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I'm new around here, and at the moment the nearest thing to a Speedster we have is our Audi TT Roadster, which is just about perfect for our needs, fast, economical, water tight, reliable, and just a bit boring.

We're at the stage of semi-retirement, somewhat confused by the global pandemic, and we have access to electric cars via a local car club (I also happen to be the chairman of the company that runs the car club), so in reality we don't actually need to own a car at all.

What we need is a toy, and maybe a bit of a project.  We've found a newly completed Speedster at a decent price though it was built as a racer, so there are some issues we will need to address when we actually own the car.  One major issue is that my wife hates the colour, so we will, eventually want to change the colour.  Anyone have any experience of wrapping vs respray?  My feeling is paint is a more long lasting option, but the finish on some wraps I've seen is very impressive and the cost savings not insignificant.

I don't think it has a heater, and if it does it's the beetle one, and having had a heater pipe failure on my 911 on the hottest day of the year and a 100 mile journey, I'm not sure I want hot air piped around the car so was wondering about an electric heater.  Anyone got experience to share on these - prices seem to vary a lot.

The other aesthetic issue is the roll cage.  Well made, rather tall, and a bit ugly.  Was there ever a factory fit roll bar / cage or are all the ones we see one-offs?  I realise that the screen won't offer any roll protection so a roll bar may not be totally effective in a roll over situation, but it may just help a bit to stop me being totally dead.  Any recommendations in central UK for someone to design and make me a cage that looks nice.

I'm not sure how often we'll go out in the dark, but my 911 (964) lights were dreadful, so I'm imagining the lights will be like candles.  It does have driving lights an I could take some liberties with bulbs in those, but I have seen a 1978 911 SC with LED headlights that looked like they may do the job.  Again, has anyone done a LED conversion? 

No doubt when I actually get the car, I'll have a lot of other questions.

Audi TT TDI 2009

Previously: 986 Boxster S, 911 (964) C4,  a few ordinary cars...

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I can't answer all of your questions but the roll bars are all one off as far as I know. 

By your spelling of "colour" I guessed that you were either in Canada or the UK. In the UK I think your local options for parts are a bit more limited but there are plenty of great headlight options.

Far better replies are forthcoming from others!

CMC/FF had a factory available "show" roll bar.  Never seen one after a roll-over.  Although the mounting is steel to steel, it's a bolt on and isn't triangulated.  

Image result for cmc speedster roll bar

I upgraded my headlights (years ago) to Hella Vision series (H4).  In US, most come with 1970 era sealed beam head lights which are dim candles so for safety an upgrade is needed (but probably more for the rear lights - most add a third brake light). 

The OEM VW heat exchangers are fool proof and can work to provide defrost heat and a little creature comfort.  You can add a booster pump (like boat bilge blower. Just add heated seats - and you can increase comfort greatly.  With the flimsy leaky top and side curtains, a gas heater is only sure way to go ($1k).  I think electric heaters just draw too much energy.

There is a UK based Speedster site too. 

http://www.speedsters.com/

http://www.speedstersandspyders.org.uk/

 

 

Last edited by WOLFGANG

My air cooled 911 heater / demister in my 1980 964 was a bit of a joke.  The 'input' air was sucked in quite close to the road, so when it was raining it was 'wet' air.  One route I use regularly has a ford.  I had to stop 50yrds after the ford and wait a couple of minutes for the fog inside the car to clear.  We won't even mention the almost non-functional air con. 

If I had the money, which sadly I don't, I'd like to create the Porsche that Porsche would be making in 2020, if they had forgotten to change the body shape...  ideally electric, but still feather light, simple, but with things like bluetooth audio, central locking, heated seats (for wife who loves them, I don't) - but not much else as the phone will do much that a dashboard would do.  It won't happen, but I'm not going to make a historically correct car from a specific time.  I live in a 550yr old mediaeval thatched cottage in the cotswolds in England, but it's not 'historically correct' as that would be earth floor, no chimney, smoke leaking out through the straw.  No water apart from a well.  I don't want my 356 to be like that.

My house is flood wired with ethernet, LED lighting ASHP heating, hemp and wool insulation, remote control everything run from a house web page, or by talking nicely to Alexa.  The whole garden is flooded with wifi so I can listen to Radio Paradise wherever I go...

So, what I do to my speedster may get me burned at the stake!

Sounds like you need to give the guys at EV Outpost a call. They've done several turn key cars, but I'm pretty sure they sells their bits, too. I have no clue about the tax laws in the UK, but here in the states you could probably use your position to write the cost off on your taxes.  

Like Ludwig, I upgraded to the H4 kit conversion. Pretty standard fare for 70's Porsches, but I think they're getting rare because owners have either already done it or are looking for LED/HID conversions. I don't drive much at night, so the H4s are fine for me. Head and shoulders above the sealed beams my car came with.

Last edited by dlearl476

> Sounds like you need to give the guys at EV Outpost a call.  

Well, I emailed them, and they very helpfully sent me a full breakdown of everything I would need for the conversion with all the costings.  Bottom line is $18,000 USD plus shipping, plus labour so way beyond anything I can afford.  It would be cheaper to buy an EV as a second car and plant trees to offset the CO2 from the Speedster.

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