Shelby

Amateurs step aside.  Racing Junkies can step to the front of the line.  Here is the quintessential racing car developed from the simpler Factory Five Mk3 Roadster.  It is the transformer of the modern race car world.  They took the foundation of the already proven mk3 chassis and modified it to meet SCCA GT1 criteria.  Then they upgraded it once again for high-level competition and this little hot-rod has now been dominant in racing classes all over the US for almost a decade.   As one of the 2006 Champ Car "Fast Laps" cars, this car is hailed as a great open track weapon and amazing spec racer. The appeal here is the versatility because the car can be literally transformed into such a wide array of competitive entry specs.

In late 2004 my wife Arlene and I attended the Western Cobra Round-up in Las Vegas.

This video was captured during a day cruise to the beautiful Red Rock Canyon. The cruise was well attended primarily by Factory Five Racing owners and an amazing Shelby Daytona Coupe.

Tiff Needle: Now you probably know that I’m not very keen on old cars. They’re usually uncomfortable, they don’t handle very well, they’ve got rubbish brakes, and they leak. But there was one old design I was willing to travel 6,000 miles to have a go in.

No comment... The best element in this picutre? Of course: air filter...

Just in case you haven't heard the news that came from Factory Five Racing's Moochfest '08 (yes, you read that right), you'll undoubtedly want to know that the Massachusetts based kit car manufacturer strategically unveiled its fourth model at their annual owners gathering.

Said to be stiffer and lighter than the Cobra reproduction, the new '33 Coupe boasts a 22" longer wheelbase and can be easily fitted with a variety of motors.

What's more, Factory Five Racing's latest '33 Coupe has independent front suspension with clever control arms, and the prototype had 3-link rear suspension.

Just last week, as I was making my down the beautiful South Carolina coast from what was then a sunny Myrtle Beach to a quaint waterfront town called Beaufort, pulling a wobbling transport trailer that I rented from U-Haul to pick up my beloved 1985 Jeep Renegade. Forced to leave "her" behind during a recent move, I was happy with thoughts of being reunited.

After all, it was the perfect time of year for rides in the Jeep. With no top, the fast-changing weather, quickly gearing down from a non-existent winter these past few months to what I hope is a warm, dry spring, was what we Southerners often take for granted, with mild winds off the ocean and and a bright, sunny sky.