real versus replica

In response to those high browed Porsche pilots who snub their noses at us Speedster and Roadster tributes.Ihave owned seven Porsches from the 356 to my current 997 C4 cabriolet with a $104,000 price tag and without hesitation or reservation my new Intermeccanica Speedster is the best car I have ever owned. The construction is impeccable, it drives and runs perfectly and always draws a crowd. With this being said, my 997 is for sale.

http://speedsterowners.com/forum/readmsg.asp?t=14444

it's like a cartisien loop

do you have any photos of your new IM Mike?

Michael, welcome to he IM Madness! Give us some info on you and your new ride.

Your IM is a hand-crafted piece of fully functional automotive art. Congratulations - please post pics.

angela (can't afford one, but admire 'em!)

I've owned a 62 super 90 coupe for 22 years. Just test drove a Vintage Speedster with 85 horses, in Hawaiian Gardens. I'm 6 feet tall and 225, so I'm no small old guy. The model Kirk provided had the seats back some. I fit fine, the pedals seemed the same as my "real" 356. The power seemed about equal. The ride in the replica was more firm and the turning radius seemed smaller. I enjoyed the convertible, which is why I'm considering a replica. I've heard some complaints about driver leg/foot room. Does the tubular give you more room than the VW pan? Sure alot more expensive, when I'm primarily going for looks and fun again. Jim Slawson, SF Bay area

Yes, the tube frame allows a bit more room to park your left foot.

I agree with Bill in all cases except for the Streetbeast Tubular Chassis Speedster version. The frame encroaches into the pedal well and is very restrictive. A reconfiguration of the pedal area is neccessary.

Ahhh yes, how could I forget that elusive "beast"?

Thanx for adding that,

........

The pedal area in a tube frame IM is larger/different than a pan based car. My size 13 feet/34 inseam legs fit comfortably for all day drives. I am crowded in a pan based car. I have no experience with the Beck set up. I have a 2 friends in the Bay Area with IMs that I could get you together with for a look see if you want to. Email me for contact info.

The Beck frame design elevates the floor about 1", but makes up for that by giving you a flat floor from door to center tunnel, which provides a lot of foot room. The passenger side is positively huge. I have a coworker who is 6' 8", and who raves about the amount of room over there. The driver's side loses a little depth due to the pedals, but the width is the same. I often park my left foot on the carpeting on the back side of the front wheel inner fender - or whatever it's called. The gas tank also appears to be mounted a little higher, so there is no conflict between your feet and the bottom of the tank. The only down side of that is a loss of some luggage space.

I thank you folks for all the quick advice. This forum is as great a place for car knowledge as the 356 Registry is. Same great attitude too. Now to convince myself to part with my 46 year old baby. Jim Slawson

You don't have to part with that beauty!!! Reconsider....

Jim,

We have a dealer in the SF Bay area (Campbell) where you can see the difference. We also have a dropped floor option and have accommodated drivers as tall as 6'6" with ease.

Jim,

While the reps are great if you have the real deal a 62' coupe I would never recommend selling that and getting a replica. Why don't you get a used pan based replica and keep your coupe?
For one thing you have roll up windows already. Believe me that the side curtains are very primitive and you will miss your roll up windows and hard top sooner or later. Many SOC members lust after a hardtop coupe like yours. I sure do. Or take your money and invest it in your coupe if in is in need of restoration.
I have been to VS and had the tour from Kirk. He does have an impressive operation. There were at least 8 Speedsters in different stages of completion over 10 guys working (on Saturday 1/2 day) and Kirk had about 7-10 completed Speedsters ready for shipment to Europe. My mind was blown and he has a very good product indeed.
I got a used IM Roadster because roll up windows were very imporntant to me as you can tell since back in the day late 60's I had a MGA w/side curtains and used it as a daily driver. Kept the top up all the time, even had surf racks on it and drove into Baja on surf camping trips all the time. I think the MGA had even less storage space than a Speedster, wish I had pics of that setup!
Well if you sell your coupe I would love to get a chance to buy it. And good luck with your search.

Cheers
Dave

Regarding the hardtops and vinyl snap on windows: Aren't there aftermarket companies that produce plexiglass side windows and hardtops for speedsters with plexiglass side windows? I've seen pictures on the JPS web sight with hardtop on speedsters. So either they produce them or they can get them from somewhere. Also I can only assume that the reason none of the speedster makers (except IM)have offered roll up windows must be the prohibited cost that would have to be passed on to the customer. A new IM speedster must start out at 40 grand or they must charge a fair amount of change for the roll up window option on the speedster. I bet,however, that if Beck,Vintage,JPS,or Thunder Ranch offered it as an option a lot of people would opt for it on their cars.It simply makes the speedster into more of an all year use vehicle.

Jim, don't rule out a custom "dead pedal."
I have an odd footwell, too, and made myself a podiatral perch.
I would not suggest a used Speedster in the Bay Area unless you find out with great clarity who built it and when -- there are a few replicas that keep most of the rain out (Beck, Vintage, IM), but read the Carlisle threads for the latest news on who needed a rubber ducky and who didn't.
I use a flying helmet, myself, but I'd probably re-think that if I lived in SF.
Good luck, and be choosy!

Hi All... Definate Newbie here. My husband is a "Porsche car guy" and I will not touch any of his "real" cars (other than enjoying the passenger seat!). But we just became the proud owners of a Vintage Speedster and we love it! I haven't driven a stick for over 15 years but learned on a 69 VW, so I figured I could handle this! So far, so good! Still improving my driving skills (and poor husband is REALLY being good about my 'refresher course' in driving a manual car!)... but that's the fun of it! These cars are such a blast to drive... and you can afford to have them out on the road and not locked up in a garage afraid to let it see daylight. We've had everyone from 18-wheelers to motorcycles wave, honk, and give us thumbs up! Kids, especially, are a riot! They might not know what they are seeing, but they recognize it as something special and their faces are glued to the window as you go by each other on the road. I think true "car people" appreciate the love of the car ~whether real or replica, it doesn't seem to matter. So far, haven't run into anyone that didn't think the car is great. But the bottom line is: WE LOVE IT & I'm not afraid to drive it! Who knows, I may learn to change the oil, too!

As we say to newbies here, "Welcome to the Madness!"

Susan:

Welcome to the madness!!

I'm about an hour away from Merrimack, here in Grafton, Massachusetts, and there are about half a dozen other replica owners about the same distance from you, and another one up in Bar Harbor.

You should check out the TYP 356 group in the New England area (www.typ356.org); TERRIFIC group of people with a mix of real, original 356's as well as a few replicas. They're doing a run to Tanglewood in July that's always a great cruise, and they are often having events up in your direction.

Looking forward to seeing you somewhere in New England.

Gordon

BTW: Your husband may be a "Porsche Guy" but I think that YOU got the better (more fun) car!! Tell him I'm a buddy of Steve Ross in the PCA Northeast!

Thanks for the welcome and e-mails! Actually figured out how to put pics on the photo page! Still trying to narrow down the choice of vanity plates (NH)... but only have the 'temp' on it now! I love all the 'madness' and look forward to meeting and seeing folks up in the NE!!!.... Susie

Susan,
If you really want to get "immersed" in this "culture" you should plan on attending the National Gathering here in Colorado! We are going to have a ball! Also you could meet the Lovely Miss Sharon. She is the "rev limiter" in the right seat of my Speedy.

Happy Trails,
Dusty

......And definitely hit Carlisle next year, NH isn't that far!