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An Introduction, and Links to my Blog

FM Former Member
Hello Everyone,

I've been lurking for some time here. I've posted a few times in the classifieds, but typically do a lot more reading than writing.

Last year on my wife's birthday (June 11) we made a trip from our home near Toronto, Ontario, Canada, to Middletown, NY, and picked up a CMC Speedster body and most of the original kit. I made a second trip to pickup the frame and some mechanicals the gentleman had started.

To answer all the questions, yes, I got it across the border. No, it was not easy. I took a risk and towed it across myself as "car parts". I made the second trip for the frame because I didn't want to bring a complete car across the border. There's really no more or less to it than that, but suffice it to say I had a lump in my throat sitting at the border with thousands of dollars behind me on a trailer and the border guard having every right to confiscate it!

Anyway, usually a VW guy, I finished two other projects before I got into this one. I stripped the pan the PO had started, POR15 painted it, POR BLACKCOAT topcoated it along with all the other steel components. I refurbished the tranny, put a chrome kit on my engine, and most recently assembled the car and finished the interior. I am currently working on the convertible top and some finishing touches.

Rather than go into more detail here, you can check out all the posts on my blog, www.ad-libs.ca - the archives at the bottom of the page are from my first project blogs from a few years ago. You can page through work I did on a '69 bug I built for my dad, or my '76 Westfalia. In the start of 2007 I split the blogs into main (more personal stuff) and vw, so to see anything from the end of 2006 on you will need to click on "MAIN BLOG," "VW BLOG," etc., near the top of the page.

For the sake of this discussion, the direct Speedster-related links are here:

Preparing the Chassis: http://ad-libs-vw-technical.blogspot.com/2007/11/speedster-preparing-chassis.html

The Chassis Prep Continues: http://ad-libs-vw-technical.blogspot.com/2007/11/speedster-chassis-prep-continues.html

The Chassis is Done: http://ad-libs-vw-technical.blogspot.com/2007/11/speedster-chassis-is-done.html

Engine and Loose Ends: http://ad-libs-vw-technical.blogspot.com/2007/11/speedster-engine-and-loose-ends-tied-up.html

Speedster Work Begins Again: http://ad-libs-vw-technical.blogspot.com/2008/03/speedster-work-begins-again.html

Catching up on Speedster: http://ad-libs-vw-technical.blogspot.com/2008/04/catching-up-on-speedster-process.html

Carpet Fabrication: http://ad-libs-vw-technical.blogspot.com/2008/05/speedster-carpet-fabrication.html

Seat Upholstery: http://ad-libs-vw-technical.blogspot.com/2008/05/speedster-seat-upholstery-installation.html

It's Alive: http://ad-libs-vw-technical.blogspot.com/2008/05/speedster-its-alive.html

Anyway, lots of loose ends still, but VERY happy with it so far. I'm planning to drive it to the Michigan Vintage VW Festival June 6 & 7 - is anyone else planning on being there? I will likely do Carlisle next year. I just wasn't ready in time this year...

Any comments (good or bad) welcome. Oh, and thanks for accepting me in the club!
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FM Former Member
Hello Everyone,

I've been lurking for some time here. I've posted a few times in the classifieds, but typically do a lot more reading than writing.

Last year on my wife's birthday (June 11) we made a trip from our home near Toronto, Ontario, Canada, to Middletown, NY, and picked up a CMC Speedster body and most of the original kit. I made a second trip to pickup the frame and some mechanicals the gentleman had started.

To answer all the questions, yes, I got it across the border. No, it was not easy. I took a risk and towed it across myself as "car parts". I made the second trip for the frame because I didn't want to bring a complete car across the border. There's really no more or less to it than that, but suffice it to say I had a lump in my throat sitting at the border with thousands of dollars behind me on a trailer and the border guard having every right to confiscate it!

Anyway, usually a VW guy, I finished two other projects before I got into this one. I stripped the pan the PO had started, POR15 painted it, POR BLACKCOAT topcoated it along with all the other steel components. I refurbished the tranny, put a chrome kit on my engine, and most recently assembled the car and finished the interior. I am currently working on the convertible top and some finishing touches.

Rather than go into more detail here, you can check out all the posts on my blog, www.ad-libs.ca - the archives at the bottom of the page are from my first project blogs from a few years ago. You can page through work I did on a '69 bug I built for my dad, or my '76 Westfalia. In the start of 2007 I split the blogs into main (more personal stuff) and vw, so to see anything from the end of 2006 on you will need to click on "MAIN BLOG," "VW BLOG," etc., near the top of the page.

