"Manufar ita ce a gina suna, ba hawa doki ba," in ji Gerald Wigert cikin muryar da ta yi laushi da tsauri. Shugaban Kamfanin Vector Aeromotive Corporation ba shi da irin wannan jin daɗin, kodayake tun daga 1971 ya ke tsara da kuma gina Vector twin-turbo, babbar mota mai ƙarfin dawaki 625, mai kujeru 2, mai matsakaicin injina ta amfani da kayan zamani da fasahar tsarin sararin samaniya. Daga zane-zane zuwa samfuran kumfa zuwa cikakkun samfura, an fara nuna Vector a bikin baje kolin motoci na Los Angeles na 1976. Shekaru biyu bayan haka, an kammala wani samfurin aiki, wanda aka tattara daga sassan da aka tattara daga shara kuma aka wanke sassan, don samar da kayan gida. Ya ce raunin tattalin arziki da kuma sukar da ake yi wa kafofin watsa labarai na motoci sun lalata ƙoƙarin neman kuɗi, yayin da burinsa na gina jirgin yaƙi mai tushe a ƙasa don tituna ya zama kamar an ƙaddara ya cika.
Wigt ya cancanci wani irin lambar yabo saboda juriya, wani irin lada saboda juriya mai ƙarfi. Ku guji wannan yanayin ta hanyar yin watsi da fatalwar da ke yawo a cikin kasadar Tucker, DeLorean da Bricklin. Kamfanin Vector Aeromotive da ke Wilmington, California a ƙarshe ya shirya gina mota ɗaya a kowane mako. Masu adawa suna buƙatar ziyartar yankin haɗa motoci na ƙarshe kawai, inda aka shirya motocin biyu da muka ɗauka don jigilar su zuwa ga sabbin masu su a Switzerland (an sayar da Vector W8 na farko ga wani yariman Saudiyya, wanda tarin motoci 25 ya haɗa da Porsche 959 da Bentley Turbo R). Kimanin ƙarin Vectors takwas suna kan ginin a matakai daban-daban na kammalawa, daga chassis mai birgima zuwa motocin da suka kusa gamawa.
Waɗanda har yanzu ba su gamsu ba ya kamata su san cewa kamfanin ya girma daga gini ɗaya da ma'aikata huɗu a shekarar 1988 zuwa gine-gine huɗu waɗanda jimillarsu ta kai murabba'in ƙafa 35,000 da kuma ma'aikata kusan 80 a lokacin rubuta wannan rahoto. Kuma Vector ya ci jarrabawar haɗarin DOT mai kyau (gwajin haɗarin ƙofa da rufin mota mai tsawon mil 30 a awa ɗaya kawai); ana ci gaba da gwajin hayaki mai gurbata muhalli. An tara sama da dala miliyan 13 a cikin jarin aiki ta hanyar bayar da OTC guda biyu na gwamnati.
Amma a ƙarƙashin rana mai zafi a filin wasa na Pomona, California, aikin ƙarshe na Wigt ya bayyana. Wata babbar mota mai faffadan kaya mai injunan Vector W8 TwinTurbo guda biyu ta ketare wata babbar hanya mai faɗi zuwa wani yanki mai jan kaya. An sauke motocin gwaji guda biyu kuma editan gwajin hanya Kim Reynolds ya sanya ɗaya da kwamfutar gwajin ƙafa ta biyar da ta hanya don shirin gwajin aiki na farko na Auto Magazine.
Tun daga shekarar 1981, David Kostka, Mataimakin Injiniya na Vector, ya ba da wasu shawarwari kan yadda za a sami mafi kyawun lokutan aiki. Bayan gwaji da aka saba, Kim ta tura Vector zuwa layin tsakiya kuma ta sake kunna kwamfutar gwaji.
Wani kallo mai cike da damuwa ya bayyana a fuskar Kostya. Dole ne ya kasance. Shekaru goma na aiki na awanni 12 a rana, kwana bakwai a mako, kusan kashi ɗaya bisa uku na rayuwarsa ta farkawa, ba tare da ambaton babban ɓangare na ransa ba, an keɓe shi ga na'urar.
