VECTOR cars!

Same here! I would love to see a book come out about Vector, like the one that just came out about the Cizeta (which is fantastic BTW!)

Chris

 

For sure. I'd love to see a book about Vector also.
The cizeta book is out? Although I'm not a die-hard for this car, I'd still like to read it. Do you know where it is available ?

 

You can order it here:

http://16cylinder.com/how_to_order.php


Chris

 

Until you hear about the Rodeck based Aluminum pushrod V12 displacing 9.0 liters! I know the engine still exists... but its location is beyond my knowledge.

The 7.0 DOHC for the Avtech cars initially were going to have 1" long intake runners to in theory make peak power at a lofty rpm... after an initial test had fuel floating and jumping; causing a massive back fire that scrapped that idea LOL. It might have worked if Direct Injection existed at the time. Jerry was pretty adamant about having that intake until the backfire event

Megatech didn't scrap everything... the W2 still exists, but is in pieces. It is a historical marvel that could, and should be restored. Jerry got the car back, and the parts/components to maintain the cars, should body and part replacement be necessary. However, short of body/chassis work... those components are available still through the suppliers... if you know who they are. That is why it is best to go through former Vector VP D. Kostka.

I have also heard that there are a few chassis that weren't destroyed by Megatech that in theory could be used to build new Vector W8's. Although, to build one to the same standard today, and cost of materials would come close to $1MM.

 

I think they were going for 9000 rpms on the dohc 7.0L engine!! Imagine the piston speeds though!! Although the V12 is interesting, it doesn't grab me as much as the dohc V8. To me, it fits the character of the car better. Just mho tho.
I don't mean that MT scrapped all the parts etc. but they threw out the entire philosophy of the company & fired everyone (except 1 employee?) They then just basically built their own car. MT could have just started their own company instead of "investing" in Vector.
I read that when Jerry won the company back, he had 13 semi truck loads of stuff hauled back to California. Good to know it wasn't all lost.

 

Contrary to popular belief, the V12 originated in the US... specifically the two valve, narrow degree V and big displacement type... The first production V12 is just 15 miles away right now. That version was "only" 299 cubic inches, but the engine ranged up to 1642 cubes (I think... somewhere near that). So a 9.0 liter pushrod V12 doesn't offend me

 

Yes, I just feel that the TT V8 fit the car better. Chevy also put a Falconer V12 into a Corvette back about that time, as well as a big block. Interesting as well. I think Vector was looking into a longitudinal V12 & all independent suspension but I happen to like its traditional layout...

 

Did Enzo himself say that the sound of the Packard V12 was the reasoning behind his love of V12 engines?

 

And that the Packard 299 Liberty V12 whooped him by a country mile My great grandfather was the riding mechanic with Ralf DePalma!

 

No problem with V12 engines, I just don't think it fits the persona of Vector. I wanted to put a marine Lamborghini V12 in my boat, but it got a bbc instead...
That dohc 7.0L engine was a piece of work. Did they give up on this due to the backfire incident or was it cut short because of MT takeover? How seriously did they look at the V12? What type of drivetrain would they have used with a longitudinal V12? Especially one of 9.0L capacity...I'd hate to have seen the cars get longer (cough, M12)

 

I think one of the Vector investors has that engine. It actually worked after all was said and done... but with the dual plenum intake installed.

You could argue that Jerry had focused on the next car too early when the current car was about to take off (close to 50 pre-orders). There was no reason to reinvent the wheel so quickly. In the video "Beyond 2000" It is running quite functionally.

 

For sure. I think the AWX-3 should have been secretly developed for later release, while producing & filling existing orders. However, especially from Jerry's point of view, the W8's had been around a long time & seemed dated. This is another thing that bothered me about the MT takeover. Why would they return all the deposits, especially with the new price structure in place? They could have filled these & started making a profit, with the increased volume. I'm sure there is a lot more to this whole part of Vector's history tho.

 

Oh really?
Do you by any chance remember where and when you saw this video?

 

Vector´s Falconer 8.6 Litre V12 today sits in Roy Gullickson´s Packard prototype:

http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2007/09/26/packard-motor-car-co-for-sale-may-have-a-buyer/
Specs:
http://www.packardmotorcar.com/index.php/specifications/

We met Roy displaying the Packard at the 2003 Pebble Beach parking lot talking to David Kostka and former VECTOR owners:

http://web.archive.org/web/20040630032339/http://www.packardmotorcar.com/p8.htm
http://web.archive.org/web/20040630033835/http://www.packardmotorcar.com/pg.htm

Even David was surprised to find out where the V12 had ended up.

 

Oh, & what do you mean about the beyond 2000 video? From what I understand, the dohc engine was never road tested in the chassis...? I can't be certain about this though, because I have a mag article where they were simply waiting to replace a cam belt & then drive the car, but they didn't get the belt & drove a W8 instead. I know that it now runs a standard W8 engine...

 

It was about three years ago at Kurt's house. You've probably seen it.

 

A while back, I thought it might be cool to write a book about Tucker, DeLorean, and Vector, as they all have similar (and very interesting) stories. I thought it might be best to wait until certain people who were involved in the Megatech fiasco weren't around anymore, since they might react harshly to being portrayed in a negative light.

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/1402644/Suhartos-son-gets-15-years.html

 

Although they have similar stories, I'd rather see a book solely about Vector. I'd like to know the history of its startup, development of the W2 & everyone involved. Detailed stories of all the crashes, changes etc etc all the way through to DOT & EPA certification. Producing the W8 & changes made to it. Plus all the financial issues throughout the years. Interviews with the key people involved & with owners as well. Can't forget development of the AWX-3 either. MT takeover & perhaps a mention of the M12
There's plenty there to make a great book

 

I would love to see that. We would just have to make sure I can get it back to you soon after, since you don't live terribly close.

Here is the Beyond 2000 video. I watched this several years ago and absolutely loved it.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0AUJqy5qorw[/ame]


Chris

 

It sounds like there would be a decent amount of interest in publishing a book about Vector. The Cizeta book did quite well, and I think the Vector is more well known. What can we Fchat members do to get this project off the ground?

I was also talking with Isaac last night. I don't have terribly high hopes, but I hope someday, one of the W8 owner's would be willing to let a test crew drive the W8 to the max. They would include modern, more popular supercars of today in the test so more people would be interested in watching it. They would broadcast the test drives and hopefully enlighten some of the doubters out there. The car community really needs to see what this car could do.

Chris

 

I've seen the video, but I'm not sure which engine is installed. I'm not sure the dohc 7.0L was actually test driven...

Nm...rewatched it & it has a standard W8 engine in it when the open the rear cover...

 

I'm curious, was the Citzeta ever put thru its paces?

 

You are right... been a while since I watched it. There was some other video I've seen with the DOHC motor then.

 

I have a vhs tape where they talk about the AWX-3 but it isn't driven. It's the "wild about wheels-supercars"