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Future of SSC

letterman7

Honorary Admin
For those that aren't on Facebook, you may or may not know that Warren, the webmaster here, has purchased SSC and I'm working as liaison with finding parts (most of which are now NLA from previous manufacturers) and eventually fielding the orders and answering questions when we get the new website launched. It's been a struggle trying to find a fabricator that can handle the multi-part molds. We have someone currently that is trying their hardest to make it right.. some of the molds were in pretty bad shape after Dave sold the company several years ago. It wasn't Dave's fault, but the fault of the previous owner who simply tossed everything into a trailer.
Anyway, we want to make sure we have parts ready to go (read: correctly fitting parts), as well as all the accessory parts (hydraulics, rams, window hardware etc) ready to go from reliable suppliers before we relaunch the site. When that happens, this forum will be absorbed into the site with a new format.



The fabricator has been making progress... here's a first pull of a body and canopy to check for fit and finish. We will be out there next week to look at everything first hand.



Sterling fresh pull 2019.jpg

Sterling fresh pull2 2019.jpg
 

Nic

Active member
Looks like a good pull!

What's the plan for the plastic parts, like the window tunnel? Still ABS or ???
 

ratrog64

Well-known member
Having this site absorbed into the business is a mistake in my opinion. If the business fails, the site disappears? Would be a shame to see a forum that has been stand alone since its beginning, now dependent on the success of a business. Businesses come and go, these cars will be around as long as there are people who like them. Having all this valuable information, no longer available, would be a real shame.
 

letterman7

Honorary Admin
I'll have to discuss that with Warren. I *think* it'll still be a stand-alone, just linked through the business page.
 

letterman7

Honorary Admin
2019 Sterling fitting.jpg

2019 Sterling fitting 2.jpg

2019 Sterling fitting 3.jpg


Some photos from Saturday's fit and finish session with our fabricator. Overall we're pleased with what's been done, albeit not with the quantity. We were hoping for more pieces to have been made by the time we got there.. some were still in the molds curing, so there's that at least. Quality of the body is top notch.. quality of the molds, not so much. There will be quite a bit of finish work needed to get the body to paint ready quality, it just wasn't as noticeable on Dave's black cars. On the white you can see every dimple and blemish in the mold. Oh well.. that mold has been around for quite a while! Still some work to do. Rear valance isn't fitting right so some mods have to be done to the mold to make it work. Side pods and front valance are fine. Louver and the plain hood were still in the mold; the nostril hood in the photo was "new old stock", hence the color difference.



Slowly but surely...
 

ratrog64

Well-known member
Looking good.

It would be so nice to start with a virgin body. It would take so much less time building one of these cars if the body was new and nice. I would imagine most builders will be painting their cars so a perfect body may not be that necessary. No matter what, I know I'd want to block out the gelcoat before I sealed, primed and painted.

I know it may have already be said, but, what is the chassis plan for the car? Will it still be for a VW pan or did you get the tube chassis in the deal and plan on going further with that?
 

letterman7

Honorary Admin
Just the VW base for now. The tube chassis was junk - Dave never fully realized it and what he did make never really fit under the body without cutting away almost all the interior glass. If I was going to do that I'd throw it on a Fiero.



At some point yes, we will be looking into a tube chassis. Right now we've been talking with a company that has one but uses the Beetle front beam and rear torsion housings. So, really not much different other than the center tunnel can be made thinner for slightly wider seats. We haven't pursued that option yet since we want to make parts available first. It's likely this first body might be the mule for a tube chassis option.
 

letterman7

Honorary Admin
:D Roger just reminded me that I need to update everyone on the site here that aren't on Facebook. We're getting there. We were hoping to relaunch the new website by now, but truthfully, it's just not quite ready. The reason behind that is our fab shop.. they're killing us with new mold costs (and we needed more than a few new molds made). And I'm not happy with their smalls costs (small pieces, like the center consoles, side pockets.. basically anything for the interior). The major body panel prices aren't out of line all things considered with inflation. And, we're still trying to source minor stuff like the window latches - it's coming down to where we either have to redesign the entire window system or try to manufacture the latch mechanism ourselves. It's tedious.. and expensive. And we don't have unlimited funds to do it with.. we still have day jobs :)



But.. one thing that we are working on is a replacement chassis:


ACME chassis 1.jpg

ACME chassis 2.jpg


We're working with Acme Car Co. in Harrisburg which is very near my partner in manufacturing both the fiberglass parts and a chassis. We were both impressed with their chassis shop, and we did meet with them this past Friday to talk about building a chassis that was Sterling specific - a much thinner center spine (no twin tubes as in the photo), already lowered floor (about 3"), an integrated roll bar and side impact protection. Right now the chassis will be strictly a VW replacement. They do have one that they've developed that uses an EcoTec engine and transmission (basically, the entire front subframe and suspension from a Cobalt/HHR) but we're not entirely sure they'll be able to make it fit within the confines of the Sterling body. Warren and I are more confident that it won't fit without some fairly major body surgery which we're trying to avoid for the classic bodies. We'll see.. there may be a work-around that's acceptable. In the meantime, the VW based chassis is being developed.


So.. thanks for everyone's patience.....



Rick
 
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