Outlaw Speedster Build.

Outlaw color is  Ferrari Grigio Silverstone  ...a dark gray metallic . When the body gets back from paint, I'll tape the outer rim on one of the 17" wheels, spray the tape with the body color to see if it had eye appeal.

@Alan Merklin posted:

I'm not using the 15" Airkewled chrome center smoothie rims because I can't come up with a color for the outer rim to go along with the dark gray body paint.

@Alan Merklin posted:

When the body gets back from paint, I'll tape the outer rim on one of the 17" wheels, spray the tape with the body color to see if it had eye appeal.

Do one with the outer rim in a bright chrome powdercoat. I think that will be the winner.

For reference, here is the Grigio Silverstone:

@Stan Galat posted:

Do one with the outer rim in a bright chrome powdercoat. I think that will be the winner.

Good idea Stan , I'll wrap some aluminum foil over the outer rim then stand back ten feet to see how the chrome might look. I just don't like the low profile 40 side walls but we'll see.

@Alan Merklin posted:

Good idea Stan , I'll wrap some aluminum foil over the outer rim then stand back ten feet to see how the chrome might look. I just don't like the low profile 40 side walls but we'll see.

I hear you, Al - but you have these, they're rare as hen's teeth, the brakes work with them, and there's no shortage of 17" summer performance tires.

@Alan Merklin  this is an example not the same rim but a different way to do a wheel.

@Alan Merklin posted:

Outlaw color is  Ferrari Grigio Silverstone  ...a dark gray metallic . When the body gets back from paint, I'll tape the outer rim on one of the 17" wheels, spray the tape with the body color to see if it had eye appeal.

Chrome/silver will look good, but it's been done.  What about going a shade or 2 darker than the body color?

Just a thought, but black on the outer rims would be very outlaw-ish and might solve the visual issue of the short sidewalls. The polished aluminum center and hubs are about 15" in diameter, so maybe it could tick a box?

@JMM (Michael) posted:

Just a thought, but black on the outer rims would be very outlaw-ish and might solve the visual issue of the short sidewalls. The polished aluminum center and hubs are about 15" in diameter, so maybe it could tick a box?

The 7 x 17 wheels are as new and shod with new Kuhmo's  so maybe the best approach is to try these combo ideas and see if it works visually.....  Just got back from the machine shop that has my buggered up stub axle for a week now with a promise to have it ready tomorrow..... Then I can put the rotors and caliper back on bleed the Neal brakes and see if the calpiers are good.

Edit: Just found out my speedster body will be delayed a week plus as paint guy Tommy took this week off because.... last week he fell in love and headed to Jamaca for this week to consummate the relationship or something along those lines ~

We had that happen when we were building our house, back in 1978.

Our framers got it closed in and buttoned up and then announced that they were headed to Hawaii for a month to build a house for their brother.  

WAIT....    WHAT????

@Gordon Nichols posted:

We had that happen when we were building our house, back in 1978.

Our framers got it closed in and buttoned up and then announced that they were headed to Hawaii for a month to build a house for their brother.  

WAIT....    WHAT????

Super-common. Like SUPER-DUPER-common.

Residential carpenters (even good ones) remind me of John 3:8:

"The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from or where it goes".

I once had a carpenter pull off my deck job because, "He was just not getting good vibes". I'd love to live like that for a couple of years.

He was just not getting good vibes".        Bwaaahaaaaa!

Eh Man you wanna do that deck job like ummmm maybe next Tuesday man ?

I've always overloaded myself, but this was more than 10 years ago, at the peak of trying to keep a dozen or more balls in the air at the same time.

When he said that, I looked at him like he was speaking a foreign language.

He pulled off anyhow. I mailed him a check, and hired another guy to finish. He came back after a couple of months when he ran out of money (I guess "the muse" was upon him again by that point), but the deck was already done.

That was the last time I hired Bob, but even the good guys are pulling off to go do something else, post-Covid.

There's a special word for these guys in Colorado. They work like hell all summer and then snowboard all winter.

@Alan Merklin posted:

He was just not getting good vibes".        Bwaaahaaaaa!

Eh Man you wanna do that deck job like ummmm maybe next Tuesday man ?

I think he is burning the evidence before the stop.

Outlaw / Berrien / Mendeola chassis photos....  Had to order special short 15-5/8" torsion drive axles.... and waiting on the body to get back from being painted.

