Vehicle Description
Evolve Motors and Chicago Car Club are pleased to present this '58
Speedster Replica! What We Know: This Speedster was assembled by
the previous owner, who had purchased the kit from a company called
Classic Motor Carriages (CMC). Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, CMC
was the largest manufacturer of automotive replicas in the United
States. Primarily focused on Porsches and early Fords, CMC sold
customers kits which included a frame, fiberglass body, interior,
and an instructional booklet as to how to assemble the vehicle
(which we have in-hand with notes specific to this car). Customers
were then able to take some liberties in selecting a powerplant;
Speedster buyers tended to opt for a small Volkswagen engine, as
the dimensions and power delivery characteristics were quite
similar to the real thing. This particular CMC Speedster is very
well done; built on a �70 Super Beetle pan shortened by 11", power
comes from an 1835cc air-cooled VW motor. Body panels fit well, and
Porsche Polar Grey paint over burgundy leather is a phenomenal
colorway. The Exterior: This car is a great representation of the
unobtainium that is the Porsche Speedster. Aside from the
aftermarket wheels and 911 steering wheel/gauges, which are of
course easily swapped out, this car appears just like the real
thing. It absolutely has presence; even alongside the serious
collector cars in our showroom, the Speedster is the one that
really catches the eye. The car is painted in Porsche's own Polar
Grey, with color-matched front and rear bumpers. Bumpers are both
in excellent shape, with no rock chips at all. There are fog lights
mounted on the front bumper with leather covers, also in excellent
shape, which give the car the slight outlaw-look that we love.
Chrome is well presented throughout, with no bubbling anywhere. All
rubber trim is perfectly intact and fits properly. Panel gaps on
the front and rear are dead on, with slightly larger (just under
1cm) gaps where the top of the door meets the rear fenders.
Interior car cover is free of scratches or tears, and buttons down
without issue. While the exterior shows well, there are a couple
little things to be aware of. There is some slight yellowing of the
clear coat on the fenders, as well as evidence of touch-up paint
along the passenger-side crease of the rear deck lid, and a spot
along the driver-side hood crease that has a slight orange-peel
texture to it. The Interior: Burgundy leather interior contrasts
very well with the grey exterior. Seats are in great shape with no
cracks or blisters and are very comfortable and supportive while
blasting through the twisties, albeit somewhat narrow for "wider"
drivers. A Dual XDM6350 receiver with detachable face and DS
speakers was installed in 2011 and sounds great. This car also has
two cup-holders installed, making it the perfect weekend
coffee-getter. Under the Hood / Under the Car: The clutch and brake
master cylinder were both replaced during the winter of 2014/2015.
The car is running a 25,000 mile 1835cc air-cooled VW four-cylinder
(AS41 Brazilian case) and sits on Monro-Matic 31542 shocks, 15"
knock-off wheels with polished lips, and new 165/80R15 Nankang
tires. Fiberglass is in great shape underneath, and there is no
surface rust present on any of the components. The Final
Assessment: Always dreamed of owning a Speedster? Me too. As a
Porsche enthusiast, the Speedster has always been one of my
if-money-were-no-object cars. This replica is a great way to get
the same open-air experience and stunning vintage-racer style, all
while maintaining a reasonable budget. While it wont win many drag
races, this car absolutely gets the adrenaline flowing; driving
this Speedster is a truly special experience and one that I will
not soon forget. If interested, give us a call at Evolve Motors
today!