About to purchase - advice welcomed

Get the serial number and then touch base with the manufacturer Carey Hines www.beckspeedster.com

@chines1
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TonyM posted:

Anything in particular I should check before purchasing?

No, not really. We find most Beck owners to be upstanding and honest. The Nardini wheel and shift knob makes the car worth every penny. The Nardini factory closed some 60 plus years ago so you have a real rarity there.

Rusty S posted:

TonyM posted:

Anything in particular I should check before purchasing?

No, not really. We find most Beck owners to be upstanding and honest. The Nardini wheel and shift knob makes the car worth every penny. The Nardini factory closed some 60 plus years ago so you have a real rarity there.

there is a PLETHORA of knock off fakes out there,not the Beck, the wheel and knob

Compare it to the 2005 Beck on their website  asking $31,500. You might have a deal there

Seems like a good price for a low milage Beck.  Like Tom said, run it by Carey if you can get the numbers.

Post some pictures and more info.

My advice- call Carey Hines @ Beck. Answer his questions, then do exactly what he says.

That's the secret to my (and many others) happiness

 

Aaron

Nardi.  Nardi wheel. 

Call the experts and ask about the exact car. A lot of people claim it's a  "Beck" and that may or may not be true. 

Post some photos and we here until hive can help to point you in the right direction.

Good luck with your search!

Ted

Tony---that Beck looks like a really fine price for a low mileage Beck.  Plus the support is first---Cary is the best and the SOC club gave him an award for being so helpful to SOC members---he's even helped me and  don't even own a Beck!

Good luck ---I believe you would be extremely with this car based just on what we know so far.

Still waiting on pictures.  It's a 12 year old car with low mileage.  Hope it is in better shape that the "like new" low mileage SAS recently discussed here.  A "Nardini" steering wheel makes me think other advertising might be off too.

http://www.stasales.com/vehicl...84c86935f57bc4b75d0/

Here is the link for the car. Another set of eyes on the pictures would be helpful. 

 

Definitely a Beck. The "stock" number must be the dealer's number, it's not the Beck VIN #.

The seats indicate a build pre-2010.

The badge on the grill leads me to believe that one of our SOC members once owned it.

It looks factory built to me. As well.

I would be VERY surprised if this is a 5-speed. Stock is 4. Not buying it.
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Also, I'm guessing the VIN is an Arkansas assembled vehicle state VIN number, not the factory one. Jack Crosby might be able to verify that.
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I just saw that it said 2005. That makes sense. This looks to me to be a well-equipped, factory-built Beck with low mileage and good condition.

A real find. I didn't see the price, though.

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It is a 4 speed. They are asking $24,900 for it. 

The vintage SOC badge came from someone on the site. I bet Carey will know the car. I hate to be Mr. Negative... but 24/25k ... Something seems to good to be true.

Ted 

The owner of the dealership owns this car. He has lowered the price in the last couple months from $28,900 to $24,900. I have not found another Beck in the area to compare. Some others that are newer or have older VW floor pans are going for $23,000 - $31K

I remember this car. If I'm not mistaken, it has a gasoline heater and roll up windows. I would climb all over this if you're at all interested.

It's not perfect-- but for the money you will never, ever, ever do better.

I don't think this one has a gas heater but it does have electric windows (see little black buttons in the door cards. 

 

Sorry guys, but Beck never built a Speedster with roll-up windows.  Only the convertible D and Cabriolet were so equipped.  In one picture you can clearly see the black rubber ferrule they used back then that the side curtain post fits into.  All that said, it still looks like an excellent deal with some nice extras.

Buy it if it checks out.

No chassis plate in the nose usually means it was NOT a factory build, rather built by an individual.  I am only aware of one of our speedsters that has electric roll up windows and it was sent as a "kit" to a group in Colorado called Boulder Speedster.  I never saw this finished product to know how well the windows worked or the quality of the finished product.  The problem with Boulder Speedster was cutting corners and eventually using cheaper non factory approved suppliers for engine and transaxles.  Not all of their builds were bad, but I personally fixed several of their builds that were not up to par.  The best thing for a Boulder built car (in my opinion) is a thorough inspection/PPI by a qualified mechanic.  It could be a GREAT build or you could be opening a can of worms... hard to tell.  If someone can get  me the 9 digit chassis number I will pull the file and see if my notes match my thoughts based the pictures and description...

