Determining Value

I'm looking into buying a used Speedster replica. Can anyone give me advise on what to look for. I'm getting close to looking at one made by Classic Carriages. I've been around a few VW's but not real up to speed on replica values.

Thank you for any advise,
M

Quick look at the one on Samba and mentioned here in the classified --- sounds like a real bargain!

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=235377

A good 99% of CMC vehicles were delivered as kits (in varying states of completeness) to perspective builders/owners so their expertise/time investment can differ greatly. As a gauge the raw kit with the doors mounted but no running gear was about $8k (and near another $1k to deliver it from Miami). Constructing it - 200+ hours. Adding custom leather interior, quality gauges, suspension and quality engine can easily double or more likely triple that initial outlay to arrive at finished product.

Here is a picture of a '90 CMC. The guy tells me that it has all new running gear and only around 1,200 miles since it has been rebuilt. He is looking for $16,500. Any thoughts?

Mike,

It really depends on what you want from a Speedster, 1. a outlaw with the flared fenders and no trim. 2. an origional looking slab sided Speedster with all the correct trim.

The one you showed on the picture is an outlaw with lots of incorrect stuff on it like the rims. If you are looking for the "correct" look, that one ain't for you but then again if the Outlaw look is your cup of tea, you got one to look at. Engine and drive train are a big item also. Many options for you to chose from, stock VW or a wild type 4 and everything in between! This is probably a good time to buy a Speedster, probably can swing a pretty good deal as most sellers are anxious this time of year.

Good luck and let us know the outcome!

Mr. Tom, The fella selling the car is an up front guy. I have dealt with him. I have much respect for him.

Mike, I have over $26K into mine. That price isn't so bad.

Joe

Is it just the angle of the photo short or is the wheel base really off? Fronts appear too far back (this seems common in some builds) but the rear also seems too far forward?

I think your right. The owner said they used a Ghia frame. Could this be why...is this real common? I guess it's something to avoid.

Joe that's a GREAT looing ride.

If I'm not mistaken the wheelbase on Ghias is the same as in any other Type I; the floor pans are wider though. Maybe the wheels in this car aren't wide enough and so they look "tucked in" because of the angle the photo was taken from.

mike , it looks like whoever took the picture....was standing on a latter! Looking down on the car.

I have a wide body CMC on a ghia frame and am running 225x15's on all four corners. Front tires still look tucked in.

That whole problem of the front wheels sitting to far rearward in the wheel arch was covered before:

https://www.speedsterowners.com/forum/readmsg.asp?t=5534

See if this helps.

If it's a question of the wheels sitting to far inside the wheel arch, your wheels are too narrow and need spacers or replacement. Wider tires alone won't fill the arches on a wide body, you need wide wheels/spacers as well. The best looking Speedsters have had a LOT of attention in this area.

Luck,

TC

The thread TC refered you to is actually about the front wheels sitting too far FORWARD in the wheel-wells.

In the car built on the Ghia pan, the wheels look too far back in the wells, and the rear wheels look too far forward. While it could be the angle (and camera lens) of the picture, the culprit is more likely the pan was shortened too much.

A Ghia pan and a Beetle pan should have the same wheelbase, but both have to be shortened (about 9" ??) to accomodate the shorter wheelbase of the Speedster. Do this shortening step incorrectly (too long or too short) and the wheels will not "look right" in the wheel-wells.

I think there's good possibility that's what's wrong with the CMC car you're looking at. If so, it's pretty much unfixable. Keep shopping.

Good info guys. I've emailed the owner to ask if it's just the picture or if the frame is a little on the short side. I think I'll keep looking. My current wekend car is a '69 Ghia hardtop. I guess I'm getting a little bored with it.

C'mon Mike....you must be kidding!!....I had a '69 years ago and I adore them!!

All the build manuals for CMC & Fiberfab in Library says shorten it 11.81"!

I had the same problem with my CMC . When I replaced the front panhead when constructing the modified frame ,I extended the wheel base forward.

An observation on fore/aft wheel positon on Pan based Speedsters:

The ride height of the front end changes the position of the front wheels relative to the body. If the front beams torsion arms are at a 45 degree angle the wheel base is slightly different than if the arms (that carry the ball joints or link pins) are at a 90 degree angle.
But that's not my point or question.
When I got the Fiberfab that I'm finishing now, the body was bolted to the Pan in a couple of places. I measured the wheelbase then and checked Pan measurements. (The VW pan was already shortened when I got it) Everything was OK; square and wheelbase OK and comparable to my Vintage Speedster.
I installed the wheels and tires I intended using, then measured clearance side to side as well as making sure the wheels didn't look offset in their wheel well.
Here's my point: I determined that the body was square with the pan and wheelbase but needed to move to one side by 3/8 to 1/2 inch.
I think this was pretty typical on the Earlier Speedster kits.
I managed to move it over when I finish mounted the body to the pan, but where the body sets and lines up with the front Yoke and mounting holes and rear mounting holes is pretty much where it ends up.
I had to slot the mounting holes that were already there and change the front yoke and pan in order to move it sideways at all. I also moved the body back a little. (Most non flared Speedster replicas look to me to have the front wheel too far back. My Vintage Speedster is like this.
Point:---------> there's not much you can do to change the fore and aft position of the front mounts of the Body, regardless of how the Pan was shortened. The front positon is already determined. Unless you lengthen the front of the pan forward of the body mounting points or altering the Yoke or pan at the front, you can't change (by much) that positon. The Rear wheels fall where they may. If the pan shortening process was correct the rear wheels should be centered in their wheel well. The rear wheel postion is what should be looking wrong if the pan is too short or too long.

Greg B

John,

Wasn't there once a thread about someone having their wheels too far back in the wheel well and they had some cool shims made up to bring the beam forward just that little bit to center everything nicely?

Did I imagine all of it?

Sshhheeeessshhh . . . hate the turning 50 thing! Everything goes all at once. Now it the long term memory, first I lose my keys, THEN I lose my way home . . .

Basically boils down to Does it have what you want at the quality you want for the price you want to give. You could buy mine at $10K (not that I want to sell it) or you can pay $20k for a fire breathing imaculate ride.