Manufacturer help!

Brand new to the group and I need some assistance of how I can determine the manufacturer of a Speedster I just acquired a few months ago. What information would be the most essential to supply?

For a month or so, I began comparing other Speedster pictures, but I cannot be 100% certain. The car has 50 original miles, has Beck floor mats; however, no plate that I can find.

The car was titled through Automotive Legends in CA.

The guage cluster or just the entire dash layout?

Steve snap a pic of the dash and engine. It's pretty easy to tell. I just realized your only an hour away from me. I may orginize a late summer run. Keep an eye out in the events tab.

Dash layout. Doors too.

Oops

Does it have a tube frame or VW pan

I believe it is pan; however, not sure exactly what I was looking for when underneath.

Steve:

Bob Garrett in Peoria. There are three or four Speedster owners down the road from you here in Peoria now. We need to get together once it warms up.

Not a Vintage unless somebody swapped the door panels. Meisterschaften (sp.?) badge and the grab handle appear to be placed wrong on the dash for a Vintage as well. Heater vents in the foot wells look like Beck to me, but I could be wrong.

Let's stay in touch!

Bob

So Automotive Legends built Becks too? ;-)

Beck Speedster. Contact Carey Hines. He may be able to provide info.

http://www.beckspeedster.com/

Troy - That's where I got thrown off as I could find very little information on Automotive Legends. This car was actually obtained during a charity auction in Beverly Hills; however, I don't know if it was actually built out there or not.

"Automotive Legends built Becks too" Nope--they never built anything---just bought stuff and resold it to the babes in the woods.. They were a re-seller of Vintage cars. Nothing but grief for many who dealt with them.

Just do a search here for Automotive Legends and get ready for some very sad stories.

The worst. I'm not talking about the cars---just the mgm't. The cars were fine as long as you don't mind paying a 30% premium iover what the mfg regular price was.

Can you spell gouge?

Oh that car--nice looking---looks like a CMC kit car to me. Almost definitely not a VS. Odd--battery in the back--fairly unusual.

Jack. That's why I added the winking eye after my post!

The little I was able to find out about 6 months ago, when I was getting ready to give this car a home, was that Automotive Legends was a dealer.

When I started comparing some pictures of other Speedsters, there are certain build "clues" I noticed. The position of the side view mirror, door panels, the shifter and brake boots, license plate light position, etc.

Lucky you Steve, you're Beck owner...and...and...oh, no, probably a Bears fan! The Becks don't suck. Rich in Wisconsin here. Congrats

LOL on the Bears reference. I don't believe we will be watching the Pack this weekend either.

Automotive Legends bought from almost every manufacturer, including me for a short while. The cars they bought from me were shipped out in kit form and AL had them built in a few places. Fibersteel built a few and others were assembled by an AL related shop in Camarillo and one in West Hills. When I visited the Camarillo shop they had turn key Vintage Speedsters, turn key and incomplete Vintage Spyders, TR spyder bodies, a few TR flared speedsters, and my speedsters and spyders in our body package form.
I can tell you from you photos it is defiantly a Beck and it definantly wasn't a factory completed car. I can also tell you the engine was one of the last factory built VW Mexico 1600cc crate motors with the top end converted CB Performance (alternator, tins, carbs).

Yeah, what he said ;-)

From the seats and door panels I'd say it's around a 2007.

Oh yeah, Welcome to the Madness! Come join us in Carlisle in May.

Carey--thanks for clearing this up and I learned something too. Never knew this --sure makes IDing cars a tad more difficult. I did notice the padding accross the dash and immediately thought "Beck" because yoi include this authentic feartur while most others dont but I never made the connection with A.L.

And Troy--yep--I saw that!

Thanks for the valuable input as I appreciate it very much. Being more confused now if these are good or bad things relative to the quality, performance and value of one of these cars.

The Beck folks (Carey and Kevin Hines) are very well regarding in these parts. I have an '06 with ~35k miles on it, and have been one of their cheerleaders for a while now. AL is NOT so highly regarded, but the Beck car is about 75% factory built, so they wouldn't be as much of a factor. The trim bits are added by the builder, which may explain why some appear to be slightly misplaced. How many miles (probably kilometers on the odometer) are on it? FYI, 1km = 0.62 miles. My car has ~48000km = ~35000 miles.

Carey, got any spare owner's manuals laying around for Steven?

The other good news, Steven, is that you're within driving distance of Carey and Kevin Hines at Special Editions. Once the weather warms up, call ahead for an appointment and take a ride over to Bremen, Indiana to meet these two fine gentlemen and their small crew (I met Mike and he's cool too) and have them check your car over...they know them extremely well.

The speedometer is in mileage and not kilometers. The car has 56 actual miles.

I don;t know anything about the transaxle, but they were advised to use Rancho... no idea if they did. Again, the motor is factory VW modified by CB Performance (generally a good thing). When visiting Camarillo there were shelf upon shelf full of EMPI parts; headlights, brake kits, brake hoses, mounts, etc... so the quality of some of the sub systems is questionable. I have seen a lot of EMPI parts used, some are great and some just plain suck... I'd pay close attention tot he assembly quality and be sure to go over all of the general maintenance items, do a full nut and bolt check on suspension (front and rear), steering box, pitman arm, column slip joints, engine and trans mounts, etc...

Yes, owner's manuals are available from the office.

Carey

Can your facility go over these points if I were to bring it to Bremen?

No problem. You can call the office and set it up with Kevin or me.

How great is the service from the Beck folks! Really sensational.

What Jack said x2

Thanks to all for assisting with this issue.

The bad part is that I still have to list this car as a 2006 Other/Unknown............

I believe you can edit your profile, but I'm too lazy to check. Such is the Madness.

Steven---it's a Beck as we have now learned. Just call it a Beck.

If you're into guitarists you could call it Jeff.

I like the Jeff idea. Then I can have a one of a kind.

Jeez, along those lines you could call it Beckola.

Welcome fellow Beck owner. Carey is the best. Taking your car there in mid to late March would be a very good idea to get you ready for the season. I took mine there last March for some upgrades and once over. Very glad that I did.

Thanks. Still a little chilly in March without a heater.

In the earlier post, it was asked if the frame on my Speedster was tubed or pan. Originally, I thought it was pan (as I am extrememly new to this car); however, I snapped some pictures today and maybe someone could accurately answer this question.

Thanks.