Last week, I ordered a kit car for the boys and I to assemble. I figured it’ll be a great way to spend quality time together and we’ll end up with something to always remind us of those times. I’ve known about Factory Five Racing for a long time now; I even ordered information from them a couple of years ago.

Previously, there were two things that prevented me from ordering a kit. For one, the kits didn’t come with all the parts you needed; a donor car was required for the engine, suspension, electrical, etc. Two, some of the sheet metal work seemed a little too daunting for me.

Factory Five Racing is the world’s largest kit car manufacturer, and they were founded by car enthusiasts, like me. They were founded in 1995, but even in that time have developed a heritage of continuous improvement. The proof is in their numerous satisfied customers. There are many blogs and forums devoted to detailing the build process of kit cars. Factory Five Racing is regarded as making the best kits.

They recently introduced a kit for a ‘33 Ford-ish hot rod which doesn’t require a donor car and comes with everything (and I mean everything) you need except for: Engine, transmission, rear axle, wheels, tires, battery, and fuel pump. Everything else comes with the kit, including all the fasteners. I have decent mechanical skills, but limited sheet metal experience, but the sheet metal work looks manageable.

The time estimate on their website for assembly is 300 hours. I figured that’s for an experienced kit car builder, but after speaking to a company representative directly, they said that timeframe is for someone who has never built a car before. That’s me!

The car is essentially a modern spaceframe tube chassis with modern suspension, brakes, and steering with a retro-style body put over it. The only thing that’s old about it is its looks.

We’ll build everything mechanical, but I’m going to buy a race engine and transmission locally from Levy Racing and have the body work and paint done by a professional, also. The car weighs approximately 2100 lbs. and I’m looking for an engine with about 500 horsepower. This will provide a power-to-weight ratio of 4.2 lb. / Horsepower. For comparison purposes, a super-expensive Ferrari Enzo’s is 4.5 lb. / Horsepower (lower is better). I’d rather have the Ferrari, but I’m just trying to give you and idea of how fast the car should be.

The kit will be delivered at the end of January or early February of 2009. That’ll give us time to have the garage floor epoxied, buy and install a lift, and have the garage air-conditioned (it’s a necessity as we do live in Arizona). I’ll post information as there are updates.