We've managed to catch up with the trio of fanatics responsible for bringing the name back en vogue. So, take a moment to grab yourself a cup of coffee or pour yourself a cold Peroni, sit back and enjoy the read.
CC5C: Okay, gents. Let's get the formalities out of the way. As you know, Cream City Cinquecento Club a/k/a Città Crema Cinquecento Club is all about the greater FIAT life experience. Auto tuning is a part of that. So, featuring EUROCOMPULSION (EC) and H.P.S.I. Motorsports (HPSI) on this blog has always been of interest to me… and here you are.
Please introduce yourselves and your individual companies.
EC: Chris, from EUROCOMPULSION, a new generation FIAT and Alfa enthusiast a/k/a obssesionist (if that's a word).
CC5C: Oh, yeah, Chris. That is definitely a word… in fact, I think it's an art form… and I am well versed.
EUROCOMPULSION© Logo
HPSI | G: I am Greg from H.P.S.I. - I am a long time FIAT, Lancia and Alfa Romeo enthusiast.
HPSI | T: I am Toby… also from H.P.S.I.
H.P.S.I. Motorsports© Logo
CC5C: 'Good to finally feature you on the blog, fellas. Thanks so much for taking the time out to answer my questions.
EC, HPSI | G and HPSI | T: Thank you, for doing this, Amado.
CC5C: The pleasure is all mine. So, let's get into it straightaway. What motivated/inspired you to start your respective companies?
EC: Simply put, I really fell in love with these little [FIAT 500T & ABARTH 500] cars. The subtle aggressive lines displayed throughout the bodywork, the maddening exhaust note and the fact it is a modern-but-Spartan drivers car. When I initially purchased the car, in May of 2012, I noticed a massive lack of performance parts for it. I quickly became frustrated with companies that didn’t produce and started with a basic intake that caught a lot of interest and started from there. We evolved into a company I am proud of... with innovative designs and, most importantly, designs that work and increase performance. [Those things] bring out the true essence and spirit of the car.
It's a Euro Affair | EUROCOMPULSION©
I first caught the German [European] bug when bitten by a handful of Audis/VWs as well as a few Porsches. You can see the influence of that style in my personal cars. I love 'stanced' European cars... not necessarily for the function but for the form. I am completely absorbed by modern day FIATs and Alfas and cannot wait for the future cars to hit our shores. It's an exciting time. Working on and designing parts for these cars feels very natural… almost symbiotic.
HPSI | G: That's a little bit of a long story [for me]. When I was born I literally rode home from the hospital in a FIAT. My parents always had FIATs, and at one time my father owned Bob's House of FIAT... a small garage-based FIAT repair operation in Newbury Park CA. In high school, when everyone else was into American cars or aircooled VWs I had a 120hp FIAT 124 sedan. That may not seem like much [horsepower], but it was a lot - back then - in a 2000 pound car. I was always impressed with FIAT's DOHC engine, 4 wheel disks and twin A-arm suspension. The car just seemed so much more advanced [to me] than other common cars, and my little boxy sedan would out drag most Z cars and Supras of the day.
A little later in life, I found more and more newer cars were able to outrun my beloved Alfa Romeo GTV6. I found performance parts for the car very expensive, and in most cases ineffective. I decided to supercharge the car, but no kit was available. I had to make one. About the same time I found it very difficult to get quality vacuum hoses, so I invested in silicone manufacturing, and that sort of took off. We [H.P.S.I.] now have the largest selection of silicone vacuum hose in the US.
