I don't believe this cost under $30k. Because it looks a Million $$$$. BTW looking at your video editing style and attention to detail in the built, I totally believe not only did you do a fantastic job but the Picasso art work would be reliable, easy to source parts for and cheap to maintain. Well done.
Best of all this cars are solid 10 seconds cars all day long 2400pounds 400 to 500 hp cars for a price of a 13 second cámaro i rather take the cobra any day
The guy was pretty amazing at keeping costs down - using a junkyard motor and selectively rebuilding it, tranny, and painted it himself. That alone saved at least 15-20k (depending on the alternative).
Along with all of the rest of your fantastic workmanship, the wiring stood out to me as an example of true craftmanship. Which is something that gets overlooked far too often. Beautiful build!
You guys are right, I’m going to do it. I just received my new FFR catalog and I’m going through all the options for my car. I will go with a full kit with IRS and I’ll also order the other rear end components from them as well unless I can find a 2015 Mustang that someone is parting out. I will have cup holders also. Are all you Ford guys sitting down? I’m putting an LS 1 in my car. 😳
2015, I ordered a FFR MK-IV complete kit (chromed out) and a coyote crate engine. Total cost was $50k, which included 8k for paint - color coat and clear coat only. The complete kit was nice because I didn't have to keep running to the auto supply store. I just had to hunt for parts in boxes in my garage. From delivery to DMV registration took 8 months. Great video. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for the comment Wayne - you can't go wrong with the complete kit route either - that coyote is a sweet motor too. So big question: What color did you paint it? stripes? I'm getting ready to put some stripes on mine
@@TacoJoeYour color turned out well, but painting in a home garage is more that tough. I do home repair, and even just doing poly urethane, I get dust all of the time.
$80 for a quickie $120 for a whole half an hour. But the memories last forever.... And the wife will never see any greasy fingernails or bloody knuckles.... !!! 😮
As a fellow car builder and owner, I totally commend you. You’re all about the functionality and cleanliness merged into one...like myself. Bravo, buddy.
Its a autolite 4100 replica / a very nice carb - didn't need to jet it our anything / just setup the idle and it was good out of the box. Now i didn't put an O2 sensor in the pipes, but its definitely not burning rich either / highly recommend. Go Summit!
I am impressed how clean everything is. Starting with the garage itself, the electrical wiring, the rebuilt drive and engine parts... just smashing. Better than new.
That’s definitely the dream car to build ! No better one . Yours looks fantastic ! I’ve had several hot rods in my day but have always wanted a cobra !
Great work and honestly, I think you spent just about the right amount to do a quality build yourself. Plus, it's really difficult to put a $ on the self-satisfaction index when you stand back and know you did the entire build on your own.
I'm a retired mechanic. You, sir, are a true craftsman. Excellent quality build. Showed lots of details that most vids don't show. Love your sense of humor. But... no high 5? You might want to raise the pay of your pit crew. You know what they say: A happy pit crew makes for a happy pit : )
Extremely impressive. Your knowledge of mechanics and assembly is amazing. The car looks great, and to think you built it yourself and know every inch of it, is incredible. C’s
Very good analysis on the hard cost for for a cobra replica build (whether it be a FF or any other iteration of the cobra). Also a lot of common sense, I've seen so many builds with the 500hp motor and 10k paint jobs. At the end of the day when you take it to a cars and coffee or the like, from 10 feet away, 99 out of a100 people wont know the difference between your build or 100k CSX. Its all about the fun, the experience and nothing wrong with sweat equity That said, very nice build, glad to see a replica with no fake badging and signatures.
And its worth ever cent you spent on it! I have been waiting the lsat 30 years to build one of these and at last I find myself in a position in life were I can do it.. Thanks for posting this as it really puts it all into perspective with what it takes to build one
You did a dandy job. I have put together motors and done things with my Corvettes, but I dont think I could put this together nearly as well as you did. I would have probably would have done a 427 but as you said probably isnt needed. You should be very proud of yourself. Good job!
side oiler 427 is theeee epic motor for these for sure/ I do have a motor swap plan for the car someday though so who knows, maybe I'll go big and drop one in - prob would need to add a hood scoop to feed that thing too - haha. nothing wrong with a 427 / thanks for the comment!
Hundreds of Average Joe's have built Factory Fives with no prior experience except maybe building a BBQ. The newest kit is easier to build than ever before, and there's a striving online community to support people. You can do it!
I am impressed with what a great job you did while using very affordable parts. The wiring is a masterpiece and you got a great finish with a very inexpensive DIY paint job. Well done!
Man, what a great video! I thought it should be around $30k from my math but it stressed me out to actually watch the numbers add up like that. This was a nice learning experience for me so thank you for listing everything and including so much detail!! Absolutely beautiful car!
I feel younger just watching you build this amazing piece of mechanical art. Always loved this car, a shear beauty. Wish I had one, just like yours, same color too.
