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Exeter Rhode Island Coupe-R Build
Hello all, I'm an advanced composites boatbuilder with a small shop in Rhode Island, sort of a SpeedShop for racing sailboats. It's been a life long dream to build a car. A customer/friend brought his R&D (Shell Valley bought the molds) Daytona Coupe build in for paint. There were some symmetry issues with the tail end. So much work was done it was clear the car needed to be retooled mid roof aft. I was tempted to tool the entire car but I'm not 50 anymore so just tooled the rear clip. The car is a 90" wheelbase sitting on a Cobra Chassis. I couldn't find time to source chassis, etc and build a car that I could easily register. It was a fleeting dream.
I placed the order after a guided tour with David Lindsey.
Gen 3 Coupe R complete kit
White Powdercoated frame
Coupe Platinum Gauges
302-351 engine/trans mount
302 headers
31 spline 2015 irs driveshaft
Body w/traced cut-outs
Aluminum racing seat
Power Steering Components
front Lower Arms
Coupe Competition 2015 irs Parts
R-Coupe Nose side ducts
R-Coupe rear side cutouts
2015 irs swaybar comonents
EFI in-tank fuel system
Hydraulic Clutch master Cylinder kit
BluePrint 347 TKX 5 speed
Last edited by Peter Ross; 12-15-2022 at 08:26 AM.
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Last edited by Peter Ross; 02-21-2023 at 09:17 PM.
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Video from the Open House. So many like minded people, I was hooked.
https://youtu.be/HyCU1ZtY8xw
Last edited by Peter Ross; 12-15-2022 at 08:36 AM.
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Congrats! I ordered the standard coupe but looking to build an R hybrid using the nose side & rear scoops, the front spoiler and maybe a couple of other items. Hoping you can teach me a thing or two about your racing sail boat composite skills that I can apply to my build!
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Good luck with the build. I am right in Norton, MA if you ever need advice. I have done over a dozen Coupes now.
Mike
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Peter,
Interesting and extensive body mods project you had there on that customer's Daytona Coupe. I've done some interesting ones on my currently "in paint" Gen 3 Type 65 Coupe and would like to share them with you offline, before I reveal to the forum.
I'm a long-ago URI graduate, also with boat building & racing experience as well as race car fabrication and crewing experience.
Bob - [email protected]
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racingandfishing, thanks for the kind words. I saw the front spoiler and other small parts, they were pretty nice. I am here as a humble kit owner eager to learn from those ahead of us. Happy to share some fun tips if any but it's fair to say I will learn more than contribute.
Mike, thank you, be prepared for some stupid questions from time to time.
Bob, I met my wife at URI in 1975. Looking forward to hearing about the boatbuilding, sailing and race car experiences.
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Rented a box truck and picked up the Coupe-R this morning. It was big fun and a great reason to get out of the shop and breathe fresh air.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/UyTz4wdfh6zhUowd9
Last edited by Peter Ross; 01-31-2023 at 01:51 PM.
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Senior Member
Congrats...Definitely a great day!
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Originally Posted by
rhk118
Congrats...Definitely a great day!
Thank you, still walking around with an ear to ear grin.
Fedex delivered a herd of ponies Thursday. I'll have to work on photo uploads but for now it's links to the Google Album.
The body is pretty nice, very happy. I changed my order twice after placing the original order. They were very straightforward indicating big changes are recipe for delays. I knew what I was getting into making 2nd change to the Coupe-R two months out. I just want to build a race car as badly as I have always wanted to build a car.
There were no delays but I think my changes were frustrating although they never let on. Cannot thank everyone who built the kit enough! They should be proud of their efforts.
It's been a big push to get work done to clear space for the car. I wasn't ready when the car was ready for pick up. Needed the box truck badly though for a couple other uses, material pick up and fill the thing with debris for the landfill. Huge time crunch, didn't have time to take another shop tour and thank everyone personally. Loaded, thanked David Lindsey and the shipping characters then sped home. The car sat in the box 1st night, hung from the gantry 2nd night.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/UyTz4wdfh6zhUowd9
Friend's R&D Daytona Coupe re-body
https://photos.app.goo.gl/RRucmkmzv3inMbAN9
Last edited by Peter Ross; 02-24-2023 at 08:30 AM.
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Awesome job on your friends car and congrats on your coupe. I’m also a big fan of all the sailboats in the background. I’m just now learning to sail on a friends 30’ Cantilena. I also hope to build an i550 sailboat once I finish my MK4 Roadster. Anyway, happy building.
