Speedsters in Arizona

I am interested in buying a replica Speedster. Is there anyone in AZ that I can contact to talk to about theirs, and at least see one up close and personal. It's been all pictures up to now.

Peter---good job on deciding to join the "madness". I am in Arkansas and had the same problem as you because i couldn't find one to see in person before buying. Never did either. I found one on ebay that was fairly close to me---in Monroe, Lousiana and made the deal over the phone sight unseen. When I saw the car I just couldn't believe how much nicer it was in every way than I imagined from just seeing pictures.

If I lived in AZ, I'd make a trip over to L.A. and visit with Kirk Duncan at Vintage Speedsters. ( www.vintagespeedsters.com) There will be a few cars there just finished I'll bet.

While you are in L.A hook up with the guy who just put a georgeous black one on this site.

I'm sure you will hear from AZ folks too.

You are so lucky that where you live you'll be able to enjoy a Speedster all year long!---Jack

Welcome, Peter! Make sure you read the topic "Ready for a Speedster Replica? - (Everything you need to know) " that's at the top of most of the forums here. I also strongly recommend that you attend the show in Carlisle, PA in mid-May. Many of the denizens of this board will be there, and you can check out (and probably ride in) cars from every manufacturer. Also, many of the manufacturers will be in attendance, so you could talk with them as well. If you can't make Carlisle, try to hook up with the west coast guys for the gathering in Morro Bay in April. Vendors won't be there, but you can check out different cars, and probably beg plenty of rides.

Go to the "Event" forum to find out info on both gatherings.

Peter, visiting a show like Carlisle, Morro Bay, etc., is an excellent way to learn more about the car: the makers, the good, the bad, and sometimes downright ugly things that can be expected. About three years ago we visited Carlisle for the Beck build and I became a living sponge - soaking up all the knowledge possible, sitting in every car around, taking a ride whenever offered, and establishing my own comfort level with issues and expectations with the speedster replica. We were prepared for the water leaks, the potential oil leaks, the valve adjustments, the noise, and a lot of the other "stuff that happens" by talking to these guys.

(By the way, meeting and REALLY liking the people who associate with SOC is a fantastic perq! My wife wasn't a huge fan of the little car and I was almost ready to sell her - the car, not the wife - and move on, but the people at SOC have convinced her that we have a really good thing here. So what if I have to trailer the car whenever the trip is more than four hours? - I'll live with that small concession at this point. We made it to Colorado this past fall and will be at Morro Bay in April.)

The end of the story is, upon spending a weekend at Carlisle and bolstered with a list of "needs" and "wants" along with a budget figure, the search ended three weeks later. Found an almost brand new VS Speedster in Arkansas with 116 miles on the clock, near perfect (originally wanted white or silver, but have come to love the red).

Read everything you can on this site. Never be afraid to ask a question, you'll get more input than you expected (although you may need a sense of humor and patience with some of the guys). Finally, come to Morro Bay and/or Carlisle! Who knows, you may even end up driving back to Arizona with a SEG.....

Best regards,
Cal

Thanks for the feedback. I will definitely make a point of getting to 1 or both of the shows. I also understand the comment about the "humor".