Lane's Beck Super Coupe #3

@Lane Anderson posted:

I don't think Carey has engine cruise for it yet, but I'm not a big user of cruise control anyway.

Well , it is much easier than any cruise install as it is already in the ECU, so with a few switches on the brake and clutch and a few toggle switches, two idiot lights for confirmation, you can get throttle assist on the longer highway cruises,  like 8 hours for me to Carlisle.  Works like a charm and prevents you from getting your picture taken when your half asleep behind the wheel and you look down and your doing 90mph instead of your normal 70mph because the car was running so good

Thread drift...

Back in 1976, I purchased an X 1/9 and performed a "Stradale" conversion.

DOHC Fiat massaged 2.0L, twin 45's with close to 200HP.  Porsche brakes & hubs, Campy wheels and welded roof.  Stradale bodywork from Italy.  Quite the performer, much like this one:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9KIsplnXLE

My brothers and I knew an Italian kid that came to school at BYU. Max. He quit school and opened a foreign car service after working a couple of years at one of the VW shops. Good plan. For years he was the only guy in town.

He had an 850 Spider with a 124 engine in it. Used to Auto-X it at the local Gymkana. He also bought a Fiat Dino with a blown head gasket for $1500. That thing was beautiful.  This same color.

An X- 1/9...a baby Lambo Urraco. Just out of curiosity what did it weigh ?

  ReV

Dear Lane,

Just had a moment to send a postcard with a question.  What does it sound like?!?!

Best,

Michael

Sort of a quieter, less clattery VW, with a nice exhaust system.  Kinda hard to describe, really.  Stock Subaru with less restrictive exhaust.  I did find out last night that it'll race to the redline enthusiastically.

"Back in 1976, I purchased an X 1/9 and performed a "Stradale" conversion." - @molleur

YIKES! 200HP in that bad boy is definitely a sleeper.

IT WENT LIKE STINK! 

I would expect it to sound like a slightly less aggressive Subaru, WRX

No?

Not quite the sound of an aircooled T-1/T-4 engine, but close.

Can you hang Pam off the back with your phone held near the exhaust to get a recording?  OH!  You have a rear trunk (a "Runk"?)  She could lie down in the Runk and do it......    I'm brilliant, I know.

@R Vosari posted:

An X- 1/9...a baby Lambo Urraco. Just out of curiosity what did it weigh ?

  ReV

2200 pounds according to this:

https://www.automobilemag.com/...ions-specifications/

Well @Gordon Nichols the "runk" is a bit small, and oddly shaped, so lying down isn't an option.  Maybe I can get a GoPro video when it's not so beastly hot/humid/swampy.  Like, oh I dunno, October?

Ok, just finished raising the ride height about 1/2" to give me some clearance at the air scoop.  Soooo easy with coil-overs!  The hardest part was getting the C-type hubcaps off.  Next week I'll be working with a friend more skilled than me to reshape it.  Found a "heat leak" in the front fire wall allowing some of the radiator exhaust air to enter the cabin and roast you a bit in the Charleston heat.  We'll address that as well.  I hereby declare the SC lowcountry to be the hot climate testing site for Beck.

This beta testing is kind of fun, and future cars will benefit from any things I find.

Is the bottom of the radiator housed in the projection/rectangle box located below the lower part of the front bumper? Why can't they raise the radiator up a little so that the bottom is even with the line of the bottom of the lower bumper and then cut vertical slots in the lower part of front bumper to make a grill for air flow? It would look much cleaner and look like the rear grill I have seen covering the muffler on some 356's.

Something like this:

Joel

@DannyP posted:

And all three snips, left, right, and straight.

You can easily get by without the yellow ones.

@dlearl476 posted:

Brake

... to go with the red and green aviation snips

@Lane Anderson posted:

I don't think Carey has engine cruise for it yet, but I'm not a big user of cruise control anyway.

Your interstate highways are clearly not boring enough, Lane.

More strenuous testing will be required. Please report to Brevard, NC in late September.

@Gordon Nichols posted:

it was designed by Bertone and looked sharp so I guess it was worth it - At least to her.   Fiat’s next Bertone car was the X1/9 (I think both were designed by the same dude from Ferrari)

I never could figure out how the Bertone thing got traction (back in the day) when Pininfarina was right across town kicking out drop-dead gorgeous shapes. I always thought Bertones looked... odd.

