SAS Cabriolet on ebay

Looks like Steve O'Brien's car.....pretty sure.  It was badly damaged when Steve was rear-ended.  As I understand it, Steve was turning off a road and some dizzy dame on a cell phone crested a hill doing about 60 and WHAM!  The car was spun around.  I think I have pictures on my desktop if anyone is i interested.

I couldn't see any interior pictures.  Owner must have delivered smoked pork butt by looking at F&R trunks.  Wonder what the wait would be for a replacement rear bumper with over-rider towel bar.  

Yeah Steve was really devastated by the accident. IIRC the insurance company didn't help matters either. I think I remember some health issues after that also.

~WB

I actually am a tad interested in the car. The real hurtle for me is the salvaged title and conversion from automatic to manual... (most cars that is not too big a deal - but this is not "most cars" ). The condition look a bit rough too.  Yes please, Hoss, if you have any photos of it crashed that would be great. Steve at SAS has some photos of it pre-crash at his website under the Customers Cars section. The car yard that has it sent me some interior photos. But the size of the photos was really small, so I only got a general idea of the interior. ..

That car looks like it's been "road hard" and left outside...

Other then that it may sell cheap.

Weird, I haven't been here in years....it is totally weird!!!!!1

It still has the speedsterowners .com badge on it

they bought it for around 10,000+ at the salvage auction

It sat out in the rain after the accident with no care....that's why some of the stuff looks rough

I would like to have bought it back and had Steve fix it, but I couldn't afford to at the time.  It was an extremely rough time for me.  I was getting beat up from every direction.  The settlement on the car turned out fine....as it turns out, I should never have settled on the personal injury.  It cost me dearly in my career.  But it's all good now.

It really is just a complete coincidence.....I was actually here looking for a link to my video of me driving the car in a Scooby outfit for my daughter and found this thread.

I would like the badges back for sentimental reasons.

Why on earth would they convert it to manual, the automatic was awesome??

Those are boyd coddington custom aluminum rims that were very very nice.

Can anyone help me find the link to the videos I did??

Glad to hear things have turned around got you, Steve.  It's been a long time.

Hey, Steve!  

Good to see that things have turned around for you, even if it took a long time getting there.

All the best,  Gordon

Yea, everything is great!!!!!

I'm really more into sailing now for fun.

This new website is funky....LOL

I guess you can't look back at posts from an individual...that's how I was going to try and find the video link.

I put the extra dots in there so that everyone would know it really is me (....) LOL

Oooo, I like emoticons better!!!

The sunvisor's are worth 800.

Steve,

I remember what a labor of love that car was for you, and how bad the wreck was. Seeing your screen name takes me way back.

I still remember when you bought (stole?) your used IM Roadster before the SAW/SAS-- the way I remember it, you gave less than $15K for a really nice example (if I'm not mistaken). I had just put a deposit down on my car, and I was absolutely sick to my stomach that I had missed that deal by a matter of a week or so. I've never seen a deal that good come along since, and replica prices have done nothing but go up.

I've often wondered what became of you-- I'm glad to hear you ended up OK. Are you still in Des Moines? Just wondering where you sail?

I sail at Red Rock and Saylorville.

I retired, only to be lured back to working by a friend in Indonesia who needed someone who the Indonesia FAA would approve, a much more difficult thing then the previous 15 people could accomplish.  Now I'm back home and working for a non-profit.  Loving it!!

The internet continues to amaze me. All the extra info about the car, it's history and the original owner, and you guys were able to reconnect via my question about this tired SAS. Thanks for all the input on the car. I would have to fly out to check it out and get it for sub $20k to make me go for it. So ... probably will not happen. But thanks so much guys! Steve if you had any photos of the car post accident, that would really be a big help. You can send them to me via my email if that is better. Thanks again everyone.

Most of th fiberglass was crushed in the back of the car.  Most of the interior was only hurt by no one putting the top up for a week after the accident.

The left rear frame member may or may not needed straightened?  The door wouldn't open or shut correctly.  This could have been just because of the fiberglass damage?

I wanted a new car built, so the Insurance company bought it.  I couldn't work for awhile so I did end up being let go, so then I wasn't comfortable spending any money.  I live in a "right to work state", which means you have the right to work and they have the right to get rid of you for just about anything.  It's ok, I was much better off in the end.

I was once inspired by Hoss to one day be something more and better, and I have accomplished that from the ruble, so sometimes a disaster has a butterfly effect, ghat isn't always bad.

