BECK Spyder

Standard Features:
o Top Grain Leather Interiors
o Hand Laid Fiberglass Bodies
o 3” DOM Tubular Chassis
o Retractable Seatbelts o Full Size Spare
o Manual Scissor Top w/Matching Side Curtains
o Sealed Engine Compartment
o (5) Painted Steel Road Wheels
o 12,000 miles/ 12 month warranty
Beck 550 Spyder6
Specifications:
Wheelbase: 85" [2.16 m]
Height: 40" [1.02 m]
Length: 146" [3.71 m]
Width: 61" [1.55 m]
Curb weight: 1300 lbs [590 kg]
550S 1500 lbs [680 kg]
Standard engine: customer specific
Front suspension: fully adjustable twin torsion I-beam.
Rear suspension: Torsion bar with adjustable spring plates.
550S De Dion w/ Panhard bar & coilover shocks.
Brakes: Front disc, rear drum and handbrake on rear wheels.
550S 4-wheel discs with handbrake on rear wheels.
Wheels: Painted steel road wheels 15" x 4.5" front and 15" x 5.5" rear
550S Modern 15" x 7" aluminum alloy road wheels
Tires: Kumho Touring. 165/80-15 front, 195/60-15 rear [plus one spare]
550S 4-wheel discs with handbrake on rear wheels.

Performance*:
Standing Start: 0-60 mph in 5.8 seconds
Quarter mile: 13.6 secs @ 92 mph/148 kph
Top speed: 130 mph [209 kph]
*with a CB Performance 1915cc 125 hp engine and standard gearbox/axle ratios.

Interior Color Options*

Both the Spyder 550 & 550S come standard with a leather
interior, including the seats, gear shifter, and emergency brake
boot. The leather hides are carefully selected to ensure years of
durability and comfort without compromising the vintage feel. Note: Custom colors available
upon request.

Exterior Paint Options*

Disclaimer: We have made an effort to provide paint chips that
closely represent the colors. However, due to all the possible
variants -- light source, monitor quality, etc. -- we cannot guarantee
that the images accurately represent the true colors. Please take this
into consideration.
What is it?
The “DELUXE PRE-ASSEMBLED BODY PACKAGE” program provides the specialty automotive
enthusiast with a quality product, in a complete and comprehensive package. This alternative affords a
savings over the “Roller” or “Turn Key” versions by allowing you, the customer, to supply a portion of the
parts and labor relating to the final assembly procedure, yet does not demand an inordinate amount of
specialized skills or professional assistance such as painting, wiring, and upholstery.

This package includes ALL of the following:

o The complete hand-laid fiberglass body, painted with Sikkens base coat/ clear coat to automotive
standards. The doors, front hood with support rod, and rear deck lid with support rod are hinged,
latched, weather stripped and fully adjusted.
o The body comes pre-mounted to a 3” tubular steel frame that is an integral part of the body/chassis
system. It includes a fully adjustable front axle beam with torsion bars installed and rear
suspension components complete to the spring plate assemblies. Tubular steel is an extremely
strong method of construction and gives the Spyder 550/550 S excellent torsional rigidity resulting
in crisp handling, consistent door gap, and superior fit and finish.
o The self-parking, 2-speed windshield wiper system is completely installed and wired.
o All of wiring is completely installed. This includes the 3-gage cluster, all switches, relays, engine
harness, lighting and a complete fuse panel. The steering column with turn signal, emergency
flasher and wiper switch is installed.
o The removable convertible top and steel scissor mechanism is completely assembled and
operational.
o All latches, hinges, and release cables are installed and fully adjusted.
o Full leather interior is completely installed including adjustable bucket seats, leather wrapped
steering wheel, shifter and emergency brake boots.
o The interior is completely carpeted. A set of Spyder 550 floor mats is also included.
o The accelerator, emergency brake, clutch, and speedometer cables are installed. The cable shift
mechanism is complete and pre-installed.
o The fuel tank, aluminum “Quick fill” gas cap, and fuel lines are installed.
o Pedals, dual circuit master cylinder, reservoir, and all brake lines are all installed.

