GTM Supercar from Factory Five

[rockdogz]

Sorry if this has been discussed, but it seems GTM is too short of a phrase to search for and forget trying to search for 'factory five' :)

This looks really cool - anyone had experience with Factory Five?

http://www.factoryfive.com/table/ffrkits/GTM/GTMkit.html

[69TAPoser]

I had a really good experience with them. The Smith brother's that run the company are really good guys, true car guys. I built one of their Cobra kits back in 2000:

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif

...The car was a lot of fun to build and I won my class in all 8 car shows that I entered with it. Not to mention that it was a hoot to drive (350hp, 2200 lb car, and VERY well balanced).

If you want to know more, this is the place to hang out: www.ffcobra.com (http://www.ffcobra.com).

...That's also another bonus of going with FFR. They have a very large community of customers and the forum is very active (and helpful!).

The GTM is a sweet ride. Someday I plan on doing the Coupe.

Phil

[harshman]

they are nice but i'm a bit partial to this:

[rockdogz]

they are nice but i'm a bit partial to this:

Cool... what is it?

[harshman]

...tiz genuine bad azz says i.....

Ultima. (http://www.ultimasports.co.uk/)

[neki67]

they are nice but i'm a bit partial to this:


I like the GTM a lot but the Ultima also looks great.

Unfortunately it will not be possible (or almost impossible) to get either one licensed here in the Netherlands. I guess I'll have to live with the 67 Camaro . . . ..

[StRacerDuke]

I've been following the GTM for a few years now as it was going through the development and watching it progress. I really like the body changes from the first proto-type, to the second, then to this one with the the hood changes.

The Ultima is very nice but for almost 1/3 of the cost you can build something that looks similar (personal style here) and will run equally well with similar combos.

GTM, 40-50K to build, 2200 lbs, all C5/6 running gear & suspension, and mid engine, Woot!

[andrewb70]

Its incredible that Factory Five has photographed all the donor parts!

http://www.factoryfive.com/table/ffrkits/GTM/donorpartslist.html

Andrew

[MrQuick]

...they do aim to please. I'd like to get my grubby hands on one.

[bookends]

Factory five is the real deal! My Friend Keith has one of their cobras with a supercharged LT1. 600+ wrhp. during the 03 bristol bash he was doing parade laps around the oval track at bristol and broke the tires loose going into third coming out of turn three. approx 70-75 mph and hit the inside wall backwards. there was no structural damage the rear section of the body broke away and absorbed most of the crash. he and his wife walked away without a scratch. the car was fixed within two weeks. factory five sent them a new rear section. they have a great design to be able to withstand a crash like that. the same weekend a mid 80's monte carlo hit the wall in the same manner and was a total loss. I'm thinking about building one of the cobras for my wife to drive.

[jeff s]

You'll never build a FF GTM for 1/3 of an Ultima, unless you steal a vette donor car and paint it rat rod flat black with rattle cans.
Ultima body needs zero paint or body work for one thing.
Really study the two chassis, triagulation, rigidity, Ultima chassis shown here.

[harshman]

I've been studying these two cars for a while and the Ultima wins hands down. The chassis, braking components, suspension and overall engineering are very impressive. The Ultima's performance record speaks for itself.


And they look flippin' nifty!!

[Damn True]

Either the Ultima or the GTM would be welcome in my garage, but I think from an asthetic POV I would prefer a Daytona Coupe.

[jeff s]

[quote=harshman]I've been studying these two cars for a while and the Ultima wins hands down. The chassis, braking components, suspension and overall engineering are very impressive. The Ultima's performance record speaks for itself.


Exactly.
And I spanked "Big Red" with mine, despite what Chevy Rumble incorrectly reported.
http://www.sscc.us/results-06-sscc.htm#z2z

[Steve1968LS2]

[quote=harshman]I've been studying these two cars for a while and the Ultima wins hands down. The chassis, braking components, suspension and overall engineering are very impressive. The Ultima's performance record speaks for itself.


Exactly.
And I spanked "Big Red" with mine, despite what Chevy Rumble incorrectly reported.
http://www.sscc.us/results-06-sscc.htm#z2z

What do you expect from Chevy Bumble.. you're car isn't a Chevy.. It couldn't have won.. ;)

I bet that other mag will report it right.. :secret:

[THX 138]

Looks like F40 meets GT-40 Meets Saleen S7

[rockdogz]

The black one is nice Harshman, but I just don't like the looks of the front of the Ultima nor the windshield...

[71nova]

Check you out Tom. You get a ride in a new Lamborgini and now your checking out super cars!! haha. Ive checked out the GTM web site quite a few times. Seems like a sweet ride. Swartz certinly did good with his twin turbo Ultima, but they are both super sweet cars. Ive heard nothing but good about factory five. All I ask is that if you get one you give me a ride in it!!!

[scogin918]

If they ever decide to make a movie version of "Hardcastle and McCormick", I'm sure they'll give Ultima a call. Don't get me wrong, I like the idea of the Ultima and it's numbers speak for themselves, but the GTM looks 100 times better.

[rockdogz]

Check you out Tom. You get a ride in a new Lamborgini and now your checking out super cars!! haha. Ive checked out the GTM web site quite a few times. Seems like a sweet ride. Swartz certinly did good with his twin turbo Ultima, but they are both super sweet cars. Ive heard nothing but good about factory five. All I ask is that if you get one you give me a ride in it!!!

Haha, no kidding.... The Camaro isn't even finished yet and I'm already replacing it... Guess out of sight for a few months and out of mind.
:santa3:

Hardcastle and McCormick.... I totally forgot about that show. So that was an Ultima? They've been around for a while then huh?

