 Jeff Yoesel of Houston, TX,...  Jeff Yoesel of Houston, TX, owns the unassembled FFR Mk III chassis on the rotisserie. |
 With FFR roadsters, one can...  With FFR roadsters, one can build a car with donor parts from a '94-and-up Mustang, or one can upgrade with various components. |
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 The same can be said for the...  The same can be said for the donor rear disc brakes versus the high-performance rear disc brakes available from Ford dealerships across the country, like Five Star Ford. |
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 When you build your FFR roadster,...  When you build your FFR roadster, if you use donor parts, you can save money. |
 From looking at the donor...  From looking at the donor fuel tank that comes from a '94-99 Mustang, or can be purchased new from a dealership, perhaps you'd opt for a Fuel Safe Fuel Cell, custom-made for FFR. |
 The blue shocks on the left...  The blue shocks on the left are new donor Tokico rear shocks that can be purchased at any Ford dealership that sells Ford Racing Parts. |
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 Would you rather opt for the...  Would you rather opt for the donor Mustang steering rag joint at the top of the photo, or pay a bit more for the Flaming River steering rag joint at the bottom? The choice is yours. |
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In our travels across the country, we encounter many fine builders of replicars. There are plenty of professional shops in the U.S. that fabricate kit cars for customers. Also prevalent are hobbyists who have such a knack for constructing their own vehicles that they help other kit car enthusiasts with their projects. Some of these folks spend so much time assisting their buddies that they don't finish their cars. Other home hobby car builders become so proficient at assembling a particular manufacturer's cars that they create a side business and get paid for their expertise and building prowess.
Factory Five Racing Mk II roadster builder/owner Tom Mauldin is a perfect example. Tom has helped so many of his friends with their FFR roadsters and Type 65 coupes that he decided to create a FFR fabricating business called Texas Venom, in Pearland, Texas, where Tom builds FFR roadsters and Type 65 coupes out of his two-car garage. Since he's more a fan of Ford products, he doesn't think he'll take on any FFR GTM projects. But if you too live in the big state of Texas or areas surrounding and you're looking for some help with your Ford-based FFR project, Texas Venom can help you realize your dreams of FFR roadster or coupe ownership.
KIT CAR visited Tom's Texas Venom shop and got a great idea of the different ways to build a FFR. We asked him to point out some of the different component options of building a car with donor '94-and-newer Mustang parts versus using new components or new and upgraded parts. Texas Venom has a reputation for getting a stalled FFR project finished with fantastic results, so we weren't surprised to see how thorough and organized the Texas Venom shop is. Nor were we disappointed when we asked Tom to send us some additional photos of donor components versus custom-made parts. He sent us so many pictures and notes we couldn't possibly use all of them. What we did publish, we're sure you'll find informative. If you become inspired from seeing the work Texas Venom performs, or you learn something new, be thankful that Tom has just helped you. If you'd like to hire his expertise, he'd be happy to hear from you.
MK III Base Kit: $12,990includes:
Frame, body, windshield, and associated hardware
Front and rear suspension components and hardware
Wiring harness
Engine compartment, trunk, dash, and interior aluminum panels
Side exhaust and assembly
Steering wheel
Seats
Interior trim
Quick jacks and one rollbar hoop
Lighting and associated hardware assemblies
Roller gas cap, chrome door latches, and handles
Chrome side and rearview mirrors
Shifter with boot and trim ring
Radiator fan and assembly
Simpson seat harness
Interior carpeting
Assorted fasteners, dash buttons, ignition, and other required switches
Fuel and brake lines
Weatherstripping
Oil filter relocator
Battery tray and cable
Assembly manual
FFR Engineer Jesper Ingerslev's FFR Mk IIIFor illustration purposes, we've included the specifications of Factory Five Racing Engineer Jesper Ingerslev's Mk III. He incorporated the base kit with a 2003 Mach 1 Mustang donor car and selected options to his tastes. The specifications of the car and its associated costs follow:
Engine
Configuration: Dual-overhead-cam 32V V-8 aluminum block and heads
Displacement: 281cid/4606cc
Bore and Stroke: 3.55x3.54 in.
Compression ratio: 10.1:1
Induction: Multi-port fuel
Injection
Maximum Horsepower: 305 @ 6,000 rpm
Maximum Torque: 320 @ 4,250 rpm
Redline: 6,800 rpm
Drivetrain
Transmission: Five-speed manual
Final drive ratio: 3.55:1 limited slip
Clutch: 10.5-inch single disc
Front suspension type: Independent double arm
Rear suspension type: Solid rear axle 3-link with Panhard bar
Shocks/Springs: Coilover with ride height adjustment
Steering: Power-assisted rack-and-pinion, 2.6 turns lock-lock
Brakes: Vented 13/11.65 disc front, power-assisted ABS rear
Wheels: 18x9-inch Ford Racing cast aluminum
Tires: Kumho Ecsta MX 245/40/18 front, 275/35/18 rear
Vehicle
Weight: 2,460 lb.
Weight: Distribution front/rear 46.9/53.1 (percent)
Wheelbase: 90"
Overall length: 158 in.
Front Track: 58.5 in.
Rear Track: 58.5 in.
Overall height: 48.0 in.
Overall width: 70.5 in.
Ground clearance: 4.5 in.
Fuel Capacity: 15 gal.
Construction
Layout: Front/mid-engine rear-wheel-drive roadster
Frame: Tubular space frame with integral backbone
Rollbar: Structurally mounted 2-in. DOM tubing
Sub-structure: Aluminum paneling riveted and bonded to frame
Restraint System: Four-point Simpson harness
Jesper Ingerslev's MK III Cost SheetKit/Options
Base kit: $12,990
Tubular: front lower control arms-$480
3-link rear suspension w/rear coilover shocks and lower tubular control arms-$1,000
Chrome rollbar-$290
Wind wings-$125
Stainless steel bumpers-$675
Ceramic-coated side exhaust-$375
Hood hinge-$250
Radiator-$220
Ultra-Lite electronic gauges-$580
Donor Mustang
2003 Mach 1 Mustang 2,000
miles-$4,999
eBay unused parts-$2,054
Shortened driveshaft and new yoke-$160
Engine mounts-$56
Power steering pump-$108
Coolant reservoir-$73
Fluids-$93
Drivetrain
Underdrive pulleys-$110
Shifter-$163
Exterior
Paint job-$3,600
Wheels-$872
Tires-$602
Interior
Stereo-$200
Speakers-$350
Amplifiers-$500
Total-$26,817
 In building many a kit, especially...  In building many a kit, especially a Factory Five Racing car, there are myriad options. Consider chassis plumbing hoses. |  |  The stock donor Mustang pedal...  The stock donor Mustang pedal assembly on the top has a plastic, non-adjustable clutch quadrant that will wear out. |
 FFR Engineer Jesper Ingerslev's...  FFR Engineer Jesper Ingerslev's car looks thus. We've had the opportunity to drive this FFR. | | |