About
Welcome to my blog. I hope that you find this interesting and useful, especially if you are embarking on the same journey that I am. My name is Jonathan Weiswasser, and I am a Vascular Surgeon living in Montclair, NJ. I have decided to build a Factory Five Roadster (see here) and chronicle the process on this site. I will do my best to provide as much information as I can so as to help others who are involved in the same endeavor.
The mission is to build a classic car for purposes of pleasure driving. I am not a race-car driver nor do I have any interest in becoming one.
Another philosophy of the mission here is that I plan on keeping it very, very simple. I am opting against power windows and brakes, hydraulic clutches, independent rear suspension, and sophisticated electronics, etc. in favor of a simple build. Maybe the next one will be more of an exploration of the aftermarket for some of the fancy mods. On the other hand, little conveniences that add to the aesthetic do appeal to me, like the hood lifting pistons, or side pockets, or turn signal switches that mount to the steering wheel. So, what you will see in the following pages is a synopsis of the construction of a standard, complete kit, Mark IV, Factory Five Roadster.
I am not quite a novice at this sort of thing; I completed construction of a Vans Aircraft RV-8 in 2004, after 2100h of construction over 2.5y (see here). Through that experience, I developed friendships with other builders and one of them, Mr. Mike Witte, came up with idea of building this car. We researched the company and the product throughly and flew in our RV’s to Wareham, MA in late September, 2010 to tour the factory. We ordered our kits during that visit.
As far as particulars, the Roadster is a 1965 Shelby Cobra Replica. The chassis is made of welded tube and the body is vinyl ester fiberglass. I plan on carburated or fuel injected (haven’t decided) Ford 302 350hp engine, using a pre-1973 block (due to NJ state requirements, emission standards are based on the block-year of the engine). I am currently pricing shops to build the engine. The kit comes with everything except the engine, transmission, and the rear end (which I purchased from the Factory as an option).
My previous experience with cars has been limited to changing tires. I am not well versed on the nuances of the automotive engine or systems, and hope to gain a better understanding as I plod through this. Please excuse any mistakes or mis-statements in advance.
- 10-18-13; Photo Shoot with RV
- 10-10-13; The Next Day
- 6-19-12; More Fire Analysis
- 5-23-12; Bad Press, Good Press?
- 5-20-12; Some final thoughts
- 5-19-12; Finished For Good.
- 4-30-12; DONE!
- 4-4-12; Paint Update IV
- 3-28-12; Paint Update III
- 3-2-12; Paint Update II
- 2-9-12; Paint Update
- 11-11-11; Driving to work, Formal alignment
- 11-4-11; NJ STATE LEGAL!
- 10-6-11; Engine Swapping
- 10-1-11; Major setback..
- 9-28-11; NJ DMV Paperwork
- 9-26-11; Wind Wings, Sun Visors, Front Bumper
- 9-24-11; Final Assembly, Exhaust Hangars, Edging, Mirrors
- 9-21-11; Heater and Footbox Vent Fixtures, Body Seams
- 9-17-11; Shifter plate, E-brake cover, Pedestal Install
- 9-16-11; Seats and Seatbelts
- 9-15-11; Carpeting the trunk
- 9-15-11; Carpeting
- 9-1-11; Interior work; Damplifier Pro & Luxury Liner
- 7-31-11; Roll Bars, Wipers, Wrap-Up Metal Work
- 7-21-11; Radiator Cowl, Splash Gaurds
- 7-11-11; Hood Scoop
- 7-11-11; Trunk
- 7-11-11; Doors
- 7-8-11; Windshield
- 7-7-11; Body On, Hood Installation
- 7-4-11; Front Lights
- 7-1-11; Engine & Oil Leak Diagnostics, Hood hinge
- 6-30-11; Footbox Access Panel, Engine Codes, Oil Leak
- 6-29-11;Wiper Motor, DS Footbox
- 6-27-11; Body On/Body Off; Metal Riveting
- 6-13-11; Roll Bars, Body Mount
- 6-12-11; Post Cart Punch List
- 6-6-11; GO – CART!
