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22 replies

Oh. My. Lawd.

Cory McCloskeyCory McCloskey Supporting Member

My 2012 Beck came into my care just a few weeks ago, with fewer than 3,000 miles, and a 2110cc motor.  The last air-cooled engine I encountered on a regular basis was in a '71 Beetle Automatic -- the first car my wife and I had when we married in 1985.  It was a 1.6 liter with a broken fuel gauge that might've made 55 hp. Downhill.  (Unless I was pushing it into a gas station -- then it was about 1/10th hp.)

I expected more oomph, of course, from my fairly-new Speedster, but I just wasn't impressed. She topped out, it seemed, around 70, and sounded like she was giving me all she had. I took her to the air-cooled gurus here in Phoenix (Wedge Vee Dub) for a general going-over, and the fellow gave me a call soon after. He'd just come back from an initial test-drive, and he said, "I don't think you're getting all of your throttle. This engine is big -- it should be quicker off the line, and faster at the top end. I'm gonna check your carb linkage and your pedal setup. Something seems bound up."

He called again later in the day.

"You're going to LOVE your car," he said.  Boy, was he right...

I don't know if I ever had a clear idea of what a 2110 should feel like, but she's gone from a sometimes-gasping, slow-to-respond-but-pretty-to-look-at ride, to the most fun I've EVER had driving! 

SO. MUCH. POWER! (Certainly enough for me.) 

She just leaps off the line when asked, and I don't even want to know what her max is... (I hope to be buried inside my Speedster someday, in a grave the size of a swimming pool, but not next week... LOL)

Anyway, this post isn't intended as a hey-look-at-me, but more of a nod to the pros who love air-cooled technology, and know how to coax the best from cars like ours...

I didn't think my SEG could grow any wider, but, there ya go!

"We've come this far -- let's not ruin it by thinking."  – Clint Eastwood

Original Post

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Cliff Presley - Charlotte, NCCliff Presley - Charlotte, NC

Thank you Cory for a wonderful update on your car. 

Your comments were an INSPIRATION to me because later this month my wife and I will also be getting a Speedster.  It will also have a 2110cc engine equipped with Webers, plus a custom made Rancho transmission and frankly - after having to wait months in anticipation of getting a better idea on how well it might perform it has really started to get to me.  Well, when I read that after Wedge Vee Dub tweaked your car it was now "the most FUN I've ever had driving," it got to me and really helped.  WOW! 

Congratulations on you and your wife getting such a great car.

Cheers,

Cliff    :-)

 

Last edited by Cliff Presley - Charlotte, NC
Gordon NicholsGordon NicholsMassachusetts 1993 CMC Supporting Member

Cory:  We used to have a home in Tiverton, Rhode Island and when we first arrived there, the town was in a hubbub over Rose Martin.  Rose had just died, at 84 years old and she stipulated in her will that she be buried in her beloved 1962 Corvair.

So, being good neighbors and all that, we carried out her wishes.  Here is an article from back then - Maybe it will give you some ideas........

Oh!  and glad your wrench got the engine sorted out - 2,110 engines ROCK!

http://www.duhaime.org/LawFun/...hevrolet-Coffin.aspx

Last edited by Gordon Nichols
Bill ProutBill Prout
Cliff Presley - Charlotte, NC posted:

Thank you Cory for a wonderful update on your car. 

Your comments were an INSPIRATION to me because later this month my wife and I will also be getting a Speedster.  It will also have a 2110cc engine equipped with Webers, plus a custom made Rancho transmission and frankly - after having to wait months in anticipation of getting a better idea on how well it might perform it has really started to get to me.  Well, when I read that after Wedge Vee Dub tweaked your car it was now "the most FUN I've ever had driving," it got to me and really helped.  WOW! 

Congratulations on you and your wife getting such a great car.

Cheers,

Cliff    :-)

 

Cliff, I thought you already had a speedster, no?

Cliff Presley - Charlotte, NCCliff Presley - Charlotte, NC
crhemi (Bill) poboiinhawaii posted:
Cliff Presley - Charlotte, NC posted:

Thank you Cory for a wonderful update on your car. 

Your comments were an INSPIRATION to me because later this month my wife and I will also be getting a Speedster.  It will also have a 2110cc engine equipped with Webers, plus a custom made Rancho transmission and frankly - after having to wait months in anticipation of getting a better idea on how well it might perform it has really started to get to me.  Well, when I read that after Wedge Vee Dub tweaked your car it was now "the most FUN I've ever had driving," it got to me and really helped.  WOW! 

Congratulations on you and your wife getting such a great car.

Cheers,

Cliff    :-)

 

Cliff, I thought you already had a speedster, no?

Hi Bill,

Yes I bought a Speedster several months ago and have been patiently waiting for it to be completed.  Every thing needed has been built and installed except the badging.  The car is being thoroughly tested and sorted out this week by both Kirk at Vintage Speedsters as well as the folks over at Vintage Motorcars who have also lent a hand in building it . 

The photos and report I got yesterday were very encouraging and the car may be ready to load onto the transporter next week.

See thread: https://www.speedsterowners.com...intagespeedsters-com

I should mention that during the build Kirk has bent over backwards to fulfill my every request. . . and believe me when I say that I've made several special ones. 

Kind regards,

Cliff    :-)

Cory McCloskeyCory McCloskey Supporting Member

To Robert M's question first... What did my man Paul do to "free things up"?

He estimated that I'd been working with only about half of my available throttle.  (By the way, I always assume everyone on this site knows more than I, so I'm never embarrassed to showcase my ignorance...)  He adjusted the position of the clamp that connects the throttle cable to the hexagonal rod that spans the distance between carbs.  Sort of like adjusting one's grip on a baseball bat or a golf club, he slid the clamp off, then slid it back on, but rotated it one notch forward (or back, whichever provided more travel to the throttle cable -- but you get the idea).

Simple fix, but OY! Such a DIFference!

 

Cory McCloskeyCory McCloskey Supporting Member

Oh, one other thing -- my car's motor wasn't installed by Carey and the boys at Beck.  The original owner commissioned his own engine and put it in.  I'm not sure if he ever was able to enjoy its full potential or not!

Thanks to all the rest of you for the words of encouragement -- like the rest of you, I'll never tire of looking at our beautiful cars, nor will I ever slide into that seat without being excited about getting out on the road. Sometimes, 33 years of dreaming just spills out of me -- I can't believe it's finally here!

 

Gordon NicholsGordon NicholsMassachusetts 1993 CMC Supporting Member

Rose was pretty popular, especially south of RT 24, in a town brimming over with "characters".  

So if you worked in Tiverton, then you'll know of Gray's Ice Cream (everybody knows Gray's - it's the only landmark other than Fogland Beach and Evelyn's Clam Shack).  We lived about a mile from Gray's, down on the East bay.  One of our neighbors was/is Al Williams of "Paul and Al in the Morning" on WHJY FM.

You probably have also been to the Al-Mac Diner in Fall River - the place where Emeril Legassy got his cooking start before he went big time.   An interestingly strange part of the world, but with "character"!

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