I just got off the phone with Carey Hines from Beck and he said that this car has been discussed on this forum recently. Does anyone know anything about who built it or where it's from? I will greatly appreciate any thoughts on this car that will help me make an informed decision.
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Try this link. I'm sure there is another thread that talks about it...
HiWest posted:I just got off the phone with Carey Hines from Beck and he said that this car has been discussed on this forum recently. Does anyone know anything about who built it or where it's from? I will greatly appreciate any thoughts on this car that will help me make an informed decision.
PLEASE give yourself at LEAST a WEEK to read the last 3 months of EVERYTHING on this FORUM! You need to educate YOURSELF before you plunk down dollars!
HiWest posted:I just got off the phone with Carey Hines from Beck and he said that this car has been discussed on this forum recently. Does anyone know anything about who built it or where it's from? I will greatly appreciate any thoughts on this car that will help me make an informed decision.
Truthfully, people on here made fun of the car but I think if you offered 27,500 for it and it was accepted you'd be getting a pretty nice ride. You could have a fiberglass shop redo those fugly front grills and return it to normal. It could also do with an exhaust change to something more... period correct. I don't think you'd spend more than 2Gs on the extra work. It has some very nice features and with a little work you could have a 35k plus car.
Also note - https://www.speedsterowners.com/topic/its-back-1 - These are not the same cars.
I know there is a lot more to consider here. I wish a few other folks would jump in.
You should email them and ask to see photos of the chassis. You should also ask how it is titled as it may be a custom built in someone's garage. My eye sees the potential there and I'd be curious to know more about it.
Here is a link to a speedster that I really liked. I was thinking about buying it but the owner couldn't be bothered with sending more pics so here you go. This is a very nice car and if you have the cash then you should buy it right now!
If you like that silver car you might send a private message to the seller who is very active on this forum and a much respected Speedster builder. You can do so right through this site.
Click on Post Content and then Private Message. Dialog box will open up.
DRClock is his avatar here.
Gentlemen,
The silver car is sold and has been delivered to "Ndepndent".
Regarding the red car: everybody's fixated on the grill (which is hideous, IMHO). But the seats are very, very interesting. They look like OG 356 seats from a roadster or coupe. Somebody was thinking outside the box in most ways (for good or bad).
That is an old Samba ad, as that silver car was just bought a couple of weeks ago, unless the new owner is selling it so soon. The ad says the seller is Alan Merklin.
That was Alan's last and final build, or so he says...
Everyone, Thank you for your input. I will to continue to read and research. I have emailed the seller for pics of the title and the chassis.
Rusty It's sold, I was on vacation in the beginning stages of setting up new residence.
That looks like a 3.0H 6 Cyl. Subie engine.... not sure what the guy has either a carb or fuel injection... first glance looks injected but at 200hp what is the tranny being used and the front grills must have something to do with cooling I would think so you may not be able to remove them. Also how has the frame been modified to hold the extra weight on the engine?
Interior is not to my liking... there is some work for sure to be done to get this to a finished product. Sorry not my cup of tea.
IaM-Ray posted:That looks like a 3.0H 6 Cyl. Subie engine.... not sure what the guy has either a carb or fuel injection... first glance looks injected but at 200hp what is the tranny being used and the front grills must have something to do with cooling I would think so you may not be able to remove them. Also how has the frame been modified to hold the extra weight on the engine?
Interior is not to my liking... there is some work for sure to be done to get this to a finished product. Sorry not my cup of tea.
MAKES TWO of US.....not even close....
https://vmp.ebay.com/ebay/view...os.aspx?smid=2658452
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1956-P...rksid=p2047675.l2557
The car listed by the original poster and the comparison car posted by Brian aka *longfella are not the same cars. They are both red Suby powered cars but that is where the similarities cease. The car listed by Brian is an abomination. The car listed by the OP is not that bad. Note the differences in the rims, intake grills on the front of the car, the engine, the interior color, the rear-view mirrors, the horn grills or lack thereof, the drenched front signal lights or the lack thereof, one is flared, one is not, one has chromed wheel wells and the other doesn't, body side molding, no side moulding, hood handle, no hood handle, etc etc.
Sorry guys, not the same cars.
THERE'S TWO OF THEM!
I'm in the Chicago area and would like to be able to drive the car on chilly days. Is it normal for these cars to not have heat?
Stan Galat, '05 IM, 2276, Nowhere, USA posted:THERE'S TWO OF THEM!
Some of the same mistakes made twice. I'm referring to the grills on the front. It is a matter of taste, but they just look ridiculous to my eye.
West, describe what you consider chilly. VW heater boxes will get you buy on 55-60 degree days with heated seats, but beyond that you will need a gas heater. A Subaru water cooled engine will get you real heat. Truth be told. these cars are not that much fun below 50F.
Tom B. My Subie heat cranks. But I do have a three way system that blows heat at the feet, my face though a dash valance and the windshield.
Marty, I see that you are on the Chicago western burbs. I'm in Glen Ellyn. Are you aware of any nice 356 replicas for sales in the area?
In my previous AC car I had an Espar Heater and with heated seats I could drive top down in early spring and late fall. As Marty said there is not much fun in below 50. If you go Suby you can get legit heat.
HiWest posted:Marty, I see that you are on the Chicago western burbs. I'm in Glen Ellyn. Are you aware of any nice 356 replicas for sales in the area?
I live in Batavia and unaware of any cars up for sale in the area. Let me know if you would like to meet up and check out my Beck as it looks like you had a conversation with Carey.
