*LongFella posted:TRP posted:Man, now would be the time to install the "rusty tubs" rear seat area... just saying.
Details? Link?
http://www.rustytubs.com/porsc...convertible-550.html
Don't let the url fool you. It's for a speedster. They are 'made to order' or done in a small batch type run.
Ted
Did a little work to my steering column. Got an old one, sanded and cleaned the crap out of it, and added several layers of paint. The steering column shaft is painted a color that will match the "off-white" color I've been using on my build...
Got a few update photos from Alex at Vintage Motorcars/Sypders on my body prep. Block sanding has begun! Can't wait to see the photos as it progresses through the stages and final paint!
Something to think about before painting.... What gauges do you plan to use?
I ask because VS drills three 110m dash gauge holes to fit Chinese 105mm replicas with a 5mm 911style rubber retainer gasket/spacer.
if you are planning to use the new VDO 356 period reproduction gauges ( the ones Beck or aiM sells) or refurbished originals, both are 100mm in diameter.... And to look right you will have to re-glass the larger VS gauge holes and re- drill smaller 100mm ones.
--- look at the difference 5 to 10 mm make.
I mocked this up a few months ago to visually see the difference...
- the tach is a Chinese replica 105mm, with the 911 style 5mm spacer gasket Kirk uses ( modified with VDO guts, original needle and center cap)
- combi gauge is refurbished original, 100mm from Feb 1957 (with painted rubber spacer, elastiwrap paint color matched to cars paint).
i will keep the Chinese replicas installed until next winter, or when I can find the time to try to have a local corvette shop re- glass/ re-paint/ re- drill the dash to fit the originals. The ring around the gauge bothers me... Even when color match to the cars paint.
.... It's a madness... I have been traveling for work for the past 6 weeks.... I can't wait to get home and start driving the speedy.
awesome progress... Can't wait to see more pics!
FYI- Here is a picture with the rubber spacer not painted to match the car. Holding an original 100mm gauge in the standard VS 110mm hole (actually in my car it's a 112mm hole).
... And another owners VS car with the new VDO gauges installed, and the same rubber gasket/ spacer. It's under 2mm of visible rubber, but it's very visible.
... I'm sure you already have this planned out and sorted, but figure I would ask just in case.
cheers,
Luis
My impression is that which ever way they're mounted they'll look just fine so long as they're 'consistent'....sort of like the wheels on the car...Which ever set is chosen is fine as long as THEY'RE THE SAME on all four corners!
Greg, Alex, and I have already had a few conversations around the gauges. I have a little bit of time, but need to make the decision if we have to reduce the gauge hole size to the proper 100mm. I really like the new gauges Vintage Motorcars/Spyder created, but I also want to stay as true to the original as possible... decisions, decisions, decisions...
The gauges Beck sells are VDO and the same as the original. The speedo is GPS so no cable and you can order the correct senders.
http://www.beckspeedster.com/b.../vdoinstruments.html
Those Subaru engineers are tricky devils........
*LongFella posted:Greg, Alex, and I have already had a few conversations around the gauges. I have a little bit of time, but need to make the decision if we have to reduce the gauge hole size to the proper 100mm. I really like the new gauges Vintage Motorcars/Spyder created, but I also want to stay as true to the original as possible... decisions, decisions, decisions...
If you really like them, use them. Remember that it's a detail almost no one will notice, and no matter what you do and how faithful you stay to the original, it doesn't have a P vin #. 99 out of 100 (or maybe even 999/1,000) people will admire what you've built, but there'll be no satisfying that 1 person because it's fiberglass and not a "real" Speedster. Have fun with it and build what you want. That's what these cars are about! Al
X2 what Al said.
X2 what Luis said...eeer, I guess that's X3 what Al said?
You'll never placate the purists, and there's no reason to. You're sitting in the enviable cat-bird seat!... Just drive it and enjoy it
if u want purists join the PCA club, there are some anal mofos there
When I first got my Speedster I drove it into our little town's annual Frontier Days celebration where they had a number of cars on display. I hadn't intended on showing it but I parked in the display field anyway, got out the Quik Detailer and rags, and cleaned it up in about five minutes.
I was amazed at the response. This was central Illinois, the middle of the middle, and pure American muscle territory.
People enjoyed seeing the car with the exception of one guy who proceeded to tear it apart verbally to my face. I listened and acknowledged his accurate comments, corrected the wrong ones and held myself in check. He was a pompous ass trying to demonstrate his knowledge (limited) and showing off for his friends, but he had done me a favor. (He did not, nor ever had owned a Porsche of any type up to that point, but felt an obligation to "set things straight about kit cars".)