HPSI | T: My involvement with H.P.S.I. started some years back as a result of spending a great deal of time with my father-in-law, Greg, and his father, Bob. My enthusiasm for all things automotive (classic/vintage, Motorsport, etc.) has always existed, and has always centered around European makes. However, a great love affair with Italian automobiles was started the day I first rode in and drove Greg/Bob's 1966 FIAT 600D, which had been converted from the 767cc motor to a hotter 903cc motor... complete with Jolly Club decals and all. I absolutely fell in love, and from there it was the Alfa Romeo 1750 GTV, FIAT 850 Spider, and the list goes on. Both Greg and Bob essentially mentored me over time. I've had the honor of learning a great deal from both of them. They've not only become the family that I never had, but also (like most, if not all, relationships with the Italian car world) fostered a great connection and passion to Italian automobiles... old and new.
Fast forward to the present. I handle many odds and ends, here, at HPSI. My work primarily consists of product development, R&D, testing, handling our manufacturing processes. But it also involves secondary things like; website management, sales, emails, sorting orders, etc. Most all of us here have many jobs and titles all rolled into one, I suppose.
Photo courtesy of EUROCOMPULSION©
CC5C: Fantastic! I always get a kick out of reading or hearing the early FIAT life experiences of other enthusiasts. By "get a kick" I mean grow terribly jealous. <Laughs>
So, do you feel a certain degree of responsibility to serve FIAT & ABARTH success in North America? If so, how do you cope with that pressure?
HPSI | G: Actually, I do feel a certain amount of responsibility here. Along with other FIAT enthusiasts, I have been carrying the torch - so to speak - ever since FIAT left in the '80s and Alfa in the '90s. I have been telling people, for years, how much fun these cars are and trying to explain the engineering that's in them. If they fail now, it would not only be damaging to my business, but it would be a huge let down for me -- personally. I have waited so long for these cars to come back. As for coping with pressure... I just try to make the best products I can, tell the truth about them and let the market decide. Sometimes it decides in favor of my products, but not always. When I have a failure I try and figure out why, then, either change the product or design something else.
HPSI | T: For us, it's more than just commercial motivation or sales. The pending success of the Italian market here, in the States, is a yearning that runs through our blood… it's what we live for and strive to achieve on a daily basis.
I'm grateful for all of the experiences I've had with the current FIAT community, and sometimes feel privileged to be thought of as a "man behind the curtain" -- so to speak. At the end of the day, I'm am just another enthusiast who absolutely loves these cars!
CC5C: Right. It seems you all have the history, passion, winning attitude and drive to help the brand as well as the greater FIAT enthusiast community enjoy the prouduct coming to market. That's important. If your heart's not it, there is no point. Right?
What specific activities (Road, Track and Off Road) has your company been involved in?
EC: I have focused on sponsoring grassroots events, such as; FIAT FreakOut! and FIAT on the DRAGON. I haven't had much time to dive back into Motorsport, but have plans for some Hill Climb events in the near future. I would, eventually, love to get into Rally Racing. Hill Climbs are a quintessential European Motorsport activity and I believe that Rally Racing blends the most intense scenarios together with a multitude of elevation changes, rapidly changing surface conditions as well as organic-based corners. It’s a very RAW form of Motorsport and I think that's what I enjoy most about it.
HPSI | G: A long time ago, I worked for Al Cosentino of FAZA fame. FAZA (FIAT ABARTH Zagato Allemano) was a very successful FIAT racing organization in the '60s. I was a kid working for them, in the early '80s. So, I can't claim any part of their earlier racing success. I did learn a lot there, though. Al, himself, learned form [Karl] Carlo Abarth… so, I also have that connection.
[CC5C Note: If you are so inclined to search anything related to ABARTH racing, you are sure to immediately come across the name of don Al Cosentino and the FAZA FIAT ABARTH Racing Team. I encourage you to do just this, as it will give you a better grasp on why Greg, and H.P.S.I., is so passionate about the work he does with FIAT, ABARTH, Alfa Romeo and Lancia as well as non-Italian performance cars. The track record for FAZA is extraordinary. - @]
133/158 Wins | FAZA for Anything ABARTH
HPSI | G: We built the supercharger kit for Bill Sims' Alfa Romeo Milano race car. This autocross car dominated and won the very competitive SCCA street modified class in his region for several years before the car was totaled, due to a transaxle failure in 2010. Too much power Bill!
