003 - FFR Open House

 The next step was introducing my family to Factory Five Racing and seeing the Coupe in person.  Up until now they were simply trusting me that this was worth doing.  Pictures and video of the Coupe are fine, but it is something else entirely in person.  Low, wide, with an indefinable presence.  First time seeing one my heart skipped a beat.  Such a beautiful shape and unlike anything on the road.  The phrase "Race car for the road" is thrown around in the automotive world for a variety of vehicles.  Few actually live up to that.  Most cars are too polished, too quiet, too practical to qualify as a race car.  The Daytona Coupe was only ever designed as a race car and being near one it becomes evident.  We will attempt to make ours a little more civilized but there's no getting away from the nature of this machine.


Factory Five Racing holds an annual open house, so this was our best opportunity to see one in the flesh as a family.  A lot of customers showed up with their Cobras, but no Daytonas.  Fortunately they have a couple in the showroom and they also unveiled a carbon fiber bodied version which we all fell in love with.  Unfortunately because of the price point it is beyond our reach.  Essentially the price of a new compact car for only the body.  It's fun to dream but that dream didn't make sense for us.  Sorry kids, no vacation, no dinner, no new clothes, no activities of any kind for a few years... Dad bought a car shaped chunk of carbon fiber instead.






We had a great day experiencing the community that Factory Five has built over the last 30 years,  and now we were going to become part of that story.  A wonderful group of car men and women that are proud to share their creation and eager to help anyone willing to undertake the same journey.

Every step makes this journey a tiny bit more real.  My heart quickens.

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