The Beck that the SOC spec'd

Hey, Tom,.

You're forgiven! Some have called me worst things.

Engine installed photos. Carey says the car is going off to the painters tomorrow (to touch up from the exhaust cutouts) depending if they get snowed in by then or not :)

oooooooooh, the anticipation!!!

I have a delivery date! March 20th! Today was the day the car came back from paint. Due to the crappy weather we're having, Carey wants to take the next three weeks for the final tweaks and test driving. Check out the cool body-colored rain hats that Carey is putting on for me.

That's GREAT!
I like the rain hat. You paid for two, right? ;)
That date's well before Carlisle ...

Yeah Cory, I should have two rain hats by then but can't make Carlisle this year...new baby coming too soon after.

You WANT the rain hats! Ask me how I know.

I got mine!

http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f254/speedster356/DSC01935.jpg

Hey Gordon,

Now that's what I call a rainhat. We have two just like it. A hat like that and some blue tape and you're all set.

Right on!

Tom,

Pls tell about the duct work/plumbing in front of the engine. Looks like you made a shelf there and maybe added some sort of aux heating?? Maybe I missed soething in the earlier posts?

PS: you are going to have a screamer there, MGM. Don't let them get away w/ that "secret stuff" BS. Do as Cory says, and have them write it all down. I hope it all comes together at your imagined shcedule, more or less. And you'll be at Carlisle?? Can't wait to see/hear this monster in person.

Hi Kelly,

This is a turnkey, so you'd have to ask Carey Hines from Special Edition, but I ordered a blower for the heat. I imagine that that is what we're seeing. Can't make it to Carlisle this year. New baby coming too soon after.....next year.

You keep saying that, Tom.
Sooner or later, either you'll come to the show with Mrs. Tom and Baby Tom ... or we'll have to figure out some kind of super-duper video link to the show for your virtual enjoyment!

Kelly _ Tom is correct. That is the ducting the connects the heater blower to the heater boxes, and then to the interior.

Kelley,
The duct works that is shown in Tom's photos is for the "HOT AIR HEATER SYSTEM"! The black box on the right is the blower. The engine "HOT AIR" input is the duct in the center of the blower. It is a centrifugal type blower. The new heater boxes do not have cast iron heat exchangers inside, therefore Heat, What Heat!. Drove Merlot home from Bremen Nov 2007 in a snow storm, crossed the Cumberland Gap to Newport,TN and over to I40 to home. I totally recommend that Tom buy an electric blanket or maybe two and a good power inverter. Man, is he in for a surprise! Drink lots of coffee and stop a lot to whizz.

Wonderful cars anyway! The Porsche Speedsters were not designed for weather and the top as someone has already related is for emergency use!

Tom will be at my place 4 April. I show him my Scotch waterproof fisherman's sweater,leather flight jacket, fur-trimmed cap! Damned, it gets COLD when the windows open at the front at speed! :

That's why you need a pair of my (not)patented polycarbonate windows! Better visibility AND far better sealing - not to mention configurable ventilation when wanted.

Of course you CAN just tuck in the front of the original side curtains to avoid the high-speed forced ventilation you were describing.

That's the fun of driving a Speedy!!!!!

Weeeee!

I don't what will be scarier on my upcoming trip, riding with Aaron or wondering what my teenage sons are doing to my house!

You're RIDING with Aaron?!?!?!

Be sure to take some Depends - just in case.

;-)

I've warned Tom...No button hole cutting in my seats!

No, I wont take Tom To the Blue Ridge Parkway and back to home via Buck Creek Gap Road. Now, Skyuka Drive is very close and is less than 15 minutes! Maybe Green River Cove Road would be better! I promise to let him use my Spitfire goggles and ancient German crash helmet.

Need to test out the camber compensator!

Lane said:
That's why you need a pair of my (not)patented polycarbonate windows! Better visibility AND far better sealing - not to mention configurable ventilation when wanted.

Of course you CAN just tuck in the front of the original side curtains to avoid the high-speed forced ventilation you were describing.

