I spotted a beautiful black/tan speedster the other day in a Home Depot parking lot and chatted with the owner of his JPS car. Has anyone else heard anything about them since they moved to the Left Coast? I understood that John Steele went belly up in Tennessee. I really liked the car.
Replies sorted oldest to newest
You mat be conflating two different shysters Meade.
Steve Lawing owns and operated SAW/SAS in Knoxville, TN. He’s still there, as far as I know.
John Steele owns and operated JPS Motorsports in North Hollywood. He recently relocated to San Diego.
Different companies.
JPS cars always did have fantastic paint.
Ditto on the gorgeous paint. ElFazio's (Kelly) is a beautiful deep port wine color (I'm sure its called something else).
SO did Steele retire or just partner up with another person? I'm confused thought VS was in North Hollywood and moved to AZ (and changed name). But that JPS was still in San Marcos CA?
Did Steele do his own paint or did he subcontract them? While I have seen a few JPS cars with really beautiful paint (el Frazoo's Merlot is one of them, Tom Marantz' coupe is another) I have also see some at Carlisle with average paint, too. Maybe depended on who shot them, so if he farmed some of them out it would be interesting to know who did the good ones.
One thing I know for sure - Even his average ones were better than if I had painted them!
There's so much confusion regarding builders these days. A thumbnail sketch is:
Intermeccanica was the original replica speedster kit maker, when they were located in LA. In the early 80s, Frank Reisner sold the molds and tooling, and moved his family to Vancouver, BC. They began building Convertible D replicas, and later added Speedsters and Kubelwagens.
Vintage Speedsters dates from the early 90s, and was owned and operated by Kirk and Mary Duncan. They had their shop in Hawaiian Gardens, CA (Los Angeles area), and built a LOT of cars. Kirk and Mary sold to a guy already operating under the name of Vintage Motorcar in Scottsdale, AZ. Production moved to Scottsdale on or about January 1, 2018.
Vintage Motorcars (nee: Vintage Spyders) is owned and operated by Greg Leach. Greg shared shop space with Kirk when he was starting out in the 90s before moving into his own space. Greg expanded his offerings from Spyders to a unique bent-window coupe and a Speedster replica as well. When Vintage Motorcar (no "s", nee: Vintage Speedsters) moved to AZ, Vintage Motorcars (nee: Vintage Spyder) moved into the old Hawaiian Gardens shop, and hired the Vintage Speedster workers.
JPS Motorsports is owned and operated by John Steele. He started building cars in the mid-90s out of a shop in North Hollywood, CA. The bodies were the same as the Hawaiian Gardens Vintage cars (it's rumored that JPS bought bodies from Vintage), but there was no other history or cross pollination. About 10 years ago, JPS had molds splashed for some of the first replica coupes, which are proprietary to JPS. John Steel has had some serious health issues, and recently relocated to the San Diego, CA market. He has entered into some sort of indeterminate partnership with Patrick Crane, who has started a spin-off business called JPS Classics, which aims to have JPS cars built and in stock for immediate delivery.
Thunder Ranch used to build cars in San Diego when it was owned by Tom McBurney. He sold the business to a bunch of shysters who changed the name to Carrera Coach Werks (or something). That became Kitzkreig, which was eventually bought out completely by a guy named Chris Kleber, who changed the name again to Kittman Motors. Chris is a former dentist who posted here a few years back, and seems like a stand-up guy. I don't think Kittman sells turn-key cars, but they have coupe and Speedster bodies, and the website says that Spyders are coming.
Beck used to be Chuck Beck's company. I'm a bit fuzzy on the details, but Chuck had partnered with Kevin Hines at some point, and Kevin had acquired the right to build Porsche replicas using the Beck name. Kevin partnered with his son Carey Hines, who became the point-man for the reborn Beck brand. The name of this company was/is Special Edition, located in Breman, IN. Chuck still does R&D work with Special Edition/Beck from his home and shop in the south-east (Georgia?). Special Edition imported bodies from Brazil for a few years before taking everything "in-house" in Indiana. They build Spyders, Speedsters, 904 replicas, and have a "Super-Coupe" C-coupe replica coming very soon.
