1958 356A Speedster Replica
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splitfan
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Re: 1958 356A Speedster Replica
Cool build and story, good luck and keep us posted once the cad has been fired up for the steering wheel.......
My biggest fear is that my wife sells my cars for what i told her they cost !!
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Firebird
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Re: 1958 356A Speedster Replica
HAHAHAHAHAHAH!Harry Jones wrote:What no pics of the seatcover in a Bikini ......?
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SoutieRSA
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Re: 1958 356A Speedster Replica
WOW!! It is admirable the effort, and attention to detail that you are applying to this project. I'm sure that the end result is truly going to be worth the effort. Well done, your project is inspirational...
Where in JHB are you? I ask, since if you need a spare pair of hands, and you're not halfway across the world (yep, Gauties think the world ends at the Vaal River...
), I'll be more than happy to assist. Lemme know...
Where in JHB are you? I ask, since if you need a spare pair of hands, and you're not halfway across the world (yep, Gauties think the world ends at the Vaal River...
), I'll be more than happy to assist. Lemme know...-
Firebird
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Re: 1958 356A Speedster Replica
Thanks SoutieRSA, I am just down the road from you in DouglasdaleSoutieRSA wrote:WOW!! It is admirable the effort, and attention to detail that you are applying to this project. I'm sure that the end result is truly going to be worth the effort. Well done, your project is inspirational...
Where in JHB are you? I ask, since if you need a spare pair of hands, and you're not halfway across the world (yep, Gauties think the world ends at the Vaal River...
PS. Everyone knows there is nothing but dragons and sea monsters after the Vaal !
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Firebird
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Re: 1958 356A Speedster Replica
The steering wheel has already been drawn upsplitfan wrote:Cool build and story, good luck and keep us posted once the cad has been fired up for the steering wheel.......
Here is something to whet your appetite.
The laser cutting is the easy part. It will take some doing but I plan to laminate the wood myself. Then there is also the center badge...
Here are some pics I found on the net.
How did you know I was planning to make my own wheel? I don't remember mentioning that in the thread.I think all that spray painting indoors is catching up with me
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Last edited by Firebird on Tue Jan 14, 2014 10:39 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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splitfan
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Re: 1958 356A Speedster Replica
I didnt know ... in this case asumption is not the mother of all f#$^%ups I have not been able to find the "right" wheel for my wife's speedster so i will be interested to share costs when you get to it 
I have not been able to find the "right" wheel for my wife's speedster so i will be interested to share costs when you get to it My biggest fear is that my wife sells my cars for what i told her they cost !!
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Firebird
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Re: 1958 356A Speedster Replica
Oh good, I thought I was loosing it for a second.splitfan wrote:I didnt know ... in this case asumption is not the mother of all f#$^%ups
re. the steering wheel that sounds great I will let you know (FlatFourFan and I have something cooking)
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Firebird
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Re: 1958 356A Speedster Replica
Panache cars update:
A while back, after a bit of a debate (on Gary's project thread) about Panache cars I promised to post any info if I ever heard back from them.
Well I have been chatting to the owner, Rob for a while now and I finally went round there today with another forum member and I can tell you we were both absolutely blown away!
Rob from Panache cars has teamed up with D.A.W. Universal Products and they are manufacturing the Coupe bodies for him.
Rob told us that he was not going to be at DAW today but that we were welcome to go around there and chat to Garth. We were treated to a very extensive tour through the DAW factory by Garth who was a fantastic host. I have never been to a more open and honest company. He showed us everything... from the dyno room to the store room full of 'treasure'. We even got side tracked and drooled over their collection of Single seat 'Formula cars'. When I asked Garth how many 356A Coupe's they had finished he paused, smiled, and then said..."Well, none actually" He went on to say that they had been working on the Coupe since KCC/Venom closed down and were finally confident that they had a salable car which they could provide to customers as a complete 'Kit'. The car can be put together to look EXACTLY like the original car.
I know you have heard it befor but this time it is actually true. The Panache 356A Coupe IS ACTUALLY made from moulds which were pulled from AN ORIGINAL 356A Coupe! The car was sourced by Rob while it was being restored and Universal made moulds from it . The resulting coupe body which is sold by Panache cars IS EXACTLY like that of an original 356A Coupe! The two cars we saw were in various stages of assembly. The one had most of the body trim installed. Neither had interior upholstery and neither had been painted so everything was 'exposed'. The cars looked less like fiberglass 'kit cars' and more like Original 356's that had been stripped, sand blasted and primed. The cars are mounted LOW.... low low low down on the pan!