@Stan Galat posted:

You can easily get by without the yellow ones.

I never could figure out how the Bertone thing got traction (back in the day) when Pininfarina was right across town kicking out drop-dead gorgeous shapes. I always thought Bertones looked... odd.

I only have the yellow snips...

Porsche(and VW) used many coachbuilders, why not Fiat? I actually like the X1/9, but yes Pininfarina made beautiful things.

Wendler, Reutter, Karmann, Wiedenhausen, and Weinsburg were some.

@DannyP - yeah, I know all about the Carrozzeria. I was just never very wild about any Bertone design.

The Pininfarina Fiat 1600 cabriolet is almost as beautiful as the Ferrari 550 (also designed by Pininfarina). My point is that nearly every Pininfarina Ferrari (and Fiat, etc.) was drop-dead gorgeous. The Bertone designs were... "of a time", to put it nicely.

PS: Do yourself a favor - buy a pair each of Wiss red and green aviator snips with the angled heads. It'll change your life.

@Stan Galat posted:

I never could figure out how the Bertone thing got traction (back in the day) when Pininfarina was right across town kicking out drop-dead gorgeous shapes. I always thought Bertones looked... odd.

Across the board, with a few exceptions, Bertone designed coupes and sedans and Pininfarina designed convertibles. Even in the same manufacture/platform. ie Fiat 124 sedan/Spider, Alfa Alfetta*/GTV6-Spider etc.

Imo, Bertone’s designed for Aston are some of their most beautiful cars ever.

*IIRC, the Alfetta was Guigiaro’s  first design after he left Bertone.

Guigiaro=Scirocco. One of his best "pedestrian" designs ever.

I've liked some Bertone designs.  It's Zagato that I never was able to figure out.  It was like they often pursued weird for the sake of weird.  Give me Frua, Ital Design, and Pininfarina.

@Joel Roth posted:

Is the bottom of the radiator housed in the projection/rectangle box located below the lower part of the front bumper? Why can't they raise the radiator up a little so that the bottom is even with the line of the bottom of the lower bumper and then cut vertical slots in the lower part of front bumper to make a grill for air flow? It would look much cleaner and look like the rear grill I have seen covering the muffler on some 356's.

Something like this:

Joel

Not currently.  The air scoop is the box under the front of the car.  The radiator doesn't extend below the car anyway, but is inclined at a shallow angle with the base even with the bottom of the car.  Room is somewhat limited by the gas tank, A/C condenser, and other plumbing.  The scoop is angled upward to force air through the radiator with a ram effect, which it appears to do well.  What I hope to do is go with a wider scoop that doesn't extend so low, and probably use some ducting incorporate the two large openings on each side.  That will keep or increase the area of the opening while not being as low.  I agree that a grill of some sort under the bumper would be advantageous and probably affect the appearance minimally.  I'll discuss that with Carey.  I am already up in clearance more than some modern Porsches, so I think we're moving in the right direction (pun intended ).

I want to make sure that everyone understands that this is kind of what I signed up for.  A little "sweat equity" is how I can afford this.  Carey and the team have done a stellar job, but there are things that simply take a lot of real-world use in a variety of conditions to resolve, and I knew that going in.  I consider myself part of the team.

That's our @Lane Anderson - Blazing the trail where no Replica Owner has ventured, before, and taking us all along for the ride!

@Lane Anderson posted:

I want to make sure that everyone understands that this is kind of what I signed up for.  A little "sweat equity" is how I can afford this.  Carey and the team have done a stellar job, but there are things that simply take a lot of real-world use in a variety of conditions to resolve, and I knew that going in.  I consider myself part of the team.

Well, that is a given with version one, you will be part of the experiment and fine tuning of the car and it can take a few years for all issues to come to fruition.  

Here's hoping that nothing major happens and the small stuff all works out for you in the end Lane.

And no "Brass Thingie" Escapees!!

No brass "thingies" only brass rings from here on out, eh Lane?

It really is stunning.

@DannyP posted:

Guigiaro=Scirocco. One of his best "pedestrian" designs ever.

Yeah. He used that design on numerous cars and never got called on it.
I read an article once, on the AlfaBB iirc, that he disowned the design of the Alfetta GT after Alfa added the humongous bump on the hood to accommodate the V6.

