Custom Built

[Larry Jowdy]

This Registry will assist those looking for other owners and will also provide their general geographical location

Add to this forum if you own a car that was truly custom built from scratch. You can also add any modifications, improvements etc.

Remember, to add your name, city, state, (country), modifications etc

Feel free to add photo's of your vehicle

[John Jennings]

Well....I guess I'm the first. The car is a custom build from scratch and is currently about 60% complete. The aim of the build has been to create as accurate a replica as possible with correct dimensions and mechanicals. For this reason we have scanned a couple of original cars and built the chassis from scratch to the pattern shown on the original factory blueprints.

Chassis - custom fabrication from the Porsche factory blueprints, front beam is from a '55 Pre-A 356

Transmission - 519 gearbox as per the originals

Brakes - 356 'A' drums on the rear and Carrera drums on the front, all with ventilated Carrera backing plates.

Suspension - all built up using original NOS Spyder spares, shocks are Koni and the front are 356 Pre-A, rear are from a Porsche 928. Wheels are Pre-A 16" with tall cross-ply tyres. Chassis and mechanicals by Stepan Gencev in the Czech Republic (356 Registry member). Stepan's aim has been to replicate the handling of an original Spyder as well as the look and in order to achieve that aim he has used original parts in most of the suspension, braking system and transmission. The 356 engine is as close in weight distribution and power output (and sound!) as we could get within the budget. It should be scary enough on cross-ply tyres and drum brakes.

Engine - 356 C unit built by Bob Garretson in the States with a Carrera replica cooling shroud by Ibrahim Kuzu (both 356 Registry members), output around 110Hp. Solex 40 carbs

Bodywork - hand formed alloy, built on a laser cut timber buck which was designed after scanning a couple of original cars. Bodywork is by Lewis Barrow (Barrow Automotive Creations) who is based in Kent (UK)

Instruments by Palo Alto in California

Miscellaneous parts by Fibersteel, Dario Calandra, Sierra Madre and Spyderwerks (now sadly no more). Steering box 356 ZF, most other mechanical parts taken from a 356

[danstern]

WOW !!!
Truly a labor of love.

[cam550]

My car, which started as a Beck Kit built in 2002 by Gunnar Racing for a customer for vintage racing events, was heavily modified by Fibersteel. It has a completely scratch built clam shell, frame mods, and enough Aluminum work to make the car more aluminum than fiberglass(floor, all interior surfaces, under the hood up front, and wheel wells). The engine is a Raby Type IV, which is a replica of the engine done for Mightyspyder's aluminum work of art.

Here's a picture of the car from this evening. The weather was nice and, after all the discussions surrounding Ethanol-laced gas, I figured I would go for a drive to use up some of that gas. The town center is decorated for the upcoming Christmas and I snapped a couple of pictures using my iPhone in HDR mode. Here's one of them:


Camera Roll-121 by Cameron L., on Flickr

p.s. Larry, I am not sure my car qualifies as a scratch-built, but it is not a Beck built car either. I would have posted under FS but did not find the entry for it. Please move to any other forum if necessary.

Thanks,

Cam

p.s. II - Happy Holidays!!!

[John Jennings]

Things have been a little slow around here recently so I thought I'd post some progress photos of my build. Lewis made a start on the project in January and has been busy getting the chassis right. When he started transferring the running gear from the old chassis to the new highrail chassis he discovered that the front beam was from a VW and the rear transmission support cross member didn't fit the 519 gearbox.....so a lot of surgery was required to transplant members from the old chassis to the new one to get all the Porsche running gear to work. There were a few cosmetic tweaks to be made as well, you can see the work Lewis has done around the rear torsion beam.

The timber bodywork has been cut now so on with the bodywork.....

[John Jennings]

One more....