Critique from the gurus

OK, it took me time to learn the ins and outs of my 1971 914. Fuel injection was the worst. It took me time to learn about my 1977 MGB (I wonder how many Spitfires fell into the channel because of Lucas Electricals during WWII. NOW, I need to understand Speedster replicas. I am looking at this one. I was fascinated by the critique of the OC one earlier. Any comment on this one in the pictures?

Thanks for the expertise,

Fred, San Diego

Lucas has well earned title of "Prince of Darkness"!

Looks like some neat options - Porsche 911 lug pattern drilled rotors (?), 911 engine cooling (but why was engine firewall cut out - perhaps to accommodate 911/912 transmission?), not a fan of the external engine filler on classic model - is it to accommodate a fuel cell? (the VW gas tanks normally has filler to one side). Windshield look fine in picture.

well...

looks like a T1 powered motor,
remote oil cooler,
dual weber 40 or 44mm's,
obviously a 911 style shroud,
full flow oil,
firewall missing,
balljoint,
collapsable steering column from donor VW chassis)
looks liek a nadia wood steering wheel with missing horn button,
IRS setup (guess),
4 bolt converted to porsche 5 bolt pattern,
correct 3 vdo (style) gauges,
looks like original gel coat scratched to hell,
raged 914 seats with no headrests,
custom mounted gas cap setup (kinda unique / outlaw-ish,
poorly run wiring harness,
engine sealing tin missing (very bad depending on where the car is from (HOT climate))
door panels / carpet missing
convertible top assembly / top / toneau missing,
looks like rear deck (hood) lid is missing and so are the mounts and hinges
looks like a 2 speed wiper setup,

if i had to guess, i'd say it was an old, incomplete IM (based on the fact there is a rear torsion bar hole in the body.

more pictures would help. how about under the front hood?

depending on how complete the sale is (rear hood, etc) and what that motor is and the condition of it - i'd say that would fetch ~$12-16K in it's current condition (if it's a healthy motor). It needs work, but looks to be a solid foundation.

My guess would be that with that aftermarket 911-type fan shroud, the owner was having some serious cooling problems so he/she cut out the firewall to get a lot more air into the fan. It probably improved things, but we don't know how much. At the same time, removing the firewall material weakened the rear upper cowl support by removing the bulkhead/firewall integrity.

Look for stress cracks between the engine cover opening and the back seat. Look also around the front (trunk) opening, especially between the head lights and the trunk opening, since the forward inner fender walls were never installed (they provide a little support to the front end as well).

gn

Thanks for the fast service on comments. More welcome. He said the engine was some set up that 356 people buy. To fit the oil coolers, he had to cut the firewall. I guess you could relocate the oil cooler somewhere else and repair the firewall. You are correct on the IRS. I questioned the front hood work too on the gas fill but I figured it was a guy that likes Spyders. I would look for other seats even if I had to contact those guys in England that make seat covers and interiors for everything. The ones I got for the MGB were primo and not that expensive. I figured I could police up the wiring if it was done right. Some re-routing and shrink tube might work wonders. I don't have a pix of what is going on under the front hood but he claims it works.

Just a couple more photos.............help appreciated.

A dog's breakfast.----Jack

I really did not know what the devil that meant.........not part of California talk anyway. BUT, not very nice.

Urban dictionary: dog's breakfast

An unappealing mixture of many things... a hodgepodge... a disorganzined mess... but probably still usable (or consumable in the case of food.) From the idea that a dog will eat anything and feeding it a mixture of whatever is on hand. (Unappealing because only the dog finds its breakfast appealing... if you see or smell the dog food in the morning, as you're feeding the dog, it may well turn your stomach.)

Obviously, you don't like "old" and repaired or repairable.......it is an acquired taste to do it yourself not just buy it done.

Obviously, you don't like "old" and repaired or repairable.......it is an acquired taste to do it yourself not just buy it done. AGAIN

No way is that car worth 12-16! Maybe 7k on a good day. You're the guy that gotta do the work and from what I see there's plenty of it on that one. Just seeing the bulkhead all cut out(something I've NEVER seen done before) I'd respectfully pass on this one.
On another note....nice "B". Is that Brooklands Green? I had one identical to yours that color. It had the NICEST paint...you could look deep down into it.
Oh and I suffered the the 914 fuel injection funtime also.

~WB

You got it on color. I bought it nostalgically since I had a 1967 spinner wheel at age 19. It was not until I started on this that I remembered "the not so nostalgic things" about British Leyland. The 914 is a champ. I got it for $1100 in a house sale in Escondido. The original owner and his wife were in nursing homes for over a decade the car sat in storage for 25. I have the original window sticker and docs $2750 from Anaheim Porsche and $25 for the optional foot rest (the passenger seat did not move).

I appreciate ALL the comments since it bothered me a bit about "piecing together" this one.

I am still seriously thinking about one more "stock" since "stock" has some value, "TO ME". I would like it to be rebuilt since I remember in college in the early 70's how often the old 1600's blew up on the highway.............no 3.88 4th gear.

If I want to go fast, I'll drive my Boxster.

Thanks for the comments.

