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Customer Profile - Phil Sprague

FFR 4538RD, North Olmstead, OH

Forum handle: PSS

Email:  pspra65707@aol.com
 
 

Phil Sprague is a lot like most of our customers.   He has some experience working on cars, but an automotive mechanic he’s definitely not. 

 

Building a Roadster was a dream he had for a long time (he’s a sports car nut, and longed to relive the days that he buzzed around college in a Sunbeam Alpine).  Soon after college, however, he married his childhood sweetheart, and the Sunbeam was replaced with a station wagon, and eventually a minivan.  But even those drab, lifeless cars couldn’t suck the will to drive out of his soul.
 
 

Since he was not getting any younger, and he was looking for something to pull him away from TV, he knew that there was no time like the present to build his dream car. 

 

Towards the end of 2002 he and his wife Pat agreed that “if I don’t do this now (at age 59), I’ll regret it forever.” 

With full support from his better half, Phil started planning his build.  Unfortunately, most of his family and friends did not seem to take him seriously. That skepticism fueled his motivation, and only inspired him further.

 

While on a business trip, he happened upon a Factory Five advertisement in a magazine.  He carried that ad around with him in his wallet for some time, and as the excitement for the project continued to build, he bit the bullet.  As a first step, he ordered the Factory Five Mark II Assembly Manual and started looking around for a donor.

 

On April 30, 2003 he found a suitable donor car (a 1988 speed density Mustang) and purchased it for $2800.



Phil is a professional engineer, and although he was in no rush, he was certain that the car had to be built “right”.  The fun of the build experience was the primary driving force for the project, but he also wanted to have a good quality, safe, performance car when the project was complete.
 


In between real life, vacations, grandkids and home projects, the car took almost two years to complete.  Along the way he kept a daily journal of his build progress, compiling entries after each night of the project.  His journal is the War and Peace of build documents, and is much larger and more detailed than our web-server has memory to post here.

 

“The FFR assembly manual was of tremendous assistance, and coupled with the forum (www.ffcobra.com) both were very helpful in resolving build questions along the way.”
 


Being a perfectionist at heart, Phil just couldn’t bear to have someone else work on his pride and joy, so he embarked on his own “wire diet” and did all of the body work as well.  “The bodywork is a learning experience, but it can be done successfully if you take your time” advises Phil on the one step that most builders contract out.
 


The car was on the road in early 2005, and Phil and Pat have enjoyed taking it on cruises, scenic drives, and to car shows on weekends.  Even a trip to the gas station becomes a car show for the crowds that flock to see his car.

 
 

To make sure it wasn’t too fast for Pat to drive, Phil kept the engine stock, but also added 3:55 rear gears to give it a boost when he needed.
 
 
 

Phil’s overall assessment: “Building this car is everything I had hoped it would be and so much more!  One of the surprise benefits from the build is the people you meet along the way.  We have joined the Ohio Cobra Club as well as the Ohio FFROGs and enjoy our new friends and activities.”