I was stubborn, and didn’t take no for an answer.

I was dedicated, and believed in what I was doing.

I was surrounded by people who were able, and willing to help me for free, or cheap, by making prototypes, giving advice, doing graphics, websites etc.

I went to school and studied Mechanical Engineering and Industrial Design.

I picked the classes I was interested in, and that could help me.

I learned what makes a car work, and I practiced and raced a lot, all over the world.

I made a lot of friends, and unintentionally created a vital worldwide contact network (proved to make the whole project possible).

I had some racing success and got to be known around the World, in a good or bad way, but people knew who I was.

I designed THE Car. (This was a 3 year step really)

I failed twice together with partners, and realised that I needed to do things myself if I was going to be able to do things like I want them to be done, and what I believe to be the right way.

I updated THE Car design.

I found a manufacturer from my many contacts.

I negotiated terms and prices.

I started a company.

I did everything in THE Story Part 1 and Part 2.

I made a staggering amount of excel files, and word files, with all information about THE Car. Parts lists, with part numbers, pictures, descriptions, special notes etc. I could have used this excel diff tool to compare my excel files if I had needed too, but it was unnecessary on this occasion. Usually, though, this is a vital tool.

I planned my whole year, including a financial plan, races and events to attend, release of website, articles, etc.

I visited the manufacturer, discussing how we would work together, and discussed THE Car based on the prototype I already had.

I created even more excel files and documents per the manufacturer’s request.

·

Parts, parts, parts….

I modified some parts according to the manufacturer’s requests.

I handed over the complete car design, with all 3D files, 2D files with measurements, excel files with part lists, and other useful info.

I paid the manufacturer and they started working on the first pre-production cars. Basically, cars that would resemble the finished product as closely as possible.

I went and had some beers with my friends. THE Car was being made. This was it!

I waited, and while I waited I planned some more, the website, graphics, schedules, shipping deals, tax issues, book keeping.

I kept designing stuff….other than THE Car.

I visited the manufacturer again when THE Cars were done. I checked every single part, but couldn’t build one, as some parts were missing.

I went through all issues with the manufacturer.

I flew home and fixed all issues with my design that I could.

I received the missing part

30.

I tested it, and had a lot of issues, but could already see the potential.

I had a few more beers as I had now driven my own car, and it looked like a production car.

I reported back to the manufacturer, with pictures, text descriptions, new 3D files where needed, and tried to explain all the issues, and show what needed fixing.

34.

I created a part status list, so it was easy for us to follow what was going on with each part, and what needed fixing.

I learned that the hardest part of making a new car is actually communication: I know what I want, I can see all the problems, I need to get someone on the other side of the world to understand the problem and the solution as clearly as I do. It is a lot harder than you may think!

I waited as the manufacturer fixed any mistakes they had made, mistakes I had made, and modified moulds further, as moulds are always a bit off to begin with, and then modified until the parts fit is good enough.

I received updated parts, and a lot had been fixed, and a lot had not been fixed.

I remembered point 35.

I checked parts, tested parts, fixed issues, modified designs, reported back, waited, checked parts, tested parts, fixed issues….

·Rain or Shine…Have to test test test!

In the mean time I kept working on other issues, like the website, webshop, and schedules for everything that was going to happen in 2010.

I built a second car with some updated parts. It was a lot easier this time.

I entered my first race and won.

I only had one chance in my whole life to win my first race with my first car I designed, so I celebrated and had some beers with my friends.

·First Race, First Win!

I handed the files over in December, I built my first car end of March, and now it was June. I received my “2nd Generation” pre-production car.

I built a third car with considerably more ease.

I now had one Race Car, one Practice Car, and one “Show Car”, to show to local racers wherever I went, and potential distributors and dealers.

During all of this, I studied pricing, and worked on creating a worldwide distribution network.

I had to start pulling the plug, and start confirming parts for production. Many of the smaller parts, and ones that don’t influence the handling a lot were already ok, like balls, brakepads, linkages etc, and also more complex stuff like driveshafts and diffs.

Other parts were not, like the plastic parts, I still had a couple of different materials to choose from, and the moulds still needed work.

Also shocktowers and armholders needed work. I made prototypes in Finland to test.

I tested tested tested, I let other people test it, I let other people build it, I let other people race it. I gathered feedback and modified stuff where needed.

Now THE Car is very nearly done. I went to show the “Show Car” to my family, so they would know I was still alive, and that I had actually been doing something. My grandmonther said that she doesn’t understand anything about RC Cars, and that if she saw THE Car on the ground, she would think it was some part of an old record player. Got to love grandmothers :-)!

·I don’t see the resemblence.

As soon as THE Car is done, it will go into production.

I will have a lot of beers with my friends to celebrate!

I will sleep for 72 hours.

Then, during the production, we will finish the manual, and other material relating to THE Car, including packaging, and website articles.

The final pre-production cars will be identical to the production kits, and can be used for promotion, and pictures.

After receiving the final packaged product, I will test some of them just to make sure I haven’t created a dud, and also send samples to distributors as required.

When everything is ok, all orders will be shipped out. This will be before the end of the year!

We at JQ Products can’t wait to see what the first customers think. So we hope to read a lot of good and bad words and sentences on the internet about THE Car, and see a lot of pictures and videos. Bye for now.