best low-cost upgrades

"no fat chicks" bumper sticker... does that count?

$301.01 gear shift knobs!!!!!!!!!!!

There is no fundamental, practical reason for grill badges...It's just that many clubs and events like getting a little more mileage and notoriety so they created something participants and members could adorn their cars or walls or refrigerator doors with to remind them of their victories, real or imagined...

I just like 'em 'cuz they make the car appear to have been around the block (sort of like its owner)and for the little bit of air disturbance they create, the aesthetic benefitzzz are far greater!
MM

I like the right side mirror, crested hubcaps, banjo style steering wheel, (Derrington)?

I will start the list.

Full tonneau cover
Press-in wheel studs
Powder painted rims

Define "low cost".

Less than a couple hundred +/-, low cost to others may be a LOT higher than my definition.

A nice wooden steering wheel
Cocoa(?) floor mats
Grill badges
Upgraded shocks

Can some one explain to me the "Grill Badges" thing ? I just don't seem to get it ! Why would I want to fasten grill badges all over the grill, Really I'm serious, it would , to some degree impair air flow to the engine, and what good are they?


Gclarke

AAAAHHH !.......Ego gratification. That I understand !

Thanks
Gclarke

Gary, badges are sort of a cult thing - club memberships, rally participation, "I was here" (cities - Monte Carlo, etc.), etc. some of them are extraordinarily pretty or quite rare. for instance I have a Porsche factory 100,000 Km award badge that the factory gave to owners who had driven their car that distance with no major service (VW gave them out, too). I have a BUNCH of other Porsche grill badges from different clubs (England, Italy, Germany, Bavaria, Sweden, Belgium, Holland, Denmark), Casablanca Sports car Club, and Porsche Gmunde (sp?) 50 year reunion badge, none of which are mounted on the car.

I'll probably try to figure out a badge-bar mounting setup similar to those used on British cars and mount the prettiest ones on it. Then you have to worry about vandalism - some of them are fairly valuable and may be stolen off of the car while it's parked somewhere...
(Message Edited 9/25/2003 3:42:22 PM)

George there are a few shots of Porsches from the old days in a number of my books, with a badge bar that appears to bridge or perhaps flank the running light installation. It looks just right to my eye and not to overdone...

The cool thing (double-edged sword) about a badge bar is the access to the badges is easier so you should be able to more readily install them for show and remove them for day to day adventures into the hood... if you're so reclined.
Medal-ing MM

A Gene Berg shifter.
A very good set of plug wires.
A nice set of air horns
A Gene Berg 3 quart sump.
Ron

What Jim said. And a black rubber tunnel mat.

I second what Ron OBlack mentioned, go with Gene Berg products! Purchasing one of their locking shifters is a financial investment. Not to mention the added benefit of 40-60% reduced throw.
Other low buck parts that should be considered would be an oil temp dipstick ($14). Wanna spice yout ride up a little, install a pair of newly released Weber 48IDAs

1. Quarter Tonneau
2. Full Tonneau
3. Canvas instead of Vinyl
4. Nardi is free! Matching shift knob is $50.
5. Dual mirrors (extras is not all that much.) I just bought one.
6. Super Caps.
7. Cocoa Mats look period and take abuse.
8. 16 Gallon Gas Tank is absolutely a great thing for $100
9. Matter of Taste, but I like the bumper guards to follow the retro theme.
10. I think the early model shifter John Leader uses with the round rubber boot looks great. -$30 and a short shift kit for $15
11. I have a chrome rim mounted with a spare and a L-bolt Spin on clamp set up. Bargain deal, and it leaves room under for scissors jack and folding lug. Nice also, because it and the front mounted battery adds ballast for the front end when the fuel tank is getting low.
12. Although the price being "low end" is debatable, I would say front discs are an absolute regardless of the engine.
13. Wide Five Pattern all four corners
14. Proximity alarm and reach in alarm with pager, forget the locks and all that.
15. Using JPS or VS I would say their external Oil Co0ler/fan/stat package is a bargain. Even with a 1600 initially, you are plumbed for subsequent upgrades.
16. If you plan on much highway/freeway time I consider the 3:88 and a flyer 4th essential.
17. Compufire or Pertronix are a low cost bargain, no points, nice starts, even fire.
18. Small Fire Extinguisher.

Jim Ward

What about a blonde mannikin from a departmental store's display
window as a passenger seat accessory?

Doesn't get more low cost than this - no maintenance required ;-)

(Message Edited 9/26/2003 7:37:54 AM)

For the traditionalists, how about reflectors under the tailights?