Ba shi da abin damuwa. Kim ya taka birki, ya zaɓi gear na farko, sannan ya taka fedar gas don ɗora na'urar watsawa. Ƙarar injin V-8 mai lita 6.0 ya fi tsanani, kuma ƙarar turbocharger ta Garrett ta yi daidai da ƙarar bel ɗin motar Gilmer. Birki na baya ya shiga yaƙi mai ƙarfi da ƙarfin V-8 da kuma tuƙin gaban motar, yana zame kebul na gaba da aka kulle a kan titin. Wannan kwatanci ne na wani kare mai fushi da ke jan motarsa.
An saki birkin sannan Vector ya tashi da ɗan zamewa daga tayoyin, wani hayaƙi daga kitsen Michelin da ɗan jingina zuwa gefe. Cikin ƙyaftawar ido - kamar daƙiƙa 4.2 - yana sauri zuwa 60 mph, 'yan mintuna kafin motsi 1-2. Vector yana wucewa kamar babban Can-Am, yana ci gaba da gudu a kan hanyar da ke cike da fushi. Guguwar yashi da tarkacen da ke kewaye suna juyawa a cikin injin yayin da siffarsa mai siffar ƙwallo ke tsaga rami a cikin iska. Duk da kusan kwata na mil, har yanzu ana jin sautin injin yayin da motar ta wuce cikin tarko. Gudun? 124.0 mph cikin daƙiƙa 12.0 kacal.
Karfe goma sha biyu. Dangane da wannan adadi, Vector ya riga manyan motoci kamar Acura NSX (daƙiƙa 14.0), Ferrari Testarossa (daƙiƙa 14.2) da Corvette ZR-1 (daƙiƙa 13.4). Saurinsa da saurinsa sun shiga wani kulob na musamman, tare da Ferrari F40 da Lamborghini Diablo da ba a gwada ba a matsayin membobi. Memba yana da fa'idodi, amma kuma yana da farashinsa: Vector W8 TwinTurbo yana sayarwa akan $283,750, wanda ya fi tsada fiye da Lamborghini ($211,000) amma ƙasa da Ferrari (sigar F40 ta Amurka tana kashe kimanin $400,000).
To me ya sa Vector W8 ke aiki? Domin amsa kowace tambayata da kuma ba ni rangadin cibiyar Vector, Mark Bailey, mataimakin shugaban masana'antu, tsohon ma'aikacin Northrop kuma tsohon memba na layin Can-Am.
Da yake nuni zuwa ga injin Vector da ake ginawa, ya ce, "Wannan ba ƙaramin injin ba ne da aka juya har ya mutu. Babban injin ne wanda ba ya aiki da wahala kamar haka."
Manhajar turawa ta Aluminum mai digiri 90 V-8 mai lita shida, injin Rodeck da aka yi da Rodeck, kan silinda mai bawul biyu na Air Flow Research. An haɗa dogayen tubalan kuma an gwada su ta hanyar Shaver Specialties a Torrance, California. Dangane da darajarsa, jerin sassan injin ɗin yayi kama da jerin masu tsere na da'ira na Kirsimeti: Pistons na TRW da aka ƙirƙira, sandunan haɗin bakin ƙarfe na Carrillo, bawuloli na bakin ƙarfe, hannun rocker na rocker, sandunan haɗin da aka ƙirƙira, busasshen mai tare da matattara guda uku daban-daban.
Babban nasarar wannan injin shine injin sanyaya iska mai buɗewa wanda aka yi da aluminum kuma an goge shi har ya yi haske sosai. Ana iya cire shi daga motar cikin mintuna ta hanyar sassauta maƙallan iska guda huɗu masu saurin sakin iska. An haɗa shi da turbocharger Garrett mai sanyaya ruwa guda biyu kuma ya ƙunshi sashin tsakiyar abin hawa, wani bututun da aka yi da jirgin sama da kuma akwati.
