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Frequent driver?

FM Former Member
Hey there everyone! I have researched Speedster replica's for a few years now and have been in love with them since I was a kid. After getting rid of my 350Z last year I am looking to possibly take the leap into something with unique beauty and classic appeal with hopefully modern day reliability. So, with that said I have a few questions for those of you that have been able to drink in this beautiful car in any of it's form's from replica, kit, or original.

First question is for those of you with a replica "pan or tube based" what are your feelings on driving this car 3-8K miles a year? I live in Atlanta and love to have the top down as much as possible and even though I am dying to have a speedster of my own I actually want to drive it! What are your thoughts and generally speaking, how is the ride? Being in Atlanta the possibility of being able to test drive one is going to be pretty slim.

Second question is pricing and availability via dealers. I am not quite pulling in the scratch that I once was so I am not going to be able to get one built exactly the way I want. I have seen a few Beck models out west that look to be stellar and have everything I want with a price tag about 5-10K less then straight out the Beck front door. I see a ton of Beck's and other reputable built cars for sale with only 1-5K miles. What's the deal? Looks like great cars with a decent deal but, why are they being sold so soon?

Thoughts?

Thanks guys..and ladies!!

-Chase
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FM Former Member
Hey there everyone! I have researched Speedster replica's for a few years now and have been in love with them since I was a kid. After getting rid of my 350Z last year I am looking to possibly take the leap into something with unique beauty and classic appeal with hopefully modern day reliability. So, with that said I have a few questions for those of you that have been able to drink in this beautiful car in any of it's form's from replica, kit, or original.

First question is for those of you with a replica "pan or tube based" what are your feelings on driving this car 3-8K miles a year? I live in Atlanta and love to have the top down as much as possible and even though I am dying to have a speedster of my own I actually want to drive it! What are your thoughts and generally speaking, how is the ride? Being in Atlanta the possibility of being able to test drive one is going to be pretty slim.

Second question is pricing and availability via dealers. I am not quite pulling in the scratch that I once was so I am not going to be able to get one built exactly the way I want. I have seen a few Beck models out west that look to be stellar and have everything I want with a price tag about 5-10K less then straight out the Beck front door. I see a ton of Beck's and other reputable built cars for sale with only 1-5K miles. What's the deal? Looks like great cars with a decent deal but, why are they being sold so soon?

Thoughts?

Thanks guys..and ladies!!

-Chase
Lane AndersonLane AndersonMt. Pleasant, SC Supporting Member
A lot of Speedsters are bought by folks who want a cool, classic-looking car, but who really need something like a Miata. These cars aren't that. Once they make that realization, the cars are up for sale. That's actually how many folks on this board got great cars at excellent prices. While your 3-8k miles per year is easily achievable (I average about 6k), these cars generally require a higher level of owner involvement than a modern car, and most have fewer creature comforts. Those are actually attractions for many of us.

I said all that to give you a reality check. In truth, you CAN get modern drive trains from many of the builders, but it will cost you a bit more. I urge you to do plenty of research, and I STRONGLY suggest that you come to Carlisle, PA (look in the Events forum for details) and check out many cars side by side. Also, the Beck folks, Henry Reisner from Intermeccanica, and John Steele from JPS will be there with cars. Possibly also Tom McBurnie from Thunder Ranch. If you can't make that trip, a shorter one over here to Charleston would allow you to check out my car, or one up to Lake Lure (near Asheville, NC) would let you check out Aaron White's Beck.
Tom BlankinshipTom Blankinship2010 Beck-Dearborn, MI
Chase, I'm a happy Beck owner that put over 4K miles on mine in the first year in Michigan. My thoughts:

1) You can drive it every day
2) When it rains, you will get a little wet
3) It rides like an old sports car
4) The specialty insurers, Hagerty, Grundy, etc., won't insure for daily driving, but Geico did for me
5) I'm still working (will stop in June), so I had the coin to customize to my liking.
6) Your tennis bag will fit in the backseat area with the top up and on the passenger side seat or floor with the top down. There's only enough room up front for tools with the spare tire onboard.

Carlisle is coming up in May. I, and others would recommend that you show up and check out all the brands and talk to the owners there. It would be the most efficient recon trip that you could make.
FM Former Member
Chase, several of us here have alternative cars, which we ignore most of the time, and drive our Speedsters regularly. Jim Ignacio drives his everywhere, I drive mine unless it's snowing, and there are many other examples.
Lane's right. There is much more owner involvement with one of these tubs -- but if you go into it knowing it's a hobby, you'll be okay. There are at least two Speedster fans near you.

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Gordon NicholsGordon NicholsMassachusetts 1993 CMC Supporting Member
Refering to your question of "Why are there so many low-mileage, several-year-old cars being sold?"

Some people buy these little cars thinking that they are as refined and reliable as a recent Mazda Miata. They are not. The technology has rarely kept up and they are mostly newly built cars based on 1950's-1960's technology. Modern disk brakes have been added and electronic ignitions, but that's about it and many of us prefer them that way. People buy them and bring them home and take their spouse or spouse-equivalent (SE) for a ride and it's too windy, too smelly, too bumpy, too you-name-it. She/he doesn't really like to ride in it, He/she doesn't want to just take off for a ride without the SE along, so the car just sits for a year or two until it's put up for sale - usually with less than 1,000 miles on the clock.

There have been some departures from the old technology; Cars built by SAS in Knoxville and some cars from Intermeccanica and Beck have included modern engines and drive trains, some have power windows, some have air conditioning and so forth.

Again, the best place to see, touch and learn about ALL of these cars (both the "old" and the "new") is at Carlisle, PA in May.