On the subject of wheel studs; my car has oldstyle vw wide five wheels on drums (I plan to eventually upgrade to front discs), what stud conversion option is recommended for a more 'porsche-like' appearance? Size and source? I am also considering Fibersteel's drumskins for going hubless. Any opinions?

I meant hubcap-less, not hubless.

Jim, I would amend your list by changing the fire extinguisher to LARGE from small. Note that fiberglass burns very well indeed so if you have an engine compartment fire and the fiberglass begins to burn a bigger extingusher will probably be necessary.

Glen, I've got a Gene Berg short throw, rapid shifter, with a locking reverse in mine too. I LOVE THIS SHIFTER. Expensive, but well worth it.
Ron

Hey Greg, try contacting SoCalImports in Bellflower, CA. They have a great new disc breake setup for both link-pin & ball joint VW front beams. The kit includes everything from discs, calipers, hoses, & pads. It will retain the wide 205mm studs. Best of all, if you choose the run no hubcaps, the center of the disc appears like you have drums. Vintage look with upgraded stopping power.

Let me add to George's statement of having a somewhat larger fire extinguisher on board.
Over the summer, I had a carb pop and ignite the air filter thus there went the fuel lines, underside of the engine deck lid and along the deck lid opening all within 25 seconds...impressive seeing a $22k car with 25 miles with 2 feet of flames shooting out of the deck lid engine vent. Two things saved this Speedster...the aluminum firewall panels I installed around the engine compartment happen to insulated the body from the fire and two Maryland Highway Dept workers that somehow happened along within seconds of the carb lighting up, it took a 20lb bottle to get the fire out. Had it gone another minute there would have been no stopping the fire....

Alan M.

Alan:

If you were to choose a fire extinguisher for a speedster, what size would you recommend? Also, where would you locate it?

Thanks

Bob
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

I'm old school, so the fire extinguisher in my new Speedster is CO2; it will be a 5 lb. unit mounted on the "tunnel" in front of the shift lever.

I carry a 5lb Halogen but it is laying behind the Passenger seat, haven't had the nerve to drill some holes yet.

Bruce

I like the idea to carry halon. This stuff really snuffs out a fire.
George: Don't they use these a lot in boats? I recall environmental issues..yes/no?

BD

Some halon compounds were poisonous but the new stuff is OK. I just like CO2.

I just drink a ton of water before I go driving.....

A Halon 10# unit is available but takes a bit of hunting , chrome always looks " business impressive" and can be mounted in plan view ...be sure it is very accessible in a emergency...I have mounted then on the passenger side right kick panel

Alan M

I like the classic look of the red painted CO2 fire extinguisher bottles. Back in the mid 1950's that's what you saw in cars at SCCA roadraces.

Anyone have a suggestion where to get cocoa mats? Thanks

roll up windows
disc brakes
roll bar
5 point seat belts
good stereo
camber compensator
wider tires
cigarette lighter
cellphone power adaptor

Bob L,
You can order coco mats from: www.cocomats.com
Attached is a shot of my JPS with cocos in place.

So do the universal mats fit an IM, or do you need to order the custom fitted ones?

Tell the Cocomats.com folks what you're trying to fit - VW pan-based Speedster, IM tube-frame, etc. They seem to have patterns to fit all of us. And if they don't, I think they'll send you a kit to actually make your own pattern so they can make a set to your specs.

Just a short caution on Halon......never ever breath in or smell the agent.....I was in wichita when a halon extinguisher was being demonstated the person who took a big wiff of the agent sprayed into the persons hand.

It is sad to report that the agent was sucked into the mans lungs and because of this it suffocated him and he died.

Re Halon,

Where I worked before retirement, the computer room that housed all the computers and periferals had an extensive halon system. Would they use this if it was so dangerous? I don't think so. You can't have an extinguisher system that only goes off when no humans are present. Maybe the early halon systems were noxious but as George mentioned they have changed the formula. I'll look on mine and see if there are any warnings on it. Bruce

Ron,

I use the cocomats too and they have stood up for two years now and still look new. I will buy another pair from them this winter to stash away. BUT, if anyone is interested, there are a pair of black Speedster replica carpet mats with the script inlaid on e-bay now. Just do a search under "speedster". Last bid I saw was $50! Nice looking mats.

And someone here is a Studebaker fan? Was that Bruce? On e-bay under a speedster search there was alllllll kinds of memorabilia for Studebaker Speedsters!

Jim Ward
(Message Edited 10/7/2003 5:16:47 PM)