Jim
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Originally Posted by
Jim Frahm
Awesome job on your friends car and congrats on your coupe. I’m also a big fan of all the sailboats in the background. I’m just now learning to sail on a friends 30’ Cantilena. I also hope to build an i550 sailboat once I finish my MK4 Roadster. Anyway, happy building.
Jim
Thanks for the kind words Jim.
Last edited by Peter Ross; 02-24-2023 at 08:25 AM.
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One year plus update.
Factory Five's "Built not Bought" motto still applies to my kit, just not built by me. I hit a progress wall almost immediately. The body sat behind the shop outside. Chassis on a rolling table moved around the shop a few times but never stored outside for a minute. Projects came and went, sailboats prepped for various events. The aluminum panels unmarked in a pile moved several times became a giant pile of puzzle parts. Every effort to organize failed miserably. It was soon apperant I could spend a lot of money making mistakes, dangerous mistakes. My ego was not taking a beating but my self confidence was gone. Selling the kit was not an option. My dreams weren't dashed, they needed an adjustment.
Last October I reached out to Mike Everson for help. Knowing he always has a full plate I asked him if he was willing to help build the car in my shop. He did not exactly not say no but he made it clear the car was better off in his shop in Norton Mass. He was fine if I wanted to travel to his shop and help. More on my involvment later. No brainer, come get the car. He suggested installing the motor and transmission to ease delivery on his trailer.
Mike showed up on a Friday. Roughly 2 hours later he left with the complete kit. He rifled through every single box, pulled what he needed and left what he wouldn't use. It was a sight to behold, downside I now had a shop full of empty cardboard boxes. I spent 4 hours sorting bolts for the Power steering rack and the left control arm and installing both when I first started assembly. Saturday afternoon Mike sent photos of an assembled suspension and IRS with front brakes installed. My original goal was to build and drive the car with brakes supplied in complete kit then upgrade brakes as I learned more. Baby Coupe-R steps. He had suggestions for rear brake upgrades over the complete kit and it was an easy decision to say yes. He quickly learned I didn't know what I wanted. The man is a machine!
Mike built the car in rapid time in terms of man hours. He was up front about my place in line. He made no unrealistic promises and never once ignored my stupid questions. He is close to Factory Five and often drove there for bits and pieces. He has a great working relationship with FFR and is well respected by the company. That is a huge plus. My biggest benefit from this experience is the knowlege that car is built to the highest standard. He powdercoats small parts in his shop, almost nothing he cannot do. I wont hesitate to take the car to a track. I will hesitate to drive it on our local roads for many reasons not related to the car build.
My participation so far has been driving to factory Five for new wheels and tires and a couple other items then delivering to his shop in Norton. It was more of an excuse to see his shop, sometimes not seeing the car but his dog Max is always worth the visit. I would have only been in his way and honestly I'm ok with that. He asked if I wanted to do some of the bodywork before the car goes to his painter. I think he was being kind. I took him up on the offer because there are a few slight issues that are right up my alley and it's kind of fun doing glass work on my own car.
Mike sent a video of first start. It was exciting. Last Friday I heard the car run in person, yikes! Today I picked the car up and felt like a 16 year old who had never driven before. Starting the car almost scared the daylights out of me. That 347 is gut wrenching music to my soul. Managed to barely get the car on the trailer. Mike had to be laughing his butt off at my fumbling. Got the car home. Had to call him and ask how to get it in reverse. Finally got the car off the trailer. Needed to turn the car aound to drive in the shop nose first. The 10 point turn was hilarious. I blipped the engine getting in the garage and my phone immediatly lit up. It was Audi Motion detecting a disturbance. "Baby" as my wife refers to the Audi was P!$$ed off!
This message is to those who simply want to drive their Factory Five kit cars and don't have time or anyone able to lend a hand or family close enough to get involved. Reach out to Mike Everson, you will not be dissapointed. I'm not slighting any of the other quality builders who have build many beautiful kits for FFR customers. I'm sharing my experience with Mike Everson and the fantasic results, so far. When I complete the bodywork the car goes back to Mike for paint and final assembly. Im thrilled and so very happy. looking forward to track time later this summer.
Still having issues loading photos. Will work on that, untl then, click on the link. https://photos.app.goo.gl/XvwfpmNgHAsTTsEG8
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It’s been a joy working with you on this.
Mike
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Hi Pete!!!
Great that you've got your Coupe build well along now, despite reverting to "other than you" as assembler. You couldn't go better than Mike Everson though.
I've been driving my completed coupe for nearly 5 months now on the temperate Arizona winter roads and attending various car shows here.
Check out my Instagram to catch up on more of the secrets of the build and see my car out and about. Instagram: d8ytona_coupe
Bob
Bob