Who is considering a Beck 904?

[JerryL]

Great stuff, glad it has been bumped back up, I keep thinking more & more about one. I need to read this whole thread, and see how much of our 911 parts we can use in the kit.

Regards

[Herr-Kuhn]

I've seen the Beck 904s in person 2X here at P20 in Ohio. I've also talked with Chuck and his son about the cars and how they are put together. Good guys, really good guys. These cars are well built with a lot of unique features built in and use reliable Porsche running gear. I've also been up close to the real deal 904. Yes, the Beck cars are different, but I don't see where there is anything bad about the Beck car. Yes, it's a replica, but who cares? Very few people will purchase a real 904 and drive the daylights out of it anyway. That is if you can find one. Face it guys, these are museum pieces and I can also tell you that the body work (glass) on the real cars is pretty rough, like it is on most race cars. The Beck 904 is a true dual purpose, no frills, no BS car. It looks good in person and performs very well on track. Chuck told me that he regularly blows past GT3s with the 904 on track. It's hard to argue with 1750 lbs and 300 HP in a mid engined chassis!

I build aftermarket forced induction systems for the Porsche 928. A lot of the 928purists say that no 928 should be turbocharged...but they attempt to make the same power through boring and stroking and turning the engine to 7,500 RPM (how's that rod ratio working for you?). It's different strokes for different folks, but $ for $ nothing in the 928 world can produce the same results as turbocharging. It's not for everybody, but neither is the Beck 904. Again, who cares? I can understand getting upset over pulling a 928 engine out to install a Chev 350 and claiming it is better and makes more power for less money than modding a 928...that would be a lie because to make that power on the SBC you need a lot of cubic dollars...

The situation here is different. If people like the cars and the styling, then I say buy the car. Afterall, if you can actually find a real 904 for sale you will have to part with a serious amount of coin to get the car...and then you'll be afraid to drive it on the limit and I'd guarantee the Beck will easily outpace it on track or street. We're not talking about buying as an investment here, we're talking about buying to use and drive the car and actually ENJOY IT in the real world that 99.9% of people live in.

For the guy making comments about the Rolex. Jheesh, I mean come on. Lots of us have the money for the Rolex, but we see it as a waste of money. I could write a check for one tomorrow but where's the value in that? Myself, I like swiss time pieces as well and I've been wearing the same Tissot wrist watch for 10 years now. I bought it because I liked the styling and I like Swiss quality. I could buy a Rolex, but the piece would not keep better time, nor is it better made for what I need. In this economy with the rapid gains to be expected in the next several years, I'll choose to keep my money in stocks where I'll be sure to leave something sizeable for my wife and child when that time comes.

Different strokes for different folks. No matter which way you slice it, the Beck 904 is a very nice machine and one, I'd recommend.

[RRico]

Well.... if anyones in the market....
Beck 904 for sale

[Matt Monson]

I looked at one of these last year up close at Daytona. I still want one...

[André 3.0]

Originally Posted by RRico

Well.... if anyones in the market....
Beck 904 for sale

Reserve not met..........Porsche : Beck 904 - eBay (item 260720217457 end time Jan-17-11 19:30:00 PST)

My bid was not accepted.............Just love these cars

[damonII]

Herr-Kuhn,

Went & checked out your website the other day & one has to ask, why no talk of a 908 with one of your twin turbos? May not be too streetable but good god would that machine have a hp/weight ratio!

Only 904 I have ever seen was authenic & in a museum in Germany. It has always been a favorite so I am glad to see all the new options in terms of replicas for enthusiast.

To Jeff Alton, your Canadian neighbors work is amazing!

[damonII]

Been awhile since I have closely looked at the 906 & 908's. Quite a difference between them & the 904 body vehicles.

[Wil Ferch]

As to "real" vehicles...... the 904, like many other contemporary top-line sports/racing cars, could be street-legal in some forms and pure racing cars in other forms ( other cars from Ferrari and Forrd GT40, were similar in this regard).

OTOH.... starting only 2 years later, say..around 1966/67/68.....cars like the 906 / 910 / 908...etc....were purely racing cars and were never meant to have a street-legal variant. This duality all peaked at arround 1964, the approximate time of the 904.

