Original subtitles

Narrator: TODAY ON "HOW IT'S MADE: DREAM CARS,"

THE SUPERFORMANCE MKIII,

A CAR THAT BRINGS A '60s RACING LEGEND TO LIFE.

-- Captions by VITAC -- www.vitac.com

CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS

THE MKIII IS A LICENSED REPLICA OF THE SHELBY COBRA.

THE SHELBY COBRA WAS DEVELOPED BY CARROLL SHELBY.

IN 1962 HE COMBINED AN AMERICAN V-8 ENGINE

WITH A BRITISH AC COBRA BODY.

THE RESULT WAS A POWERFUL SPEED DEMON

THAT DOMINATED THE RACE-CAR WORLD

THROUGHOUT THE 1960s.

TODAY, A COMPANY CALLED SUPERFORMANCE

BUILDS A SCALED-UP VERSION OF THE ORIGINAL SHELBY COBRA,

WHICH THEY CALL THE MKIII.

WHILE MANY COMPANIES HAVE TRIED TO REPLICATE THE COBRA,

ONLY SUPERFORMANCE HAS BEEN LICENSED BY SHELBY HIMSELF.

HE APPROVED OF THEIR SUPERIOR PRODUCTION TECHNIQUES

AND PRODUCT QUALITY.

SHELBY'S FUSION OF STYLE AND POWER

TRANSFORMED THE CAR INTO A LEGENDARY SPORTS MACHINE.

LEGEND HAS IT, IN 1964,

A SHELBY COBRA ROCKETED ALONG ENGLAND'S M1 HIGHWAY

AT 185 MILES PER HOUR.

THIS EVENT LED THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT TO IMPOSE

SPEED LIMITS ON THE HIGHWAY FOR THE FIRST TIME.

THE SUPERFORMANCE MKIII IS BUILT IN PORT ELIZABETH, SOUTH AFRICA.

HERE, A TECHNICIAN WELDS TOGETHER THE CAR'S CHASSIS.

HE CLAMPS THE PARTS INTO A GIANT JIG,

THEN USES A MIG WELDING TORCH TO FUSE THE METAL.

TO BUILD THE MKIII's CHASSIS,

THE WORKER USES 2-BY-4 INCH RECTANGULAR STEEL TUBING.

THE CHASSIS OF THE CAR

FOLLOWS A PATTERN KNOWN AS PARALLEL LADDER CONSTRUCTION.

THE RESULT IS AN EXTREMELY STRONG AND RIGID CHASSIS

CAPABLE OF HANDLING

THE POWERFUL FORCES GENERATED BY THE CAR'S V-8 ENGINE.

THIS IS THE MOLD WORKERS

USE TO CREATE THE MKIII's SINGLE-PIECE BODY.

AFTER HANDLAYING SHEETS OF FIBERGLASS INTO THE MOLD,

THEY LET IT CURE OVER NIGHT AND DE-MOLD IT THE NEXT DAY.

IT'S THEN CURED IN AN OVEN FOR EIGHT HOURS

BEFORE BRINGING IT TO THE BODY-PREPARATION AREA.

TO PREPARE THE FIBERGLASS FOR PAINTING, TECHNICIANS SAND

OR FAIR THE SURFACE.

THEY USE AN EPOXY TO FILL IN ANY LOW SPOTS.

AT THE SAME TIME,

A WORKER BRINGS THE DOOR PANELS TO THE BODY.

HE USES SANDPAPER AND A GRINDER TO ENSURE A PERFECT FIT.

THE PANELS ARE ONLY 2/10 OF AN INCH THICK,

SO THE MANUFACTURERS MUST BE EXTREMELY CAREFUL

NOT TO OVERWORK THE MATERIAL IN PURSUIT OF PERFECTION.

THE TECHNICIAN NOW USES A GAP GAUGE TO MEASURE THE SPACE

BETWEEN THE BODY AND THE DOOR.

HE SANDS THE AREA AROUND THE CIRCUMFERENCE OF THE DOOR

TO MAKE SURE THE GAP IS UNIFORM.

