Day Three
With the school-built Roadster running and all fluids topped off-what many FFR owners refer to as the "go-kart" stage-it was simply a matter of installing the dash and the exterior body parts (lights and so forth). | 
The build school has several dash assemblies to show students the various options. From using the donor gauges (shown here) to aftermarket gauges, and how to cover the dash, the discussion took half an hour before we we could get to the tools and start day three of our project assembly. | 
Check out video of the body being placed in the chassis!
Windows Media | Quicktime |
Once the students reinstalled the body, it was simply a matter of connecting the lights, installing the windshield, and fitting the rollbar. With the final bolt installed, Charles fired up the Roadster and took it outside for a horsepower show. We were amazed at how the stock 225hp Mustang engine moved the Roadster with ease. Then again, the completed Roadster weighs a good 1,000 pounds less than a late-model Mustang. | 
Now let's take this out for a test drive. Of course, this isn't the time to do donuts and show your neighbor how awesome the car turned out. This is the time to make everything works as it should. Check out the test drive video!
Windows Media | Quicktime | |
Todd Baumann and Charles Markman
Teacher's Pet
The instructors for our small-block build school really made learning fun, and were great about answering everyone's questions. Charles Markman (right) turned out to be a long-time reader of Primedia's various Ford magazines, including Mustang & Fords, and like the proud car owner he is, easily shared photos and stories with us of his '71 Mach 1 and his modified late-model Thunderbird daily driver. Todd Baumann (left) another long-time Mott instructor, joined Charles this weekend to lend a hand with the class. Todd owns an FFR Roadster and brought it to the class for us to see (show and tell?).
Fitting the rollbar. | 
What's nice about the build school is that most of the available Factory Five options are also stocked at the school for you to see and try firsthand. From optional suspension systems to different seats, wiring kits, and more, the school gives you a chance to see these options up close before ordering and to take plenty of pictures of these options and how they are assembled. | 
Optional Seats from Factory Five Racing. |
How About Modular Motors?
Since Factory Five's new Mk III Roadster was designed to use any V-8 Mustang drivetrain up to '04, the chassis was reconfigured to allow the use of the wider modular engines available in the '96-and-later Mustang, including the Four-Valve Cobra engines. To that end, FFR and Mott have begun a modular engine-specific build school, and when we were there in late February of this year, they had just built their first school car with donor parts from All Mustang Salvage. So if you're thinking of going with this newer engine, there's now a class curriculum specific to those builds.