What manufacturer is this?

" Roadster" with the high windshield … Looks like roll up windows ?  Not familiar with that style seats,....Is Intermeccanica  stamped on the deck lid hinges ?

This is the last pic I have if it helps, maybe Intermeccanica international?

Yes  that would be a pan based IM ! The deck hinges should have IM name cast into them.

That's definitely an IM. The handbrake is the tell.

Check the trunk lids for IM casting -

Look like Mazda Miata seats.

Ok great, thanks to all. Reading up on it now and sounds like Im is a more desirable maker and if it truly has the Porsche drivetrain would be a good choice. Still not sure what to pay but I'll post the outcome either way

Stan the handbrake being in that location might make it a non pan car.  IM.

Well, not so much...

These shots were taken of the hinges in my 2005 Intermeccanica 10 minutes ago.

The cast hinges that keep getting referenced were Intermeccanica California pieces, before the Reisners moved to Vancouver in the early '80s to start up again. I don't think they've been used since then. As such, they would not be on any IM Roadster.

.... the handbrake, however, is pure IM. As is the dash trim. The seats have definitely been replaced.

I just noticed the vin starts with im so that settles it. Would I be stealing it at say 20k?  Again only these pics to go off of. It is at a regular dealer auction as a repo, not a classic car auction that would maybe have a trusted condition report 

Stan what is that small piece on the hinge is that a strut to open the rear trunk/engine compartment?  Never seen one.

Under the name Intermeccanica International Inc., they started production of the Roadster RS in 1982-1985 with production in Vancouver.

If it's in good condition with just minor things to be done yes $20k is very reasonable , but it doesn't hurt to start low.  Is it near you for a personal inspection and drive?

No unfortunately it is 900 miles away and sells today. Had I known I was not far from it last week and could have looked at it. 

I'm hoping it is tube frame, I saw one for sale with a vin # only 15 digits apart that is so thinking it may be also

IaM-Ray posted:

Stan what is that small piece on the hinge is that a strut to open the rear trunk/engine compartment?  Never seen one.

Yes, it’s a lift cylinder. I’ve replaced it twice now. I’m hoping the NAPA part is better than O’Reilly’s. 

Did you add it yourself or was it IM that did it?

Here's the interior of 2015 IM (for sale on Hemmings) so that parking brake location in a tube frame (vs VW pan) are normal. There's a lot more toe room too (over a VW pan based car).

The handbrake location shown in the pictures shows it is a FRAME car.  

I have never seen an IM pan car with the handbrake in that location.  

Between the seats mostly.

Here's mine, between the seats:

Lol, ..... that is funny Bob.

Well it sold for $24k. With the buy fee,  transportation and the uncertainty of pan or frame on top of not being able to see in person I passed on it. At least now I know a little more about these for when I get serious about finding one. I have a shell valley cobra now but I think I would prefer one of these. Again thanks for all the help and I'll be back someday

erniee posted:

Ok great, thanks to all. Reading up on it now and sounds like Im is a more desirable maker and if it truly has the Porsche drivetrain would be a good choice. Still not sure what to pay but I'll post the outcome either way

Why would an original Porsche drivetrain be a good choice?  I had a 1959 Porsche 356B and the Porsche engine, being from 1959, was not all that wonderful.  It was fun, but it was neither reliable, powerful, or technologically desirable.  I think it had 65 hp,  leaky, parts were expensive, and tuning 30 year old carburetors was a handful. If I had a Porsche, I would want a Porsche engine for resale value, and maybe just so I would not be attacked, but having a replica, an original Porsche engine is not on my list of desirable features.

If anybody knows, why did IM put Porsche drivetrains in their replicas?

Todd M posted:

erniee posted:

Ok great, thanks to all. Reading up on it now and sounds like Im is a more desirable maker and if it truly has the Porsche drivetrain would be a good choice. Still not sure what to pay but I'll post the outcome either way

Why would an original Porsche drivetrain be a good choice?  I had a 1959 Porsche 356B and the Porsche engine, being from 1959, was not all that wonderful.  It was fun, but it was neither reliable, powerful, or technologically desirable.  I think it had 65 hp,  leaky, parts were expensive, and tuning 30 year old carburetors was a handful. If I had a Porsche, I would want a Porsche engine for resale value, and maybe just so I would not be attacked, but having a replica, an original Porsche engine is not on my list of desirable features.

If anybody knows, why did IM put Porsche drivetrains in their replicas?

I am pretty sure IM did not use Porsche drive trains in their builds back then.  I've never read anything that would support this.  Probably this car had the drivetrain installed later on, or the information was not correct on this car.

Of course, you can get a more modern Porsche drive train in an IM these days.  

If anybody knows, why did IM put Porsche drivetrains in their replicas?

They didn't.  You can go top of IM line with a 911 suspension/trans/engine but there aren't that many of those.  None used 356 suspensions.  Many use a 914 front suspension (some will debate if that is VW or Porsche) which is about the same as the 911 (914 brakes would be 4 bolt discs).  No idea how they handle the 911/914 struts.

