Maybe you are correct, but I think some other factors might goose up your usual turnaround. First of all the 'G's' aren't strangers to the entire process you've described. Jim was off shore before off shore manufacturing was cool. After building Torsens in Argentina, I think they have probably been keeping the whole production process in mind each time they modify one of their technologies.
How production ready is a unit that is racing or on a fast track to the Moon? Pretty tough testing. NASA does have a budget, the Torvec parts have to be somewhat easy to make. Maybe the final units will have Titanium or something, but this isn't Hubble parts. Lockheed built the SR-71 in record time using bleeding edge tech in unproven ways because they HAD to. The Prius moved from demo/concept car to production in spite of Toyota's original plans because of the automotive market. Honda reversed engineered it and was sure that Toyota could not make a profit with it. Big deal, while Honda actually has better fuel savings/price point cars, Toyota brands itself in the public minds as the Green car company.
I think you might be surprised what someone like Fuji Heavy Industries could do to bring a technology to market if government, the world oil market and consumers demanded it ASAP. I would also guess that many of your concerns have already been addressed along the refinement trail. The first CV joint had unique gear cuts. Torvec had that problem designed and planned out along with the joint. The latest one is even easier to make. It's not the testing, foundry workers, metal, lathes or torture tests that are standing in the way. I don't think it will take as long as you think once the decision is made. It's not a copier, but we will see. The savings in metal and metal fabrication would seem to be not only worth money, but would energize getting it into vehicles ASAP. In my opinion.
It has to be easier than building a car company from nothing in Georgia, Panoz. It has to be faster than building the world's premiere sportscar company from nothing in Sweden, Koenigsegg. They build everything, engine, carbon fiber body, special door hinges, on that car, themselves. Seems like that should take more than 10 years. He would have done it even faster, but the factory burned down along the way. EOM
