Any 356 Speedsters in Port Elizabeth?

[Goose]

Hey guys

Is there anyone in or near Port Elizabeth who owns a 356 Speedster?
I am looking to start a project car and would really love to see some examples in the flesh/fibreglass.

Also, if anyone knows of a Speedster anywhere that is for sale at a reasonable price, please drop me a message. I have seen the one advertised on gumtree at the moment in Joburg, but I don't want to pay upwards of 100k for a car that I still have to completely re-do. It looks great, but I know what I want mine to look like
So I'm looking for a complete or partially complete car, running if possible, that I can restore.
Failing this, I will go the kit route. Is Universal Products still the only company selling kits?

Any info will be greatly appreciated

[flatfourfan]

Do yourself a favour and consider a new build. Project cars are selling now for around 60k in running state that need work. The one on junktree is waaaaaaay over-priced. Its maybe worth 70k at best. The devil with theses cars is the details. Just the smalls can run your bank account to the tune of 50k and that one on for sale has none of the hard to find parts.

Keep your money and start saving. They do pop up and when they do you have to be ready to buy asap.

Replicars also make kits. Not as correct body wise. But they seem to keep most of the guys happy.

Good luck.

[Goose]

Thanks for the info

I have a donor pan and chassis/gearbox that I can send up to Joburg to have a new body fitted. I am quite keen to build it from scratch. Only problem would be that this would be the first time I attempt to build a car, so this will be a learning process for me. And I want the car to be perfect.
That's why I was also considering a running vehicle...it is much easier to take something apart and put it back together

Can you elaborate or point me to somewhere to read about the differences between the replicars and UP body kits?

[flatfourfan]

I would advise getting a trailer and taking a trip up to jhb to buy a body in person.

These cars are not hard to work on or build. I started mine with very basic knowledge and now I'm doing pretty much all the work myself.

Running vehicles also come with a much heftier price tag and sometimes the work done is garbage.

Replicars bodies tend to be very generic and the details are sometimes missing. UP bodies tend to be a bit nicer, but I know that they're not perfect as well. I know for a fact that the one side differs from the other.

An average bloke wouldn't even be phased by the differences between the two. I have a replicars body (ex venom cars, exx kit car centre) body on mine and the overall build quality is pretty good.

details though.................it's all in the details..............you can quickly add R100 000 to these things with the small things.

[Goose]

Flatfour you have 90% convinced me to get the kit Been doing alot of research this week.

Is there anyone who has a decent set of drawings for internal upholstery items like the door panels, carpets, back seats etc? I would rather make as much of it myself as I can. I know what leather I want to buy, just need to know what size to cut it

Same with the front bucket seats...I see you get 2 of them with the kit, I assume that is minus padding. Where can I get drawings for the front seat padding pieces and the upholstery? I am not going to pay thousands for a few pieces of foam that I can cut myself.

I can probably buy an upholstery set for the interior of the car and copy the sizes onto the materials I want to use, but that seems like a major waste to me.
Any ideas?

[flatfourfan]

Flatfour you have 90% convinced me to get the kit Been doing alot of research this week.

Is there anyone who has a decent set of drawings for internal upholstery items like the door panels, carpets, back seats etc? I would rather make as much of it myself as I can. I know what leather I want to buy, just need to know what size to cut it

Same with the front bucket seats...I see you get 2 of them with the kit, I assume that is minus padding. Where can I get drawings for the front seat padding pieces and the upholstery? I am not going to pay thousands for a few pieces of foam that I can cut myself.

I can probably buy an upholstery set for the interior of the car and copy the sizes onto the materials I want to use, but that seems like a major waste to me.
Any ideas?

Trust me building one from scratch will get it the way that you want it and you won't be paying for another guys "tastes".

DO yourself a favour and google online, go check out loads of websites and there are loads of variations to things in the interior. Check out the seat patterns, and work from there. It is really actually pretty simple and basic interior to copy. I must have about 20 000 pictures of various parts of the car for my records that I've been collecting over years. Your day will come.

Don't buy a kit. You can make your own pretty easily.

[acpaterson]

Goose,

there are a few owner's on here with cars in various stages of repair, rebuild, finish etc. We all have a totally different idea or "taste" as gary points out. There's no set rule as to how it should be finished, it's up to you. Do you want a realistic 100% accurate replica?
Do you want a "look-alike"?
A Rat Look?
A Plush look?
I rebuilt mine from what i call "a rolling wreck". I've spent a Wheelbarrow of cash to get mine to the level that I like, and what I interpret as a good looking Speedster Replica.

