1965 Ford Daytona

Description

Cobra Daytona Coupe By Factory Five Racing
There were very few Cobra Daytona Coupes produced, it seems that most buyers wanted the open roadster which carried over to the Reproduction Kit Market. Even then, most buyers wanted the roadster which left very few manufacturers building Daytona Coupes. The coupes required more technology to build which made them more expensive and much more complicated to build then the roadster.
The one that we are listing for sale is just not another kit car, but in fact this one was built by the owner of a very distinguished Street Rods and Performance shop. This Daytona was actually a labor of love, which took ten years to build to his satisfaction for it to be perfect. This build started when the owner of the shop decided that he wanted to build a car for himself, he did not want the usual, he wanted the unusual. Being a strong Ford man and knowing the late Carroll Shelby, he decided on the Cobra Daytona Coupe, being that there were very few around at the time.
When it came time to choose, it was very easy, having dealt with Factory Five Racing for many years and building several of this companies Cobras for customers. The excellent frame and suspension package on their Type 65 Coupe was one of the reasons for his choice. The best place to start with this build would be from the frame up. The chassis features 4-inch round main tubes combined with 2x2 and 2x3 inch rectangular steel tubing, complete with an SCAA-legal, six point roll cage. He used FFR's independent rear with 3.73 gears and Traction-Lok uses FFR's shorter and heavier rear axles.
The car runs big SSBC Tri-Power 3-piston aluminum calipers with slotted 13-inch rotors on all four corners, along with Fords Hydro-boost power brakes. He manufactured all the brackets to adapt the calipers and added a brake bias valve positioned next to the driver's seat. Getting the Coupe rolling are 18-inch FR500 Mustang rims, 9-inches wide up front and 10-inches in the rear, chosen initially for their similarity to the original Ford GT, and also because they were large enough to accommodate the oversize brakes.
Tires are BFG with 275/35ZR18 up front and 295/35ZR18 in the rear. For the ultimate in adjustable altitude, the car is equipped with a Ride Tech air suspension system using Shock Waves on all four corners and a Ride Pro control system with sensors. The Air Pod control package (tank, pump, sensors) is mounted in the rear hatch area, sharing the space with an Optima battery and 16-gallon ATF fuel call under the floor.
Once stopping and turning were taken care of, motive power was next. The high-performance looks of this car demanded an engine to match. He chose a supercharged Ford Racing 4.6L Aluminator long block rated to handle extremes as high as 1000 hp. Topping the engine is a custom built, eight-stack electronic fuel injection system that he designed using his own intake manifold to hold eight 50mm Weber throttle bodies. (Since the eight 96-pound injectors are mounted inside the Webers, they still function as throttle bodies rather than merely as air valves.) The unique air to air intercooler ensures a dense charge.
As a Pro Charger dealer for the last 15 years, it was natural to add a blower to the mill. In addition to being quiet and powerful, the Pro Charger has its own self-contained oil reservoir. It's currently set at a conservative 15 pounds, but it can dial up as high as 28 pounds.
He estimates the current setup puts out about 900 hp with lots of potential for more. Power is transmitted to the rear using five-speed Ford T45 transmission with an '03 Mustang Cobra aluminum flywheel, clutch and pressure plate the connect to the independent rear with a short driveshaft. Spark for the fuel/air mix comes from the Accel Gen7 electronic ignition. For venting spent exhaust, Jet Hot coated, custom-designed headers dump into FFR's double side pipes. Keeping everything cool is a four core aluminum radiator augmented with dual electric fans. Cosmetics on the engine include Ford Racing Blue Oval valve covers and stainless name badges created by American Car Craft in Hudson, Florida.
Moving inside, this ultra high-performance car boasts a surprising mix of creature comforts, such as a Bose stereo and navigation, along with Vintage Air A/C fitted under the dash on the passenger side. The dash itself is unique, created from wood and aluminum and features gauges on tip that pop up or fold away at the touch of a button. A speedometer and tach along with an air/fuel ratio gauge are mounted in the center console along with the controls for the Air Ride. He smiles when he describes the Auto Meter Ultra-Lite gauges since they appreciate the fact that they light up and are so easy to read at night.
For easy entry and exit, he chose a quick disconnect Grant Banjo steering wheel that rotates on a stainless-steel Flaming River column. The shift knob is a collectible Golden Anniversary shifting ball, a gift to him from Hurst. He created the seats using an aluminum frame, traditional GT40-style grommets for cooling, and dark red Dani leather. Door panels were crafted to match.
Wrapping up the project, he extended the bubble on the hood to make room for the injectors. He also added sliding Lexan side windows. The rear panel was annotated with the name of the car to help folks identify the ride. The paint is a custom mixed, PPG 3-stage, based on 2004 Thunderbird Marlette Red, a unique blend that is red in sunshine and turns maroon in the shade. Touch of Class in Hudson, Florida sprayed the base coat/clear coat.
After the build was complete, he took the car to several shows where it took multiple awards from everything; Best Paint, Best Design, Best Engineering, Best Motor and more. The owner is now retired and tired. The car is sitting in the garage with a car cover over it, he has decided that it's time to turn it over to someone who can enjoy driving it and showing it at shows. This is the best of the best!