Super Lightweight Coupe 001

[Mesa]

I've always lusted after a Can-am car, a BIG Chevy with MASSIVE twenty-one inch wide rubber and HUGE organ pipes jutting out every which way from behind the drivers head. But I wanted a track car and a street ride, even I understand how very impractical a Lola T70 spider or the like would be as a street car. I was also torn between the brute muscle of a Can-am and the current ground effect and technical sophistication of F1 and LeMans. I can only afford one such toy so it took over two years since I first contacted RCR for the right combination make itself available.

Fast forward to a month before Carslile 2007. I visited Fran's shop for the second time, there I saw bits and pieces of what was to become the Yellow SLC on the website. There were chassis and suspension parts laying about but no body, just the body plug. Mike Moore was crafting the instrument bezel with loving care and showed me what the dash panel and remaining interior parts were to look like, I wondered around the shop talking to the crew about bikes and cars, I even helped Fran bolt suspension on a Lola chassis. As it turned out I must have liked what I saw and heard, as I surprised even myself when I let Fran know I wanted to put a deposit on that random pile of parts in the other room! We adjourned to the office to work out the details and afterwards I stepped into the shop and proudly announced "You all work for me now!"

Fran's Carlisle car will be SLC-P, my chassis will be SLC 001, and at this moment I can tell you 001 will be powered by an all aluminum big block Chevy of 540 cubic inches operating on pump gas with either Twin Turbos or Kinsler fuel injection ( I cannot use a newer engine unless I am willing to deal with California smog and smog checks, which of course I am NOT ). It may very well start out normally aspirated and then get switched over to turbos after all the bugs are worked out. Or maybe not, once I realize 750hp + is quite insane enough, thank you. The box will be Ricardo connected by a SPEC twin disc carbon clutch rated at 1,600 pounds. The shifting will be paddle shift utilizing a Master Shift setup. All that power will be transferred to the ground (Ok well SOME of it will get transferred to the ground) via 20'' by 17''w rear wheels for street and 18'' by 15''w for track use, fronts will be 18'' track or street.

I will mod the rear body to accommodate the 28'' dia tires (current LeMans prototype size) and I also plan to make the whole rear panel hinge up to show off all the combined handiwork under the ''hood''. The body will most likely be bright red and the interior a two tone tan leather / suede combination. Mirrors will be via cameras mounted in the nose, sail panels and roof, all connected to a steering wheel switchable normal position rear view screen. The ones in the nose will help me see down the road before pulling out of parking lots with obscured vision. I already have enough trouble with this in my NSX.

Some of you may remember I bought a Ferrari 360 engine and transmission to possibly use in my build, in the end I didn't think it would offer the kind of power I wanted for track use. So they are up for sale if interested.

As a teenager I built a 914 V8 Porsche, I spent every spare penny to build it, in the end it was a very cool car for a kid, but it did have some shortcomings only money could have solved. I vowed someday I'd make up for those shortcomings. My last visit to RCR was the start of that endeavor.

I have a lot of work ahead of me and some very talented guys on this forum to learn from and follow.

Wish me luck.
Rob

[Dave Lindemann]

Rob -

Congratulations! It sounds like you have some very exciting plans - 750 HP in a ~2000 lb car - that'll keep you on your toes! I was able to see the bits and pieces for SCL 001's chassis when I visited Fran's old shop a while back. The work that he and his guys do is really impressive. I hope to be following your lead (though with a lower HP target!) in the not too distant future. Anyone interested in a restored Series 1 Lotus Esprit? ;-)

Best of luck with your project!

Dave L

[Fran Hall RCR]

Finally out of the closet......

[Neal]

I look forward to your build Rob. That combo is going to be a brawler.

[Bill D]

Congrats Rob. I know it's going to be one badass car

[MReid]

I saw the prototype in Carlisle and it is one beautiful car in person! Thanks for FINALLY sharing, Rob. That will be one killer car, both in looks and performance. Post a lot of pictures during the build and video once complete. We want to live your dream with you!

[Mark Worthington]

Wow, that sounds ambitious!

Good luck and make sure that car is fitted with a cage.

[Ron Earp]

That is going to be a heck of a car when finished. The car has good original lines and is flows well, the plans you have for it will make it go well too!!

[David Briggs]

That sucker will be Bad to the Bone!

[Rob]

Sounds cool Rob.
Looking forward to the build thread!

[Mesa]

Thanks guys -

..... the reason I didn't open my big mouth sooner was that there wasn't much to talk about. I am realistic about the fact that when I bought it was a pile of parts and many ideas for it were still in the collective mind of RCR. Then there was the transaxle, TRT was planning on building the exact box I needed, as a matter of fact when Richard announced his intentions for a high HP sequentially actuated quick change gearbox I was ALL over it! Right then Ferrari power was doomed, I whooped out my checkbook and promptly sent my token $10.00 in and waited for the finished product to be delivered to RCR. Unfortunately we all know that Richard had some health issues that have delayed his box, so ......on I went looking far and wide for something currently available and capable of handling the torture I am planning to subject it to. Many thanks to Wanni at Gearfox who made a generous offer to try and get a box in the car, but in the end I didn't have the time or the know-how to design the part necessary to connect it to a BBC. I had already run Fran out of time and I needed an immediate solution. Enter the Ricardo, Fran and I burnt up the telephone lines getting that one.... in the end Fran got it done, good job!

The car will have a roll cage as standard equipment, be drysumped and the EMS/FI will be handled by a Pectel unit.

Talk is cheap...I need to get started :-P

[Mesa]

A little update -
Looks like 001 should be ready for delivery in December .... will make a nice Birthday present to myself. My sisters would get really mad because I got to open presents the day BEFORE Christmas .... I may get to play with a new toy on the 24th just like when I was a boy. This may promt a conference call to my sisters to rub it in :-P

[Bill D]

Be sure to post pics!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Brendan]

Very nice. What about the new LSx block from GMPP?

[Fran Hall RCR]

I have LS7 crate engines in stock for sale.....505hp in standard trim $11,300...only need the PCM and harnes also available from GMPP....very inexpensively....

[Fran Hall RCR]

I just secured a deal with Mastershift today for the development of their paddle shift application for the Ford GT transaxle.....

I am excited to be involved with developing new products that will filter down to more and more applications.

They already have a ZF/Porsche specific package but have not ventured into Ricardo transaxle land .....until now....damn its cool.

[Mesa]

Wow,
Even though I own one I'd never actually seen an SLC in one piece in person, until today. Of course I am probably not the most objective guy on the planet when it comes to the SLC but, wow. RCR is doing a great job thinking through all the little details that only comes through experince.

The Ricardo transaxle isnt as big as it looks in pictures but it certainly looks like it will do the business and it takes 930 CVs. Fran has also found a reliable supply of custom order halfshafts. Yeah.

I must say I am a happy guy, as others have said the car looks great in person and I'd have to agree, the suspension is almost to nice to cover up with bodywork. Enpugh drivelling..I need some sleep, I'll post some pics when I get back home if any are worth posting.

cheers

[Brian Hamilton]

Big congrats Mesa!! Looks like you are going to be building an absolute monster! You have GOT to make a build thread on it for us and keep us all informed of every step. Haha

Congrats again!!!

Brian

[Rob]

Congrats man... waaaaiiittting for those pics man......