Davlet Posted February 11, 2018 Share Posted February 11, 2018 Hello if anyone know or have american lafrance speedster for sale please let me know. Thanks Dav Cell. 414six3O2853 Email davlet145 (at) gmail.com Thanks in advance Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alsfarms Posted February 11, 2018 Share Posted February 11, 2018 Are you looking for finished or project? Al Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davlet Posted June 27, 2018 Author Share Posted June 27, 2018 still looking Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Laferriere Posted July 2, 2018 Share Posted July 2, 2018 I have two, pictured is one, the 1917. Formally known as Belchfire IV. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edinmass Posted July 2, 2018 Share Posted July 2, 2018 That's a slick speedster.............great lines and proportions. Better than most of the one I see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bhigdog Posted July 2, 2018 Share Posted July 2, 2018 Yup that's beauty. Now don't get me wrong. And I think they are neat but exactly what do you with one? I understand the build would be a lot of fun. I understand one would be fun to drive for a very short while but once the novelty wears off ......... what do you do with one? I ask in all seriousness with absolutely no negative connotation intended.............Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Laferriere Posted July 2, 2018 Share Posted July 2, 2018 45 minutes ago, Bhigdog said: Yup that's beauty. Now don't get me wrong. And I think they are neat but exactly what do you with one? I understand the build would be a lot of fun. I understand one would be fun to drive for a very short while but once the novelty wears off ......... what do you do with one? I ask in all seriousness with absolutely no negative connotation intended.............Bob I guess you could say that about any car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bhigdog Posted July 2, 2018 Share Posted July 2, 2018 It's a serious question from someone that knows little about them. I do think they are neat from a visual and mechanical view point.........BUT...........what do the owners generally do with them? Or more to the point why are they built. What I'm getting at is they appear to be purpose built to be impractical for any meaningful purpose. Kind of like steam punk automobiles. If they are an artist's statement wrought from steel and gasoline I'm down with that. If that is more or less the case I'm totally cool with that and am not being critical in any way. Just asking.........Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Moskowitz Posted July 2, 2018 Share Posted July 2, 2018 Bob, you have to understand the world of big brass cars or high horsepower brass cars around 60 HP. There are a lot of guys that love them and believe it or not drive the crap out of them. Just because they are not easy to drive as modern cars is the exact reason the guys love them. Some have electric starters (I am totally onboard with this update) and some have other modifications to make them easier to use. It is not a huge bunch that does this but enough that we still get a chance to see massive machines on the highway. My experience is that they are a ball to drive on the highway, not so much to parallel park!!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trimacar Posted July 2, 2018 Share Posted July 2, 2018 A friend has a big 50 HP early car, it was the car of his dreams, he built it from a wreck of a car and it's beautiful. His comment is that the only time it's really fun to drive is on a race track (which he's done numerous times!), he drives it very little otherwise because it wears one out steering and shifting. But, pride of ownership is a plus too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Laferriere Posted July 2, 2018 Share Posted July 2, 2018 Here is an interview on "why". Its also the same car I am selling. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Laferriere Posted July 2, 2018 Share Posted July 2, 2018 On the highway.... 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Laferriere Posted July 2, 2018 Share Posted July 2, 2018 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keiser31 Posted July 2, 2018 Share Posted July 2, 2018 Uh ohhhh....after viewing those videos, I may need a larger garage! That looks like a BLAST! I can see myself now...."Honey....what do you think about selling the two 1931 Dodges to get the money for a firetruck?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bhigdog Posted July 2, 2018 Share Posted July 2, 2018 19 minutes ago, Steve Moskowitz said: Bob, you have to understand the world of big brass cars or high horsepower brass cars around 60 HP. There are a lot of guys that love them and believe it or not drive the crap out of them. Just because they are not easy to drive as modern cars is the exact reason the guys love them. Some have electric starters (I am totally onboard with this update) and some have other modifications to make them easier to use. It is not a huge bunch that does this but enough that we still get a chance to see massive machines on the highway. My experience is that they are a ball to drive on the highway, not so much to parallel park!!! Thanks Steve. Even though I don't own one I do understand the allure of old and big iron. If I was a gazillionaire I would own my own steam railroad. You've helped my understanding of the vehicles and their owner/builders. Another question is what defines a "speedster" assuming there is a generally accepted definition. Also, are most owner built or is there a ready market for used ones. Also you mentioned highway driving. Are they street legal in most states? Tom L. You mentioned the pictured Belchfire was for sale. Would you mind letting me know the price? PM is fine if you prefer. Thanks All.............Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Moskowitz Posted July 3, 2018 Share Posted July 3, 2018 According to the Illustrated Dictionary of Body Styles a speedster is "Genuinely American term for an open and fast two seat sports car, often with boat tail bodywork style." They go on to say a bit more but that is the apparent original use of the term. Naturally there have been later 4 seat speedsters and company's like Porsche used the term. From a practical standpoint there are a ton of Model T speedsters out there that do not fit the definition of above nor does the American LaFrance. Generally they are stripped down vehicles with two seats and have a sporty look. Picture a Mercer runabout on one spectrum and a boat tail Auburn on the other. They are indeed street legal in many states, not sure about most. As to the market for them, I think it is pretty solid. You do not see a lot of them come up but when they do they seem to be snatched up quickly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Restorer32 Posted July 3, 2018 Share Posted July 3, 2018 Anyone who does not get excited hearing (and feeling) the rumble of a nearly 1000 cu in 1920's La France 6 cylinder has no soul. We are in the midst of rebuilding a La France 6 cylinder for a speedster we are building. Done right (so they look less like a hammered down fire truck) they can bring big bucks. One sold for nearly $200K at Hershey a few years ago. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edinmass Posted July 3, 2018 Share Posted July 3, 2018 If your not having fun getting 3 mpg spitting out bugs between your teeth driving a 100 year old dump truck chassis sitting on the wrong side of the car with terrible steering and almost no brakes...........well we just cant explain things like this to people who don't have gasoline in their veins....... Personally I like the real thing, not a modified rig.......but almost all speedsters are cut down jobs with few exceptions. A few early speed cars have made it to today ....... just a few. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motoringicons Posted July 3, 2018 Share Posted July 3, 2018 I saw "Belchfire" years ago. It is one heckuva machine. A true road warrior. Most ALF speedsters suffer from bad modifications and improper proportions. This car is likely to be one of the best ALF speedsters/racers ever made. I can think of only a few more that would compare-and they are not currently for sale. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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