It was right then that I realized that whatever I did to my car had to be for me, and, for me, the attempt at making it exactly true to the originals was over.
Was I being dishonest and trying to fool people or was the Holy Grail of authenticity a quest that would be a joy to make? For me, authenticity was becoming an unobtainable burden, and only brought me angst instead of pleasure.
No more worrying about the correctness of the rear license plate mounting screws.
How much to move the handbrake?
Do I buy that crusty antique oil filter and the additional $100.00 mounting bracket? What if I don't get it at exactly the right place on the shroud?
I moved over to the Stan Galat camp. I have never displayed the car since, and I have adopted, with changes, the adage ( borrowed from that terrible movie "Love Story"):
"Abandoning authenticity means never having to say 'I'm sorry' "
I'm not sorry because, with all due respect, I don't care what others think about my toy. I am here because I like Speedsters. I enjoy the banter. I appreciate the technical help and advice. I think the forum helps keep the swindlers, con men and thieves in check while promoting the good guys and gals who provide goods and services to the hobby. And, on occasion, perhaps I can make a contribution to somebody else in our community.
Do what you want. Authentic, whatever, but don't expect universal applause!
Nice write up Bob - I am in your camp - I have both a Speedster project and a TD replica and have decided long ago to steal ideas from everyone's cars that I like and add my own but in the end only do what I want. Kit cars and replicas are what they are and even the local Chevy Muscle hot rods with fiberglass bodies have to realize the same thing - it's a replica - relax, drive and enjoy.
Notice how many more Super Sports, COPO's and Shelby's there are than were ever produced. Heck, who cares.
Yeah, MUSBJIM has a sign as well.
I hadn't had the car long enough to either think I needed a sign or that I would need one.
Tom, we love you no matter what kind of engine is in your car. Are you joining the Subaru car club as well?
I attended the 2011 Hilton Head Island Concours with my Beaufort, SC, club as part of "Car Club Day", which is always held on Saturday, with the wicked-fancy judged Concours held on Sunday. I parked alongside a dirt access road that had golf carts occasionally running up and down, shuttling people to the various tents. The car next to me was the black, 2000 Corvette of a fellow club member. He was brushing that thing off about every 15-20 minutes with a California Car Duster, while I dusted my pearl white car once, just before the Spectator judging started. This was in the days when I still had my sheepskin seat covers, but the rest of the car was about what it is today.
Anyway, to my surprise (because I almost never enter it into a judged show) I won "Best European Convertible" by the show spectators:
So I drove down that same dusty cart path to the pavilion and the blue-shirt guy asks me to tell about my car so I told the crowd that it was a replica of a '57 Porsche, built on a '69 VW sedan chassis with a 2-liter engine. Nice applause, and he hands me a plaque which now sits in my "Car-Guy" room, alongside Carlisle stuff.
Right after I got back to my parking space with my plaque, this old guy, who owned a 356 coupe that I had looked at earlier, comes running over, gets right in my face and says; "YOU should give that award back. THIS is not a REAL Porsche, it's a KIT CAR!"
"Pardon me", I said, turning, "but I want to get something under the seat". I wandered over, reached under the seat (Honest-to-God, this is South Carolina - he must have thought I was going to pull out a gun, or something) and came back with my SC registration, which I held right up to his nose to show him that it is a "1969 Volkswagen Convertible - Color - White", and exactly what I told the crowd, over the PA system, when I accepted the award.
"Listen, bud, I've never said this was a Porsche and I won a S-p-e-c-t-a-t-o-r award because normal people thought it was prettier than your rust bucket, which it is, so get back over there to your car before some kids wipe their Yukon bars on it."
About then, I thought the guy's head was gonna explode. He gets all red (his ears were actually turning purple), straightens his shirt, turns in a huff and walks straight back to his rust bucket, never looking back. I turn around and the two guys with the 'Vette both have HUGE SEGs and are clapping and waving their California Duster.
Epilog:
Since that time I've found that my Pearl White Speedster is a "Chick Magnet", especially for those between 12 and 50 - who knew? It is also a "Guy Magnet" for gnarly, tattooed, Biker-types. Took me a while to figure that one out, but discovered that a lot of those guys work in auto body or bike shops and they like it for the 3-part, be'atch-to-put-on-right, beautiful paint. Didn't see that one coming.......
Earlier this year, I just happened into an ad-hoc car gathering. There were a few older Porsche 911s there, but mine was the only 356. A guy from Letterman/Rahall racibng stopped by and gave me his card, and asked if I would come to their show. When I told him it was a replica, he took back the invitation, LOL!
He was impressed with the car, especially when I told him it was a custom built tubular steel chassis and a 2009 Subaru drivetrain.
