I just picked up and drove my new 356 Speedster convertible for the last two days. It drove like a dream. They were great to deal with. I love how well it is put together. I then took it back to their shop. They are going to change the oil, adjust valves and give it a once over before they ship it to me. I am very happy that I chose them.
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Welcome to The Madness!! That thing sure is ... RED! About as good as it gets, IMHO.
Not much better than a dream being realized.
Beautiful car! Enjoy it.
Very, very pretty car, Dave.
Now..... DRIVE IT!! 😉
Congratulations Dave !! It's a beauty and It came with a spare tire !! Hope you have many happy miles with it.
The only thing i would like to have for this car is a cup holder. Has anyone come up with a authentic cup holder that does not look cheap and is funtional?
Beautiful car, Dave. Congratulations!
@DaveR posted:The only thing i would like to have for this car is a cup holder. Has anyone come up with a authentic cup holder that does not look cheap and is funtional?
Someday, I'll come up with something better than a roll of duct-tape on the floor. Today is not that day. 100% functional, dual-duty. You're welcome.
I think @aircooled Bruce was working on an aluminum cup holder.
Here is the stainless steel version that I use:
Shortly after I got my Speedster a co-worker gave me a coffee cup with a red Speedster on it. I put some heavy duty Velcro on the bottom and used that as my cup holder (cup - holder, get it? I'm here all week folks) for years. The Velcro held it in place on the carpet and it worked well as long as the drink wasn't too big.
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@DaveR , the most authentic cup holder is the one your car didn't come equipped with.
I think the Germans are still puzzled by this American obsession with seeking other sources of amusement while driving. But, in 1958, you were on your own if you wanted even a seat belt.
"Mein Gott, we are driving, here, are we not?"
I like Stan's choice of the duct tape roll. It's adjustable and, best of all, may be left in the garage if you have any serious driving to do.
I think any cup holder will spill its contents eventually. If it doesn't, you're not cornering hard enough.
But if you're determined to have one, as mentioned above, our own Aircooled Bruce ( @aircooled ) seems to have worked the bugs out of his latest design, pictured below. It's billeted, drilled, folding, disappearing, and does have a sort of 'authentic' look to it. It's certainly complicated enough to have been born of a Teutonic mind:
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+1 The roll of duct tape cup holder has a respected place in the history of Porsches.
I saw this company on Facebook show a set of 356 cupholders a few days ago. Looks ok but I haven't ordered it yet. Around $70 for a pair of them. If someone tries them, please report back if they're good.
@pkdfw posted:I saw this company on Facebook show a set of 356 cupholders a few days ago. Looks ok but I haven't ordered it yet. Around $70 for a pair of them. If someone tries them, please report back if they're good.
Looks like a couple bicycle water bottle cages bolted to a piece of plastic. Could be made for $20... $70? Quite a nice profit.
Good observation @DannyP.
The plate in the picture looks like it's approximately 10" x 6" plus or minus an inch or two. Should be big enough to hold 2 cups without tipping as a coco mat is fairly heavy to hold it down.
Should be easy to prototype with a few cheap bike bottle holders from Walmart and some stock aluminum sheets from Home Depot.
Good call, @DannyP
Bottle cages R US... I like the resin versions, rather than a metal wireframe because the resin/plastic ones are easier to get the cup/bottle in and out of, they hold everything semi-firmly and they seem to last forever. I've had a TacX on my bike for ever and they would readily adapt to the side of the center tunnel or elsewhere.
I have 2 of the vertical version of the Santana cup holders mounted in my doors.
They are expensive.
They hold the cups at an angle when mounted in the doors. This lead to a spill with a McDonalds coffee cup.
While a McDonalds cup will fit, I haven't found an insulated travel mug that will fit.
So far for me, they look cool but have been unusable.
Areas for cup holders.....A few years ago Stan mentioned using that big wide area I would call the door sill. That wide flat area between the seats and the doors when closed. It's not really used for anything so why not a cup holder there /. Not as easy as it sounds as I soon discovered. After several attempts this is the only thing I came up with.
There is a 2" X 4" vertical steel post inside the fiberglass at the front of that sill area that supports the doors. This cup holder (see video below) mounts to that at what ever height you need for your favorite cup. In order to reach down and grab your cup you need knuckle room to get your hand around your cup. Additionally, it needs to fold up out of the way of your foot during ingress and egress. Hence, the diagonal swing of the cup holder ! Like my foot-peg, it has a ball bearing detent to keep it up out of the way and in the down position due to slight cup-drag out of the holder.
