Beck Pre-A

Greg Leach is about to introduce one Phil. We've talked on the phone about it. I'm hoping he gets it to Carlisle. He pulled the molds from a real coupe.

Carey can do bee hives & shine down

> On Mar 2, 2015, at 6:12 PM, SpeedsterOwners.com <alerts@hoop.la> wrote:
>

The gauges are different too.  Still shouldn't be an issue.

Yes Danny but I think Greg's car is a coupe.  Definitely thinking convertible.  Thanks Tom.  I'm no expert but seems main differences are  bee hives, shine down license plate and gauge cluster.  Think the conv top is also different.  I'm sure there are more differences.

As for a Pre-A, that's the way I am going with my IM6, plus some other little modifications. 

 

I like the beehives and the simple dash, and I bought a Pre-A starter button, after seeing a photo of a 'real' Pre-A dash that Gordon posted a while ago.

 

Henry and his lads are hard at work on the body these days, and I can't wait to push that starter button for the first time!

 

Most pre-A replicas are A-type bodies with pre-A styled trim.  If you look at a real pre-A Speedster you'll see that the body turns under that car more and the wheel arches (or at least the rear) are a bit different.

Phil,

I have had the same urge for a Pre-A Speedster. The gauges will run you about $1000-$2000 with the idiot lights -- I think Carey has done this too.

 

I can help with original style 16" wheels -- there are original style centers available (not like the ones on my Spyder, but original style ones) that can be attached to steel 16" rim. Happy to help if you want to do that.

 

It's a nice look...

 

Wheel centers:

Two more Pre-A photos from Dana Point last year (I was responsible for lining all of the cars up!). This was a car that I saw before restoration; done in Speedster blue. Just a beautiful car. I believe it sold for $375,000.

 

 

Our standard configuration is based on the late '57 and '58 queues.  We also do a '55 pre-A as well as a '56 (early '57). I'd say the '56 layout is more popular than the '55. Think of the '56 as the '55 exterior with the '58 interior.
Personally I really like the dash layout of the '55, I just don't like the lack of a fuel gauge.

Thanks for info guys.  Love my IM conv D but that Pre A outlaw speedy beckons.

C'mon Phil...BECKons? Hardy har...

IM impressed.

Sorry Phil, I now realize you wanted a Speedy not a coupe.

While we are on the subject of old styles, does anybody know what this is?  I saw this at the very end of a concourse show near Seattle a few years ago.  The guy was loading up and heading home so the pics I got were pretty fast.  The oddest part was the interior, which I have a pic of here through the window -- not very good.  Gauges pretty different, banjo wheel, and that is a center mounted push-button radio in there w/ a big speaker integral.  Wheels pretty different, and square brake lights -?-.  Is this for real, or somebody's make-over?  The fellow said something about it being a '52.  Also said it had the original tires -!!-  I sad, No sh##, and he said yeah, he only drove about 40 feet per year -- i.e., on and off the trailer.

Goofy replica

> On Mar 2, 2015, at 10:19 PM, SpeedsterOwners.com <alerts@hoop.la> wrote:
>

I'm pretty sure it was real steel, as they say.

They look like white painted "beauty rings" if you ask me. The color is slightly off from the outermost part of the wheel.

That's not a replica.  That's a Model 52 Reutter Cabriolet according to The 356 Porsche - A Restorer's Guide to Authenticity.

Carey posted:

 

"Personally I really like the dash layout of the '55, I just don't like the lack of a fuel gauge."

 

Gee, that's what makes life exciting.  We all need a little stress once in a while. 

 

well you could always put a snowmobile type swing gaz tank gauge in the gaz cap and then run a camera or mirror system into the car so that you can see the gaz gauge on your double DIN radio/tv display

Actually, the Pre-A dash has a low fuel warning light as part of the three warning light cluster.

 

That light can be set to come on at whatever level of fuel you choose, so it's only your own stupidity that should cause you to run out of gas - and we'll see how I do on that score...

Bob 

What is the difference in price between the Pre A gauges and the A gauges?

