Steven A. Graduates his ’35 Hot Rod Truck

Factory Five customer Steven A. from Prescott, Arizona sent us a fantastic progress update on his ’35 Hot Rod Truck, and it’s almost ready for the road!

Steven shared, “It has been a while since I last emailed, and I wanted to give you an update on my ’35 Truck. It is almost ready for the street. It has a 536HP 427ci Small Block Ford, dyno-tested at Prestige Motorsports Inc.

Everything is working beautifully, and I’ve already requested an appointment with the local DMV for inspection and VIN. There are still a few things left to complete —like the dash, carpet, and side windows— but I am so excited I can’t wait.”

“I just want to drive this great machine. Thank you to the entire Factory Five team for a great product.”
Steven A.

Steven’s Factory Five Story
Steven’s passion for cars runs deep, and his story is as incredible as his truck.

Steven told us, “I’ve been a Shelby fan since high school, and when I first discovered Factory Five, I knew that ‘someday’ I would take the plunge.

Being in the Army, I never really had the chance to put down roots. While stationed in Kansas, I rebuilt a 1965 Mustang into a GT350 replica. That project was fun, but it took years to complete due to moves and deployments—it even sat idle in my brother’s garage while I was in Central America.

In 2004, I traveled to visit the Factory Five facility and was given a tour. That trip confirmed I was building my dream with the right company. I even ordered a Coupe build manual while I was in Iraq, and by the time my tour was over, I had just about memorized it!

I visited again in 2010, and Dave Smith himself gave me the grand tour. To me, it felt like having Walt Disney walk me through Disneyland.

Over the years, my dream of building a Type 65 Coupe never wavered. But with age, injuries, and miles in combat boots, I realized the Coupe might not be the best choice for me. I didn’t want a dream car in the garage that I couldn’t enjoy driving. The ’35 Hot Rod Truck became the perfect fit, and Factory Five gave me the canvas to create my masterpiece.”

Dyno Video
Check out Steven’s 536HP 427ci Small Block Ford on the dyno at Prestige Motorsports.

Latest Factory Five News

Ron V.’s Gen 3 Coupe Shines at Speed & Style Show

Customers Ron and Rochelle V. brought their Factory Five Type 65 Coupe, F5R226DC, to the 6th annual Speed & Style Show in Old Town Alexandria, VA the other weekend, and the car was a big hit with show attendees! “Thanks for making a GREAT product and to those who helped me assemble and paint the car!!!!” wrote Ron. “It has been near 6 years since the parts arrived, and I have well over 7,000 miles on this beautiful machine.  A crowd favorite among supercars that are easily 10x the cost.” Ron built his Type 65 Coupe in his 16×20 home… Read More »

Read More

Factory Five Will be Closed on Monday for Memorial Day

On behalf of all the employees at Factory Five Racing, I would like to wish all of you a happy and safe Memorial Day. We send out our gratitude to the members of the United States Armed Forces. I hope you all have a special Memorial Day weekend and find the time to raise a glass, and in your own way, give thanks to the brave American men and women who gave away ALL so that we could be free. We will be closed on Monday for Memorial Day, and will be back at work here first thing Tuesday morning.… Read More »

Read More

Doug S. Graduates 30th Anniversary Mk5 #01!

2025 was a milestone year for Factory Five as we celebrated our 30th Anniversary (1995-2025)! To mark the occasion, we put together special edition kits for our Mk5 Roadster and Type 65 Coupe. We are excited to share the news that Doug S. from Southlake, TX has graduated 30th Anniversary Mk5 kit which was also #1 of 30! Below is Doug’s story about his Mk5 build, and how much it means to his family. “I am writing to share the completion of our Factory Five build and to thank you and the entire Factory Five team for creating something far… Read More »

Read More
Top