IM Build

Got some pics from Henry of the build. Depressed that I won't be able to caravan to Carlisle with the East Coast Group thats meeting in CT in the AM because my car wont be done till July, but glad to see progress anyway. Have Fun in PA...

The madness has begun.. by the looks of the body, and frame thus far I take it you are going for a traditional drivetrain and suspension..Have you finalized anything yet or are you still in the planning stages?

I have finalized I guess. I am going with a 2110 motor. What were you thinking water cooled or something else? I am not well versed in this stuff. I just drive em, wash em, wax em and then I Drink beer and sit and look at them. I do love the sound of an air cooled engine though!

I prefer the more stock set up myself, I even went with dual carbs just for the sound they make as much as the difference in performance..keep us posted..

I know many guys are putting Subaru engines in their cars, and that is a good solution if you don't want to go air cooled.

I have a Subaru in mine - in my Impreza, that is.

In my IM, I stayed with an air cooled setup, as that is more true to the original car.

Find an old German mechanic to do your maintenance if you can't do it yourself, and all is well.

So Robert your a Subaru guy too. Cool. Same here. I've had my share of Imprezas. Love the motors to death.

Personally I'm down with both AC and Watercooled. The way I see it is I'll be able to spend significantly more seat time in the wasser.

I haven't driven a subie powered tub yet but I hear i'ts amazing..better than sex'

Definately better than moose sex...

angela

I'm a skeptic of Barne's claim.

Except for admitting you have a Subaru engine in your speedster, I can't see a downside to going water cooled.
If I were to do it again I'd definitely go water cooled.
Chris, if you don't like to tinker you may not like owning an air cooled speedster.
Ron

Ron, I love the Air-cooled sound. Had a 1997 IM before and sold it to buy a 95 911 convert. I found it to be showy and boring.... No character... So now I sold that and I am looking forward to Another air cooled IM. As far as tinkering, one of my best buddies services my cars and he is very good with the air cooled stuff...I'm sure the Subaru water cooled is awesome, but just not for me....

Ok maybe as good as bad sex.

Bad Sex? What's that....I've never had bad sex before...

We had a bunch of Suby's at Carlisle. When one went slowly past in the hotel parking lot, most people there couldn't tell the difference in the sound of the engine. Peter Venuti overtook and passed us on the trip home (we were both traveling solo) and I thought it was a regular AC until I saw who was driving..... A boxer engine is a boxer engine.

Let me ask a real dumb question then. Does a water cooled engine have the plug in for the OBD? So can it pass emissions verus the hoops you have to go through with an Air Cooled Motor?
Now you have me thinking........

Oh yeah Vin'.. I forgot there's no such thing as bad sex in Malibu Surf City.

boxers rule. Low COG for the win

Yes.. OBD2 plug. Allows you to 'tune'/ diagnose your motor.

There's a HUGE aftermarket for parts and tuning Subarus. If you go turbo the sky is the limit.

SAS is registered as a current model. You have to smog them

No hoops for air cooled speedsters up here. They are registered as a 'kit', and are exempt from emissions testing.

The subie's sound more like air-cooled flat 4's than, say a water-cooled in-line four. The fact that it is a flat (though water-cooled) four seems to weigh in quite a bit in the sound department.

If 'fiddling' is not your game - go subie.

angela

Barne,

You may be out of the current CA registration loop. I registered my SAS turbo with CA DMV in Jan. 2012 under SB100 "specially constructed vehicle" registration procedure. The vehicle is now smog-exempt for life.

that would be fantastic if I could sb100 mine. NO smog ever. Love that idea

Although in our area (rural CA) your only required to smog your car once while you own it. So if you keep it for life..it's smogged for life..OR when you sell it. Of course you would have to smog it to legally sell it

So who had sex with a moose?

Thanks for all of the input on the Subie Motor option.. I have decided to switch my build to a Subaru motor with Henry. A few things have to happen, but that looks like the way its going. Now I won't have a car for the summer, but I believe it will all be worth it in the end. For anyone looking to build or a buy a Speedtser or a Rodaster, I can't say enough about Henry from Intermeccanica. The cars are fantastic quality!!!! The Service is even better....

I have been speaking with him for about 3 years and he is more than accomodating with all of my requests and changes etc. He and I finally found a way to get me the right Roadster for what I am looking for. I plan to keep this car for the duration so based on all of your input and my discussions with Henry I know this is the right way to go.... Thanks Again! Maybe I'll make it to Carlsisle next year and actually with a car...

Chris:

I concur completely with your description of Henry. He not only builds a fantastic car, he becomes your friend in the process, and remains that way afterwards.

Anglea....SMOOCH.... thanks for loving Soobs. I drove from Ontario, Canada to Daytona, picked up my Wife at the airport and we did eight days in Fla and hitting Key West, got everything done people warn you about, up to St.Augustine, then Carlisle and again got the long distance driven award all on a low bux $2,500 conversion. Round trip including excursions along the way...about 4,500 miles. Please note that my car is a very old IM...on the road in 1983 for the first time. I bought it in late 2010 with 8,500 miles on it. Tonight it shows 36,404 . Only this last trip with the Soob. At Carlisle, Henry came over at my request and gave it a looksee to trouble shoot a slight cooling issue. He gave me a thumbs up for the home baked conversion. I've only spoke to him at two Carlisle events...about six times in all. He's very genuine and straight forward at any level you can talk to him at.

Hi Chris,

If Henry is going to install en EJ2.2 it will likely be ODBI so while there is a plug the information obtained is minimal. As you may recall I

Thanks Peter. I appreciate othe info. I'll be in touch down the road once I get closer.