Stan Galat posted:

IaM-Ray posted:

Stan what is that small piece on the hinge is that a strut to open the rear trunk/engine compartment?  Never seen one.

Yes, it’s a lift cylinder. I’ve replaced it twice now. I’m hoping the NAPA part is better than O’Reilly’s. 

Any chance you have a part number handy, Stan ? Mine needs replacing. Thanks. 

Oh, interesting,

Once I open the rear deck, I have a wand type bar that holds the top up.    

I was interested in buying a new latch from IM, it is a simple bolt on, that is spring loaded so that when you pop the engine lid, it stays up 1/2 inch or so so you can open the engine lid easily.  

Sometimes when i pull the cable it opens and before I get there the thing latches again.   It seems to only happen when the engine is hot so it is intermittent. 

Bob: IM S6 posted:

Todd M posted:

erniee posted:

Ok great, thanks to all. Reading up on it now and sounds like Im is a more desirable maker and if it truly has the Porsche drivetrain would be a good choice. Still not sure what to pay but I'll post the outcome either way

Why would an original Porsche drivetrain be a good choice?  I had a 1959 Porsche 356B and the Porsche engine, being from 1959, was not all that wonderful.  It was fun, but it was neither reliable, powerful, or technologically desirable.  I think it had 65 hp,  leaky, parts were expensive, and tuning 30 year old carburetors was a handful. If I had a Porsche, I would want a Porsche engine for resale value, and maybe just so I would not be attacked, but having a replica, an original Porsche engine is not on my list of desirable features.

If anybody knows, why did IM put Porsche drivetrains in their replicas?

I am pretty sure IM did not use Porsche drive trains in their builds back then.  I've never read anything that would support this.  Probably this car had the drivetrain installed later on, or the information was not correct on this car.

Of course, you can get a more modern Porsche drive train in an IM these days.  

Bob is right- IM has never used original 356/912 engines or transaxles; someones done it afterward, and if it came from them like that then it was a 1 off and I'm pretty sure the drivetrain would have been customer supplied. 2 liter hotrodded VW engines put out more power (better torque curve), are reliable and are cheaper to build and fix. Same can be said for VW transaxles (when beefed up).

Some people believe that the 356 (or 912) engine makes their car "more original" but I think they're fooling themselves- these cars are fiberglass replicas, will always be fiberglass replicas and will never be accepted by the Porsche crowd no matter how many original parts a person hangs on their car. It doesn't have an original P vin # and that's pretty much the end of discussion as far as P club members are concerned, which I totally get. Let's face it- they're not Porsches. That said, there are Porsche owners that appreciate what some replica owners have done with their cars, but anybody waiting for an invitation for membership in the local 356 chapter will be disappointed.

Almost everyone you meet on the street with your car will just be in love with it, and won't care what it's powered by/what's under it's fiberglass skin. They'll just think it's stupid cool (which it is). And the 1 monkey out of 100 or 1,000 that berates you because it's "not real"- don't let the idiot ruin your day.

The beauty of our little plastic clown cars is the fact that we're not constrained by factory build sheets, no one to bitch about what brakes or wheels (or licence plate hardware- really!) are on it and can do anything we want with our cars (as long as you don't replicate the French bordello interior with Russian accents of the SEMA Speedster a few years back- other than that, as Uncle Stan has said, it's a pretty big tent and there's room for (almost) everybody).

I have an older IM, and yeah, I wish the 914/911 front suspension was an option then...

I'll get off my soapbox now _{(I'm rather short, it's windy up here, the air's a little thin and if I fall I may hurt myself)}. Al

@ALB, I actually got 2 invitations to join the local PCA club.  The man who extended one of them gave me a VIN number to use to join.

Michael McKelvey posted:

@ALB, I actually got 2 invitations to join the local PCA club.  The man who extended one of them gave me a VIN number to use to join.

I joined my local chapter, using the VIN from my Porsche donor car.  They still would not allow me to take part in their Driver Education sessions at Mosport, which was my reason for joining.  I've never been to a PCA event, and probably never will.  There is a too high a degree of snobbery for me.  Plus, I don't own a Porsche, and I don't like to be a poseur.

I do go to some local Porsche events - dealership C&C, etc. - and so far I've been received with some enthusiam - about my car, that is.   I do hang with the 356 group up here, and they are a lot more welcoming.  Lots of other classic car events locally that I can attend, especially tours.

I do get a monthly PCA magazine that is great reading, so I guess that's my one benefit.

Mike, is that PCA still a member? He may have been outted😁

While I do feel a little like an interloper, I have felt welcome at all the local PCA events and activities.  I can't take the Speedster to the "Driver Education" (track day) events because it doesn't have a top or roll bar.  I have thought about taking my VW GTI.

I just hope Ernie sticks around and learns something here.