IT'S NO EXAGGERATION

TO SAY THAT THE MKIII IS A TRULY HANDBUILT CAR.

EACH ONE THAT IS BUILT FEATURES UNIQUE NUANCES,

ANOTHER WAY THAT SUPERFORMANCE ACCURATELY REPLICATES

THE SHELBY TRADITION.

THE ORIGINAL SHELBY COBRA WAS HANDBUILT IN ENGLAND

AND CUSTOMIZED IN THE U.S.

IT WAS A LOW-VOLUME, HIGH-QUALITY WORK

OF AUTOMOTIVE ART.

ONCE THE BODY OF THE CAR HAS BEEN THOROUGHLY PREPARED,

IT HEADS FOR THE PAINT SHOP.

HERE, A WORKER SPRAYS A GRAY, WATER-BASED PRIMER

OVER THE BODY'S SURFACE.

ONCE THE PRIMER DRIES, THE CAR WILL RECEIVE THREE COATS

OF THE BASE PAINT AND TWO COATS OF CLEAR FINISH.

Narrator: THE SUPERFORMANCE MKIII ISN'T JUST A SHELBY COBRA LOOK-ALIKE.

THE RESEMBLANCE IS MORE THAN SKIN DEEP.

SUPERFORMANCE ADHERES CLOSELY TO THE ORIGINAL METHODS

OF MANUFACTURE USED IN THE 1960s.

A CRAFTSMAN WILL NOW FORM THE FRAME FOR THE WINDSHIELD.

FOR THIS WORK, HE USES AN OXY-ACETYLENE TORCH,

WHICH BURNS A COMBINATION OF OXYGEN AND ACETYLENE.

REDUCING THE OXYGEN RESULTS IN A COOLER FLAME.

HE USES THE COOLER FLAME TO COAT A PIECE OF EXTRUDED BRASS

WITH BLACK SOOT.

HE THEN ADDS MORE OXYGEN FOR A HOTTER FLAME,

AND BEGINS A PROCESS CALLED ANNEALING.

HE KNOWS THE BRASS HAS REACHED THE RIGHT TEMPERATURE

TO BEND IT WHEN THE SOOT BURNS AWAY.

THE CHANNEL IN THE BRASS EXTRUSION

TENDS TO OPEN UP AS HE BENDS IT.

HE MAKES SURE TO CLAMP IT BACK IN PLACE AS HE WORKS.

ONCE THE WINDSHIELD FRAME HAS BEEN FORMED,

A WORKER CLAMPS IT INTO A JIG AND FASTENS IT ON A BEVEL GUIDE.

TWO ANGLED SECTIONS ARE JOINED WITH SCREWS

TO FORM THE BOTTOM CORNERS OF THE WINDSHIELD.

USING A HIGH-SPEED GRINDER, THE WORKER BEGINS MAKING CUTS.

ONCE FINISHED, HE REMOVES THE GUIDE,

REVEALING THE BEVELED ANGLE.

HE NOW CLAMPS THE BOTTOM LENGTH OF THE WINDSHIELD FRAME

INTO THE JIG.

BEFORE JOINING THE TWO BRASS PIECES,

HE MUST BE SURE THEY LINE UP PRECISELY.

THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE WINDSHIELD FRAME

MUST BE PERFECT.

THE FRAME MUST SUPPORT THE WINDSHIELD GLASS,

REGARDLESS OF ANY G FORCES,

POTHOLES AND WIND THAT COULD RATTLE THE CAR.

THE BRASS WILL BE PLATED WITH CHROME FOR EXTRA PROTECTION.

THIS WORKER IS PREPARING THE SURFACE FOR THE PLATING PROCESS.

CHROME WILL NOT COVER SCRATCHES,

SO HE USES AN ABRASIVE FINISHING TOOL

TO REMOVE ANY IMPERFECTIONS IN THE METAL.

A TECHNICIAN LOWERS THE WINDSHIELD FRAME INTO A VAT

CONTAINING A NICKEL SOLUTION.