SAW/SAS is owned and operated by Steve Lawing in Knoxville, TN. It appears that after producing less than 10 speedster or cabriolet replicas, SAS is not building cars anymore, but is still taking deposits. The business dealings of Mr. Lawing have been discussed at length on this site, and a quick search should tell you what you need to know.
I haven't included Fiberfab, Ryan, or CMC because they are ancient history. I also haven't included Rafael in Mexico, Speedster Clinic or Chesil in England, or anybody in France or elsewhere, because I know nothing about non-North American builders.
Gordon Nichols posted:Did Steele do his own paint or did he subcontract them? While I have seen a few JPS cars with really beautiful paint (el Frazoo's Merlot is one of them, Tom Marantz' coupe is another) I have also see some at Carlisle with average paint, too. Maybe depended on who shot them, so if he farmed some of them out it would be interesting to know who did the good ones.
One thing I know for sure - Even his average ones were better than if I had painted them!
For most of the time JPS was in North Hollywood, he shared a nasty commercial building (the building was divided in half) with a painter of considerable talent. The painter had his own business, and John used him to paint the JPS cars. When I had my car built in 2002, this was still the arrangement.
At some point later, John hired him as a direct employee. This was several years ago, before John's health issues, and before the move to San Diego. I have no idea who paints for him now.
From what I have seen on Facebook, John Steele is enjoying life in San Diego and the new ownership/partnership looks like they are kicking out cars on a regular basis. I don’t frequent the SOC here as much as I did when I was an owner. Back in the spring I read all the commotion here about someone not getting there JPS Speedster. Hopefully John and new associate has cleaned up on the business end?
Rich Drewek posted:From what I have seen on Facebook, John Steele is enjoying life in San Diego and the new ownership/partnership looks like they are kicking out cars on a regular basis. I don’t frequent the SOC here as much as I did when I was an owner. Back in the spring I read all the commotion here about someone not getting there JPS Speedster. Hopefully John and new associate has cleaned up on the business end?
Can I get a nice long sleeve XL shirt in a beige colour next year at Carlisle ? Make it two.
Rich says no, David. He refuses to sell shirts to his socialist commie neighbors to the north. I mean, jeez, you're like in another country!
LOL LOL and LOL!
Stan: nice summary of this little industry. Good info, especially for noobs.
DannyP posted:Stan: nice summary of this little industry. Good info, especially for noobs.
Thanks, Danny. The idea was to help new guys (and some long-term guys, see above) sort it out. It's been a bit of a 3-ring circus for the past few years.
Reading the JPS site, it appears the partnership has ended.... although both parties are in the same building......I friend of mine made a deposit on a car more than a year ago and has nothing to show for it....nothing...
As for the paint, yes it is excellent...when my car was built a few years ago, I was under the impression that he contracted the painting out to another entity...
Stan Galat posted:DannyP posted:Stan: nice summary of this little industry. Good info, especially for noobs.
Thanks, Danny. The idea was to help new guys (and some long-term guys, see above) sort it out. It's been a bit of a 3-ring circus for the past few years.
Yeah, what Danny said, Stan. Great synopsis of that part of the waters.
DannyP posted:Rich says no, David. He refuses to sell shirts to his socialist commie neighbors to the north. I mean, jeez, you're like in another country!
LOL LOL and LOL!
He is and the comment surely was lol
David Stroud posted:Rich Drewek posted:From what I have seen on Facebook, John Steele is enjoying life in San Diego and the new ownership/partnership looks like they are kicking out cars on a regular basis. I don’t frequent the SOC here as much as I did when I was an owner. Back in the spring I read all the commotion here about someone not getting there JPS Speedster. Hopefully John and new associate has cleaned up on the business end?
Can I get a nice long sleeve XL shirt in a beige colour next year at Carlisle ? Make it two.
