aloha, (i live in hawaii) anyone have any knowledge of this builder ?
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aloha, (i live in hawaii) anyone have any knowledge of this builder ?
They pop up every once in awhile. I had contacted them when I was looking to buy but they could not show any build pics or pics of cars they had built. I have not met anyone with one of their cars. On the other hand, I have not met the Pope but that does not mean that he does not exist.
PS I have no idea why I chose the Pope.
PS I have no idea why I chose the Pope.
Michael, I'm not certain that this company has produced anything but a fancy website. Caveat Emptor.
Hoss
Hoss
i chatted with him a while back over email.
He's in canada (East)
Mid engine, tube frame, a-arm suspension, etc...
on paper it looks good. A bit expensive though.
I did find out the body mold he has was made from another replica car (mold of a body produced by a mold). He did say that he spent quite a bit of time getting the mold stright, tweaking hood /trunk compartments.
here is the copy/paste of an email he sent:
He's in canada (East)
Mid engine, tube frame, a-arm suspension, etc...
on paper it looks good. A bit expensive though.
I did find out the body mold he has was made from another replica car (mold of a body produced by a mold). He did say that he spent quite a bit of time getting the mold stright, tweaking hood /trunk compartments.
here is the copy/paste of an email he sent:
Thank you for your interest in our vehicle. We are proud of what we produce and it is always nice when others appreciate it as well.
Regarding selling you a body only kit, we would be happy to do so. Virtually all mechanical and electrical components are "off the shelf" items that can be found in most well stocked car parts stores. Assembly is very easy and can be readily done by anyone with even a moderate level of mechanical and electrical skills.
However, some issues would exist.
Unlike other Speedster manufacturers, we do not base our car on a VW chassis so you would have no pattern to base building your own chassis on. In addition, some parts of the chassis have been subject to detailed engineering analaysis to ensure adequate strength to handle the 200 HP Honda engine and you would have to be very careful to ensure adequate strength in whatever chassis you built.
With our manufacturing process, it would be impossible to ship the kit without the doors, trunk lid and hood predrilled. All of these components have an inner and outer skin and we mount the inner skins on the car prior to bonding the outer skin to them. This ensures a precise fit for each and every car. For quality control purposes we do not believe that we can ship kits without this done.
There are a few other components, such as the pedal assembly, that are designed specifically for our car and that we would recommend be included in a kit.
Unless you have acess to wholesale prices for the mechanical and electrical components, you will probably end up paying more for components by choosing not to purchase them from us.
Shipping to the west coast is no issue. While I have not sent kits there, I have used Vancouver as a port of entry for a 1955 MG kit that I used to import. The shipping cost approximately $900, was prompt and all components arrived in good condition.
We always encourage potential customers to look around at the cars or kits from other manufacturers of Speedster replicas to ensure that a CSW is right for them. When comparing the products of other companies with ours I would urge you to keep in mind that our kits are engineered to be built with the following improvements over the standard VW based kit:
Following is a summary of the major advantages that have been designed into our vehicles.
Regarding selling you a body only kit, we would be happy to do so. Virtually all mechanical and electrical components are "off the shelf" items that can be found in most well stocked car parts stores. Assembly is very easy and can be readily done by anyone with even a moderate level of mechanical and electrical skills.
However, some issues would exist.
Unlike other Speedster manufacturers, we do not base our car on a VW chassis so you would have no pattern to base building your own chassis on. In addition, some parts of the chassis have been subject to detailed engineering analaysis to ensure adequate strength to handle the 200 HP Honda engine and you would have to be very careful to ensure adequate strength in whatever chassis you built.
With our manufacturing process, it would be impossible to ship the kit without the doors, trunk lid and hood predrilled. All of these components have an inner and outer skin and we mount the inner skins on the car prior to bonding the outer skin to them. This ensures a precise fit for each and every car. For quality control purposes we do not believe that we can ship kits without this done.
There are a few other components, such as the pedal assembly, that are designed specifically for our car and that we would recommend be included in a kit.
