818 FAQs & Support
The process of evaluating whether or not this project is right for you is an important one and there are several places you can go to get accurate, truthful, and current answers to your questions.
You can also call us here at Factory Five at 508-291-3443 and speak to one of our guys in tech support. You can also log onto the internet and query thousands of Factory Five owners about their own builds and discover an entire community of helpful customers on The Factory Five Forum.
FAQs
Here are a few questions we get every day here at Factory Five:
What donor cars are compatible with the 818?
The 818 is compatible with a 2002-2007 Subaru Impreza or WRX wagon or sedan. All other vehicles and engine types are untested/not supported by Factory 5.
Can I use a 02-07 Subaru STI as a donor car?
Parts from a STI like the Engine and 6 Speed Transaxle can be used in a 818 kit. However, components like the Wiring Harness, Brakes, Hubs, Axles, etc. differ too much from a regular Impreza or WRX to allow the STI to be a single donor car for the 818. In short, the STI is not a supported donor car for the 818.
Will the 818C hardtop fit a 818R chassis?
No, the 818C hardtop will only fit the 818S and 818C chassis
Will the 2.3 Ford Ecoboost work in an 818 kit?
Currently, the 818 will only accept engines from a 02-07 Impreza or WRX directly. Factory 5 is considering the 2.3 Ford Ecoboost as an alternative engine to the Subaru unit; however there is no further information or timeline available at this time.
Are current 818 options/parts able to fit older 818 chassis?
Yes, most current 818 options will fit the older 818 chassis.
What is the difference between the 818 S, R, and C?
The 818 S is our open cockpit street model, The 818 R is our dedicated Track/Race version, and the 818 C is our hardtop street model.
818 Intro Video
Get a quick overview of the Factory Five 818 Sports car in the video below. For even more details, click here to request our brochure and DVD.
818 Development Archives
During the development of the 818, we sent out e-mail updates to all customers who have pre-orders submitted. Below is the collection of e-mails that were sent.
818 Summer 2015 Update
The 818 Coupe prototype debuted at our summer Open House event, and now enters production this Saturday. The first cars are scheduled to ship this weekend, and we are planning a production rate of three per week. More>
818 Spring 2015 Update - April 2015
This summer will mark the two-year anniversary of the introduction of the new Factory Five 818! Shortly thereafter we began shipping 818S kits. More>
818 Progress Report: Year One of Production
The 818 story continues to grow and the car is definitely earning its place in the Factory Five line-up. More>
818 Storms Into 2014! - January 7th, 2014
The year-end is all about milestones for the newest Factory Five. It’s hard to believe that only a year ago we pulled the wraps off our prototype 818S and 818R models at SEMA. Now one year later, we’ve entered production and accomplished a tremendous amount. More>
818 News Update #11 - October 7th, 2013
There’s plenty to report on our newest Factory Five. The team continues to follow the development and launch plan closely, and I’m super proud of everyone. More>
Project 818 Continues to Hit Targets! - August 30th, 2013
There’s plenty to report on Project 818 as the team continues to deliver on their targets, and the car has successfully transitioned from development to production. We have built and delivered 32 cars (818S models), and the month of August saw the 818R enter production with two chassis produced and shipped. More>
Busy Month for Our Newest Factory Five - July 2013
Following the successful introduction of the 818 at our Open House, two magazines have taken the car for testing. Steve Temple from Kit Car Builder had a chance to drive the car, and his report will be in the next issue of KCB magazine. His most notable comment was how absolutely surprised he was at the brutal acceleration of the 1,828 lbs., 270 HP car. More>
Project 818 News from Dave Smith - July 2013
The Factory Five Open House and 818 introduction was a great success! Customers had a chance to see the completed 818 street car and to sit in the street car and race car. More>
Project 818 Final Pre-Production Update - May 2013
These are exciting times at Factory Five as I bring you the final pre-production update on Project 818. It is hard to believe that only two years ago this car was a concept on paper. More>
Project 818 Update #6 - April 2013
As of yesterday, we have received 222 orders for the 818 sports car! The S-model (street) has 184 pre-orders and the R-model (race-competition) has 38 pre-orders. More>
Project 818 Pre-Order Update #5 - February 2013
Project 818 is speeding along at top speed. We’ve got a full time crew of four engineers and two techs, plus support from the rest of the crew here at FFR as needed. The bulk of the work we are engaged in, and will be working on for the next month or so, is tooling, jigs and fixtures. More>
Project 818 Update #4 - February 7th, 2013
This weekend’s planned Winter Open House has been delayed by a week and I was planning on presenting a comprehensive update on where we are with Project 818. More>
Project 818 Pre-Order Update #3 - January 2013
Project 818 is moving along on target and the team is making excellent progress. We’ve made some major investments to accelerate the project and hopefully reduce production ramp-up time now that we’ve officially sold 170 deposits. The biggest news is that we’ve added engineers Colby Whipple and Dan Muldoon to the 818 team. More>
Project 818 Pre-Order Update #2 - November 2012
This week you may have noticed your credit card was charged $99 for your 818 pre-order. We have sold one hundred and eleven 818S models (street version), twenty 818R (race version), and there are four of you whose expiration dates wouldn’t allow us to process your order (we are calling you, don’t worry). More>
Project 818 Welcome and First Pre-Order Update - November 2012
First of all, welcome to Project 818. If you are receiving this e-mail, you are one of 129 customers who have placed their faith in us and pre-ordered our exciting new 818 sports car package. More>
The Factory Five Forum
Join the Factory Five Forum!
As part of a major effort to better connect with our customers, suppliers, and vendors, we launched the Factory Five online discussion forum. Many Factory Five customers are helping with this effort. The forum has updated blogs, photo galleries, and is a great place to connect with Factory Five vendors and suppliers.
There's a lot of great customer build threads where you can share ideas and tips to help with your build. The Picture of the Month contest is a great way to show off your build and you could win a Factory Five gift certificate!
Factory Five techs are very active on the forum as well to help with any questions and to share their expertise building these cars.
Click here to join the Factory Five online community and register for free!