DannyP posted:Rich says no, David. He refuses to sell shirts to his socialist commie neighbors to the north. I mean, jeez, you're like in another country!
LOL LOL and LOL!
Rich will sell us shirts if we show up at Carlisle, David. By then (and especially after a couple of beverages) they'll have forgotten where we come from...
With his NSX - I was always afraid we were going to get a shirt like this-
DannyP posted:Stan: nice summary of this little industry. Good info, especially for noobs.
Needs to be added to/edited as necessary and made a sticky
DannyP posted:Rich says no, David. He refuses to sell shirts to his socialist commie neighbors to the north. I mean, jeez, you're like in another country!
LOL LOL and LOL!
Danny: I know you are joking, but better be careful getting into a comparison of our two countries these days. We up here may have a few adjectives we could apply to you down there... 
I had a JPS car and finish was excellent. I just visited John and Patrick in San Marcos, and John told me the paint work is still done in North Hollywood by the same painter.
The key to his finish is the post paint color sanding and polishing.
I was able to see lots of upgrades in JPS's already solid build.
DannyP posted:Rich says no, David. He refuses to sell shirts to his socialist commie neighbors to the north. I mean, jeez, you're like in another country!
LOL LOL and LOL!
Wow, Danny.
Everybody chill. Bob, Here are some bad arsse wheels for your bad arsse car. The line is being sold by Stoodard now. German made with TUV approval.
https://shop-eu.maxilite.ch/5-spoke-6x16
https://www.stoddard.com/91136211300-6sb.html.html
there are several offsets too.
Wow.....Those are cheap. Like half what I've been seeing for used, but I wonder, at 16.4 pounds, if they are cast, not forged? Probably doesn't matter on our little cars, at that price.
I wonder if they'll ever offer polished spokes and a satin rim?
Marty. Nice wheels, but not in an offset I need. My car takes 53 ET wheels right now, and 6” front with 8” rear. I haven’t found any fuch wheels that fit.
JPS body,chassis,upholstery,wiring and paintwork is all done in Brazil(Sao Paulo),according to Patrick Crane.Then finished and inspected in California
Bob: Have you seen this Fuchs chart?
It looks clearer if I zoom in on it a bit.
Gordon Nichols posted:Bob: Have you seen this Fuchs chart?
Gordon Nichols posted:It looks clearer if I zoom in on it a bit.
I'm getting nothin', Gordon...
Nyc030 posted:JPS body,chassis,upholstery,wiring and paintwork is all done in Brazil(Sao Paulo),according to Patrick Crane.Then finished and inspected in California
I had not heard that. That's a MAJOR change in the business model of JPS.
Stan Galat posted:Nyc030 posted:JPS body,chassis,upholstery,wiring and paintwork is all done in Brazil(Sao Paulo),according to Patrick Crane.Then finished and inspected in California
I had not heard that. That's a MAJOR change in the business model of JPS.
That's what I was told today by Partick.They are building a speedster for me,should be done by February.
Given all that’s done in Brazil, what’s to build in SoCal? Install the transaxle and engine, test drive it and ship it?
Gordon Nichols posted:Given all that’s done in Brazil, what’s to build in SoCal? Install the transaxle and engine, test drive it and ship it?
Ok, and thanks for the list!
Gordon's link works fine on PC if you right-click and then open new tab.
Maxilite is a Swiss company, so hoping their quality standards are typical Swiss, not 3rd world.
Nyc030 posted:Gordon Nichols posted:Given all that’s done in Brazil, what’s to build in SoCal? Install the transaxle and engine, test drive it and ship it?
- engine and AC
- transmission
- Lights
- Suspension
- brakes
- alignment
- testingThis is what I was told,the list of things done in SoCal.Its my first replica car,so not sure what to expect...
If this is true, we could build one at Carlisle, just like Lane's LOL!
Get them direct and cut out the middle man!
Crap, I could do this with my eyes closed. Retirement business, anyone???
Are we allowed to say that on the list :$