More recently, we contributed to Hans Bjurman's awesome supercharged Alfa [Romeo]. We provided some tech help as well as various parts for supercharging, but Hans made the kit himself. The car has won numerous races, an entire series and holds several lap records. He has since sold the car and it's, now, racing in Norway. It set a lap record for Alfa Romeos on its first day out at a new track and with a new driver!
Nobody at H.P.S.I. is a race driver. We do go to track days and 'drivers schools'.
HPSI | T: This is where Jolly Club comes into play.
CC5C: Wow! It seems we could write an entire entry based solely on your individual life experiences. Maybe we'll do just that some day. But Toby just provided the perfect segue to the title of this entry.
What is Jolly Club?
EC: Jolly Club, in the context of our two companies, is essentially the a cementing of the relationship between H.P.S.I. and EUROCOMPULSION - based on Jolly Club History in Italy. I'll let Greg and Toby take it from here.
HPSI | G: Jolly club was originally an informal racing team. I mean really informal. Back in the glory days of FIAT, Lancia and Alfa Romeo racing pretty much every Italian rally car... and quite a few tarmac cars... sported Jolly Club stickers. At one time, enthusiasts would put Jolly Club stickers on their street cars. I was one of those enthusiasts.
Today, H.P.S.I. owns the Jolly Club© trademark in the US. On our website you can find an old picture of my FIAT 600 with my daughter in it. She was a little girl, at the time, and now has two kids of her own. If you look closely at that picture, you can see it's flying the Jolly Roger. That car has been on the track, and was a fun car - back when I owned it.
HPSI | T: The idea of Jolly Club, in the present, is much like it was when it was first created. It is that - almost - invisible, binding/adhesive idea that strings together/connects everything about this platform and the enthusiasts that inhabit these cars to one goal and one passion. This is what gets us through the tough days and the struggles we face in dealing with business. For me, Jolly Club is that common thread that unites us all under the same goal, regardless of how it may benefit us individually.
Totip Sponsored Jolly Club© car
CC5C: That is very cool.
But how did you come to the decision to start Jolly Club?
HPSI | T: When we first began discussing the idea of bringing back Jolly Club it became clear to me that the same spirit in which it was created already existed. Here... between people like you, Greg, Chris, myself (and many others). What that spirit lacked was a symbol or banner that others could relate to and unite beneath.
CC5C: Man, Toby, thanks for the kind words. I'm honored to be seen in that light. And you put me in good company. I'm sold. Tell us more. Chris?
EC: We didn’t start it, per se. It is kind of an adaptation we thought fit. H.P.S.I. brought it back to life, in NA of all places, and it fits our companies in both goal and spirit. It just kind of happened and made sense for us merge together as we share similar aspirations... along with an overwhelming dedication & passion for these new generation Italian cars.
HPSI | G: [Right] I wouldn't say we started it. We didn't. However, nobody ever used the name in the US. H.P.S.I. owns the trademark, so I though it would be cool to use the name and symbol as a stamp of approval. It essentially means 'this is a Rally Racing quality part and we think it is the best on the market'. Just to be clear, to get Jolly Club approval a part does not need to be an HPSI product... quite a few are not. Anyone who has a Jolly Club rated part is free to run our trademark sticker. At least that's the way I see it.
CC5C: So, H.P.S.I. and EUROCOMPULSION are the first to do this, for these Italian runabouts, in the US and on this scale. 'Got it. Name aside, is there any other connection to the original Jolly Club?
HPSI | T: To me, Jolly Club serves as the connection for all Italian automotive enthusiasts to one another, and binds us to the spirit of driving the best and the fastest that we can.
