The HCS Coupe is awaiting it's grand entrance in a couple of weeks...

[Clois Harlan]

After picking up the HCS Coupe from Bryan about 10 days ago to drop in a healthy 408 stroker and a reliable TKO drivetrain and some Vintage knock off wheels and tires. I returned the Coupe to Bryan Easter Sunday evening for the final additions to this historic re-creation of a 60's powerhouse that put Farrari in the stables. B&B will now address some frame mods suspension revisions before he takes it to Carlisle 09. The HCS Coupe is just about ready for her unveiling on the track during the Mid-America Shelby meet in Tulsa in mid June 2009.

But before that once it returns from Carlisle I will take it to Scott Stephens at Hallett Racetrack for a true track set up. Scott has a program that for about $1,200 he will assign you an engineer, a tech helper, plus his shop (complete with scales and alighnment equipment) for 6 hours plus you get to put your car on the track for periodic shake downs during the set up process. With about 500 hp and even more torque on the stroker I should be able to get around the track pretty good once everything is working together. And to whoa everything down we are running some big 13" six piston Wilwoods in the front and some 11" disc in the rear. All relying on the grip of some pretty sticky tires.

As they say in some of those enhancement commercials ...This Could be Fun!

Clois

[vector1]

sounds like fun clois!

i'm going to try to make it to the shelby meet fri. or sat.

when is your shakedown run?

[Clois Harlan]

Probably not until Friday. Unfortunately, the timing this year is hitting at a very busy time of the month for me at work. That week is going to be a "Cruncher"

I plan on trying to run with the Vintage cars in the race on Friday during lunch. We will see how it all works out. I have learned that as long as you are depending on someone else for anything (inspite of their best efforts) nothing is guaranteed. As long as people do what they say they will do, I can accept most things.

Clois

[SPF1061]

Man, that looks like fun, Clois!

[WildBill3]

This could be Fun!!I know thats right....

[Jim Werth]

Are you going to make it to Road America this summer ? Would love to see your car. Maybe selling my car due to a shoulder injury at work. Some range of motion loss may be permanent. I don't enjoy driving anything right now ! Jim

[Clois Harlan]

I am so sorry to here that Jim about your injury. Hopefully, a little PT will help your comfort level?

I don't think I can make it to Road America this year (I have been going thru money like I make it lately). Dean and I have talked about trying to make the Autobahn event Northwoods puts on in July or August but that is doubtful at least for me. I love Road America and all the Northwoods Shelby organizers. NO ONE puts on a better organized event than you guys. Plus there is that 4.2 mile track that it takes me about three laps to settle in to a comfort level before I can really bust off a good lap.

Take care of yourself Jim and if I can't make it this year I will certainly try my best to get there next year. My wife even loves going to Road America...certainly one of the best road courses I have ever had the priviledge of driving.


Clois

[Bobcat]

Clois .... love to see some "finished" pictures of the HCS Coupe ( are our cars ever really finished ? ) . By the way , were you able to get the brakes and TOB bled like you wanted them to be ? I finally got my TOB/clutch set up the way I want it .... once I found that little trick to get ALL the air out of it .

Bob

[Clois Harlan]

Bob,

I tried your trick on my brakes and it really works (just took a little longer than I am used to spending bleeding my brakes). I left the clutch alone since it was working fine.

I have been trying to post some pictures of the fiberglass thickness the last couple of nights but my computer or camera is giving me fits. I may try again in a few minutes. Bryan has done a wonderful job on the fiberglass and if anyone has a chance to look at it at Carlisle you will know how easy the final preparation for paint will be. I think once a few things are re-located it will be ready to be loaded up for Carlisle.

I can't make the trip this year but Bryan will have the street version and the HCS Coupe along with his GT 40 or as he calls it his GT 45 in his booth. Go by and tell him hello and and take a look at B&B's new offerings.

Clois

Clois

[Clois Harlan]

I have been trying to load some pictures of the thickness of the fiberglass on the Coupe in key areas but I have Adobe Photoshop and that program is not giving the option to load the pictures to my hard drive. I deleated photoshop and will be trying to re-load the software from my camera (Rebel EOS 300 Digital) if I can find it now.

[RICK LAKE]

Jim Werth Jim change the car to your needs. You didn't say which shoulder, but They have support braces for a bad shoulder and Viccodens for the superman feel. Change to car to power steering. I have it in my car, works great. You don't have to man handle the car around the track. If its your shifter arm, you have a couple of choises here, depending on what trans you have, move the shifter for easier and less movement for your arm. If this doesn't work, go to an automatic trans. AOD's work great. You can even get a paddle shifting to mount under the steering wheel for just 1 hand driving. They have handycap people in worse conditions racing trucks and cars. My dad had a ball on the steering wheel because of being shot in Korea He was hit in the left shoulder and is left side dominated. You can still have fun, just drive a little slower. Rick L.

[john chesnut]

Clois, It is very exciting to get a new car on the road! I can't wait to see the coupe and hope that you have a great time with it. I am scheduling my knee replacement for the winter so I am planning to be at Run n Gun ths year. Have fun, John

[Clois Harlan]

Wow, John I am looking forward to seeing you again this fall and I hope that you have a little less stressful summer so you will be rested for Run n Gun.

Clois

[dlampe]

I have had a busy week too but I wanted to comment on the HSC. I was at Clois's house 2 weeks ago to see the car in person and it is nothing short of incredible. It is nice to see a race car chassis under such pretty skin. For me, safety is very important and this car is the safest looking chassis I have seen on a replica, bare none. I realize looks are why we choose to drive these cars in the first place but they can look great and still be all race. This car is really different than other coupes I have seen.

Hats off to Clois and Bryan. Now post some pictures!

[ROUSHAC]

Hey Clois, is that bad boy done yet?

It's been a while since the last post and a quite a while since the build was started.

There's a lot of us who can't wait to a video of it running on a track somewhere getting ready for Run 'n Gun. Are you holding out on us?

[Clois Harlan]

Thanks for asking Dave,

The Coupe should be at Carlisle. It is not finished but it is close. Hopefully, it will be done very soon so I can take some final pictures and maybe a video or two. I had planned on having it at the Tulsa Shelby Meet next month but that is doubtful. Even if it was done now I would need time to shake it down a little before throwing to the wolves on the track. The ball is in Bryan's court now for some final mods etc.



Clois

[Clois Harlan]

Sorry guys but the HCS version was not ready but it was at Carlisle. We were waiting on the fabricator to finish the plenum, the front sway bar was not installed in it's new location, the CORRECT adjustable coilover shocks and springs were not on the car yet, nor was the rear window back from the person forming the lexan. Other things were obviously not installed or completed but as with any new project it takes time to get things right.

Some of the items above have been re-engineered or the first parts were rejected for quality reasons, but we are still moving forward. Time...never enough time!

Clois