Looking For Feedback: My First Beck Build

We all have our diverse talents, Sam.....

Some of us pull wrenches, while others of us write checks.  

It’s all good.

Felt like a good night to share a little carpet update, for all you interior junkies.

Love that interior!

Damn, that’s pretty Sam.

I think the interior color  in the current pics (compared to earlier pics) looks more true to life, is that correct?

Pardon my ignorance. It’s been some time since I saw a Beck Speedster in person. I was wondering when was the padded portion of the dash changed from a more “rolled” pad to the a more flat pad similar to the originals?

Also, it appears this speedster has sills and front map pockets, which I don’t recall seeing on past renditions. Is this new, or have I just missed these details the entire time?

Lastly, was the rear shelf/seat area changed on this Speedster as well?  

I’m loving the way this car is looking so far. Looking forward to more photos!

Those are some snazzy door cars; car looks great!

@americanworkmule posted:

I think the interior color  in the current pics (compared to earlier pics) looks more true to life, is that correct?

I’d say that’s a fair assessment

@Kevin - Bay Area posted:

Is this new, or have I just missed these details the entire time?

I can really only speak for my own car, there are others who are much, much more knowledgeable about Beck’s evolution than me on this forum for sure.  I placed my order in March 2019 and learned it was one of the first with the new chassis and suspension set up.  I don’t know if the updated dash, sills, et al were linked to that evolution, or came separately earlier or later. I do know I didn’t spec map pockets or some of the other refinements you mentioned, so they are coming standard now, which is certainly appreciated and is reflective of what an amazing builder the Special Edition team is.

It looks good for sure and the door pockets are a plus

I've watched Beck's products evolve since 2005 and the difference is huge.  I always liked the chassis design, but the Brazilian-built cars had some rough spots.  Carey, et al, fought with that and finally made the wise decision to move production to the States, at which point things really took off.  Don't get me wrong, I loved my Brazilian-built '06 car, but the differences in build quality between it and one like Joe Fortino's are significant.  Now with the new chassis and other evolutionary changes the differences are even greater.

One thing that is probably influencing the "correctness" of the cars, particularly the interiors, is that Special Edition also does some restoration work on real 356s.  Because of the they have become very familiar with the "supposed to be like this" stuff.

The front pockets sewn into the side walls of the footwells are things that some might notice but vendors make choices

@Lane Anderson posted:

Don't get me wrong, I loved my Brazilian-built '06 car, but the differences in build quality between it and one like Joe Fortino's are significant.  Now with the new chassis and other evolutionary changes the differences are even greater.

@Lane Anderson I cannot agree more. Even the subtle differences between my 2009 AC and 2016 Suby are amazing. I believe the map pockets and seat area are new with the chassis design but the dash has been around for a while.

@chines1 you are KILLING me with what you are guys are doing. Can I just swap out my car for the new chassis and keep everything else?

Joe, it's time for an UppaGrade...

@Joe Fortino posted:

@Lane Anderson I cannot agree more. Even the subtle differences between my 2009 AC and 2016 Suby are amazing. I believe the map pockets and seat area are new with the chassis design but the dash has been around for a while.

@chines1 you are KILLING me with what you are guys are doing. Can I just swap out my car for the new chassis and keep everything else?

What color is the Spyder in the background? Is it just weird lighting or for real paint color?

Maybe?

@dlearl476 posted:

Maybe?

Wow!......given I'm not opposed to color, a chartreuse 550 Spyder is calling my name!

Mark I think it's white with red darts. The interior lighting is throwing it off.

@Joe Fortino - I've ridden in your car. You hit the bullseye with it. In this market, that's a very, very valuable car.

Your not kidding Stan, his wheels and the overiders alone, at today's prices might be made of unobtanium to rebuild one.

No that is actually a yellow Spyder.  6405 Champagne Yellow, using the lightest alternate.  It did appear a bit more yellow in direct sunlight than it does in these photos, but not too far off.

On Joe's car, the wheels are actually a bit cheaper now that many sets have been done and the process has been "perfected" but theoverriders are getting to be unobtanium...  Since Gary passed away there aren't many choices for doing them.  They were expensive from Gary (maybe $3500 from memory) but today they'd be 2x that at least...

Carey, I just love Joe’s wheels they are really nice shoes I might check those out in 16’s someday.  

@chines1 posted:

No that is actually a yellow Spyder.  6405 Champagne Yellow, using the lightest alternate.  It did appear a bit more yellow in direct sunlight than it does in these photos, but not too far off.

