We use to call them a Two Bar Bagger in case the first one, blew away
That Miata Speedster is way better than the Starkie Boxster thingie.....I would do small hood bubbles to allow for the clearance needed. Heat and A/C and I assume a somewhat reasonable cost to build ....Wow O wow ! BTW Project 48 should be 99% done someday next week.
ive had a few 2 baggers at"last call for alkyhol":}
In my world, a "two bagger" is a canvas carry case that holds 2 loaded AR-15 magazines. What am I missing?
If you want to spend the time and the money you can train a elephant to stand on his head....but that is dead money....yes you can build something or have it built that will do what you want it to do...but for $ 10,000 plus or minus you can buy a C5 (1997-2004) Corvette that is absolutely bullet proof and will do exactly what it is expected to do, with a air conditioning, a heater and defrosters, and a automatic that will be dry and comfortable in any weather ….handle great .....go like hell and get nearly 30mpg...
If it has a problem, well, it is a Chevy and there is a dealer every 50 miles across the Country that can fix it like new..no more expensive to maintain or repair than a Silverado Pick Up.
It will not need to be sorted and it is probably at the bottom of it's depreciation level. You can sell it in a weekend if it is nice and clean and stock...
On the other hand, there is no explaining love....if you love a Speedster get one...
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I have had a lot of experience auto crossing and if you are like me I am there to win and no other reason. I would never consider running my Speedster at an auto-cross event. I am not sure what class the car would run but most probably in a D mod or E mod. class depending on the engine. These classes contain retired race cars and hand built race cars and they still don't beat the times of unprepared Miata's. Auto crossing is hard on a car and causes stresses normal driving never brings on (if you are trying to push the car hard enough to compete). The paint can get damaged by hitting cones, the engine can get over revved when you are between gears for the track. The body of our plastic cars will get stressed and cracked. I wouldn't auto cross any car that I cared much for. The process beats a car to an inch of it's life. (auto cross is harder on a car than running laps at a track day) That was my experience as class champion many years. It will be less expensive to build two separate cars and you will end up with both cars being good at the intended purpose instead of one car good at nothing.
barncobob posted:ive had a few 2 baggers at"last call for alkyhol":}
When you're alone, they're all pretty (enough) at closing time...
being on a Navy ship for 3.5 years(most spent off Nam)
"any port in a storm":}
Wow, Thank you all so much for all of your suggestions. It is greatly appreciated.
After reading all of your suggestions, I think auto crossing is off the list. It is rare that I get to go anyway, so I can live without it.
I have a lot of due diligence to do with all of the contacts provided.
I still love the look of the wide body speedster. I could use it just as a cruser.
I guess the major issue now would be an auto tranny for the wife.
Hence my Beck suggestion. The car Chuck Beck is building for himself is an automatic.
Panhandle Bob posted:Stan Galat posted:^ Two-bagger.
two bagger in the dark
Maybe tre, tres, three!
LennyV posted:Wow, Thank you all so much for all of your suggestions. It is greatly appreciated.
After reading all of your suggestions, I think auto crossing is off the list. It is rare that I get to go anyway, so I can live without it.
I have a lot of due diligence to do with all of the contacts provided.
I still love the look of the wide body speedster. I could use it just as a cruser.
I guess the major issue now would be an auto tranny for the wife.
I strongly recommend contacting Carey Hines @chines1 at Special Edition in Bremen, IN www.beckspeedster.com
There are basically two-types if builds, built on a VW pan and built on a custom chassis. Beck & Intermeccanica (IM) are both built on custom chassis.
Carey is the second generation and is developing a new chassis along with Chuck Beck (if you don’t know who that is, Google him).
The new chassis has nice bits like R&P steering and can accommodate either a mid or rear engine layout.
The first builds with this chassis are their brand new coupes (something to consider for comfort), but, as I understand it, they’ll be switching over to the new chassis for Speedsters. As Lane mentioned, that should support and automatic trans.
Your other option is IM in Vancouver, BC, but you’re going up a step function in cost.
Actually I think they’ve already delivered (or are close to doing so) a Speedster on the new chassis.
LennyV posted:Hello Everyone. I have fallen hard for the Vintage Speedster Ultra/Widebody replica.
Before I begin searching for a car, I want to be sure it will be a car I am happy owning for a long time.
A few questions:
I plan on using this car to autocross. Which is why I like the widebody. How would you think this car perform at an autocross event?
I have no experience with VW/Porshe cars. Before checking out the Speedster, I was planning on buying a C2 Corvette project. I am used to driving cars that have 400-600 HP. So when I see 125-200 HP I get a little nervous it will be slow. I know its light so the lower HP goes farther. How quickly can a speedster with 150hp make it down a 1/4 mile track? What would a 0-60 time be? Just give me a rough idea of those times.
How big of an engine can you fit into a speedster? Can you shoehorn a 6 cylinder in?
Lastly, my wife has is supportive of spending the money on this project, however, she has one stipulation. The car must have an automatic transmission as she does not drive a manual. I know, I know, it's a big give, but I have no choice in the matter. She wants to be able to enjoy driving the car as well. In looking at Speedsters online, all of them have manual transmissions. So anything I find will require a new transmission. Again, I have no clue when it comes to rear engine VW/Porshe cars. So is swapping in an automatic transmission possible on a Speedster?
Thank you all for taking the time to read my long winded post. Thank you in advance for your help.
LennyV
My advice? Head to Carlisle and go for a spin in someone’s Speedster. I’ve never met any Speedster or Spyder owner that wouldn’t offer this opportunity to someone interested in the hobby. Or find someone nearby that has a subie powered speedster.
We can all discuss how fast our cars are (or aren’t), but it’s really meaningless because we don’t know your expectations.