Steve Spanos I’m a high school kid and I damn love this beauty, along with their super cars, at that point I might send a LS7 engine block to COSWORTH for tuning along with turbocharging, Crazy, huh? It would be awful if people were selling ready racing engines? Judd is fantastic for that :)
Joe- thank you for sharing your experience. My wife and I built a early Bronco and we spent about $63k in parts and labor. We did purchase a rolling chassis with 302, tranny and tc rebuilt, all else was a collection of parts from NPD, Wild Horses and various Bronco parts companies. It has been.a very interesting experience. Enjoy your cobra- looks and sounds awesome. Cheers!
You did a beautiful job. The pride of knowing that you build a whole car is priceless too. You are right for the money there’s nothing new that can touch this beautiful car.
A completely fantastic build and write up. The job you did was not only an accomplishment but a completely professional looking build in the end. Congrats.
Fantastic job and you saved a LOT of money doing the work yourself. I'm no painter so I outsourced that job to a professional ($7k) but got amazing results. I also went with a twin turbo 347 stroker because my donor car (my EDD) had ot already. Great to have another FFR Cobra on the road. Once again yours turned out amazing!
Oustanding Job on your build.....I just finished my car....and I can say that building one of these Factory Five MK4's is a rewarding experience...Thanks for Sharing.....!
I like your choice of carburetor those Summit carbs are actually Holley carbs from 1998 they quit making them then they just change the top plate excellent carbs I have two of them very easy to work on
So far I really like it / totally agree with you / piece of cake to dial in. One item I need for my toolbox though is an O2 sensor / I'm still am a bit of an amateur with the idle screw / vacuums gauge and a ear to the engine to set mixture :)
I'm rebuilding my 67 Camaro convertible. The fun factor like the Cobra is incredible. I don't feel at all guilty spending whatever it takes to do it right.
67-68 Camaros are the best years / i almost moved on a solid 68 Firebird for ~10k a few years ago. Regret i didn't pull the trigger on that one. Sweet ride my man
This is my dream car.... even though i have minimal car knowledge, its always something ive wanted to build. Im getting through college right now but right out of the gate imma start saving so i can go for it. The car skills i pick up along the way will be a great plus
Incredible job - beautiful car!! I don’t have the time required, but more importantly I lack the knowledge to do it right. Congrats on the accomplishment. Enjoy
If you can screw something together then you can do this. It comes with complete instructions. The base kit needs the more work, you can opt to pay more for the kit to have most of it finished for you. Leaving only installing the parts, drive line and paint to have a finished product. FFR kits allow you the choice. More time than money get the basic kit. More money than time, get the fully upgraded kit.
Anthony Thomas It is most definitely not that easy in my experience. I’d highly recommend you have a competent social circle with plenty of experience. It’s going to take a while, but when it’s done... everyone else is going to want one too.
super video. I attended the FFR build school back in 2017 and got a crash course on how to build the roadster. Ended up buying an ERA, but I like FFR as well.
Nice job. Looks like you have a lot of mechanical ability so that plays into someone's ability to do it cheaper than others. Impressed on all the things you did outside the kit. I hope to build one some day in the next few years.
Thanks for the comment Rex! I've made many memories with my family not only with the build, but weekend drives and car shows too. Someday I'll pass the keys to one of my children -BUT- only after they learn to understand/respect the cobra (maybe we'll do some autocross courses/etc) - Good luck Rex!
Thank you very very much for demonstrating the actual cost of a quality bufget build and your thoroughness in the component list. I totally agree that (1) a quality budget build is totally worth it and (2) its very hard to beat what you builtby writing a check for 30k. Thanks again and enjoy the car.
What a journey I just took. I just built a car while I smoked a blunt and watched a high school football championship game (my home town). Thanks for the help dude 🤘🏾
Wow, I actually thought I would someday build my own Cobra. I'm a Contractor/Mechanic. But building your own aluminum boxes running all the wiring and if you have time Prime and paint?......... I'm trying to stay married. After restoring an E-Type Jaguar my garage privileges have been scaled down to parking my Vette in it :) But someday I will buy one. Dude good for you on your skills (Dude factor 10). I loved the production value of your video nicely done.
Mark Bergren, wow! You are married to a woman (?) who tells you what you can and can’t do? I’m sorry but I’m married also yet my wife doesn’t tell me what to do. Now to be honest, I do discuss major purchases and plans with her. But if I really want something, particularly a car or truck, she never tells me NO. We discuss finances and if it’s something that I REALLY REALLY want, she only wants to know how much fun will she get out of it. Of course, I will let her drive things first if that’s what she wants. But something as powerful as the FFR Cobra that I would build, she would definitely want me to teach her the ins and outs of how to handle it before she gets behind the steering wheel. She is extremely beautiful (she keeps me close to her when we go anywhere since she gets hit on every time I wander off) but also extremely smart. She knows her limitations and since I have driven in SCCA and NHRA (stock to Top Fuel) she defers to me when it comes to fast vehicles. Then, of course, I teach her and she catches on quickly so she starts slowly but doesn’t take long to get up to speed. Maybe if you get your wife involved with it she will be more apt to say yes. It never hurts to see. That is unless you want to be away from her. If that’s the case, you’re on your own. Sorry my friend.