- 6-4-11; First Engine Start
- 6-3-11; Attempt at engine start
- 6-2-11; Air Cleaner, E-brake
- 6-1-11; Heater Core Plumbing and Radiator Chin Strap
- 5-30-11; Exhaust Headers and Clutch Cable Final Installation
- 5-27-11; Coolant and Fuel Rail Plumbing
- 5-26-11; Radiator Installation
- 5-24-11; Pinion Angle and Driveshaft
- 5-23-11; Fuel Regulator, Transmission Seal Replacement
- 5-20-11; Powering the Dash
- 5-19-11; Sender Wiring, Starter and Alternator, Grounds
- 5-18-11; Pedestal and Accessory Wiring
- 5-11-11; accelerator cable, clutch cable
- 5-9-11; Finishing wiring: dash and steering installation, tranny wiring.
- 5-4-11; Integrating wiring harnesses
- 5-1-11; ENGINE INSTALLATION
- 3-30-9; 250A Fuse, Trunk Nutplates
- 3-28-11; Radio, Speakers, Cigarette Adaptor Initial Install
- 3-19-11; Cubby Door, Fuel Line Fix
- 3-14-11; Coarse Wheel Alignment
- 3-11-11; Cabin Lights, Trunk Cubby
- 3-9-11; Ground Bus, Heater Motor
- 3-7-11; Battery Wiring, Underdash Filler
- 3-2-11; Headlight Switch, Footbox Vent Wiring, Battery and Cutoff Switch
- 2-25-11; Dash Harness Part II, Footbox Vents
- 2-24-11; Dash Wiring and Harnessing
- 2-17-11; Dash and Gauges
- 2-16-11; Starting the Dash Panel
- 2-15-11; More Dash Wiring; Relays and Terminal Blocks
- 2-14-11; Dash Guts Wiring, Trimmed Inner Tie Rod
- 2-9-11; E Brake, Beginning Dash
- 2-8-10; Brake line leak repair, starting E-brake
- 1-31-11; Pedestal Panel and More Battery Installation
- 1-27-11; Bleedin’ Brakes
- 1-21-11; Wiring Harness Installation
- 1-10-11; Fuel Pump and Planning
- 1-6-11; Clamping Brake Lines, Battery Box
- 1-3-11; Trunk Panels
- 1-2-11; More Brake Lines
- 1-1-11; Brake Lines
- 12-31-10; Plumbing Fuel
- 12-30-10; More Plumbing and retracing some steps
- 12-28-10; Plumbing
- 12-24-10; Brake Reservoirs
- 12-17-10; Fuel Lines and Ordering Stuff
- 12-15-10; Backtracking a little..
- 12-12-10; Everything You Need To Know From Build School
- 12-9-10; Ordered Engine and Preparing for Build School
- 12-4 to 12-6-10; Cockpit Aluminum
- 12-3-10; Tank Install and Cockpit Panels
- 12-2-10; Steering Assembly and Fuel Tank
- 12-1-10 Wilwood Pedal Assembly
- 11-29-10; Panhard Bar and Firewall
- 11-24-10 Mounting the Rear Axle
- 11-21-10 Finish IFS and Rear Axle Prep
- 11-19-10 Front Suspension
- 11-18-10 Rear End Delivery
- Nov-10-10 – Landlocked – brakes and shocks
- 11-6-10 Onto the Buck
- 11-5-10 Delivery!!!!
- 11-3-10 Body Buck
- 10-31-10 Preparing the Garage
- Welcome and About Me
- Welcome and About Me
- 10-31-10 Preparing the Garage
- 11-3-10 Body Buck
- 11-5-10 Delivery!!!!
- 11-6-10 Onto the Buck
- Nov-10-10 – Landlocked – brakes and shocks
- 11-18-10 Rear End Delivery
- 11-19-10 Front Suspension
- 11-21-10 Finish IFS and Rear Axle Prep
- 11-24-10 Mounting the Rear Axle
- 11-29-10; Panhard Bar and Firewall
- 12-1-10 Wilwood Pedal Assembly
- 12-2-10; Steering Assembly and Fuel Tank
- 12-3-10; Tank Install and Cockpit Panels
- 12-4 to 12-6-10; Cockpit Aluminum
- 12-9-10; Ordered Engine and Preparing for Build School
- 12-12-10; Everything You Need To Know From Build School
- 12-15-10; Backtracking a little..
