I.M. 2003 speedster

Looks great!

Max, I can just picture you in your uber-cool Speedster cruising on that road. Too much fun in the Sequoias!

Ah.  You bought Scott Sloan's speedster.  I always thought that was one of the most unique of Henry's creations, and had wondered who ended up with it.

Are those wheels painted silver, or are they Alex Biven's aluminum wheels?

That is one of the coolest non-flared speedsters I have seen...

I love "outlaws"

Thanks all for the nice reply's . Terry the driving lights are mounted to flat rolled steel painted black, they go under the front apron & bolt into the frame. I can take some pictures next time I'm there if you want to see the arrangement.

Vinny I agree Outlaws have always been a favorite of mine, I remember seeing Gary Emory's outlaw Coupes back maybe 30 + years ago .....Very cool Dude & cars.

Bob the wheels are Techno Magnesium made in Italy. They are magnesium alloy combined with aluminum. A little heavier than the original Techno's at 15 lbs but stronger, they are 5"x 15". I would have to agree on this being one of my favorites of Henry's. A very well thought out build, wonderful to look at & even more fun to drive. A great balance of design & power.

Yeah, that would be great !

Max - I have about the same mileage on my car, with the same carbs, and I just recently had to replace both float needle valves.  Gotta be the ethanol.

Almost forgot...  I really love that car.  Glad to see it's not going to disappear.

That is the car I stared at daily before I made the jump.  Coolest color ever, and no extra crap to screw up the view.

LTL

I had the same experience, I looked at this car many times over the course of a year, when I called Scott back after a year had lapsed & discovered it still for sale I had to go & see the car. Once there ( Vancouver Wa.) I was immediately smitten with the car. After seeing it in person & once behind the wheel I was hooked, actually I was hooked even before I drove it, just being a passenger while scott drove I new it was all over. I left my Toyota Tacoma with Scott & drove the I.M. home to Tiburon ca. & flew back after a week to pick up the truck. 

I've been bidding on this Aston Martin, I liked it a lot, just not willing to pull the trigger for what they wanted....Local car (Orange Co.) It would have required selling the tub, (& the XLR)  not quite ready to do that just yet....but I always look.....

The recent crop of Astons Martins are probably the most beautiful cars on the road.  More power to yah, Vinny!

Buying a used Aston is one thing.  Paying for the maintenance and repairs is another.

Been to a number of road ralley's related to the concours events I judge and the Aston owners are very positive about their cars as every day drivers. They claim the maintanance is very low...This is however the main reason I haven't purchased one to date....I don't really see one in my future, but I still look, they are my favorite..

I realize this is a Speedster/Roadster/Spyder site, but I'm bored with you guys at the moment....

With the wheels on that Aston, just add a wide brimmed hat and a fur scarf, and you'll fit right in to your local ghetto cruise.

Bob, I live in L.A.  not the "Hood" but close.....

One of my favourite Seinfeld episodes.

I have solutions for boredom.  

Glad to see Scott's old IM out and about.  I've probably got more pictures of that car than any other single speedster out there.  Definately one of my favorites.  I have THAT car in particular to blame for us having FOUR speedster projects out at the shop...  Scott gave my handsome husband, Steve a ride, and that was it.  Steve wants one in the worst way...

angela 

Here is a proper one! 

I'd rather have a vintage one. Probably more maintenance though. 

Max,can you please give us your comparison between your IM and a "real" speedster? Do the real speedsters have a lot of "scuttle shake" or are the replicas IM's comparable in how "solid" they feel compared to each other?

 I have a Beck and love it,it has minimal scuttle shake for "what it is",I had a TR4 as a youngster and remember that having similar feel. How do they compare? 

I don't know about other makes, but my IM (which is a pan car) has a seriously stiff chassis.  It feels as stiff, or stiffer than my (now sold) Miata track car.

Please forgive my ignorance, but what the fock is "Scuttle Shake".....

And, I would guess that there is "No" resemblance between an IM and any real speedster...

but what the hell do I know....

You won't be disappointed with the I.M. Speedster. Its been a few years since I owned the original 58 Speedster but will try to do the comparison.  It was a beautiful example with original unrusted floors & perfect original body. I really liked the way the original Speedster suspension felt, very compliant but very solid. It was equipped with koni's & as I recall the original suspension height. It had s 62 S90 engine with 1720 upper end & 44IDF Webers. It was fairly quick. 

The I.M. has a stiffer ride even though now equipped with Koni's which I have set soft on the front & medium on the rear. To further improve the ride I have added Tecno Magnesium wheels with 185/60/15 Michelins. The main difference between the two suspensions is that the I.M. has an IRS rear suspension as opposed to the swing axle with the orig. Speedster. I have the I.M. set somewhat lower than my original so that may account for some of the stiffer ride. Having said that I still think the original suspension is more forgiving & is especially noticeable on an irregular surface. 

