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New auto to be built in Central Ohio


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We've been making a ton of progress since the open house, and I'm happy to report the first Cardinal is driving and testing. We're still in the beginning phases of getting the car dialed in, but one figure of note at this time is the car has already demonstrated the capability to accelerate at 0.75 G sustained, calculated by GPS (not instantaneous), on street tires, on industrial parking lot pavement. Also did .68 G on all seasons! Safe to say it will get your attention behind the wheel. But perhaps more impressively, it drives like an absolutely docile street car when you're just putting around the parking lot!

 

More progress to come, and will be announcing an opportunity to see it in action at Mid-Ohio sometime towards the back half of September. If you haven't already, please take a look at our social media pages and website. Will soon be offering ride-alongs and test drives for interested parties, so please get in touch if you'd like to participate in that.

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Are there any pictures of the thing out there? I see nothing on the social media ect.

 

Currently all our publicly shared images are renderings. That's going to change in the coming weeks, especially since we're planning to use the Mid-Ohio event as a sort of public reveal. The car is extremely true to the renderings, but anyone interested enough that they can't wait until the public reveal is welcome to schedule an in-person visit to see and experience the car.

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Hot damn that's a cool looking car!

 

 

Also, the Giulietta in your sig is ultrabadass. Any more info on that car?

That's my dad at the entrance to the cork screw at Laguna Seca. He built that car from a stripped tub and ran it in SCCA as part of the world famous Rubber Chicken Racing Team (faster than a speeding pullet!). It's still running to this day, albeit in vintage events now with its 7th owner I believe. It's a fairly radical departure from the original structure of the car, and the car has been extremely successful since it started running.

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Is that the Alfa known as "Sophia"? or was that Al Leake's #69 car?

 

Lot 479

THE EX-PHIL MASON/AL LEAKE, JR., 1957 ALFA ROMEO GIULIETTA SPIDER "SOPHIA"

Chassis no. AR1495*03083 Engine no. AR1315*41849

 

says in the link that rfields posted.

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That's my dad at the entrance to the cork screw at Laguna Seca. He built that car from a stripped tub and ran it in SCCA as part of the world famous Rubber Chicken Racing Team (faster than a speeding pullet!). It's still running to this day, albeit in vintage events now with its 7th owner I believe. It's a fairly radical departure from the original structure of the car, and the car has been extremely successful since it started running.
Rubber Chicken Racing?! I think (IIRC), I rented an old VW from them for my SCCA license at Nelson about 10 years ago after referred to him by a friend of mine. I could be wrong on the team name though...it has been over 10 years...

 

Sent from my SM-G925V using Tapatalk

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Rubber Chicken Racing?! I think (IIRC), I rented an old VW from them for my SCCA license at Nelson about 10 years ago after referred to him by a friend of mine. I could be wrong on the team name though...it has been over 10 years...

 

Sent from my SM-G925V using Tapatalk

 

Must be a different group - the Rubber Chicken Racing group referenced here was based in NorCal in the 60s and 70s racing mostly Alfas. The old joke was that they went to all these SCCA banquet dinners, and all they ever won was the cheap catered chicken dinners that were tougher than rubber. It didn't take long after that remark to see their Alfas with little rubber chickens flopping out of the trunk!

 

8577767-1-13.jpg&width=150

 

The group included some folks who went on the be quite well known in the community, including Keith Martin of Sports Car Market Magazine fame.

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  • 2 weeks later...

After thorough initial static development, it was time this past weekend for us to take our first Cardinal out for a thorough shakedown at the Chin Track Days event at Barber Motorsport Park. With a brilliant IMSA veteran driver behind the wheel, the immediate feedback was positive: the chassis was solid, responsive, and felt every bit like the professionally built speed-machine it is. Our design choices for the suspension and engine were immediately rewarded with sustained cornering forces reaching 1.8 G and forward acceleration reaching 0.8 G with street-legal extreme performance tires. We ran without any bodywork, save for a set of provisional rear fenders, a radiator shroud, and a very rough fiberglass splash of the hood/front fender areas. Cooling was no issue, but braking and oiling system upgrades will be necessary to keep up with the rest of the Cardinal's performance.

 

The Cardinal will make its first public appearance at Mid Ohio Sports Car Course on September 24th, 2018, at another Chin Track Days event. We’re planning to host guests (all of you are invited) at the track during the day, along with live streaming from inside the car. Even those who cannot physically attend can ride along with us virtually by signing up at fieldsautoworks.com AND, by signing up to attend or receive the live stream link, you will be entered to win a ride along with a professional driver in a finished Cardinal. Please visit fieldsautoworks.com and register for more information about the event.

 

P.S. – We’re actively seeking investors and pre-production orders at this time. If any of you have ever wanted to make sportscar history, now is your chance!

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  • 3 months later...

Latest update - we have signed on a location in Plain City for our production facility. Cardinal #1 is continuing to do testing with increasingly complete bodywork. Cardinal #2 is on track to be a roller between Christmas and New Year's. Metal is cut for Cardinals 3, 4, and 5 which are being offered as pre-production orders at wholesale pricing (which is no small discount). We will likely hold another, more public open-house in February at our new location.

 

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Are there any pictures of the thing out there? I see nothing on the social media ect.

 

Currently all our publicly shared images are renderings. That's going to change in the coming weeks, especially since we're planning to use the Mid-Ohio event as a sort of public reveal. The car is extremely true to the renderings, but anyone interested enough that they can't wait until the public reveal is welcome to schedule an in-person visit to see and experience the car.

 

How about now? :)

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  • 3 months later...

Latest from our testing at Road Atlanta is up on the fb page (video in action at https://www.facebook.com/197673157439339/videos/264526197763336/). We're still expanding the envelope on speed and handling, but even without making more than 7/10ths runs the car is showing excellent performance. More refinement to do, certainly, but it's all heading the right way.

 

We've also moved into our new shop location, so be ready for an open house in the near future!

 

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It's looking great, Rob. I hope to make it to your open house.

 

Thanks Doc! We'll look forward to seeing you there, or getting you in to see it whenever convenient. Our doors are open whenever we're in the shop.

 

I'm going to let our team at Turnology know about this deal. They might contact you to set up a story.

 

Please do! Rob.Fields@fieldsautoworks.com

 

That look great!!!

 

Body lines (especially in the greenhouse and rear) have a great mid-60s Stingray Corvette/Cobra Daytona look to them. Looks awesome!

 

Thanks guys! We drew much of our inspiration from the same sources as the cars you mentioned (late 50s/early 60s Italian and British GT racers), but with more modern aerodynamics. Some of those cars went very fast with very little power (over 160 mph with under 160 whp), so imagine what 300 (or an optional 500+) horsepower would propel them to! We've added a small amount of drag in the name of downforce and stability, but it's clear from our testing thus far that the body shape is still extremely slick.

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