HE CHARGES THE BRASS WITH A FOUR-VOLT CURRENT

WHILE THE NICKEL SOLUTION IS GIVEN THE OPPOSITE CHARGE.

FOR 30 MINUTES, THE OPPOSITE CHARGES ATTRACT EACH OTHER.

CHROME AND BRASS DO NOT ATTACH WELL TO EACH OTHER,

BUT NICKEL FORMS A GOOD BOND WITH BOTH OF THESE MATERIALS.

THAT'S WHY MANUFACTURERS INCLUDE THIS STEP IN THE PROCESS.

IT TAKES JUST THREE MINUTES

AND FIVE VOLTS OF ELECTRICITY TO CHROME THE FRAME.

THE FINAL BATH IS A RINSE.

IT'S NOW TIME TO INSTALL THE GLASS

IN THE FINISHED WINDSHIELD FRAME.

IT'S A MESSY PROCESS,

SO THE TECHNICIAN STARTS BY PROTECTING THE CHROME

WITH A LAYER OF MASKING TAPE.

HE THEN APPLIES A POWERFUL AUTOMOTIVE-GRADE ADHESIVE

AROUND THE FRAME BEFORE SLIDING IN THE LAMINATED

SHATTERPROOF GLASS.

ONCE HE'S SCREWED THE BOTTOM RAIL INTO POSITION,

THE WINDSHIELD IS COMPLETE.

THE WORKER USES A LOW-TECH,

BUT HIGHLY EFFECTIVE,

TECHNIQUE TO ENSURE A TIGHT FIT BETWEEN THE FRAME AND THE GLASS.

THEN, HE LEAVES THE WINDSHIELD ASSEMBLY TO DRY OVERNIGHT.

THE WINDSHIELD WILL BE ONE OF THE MKIII's SIGNATURE ELEMENTS,

HELPING TO IMMEDIATELY IDENTIFY IT AS A COBRA REPLICA.

ONCE THE WINDSHIELD ADHESIVE HAS CURED, TECHNICIANS

MOUNT THE SIDE POSTS.

LIKE THE WINDSHIELD FRAME,

THE POSTS ARE MADE OF CHROME-PLATED BRASS.

NEXT, THE WORKER ATTACHES SMALL BRACKETS TO THE SIDE POST.

THESE WILL BE USED TO MOUNT THE WIND DEFLECTOR,

WHICH HELPS INCREASE BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER COMFORT.

Narrator: EVEN THE MKIII's SEATS ARE AUTHENTIC THROWBACKS

TO THE GOLDEN ERA OF AMERICAN MUSCLE CARS.

SUPERFORMANCE DOESN'T JUST UPHOLSTER THEM THE SAME WAY.

THEY USE VINTAGE CONSTRUCTION METHODS TO BUILD THEM.

HERE IN THE TRIM SHOP SKILLED CRAFTSPEOPLE

BUILD AND INSTALL EVERYTHING FROM THE RAGTOP

TO THE DASHBOARD AND SEATS.

THEY EVEN CONSTRUCT THE COVER FOR THE TRANSMISSION TUNNEL.

A CRAFTSMAN BEGINS INSTALLING ELASTIC WEBBING

ON A TUBULAR STEEL CAR-SEAT FRAME.

LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE IN THIS CAR, IT IS MADE IN-HOUSE.

TO SECURE THE WEBBING, HE USES SPECIALIZED PLIERS

TO SQUEEZE CLIPS CALLED HOG RINGS IN PLACE.

HOG RINGS ARE CONNECTING RINGS THAT CAN BE USED IN UPHOLSTERY,

FENCES, ANIMAL CAGES AND ANY OTHER APPLICATION

REQUIRING STRONG ATTACHMENT POINTS.

WHILE MOST MODERN CAR SETS ARE MADE OF SPECIALLY DESIGNED FOAM,

THE SEATS IN 1960s MUSCLE CARS USED WOVEN ELASTICATED WEBBING.

RACE AND SPORTS CARS

HAVE EXTREMELY RIGID FRAMES FOR IMPROVED HANDLING.

