Open House Draws Massive Field of Factory Fives

Over 1000 Spectators and More Than 130 FFRs Make Homecoming a Success

Factory Fives seemed to come in from every direction on Saturday June 14th, and the deafening rumble of V8s was heard (and felt) all over New England as they came.  Caravans of owners snaked their way to our headquarters from all over Massachusetts, from the furthest reaches of New York state, out of the hills of New Hampshire, from the Connecticut seashore and from Canada’s eastern provinces as well.
 

In total, more than 130 Factory Fives came roaring back into Wareham this past Saturday to join us for the 11th annual Factory Five Open House.

 

They came to see old friends (friendships that had been created through the shared bond of the Factory Five project) and to meet new members of the Factory Five family, as well as to hang out with others who had similarly enjoyed the adventures of building a custom car in the comfort of their own garage.

They came to show-off their own creations, each a one-of-its-kind original, hand-built by the owner to suit his or her personal desires and budget.

 

They came back home to the birthplace of their hot rods to check out what was new and to learn what the Factory Five engineering crew was developing for the future. 

 

They came to see the newest Factory Five addition, the much-anticipated Project Larry – another vehicle designed and created by this hard-core group of car guys to be the best street rod you’ll ever build in your garage. 

 

Ultimately, they came to be a part of one of the largest FFROG customer gatherings in history and to enjoy another opportunity to get their cars out on the road again - one of the places these cars seem to be most comfortable.

 

The weather was perfect, 78°F and sunny.  Factory Fives of all colors glistened in the sunny perfection of an early-summer day, their fresh paint jobs gleaming brightly to mirror the beaming smiles on their proud owners’ faces – each satisfied with the knowledge that their home-built project was one of the best handcrafted cars in the country.

 

The Factory Five parking lot was jammed full with show-winning cars.  Each a signature-edition original worthy of accolades and praise. Included in the field of automotive artwork were four GTMs, waving the Factory Five Supercar banner. 

 

Additionally, eight FFR Type 65 Coupes were grouped together, showing off their sleek racing lineage and the shape that seems to set lovers of this unique replica of the 1965 Manufacturer’s Championship design apart from all others.

 

In the end, FFR customers Joe Leone and Rick LaCourse served as car show judges...and did they ever have their hands full choosing the twelve best recipients for the Open House car show awards.
 

The award winners included:
 

Allan Uzwiak – Best Use of Chrome

(In honor of Allan’s incredibly polished LS7 engine intake, heads, and every other visible component, Allan’s GTM was referred to as the  Best Use of “Shiny Stuff”)

 

Denis Surette – Most Innovative Improvement

(A unanimous decision among the judges, Denis’ custom molded, aerodynamic rollbar cowlings were not only innovative, but completely redefined the look of his Mk2 Roadster)

 

John Mills – Best Paint Award

(In a field of over a hundred of the most beautifully painted cars in the region, John’s metallic-flake Sunburst Orange Mk3 stood immediately out from the crowd)

 

Bob Peckham – Best Engine Award

(This award may soon be renamed as the Bob Peckham Best Engine Award, as Bob has captured this award two successive years for his classic, Weber stacked carburetion system)

 

Charlie Costa – Best Interior Details

(Charlie customized the Factory Five tan leather interior, featuring a hand-made wood grain dash,  to create one of the most remarkable interiors we’ve ever seen)

 

Bill Cooke – Best in Show, Under Construction

(Accepting our invitation to bring his Factory Five in any form of build, Bill brought his Type 65 Coupe Rolling Chassis, replete with Cleco fasteners holding the aluminum panels in position)
 

Steve Botellio - Best in Show, FFR Mk Roadster

(A thing of beauty from every angle, Steve’s Mk3 Roadster also represented the beast of these cars as one of the top finishers (338hp, 376 lb.ft. torque) in the Horsepower Shoot-Out contest on the Mobile Dyno)

 

John George – Best in Show, Challenge Car

(John drives his Challenge Car on the street virtually everyday – perhaps that is why he and his Challenge Car are often out front in Challenge Series races around the country (John captured the FFR Challenge Series Northeast Regional crown in both 2006 and 2007)

 

Paul Murphy – Best in Show, FFR Spyder GT

(This Spyder stands out from the crowd because of its rare heritage, but also because of its stunning silver metallic flake paint and cold air ram sticking up through the hood.)

 

Bob Potter – Best in Show, FFR GTM

(This bright Ferrari-red Factory Five Supercar was selected for its attention to detail on every level, turning a home-built race car into a finished jewel comparable to any museum-worthy sculpture on wheels)

 

Charlie Costa – Best in Show, Overall

(The perfection outside the car matched the unparalleled interior, as Charlie’s Mk3 Roadster unanimously took the Best in Show as well as the Best Interior awards)

 

Charlie Adams – Horsepower Shoot-Out Champion

(With a daily driver built from a Mustang donor car, Charlie Adams is the quintessential FFROG.  Pushing out 424 hp and 391 lb.ft of torgue from a stock 5.0L block using stock internals and heads salvaged from a junkyard donor, Charlie clearly has the best bang for his budget)
 

Additionally, Factory Five customer David English rode away from the Open House as the proud owner of a brand new TGB Pit Bike, winning the free raffle drawing available to all who brought their Factory Five to the event.

 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

Open House Video -  WMV - Small (12 MB)   Large (40 MB)      Real Media -  Small (20 MB)       Mpeg -  Large (34 MB)