I was going about 10mph  and turning when she hit me going about 60.  She was texting.  I was only hurt from the g forces of being spun around 3 times.  I don't remember most anything for the next 30 days after.

Steve, I really hate that happened to you. I know of which you speak. Years ago, I went through a windshield at 80mph .  State worker backed out in front of me on a 2 lane hwy... I lived. But my bank account went to pretty much zero. I also was able to rebuild. All in all, like you, I feel fortunate. If I fly out to see your old car, I will snag that badge for you. But honestly, I think I am going to pass. Lots of bad mojo on that car, and I hate these "hidden" project "deals". I have been really disappointed by cars that I was being too optimistic about. Best to take off the "rose colored glasses". All the best buddy.

Steven...Good to hear you're doing ok. As others said, it's been a long while!

~WB

Hi gang! I am a newbie to this site but a longtime fan and a wannabe of the speedster world. First of all ,Steve I am very sad to hear about your accident. I have seen pics of your ride on the SAS website. I too am a fan of SAS and their quality construction. SAS has been building my Cab for many many years. That brings me to the point of needing some expert advise from some of you guys who know about SAS or have his product. It has been so long I wonder if it will ever be built! Do I stick it out or do I just forget and move forward with someone else. I am very frustrated. Thanks. Denny

How many years?

I wouldn't have a clue....I haven't kept up on anything.

I will admit that if it was fixed back up and not overly priced, I would have bought it back.  But I also don't really have time or space anymore.  The boat takes up a lot of space.

SAS would be, at best, building 1-2 cars per year, and that's a stretch.  Unless your car is next up get your money back.  If you're 20 cars back in the queue it'll be 20 years until you get your car. Just saying.

I am almost embarrassed to say but I am at 10 years. Car is what you see on my profile 

Denny,

There is a site for Specialty Auto-Sports owners: www.sasowners.freeforums.org.  A few owners have tried to organize and assemble a list of those who have paid deposits and are in the queue to get their cars.  Unfortunately, SAS won't contribute to the thread, so our work is only a best guess.

There are currently 19 in the queue waiting for delivery.  The oldest spots date back to Oct, 2007 and Nov. 2007, so the two top guys in the queue are now in their 9th year of waiting.  To rub salt in the wound, no one except SAS really knows how many potential buyers have paid deposits.  Can that be the reason why SAS won't discuss the queue, number of buyers, amounts received, etc?

I have been contacted privately in the last 18 months by three guys who made deposits and wanted their money back, since they no longer believed they would ever get a car.  None of them was on the list we have created.  So, the list we have may be 90% of those who paid deposits, or 10%, or 1%.  Only SAS knows, and he's not talking.  I just checked the list, and there is no Denny on it.

To view the current list that customers developed, go to: sasowners.freeforums.org, then click on Build Reports, then click on The Queue, then go to page 6 of 9.  SAS has now produced 25 cars, as advertised on their site, in 12 years.  It's difficult to believe, but that glacial pace has gotten much slower in the past 3 years.  My car was "completed" in Aug, 2013.  From then to date, one other car has been completed.  Production is now one car every 27 months.  Good luck to you whatever you decide, and please keep the group informed.  Knowledge is power.

Thanks Jim for the info. I will get my name on the forum. I actually contracted with SAW back in January 2001 when he was building 34 fords. In 2007 he had not yet completed that I found out he had switched to the speedsters and changed the contract to have one of those built. So I have actually been dealing with this since 2001. Unfortunately I have paid much more then the deposit as I felt at the time and also had the money at the time I paid almost the entire amount thinking it would help get it built. Thanks, Denny

What a truly sad situation for all those poor guys waiting for a car, as perhaps the best years of their lives just go by.  I know SAS has been discussed many times on this site, but surely there is some remedy.

i hear it from the grapevine that Bernie Madoff has bought controlling interest in SAS, using his stock in his CO. as payment.?

Wow! I never knew how many others had the same problem withSAS as I have. Thanks for all the info.

Denny, you have our sympathy.

Thanks.much appreciated.

Bob: IM S6 posted:

What a truly sad situation for all those poor guys waiting for a car, as perhaps the best years of their lives just go by.  I know SAS has been discussed many times on this site, but surely there is some remedy.

 

I suggested showing up unannounced at his shop with a Louisville Slugger for some satisfaction but people thought it too reactionary....

Alb, I would have in 6 months...