BUT THAT CAN LEAD TO A BUMPY RIDE.

SO THE SEATS MUST BE EXTRA COMFORTABLE.

JUST LIKE IN THE ORIGINAL SHELBY COBRA, THE SEAT COVERS

ARE MADE WITH EUROPEAN AUTOMOTIVE-GRADE LEATHER.

THE WORKER CAREFULLY FITS ONE

IN PLACE TO PREPARE IT FOR THE ATTACHMENT PROCESS.

PLACING THE SEAT ON A PURPOSE-BUILT SUPPORT,

TWO CRAFTSMEN WORK TOGETHER TO STRETCH AND ATTACH THE LEATHER

TO THE FRAME USING HOG RINGS.

FINALLY, A WORKER CAREFULLY FITS THE SEAT CUSHION

INTO PLACE BEFORE SECURING IT TO THE FRAME UNDERNEATH.

THEY USE RACING SEATS

BECAUSE CARROLL SHELBY ORIGINALLY DESIGNED THE COBRA

TO BE A RACE CAR.

WHEN THE CAR FIRST SHOT ONTO THE SCENE IN 1962,

IT WAS THE WORLD'S FASTEST PRODUCTION CAR.

A TECHNICIAN NOW FITS THE LEATHER-UPHOLSTERED DASHBOARD

WITH ALL THE NECESSARY GAUGES, DIALS AND TOGGLE SWITCHES.

INCREDIBLY, THESE COMPONENTS

ARE STILL MADE BY THE SAME MANUFACTURER

IN THE U.K. THAT SUPPLIED THE ORIGINAL SHELBY COBRAS.

NOT ONLY THAT,

THEY USE THE ORIGINAL TOOLING TO BUILD THEM.

UNLIKE THE DASHBOARD ELEMENTS IN CONTEMPORARY CARS,

THESE ARE TRULY ANALOG COMPONENTS.

THE GIANT ALUMINUM WING NUTS ON THE MKIII's WHEELS,

CALLED SPINNERS, REPLACE THE MULTIPLE NUTS

THAT TYPICALLY HOLD A WHEEL ON A VEHICLE.

HERE, A CNC MACHINE

CREATES A SPECIAL HUB ADAPTER FROM A BLOCK OF ALLOY STEEL.

THIS ADAPTER WILL ACCOMMODATE THE SPINNER.

THE SPINNER WAS ORIGINALLY DEVELOPED TO ALLOW

FOR FASTER WHEEL CHANGES DURING RACING PIT STOPS.

THE CNC MACHINE REDUCES THE STEEL STEP-BY-STEP

WITH ITS HIGH-TECH TOOLING DEVICES.

BY THE TIME IT'S DONE, THE BLOCK OF STEEL

HAS BEEN REDUCED TO A FRACTION OF ITS ORIGINAL SIZE.

IN ONE OF THE SUB ASSEMBLY AREAS, A TECHNICIAN

NOW STARTS PUTTING TOGETHER THE FRONT SUSPENSION UPRIGHT.

HE BEGINS BY CAREFULLY FITTING A HUB AND ROTOR ASSEMBLY

OVER A SPINDLE.

HE FOLLOWS THIS WITH A WASHER AND NUT.

ONCE HE HAS TIGHTENED THE NUT,

HE POSITIONS A PURPOSE-BUILT WASHER OVER IT

AND INSERTS A LOCKING PIN THROUGH THE SPINDLE.

THE WORKER BENDS THE TAIL ENDS OF THE LOCKING PIN

AND WRAPS THEM AROUND THE SPINDLE.

THIS TWO-PART LOCKING SYSTEM

IS DESIGNED TO ENSURE THE NUT CAN'T COME LOOSE.

HE POSITIONS A GREASE CAP OVER THE NUT AND LOCKING SYSTEM

AND GENTLY HAMMERS IT INTO PLACE.

THE FRONT SUSPENSION UPRIGHT IS NEARLY COMPLETE,

BUT A CRUCIAL COMPONENT IS MISSING --

THE HUB ADAPTER.

