Winter Iowa Madness

wellcome to The Madness 

That is a beautiful car  I too have a Raby in a Beck

I bought my Beck a year ago in indianapolis in the snow  Drove it to Bremen in freezing snow and ice so Carey could get me road worthy for the drive to Austin.  I am so glad I have heated seats because that was a long cold drive  The last year has been a blast cruising around Austin  Why anyone lives in a refrigerator is beyond me but I was born in Austin and am happily spoiled

I have to thank everyone for providing sage advice. It took me awhile to pull the trigger, but I am happy I did.

 

I am not sure how I ended up in the freezer. A 9-year tour in Chicago was my gateway drug to the midwest. I've lived in some pretty nice places (Cali, Oregon, Mountain West, Hawaii, and even a couple years in the Caribbean) and travelled all over the world, but Iowa is simply an easy place for us to live. Going away whenever we get the urge is nice as well.

 

My first love was a '59 Type I. Looks like I need to study the Muir book and bust out the wrenches. I don't want my 12 year-old to be mechanically incompetent.

 

 

Welcome to the madness, I have a Raby powered Beck as well. Currently it is  in Bremen getting a few additions over the winter. There are several of us getting together in Peoria in June hope you can join us, check out CD3 thread. 

Welcome to the Beck side of the Madness.  I have it really bad.  I winter my car, Natalie, with Carey every winter and do upgrades.  After this winter, I'm almost out of ideas...almost. If you want to run up your bill, I'm your man!  You can send me a private dialog by clicking the button in the upper right hand corner and I can share my phone number with you and we can talk on the phone.  Seriously, while it's there you have a golden opportunity to do some upgrades.  I'm at your disposal.

Another owner to corrupt Tom. 

Vitman, congrats. I too am a Beck owner of a different color and with a Raby built engine of different dimensions. If not mistaken, I threw out an invitation to you last week about joining us at Corn Daze, 6-8 June. As I recall, you're a scant 5 hour drive through corn fields to get to more corn fields.

CD3 is on the radar. I have downstate heritage and need to investigate an ancestral home in Girard.

It all depends on whether I can move some obligations around. 

Here's the mods I am considering, please comment:

- New top/tonneau

- Radio, thinking vintage style with modern conveniences

- 3rd brake light

- Starter button, is this a style or a functional issue?

- Accessory plug?

- Replace the useless clock with something more functional

- Heat stuff, Espar or seat heaters, both?

- Driving lights, I remember how dim my '59 bug head lamps were

- Snow tires?

- Anything else?

 

I was going to get rid of the red interior but I am going to stay with it. Any ideas how to freshen up the drivers seat? Replacing one seat may be difficult to color match and since its going to be driven I imagine that its going to get scuffed up again eventually.

I tried to call, but got voice mail.  I don't have time to talk further tonight.  I sent you a list of essentials in a dialog.

 

- Stayfast top and tonneau.  Good idea.  I did that too, but didn't put it on your list

- Radio - Complete waste of time in a Speedster IMHO.  Others will disagree.

- 3rd brake light - yes

- Accessory plug - yes

- Recommend replacing clock with Cylinder Head Temp Gauge

- Heat - Recommend mod I suggested in dialog rather than Espar.  Heated seats are nice too (I also have) particularly on a crisp night with the top down.

- Snow tires - really?  Please don't drive this in the snow!

- I'm sure that Carey could freshen up your upholstery

Snow Tyres, absolutely joking.

Thanks for your VM. Was out blowing snow off my ice rink driveway. 

 

Vitman, I know some guys think they have to have a radio/stereo. I think Tom and I are in the camp of-you won't need one. I would rather have a clock than a radio. Carey is doing a few things for me this winter, he just sent me a snap shot of my new additional gauges (oil pressure, oil temp and CHT), he's also adding some sound deadening to the doors, which will make the doors go thump instead of...ah, an annoying plastic bang, you'd do well to add that or do it yourself. If Carey has anymore of the better interior door handles, you might consider that too aalong with a dash grip/handle. Also on my list is a set of Xenon bulbs, a third brake light. I have put off a German canvas top, tonneau and boot until next year. Ooops, just saw that you have the Porsche script on the dash and the handle...you'll figure it out.

