• Hey Guest!
    British Car Forum has been supporting enthusiasts for over 25 years by providing a great place to share our love for British cars. You can support our efforts by upgrading your membership for less than the dues of most car clubs. There are some perks with a member upgrade!
    **Upgrade Now**
    (PS: Upgraded members don't see this banner, nor will you see the Google ads that appear on the site.)
Tips
Tips

TORN between Two Projects

Share this page

Dave Richards

Dave Richards

Jedi Knight
Country flag
Offline
OK, so a BN2 project is a bit far fetched right now.

Cleaning up an MGC is within available funds and kid's time. However, I'm intrigued by a Cobra project, specifically the Factory Five project.

My question is, has anyone had any experience with one of these, or anything similar???
 
Can't speak to the Factory Five Cobras, but they assemble the Kirkham Roadsters here in Utah. These are the ones with the aluminum bodies, made in an old MiG factory. The cars were truly stunning.

https://www.drooartz.com/documents/sagas/kirkham08/index.html

Probably out of the budget range, however, if you're paying for college. :smile:
 
I've seen the Kirkhams, they are stunning. It was also a great business model for an LDS RM. The cars are beautiful.

What I want is a project to do with the kids, ages 23 down to 10.

EDIT:

My mistake, Kirkham has a kit, I had no idea. I just spoke with them, they won't be making kits for much longer. The kit is about double the price of a Factory Five, but it has an aluminum body. This puts the project up into the BN2 Lemans range...I'd much rather have an aluminum body, but... :frown:
 
Factory Fives are a nice car if built correctly. I worked in a Superformance dealer and I saw my share of Factory Fives cone through. some nice, some scabbed togeather.
Remember, the price of the kit is the parts for a rolling chassis. then you need to source a powertrain.( and in some cases suspension and brakes and steering) You'll easily have 30-40K invested in a decent built F5.
And they take many, many, many hours to build. You'll know the hardware store clerk by name.(trust me)
What a hoot to drive when they're done though!
 
I am i the only one that drooled over that mandrel bender.....



mark
 
Dave Richards said:
I'd much rather have an aluminum body, but... :frown:
Click to expand...

Those bodies looked fantastic up close. I'd surly be tempted if I had the budget for it. Top-notch craftsmanship there.
 
I{ve a neighbor who did one...regardless of what they say in literature expect to drop a minimum of $30,000 in it!
 
I've a friend with a Factory Five coupe in his shoppe right now; just waiting for the time to get started on it.
 
drooartz said:
Can't speak to the Factory Five Cobras, but they assemble the Kirkham Roadsters here in Utah. These are the ones with the aluminum bodies, made in an old MiG factory.
Click to expand...

MiGs were made in Utah?

Tell me more!
 
Twosheds said:
drooartz said:
Can't speak to the Factory Five Cobras, but they assemble the Kirkham Roadsters here in Utah. These are the ones with the aluminum bodies, made in an old MiG factory.
Click to expand...

MiGs were made in Utah?

Tell me more!
Click to expand...

The MiG's were made in Poland!

One of the Kirkhams "worked" in Poland for two years and became familiar with the factory, upon retuning to his home in Utah....

The work on the cars is exceptional.
 
A nice side effect of the local cultural trait of sending the young ones abroad as missionaries for their church.

The Kirkhams now own the factory in Poland. Bodies are shipped over here for assembly.

l3.jpg

Six pack of roadsters
 
Dave Richards said:
The MiG's were made in Poland!

One of the Kirkhams "worked" in Poland for two years and became familiar with the factory, upon retuning to his home in Utah....
Click to expand...

"I see", said the blind man.
 
ummmm, own the factory ?

well maybe another factory , but the MIG factory just got sold to Sicorsky helicopter company

Very nice cars , I would want one just polished....

my birthday is pretty soon :smile:
 
beaulieu said:
ummmm, own the factory ?

well maybe another factory , but the MIG factory just got sold to Sicorsky helicopter company

Very nice cars , I would want one just polished....

my birthday is pretty soon :smile:
Click to expand...
We have a division of Sicorsky here locally. Schweitzer aircraft started out building sailplanes and is currently building small commercial, and also Blackhawk helicoptors. I almost wound up working there recently, but it diden't pan out.
Still, I work about a half mile from thier plant, and we see the helicoptors going on test flights all the time. Pretty cool.
Now if they could only make the Cobras there...........
 
beaulieu said:
ummmm, own the factory ?

well maybe another factory , but the MIG factory just got sold to Sicorsky helicopter company

Very nice cars , I would want one just polished....

my birthday is pretty soon :smile:
Click to expand...

Just for you:

homepagecar.jpg
 
Yowzer! That is stunning! Can you imagine how long it took to polish that sucker?
 
I think a "smarter" finish on those things would be flat black, radar absorbing paint!
 
no peekin' at the running boards.....
 
Back
Top