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All,
After starting my Spyder build with Special Edition and Carey Hines over 1 year ago, my car is complete! Carey sent me some wonderful photos - I am enclosing them with this message. I've got a few more, and I'll be sure to post those too.

This project was a moving target for me -- the more I learned about this amazing car, the more things I wanted to change to make it more original. I turned out to be everything I wanted, and I have Carey Hines to thank for that. The changes have been innumerable, and he never once got frustrated or angry with me. In fact, I called him with changes on several occasions, and I was almost embarrassed to ask -- but he was always happy to make them. Many of these changes, mind you, he did at no expense to me.

In the course of building the car, a few amazing things happened:
1) I wanted barberpole vinyl -- the kind that was available from SMS was black and red -- not plain red. I was unhappy with the color, though there was no other choice. 30 minutes later: a call from Carey. He'd ordered dye in 356 red to make the car the right color. We ended up needing more vinyl, so he dyed the vinyl again (he did it 3 times in total).
2) I decided I didn't want to use a speedster windshield and wanted the large holes patched on the sides of the cowl. Carey was happy to fix it -- but it meant blending the cowl. Carey being a perfectionist, he wouldn't just blend the paint -- he had to blend it, and then re-clear the entire car (which had already been reassembled and had to be disassembled).
3) The 16" wheels and tires I purchased didn't have adequate clearance. This required Carey to move the entire engine and chassis back a small amount (just like it is in a Type IV or Suby Beck) for adequate clearance. Once again, no sweat. Carey made the changes, assured me that he would make it right, thanked me for my patience. (NOTE: at this point, if I was Carey, I would have told the customer to jump off a cliff).

This build has been such a pleasure -- though it took a long time (and as you can see, I am the ONLY person to blame for that) -- the project has been one of my fondest memories. Working with Carey has been one of the most pleasurable customer service experiences I could ever have. I've stayed at posh hotels, eaten at fancy restaurants, and been to glitzy shows, but Carey sets the bar for how to treat a customer. It is as if you are the only customer that exists -- and for that, I am most impressed. In total, since the project started, I received 1193 photos of my build, and over 1200 emails with updates, etc.

I should also point out that there are several others who helped me, and continue to be very, very kind, gracious friends:
1) Greg Leach -- has given me lots of advice, support with registering my car and some fantastic parts like my gas cap, tonneau cover and plexi windscreen -- FANTASTIC stuff with incredible service when I needed things in a pinch! Greg, you are AWESOME man.
2) Russ at Fibersteel & Ingo Poth -- two fantastic guys for advice and some really wonderful parts. Ingo, I wish I could explain to my wife why I needed $400,000 for one of your cars -- but I think she would divorce me if I did!
3) Larry Jowdy -- where would the world be without Larry? Like Hemingway once said, "the world is good and worth fighting for." He must have met someone like Larry to make him say that. I've not met someone who is always so ready to help everyone and anyone. Larry, if you're reading this, know that you're APPRECIATED and are amazing! I'm gonna come visit you once I get this Spyder on the road!
4) Pat Downs -- Pat talked to me forever about all things VW. He gave me books to read, and was just a wonderful resource. I am so grateful to him for letting me watch him dyno test my motor and spend some time with him at CB performance.

Car Specs:
2160 cc Type I
Weber red line fuel pump
Setrab oil cooler
Original style 550 gauges from Palo Alto Speedometer
Original shift box by Ingo Poth, rod shifter by Carey Hines (the rod shifter was painful!)
Ranch Pro Street transmission with 3:88
E-Brake by Fibersteel
Original Pedals and firewall by Ingo Poth
Floating floor by Carey Hines
Single plexi, gas cap and Tonneau by Greg Leach
Original jack by Ingo Poth with customizing by Carey Hines
Aluminum firewall by Ingo Poth, installed and highly modified by Carey Hines
16" wheels by Chris Coddington.
Excelsior Stahl Sport tires from Coker Tire
Barberpole vinyl interior done by Carey Hines' upholsterer, Bill
Heated seats
Bosch Horns

I'm sure there will be many more posts and questions in the future about this car, but it has been such a pleasure to meet so many of you on this site -- I have not met a better group of guys that those on spyderclub and the SOC forums!

Cheers,
Anand

Exterior1

photo copy

Interior1

Interior2

Attachments

Images (4)
  • Exterior1
  • photo copy
  • Interior1
  • Interior2
Original Post

Replies sorted oldest to newest

Doug,

Many thanks! I suppose we all hear horror stories about how some are mistreated or cheated with car-related purchases and projects -- but how about all of the GOOD things that are done? I always want these individuals are acknowledged -- and try to pay it forward. If I can help anyone on this forum in any way, I will. There's no point having nice things if you can't share them with your friends!

 

Cheers,

Anand

And that is just the kind of guy Anand is!  I'm not going to take a key from you, but I will drive it one time with you in the passenger seat.  Can't wait to see it roll off the truck.
 
Originally Posted by arajani:

Troy. My car is your car my friend! You can drive it whenever you want :-) I'll even get you a key. Chances are, I'm going to need your expertise more than once!

 

It should be getting loaded this weekend, but will arrive in LA first for a VIN tag before coming to Fresno! I'll call you when it's here!

 

Anand

 

Anand's Spyder arrived over the weekend while I was out of town, but I got a chance to see it about 1 hour ago.  What an amazing car!!!  Too late for a ride today, but maybe tomorrow.

 

Here are a few pictures.

 

 Higher resolution versions at these links:

 

http://i770.photobucket.com/al...1039_zps9cf6881c.jpg

 

http://i770.photobucket.com/al...1027_zps4837bd61.jpg

 

http://i770.photobucket.com/al...to3a_zps914dd342.jpg

 

http://i770.photobucket.com/al...c697_zpsdfe244d3.jpg

Originally Posted by SpeedBucket:

Wow! and to all the great folks who helped this young man an extra Wow! Carey obviously is the poster boy for customer satisfaction and Larry as usual is Larry, a classic! Enjoy Anand! Its a piece of art! Thanks Troy for the photos , the good folks of SOC win again.


A good builder - one who believes in working with the customer - will do exactly what Carey did in this case.  I remember Henry at IM catering to George Brown's changing expectations during his build.

 

That is what bespoke manufacturing is all about.

 

Originally Posted by ALB:

Pretty cool Anand! So....how's it drive?

Al,

I wish I could articulate myself well enough to explain fully, but in brief, the car is amazing.

Very, very quick and far more nimble than I had expected. The sebring exhaust and motor allow for a really nice, throaty exhaust note that is enjoyable, but not too loud, in my opinion!

 

Carey did an incredible job with the shift box (I have an original style 550 Spyder rod shifter that Carey fabbed up for me). Is is laser accurate and smooth as butter. I can't get over how perfect it is, and how satisfying it is to shift.

 

Thanks Dan, Troy, Bob and Speedbucket for your kind words!

 

Anand

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