For the longest time kit cars have been considered "fake" and undesireable to a certain extent. Many women attempt to buy the "fake" Fendy & Gucci brands but when the real designer afficianado comes around, the fun is up. But ,kit cars have recently been elevated to a whole new level and with the addition of Factory Five Racing's GTM Supercar, the "kit car" will never be the same.Childhood dreams never die, they just fade away into the back of our minds. Many young boys have have visions of machbox cars dancing in their heads, yet to many people the dream of owning a life sized matchbox supercar is just out of their reach. Just when many childhood dreams were ready to be scrapped for good, Factory Five developed their supercar, the GTM. Now the dreams of many are coming true!
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Kit Car Specifications
| Company | Factory Five |
| Primary Market | USA, Canada |
| Model | GTM Supercar |
| Basic Kit Price | $19,990 |
| Estimated Build Cost | $30,000 to $40,000 |
| Primary Donor Car | 1997-2004 Corvette C5 Porsche Transaxle Parts from 1990-1998 2-wheel drive 911 models |
| Recommended Engine | 1997-2004 Corvette C5 Small Block |
| Estimated Build Time | 240-300 Hours |
| Performance 0-60 | 3.0 seconds |
| Performance Quarter Mile | 11.0 seconds @ 132 mph |
Factory Five Info
| Company | Factory Five Racing |
| Address | 9 Tow Road |
| Location | Wareham, MA 02571 |
| Phone | (508) 291-3443 |
| Company Website | http://www.factoryfive.com/gtmhome.html |
The GTM is Factory Five’s enter into the world of supercars. It is undoubtedly their most complex car and in many ways sets a new standard in the component car market. For about $20,000 and the price of a donor C5 Corvette the lucky owner will have a car that just as fast and handles as well was exotic cars that cost well over $100,000. According to Factor Five, the GTM is faster 0-60 mph than a Ferrari Enzo, a Porsche GT, a Saleen Twin Turbo S7, a Ford GT, and a Lamborghini Mucielago! In addition, with stock Corvette brakes, the GTM slows to a stop from 70 mph in only 166 feet. This beats mighty $157,000 Ford GT. Car and Driver measured a phenomenal 1.05 lateral G on street DOT tires and comes with KONI adjustable coilovers. To put that in context, the Ferrari Enzo is the only car that matched the Factory GTM. This is the car for the secret road racer on a budget.
| GTM (LS6) Build Cost Sheet | |
| Kit Price: | |
| Base kit price | $19,900 |
| Seat track | $69 |
| Donor Corvette: | |
| 2001 Corvette Z06 24,000 miles | $10,500 |
| Replacement radiator | $160 |
| Replacement front upper control arm | $157 |
| Replacement front lower control arm | $208 |
| Drivetrain: | |
| 1991 Porsche 911 transaxle w/ starter | $2,400 |
| Replacement clutch | $380 |
| CV joints | $80 |
| Exterior: | |
| Paint Job | $7,000 |
| Wheels | $900 |
| Tires | $875 |
| Interior: | |
| Stereo | $280 |
| Speakers | $135 |
| Total: | $43,044.00 |
About Factory Five Racing
Factory Five Racing was founded in 1995 David and Mark Smith. Since 1995, the business has grown from a start-up business in a small garage to become the world’s largest manufacturer of component car kits. Factory Five Racing currently produces five kits: the Factory Five Mark 3 (Mk3), the Factory Five GTM, the Factory Five Type 65 Coupe, the Factory Five Challenge and the Factory Five '33 Ford.
The GTM Story
From: Dave Smith / CEO & President of Factory Five
I want to tell you about how this car came to be.
I want to tell you about how this car came to be.
For more than ten years we have lead the component car industry with our famous Mk3 Roadster. In fact today, if you see a AC replica out on the road, or on the track, it is most likely a Factory Five. While the satisfaction of that accomplishment is tremendous, we yearned for more.