AFTER MACHINING,

THE ADAPTER GETS A GOLD-COLORED ANTI-CORROSION PLATING.

HE ALIGNS THE ADAPTER WITH THE DRIVE PINS

AND LOWERS IT ONTO THE UPRIGHT.

THESE DRIVE PINS ARE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.

THE MKIII's WHEELS ARE CALLED PIN DRIVE WHEELS,

BECAUSE THE PINS ACTUALLY DRIVE THE WHEELS.

THE TECHNICIAN ALSO INSTALLS THE BRAKE CALIPER,

MARKING EACH PIN TO NOTE THAT IT'S BEEN TORQUED CORRECTLY.

NOW, THE UPRIGHT ASSEMBLY IS READY FOR THE NEXT PHASE

OF PRODUCTION.

Narrator: IT'S TIME TO BRING ALL THOSE HANDMADE COMPONENTS

OF THE MKIII TOGETHER INTO A CAR

THAT CAN MATCH THESE SHOW PIECES

THAT ARE ON DISPLAY

AT THE SUPERFORMANCE HEAD OFFICE SHOW ROOM IN IRVINE, CALIFORNIA.

A WORKER INSTALLS THE FRONT UPRIGHT SUSPENSION ASSEMBLY.

HE POSITIONS IT CAREFULLY

AND BOLTS IT TO THE FRONT CONTROL ARMS,

OR WISHBONES.

THE TORQUE VALUES ARE PREDETERMINED

AND MUST BE FOLLOWED PRECISELY.

NEXT, A TECHNICIAN ADDS THE FUEL CAP ASSEMBLY.

THIS IS KNOWN AS A LEMANS STYLE CAP

BECAUSE IT'S DESIGNED

TO HAVE A QUICK RELEASE FOR FAST REFUELING

DURING COMPETITIONS, LIKE THE FAMED 24-HOUR LEMANS RACE.

ALTHOUGH THIS COMPONENT

WAS A FEATURE ON THE ORIGINAL SHELBY COBRA,

ONE SMALL BUT IMPORTANT SAFETY

ADJUSTMENT HAS BEEN MADE FOR THE SUPERFORMANCE MKIII.

THIS FUEL CAP HAS A LOCK.

NEXT, THE TECHNICIAN CONNECTS THE FUEL FILLER PIPE

TO THE FUEL TANK.

HE USES RUBBER COUPLINGS AND A SET OF PIPE CLAMPS

TO ATTACH THE STAINLESS STEEL PIPE ON BOTH ENDS.

THE TECHNICIAN INSTALLS A BREATHER PIPE,

WHICH WILL RELEASE AIR IN THE TANK DURING FUEL UPS.

THE MANUFACTURERS

AT SUPERFORMANCE HAVE NEARLY FINISHED THIS MKIII.

IT NOW HAS ITS FRONT AND REAR SUSPENSION, BRAKES,

ORIGINAL-SPECIFICATION OIL COOLER,

AS WELL AS A HEATER UNIT.

JUST A FEW COMPONENTS STILL NEED TO BE INSTALLED.

THREE TECHNICIANS WORK TOGETHER TO ATTACH THE HOOD.

ALTHOUGH SUPERFORMANCE DOES NOT INSTALL THE POWERTRAIN,

THEY DO PUT IN A SINGLE-ROW, HIGH-PERFORMANCE

ALUMINUM-CORE RADIATOR,

AND HAND-FABRICATED STAINLESS-STEEL ENGINE LOUVERS.

IN FACT, WHEN SUPERFORMANCE MAKES A MKIII,

THEY INCLUDE EVERYTHING BUT THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION.

TWO WORKERS NOW ATTACH

THE FINISHED CHROME-PLATED BRASS-FRAMED WINDSHIELD

TO THE CAR.

IN THE 1960s, THE SHELBY COBRA

WAS BUILT IN THE U.K. AND SHIPPED TO THE U.S.,

WHERE THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION WERE INSTALLED.

SUPERFORMANCE EVEN REPLICATES THIS PROCESS.

