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Yes, yes you have. Lost it that is! But I too love this build. All the details, the brakes, the link-pin front end with closed-in inner fenders, the faux-cam motor, and yes, even those awesome drum brakes(and y'all know what I have on my car!).

But that wheel, it looks like I couldn't even get in the car! I'm sure most of us are in that same boat. You must be skinny, Anand.

Well, @arajani I have previous experience with installing oversized, comically-large (i.e. "period-correct") banjo steering* in a replica. And it is a bit of small-frame privilege to do it.IMG_1726

*Also note: correct(ish)-sized speedometer and tach, legit MGTD center gauge cluster plate, legit Smiths dual gauge, correct horn switch (for late-model TDs), correct, original dashboard trim (including glove box trim), correct door latch, correct door pockets, correct chrome-plated shifter and properly shaped shifter "hump" (which is fake), correctly located chrome e-brake handle, correct carpeted upside-down U e-brake cable shield, correct Denso rear-view mirror, correctly-located tiny cube heater a la dealer-installed Arnolt heaters of the period, correctly-shaped and pleated seats and seat back. Unseen: proper roller wheel accelerator, correct (and properly shredded) fume excluder fit over the brake and clutch pedal shafts, correct MG rubber footwell, correctly-located, correctly useless spindly MG windshield wipers, proper windshield fold-down mechanism, painted 60-spoke knock-on MWS wire wheels, etc. & soforth. 

 

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Last edited by edsnova
arajani posted:

@MusbJim -- Absolutely. It will be an honor to cruise with you guys! I'm aiming to be there next year!

In other news, a unicorn was spotted in an area believed to be the "Garden of Eden". You better be there.

You said:

I'm not sure how I'm going to fit in the car (the normal Flat-4 banjo is 400 mm), but we'll have to cross our fingers. I just love the proper 16" wheel. I'm clearly brain damaged.

Seriously Anand?! You have a 26" waist you'll fit in the car.

Last edited by Robert M
Robert M posted:
arajani posted:

@MusbJim -- Absolutely. It will be an honor to cruise with you guys! I'm aiming to be there next year!

In other news, a unicorn was spotted in an area believed to be the "Garden of Eden". You better be there.

You said:

I'm not sure how I'm going to fit in the car (the normal Flat-4 banjo is 400 mm), but we'll have to cross our fingers. I just love the proper 16" wheel. I'm clearly brain damaged.

Seriously Anand?! You have a 26" waist you'll fit in the car.

Ha! Even though I'm slim, this might end up being a total backfire. We'll see!

Quick update! @chines1 got the belly pan installed. It was a total PITA. I vowed not to change anything on this build so as to not create headaches with parts not fitting (this car was already a running and driving car when I bought it, so the idea was to repaint it and get it back together for driving). 

I changed the motor and transmission, and of course the CB deep sump had to hit the belly pan. Great! And the nosecone on my new trans? It also didn't fit in the mount. FML. Then one of the headers that we made in CA hit the body. Again, fixed.

After 3 days of agony, Carey and the team got it sorted. Now to refit the engine lid, paint it, and get this car rolling!

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Ed-totally right! The type IV or a 911/4 would be good options. Luckily, this pan was made differently for the type I. We actually lost the original S pipes, and we remade them here in CA without having the car in front of us. As one would expect, the chances of them not fitting is pretty high! If we had the original it would have been fine.

I've posted these pictures on the Replica 550 Spyder: All Makes page, but I thought I'd post them here, too for anyone who doesn't have social media access (ahem! @Teby S)

Things are progressing nicely, albeit slowly. Originally, this car was not put together very well, so @chines1 has had the unfortunate privilege of fixing a lot of bad workmanship. Luckily for me (and every other BECK customer), Carey cannot leave anything alone unless it is just so, and I am the benefitting from his attention to detail. (Example: he repainted my original pre-A turn signal housing because he didn't like the way it looked! This guy is too good)

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Last edited by arajani

Thanks guys. Carey is getting the steering column buttoned up today (making a tab to secure it), and getting the front lights installed. There's some custom aluminum work that was done inside the front bonnet, and that is getting placed in also. 

We had my Sebring exhaust ceramic coated, and hopefully that will get put in later this week too. My 16" alloy/steel wheels should get painted this week too. 

Lots going on!

Anand

I don't know the "marketing" thought process behind car color selections (Hell I have never understood anyone from "mahketing", ever!), other than that awful period in the 70's when everybody went "Earth Tones" and Porsche had some really bad color combinations that I would rather forget,

But people are, generally, I feel, afraid of "bold colors" on their 550/356 originals and replicas.  Maybe the Emory boys are more daring, but there seems to be a slew of white/silver/red/black cars out there, and not much else.  I've also noted that the West Coast cars seem to be more bold than those found elsewhere (and you guys/gals ROCK!)

