Edition #SEVEN
In The Metal
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It’s hard to describe the feeling of opening a package filled with stunningly finished machined components that existed only in your head just a few weeks ago. Shoreline Bespoke is just that: bespoke. What we’re creating cannot be replicated simply because the vast majority of components are designed in-house. Much like a Swiss watch movement, it’s the level of design and engineering in every piece that make the end product greater than the sum of its parts.
The vast majority of work completed since our last update revolves around manufacturing 200+ machined components that really put the “bespoke” in Shoreline Bespoke. These custom parts form the basis of what will make the Laguna so incredible to drive: a clean-sheet design with motorsport-grade engineering and the finest quality hardware. We’ve been sending out engineering drawings for each SBV-designed part, where we define critical measurements to ensure the Laguna’s components work together perfectly. These detailed drawings are required for every bespoke component - some of them with dimensional tolerances less than the width of a human hair!
We’ve been fortunate enough to find some of the highest quality machinists in the world. Even Kyle was impressed after years of working with top-notch machinists in the aerospace industry! The majority of machined parts on the Laguna are made from 6061-T6 aluminum, with the only exceptions being the steel fittings that are welded directly to the space frame chassis for maximum strength.
The components we took delivery of include a number of interior pieces, chassis fittings, suspension and powertrain items, including the beautiful (but I’m biased - I designed it) gated shifter assembly.
The billet aluminum uprights are the biggest machined components by far, and are responsible for transmitting all of the wheel and braking forces to the chassis. The suspension geometry has been honed over hours of simulation with the help of a Formula 1 performance engineer (it helps to have friends in high places), but it’s important not to blindly trust the simulations until everything is verified in the real world. That’s why we designed in an unprecedented amount of kinematic adjustability for a road vehicle; the only other cars on earth with the same range of suspension adjustment are open-wheel formula race cars. This is one more way for us to ensure we are able to tune the Laguna’s ride and handling to driving perfection.
After the parts were unboxed, Kyle inspected every component and compared the delivered part to the original specification to make sure everything was made exactly as we intended. Measurements were verified, the laser-etched part numbers were entered into our ERP system, a barcode was affixed to identify each individual item, and everything was placed into inventory to await final assembly.
Now that all of the machined components have been delivered, we are only waiting for a few more custom items. The three-piece aluminum wheels have just shipped from the UK, and we expect the differential, brakes, and shocks to be shipped soon as well.
Speaking of final assembly, the most exciting news is this: the chassis for Laguna Prototype 1 is currently in build and should be completed in the next 6-8 weeks! Once that is done, it’s only a matter of time before we have a running, driving vehicle. In the meantime, you can visit our website to learn more about our vision for Shoreline Bespoke, our inspiration, and what’s to come. By subscribing to this newsletter, you’ll be the first to know about vehicle updates, upcoming reveals, apparel releases and more. Speaking of apparel, we’ve got some coming! Look out for the Store tab at the top of our website… Stay tuned!
Sincerely,
Spencer Beckman
Founder & CEO, Shoreline Bespoke Vehicles