The beluga whale auction last night at Mystic Aquarium raised more than 1 Million dollars for the whales last night, but Azul the Speedster did not get a winning bid. So the car is still for sale here! Note the style bars removed in the photos shown here. They come with the car, but we have removed them for now, so you can see the car dressed both ways!

The auction gave me a chance to spend quite a bit of time with the car and I wanted to write a bit about why I believe this to be one of the best cars we have ever offered for sale.

First off, it is perhaps one of the fastest “vintage” cars we have sold. With 180 HP, four valves per cylinder and awesome throttle response, this car delivers outstanding acceleration. In the new video below, you’ll see me make a roughly eight second run to 60mph, and this is shifting at 6,000 rpms. The redline is reportedly 7000 so I would not be surprised to see a 6 or 7 second time to 60 when driven with more agressive shift points. This is more than enough speed for most, and most importantly, for off the line fun at stoplights, this thing is, well, a pisser! These acceleration times are competitive with the ’78 911SC we sold some time ago.

Secondly, this is one of the most reliable ‘vintage” cars we have owned. The Subaru powerplant is stunning, over and under, and it is packed with reliable computer managed fuel injection (and ignition) to eliminate the stress and worry most people associate with vintage car operation. The transmission is similarly stout and delightful, with excellent off the line power and also wonderful fourth gear cruising numbers.

Leslie and I enjoyed a special moonlight drive on Interstate 95 last night coming home form the aquarium, at 3000 rpms and about 70 MPH. It felt like we could go forever.

So if you want all the curvaceous sensuality of a classic Porsche, with all the reliability of a 2007 Subaru. this is worth a serious look. You should be able to hear me roaring through the gears in the video below and I promise you the grin on my face was ear to ear. It’s that much fun and it’s guilt free and stout. Great power, great brakes, great grip. 

The build quality is exceptional, I doubt we will have another one like it. Call or email if you would like to take Azul home!

Video walk-around tour below!

If you like the Speedsters you periodically see on our site, you’ll be very interested in this one, which we call “Azul.” This car takes the replica experience to the next level. This Fiberfab Californian Speedster was professionally built in 2007 and then converted to Subaru power in 2018 by Special Edition in Bremen Indiana, by the same folks who build Beck Speedsters.

This car has tons of power courtesy of the new water-cooled 2.5 liter Subaru Imprezza engine with about 180 HP. 225 series rear and 205 front tires and four wheel disk brakes ensure incredible stopping power. Handling is also excellent with the wider tires afforded by the fender flares. The four speed Subaru gearbox is excellent, with a nice drop in RPMs in fourth gear so you can do some serious highway cruising-the gearing is just right for 3200 rpms at 70MPH.

It’s smoother, faster, stops better than any other Speedster we have owned. And it’s easier to use, even for people who are not car-savvy. It has all the usual late model Subaru reliability and ease of ownership… it is fuel injected, computer managed and simple to start and operate, with a fiberglass body on a VW chassis with fender flares and water cooled modern power plant. Yet you’ll feel like a you’re still riding in classic car style in this unique and fun roadster.

Chrome style bars are easily removable if they are not to your taste, they are held in place by six bolts. Because the car is water cooled, the optional heater works great. It is visible in the trunk. The aluminum radiator lives under the front of the car, with a supplemental cooling fan .

The car is virtually brand new, with about 4300 miles on the newly rebuilt engine and chassis. This Subaru engine conversion was done right to a very high standard. The entire package works beautifully and it’s hard to find any evidence of any wear or use.

The small half windows are easy to remove (and they have their own matching storage pouch), and they keep some wind out of the cockpit. A great top is folded behind the seats and is easy to erect. A handsome full tonneau in matching stay fast is also included. It only fits the car without the style bars in place, so you have your choice… remove the bars and use the tonneau, or we can make a custom tonneau made to accommodate the style bars if you prefer to keep them in place.

There’s also a nicely sewn cushion on the rear shelf in matching tan. The convertible top is a work of art in high grade stayfast canvas, and the side curtains have never been used and come in a protective matching pouch. Many of the photos are shown with the wind deflectors in place… those come with the car in addition to the traditional soft side curtains lined with tan stayfast to match the top, as shown. It’s all really nice stuff!

Watch Jay Leno tour and drive a similar Subaru-powered car in the video below!

This car is titled as a 1964 VW and is thus very easy to re-title anywhere in America. Give a call if you want us to ship this cool car your way. Azul is more reliable than anything old and British… and faster than most of what we usually offer too!

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Here’s something new!

Classic car drivability and reliability has always been our priority. This week, we are excited to offer for sale a special curated collection of late model Speedster replicas! We have four wonderful cars for sale, each with curves in all the right places, and each with a simple and reliable low-mileage drivetrain. If you are looking for classic car fun without the headaches, these Speedsters are worth a serious look. They are simple to service, fast, and tons of fun!

For years we have been dedicated to making classic British roadsters as reliable as possible, and we continue pursuit of this commitment each and every day. But our passion for curvaceous sports cars is not limited to Bugeye Sprites – we love all shapely and bug-eyed sports cars. The $300K + price tag of original Speedsters has always kept me away… until now. These replicas are quite affordable, and unless you’re a 356 aficionado, it’s difficult to tell them from the real thing. In fact, I’ve recently met a few 911 owners who own replicas similar to the ones shown here… they are not the real thing but they do a good job of fooling many of us!