CUSTOMERS CAN CHOOSE THEIR PREFERRED POWERTRAIN.

HISTORICALLY, THE SHELBY COBRA HAD A FORD ENGINE.

SUPERFORMANCE MAINTAINS THIS TRADITION.

INSTALLATION KITS ARE AVAILABLE

FOR THE 4289, 302, 351 SMALL-BLOCK FAMILY,

AS WELL AS THE 427,

428, 429, AND 460-CUBIC-INCH FORD BIG BLOCK ENGINES.

THE MKIII WILL ALSO ACCEPT

FORD'S MODERN FIVE-LITER MUSTANG COYOTE

AND GT 500 5.4-LITER ENGINES,

ALONG WITH A VARIETY OF THE CHEVROLET CORVETTE POWERTRAINS.

HERE, A TECHNICIAN FINISHES INSTALLING A FORD SHELBY ENGINE

BUILT BY SHELBY ENGINES.

SUPERFORMANCE HAS RECENTLY MADE IT POSSIBLE

TO PUT IN CONTEMPORARY MODULAR ENGINES,

AS WELL AS THE ORIGINAL-STYLE ONES THAT POWER MOST MKIIIs.

WORKERS INSTALL THE SIDE MIRRORS

ACCORDING TO THE CUSTOMER'S SPECIFICATIONS.

HERE, THE STYLE IS CONSISTENT WITH THE 1960s RACING ERA.

SUPERFORMANCE ALSO FITS THE MKIII

WITH ORIGINAL-STYLE QUICK LIFTS, SIDE PIPES, ROLL BAR,

SOFT TOP AND TONNEAU COVER.

OWNERS CAN CHOOSE FROM A VARIETY OF WHEEL OPTIONS,

FROM THE CLASSIC 15-TO-18-INCH HALIBRAND-STYLE WHEELS

TO CONTEMPORARY WIDE, LOW-PROFILE WHEELS.

NOW THE INSTALLER TWISTS LOCK WIRE

AROUND THE WHEEL'S SPOKES

BEFORE ATTACHING THE NUT OR SPINNER.

THIS SAFETY WIRING SYSTEM WAS A FEATURE OF THE ORIGINAL COBRA,

A SMALL TOUCH THAT ILLUSTRATES JUST HOW COMMITTED SUPERFORMANCE

IS TO REPLICATING CARROLL SHELBY'S VISION

DOWN TO THE TINIEST DETAIL.

AND THEY'VE BEEN DOING IT FOR DECADES.

THIS CAR IS ONE OF A LIMITED EDITION COMMEMORATING

20 YEARS OF PRODUCTION.

WORKERS CAREFULLY ROLL THE COMPLETED CAR INTO THE SHOWROOM

OF THE SUPERFORMANCE HEAD OFFICE IN IRVINE, CALIFORNIA,

WHERE IT JOINS A COLORFUL DISPLAY

OF SUPERFORMANCE VEHICLES.

IN THE LATE 1950s,

CARROLL SHELBY WAS ALREADY A CELEBRATED RACE CAR DRIVER.

IN 1959, HE CO-DROVE AN ASTON MARTIN TO VICTORY

IN THE 24-HOUR LEMANS RACE.

WHILE SPEEDING THROUGH THE COURSE,

HE NOTICED A CAR CALLED THE BRISTOL,

BUILT BY A BRITISH COMPANY CALLED AC CARS.

SEVERAL YEARS LATER,

SHELBY TRANSFORMED THE BRISTOL INTO THE SHELBY COBRA.

THE COBRA EVOLVED INTO A FORMIDABLE RACING MACHINE,

BECOMING THE FIRST AMERICAN-BUILT

WORLD-CHAMPIONSHIP-WINNING CAR IN HISTORY.

VERY FEW SHELBY COBRAS

WERE ACTUALLY PRODUCED AS ROAD VEHICLES.

BUT THANKS TO SUPERFORMANCE,

DRIVERS CAN EXPERIENCE THIS LEGENDARY VEHICLE

ON THE OPEN ROAD TODAY.