Potential Purchase

Those are Porsche 914 gauges - not classic 356 or 356 replica gauges so I'd question if that is accurate mileage. There are a lot of cars available locally - no need to go to Denver.  Was just a very nice green 356 IM Roadster available in Boston for $15k.

 

Welcome to the potential madness.  I assume that the car is a pan based IM if it was built in the 70's. Does it have a VW vehicle ID number? If so it should be easy to register in Mass. If the engine is in good shape I wouldn't be too worried about power. I rode in an older IM with a 1600 around the track at Lime Rock this weekend and it pulled just fine. 21K might be a bit high for a car of that age but others here know more about that. You might get lucky and get one of the members here to take a look at it for you. Happy hunting, and don't buy the first thing you see. Wolfie is right, there are always cars coming up and you can get some better buys This is the time of year when people sell their top down cars. Best of luck.

 

I'd be willing to bet that if you are patient, one will show up soon closer to your whereabouts.

 

Just scanning eBay, there's a new Beck available in Ilion, NY, probably drive it home mileage for you. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Replic...mp;pt=US_Cars_Trucks

Yeah, Damian, Greater New England cars come up several times each year either on here, the Samba or ebay, so keep looking.

 

Al Gallo (up above) is in Eastham, on the Cape, and I'm out near Worcester.  Chris Schofield has his very recent IM for sale out in Shrewsbury, but he's got about $70K in it and probably won't let it go cheap.  

 

A few of us often get together at Hebert's Candy Mansion in Shrewsbury in early August - always a good place to catch a few Speedsters - but this year we got rained out.  The next big event nearby is the Porsche New England Concours at "The Elms" mansion in Newport, RI, but I doubt there will be any replicas there (I should take my car down there, just for the hell of it!)

 

Anyway, you can check out the TYP356ne website schedule for the remaining 356 events of the season and you might see a few of us show up.  BTW, between originals and replicas in the TYP356ne club, we're currently running about 130 cars in New England!  Current schedule here:

 

http://www.typ356ne.org/schedule.htm

 

BTW:  Where do you live in Beantown and how flexible is your schedule?  A couple of us have been toying with the idea of driving to Sandwich on the Cape to have lunch with Al and Heidi Gallo.  Peter Venuti would be heading out of Beverly, right through Boston and down to the Cape and might be able to pick you up.  Have you home in time for dinner.......  Jus' saying...

Damian, where are you located? that would help us in getting you the right intel too... I totally agree with Rich here... Patience is truly a virtue here... I waited 16 months before I pulled the trigger, but when I did I knew exactly what I wanted and I got it for a very good price as well... Ask these knuckleheads anything my friend... we're here to help, and then get you out driving... Remember the car is right when you say it is... no one else..

 

Speedster "D"

 

Did the early IM's use the Hibachi grill?  That car screams CMC to me. 

 

I'm 100% positive that is the car ALB went to check out for me when it was for sale in Bellingham, WA. This was originally for sale way back in January of this year. At that tim the car was for sale at $15,000, by a private party (Jeff).  I was set to pull the trigger at $13,500. The car had questionable paint and it would have been suspect to register in CA. So I passed.

 

 

The blue tag on the door frame tells me that it was once registered in CA, but I was concerned that it was registered as a 78 speedster. A 1978 anything would be a pain to register / smog in CA.

 

 

I may even have some more photos of this car on my phone, they were sent from the original seller (jeff).  Someone has done a little bit of work to it since then (painted the dash and remounted the 914 gauges, but I still don't think it's a 15k car.  I think the trans is geared for a 1300cc motor so you'd be constantly rowing through the gears and you'd be tapped out at 70mph. (ALB - keep me honest here...)

 

There are many better speedsters out there - especially in the 20k range. Keep looking.  Don't get drawn in by the BH Motorcars ads. Their cars are overpriced by a good margin. Which is why they have had many of them for many many months.

 

Craigslist is your friend. SOC will become your best friend.

 

Ted

 

 

 

 

 

x2 everything Ted said...in fact x2 on ALL the cautionary comments on this particular offering.

 

First of all I can't imagine Henry at Intermechanica resoting to a Hibachi cast grill and incorrect gages. 

 

Secondly...Intermechanicas DON'T have that visually awkward space between the front tires and the back edge of the wheel opening. That's typically a VS feature, like my own (and everyone else's) Vintage.

 

Don't be in a hurry...

Hitting the jackpot within 72 hours of a Madness Infection, as Jim did with Leon's speedster, Is damn near phenominal.     

Major steps:

1) Determine how you want to drive it
2) Determine your price point
3) Study the offerings from Vintage, JPS, Beck, & IM & see what best fits
4) Learn the pricing
5) Wait to pounce on a used one (include kit built CMC)

Or

You could just go straight to one of the manufacturers, order one, customize the snot out of it, spend too much money, but get exactly what you want...like me :-)

This is like match.com for finding a speedster. . .

 

I've been doing 1-4 of Tom's post, and getting a tremendous education today.  Thanks guys.

The original Intermechanica cars built in California predated CMC cars and did indeed use hibachi grilles and 914 gauges. Probably it was Henry's father that did it.

 

When IM ceased production in California they sold the molds and other stuff to CMC.

 

So, early IM cars are pretty much the same as CMC cars.

Damian,

I live up north in Newburyport so if you are heading up to Maine you could stop in, take a ride and we could cover some of the basics about these cars.  It would have helped me a bit to actaully look at one and get an eyeful of what to look for...

Frank

If that is the same car (you are right Ted, it does look like it) donor car was a '66 bug. It's got a 1300 (iIrc, an F case, possibly rebuilt into a 1500 or 1600; there's no way of knowing short of removing a head and measuring a piston) with single port heads, stock or really mild cam, 4.37 ring and pinioned transaxle and ball joint front beam. I only got to drive it to the end of the block and back (it was January or February, raining and there were no plates on the car) but it moved well for what it was. Gears would be a little short for the highway- 3500 in 4th around 65mph. The front end was tight, the engine had reasonable end-play, no valve clatter to speak of and (once warmed up- it does have kadrons) ran well. The 165-15's, while not brand new, were decent and the wheel chrome 90 or 95% (a little bit of pitting, but you had to look). Don't remember popping a hubcap to check if they were wide 5 or 4x130. The fiberglass between the windshield and (right?) hood hinge needed a little work and the paint had a few very small bubbles, but otherwise would have cleaned up nicely. The car looked really good from 10 feet away. While Jeff had taken reasonable care the car, I agree with Ted; it's a little overpriced. 

 

And yes, early Intermeccanica's came with 914 gauges; you have to remember, there was nothing else at the time. Does anyone know the size difference between the older cast and current repro grille? Al

 

PS- Damian, Welcome To The Madness! Good luck in your search, and take your time. The right car will come.

Thanks Frank and ALB.  Frank, I'll take you up on your offer next time I drive north and will give you a heads up with plenty of time to plan.  I have friends who had a house on Plum Island for some time so I know Newburyport well.

 

ALB, wow, thanks for your knowledge.

 

The search continues! 

Thank Ted (TRP); I undertook the quest for him.

And call me Al. Come on....you know the tune!

Got it Al!