 

Vitman I am one of the guys who loves my radio. I am definitely in the minority but do moast driving alone and love my tunes. Granted my car came with it so made the decision easy. I had Carey add heated seats and fog lights last winter with a plethoria of other upgrades. I highly recommend a dead pedal, makes long drives bearable. Like Tom my car has spends winters in Bremen getting the once over. 

 

 

I concur with the sound deadening in the doors.  Getting that done this winter too.  Also getting the NOS interior door handles.  Carey had a short supply, though, and i believe they are all spoken for.  I also agree with the dead pedal, something I had installed originally.

 

Instead of holding out on you, I'll just go ahead and give you the entire list. Some done by Carey, some done by me.

 

- MPH Speedo

- Extended sump

- Camber Compensator

- External oil filter

- Dead Pedal

- Zip out rear window

- A1 Sidewinder exhaust

- Stayfast top

- Power Point

- Fire Extinguisher

- Rain Hats

- Hydraulic Clutch

- External Oil Cooler

- Center Hight Mount Stop Lamp

- Cocomats

- Racing Lap Belts

- Stayfast Tonneau

- CSP Shifter

- Air Horn

- Fire Suppression System

- Breather Box

- LED Tailights

- Custom Side curtains

- Cyllinder Head Temp Gauge

- 4-Wheel Disc Brakes

- Improved Heat

- Cup Holders

- Heated Seats

- Calibrated Speedo

- Emergency Engine Decklid Release

- Riveted on door handles

- Drain plug sump plate

- Upgraded dash trim

- NOS Interior Door Handles

- Sound Deadener in Doors

- Ceramic Coated Exhaust

- Upgraded Paint

- Swap Speedo & Combi Gauge location

 

There's probably something I'm forgetting, but that's pretty comprehensive.

I am definitely addicted to music. The no radio aesthetic also appeals to me. Perhaps I'll go with something hidden. Otherwise I will have to listen to the scary thoughts in my head.

I love music, but between the engine noise, road noise, and wind noise you can't hear it unless it's at the pain level.  When I'm driving around town with the top down I get more than enough attention without blasting my music.  I owned a convertible once before and discovered the same phenomenon.  The only time I used the stereo was around town with the top up because I couldn't hear it at highway speeds and I was too embarrassed to use it with the top down.  In the Speedster, hearing the stereo with the top up around town really isn't much of an option either. 

 

I enjoy listening to my engine and save the car listening for my nice quiet hybrid.

 

Don't worry, the engine will drown out the scary thoughts in your head :-)

I'm still just fascinated listening to my engine only and keeping track that everything is in order in that area. My hearing is bad enough that adding music to the mix (if you could actually really hear it) would simply be a waste of money. Vitman, answer me this, did you miss the tunes during your frigid test drive?

 

I have to side with those that enjoy some tunes while cruising.  My radio is located under the passenger seat so it does not take away from the interior look.  No problem hearing the radio with the top down.  Enjoy the ride!

 

 

 

Will you have a shark riding shotgun with those laser beams on his head, Tom, if you do??

 

Congratulations!  Your car looks sharp!

Congratulations, Vitman!

 

Great car.

 

Where are you in Iowa? There are some SOCer's in Chicago and down here in Peoria as well. Great if you could join us for Corn Daze Trois' in June.

I am in Des Moines. I definitely would like to be at CD3.

 

Vitman:

 

Consider yourself invited! This will be a great opportunity to mingle with a bunch of the Midwest guys with some folks from the east thrown in.

 

Calendar it. The first Friday/Saturday/Sunday in June. There are a couple threads on it, but feel free to send me a dialogue message and I'll give you some info.

 

Last year we also had a day at Starved Rock State Park south of Chicago and there is talk of invading the James Dean memorial bash over in Indiana to cap off the driving season.

Tom, no sharks. Just ill-tempered mutated sea bass........