Unless you have acess to wholesale prices for the mechanical and electrical components, you will probably end up paying more for components by choosing not to purchase them from us.
Shipping to the west coast is no issue. While I have not sent kits there, I have used Vancouver as a port of entry for a 1955 MG kit that I used to import. The shipping cost approximately $900, was prompt and all components arrived in good condition.
We always encourage potential customers to look around at the cars or kits from other manufacturers of Speedster replicas to ensure that a CSW is right for them. When comparing the products of other companies with ours I would urge you to keep in mind that our kits are engineered to be built with the following improvements over the standard VW based kit:
Following is a summary of the major advantages that have been designed into our vehicles.
Engine - Our kit is set up to take a 200 HP water-cooled Honda. The base engine from most other manufacturers is a 1600 cc air-cooled VW. Upgrading the VW engine into the 140 HP range is a significant extra. Upgrading the VW to 200 HP is generally not done for street machines.
Transmission - a 5 speed is standard in a CSW Speedster. Others offer only a 4 speed.
Brakes - 4 wheel disc brakes are standard on a CSW. This is an extra costing several hundred dollars with other replicas.
Steering - Rack and pinion steering standard on all our cars. When available, this is an extra costing over $1,000 from other manufacturers.
Mid-engine - standard on CSW Speedsters. Not available on VW based cars.
Trunk - available only from CSW Speedsters. The trunk is approximately 12 cubic feet in volume.
Heater - with a water cooled engine, our heater is fully functional. This is not available in cars using air-cooled engines.
Tilt and telescoping steering column - available only from CSW.
Adjustable foot pedals - available only from CSW.
Targa Top roof - this will be available in the new year. The main overhead section of the roof is divided into 2 hard panels that can be removed and stored in the trunk. The rear window section of the roof folds as normal. Available only from CSW. This provides better protection against the elements, reduced noise and greater security.
In addition to the above specifics, the quality of our kits, from the laying of the fiberglass to the fitting of doors, is second to none.
I hope that the above helps in your consideration of the CSW Speedster. If you have any other questions regarding the CSW Speedster or the purchase process that you would like to discuss directly, please forward a contact number and a convenient time and I will call.
In the meantime, thank you once again for the interest and SAFE DRIVING.
Regards
Ted Hamilton
CSW Speedsters
(613) 331 4451
Transmission - a 5 speed is standard in a CSW Speedster. Others offer only a 4 speed.
Brakes - 4 wheel disc brakes are standard on a CSW. This is an extra costing several hundred dollars with other replicas.
Steering - Rack and pinion steering standard on all our cars. When available, this is an extra costing over $1,000 from other manufacturers.
Mid-engine - standard on CSW Speedsters. Not available on VW based cars.
Trunk - available only from CSW Speedsters. The trunk is approximately 12 cubic feet in volume.
Heater - with a water cooled engine, our heater is fully functional. This is not available in cars using air-cooled engines.
Tilt and telescoping steering column - available only from CSW.
Adjustable foot pedals - available only from CSW.
Targa Top roof - this will be available in the new year. The main overhead section of the roof is divided into 2 hard panels that can be removed and stored in the trunk. The rear window section of the roof folds as normal. Available only from CSW. This provides better protection against the elements, reduced noise and greater security.
In addition to the above specifics, the quality of our kits, from the laying of the fiberglass to the fitting of doors, is second to none.
I hope that the above helps in your consideration of the CSW Speedster. If you have any other questions regarding the CSW Speedster or the purchase process that you would like to discuss directly, please forward a contact number and a convenient time and I will call.
In the meantime, thank you once again for the interest and SAFE DRIVING.
Regards
Ted Hamilton
CSW Speedsters
(613) 331 4451
I hope that the following answers most of your questions. If you are interested in proceeding further and would like to discuss things directly, please forward me contact details and an appropriate time and I would be happy to call.
Deliver time for fiberglass components only would be approximately 6 weeks. This could vary, depending on our workload at time of order.
