Speedster replica decision

Hello. After years of indecision, I am finally going to get a 356 replica. Now, the hard part is deciding which one, and I'm looking for some help with that. I've narrowed the choices down to Specialty Auto, Vintage Speedsters, and lastly JPS. I've been in contact with both Specialty Auto and Vintage, and I was really impressed after talking with Kirk yesterday. Putting aside the rear/mid mounted, air/liquid cooled debate for a minute, and just based on customer service, reputation, business ethics, fit and finish of the car etc., which one do you think would be the best choice?....I heard that the owner of Specialty did time for fraud....is that true? Any help/suggestions would be appreciated.

Used to be some had significant wait list and build out times. Maybe today's economy "fixed" that. A preowned with the bugs worked out is another alternative.

No, the owner of SAS did not do time for fraud. The stories about Steve Lawing are grossly over exaggerated and he is still in business. The choice of builders is yours and yours alone. If you're satisfied with your purchase then you made the right choice. I am more than satisfied with my SAS Cabriolet, granted the waiting period is long but it was worth it to me. SAS cars are unique, even among themselves, as Steve uses late model Subaru motors and transmissions. Each year, Subaru refine their engines and change electronics which requires Steve to research each model before incorporating the new features into his cars. What ever builder you choose, it should be your choice alone, but do your homework!

Keith--you left out Beck in your list---do take a look at them too---I have never met an unsatisfied Beck owner..

You are doing it right bu seeking opinions---I just sorta blundered into the purchase of my Vintage and am lucky that I went this route as I have enjoyed it immensly.

Ebay is a good source of Speedsters too and you will see many low mileage cars there.

Keep reading, researching and posting here and read the top post about owning a Speedster---it contains a lot of important info.

Good luck in your quest and remember that it's not only about the car---the friends you will gain at events and on this site are as much of the fun and madness as just owning the car!---Jack

I don't know much about SAS but I've heard they build a nice car if you choose to go Subaru power. I read alot about very, very long build times. JPS builds a real nice car but I read alot about cutomer service problems. Vintage builds a real nice car too and can deliver in less than a month any way you want it. Cutomer service is tops!
Welcome to the madness!
Markos

Keith, all of the builders can build you a nice car, but the important decision you need to make is what you expectations are going to be for the car (ie. how are you going to use it). I am the owner of the first Subaru-powered car SAS built and am very pleased with it. It has been across the country to California, to Carlisle five times and to Watkins Glen in New York State. It is weather tight, has good heat (and A/C) and gets excellent gas mileage. I averaged 36.5 mpg on the last Carlisle trip, including the city and country driving during the event. If these things are important to you, you need to consider getting into the SAS queue.

If you want to discuss it further, feel free to e-mail me. Also, I would be willing to have a chat with you if you are really interested. You can e-mail me for my phone number.

I'm just sayin'
Hoss

One more thing to consider before pulling the trigger on a new speedy is whether it is the right car for you....so many have bought them and within a very short time sold them due to any number of reasons....So I would suggest the possiblity of buying a used one to see if it is what you are looking for and give yourself time to decide what options you would want on the new one when it comes time to make that decision.
A new one will be minimum 24K for a Vintage and on up from there depending on maker, a decent used one could be 10K on up, and the loss on re-sale would be minimal....

What Vince said. The man with the horns speaks the truth. Good one buddy.
Hoss
ps. not even one "....this." See, I can be nice.

Hoss....I got something "nice" for ya.....

Soooo true Keith.. Vince the wise one doesn't speak with forked tongue, more like fork stuck in mouth... I did exactly what he mentioned here, and I have never looked back. probably saved me thousands and I am still loving the tub... but some day I WILL sell and have Kirk build me a custom tub for just me! with USC colors of course! Fight-on!

Keith, you are a lucky man. Less that 24 jours after your first post and you've been inundated with a summary of the collected wisdom of this site.

Every word spoken here is true. Do your research and look at cars before jumping in blindly. These aren't Miatas with charming old styling. This is a hobby that requires some involvement, but that rewards many times over if you enjoy cars, working with your hands, and having fun with a nationwide group of truly interesting people.

And if you decide that this is the right hobby for you, well then "Welcome to the Madness!"