Found this Gem surfing eBay - A Factory Five with a CSX serial number

[Papa]

This sort of stuff is just bad for the hobby:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/17613411103...Bk9SR9rhtKOWYw

[gbranham]

Wow. They list the VIN as their phone number with the bogus CSX3202 added to it. Sheesh. How is that not fraud? From what I'm reading the actual CSX3202 was wrecked and scrapped at some point, and bits of it were used on CSX3192's restoration.

[FLPBFoot]

Also not a MK IV as it has square front cross tubes, molded in hood scoop and external trunk hinges. This thing is who knows what?!?!?!

[mrmustang]

This sort of stuff is just bad for the hobby:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/17613411103...Bk9SR9rhtKOWYw

FFR MK I or MK I.5, tough to see the pictures required to tell me which is which.

Not a MK IV
Not even a MK II

I'll leave it at that.

Bill S.

[RoadRacer]

Easy to report it to eBay.. I have.

[gbranham]

I've reached out to the seller, and told them I'm interested if they can answer a few questions:

1) How can a 2002 Factory Five be a MkIV, when they weren't available as a MkIV until 2010,
2) How can a 2002 Factory Five be a Shelby original CSX car from 1966
3) How can you explain the uncanny coincidence that the VIN is a portmanteau of your phone number and the bogus Shelby chassis VIN?

[mburger]

I don't know if the Mk1.5 came with the curved upper trunk support but this car has Russ Thompson's retrofit kit to change the horizontal support from straight across to the curved style.
I think (But not sure) the Mk1.5 had various changes until the Mk2.
They also switched to the coil overs in the rear and left the spring perches in place.
The seat belt harness is the "Y" type.
The frame is pretty beat up.
I'm thinking a Mk1.

[JeffP]

All up in arms over some roadside used car lot? I doubt the guy has any clue what it is either and just trying to flip it. We've seen plenty of the CSX name plates slapped on replica's, nothing new there.

[mrmustang]

I don't know if the Mk1.5 came with the curved upper trunk support but this car has Russ Thompson's retrofit kit to change the horizontal support from straight across to the curved style.
I think (But not sure) the Mk1.5 had various changes until the Mk2.
They also switched to the coil overs in the rear and left the spring perches in place.
The seat belt harness is the "Y" type.
The frame is pretty beat up.
I'm thinking a Mk1.

The upper bar shown here is Russ's product, the first MK II produced in 2002 has the curved bar, and is one of the main tells for the transition from MK I.5 to MK II. There are a few others that I prefer to not make public for obvious reasons, but will instead post the following as a general guide:

Factory Five Timeline:
January 1995-Work on prototype FFR roadster replica begins in a small garage by Dave and Mark Smith
Late October, early November 1995-Actual production of the MK I begins
November 1995-100th FFR MK I is produced
May 1st, 2000-1,000th FFR MKI I is produced, FFR gives this kit to their very first customer (uncertain what happens to prototype FFR at that time)
May 2002- “New and improved” FFR MK II is brought to market
January 2004-FFR states their 4,000th FFR roadster has left the assembly line
August 2004-FFR introduces their “latest and greatest” FFR MK III roadster
February/March 2007-FFR produces their 6,000th roadster kit
February 2010-FFR introduces a completely redesigned FFR MK IV roadster
MK I-VIN: FFRxxxx early cars as produced, slotted upper control arm mounts, straight upper trunk bar, straight steering bar
MK I.5-“Tweener”VIN: FFRxxxx-minor changes to footboxes, factory optional big block motor mounts, dropped footboxes added as option, some transmission tunnel bracing added, minor hidden tweaks here and there
MK II-VIN: FFRxxxx Double drilled upper control arm mounts, factory welded, curved upper trunk bar, full structural bracing for transmission tunnel “backbone”. Tons of minor tweaks not noticeable with body on.
MK III-new VIN configuration: F5R100XXXXRD Reconfigured steering system (comes out front of footbox) for new 4.6L drivetrain, new footbox configuration, chassis rework for SN95 and later drivetrain and suspensions offerings, minor tweeks to body, many tweaks to frame, new options from FFR.

Hope you find this helpful.

Bill S.

[mburger]

The upper bar shown here is Russ's product, the first MK II produced in 2002 has the curved bar, and is one of the main tells for the transition from MK I.5 to MK II. There are a few others that I prefer to not make public for obvious reasons, (Sorry, it's not obvious to me. Why would you not want to make that public?) but will instead post the following as a general guide:

Factory Five Timeline:
January 1995-Work on prototype FFR roadster replica begins in a small garage by Dave and Mark Smith
Late October, early November 1995-Actual production of the MK I begins
November 1995-100th FFR MK I is produced
May 1st, 2000-1,000th FFR MKI I is produced, FFR gives this kit to their very first customer (uncertain what happens to prototype FFR at that time)
May 2002- “New and improved” FFR MK II is brought to market
January 2004-FFR states their 4,000th FFR roadster has left the assembly line
August 2004-FFR introduces their “latest and greatest” FFR MK III roadster
February/March 2007-FFR produces their 6,000th roadster kit
February 2010-FFR introduces a completely redesigned FFR MK IV roadster
MK I-VIN: FFRxxxx early cars as produced, slotted upper control arm mounts, straight upper trunk bar, straight steering bar
MK I.5-“Tweener”VIN: FFRxxxx-minor changes to footboxes, factory optional big block motor mounts, dropped footboxes added as option, some transmission tunnel bracing added, minor hidden tweaks here and there
MK II-VIN: FFRxxxx Double drilled upper control arm mounts, factory welded, curved upper trunk bar, full structural bracing for transmission tunnel “backbone”. Tons of minor tweaks not noticeable with body on.
MK III-new VIN configuration: F5R100XXXXRD Reconfigured steering system (comes out front of footbox) for new 4.6L drivetrain, new footbox configuration, chassis rework for SN95 and later drivetrain and suspensions offerings, minor tweeks to body, many tweaks to frame, new options from FFR.

Hope you find this helpful.

Bill S.

Thanks for the additional info.

[mrmustang]

Sorry, it's not obvious to me. Why would you not want to make that public?

Thanks for the additional info.

So as to keep some sellers from purposely not showing certain things in their pictures of a car. Similar to the second hand owners who pass off the Russ Thompson retrofit kit as a "very early FFR factory modification", yes, really.


Otherwise, happy to assist

Bill S.

[Papa]

All up in arms over some roadside used car lot? I doubt the guy has any clue what it is either and just trying to flip it. We've seen plenty of the CSX name plates slapped on replica's, nothing new there.

Not knowing what you're selling is one thing, but completely misrepresenting what you're selling by stating "facts" that are false is another. The guy is 45 miles from Factory Five, but I get it -- caveat emptor.

[mburger]

So as to keep some sellers from purposely not showing certain things in their pictures of a car. Similar to the second hand owners who pass off the Russ Thompson retrofit kit as a "very early FFR factory modification", yes, really.


Otherwise, happy to assist

Bill S.

AH, I’m a little slow on the uptake sometimes!

Thanks

[GoDadGo]

When people ask me if my car is a "Real Cobra" I proudly reply it is a "Real Factory Five MK-4 Roadster!"
I have seen a Novelty Tagged Replica Cobra at Cruising The Coast in years gone by and it pained me too.
That one had a Shelby America plate on it too and the fellow claimed that the car was the real deal.
The replica didn't even come close to looking period correct and screamed "Fake Snake" for sure.