Ana sarrafa kunna wuta ta hanyar na'urori daban-daban ga kowane silinda, kuma ana isar da mai ta hanyar tashoshin jiragen ruwa da yawa ta amfani da allurar musamman daga ƙungiyar haɓaka Bosch. Tsarin sarrafa injina na Vector mai iya tsarawa ne ke daidaita walƙiya da isar da mai.
Faranti masu ɗagawa suna da kyau kamar injin kanta, suna sanya shi a gefen gadon jariri. Billet ɗin aluminum mai launin shuɗi mai anodized da embossed, ɗaya yana mannewa a gefen ɓangaren tubalin ɗayan kuma yana aiki azaman farantin adaftar injin/transmission. Watsawa ita ce GM Turbo Hydra-matic, wacce aka yi amfani da ita a cikin injin gaba na Olds Toronado da Cadillac Eldorado V-8s a cikin shekarun 70. Amma kusan kowane ɓangare na watsawa mai sauri 3 an gina shi ne da gangan ta hannun ƙananan 'yan kwangila na Vector tare da kayan da za su iya sarrafa 630 lb-ft. Juyawa da injin ya samar a 4900 rpm da haɓaka 7.0 psi.
Mark Bailey ya raka ni da himma a cikin filin samarwa, yana nuna babban firam ɗin ƙarfe mai siffar chrome-molybdenum, benayen zuma na aluminum, da epoxy da aka manne a cikin firam ɗin don samar da takardar aluminum a cikin yankin harsashi mai tauri da aka fitar. Ya bayyana: "Idan [zanen] duk monocoque ne, kuna samun jujjuyawa da yawa kuma yana da wuya a gina shi daidai. Idan firam ɗin sarari ne, kuna fitar da yanki ɗaya sannan ku shafi komai, saboda kowane tushen bututu yana ɗaukar komai." Jikin ya ƙunshi nau'ikan fiber carbon, kevlar, tabarmar fiberglass, da fiberglass mai kusurwa ɗaya, kuma babu ƙarfin lantarki.
Chassis mai tauri zai iya ɗaukar kaya daga manyan abubuwan dakatarwa. Vector yana amfani da hannaye biyu masu ƙarfi a gaba da kuma babban bututun De Dion a baya, wanda aka ɗora a kan hannaye huɗu masu bibiya waɗanda ke kaiwa ga bangon wuta. Ana amfani da na'urorin shaƙar girgiza na Koni masu daidaitawa tare da maɓuɓɓugan maɗauri masu ma'ana sosai. Birki suna da manyan inci 13. Faifan iska masu iska tare da Alcon aluminum calipers 4-piston. Bearings ɗin ƙafafun suna kama da waɗanda aka yi amfani da su akan fam 3800. Motar NASCAR ta yau da kullun, akwatin ƙafafun aluminum da aka yi da injin yana kama da diamita na gwangwanin kofi. Babu wani ɓangare na chassis ɗin da bai dace ba ko ma ya isa kawai.
Yawon shakatawa na masana'antar ya ɗauki tsawon yini. Akwai abubuwa da yawa da za a gani kuma Bailey ya yi aiki ba tare da gajiyawa ba don ya nuna mini kowane fanni na aikin. Dole ne in koma in tafi.
Asabar ce, kuma injin gwaji mai launin toka da muke gwadawa ya yi mana alama da ƙofar da ke buɗe. Shiga ɗakin yana da ƙalubale ga waɗanda ba su sani ba, tare da matsakaicin sills da ɗan sarari tsakanin wurin zama da gaban firam ɗin ƙofar. David Kostka yana amfani da ƙwaƙwalwar tsokarsa don hawa kan taga da kyau a kan kujerar fasinja, kuma na hau kujerar direba kamar barewa.
Iska tana ƙamshin fata, domin kusan dukkan saman ciki an lulluɓe su da fata, ban da faffadan faifan kayan aiki, wanda aka gyara shi da siraran kayan suede. Kafet ɗin ulu na Wilton yana da faɗi sosai, wanda ke ba da damar sanya Recaros masu daidaitawa ta hanyar lantarki a cikin inci tsakanin juna. Matsayin zama na tsakiya yana ba ƙafafun direba damar tsayawa kai tsaye a kan feda, kodayake baka na tayoyin yana fitowa sosai.