1) Is the actual fiberglass body different (your mold) given that you mount the engine mid way and use a-arm front suspension?
The styling aspects of our moulds are very close to the original. However, there are some differences in the CSW moulds:
the firewall has been moved forward approximately 4 inches when compared to other replicas
the floor is and integral part of the body whereas on others the VW floorpan is used. Also, the rear section of the floor has been dropped 2 inches to make the car more suitable for taller drivers - this has an impact on the chassis in that area.
there is no provision for closing off an air-cooled engine in order to ensure proper cooling - this has an impact on bracing the rear section of the body
the area under the front hood is entirely different in our vehicle. This is necessary in order to properly accommodate the suspension, r&p steering and the custom gas tank
the CSW Speedster has provision for a large trunk in the rear, behind the engine.
the area behind the driver's seat is different, given that what was formerly "back seat" space is now taken up by the engine.
2) Is the actual fiberglass body different (your mold) given that you mount the engine mid way and use a-arm front suspension?
Our moulds were taken from another replica. However, we spent months straightening out the body, making sure things like rocker panels were straight, centering the engine cover hatch, etc.
3) Why are the pedals specific to the body? Is the front "firewall" different than other speedsters?
The pedals are not specific to the body. However, we have designed them to be adjustable over a range of several inches to accommodate drivers of different heights and if you want this feature you will have to go through the design process yourself or purchase from CSW. They are not available on the open market.
The front "firewall" is completely different on our car. It has been moved forward 4 inches to give more legroom and has been modified in other ways to accommodate our pedal cluster. However, none of these changes would preclude someone fitting in other pedal systems.
4) What is the cost for all the fiberglass body parts (inner and outer skins) - in gelcoat?
The cost for all fiberglass body parts would be $13,900 Canadian, plus applicable taxes and shipping.
Paul, thank you once again for your interest.
Have a great day and SAFE DRIVING.
Regards
Ted Hamilton
CSW Speedsters
Deliver time for fiberglass components only would be approximately 6 weeks. This could vary, depending on our workload at time of order.
1) Is the actual fiberglass body different (your mold) given that you mount the engine mid way and use a-arm front suspension?
The styling aspects of our moulds are very close to the original. However, there are some differences in the CSW moulds:
the firewall has been moved forward approximately 4 inches when compared to other replicas
the floor is and integral part of the body whereas on others the VW floorpan is used. Also, the rear section of the floor has been dropped 2 inches to make the car more suitable for taller drivers - this has an impact on the chassis in that area.
there is no provision for closing off an air-cooled engine in order to ensure proper cooling - this has an impact on bracing the rear section of the body
the area under the front hood is entirely different in our vehicle. This is necessary in order to properly accommodate the suspension, r&p steering and the custom gas tank
the CSW Speedster has provision for a large trunk in the rear, behind the engine.
the area behind the driver's seat is different, given that what was formerly "back seat" space is now taken up by the engine.
2) Is the actual fiberglass body different (your mold) given that you mount the engine mid way and use a-arm front suspension?
Our moulds were taken from another replica. However, we spent months straightening out the body, making sure things like rocker panels were straight, centering the engine cover hatch, etc.
3) Why are the pedals specific to the body? Is the front "firewall" different than other speedsters?
The pedals are not specific to the body. However, we have designed them to be adjustable over a range of several inches to accommodate drivers of different heights and if you want this feature you will have to go through the design process yourself or purchase from CSW. They are not available on the open market.
The front "firewall" is completely different on our car. It has been moved forward 4 inches to give more legroom and has been modified in other ways to accommodate our pedal cluster. However, none of these changes would preclude someone fitting in other pedal systems.
4) What is the cost for all the fiberglass body parts (inner and outer skins) - in gelcoat?
The cost for all fiberglass body parts would be $13,900 Canadian, plus applicable taxes and shipping.
Paul, thank you once again for your interest.
Have a great day and SAFE DRIVING.
Regards
Ted Hamilton
CSW Speedsters