Fred Adler
San Diego

Does it run ok? If so I could see a value of $10k - maybe $12k if body ok and you have top with it. The Porsche brakes and Porsche alloy wheels are probably worth $2k. If one is able to do the work and enjoys it as a hobby, then I'd rather get a $10k beater and add $10k to finished the car the way I want it, than shell out near $30k and still wait 9 months for a "new" turnkey. Heck, re-fiberglassing the firewall is easy 3 hour max effort with $40 in materials.

i can see it used to have a 'shine-down' (pre mid 57) license plate light, but someone decided to put on a 'shine up' (mid 57-up). Only problem is they didnt fill any holes.

that firewall looks hacked to death. Not too hard to fix and i see most of the structural pices are still there. A very bad idea on cooling the PO had. blowing hot air into air filters and no cooling sealing tin.

Personally - looks like a fun project. The black gelcoat could come back quite easily. has scratches and rear holes i mentioned above.

price: up in canada - these fetch a premium used because of shear lack of them. market may be different where you are.

I think repairable or rebuildable depends on the previous owners abilities. Sometime it makes sense to walk away unless of course you can get it cheap and do it right. I think consideration for the hole where the motor is and wiring.... the rest can be fixed, buffed and a $3000.00 paint job can fix.

Nothing wrong with a good 'ol 1600cc, tuned properly, cooled properly and right amount of oil has brought MILLIONS of cars through the 60's, 70's and beyond. Usually the ones that blow up are the ones that are modified to do more than the internals can handle. My dos centamos.

Fred:

I know that you want honesty here, and several people have been trying to do so without seemingly coming on too strong or hurting your feelings (since we don't really know you) so let me be honest:

Walk away from this car.

The previous owner really didn't know their way around the eccentricities of air-cooled engines and have screwed up the cooling capabilities in a major way, AND they did a hack job of their other "improvements" in hopes of making it a driveable car, which I doubt that it is (even though the 944 brakes are intriguing). Give that thing any day over 75 degrees F and it'll overheat. In order to fix it, you'll have to trash that fake 911-style fan shroud and replace it with a real German VW shroud, replace all of the firewall stuff removed, re-position the external oil cooler to a wheel well, add all of the engine heat shields that aren't there currently (you can look down on the engine and see the ground - a BIG no-no - and only then will you begin to get a car that'll run OK and not overheat.

And that's AFTER the previous owner had that awful cooling system pumping hot air into the cooling fan inlet and forcing the engine to overheat, so God only knows how much engine damage has already been done to it. It'll require a complete engine tear-down and rebuild, just so you'll know what you've got to start with...

Add to that the need to completly finish the interior (somewhere around $2K-$3K including top, depending on what you use for materials) and straighten out things on the exterior and the costs start to really mount up.

AT MAX, I would not pay over $5K for that car if the engine was running with good compression numbers. ALL of the interior should be replaced, MUCH of the engine compartment must be replaced, and it's gel-coated and lacking paint.

You want a fixer-upper that'll keep you busy part time for a couple of years? This is the car for you, but if you buy it for $10K, you'll have to put another $7-8K into it (with cheap paint) to turn it into a $12K car.

Is THAT what you want??

Gordon

The front and rear brakes are VW/ possibly aftermarket disc brakes. Those rotors have been drilled. The fronts have adapters. The car really needs some work. You need to look at the front panhead to see if there is any intergity issue ie corrosion near front axle bolt mounts. I wouldn't pay over $3500 for it . Gordon is right about the air cool setup. I ve been there. You will dump over 12K into this thing.

Hi Fred,

Here is another one from craig's list http://sandiego.craigslist.org/csd/car/732235399.html
looks like a Vintage Speedster by the hood handle emblem or maybe a CMC.
at least it is local but looks a little cleaner. I agree with the rest of guys (but I am just a newbie) looks like a lot of work.

I just bought and shipped a pan based IM from NJ and while it was very clean and in good shape these cars need tlc at the best of times and that one looks like a real project.

Your B looks real nice they are sweet rides. In high school I had a 58 MGA and my future wife then girlfriend had her dad's new 67 MGB. You can guess whose car was parked when we went out. Roll up windows! ummmmmm.

Looks like you could handle a major build if you went through the MGB, so you will have to judge in the end. I would recommend getting one from Ca (for the Ca registration). Speedsters are raw and primitive, of course that is what I was looking for. Like my old MGA.

Dave

Hi Fred,

Being a "BRIT CAR CRAZY" person myself; "NICE "MGB" you have there.

Relative to the Speedster project. "TO ME", Thats exactly what it is! "A MAJOR PROJECT"!!

If for example; You did buy it for $8K (Thats what it "MAY" be worth at best)? Looks like you would have to put at least an equal amount of time and dollars into it to get it to a good driver condition.

As I`m sure you are aware; You can buy an already nice driver condition one for $16-$18K all day long!!!!!!

So; If you want to "TINKER". If you want to get "FRUSTRATED". If your a "PLUMBER, ELECTRICIAN, BODY MAN & MECHANIC" & If your not afraid of Surprises. "BUY IT" but I surely would`nt go anymore than $8K at best.

Best Wishes,

Russ

Fred

If you are looking for a speedster in the 13000 range, look at my pictures. I can give you the contact info. That car was mine last year.