"Manufar ita ce a gina suna, ba a hau doki ba," in ji Gerald Wiegert da muryar da ta yi laushi da kuma zafi. Shugaban Vector Aeromotive ba shi da wani zaɓi na ƙarshe, kodayake yana aiki tun 1971 don tsara da kuma samar da Vector mai turbo biyu, babbar mota mai ƙarfin dawaki 625 mai kujeru 2 mai matsakaicin injuna ta amfani da kayan zamani da fasahar sararin samaniya. Daga zane-zane zuwa samfuran kumfa zuwa cikakkun samfura, an fara nuna Vector a Los Angeles Auto Expo a 1976. An kammala wani samfurin aiki shekaru biyu bayan haka, an haɗa shi da kayan da aka tattara daga shara kuma an wanke shi daga sassa - don samar da kayan gida. Ya ce raunin tattalin arziki da suka daga kafofin watsa labarai na motoci sun lalata ƙoƙarin neman kuɗi, kuma burinsa na samar da jirgin sama mai faɗa a kan tituna ya zama kamar mafarki ne kawai.
Wigt ya cancanci wani irin lambar yabo saboda juriya, wani irin lada saboda juriya. Ku yi watsi da yanayin, ku yi watsi da fatalwar kukan da ke tattare da kasadar Tucker, DeLorean da Bricklin. Kamfanin Vector Aeromotive Corp. da ke Wilmington, Calif., a ƙarshe ya shirya samar da mota ɗaya a mako. Masu adawa suna buƙatar ziyartar yankin taro na ƙarshe kawai, inda motocin biyu da muka ɗauka suna shirin jigilar su zuwa ga sabbin masu su a Switzerland (an sayar da Vector W8 twin-turbo na farko ga yariman Saudiyya, wanda tarin motocinsa 25, wanda 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 ƙarewa.
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 labarin. 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 sayar da hannun jari na gwamnati guda biyu a kan kanti.
Amma a cikin hasken rana mai zafi a filin wasa na Pomona, Calif., babban aikin Wigt ya bayyana. Wata babbar mota mai faffadan kaya dauke da Vector W8 TwinTurbos guda biyu ta ketare babbar hanyar kwalta zuwa filin ja. An sauke motoci biyu na ci gaba, kuma editan gwajin hanya Kim Reynolds ya sanya wa ɗaya daga cikinsu kwamfutar gwajin ƙafa ta biyar da ta mota a shirye-shiryen gwajin aiki na farko na Auto Magazine.
Tun daga shekarar 1981, Mataimakin Injiniya na Vector, David Kostka, ya ba da wasu shawarwari kan yadda za a cimma mafi kyawun lokutan hanzartawa. Bayan wasu gwaje-gwaje da aka saba yi, Kim ta tura Vector zuwa layin tsayawa kuma ta sake saita kwamfutar gwaji.
Wani kallo mai cike da damuwa ya bayyana a fuskar Kostka. Ya kamata ya kasance. Shekaru goma na aiki awanni 12 a rana, kwana bakwai a mako, kusan kashi ɗaya bisa uku na rayuwarsa ta farkawa - ba tare da ambaton wani babban ɓangare na ransa ba - ya sadaukar da kansa ga motar.
Bai kamata ya damu ba. Kim ya sa ƙafarsa a kan birki, ya zaɓi gear na farko sannan ya yi amfani da maƙurar don ɗora wa drivetrain ɗin. Ƙarar injin V-8 mai lita 6.0 ya fi ƙarfi, kuma busar Garrett turbocharger ta yi daidai da kukan bel ɗin mota mai nau'in Gilmer. Birki na baya yana fafatawa da rashin nasara tare da ƙarfin V-8 da inci na gaba na motar, yana zamewa da maƙallin gaba da aka kulle a kan titin. Yana kama da wani kare mai fushi yana jan motarsa.
An saki birkin sannan Vector ya tashi da ɗan juyawar ƙafafu, hayaƙi daga kitsen Michelin da ɗan gefen hanya kaɗan. Cikin ƙyaftawar ido - ɗan daƙiƙa 4.2 - ya kai gudun mil 60, 'yan mintuna kafin motsi 1-2. Vector ɗin ya wuce kamar babban Can-Am, yana ci gaba da gudu a kan hanyar da ƙarfi. Guguwar yashi da tarkacen da ke kewaye da shi suna juyawa cikin injin yayin da siffarsa mai siffar wedge ta fashe wani rami a cikin iska. Duk da kusan kwata na mil, har yanzu ana iya ganin ƙarar injin yayin da motar ta wuce a cikin tarko. Gudun? 124.0 mph cikin daƙiƙa 12.0 kacal.
