New JBL Coupe Build

[dallas_]

Looking good Matt!

Clois, looking forward to seeing yours too. You going to keep us up to date like Matt does??

[Clois Harlan]

I have a build thread started but since Mat and Larry are finishing up Mat's Competition Coupe for the Shelby show this week I am patiently waiting my turn. Should have my comnplete chassis next week and then the build thread will get started for sure.


In the mean time I have my Coyote engine, 6speed transmission, tires, wheels, knock offs, fuel delivery requirements, mirrors, quick release adaptor, sheets of aluminium for some outside the box stuff etc. ready to go once I get my chassis. Larry told me my chassis would only take his welder about 3 weeks to build. Body etc. another 4 to 5 weeks. Most of my chassis and frame are complete but not quiet enough for me to start my build. My nose and body are complete and out of the molds just a few other parts are left to be formed up (windows, headlight covers, pontoons, rear hatch.

My completion date is late August to mid September at the latest provided Larry can get his parts done as promised.

Hopefully, my build will be more playscript and will allow future builders a site reference regardless of their manufacturer. At least that is my plan.

Clois

[951mat]

Here's some pics of the car at Hallett for the first time (yesterday) and at the Ford/Shelby show in tulsa today. Car still needs turnsignals installed up front, head lights wired up, foglights installed, power window switches installed, dead pedal maybe, headers and side pipes cleaned up and some more heat insulation in strategic areas and I'm sure a few others touches and it will probably come home. Keep in mind the car had about 3 miles on it before I put it on the track. Maybe not the smartest thing I've done, but glad I did. Got the feel for it the first 2 sessions. Had one oil leak in the rear of the car (dry sump line), but a new fitting fixed that. A few other issues were learned from this prototype model test drive, but most will be fixed in a couple hours.
I can't begin to describe how impressive it feels right out of the box. Its a serious chassis. Even on my NT-05s the handling/grip was incredible. It will definitely take some getting used to. Brakes are phenomenal as well. I will still have to dial in the brake bias and sway bars but it felt great. And Brent Lykin's engine?..?...all I can say is HOLY CRAP, its rediculous in this car. Pulls like a freight train and I'm not sure I even got it up to 6K rpm, where it is still making more power. Engine ran wonderfully, just need so adjust idle, re-tourque some bolts and go do it again. This JBL chassis sure puts down the power though as the rear never stepped out. I figured there' no reason to get crazy on the first day. I'll have to practice hitting the go pedal earlier in the corner exits to test it though. Well, on to the Porn, I mean pics....

Let me know what you think, constructive criticism is welcome.









Mat

[Clois Harlan]

Mat Twiehaus (Mr. Patience) has an absolute work of art from the "Holy Crap" Brent Lykins engine to the masterfully built JBL chassis so maticulously crafted by Larry Goins it is frickin awesome!!!

Certainly a show stopper at the Shelby meet car show yesterday. In the three hours I was there I would estimate hundreds of people gathered and a good number of those were grabbing business cards and flyers (Which Larry ran out of both). The JBL Coupe is unlike any other and I am sure as more of these hit the streets everyone will realize this is a Top Tier build of the highest magnatude. Now that Mat and Larry have defined the build, shaken out all the grimlins, and done all the R&D all others should be a cake walk. Mine is up next!!

Clois Harlan

[vector1]

Left pedal remains the same.....

Just like a bunch of kids, least now I'll have someone to play with.....

[fordracing65]

Awesome car, awesome seats, awesome engine...

[AL427SBF]

Congrats Mat, awesome build from top to bottom! Consider the Hallett/Shelby showing your official coming out party. Knowing what you have there, and in my own biased but somewhat educated opinion, your coupe is the new standard others can be measured by. I know Larry busted his ass to get you there, be a sport and head over to GMS with a bottle of Pappy Van Winkle's 20 Year Family Reserve to toast the achievement, then leave empty handed

[Clois Harlan]

I am pretty sure Pappy Van Winkle was not involved in the toast but I can assure you the glasses have been raised many times during the build. Even a small success deserves its own toast.

