FormaCars Custom Roadster Interiors

[Doug @ Forma]

If you’ve followed our Mark IV build thread, you know we’ve been developing a custom Mark IV interior package with modern aesthetics. We’ve developed this to the point that we have approximate costs & feature sets for and want to gauge interest in the package before putting more into it. Here's an image of our prototype (including some optional features), more linked at the bottom:

The package would include the following:

All new two level vinyl covered dash with raised central gauge cluster mounted in a gloss, piano black panel and accented with lower trim stripe that flows into the doors and console. Dash features:

• New aluminum dash panel
• Recessed black padded vinyl sides, already wrapped.
• Raised gloss “piano black” center, finished and ready to install
• Cutouts for FFR indicators, key switch, and toggle switches
• Center pre-cut for either FFR gauge package or the gauge set used in our car
• Primed, ready-for-paint accent stripe which wraps from the doors, across the dash and around the console (see the neon yellow in our interior)

Full center and rear console integrated into the dash with picano black face and accent trim stripe. Console includes:

• Gloss “piano black” center
• Black vinyl sides
• Black vinyl shifter boot
• Primed, ready-for-paint accent stripe which wraps from the doors, across the dash and around the console (see the neon yellow in our interior)

Full, sculpted door panels that flow into the dash, continuing the accent stripe across the door. Integral door pull & door poppers mean no more reaching over your shoulder. Doors include:

• Black vinyl panels
• Billet aluminum door pulls
• Padded black fabric insert with accent stitching
• Electric push button door poppers
• Primed, ready-for-paint accent stripe which wraps from the doors, across the dash and around the console (see the neon yellow in our interior)

Options include:

• Lockable glove box
• Billet shifter surround with push button controls (similar to our car)
• Billet driver center cluster which houses turn signal & high beam indicators and a standard 52mm gauge (we chose to use a digital speedometer)
• Custom upholstery, from a range of different fabric, stitching, and vinyl. Upgradeable to leather.
• Custom center section for the gauges and switches of your choice, finished in a custom color or pattern.

Target pricing on the base full interior package would be $3,750

Dash and full console alone would be $2,250

Doors alone (compatible with the FFR dash) would be $1,600

Console alone (with different front design to extend under your FFR dash) would be $1,250

At these prices, is this something that many folks would be interested in?

Depending on interest, we’ll likely initiate a group buy including a 10% discount for the first 10 buyers to help get this off the ground.

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[wareaglescott]

The interior looks amazing!
For the full interior since the gauges are an option and the parts that come primed but not painted I am assuming that would put the price over 5k total by the time you got the gauges and had the trim painted. Ive got a lot in my build and pretty much had a spare no expense attitude as I was going through it. Personally if this option had been available to me it would have been more than I was willing to spend on the interior.
As a tall guy that is a tight squeeze into the car I am curious how those enhancements would make the overall interior space feel.
I think this is something that would be much more appealing to me if I had the opportunity to see it in person which is hard to do. I think actually sitting in the interior, getting a feel for the finishes and the space requirements would be a huge plus for customers.
I do love the look of your finished product though. Best of luck with the sales.

[Doug @ Forma]

You're right, it's not practical to have folks "try before they buy" because of the distances involved. However, everything we sell comes with an unconditional money back guarantee. If it doesn't meet your expectations for any reason, as long as you haven't modified it, send it back for a full refund. So you could order the kit, place it in the car and get a feel for what it does to the space. If you're not comfortable, send it back.

As far as how it differs dimensionally, the center console is raised above the chassis tubing about 1 1/2" and is wider than the chassis tubing by about 7/8" (7/16" per side). The door panel is about 2" thick at the top and 3" thick at the bottom, but the area around the door pull is recessed to about 1/2" thick. The vinyl part of the dash is actually 3/4" farther away since it mounts to the back side of the dash hoop instead of the front. The center area and the lower edge of the dash is in about the same place as the FFR dash.

On the costs, technically you're right, once you add gauges and paint you might be close to $5K, depending on what gauges you choose and what your painter charges. But keep in mind that you're buying gauges anyway, so that cost is really the same with or without our interior. Another option we've considering offering is finish painting the trim to your spec. We're thinking that'll be about $250 plus the cost of paint for the full interior.

So, setting aside the cost of the gauges, the cost of a painted, ready to install, full interior is really as low as $4K. Does that change things for you? Just think of that awesome orange color circling your interior ...

[wareaglescott]

I think my car would look good with this interior for sure. I think guys that are more minded towards the resto mod scene like I am will have a much larger appeal to this interior than guys that want the old school cobra theme. At this point I wouldn't be interested in a retro fit because I am happy with my finished product and I am trying to stop spending money on this car and think ahead to the budget for a Gen 3 coupe in the future. I mainly just wanted to reply to give you some constructive feedback on what my thinking would have been at the time I was building the car. The width of the door panel up near the door hinge concerns me. At 6'3" with long legs my left knee/upper leg rests right up against the hinge at times. Any added thickness there would decrease my comfort in the car.
I think the idea of offering the pieces painted to match is a great one. I would certainly pay more not to have to worry about getting them painted locally.
Also good point on the gauges. That is pretty much a fixed cost regardless of this interior.

I hope you get a good response on these. I would love to see them in some other cars.

[Doug @ Forma]

I definitely appreciate the feedback, that's what we're after. Like you said, this interior is of little value to the folks who are after a traditional Cobra look. We know that there are folks like yourself and us who value the idea of taking the interior to another level, but what we don't know is are there enough out there to make building these worthwhile. That is we're trying to understand, is this valuable to enough people and is the price right.

I get that your car is done, but I am curious if you were in the planning stage of your interior if thinking of it at $4K rather than $5K makes it something you'd consider, assuming the space concerns were resolved?

Oh, and if this works out, an interior package for the Coupe is likely.

[Presto51]

Guys did you leave out the cup holders??

Other than that small oversight, it looks like a good option package.

Ron

[cfriedman67]

I'am currently building a roadster and I am not adverse to a different looking interior. I really like what you have done and I remember saying to myself I would really like to do something different with the doors when I saw what you did. With that being said I personally could not justify the $1600 price.

[Doug @ Forma]

Guys did you leave out the cup holders??

Other than that small oversight, it looks like a good option package.

Ron

They didn't make it into our first prototype, but they're on the list for production.

[Doug @ Forma]

I'am currently building a roadster and I am not adverse to a different looking interior. I really like what you have done and I remember saying to myself I would really like to do something different with the doors when I saw what you did. With that being said I personally could not justify the $1600 price.

That's good feedback, it's helpful. I'm curious, at what price would you to be willing to consider them?

[rich grsc]

I guess I'm too much of a traditionalist, no way that'd come near my car. Sorry.