Karfe goma sha biyu. Wannan adadi ya sanya Vector ya yi gaba da masu ɗaukar tutoci 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, inda membobin haya suka haɗa da Ferrari F40 da Lamborghini Diablo da ba a gwada ba. Memba yana da fa'idodi, amma kuma yana da farashinsa; Vector W8 TwinTurbo yana sayarwa akan $283,750, ya fi tsada fiye da Lamborghini ($211,000) amma ƙasa da Ferrari (F40 na Amurka yana kashe kimanin $400,000).
To me ya sa Vector W8 ya zama abin mamaki? Domin amsa kowace tambayata da kuma bayar da jagora ga cibiyar Vector, Mark Bailey shine mataimakin shugaban Production, tsohon ma'aikacin Northrop kuma tsohon mai fafatawa a layin Can-Am.
Da yake nuni zuwa ga injin Vector da ake ginawa, ya ce, "Ba ƙaramin injin ba ne aka murɗe shi har ya mutu. Babban injin ne wanda ba ya aiki da wahala kamar haka."
Manhajar turawa mai lita shida ta aluminum mai digiri 90 V-8, tubalan da Rodeck ya yi, kan silinda mai bawul 2 ta Air Flow Research ta yi. An haɗa dogayen tubalan kuma an gwada ƙarfin injin ta hanyar Shaver Specialties a Torrance, CA. Duk abin da ake buƙata; jerin sassan injin yana kama da jerin Kirsimeti na masu tseren zobe: Pistons na TRW da aka ƙirƙira, sandunan haɗin bakin ƙarfe na Carrillo, bawuloli na bakin ƙarfe, hannun rocker na roller, cranks na ƙirƙira, bushe tare da matattara guda uku daban-daban Tsarin sake mai na mai. Kunshin bututun bakin ƙarfe mai ƙera tare da kayan haɗin ja da shuɗi na anodized don ɗaukar ruwa ko'ina.
Babban abin alfaharin wannan injin yana cikin haɗakar injin ɗin da aka fallasa, wanda aka gina shi da aluminum kuma an goge shi har ya zama mai sheƙi. Ana iya cire shi daga motar cikin mintuna ta hanyar sassauta maƙallan aero guda huɗu masu saurin sakin iska. An haɗa shi da turbocharger Garrett mai sanyaya ruwa biyu kuma ya ƙunshi sashin tsakiyar mota da kuma wani abu da aka yi da jirgin sama da kuma wurin da aka keɓe.
Ana sarrafa kunna wuta ta hanyar na'urori daban-daban na kowanne silinda, kuma isar da mai ana yin ta ne ta hanyar allurar tashar jiragen ruwa da yawa a jere, ta amfani da allurar musamman daga ƙungiyar bincike da ci gaba ta Bosch. Tsarin sarrafa injinan Vector mai iya tsarawa ne ke daidaita walƙiya da mai.
Faranti masu ɗagawa suna da kyau kamar yadda injin ɗin kansa yake sanya shi a gefe a cikin gadon. Billet ɗin aluminum mai launin shuɗi mai anodized da embossed, ɗaya yana mannewa zuwa gefen kayan haɗin ginin, ɗayan kuma yana ninkawa azaman farantin adaftar injin/transmission. Watsawa ita ce GM Turbo Hydra-matic, wadda injin gaba na V-8 Olds Toronado da Cadillac Eldorado ke amfani da su a shekarun 1970. Amma kusan kowane ɓangare a cikin watsawa mai sauri 3 an gina shi ne da gangan ta hanyar ƙananan 'yan kwangila na Vector ta amfani da kayan da za su iya jure ƙarfin 630 lb-ft. Torque da injin ya samar a 4900 rpm da haɓakar 7.0 psi.
Mark Bailey ya kasance mai himma yayin da yake raka ni ta shagon kera kayayyaki, yana nuna babban firam ɗin ƙarfe mai siffar chrome-molybdenum, benayen zuma na aluminum, da kuma haɗin epoxy da aka haɗa zuwa firam ɗin don samar da firam mai tauri. Takardar aluminum a yankin fitar da harsashi. Ya bayyana: "Idan [tsarin] duk monocoque ne, za ku sami jujjuyawa da yawa kuma zai yi wuya a gina shi daidai. Idan duk firam ɗin sarari ne, za ku taɓa yanki ɗaya kuma ku shafi komai saboda kowane bututun subs yana ɗaukar komai." An gina jikin ne da adadi daban-daban na carbon fiber, Kevlar, tabarmar fiberglass, da fiberglass mai kusurwa ɗaya, kuma ba shi da damuwa a tsarin.