The prototype below will be going to the CNC guy soon to be made into a right and left version
Alas ! The continuing saga of the perfect cup holder continues. Thanks Stan !
Bruce
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I went with a stainless water bottle cage to hold my stainless water bottle. It's mounted on the backside of the wheel well. Simple.
My style of driving is not conducive to hot liquids in flimsy cups, so I have to use screw on tops.
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Look, guys, before this goes any further, someone needs to point out that duct tape is now available in a variety of designer shades — to complement any Speedster or Spyder interior. There's just no reason not to use it as a cup holder anymore:
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Sacto ! How WIERD !!! I was just thinking about what colors are available for anodizing and had those very colors in mind ! And I will have black as well !...........Bruce
Carlos....Me Too ! I use a YETE with a screw in top. With this cup holder you get to mount it to just the right height for your stainless steel bottle.
Thinking ahead my new cup holder can be removed and repositioned in the event that fi I loose my favorite cup and can't find an exact replacement.
As far as I can tell, it won't work on a Spyder but I'm looking forward to getting my Spyder and developing some new things for it as well........Bruce
@aircooled posted:Sacto ! How WIERD !!! I was just thinking about what colors are available for anodizing and had those very colors in mind ! And I will have black as well !...........Bruce
Do a survey before you buy stock. Only Stan would pick purple 💜
All I know is that somehow the cupholders in our Cayman S have held together when they look from their construction like they should have busted off years ago.
Our Toyotas have multiple cupholders for every seat. Overkill.
My duct tape roll somehow fits the spirit of the Speedster, and as someone else said, can serve multiple other needs.
After years of not using my Santana cup holders, I discovered a travel mug that will fit: Yeti Rambler 10 oz. mug.
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Y'know, I've been thinking that the British are way ahead of us when it comes to cup holders. After all, they've been at it longer.
Like, f'rinstance, take these cup holders that Rolls cooked up a few years back for some fancy schmancy new limited edition model:
Besides the cups, they've got dishes and lots of other useful stuff there.
It looks like they take their hydration pretty seriously.
My wife and I have turned morning coffee into something of a ritual at home and sometimes, when the weather's good, we'll jump in the Speedy with a thermos of coffee and some scones in the backpack and head to some public park a few towns away to do it al fresco.
But I'm thinking this little package from Rolls could be a better way to go. And it would drop right into the shelf in the back.
Of course, I'd still have to secure it back there somehow.
Duct tape, maybe?
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@Sacto Mitch posted:But I'm thinking this little package from Rolls could be a better way to go.
I think you're onto something, Mitch. Throw in some Grey Poupon and you're ready to go.
Also, for those who are easily amused, grey poupon translates to "grey little baby." So there's that...
@West Chester Speedster: Mitch is onto something here. A Rolls (with the fancy cup holders) may be just the thing that brings a smile to people’s faces.
@Stan Galat posted:@West Chester Speedster: Mitch is onto something here. A Rolls (with the fancy cup holders) may be just the thing that brings a smile to people’s faces.
and destruction to your wallet.
@Panhandle Bob posted:and destruction to your wallet.
You'd be surprised. Nobody wants the ones from the 70s onward.
EDIT: Sorry, I posted this in the wrong thread. I reposted in the correct place.
Karmann Ghia's are excellent everyday cars. They are watertight, uncomplicated and have a big, easily accessible engine bay. While I love the look of the LowLight Ghia's, a 1969 is probably the best year to buy for a daily driver. Why? Because it is the only year with the smaller tail lights, early style bumpers and IRS.
Even better, put IRS in an LowLight!
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I passed on a '69 with a Berg 5 about 5 years ago. I had the entire deal worked out, and then didn't pull the trigger.
It was one of the stupider things I've ever (not) done.
Theron......Could you post some photos of your red Ghia ?...........Bruce
@Stan Galat posted:@West Chester Speedster: Mitch is onto something here. A Rolls (with the fancy cup holders) may be just the thing that brings a smile to people’s faces.
The Rolls definitely brings the looks from people but I wouldn't be able to drive it. I'd have the hire a driver and ride in the back.
You can get an older Rolls relatively cheaply. What will kill is maintenance.
@aircooled Sorry, I never had a red Ghia.
-=theron