Funny. Don't they have a "Crossbreed" category at their little show?
Yes, I guess most of our cars are 'cross breeds'.
I haven't gone to any shows or drives, etc. with my S6, but it would be interesting to hear what will be said about a 911 based fibreglass Speedster. The fellow at the shop were I get it serviced says I should call it a 'modified 993 Porsche', but that just reflects the engine.
Anyway, I don't look for compliments, nor do I look for criticisms. I'm just too happy driving it. 
I'm one of us who likes making my car as authentic as possible. There have been times where I have been verbally bashed by people and told that I should take the Porsche badging off.
When I was a kid I made lots of models of classic cars. I was great at it. I paid attention to every detail and if I couldn't get it right it bugged me to no end. If I was putting together a 32 roadster I sure as hell wouldn't put a Revell sticker in place of the authentic decal. Why would anyone do that? In a way my car is like one of those beautiful Revell models but I get to drive it! There is Intermeccanica (did I spell that right?) badging available but why would I want to do that? It's a model of a Porsche 356 and I want it to look the part! Jay Leno has $200,000 replica Bugatti's in his garage. I would bet that nowhere would you find anything on the car that would say anything other than Bugatti. Why do you suppose that is? I bet he made models when he was a kid too and spent hours admiring them.
I love my car, be it fake, plastic, replica, kit car, whatever people want to call it. If I could I would pull it into the living room with me at night. I like taking it to car shows because most people like looking at it too! When I hear the term "plastic car" thrown out at an event I can usually surmise that it is an offended PCA member. But you know... No big deal! I understand their frustration with my car - and they should understand my frustration with theirs! What is my frustration with theirs you're thinking? I can't afford one!
Some day I will find a sign company that will make me a little sign to put on the car for car shows so people know exactly what it is right away. A sign that will somehow express how I feel about the car and convey that to the viewer.
I should also say that I really enjoy sharing my hobby with you all. I love the big get-togethers and driving in a pack. I appreciate all of your individualized cars and see them as pieces of art. Like models I wish that I could collect all of my favorites but one will have to do me...
for now!
I was a PCA member for a few years and I just recently non renewed. Yeah, I owned a 911, 914, and a Boxster S but I actually enjoy my little speedster the best. Go figure. Maybe it had something to do with them being a little bit too snooty for me. I enjoy my speedster and it is as real a replica as it needs to be simply because it fun.
356b, 356c, 912E, 911S. 911Cab and now my beloved fake. It is more fun than any of the others except maybe the S. As far as other people, I learned a lesson very early in life that has served me quite well, How gives a Faxk what other people say or think. The only exception is if I am trying remove money from there pockets.
All of the money I've spent on my VS has been to make it work better. If I ever have enough pennies left over to make it look 'authentic', I'll probably spend them on something more useful - like beer or sneakers.
The sad truth is anyone who cares about 'authentic' will always know it ain't, so who exactly am I trying to impress?
I got this car to drive. I couldn't believe you could still get an affordable, street legal car that looks and goes, for better or worse, like a hairy, old-school sports car.
I think the people who like looking at this car don't really care if it's 'authentic'. They're remembering (or maybe just discovering) that some cars once had character and a soul. Those cars said something about the people who built them and the folks who drove them, too.
When you're all safely buckled up in your Prius, it's easy to forget that such times ever existed.
Tom Blankinship posted:Well, yes and no. I recently learned that if you're running Suby power, you'll still have a speedo cable because the input is needed for the engine computer. If you have the new GPS speedo, it's just tucked away rather than attached to the gauge.
>
Actually...
I put my Suby in and still use a stock VW speedo, with the cable in the front wheel. None of that interfaces with the Suby black box.
What DOES interface with it is a "vehicle speed sensor" I brewed up using some scrap sheet steel and a $5 proximity sensor.
Yeah, it works.
I love this forum! Once I finish my build I'll make it a point to meet up for coffee and Jameson :-)
I spoke to Greg and asked him to re-glass the holes to 100mm. I'll have to figure something out with Kirk since my deal included his gauges. Maybe he can throw in some labor in exchange... IDK.
I should also clarify my thoughts on this build and a LOT of you are on the same page thinking-wise. This build is for me. I really don't give a sh@@ what the purists or anybody else will think of it, but I'd like to keep the "look" somewhat authentic because that is what I decided I wanted to do. Not anyone else. My wife picked the color. My interior probably won't be true to the authentic look. I have four wheel disc brakes for safety, etc. So out of the gate it's not authentic...
