June 2002 FFR Announces Mark II Version of Roadster

June 2002 FFR Announces Mark II Version of Roadster

Probably the most significant thing we've done in the last year has been the re-engineering of our best selling 65 roadster. In launching this new version, we have not merely made improvements, but rather we have re-invented the car from the frame up!

We refer to the improved design as the Mark II. Production began at the beginning of the year and it is now the current configuration of all FFR 65 roadsters. The number and nature of the upgrades are huge. The Mark II roadster is better in hundreds of ways. Here's the details on the newest version of our best selling kit.

Best Molded Panels Ever!

It took us the better part of nine months to design new molds, qualify a new laminate process and put these new parts into production. With very little fanfare, the new molds came on line last winter. We decided to bring all manufacturing in-house to assure the new molds and process would be maintained the way we wanted. We've invested over $250,000 into developing a staffing a new molding facility headed by Nate Johnson and charged with making all FFR molded parts, our guys have done a great job.

The new parts fit really well, allow for a tighter gap all around and are made with serial number mold identification. The hood radius has been increased by 3/4" over-all, allowing for taller engine intakes! The aluminum liner in the trunk is now rolled and formed to fit the radius of the trunk, reducing long term stress on the part. The doors are just a wonderful fit, even before the body is mounted. And wait till you see the new adjustable door hinges (fully adjustable in every plane).

Check out the gaps and fitment on these new Mark II panels. The red car shown here is the daily driver of FFR Engineer Dave Riha and can be seen during visits to our factory in New England.

Stronger and Safer Frame

So many of our Mark II changes have been derived from our Spec Racer program. While racing our Spec Racer, we found the chassis was easier to drive really fast. Because of the SCCA GT-1 based full cage of the Spec Racer, the torsional rigidity of the frame was roughly twice that of the standard roadster kits. FFR Engineer Jim Schenck was tasked with making the standard frame as strong or stronger than the Spec Racer frame without adding the large full race cage. After three months of testing different frame designs, the outcome was some serious changes and upgrades to our roadster's 4" round tube frame design netting about 85% more torsional strenth!

Left: New Mark II Frame (shown w/optional passenger side roll bar, painted black). Right: Full competition Spec Racer frame (powder coated black).

The modified FFR roadster frame benefits from the addition of a backbone section, numerous triangulated reinforcements, and added tubular footbox tubing. The dash area was strengthened to make those old Midwestern railroad crossings free of any cowl and shake and the trunk perimeter steel was curved for more trunk space.

New and Improved Suspension Parts and Geometry

We took a hard look at our roadster suspenion and made it even better. We made big changes and small ones, all combined to make the car easier to build, easier to service, and able to perform at an even higher level.

The rear suspension geometry is improved. We made the rear axle control arm mounts adjustable. No matter how you use the car, you can now have the perfect balance of handling, hook-up, and roll center without any chance of wheel hop. Our new front upper A-arms (standard in the kit) have trickled down from our Spec Racer cars. These killer new racing A-arms provide effortless alignment (no more slotted caster camber adjustments), and are even stronger than the previous FFR arms.

The front lower tubular control arms are re-designed as well to add a new press fit ball joint for easier bolt-on assembly. The new arms also offer increased boot clearance and are made on improved jigs to reduce heat deflection during fabrication (makes a more accurate part that fits better).

Right: Check out these cool new competition A-arms and coil-over shocks now standard!

Other Upgrades

we made the trunk bigger (thank you FFR customer Russ Thompson). The upper steel crossbar is now bent in a curve that matches the body, effectively opening up the entire mid-trunk area and making the trunk much larger. The door hinges were changed. The new and improved door hinges give three-was adjustability, cleaner looks, and more solid action. Also huge news is our new seat choices. We can now offer you four different seats to choose from. When you order your kit you can pick the seats that you want at no extra charge. The seats include the following types:

The Classic, Street Performer, Pro-Racer, and Vintage Racer (see photos below)


Classic Seats	Street Performer Seats	Pro-Racer Seats	Vintage Racer Seats

We changed to better gauges. We now carry Autometer's traditional style gauge that looks very similar to the classic SW's yet provide excellent reliability. They're also much easier to read thanks to the orange needles, white numbers and black faces. We're also carrying Autometer's modern Ultra-light gauge package as well.

Better also is our new header design. We have gone to a full length mandrel bent 4-into-4-into-1 exhaust with improved quality welds and flanges. In addition to better weld quality our coatings have been improved. Frames and steel parts have tougher powder coating by sandblasting all our frames and parts upfront (instead of acid washing). We have a new and competent supplier for coating.

Outside the walls of Factory Five, Stewart Transport has stepped up to provide delivery of kits direct to customer's houses. Better service and reduced shipping costs have made life easier for customers who have to have their kits shipped long distances from the factory. The entire Mark II kit is described in detail in our new FFR performance and plant tour video, which is available for free. Check out our website www.factoryfive.com for a full description of each and every change made to the new Mark II kit.