Did Beck ever build Speedsters on bug pans? Looking at getting a Speedster after owning 2, 550's, my 1st was a Beck and the 2nd a TR. I am pretty sure the answer is "no" but figured I would ask.
TIA, Joe in NH
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You are correct that the answer is "no". All of their cars have been on their own chassis designs.
I guess it depends how you view history and building. "Beck" has been around for "over 20 years". Beck early on sold the Brazillian Chamonix under Chuck Beck. The Chamonix was on a VW pan until 1995 --- according to UK internet site below. So, it wasn't until 1995 that they got tube chassis. (Not sure if those early ones made it to US - never saw one but I did see a BECK SE Speedster with the water-cooled VW engine at Carlisle years ago). Chuck Beck was Beck Development in Calif originally - it wasn't til later that Beck SE came about under Kevin Hines in Indiana and the tubular chassis was developed. "We" refer to both as Beck when perhaps they are evolutions?
Speedsters.com - Directory of 356 Speedster replica suppliers
Their original 356 Speedster replica was based on the Beetle chassis and mechanics but since 1995 Chamonix have evolved to a more advanced design with their own tubular chassis and using water-cooled VW Golf engines instead of the original air-cooled flat-4.
Good info on Beck Development and Beck Special Edition at: Speedsters.com - Directory of 356 Speedster replica suppliers
Years ago Beck said they brought the fiberglass body production back to the US so they could better control quality. Carey also commissioned the current versions of the 356 replica gauges (with GPS Speedo) due to quality of the original Brazilian gauges and the really bad quality of the Chinese ones. Carey also has noted the lack of quality in the new aluminum bumper "over-riders" - citing that many get rejected for air holes in the aluminum castings that can't be buffed out.
I have always been a fan of Edward Deming - who in the '60s introduced "continuous process improvement" - i.e. making a ball bearing rounder. He turned around the Japanese auto industry so that today cars last 200k and not 50k miles. Beck must have a copy on their shelf as they do keep improving the product. Think Lane pointed out the new "under carriages?" used to hold the engines in and new suspension components.
PLEASE correct me if I'm wrong - just insight I gleaned from internet (and we know how accurate that is!)
Not sure where Brazilian Chamonix is now - seems to have faded around 2012 and then come back as ChamonixNG (Next Generation). Interesting to note that they were offspring from Brazilian Puma and the Envemo. Chuck Beck seemed to have had his technical expertise involved too.
Edward Deming quote -
No one knows the cost of a defective product - don't tell me you do. You know the cost of replacing it, but not the cost of a dissatisfied customer.
The Chamonix name came about wholly because that was the name on the building that was purchased, I believe it made it easier legally in Brazil at the time.
Beck Development started out in California with the 550 Spyder, Kevin Hines and Chuck Beck teamed up later on...
Very helpful.
Thanks, Joe in NH
None of the pan-based cars were ever sold as Becks.
Beck has since totally redesigned their Speedster chassis with a modern double-wishbone suspension. The formerly Chamonix plant is still producing the old Chuck Beck design but selling them through JPS.
I believe they are the Southern Cross constellation since the Chamonix plant is in Brazil.
No Beck was ever built on a belly pan. The early ENVEMOs were, and those were tied to both my father and Chuck but at the time had nothing to do with Chamonix (actually pre-dates Chamonix). Likewise the PUMA was on a belly pan, and both my father and Chuck did some work for PUMA (mostly my father) but that also pre-dates Chamonix. It is likely that the linked information contains these errant statements due to some simple confusion, which I see all the time, especially since all of these companies and products stem from 2 generations of just 3 families.
From a quick scan through that linked site: unfortunately it is littered with errors and misinformation. Its neat that someone is trying to catalog all of the companies, but its just plain wrong (and I only looked at 5-6 companies that I know the history personally).
Special Edition actually came on MUCH earlier also. It was a side company for special projects, like the Special Edition SHOgun and the Special Edition RAMside truck bed conversions. These were products of Ford's Rick Titus, Chuck Beck and my father, Kevin.
The most common misconception that I always see is the history of Chamonix: Chamonix did not exist as a car factory before my father and Chuck turned it into one. Since we stopped producing in Brazil there have been several attempted "restarts" of the Chamonix brand and the old molds. Chamonix NG was the first, a few others failed and Athios is the latest. I do believe that Newton, who headed up the original Chamonix plant, is involved in the restart of Athens, while some of the other attempts were outside individuals renting the old molds.
Badges: The oval prancing horse is Chuck's own coach builder badge for Beck Development. It was also the logo used in early 550 advertising and Chuck uses it (very limited) still today. The Chamonix and Beck crests were designed during the era of our Brazil factory and @Lane Anderson is correct in the origin of the southern cross. It was adopted as the worldwide Beck logo in the early 1990s and has been ever since, and yes I own the name(s) and logo(s). The block looking Chamonix NG logo was made by one of the companies renting the molds, probably around 2011/2012, and was a tribute to the old logo since they could not actually use that logo
You ever think about writing a book?
Or at least a factual article?
Magazines pay for that sort of thing!
@Gordon Nichols posted:You ever think about writing a book?
Or at least a factual article?
Magazines pay for that sort of thing!
A book or even an article would be cooI but I think Carey more often than not, floats a kidney fairly often with little to "to go"
Thanks for the great Info. Carey!
@Alan Merklin posted:A book or even an article would be cooI but I think Carey more often than not, floats a kidney fairly often with little to "to go"
You lost me Alan. What does this mean?
Must be like the Southern saying "busier that a cat in a litter box with fleas"?
We need a "Prancing Stallion" or "Southern Cross" Beck book. Lots of great history that even the Internet doesn't capture correctly.
@Panhandle Bob posted:You lost me Alan. What does this mean?
I'm lost one that one as well, Bob. Please elucidate, Alan.
It's a common saying here i.e. "More often than not, floats a kidney fairly often with little to "to go" Meaning , one doesn't even have time to take a leak.
OK!
Mkay. Still doesn't make much sense, but neither do some southernisms I know.
Like: "Well, Bless yo' Heart!"
Which is pretty much a put-down/brush-off to anyone.....
You can catch on to that one right quick, but for Alan I think we need a "New Joisey to Normal Speak" dictionary or sumthin.....
New Jersey...... Home of "Da Boss", "Shobies" and "Hoagies".
Beck needs a book written similar to the Intermeccanica history. All the history, people involved, etc. would be interesting. It would be nice to have the two top builders fully documented.