First, a blurb about me. I'm good at what I do but I do not drill straight holes, grind things flat, or keep sockets on bolts. I'm not familiar with all the tools or terminology of the auto mech trade. I've swapped many suspensions out of my WRX with good results but am sad about my bracket for the trunk battery.

The class is over, I attended, and I'd like to share a few comments.

There were 7 students, usual minimum class size is 8. There were 4 instructors, and Jay and Jesper of FFR were also there for 1-1/2 days.

Mott has been holding these classes for something like 14 years so they have 'logged a few laps' doing this and the instructors seemed to have firm ideas regarding what should be demonstrated vs what should be discussed (for example they laid out their wiring harness and talked for an hour or so about their unfinished diet and some better solutions than what the latest manual offered but they did not trim any wires in class).

We built a car in 3 days. Sort of. We, the students, did NOT diet the wire harness, did not build the a-arms, did not assemble the shocks, did not attach the glass to the windshield frame, etc). The car which did donuts in the parking lot (or maybe didn't due to insurance reasons, I dunno) was NOT the kind of car you or I would take to the DMV for registration. For example there were some aluminum panels not installed yet and many of those which were installed had too few rivets or rivnuts. And some rivnuts were cross threaded, which I apologize for. :/ What the final car DID have was a great mixture of things we built, problems we fixed, and work we knew still had to be done.

I think here is where I should point out that even if Mott started with a brand new kit for each class and capital "F"-Finished it (that's impossible, eh?) you would still have to build your own car later. I think the benefit of seeing fiberglass bits fly through the air is easily overstated and the benefit of seeing what still needs to be done (and so clearly why) is easily understated.

So, I've 'apologized' for the class and explained a little bit about how the school works. But what did I get out of it? I got an atropine injection to the heart. There is little else that can describe taking a bare frame to a steerable roller in one day. In just that first day I gained a great insight into what it will take to complete my car. And after these three days I have a valuable perspective on how the entire project will flow. I now know what tools will fix my inevitable mistakes. I know how to look at the manual and change the build sequence to suit me.

And what will others get out of this class? Well, if you've built cars or airplanes before then maybe only a few pointers which you would've figured out yourself anyway or learned from the Internet. But if you're new to the tools of the trade then you will learn how to use those tools. If you're new to car kit building then you may learn what is a problem vs what will likely work itself out later.

Was the class perfect? Of course not. For one thing, as one instructor noted, "it's a bit like herding cats". I think Mott should structure the environment just a little more rigidly. For example one student could take the role of tool-monkey for an hour while a partner watches, fetches needed tools, and provides a third hand when needed. That kind of discipline did not exist. Yet, I must say, the class was FUN, just like building the kit should be. Another thing is that the instructors seemed to find a surprise or two. But this was the first class for an evolving kit and we must expect that. Let me point out here, again, that FFR was there and they took many photos. If I must speculate... Some of those photos will result in build manual revisions or even kit revisions.

Overall I rate this class as a no brainer. It will easily payback the time and expense I put into it.