The I.M. is notably faster with 145hp vs 90hp . The I.M. engine is the 2110 Type1 VW built by Pat Downs of CB Performance. The 2110 is a wonderful engine in every way , beautifully balanced with torque & useable HP from 2k rpm up thru 5500 rpm.  It runs cooler than the S90 with much more usable HP &  smoother overall performance. I have just around 34k miles on the engine so time will tell if it will give the same longevity as the original S90 . Pat Downs says with proper care it should go to 100k or more & that would compare nicely to the Porsche factory motors. Of course the 2110 has some advantages with it later technology , full flow oil system, external oil cooler , etc. 

The gearboxs are wonderful in both examples, with the I.M.having a shorter shift gate & taller 4th gear for more relaxed highway cruising. The I.M. is notably noisier in 4th gear compared to the original Speedster gearbox.

Both example feel similar when behind the wheel, very solid & firm. The one piece body of the I.M. which is then bonded & riveted to the tubular chassis compares nicely to the steel unibody of the Original Speedster. The fit & finish on the I.M. is very impressive. The gaps on all closing panels are as good as those from Reutter & the doors & lids close with a sound & click as good as those produced in Stuttgart back in the day. Of course if you love the mystic of the original steel bodies , produced by wonderful craftsmen of Reutter along with the rich heritage of the Porsche Family & all the rich history of those connected to the Factory then there can be no comparison. But realistically many cannot afford the real Speedsters at their current prices so the replicas are a wonderful way to enjoy the pleasures of yesteryears, with the I.M. creating the perfect illusion of my Walter Mitty Fantasy. 

In closing I would like to add I purchased my I.M. because its FUN TO DRIVE, ITS QUALITY BUILT, & ITS GORGEOUS & ITS AFFORDABLE. 

Max,

Did Henry source your new wheels? 

Tecnomagnesio wheels

 Max,thank you for that great insight,it is nice to know that we can experience somewhat the same thing without all the headaches (rust) that go with a real one!

Vinny,I beg to differ,

 Since these cars are pretty similar in some regards,my Beck has the

 same or very similar;

1. wheelbase

2. track width

3. rear torsion bar suspension

3. front torsion bar suspension albeit balljoint

4. same swing axle setup

5. engine/trans layout- Boxer 4

6. within 60 lbs. weight of the original

  It is more similar to a real one than just looks,

 I can understand if you built a Fiero-rrari replica,THAT is NOTHING alike,but even Max has said they are pretty similar in ways.

 BTW,"scuttle shake"is a term used to describe what some convertibles or flimsy cars do when hitting a bump,the car flexes and the doors/body shake a little....I would think every person here feels it with these plastic tubs!

'Scuttle' shake even has its own Wikipedia page:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scuttle_shake

You may know it as 'cowl' shake. My old first gen Miata had just a touch, but they stiffened the chassis in the second and third gen cars to reduce it.

You and your butt sit in the back half of the car, but the steering wheel is connected to the front half, so you feel it in your arms as a sideways motion of the wheel on rough roads.

I still haven't driven a recent VS and was wondering how one compares to the old Miata this way.

Dam, all this Miata talk, I wish I still had my Gremlin.

My VS has crazy Scuttle Shake over rough roads.  Never been in a Miata but I imagine the scuttle shake I've experienced in my YS is much more than any recent production cars.

My Beck has some cowl/scuttle shake, but I've driven real (as in non-replica)convertibles that were worse.  Mike Lempert's Austin Healey 100 is worse, as is every Triumph TR-6 I've ever driven.

James Bond doesn't "beg", & although my memory does NOT serve me well any longer, my experience in a real speedster combined with all the Bugs/Ghia's I have owned lead me to believe that these tubs are not much like the originals even though they are mechanically similar, although my first VS was the closest...my current tub

is a monster in comparison & certinally more similar than a Miata, but that's like comparing apples to oranges....or Gerd to Marty.....for example

Both fruits :-)

 I asked this question of Max,since I have related my same story to 356 owners on teh Samba,and mentioned that it is liberating to be able to drive it around,near the ocean/in the rain,and when I get home,I just park it and I do not need to worry about rust and if anything breaks it is PENNIES to fix compared to a real one.... I would be scared to park a real one anywhere,let alone drive it in bad weather due to the 100K + price tag....

 One guy said he wished  he could take his out whenever he liked,but admitted that it is a lot of upkeep to keep it in pristine condition.....wiping it down after every drive,etc,etc,...