Earlier this week I took the opportunity to drive up to the Detroit area and visit Fran at RCR. I came away with a few impressions as a result.
First off let me thank Fran for giving me so much of his time. Even in the morning while he was tied up he Jason personally escort me around and answer my questions. In all I was there 3+ hours looking, photographing, analyzing and questioning.
Here a list of my impressions.
First this is a busy shop. There were at least 4 SL-C's in various stages. A like number of Gt-40's and couple of P4's. There were several other projects in process as well. The Cadi roadster, SL-r's including electric SL-R's, and the new budget racer. There were parts being fabricated to projects I was not even aware RCR was involved in.
The crew there are not mechanics they are craftsman. They do not come from an automotive JC, but rather from places like Saleen, Wheel to Wheel and the OEMs. The shop as a whole is involved in much more then we generally realize. They even have a Saleen S7 twin turbo coming into to receive some RCR treatment. I realize saying all of this might be a disservice to Fran as some might complain that their own personal projects should be receiving more exclusive attention. First let me say as a home builder I am all too aware how inaction is often interpreted as neglect or apathy. Not the case I assure you. Secondly I would much prefer to buy a car that I plan to push the speed of sound in from someone who is connected to the industry at many levels. Someone who has cultivated ties and resources across the spectrum of the automotive community and is plugged into the emerging technologies and techniques. I frankly do not know of any other manufacturer in this genre who can say the same. The cadi show car was the final piece that sold me 100%.
I spent most of my time looking at and talking about suspensions. I have said before that virtually every part of a car is fixable. Bad aesthetics can be painted or molded. Spring rates changed shocks adjusted or swapped. Power is the easiest of all. But bad suspension geometry is for life. I know one of the other cars I really like and nearly bought is a mid engined car based on a C5's geometry. Aside from being a twelve year old design, non-adjustable and optimized for a front engined car whose primary focus is street commuting, that is a good compromise to the effort and expense of developing ones own suspension from a blank slate. BUT IT IS A COMPROMISE.
I wanted to hold it and measure it and talk about the design brief. I wanted to hear the thoughts that went into the design and what was used to bench mark it. I have surmised that some component car builders see the suspension as nothing more then attachment points for wheels. Fortunately not Fran. He has access to some of the better suspension design software and some very experienced suspension design minds. Both of which were utilized. In the end the suspension draws its closest resemblance to that of a Ford GT. A pretty good place to start as that was designed to beat the F360, which it does. Heck even Jeremy Clarkson who hates most things American loves and owns a GT. The A arms on the SL-C are in fact with in 3% of the Ford GT's. I know this to be true as there was a Ford GT suspension at the shop that I could lay to the SL-Cs to compare. While I am at it the suspension arms on the roadster are a work of art. They look just like Formula 1 bits.
I did sit in the black SL-C track car. Man is It low and as with most of these kind of cars you need to find your own method of smoothly accessing and egressing. What is surprising is being inside seems to open up some sort of extra dimensional space. It is much roomier inside then it looks from the outside. I barely fit in a GT40. My head was going to need a gurney bubble but the SL-C was spacious. Drivers position was a bit laid back for me but that is subject to change. There was indeed tons of head room. I can further comit to the fact that there is ample space in the cabin besides the seats and in the passenger foot well (which is cavernous) for several overnight bags. I believe two can comfortable travel with a weekends worth of gear. Well not if one is my wife.
Ultimately I came away convinced that this is a world class machine that if the mind was set could undo every record Ultima has claimed. It is clearly in a league of its own and if you are track focused (though require it to be everyday livable) I am hard pressed to rationalize how you could buy anything else.
http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj39/NorthShoreCabinets/Carshow005.jpg?t=1232743831
http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj39/NorthShoreCabinets/Carshow008.jpg?t=1232743905
http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj39/NorthShoreCabinets/Carshow007.jpg?t=1232744043
http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj39/NorthShoreCabinets/Carshow006.jpg?t=1232743849
http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj39/NorthShoreCabinets/Carshow018.jpg?t=1232744011
First off let me thank Fran for giving me so much of his time. Even in the morning while he was tied up he Jason personally escort me around and answer my questions. In all I was there 3+ hours looking, photographing, analyzing and questioning.