Chassis mai tauri zai iya ɗaukar nauyin manyan abubuwan dakatarwa. Vector yana amfani da makamai biyu masu ƙarfi a gaba da kuma babban bututun De Dion a baya, wanda aka sanya shi da hannuwa huɗu masu bibiya waɗanda suka shimfiɗa har zuwa ga wuta. Ana amfani da na'urorin shaƙar girgiza masu daidaitawa na Koni 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 motar NASCAR mai nauyin fam 3800, harsashin aluminum na ƙafafun da aka yi da injin yana kama da diamita na gwangwanin kofi. Babu ko da yanki ɗaya na chassis ɗin da bai dace ba, ko ma kawai ya isa.
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 nuna mini kowane fanni na tiyatar. Dole ne in koma in tuka mota.
Ranar Asabar ta iso, sai motar da muka gwada ta yi alama da ƙofar juyawa mai faɗi. Shiga aiki ne mai wahala ga waɗanda ba su sani ba, tare da matsakaicin ƙofofi da ƙaramin sarari tsakanin wurin zama da gaban firam ɗin ƙofar. David Kostka ya yi amfani da ƙarfin ƙwaƙwalwar tsoka don zamewa a kan gefen kuma ya shiga kujerar fasinja cikin farar jiki; Na shiga kujerar direba kamar barewa.
Iska tana da ƙamshin fata, domin kusan kowace farfajiyar ciki an rufe ta da fata, sai dai babban allon mota, wanda aka gama da siraran kayan suede. Kafet ɗin ulu na Wilton yana da faɗi sosai, wanda ke ba da damar sanya Recaros masu daidaitawa a cikin inci kaɗan tsakanin juna. Matsayin zama na tsakiya yana ba wa ƙafafun direba damar buga feda a miƙe, kodayake kutse a kan ƙafafun yana da yawa.
Babban injin yana rayuwa a farkon juyawar maɓallin, yana daidaita zuwa 900 rpm ba tare da aiki ba. Ana nuna mahimman ayyukan injin da watsawa akan abin da Vector ke kira "nuni mai sake saitawa ta hanyar jirgin sama" - wanda ke nufin allon bayanai guda huɗu daban-daban suna samuwa. Ko da kuwa allon, akwai alamar zaɓin gear a gefen hagu na shi. Kayan aikin - daga tachometers zuwa pyrometers masu zafin jiki guda biyu - suna da allon "tef mai motsi" wanda ke gudana a tsaye ta hanyar mai nuna alama mai tsayayye, da kuma nunin dijital a cikin taga mai nuna alama. Kostka ya bayyana yadda sashin tef mai motsi ke ba da bayanin canjin saurin da dijital ke nunawa shi kaɗai ba zai iya ba. Na yi wa mai saurin gudu don ganin abin da yake nufi, kuma na kalli tef ɗin yana tsalle a kusa da allurar zuwa kusan rpm 3000, sannan na koma wurin rashin aiki.
Na miƙa hannun makullin mashin ɗin da aka yi wa fenti, na nutse cikin taga da ke gefen hagu na, na juya na koma kan titi da sauri. Bayan mun zaɓi hanyar da za mu bi, muka nufi titunan Wilmington zuwa titin San Diego Freeway zuwa tuddai sama da Malibu.
Kamar yadda yake ga yawancin Exotics, kusan babu ganin 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, na iya ganin gilashin motar da eriya ta motar da ke bayana kawai. Madubin waje ƙanana ne amma suna da kyau, amma yana da kyau a yi alƙawari tare da taswirar tunanin zirga-zirgar ababen hawa da ke kewaye da motar. A gaba, wataƙila gilashin motar mafi girma a duniya ya faɗi kuma ya haɗu da ƙasa, yana ba da kyakkyawan kallon kwalta a 'yan yadi kaɗan kafin motar.
Tuƙi tsari ne mai amfani da wutar lantarki wanda yake da sauƙin ɗauka tare da daidaito mai kyau. A gefe guda kuma, babu son kai sosai, wanda hakan ke sa wa waɗanda ba su saba da shi wahala su yi zaman lafiya. Idan aka kwatanta, birki marasa taimako suna buƙatar ƙarfi mai yawa—fam 50 don tsayawar mu ta mita 0.5g—don rage saurin vector fam 3320. Nisa daga ƙafa 80 mph zuwa 250 da kuma daga ƙafa 60 mph zuwa ƙafa 145 su ne mafi kyawun nisa ga Ferrari Testarossa—kodayake Redhead yana amfani da kusan rabin matsin feda don kawar da gudu. Ko da ba tare da ABS ba (tsarin da zai kasance a ƙarshe), tsayawa suna madaidaiciya kuma gaskiya ne, tare da nuna son kai da aka saita don kulle tayoyin gaba a gaban tayoyin baya.