The “DELUXE PRE-ASSEMBLED BODY PACKAGE” is extremely complete. The builder need only
supply the engine of his choosing, a transaxle, brakes, wheels, tires, lights, fluids and some hardware (most
items available in the optional packages), some basic mechanical ability and approximately 25 to 30 hours
of assembly time.
What is it?
The “Deluxe Roller Package” comes “rolling” to your door, ready to accept the engine you
choose.. This package is ideal for someone who has a very specific engine supplier or desire to
install a unique type of power train (i.e. battery operated) into our Beck Spyder.

This package includes ALL of the features of the “Deluxe Pre-assembled Body
Package”, plus the following items:

o A 4-Speed manual transaxle of your choice. (All transaxles are the swing axle style but
may be modified with high performance parts, a variety of gear sets, and upgraded from
drum to disc brakes for an additional charge.)
o The brake system is complete and operational, as is the emergency brake system. Fine
tuning of the alignment may still be required.
o The steering components are completely installed and operational.
o Head & taillights, turn signals and license plate lights are installed with completed
wiring.
o The engine harness is in place and ready to be attached to the motor.
o A set of 5 wheels and tires are mounted and balanced. The standard tire is the Kumho
165/80/15 (front) 195/60/15 (rear). Other tires available at additional cost.
o The side & rear view mirrors are installed, along with the horn grills.
o “Spyder” badges
o Other optional items may be ordered and pre-installed as well. Please see the MSRP sheet
for a list of our most popular add-ons.

How will I get my car?

This package can be transported by an automotive carrier service. They generally charge a small
additional fee for handling “non-runners”. Please call for an estimate.
 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)
Q: What stages of completion do you offer?
A: We offer three separate stages:
1) The "deluxe pre-assembled body package", which is one of the most complete kits available
today. The end user can assemble this stage in as little as one short weekend.
2) The "roller" package, which is ready to accept the engine of your choice
3) The "turn-key" package. Although Special Edition, Inc. DOES NOT directly supply engines
or transaxles, it is still possible for the customer to receive a ready to drive speedster

Q: What type of engine can I use?

A: The Spyder is set up for a VW air-cooled type I engine of nearly any displacement. Our customers have
also used engines such as the VW type IV (Porsche 914), Porsche 356 & Porsche 912.

Q: What are the most popular engines? What is the biggest engine I can use?
A1: The engine size/hp is limited only by budget and sanity. When selecting an engine, one must
remember a few things:
1) the most powerful Spyders of the 50's only had about 130hp and
2) the Spyder has the aerodynamic qualities of a classic 50's racecar.

Q: I have seen other companies that offer a tubular frame vs. the VW bellypan. How is yours different?
A: The Beck/Chamonix 550 is modeled directly after the original Spyder 550 frame. While you will see
other round tube frames in the industry, we have engineered our frame so that the torsional load is properly
dispersed in the center of the car. Other companies have improperly engineered their frames, which results
in the torsional load dispersing through the rear 10% of the frame. This causes an undesired “twisting”
effect when accelerating.

• DOM tubing has a higher yield and tensile strength than aswelded steel. It is also smoother,
cleaner, denser and more consistent.
• Round tubing is lighter than square tubing, yet has greater strength characteristics.
• Round tubing is more expensive than square tubing.
• Round tubing is available in higher-grade steel than square tubing.

Q: How do I insure my Spyder?

A: If your current carrier does not have the ability to ensure your new vehicle, several companies specialize
in insuring replicas. Hagerty comes recommended and can be contacted at 1-800-922-4050 or
www.hagerty.com.

Q: How do I register my Spyder?

A: Registration is not federally regulated, so it varies from state to state. You will need to check with your
local BMV for your state's requirements. However, Beck products have been successfully registered in all
50 states.

Q: Does the Spyder come with a warranty?

A: Yes! We offer a 12 month/12,000 mile limited warranty. This covers your Spyder's contents and
workmanship. The drivetrain components, as well as a few of our optional components, carry a warranty
directly from their respective manufacturers.

Q: How does the Spyder hold up in resale value?

A: We have seen our products hold their value very well over the last 25 years. According to the Kelly
Blue Book, the average car loses 65% of its value in the first 5 years. We have seen our products sell as
high as 100%-120% of their original value, 10 years down the road!