Recommendations (Don't Kill Me)

Ok, I'm gonna stick my nose (and it's a big one) out there and suggest that you give Carey Hines at Special Edition (the Beck folks) a call.  I think you could get a very nicely outfitted, and quite quick one for under your top price.

That said, almost all of the manufacturers can provide you with something you'll enjoy.  Authenticity, comfort, features, and performance all mean different thing to different folks.  You could get a no-compromises Intermeccanica, but you'd be hard pressed to get out the door for your price, or you could prioritize your needs a bit and save a little or a lot of $$.  They're all fun.  How much fun do you want to spend?

another option is to buy a nice used one for ~$25 and have a reliable 180hp turbo motor built for $10K.  sell the motor that came with it and buy your sterio.

like lego for dudes

If you are looking for something you are not going to track and that is faster than an orginal 356, you just need to buy a replica. Almost any replica will be faster than an original.

-=theron

mango, is there such a thing?

All of the current builders produce very nice cars that will put a huge smile on your face.  The various builders offer their own unique options, delivery schedules, price.  Do you want a coupe?  How about a roadster with roll up windows?  How about a mid engined Subaru?  How about a custom tub build ground up to your specs and delivered in a month?

Vinny gave some great advice on another similar thread.  Call each of the manufactures and talk with them about what they offer.

The used route is excellent advice as well.  Check out the classified section on here and ebay to get an idea of what is out there and current prices.  If you see one offered you like, go ahead and post the link here and ask of some opinions.  We all have lots of opinions to share here.. no charge.  

0-60 mph in 6 sec dictates a T4 Raby engine or turbo 2100 cc T1, or turbo Subaru.  Add another ~$20k and look at a top of the line 3.2L Porsche 6 cylinder IM. Ah, adult toys.

At the price you specified and performance expectations that you have, it would be hard not to mention a SAS Subie-powered cabriolet or coupe.  Steve could build you a car like this, but if you want the car soon, forget it.  The small shop produces relatively few cars there would be a line in front of you.  If you think this may be what you would want, you might consider purchasing a used 356 replica so that you can get your 356 fix while the car is being built.  At least one of the guys in the current queue did this, purchasing a used SAS cabriolet from an estate sale.  He was very lucky to find one as there aren't many out there and most owners are not looking to sell.

Just a thought.

Hoss

45k. Ought to work. I'm sure others have done it on far less.

To run sub-14s in an 1850-lb Speedster requires only 135 horses. That's what you get with a stock Subie 2.2 or any of your carefully breathed-on, but not insane T-1 strokers, isn't it?

$45,000 should be way more money than necessary to accomplish this mission.

I had similar power ideas.  Since most of my driving is between 0 & 45, I wanted acceleration and that means torque.  I have a 1915 that has been stroked to 2054 making 145 hp.  It can do the times you suggest and is enough power to get me in trouble.  I accelerate so fast that I have had a couple of near collisions with other drivers crossing my path who underestimated how long it woukd take me to reach them.  I'm getting rear discs this winter, btw.

All of the makers have their pros and cons.  We will all defend our choice because it was right for us.  You can get that kind of speed out of any of them with the right powertrain.  I wanted to build my dream car and am very impatient and picky, so went for a custom build.  Fortunately, I had the folks on this site help me spec out my build or I would have made a lot of mistakes.  Even with the help, I'm on my third summer of tweaking and not quite there yet.

I have seen some awesome used cars go for great prices here and on eBay.  Since winter is approaching, it's a good time to do research and wait for some deals to surface.  Used cars can always be dicey, but in this hobby, sometimes it can mean that all of the initial issues have been sorted and several pricey upgrades have been completed.  Its more like buying a used home versus new construction; fewer surprises and the landscaping is done & the deck already built.

Thanks guys, for all your feedback. Good to know about the Subaru engines too! Looking forward to this and doing more research.