SAW Coupe (Le Sooupe Grande)

Several months ago, I discussed with Steve at SAW the possibility of fabricating a Suby Coupe based on the configuration that he used in Hoss' SubyTub and Steve O

It will make a nice addition to your stable. Do you know which year your going for? It will be cool!!!!

Steve, I suppose the configuration has not been finalized, but here is the list I provided to SAW (following your lead, of course):

Early 1957 356A coupe body
Flared fenders
Subaru 165hp 2.5-liter engine option with the Single Overhead Cam
4-speed automatic transmission with overdrive
Ivory base/clear coat paint
Tan leather interior
Fully adjustable leather coupe-style seats
Three-point seat belts
Single central exhaust (Carrera-style)
Air conditioning/heater/defrost
Cruise control
German square weave carpet (tan/beige)
Carrera-type (Nardi) steering wheel
Ivory pull Knobs and accessories
Racing side view mirrors on both sides
17

Exciting stuff! Congrats. I'm starting to run out of reasons why I haven't ordered a Suby 356 yet. Sounds brilliant.

Steve, how is your car coming along? Any new pics?

Charles, we'll all anxiously await your progress photos.

-Jeff

The car is painted, but I believe is still being polished out. The body may even be back at SAW I think I'll have the car at the end of the month!!!

Charles:

Looks really neat, but why look like a lot of other "Ivory" 356 coupes running around out there? Keep the Ivory base coat, and add one or two coats (I prefer two) of Deltron 2000 Pearl Top coat (DBC 91468) and THEN put the two (or three) clear coats on. That'll keep the ivory look of the base coat (and make the paint look three feet deep), but will add a very interesting and subtle "shimmer" in sunlight that will add just a bit of "flash". Bikers will be drawn to it but won't know why, women of all ages will swoon, and kids will keep saying "Cool Car!" whenever you pass (or sit still).


I gar-on-tee you'll not be disappointed......

Gordon
One of the "Cool, Pearl Speedstah Guys" from Rhode Island

Steve, what's a "Mitchell program?" Also, did you buy or do you plan to buy a code reader to plug into the OBD II connection and if so, which one? I don't have either of these things, but perhaps I should consider investing in them.

If we are home and if you give us enough lead time, you are welcome to stay with us overnight when you come to pick up your prize. June 27th through the July holiday we won't be available.
John

It's a basic service and repair manual made by Mitchell for the computer. Honestly, except for the trouble codes, I have already pulled most of the useable information from it and put it in the knowledge section. For the average person the rest of the information is so technical that it is above my head to understand how to use it. Program is about 50 bucks.
The trouble codes will also be posted soon.

I would love to buy a trouble code reader, but as usually is my problem I want a super duper version that is actually put on my computer and will give me all sorts of information like performance numbers and such. Do I need it NO, do I want it YES. It will also allow you to clear the codes which is nice if the light is on and you know what the problem is and want to fix it later.


I'll you really need is a basic reader that can be bought for 40 dollars. The truth is you don't even really need that if you don't really plan to fix it yourself anyway...LOL

I may very well take you up on your offer!!!! Thanks

As for the manual, I will get all the manuals for the parts that go into the car. The engine doesn't really need a manual, because any modern auto repair place can figure out this system. I do have a "Mitchell" program on my computer and can look up details on every aspect of the engine and transmission, if I really want to? See the Knowledge section here and you will find most of what you need to know for regular service intervals and basic repairs.

Everything else is pretty standard or modern stuff so it really doesn't need any repair manual. Figuring out how to use my Satellite radio will be the most complicated thing on this car..LOL.

I drove a Subaru Legacy with a 2.5L engine and automatic the other day, and I am very very happy with my engine choice, it had great power and ran smoooooth. My car will be 1200lbs(30%) lighter then a legacy so it will be perfect. It should feel about the same as a Legacy 2.5 turbo without all the hassle of having a turbo.

I will have lots of pictures very soon, and I will pick the car up and drive it home.

Gordon:

Thanks for the color advice and comments. I remain flexible on most aspects of the car and the color you show on the attached picture is truly stunning. SAW and I have yet to pin down the specific color and we are still waiting for the coupe body to arrive. We must also negotiate interior upholstery color as well.

Charles

Charles:

That Pearl is almost a clear coat with the pearlesence flakes suspended in it. Obviously, those flakes must be REALLY small to squirt through the paint spray gun!!

The base coat is what really makes the car's color, so that wouldn't really change much. What WOULD change, would be that the paint would "flash" in differing light, and, being a Pearl base, it would "shimmer" or very subtly change hue as you walk around the car and the direction of the light changes. Very cool.......

A variation on that would be to use the Pearl coat for Cadillac - it has more Gold and Silver in it, which would give a subtle Ivory-to-Gold hue-to-Silver hue in the Shimmer. Most decent auto paint shops have paint chip books with all of the Pearls (there are 47 different variations of White Pearl, alone) which I would suggest that you take out in the Sun and see how they look, then choose the one you like best.

gn

Steve we might run into each other.
I should be out of paint on july 11th for final assembly. I plan on picking up end July no later than 3rd August and driving to Sun Valley (hopefully). I think the timing will work and so does Steve.
I did not have a chance to speak to him about the wheels yet or the tire size.
Question, your mirrors are mounted on the door or on the front fender?

Steve!

Woohoo! That's really exciting. You must be thrilled.

The momentum SAW is getting is very encouraging, and now with the coupoe joining the family, its turning in to one heck of a viable every day driver alternative.

I hope you won't mind taking a million photos of your build for us and posting. :)

Are you picking the car up at the shot or having it delivered?

I'm curious what maunals/documentation SAW are providing. I know they did a huge amount of development on the car, and judging by their website they are meticiulous about documenting things...

-Jeff

On the doors, I like the look of putting them on the fenders, but its harder to adjust while driving so I didn't do the fender position.

If you like the "fender look", then just mount them within arm's reach - no big deal to adjust.

Charles - Any update on your build? :)

-Jeff

Not yet. Of course, there is the SAW building queue, which I am getting closer to the front. Secondly, Steve at SAW has been working to get the coupe body (fastback portion) so that it pleases him. I don't think that the mechanical configuration will be much different from the Hoss and Scooby Doo cars, with the possible exception of being able to drop the engine out of the bottom for major repairs. Hopefully, we can configure something very unique here. I will certainly let the forum know something when I do.

On a concilliatory note and subject change:

Sooooo, how's the coup?

Not much progress thus far. SAW has been working on getting the fastback shape correct. My car remains part of the backlog.