HPSI | G: We were the first to use the Jolly Club name in the US Italian car scene. We don't claim any direct connection to the original Jolly Club. I am not sure anyone really can, as it was such an informal arrangement. I have run the logo on my car for decades and own the trademark. That's about it, but that's more than anyone else in the US. It's possible Cosentino (who I worked for) was involved. After all, he did race in that era. Then again, I have no memory of him saying anything good about any clubs. I really can't see him being a member of a club. He just wasn't that type of guy.
Jolly Club© Brothers in Gas, Tires & Oil
CC5C: Can you expound on the Jolly Club part rating process a bit? What exactly does that mean?
HPSI | G: Sure, although it's really quite simple. The critera for performance parts are as follows:
1) The product must provide a meaningful increase in performance... not only above stock levels, but above other aftermarket parts.
2) If the product can't be safely used in all weather, or a very dusty envoirnment like Rally Racing, it's disqualified.
There is no pricing criteria. A good example of a Jolly Club rated product is the KW V3 coil over system. It's simply the best and, if you want to seriously race your car, it's probably what you want. But it's expensive. Chris [at EuroCompulsion] offers Jolly Club rated Cobalt Friction XR4 Carbon Cermaic Race Pads which, again, are expensive. But [it's] truly race quality.
Another H.P.S.I.-related Jolly Club product is our V4 intake that provides a large gain in performance without exposing the engine to an increase risk of foreign object ingestion. That is, obviously, really important for rally type events. Our Stage 2 [tune] has the rating, but it's possible it will be superseded by the time anyone reads this. We have a new Jolly Club rated tune in the works.
Certain products are not directly related to performance. In those cases, the rating is more subjective. A good example is our skid plate. It doesn't make the car even slightly faster on the track. However, it does offer a lot of protection and makes servicing the car easier... faster. We would use it on a rally car. It gets the rating. Another example, that would be subjective, would be a shift knob. It sounds silly, but that's a part you interact with a lot during performance driving. A comfy knob that doesn't loosen up over time can be helpful. As of this moment there is no Jolly Club rated shift knob, but that's an example.
The rating process is simple. There are four of us that decide, and we each have veto power. I would like it to be about 10, but right now it's 4. If, for example, I say I think product-X should get this rating and someone else disagrees it doesn't get it. So it's somewhat subjective. But, yes, we do take it seriously.
HPSI | T: Applying this standard to our parts and designs is a way to hold the bar of expectation high for our customers and ourselves. We simply want to make the best... something worthy of Jolly Club, and we do not rest until that is achieved. My own personal goal is for the Italian car communities to thrive as a result of the innovation and spirit inspired by Jolly Club. That is what the Jolly Clubbers of old wanted, and that is what I want for the Jolly Clubbers of today.
CC5C: There was no mention of non-Turbo FIATs. Do you support those models as well?
HPSI | G: At H.P.S.I., specifcially, we simply haven't done much with the non-turbo cars. We have developed stuff for the ABARTH, 500T and 500L and we [are willing to] develop parts for normally aspirated FIATs. But we haven't done it yet. We plan to have products for the entire FIAT range, including the 500X and most Alfa Romeos.
EuroCompulsion does carry products for the standard 500.
Photo courtesy of EUROCOMPULSION©
CC5C: I'm very excited about this. We've featured a few Alfa Romeo, FIAT, Lancia Motorsport heritage pieces before. One thing I've always maintained is I believe this could be a key piece to growing brand fervor and loyalty in North America. What do you think of that point-of-view? Would you agree a more focused involvement with Motorsport could or would be key to FIAT success here?
EC: I think so. A return to Motorsport, especially a dive into Hill Climb events or some national rally events, would elevate the brand quite a bit. I really think they should also focus on WRC. If they do not place a podium finish in the end it is still great coverage... elevating the cars, themselves, to competition - tried and tested. It worked fantastically for Subaru and I think FIAT and Alfa [Romeo] would benefit immensely. It attains worldwide coverage as opposed to being limited to the European or South American coverage we typically see.