Honestly, bucking the "factory-only" Porsche colors within the PCA takes a lot of guts, as people with too large bank accounts often have too large opinions to go with them, but what the heck do THEY know?  I certainly didn't consult with them before painting my Pearl "Audi Pearlescent White" and didn't really care - I just thought it looked awesome!  Never seen another one, although Marty's IM uses almost the same shade of Base Coat (I parked next to him once, and was tickled at how close they were.)

My mom was a teacher in elementary schools and everyone remembers her coral/white 2-tone '57 Ford Fairlane.  No one remembers her all-white '60 Fairlane, nor her all-white '62 of the same model.  All of her students remember her '64 Turquoise Galaxie XL Convertible, though, while totally forgetting her '66 and '68 Gold Galaxie convertibles.  

Just goes to show that people like and remember bold colors, no matter the car model, and "Earth Tones" are, well, earthy.  That bright Blue up above is in the Awesome category - Right up there with my Mom's Turquoise Convertible.

Go Bold or Go Home!

Last edited by Gordon Nichols

Be careful, Anand and Ed, the color police over on FB might get you. I personally, love the French Blue. It didn't used to, but it's grown on me. I think white is outstanding as well, obviously. I've painted two cars white. 

Everyone seems to think that only silver is the "proper" color, but history gives us a different picture if you look past the common and get to the uncommon but still "proper" colors.

DannyP posted:

Be careful, Anand and Ed, the color police over on FB might get you. I personally, love the French Blue. It didn't used to, but it's grown on me. I think white is outstanding as well, obviously. I've painted two cars white. 

Everyone seems to think that only silver is the "proper" color, but history gives us a different picture if you look past the common and get to the uncommon but still "proper" colors.

He didn’t paint it “Gulf livery blue”, Danny, so we are good.

Stan Galat posted:
DannyP posted:

Be careful, Anand and Ed, the color police over on FB might get you. I personally, love the French Blue. It didn't used to, but it's grown on me. I think white is outstanding as well, obviously. I've painted two cars white. 

Everyone seems to think that only silver is the "proper" color, but history gives us a different picture if you look past the common and get to the uncommon but still "proper" colors.

He didn’t paint it “Gulf livery blue”, Danny, so we are good.

If he had, there would have been the problem of where to put the orange.

After a LONG day in the Neonatal ICU yesterday, I got a text from Carey. My friday update came early. Note: I've never seen ANYONE provide such regular (or thorough) updates as @chines1. This guy is top notch in every way. If you're going to build a car, you will never go wrong. I swear on everything I own. 

Lights are going back in. Carey has riveted the jack point surrounds on...

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Steering is all set and in place. Carey installed a new TRW box. 

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I have 16" wheels that have steel centers (KPZs) with new T6061 alloy hoops. I'll be running Excelsior Stahl sports in 5.00x16 (bias ply looking, but they are radials -- available at coker.com); they should work out nicely.

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Bendix fuel pumps -- these were actually working as the fuel pumps for the car when it was equipped with a 1915. As Carey likes to mention, the car was built by an idiot -- it has the wrong banjo bolts (see third fuel pump photo below), and there was fuel leaking from them. Thank goodness Carey is sorting that all out. It will look like the photo below when it is done (we've got the fittings, german hose and new decals). 

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Aluminum surround pieces; I think Russ at Fibersteel may have built these pieces when he owned this car. The side pieces hold the reservoirs. 

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And the piece de resistance (ironically, and not the true meaning -- but the piece that gave Carey the most resistance LMFAO). We tried to flatten the license plate area as much as we could. There were 3 different bucks used, and all were a bit different in this area, and this was where we ended up. This engine lid was a hot mess when we got it, so there were MANY hours that went in to getting it to look like something (the fiberglass was rough).

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Carey probably loves this car as much as Greg loves the car he did for Daniel Cheng. He did a lot of original-looking stuff, but not to the same crazy level of detail as you, Anand.

This looks FANTASTIC! And the yellow darts are so subtly yeloow they look almost white. Awesome!

I wish I had functional front jack points......

This car is going to fool quite a few folks.

Panhandle Bob posted:

You going to stick this car in a museum when you're done? Looks good enough to go in one.

Bob-I think you all will need to stick the car in a museum when you stick Carey and I in the mental asylum -- this car has been a challenge (for Carey, I just sit here and enjoy the photos)

Also, I got a set of these 60 mm GT brakes from my buddy John Willhoit. Should help this thing stop a bit better. I've got 40 mm brakes on the rear with proper 20 mm donut spacers. It will be a nice touch. 

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Last edited by arajani
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