What is the scoop on the JPS coupe?

Noticed a picture...so is this a rumor...or is something announced or coming? Carey Hines at Special Edition-Beck Speedsters has had rumors and a few comments-postings also...

Re the JPS coupe. JPS had a short promo about the new coupe at Knotts. He had a teaser of a steel coupe under cover with a sign on it. Something like the next JPS project. From what I could gather the unveiling wil be in June or July. I believe it will be announced here. Stay tuned I guess but it appears that it is really coming. Good news!

Bruce

I sincerely doubt that any of the current builders will offer a coupe. Mold costs and additional finishing (rear window and molding, headliner, rear quarter windows and moldings, etc.) would drive the price up and probably out of the replica marketplace.

A tube-framed Porsche Zagato Carrera coupe might be marketable as people would be more likely to pay the price and trim/finish could be more spartan to help keep building costs down.

I can see a current builder producing a coupe....
There seems to be an interest.
Goes without saying that there will be additional manufacturing costs but also consider that a new speedster costs can range from $22k to $50k...hence if they build it will they but it? ....I think so!

Labor and parts costs in Mexico and Brazil have risen to the point where I agree with George - it might be just too expensive to produce a coupe body there now.

Mainland China, on the other hand, might be able to pull it off. The technical talent for fiberglass production is there, at least for complex cabinet pieces, but I've not yet seen anything as complex (or as big) as a coupe body coming out of China and they are not yet ready to tackle the tooling or molds. Hong Kong or Singapore, yes, especially from the fiberglass boat building industry there, but their labor costs are rising dramatically, too, and to start a set of coupe molds from scratch would take several years to debug.

Looks like those Envemo coupes lurking about will just keep appreciating in value!

gn

Have any of you guys checked the JPS website lately?

BANG....nuff said! Kewell...

Gordon/all,

Labor in Brazil? China? They already make a 911 knock off
in Brazil, I think they have the "super 90" coupe also.
Looky here (don't get too sad).
www.mercadolivre.com.br/jm/search?as_word=porsche+replica&as_pr_categ_id=

Well, coming soon and it's finally here are 2 different birds. I love the coupe, but originals aren't that hard to come by. We'll see if the demand is there. Good luck and hopefully JPS can post some pictures to get us drooling.

The June 2005 issue of EXCELLENCE magazine has a 356 Market (price) Update. The HIGHEST $value quoted for an excellent condtion COUPE between 1956 & 1960 is only $26,308.

Unless a replica, that will presumably be offered in the same price range, is MORE readily available with bigger, more modern parts, options, and motors, an original still seems to be a better choice because of its authenticity and appreciation factor.

Ditto what Chuck said. If I could get a "real" speedster for what a replica cost, I'd be in.

I think Chuck is on to something. At least one knowledgeable person I spoke to claimed that the flurry of interest in coupes may not translate into sales. The thing that would hold me back, in spite of the obvious practicality issue, is that most people still want a drop top sports car. I think there is plenty of evidence in the car sale venues (Autotrader.com.....hemmings....etc) that most things being equal, drop top Porsche cars generally sell for at least 10K more than comparable coupes. Makes sense to me anyhow.

I think the Excellence article is off. The guys at European Collectables would be buying every single Excellent '56-60 Coupe that was available and selling them for a minimum of $35,000. You can still find nice B model coupes in the low 20K's but Pre-A and A Coupes in excellent shape will go way above the quoted $26K.

I don't disagree with anything else you said Chuck, it's just the $26K is way off for an Excellent Pre-A or A Coupe.

Coupe prices are on the rise. There were 2 1958s normals listed in my last Panorama. One for $35K that had just had a $13000 driveline rebuild but does have "minor" rust and one with sunroof for $55K that claimed $80,000 in restoration receipts! This is the real problem, restoration and maintenance dollars. You can spend $25K for a "decent" coupe and you can expect to spend more unless you never drive it. If you reside anywhere other than the south-west you can count on rust.
The 356 speedster/cab/coupe is the ideal car to replicate because of its' VW kinship. The enormous aftermarket ensures relatively inexpensive maintenance and replacement costs. Rust problems are minimized, it doesn't matter if you live in Canada or the deep south. I personally find most cars mundane, aircooled is interesting-and just plain fun! Want to drive it every day? Nothing can/will replace the original and replicas don't risk your childrens' inheritance.