Power in these four cars shown is typically from a 1.9 liter air-cooled flat four cylinder engine, that puts out about 110 HP. For comparison, the original Speedsters generally had 1582 CC engines good for about 60 HP. We also offer 2276CC uprated engines, good for about 150 HP, if you prefer higher performance. We have larger engines in stock and can install them in any of the cars shown.

These cars all feature fiberglass bodies on both Volkswagen and custom pans. Interiors are excellent, generally made with leather seats and wool carpets, built to a high standard.

For years, “replica” was a real turn off for me. But the quality of these replicas shown is impressive, and there is something very attractive about the availability of new VW components, plentiful from multiple suppliers. Upgrades and custom parts are plentiful too.

All of the cars shown have front disk brakes, and the “Creamster” above also has rear disk brakes. As with our custom British car build-outs, we can retrofit rear disk brakes on any of these Speedsters too.

Registration is easy. These cars are generally titled as early Volkswagens, which makes registration and vintage car insurance in your home state a breeze.

I have curated this special grouping specifically for our customer base. The cars are wider and roomier than Bugeye Sprites, and thus a more comfortable option for any of our customers who find Spridgets to be a bit cramped. The vented bucket seats are quite comfortable and easily accommodate large bodies. Access is also superior compared to most classic British cars. Doors are bigger, hinges are further forward, and it’s easier to get in and out. Leg room is significantly more plentiful than with Sprites… I’m 5’8″ and drive Sprites with the seats fully aft. In the Speedsters, I can barely reach the pedals with the seat fully aft, so there is at least four more inches of leg room than in a Spridget.

These are nearly new cars all made between 2009 and 2018. Not all replicas are the same… these particular cars are built by Beck and Vintage Speedsters, impressive products with great performance and quality.

I have chosen an excellent grouping for this offering, and each of these cars are now for sale. We have gone-through all four of the cars to prepare them for sale, with the same attention to detail and using the same quality checklists we have used on all the other classic cars that have passed through our building. As with all the cars we sell, these Speedsters can be further customized in our workshop to your taste.

If you are interested in owning one, it would be best to call or email to start the conversation! Prices start at $38K.

We’re excited to offer a fun quality product with minimal hassles and tons of style! Feel free to call if you would like to know more!

Above is a new 2276 engine with larger Weber carbs, standing-by for a horsepower upgrade. We also have beautiful header and exhaust options available.

NOW ON DEPOSIT 9/20/20! Thank you Gary in Florida and congratulations!

Are you looking for a little British car project?

Here are three square Sprites for sale, from one of our customers who bought our Bugeyes (Gavin). All three cars are for sale as a package to the first person to step forward with $2,000. This blow-out price is to make room for the Bugeye that is soon to be delivered. Someone is going get quite an array of British car bits and three different cars to play with, all for not a lot of dough. If you are one of the folks who has emailed me looking for a starter project at a very reasonable price, this could be your big chance!

All three cars are rebuildable.

Here is an inventory of what you get:

The orange/red car with no front fenders installed (although they are included) is 1965 MKIII with chassis number HAN8L 57199. This car sports a 1275 engine. Check out the pictures below to take a look at some of the additional goodies that come with it.

The green car is a 1968 MKIV Sprite. Below is a picture of its engine bay.

The red car that was pictured in the garage is a 1966 MKIII Sprite with chassis number HAN8L 58737. The picture below is a snapshot of the engine bay.

All three cars are located in Sylva, NC, (about 100 miles south of Knoxville, TN). Pick up is preferred, but delivery is also possible for an extra fee.

This is a great deal with a ton of stuff for a very reasonable price, so if you are looking for a fun project, please get in touch!

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Now SOLD to John in California!!! Congratulations!!!

Here’s an excellent classic car and a great value. This is a show winning round wheel arch Midget with all the best upgrades. Drive it anywhere!

This car was completely restored in the 90s, and through the early 2000s, collected an entire trunk load of first place trophies (which come with the car). The restorer loved this car and collected both the original glove box manual and original MG brochures. These are just wonderful, and quite entertaining. I have shown many still photos of these pages in the photo gallery. The car also comes with a notebook full of receipts.

The five speed transmission is a Rivergate/Datsun 210 gearbox, in excellent condition and mated with the original 1275 engine. This upgrade allows you to cruise quite nicely at highway speeds, and to also shift into first while rolling, since the gearbox is fully synchronized, unlike the original rib case transmission. It’s a very desirable upgrade.

The underside is quite good and very solid, (although a little weathered). The rocker panels and fender bottoms were all restored when the car was rebuilt. There is not rust visible anywhere. The tires and wheels are also recent, and the spinners look new.

There is so much to like about this car, because you get roll-up windows and a more plush ride, with five speed, disk brakes in front, front sway bar, and three-point seat belts. You even get a glove box!

Round arch cars are more popular, and you can see why in the photo above. The quarter panels are more elegant and help the car punch above it’s weight.

The engine bay is nicely detailed. No wonder the car won so many trophies! The 1275 engine has excellent oil pressure. Air pump emission control removed.

There is no tonneau (although we can fit one) and a good top installed with a slightly cloudy rear window. The car comes with the original top boot cover, so you can cover the top when it is folded down behind you.

This is a great little car, and you get much more car for your money with a Midget… A Bugeye in this condition would bring about twice the price. So if you are looking for a lot of car at a great number, give a call today!

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