The risks of an all-new design were daunting. My brother Mark questioned the path, citing Tucker, Bricklin, DeLorean, Vector, and others for whom their reach exceeded their small company's grasp. Hubris could be our undoing; the resources to accomplish our goal could bankrupt us. Stay the safe path, build another replica, forget about the Supercar dream. This was the advice of comfortable people. But we didn’t listen.
We designed the GTM because we wanted to. We wanted to build this car when we were in fourth grade drawing pictures of Supercars while Mrs. Johnson was droning on about long division. We designed the GTM as a direct challenge to people like Ferrari dealers, who with manicured fingernails and straight faces charge people a premium to be on a waiting list, to join an exclusive club of unfriendly people who rarely drive their cars. We designed the GTM out of real pride, patriotism, and conceit. We wanted to show the world what we were truly capable of and we wanted to build a car that would kick everyone else’s arse.
Over the years as investment grew to many times the original estimate and complexity spawned even more complexity, the wisdom of the venture seemed folly. But where regular companies, driven by accountants, would shy from such challenges, our guys held firm. At the most difficult times our team was lifted and inspired by our very passionate customers whose loyalty, honest feedback and enthusiasm are unmatched in any company I’ve ever known.
Honed by years of hands-on engineering, matured by many seasons of competitive racing, and enabled by the latest CAD technology, we forged ahead into the unknown weeks, months and years.
And so the car was born. Within five years, production had commenced on what has become the most significant step forward for Factory Five in our history. Quite simply our best work. What hubris and love indeed would end up leading us to develop this remarkable car!
How good is it?...
It was designed to run with the very fastest supercars on the planet and it does just that and more! But you are asking the wrong guy. I can only see the car as a parent sees his child. How good is it? The world will surely be the judge of that which those of us close to the project already know.
For now though, I can answer to that fourth grade boy drawing pictures of cars in class the question, “Where do all those precious dreams lead?” Let me show you…
Q: What's the lowest and the highest cost GTM Supercars that you've seen built? The lowest price build that I've seen was around 42K and the most expensive was around 130k.
Q: What's the fastest Factory Five GTM? The fastest GTM runs up to about 213MPH so far.
Q: Is there a clutch upgrade that you recommend? A dual friction clutch.
Q: When will the new transmission be available? About one month (Sept. 2009).
Q: What's the future of GTM? Nothing major.
I was hoping that there were big plans in store for new things with the GTM, but there are not. One thing is for sure, the GTM will always be a big hit even without and new big plans.
I think it's time to get rid of my matchbox cars and trade them in for a Factory Five Racing GTM Supercar. Of course us at THMotorsports would always like to do it our way! So, if you have an FFR GTM or a Corvette, check out some of the parts that go along with the car.
Performance Parts Available:
Suspension: The FFR GTM already comes with Koni Coilovers, but if you prefer KW Suspensions for your GTM or Corvette like most 24 Hours of Nurburgring participants do, you can go with the KW Suspensions Variant 3 Coilovers.
Brakes: There's quit a few different brakes, but we recommend Brembo Gran Turismo Big Brake kits for the Corvette and GTM.
Clutch Kit: SPEC Clutch Kit - Stage 3 - This will give the GTM and Corvette daily driveability with increased power holding.
Clutch / Flywheel Kit - The Carbonetic Triple Clutch is designed for extreme power as high as 1,500 HP. It’s half clutch operation is the ultimate in control, surpassing that of a Single or Twin Clutch. The inertia weight is kept to a minimum, thus enabling quick shifting. By installing our clutch with triple plates constructed of the non-mesh random waving method, the Carbonetic Triple Clutch is astonishingly strong and built to repeatedly handle the severest driving conditions. Carbonetic Triple Clutches include Cover, Pressure Plate, Carbon Disc, Flywheel and all necessary Bearings for complete install.
For more performance parts and products for the GTM Supercar and Corvette, you can find them here:
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