View Full Version : Superlite new concept?
While I was reading the latest Kit Car Builder I noticed a teaser from Superlite Cars or Race Car Replicas about a new project they are working on. Midengine turbocharged 4banger coupe. Using a "familiar production car safety cell" as the center section tub with front and rear subframes for suspension and drivetrain mounting. Sounds like a cross between what Mark Smith is doing with the G3F, and what Dave is doing at FFR. Fran at Superlite already has an exo-car that uses multiple engines. He makes some pretty cool stuff already but his website doesn't say anything about this new concept. Anybody else see this or know any more about it? It looks like FFR is going to have some more competition.
riptide motorsport
03-23-2012, 03:26 PM
News to me....he does make quality stuff so it should be capable.
Sultan
03-23-2012, 06:27 PM
It has been out for a while and it has a V8. Very nice and it is affordable if you are rich.
They are part of Race Car Replicas, http://www.race-car-replicas.com/
http://superlitecars.com/
Oppenheimer
03-23-2012, 07:16 PM
It has been out for a while and it has a V8. Very nice and it is affordable if you are rich.
They are part of Race Car Replicas, http://www.race-car-replicas.com/
http://superlitecars.com/
If by 'it' you mean the SuperLight SLC, yes, its been out for a while and has a V8. But read the first post in this thread again, this thread is about a new SuperLight project powered by a 4 cylinder.
Sultan
03-24-2012, 10:22 AM
If by 'it' you mean the SuperLight SLC, yes, its been out for a while and has a V8. But read the first post in this thread again, this thread is about a new SuperLight project powered by a 4 cylinder.
You are correct that I was wrong. It was three minutes before I need to leave my office so I guess I only have read it. That said it does seem counter to what he said on Gearz. He stressed that their cars stood apart from other companies (FFR) because they don't reuse production car parts.
Here is the thread on exocars.net: http://www.exocars.net/showthread.php?t=11952
Looks awesome to me!
8479
StatGSR
03-24-2012, 11:09 AM
I suspect that like all of RCRs stuff that it will be $$$$$$
I saw a lot when i was at their shop and it all looked great, but i just don't have that kinda ching laying around. I was planning on going with the SLR for a while, but even that added up really quickly.
lbperry
03-24-2012, 12:08 PM
When Fran was interviewed on the first episode of the Gearz SL-C build, he seemed to be standing next to a roadster that was something other that what is on his web site. And there were some pics on the wall in the background of what seemed to be roadster of some type. And then again, my eyes might be flakey.
Anybody else see this?
Benji
03-24-2012, 01:13 PM
Yes that's the soon to be released SL-C LeMans (SL-C chassis with a different body that has no roof) and isn't to do with what is being talked about here either.
VTX is correct.
fritts
03-24-2012, 07:32 PM
Fran said something about 20-25 for the kit.
Sultan
03-24-2012, 08:06 PM
Does anybody have pictures? The ExoCars site won't load the registration page. Thanks. RS
Does anybody have pictures? The ExoCars site won't load the registration page. Thanks. RS
Not sure if you can see pictures on this forum, but they are posted here, along with more details on the donor: http://www.gt40s.com/forum/rcr-forum-rcr40-slc-p4-mkiv/22481-rcrs-next-car-should-66.html
Make sure to click through the rest of the pages of that thread to see all the pictures.
Sultan
03-24-2012, 08:26 PM
Thanks for the link and that car HOF stuff! Can't wait to see it.
thanks for the links, interesting concept of using a production passenger safety cell. Wish Fran would post a little more about how he's doing it. Looks like the main power plant will be the mitsu 4g63. I wonder if the eclipse is where the safety cell will come from. I don't have any personal experience but from what I've read the Superlite SLC is more expensive than the GTM, but it comes as a roller, the body is better and the build is easier, and to do comparable build levels on the two costs about the same in the end. Fran is talking this new concept up as a daily driver with full HVAC/roll-up windows etc. It may be worth the extra money.
StatGSR
03-26-2012, 07:54 PM
No doubt it will be a well put together car, but I still think a guy can buy a lot of car for the prices I was reading in that thread. Just wouldn't be something I would be willing to do at any rate.
crash
03-27-2012, 10:16 AM
I thought this was the FACTORY FIVE FORUM!?!
Martin
03-27-2012, 10:57 AM
Agreed. FFcars.com might be a OK with it, but I am sure this can't be considered good for business for the 818.
Having said that, this thread has been around for a while and the moderators haven't said anything. Maybe it is OK as long as the conversation adheres to the community ethos that Dave is trying to instil.
Martin
I thought this was the FACTORY FIVE FORUM!?!
Sultan
03-27-2012, 11:19 AM
In some ways they MIGHT be competing products yet the 818 price point will be tough to get around for RCR.
DrieStone
03-27-2012, 12:11 PM
I was looking through the posts on RCR's car too. It looks interesting, but he's talking about non-single donor, and $30k with interior before you source donor parts (like the Mitsu engine). It's funny, Fran comments that he doesn't think anyone has done a car like this that ticks all the right boxes, but IMHO I think FFR is ticking more boxes with the 818. I think the single donor concept is huge. If we can, in fact, build an 818 for under $15k that's HUGE. It may not have all the appointments that RCR's car does, but it's also less than 1/2 the cost.
It's very cool to see two mid-engined exotic, original kits coming soon though. Very exciting. Perhaps a little competition is a good thing?
