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I purchased my first "tub" yesterday 8/9/12. It was originally built by CMC in the 1980's and then was re-furbished and painted about 5 years ago. The drive home was amazing! It needs a brake job and I wanted to know if front disks is the way to go? Also seats are a bit narrow for my wide butt. I need some seats! Please advise and I look forward to many future posts and tubs.

 Peace!

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Let me be the first to say welcome to the madness! As Larry said, several companies have disc brake kits available; they range from non-vented Karmann Ghia units (probably the cheapest) to high end vented 944 Porsche conversions. Unless you're running big power and road racing the solid discs will be great.  Seats I can't help you with...

Amen to what Larry said---discs really are the way to go.  Two years ago on the way to Tail Of The Dragon I had to make a panic stop after topping a hill on I 40 to find stopped cars

while I was going 75.  Damned exciting event, I'll tell you.  With drums in the rear it z9ig-zaged and took it's sweet time to come to a stop while I'm making button holes in the seat!

 

I don't want another experience like that again even with discs on all 4 but if it does happen I know it will stop straight  and quickly.

 

I got the C.B. Performance rear disc conversion and they have worked perfectly.  I was told that it is mandatory to observe the torque values for a good installation.  I anm 100% satisfied with the set up.

 

These cars need all the help you can give 'em in the safety department and disca are great to have front as well as rear.

Originally Posted by tpnuckels:

What for, Lane?

To see how much money the dude can spare for a brake conversion or so his ass fits better in the seat.

Personally, I prefer to think you were speaking philosophically. 

 

Yeah, Trowster - whatever that is - Welcome!

 

Trowster came from my last name Trow.
I heard that the Speedster guys were kind of smart however after Lanes wallet comment I'm thinking I might put that notion to rest.
Peace!!
Mark Trow

I remember looking at a custom 356 C Speedster, built by Dink Farmer in Clear Lake.

It had a bench seat in it.

I'm surprised nobody has installed one in a replica.

Mark, show us a photo of your seats. There are options. Vintage makes a "comfort" seat, a slab seat with no bolsters. And Intermeccanica makes a roadster seat which looks just like the seats in a 356. I believe Carey Hines has a source for those as well.

Originally Posted by tpnuckels:

I remember looking at a custom 356 C Speedster, built by Dink Farmer in Clear Lake.

It had a bench seat in it.

I'm surprised nobody has installed one in a replica.

Mark, show us a photo of your seats. There are options. Vintage makes a "comfort" seat, a slab seat with no bolsters. And Intermeccanica makes a roadster seat which looks just like the seats in a 356. I believe Carey Hines has a source for those as well.


I checked Vintage site but I only saw bucket seats. I like the "comfort" seat idea. Where may I find them?

Perhaps what you should consider rather than traditional Speedster seats are the "roadster" seats that are found in many of the Speedsters that I have seen.  I had them in my VS and also have them in my SAS cabriolet.  These seats are very butt friendly and accommodate all but the largest plus-sized behinds. 

Troswter,  you might get lucky and find a used set of Intermeccanica seats; they would be expensive new.  John Estes might have a used set.  Henry's standing joke when people ask him what is the difference between a Speedster and Roadster is " A Speedster uses Two cows and a Roadster uses Three"  Henry uses the best Italian Leather on the Market. The Roadster seats were as comfortable if not more than my Boxster on our trip to Carlisle.  Not as much lateral support but on long trips they are simply the best. 

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Last edited by Marty Grzynkowicz

Partly good answer.   But do this;  get a set of 914 seats and use just the bottom cushions and sell everything else. The cushions  fit right into a VS seat bucket and are sooo comfortable.  Switch the seat covers from the old seat cushions onto the 914 ones.  Easy peasy and a great fix for those of you with wide butts.  I guess like me.

Ron O - Yup, that's a '56 Austin Healey 100 BN2.  It belongs to Mike Lempert, my friend that makes the steering wheels.  I believe that picture is the July shot on this year's calendar.  I took it last September at the Biltmore in Asheville.

 

One thing to consider about the Roadster seats is that they sit up a it higher than Speedster seats.  You might find yourself looking out over the top of the 2" lower Speedster windshield.

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