Now I am really excited about this coupe. This is something I have been waiting for for a long time. Beats getting an old Envemo. Waiting to see the finished product. Keep up the great work over there at JPS.

Hi Fred,

The car looks fantastic. Thanks for keeping us up to date. Love the photos. Can you share some details on the driveline you're putting in?

-Jeff

2276 (94x82)type I, balanced
044 heads, 42mm and 37mm intake and exhaust
weber 40s
9.1:1 CR
Merged exhaust, jurys still out on the muff-have to wait and see what fits or just looks right;)
Beefed T'axle with super diff
welded 3rd & 4th (1.31 and 0.82)
4:12 ring 'n pinion
Definitely outlaw-ish to say the least. I plan on adding A/C ASAP, gets rather warm down here in Dixie!

So would it be the work of a heretic to install plex rear-quarter windows with some clear caulk and zip screws for that racer-look?
Same,same for the rear window?

Per John Steele at Carlisle 5/21....

"Coming very soon at just under $20k"

Re: Pricing of "real" coups

Yesterday afternoon I stopped by a used car dealer in Sherman Oaks, CA that specializes in muscle cars, collectables and replicas just to look at the inventory. He had a 1957 Porsche 356 coup on the lot. It was in need of a LOT of work. I asked the salesman if it had the original motor in it, he said it did. I asked him what the asking price was, he said $25,000. Last fall I saw a better looking "all original" coup with a 4 sale sign parked on the street for $12,500.
I think this is probably indicative of the range of pricing on these cars. I don't think the pig offered at $25,000 will sell at that price.

To me, all new high performance parts (with 50 years more engineering technical advances)with a body that doesn't rust has a lot of appeal.

This kind of vehicle I believe will have a large following. Now a quick question and please I hope this does not sound dumb. Does a regular volkwagen pan have enough strength for the fiberglass coupe body. What are the current builders doing to make sure there is enough strength there?

The JPS coupe will weigh less than the standard Bettle body,

In the year 2020, Man will still be alive.

Freds' coupe has a chassis of its' very own;)

Gentleman, I drove "REAL" 356 Coupes for 15 years including a 59 factory sunroof that was on the cover of Excellence February 1995 and although they are wonderful cars they fit into two classes, Trailer Queens or Daily Drivers. If you want a really fine Coupe without RUST you are going to have to spend a lot of money to get there and as long as you have done the body you might as well do the mechanicals and before you know it, $35,000. to $40,000. easy! Now you are afraid to drive the damn thing. The daily driver is great because the initial get in is anywhere from $15,000. to $20,000. but you will be spending an average of $300. to $400. a month keeping it running. Porsche parts are not cheap and if you are like me and have pretty soft hands, labor is not cheap either. If you have a lot of money this conversation is mute, but if we are comparing/contrasting REAL vs a REPLICA I would buy a Coupe from JPS in a heartbeat for the same reason I bought my replica Speedster. It wont RUST, it is a new car, it will handle better, the motor will be better, faster, and less expensive to maintain. I say go John go and I think he will sell a ton of these and I would trade my car in an instant!

I'm telling ya... get that Subaru drivetrain in there and you'd have a killer everyday ride... :)

-Jeff

This Subaru business still confuses me a bit. I saw Hoss' car at Knotts but never actuall saw (HA HA) the engine bay and how far forward in encroaches on the passenger cabin.

If a Subie went into a coupe, am I wrong to think that part of the back seat area would have to have some sort of additional engine compartment or shroud or cover of some kind fabricated?