Of course this is all just BS until we see an actual drivable car from both companies. My $$ is still on FFR and the 818.
slopoke
03-27-2012, 02:24 PM
ditto
Oppenheimer
03-27-2012, 03:05 PM
818 and new Superlite don't seem to directly compete. Either you got that kind of cash, and are willing to spend it on a kit, or you don't. If someone was interested in this new SuperLite, and googled and found this FFR forum (due to this thread), and saw what the 818 was about, they might go from dreaming to building.
Likewise someone coming to look at the 818, and wanting something 'even more', and had the $$ to spend, might come here looking for 818, but see this thread and then go look for more about the SuperLite, and go that route.
I would think FFR would be on the winning side of that equation.
sonicrex
03-27-2012, 06:12 PM
Fran just mentioned that target pricing for the new Superlite "GTA" is 20k. It's definitely got my interest although I'm one of those guys waiting for the coupe. Either way I'm still interested in seeing if FFR really can pull off the 818 with "no paint" panels...
Evan78
03-27-2012, 06:17 PM
Not allowing talk of other cars on the FFR forum would be an extremely heavy handed approach and I can't imagine Dave having that kind of attitude. I don't expect a forum dedicated to non-FFR cars, but normal discussion seems inevitable.
I'm one of those guys waiting for the coupe. Either way I'm still interested in seeing if FFR really can pull off the 818 with "no paint" panels...
You and me both, I can't wait for the coupe. As for the no paint, I'm skeptical of it. If they are doing fiberglass (as said in the video posted long ago) I don't see it happening. If the rumors of vacuumed formed plastic are true it's totally possible. I'd rather have fiberglass and have to paint it myself but that's just me.
crash
03-28-2012, 09:18 AM
How many fiberglass boats have you seen that were PAINTED?
If the mold makers and finishers know what they are doing, a no paint fiberglass body is not that big of a deal to produce.
crash
03-28-2012, 09:25 AM
Not allowing talk of other cars on the FFR forum would be an extremely heavy handed approach and I can't imagine Dave having that kind of attitude. I don't expect a forum dedicated to non-FFR cars, but normal discussion seems inevitable.
I agree completely, and kept my mouth shut until D2Ws last post, which sounded more like an advertisement than simply a discussion, but maybe that's just me.
BTW- Why don't you go over and try and start a post about the 818 in the RCR forum and see what happens! I like that FFR lets conversations happen over here, but it just seems to me that some people take things a little too far sometimes. Probably not meant that way, but it's the way I see it. YMMV.
I agree completely, and kept my mouth shut until D2Ws last post, which sounded more like an advertisement than simply a discussion, but maybe that's just me.
BTW- Why don't you go over and try and start a post about the 818 in the RCR forum and see what happens! I like that FFR lets conversations happen over here, but it just seems to me that some people take things a little too far sometimes. Probably not meant that way, but it's the way I see it. YMMV.
Definately did not mean it to sound like an advertisement. I have no more connection to Fran at Superlite than to Dave at FFR, or Mark at Smythe for that matter. I'm just an "internet researcher" who enjoys bench engineering the different concepts. And until something real actually hits the ground I have no favorites in this game. (Actually my own concept is still my favorite, but that may change if something better comes along). If Dave feels this conversation is inappropriate I have no heartburn about shutting it down, again just comparing what's out there to the 818.
I suspect that like all of RCRs stuff that it will be $$$$$$I saw a lot when i was at their shop and it all looked great, but i just don't have that kinda ching laying around. I was planning on going with the SLR for a while, but even that added up really quickly.
Say what?
If you compare apples to apples (say a GTM & SLC) the cost is the same and possibly less for the SLC.
Kalstar
04-11-2012, 06:12 AM
Wrong, in a very big way. The GTM can be built for much, much less the the SLC.
StatGSR
04-11-2012, 09:07 AM
Say what?
If you compare apples to apples (say a GTM & SLC) the cost is the same and possibly less for the SLC.
um no? a basic SLC rolling kit is $44,000.....GTM Kit is $20,000...... not sure where you would spend the extra 24K to get them even.....you also cant' hardly get into a roller SLR for what the completed price will be for the 818...
Oppenheimer
04-11-2012, 11:19 AM
I think by 'apples-apples' JRL is trying to say that by the time you build a GTM to include all that an SLC aready has (as opposed to more modest GTM build which can be far less), at that point the prices will be comprable.
However I'm not seeing how even that argument is correct. That is not to say that the SLC doesn't give you a lot for your money, but you are going to spend more on a completed SLC than a completed GTM.
mekeys
04-11-2012, 02:25 PM
The SLC and the GTM are both out of my range money wise.Which is why I'm hoping they can hold the price on the 818.....If I think i can build one for no more than $15,000,It just might be a GO..Have to wait and see what it looks like tho...
Mel
Wrong, in a very big way. The GTM can be built for much, much less the the SLC.
I said apple to apple
SCL $44 K + drive line
GTM $20K + drive line + wheels + suspension + brakes + body / paint and hundreds of hours more building. A GTM built to the same standards will cost about the same pretty simple math - sorry if you don't see the truth. Don't believe me READ some of the build threads and for sale threads. I'm not knocking the GTM just pointing out the fallacy of the SCL cost huge money statements. Actually both cars are somewhat expensive.