Superformance Group's South Africa Factory Visit - Page 2

SunDude · #1 (**permalink**) 03-09-2010, 05:14 AM

Looks like an AC Ace "Brooklands" to me.

Mark IV · #2 (**permalink**) 03-09-2010, 03:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SunDude

Looks like an AC Ace "Brooklands" to me.

DING DING DING!!! We have a winner!

Yes, it is the AC "Ace Brooklands" that Hi-Tech built the stainless steel chassis, aluminum body and delivered to AC painted and ready to finish.

When Lubinski shut down Brooklands there were several of these body/chassis units on the shipping stands that it would appear just got tossed....

Calbullet · #3 (**permalink**) 03-09-2010, 11:20 AM

looks like the M12 GTO

car4jim · #4 (**permalink**) 03-09-2010, 08:32 PM

Correct me if I'm wrong...but don't they manufacture cars in this factory. Were are the cars pics????

froggyman · #5 (**permalink**) 03-10-2010, 05:41 AM

car4jim,

The group shot something like 20,000 photos at the factory, all aspects of the factory. They will be rolling out shortly. I will post them as soon as they come to me.

I am as anxious as the next guy. I did not go in the trip so this is a big adventure for me seeing the trip photos as they trickle out.

RedBarchetta · #6 (**permalink**) 03-10-2010, 07:19 AM

Juan,

I think you're doing a great job trickling these photos in this sequence. Builds up some momentum and keeps people coming back to the thread. I've seen factory photos before, but not to this level (i.e. engineering dept, etc.). I have exchanged e-mails with Ronnie Kruger and he was very helpful in providing me a very detailed account of my particular build. A class act.

-Dean

Mark IV · #7 (**permalink**) 03-10-2010, 05:03 PM

Some pictures courtesy Deborah Stander.

Looks like it was "first class" all the way, wish I could have gone!

http://www.superformance.com/Photoal...px?Albumid=123

froggyman · #8 (**permalink**) 03-11-2010, 09:49 AM

"We went on two tours, believe it or not. First we went through with no one there but ourselves. And the managers of the plant as our guides. Then after lunch, we were turned loose inside the plant with everyone working. At this point we were REALLY in their way, but they just moved aside for us and went back to work."

01making_seats

02glass_molds

03mold

04mkIII_body_mold

05mkIII_body_mold

06checking_for_imperfections

01paint

RedBarchetta · #9 (**permalink**) 03-11-2010, 11:50 AM

Juan, did you by chance see the Noble build line?

Several years ago I found the following scrawled on the backside of the passenger dashboard on my build #747:

A note to Ronnie Kruger confirmed that "Pierre Steyn" was part of the two-man build teams back in the earlier days (in this case, March 2000). Back then all Superformance roadsters were entirely hand built by dedicated two-man teams. Nowadays they use more of an assembly line technique, i.e. roll it to the next station. Ronnie went on to say that Pierre was still with the company but "was now working on the Noble line."

Just curious if you ran into this guy? Ronnie did tell me that the next time he was at the factory he would seek him out and tell him that a customer in the U.S. wanted to say "thank you" for building such a solid car.

-Dean

froggyman · #10 (**permalink**) 03-11-2010, 04:43 PM

Some of these same people worked on my SPO 2891 MKIII Roadster and may even have worked on your car. Extremely well trained craftspeople that care about the end result.

01detail-finishing

02hand-finshing

03hand-finshing

04taping_for_paint

What a clean facility, spotless. 04taping_for_paint

Mark IV · #11 (**permalink**) 03-11-2010, 05:33 PM

As Oliver Twist said,

"Please Sir, may I have some more".........

froggyman · #12 (**permalink**) 03-11-2010, 05:41 PM

I am as anxious to see more as you are. The minute I get more photos I will post asap.

froggyman · #13 (**permalink**) 03-15-2010, 10:47 AM

Here is a neat look into what truly makes Hi-Tech so special.

One of many machine shops

Milling

Finshedpart+raw material

Machining_art

Fnished_flanges

mando s · #14 (**permalink**) 03-18-2010, 04:31 AM

Fantastic, please keep the pictures coming!

Regards.

froggyman · #15 (**permalink**) 03-18-2010, 12:37 PM

01surgetank_formingdies

02formed_surgetanks

03seatframe

05seatframe_and_jig

07header_jig

06final_fittment

08assembling_header

09welding_header

10completed_header

11sidepipe_glasspacking

12sidepipe_finishing

13completed_sidepipes

froggyman · #16 (**permalink**) 03-18-2010, 02:28 PM

This is no small outfit folks.

A_factory_courtyard

B_factory_courtyard

C_factory_courtyard

froggyman · #17 (**permalink**) 03-18-2010, 03:34 PM

You've always wondered how these seats and interiors are put together? One of the points I made while at the Factory in South Africa, was to find all about was how exactly the Superformance Softtops were made for each car. There has been a misconception that because the tops are all individually numbered, they are made to fit each individual car they are numbered for and can not be interchanged. Through years of experience, I have found that while there may be a few anomalies, but most soft tops are absolutely interchangeable and fit well from early to late model Mk-III's. And now visiting the factory, that fact has been confirmed. And here, is that story... Take a look:

01making_wiring_harnes

02jig_wiring_harness

03assembling_dash

04finished_dash

06cutting_material. The tops are made in the sewing room to very specific patterns...

05steel_seat_frames

07sewing_material. Then they are sewn into their finished shape...

09fitting_seat

08assembling_seat

10finishing_seat

12softparts4each_car_beingmade

11test_jig_softtop_seats_interior. A final fittment is performed on their test jig in the sewing room where the snaps are fitted to the master jig...The side screen pins are fitted in each individual car door and tack welded into place on the car before final welding them into place on the bench. The side screen pins are made *to* each car, because there is just NO way to get the holes in the doors absolutely PERFECT for all three holes within 1/32" overall, due to the inherent "drill walk" during the drilling process and inserting the sleeves. That does not mean side screens from one car will not fit another, it just means some may not as easily in others and the pins can be easily bent to fit better in many cases in other cars. On the other hand, the soft top pin spacing can easily accept a 1/32" deviation very easily even though the drilling jig virtually eliminates any spacing deviation.