I think I found the bottom on nearly all my cars that I have owned... go figure.. my last roadster had a gauge that would look full for a long while ... then when it started to move it would drop real fast... found empty on that one too.

 

Phil

 

It's not just a matter of the price of the gauges.  The dash on a Pre-A is cut differently in terms of the holes for the gauges, so it would be difficult to convert an existing car - not that you are thinking of that.

 

When I discussed my IM6 with Henry, I decided at the start to go Pre-A, so Henry will have the dash holes cut for that look.  I don't know if his prices are different for a Pre-A or a 356 A Speedster.

 

http://intermeccanica.com/athi...cles/speedster-pre-a

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/...et-72157633971115341

I believe the radio in that beautiful Reutter is a Telefunken, an old tube radio, here advertised by Porsche and Hans Herman

 

 

One more piece of trivia and I promise I'll stop.  In 1963 Porsche bought out Ruetter and moved body construction in house.  Remaining assets not purchased by Porsche were used to start a sport car seat manufacturer named RECARO.

Taken from REutter and CAROsserie.

Carosserie means "vehicle body" 

Feb, 2015's Panorama has an article on a  Pre-A 356 Coupe, (1952).

 

Art

The best sound I've ever heard in an automobile was in the 1954 Buick of a friend of my Dad's (well, ok, so the Bose system in my Rogue constantly amazes me)...

 

Big Ol' tube-type Delco (Detroit Electric Company) radio in the dash, Honkin Big speaker filling a huge center of the dash, Big Mellow tones of Vaughn Monroe or Glenn Miller hitting your ear from real, vinyl records, back in the day.

 

That thing could even have made MP3's sound good...(and boy, do they need help).

While we are on subject of old 356 convertible thought I'd show one of the oldest and most interesting.  Porsche was unable to complete the Gmund cabs so they were completed by the Beutler brothers.  Not only did they complete the interiors and tops, they also significantly altered the bodies particularly the rear quarterpanels.  Kind of look like the first outlaws ever.

1948 Porsche 356/2 Gmund Beutler

 

 

Damn cool stuff there.  What's that silver thing in the background??

 

And Gordon:  The Telefunken in my old '56 Coupe (a 6 v system, BTW) was a tube radio.  Actually it was in two parts: the dash mounted tuner section and something else (amplifier??) in a metal box behind the floor board (it really was a board, as in made of wood).  Tubes in both units.  Had to find replacements now and then.  Finally it quit altogether.  Had to have a radio, so bought a modern type to replace.  w/ transistors and such.  Hmm,  . . . new one runs on 12 v.  So now what?  Got to buy a converter to make 6 v DC into 12 v DC.  Lots of dicking around, but I ended up w/ tunes!!

... and clearly, nobody at Porsche in those days could make up their minds about where to put the bee hives, or how many to use, or what.

That's a great eye.  The silver thing in the background??  Think that may be one of the 52 or 53 352 racers.  Even though the factory 51, 52 and 53 cars were made of steel in Germany the racers were actually aluminum Austrian Gmund cars.  They were used because of their lighter weight and better aerodynamics.  The 356 won an 1100 cc class win at LeMans in 1951 the first time Porsche raced at Le

Mans...ever.  Unfortunately Ferdinand Porsche died before he could witness his first Le Mans victory.  The 356 also had class victories in 52 and 53.  Dominance.

Sorry but I'm currently reading PORSCHE Origins of the Species so I've got Porsche history on the brain.

Phil:

 

Henry just sent me some photos of the mock up of my IM6 Pre-A dash.  The correct instruments and knobs aren't in place yet, but it shows the placement.  Everything looks rough for now.

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/...s/72157649830760802/

Assuming temp gauge not period correct.  But neither is your honking flat 6.

Looks like you have to pull trigger on colors pretty soon.  So, what's it gunna be?

 

Were waiting with baited breath... to see your true colours Bob...

Well, I do have a colour in mind, but it's not definite as yet.  For now, Henry just needs to know if I am going light or dark, for the light or dark primer.

 

As for 'period correct', no, that 3.6 certainly is not.  But it should be a lot of fun. 

 

Henry is also working on a revised speedometer for his builds.

 

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