Coupes for Racing: Blog Link

[vnmsss]

Details of our Coupe Challenge builds....

http://thefactoryfiveforum.com/entry.php?346-Coupe-Challenge-Building-a-Legend

(Seat mod and cage pics)

K

[johngeorge]

wow, very cool! keep it up Karen

[jetsbaby]

I have been watching this blog very closely as I am going to replicate most of your frame mods to my coupe build..Thank you Karen. Dave

[vnmsss]

Thanks John!!! I know you guys are busy working in the garage, doing the upgrades to your Challenge cars, and hope you have a great race season!!!

Dave.....We're hoping that documenting the builds will be helpful to the Coupe community....These are awesome cars, and it will be great to see more of them on track.....I look forward to meeting you and sharing some track time in the future!

Karen

[turbodon]

Very cool indeed.
Did you guys make templates? Like in sell a kit that welds in?

[jkrueger]

Looking at the top door bar. Are you going to have to notch the door above the door frame to get it to fit?

You guys are doing some great work!! I'm getting my coupe in May, and the first thing we are doing is making the mods for a legal cage. I plan on copying what ever you guys come up with since I know you all have the best R&D team in the coupe world. I would eventually like to race my coupe, but it will be a track car to start with.

JC

[Hankl]

Looking at the top door bar. Are you going to have to notch the door above the door frame to get it to fit?

JC,

The way the bar was designed, it will fit just under the 1X1" door frame lower bar. You would cut out the fiberglass just below the door mount, and the bar would disappear into the cavity
in the door. On the passengers side, it's a very different story, when the Coupe was designed, those of us who had the early models found that the door mounts side to side were in different
locations. We verified this again this last weekend with Karens Coupe, there is a 1" difference, with the passenger side being lower. Rather than compromise the passengers safety we made
the passenger side top bar at the same height as the drivers, and I'll be working on the fix to the pass door frame during the next couple of weeks.

Hank :cool:

[Hankl]

Did you guys make templates? Like in sell a kit that welds in?

Don,

We will be posting all of the information for the use of the "Coupe Brotherhood"(Ladies included in that phrase), the exercise here is to make all of the necessary
information in constructing a race worth vehicle, easy to access, and laid out in a logical progression, so that those with the necessary skills can accomplish the modifications.
If you don't have the fabrications skills, you would be able to take the instructions to any good shop, and they would be able to duplicate the same results.

As to kits, it would be easy to do, but again, you're selling a product that requires a set of skills, and not just anyone is qualified to do this. In todays society, one litigious action
could mean the end of a good business because some knuckle head didn't follow the directions. As you can see in the blog, we always needed to fine tune the bars for a perfect fit.
Someone buys the kit and trims too much, and what do you do as a vendor, supply endless bars? We will provide the measurements, and specifications of the materials needed,
but past that, you will be on your own.



Hank :cool:

[Jacob McCrea]

Looking good! I can see how the new door bar design will work with all rear end setups, and save some weight in the process since the bars attach directly to the existing structure. The details re: the adjustable jigs are appreciated; it seems like having the right tools and knowing the little tricks makes a big difference. I'll be adding my own door bars shortly; can't wait to see more from the West Coast!

[jkrueger]

The finished doors bars look great, and only 18 hrs to do 2 cars! It will probably take me 18hrs to do one side. :)

Are you going to put a (I'm not sure what to call it) shoulder bar up from the door bars to the rear roll bar hoop?

JC

[Hankl]

The finished doors bars look great, and only 18 hrs to do 2 cars! It will probably take me 18hrs to do one side. :)

Are you going to put a (I'm not sure what to call it) shoulder bar up from the door bars to the rear roll bar hoop?

JC

JC,

The second Coupe only took 6 hours to do, we started getting faster as we found the sweet spot in how to do everything.
That included all of the smaller tubing being cut at the shop, plus all of the custom fitting.

On Karens and Toms Coupes, the door striker would be in the way of the tube you're referring to. On mine, that location will change a bit, stay tuned for the details.


Hank :cool: