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Brand new to the group and I need some assistance of how I can determine the manufacturer of a Speedster I just acquired a few months ago. What information would be the most essential to supply?

For a month or so, I began comparing other Speedster pictures, but I cannot be 100% certain. The car has 50 original miles, has Beck floor mats; however, no plate that I can find.

The car was titled through Automotive Legends in CA.

1957 Beck Speedster

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Brand new to the group and I need some assistance of how I can determine the manufacturer of a Speedster I just acquired a few months ago. What information would be the most essential to supply?

For a month or so, I began comparing other Speedster pictures, but I cannot be 100% certain. The car has 50 original miles, has Beck floor mats; however, no plate that I can find.

The car was titled through Automotive Legends in CA.

Steve:

Bob Garrett in Peoria. There are three or four Speedster owners down the road from you here in Peoria now. We need to get together once it warms up.

Not a Vintage unless somebody swapped the door panels. Meisterschaften (sp.?) badge and the grab handle appear to be placed wrong on the dash for a Vintage as well. Heater vents in the foot wells look like Beck to me, but I could be wrong.

Let's stay in touch!

Bob

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"Automotive Legends built Becks too" Nope--they never built anything---just bought stuff and resold it to the babes in the woods.. They were a re-seller of Vintage cars. Nothing but grief for many who dealt with them.

Just do a search here for Automotive Legends and get ready for some very sad stories.

The worst. I'm not talking about the cars---just the mgm't. The cars were fine as long as you don't mind paying a 30% premium iover what the mfg regular price was.

Can you spell gouge?

Oh that car--nice looking---looks like a CMC kit car to me. Almost definitely not a VS. Odd--battery in the back--fairly unusual.
The little I was able to find out about 6 months ago, when I was getting ready to give this car a home, was that Automotive Legends was a dealer.

When I started comparing some pictures of other Speedsters, there are certain build "clues" I noticed. The position of the side view mirror, door panels, the shifter and brake boots, license plate light position, etc.

Automotive Legends bought from almost every manufacturer, including me for a short while. The cars they bought from me were shipped out in kit form and AL had them built in a few places. Fibersteel built a few and others were assembled by an AL related shop in Camarillo and one in West Hills. When I visited the Camarillo shop they had turn key Vintage Speedsters, turn key and incomplete Vintage Spyders, TR spyder bodies, a few TR flared speedsters, and my speedsters and spyders in our body package form.
I can tell you from you photos it is defiantly a Beck and it definantly wasn't a factory completed car. I can also tell you the engine was one of the last factory built VW Mexico 1600cc crate motors with the top end converted CB Performance (alternator, tins, carbs).
Carey--thanks for clearing this up and I learned something too. Never knew this --sure makes IDing cars a tad more difficult. I did notice the padding accross the dash and immediately thought "Beck" because yoi include this authentic feartur while most others dont but I never made the connection with A.L.

And Troy--yep--I saw that!
The Beck folks (Carey and Kevin Hines) are very well regarding in these parts. I have an '06 with ~35k miles on it, and have been one of their cheerleaders for a while now. AL is NOT so highly regarded, but the Beck car is about 75% factory built, so they wouldn't be as much of a factor. The trim bits are added by the builder, which may explain why some appear to be slightly misplaced. How many miles (probably kilometers on the odometer) are on it? FYI, 1km = 0.62 miles. My car has ~48000km = ~35000 miles.

Carey, got any spare owner's manuals laying around for Steven?
I don;t know anything about the transaxle, but they were advised to use Rancho... no idea if they did. Again, the motor is factory VW modified by CB Performance (generally a good thing). When visiting Camarillo there were shelf upon shelf full of EMPI parts; headlights, brake kits, brake hoses, mounts, etc... so the quality of some of the sub systems is questionable. I have seen a lot of EMPI parts used, some are great and some just plain suck... I'd pay close attention tot he assembly quality and be sure to go over all of the general maintenance items, do a full nut and bolt check on suspension (front and rear), steering box, pitman arm, column slip joints, engine and trans mounts, etc...

Yes, owner's manuals are available from the office.
It's really only a partial Beck, which is the reason I am digging into this. As the earlier post suggests that this car has Beck components but was assembled elsewhere. Not really sure what actually comes with a unit not assembled by Beck.

The engine apparently is not what would have been installed if it were a turnkey Beck I think.

Just getting my ducks in a row as I am evaluating which convertible I am going to part with this Spring.
The Deluxe Pre-assembled Body Package (DPBP) is the least finished way you can get it from Beck. Even so, all you have to do is bolt on a few bits of suspension that are provided, screw in the lights, and install the drivetrain. The Beck folks have already bonded body to frame, painted, upholstered, wired, installed the top, etc. I'm not saying that a builder couldn't screw it up - it has happened - but they'd have to be pretty incompetent. Your plan to have them look it over and fix whatever they find is a good one. Be happy. Ya done good.
Steve, I don't know what your other car is, but if it's also a convertible and you would use them interchangeably, I'd have to say lose the 'other' car.

Unless it's an E-Type, a Dino or something equally cool ... These little guys become part of the family pretty quickly. Special Edition has some of the best customer service going, so even if Carey and Kevin haven't touched the car directly, I'm pretty sure they'll treat it like they have.

You probably wouldn't get that from Mazda ...
The other convertibles are an immaculate 2002 BMW Z3 3.0L and an equally clean 2007 Pontiac G6 GT. I wouldn't spend the huge money on an exotic as I wouldn't drive it. I barely drive the other two as it is, so at least one has go as I am running out of room.

I wasn't looking for a Speedster, it sort of just fell into my lap.
That was funny, Steve!

There's a certain something to the Speedster, as I'm sure you'll find out when it works the way it's supposed to. The BMW, being well-made of modern materials, will have a great degree of appeal for quite a while. The Pontiac ... well, maybe not so much in a couple years.

I believe (and those smarter than me can set me straight) that GM will only have to support the G6 for a period of 15 years past the date of manufacture. Inasmuch as GM cars are fairly homogenized, you may be able to find what you need for a few years after that, but then you'll be paying a premium for parts to put into a car which might not rate.

It'd be different (for me, and if it were my car) if the Pontiac made you smile every time you go for a drive, but IMHO it's kind of a generic platform design with a little extra horsepower -- and it may not put that smile on your face too many more years before it starts to have annoying little problems.

I'm generalizing, but I haven't had a GM product I was proud of since my beater Olds 442, more than 25 years ago.
I bought the Pontiac to satisfy what I thought was a mid-life crisis, but it was probably because I was bored. Then I got another itch and bought the BMW because I wanted a manual transmission. During this time, junior sort of took the G6 to college, but now it graces my driveway while I administer some "parenting".

As I mentioned earlier, the Speedster was about to be "orphaned" so I was at the right place and time and gave it a home (or garage).

I honestly planned on just selling it, but when it was transported to my house I drove it around the block. That's when it happened. I found myself starting it in the garage any chance i could get and I would just sit in the car admiring it's simplicity (garage door open of course) and listen to the engine purr. After reading some of the threads in this forum, I now realize what was meant by the term "the madness".

I can't wait for the weather to warm up and get it out on the road and drive a car without all of the "technology" as it has been awhile.
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