Replica Safety

I have always been a fan of the Spedster and Coupe. I love the replicas I have seen at various car shows. My question is, what safety features are built into these replicas. Is there a tube frame or cage or is it just a glass body on VW pan? I would love to build one of my own. Thanks, Sean

Hi Sean. You will find the Speedster in both tube frame and pan styles. Even the pan style has large steel reinforced bulkhead at the front firewall. Some have 3 point seat belts others only have a lap belt. But don

David, your car is perfect. Exactly the color I would want. Did you have it built?

I have the 3point belt and although it is a pan design I can out turn any car on the road. But if ever there would be a front collision it could be ugly. I feel very safe in the car but if there is anything that SPOOKS me a bit is the rear brake lights. They are not big enough for the new generation people behind me. People expect a 3rd light. I might put one on. I got honked twice this summer because people didn't see my brake light. This obviously only during the day.

This is one of the funnest cars you can ever drive...

Mike,

Your car is fantastic. I'll bet it's a blast to drive. I live in Virginia Beach, and can see myself crusing, top down. I recently sold my MACH-1 and have the itch for something new. If I get one, I think it would have to be an IM. Regards, Sean

Mike & others
I highly recommend a BRIGHT third brake. I added one after nearly getting rear ended twice(in the same NIGHT!). Mine ain't pretty but it sure gets their attention.

3rd Brake light... I saw one on the Internet that fits on a Speedster mounts on the body and looked OK. Was $99US. If I can recommend anything this would be the perfect Christmas gift for a Speedster owner. The drivers today are so lazy they look at BRIGHT lights.

www.thirdbrakelight.com/cabriolet.htm

Someone on this forum/club mounted one inside their upper grill area. I liked that and will look into the archives tomorrow to see if I can pull up the post. That is, unless that person is reading this thread. Seems like a neat and non-detracting way to be safer.

I agree Mike and others... a 3rd brake light seems right, I am also checking out the site you posted Mike!

Jim

IM mounts a third brake light under the grille. I think you can make it out in the photo below.

Inreference to Jim's memory, I believe it was Dale Bates who mounted the 3rd light under the upper part of the grill.

Halt-Cease-Desist.....Before you get too excited about this guys $100.00 3rd brake light. I just checked my J.C.Whitney catalog, and they have the same little stinker in there for under $12.00.
It seems to me that a $88.00 savings is nothing to be sneezed at. Looks like another enteprenuer stand to make a killing off of "speedster enthusiasm".







Gclarke "The vacaville Guy"

There is also licence plate LED lights. See below. I'm going to order one for my 911 pickup.
Ron

www.heeters.com/LPFrames.shtml

Gary, thanks for that tip. I like the DIY and saving bucks route!

Brian, I'll say it again, that is one stud looking speedster. Hope to see it at Knotts and discuss the build with you.

Ron, I think that LED plate would be the ticket for my 54 Chevy 1/2T!

Jim

Intermeccanica's cars from at least late 1999 (maybe older) come with a third brake light. When I installed my Leitz rack the 3rd brake light did not fit. I made a bracket of right angle Aluminum, a couple of pieces of 3/16" lexan (removed from work), a little bit of automotive trim tape, and some black paint. The light is a 12 LED unit from J.C.Whitney and cost $9.99. It works great, was cheap and fun to build, well hidden under the grill and works fantastic. In fact, I liked it so much, I made one to sit on my suitcase when it is on my luggage rack since the suitcase blocks the view of under grill 3rd brake light.

Jim: Thanks again. I won't be making the Knotts event this year. My daughter is having a baby that month, so we will be staying close. However, I'll make the 50th Anniversary event in June, but I'll be driving a motor home and towing an SUV... I wish I were towing the speedster, but I think it would betray the "sacred trust" to mount a tow bar on the front of the new Speedster and used it as a dinghy! Maybe I'll at least get to meet a few of the great folks from this site at the event.

Is the 3rd brake light that is installed by IM a standard feature or is it an extra. It seems to me it should be standard

It's standard. In fact, Henry encourages its installation.

Brian, I checked out your photos. It looks like you have a better phots of the rear brake light. It is the photo of your car on the lift. The brakes look like they are on. Also, I note you selected the bigger engine and the sound deafening. How loud is it anyway? Can you hear your stereo? Was the sound deafening standerd too.

Paul:

The sound deadening was an option. Since the car is new, I don't have any way of knowing the amount of difference it makes...I just went with Henry's recommendation. However,the car sounds almost identical to the 356's I have owned, but I guess most of this is the exhaust system. I really love the sound!

It takes a lot to really reduce sound levels. As I recall, cutting the sound level by 50% is only a 3 dB reduction. At normal speeds, however, I can hear the radio 5x5.

Brian

Having driven and ridden in Brian's car (though briefly), and a few others including my own and Ron O's, I can tell you that the volume of the exhaust is quite comfortable with Henry's new exhaust system.

Geez.....go away for a week and there's 592 new Posts in there.

Take a look at the rear view of my car under nichols1 in the files. I got a 1992 Chrysler LeBaron convertible third brake light at a salvage year for about $5 and painted it the same color as the main body. It looks like factory installed, works great (really bright) and I no longer worry about the guy behind me not seeing the brakes come on. It was used on just about every Chrysler convertible in the 90's so there should be a lot of them out in the local salvage yards, plus is attached with a rubber mat under it to prevent marring the body.

Gordon

That looks sharp Gordon.

More 3rd brakelight options - check the Command Electronics site - they have some nice LED's that may fit under the grille - about 21.00.
I'm checking to see if they would fit.

Great job Gorden on the third brake light