Babban injin ya fara rayuwa da juyawar maɓalli na farko, yana aiki a 900 rpm. Ana nuna muhimman ayyukan injin da watsawa akan abin da Vector ya kira "nuni mai sake saitawa irin na jirgin sama," ma'ana akwai allon bayanai guda huɗu daban-daban. Ko da kuwa allon ne, akwai alamar zaɓin gear a gefen hagu. Kayan aiki daga tachometers zuwa pyrometers masu zafin iskar gas guda biyu suna da allon "tef mai motsi" wanda ke gudana a tsaye a kan maɓallin da aka gyara, da kuma nunin dijital a cikin taga mai nuna alama. Kostka ya bayyana yadda ɓangaren motsi na tef ɗin ke ba da bayanin canjin da nunin dijital kaɗai ba zai iya bayarwa ba. Na danna mai saurin gudu don ganin abin da yake nufi kuma na ga tef ɗin ya tashi sama da kibiya zuwa kusan rpm 3000 sannan ya koma aiki.
Da na kai maɓallin mashin ɗin da aka yi wa fenti, na shiga cikin taga da ke gefen hagu na, na ja baya na koma waje a hankali. Na zaɓi hanya, muka nufi titunan Wilmington zuwa San Diego Freeway da kuma cikin tsaunukan da ke sama da Malibu.
Kamar yadda yake a yawancin motoci na waje, babu wani abu da ke iya gani a bayan motar, kuma Vector yana da wani wuri da Ford Crown Victoria za ta iya ɗauka cikin sauƙi. Tsawaita wuyanka. Ta cikin kunkuntar rufewar murfin motar, abin da kawai na iya gani shi ne gilashin motar da eriya ta motar da ke bayana. Madubin waje ƙanana ne amma suna da kyau, amma ya kamata a tsara alƙawari tare da taswirar tunani na zirga-zirgar ababen hawa da ke kewaye da motar. A gaba, wataƙila gilashin mota mafi girma a duniya ya faɗaɗa kuma ya haɗu da dashboard, yana ba da kyakkyawan kallon kwalta mai yadi kaɗan daga motar.
Sitiyarin yana da na'urar ɗaukar kaya da pinion mai ƙarfi, wanda ke da matsakaicin nauyi da daidaito mai kyau. A gefe guda kuma, babu son kai sosai a nan, wanda ke sa ya yi wa mutanen da ba su saba da su wahala su yi zaman lafiya. Idan aka kwatanta, birki mara ƙarfafawa yana buƙatar ƙoƙari sosai—fam 50 don tsayawarmu mai nauyin gram 0.5 a kowace mita—don rage gudu da fam 3,320. daga gudun. Nisa daga ƙafa 80 a awa ɗaya zuwa ƙafa 250 da ƙafa 60 a awa ɗaya zuwa ƙafa 145 su ne mafi kyawun nisa ga Ferrari Testarossa, kodayake Redhead yana amfani da kusan rabin matsin lamba akan feda don rage gudu. Ko da ba tare da ABS ba (tsarin da za a bayar a ƙarshe), ƙafafun suna madaidaiciya kuma daidai, tare da daidaitawa don kulle ƙafafun gaba a gaban baya.
Na yarda, Kostka ya nufi hanyar fita zuwa babbar hanya, kuma ba da daɗewa ba muka tsinci kanmu cikin cunkoson ababen hawa zuwa arewa. Gibi ya fara bayyana tsakanin motocin, wanda ya nuna wata hanya mai ban sha'awa da sauri. Bisa shawarar David, ina fuskantar haɗarin lasisi da gaɓoɓi. Na danna maɓallin juyawa cikin ramin kusan inci ɗaya sannan na ja baya, daga Drive zuwa 2. Injin yana gab da yin overclocking, kuma na danna babban bututun gas na aluminum a cikin babban bututun gaba.
