I believe I need to clarify something! I just learned, that the person who bought the old Vintage shop and the person who bought the actual business and moved it to AZ are two different people. Just to be sure I am not saying something unkind about someone who´s not at all at fault.
In my previous post I was referring to the new owner in AZ.
I figured. But now you know so it's all good.
The funny thing is Justin bought and moved Vintage from CA to AZ no longer has anything to do with the company. Justin was the guy you were dealing with, yes?
Yes, Danny, that is correct! And unfortunately I never got this warm and fuzzy feeling with him, one usually gets when dealing with like-minded people...car enthusiasts....especially in the specialty- and oldtimer scene there are so many really nice, talented, experienced, and helpful people.
I have learned so much about German bureaucracy and all kinds of requirements and stuff one needs to be aware of to avoid the ever lurking trap doors 
. That´s why I´ve said, I´d be happy to coach and help through the process, if anyone should want to bring another speedster over
Here are some of the things I´ve done! See attached photos
* European tail lights (red/amber) are a must, otherwise you´re asking for trouble
* hidden under the dash are the switches for emergency flashers, rear fog lamp and add. front lights, and the additional fuse box
* also underneath the dash are two power/USB connectors
* moved the wiper switch a touch over, installed an original looking clock, and Bosch ignition
* mounted two removable stopwatches...(no holes drilled!)...now we're ready for some oldtimer rallyes
* Mounted two period-looking add. headlights and the fog lamp in the back.
Now all I need is a great-looking hardtop !
Couple TUV questions on replicas:
Do plastic lenses have to have DOT stampings or are MADE IN TIAWAN accepted?
Are aftermarket (unstamped with ids) accepted?
I vehicle/head light height checked?
Are only lap safety belts ok? Is mounting of them checked.
EMPI parts ok (especially brake parts)?
Oil leaks an issue?
Hello Wolfgang
it all depends on the car. is it a speedster? And, also on the TÜV guy doing the inspection! If you get the wrong guy... you might catch hell for all kinds of things.
I had a 2-inch thick file full of paperwork, engineering reports, orig. tech expertise, etc, copy of the US title, certificate of origin...and, and... incl. a 30 page(!) expertise on the wooden steering wheel alone !
What lenses are you talking about. Generally they don´t know DOT, thus they don't look for it.
They do look whether tail lights are the correct colors: red / amber for turn signals.
TÜV will check that the headlights are properly adjusted and beams aligned.
In my case...its a 1957 speedster....I got classic car license plates...lap belts were no issue at all. No mountings were checked.
EMPI parts are ok. No one even looked ar my discs and calipers.
oil leaks are definitely an issue though. The car better not leak while you´re going through TÜV inspection.
Last not least....the inspection is not cheap...no bargains here! At least not when its the very first one...the one you need to get German papers and plates. Only certain inspection centers are allowed to do those!
Hope this helped.
Wolfgang,
One more thing! Since my speedster is a widebody, I have 225x17 tires on 7" polished rims in front and 265x17 on 9" in the rear.
I usually take these off for the winter....while the car is in hibernation and put instead old 185x15 on 5" steel wheels on...just to be kind to the fat rubbers ...but able to move the car around if necessary. The car looks like an ugly duckling that way....but it serves the purpose.
I took the car to get FIRST inspection after it arrived from the states on those old steel wheels !! Just to not freak them out at TÜV right away.
Later I went back to them...with a bunch of additional documentation for the wheels (i.e. US patent number, entry in the patent registry, engineering expertise, load capacity and mfg specs) and got a "specialty" permit to have them mounted and operate the car with them! Its an additional charge of about $85 and is written in your vehicle registration docs. Once done, you´re ok.
Of course its a hassle, but especially with wheels and such, they are extremely strict in Germany. The main problem is....if you drive on ´em without having them written in the car´s registration docs.....and anything happens....like any small accident and God forbid it involves another car or person (we all know that the devil is in the details)....the insurance company will NOT pay a cent...not for your car and definitely not foe anyone else involved!! Their excuse will be, that the car had no official TÜV to be driven with those wheels and tires and thus does not conform with standard safety regulations!!
So beware!!
And in FL, there is never a safety or emission testing! Not on a new car or an old beater. I even get to pay a lot of extra insurance to have my car covered by someone that has no insurance (uninsured). Motorcyclist don't even have to wear a helmet - it optional. When you register a car the only thing the tax office checks is the VIN and the speedo mileage reading.
@Marcel posted:In the Netherlands you can buy a hardtop from 356-speedster.nl, but I'm quite sure it requires some modifications to fit your car.
Beautiful, though. Best looking hard-top I've ever seen that wasn't a Glaspar or Ollie's handcrafted VW tin-top.
@Stan Galat That one does look very nice, doesn't it? Doesn't have that "lumpy" look that some of the others do.
@Gordon Nichols posted:@Stan Galat That one does look very nice, doesn't it? Doesn't have that "lumpy" look that some of the others do.
Yep - it looks really sweet - like a chop-top coupe, rather than a speedster with a hemorrhoid on top (like most of the Plasticon-copy tops we get here). I think it's the shape of the windows, as much as anything. I would imagine the car is not very roomy inside with the top on, but they aren't a practical proposition to start with.
I'll never understand why the hardtops all bend so hard toward practicality. It's not like any of us said, "why there's a practical and sensible conveyance" when we first saw a speedster. Sometimes, you have to give up a bit of practicality to get something truly beautiful.
Remember the immortal words of Fernando, "It's better to look good than to feel good. And you look mahvalous, dahling!".
Hey Gordon. One's gotta love Fernando 
Of course some of the tops are better looking than others ...in the end they serve the same purpose.
@ Marcel: Nice looking hardtop!
But does anyone have a company name, location, phone number, email for the manufacturer??
I know The Netherlands is but a small country, but large enough when one doesn't know where to start looking
http://www.356-speedster.nl/index.html
Why don't you email them or give Richard a call?
@Stan Galat wrote: "I would imagine the car is not very roomy inside with the top on, but they aren't a practical proposition to start with."
I would think it's precisely the same "roominess" as in Pearl with the top up.
A little contortionistic getting in and out, but once you're in there it's roomy.
Provided you're a well-dressed 5'6". 
I couldn't agree more . I'm no giant at 5'10 either ...still, getting in and out is..., but one must never forget...its not about comfort ....it's all about looking good 
!
Beats getting in and out of a Humvee in combat gear...
Thank y'all again for all the help.
I have already sent emails to Greg Leach at Vintage on May 12 and to Richard de Krosse at 356-speedster in The Netherlands on May 14.
Let's see if and when they answer and what advice and suggestions they may be able to offer.