FYI, I bout 15 Linear Meters of Material for the Interior, but I redid it twice! My Carpeting was 5 Linear Meters, and it wasn't enough to include the Bonnet. You're not going to get drawings easily for how much of this, or that to build the car. There are some diagrams on how to finish the car off correctly, where to mount the various badges and scripts, the lights, and such, which Manny has kindly put together over the years, but other than that, it's a hands on affair. The Kit manufacturer will be able to give you a few pointers, or even sell you some really basic interior panels, carpeting kits, or even a cheap ass roof.. At the end of the day, it up to you, and what you're prepared to spend on your car.

(And I know this first hand because I asked the same type of Questions a year ago before I got mine, and Gary almost repeated what he said to you to me back then.. )

You need to do a LOT of your own research, scour the various forums, find info that will help, and then basically get in and get going.. You'll deal with the issues as and when you come across them.

Check under the "projects" section on thsi Forum at the other Speedy owner's builds, Gary's is extensive, for most of the Speedsters, mine's on my own website blog.
http://www.paterson.co.za/porsche.htm

A serious final comment is, buy as best you can, and try not take any shortcuts, and be prepared to go into this for at least 100 K.

Good luck. Keep us updated.

regards

Alan

[Goose]

Hey alan

I have read both of your threads twice
I allready have a bucketload of pics as you guys suggest. My wife is probably dreading any email I send her, as it will most probably have pictures of speedsters in them.

As for how and how much, I don't really have a budget set out for the car, it will be done when it's done. I knew from the start it would go over 100k. I want to get it as complete and original as possible. That said, I am not going to pay millions (okay hundreds) of dollars for something I can fabricate myself.
I know some things will have to be bought, there's no way around it for an original look.

At the moment I am picturing it in a dark blue with rich brown leather interior and a brown soft top, and wooden Nardi steering wheel. Engine wise I'll see if I can scratch out a decent 1600 somewhere, I am not planning on breaking any speed records

The leather I found on http://www.hannitanleather.com ... either the Wax Tan or Wax Gold...both of which will give a distressed look when stretched. Alternatively there is Tandy Leather who also sell nice leather hides. Both companies are in SA.
There's a place in PE that sells all kinds of foams, so getting the foam for the upholstery is sorted. I've been looking for suppliers of good fabric and carpets too, but see nothing locally yet that I want to use. At least online. I'll start going through fabric and carpet stores in person as soon as I'm out this damn wheelchair

I've toyed with the idea of doing the seat sides in leather and the cushions in a fabric that would match the car, but then I see beautiful diamond stitched leather seats and I change my mind...
I'll post pics of what I want it to look like soon, just have to figure out how to upload pics here

[flatfourfan]

Hey alan

I have read both of your threads twice
I allready have a bucketload of pics as you guys suggest. My wife is probably dreading any email I send her, as it will most probably have pictures of speedsters in them.

As for how and how much, I don't really have a budget set out for the car, it will be done when it's done. I knew from the start it would go over 100k. I want to get it as complete and original as possible. That said, I am not going to pay millions (okay hundreds) of dollars for something I can fabricate myself.
I know some things will have to be bought, there's no way around it for an original look.

At the moment I am picturing it in a dark blue with rich brown leather interior and a brown soft top, and wooden Nardi steering wheel. Engine wise I'll see if I can scratch out a decent 1600 somewhere, I am not planning on breaking any speed records

The leather I found on http://www.hannitanleather.com ... either the Wax Tan or Wax Gold...both of which will give a distressed look when stretched. Alternatively there is Tandy Leather who also sell nice leather hides. Both companies are in SA.
There's a place in PE that sells all kinds of foams, so getting the foam for the upholstery is sorted. I've been looking for suppliers of good fabric and carpets too, but see nothing locally yet that I want to use. At least online. I'll start going through fabric and carpet stores in person as soon as I'm out this damn wheelchair

I've toyed with the idea of doing the seat sides in leather and the cushions in a fabric that would match the car, but then I see beautiful diamond stitched leather seats and I change my mind...
I'll post pics of what I want it to look like soon, just have to figure out how to upload pics here

I can tell you now, do your homework, do the bulk of the work yourself and buy smart and you can build a speedy for under 100k easy........ I'm currently sitting on about R85 000 and I pretty much just have to do the interior and repaint the car, but included in that price is a dropped project for a type 4 motor that I took a hit on as well as complete water-cooled conversion which was R25 000 on it's own.

