Project 818 News from Dave Smith
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. The 818R had a revised cockpit that delivers even more cockpit space by utilizing a smaller gas tank and moving the driver seat back a full four inches. Factory Five customer Dave H. was our big and tall guy test pilot and he gave the mod his thumbs up (Dave is 6’6″, 315 lbs.). This will be an option soon and needed only by guys 6’2″+.
Production has begun on the 818 and we have shipped four cars in the month of June. The team is confident that we will be able to increase production from one per week to a rate of three per week this month. We are excited to have a good number of orders, but are also very serious about production quality and ensuring that each car we build is built right.
The technical staff in the office is carefully reviewing the production schedule and contacting customers who have placed orders. New orders that come in are being given dates in August 2014! Since we know that some pre-orders will not be ready to take their car, we are developing a hot list so that if someone cancels, and a production spot opens up, those interested MAY be moved forward in the production schedule. If you would like to be added to the hot list, please e-mail jason.lavigne@factoryfive.com and let him know. All orders will be strictly first come, first served. Currently, we have 279 orders total for the 818S and the 818R.
This month, there is a tremendous amount of work scheduled. The engineering team has transitioned from product development/testing to production support and tech support. We are lucky to have the help and feedback of our first customers, and the team is heading to North Carolina in a few weeks to do windtunnel optimization on our optional aero parts. We will also be traveling to Virginia with the 818R on the 19th to compete in the Ultimate Track Car Challenge at Virginia International Raceway. Also this month, we have two exciting magazine tests scheduled for the 818S.
I am exceedingly proud of the group of professionals who work so hard here everyday. While the last two years of development have been fun, getting to production and seeing the cars drive is even more fun.
Dave Smith
President
Chassis Production Increases to Three Cars Per Week in July
All production departments are ready to begin increasing 818 production to a rate of three per week starting this month. Welding, composite molding, chassis assembly, and packaging are all well prepared for production ramp up.
Grassroots Motorsports Magazine to Begin 818S Assembly Articles
In addition to some GREAT customer online builds (thefactoryfiveforum.com), the team at Grassroots Motorsports will be building and fully documenting the assembly of their own 818S.
818R Heads to VIR For Ultimate Track Car Challenge!
Our 818R is getting a new turbo and being upgraded to 340 RWHP to go up against the fastest open track cars in the country at the “Ultimate Track Car Challenge” held on July 19th, at Virginia International Raceway!
There were crowds around the 818S all day long at the Open House event. The driving car was weighed and netted 1,828 lbs!
