $3,499 as an 818S option.

The race development has been something that I haven't mentioned. The boys ran at New Hampshire International Speedway and the car was super reliable and super fast. Set-up details and configuration information to come shortly. We decided to continue focusing race development efforts on the 818R rather than start on the 818C, however, we are going to (as I mentioned) wind tunnel test the 818C and optimize wing, splitter, and diffuser angles.

[Mechie3]

I just not realized there is no front bumper per se, just the fenders and mesh. I'm interested to see the pricing for just the nose setup. Not sure what I want long term (I like the 818C lights/fenders, but like the center of the 818S better) but it would be nice to have for development purposes (hood hinges, etc).

[Frank818]

I wonder if FFR can take back and credit the old fenders+bumper when UNTOUCHED and still in their bubble wrap... I'll ask.

Craig, the pricing is 799.

[AZPete]

I've been away and mostly off the grid for the last 2 weeks. Any updates on the Coupe top or the new front end? I placed a pre-order for the coupe top.

[07FIREBLADE]

No update that I know of. I was hoping for an update after they got back from wind tunnel testing. Hopefully it will be released prior to SEMA

[redfogo]

I was hoping to get a wind tunnel update as well or an update saying today we started production. They said they would start thing "just after labor day" not sure if we are at that day yet or not.

[07FIREBLADE]

4-6 weeks for the new nose according to a different thread.

[cChrisM]

When will posters of the coupe be available? Once the roadster is done, would love to have a father son build of the 818. Need a new poster for his room.

[Frank818]

No one got an email or some kind of info regarding placing orders on nose upgrade for the existing S?
I just don't want to miss the special introductory price for existing S builders.

[Mechie3]

I was emailing Courtnie. Cost was $799, headlights are back ordered till the end of December. My final email was asking how to place the order and, since she said I'd have to contact Stewart for shipping, asked if the headlights would ship Fedex/UPS if they were backordered. That was 8 days ago. No response.

I had an engine cover, 2 fenders, and a trunk shipped via Fedex once, so not sure why this setup (2 fenders, grill, lights, bracket) would need to go via stewart.

[Frank818]

Oh no, not Stewart. Not to Canada plz, that means getting the parts imported by someone else, which means more fees.

[Mechie3]

I can't imagine Stewart is cheaper than FedEx either.

[Hobojoe00]

Do we have a location for all the tv appearances of factory five ? Ive been looking everywhere to find the powernation 818 coupe build "after 3 hours i figured out its not out yet" but in those 3 hours i found almost everything , but it wasn't here. I think we should have a sticky at the start that has all of the professionally shot videos from tv networks first as a sticky and then videos below from members. they will have to be reviewed to make sure all their info is correct. What do you guys think ?

[Flamshackle]

Do we have a location for all the tv appearances of factory five ? Ive been looking everywhere to find the powernation 818 coupe build "after 3 hours i figured out its not out yet" but in those 3 hours i found almost everything , but it wasn't here. I think we should have a sticky at the start that has all of the professionally shot videos from tv networks first as a sticky and then videos below from members. they will have to be reviewed to make sure all their info is correct. What do you guys think ?

This^ Great idea...

[AZPete]

Re TV shows, on the new DVD from Factory Five are 5 shows featuring all 5 FFR models: Two Guys Garage, Muscle Car, Car Warriers, Speedmakers and Horsepower TV.
WARNING: watching this DVD got me so hyped up that I tried to pick up the phone and order 4 new kits (I have an 818 now), but my wife stopped me. It took me nearly an hour to calm down and slump back to the garage to my 818. If you think you can handle it, call FFR to request the new DVD.

[TrickyPete]

Re TV shows, on the new DVD from Factory Five are 5 shows featuring all 5 FFR models: Two Guys Garage, Muscle Car, Car Warriers, Speedmakers and Horsepower TV.
WARNING: watching this DVD got me so hyped up that I tried to pick up the phone and order 4 new kits (I have an 818 now), but my wife stopped me. It took me nearly an hour to calm down and slump back to the garage to my 818. If you think you can handle it, call FFR to request the new DVD.

Is unsure if this is at least half true? Or if its satire... LOL

[Hobojoe00]

Do you have a link to the dvd? lol i agree with the warning.