Great looking car! My dad and i built one in 2010 after he retired. Loved driving it. He was in it right around the same, only thing he didnt do himself was paint it. He opted for a nice paint scheme instead of a crate engine. Miss that car. Great build
Got to be careful with these cars - short wheel base, light car and high horsepower can be a risky proposition for an inexperienced driver / thanks for the comment!
Im very impressed, you ended spending a whole lot less than i thought you could get away with and in turn, you've got a magnificent piece of machinery, good job my friend & best of luck with your beautiful ride!👍👍😊
Donuts !!! Beautiful car you have built Taco Joe. I like the fact you used a lot of new and rebuilt materials instead of using wore out parts from a donor car.
he used a used rear end-rebuilt it,he used a used engine,refreshed it(not rebuilt).these parts were from a donor car/truck.using parts from one vehicle makes things easy and makes a working system easy to move over to another vehicle.starting with nothing and buying new or rebuilt parts would cost another $25,000 easily.
@@trillrifaxegrindor4411not so. A crate engine can be 10k, which is only about 8k more, plus far less time. Zero way I'd touch an engine. That takes lots of skill and knowledge.
Good video. You did a super job on that MK4 and the paint looks great. I can't believe you did that in your garage. I bought a MK1 in 1998 and a 1990 Mustang donor car for $2000. It took me almost 2 years to get it on the road and cost about $22,000 FFR is a terrific company and the cars are so much fun even when they are stock budget builds like mine. Keep your speed down and the shiny side up.
Wait a minute now, don't forget the turbo charging impact of dingo balls along the window sill and a Hawaiian hip-swerving hula Girl on the dash. Nobody'll come near you man !!!
Man you did a really good job building it. I think this is what sets FFR apart from other companies…the dream of owning one of these magnificent machines is def doable if you can do the labor yourself, you don’t need deep pockets. My buddy just got a Backdraft Racing RT4 cobra and while it’s a super awesome car it was 90k and is out of my price range. I could def do a FFR kit such as you did even at 2023 prices. Thanks for sharing.
When I was a young boy my grandparents next door neighbor had a Ford Shelby Cobra stock from the factory. It was red. I believe it had a 427 cubic in engine. I knew it was special. I loved it. I never forgot it. I’ve always wished it was mine. That was 60 years ago. He probably paid less than $4000. for it although that’s just a guess. It looked just like yours.
I'd have to compliment you for doing the whole thing yourself. Well done. My first Cobra build back in 1990 was all myself and since I had built a few racecar chassis before, I did the same with that Cobra and bought the body from Classic roadsters. In 1990 dollars I spent $19k out the door, of course I did it all myself, including paint. This time I bought an FFR kit roadster, but even though now retired and living in Thailand, I am still doing the whole build myself. RHD mod is a little bit challenging, and i may leave a few things on the table to modify later when I get bored.
You do just takes a little time to learn when he's showing you engine rebuilding rear end rebuild if you have a little money you can just buy a new rear end and new crate motor but don't sell yourself short
@@scottcarroll5545Most men cannot/will not do this. I have zero knowledge about cars, and mine would fall apart at the first time I hit a speed bump. And I would die.
This kind of thing is fascinating to the non-mechanically inclined out here. Beautiful car. Thanks for the cost context. Very helpful to folks like me that are thinking about trying to buy one.
Wow... great video. Plan on doing a build as soon as I retire (another year out). Can do most every on my own but there is no way I would do the paint. You doing the paint on your own was a a huge task and it turned out awesome!
Thank you. Loved the presentation. A fat-free video. And you answered my two questions at the end: min cost and if did again. Thanks for putting this together and sharing.
I was looking at your figures and (I'm presently in negotiations with my wife), one thing you didn't list was how much you spent on tools. I have never built a car before but it has been a dream I've had that when I retire, it would do this, So, I see you painted your car, which for me, that would be another expense. Those details would add a significant cost to my build as I have only a few tools right now. I don't know how many tools you had or how much you think you saved by painting the car yourself. I am looking at probably $45K for my project depending on cost for donor parts. I am inspired by you and others I've seen and am eager to do more research. Thanks for this video!
thanks for the comment / biggest tool expense I purchased specifically for my build was the compressor for paint ($400ish?) and the moisture separator/HVLP guns/etc. (est. $150?) Beyond this and some of the engine tools, only other "special" tool I can think of that the typical garage mechanic doesn't have is a riveter-celco. I used my regular cordless drill / wrenches / jigsaw / angle grinder / you name it. If you are interested, Factory Five rolls up a "tools required" list at the start of the build manuals - that's a great starting point. Odds are though, you will have much of what you need- check out the forums too / lots of good advice here on what you need/etc
Gday Taco Joe,. You may not read this mate but hats off to you sir for not only building her from the chassis up!!!! Always respected that sort of stuff. And most of all thankyou for running through the build for us hopefuls in owning a Ac cobra oneday. I will probably end up importing a Superformance cobra in the end as their builds are second to none in my opinion. Anyways cheers mate and enjoy.