While I don;t have anything in this price range (and almost never do), I do have a white /red Speedster, factory built and factory serviced, including a fresh engine out full service, for a few grand more (it is the cheapest used Speedster I've had in 10 years)

Like what Shelby is to Mustang or AMG is to Mercedes this car looks to be equipped with the Nardini package.

chines1 posted:

No chassis plate in the nose usually means it was NOT a factory build, rather built by an individual.  I am only aware of one of our speedsters that has electric roll up windows and it was sent as a "kit" to a group in Colorado called Boulder Speedster.  I never saw this finished product to know how well the windows worked or the quality of the finished product.  The problem with Boulder Speedster was cutting corners and eventually using cheaper non factory approved suppliers for engine and transaxles.  Not all of their builds were bad, but I personally fixed several of their builds that were not up to par.  The best thing for a Boulder built car (in my opinion) is a thorough inspection/PPI by a qualified mechanic.  It could be a GREAT build or you could be opening a can of worms... hard to tell.  If someone can get  me the 9 digit chassis number I will pull the file and see if my notes match my thoughts based the pictures and description...

While I don;t have anything in this price range (and almost never do), I do have a white /red Speedster, factory built and factory serviced, including a fresh engine out full service, for a few grand more (it is the cheapest used Speedster I've had in 10 years)

Thanks for the information. Where is the 9 digit chassis number located? I will be seeing the car again today and will get it and give you a call.

It is stamped on the center tunnel on all cars.  You'll have to remove the carpeted piece of fiberglass between the seat belt receivers to access it.

I pulled my notes on the "roll up window" car and it was built for a Mr Pat Haugh.  We built it to a "deluxe kit" and the rest was done by Boulder Speedster, including the roll up windows.  It was shipped to Pat in Maine and that is the last I heard of it until this post.

I found photos of it being shipped to Colorado with a few other kits, as well as 2 pictures that Pat sent to me when he got the car delivered by Boulder.

Looks just like the Baron. Can't tell from this shot, but the interior looks to be the same tan. As Carey says, might be a real peach, and might be something less.  Need a full inspection to reveal.

Personally I'd look at the 2005 Carey has for around $30k.  I like the colors better.  And you know its going to be right if you get it from SE.  Piece of mind has to be worth a few thousand. 

Lane Anderson posted:

Sorry guys, but Beck never built a Speedster with roll-up windows.  Only the convertible D and Cabriolet were so equipped.  In one picture you can clearly see the black rubber ferrule they used back then that the side curtain post fits into.  All that said, it still looks like an excellent deal with some nice extras.

http://www.stasales.com/vehicl...84c86935f57bc4b75d0/

Look at this picture, Lane. That slot in the top of the driver side door? That side window peeking up on the passenger side? Those sure look like roll-ups to me… 

Yup, you're right.  I shouldn't attempt to sound knowledgeable after looking at a cell-phone-sized picture.  Doh!

It definitely has role up windows.  Just not installed by SE.  I'd definitely get a professional inspection before purchase.

No blood, no foul, Lane. I made the same mistake looking at a little-bitty picture of an analog calipers yesterday. (BTW: the big hand is on the 10, the little hand is on the 4. That must be 10:04, correct?)

Anyhow, I think I corresponded with the original owner while I was having mine built at the same time this one was being built. I believe the connection was the roll-up windows and the gasoline heater. If you look in the engine compartment,  I believe there is a gasoline heater sitting back there as well (that is not mentioned in the ad). The original owner was sort of unrealistic in his expectations. Knowing Carey wasn't the guy who did the windows, etc. might explain that to me 10 years after the fact.

Regardless-- problems or not, that's a lot of car for $25K. 

So are the black door grommets for side curtains just more faux replica?  How would the glass ever seal to the speedster windshield frame.  I can now see either a gas heater or at least a heater blower booster in the rear engine bay.

I agree with Phil, I'd try to see what the used car from Carey could be had for but it does not take long to spend a few K$ and your not done when there are many unknowns on a used car. 

And the roll-up windows don't appear to have any rubber around the glass, allowing them to rattle around and water to get down in the doors.  Stick with side curtains or make some nice lexan windows.

We did put a refundable deposit on the car. We are having a VW mechanic sort through it (thanks for the checklist on the site). The power windows are weid. After putting them up you have to install a bracket around them using the window curtain holes. This reduces leaks... The top looks like new, so do the side curtains with the original plexiglass stickers not removed. Car drove pretty well. Needs a little tweak on the carbs. The dealer is going to change all fluids, check the brakes and a few things I found before it goes over for an outside mechanical review. Will let you know what develops. 

Thanks for all the advice. Finding this group has been really helpful. If you have anything in Orange County CA let me know. Tony

Good luck Tony... Keep us informed here... 

Speedster "D" 

@TonyM  I assume you got the car?  I had a call from CHP this morning to verify the chassis number and build details.

We have not finalized everything yet. The car checked out with a mechanic I found. Everything in working order. A couple of minor touch up on the paint and another inspection by us sometime in the next week and we will probably get it. 

@TonyM - FWIW, I'm also in Irvine (Turtle Rock) and have been using a VW shop in Mission Viejo for the past 20 years. It's Unique Imports on Alicia & Jeronimo. The owner (Chip) is a friend a of mine. If you get this car, I would highly recommend Unique Imports for your maintenance. He has quite a few other Speedster owners as clients.