New Guy, Beck 550 Suby Ordered

Welcome to the Madness, David!  I’m just up the coast in the Charleston area.  Next time I’m in Savannah for a track day I’ll try to remember to IM you.

2600. Wow. Hello from #201.

It might be 600, but I haven’t asked yet as I don’t need to know this.

Yes, 550.002.600 is #2600

Wow, 2600 Spyders @chines1

Most impressive........

I've finished 1-1/3 CMC Speedsters (Merklin finished the other 2/3'rds) and thought I was doing well to do that!  Hats off to you and the SE Elves!

Carey is kinda like Santa clause,, always has time to make toys and also watching what we're posting! 

Welcome David. I’m on my 3rd Spyder so I’ve got a few opinions. You will be happy with Suby power. Aluminum wheels. Front sway bar. Maybe upgraded Willwoods in the front. Definitely heated seats and either hard or soft half tonneau. And unless you like eating bugs get a real windshield. My 2 cents.

@550 Phil posted:

Welcome David. I’m on my 3rd Spyder so I’ve got a few opinions. You will be happy with Suby power. Aluminum wheels. Front sway bar. Maybe upgraded Willwoods in the front. Definitely heated seats and either hard or soft half tonneau. And unless you like eating bugs get a real windshield. My 2 cents.

Thanks for the tips!!! I’m going to visit Carey when it’s time to finalize the build sheet, and I’m planning on getting both windscreen and windshield. Also heated seats and heater, but hadn’t thought to get a half soft tonneau along with the full tonneau. Will look at the Willlwoods upgrade too, along with the rest. Big thanks again.

Most tonneau covers zip down the middle, so you only need one.

@550 Phil posted:

Aluminum wheels. Front sway bar. Maybe upgraded Willwoods in the front.

1. I've not seen mention of aluminum wheels (vs., I imagine, standard steel wheels in the "Wide 5 Wheel and Tire Package" on the Suby build sheet?) before, so this is new.
2. I don't see that a front sway bar is standard on the Beck Suby 550, and it's not listed as a formal option, so this too is something new.
3. Upgraded Willwood front disc brakes are interesting, and I'd love to know more about which brakes are standard and which you suggest.

So all of these are open questions and I'd love to learn more.

Have Carey tell you about the windshield. Depending on how tall you are, the header will be right in your line of sight. He warned me about it when I had him replace my lexan screen with the Speedster windshield. He was right. I replaced it last summer because I was always slouching in my seat to look under it. Eventually hurt my back on rides >30 minutes.

And, IIRC, Carey told me he gets his brakes from AirKewled which I believe are Wilwood calipers.

ETA: WRT bugs in the face, at road speed, the lexan screen is just right to send airflow over my head. I can wear a cap with no fear of losing it, unless I forget and put my head back and the wind catches the brim. Not saying a big old bumblebee or something couldn’t make it’s way through the airstream, but still.

I will say that I’m hyper-vigilant about following too closely and having a stone thrown up from a car in front. I’ve also taken to wearing OSHA-approved eye protection, just in case.

@Foleydb posted:

1. I've not seen mention of aluminum wheels (vs., I imagine, standard steel wheels in the "Wide 5 Wheel and Tire Package" on the Suby build sheet?) before, so this is new.
2. I don't see that a front sway bar is standard on the Beck Suby 550, and it's not listed as a formal option, so this too is something new.
3. Upgraded Willwood front disc brakes are interesting, and I'd love to know more about which brakes are standard and which you suggest.

So all of these are open questions and I'd love to learn more.

1. Vintage Greg has come up with and gotten the Vintage190 wheels manufactured. Wide5 4.5 and 5.5 inch in either powdercoat silver or black or polished aluminum. They are very light and nicely made cast wheels. I have a set and I'm a big fan.

2. Front swaybars are not standard on any Spyders, talk to Carey about having one fitted. I'm a fan, and have 15 years of seat time in Spyders. The front bar keeps the car flatter in corners and especially transitions side to side.

3. The Wilwood caliper brakes from Airkewld work VERY well. However, combined with the wider track of the brakes and the slightly less backspace of the 4.5" Vintage190s, talk to Carey about fitment. My car has a 2" narrowed beam(fit is perfect with respect to track width). I don't know if there's room to do that on a Beck. I have a Vintage which uses 2" tubing for the main rails where the beam is welded instead of the larger 3" tubing on the Beck frame.

I've gotten hit by bugs coming from the side of the windshield maybe twice in 45,000 miles. I have a glass windshield. You can wear a baseball cap the normal way and it won't blow off. It will buffet but not come off. I know nothing about the plastic windscreens.

I have a Vintage Spyder so a little different from Beck.Vintage sources aluminum wide 5s.  Carey can get them  Do not get steel wheels.  Front sway bar is an easy cheap addition.  A must.  I did not get the Willwood front brakes.  I wish I did.  About a $500 upgrade.  Vintage cars can be ordered with them.  I'm sure Carey does Willwoods.  Have Carey put some LED brake lights in rear grills.  I hear that insects provide a lot of fiber.  If you need more fiber in your diet get the wind screen.

What Danny said....

@dlearl476 posted:

Have Carey tell you about the windshield. Depending on how tall you are, the header will be right in your line of sight. He warned me about it when I had him replace my lexan screen with the Speedster windshield. He was right. I replaced it last summer because I was always slouching in my seat to look under it. Eventually hurt my back on rides >30 minutes.

ETA: WRT bugs in the face, at road speed, the lexan screen is just right to send airflow over my head. I can wear a cap with no fear of losing it, unless I forget and put my head back and the wind catches the brim. Not saying a big old bumblebee or something couldn’t make it’s way through the airstream, but still.

How tall are you please?

I'm 5'9" with a 32" inseam. I fit just fine UNDER the glass screen/aluminum trim. Phil is shorter than me, but I've never met Dave so can't help you with his height.

For reference - I'm 6 ft tall with the same inseam Danny has, so I've got an extra 3 or 4" in the torso/neck/head. I look like a bear on a tricycle in a spyder (which is deeply regrettable to me).

When I drive one, I look completely over the top frame of the glass windshield. I'd need goggles with the low plexiglas windscreen, but I imagine anybody would.

+1 on goggles.

Front sway bar is not an easy bolt-on installation for us, but for Beck/Special Edition it's all in a day's work I suppose.

Be ready for something totally unlike the Alfa.

@dlearl476 posted:

....ETA: WRT bugs in the face, at road speed, the lexan screen is just right to send airflow over my head. I can wear a cap with no fear of losing it, unless I forget and put my head back and the wind catches the brim. Not saying a big old bumblebee or something couldn’t make it’s way through the airstream, but still.

I will say that I’m hyper-vigilant about following too closely and having a stone thrown up from a car in front. I’ve also taken to wearing OSHA-approved eye protection, just in case.

My years of riding a motorcycle have gotten me used to this. Like others have said, its a motorcycle with four wheels, almost invisible to the soccer moms and cell phone idiots

@edsnova posted:

Be ready for something totally unlike the Alfa.

^ that

The Alfa is a working man's exotic. This is the same in that it has 4 wheels and a seat. Be ready for something that might not even meet your definition of an automobile.

It's a whole 'nuther sumthun'.