We are heading out today, and probably visiting IM Thursday morning to have a good look at the car, and a test drive. Staying nearby until Friday, then off to Kamloops for the IM Treffen. After that, a few days touring around the area, then back to IM next Thursday or Friday.
It would be great if we could meet up at Henry's Thursday (tomorrow).
I might be able to pull that off. Check your dialog.
Just to let everyone know; the beast lives! I spent part of yesterday morning down at IM, saw the car (Henry had brought it back from the alignment shop), and met the very gracious Bob and Mary. IM was finishing up some details on the car. Beth and I met Bob and Mary for a drink at a local watering hole a little later in the evening; thanks for the wonderful time! I'll let Bob tell you about the car later.
Ok, so Bob has arrived, visited the Intermeccanica Inter-Galactic headquarters, been introduced to his IM-6, maybe even driven it a bit already, been "Pub'd" by Alb (hopefully, wined and dined, too, along the way), and I think this is the weekend for Henry's huge, International, Northern Barbecue and Fish Taco Bash.........And I know that there's a three hour delay for those folks from the East Coast for Vancouver happenings, but........
Where are all the pictures?!?!?!?!?
The smiling new owner sitting in the driver's seat making "Vroom, Vroom" noises, action shots of the car peeling out from the parking lot, on-the-road sound bites of the custom exhaust note, Bob trying to keep his hat on at speed, Bob keeping BBQ-eaters away from his car, Bob with his SEG - ALL of that stuff.......
WHERE????
When your in heaven Gordon, how can you take time out to communicate with the mere mortals on earth, I think we need to all go polish our cars while we wait for the heavenly reports from Bob... 
Ray
Well, what can I say, but...
WOW!!!!!!!!.
Lots of pictures to come later. I'm not an Iphone type of guy (or whatever device I should have), so I'll need to download the pictures from my camera (remember those?) once I get home. I'm using a guest computer here in the hotel.
Suffice it to say, the car is just effing fantastic!!!! Sticks to the road like glue, goes like a rocket, and just handles superbly. Really nice driving roads out here, touring with the Intemeccanica group, and we now have five more days for the two of us to do more driving and exploration of the area.
The car is not rear end heavy at all, and the power can easily be controlled. It's a lot more manageable that I had imagined (or worried). Easy on the pedal when needed, and stomp on it when you want. Great brakes, steering, what else?
More reports later - almost time to go driving!
Bob, were are you traveling to from Kamloops (or was it Kelowna)?
It's good to hear that the car even better than you hoped it would be.
Ray (IM6 update).
We drove from New Wesminster (suburb of Vancouver) to Kamloops, and lots of interesting drives on the Saturday. Headed to a vineyard on Sunday. Friday was cold and rainy, but the car ran perfectly.
Now we have four or five days of touring around - just the two of us. I'm making a short list of stuff for Henry to do once he gets the car back. Basically, my time here is a shakedown cruise, and there are some details on the car that Henry did not complete. He wanted me to drive it for a week or so, then we will sort those out.
I can't find any fault with the car - it's a great driver, either in a straight line or around those curves they have out here. The Wevo shifter on the 915 transmission really gives short throws, and the 911 discs at each wheel haul the car down nicely. It's a little chilly for top down, though.
The muffler that Henry designed and built gives it a great sound - really beefy when needed, and fairly quiet when cruising.
On a sad note, I got my first bloody stone chip on the car...
I anticipate a few more, as this is a car that begs to be driven...
Well, off on another drive...
On a sad note, I got my first bloody stone chip on the car... I anticipate a few more, as this is a car that begs to be driven...
Well, off on another drive...
True story: I got my IM in '05 less engine and transaxle (so I could justify it). I had a harrowing experience getting it off the transport and onto my trailer-- but once that was complete, I offloaded into the garage and breathed a sigh of relief.
The car was on jack-stands, waiting for the running gear (it only took a week or so to get it all together). My extremely careful and conscientious son (who was 15 at the time), was carrying a scrap coil through the garage and tripped. The edge of the coil dug into the passenger rear fender and left a gouge 1-1/2" long, down to the glass. I watched the color bleed out of his face, as he looked in horror at the damage. It was just one of those things- nobody said anything. We just stood there slack-jawed and stared at it.
There have been a lot of times in my life I've said stuff I regret almost instantly, more that I've regretted a bit later, and a TON I've regretted down the road. This was one of the times I didn't say anything, because I knew anything that came out of my mouth wasn't going to help anything.
I fixed it as well as I could. Fast forward 10 years, and the entire front of the car looks like it was shot with rock salt (which it was- THANKS, State of Illinois!). The scratch doesn't look so bad.
Someday I'll re-spray it, but not until it's pretty darned "well used".
Well, Bob, The first one always hurst the most, don't feel too bad, I got one on my maiden voyage after even spending a fortune on an XPEL film on the complete hood and most of the front. My wife the wise women says only things that are perfectly kept are UNUSED. FGlass at least will not rust and we get to still enjoy the car without that issue which is plaging all other antique or older car. Remember the old saying, if you want a clean barn, you can't have any animals.