Panhandle Bob posted:Stan Galat, '05 IM, 2276, Nowhere, USA posted:THERE'S TWO OF THEM!
Some of the same mistakes made twice. I'm referring to the grills on the front. It is a matter of taste, but they just look ridiculous to my eye.
FUGLY
Potentially, do you like a WideBody? I know the guy who owns my old VS Superwide body and he lives nearby. It's Silver with Merlot interior. 2007 build with a 2276cc engine.
My brother also ran into a black VS standard body speedster up northwest. Lake Zurich I think. I may be able to contact him and get you the dealers name.
Marty, I may be interested in the VS standard near Lake Zurich. Please send over the dealer's name. Thanks
Marty Grzynkowicz posted:My brother also ran into a black VS standard body speedster up northwest. Lake Zurich I think. I may be able to contact him and get you the dealers name.
Was there much damage?
Alan Merklin posted:Rusty It's sold, I was on vacation in the beginning stages of setting up new residence.
Well damnit Alan that was definitely my new car! I was about to go all in on it. I truly felt like the madness had complete control over me. I was looking for ways to come up with the cash that could damage my financial future.
I can see it now. 20 years into the future. Donna has left me. I live in a trailer on a lot filled with speedsters, buggies, and other replica cars both running and not. Some with 15 years of weeds and crabgrass growing around the weathered bodies, chassis and engine parts. Empty beer cans, cigarette butts, and various other garbage littered around the grounds. As you approach, sickly looking feral cats scramble into hiding underneath the trailer. The door opens to a fowl stench of dirty dishes and garbage piled in the sink and across a dilapidated counter top. Collections of worthless items and trash strewn across a ragged, filthy interior unfit for human habitation. You turn and vomit as you step off and away from the door. Oh, Rusty... What happened to you man?
Well, people, it's thoughts like these that keep me on the straight and narrow path that I currently walk. So don't worry about me I am still here and I only own one replica. Just one.
HiWest posted:I'm in the Chicago area and would like to be able to drive the car on chilly days. Is it normal for these cars to not have heat?
Oh, that's just the tip of the iceberg (as they say).
Robert M posted:If it is cold just dress appropriately:
Bwwwwaaaahhhhaaaaaaa
This is Robert just before conducting a drive by on rival gangstas in his hood.
Heat? I don't need no steenkin' heat...
Francen and son, mechanic Specializes in foreign cars. On route 62 in Algonquin. My brother gets service there. I don't know them.
Your story needed a little help. I fixed it for you.
It was a dark and stormy night. Donna has left me. I live in a trailer on a lot filled with speedsters, buggies, and other replica cars both running and not. Some with 15 years of weeds and crabgrass growing around the weathered bodies, chassis and engine parts. Empty beer cans, cigarette butts, and various other garbage littered around the grounds. As you approach, sickly looking feral cats scramble into hiding underneath the trailer. The door opens to a fowl stench of dirty dishes and garbage piled in the sink and across a dilapidated counter top. Collections of worthless items and trash strewn across a ragged, filthy interior unfit for human habitation. You turn and vomit as you step off and away from the door. Oh, Rusty... What happened to you man?
Bob I love the outfit 
. Nice hat too just need aviator glasses now ...
"I'm in the Chicago area and would like to be able to drive the car on chilly days. Is it normal for these cars to not have heat?" - HIWEST
Here in SoCal when the temps drop down into the 60's (and occasional wind chill down to 55) I put on a beanie to keep my ginormous noggin warm. 
This may be a little late to the party, but here goes:
Those red abominations are Hydra. Cut off one head, two will take it's place!
Stan Galat, '05 IM, 2276, Nowhere, USA posted:HiWest posted:I'm in the Chicago area and would like to be able to drive the car on chilly days. Is it normal for these cars to not have heat?
Oh, that's just the tip of the iceberg (as they say).
We're all having fun here, but a better answer for you is this:
In the midwest, we have 6-7 months of winter. The single hardest thing to accept with ownership of one of these cars is that you just aren't going to drive them in bad weather. There are many, many things that can be done to extend the season, but they will never be a 9 or 10 month a year car, unless you are a very hearty man. I can guarantee your wife will not want to ride along when it's under 60*.
I've had 3 of these cars, and my step up the food-chain from "basic" to "expensive" had to do as much with weather protection as anything. I've got an Intermeccanica Speedster with roll-up side window and an Espar gasoline heater. Currently, the price of entry for something like this is many, many tens of thousands of dollars-- enough that I'd have to think long and hard about it before I went this direction again.
Yes, VWs had "heater boxes", which use exhaust heat to take the chill off the cabin, but there are lots of issues with this. The most basic is that they limit how powerful the engine can be in the first place because they are small. There are larger diameter heater boxes which allow more flow, but they are expensive and generally accepted as being not all that great.
Any other available option is either equally inelegant or very expensive. The smartest guys out here just accept what the car is and get a 12v blanket or something for their wife, and limit themselves to driving when it's fit to drive. "Gearing up" for cool weather drives helps, and so does working on stopping air-infiltration into the cabin. The way these cars come from the CA builders is far from being weather or wind-tight. Beck is better, but these are still "open cars" in a way that most of us have forgotten used to be the norm. There's a lot that can be done to seal them up. Once that's done, it's much easier to be comfortable in your cocoon without wind blowing down your neck.
... but at the end of the day, you'll be putting the car in storage in early November, and not getting it out until April or May-- whether you've invested huge money in a car with roll-ups and a big heater or just accepted it the way it comes from Vintage.
It's part of the deal.
Oh, bugger it!
Shall we live life in technicolor, or in black and white?
