Ken R. Graduates his Mk5 Build and Attends First Car Show!
“Getting into a Roadster you built for yourself, the way you wanted it, and driving down the road is amazing!” – Ken R.
Congratulations to customer Ken R. from Bellville, TX on graduating his Factory Five Mk5 Roadster build! “It turned out exactly as I imagined it,” wrote Ken.
“I was a teenager when I first saw a Shelby Cobra and immediately knew I had to have one,” said Ken. “Seeing magazines with kits that looked like the original made it seem possible. Over the years, Factory Five Racing kept showing up for me. I remember the black Mustang with the sticker on the back hatch – “When I grow up, I’m gonna be a FFR”.”
“Building a car to actually drive was initially intimidating. I’m not a trained mechanic, I just like cars, puzzles and challenges. I thought, when I grow up (retire), I’m gonna have a FFR.
Through the years, I told everyone that when I retire, a Factory Five Roadster would be my reward. After retiring, I saw Factory Five was celebrating their 30th Anniversary and introduced the Mk5 Roadster with an all-new chassis, safety upgrades and more interior space. I felt like that teenager all those years ago researching all of the options. The hardest part was determining if I wanted to stay traditional, go more modern, or somewhere in between.”
“I ordered the Mk5 complete kit, and it arrived September 2025 in a beautiful truck with Factory Five Racing painted on the sides. What a wonderful day unloading the multiple boxes and the Roadster’s body/frame. In doing the initial inventory, I was again a little intimidated but labeled each part for where it went. Assembling one section at a time, it quickly started looking like a car. Of course, I changed my mind on some options and made variations to others along the way like insulation/sound barriers, offset heat shields, mirror placement, dash gauge arrangement and engine compartment color. That’s part of the process.”
“I ordered my drivetrain and contacted a local/independent car restoration company for body work and painting. The owner told me, “you’re building your car, make it your own.” He worked with me for the perfect colors and stripe design. It turned out exactly as I had envisioned.”
“October of 2026, it all became real. I graduated my Factory Five MK5 Roadster and was able to enter it in its first car show. Explaining it was a Factory Five kit that I assembled myself and having “car people” say they really like my car was great.”
Ken built his Mk5 Roadster complete kit with a carbureted BluePrint 347 Stroker, Tremec TKO 5-Speed transmission, Moser 8.8″ rear end with 3.55 gears, 3-link rear suspension, stainless steel exhaust, driver and passenger roll bars, leather steering wheel, carbon fiber dash with glovebox, and 17″ Halibrand wheels.
Ken painted his Mk5 Ford Shadow Grey Metallic with custom mixed Grey/Black Metallic Stripes then clear coated by Baker Restorations.