Na yarda, Kostka ya nufi babbar hanyar da ke kan titin mota, kuma ba da daɗewa ba muka shiga cikin cunkoson ababen hawa masu nisa zuwa arewa. Gibi ya fara bayyana tsakanin motocin, yana nuna wata hanya mai kyau da sauri. Bisa shawarar David, ina fuskantar haɗarin lasisi da gaɓoɓi. Na tura maɓallin liƙa gear ɗin ƙasa kusan inci ɗaya cikin zurfin ramin, sannan na ja baya, daga Drive zuwa 2. Da injin ɗin yana gab da ƙaruwa, na murƙushe babban bututun gas na aluminum zuwa kan gaba.
Sai kuma saurin gudu mai sauri wanda ke tilasta jini a cikin kyallen kwakwalwa zuwa bayan kwanyar; irin wanda ke sa ka mai da hankali kan hanyar da ke gaba, domin za ka isa can lokacin da kake atishawa. Wata hanyar sharar gida da aka sarrafa ta hanyar lantarki za ta shiga tsakani da misalin 7 psi, tana fitar da ƙarfi da wani irin bugu mai ban mamaki. Ka sake birki; da fatan ban tsorata mutumin da ke cikin Datsun B210 a gabana ba. Abin baƙin ciki, ba za mu iya maimaita wannan tsari a kan babbar hanya ba tare da tsoron '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 gudun mil 200 a kowace awa. Kostka ya ruwaito, duk da haka, cewa layin ja na uku zai iya kaiwa mil 218 a kowace awa (gami da girman taya). Abin takaici, za mu jira wata rana don tabbatar da hakan, domin har yanzu ana ci gaba da tantance yanayin iska mai sauri na motar.
Daga baya, yayin da muke tuƙi a kan babbar hanyar Tekun Pacific, yanayin wayewar Vector ya bayyana. Yana jin ƙarami kuma yana da sauƙi fiye da faɗinsa da kuma salon da ya dace. Dakatarwa yana jiƙa ƙananan ƙugu cikin sauƙi, manyan kuma suna da natsuwa (kuma mafi mahimmanci, babu ƙasa), kuma yana da inganci mai ƙarfi, ɗan tsagewa wanda ke tunatar da ni da Nissan 300ZX Turbo na dogon lokaci, wanda aka saita akan bawul ɗin damper na Tour. Duba allon cewa duk yanayin zafi da matsin lamba na al'ada ne.
Zafin da ke cikin Vector Black yana da ɗan zafi, amma. "Shin wannan motar tana da na'urar sanyaya iska?" Na tambaya da murya mai 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 aiki a cikin mota mai ban mamaki ba, amma fashewar iska mai sanyi tana fitowa nan take daga wasu ramukan ido baƙi masu anodized.
Ba da daɗewa ba muka juya arewa zuwa ga tuddai da wasu hanyoyin kwarin gwiwa masu wahala. A gwajin da aka yi a ranar da ta gabata, Vector ya samar da gram 0.97 a kan allon Pomona, mafi girman adadin da muka taɓa samu a kan wani abu banda motar tsere. A kan waɗannan hanyoyin, babban sawun tayoyin Michelin XGT Plus (gaba 255/45ZR-16s, baya 315/40ZR-16s) yana ƙarfafa babban kwarin gwiwa. Kusurwa tana da sauri da kaifi, kuma faɗin matsayin kusurwa yana da kyau sosai. Manyan struts na gilashin gaba suna toshe mana kallon saman ƙananan kusurwoyin radius da muka ci karo da su, inda Vector mai faɗin inci 82.0 yana jin kamar bijimi a shagon china. Motar tana sha'awar manyan juyawa, inda za a iya riƙe maƙurar kuma ana iya amfani da ƙarfinta da riƙonta da daidaito da kwarin gwiwa. Ba abu ne mai wahala a yi tunanin muna tuƙi Porsche mai juriya yayin da muke gudu ta cikin waɗannan kusurwoyin radius.
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, bai yi watsi da kwatancen ba. "Da gaske kamar yin 962 ko 956 ne fiye da yin kowace irin motar samarwa," in ji shi. "Kuma ina tsammanin wannan motar ta wuce fasahar da na yi da tsere a farkon shekarun 1980." Godiya ga Gerald Wiegert da tawagarsa ta injiniyoyi masu himma, da kuma duk sauran waɗanda suka yi juriya da jajircewa don cimma burinsu.