HPSI | G: I absolutely agree that FIAT needs to be more involved in Motorsport and acknowledge their [racing] heritage. As I have pointed out before, FIAT/Lancia has won the WRC constructors championship 13 TIMES. They never mention this. Audi, on the other hand, won twice and they are still bringing it up in advertizing.
FIAT could back up racers inexpensively. I don't think they need a full blown racing program. They could also link to their heritage more effectively in their showrooms [a/k/a Studios] and advertizing. I do think linking to Rally Racing and Jolly Club would be a great way to do that. We would like to market the Jolly Club brand in that direction.
If Mr. Kuniskis (or Mr. Stoicevich) calls me, I will certainly be happy to speak with him.
CC5C: Great stuff. I completely agree and would like to be in the room when you speak to the decision makers at FIAT.
Photo courtesy of EUROCOMPULSION©
CC5C: Okay, we have time for one more question, before we wrap this up, fellas.
What do you want most for your respective individual company, Jolly Club and/or the FIAT Famiglia brand?
HPSI | G: [For] FIAT, I would love to see modern interpretations of the 124 Spider and Coupe. I would like to see them involved in racing, on some level.
I want H.P.S.I. to be thought of as the leader in underhood performance parts, for these cars. We are trying to make this happen, by constantly expanding and improving our product line. I would argue that we already have the best tuning solutions and intakes. But I want to improve our existing products and add more.
I would like to see Jolly Club USA grow to what it was in Europe in the 1970s and beyond. I would like to see the Jolly Club logo on cars with the approved parts. 'See them on the racetracks and see them winning. More importantly, I would like to see the Jolly Club members helping one another... working together to get FIATs onto the podiums.
HPSI | T: I'd very much like to see FIAT not only expand in the states, by strengthening it's branding for a wider demographic. Like Greg said, get involved with racing at some level. 'Provide a helpful platform for those who want to use their vehicles to do it on an individual level.
I'd love to see EC and H.P.S.I. thriving in satisfying the performance and racing needs of those wanting to compete, as well as continuing to innovate for future models and improve our existing stuff. I want our companies to be synonymous with FIAT, Alfa or anything related. Now that I think about it, that's probably asking a lot. <Laughs>
CC5C: Not at all, Toby. I believe the ultimate goal of any & every aficionado is to, somehow, become one with the source of his/her passion. Go for broke, brother! I'm sorry… I lost myself for a second. Continue.
HPSI | T: As far as Jolly Club goes, I couldn't agree more with Greg. I want Jolly Club back on the podium, on street cars, and everywhere in between. It would be fantastic to see it grow back to what it was in the past. I truly hope that it will.
I want more than only our customers to be apart of this. [I want] all enthusiasts... old and new. And I want more than anything for our logos, stickers, T-shirts (and, of course, parts) to embody that raw, sometimes maddening passion we all feel for these cars... making all enthusiasts proud to represent it anywhere, anytime.
CC5C: Anything else, before we wrap this us, guys? Chris?
EC: On Behalf of myself and H.P.S.I., I want to thank the FIAT community for allowing us this opportunity. We have seen an overwhelming vote of confidence [in what we do] and it makes me so proud to see our parts on cars.
This started out as a personal passion and is blossoming into something I never thought would [or could] happen. So, a very humble 'Thank You' is due to the folks out there for their support… without it this wouldn't exist! It's as much about the people behind the wheel of the car as it is the car itself.
We will continue to forge new paths for the cars and community. It's been a great ride… and it has only just begun!
CC5C: Now, that's what I call sending it off on a high note. Perfect, Chris! Thanks, again, for taking the time out to share your passionate projects with the community. We look forward to future news, regarding EUROCOMPULSION, H.P.S.I. and Jolly Club. Feel free to send any updates our way and we'll be happy to help get the word out. We wish you the very best in your present & future endeavors.
Until we meet on the street, at the track and/or off road...
Jolly Club© Jolly Roger Logo