I believe that both the Fiat 850 Spider and VW Rabbit/Golf were also "pedestrian" Guigiaro designs.

I liked the Giugiaro-designed Isuzu Impulse I had.

@Lane Anderson posted:

I believe that both the Fiat 850 Spider and VW Rabbit/Golf were also "pedestrian" Guigiaro designs.

And the Lancia Delta/Saab 600 which were variation on a theme. I think all of those late 80’s GG hatches were, if not brothers, close cousins  

Also,  the lovely Fiat Dino coupe.

@Michael McKelvey posted:

I liked the Giugiaro-designed Isuzu Impulse I had.

That was supposed to be the Scirocco III, but VW decided not to build it. GG then sold it to Isuzu, changed the lines a bit because it was front engine/longitudinal/RWD.

I don't know who designed the Corrado(Scirocco replacement) but mine was built by Karmann. I owned a 1977 Scirocco I, a 1987 Scirocco 16v, and a G60 Corrado. I loved all three. They were all great, but my VERY modified Corrado was the most fun, 98,000 miles in 8 years from new in 1990.

A couple of pics of the engine compartment whilst I was exploring  the car this weekend.

Your going to have to polish that up . Just kidding but tire foam works really well on plastic

So does Meguires Back to Black, which is my preferred plastic care.

Every time I look at Lane's car, I start feeling blue.

LOL!

@IaM-Ray posted:

Your going to have to polish that up . Just kidding but tire foam works really well on plastic

It'd enough of a hassle to get the cover off that I doubt I'll be doing it very often. People can use their imagination.

Am I the only one thinking we need to take up a collection to get Lane a GoPro?

I have to share with y'all (a southerism meaning "all of you" ) some of the response I've gotten to this car at the four car shows (Carlisle, two local Cars & Coffee, local Ale and Octane) I've attended so far.  The reception has been amazing. @chines1, I hope you realize the hit you have with this car.  I've had elderly folk (meaning slightly older than me) who owned 356s back in the day, current Porsche owners, and pretty much everyone else tell me that it's one of the most beautiful cars they've ever seen.  They are amazed at how it looks, how it captures the best of the 356, and how it includes modern engineering.  I'll take some credit for the color and design choices as apparently everybody loves Oslo blue with cognac leather, but the overall theme has really hit the target.  Carey, please let Chuck know just how on target this is. It's interesting how many people recognize the Beck name.

I posted some pictures yesterday on an international Speedster/Coupe replica site and already have nearly 450 likes and nearly 90 comments.  I have a friend (Jim) who has built high end hot rods and even an aluminum bodied sports car that is a cross between an Aston Martin DB3S and a late 50s Ferrari sports racer.  He fell in love and tells me he wants one.  He's also offered his time and his shop to help me with the final sorting.  A mutual friend told me that Jim told him that my car was "f*cking gorgeous!"  That is high praise from someone who builds six-figure passion-mobiles.

I'm not saying this to brag.  Instead I want to express how lucky I feel I am.  It was a long wait and I almost bailed at a couple of points, but it was worth it.  This has been a fun, occasionally frustrating, but ultimately rewarding adventure.

I've got some sorting to do, which will make me feel more involved/invested in the whole project, which is important to me.  I think most of us on this site want to have a personal investment in the car, otherwise it's just a car, regardless of how well it performs.

Happy 4th, y'all!

@dlearl476 posted:

Am I the only one thinking we need to take up a collection to get Lane a GoPro?

I have one and I'll get around to a drive video.  Sadly there are not a lot of interesting roads around here.

@Lane Anderson posted:

I have one and I'll get around to a drive video.  Sadly there are not a lot of interesting roads around here.

There is a  fix for that Lane, here in the Elkins, West Virginia area , there are many 100 mile loops that will make your heart skip a beat.....

True, but I seem to recall a "It snows too $^%#@ much up here" comment or two from Carlisle.

Gimme a couple of years and I'll be in the mountains - just a bit farther south.

@Lane Anderson posted:

True, but I seem to recall a "It snows too $^%#@ much up here" comment or two from Carlisle.

Gimme a couple of years and I'll be in the mountains - just a bit farther south.

Me too, Lane. Me too.