Stan, you just cannot imagine how many times I wish my second response had been my first. Who can control that TONGUE.... Ray
Hey Gordon, really nice picture, i love those fuchs on your car. Ray
Before the thread drift gets real sideways....I'd love to keep this one with Bob's IM.
I think he deserves it.....
Outstanding....as usual from Henry and a fine example of good choices and taste from Bob. A thing of beauty for sure. Congrats, Bob.
Incredible car! Gordon, wait until you have the complete picture album.. Shouldn't be too awful long.
I didn't know Henry had posted that photo. We were at a friend's of his house last Saturday outside of Kamloops for a nice dinner. Lots of great people and cars.
There was a BN1 Healey in the barn that was being restored, too.
We've had fantastic weather, beautiful scenery and great driving roads - no, exceptional driving roads!
Lots of shots on the camera that I can post once we are home on the weekend. Henry will be doing some stuff on the car, then it will be shipped home, probably to sit until next Spring and driving time again.
I can't describe what it's like to drive a 911 based IM. It sticks like glue, steers like a go cart, and goes like a rocket. And the sound of that flat six makes me think of LeMans each time I start it up.
Am I happy? Definitely yes!!
Great to hear that you enjoyed your time at the maker's shop Your car looks great! You might still get a few weeks of driving around. Ray
Bob, I wonder how many coats of wax you'll put on her over the winter months.
Bob, I wonder how many coats of wax you'll put on her over the winter months.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fULNUr0rvEc
Damn fine piece of machinery right there.
You got windows and a top that seals, I'd drive it in sub zero weather!
I think Bill has a realistic take on not hibernating something with "windows and a top that seals" through the winter!
In fact Bob, I'll bet dollars to donuts that if there isn't salt slush or ice on the roads that the temptation to fire it up for a grocery-run will be too great an itch not to scratch...no matter what the temperature is.
Bob,
Henry widened the rear by what looks to be 3 1/2 or 4" on each side.
Was this modification to increase the engine compartment space to squeeze the engine in?...or to accommodate wider rear tread while retaining an 'unflared' stock appearing wheel well?
Or both??
Looks like it was all done in the fender area, outside, or right along the outside edge of, the engine compartment. Nice, subtle flare on the rear fenders, too, that, together, allow fatter rear tires:
The engine seems to have plenty of room, at least above the heat shield line:
And this, below the shields - Looks about as roomy as looking under Kathy's Subaru Outback (note: No muffler in these shots). Just remember, though, that it has a set of spark plugs both below and above the heat shields. Those upper ones might be tight to get at.....
You can see part of the two 6-plug distributor caps in the lower right of this photo and some of the upper plugs:
Never having owned one of these engines, I don't know how often they might need service below the heat shields but I suspect that it's not too often.....
And if it does need any major work it's probably easier to pull the engine.
Gordon: You have become my car's Boswell...documenting every aspect of its development.
Carl: the sectioning of the rear fenders allows wider tires and a wider stance without turning the car into a wide body or a flared Speedster. It's very subtle, and really takes some skill to do it right. Done right, it is not all that noticeable, which is nice.
As for servicing, there are no valves to adjust, etc. so it's mainly oil changes (with all the hoses back to front, two oil coolers, two oil filters, and oil tank, I think it's around 11.5 litres to do an oil change. There are two drain plugs, too.
Also, the engine compartment does not have to be completely sealed off with this engine, as it does with a VW based engine.
The entire set up is really interesting, and the engineering needed to plunk a flat six into one of these cars is not all that easy.
But it's a great way to go...
And if it does need any major work it's probably easier to pull the engine.
Exactly - just like most other Speedsters. Drop it out and away you go.
Dr. Bob wrote: "You have become my car's Boswell...documenting every aspect of its development."
I wonder what the Scotsman, James Boswell, would think of my using captured imagery, rather than his style, of writing wondrous tomes about what he had seen? If only I could write as well!
I have spent a LOT of time with the pictures of this build and, after a while, I started to look a little deeper into them, rather than just the easy once-over. When you do that, TONS of little details of this build begin to emerge and you appreciate the vision and workmanship of Henry and his band of shop elves all that much more....Like carrying the trim of the headlights and fog lights into the side mirror trim as just one example. This entire car just flows as a great example of the art form it mimics.
Ach, Laddie,
Wait until you see the rest of the trim...Henry and I have a few more neat things coming along.
Unity of form, function, and appearance.
Do tell
Bill
I know the bumpers are named after Rick. Not sure about the widened fenders - I think it was Matt Stoich who helped Henry develop that approach.
Just wondering...I always liked the way Henry lowered the rear wheel fender openings on Ricks car to make it look lower.
~WB
Yes, he did that on Rick's car, but not mine. Makes the car look lower without it being lower - very clever.
). . RayThe early Gmund Porsches had 'shallower' rear wheel cutouts that gave the appearance of being lowered.
On the other hand Emory enlarged the wheel well height (front and back) on his radically lowered black coupe to create the initial impression that was stock...a very clever illusion!
Bob, that thing looks fantastic! Can't wait to see it in person, as well as Marty's hot-rod.
The first car with the extremely subtle Henry widening treatment I saw was Howard's. Very nice work, then, and now, Henry. My hat is off to you!