[acpaterson]

Goose,
if you're lucky to get a VERY stable mechanical base, that requires little to NO work on, then yes, you possibly can get under a Hundred K. I had a lot of mechanical repairs\replacements which cost money, and I still haven't finished.. I'm still on drums all round, this conversion is 5 to 6 K conversion for Discs.
The Interior and seat upholstery is piss easy, but the materials will add up.
if you're going to want to do this properly, the roof will have to be imported, because the local guys cannot make a double duck roof PROPERLY. So you're in for close on 15 K for a proper roof.
I had to replace the windscreen, 2.5 K
Gauges. I got lucky at 5 K
Carpeting. 5 K
Paint job 15 to 20 K
Lighting and grills, mirrors, chrome bits R 5 to 10 K
metal scripts\badges R5 K
Nardi - 5 K if you're lucky
Motor work, minimal stuff, carbs etc, 5 K

90% of my car, I did myself, so there are no BIG costs going to other people, but there's only so much you really can do yourself, like the interior and upholstery. If you're going to paint it yourself, awesome, just know whats what when spraying onto Fibreglass and Gelcoats.

Listen, don't debate it. if you're set on getting one, just dive in and start. Gary was lucky, and bought his car many years ago. times change, and to get it finished PROPERLY, you are going to spend ash, no question.

Start a thread in the Porsche, or Projects section and keep us updated.

cheers

Alan

[Goose]

Will do

[flatfourfan]

the keyword here is to shop around and be patient. You can get it done quickly, but you're going to pay for that privilege.

I have got loads of bargains over the years (7 to be exact) and I'm about 6 months from tiding it up. I've learnt a crap load about this car though.

ps.......Alan, you didn't get lucky @ 5k for gauges...........cause I paid R900 for mine from Anton Dekker............lolz.

[acpaterson]

Yes, but you bought them a while back.. in a short space of time, demand quickly alters pricing. The Europeans wanted 15 Grand for 3 gauges! I got lucky that Anton had another set from another owner, and both HE and the OWNER made some money off me. I did the rest.
Listen, I don't want this to become a Dick-swinging contest either. Goose asked some questions, and I was in his EXACT shoes this time last year. I don't have the patience, or the concept of taking 10 years to build a car?? it's a foreign concept concept to me, I dunno how Roger and you can do that.. I want to the car and I want to use the car now. So, a 7 month rebuild to get mine to this level I think is acceptable. I'm enjoying my car NOW, it's a completed usable awesome specimen, and I'm having a jol with it after all the graft the past year. Heck I might even sell it soon, who knows.

All I'm trying to say is, realistically speaking, The proper Speedy parts, or details cannot be home made, neither can the headlights, tail lights, grills, handles, or the mirrors, there's only SO MUCH you can do yourself, the rest you have to buy, and pay the shipping costs and import duties. I tried to shortcut processes and if I did, my Speedy would look like a few others I've seen.

Goose, get your car or a NEW, modified rolling chassis from Garth at Replicars, maybe try get a pre-modified nose correct, rear seat correct body if you ordering a brand new car from him and get stuck in.
Alternatively, spend 50 to 60 K on an aborted project, and double that to get it finished to where you're happy with it.

Cheers

Alan

[Goose]

By the way don't know if you guys saw this, but a few days ago someone in JHB had a red 356B Coupe on Junkmail listed for 25k....and it looked original.
I can only imagine that it was a typo and he meant 250k, which is probably still low, or it was a scam. i tried to mail him but email couldn't be delivered, and the next day the ad was not there anymore. or something.
Even for a replica in that condition 25k was too low, as the Panachecars kit was selling for 60k or more last time I checked.

[Goose]

...... Heck I might even sell it soon, who knows....

OK I'll bite...whats your price for parting with your baby?

....
Goose, get your car or a NEW, modified rolling chassis from Garth at Replicars, maybe try get a pre-modified nose correct, rear seat correct body if you ordering a brand new car from him and get stuck in.
Alternatively, spend 50 to 60 K on an aborted project, and double that to get it finished to where you're happy with it.

Cheers

Alan

I saw on some of the threads that the guys had the front ends and back seat sections slightly modified. I'll have to ask if he can do the same for me. Is this the same Garth Waberski at Universal Products?