Factory Five Customer Chris M. Rocks His 818S in Rhode Island

Thanks to the efforts of SEMA, almost every state in the United States has easy and clear guidelines for the registration, inspection, and titling of custom cars, usually referred to as specialty constructed vehicles.  This includes hot rods, Cobra replicas, and customs like our Factory Five 818.

I live in Rhode Island, and a month ago I went through the Rhode Island registration procedure with my ’33 Hot Rod.  Tom Gallagher at Rhode Island Department of Motor Vehicles Inspection Division was super helpful, and the process took about half day total.  While I was there, Tom mentioned that he had just finished and approving another Factory Five, customer Chris M. and his 818S.

A few days ago, I received an e-mail from Chris with pictures of his car!  Chris will have his 818 at our Winter Open House on February 14th, 2015, and I thought I would share some of his pictures and specs.

image4

From Chris:

“The car was built with a 2002 WRX donor car with all rebuilt parts, 2004 fully built JDM STi EJ207 engine with Blouch 1.5 dominator twin scroll turbo with 350 plus rwhp.  I also used VCP air-to-water intercooler and Cusco limited slip differential.  It is painted bright white with black interior and accents with Bremmer Kraft BR 10 wheels, 18″ x 9″ rear and 17″ x 8″ front.

Jim K’s lending me his car trailer to tow my ride up and I will drive it in if it’s not a snowstorm weekend. Valentine’s Day is actually my birthday so I am committed to doing what I love on my day.

I did a base map dyno @ 15 psi (wastegate psi) and made 290 rwhp/ 275 rwtorque. Than we put a Cobb ebcs on and turned it up to 19 and made 354 rwhp and 302rwtorque. I have to go again so we can scale the mass air flow and fine tune it even further, but then I will save the run and post for bragging rights. It’s so fast I am scared as $#!^ of it (LOL), just how I like it.” – Chris M.

image2

image3

image1

image5

image6

image7

image8

Nice job, Chris!  See you on February 14th.

Dave Smith
President

Latest Factory Five News

Five Deals from the Factory Five Guys!

2026 is off to a great start, and the team wants to keep the momentum going! They have put together a sale for all of our kits to help you build your car your way this year. Score a Free IRS Upgrade OR Save $2,026 Off Options on Mk5 Roadsters, Mk4 Roadsters, Type 65 Coupe, and ’33 Hot Rod To ensure your finest ride is possible, we are offering FREE IRS Upgrades (up to $3,199 in value). Our Independent Rear Suspension is the best suspension configuration Factory Five has to offer. This upgrade package includes: OR you can save $2,026… Read More »

Read More

Bill B. Shares an Update on His Mk5 Build

Every build has a story—but some take a lifetime to begin. After decades as a technician, engineer, and business owner—building companies, leading teams, and designing critical communications systems across New England—I decided at 50 to return to where it all started: a passion for cars. That decision became Blue Hills Customs. This MK5 Roadster is more than a project—it’s the first expression of a vision to create ultra-premium, one-off roadsters that blend classic design with modern performance and reliability. Factory Five Racing provided the perfect canvas. The MK5 isn’t just a kit—it’s a foundation that allows builders to bring something truly… Read More »

Read More

Paul H. and his Mk4 Earn 2nd Place at Spokane Speed!

Customer Paul H. from Spokane, WA took home 2nd Place in the Handbuilt Sports Car Class at this year’s Spokane Speed and Custom Car Show! Paul purchased his Mk4 Roadster (chassis #9847) in June 2020, and built the car with his son after attending the Factory Five Build School at Mott Community College. They built the Mk4 with a 5.0 Coyote from a 2013 F150, Trememc 2650, IRS, 17″ Halibrand wheels, vinyl dash with glovebox, leather seats, and vintage gauges. They painted the car Wimbledon White and Guardsman Blue stripes. This past winter, Paul add front and rear sways bars… Read More »

Read More
Top