Here a list of my impressions.
First this is a busy shop. There were at least 4 SL-C's in various stages. A like number of Gt-40's and couple of P4's. There were several other projects in process as well. The Cadi roadster, SL-r's including electric SL-R's, and the new budget racer. There were parts being fabricated to projects I was not even aware RCR was involved in.
The crew there are not mechanics they are craftsman. They do not come from an automotive JC, but rather from places like Saleen, Wheel to Wheel and the OEMs. The shop as a whole is involved in much more then we generally realize. They even have a Saleen S7 twin turbo coming into to receive some RCR treatment. I realize saying all of this might be a disservice to Fran as some might complain that their own personal projects should be receiving more exclusive attention. First let me say as a home builder I am all too aware how inaction is often interpreted as neglect or apathy. Not the case I assure you. Secondly I would much prefer to buy a car that I plan to push the speed of sound in from someone who is connected to the industry at many levels. Someone who has cultivated ties and resources across the spectrum of the automotive community and is plugged into the emerging technologies and techniques. I frankly do not know of any other manufacturer in this genre who can say the same. The cadi show car was the final piece that sold me 100%.
I spent most of my time looking at and talking about suspensions. I have said before that virtually every part of a car is fixable. Bad aesthetics can be painted or molded. Spring rates changed shocks adjusted or swapped. Power is the easiest of all. But bad suspension geometry is for life. I know one of the other cars I really like and nearly bought is a mid engined car based on a C5's geometry. Aside from being a twelve year old design, non-adjustable and optimized for a front engined car whose primary focus is street commuting, that is a good compromise to the effort and expense of developing ones own suspension from a blank slate. BUT IT IS A COMPROMISE.
I wanted to hold it and measure it and talk about the design brief. I wanted to hear the thoughts that went into the design and what was used to bench mark it. I have surmised that some component car builders see the suspension as nothing more then attachment points for wheels. Fortunately not Fran. He has access to some of the better suspension design software and some very experienced suspension design minds. Both of which were utilized. In the end the suspension draws its closest resemblance to that of a Ford GT. A pretty good place to start as that was designed to beat the F360, which it does. Heck even Jeremy Clarkson who hates most things American loves and owns a GT. The A arms on the SL-C are in fact with in 3% of the Ford GT's. I know this to be true as there was a Ford GT suspension at the shop that I could lay to the SL-Cs to compare. While I am at it the suspension arms on the roadster are a work of art. They look just like Formula 1 bits.
I did sit in the black SL-C track car. Man is It low and as with most of these kind of cars you need to find your own method of smoothly accessing and egressing. What is surprising is being inside seems to open up some sort of extra dimensional space. It is much roomier inside then it looks from the outside. I barely fit in a GT40. My head was going to need a gurney bubble but the SL-C was spacious. Drivers position was a bit laid back for me but that is subject to change. There was indeed tons of head room. I can further comit to the fact that there is ample space in the cabin besides the seats and in the passenger foot well (which is cavernous) for several overnight bags. I believe two can comfortable travel with a weekends worth of gear. Well not if one is my wife.
Ultimately I came away convinced that this is a world class machine that if the mind was set could undo every record Ultima has claimed. It is clearly in a league of its own and if you are track focused (though require it to be everyday livable) I am hard pressed to rationalize how you could buy anything else.
http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj39/NorthShoreCabinets/Carshow005.jpg?t=1232743831
http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj39/NorthShoreCabinets/Carshow008.jpg?t=1232743905
http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj39/NorthShoreCabinets/Carshow007.jpg?t=1232744043
http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj39/NorthShoreCabinets/Carshow006.jpg?t=1232743849
http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj39/NorthShoreCabinets/Carshow018.jpg?t=1232744011