[twin turbo]

Beautiful car! Are we allowed to ask ballpark how much $ one of those would cost? Cheers.

[951mat]

Larry Goins at 918-314-6363 or Michael Rudick at 918-704-7527 would be the guys to talk to on price. My comp chassis is probably not what most people would want or need (I just really wanted it). It requires a fair number of macnined parts that have to outsourced which take more time and $$$. But the end result is nothing short of incredible with respect to performance.
My drivetrain got a little pricey with a 575 hp 427 SBF, t56 magnum 6 speed, and Dailey dry sump system, but it sure is fun to drive. But 400 hp in this car would still be an incredible performer.
Whether or not I can take advantage of this performance is the biggest question and with the amount of seat time I get raising 3 girls (7,10,11-1/2) you could guess the answer to that.

The standard chassis is still extremely capably and highly engineered with IRS, adjustable sway bars, partial monoque chassis, cage, etc. All parts are manufactured in house or are off the shelf production stuff. For the quality of the parts and design, I'll say most will be pleasantly suprised by what it costs. And of course it depends on how much you want to do vs how much Larry has to do. He will sell kits in various stages. Mine being a prototype forced Larry to do everything (turnkey) to make sure everything fits. All that is done now. Give those guys a call. There's a couple chassis on the shelf looking for a good home.

[twin turbo]

I was hoping to get an approx on how much yours cost, since we know a lot of the actual details on your car and it is completely done. Much easier for me to calculate real world cost that way. I understand your reluctance though, no offense meant. Cheers.

[951mat]

I'll say the touring chassis version kit will be in the 30K range for a similar parts list to what Factory Five provides. Competition version could approach SPF roller costs depending on options. It's a time consuming chassis to put together. Hope Larry doesn't get upset with me throwing these numbers around, but they're in the ballpark.

Mat

[Clois Harlan]

The difference in performance is minimal to those of us that are not "REAL" race car drivers. Mat's Coupe is on the cutting edge of performance and begs to be driven in all out competition.

My build will be the street version and aside from a few proprietary inovations should out perform most standard Coupes in production. Pricing for the street version may be similar to the Factory Five Coupe but the quality and performance is right there with the Kirkhams and Superformance models.

An advantage that is obvious with Mat's video is that he is 6'4" tall and fits nicely in the JBL Coupe. Now you can see that this Coupe is accomodating to virtually all passengers (you may have to order a wider seat from Kirkey if you consider yourself a little wide in the business part of your body). The engineering is spectacular in either version and the fit and finish is second to none.

Larry started my build in April but has focused all the shops efforts on Mats car so they could have it ready for the Shelby meet this past weekend in Tulsa. Now, my it's my turn and the build should go very quickly since Larry has most of my fiberglass work done as well as most of my chassis. It's time to start the clock and start hanging parts on the next JBL Coupe. My thread will resume next week with real time daily updates.

Clois

[AL427SBF]

Clois - sent PM

[john chesnut]

Looks incredible Mat. Congratulations and enjoy.

[951mat]

Thanks John, means a lot from you. I enjoyed it at the track. Hope to have it home next week. Here's a few more pics from the track.









Mat

[PurpleVenom]

Mat, have you seen the roll on clear paint protectant that 3M makes? Might save you some time at the track not putting the tape on. There's a thread on it here - 3M Paint Defender - My Results Car looks great on the track. Hope to get to see it soon.

[Clois Harlan]

When Mat gets a chance to read this I think he will post some pictures for you but I can tell you he and Larry have done a masterful job at every turn of this project. The engine bay is very impressive.

Clois

[vector1]

It was either you or Clois, you lost.

Me and My... Shelby Daytona Coupe - YouTube

Notice the single looking exhaust on the side.

[Clois Harlan]

pretty ugly ...huh?

I probably won't use that type exhaust on mine