Well with the Intermeccanica I get power windows with real glass......I'm just saying why deal with the wind and water......;-)

Dave,

Tuckin'in the original style window flaps don't always work! There is nothing to seal the flap to the windscreen side frame. The easy fix was to adjust the mounting post with a hammer. The side windows need to have the correct angle up and over toward the weather top pocket.

Remember that the Speedster was not designed as a comfort machine. Leaked, cold, and damp...A real Man's drive. The weather top was for emergency use only!

We with Scotchs ancestry love it! "A good Scotch mist will wet an Englishman to the bone"

2 weeks out and I'm STILL making spec changes. As the German's would say "wahnsinn."

I need your help. Breather system, yes or no? If yes, what style/brand?

Breather system ....yes, I will refer to Carey on the type that will best fit your big HP application ~

Tom, I sent you an email in response to yours. I'd say stick with what the engine builder provides, at least at first. I you have any problems, you can upgrade. I went fancy to try to stop a pesky oil leak that I thought could be too much pressure in the case. That wasn't the cause, though.

Tom, I'm with Alan on both counts. Yes to a breather system, and yes also to letting Carey work out the details. The less the oil spits around uselessly inside the case, the more it stays on the parts that need lubrication.
The Hoopty, not even a remote comparison to your very well-designed car, has a custom breather canister and gravitic lines. There is a Moroso air filter on top. It's something like these:
http://www.moroso.com/catalog/categorydisplay.asp?catcode=13400
It's served me well since installation. I have two lines in, vertically stacked, and a drain plug in the bottom for periodic maintenance.
Here it is without its lines connected:

Closer shots of zip down window from inside and out

More photos. Top with zip-down rear window installed after it's first day of test driving. Weather is breaking here, rain is on the way to wash the salt off the streets, and she'll be delivered one week from Saturday!

That is really cool!

VERY NICE TOM

Make sure you post a guard when you park that car. I sure do like that top, and it WOULD fit mine, after all...

I gotta give credit. I stiole the idea from my friend Bill Demeter's Speedster. I thought it would be good for long highway drives in the sun...like to Carlisle....next year....or Tail of the Dragon...this year!

Tom - You're going to have a blast with that lovely new car. Congratulations. The zip-out rear window works extremely well on the open road in hot weather. Up to about 90F you can keep the direct sun off your head and still get effective cooling with the top up and the back window open - provided you're moving along at speed. In stop and go traffic, I love my AC, which will hang icicles in the cabin. But of course stop and go isn

I like the zipper top !

Tom, like everyone else, I'm looking forward to your reports once you receive the machine. I'm thinking Carey might be the one to build my Speedster as well. How exciting these last few weeks must be. Cheers!

Hi Tom that looks good. What is the name of the colour your car is painted with?

-----------------------------------------------------
Chesilbuild.com - build site for our Chesil Speedster

As far as I know, just "silver.". The Special Edition website says tha it's "Silkens" paint. That's the extent of my knowledge. Their website is www.beckspeedster.com.

Tom: Great job and a beautiful result---congratulations! You are going to be thrilled with your combo and I for one can't wait to see it at Carlisle. Thanks for the post sand the wonderful pictures---fun to share your build and excitement as you did. You certainly chose top quality builders in Carey and Pat.

Aaron mentioned 145 torque from 2056 cc---that is truly sensational ---you will feel that in your seat!

Is your RP a 3.88 or a 4.12 and what are the trans gears?

Can you post the dyno graphs, if Pat did them for you? (Sounds like he did according to Aaron.) What is the rpm for 70 mph and what will be the car's speed in 4th at 6,000-6,500 rpms?

Good job!

Thanks Jack. Can't make Carlisle this year, new baby coming too soon after. 3.88 trans. I don't have the dyno charts, but just asked Carey to get them for me. Aaron has the same engine and I think he has his.

I believe the paint reference should be "Sikkens" :
http://www.sikkens.net/