Newbie- Advice: Conventional 356 ot Widebody?

Hi all, I just joined the site about a month ago and have been reading alot of posts to get a better idea of best path forward. I've been researching the replica 356 market for over a year, and I am nearing pulling the trigger. likely spring of 2011. The question I have is whether to go w/a conventional 356 replica or wide body? I like them both, but I do have concerns over performance w/a wide body (I'm leaning towards a 1910 engine, 3:88 tranny, 4 wheel discs (open minded), etc. I've also looked at several manufacturers, and seems like VS is the one to go with, but as I read everyone's replies, JPS and Beck are also great cars. I'm really just looking for an array of opinions to help me make up my mind so I can finalize my wish list, and then make a decision on manufacturers. I'm not a wishy washy person by nature, but this would be very helpful. Thanks in advance!!

They're all good. I depends on how much you want to spend, what features you want, and where you are located. After-the-sale support is very important for the first few months as you WILL have sorting issues. If you're waiting until the spring, come to Carlisle and talk to the makers and us, drive a few cars, and that way you can make an educated decision. If you're on the west coast, meet the folks out there for the Pismo Beach gathering. The more info you're armed with, the better your odds of making the best decision.

Thanks so much Lane. I'm in Seattle, so SoCal is a short flight down. When is the Pismo event? Locally, a dealer call Park Place Ltd manufactures VS at their shop, but they are pretty spendy compared to buying directly from the factory. I drove a VS and JPS this summer, and fell in love. I buddy of mine has an Intermeccanica, but that is out of my budget. Very nice ride, but more than I want to spend. Thanks again for the advice. Mark

Mark--you are doing better than I did when I started looking for a Speedster---I didn't know about this great site back then ---too bad as it would have been soooo helful!

Park Place is a reseller of Vintage brand Speedster replicas. If they told you they manufacture them you might want to see their plant.
I am pretty sure they buy VS cars (Vintage) from Hawaiian Gardens and
mark them up for the uneducated public--which you aren't part of now.

Look at the tab at the top of the page and select "makers" to look at Vintage's site as well as a few others.

There are many values out there right now due to the economy, on ebay and some on www.thesamba.com too.

I will echo what Lane said about going to gatherings of the folks and their cars who poat here. Pismo is the best and it's close to you.
Maybe I'll meet you there in June.

If you decide to buy new, get members here to list things that are important to have and what to look out for. Used is good too because many cars are super-low mileage and have been sorted.

You are gonna have so much fun!

Great advice Jack. I'm super excited. One of best friends bought the intermeccanica about a year ago used in Vancouver BC and it is amazing. He spent a lot dough though. When I discoverd VS and JPS about a year ago, I got the bug. I've found several used cars on ebay and craiglist, and I'm definately not overted to buying a quality used car w/low miles. As for Park Place, they are a high end luxory dealer mainly w/exotics, and their resale on the speedster inventory is anywhere from about $28-$35K. After looking at lots of cars, and visiting the manufacturers sites, I'm convinced if I go w/a new build, I'll do it directly w/the factory. I really appreciate the comments, and I'm talking to my girl now to come down to SoCal this spring to visit and check out the rides in person.

I think Pismo is in April, about a month before Carlisle. If you have the vacation time, come to both.

i received great advice and tours from tom at thunder ranch, kevin and carey at special edition, and the guys at open road motors.
jake raby gave me a lot of great engine advice and spent a lot of time with me on the phone and on line, way back in the day..
these fine folks, and those at spyderowners.com and spyderclub.com, are excellent sources.

Mark - Just as a matter of reference for you, here are videos from the SOC events on the East Coast and West Coast.

This video link is the annual SOC East Coast event in Carlisle, Pennsylvania...

http://www.vimeo.com/12559040

And this video link is the annual SOC West Coast event last year in Morro Bay, California...

http://www.vimeo.com/11637900

You should check the 'Events' page of this SOC website for additional SOC gatherings throughout the year in SoCal. We'd be happy to have you join us on any of these cruises for a ride-along or just research.

Peace - Out!

Thanks Jim. I spoke to my lady yesterday and we're planning on it. pismo in June sounds great. I have friends in Ventura and Ohai so its right in the neighborhood. Love the vids too. Great cars, and looks like a lot of fun!!

Be aware that not only do the classics and the widebodies (all types) look different, they ride and drive differently as well. It's all a matter of what floats your particular boat. The widebodies are probably stickier in the curves due to the added rubber, but I am told the heavier wheels and tires used on some make the ride harsher.

At any gathering folks will likely offer you right seat time, if not outright stick time, and you should accept it for as many different cars as possible to gather info. If you make it to Carlisle, you can talk to the vendors, and maybe sample an exhibit car or two.

