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HOW TO COMPARE SPECIALTY
AUTO-SPORTS, INC. SPEEDSTERS
WITH TYPICAL VW BASED
SPEEDSTERS
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During years of enjoyable discussions with potential clients regarding
the merits of Specialty Auto-Sports, Inc. Subaru powered Speedsters I
found that most really did not have a sufficient understanding of the
typical VW Speedster in order to make a meaningful comparison

Comparisons are futile because there is so much to remember in the
presentation. Because of this information void I have developed a
comparison check list to assist prospects in preparing themselves for a
valuable exchange of information with the various manufacturers. |
COMPARISON CHECK LIST
'click' on any topic
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Origin
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Specialty Auto-Sports, Inc.
·
Fiberglass Body and
molds-Knoxville TN USA
·
Welded Chassis
- Knoxville, TN USA
·
Body Assembly
- Knoxville, TN USA
·
Final Assembly
- Knoxville, TN USA
back to list |
Typical VW based
·
Fiberglass Body and
Molds - Mexico, Brazil,
Canada, Europe
·
Body Assembly
- Mexico, Brazil, Canada, Europe
·
Final Assembly
- USA |
Engine:
21st
century engines are very powerful and efficient ... 1938 design Beetle engines
are 1938 design
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Specialty Auto-Sports, Inc.
- Subaru
Boxster 4 cylinder 2500cc
- water
cooled
- 170hp
166 #/ft torque
- Single
overhead cam SOHC - no adjustment required
- multiport
fuel injection
- OBDII
engine management
- noise
level - quiet
back to list |
Typical VW based
- VW Beetle
4 cylinder 1600cc (1938 design)
- air-cooled
- 55hp
77 #/ft Torque
- in-block
cam with lifters and adjustable rockers
- 34PICT
single throat Carburetor
-
Distributor, points, condenser, rotor
- noise
level - high
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Engine Maintenance:
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Specialty Auto-Sports, Inc.
- Replace
cam belts (75,000 to 100,000 miles)
- oil
change 3000 miles
- platinum
tip plugs (100,000 miles)
- some
engines have coil packs
back to list |
Typical VW based
- valve
adjustment (1500-2000 miles)
- oil change
2000 miles
- points,
wires, plugs, condenser, distributor cap, rotor
- carburetor
cleaning and adjustment periodically
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Transaxle:
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Specialty Auto-Sports, Inc.
·
Subaru 4 Speed
Automatic with Overdrive
·
OBDII controlled for
optimum efficiency
also
·
Subaru 5 Speed manual
with Overdrive
·
hydraulic clutch
back to list |
Typical VW based
·
VW Beetle 4 Speed
manual - No overdrive
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1938 design and
"rebuilt" with used parts
·
Cable activated clutch
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Suspension and steering
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Specialty Auto-Sports, Inc.
Front
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unequal length upper
and lower wishbones - ball joint, tubular construction
·
Carrera coil over
shocks - adjustable dampening rates, selection of coil rates
·
Rack and pinion
steering
Rear
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High performance Subaru
Legacy GT
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Heavy duty cast steel
trailing arms
·
double row cage wheel
bearings
·
3 adjustable lateral
links - for alignment
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3/4" heavy duty Heim
joint connection
·
coil over shocks -
spring rate selectable
back to list
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Typical VW based
Front
·
VW Beetle front
suspension - some with king pin (1938 design) some with ball
joint.(1967 design) Cast trailing suspension arms
·
Stacked leaf torsion
strip springing - non adjustable
·
Standard hydraulic
shocks - non adjustable
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Recirculating ball
steering with various linkage bars (1938 design)
Rear
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VW Beetle swing arm
(1938 design)
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Welded sheet metal
trailing arms
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spherical single row
wheel bearings
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minimal alignment
adjustment
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hydraulic shocks
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torsion bar springing -
non adjustable
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Brakes
Our
brakes are designed for 300HP......Beetle brakes are designed for 60HP
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Specialty Auto-Sports, Inc.