- 12-17-10; Fuel Lines and Ordering Stuff
- 12-24-10; Brake Reservoirs
- 12-28-10; Plumbing
- 12-30-10; More Plumbing and retracing some steps
- 12-31-10; Plumbing Fuel
- 1-1-11; Brake Lines
- 1-2-11; More Brake Lines
- 1-3-11; Trunk Panels
- 1-6-11; Clamping Brake Lines, Battery Box
- 1-10-11; Fuel Pump and Planning
- 1-21-11; Wiring Harness Installation
- 1-27-11; Bleedin’ Brakes
- 1-31-11; Pedestal Panel and More Battery Installation
- 2-8-10; Brake line leak repair, starting E-brake
- 2-9-11; E Brake, Beginning Dash
- 2-14-11; Dash Guts Wiring, Trimmed Inner Tie Rod
- 2-15-11; More Dash Wiring; Relays and Terminal Blocks
- 2-16-11; Starting the Dash Panel
- 2-17-11; Dash and Gauges
- 2-24-11; Dash Wiring and Harnessing
- 2-25-11; Dash Harness Part II, Footbox Vents
- 3-2-11; Headlight Switch, Footbox Vent Wiring, Battery and Cutoff Switch
- 3-7-11; Battery Wiring, Underdash Filler
- 3-9-11; Ground Bus, Heater Motor
- 3-11-11; Cabin Lights, Trunk Cubby
- 3-14-11; Coarse Wheel Alignment
- 3-19-11; Cubby Door, Fuel Line Fix
- 3-28-11; Radio, Speakers, Cigarette Adaptor Initial Install
- 3-30-9; 250A Fuse, Trunk Nutplates
- 5-1-11; ENGINE INSTALLATION
- 5-4-11; Integrating wiring harnesses
- 5-9-11; Finishing wiring: dash and steering installation, tranny wiring.
- 5-11-11; accelerator cable, clutch cable
- 5-18-11; Pedestal and Accessory Wiring
- 5-19-11; Sender Wiring, Starter and Alternator, Grounds
- 5-20-11; Powering the Dash
- 5-23-11; Fuel Regulator, Transmission Seal Replacement
- 5-24-11; Pinion Angle and Driveshaft
- 5-26-11; Radiator Installation
- 5-27-11; Coolant and Fuel Rail Plumbing
- 5-30-11; Exhaust Headers and Clutch Cable Final Installation
- 6-1-11; Heater Core Plumbing and Radiator Chin Strap
- 6-2-11; Air Cleaner, E-brake
- 6-3-11; Attempt at engine start
- 6-4-11; First Engine Start
- 6-6-11; GO – CART!
- 6-12-11; Post Cart Punch List
- 6-13-11; Roll Bars, Body Mount
- 6-27-11; Body On/Body Off; Metal Riveting
- 6-29-11;Wiper Motor, DS Footbox
- 6-30-11; Footbox Access Panel, Engine Codes, Oil Leak
- 7-1-11; Engine & Oil Leak Diagnostics, Hood hinge
- 7-4-11; Front Lights
- 7-7-11; Body On, Hood Installation
- 7-8-11; Windshield
- 7-11-11; Doors
- 7-11-11; Trunk
- 7-11-11; Hood Scoop
- 7-21-11; Radiator Cowl, Splash Gaurds
- 7-31-11; Roll Bars, Wipers, Wrap-Up Metal Work
- 9-1-11; Interior work; Damplifier Pro & Luxury Liner
- 9-15-11; Carpeting
- 9-15-11; Carpeting the trunk
- 9-16-11; Seats and Seatbelts
- 9-17-11; Shifter plate, E-brake cover, Pedestal Install
- 9-21-11; Heater and Footbox Vent Fixtures, Body Seams
- 9-24-11; Final Assembly, Exhaust Hangars, Edging, Mirrors
- 9-26-11; Wind Wings, Sun Visors, Front Bumper
- 9-28-11; NJ DMV Paperwork
- 10-1-11; Major setback..
- 10-6-11; Engine Swapping
- 11-4-11; NJ STATE LEGAL!
- 11-11-11; Driving to work, Formal alignment
- 2-9-12; Paint Update
- 3-2-12; Paint Update II
- 3-28-12; Paint Update III
- 4-4-12; Paint Update IV
- 4-30-12; DONE!
- 5-19-12; Finished For Good.
- 5-20-12; Some final thoughts
- 5-23-12; Bad Press, Good Press?
- 6-19-12; More Fire Analysis
- 10-10-13; The Next Day
- 10-18-13; Photo Shoot with RV