Specs: Berrien 2 x 2 square & round tube chassis extended 8" w/ square sleeves          10 Gauge floors with 2" drop in seat area. VW frame horns w/ narrowed IRS trailing arms. Mendeola suspension w/ tubular A arms, R & P steering. Fox adjustable nitrogen filled shocks w/ QA-1 250 375lb. nitrogen springs, sway bars and kafer bar  Neal disc brakes with aluminum two piston calipers. Built up Type 1 transmission by John Brown  (specs listed previously)  Vintage speed shifter. Auto Stick HD starter.  Moblewagen 5.5  x 15 x 205mm  # 520 P polished aluminum wheels. Tunnel tubes, lines, & tunnel cover hand fabricated.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

I just got a

Outlaw Speedster photos and update :  Body is block sanded sealer, black primed and blocked and guide coated another 3 times. The Grigio Gray Silverstone Ferrari transparent metallic paint goes on tomorrow and should get it back here by next Saturday. I bolted the 2165 engine to the chassis with a 1,700 lb clutch set then disassembled to the long block, new oil cooler seals, sand seal and valve cover gaskets. I had to rework the head tins around the large intake manifolds and trim the 3-piece push rod tube tins to fit around the A-1 exhaust so they are functional then dry fitting lines, cables and hoses. The engine is new with just a short break in period but has sat a few years and I put in a bit of Marvel Mystery Oil in the cylinders as a precaution & I'll be doing a compression check tomorrow. On this build there was a lot of extra time fitting and fabricating than usual. The area above the trans is busy with the lines, cable tubes and Kafer bar etc, so I'll have to wait until the body is on to find room for the 72 row - fan oil cooler and order tires this week. The plan is to set the painted body on tall jack stands so I can sit and roll around on an old office chair while doing the wiring, lights, gauges, wiper assembly, windshield, door panels top etc then bolt it to the chassis ........... Will clean the now completed chassis and engine, posting photos early this week.

@Alan Merklin I am anxiously awaiting  the paint job. That color is amazing and should be gorgeous on your build. Good luck going forward and thanks for sharing.

Looks to be coming along.

@Chappy posted:

@Alan Merklin I am anxiously awaiting  the paint job. That color is amazing and should be gorgeous on your build. Good luck going forward and thanks for sharing.

Awesome for sure Alan!!!

Outlaw update:  Paint guy found a couple of minor issues in the fiberglass that didn't show until the 3rd guide coat so that is being fixed today and final sealer coat before paint. I am pulling the engine from the chassis today ( 72 degrees here :~) need to  make a small Kafer bar anchor point adjustment. The new 185 65 15 tires are on their way ..... Tomorrow I'll bench - prewire the Beck- Special Edition GPS VDO reproduction 356 gauge set . That's about all I can do until the painted body gets here this Sunday .

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"Tomorrow I'll bench - prewire the Beck- Special Edition GPS VDO reproduction 356 gauge set . That's about all I can do until the painted body gets here this Sunday."

Well, you could attach the sensor and a 12V battery to the Speedo and run up and down the neighborhood to see if it works?   Jus' sayin'....    Give your neighbors something more to talk about.   🏃‍♂️

That makes a clear mental picture … Alan getting in shape.

Yeah….   Like THAT’s gonna happen!

He’s too busy building stuff to worry about being “in shape”!

Building $#!+ = In Shape!

I don't know getting up and down etc etc keeps the midrift in shape

Getting in shape has passed me by, before I kneel or lay on a moving pad on the garage floor, I have an old rolling office chair nearby to grab hold of. it is what it is. Weekly low voltage Acupuncture sessions help greatly with the arthritis.

......Outlaw is in black primer today, the transparent Grigio Silverstone sprayed on Tuesday. 

y .

I hear you about the arthritis and general aches and pains, Alan.  I'm not that far behind.

This is going to be a very special Speedster, one that I really think you should keep for a while yourself.  Those WV backroads are calling your name.

Looking good, Al.

^^^ What Stan said!^^^

I love the smell of primer in the morning...

Looks great, Alan.

First Outlaw paint photos, Ferrari Grigio Silverstone,  a semi transparent medium to dark gray metallic over black base coat.   It's showing lighter due to the lighting.

Like rolling liquid mercury……

NICE!

LOOKS AMAZING !!!!!! Going to be one to Keep can’t wait to see it finished.

I know you know that you know your painter is awesome. You know, no?

Hey.....  

What are you planning for tail lights?

Those openings look a little different.

@Gordon Nichols ...   Using stock tear drop taillights I do cut the opening a bit different from a template I have.

@WNGD  I trailer the bodies 4 -1/2 hours each way to Tom in PA to do the body & paint , the overall job never fails to exceed the very reasonable estimates I get from him but still comes in at half the cost of having it done locally here. His work is 9 plus,so that works for me.

Awesome work

Speedster made it here today, ( photos) totally impressed with the color and deep gloss clear, tomorrow the real work begins ~