For the sake of this discussion, the direct Speedster-related links are here:

Preparing the Chassis: http://ad-libs-vw-technical.blogspot.com/2007/11/speedster-preparing-chassis.html

The Chassis Prep Continues: http://ad-libs-vw-technical.blogspot.com/2007/11/speedster-chassis-prep-continues.html

The Chassis is Done: http://ad-libs-vw-technical.blogspot.com/2007/11/speedster-chassis-is-done.html

Engine and Loose Ends: http://ad-libs-vw-technical.blogspot.com/2007/11/speedster-engine-and-loose-ends-tied-up.html

Speedster Work Begins Again: http://ad-libs-vw-technical.blogspot.com/2008/03/speedster-work-begins-again.html

Catching up on Speedster: http://ad-libs-vw-technical.blogspot.com/2008/04/catching-up-on-speedster-process.html

Carpet Fabrication: http://ad-libs-vw-technical.blogspot.com/2008/05/speedster-carpet-fabrication.html

Seat Upholstery: http://ad-libs-vw-technical.blogspot.com/2008/05/speedster-seat-upholstery-installation.html

It's Alive: http://ad-libs-vw-technical.blogspot.com/2008/05/speedster-its-alive.html

Anyway, lots of loose ends still, but VERY happy with it so far. I'm planning to drive it to the Michigan Vintage VW Festival June 6 & 7 - is anyone else planning on being there? I will likely do Carlisle next year. I just wasn't ready in time this year...

Any comments (good or bad) welcome. Oh, and thanks for accepting me in the club!

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Cuzn Vinny 90264Cuzn Vinny 90264
Hey Brad, welcome aboard dude....nice speedy...
There is a guy named Aaron on the clasified thread who don't think we are so nice here, he is looking for a burned out speedy, perhaps you can give him a few pointers, you seem very ingenious (sp) with these things....only kidding, I'm just trying to bust his balls.....
I know you will love the speedster experience...

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  • ghia2
FM Former Member
Terry wrote: "Will you be able to register the speedster legally?"

Actually it is not legal to import a kit car to Canada that is less than 15 years old, or has been assembled for less than 15 years. However, it is perfectly legal to register one!

In my case I swapped the vin from a super beetle I scrapped that I already had registered. That way I kept the '72 beetle ownership and safety certificate. I had no problems insuring it, so I lucked out!
FM Former Member
Thanks Paul for the comments.

The exhaust looks really good, but it is very loud, something like a monza style 4-tip. I'm not too fond of the sound at idle, especially in my driveway between the houses. When you put your foot into it, though, it sounds very good.

It makes my stock 1600 sound like something much bigger.

As far as fit goes, I have three observations:

1. Length - the tips just barely protrude past the inner lip of the fibreglass. I will most certainly wind up with black soot on the back of the car...

2. Height - the tips clear the body by about 1/2"

3. Angle - my exhaust has a definite angle towards the ground, maybe 5 degrees. I'm not sure they all do. It's a good thing, though, because if the tips exited straight they would hit the body. Come to think of it, that's probably designed in so the large tips don't interfere with the standard beetle exhaust cutouts...
I Inter911
Nice car Brad..

I'll have to touch base later as I hope to have my car down in Ontario the early part of summer. I'm either driving it or shipping....at this point in time shipping seems more practical from dollars and cents and time.

I'm concerned about registering it and insuring it. Up here they have it registered and insured as a 1986 International Roadster. I'm a bit concerned what would happen if I ever got into an accident but I never misled them...they have a copy of the appraisal complete with pictures and past registration and this is what they came up with.n Not sure what Ontario will do when I show up with the car to transfer the registration and its incorrectly registered here?

Brian
FM Former Member
I don't know about Canada but swapping a VIN number is highly illegal in the USA.

Additionally, the car looks great but you should reconsider the use of that cheap China chrome tin. It holds heat in due to the chrome and those 36 HP replica shrouds don't distribute enough air to properly cool your engine due to the lack of proper air vanes.
FM Former Member
Simon:

The gauges are VDO Royale Series. I purchased them from California Import Parts. Here is a link:

http://www2.cip1.com/SearchResults.asp?Search=royale

Brian:

Thanks! I don't think you'll have an issue registering it. Quite honestly, they never look at the car. If you show a valid NT ownership it will be a standard transfer to an ON ownership. You will likely have to get a safety certification, though. Let me know when you're in Ontario. Maybe some of us canucks can get our cars together!

Larry:

The VIN swap isn't exactly legal here either. Under the circumstances it was the simplest thing for me to do. I have all my paperwork and documentation, however, if it ever becomes an issue.

I was hesitant to go with the chrome shrouding. I've always been a strong supporter of original tin with thermostat and flaps. After a lot of looking I settled on the SCAT brand tin, which is arguably better than most of the Chinese stuff, and has all of the internal vanes to direct air. This is just a stock 1600DP pushing a lighter than-stock vehicle, so I went with it. The tranny is an earlier tranny, too, so the engine will be running at a higher RPM than it did with the IRS setup it came out of. This should help keep the temps down. After all, I have seen this tin used successfully on much larger 1915cc + engines pushing buses!

Last night I finished the aluminum trim in the engine compartment, along with a '72-'79 bus foam seal to keep the bottom and top of the engine separated. This should also keep the temps where they should be.
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