Wannan yana biyo baya da saurin gaggawa na ɗan lokaci wanda ke sa jinin da ke cikin kyallen kwakwalwa ya kwarara zuwa bayan kai; wanda ke sa ka mai da hankali kan hanyar da ke gaba domin za ka isa can lokacin da kake atishawa. Ƙofar sharar gida da aka sarrafa ta hanyar lantarki tana tashi da kimanin 7 psi, tana fitar da ƙarfin da ƙarfi. Sake bugun birki, ina fatan ban firgita mutumin da ke cikin Datsun B210 da ke gabana ba. Abin takaici, ba za mu iya maimaita wannan tsari a kan babbar hanya ba tare da tsoron sa hannun 'yan sanda ba.
Idan aka yi la'akari da saurin gudu da kuma siffar wedge mai ban mamaki na W8, yana da sauƙi a yi imani cewa zai kai 200 mph. Duk da haka, Kostka ya ba da rahoton cewa layin ja na uku zai iya kaiwa - 218 mph (gami da girman taya). Abin takaici, za mu jira wata rana kafin mu gano, domin har yanzu ana ci gaba da aikin aerodynamics na motar.
Daga baya, yayin da muke tuƙi a kan babbar hanyar Tekun Pacific, yanayin wayewar Vector ya bayyana. Da alama ya fi ƙanƙanta kuma ya fi saurin gudu fiye da faɗinsa da kuma salonsa mai ban sha'awa. Jirgin yana haɗiye ƙananan ƙugu cikin sauƙi, manyan a sanyaye (kuma mafi mahimmanci babu tsutsa) kuma yana da tafiya mai ƙarfi, ɗan duwatsu wanda ke tunatar da ni da bawul ɗin Tour Shock ɗinmu na Nissan 300ZX Turbo da aka gyara na dogon lokaci. Duba a kan allon cewa duk yanayin zafi da matsin lamba na al'ada ne.
Duk da haka, zafin da ke cikin Vector Black ya ɗan yi yawa. – Shin wannan motar tana da na'urar sanyaya iska? Na tambaya da ƙarfi fiye da yadda aka saba. David ya gyada kai ya danna maɓalli a kan allon kula da na'urar sanyaya iska. Na'urar sanyaya iska mai inganci ba kasafai take samuwa a cikin motoci masu ban mamaki ba, amma kwararar iska mai sanyi tana fitowa nan take daga wasu ƙananan hanyoyin iska masu launin anodized.
Ba da daɗewa ba muka juya arewa zuwa cikin tsaunuka da wasu hanyoyin kwarin gwiwa masu wahala. A gwajin ranar da ta gabata, Vector ya sami gram 0.97 a kan skateboard na Pomona, mafi girman abin da muka taɓa samu a kan wani abu banda motar tsere. A kan waɗannan hanyoyin, babban hanyar tayoyin Michelin XGT Plus (255/45ZR-16 gaba, 315/40ZR-16 baya) yana ƙarfafa kwarin gwiwa. Kusurwa tana da sauri da kaifi, kuma kwanciyar hankali na kusurwa yana da kyau. Manyan ginshiƙan gilashin mota suna toshe ra'ayin da ke saman kusurwoyin radius masu tauri da muka ci karo da su, inda Vector mai faɗin inci 82.0 ya ɗan ji kamar giwa a shagon china. Motar tana sha'awar manyan juyawa inda za ku iya riƙe feda mai gas kuma ana iya amfani da babban ƙarfinta da riƙonta da daidaito da kwarin gwiwa. Ba shi da wuya a yi tunanin muna hawa Porsche enduro yayin da muke tsere ta cikin waɗannan kusurwoyin radius masu tsayi.
Peter Schutz, Shugaba kuma Babban Jami'in Gudanarwa na Porsche daga 1981 zuwa 1988 kuma memba na kwamitin ba da shawara na Vector tun 1989, ba zai yi watsi da kwatancen ba. "Da gaske yana kama da gina 962 ko 956 fiye da gina kowace motar samarwa," in ji shi. "Kuma ina tsammanin wannan motar ta wuce abin da na yi da tsere a farkon shekarun 1980." Godiya ga Gerald Wiegert da tawagarsa ta injiniyoyi masu himma, da kuma duk wanda ke da ƙarfin hali da jajircewa don cimma burinsu.