Do You Really Want One?
Building a Roadster can be a different experience from driving one to an event like the February 2009 FFR Moochfest in Wareham, Massachusetts: 100 miles on a cold day may feel like a very long trip
Building the FFR Roadster for most is a fascinating, absorbing project, filled with challenges (and - yes - frustrations, too), that ultimately yields a great sense of personal achievement and satisfaction.
Driving a 1965 AC Cobra replica may be, for some, a very different experience than the build itself.
The FFR Roadster is, of course, a replica not just of the look of the original 1965 car, but a re-creation of the road feel as well.
Remember that the Roadster described on this site has:
- no radio/CD sound system (and even if installed, you couldn't hear it anyway)
- no air conditioning or heater
- no power brakes or power steering
- no roof or windows apart from the front windscreen (windshield) and wind wings
- manual 5-speed transmission
- manual non-hydraulic clutch that requires a strong pump action
- no modern emission or noise-reduction system
- no cup holders
- no seat adjustment
- 5-point seat harness like jet fighter cockpit
- roll bar and head restraint, but no air bags
- not been crash tested, does NOT meet current federal safety standards
The majority of FFR builders never drove in a Roadster before buying the kit!
For some, it is a shock to realize what the driving experience in a 1960s vintage high performance car is actually like. It can be loud, hot, bumpy, and physically demanding to maneuver. Driving a Roadster is not the same as riding in a 2009 mass-produced daily driver sedan.
In general, an open cockpit Roadster is not designed for congested modern freeways where large trucks routinely go 75 mph trailing lots of road debris. Nor is it intended for sitting in the blazing sun stuck in urban traffic. Nor is a blizzard or heavy rain an enjoyable Roadster driving experience.
A Roadster is for trips where getting there is half the fun. Otherwise, take the daily driver.