Hey thanks Tommy / Superformance makes a GREAT product / i really like their GT40 rollers / one of those would make a good project to chronicle on this channel if i could get a deal. Would definitely go for the high-revving under-rated SBF -but- likely would go the Dart block route to ensure it holds together. Thanks for the comment!
I can't do all of what you did, but one of my sons and I are planning on building something. You must be enjoying the Sweet satisfaction of your efforts.
Totally agree. If taking a motorcycle on a drive through the country is 10:10, I'd rank driving a Cobra a solid 8.5:10 - its that fun / thanks for the comment!
Really liked your videos! I was fortunate to be at the right place and time to purchase a gen 2 FFR Daytona Coupe built by a very talented fellow like yourself. Great respect for your workmanship and attention to detail. Many happy miles and smiles from Alberta, Canada
I don't believe this cost under $30k. Because it looks a Million $$$$. BTW looking at your video editing style and attention to detail in the built, I totally believe not only did you do a fantastic job but the Picasso art work would be reliable, easy to source parts for and cheap to maintain. Well done.
Real ones cost 1.5mill to 2mill
@@mazdamcduckens4015 Actually more one time i saw an auction sold for 6 million
@@mayuravirus6134 that one actually belonged to Shelby
Best of all this cars are solid 10 seconds cars all day long 2400pounds 400 to 500 hp cars for a price of a 13 second cámaro i rather take the cobra any day
The guy was pretty amazing at keeping costs down - using a junkyard motor and selectively rebuilding it, tranny, and painted it himself. That alone saved at least 15-20k (depending on the alternative).
It's refreshing to see somebody who can take a car from start to finish and do a quality job throughout. Well done.
Along with all of the rest of your fantastic workmanship, the wiring stood out to me as an example of true craftmanship. Which is something that gets overlooked far too often. Beautiful build!
I've been wanting to pull the trigger on this kit for well over 10 years. It's great to see someone actually do it. Good job.
You should go for it sir. We're not getting any younger. Also, we're not taking this money with us when we die..
My two cents is, "Get out and do it, buddy"! I hope you get the chance.
You guys are right, I’m going to do it. I just received my new FFR catalog and I’m going through all the options for my car. I will go with a full kit with IRS and I’ll also order the other rear end components from them as well unless I can find a 2015 Mustang that someone is parting out. I will have cup holders also. Are all you Ford guys sitting down? I’m putting an LS 1 in my car. 😳
@@jnsfrahm did u do it
@@HiddenGully yes I did. I ordered my kit on 21 July. I’m currently looking for an engine/trans combo.
2015, I ordered a FFR MK-IV complete kit (chromed out) and a coyote crate engine. Total cost was $50k, which included 8k for paint - color coat and clear coat only. The complete kit was nice because I didn't have to keep running to the auto supply store. I just had to hunt for parts in boxes in my garage. From delivery to DMV registration took 8 months. Great video. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for the comment Wayne - you can't go wrong with the complete kit route either - that coyote is a sweet motor too. So big question: What color did you paint it? stripes? I'm getting ready to put some stripes on mine
@@TacoJoeYour color turned out well, but painting in a home garage is more that tough. I do home repair, and even just doing poly urethane, I get dust all of the time.
Wife's refusal of a high-five, the night's spent alone, over-drawing checking account, diminished savings - priceless.
Deep down inside: she loves the car - she would never admit it though :)
$80 for a quickie $120 for a whole half an hour. But the memories last forever.... And the wife will never see any greasy fingernails or bloody knuckles.... !!! 😮
You can always hire a fat girl to sit on your chest and drip transmission fluid in your face.... I don't like fat women or small cars.... 😮
Holy Crapozoid batman! FREAKIN AWESOME!
Way to go! That stuff has me drooling like a newborn baby!!!
Outstanding workmanship. You built an excellent car in a frugal manner without taking any cheap shortcuts. Well done!
Great job. My wife is begging for a cobra and I showed her your cost to build. I got the thumbs up!
Nice job - Just remember if you decide to build one, you still need to pay some attention to her too :)
Folks, this is a bot. No wife acts like this.
That was one of the best videos I’ve seen on UA-cam. Thank you for opening up your books on this build.
Thanks for the nice comment / glad you liked it!
As a fellow car builder and owner, I totally commend you. You’re all about the functionality and cleanliness merged into one...like myself. Bravo, buddy.
God Bless Summit, cant beat that carb cost and suprising quality
Its a autolite 4100 replica / a very nice carb - didn't need to jet it our anything / just setup the idle and it was good out of the box. Now i didn't put an O2 sensor in the pipes, but its definitely not burning rich either / highly recommend. Go Summit!
Satisfaction of looking at the finished product knowing you built this masterpiece, priceless!!!
I am impressed how clean everything is. Starting with the garage itself, the electrical wiring, the rebuilt drive and engine parts... just smashing. Better than new.
Who cares if it’s not the real thing? What matters is the fun and excitement you get from building all on your own and then driving it! Well done!
They probably work better than the originals too.
@@robertoferrari5397 Agreed because they have the modern touch with original look.
It is just as real as the original. It's a reproduction, that's better than the original.
Thank you for posting this! Many people are way too secretive or embarassed to say how much the TRUE cost is to build one of these little monsters.
