They say the toughest two decisions in building a Factory Five Roadster are the paint and the engine. Boy, are they not kidding when they say that! Funny enough, those decisions make up 2 of my first 3 posts…oh boy. The beauty of the roadster kit is that it can accept almost any engine – a classic push-rod engine that’s carbureted or fuel injected, modern Coyote, Aluminator, or Godzilla, and even (if you want to show everyone you’re certifiably insane), an LS. I’m an idiot, but I’m not crazy. I bleed Ford Blue, and the mere thought of putting an LS in a Cobra seems like sacrilege to me – much like my wife asking my full-blooded Italian ass to take her to dinner at the Olive Garden!
So the decision ultimately comes down to old vs new Ford iron/aluminum. There’s an inherit nostalgia in the push-rod, with it’s lopey idle, and classic brutish sounds. But with the nostalgia also comes the aggravation of managing carbs or tinkering with a bolt-on EFI system. Then there’s the new school options – turn the key and go. But with the new technology comes the size and cost of a new engine. Regardless, the choice remains – old school vs. new tech?
When you think about the FFR Roadster, it’s part kit car, part restomod – taking the classic beauty of the original Cobras, and adding a distinctly modern twist. The traditional 4″ round tube frame has been beefed up and strengthened using the latest materials and manufacturing technology. Leaf springs have been replaced with coil-overs, and independent rear suspension is an option.
Needless to say, the case for a Coyote in the roadster is a very compelling one.
That case for a Coyote also comes with a fair bit of nostalgia for me. When I was a kid, all I wanted was a Mustang. I had the posters, the Car & Drivers, Motortrends, literally everything with the car in it. Knowing cars weren’t free, and my family wasn’t wealthy, I lied about my age to get a job at 14 so I could start saving up money for one, and in 2001 when I graduated High School, I bought a new Mustang. It was a base V6 coupe, “Sally“, which was all I could afford at the time. She had a whopping 193 horsepower with an open differential, and when it rained, would impress no one with the most limp one-wheel peel in South Florida. Regardless, she was all mine, and way nicer than any 18 year old with bad hair and baggy pants deserved. I ended up trading the car in as my life changed, but those Mustang dreams remained – I promised myself that if I ever had the opportunity to do it again, I would do it “the right way“.
Fast forward 10 years an that dream became a reality. I took delivery of a new 2013 Mustang GT, “Brenda“, and over the next several years built her into my dream ride – my wife actually referred to her as “the mistress” because I’d always be sneaking out to tinker, or drive, or both. I adored the car, pampered & babied her. But when we found out that we were expecting our first kid, I knew my days with the car were drawing to a close, trading it for a more responsible car. Broke my heart the day I traded her in, and always have kept track of her ever since.
Like a stalker, I kept the VIN so that I could keep tabs on Brenda. She was sold to her new owner who lived about 2 hours west of me, and I would look for her whenever I passed through her new town.
Years later, she showed up on Carvana, and I would look at the pictures and reminisce about how that scratch that no one would ever notice got on the dashboard (I had to buy a 2×4 from Home Depot and nicked the plastic), or why there was a random wire peeking out of headliner along the rear window (it was from the dashcam I had installed). I also fumed about some of the modifications made, specifically the cheap black rims that had replaced the SVE Drifts I had installed that fit perfectly. Brenda was sold to her third owner shortly and shipped out west to Nebraska.
Unfortunately, that ownership was short-lived. Less than 6 months later, she involved in a single car accident, and totaled. It broke my heart to see the photos from the salvage yard, she deserved better.
For a moment, I debated setting up an account with Copart to resurrect her engine in my Cobra build, but the hurdles and challenges I would face along the way made me reconsider. I have folks in the Factory Five forums to thank for talking me out of that idea and explain the difficulties of converting the Gen1 Coyote to work as a standalone unit in a new build. The saying “sometimes discretion is the better part of valor” rings true here. Still, a heartbreaking conclusion to the story of Brenda.