Arrival

Do you have any pictures Don? And from who/where did you buy this Speedster? I hope you have the skills to make it all work. Looking forward to seeing the progress.

This is the silver one with plexi windshield that mounts in a groove cut in the body? I recall that one.  You can always do a diagonal front to rear slice in rear fender wells and add 3 inches of width for T3 brakes and wide 5's.  Or go 944 rear discs with 944 swing arms.  It's called the Madness just for that reason.

Does that 944 gear bolt straight on to the VW IRS? I'm not going to alter the the classic lines of the body. That simplistic beauty is the thing that bit me. Swing axle it is. I'm not after a race car. I just want to cruze along without a care in the world.

We're going to need photos.

Sorry to hear it didn't arrive in the condition expected. I can understand how disappointed you must be. I don't know about 1960 and earlier axle/tube length, but I do know 1961-1966 axles and tubes are 1 1/8" shorter than 1967 assemblies and 1 3/4" shorter than 1968 and newer. After 1968 USA got irs but a lot of the rest of the world, including Canada, had swingaxle rear suspension in at least some beetles sold 'till '73 or later, so there are a lot of swingaxle transaxles out there with the longer axles and tubes. Earlier axles and tubes are getting a little harder (but not impossible) to find; people have all sorts of stashes so you just have to know who to ask. Type 3 rear brakes will add approx. 5/8" per side, but even so, 6" wheels with the right offset with 185's should fit within the fenderwells and shock towers/springplates. Porsche Fuchs are one wheel which will fit in this situation.

If looking for the best handling, irs trailing arms can be narrowed 1" per side, and with the addition of the type 3 brakes, and again 6" wheels with 185's should clear. Even 7" wheels (with the right offset) and 205's are possible with either swing or irs, if it's planned right. Al

That's it. I'll post some pics of the carnage.

Where did you buy it from (private, ebay, dealer?) and were you expecting it to be in fair/good condition?

I got it off e-bay from a guy in Arkansas. However I paid $9400 for it so I wasn't expecting a minta, just  a little better than it is. I can work with this though. I am going to need plenty of advice to get this up and running. As far as i know I'm the only guy with a Speedster in this part of the country.

Good on ya! You'll get plenty of help spending your money here!!!

Seriously, I am pulling for you to to make this car something you can be proud of and enjoy. Do what makes you happy.

ALB, I never saw a swing axel after 1966-7 in my neck of the woods in Canada, and IRS from 68 on for sure. I had IRS on my 69 beetle, 74 beetle 71 Ghia and 73 Westy... just saying  

Welcome to the crazy world we find ourselves diving head first into! Best of luck.

David

Hey ALB & IAM-RAY,  I had a 76' beetle, base model with swing axle , no flow thru vents behind 1/4 window and the head liner stopped @ the top of the backglass.  VW went really cheap @ the end of production on the non super beetles in Canada. I bought that car in Ontario Canada.    Jesse.

jesse postill posted:

Hey ALB & IAM-RAY,  I had a 76' beetle, base model with swing axle , no flow thru vents behind 1/4 window and the head liner stopped @ the top of the backglass.  VW went really cheap @ the end of production on the non super beetles in Canada. I bought that car in Ontario Canada.    Jesse.

Hey, another Canadian! Who knew?

If i go with a pre 61 pan I get the same wheel track as a real Pre A. 1290 at the front and 1250 at the rear. That's 100mm or 4 inches less at the rear as compared to a IRS rear. That gives plenty of room for type 3 wide 5 drums. and what ever rim I like and still have comfortable guard clearance. 

Really 1976, funny I had no idea that they were downgrading those years... I was only aware of the rabbit coming in and the convertible bug.  

Don, you seem, from your post, to be the resilient type, I hope your project gets you to that place where you can: "cruze along without a care in the world"

when you get there, please share with the rest of us...how the heck you got there!

...we're all still trying...

I'm already in that place. A Speedster will just add to it. It doesn't hinge on it.

...well, to quote Panhandle Bob: "Good on ya!"

WNGD posted:

jesse postill posted:

Hey ALB & IAM-RAY,  I had a 76' beetle, base model with swing axle , no flow thru vents behind 1/4 window and the head liner stopped @ the top of the backglass.  VW went really cheap @ the end of production on the non super beetles in Canada. I bought that car in Ontario Canada.    Jesse.

Hey, another Canadian! Who knew?

All together now  Eh!!!

Shame new prospective owners don't find SOC before the Madness causes them to part with their $$$!  Still remembering Carl in CT saying he'd check out a red CMC Speedster there - owner declined and rushed his $12k to CT.  New TX owner was severely disappointed. HA, think the next owner was too!

Where in Arkansas did you get your Speedster.  I thought I was the only one in this state with a Speedster as of a year or so ago.

Hot Springs is where it came from

Jack's been spending too much time driving and not enough time in home town.  Hot Springs can't be that large?  Add shipping and customs tax and you've got a serious initial investment with quite a bit more to go.  Keep us up to date on your progress.