"Conventional 356 or Widebody?"
The rides are very different, but it's mainly a matter of personal preferrence. Be aware that there are three different versions of widebodies out there.

To help you decide, here are some links:

http://kvan.hopto.org/blackspeedster.htm

http://kvan.hopto.org/orangespeedster.htm

http://kvan.hopto.org/silverspeedster.htm

http://speedster.hopto.org

Mark--the West Coast meet at Pismo Beach is June 3-5 --you can read about it under "Events".

--Hope to meet you there.

Wide body allow for a larger selection of wheels and tires - that said the wrong one looks strange in such a large opening if offset isn't correct. The classic is probably easier to resell down the road. Rear discs expand rear track and make a 5.5" rim tight on rear of a classic. Many will argue that rear discs are not needed on modest size engine. Lightly used and sorted out ones are going now for rock bottom prices thanks to an economy that doesn't realize the recession is over. In Spring, of course, all open car prices go up. Expecting to order a new one then --- you may not get it for Summer! In a good economy there is a waiot list and build time.

Okay, so I've been reading the posts for about a month, and I don't feel uncomfortable saying this (given the things that people rip each other with), but I am sporting major wood. Marky likey!! This just makes me even more excited to get one of my own. I'm definately coming to Pismo in June. In fact, my g/f and I talked, and we're thinking of doing a two week road trip, and get the analysis done!!
So based on all of your experience, and some advice about options, and configuration, what are your thoughts on engine size, four wheel disks, 3:88 tranny is a must have from what I've read. What other considerations do I need to be mindful of whether buying used, or commissioning a build? And, thanks guys for all of the great replies, photos and video. This makes this exercise so much more fun, and is getting me super psyched!!

Btw... I think I'm leaning towards the classic 356 body style. The widebody is super bitchin but for me, I think the classic is more for me. So, with that, engine size, conffiguration questions, sorting issues to be aware of, etc? Thanks guys!!

Hi Mark,

I just purchased a classic style from John Steele at JPS in North Hollywood, CA. He was very helpful. I was originally going to have him make one for me, but he told me that he had a customer who had one built in 2008 that wanted to sell it. It only had around 1500 miles on it and he knocked off over $10K from the original selling price. John handled the transaction for us and got it all tuned up for me and offered me the same warranty as if I bought it new. Besides the price, I learned that buying a good used one from someone who knows his car well allows you to skip the "sorting" out period that the new cars typically have. I'm very happy with mine. I also have a Porsche Boxster and even though both cars are 2 seater convertibles, they are such different cars in so many ways. I love them both and have a hard time deciding which one is the "weekend" car. Have fun and good luck. I hope to meet you some day at one of the events.

Ken

Thanks Ken. After speaking to several folks on the site, I'm leaning towards a good used car. I am not super mechanically inclined (I'm an IT guy, so computers, no problem, engines and electrical, not so much - but I'm a quick study). I'm definately going to pull the trigger in 2011. Need to do a bit more research, and find the right car for the right price. Here in Seattle, I'll have about 4 or 5 months of good driving weather, but this looks more fun than a person should be allowed to have. I'm taking notes from the "experts with experience" from this site, so the list is getting some beef to it now. Appreciate the feedback.

Mark, here are two gorgeous cars for sale by members of this forum. These are particularly nice cars that are fully sorted.

John Leader's
https://www.speedsterowners.com/forum/readmsg.asp?t=18816

Warren White's
https://www.speedsterowners.com/forum/readmsg.asp?t=19808

Mark, Lane knows of what he speaks...at least in this case...

BUY A COUPE AND U CAN DRIVE IT ALL YEAR ROUND

Wow!! both beautiful. Really like the Carrera styling. So much to absorb.

Love the coupe too Gerd. Very stylish. Thinking more of a cabriolet though. Really miss having a drop top.

What Lane said x2 with reference to the two cars (John Leader or Warren White). Relatively speaking, with either of these 2 cars you'd be getting A LOT OF UPGRADES for the money.

I also feel that John and Warren offer a great deal on their cars. I have seen both cars, and the equipment on those cars is first rate.

Classic Body.............

GERD.... I drive my Speedy all year long even up here in the "frozen" nor-cal Sacto Valley

Extremely reliable & warm.