Only when telling the wife LOL
Add $10k in 2024.
That’s definitely the dream car to build ! No better one . Yours looks fantastic ! I’ve had several hot rods in my day but have always wanted a cobra !
Admitting up front that I could never complete this build - at least I now know what it takes !! Great video and great looking Cobra 🎉
Me2
Great work and honestly, I think you spent just about the right amount to do a quality build yourself. Plus, it's really difficult to put a $ on the self-satisfaction index when you stand back and know you did the entire build on your own.
Bring it to the Dream Cruise so we all can admire this work of love. There's a sizable factory five owners club meet every year....
I'm in the midwest so I'll definitely have to consider that sometime / is it happening this year with Covid/etc?
i think you did a huge favor for those who are considering such a project. thanks
Beautiful Build love the wiring and breakers. So very neat and organized.
I'm a retired mechanic. You, sir, are a true craftsman. Excellent quality build. Showed lots of details that most vids don't show. Love your sense of humor. But... no high 5? You might want to raise the pay of your pit crew. You know what they say: A happy pit crew makes for a happy pit : )
I couldn’t have said it better myself / thanks for the comment Paul
Happy wife, happy life.
Extremely impressive. Your knowledge of mechanics and assembly is amazing. The car looks great, and to think you built it yourself and know every inch of it, is incredible.
C’s
Very good analysis on the hard cost for for a cobra replica build (whether it be a FF or any other iteration of the cobra). Also a lot of common sense, I've seen so many builds with the 500hp motor and 10k paint jobs. At the end of the day when you take it to a cars and coffee or the like, from 10 feet away, 99 out of a100 people wont know the difference between your build or 100k CSX. Its all about the fun, the experience and nothing wrong with sweat equity
That said, very nice build, glad to see a replica with no fake badging and signatures.
if people want 500hp and a real paint job, let them. if people want to do it themselves and save 9,85k, let them too.
@you're stupid I painted my original csx car with paint from the same place. My car cost $4,995 when I purchased it in 1968.
And its worth ever cent you spent on it! I have been waiting the lsat 30 years to build one of these and at last I find myself in a position in life were I can do it.. Thanks for posting this as it really puts it all into perspective with what it takes to build one
Thanks for the nice comment Adrian / hope you can make your dream come true and good luck!
Kit & parts: $30,000
Pride and satisfaction of doing it yourself: Priceless
Great job, and awesome car. Thanks for sharing.
and 3 years work. some of the parts should have been sand blasted and powder coated.
You did a dandy job. I have put together motors and done things with my Corvettes, but I dont think I could put this together nearly as well as you did. I would have probably would have done a 427 but as you said probably isnt needed. You should be very proud of yourself. Good job!
side oiler 427 is theeee epic motor for these for sure/ I do have a motor swap plan for the car someday though so who knows, maybe I'll go big and drop one in - prob would need to add a hood scoop to feed that thing too - haha. nothing wrong with a 427 / thanks for the comment!
I don't have the skill set to do all of that, kudos to you for handling it all yourself.
Fuck that negativity man, you can do it
@@tjrizvi251 - You know what they say "Don't practice on your favorite car".
Hundreds of Average Joe's have built Factory Fives with no prior experience except maybe building a BBQ. The newest kit is easier to build than ever before, and there's a striving online community to support people. You can do it!
@@BradThePitts Exactly. That said if you have a problem following simple directions like those found in a Ikea box well....
Me and my dad are gonna build one there skill compared to ours is gonna be a major difference
I am impressed with what a great job you did while using very affordable parts. The wiring is a masterpiece and you got a great finish with a very inexpensive DIY paint job. Well done!
According to my toyota dealership.. If you include the cost of labor it comes to just around one billion dollars.. Lol
Great job.. My dream car.
Mine was 2,000 hours labor including re-do's and upgrades. That's $130,000 labor! Most builds are about 400 hours labor.
Do not have someone build it.... Build it yourself!!
@@BradThePitts- You can bring that price down if you work for minimum wage, $11.00 per hr.
LOL! so true
@Nas Bet link
Man, what a great video! I thought it should be around $30k from my math but it stressed me out to actually watch the numbers add up like that. This was a nice learning experience for me so thank you for listing everything and including so much detail!! Absolutely beautiful car!
I feel younger just watching you build this amazing piece of mechanical art. Always loved this car, a shear beauty. Wish I had one, just like yours, same color too.
Steve Spanos I’m a high school kid and I damn love this beauty, along with their super cars, at that point I might send a LS7 engine block to COSWORTH for tuning along with turbocharging,
Crazy, huh? It would be awful if people were selling ready racing engines? Judd is fantastic for that :)
Joe- thank you for sharing your experience. My wife and I built a early Bronco and we spent about $63k in parts and labor. We did purchase a rolling chassis with 302, tranny and tc rebuilt, all else was a collection of parts from NPD, Wild Horses and various Bronco parts companies. It has been.a very interesting experience. Enjoy your cobra- looks and sounds awesome. Cheers!
early Bronco's are sweet / an excellent project-
Stunning example of what can be accomplished with ambition and know how. Great job!