[442olds]

The car in Hardcastle and McCormik was a Manta Montage Kit car which used a vw based donor. There was a place in IL that was still making the kits but I think they finally folded. The car is based on an old McCleran car.

[Restomod]

Just the cost of the 911 trans axle on the GTM will make you :barf:

[THX 138]

Just the cost of the 911 trans axle on the GTM will make you :barf: I thought it would spin in the wrong direction? I wonder why they didn't use the t56 transaxle with no torque tube.

[rmbrady]

I thought it would spin in the wrong direction? I wonder why they didn't use the t56 transaxle with no torque tube.

The engine is pointed the wrong direction, the T56 would give you one forward gear and 6 in reverse

[Van B]

Are you sure? That would put the engine behind the drive wheels. I don't remember that when seeing it last year at SEMA.

[THX 138]

The engine is pointed the wrong direction, the T56 would give you one forward gear and 6 in reverseLooks mid engine to me with the intake reversed though. The 911 is rear engine. Unless its a Boxster/Caymen transmission, which uses mid engine.

Edit. The more I think about it... the 911 engine might rotate opposite from American engines the way some Japanese engines do.
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif

[jeff s]

They both use a Getrag transaxle (porsche unit) flipped upside down and turned around. In the Porsche the trans points towards the front of the car. We use GT-2 6 speeds on the LS7's we build for them. Check the Ultima chassis shot in my post above.
Which one has better side impact protection, stiffness,....

[THX 138]

They both use a Getrag transaxle (porsche unit) flipped upside down and turned around. In the Porsche the trans points towards the front of the car. We use GT-2 6 speeds on the LS7's we build for them. Check the Ultima chassis shot in my post above.
Which one has better side impact protection, stiffness,....hmm ok upside down makes sense, but unless its engineering to be used both ways(up and down side), I'd be a bit leery.

[jeff s]

Gear lube level is about 1/3 full either way, and the gears throw it around, they been using these in v8 off road racing buggys for years.
I've got 40,000 miles on my box now, looked at it prior to the twin turbo engine going into it, didn't need much of anything, after numerous track days and drag strip launches. Of course 2300# doesn't load it much. They're expensive pieces as noted above, I've got about $15,000 in my transaxle, clutch, flywheel.

[THX 138]

Gear lube level is about 1/3 full either way, and the gears throw it around, they been using these in v8 off road racing buggys for years.
I've got 40,000 miles on my box now, looked at it prior to the twin turbo engine going into it, didn't need much of anything, after numerous track days and drag strip launches. Of course 2300# doesn't load it much. They're expensive pieces as noted above, I've got about $15,000 in my transaxle, clutch, flywheel.interesting. But still I wonder why kits aren't moving to the Vettes T56 minus the torque tube.

[rockdogz]

They both use a Getrag transaxle (porsche unit) flipped upside down and turned around. In the Porsche the trans points towards the front of the car. We use GT-2 6 speeds on the LS7's we build for them. Check the Ultima chassis shot in my post above.
Which one has better side impact protection, stiffness,....

Wow after looking around at the Ultima site ... it's pretty convincing. Point taken about the chassis as well. They all seem to be carbed engines - what about an LS2 in there...?

[Van B]

interesting. But still I wonder why kits aren't moving to the Vettes T56 minus the torque tube.

The axle shafts might not come out in the right place for that to work. Looks like most of the Porsche unit sits behind the axle shafts.

[rockdogz]

Wow after looking around at the Ultima site ... it's pretty convincing. Point taken about the chassis as well. They all seem to be carbed engines - what about an LS2 in there...?

Ahh, never mind - found the other posts & saw the Magnacharged motor Jeff built for Crafty. Awesome....

[JMarsa]

If you ever saw a C5/6 transaxle you'd see why. If you adapted the engine to mate directly to the transaxle the overall length puts the engine in the FRONT seat of most mid engiined car. With the G50 style trans the gearbox is behind the axle centerline. With the vette trans it's in front.

--JMarsa

[jeff s]

If you ever saw a C5/6 transaxle you'd see why. If you adapted the engine to mate directly to the transaxle the overall length puts the engine in the FRONT seat of most mid engiined car. With the G50 style trans the gearbox is behind the axle centerline. With the vette trans it's in front.

--JMarsa
Exactly or the back half of the car would be longer than my fleetwood.
Which ever you build, GTR or GTM I have all the stuff to adapt the Porsche trans to a LS whatever and all the accessories to fit the chassis, including ac. I'm shipping 2 dyno'd LS7 packages next week to Ultima guys in europe.
Starting another twin turbo LS7 project the following week.

[Restomod]

Exactly.
And I spanked "Big Red" with mine, despite what Chevy Rumble incorrectly reported.
http://www.sscc.us/results-06-sscc.htm#z2z[/quote]

If Big Reds cd was as low as yours do you think it would have turned out the same?

[jeff s]

Yes,
Do you think the drag would have improved their time by 28 seconds?

[harshman]

Yes,
Do you think the drag would have improved their time by 28 seconds?:doh:

you gota love that.

[Restomod]

You got me there, I was looking at the speed........2/3 mph.

[OPM Customs]

We have one in our shop right now! It is getting a 560 H.P. supercharged Lsx. I am fairly sure it too would beat "Big Red."

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif

[StRacerDuke]

Love your tire blocks on the GTM. Are those 7/16" front and 1/2" wrench in the rear? LOL

Any more pics?