Gordon
The Speedstah Guy from Beaufort

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P pauleric
Chase,

I am driving my speedster down to Atlanta Thursday night. Ill be at Road Atlanta all weekend if youd like to swing by and check it out. Ill be parked next to my brothers '59 356A coupe. Might be cool to compare the two side by side. Let me know if youd like to meet up. We usually start off the morning at Oakleaf & Acorn. Its my other brothers shop just south of Road Atlanta in Braselton GA. If you dont want to pay to get in to the race you could always swing by the shop.

I put close to 10K on my car every year. I cant afford to own a car that i cant drive.

Paul

paulericrich at yahoo . com

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FM Former Member
Everyone, freaking outstanding feedback! I have owned Wrangler's and a 66' Mustang that was a driver/show car and was a member of forums for both of them and I have to say that they do not hold water to you guys!! I can not say enough about the kick ass feedback. I wish I could come to Carlisle in May but, I will be in a tennis tournament so that's going to have me tied down. Is this a once a year event?

I figured that some of the folks with the modern sports cars probably did not quite get the pampered effect from a car that was designed in the 50's. Isn't that kinda the point! LOL

Paul, thanks for the info and the offer. I am heading to NC Saturday morning for a wedding. Trust me when I say that I would much rather be up at Road Atlanta checking out the rides and having a beer then sitting at a boring ass wedding! Let me know when the next event is being held around Atlanta and I will swing by.

All, I am going to continue to study up, read, research and maybe occasionally throw some questions out there and hopefully slide into one of these Dean machines "I know it was a roadster :-) " in the next 5-10 months! Thanks you all!!

-Chase
D dinubadave
I think a lot of buyers of these little guys have alternate means of transportation, consequently, they are used for weekends when the wheather is right. If you're like me, weekends get tied up pretty quickly; between places to go, events to attend, friends, and family, it's rare that most have a weekend open. Consequently, it's not rare to see these little guys with low mileage.

On the other hand, I was after mine for several years, I had just bought a new Vette, triple black convertable, when it became available. That was back in November. I've driven my Vette less than 50 miles and I've driven the speedster about 1,000 miles, with a big smile on my face everytime. There is no comparison of the two vehicles, the new Vettes are unbelievable, but I love driving this little guy. Go figure!
MusbJimMusbJim'14 VS SoCal Supporting Member
Chase- you already have one foot firmly planted on the slippery slope to 'The Madness'! As Lane once put it with reference to wanting a replicar Speedster..."...resistance is FUTILE"!

This site is not only a great source of information (given to you whether you want it or not) but an even better source of entertainment, and a watering hole for some great people.

You will also discover, as many others on this site have, that besides becoming your FAVORITE mode of transportation and no matter where you go, this little Speedster will ALWAYS be the crowd pleaser. In my neighborhood, Lambos, Ferraris, Porsches, Bentleys are a dime-a-dozen, but whenever I'm cruising through any of the beach towns alongside any of the aforementioned rides, the Speedster ALWAYS gets the thumbs-up from passing motorists and pedestrians! Too much fun!

My car is my daily driver and I would have no other way ('95 Vintage with 125,000Km+)!

Best of luck in your Speedster endeavor!



edsnovaedsnovaBaltimore - BCW 52 MG TD Supporting Member
Dude, don't do it!!! These people are lame and their cars are all overpriced VW crap! Don't believe anything they say; they are all ghey as Richard Simmons and probably bed-wetters too! G. H. E. Y. I tell you!! And Recruiting! Just look at the sick photos they post.

What you want is a NICE car. An MG TD replica. Those are nice cars, and there's room in 'em for your tennis shit or golf shit or whatever too. They're cheaper, rarer, cooler looking and, most importantly, they are driven by men who do not usually wear women's panties.


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Gordon NicholsGordon NicholsMassachusetts 1993 CMC Supporting Member
So, according to "MUSB", his car shares the neighborhood tarmac with, and I quoth: "Lambos, Ferraris, Porsches, Bentleys"

What the hell kind of neighborhood does he live in????

This guy must have some seriously healed neighbors.

In my neighborhood, heah in the Deep South and only 10 minutes from the famous "Secession House", my Speedy shares the road mostly with Redneck pickups (gun racks, loud pipes and all), a few SUV's and a bunch of Toyota Camrys and Ford Probes. And all we have are my F250 diesel (a good, half-Redneck truck) and a lowly Taurus (an "SE"model....Not even an "LE"!!)

Guess I gotta head to the Right (left) coast!!

Gonna start calling him "Mister MUSBJIM"!!

;>)
MusbJimMusbJim'14 VS SoCal Supporting Member
in the neighborhood next to my digs live a few of the players from the LA Dodgers and Angels, a little further up the hill is Kobe Bryant, Carl Malone, and few other sports figures. Cruising through Newport Beach, Corona Del Mar and Laguna Beach I've exchanged high-sign with Ken Norton (ex-Boxing Champ), Barry Meguiar (car products), Dan Gurney (racing champ) and a few other celebrities. I've bumped into Jesse James (ex-Mr Sandra Bullock), Chip Foose, John Force (Dragster) at local car shows.

Then, there are just a LOT of rich bastards in this area of Orange County, SoCal. It helps that there is a row of high-end car dealerships just up the road (Bentley, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Tesla, Porsche, Land Rover, etc).

I'm just some poor schlub that enjoys cruising around in my VS taking in the sights!

Chase -you hit the nail on the head about this site. Its like sitting on your back porch shooting the sh** with a bunch of your buds!

Just as a matter of FYI, Chase - NEVER lend Vince your helmet, clogs, thong or flame-thrower, because you'll NEVER get them back...


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