Back in 2013, we started work on a Factory Five 818. We even extensively chronicled the build on our YouTube channel. Once we had done all we had wanted to do with the project, we put it up for sale on Bring a Trailer back in 2015.
Didn't win it back then? Well, now you have another chance. According …
Somebody is grinning at their computer screen right now.
I wonder how long the $818 bid will be the top one. Pretty funny for everyone except the seller.
T.J. said:I wonder how long the $818 bid will be the top one. Pretty funny for everyone except the seller.
Yeah, pretty much. Does $8118 work as well?
How well did the 818 age? Are they/were they ever popular? I have only ever seen this one even talked about.
The Factory 5 GTM is sweet and there are still a fair number of Cobras running around but the 818 seems to be an answer to a question no one asked. Part of it is certainly the unfortunate engine choice, super high resale on anything remotely runnable/lack of cheap donors has got to be hurting the take rate.
In reply to 93gsxturbo :
They came out, a few people bought them and then they kinda floundered... or at least it feels that way. They've not been anywhere near the popularity of their previous products. I still remember reading about the F5 cobra race series years ago.
I think you're on the money with it hitting a market that wasn't there.
I think the exocet happened, and pretty much kaboshed the 818.
Here's an interesting thread:
https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showthread.php?27408-Why-has-everybody-sold-their-818
My 3 pennies: First, while cool, it's not a jaw dropper. Looks like something Mitsubishi might make. Secondly, while lurking on build threads, it seemed like a lot of 818 builders kinda went hog wild and ended up with $30 to $40K worth of trick stuff, which is great and all, but also an amount that will buy you a lot of other cool things like Caymans and such. Lastly, there's no historic tie-in. People buy Cobra roadsters because they've been lustworthy for 50 years running and an important part of peoples lifelong car guy narrative.
plus the Catfish (which looks better, IMO)
It isn't a bad solution, I just never understood the Subaru drivetrain choice. I think using a FWD drivetrain would have made it a solution that could have worked for a wider range of buyers.
The 818 can be a stunning looker (especially the newer cars) and fantastic performer. The pricing is extremely reasonable and Factory Five builds great component cars. The reason I'm not building one right now is the newest donor car is at least 12 years old. It is kind of difficult to find a decent 2004 to 2007 Impreza or WRX that doesn't have a zillion miles and hasn't been ragged-out. The 818 is a great car but that is a small (and aging) donor selection for a new build.
There's a hardtop model or whatever that version is that runs occasionally with the SCCA near me in E Mod. It is neat in person. Like really neat, but the guy spent a lot to get it where it is. Roughly $30k if I remember correctly. It sounds like a fun project, but the money invested doesn't match the performance and I imagine it's a tough pill to swallow. The local hot shoe took it for a couple runs, but wasn't able to see it's full potential. I think it needs some proper development to shine, but the car/driver has shown a lot of improvement from where he started.
That is a really weird looking Eclipse...
I kid, I kid... truly. I considered building one. Subaru drivetrains won't survive me for long though... Plus, their oiling systems, on a car that light that probably grips like crazy? Poor choice of drivetrain in practice. Turns out vape juice is really hard to get at the pump these days...
I just don't get the appeal when 20 to 30k will buy a nice used Cayman or boxster. Personally I find the exocet a more appealing kit car option.
IIRC, one of the problems with the 818 was that it was supposed to be a single-car donor (a WRX), but the transmission turned out not to be strong enough to handle putting all of the torque through just 2 wheels (having been originally intended as an AWD transmission). So to make it reliable you needed to buy a WRX and then get an STi transmission, which added fairly substantially to the cost.
FRS has convinced me that the boxer engine is not the answer.
pimpm3 said:I just don't get the appeal when 20 to 30k will buy a nice used Cayman or boxster. Personally I find the exocet a more appealing kit car option.
or upper thirties will get you a low mile 3 year old Alfa Romeo 4C Coupe if what you wanted was something a little more unique than a Porsche.
They really should have built this thing around the k24 powerplant. Sure, maybe your CG is a little higher, but k24's are a dime a dozen at the wreckers and take very well to boost.
morello159 said:They really should have built this thing around the k24 powerplant. Sure, maybe your CG is a little higher, but k24's are a dime a dozen at the wreckers and take very well to boost.
K24 is probably the best business decision, but I'd love to have a VQ in one of these. Nissan/infinity hands down has the best sounding v6, and you want an 818 to sound exotic.
If the CVT could hang with much less weight than a Maxima or Quest, I'd even take the CVT.
In reply to Robbie :
That one's a matter of taste... I, personally, can't stand the VQ drone/wallow noise and a CVT would only make that worse. If you want exotic V6 noise and reliability, you're still better off at Honda. The J35 in my MDX made me giggle every time VTEC engaged and it sounded damn good.
In reply to morello159 :
I agree. The VQ engines have a distinctive sound, but not one that I enjoy hearing. Like all matters of opinion, it's in the eye (or ears) of the beholder I guess.
The FAQ on the Factory Five site says "will you make a version of this kit for the Ecoboost engine?...not yet but we're thinking about it" or something like that. I think that would be a decent choice.
That said, this is GRM. Can't we adapt pretty much any engine into any vehicle?
The version with a roof does look a bit too much like an eclipse with a bad body kit. The topless version I like much better.
Auction is up to $5.5k which is still quite a bargain. Wonder where it will end up with 5 days to go.
this is GRM. Can't we adapt pretty much any engine into any vehicle?
If you want to stay longitudinal, length may be an issue. There are few motors short of an inline 3 cylinder that are any shorter than a Subbie. If you go transverse, you're going to have to redo the suspension and such.
As for the transmission, my thought would be that the 818 would put a lot less stress on it. The car's a good deal lighter than the WRX, and if you're into clutch drops, wouldn't one set of tires be more likely to spin than two?
Underhoood heat is another bugaboo that owners have fought. I'd be tempted to install an EZ36R instead of a turbo 4. Harder to get big power out of, but better low end, less heat and clutter.
I had read that prior to development, Factory Five had to decide between designing and manufacturing a lightweight "cheap" sports car (818) or a lightweight "cheap" mini trophy truck/desert racer.
I always thought they made the wrong decision, but we'll never know.
Kreb said:this is GRM. Can't we adapt pretty much any engine into any vehicle?
If you want to stay longitudinal, length may be an answer. There are few motors short of an inline 3 cylinder that are any shorter than a Subbie.
That gives me an idea... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_EcoBoost_engine#1.5_L_Dragon
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