'86 CMC Speedster C - Questions for the Wise

WTTM!

As Bob said Welcome to the Madness - which means its more of hobby than a financial investment.  Probable Spring value on East Coast for a good running finished wide-body CMC is around $16k.  Assume you have the CMC speedster seats?  If waist line is over 36" they are a tight fit.  The covers on them are simple and you could take them off and use them for a pattern.  Shouldn't cost much to have car upholstery guy sew new covers.  Download the build manual here (need to contribute) and it explains how to glue them back.  If vinyl good on yours you might try restretching/regluing.  VS (Vintage Speedster - see makers tab) interiors fit an really add a professional look. Seats and door panels would be $1k and carpets add another $475. Their tops and tonneaus fit too. Sounds like it sat for awhile. Check brakes before driving - Disc for front can be done for under $500 and offer greater safety.  If tires are over 7 years old replace them. Nice wheels/tires add $2k, engine mods $2-4k+, and repaint $2k+ so kick you above a quick resale break even point. There still should be a NOS tan tonneau on ebay for roll bar replica for $100.

Well you do have a rarity. If the paperwork actually says that CMC assembled the car, that is a 1 percenter. Very few cars were actually assembled by the factory so that is a real selling point.  Values are increasing overnight for any speedster.  We have seen good condition CMC cars going for 15-20k depending on options and engine.

-=theron

BTW:  That "serial number" you have (S1689) bears no relationship to the date when the car body was made (or built).  

It was simply a sales order number and a way for CMC to keep track of which of their amazingly aggressive sales people had made the sale and a reference to the "sales order" when the body and collection of other parts were being processed for shipment.

As an example, My speedster body was supposedly "built" in late 1993 with a body badge shipped with the number "C1308" on it.  The guy who sold me my kit was named "Chuck" - get the relationship?

 thats so funny...parts being prosessed for shipment.....by cmc.yup it's in the mail!!

Fiberfab sent me so many "extras" than the parts we requested. Extra wiring loom, extra interior, extra gauges to name a few. Finally got everything after 2 years of calling them. Now I just need to sell it to get a Beck...

Jeff

They sent me 5 different front turn signal lights before I got a matching pair!  I ended up using none of them - opted for Austin Healey glass LUCAS ones. Did get extra front front hood.  Bought mine late '89 another year and much would have been still on BO.

I bought an unassembled CMC years ago when CMC had been court ordered to create Auto Resolutions "company" to make good on back ordered and missing parts.

So I call Auto Resolutions and talk to some Cuban chick in Florida giving her the entire long list of $4,000 in parts that didn't come with the purchase....believe it or not, a week later 4 large cartons did, show up and at no charge!

I had ordered a plain, stock VW wiper assembly, which didn't arrive with the car (along with a bunch of other stuff).  When I included that on my list to "Auto Resolutions" they had a complete wiper system shipped to me from Specialty Auto in Texas - a cable driven setup made for street rods.  Took a bit of fabbing to get it in there, but it's GREAT!  (I seldom drive it in the rain, but when I do.........)

Update:

Drove the car home today with a decent download after driving the vehicle.

1) Tachometer not working, right dim lights out, horn not working;

2) Car stalled once 10 mins into driving (outside temp was 39 F);

All in, the car is appearing to be in great shape.

Quick Q: There are three levers near the parking/e-brake. Does anyone know what these are for? 

Merry Christmas Eve!

Three levers including the parking brake? 

If so, they are originally from the VW heater and defroster. They used to toggle two flapper type valves near the back seat. I'm not sure if they would have survived the 'cut and channel' of the pan.

Ted

Exactly. Two smaller levers on each side with the parking brake in the middle...

Yup, heater / defroster from the original VW pan. The heater system (rather, heat exchange system) would work by utilizing the heat made by the exhaust pipes.

With a standard bug motor, the exhaust pipes have a heater box constructed over the pipes. In higher end motors, builders replace the heat exchanges with 'j tubes'. If the heater is operating properly, the pan of the car has ducting built in the sides of the pan and below the rear seat in a ghia. The heat is transferred from the motors exhaust to the ducting by what looks like smaller dryer tubes.

 
The motors cooling fan doubles as the blower for forcing the heat into your car, and is regulated by cables that are located on either side of your hand brake.

I think there should be two circular cut outs under what would have been the rear seat. The levers would have opened the flappers on each side. 

Again - not sure if the owner would have salvaged the cables during the cut and channel.

Ted