Anyone with a Speedster will be familiar with the 150x50 rectangular hollow tube which forms part of the sub frame and runs across the back of the pan under the rear seating area. (the one I marked to cut down a few posts ago) well It had been replaced buy a small 20x20 tube in the new Speedster AND it is GONE on the Coupe because it is totally not necessary! The result is a car so low that you don't have to touch the ride height from the donor car in any way! The Coupe is actually a little too good. The two cars were parked either side of a Universal Speedster(moulded from a modified KCC replica ) and the differences are very sobering. The front end of a replica Speedster (in South Africa) is totally totally wrong ... The pictures don't really show it that well but when the two cars are right there in front of you the difference is unmistakable.
A while back, after a bit of a debate (on Gary's project thread) about Panache cars I promised to post any info if I ever heard back from them.
Well I have been chatting to the owner, Rob for a while now and I finally went round there today with another forum member and I can tell you we were both absolutely blown away!
Rob from Panache cars has teamed up with D.A.W. Universal Products and they are manufacturing the Coupe bodies for him.
Rob told us that he was not going to be at DAW today but that we were welcome to go around there and chat to Garth. We were treated to a very extensive tour through the DAW factory by Garth who was a fantastic host. I have never been to a more open and honest company. He showed us everything... from the dyno room to the store room full of 'treasure'. We even got side tracked and drooled over their collection of Single seat 'Formula cars'. When I asked Garth how many 356A Coupe's they had finished he paused, smiled, and then said..."Well, none actually" He went on to say that they had been working on the Coupe since KCC/Venom closed down and were finally confident that they had a salable car which they could provide to customers as a complete 'Kit'. The car can be put together to look EXACTLY like the original car.
I know you have heard it befor but this time it is actually true. The Panache 356A Coupe IS ACTUALLY made from moulds which were pulled from AN ORIGINAL 356A Coupe! The car was sourced by Rob while it was being restored and Universal made moulds from it . The resulting coupe body which is sold by Panache cars IS EXACTLY like that of an original 356A Coupe! The two cars we saw were in various stages of assembly. The one had most of the body trim installed. Neither had interior upholstery and neither had been painted so everything was 'exposed'. The cars looked less like fiberglass 'kit cars' and more like Original 356's that had been stripped, sand blasted and primed. The cars are mounted LOW.... low low low down on the pan!
Anyone with a Speedster will be familiar with the 150x50 rectangular hollow tube which forms part of the sub frame and runs across the back of the pan under the rear seating area. (the one I marked to cut down a few posts ago) well It had been replaced buy a small 20x20 tube in the new Speedster AND it is GONE on the Coupe because it is totally not necessary! The result is a car so low that you don't have to touch the ride height from the donor car in any way! The Coupe is actually a little too good. The two cars were parked either side of a Universal Speedster(moulded from a modified KCC replica ) and the differences are very sobering. The front end of a replica Speedster (in South Africa) is totally totally wrong ... The pictures don't really show it that well but when the two cars are right there in front of you the difference is unmistakable.
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Last edited by Firebird on Tue Jan 14, 2014 10:50 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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IMPI
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Re: 1958 356A Speedster Replica
Wow
Thought it would work well I would like to see the engine and underbonnet areas though
Beautiful
Armand
Thought it would work well I would like to see the engine and underbonnet areas though
Beautiful
Armand
Who cares how it's done in California?
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Firebird
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Re: 1958 356A Speedster Replica
I actually meant to have a look at the inside of the deck lid and engine bay but completely forgot 
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karmakoma
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Re: 1958 356A Speedster Replica
That does look very well executed. WOW.
Imagine that on an IRS chassis, with a potent Type 4 motor (IMPI upright conversion of course ). Would LOVE one.
Imagine that on an IRS chassis, with a potent Type 4 motor (IMPI upright conversion of course ). Would LOVE one.
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flatfourfan
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Re: 1958 356A Speedster Replica
wow, I think that it's great that they are on the up and up..........nice pictures and good work. I wonder what's the chance of them coming on here and giving us the lowdown?
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Firebird
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Re: 1958 356A Speedster Replica
Well I get the feeling they are better at cars than they are at web site stuff
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flatfourfan
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Re: 1958 356A Speedster Replica
lol.......I was thinking the same thing yesterday.....Firebird wrote:Well I get the feeling they are better at cars than they are at web site stuff
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4agedub
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Re: 1958 356A Speedster Replica
I have had a look at the Panache cars 356 coupe... but it's darn expensive. I contacted them about a basic body kit to build a race car. This is what I received:
Hi Louis
On the 356 A replica body , the doors will be assembled as discussed , leaving out the window winding mechanism and the glass .The total cost as you require it would come down to R 41 900-00 and will include the engine lid grille.
Regards
Rob Willison
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VW Beetle 1971 2332cc
VW Beetle 1969 - 2666cc Turbo
VW Beetle 1974 - 1600