I used to think I had to have the latest, fastest, baddest automotive fashion statement put before the buying public by Porsche. Now I'm thinking a little bit differently, (my replicar/speedster is pretty bad), so a pretend-coupe parked alongside of it, painted to match might be sort of acceptable.

Hmmmmmm? Is now the time for all good 911 engines to come to the aid of my party?

Certainly the Suby engine placed in a mid-engine configuration by SAW encroaches on the rear or jump seat area of the coupe as it does in John's Cabriolet and you end up with a shelf. You do get a small trunk over the transmission in the rear. SAW is making special provisions for engine removal, as the process is somewhat different than for a topless Cabriolet. Servicing of the engine should be similar to the Cabriolet but unlike older engines is somewhat infrequent and more in line with contemporary autos. When the Suby engine is placed in a Speedster in a rear-engine configuration, the access and servicing procedures are quite different.

Fred what type of engine are you showing that is going into the coupe. It looks as if it is a carrera engine? Another question I have is what type of engine can you use to get the same horsepower as the original carrera engine. Thank you..

Paul wrote: "I used to think I had to have the latest, fastest, baddest automotive fashion statement put before the buying public by Porsche. Now I'm thinking a little bit differently, (my replicar/speedster is pretty bad)"

OK, so imagine a rear-engined, modified Suby WRX Turbo'd Speedster, pumping a conservative 450 hp........nice car to go Viper hunting, hmmm?????? Should be capable of quarters in the mid-to-low 10's AND we can make it handle like crazy, too.

That's what Chris wants to build for the "One Lap" race........(and he'll probably do it, too!)

I've begetted a car nut.........

Some conversations I've been in lately have focused on more and more horsepower for a speedster. Now that I have a whole lot of horsepower that actually works, I believe that the whole car would need to be revised to accomodate any more power... That's why my next speedster will basically be a 911 dressed down a few model years.


Oh, and didn't four cam carreras run about 130HP? If so another reason VW engines are fun and reasonable to build to their outer limits...doo-doo-doo-doo,doo-doo-doo-doo. Do not attempt to control your insanity, we control that picture...450HP?!?! Lunacy.

The factory HP #s for the 4-cam production motors at approx 6500rpm:
(hp ranges due to tuning and CR changes)
-1.5L 100 to 110hp
-1.6L 105 to 115hp
-2L 130 to 155hp
Porsche informed their customers that it was safe up to 7500rpm "intermitently" but recommended 6500 for sustained use. I've seen quotes somewhere of 190's in the race prepped 904s.

John Seward,
The "push-rod carrera" pictured is really what I want but I just can't get my mind wrapped around it just yet. Actually this is a one-off cooling system replication designed/built for a 356 driver/racer in Houston (notice the square exhaust ports). He indicates that there are plans to fabricate a type1 model but I don't know the timeline. It's very expensive but exceedingly cool, can you say Carrera GT?

David B's comments (in my opinion) are right on the mark. I, too, have had the real Porsche ownership experiences. I had a Cab and a Coupe. Loved them, but what a headache most of the time. Even if it's not the $$$$, the attention that they require is still considerable. Whenever I turned the key -- if it ran at all -- I never knew if my ride would end with the car in my garage or my mechanic's garage -- and when I might see it again if it was the latter. Fred's Coupe has so much going for it. If you want an investment, buy a few solid growth stocks and drive a Yugo. If you want a relatively trouble free, fun experience in a nostalgic automobile, and you have all four seasons of the year, the Coupe is the ticket.

Has anybody gotten an expected completion date for the first JPS coupe?

Not a completion date, but JPS told me that "information" on the coupe would be available in July, if that is of assistance. They also told me that they would not be selling it as a kit.

John.

Hi,
I just got an email from John Steele saying the coupe is sold out as a turnkey for a whole year!
He also told me there will be no coupe in kitform.
Looks like you will have to go to Raul across the border if you want to build one yourself.
Cheers
Nick

Wow, that is interesting. I wonder how many units a year of production represents?

Other than Fred, is anyone else on here in line for one of these beauties?

-Jeff