“Used to driving cars with 400-600HP” / 1/4 times and 0-60 mph times. Those lines alone make me think that a speedster isn’t the right fit. Perhaps a 427/428 Cobra is. A Cobra would also provide you that muscular flared stance and oogle factor that you seek at Cars and Coffee.
There are a number of manufacturers that will be able to give you whatever you want in terms of engine, drivetrain and suspension. It just takes money. But you may find that going deep into that rabbit hole still doesn’t give you what you want. Because at the end of the day, the 50s shell is prohibitive in giving you the ultimate fast, everyday car you wanted.
WOLFGANG posted:And the last "Solution" I'll suggest - a Speedster-Miata! So this guy (Bueno) in Sarasota FL area buys a set of CMC wide-body mold from local SOcer 20 miles from me in NW FL. He sits on them a couple of years. (Like Gallo wine, ALL CMC projects have to air a bit). FL is hot and humid so he nixes air-cooled technology -ts hot enough in August. He buys a banged up 2nd Generation running Miata (1994). Flashes a new Speedster body and, voila, a front engine, water cooled, dependable Speedster-Miata.
The Miata is a great handling track car. 30 year track history but with innovative improvement with every generation - now on Gen 4 called the ND. Front engine/rear drive - water cooled so hard to think any fit with rear engine/rear drive. 4/5/6 speed manual or 6 speed AT with shift paddles. Stock hp 116 to 181 from 4 cylinders - or go to a FlyinMiata LS V8 engine conversion.
Here's the one he came up with - which he will build to spec. There are some compromises as the Miata chassis is longer so the Speedster is longer; the twin cam front mounted engine and radiator stick up n front so hood has to be modified. The all-independent suspension with 4 wheel disk brakes has been kept as well as the light weight of the original car.
https://www.rcnmag.com/garage/...-based-356-speedster
Bueno Designs 813-468-3372
saleens7bp@gmail.com
Here's a hood that would cosmetically look better and work with a bit of modification 
You can have a Miata that doesn't look like everyone else's with a body from Simpson Design.
Mike - I luv the Simpson Design Aston Martin build on a 3rd gen Miata (NC). The wire wheels really set it off.
https://www.rcnmag.com/d-i-y/amazing-mazda
More properly called a "bespoke car" vs kit car though.
Lane Anderson posted:Actually I think they’ve already delivered (or are close to doing so) a Speedster on the new chassis.
No delivery yet. My speedster build is supposed to be the first one on the new chassis. I have been waiting for 16 months so far. The chassis redesign has taken longer than expected but is supposedly done now. I'm hoping it will be completed by summer, but I've learned to not get my hopes up.
WOLFGANG posted:Mike - I luv the Simpson Design Aston Martin build on a 3rd gen Miata (NC). The wire wheels really set it off.
https://www.rcnmag.com/d-i-y/amazing-mazda
More properly called a "bespoke car" vs kit car though.
I'm going to need a bigger garage. Wow.
"After spending nearly two years building this creation..."
So it probably didn't cost too much more than a real DB4.
$25k, the article said. I assume after donor car provided.
Ryan in NorCal posted:$25k, the article said. I assume after donor car provided.
I just can't believe that. All new custom-fabricated fiberglass body panels. Custom window glass and headlight covers. Custom interior. Custom fabricated wire wheels. A lot of hand-made custom trim bits. Two years worth of making everything fit.
Something doesn't add up.
Gorgeous car, though.
But it would be a lot more authentic looking with a drip pan underneath.
A zero was left out of the figure provided.
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Sacto Mitch posted:Ryan in NorCal posted:$25k, the article said. I assume after donor car provided.
I just can't believe that. All new custom-fabricated fiberglass body panels. Custom window glass and headlight covers. Custom interior. Custom fabricated wire wheels. A lot of hand-made custom trim bits. Two years worth of making everything fit.
Something doesn't add up.
Gorgeous car, though.
But it would be a lot more authentic looking with a drip pan underneath.
Used a donor Aston Martin.
I got the $25k number from Jalopnik, referencing this article (emphasis mine):
The Simpson Design Italia 2 GTB
Based on a second generation Mazda Miata Simpson Design will build your car to spec,and can build it on your car or one they find for you. The cost of the conversion (not including the original car) is $25,000 this includes the fitting of the new coupe body, high-quality paint, wheels and performance tires. Once the ink is dry on your contract with Simpson Designs you will have your new sports coupe in 4-6 weeks. Seeing as many kit cars cost nearly $25,000 and you still have to put them together, this looks like the sports car deal of the century to us. You get a hand built car that can be serviced at the local Mazda dealer... it does not get much better then that.
But that's not the DB4 mentioned in the other article.
Ryan, that makes more sense - for one of their 'off-the-shelf' designs that takes them two months to put together.
In any build like this, you're paying mainly for their time, and 20 months costs more than two.
I wonder if the Aston was strictly a one-off or if it's the prototype for a new kit. I like it a lot more than the 'Italia 2'.
Compared to our (pan-based) cars, of course, the builders are getting a lot more from the original donor car. Engine, drive train, chassis with full suspension, brakes, wiring harness, and probably a good bit of the interior, dash, and gauges, too.
I had to chuckle because the orange/red Miata-Speedster uses the Miata interior - it looks out of place as one was expecting VDO gauges.
I really like the Aston. Good NC Miatas are dirt cheap.
I also thought the Italia 2 was interesting but with no top. 
As to the first one, is it me, but it seems the body work waves back at me
Me too, Robert, but it was a one-off, I believe.
Is it wrong to get an erection when looking at the Simpson site?
@Tom Blankinship, it is called autoeroticism. It causes hair to grow in the palms of your hands.