Mark, you should seriously consider either John's or Warren's cars before you look anywhere else. I don't know why you'd want to, but you could flip either one over and eat something off their undercarriages.
Those guys put a lot of thought into those cars, and both are built very well. Both sellers have excellent reputations here on this site, and both cars were put together to tight standards.
Leader's car is an excellent example of a minimalist "race" outlaw style, in a color that you'll never see duplicated. It's kind of a greenish-blue that you'd have to be a deep-water sailor at dusk to see in nature. He calls it Hypnotic Teal or something. Beautiful color, whatever it is, and very well executed. Not a whole lot of miles, either. From what I hear, JPS will help you with any maintenance issues, too.
Warren's got a conservative, well-appointed example of a Carerra you'd have been able to buy out of a showroom back in the day. The dash is more traditional than John's is, and it has the trimmed bumpers and louvred decklid so many of us want. It looks fast sitting still, and it's a Beck. If you're not a maintainer, a Beck is its own insurance policy. Carey and Kevin Hines stand behind everything they build -- and many they didn't.
My opinion, naturally. Kind of goes without saying that I'd like to see you in a Speedster, Spyder, coupe or cabriolet of SOME description, but you said used was probably where you are headed -- can't get better than those two right now.

Good luck!

And both cars are a good $10k below what hey would cost to reproduce. Ya can't beat that with a stick.

Mark, if you come through So. Cal. I'll let you have a ride on Ol Debbie...
The Oban is on me....

Great guys! I'll definately keep this in mind. I'm not going to pull the trigger until at least March when I get my bonus from work. Both cars are beautiful, and if they are still available when I'm ready, I'll definately consider them. I really do appreciate all of the advice. It means alot. Things have been crazy the last few days here in Seattle. We had an arctic blast come in and temps have been hovering in the teens and twenties, that and prepping for 17 guests for T-day dinner has been my focus.

Wow Vince. You ARE a giver. I'm sure my g/f would love to see that ;)

For what it is worth, I started looking well over a year ago and cast a really wide net, well beyond this site to gather information and look at as many cars as I could. I found that having a mentor (Stan Galat in my case) and asking a ton of questions on this site (sorry guys for some of the dumb ones I posed, trust me, there will probably be more)helped me crystallize what I was looking for in my first Speedster.
I bought my 2002 VS from a site member who, based on my research, has been part of this community for a long time, and active on the site and with other owners and is respected. I bought my car based on his reputation, other members analysis and input, but without ever seeing the car live. Looked at a ton of pictures, got an inspection done, took a deep breath and bought it. Couldn't be happier.
I bought a generic speedster that I can alter to my liking. I've found that once I got my hands on it, there are thing I want to add/change/refine, that I hadn't thought of or known about before. Having a generic car (looks as close to the real thing as VS can make it) means I have a platform to create my own dream, I'm not wrestling to change somone else's. Don't get me wrong, I can drive this car forever and be perfectly happy but I'm bound to tweek a few things.
I'm not recommending you do as I did, but I think using the membership to get all your questions answered and finding somebody to shepherd you through the process can enhance the result.
Good luck and if I can be of any help, let me know. You sound like the kind of guy who will love this!!!!!

Hook...line ...sinker





Heh-Heh

Pretty pathetic aren't I Bill? Sucked right into it.

Great advice Bob. I'm biding my time for now until after the new year and will continue to research until about March or April I think. I've been following a similar path of research. So far I've driven a JPS and a VS, and loved both of them, as well as researched all of the manufacturers and seen a ton of cars online. Price is definately a consideration (I want to stay under $25k), but based on a ton of adds that I've looked at, including the two cars that I drove, I don't think this is unrealistic. I think at this point, its finding the "right car for me". Definately after speaking to the generous folks on this site, used is looking more inviting, and a bigger motor than the 1615 is on tap as well. Living in Seattle I also have to consider drive time, but w/our climate I figure I can get about 5-6 months of good driving a year (who knows, the old lady and I are talking about moving to a warmer climate in two or so years, so that may change as well). For now, I want to thank all of you guys for the insightful comments and advice on next steps. Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving, and looking forward to the holidays and the year ending!!

Mark.
Just be aware that prices will go up in the spring. The best time to buy is December, January and February.
Troy

Lane, Wil, Cory. I am humbled by your kind words. Mark, get involved with the guys on this site. They will not steer you wrong. We've all been through what you are about to undertake and understand. Please don't hesitate to ask questions. You may get different answers, but that is OK. You'll have to sort that part out yourself. Good luck in your search. As for me, I have owned a VS with a mild engine and my Beck that has the bigger engine. My smile while driving the Beck is significantly wider.

Warren's smile was not so good when he and Terry said my IM-6 was a gross polluter. Ok so it was at 9,000 feet and the car is set up for sea level but really.......;-)

Jump right in the water is fine all for a low, low price. Or in my case a high, high price but to me worth every penny.

Looking forward to Pismo in June and lots aof fun before and after.

Lots of good people here from the ones I know personally.

Glad your still happy Bob!

Oh yes my advice.......just go with what you can afford and have fun!

Dave. I couldn't figure out why Terry was going to sleep following you until he pulled over and I got in front of him. It wasn't all that bad, just added tears to my smile.

Warren,

I guess we should have just been going faster but the traffic was brutal in a few areas. I still crack up when I think about it....;-)