You did a beautiful job. The pride of knowing that you build a whole car is priceless too. You are right for the money there’s nothing new that can touch this beautiful car.
Nicely done. Thanks for taking the time and showing us the break down.
A completely fantastic build and write up. The job you did was not only an accomplishment but a completely professional looking build in the end.
Congrats.
Fantastic job and you saved a LOT of money doing the work yourself. I'm no painter so I outsourced that job to a professional ($7k) but got amazing results. I also went with a twin turbo 347 stroker because my donor car (my EDD) had ot already. Great to have another FFR Cobra on the road. Once again yours turned out amazing!
Twin turbo 347 in a 2300lb Cobra - definition of bad a :) nice choice
@@TacoJoe Scott's trying to put Duncan and Krispy Kreme out of business making doughnuts by the mile...
Oustanding Job on your build.....I just finished my car....and I can say that building one of these Factory Five MK4's is a rewarding experience...Thanks for Sharing.....!
What a great looking Cobra. You are a genius. Your skill and patience is remarkable. Really enjoyed the video. That too was great.
Nicely done. Your attention to detail speaks volumes.
How awesome, thank you! I spent 25k on my build in 2001 money. Nice work, by the way. The car looks beautiful!
I like your choice of carburetor those Summit carbs are actually Holley carbs from 1998 they quit making them then they just change the top plate excellent carbs I have two of them very easy to work on
So far I really like it / totally agree with you / piece of cake to dial in. One item I need for my toolbox though is an O2 sensor / I'm still am a bit of an amateur with the idle screw / vacuums gauge and a ear to the engine to set mixture :)
Congratulations, this looks to be by far the most viewed video about Factory fires in history! Well deserved.
That's a beautiful ride! Can't think of another car design that has aged as well as the cobra. It's timeless! Love it!
I'm rebuilding my 67 Camaro convertible. The fun factor like the Cobra is incredible. I don't feel at all guilty spending whatever it takes to do it right.
67-68 Camaros are the best years / i almost moved on a solid 68 Firebird for ~10k a few years ago. Regret i didn't pull the trigger on that one. Sweet ride my man
Thank you for an excellent breakdown on build and cost. Sir, you have a wide and deep set of skills - outstanding Cobra!
Beautiful car and workmanship........You Sir are an artist!Very well done!
The spirit of Carroll Shelby was with you at no charge!
This is my dream car.... even though i have minimal car knowledge, its always something ive wanted to build. Im getting through college right now but right out of the gate imma start saving so i can go for it. The car skills i pick up along the way will be a great plus
Add it your bucket list / the build was a life experience for me/family and was a great period in my life (good times) - thanks for the comment!
Incredible job - beautiful car!! I don’t have the time required, but more importantly I lack the knowledge to do it right. Congrats on the accomplishment. Enjoy
If you can screw something together then you can do this. It comes with complete instructions. The base kit needs the more work, you can opt to pay more for the kit to have most of it finished for you. Leaving only installing the parts, drive line and paint to have a finished product. FFR kits allow you the choice. More time than money get the basic kit. More money than time, get the fully upgraded kit.
Anthony Thomas It is most definitely not that easy in my experience. I’d highly recommend you have a competent social circle with plenty of experience.
It’s going to take a while, but when it’s done... everyone else is going to want one too.
@@dj4monie Nope Sir. Look it up.
ua-cam.com/video/BD--uPYO718/v-deo.html
Agreed.. But in my case I'd have to add 'lack of patience'.. LOL
I don't trust my skills enough to build that car either. Wished I did.
Nice job with the video and it's content. From where I sit, the info provided on your channel is priceless. Thanks!
U have great mechanical skills and u made an amazing replica. Hats off to u my friend.
super video. I attended the FFR build school back in 2017 and got a crash course on how to build the roadster. Ended up buying an ERA, but I like FFR as well.
Nice job. Looks like you have a lot of mechanical ability so that plays into someone's ability to do it cheaper than others. Impressed on all the things you did outside the kit. I hope to build one some day in the next few years.
Thanks SO MUCH for the breakdown of cost and parts! I hope to build one with my son and daughter in the next few years... God willing.
Thanks for the comment Rex! I've made many memories with my family not only with the build, but weekend drives and car shows too. Someday I'll pass the keys to one of my children -BUT- only after they learn to understand/respect the cobra (maybe we'll do some autocross courses/etc) - Good luck Rex!
Thank you very very much for demonstrating the actual cost of a quality bufget build and your thoroughness in the component list. I totally agree that (1) a quality budget build is totally worth it and (2) its very hard to beat what you builtby writing a check for 30k. Thanks again and enjoy the car.
What a journey I just took. I just built a car while I smoked a blunt and watched a high school football championship game (my home town). Thanks for the help dude 🤘🏾
Wow, I actually thought I would someday build my own Cobra. I'm a Contractor/Mechanic. But building your own aluminum boxes running all the wiring and if you have time Prime and paint?......... I'm trying to stay married. After restoring an E-Type Jaguar my garage privileges have been scaled down to parking my Vette in it :) But someday I will buy one. Dude good for you on your skills (Dude factor 10). I loved the production value of your video nicely done.
