Huet Brothers fulfill their dream with HB Special

Two Dutch brothers, Tino and Paul Huet, have been raised among precious cars, such as Bugatti and vintage Alfa Romeo. When they grew up, Paul became a pilot and Tino, an art director, but they wanted to do more of their lives. That's why they have founded the Classic Drivers’ Club of Netherlands (www.classicdriversclub.nl), a place where all associates get the right to drive special classic cars, such as a Porsche 356 B, in rallies all over Europe and Africa. Since some of these vehicles are really rare, the Huet brothers came up with the idea of building a vehicle of their own, able to perform as a classic, but with modern time solutions. This is how they decided to build the HB Special, back in 2005. This was what I had in 2006, when I first spoke to them and wrote the article Experiência para poucos, something like "Experience for few people". The car was still a dream. Now, it has been completed and you can see it in carbon fibre and aluminum below. And what a gorgeous piece of engineering they have managed to achieve:



The HB Special uses a chassis and an engine from Triumph TR6. The first one was chosen because it allows the use of independent suspension in all four wheels, while the second came along because it was an efficient and light engine. Originally it was a 2.5-litre six-in-line engine that developed between 105 bhp and 150 bhp, but the Huet brothers have bored it up to 2.7 litre and it now develops 180 bhp.

Among other changes, its flywheel has been lightened to make the engine rev up with more disposition and two SU carburetors have been used, since they adjust to different pressure conditions, something important when we speak about a car made to run on mountain roads. It may not seem very much, but, considering the car's weight, it is more than enough. The HB Special had a weight goal of 750 kg. The final production vehicle weighs only 711 kg. Since the car has not been created to break speed records, but to corner in a special way down and up mountain roads, their goal has been achieved.

The body of HB Special is made of carbon fibre, what makes it weigh only 23 kg. Brakes are almost the same ones used by Triumph TR6, but they have been improved, with bigger drums in the back and four-piston calipers for the front discs.

HB Special will not be sold. It will be a special part of the events HB Brothers plan to promote in a short period of time, in 2009. There will be only 12 vehicles, since the Huet brothers have two trucks to transport the cars and each of them can carry six cars. The limited number of HB Special also has to do with the fact the events were planned to be very exclusive.

Anyone interested in taking part of them has to contact the company and choose a country in which to take the journey. Some may even choose to take part in all 12 events that are being planned. According to Huet Brothers' website, there are confirmed routes through Italy and Norway, but they will also be in Spain, France, England, Scotland, Sweden, Germany, Switzerland and Austria.

Clients have to meet at one of the chosen hotels. There they will receive a box with their names on it. It contains a classic racing overall, gloves, shoes, helmet and goggles. There are two clients for each car.

Since the idea is to have a vehicle that behaves as a classic, even being a modern one, fine-tuned by Gijsbert van Lennep, a famous racer in the Netherlands, there are no safety equipments such as ABS, airbags or any sort of electronical assistance. Not even bumpers. Seat belts are abdominal to keep you firmly against the leather bucket seats, but a front crash agains the aluminum panel would cause some serious damage, something that could also happen in an original classic car, by the way. This must be why the Huet brothers ask their clients to take really good care of the cars. If the car is well, its occupants will also be.













Source: Huet Brothers