Not getting much sleep lateley

I am the owner of a new Vintage Wide Body. After many years of surfing the net and playing with the thought of owning a Speedster, I have made the plunge. I called Kirk one day and everything else just seemed to fall into place. I have chimed in from time to time but have been relatively quite since I ordered my car. I was playing it like Redford in "Cool Hand Luke" just trying to keep my anxiety level down to a manageable level.

Yesterday, the driver called my cell phone. In a friendly southern accent he said. "Marty, I got yuoall Speedster loaded on my truck. Damn, that

Sweet looking! Love those pedals.

And my usual: "Welcome to the madness!!!"

That's one beauty! The wide look is in. "I like big butts and I'll tell you why". I love the way it looks buff without being an oulaw.

You realize, of course, that some day you'll have to remove the plastic wrap on the seats ;-)

Oh no, don't need to remove the plastic from the seats, this way they will stay clean, shiny and without any rips!!!! LOL ~Esther

Did someone say they like "big butts"

Marty -

VERY COOL CAR!!! Welcome to the MADNESS. So you think you have a hard time sleeping NOW - wait 'til that BAD-BOY is in your garage. You'll be up all night staring at it from every possible angle.

BTW - it took only 2 posts for this thread to drift from the original topic - that's GOTTA be a record even for this website!! Too Funny!! BwaaaHaaaaHaaaaHaaaaa

Peace - Out!

I would like to know more about the pedals.

Vince...that is a very extra, extra large rear...don't think they make a speedster seat wide enough for her....just saying~ Esther

esther is that butt ugly?

Nice wide body, what kind of wheels are you rollin ??
Ester, still looking forward to hooking up with you and Grant for dinner, by the way, where's your speedy at?? Cabanaboy

Marty,
Congratulations....
Your car looks strangely familiar
Les

Congratulations, Marty. Any chance the driver will get it to you for the holiday weekend?

Mike

Excellent choice, Marty. What the twittering masses would like to know is WHERE the car is being delivered (hopefully by this weekend). East Coast, West Coast, or one of those "flyover states" so many of our esteemed colleagues live in?
And I'm with the 'ditch the plastic' crowd. lol

The verdict is in, I will ditch the plastic. Mike, I doubt the car will be in by the weekend, but that would be great. Tell Vince there is a limit to what is sexy "Big Butts".

Thanks for the compliments.

Marty G.

Cory, I am in the Chicago Suburbs.

Marty

Isn't that Newman in "cool hand luke"?

My mistake it is Newman. Just having a little failure to communicate.



Marty

"I am in the Chicago suburbs" - Then, Marty, we expect to see you at Carlisle '08.

Lane, when is the event?

Michael,

I saw the pedals on a picture that Kirk at Vintage sent me. He knows where to get them. Gives it a little industrial look.

Marty

The Carlisle Import and Replica show is in mid-May in Carlisle, PA. It's the biggest kit car event on the east coast - possibly in the whole country. A bunch of us go every year. I drove up from SC, Steven O'Brien drives over from Iowa, and some folks come down from Canada, so Chicago is NOT too far. It's really a whole lot of fun. Starting around the first of the year Gordon will start reminding people to reserve hotels rooms (we have a block set aside) and other stuff. The gathering usually starts on that Thursday, and people leave either Sunday or Monday. There are dinners and cruises each evening, so there's more than just the show. This year we had a panel discussion with Carey Hines (Special Edition/Beck), Henry Reisner (IM), John Steele (JPS), Jim Youngs (Kit Car Builder magazine), and Harold Pace (well know replica historian).

Check www.carsatcarlisle.com for next years schedule (if it's up yet).

Lane,

You guys bring the wifes? Just checking.


Marty

Heh, heh. Marty, some of these guys ... Well ...
You can tell the missus it'll be a long trip; there may not be room for her suitcase AND legroom on her side of the car. Whatever you need to tell her to get off The Hook -- as long as you can sleep with one eye open. ... Whatever you do, don't start researching those fancy luggage racks until AFTER the show.
Or you can bring her, and if she likes people who like people, she'll have a great time. Every person there for the last two years has gone out of their way to be fun and inviting.
Stock up now on Hawaiian shirts, too. No tennis visors, though. They're straight not allowed on the field. You'll be tackled at the knees and thrown over the fence.
Ten-gallon hats are okay.
:)

I am in. I could always fly her in for the tail end. She's a people person and a real looker. So looky but no touchy. Just Kidding.

See ya,

Marty G.

Marty, bring her or don't, either is fine. It seems more women come every year, and they seem to have a good time. But show up, you'll meet a bunch of laid back, beer drinking, non-snobs. If that is good for you, you'll fit right in. I know I have a good time, the Speedster guys seem to tolerate me. I can't tell if they like the Spyder or Jen, 'cause I know it's not me!