If your marriage survived an E-Type, you've got a solid one...
Mark Bergren, wow! You are married to a woman (?) who tells you what you can and can’t do? I’m sorry but I’m married also yet my wife doesn’t tell me what to do.
Now to be honest, I do discuss major purchases and plans with her. But if I really want something, particularly a car or truck, she never tells me NO. We discuss finances and if it’s something that I REALLY REALLY want, she only wants to know how much fun will she get out of it. Of course, I will let her drive things first if that’s what she wants. But something as powerful as the FFR Cobra that I would build, she would definitely want me to teach her the ins and outs of how to handle it before she gets behind the steering wheel. She is extremely beautiful (she keeps me close to her when we go anywhere since she gets hit on every time I wander off) but also extremely smart. She knows her limitations and since I have driven in SCCA and NHRA (stock to Top Fuel) she defers to me when it comes to fast vehicles. Then, of course, I teach her and she catches on quickly so she starts slowly but doesn’t take long to get up to speed.
Maybe if you get your wife involved with it she will be more apt to say yes. It never hurts to see. That is unless you want to be away from her. If that’s the case, you’re on your own. Sorry my friend.
ztbirdma
Its cheaper than divorce in the long run
Mark Bergren simp
Great looking car! My dad and i built one in 2010 after he retired. Loved driving it. He was in it right around the same, only thing he didnt do himself was paint it. He opted for a nice paint scheme instead of a crate engine. Miss that car. Great build
The key is in your skills. Congratulations!!! Beautiful Cobra.
A real pleasure watching your video. I want a Cobra now, too. Your‘s looks really good as is. Have a safe and enjoyable driving experience!
Got to be careful with these cars - short wheel base, light car and high horsepower can be a risky proposition for an inexperienced driver / thanks for the comment!
Im very impressed, you ended spending a whole lot less than i thought you could get away with and in turn, you've got a magnificent piece of machinery, good job my friend & best of luck with your beautiful ride!👍👍😊
I would pay someone to build me one. Amazing job, hats off to you, what a beauty.
Man your car is super clean and also the attention to details when building it.. props man
Wish I had the time and $$$ for a build like this
Thank you for putting that video together. I appreciate the honesty, and a good assessment of the actual costs. I love your car! Good job!
Donuts !!! Beautiful car you have built Taco Joe. I like the fact you used a lot of new and rebuilt materials instead of using wore out parts from a donor car.
he used a used rear end-rebuilt it,he used a used engine,refreshed it(not rebuilt).these parts were from a donor car/truck.using parts from one vehicle makes things easy and makes a working system easy to move over to another vehicle.starting with nothing and buying new or rebuilt parts would cost another $25,000 easily.
@@trillrifaxegrindor4411not so. A crate engine can be 10k, which is only about 8k more, plus far less time. Zero way I'd touch an engine. That takes lots of skill and knowledge.
Good video. You did a super job on that MK4 and the paint looks great. I can't believe you did that in your garage. I bought a MK1 in 1998 and a 1990 Mustang donor car for $2000. It took me almost 2 years to get it on the road and cost about $22,000 FFR is a terrific company and the cars are so much fun even when they are stock budget builds like mine. Keep your speed down and the shiny side up.
quick tip: add stripes on the car for 500+ more hp
Haha - isn't that the truth / strips are in the long term plan and I'll take the HP that goes with it! Thanks for the comment!
Wait a minute now, don't forget the turbo charging impact of dingo balls along the window sill and a Hawaiian hip-swerving hula Girl on the dash. Nobody'll come near you man !!!
Well it depends what color stripes you get for instance red stripes on a red car cancels this effect 🤫
Love the spirit of your build. I'm gonna make my own one day. I'm encouraged by your approach, really makes the dream seem possible!
Awesome job. Great build and terrific way to put it together
Man you did a really good job building it. I think this is what sets FFR apart from other companies…the dream of owning one of these magnificent machines is def doable if you can do the labor yourself, you don’t need deep pockets. My buddy just got a Backdraft Racing RT4 cobra and while it’s a super awesome car it was 90k and is out of my price range. I could def do a FFR kit such as you did even at 2023 prices. Thanks for sharing.
This is my next build, I’m glad to have some realistic numbers for a build. I love the paint on yours!
I don't usually like black cars, this is very nice.
When I was a young boy my grandparents next door neighbor had a Ford Shelby Cobra stock from the factory. It was red. I believe it had a 427 cubic in engine. I knew it was special. I loved it. I never forgot it. I’ve always wished it was mine. That was 60 years ago. He probably paid less than $4000. for it although that’s just a guess. It looked just like yours.
how cool would it be to have an original / thanks for the comment-
That is a huge accomplishment. I could never put together an entire car basically from scratch.
I'd have to compliment you for doing the whole thing yourself. Well done.
My first Cobra build back in 1990 was all myself and since I had built a few racecar chassis before, I did the same with that Cobra and bought the body from Classic roadsters. In 1990 dollars I spent $19k out the door, of course I did it all myself, including paint.