AND... I'll gladly tell people it's a replica. I'll follow that up by telling them I built it from the ground up in my garage... with a LOT of help from you crazy mofos on this forum!!! Haha!!! One must give credit where credit is due :-)
Ok, now stop derailing my build thread! LOL!!
You may not want to admit knowing any of us if the authorities question you and telling them you're listening to the voices in your computer is a bad start.
You know, all this talk about plastic Speedsters and anal Porsche enthusiasts reminds me of when I first started looking at these cars. I had built a fairly quick Cal Look bug and been driving it for several years, but wasn't really happy. I'd really wanted to do all this work to a convertible Beetle, but after almost a year of looking hadn't found a decently rust-free 1971-72 car, so I'd settled on another sedan (this was not my first bug). I saw an Intermeccanica with later 5 spoke alloys and fell in love; not so much with the fact is was a Porsche, but more that it was a convertible and the shape was just so.... right.
At the time I could buy a real Speedster for less than an IM would cost, but putting all that work (and money) into a rusty car, as there were very few examples around here (Vancouver area) that didn't need a ton of body work and there weren't the panels available that there are today (and spending way more than the car was worth) didn't seem like the smartest move at the time. And then there was the idea of equipping it with narrowed irs, 356 C discs, 901 5 speed and a big VW stroker that made just about every Porsche enthusiast cringe with horror, and the idea of a replica (and not having to worry about what the P world thought) slowly became the more attractive way to go.
I can do it MY WAY, and since it doesn't have a P vin #, no one's opinion matters but mine...Al
Rusty, If IIRC Jim Ignacio props an unobtrusive card inside his replicas windshield at 'gatherings' that explains what it is (and therefore what it isn't) and answers all the curious questions....pointing out the not obvious mechanical improvements!
My sign takes all the bluster out of all the "experts" trying to impress anyone within earshot.
When asked "Why a replica", I tell them its like fake b**bs. EVERYONE knows they're fake yet they're still fun to play with and WAY better than the originals! 
Click on photo to enlarge...
Perfect
I hope you have not copyrighted that line. I have now officially stolen it.
I am at the copyright office right now and I my attorney is buying the domain name.
Ok, back to "MY" build thread... me, me, me... LOL!
Got a few more pictures from Alex. I also spoke to Greg this afternoon and everything is going as planned. They were able to re-glass the gauges to the proper 100mm size. The body has been blocked and sprayed with primer. It will sit to let the primer cure and than off to paint! I'm guessing 2-3 weeks out still. I told them to keep as long as they need to make sure it is perfect. I also ordered their custom hinges. They are going to be polished (not chromed). Should add a nice touch to the engine bay and front hood. See, I'm not going "all authentic" 
In other news...
I'm a little upset. I'll get really pissed off depending on how this is handled.
I went out to my garage, aka man cave, this morning and I noticed a nice little oil spot on the ground. Attached are some pics. I guess the transmission Kirk sold me wasn't sealed properly and is leaking transmission fluid. It's never been run other than moving my rolling chassis back and forth in the garage. A new transmission should not be leaking fluid! Looking at the work, the person who build it used a LOT of ATV sealant on every little thing. I could only imagine if I was actually driving around and somehow it failed...
Should we start the odds on the outcome? What's the over/under this gets resolved easily?
I believe Rancho does those transaxles for Kirk . 12 month unlimited mileage warranty I recall. I lost 2nd gear after 18 months and Kirk made good on it anyway. Don't panic.
majorkahuna posted:I believe Rancho does those transaxles for Kirk . 12 month unlimited mileage warranty I recall. I lost 2nd gear after 18 months and Kirk made good on it anyway. Don't panic.
Something tells me he doesn't use Rancho anymore. I could be completly wrong. I never asked him "who" built it when I picked it up several months ago...
I'm sure he'll do right by it... but it's now finding the time to take everything apart and getting it back to Kirk and getting a new one. Maybe he will have one of his guys deliver it to me??
Having a soon-to-be one year old baby girl makes finding time to work on Eleanor very hard... LOL!
If the tranny is in but the engine isn't, now's a good time to check the gearing.
Put a chalk mark on a rear tire and roll the car forward in a straight line in each gear, counting the number of turns the input shaft makes for every tire rotation. Some simple math will tell you the overall ratios in each gear.
The '3.88 Freeway Flyer' in my new VS actually had a 4.12 R&P (and a .92 fourth instead of a .89). Someone else on this forum recently discovered the same thing in his VS. Both of our cars were bought new from VS in 2013.
Kirk's suppliers have changed over the years. I know my tranny was definitely not from Rancho, and I suspect yours may not be, either.
At any rate, now - before you've driven it - will be a better time to negotiate a fix with Kirk than later.
