Factory Five design contest thread

SPEEDBOY wrote:

The hood has a face reminicent of the statues on Easter Island!

freenrgy2 wrote: The hood has a face reminicent of the statues on Easter Island!

Nice! Totally agree.

To those of us that have designed primarily closed cars, it is not to hard to deviate those designs to acommodate a multi roof design. The spec for the car also reads it will be comprised of replaceable panels as well, correct? A bolt down top as an add on would be a GREAT seller for F5 if the car is a seller. but the lack of window options kinda hurts. I am less worried about the "windows down driving experience" and more concerned with the "windows up safety experience"... I like my stuff to stay where it's put..

Cooluser23 wrote: This should be submitted to the Factory Five build: Local Motors link

This car is awesome! It hits all of the design points that Factory five is asking for. If you haven't checked out the link yet you should. There is a removeable top, the fenders come off for open wheel racing at the track. Best of both world's:)

John Brown wrote: To those of us that have designed primarily closed cars, it is not to hard to deviate those designs to acommodate a multi roof design. The spec for the car also reads it will be comprised of replaceable panels as well, correct? A bolt down top as an add on would be a GREAT seller for F5 if the car is a seller. but the lack of window options kinda hurts. I am less worried about the "windows down driving experience" and more concerned with the "windows up safety experience"... I like my stuff to stay where it's put..

I'd be careful of some of the rumors floating around. The official rules and your creativity should guide your design, not message board posts...even if they come from seemingly reliable sources.

More to come.

The Local Motors car looks fantastic. like the X-bow wishes it looked like. But the seating looks extremely cramped to get that F1 look. I rode in a one-off the other day with similarly cramped cockpit, and it really detracted from the overall experience.

As cool as this concept looks, I do not want a spaceship or whatever that thing is. Gimme a simple car without ZOMFGCRAZYE36M3 all over it...please. If I can stay under the long arm of the laws radar, all the better. That thing will get you pulled over for speeding even when parked in your garage.

Tom Heath wrote: I'd be careful of some of the rumors floating around. The official rules and your creativity should guide your design, not message board posts...even if they come from seemingly reliable sources. More to come.

There does seem to be quite a bit of confusion/noise about what FFR has in mind. Granted it's fun to collect lots of cool designs (free designs that FFR now owns!) but, conversely, there seems to be a lot of effort going into this contest from folks who very well may be working on designs that have no hope of seeing the light of day. If FFR has some general thoughts in mind (exo-skeleton track toy vs. a modern 7 vs. a streetable/trackable car vs. something else) it would be good to know. It would save folks from going a long way down the wrong path.

There does seem to be quite a bit of confusion/noise about what FFR has in mind. Granted it's fun to collect lots of cool designs (free designs that FFR now owns!) but, conversely, there seems to be a lot of effort going into this contest from folks who very well may be working on designs that have no hope of seeing the light of day. If FFR has some general thoughts in mind (exo-skeleton track toy vs. a modern 7 vs. a streetable/trackable car vs. something else) it would be good to know. It would save folks from going a long way down the wrong path.

I agree that it would have been better for FFR to be more specific about what they were after but they have said several times they wanted to see every type of idea. They have also been pretty clear that they may use all/a part/ or none of the winning design. As a side note does anybody think its funny that a company that has made their living building cars using other peoples designs, now has a contest where every design submitted becomes their property.

What do you think about this, its one of my ideas, but the one i chose.

In reply to rsjunderground:

Are those Ford Edge wheels I see? :)

rsjunderground wrote: What do you think about this, its one of my ideas, but the one i chose.

The A pillar seems a little fragile, the end of the glass may be at arms length. Where is the steering wheel propsed to be? Ingress/Egress are where I am thinking of those issues. Realistically the seats need to be 10% body length forward and the glass needs to be 20% b/l shorter with a slight more heft built into the A pillar.

Definately on a good track though.

So, as this vehicle is based on the Impreza, which components from the donor car do we have to incorporate into the design? For example, would we have to use the standard Impreza wind-shield or could this be a custom-built item? I just want to nail down the specification before I spend hours designing a car that couldn't be built!

^^^ its wholy undecided, and still up in the air per design entrees

Working on a lighter meaner version of my design, but finished the side view with the top off and some patriotism hahahah before I did. AMERICA! :)

TCL1999 wrote: In reply to rsjunderground: Are those Ford Edge wheels I see? :)

the wheels are from the audi s6.

Hi guys! Here you have the first sketch of the rear, it is not very exact and many things may be changed before the final entry, for example, depending on your comments and tips. I hope you like it! :)

In reply to xabier:

NICE NICE NICE.

Are those side louver windows or vents?

Keep the entries coming, you guys are amazing!

Looks to be vents to me.

Looking really good xabier!!! Like the diffuser and exhaust.

0100 wrote: Looks to be vents to me. Looking really good xabier!!! Like the diffuser and exhaust.

Agreed. That rear end is sexy!

In reply to SPEEDBOY:

WOWOWWOOOWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Please make the car!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

OFFICIAL COMMUNICATION FROM THE PRESIDENT OF FACTORY FIVE RACING

The design competition is for ALL designs with the only limitations being those on the templates. A HARDTOP COUPE has an equal chance of winning as does a roadster or a targa or a full-race x-bow or atom style exo car!

Guys, I am a bit frustrated here with the assumptions that we are only looking for a roadster. Jim Schenck, who is the engineer in charge of the effort wrote a section about the car and design philosophy, basically saying that the most logical path would be a roadster at the $9,900 price point. I think todays technology makes alot of things possible.

I think its unrealistic to imagine that at the target price point we have selected, there will be a machine as complex as say the new Porsche 918... Still, what if a new and really creative design causes us to change the budget slightly... Maybe a Coupe or removable hardtop or targa or other variant IS the best design, and the result is a mindblowing car. Some of the designs are already so impressive!

No friggin rules guys other than what is in the competition description and templates. I want ALL design styles (Fixed Coupe, Roadsters, Targas, etc) and I have a clear and simple reason for this that will become clear later.

The goal is to allow freedom of design from a community of active, hard-core car builders, racers, and enthusiasts rather than professional designers who, in many cases, are in love with drawing, but don't understand that the whole point of a sportscar is the thrill of driving. If you don't get excited at the idea of hammering around a track in an 1800 lb 300+ hp mid-engined giant slayer, then you shouldn't be drawing cars. If the idea of pulling out of your driveway and trolling for vettes gets your blood pumping, then pick up a pencil and join the challenge. The fact that this might be possible for an average guy like me to build this car for less than $15,000 is what Factory Five has to try and accomplish.

Dave Smith President

Thank you for the clarification Dave.

That being said... designs two and three are back open in MsPaint ;)