This time I bought an FFR kit roadster, but even though now retired and living in Thailand, I am still doing the whole build myself. RHD mod is a little bit challenging, and i may leave a few things on the table to modify later when I get bored.
You'll be happy with the MK4 / the end product is very nice / handles great and is an absolute joy to drive. Good luck with your build!
Wish I had the skill for this. Well done sir I salute you.
You do just takes a little time to learn when he's showing you engine rebuilding rear end rebuild if you have a little money you can just buy a new rear end and new crate motor but don't sell yourself short
Scott Carroll thank you 👍🏻
@@scottcarroll5545Most men cannot/will not do this. I have zero knowledge about cars, and mine would fall apart at the first time I hit a speed bump. And I would die.
This kind of thing is fascinating to the non-mechanically inclined out here. Beautiful car. Thanks for the cost context. Very helpful to folks like me that are thinking about trying to buy one.
Wow... great video. Plan on doing a build as soon as I retire (another year out). Can do most every on my own but there is no way I would do the paint. You doing the paint on your own was a a huge task and it turned out awesome!
.......and black, hard to make it look good, you did!
Agreed. Drive or tow it to the best paint shop in town. Black is beautiful, I must admit.
Thank you. Loved the presentation. A fat-free video. And you answered my two questions at the end: min cost and if did again. Thanks for putting this together and sharing.
Glad it was helpful and thanks for the comment!
I was looking at your figures and (I'm presently in negotiations with my wife), one thing you didn't list was how much you spent on tools. I have never built a car before but it has been a dream I've had that when I retire, it would do this, So, I see you painted your car, which for me, that would be another expense. Those details would add a significant cost to my build as I have only a few tools right now. I don't know how many tools you had or how much you think you saved by painting the car yourself. I am looking at probably $45K for my project depending on cost for donor parts. I am inspired by you and others I've seen and am eager to do more research. Thanks for this video!
thanks for the comment / biggest tool expense I purchased specifically for my build was the compressor for paint ($400ish?) and the moisture separator/HVLP guns/etc. (est. $150?) Beyond this and some of the engine tools, only other "special" tool I can think of that the typical garage mechanic doesn't have is a riveter-celco. I used my regular cordless drill / wrenches / jigsaw / angle grinder / you name it. If you are interested, Factory Five rolls up a "tools required" list at the start of the build manuals - that's a great starting point. Odds are though, you will have much of what you need- check out the forums too / lots of good advice here on what you need/etc
Wow ! Talk about a new found appreciation for my L-82 😳
Beautiful build and helpful video
glad you liked it and thanks for the comment!
You did it yourself. Priceless!
Well documented, excellent video, and your workmanship is first rate! (And, your daughter is adorable!) Enjoy driving that black beauty.
Great project, great skills, and great video. Thanks for posting!
I gotta give you a lot of respect for this accomplishment. A very inspiring story. Thank you.
This is a great video and well done on a phenomenal build. It’s really good to see the costs laid out.
Gday Taco Joe,.
You may not read this mate but hats off to you sir for not only building her from the chassis up!!!! Always respected that sort of stuff. And most of all thankyou for running through the build for us hopefuls in owning a Ac cobra oneday. I will probably end up importing a Superformance cobra in the end as their builds are second to none in my opinion.
Anyways cheers mate and enjoy.
Hey thanks Tommy / Superformance makes a GREAT product / i really like their GT40 rollers / one of those would make a good project to chronicle on this channel if i could get a deal. Would definitely go for the high-revving under-rated SBF -but- likely would go the Dart block route to ensure it holds together. Thanks for the comment!
Wow you did a lot of work yourself...my Brother built a beautiful FF Cobra...they are awesome cars...well done sir!
I can't do all of what you did, but one of my sons and I are planning on building something. You must be enjoying the Sweet satisfaction of your efforts.
Thank you for answering all my questions! I have always been wanted to do one! I can foresee being able to build it, however I have never painted.
Use a paint shop. Seriously.
Bring skills & patience=save money. I remember building mine. Great memories. Nothing is quite like driving a Cobra!
Totally agree. If taking a motorcycle on a drive through the country is 10:10, I'd rank driving a Cobra a solid 8.5:10 - its that fun / thanks for the comment!
Awesome car, nicely done and like you said, the fun factor is way up there.
Watching this made my head spin ..... Informative, useful, nauseating, but in learning situation eyeopening.
Great video.
Glad you enjoyed it!
@@TacoJoeplease build mine! I live your knowledge and skill.
Thanks for letting me know it’s affordable, takes time to put it together, but that’s half the fun.
I'm considering doing what you did. Your video really helped me take the big step. Thanks.
Bravo! Well done. Thanks for your straightforward truthfulness! Priceless! 🔥
Really liked your videos! I was fortunate to be at the right place and time to purchase a gen 2 FFR Daytona Coupe built by a very talented fellow like yourself. Great respect for your workmanship and attention to detail. Many happy miles and smiles from Alberta, Canada
Well done build,you have all the skills and a logical process for getting the most bang for your buck.