Desi... I have e-mailed you guys and never got response back... Of course we want to do dinner, I know you are busy just like us, I'll PM later tonite. The Speedie got sold to an awesome couple up your way. We bought a new rig to do some traveling with, way to many toys over here...LOL, not enough time for them all. ~Esther

Hey Esther, play with this......

Vince... I ain't playing with nothing....ya hear me..LOL ~Esther

I mapped out the trip to the East Coast. Looks like ten hours and some change. What am I in for? Is there training that

I'd say finding another Speedster/Spyder owner in your area and having a good once-over on how your car works would be a good idea. It's also a good idea to travel with the local VW club until you have a good feel for how your car ought to sound.
Joe Soltis and others in the Chicago area can recommend a good air-cooled mechanic to take the car to; maybe the peace of mind you get from a 'certified' mechanic's opinion is worth the visit.
Otherwise, "You pays your money, you takes your chances." Despite how new they look on the outside, they're usually venerated Beetles on the inside. I don't know what the fraction is, but I'd say at least half of the Speedster replicas out there are VW pan-based, and that means you're partially depending on the condition of the donor car -- which was then cut in half lengthwise to make what you've got.
You're lucky enough to have a 2007; I don't know whether it's a tube or a pan (because I've never stuck my head under a Vintage to look), but Kirk and company have a great reputation. After you're sure it'll get you from A to B and back to A around town, prepping for a road trip might just be as simple as checking gas, tires and oil before heading out.
My two cents.

Cory,

I will definately get a pro to once over the car before any long trip. I am just as concenred about how the driver holds up in these little open cars. I guess I'll have to practice with some multi-hour runs. Good excuse to head up to Lake Geneva, WI.

Marty G.

Marty, I did about 10 hours in my Beck over two days to get to Carlisle this year. I enjoyed it a lot more than I expected. It's a lot more fun if you caravan with someone, too.

As for the "open" part - I quickly found out the benefit of shade, and put up my top. Top down is great for a couple of hours, but can get old after a while.

What Lane? I can't hear you over the wind and exhaust!

Lane, why not dig out your blue hat? How hard is that, really?
Danny -- number?

Marty:

Search back through some of the older Carlisle (and Knotts) threads to see what's been covered on long-distance driving there. You can also contact John Hallstrand (Tenn.), Steve O'Brien (Iowa) or Joe Soltis to see what they did to prepare (and Dale Bates would be a good contact from the West Coast).

The couple who won "Longest Distance Driven" this year at Carlisle were from Bangor, Maine. I think they got the engine back in a month before the meet, got it broken in and just drove it. Sounded Mint. Same for Steve Perry from Rhode Island; he started out at 14 mpg on his first tank, and by the time he got to Carlisle (8 hours of travel on Interstates) he was up around 25+ mpg.

I'll be the first to admit that I dream of doing long distances in my Speedster, but I'm getting too old, stiff and crotchedy to spend more than about three hours at a stretch (although lots of great tunes on my IPOD certainly make it go by faster). Instead, I trailer my car there so I can remain in living room comfort in my Pickup (and WAY better sounds for my tunes), get it off the trailer and never put it back on for the length of the stay.

See you at Carlisle '08!

Gordon
(The "Speedstah Guy" guy who organizes "Speedsters Meet Spyder at Carlisle" lately)

BTW: In that picture up above, that's Cory leaning over in to the cockpit of his car, which Tom DeWalt is about to take out. Tom just received one of the very first 356A Coupes from JPS Motorsports (see the "It's Green!" thread under Vendors on this site). In the Background are John (Hoss) Hallstrand (with the slightly larger hat) and Lane Anderson (with the Blue hat) for whom we built a new Beck Speedster in two days right at the show last year.

There is also an hour-long "Cruise to Dinner" each night from Thursday through Saturday, through some of the most picturesque countryside you'll ever see in the heart of Pennsylvania Dutch country.

Needless to say, we have a pretty good time.

Danny,

It's Jen. Only reason. LOL.

PS Marty: Nice looking ride, I am thinking by Carlisle time you'll be well aquainted w/ this car, ands will know how/if to trust it on a long run. It should be grand. Either way, do not miss the meeting, as the folks and cars to see are wonderful.

I know, Kelly. Did you think I didn't notice you (and others)chatting her up this year? As long as I get to take her home, talk all you want. The best thing about her is I don't have to entertain her, she lets me be me. Shen knows how much I am into the cars, and is ok with that, as it should be. I think I'll have to get her a nice sedate dinner cruise ride next year. That way I can have a little fun(right Chris?) and not experience her death grip on my leg!