[Flieger]

POC Racing Tribute to LeMans 2011_ 495 by Max_911_fahrer, on Flickr

POC Racing Tribute to LeMans 2011_ 422 by Max_911_fahrer, on Flickr

POC Racing Tribute to LeMans 2011_ 257 by Max_911_fahrer, on Flickr

POC Racing Tribute to LeMans 2011_ 471 by Max_911_fahrer, on Flickr

POC Racing Tribute to LeMans 2011_ 464 by Max_911_fahrer, on Flickr

POC Racing Tribute to LeMans 2011_ 482 by Max_911_fahrer, on Flickr

[Flieger]

Sadly the 3.8 broke a rocker arm and oiled the track, or at least that turn. It retired soon after.

Chuck was a very friendly character. I want to own one of these to drive around the local canyons.


POC Racing Tribute to LeMans 2011_ 719 by Max_911_fahrer, on Flickr

POC Racing Tribute to LeMans 2011_ 720 by Max_911_fahrer, on Flickr

[TRE Cup]

This car is a missle on the straights. Lightweight, combined with big carbed 3.6 power, slicks, and some talented driving saw this car just tearing up the group. It may not have been GT3RSR fast, but it sure gave fits to the better driven GT3 cup cars !

[Flieger]

Originally Posted by TRE Cup

This car is a missle on the straights. Lightweight, combined with big carbed 3.6 power, slicks, and some talented driving saw this car just tearing up the group. It may not have been GT3RSR fast, but it sure gave fits to the better driven GT3 cup cars !

After I got home I realized that it may have been this car's rocker shaft walking out that oiled that turn. I am not sure when the engine problems started and when the track got greasy. There were guys spinning before Tribute started.

[beck904]

Hello,

Chuck Beck builds an awesome replica of the 904. He has a website describing the Beck 904 at:

Beck 904 -- The Ultimate Replica

He also has numerous videos of his car in action on his YouTube Channel:

Chuck Beck's -- Beck 904

A magazine article entitled "Driving Nirvana" on the website gives cost information.

Driving Nirvana

For those interested in more details, Chuck can be reached at (678) 787-3399.



I hope this helps!

Regards,

[nvr2mny]

old thread alert!!!

Ok it’s been SEVERAL YEARS since the last post here. Surely others here on the board have more info on the Beck 904 since then.

These are still quite captivating to me. There’s been the same one at the Toy & Lit Show the past couple of years that I’ve seen there. Always draws quite the crowd.

Anybody else on here have one or any first hand experience with Beck’s 904?

I’ve decided to pull the trigger after a few years of obsessing over one. “Hopefully” I’ll take delivery some time in late 2019. It’ll run with a ‘68 Alum cased 2.8 Twinplug built by Henry Schmidt at Supertec. Carbed with Weber’s IDA 46’s. This will be mated to a 915. Henry estimates the hp @ 260 which I think will be plenty in such a light chassis.

I’d love to hear what others who’ve actually had experience with them thinks.

This is the one that’s been at the Lit show:

[Matt Monson]

I think I got an order for your diff today.

Speedo has one in production right now. He's got a couple threads about it. Can't wait for a ride. Still want one.

[nvr2mny]

Matt, yes you did! Yes, speedo’s turn is fast approaching and I met another gent not too far from me that gets his the month after speedo’s. Hard to believe that there hasn’t been a whole lot more of these built since they started. I believe I’ll have a vin# somewhere in the 50’s.

[rennch]

Originally Posted by Matt Monson

I think I got an order for your diff today.

Speedo has one in production right now. He's got a couple threads about it. Can't wait for a ride. Still want one.

I can't find it! Where's the thread??

[mreid]

I had Jones Autowerks install a Gaurd lsd and flip the ring gear in my 915 a couple years ago when I built my Beck 904. I am intimately familiar with the car as I’ve been all over mine and happy to answer any questions. Also, Carey Hines who builds these cars today is a great guy and will answer any questions you my have. Here’s some pics of mine (chassis 30).

[dfhtrhjn]

I thought about buying one of these last year, but couldn't quite justify $50k with no engine or trans. But damn, one day...

[RSBob]

I drive the box the 904 was shipped in and it is a blast, for a box. And it’s $20K cheaper and includes a 3.0.