Newsletter

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September 8, 2008

ACE News

The ACE lives!! Since I last submitted a newsletter, all of the revisions & detail improvements I wrote of have been incorporated into the first production units. This Labor Day weekend, after 6 months of construction on the first orders I was finally able to slip into the seat of the first series-built ACE and pilot it around some of my favorite roads. This is the car built for Gary, who, as I mentioned, owns several serious sports cars.

Because the show quality paint & upholstery Gary will get are still being finished, I had equipped the car with black primered body parts: it looks like a stealth ACE. Four a.m. Saturday finds me warming up the first production ACE in the dark outside our shop - I switched on the lights & gently motored out, through the I-90 tunnel and across the Lake Washington bridge - the only vehicle on the road and another magical drive. In all modesty, Gary will be blown away!! A H-D 103'' Screamin' Eagle Twin Cam B and changes to the clutch, overall gearing, rear shock & tire selection add up to give the production version ACE an extremely compliant ride, superb cornering and a massive punch of torque!

It has been many months since I have been able to drive an ACE as the original has been stripped for upgrades & restoration. With no seat time, I had begun to wonder if the pleasure and thrill I seem to remember was really justified: the labor day weekend drive gave me my answer: this car is BIG, BIG driving fun!!

Along with the great articles about the ACE lately in the German Magazine 'Dream Machine' and Swedish Magazine 'MCB', a wonderful new development is the invitation extended by the Seattle International Auto Show to feature the ACE in the show Nov. 5-9. The ACE is not only displayed on their web site, but local Fox 13 television will do a 1/2 hr. short feature on the car. Two cars will be ready for this show and Patty & I are really excited as it offers a perfect 'rollout' for the ACE, capping years of effort! I am hoping to make over the web site around that time, adding the many more construction & completed photos that you have requested.

Thanks for keeping the faith!!

Respectfully submitted,
Pete Larsen

2007 Newsletter

The ACE Lives!

Sorry for the long gap between newsletters. The winter has been spent creating required tooling, lining up a number of important suppliers and producing the first run of 6 production chassis & suspension pieces. In a few weeks, we will make the first rolling chassis available for sale and begin to finish them out to buyers requirements and tastes. 

Many more exciting miles have been logged in the prototype ACE through the winter, reinforcing my belief that this vehicle offers a unique & thrilling driving experience. You may be forgiven for thinking that I'm biased or deluded, but I do have confirmation from others who have sampled the ACE: early last Sunday a.m. a sports car enthusiast (and ex Morgan 4 wheeler owner) named Gary met me for a ride over one of my favorite squiggly roads - then took the wheel briefly. The conclusion? a huge smile & a firm order. Gary admits to owning "a few sports cars" which include: two Porche's, two Ferrari's, and a Lamborghini!

For the technically inclined, I want to mention some of the 'upgrades' incorporated into the production ACE's:

1. All chassis & suspension tubes CNC laser cut & coped to assure consistency, TIG welded by hand of course.

2. Switch from Honda GL1500 rear swing arm/final drive to GL1800 single sided aluminum swing arm & final drive.

3. Chrome plated, teflon lined ball joints & tie rod ends.

4. Inclusion of 10 gallon fitted aluminum fuel tank with potential for fuel bladder.

5. Switch to Tilton pedal cluster & master cylinders.

6. Switch from 5.5'' clutch with racing plate to 7.25'' clutch with street driven plate, improved release ratio, larger hydraulic release bearing & revised bell housing.

7. Laser cut, engine turned stainless steel dash.

8. Custom instruments including ACE logo by Classic Instruments.

9. Leather or rubber covered aluminum steering wheel produced exclusively for the ACE. 

10. Inclusion of 820 CCA Optima battery located behind driver to enhance electrical performance & weight distribution. 

11. Hinged rear deck with gas lift.

12. Stowage in tail. 

13. Wiring harness by Centech with Weatherpack plugs & automotive fuses. 

As I write this, I also anticipate a release soon of the 96'' & 110'' versions of HD Twin Cam which we will offer in the ACE. 

If you are not among the first six buyers - don't despair as we plan to build much larger productions of rollers on a regular basis. 

Thanks for your many favorable comments - the only sweeter sound comes from the ACE ripping along a country road at 3500 rpm!

 Respectfully submitted,

 Pete Larsen 

P.S. check out the Seattle P-I article

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/321540_threewheels28.html