Forward - Factory Five Racing Mk3 Roadster Assembly Manual

Forward

By David Smith
President Factory Five Racing, Inc.
If you are reading this, you are embarking on a mission to build your own car, or at least considering
doing so. I wanted to share with you some of my experiences and lessons learned while working with
literally thousands of people who have completed
this undertaking with us. The lessons learned here
are important and will hopefully help with your
decisions as well as with the project and the
First of all, the idea of building your own car is
NOT for everyone. It is a serious endeavor that
should be undertaken with care and
consideration. The desire to build your own
custom car goes way back. It is part of our
uniquely American car-centric culture, and those
who build their own cars are at the very center of
this. Since the earliest days of Hot Rodding,
literally tens of thousands of people have built
their own cars. Even more have done restorations
and major customizations to existing cars. As fun
as this project is, a person should be candid about
their abilities turning a wrench. This is not a
place for novices. That is even more true in
racing, where danger and risk are part of the very
definition of always trying to go faster. The late
Carroll Smith, wrote something I really loved that
speaks to this point.
"There is no magic! The one basic truth of successful racecar preparation bears repeating. There
is no magic. There is only logic, common sense, forethought, vast amounts of hard work, and a
fanatic dedication to the task at hand".
I can't think of anything more appropriate to say about the right way to approach the serious work of
building your own car. Carroll passed away not too long ago, but his accomplishments behind the Ford
LeMans victories and his contributions to the motorsports community continues in his writings that are all
at the top of my list of recommended readings for the car builder or racer.
After being honest about the skills, responsibility, and dedication required to build a car, I feel the need to
talk about the PROCESS of building a car in an equally candid manner.
completed car.
Figure 1:
David Smith
iv
www.factoryfive.com 508-291-3443
Carroll Smith
From his book, "Prepare to Win"