Front - disc
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12" ventilated rotors
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Subaru Legacy Calipers
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Power assisted
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DOT 4 brake
fluid
Rear - disc
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Subaru 10-3/4"
non-ventilated rotors
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Subaru Legacy Calipers
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Power assisted
back to list |
Typical VW based
Front - drum
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1-1/2" drums
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Manual (non-power
assisted)
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DOT 3 brake fluid
Rear - drum
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1-1/2" drums
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manual (non-power
assisted)
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Chassis
Our
chassis is designed for 300HP......Beetle chassis is designed for 60HP
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Specialty Auto-Sports, Inc.
·
Custom engineered
structural tube design surrounding the occupants
·
Front and rear
diagonally braced structural crush members
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Steel frame reinforced
doors
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Steel floor
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Forward steel firewall
and foot wells
back to list |
Typical VW based
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VW Beetle pan
(1960-1966) shortened
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Steel 2x4 lower
perimeter frame positioned below doors
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Nothing in doors
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Steel or fiberglass
floor
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No Firewall fiberglass
foot wells
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Fuel System
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Specialty Auto-Sports, Inc.
·
16 Gallon Racing fuel
cell - foam filled
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electric fuel pump
immersed inside tank with top outlet
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Fuel supply lines run
on outside of frame rails
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Fuel cell located
forward of occupant zone - separated by steel firewall and steel
floor
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Surrounded by welded
steel impact structure
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automatic safety fuel
shut off in case of fuel line rupture
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tank secured to welded
frame - with straps
back to list |
Typical VW based
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8 Gallon VW Beetle
sheet metal gas tank
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uncontrolled gravity
feed tank with outlet on tank bottom
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Fuel supply line run
inside car.
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located in occupant
zone over occupants lap - separated by fiberglass trunk floor
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Surrounded by
fiberglass
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no safety shutoff
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tank secured to
fiberglass trunk floor with bolts and washers
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Engine Cooling System
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Specialty Auto-Sports, Inc.
·
High efficiency double
pass custom aluminum radiator - rear mount
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Two 10" fans controlled
by OBDII computer
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One fan runs at low rpm
constant on
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One fan runs at high
rpm on only at elevated temperatures and/or AC on - computer control
back to list |
Typical VW based
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Belt driven fan blowing
air through a sheet metal plenum and over the engine cooling fins
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Air flow direction
controlled by sheet metal shrouds on top of engine
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Very noisy system
especially at high rpm
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Emissions
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Specialty Auto-Sports, Inc.
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Meets 2006-2009 USA/EPA
emissions
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Maintains catalytic
convertors, Oxygen sensors, EGR, tank fumes control, Carbon canister
systems, Idle air control
back to list |
Typical VW based
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1965-1977 VW Beetle
emissions levels
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Import of VW Beetles
was halted in the 1977 model year because they could not meet the
USA emission and noise control requirements.
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Heater-Defroster System
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Specialty Auto-Sports, Inc.
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An independent
heater-defroster plenum is hidden from view under the dash
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controls are electric
servo actuated which gives a selective variable temperature control
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Heat is obtained from
thermostatically controlled constant source 195F hot engine water
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Heat and defrost is
delivered by a 3 speed fan delivering a powerful flow
back
to list |
Typical VW based
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There is no
heater-defroster plenum
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Controls are
cable/lever activated which open a flap on the engine exhaust
manifold shroud to allow heat collected from the exhaust manifold to
blow back through the sub frame and exit at your feet
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some of this air is
tapped and directed to defroster slots on the dash.
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very little heat or air
flow is extracted from this system and virtually no defrost is
delivered |
General Data
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Specialty Auto-Sports, Inc.
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Weight Bias
- the true measure of performance handling. Our 5 Speed Speedsters
have about a 46/54 weight bias which delivers precise directional
control and superior braking
balance
back to list |
Typical VW based
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The typical VW
Speedster has about a 38/62 weight bias. Less balance which
translates into less front braking and directional control, and
slower responsiveness to driving commands
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steve@specialtyauto.com

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