Factory Five 818, Blown Motor, Los Angeles CA, NMNA

https://losangeles.craigslist.org/wst/cto/d/santa-monica-factory-five-818s-kit-car/7300740223.html

Someone go get this

Also find out more about the BMW and post back lol

Titled in Florida right now which makes it a serious pain to get it into California. How he was diving that thing and did not get a registration is beyond me so track only is actually a good thing means it been shaken down.  At 12K or so with all the parts yeah its a deal at 14K with no SB100 its not a car to buy and register in California. 

You can still go through the SB100 to bring it in legally. A friend did that with my Locost. 

Based on my Subaru engine experience, you should budget for one engine per set of tires. 

In reply to Keith Tanner :

It'd be a cool car for a bike engine swap. 

That would not be street legal in California if that is the goal. Gotta use a car engine.

Now, an LS... ;D As if the 818 didn't have enough transmission problems as it is...

In reply to Keith Tanner :

lol - This is true in CA - I just meant as a track toy, sure. Though that'd be pretty easy in TN to get legal, BE or not. Not to say you should, but if I remember correctly there is only one inspection when you're going through the sb100 process?

LS DID cross my mind as well, but I was thinking the same things .... now work out the trans ... now the cooling ... now the <insert>. Not that a bike engine car wouldn't take major engineering, the rear end getting a chain diff, etc.

I like my exocet, but dream of a BE sequential car with good aero. 

One of Factory Five's rare misses.  That car had a lot of potential, but tying it to Subaru drivetrain parts didn't really help things.

In reply to Stefan (Forum Supporter) :

And they're ugly

I wouldn't buy the car just based on the fact that his pictures are so E36 M3ty.

yupididit said:

In reply to Stefan (Forum Supporter) :

And they're ugly

Well, that's a personal opinion and one that I share.  With the proper drivetrain, I could overlook how bland it is.

There were so many better options put forth in the "styling contest" here that was completely ignored.

but I digress.

I suspect the ease of building the Exocet and the fact it can use a very large percentage of hop-up parts from the Miata aftermarket gave it an edge over the 818. Sure wasn't the styling :)

In reply to yupididit :

Yo Cherrod. Get a better phone dammit! Sent you 3 texts, and all "rejected"

 Time to lay the pipe on the shaguar - cumtowhatsap

In reply to Keith Tanner :

Reading these comments I was thinking the same thing. The 818 is a handsome boi compared to the Exocet, who appears to be a ladder that fell too close to a set of wheels...

Stefan (Forum Supporter) said:

yupididit said:

In reply to Stefan (Forum Supporter) :

And they're ugly

Well, that's a personal opinion and one that I share.  With the proper drivetrain, I could overlook how bland it is.

There were so many better options put forth in the "styling contest" here that was completely ignored.

but I digress.

Not that I have particularly exquisite taste, but when an 818 showed up at an autox last year I totally did a double-take & had to figure out what kind of exotic it was. I was really surprised to discover it was an 818 & thought it looked way better in person than in pics. It also looked way more factory-built than I expected from a kit-car.

In reply to Pete Gossett (Forum Supporter) :

x2 they look pretty good in person. One of my track buddies had an 818 in red and it was a cool car....

I can't find a picture front on with it for some reason...

In reply to Pete Gossett (Forum Supporter) :

I think you can blame that build quality on Factory Five. They're pretty good at making kits.

I like the 818 and I really like boxer engines in MR layout just because engineering principal (CoG is low!). 

It's unfortunate that subarus have issues when on track. I'm sure turning up the turbo wick doesn't help. 

I really should stop looking at this.

In reply to Robbie (Forum Supporter) :

You won't find one cheaper. You know how bad you get nickle and dimed building one from scratch. The amount of money in stupid stuff really adds up quick. 

I'm not sure if it trends the same in 818's but if it's streat legal and running you could probably "flip" it pretty easy - but I don't keep up with them well enough to say that with any confidence.

In reply to accordionfolder :

Agree 100% on nickel and diming, and I'm not in CA so title/reg is probably easier. I'd be ripping out all the engine 'mods' as well and returning to a stock subaru drivetrain, so there may be some recoup there too in selling off all that stuff. 

But then I remember the 3 projects that are already sitting within 50ft of me currently (and they are all fully paid for)...

In reply to Robbie (Forum Supporter) :

If it were closer I'd probably go ahead and make the mistake of buying it for the rest of you guys, but across the country is my saving grace.