Home  |  Forums  |  914 Info  |  Blogs
 
914World.com - The fastest growing online 914 community!
 
Porsche, and the Porsche crest are registered trademarks of Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG. This site is not affiliated with Porsche in any way.
Its only purpose is to provide an online forum for car enthusiasts. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.
 

Welcome Guest ( Log In | Register )

> Beck 550 spyder, AX Candidate?
Joseph Mills
post Aug 11 2005, 08:34 PM
Post #1


on a Sonoma diet now...
***

Group: Members
Posts: 1,482
Joined: 29-December 02
From: Oklahoma City, OK
Member No.: 39



Looking at some of the specs on this kit made me start thinking how good a candidate it might be for auto crossing.

As far as I know Beck is the only kit that has a hand made tubular frame instead of a VW frame. Maybe that accounts for it's lightweight?

Something around 1200 pounds total! (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/ohmy.gif)

We all know that light cars turn corners fast, and with even meager HP it's going to scoot in a straight line.

Suspension... well, maybe that is the bugaboo... Volkswagen. VW's on an autocross course are always scary with their positive camber from the swing axles. Maybe limit the amount of travel? Are there after market handling kits for such? Or additional link systems that bolt up?

Would a kit car be up to handling the torque and twisting forces of AX?

Thoughts? (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/idea.gif)
User is offlineProfile CardPM
Go to the top of the page
+Quote Post
 
Reply to this topicStart new topic
Replies
Jake Raby
post Aug 11 2005, 09:07 PM
Post #2


Engine Surgeon
*****

Group: Members
Posts: 9,398
Joined: 31-August 03
From: Lost
Member No.: 1,095
Region Association: South East States



I supply engines for tghem all the time... I used to build many of the kits to resale before I was so swamped with engine work.

Incredible, absolutely the most exhilerating 0-60 I have ever seen from a 200HP vehicle.

I have some ultimate engine/tranny combos for them... The key to those combos is super broad power with mid to upper range power.

The best Spyder I have seen comes from Vintage Spyders... But they are not very good business people, always late on delivery and full of excuses... But it is built on a space frame and is much more rigid than the Beck- I have driven tons of each and the Vintage is a great car.

Here is a pic of a RAT powered 550 at Roebling Road http://www.aircooledtechnology.com/custome...ozzi/index.html

Awesome toy- no doubt.

BTW- The Beck is on a tubular frame- but uses the VW torsion assembly for rear suspension, it looks very close to the original 550 Spyder... But its kinda cheesy. The Beck is made in Brazil and imported into the states mostly assemled when it gets here except for the engine and XMSN. I know where 4 Beck kits are that are brand new and never assembled-

The Vintage is on a space frame much like a modern street rod. These guys have already correctly adapted a 901 sideshift tranny into their cars and I have 5-6 different customers with RAT engines and this combo.... None of them have the balls to stay in the throttle very long, some have admitted they are afraid of full throttle.

None of the 550s are built on VW pans-since they are mid engined it would be very difficult to do.

check these sites
www.spyderclub.com
www.vintagespyders.com
www.spyderowners.com

look on my site for some pics of "The Mighty Spyder". Its a coachbuilt aluminum bodied Spyder with a really sweet custom tubular frame thats also pictured here This is gonna be a 9,000 RPM, destroked, 105mm bored, Titanium rodded, twin plugged beast.
User is offlineProfile CardPM
Go to the top of the page
+Quote Post

Posts in this topic
Joseph Mills   Beck 550 spyder   Aug 11 2005, 08:34 PM
grantsfo   A guy drives a replica in the Redwood Region in CA...   Aug 11 2005, 08:50 PM
Mueller   a fellow local 914 owner has one of these kits wit...   Aug 11 2005, 08:54 PM
Joseph Mills   <...   Aug 11 2005, 09:00 PM
Mueller     Aug 11 2005, 09:06 PM
Joseph Mills   Yeah, I saw the Mighty Spyder. Actually, it's ...   Aug 11 2005, 10:01 PM
Jake Raby   Don't let the swing axle fool you! With th...   Aug 11 2005, 10:16 PM
Joseph Mills   I'm guessing limited action for the swing axle...   Aug 11 2005, 11:23 PM
trekkor   Great little car...I'd like to have one, pleas...   Aug 12 2005, 12:08 AM
anthony   For AX what class are you going to race in? It...   Aug 12 2005, 12:14 AM
Paul Illick   Actually the Vintage Spyders are full IRS rears, m...   Aug 12 2005, 06:21 AM
Rotten Robby   The RR guy is using a Type 4 motor. I have always ...   Aug 12 2005, 08:04 AM
d914   that brazilian company ( i think) also has a 550r,...   Aug 12 2005, 09:01 AM
URY914   Gunnar Racing did a batch of 550's too. but th...   Aug 12 2005, 09:10 AM
rhodyguy   you could make a whole lot more money finding a ha...   Aug 12 2005, 09:21 AM
Paul Illick   ...   Aug 12 2005, 10:05 AM
lapuwali   On the swing axle problem, Formula Vee cars have u...   Aug 12 2005, 12:01 PM
Jake Raby   Really... I never said that neing midengined SOLVE...   Aug 12 2005, 12:53 PM
lapuwali   http://www.914wor...   Aug 12 2005, 03:59 PM


Reply to this topicStart new topic
1 User(s) are reading this topic (1 Guests and 0 Anonymous Users)
0 Members:

 

- Lo-Fi Version Time is now: 11th July 2025 - 05:34 AM