The nerve of some people... Having a car built and not letting any of us rascals try and influence them!

Joe's wheels may be my very favorite.  Hmmm...  I wonder what the prices have come down to.

@Lane Andersonyou never know until you ask, plus as Stan says spend once cry once. Seriously they are awesome very lightweight and have worn well over the last 5 years.

Here’s another update from the “SE team is awesome” digest.  I wasn’t super thrilled with how the exhaust turned out, basically disliked my own initial decisions. Sensing I wasn’t completely happy, but without me actually saying it, they offered to give it another go - and I couldn’t be happier with the result, stainless Dansk sport exhaust. Talk about meeting your clients desires without even having to be asked. These guys are good. Thanks @chines1

@Sam Brown posted:

Here’s another update from the “SE team is awesome” digest.  I wasn’t super thrilled with how the exhaust turned out, basically disliked my own initial decisions. Sensing I wasn’t completely happy, but without me actually saying it, they offered to give it another go - and I couldn’t be happier with the result, stainless Dansk sport exhaust. Talk about meeting your clients desires without even having to be asked. These guys are good. Thanks @chines1

Do you happen to have any video/sound of the difference in exhaust notes?  Thanks

@americanworkmule posted:

Do you happen to have any video/sound of the difference in exhaust notes?  Thanks

Nope, was an aesthetic decision.

@americanworkmule posted:

Do you happen to have any video/sound of the difference in exhaust notes?  Thanks

Think of it as a trumpet or a tuba .  Just kidding of course.

@americanworkmule posted:

The nerve of some people... Having a car built and not letting any of us rascals try and influence them!

Surprisingly, only about t10% of our clients ever make it here or to facebook, and I don't do social media so the majority of our builds are not out there for the public to see... and with an almost 2.5 year backlog, there is no real reason to start.  :-)

@Lane Anderson posted:

Joe's wheels may be my very favorite.  Hmmm...  I wonder what the prices have come down to.

around $4k a set now.

@chines1 wrote: "Surprisingly, only about t10% of our clients ever make it here or to facebook"

I'm really not surprised at that.  There are a LOT of replicas that show up at shows around New England and the owners either haven't heard of the SOC or the FB page or simply aren't interested.  Even when I lived in South Carolina - We had FIVE Speedsters and Two Spyders right in Beaufort and I was the only owner ever on here, representing about 15% so right in Carey's ballpark.  I can't explain it, though.

Yeah, that doesn't make sense to me.  This forum, and to a lesser degree FB, increase the enjoyment so much.

A lot of it might have to do with the state of social media in general.  I mean, I'm on three other forums and this is, by far, the most civilized of the bunch.  Even my high school alumni FB page can be a pita at times, whereas my last workplace alumni page is great (but the moderators are great, too).  If all people see is their regular Facebook news feed and the shenanigans on there, then they might not go looking for a replica-specific car site, you know?

Well, you gotta' look for this site a bit. I imagine some guys just don't care, are unaware, or aren't joiners.

Even on the site, I bet less than 5% of the registered members routinely participate in the conversations.

Excited for you Sam!

@americanworkmule: Loud exhaust is an issue for me as I don't want the neighbors to feel that I am competing with the motorcycle owner on the next block. Swapping out the Trimil exhaust my speedster came with was the first change I made after my (2017 VS build) speedster was delivered. I was able to informally document the lower volume using the fact that a sound meter app can be added to any phone now. I'd be interested in evidence about whether the results are repeatable from car to car and from phone to phone if there were agreement about test protocol e.g.

• phone/meter held at 10 feet from exhaust outlet(s) and at outlet level
• separate 5 second measurements at idle and at 3000 rpm
• test outdoors and away from vertical surfaces

I should have thought to capture some samples in the Courtyard paddock at Carlisle.

@wrkinprogress posted:

@americanworkmule: Loud exhaust is an issue for me as I don't want the neighbors to feel that I am competing with the motorcycle owner on the next block. .....
....I'd be interested in evidence about whether the results are repeatable from car to car and from phone to phone if there were agreement about test protocol e.g....

I feel the same way.

She. Lives. So close…
Video upload not working, so sharing an Instagram video from an account I share with buddies who are following along outside this forum: https://www.instagram.com/p/CQ...utm_medium=copy_link

Carey was kind enough to send me this little dispatch from the road during a shakedown run Friday.  Got my final invoice yesterday.  I know I’ve said “getting close” a bunch of times before, but getting close…